Maureen had never been one for being quiet, so I sensed something was wrong when she did not greet me as I entered the loft with groceries and Roger's AZT. "Mo, what is it?"

"Roger." She answered. I frowned, one word answers are never good signs from Maureen.

"What did he do?" I asked, fearfully. Roger had been unpredictable for months now, he always seemed to be doing better – we were going through withdrawal for months now – but every once in awhile he slipped.

"He hit me Mark. He hit me." She said, but I feel like that's not even the whole problem. And I'm beginning to think that Roger isn't the only problem here. Even as these thoughts go through my head I feel my anger flare up at Roger, but I take a deep breath remembering that I have to be the calm.

Between Roger and Maureen, I always have to mediate. Maureen's dramatics and Roger's withdrawal, I need to be the one who is always there for them, because I love them both; differently of course, but love them both nonetheless.

I sit Maureen down on the couch and I sit on the coffee table as I face her. I take her hands in mine. "Are you hurt?" and even as I ask it I can see the bruise forming over her right brow.

"Of course I'm hurt Mark." She answers bluntly, subtlety had never been her strong point, "He fuckin' punched me!" her voice is rising in volume and octaves now, and I return to focusing on being calm.

"He doesn't mean it – you know that, sometimes he can't help himself," I explain carefully, never knowing how Maureen will react even after dating her for seven months. Roger's addiction and withdrawal is always a touchy subject – with both my girlfriend and my best friend.

"Mark, I'm sick of you making excuses for him. I'm sick of you going out of your way to protect him – you should want to protect me! I'm your girlfriend!" and now Maureen is on her feet and her arms are crossed in front of her chest, and I don't understand how she can mad at me for caring about my friend. "It's been 5 months! I don't think the Roger you're looking for is ever coming back – ever."

I bristled, "That's not true, and you know it's not true. He's in there. This can't be easy for him, but every day he's making an improvement."

"How is beating up your girlfriend an improvement Mark? HOW?" she shouted the last word and I cringed. "I can't do this anymore, you always put him first!"

And all of a sudden it hits me – what is really bothering Maureen. "Maureen – this isn't about Roger is it?" I asked in a voice as cold as ice.

She froze, took a deep breath, blinked slowly, and sat back down. I followed her lead. Her silence is scarier than her fury. Angry Maureen I can deal with. Loud shouting Maureen I can handle. Silent, brooding Maureen confused me.

Finally she spoke, in a voice barely about a whisper, "It is and it isn't."

I don't understand and I tell her so.

"It's about Roger. It's about me. And it's about you." Maureen continued in her whisper, "It's about all three of us… and one more person."

"What do you mean one more person?" I asked confused, "Has Collin called? Is he okay? Is it Benny?"

Maureen shook her head, and I am surprised when I see tear fall from her chocolate eyes, "It's not anyone you know – you've never met h-them."

I'm scared now, what could possibly be making Maureen so upset, "Maureen, please, can you just tell me what it is? Blunt, and quick, like ripping a band-aid off."

Maureen looked up at me, meeting my eyes for the first time. "Mark, I'm leaving you. I can't deal with Roger and with you putting Roger first anymore I just can't do it." She held up her hands as I went to interrupt her, "There's someone else Mark, I've been seeing someone else for awhile."

It hits me like a ton of bricks but I can't really process it. Who had she been seeing on the side? How could she? Doesn't she know how much I love her? Even as all these questions pounded in my brain, I only uttered one.

"What's his name?" I finally asked, as I realize Maureen is now dragging her small suitcase out of our room and close to the sliding door.

"You really don't want to know that," Maureen told me, pushing the heavy door open and turned her back on me.

As she started down the stairs, I called after her one more time, "What his name?" I had to know, I needed to know.

Maureen paused on the bottom of the first flight of stairs, she turned back to face me with tears in her eyes and whispered, "Joanne."

Even though my world has fallen apart at the seams, I did not fall apart myself. I had other people – excuse me, person now – that I needed to take care of. I had to be strong for Roger. He still needed me.

So I walked over to Roger's room, and gently knocked on the door. I was surprised when I heard a muffled "Come in." because normally Roger just ignored me until I forced my way in. I opened the door and found Roger huddle on his bed, though he was on top of his covers.

"Hey, Rog – you okay?" I questioned, and am slightly worried when he shook his head no.

I went to sit down on the end of his bed, "Wanna tell me what's wrong?"

Roger sat up and looked at me, and said in a small, disappointed voice, "I hit Maureen, I hit a girl."

I sighed, Maureen was really the last person I wanted to talk about right now, even thinking her name broke my heart into a million pieces. "I know, she told me."

"Mark, this has to stop."

"I know – it will."

"I've never hit a girl before - not even when I was high…" Roger trailed off.

"Well, you won't have to worry about it anymore," I told him and Roger looked up perplexed, "Maureen dumped me." Saying the words aloud just make the statement more true and take a shuddering breath reminding myself that I can't, not under any circumstances, break down in front of the already broken Roger.

Roger sat up a little straighter and moved to sit closer to me, "Mark, it's all my fault-"

"No, Roger, it's not." I cut him off.

Roger glared at me and I shut up. "Listen Mark, I'm sorry. I'm sorry about everything."

A/N: Okay, so I know this is really, really, short, but I felt so bad for not updating in months and I just wanted to let you know that this fic has not been abandoned. I'm still here! I started university so my life's kind of crazy busy and stuff, but today this came to me, and I wanted to put something up just to let you all know I'm still alive! Okay, enough excuses, I hope to have the next chapter up way sooner than this. R&R.