A/N: Wow, so I love writing this story!! It just keeps getting better. And the people who read this are absolutely amazing and their support is incredible. This story would have long been abandoned if it weren't for you guys. Anyway, here is the next chapter!! YAYA!!! I also want to thank that people that review me and tell me that they can actually see Taye and Idina (Benny and Maureen) doing this stuff, which is great because that it the way it is supposed to be!! Anyway, enjoy and don't forget to review, because I really need a spiritual lifting...:) Writing might slow down soon because I have to get ready to move for college, but I promise I will not abandon this story, it just may take a while!
Disclaimer: It is not mine...sadly!

Chapter 15 – A special place

Joining the party, Maureen noticed she received a number of reassuring nods and smiles. She didn't know whether to be insulted or be grateful that so many people seemed to understand. She decided to let it go and not let it bother her. Benny went over to talk to Roger and Collins, leaving Maureen with her thoughts for a while.

"Hey, are you all right?" Mimi asked, seeing that Maureen seemed very withdrawn.

"Oh yeah, I'm fine," she replied, watching Mimi take Benny's seat next to her.

"Are you sure?" Mimi wondered again, looking at Maureen with knowing eyes.

Maureen let out a deep breath, knowing that Mimi was pretty good at reading people and she wasn't buying her act.

"Okay, no," Maureen finally broke down her wall. "Everything is just so complicated now, not that it wasn't before, but it seems that it's so much worse now."

"What do you mean?" Mimi asked.
"Well, like with Joanne tonight, with what she was saying out in the alley, and then with my parent the other night when I told them I was with Benny. It just seems that nobody is supporting us and nobody believes in us."

"That's not true," Mimi interrupted, catching Maureen by surprise, "You have people who believe in you guys. Me, Roger, and although it may not totally seem that way, Mark and Collins really do. Forget what everybody else thinks and follow wherever your heart may lead you. You and him are the only people that matter, and that is what you need to focus on. If your parents won't support you for some stupid reason, then they don't deserve you as a daughter. Stop sweating the small stuff Mo, life is short."

Maureen stared at her friend while soaking in everything she just said. Mimi's words made her seem very wise beyond her years, but her short number of years on earth held a lot of life lessons. Life was definitely short, they had all learned that, and Maureen was determined to carry out Mimi's advice. She smiled at her friend as her eyes found their way to the one that made her instantly forget all her distress.

"Mimi," Maureen began, her eyes traveling back to the woman in front of her, "you are such a brilliant person and an amazing friend, and I don't know what I would do without you."

"Anything for you, Mo," Mimi replied, hugging her friend. "Come on, let's go bug our men."

"Sounds perfect," Maureen said with a smirk.

Both woman got up and trotted over to Collins, Benny, and Roger. Maureen gently grabbed Benny's hand that he had under his other arm.

"Hey," he whispered, knowing it was her by her touch.

"Hey," she said back, a genuine smile on her face.

Benny moved to be behind her, so the group knew that she was there. Mark and Kate came over to join them, Mark catching Maureen's eye when they got there. She saw something different in Mark's eyes. Longing, sadness, and jealousy had been replaced by happiness, excitement, and contentment. She smiled at him and he smiled back, both knowing that their past could finally be put fully behind them.

"How long do you want to stay here?" Benny whispered into her ear, causing her recent thoughts to come to a halt.

His head was on her shoulder, awaiting an answer when he felt his head move from her shrug.

"I don't care, whenever you want to go is fine," she answered.

He took his hand from hers to encircle her waist. "Well, I have something I want to show you, so soon."

She turned to meet his face, a smile turning up the corners of her mouth. "Really?"

He just smiled back, his eyes telling all. Maureen wiggled out of his arms and walked over to Kate and Mark, telling them that Benny and she were going to head out.

"Welcome to this crazy family, you're going to love it," Maureen told Kate, hugging her as they both laughed.

"Bye Marky," Maureen mocked before hugging her former boyfriend.

Mark just shook his head, "See ya Maureen."

"Mimi," she said, walking a few steps to Roger and Mimi, "Hey guys, we're going to head out."

"Aww, already," Mimi fake pouted with a smile not far behind.

"Yeah."

"Okay, well we'll see you later," Mimi said, embracing Maureen.

Roger cut in, "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

His friend and girlfriend have him a glare before bursting into pits of laughter.

"Whatever," Maureen snubbed, laughing again before hugging Roger.

Maureen walked over to Benny and Collins, giving a small wave to the crowd behind her.

"So, you're leaving us, huh?" Collins asked, raising an eyebrow in Maureen's direction.

"Yeah, he's got something planned or something," she told him, waving her hand like it was nothing, causing Benny to playfully poke her in the side. Maureen laughed as she turned around and grabbed the assaulting hands to prevent him from doing it again. After she figured it was under control, she let them go and turned back to Collins.

"Well, give me a hug, Mo," Collins said, stretching out his arms, having Maureen hop into them. "You're going to love it," he whispered in her ear low enough that Benny didn't hear a word.

She backed up, a smile wide across her face, knowing if Collins thought that she would like it, then she probably would. Maureen grabbed for Benny's hand and said a last goodbye to the whole group before leaving the café.

The couple made their way down the street, Maureen trying to get more information out of Benny then he was willing to offer.

"Come on babe, tell me where we are going," she whined, jumping in front of him and trying to give him her best puppy dog face.

"Nope," he said, laughing slightly when he looked at her face.

Maureen huffed, knowing she should just give it up, she wasn't going to win. "Fine."

They walked to a building that Maureen didn't recognize, and she wondered if this was really where he was taking her. Benny saw the confused look on her face, "this isn't it," he told her.

"Oh, okay, what is this?" she asked, following him through the door and up the stairs.

"This is my apartment building," he laughed, getting to his door, unlocking it, and pushing it open.

"Really?"

"No, I am breaking into an apartment with this key," he told her sarcastically.

"Shut up," she shot back, playfully swatting him in the arm.

He laughed as he let go of her hand and walked toward the hallway. Maureen walked through the apartment trying to get a sense of who Benny was, but didn't see anything in particular that was screaming out his name. She noticed that the answering machine was blinking as she got closer to it.

"Hey Benny," she yelled, causing him to pop his head out from the hallway.

"Yeah?"

"You have messages."

Benny's face totally changed and it didn't go unnoticed. "Oh, just leave it and I will get it later."

"Okay," she answered, a little suspicious, but it was quickly put on the back burner.

Benny let out a deep breath, going back to the closet. He didn't know if it was Alison again, and he didn't want Maureen to find out that she was trying to get him back, well, at least like that. He would tell her all in good time, but he needed to find the right time to do it, and lately no time has been a good time. He finally got what he was looking for and closed the closet door, going back to Maureen in the living room. Maureen saw Benny holding a large blanket and watching him go to grab keys that were hanging by the door.

"Okay, let's go," he chimed, turning around, seeing Maureen eye the blanket and keys. "Come on."

Maureen trotted toward the door and walked out having Benny follow her, shutting the door behind him. She walked slowly behind him as they walked the opposite way they came and ended up in a small parking lot.

"You have a car?" Maureen asked, not really knowing many people in New York City with a vehicle.

"Yep, it the red one in the corner," he told her, pointing to the Nissan Sentra at the end of the lot.

Benny went over and unlocked her door, opening it for her then going around to do the same thing to his. Throwing the blanket over his seat, he got in, starting up the car to drive to his secret destination.

Maureen was pretty quite threw the city, watching the crowds of people dwindle down to nothing when she realized that they were no longer in the city. Pretty soon, the vehicle stopped and Benny got out, grabbing the blanket as he went. He jogged over to Maureen's side to open the door before she got a chance to and held out his hand. She had no idea what he had planned, but she had to admit, the suspense was killing her and he knew his plan was working. She took a hold of his hand and they started walking toward a hill that had a small stream running at the base of it.

"Close your eyes," Benny commanded, putting the blanket in her hands and covering her eyes with his hands.

"What? You don't trust that I won't peak?" Maureen asked, trying to act as if she was offended.

"No," he said quickly, a chuckle on the edge of his mouth.

She scuffed, causing his laugh to come out. They continued to walk toward Benny's destination, he still being Maureen's eyes.

"All right, put the blanket down," he told her, watching the cotton black fabric fall to the ground. "Okay, I am taking my hands off your eyes, but don't open them. I swear if you peek, I will run back to the car and leave you here."

"That's lovely," Maureen mocked, a smile forming on her face.

"Well you won't have to worry about it if you keep your eyes closed," he responded, going to work at unfolding the blanket on the grassy ground.

"Hurry Benny, I feel stupid," she groaned, growing more and more impatient as time when on and she had to stand there with her eyes shut.

"Okay, lie down," Benny commanded, watching her face contort into confusion. "Don't worry, I'm not going to try and seduce you or anything."

A small laugh escaped her lips as she tried to find where he was with her eyes closed, which she found to be quite a difficult task. Finally she felt his hands guide her to the ground toward him and she was lying next to him. She felt him shift a couple time and suddenly his breath was inches away from her ear.

All right, open your eyes," he whispered to her, causing chills to rocket up her spine as she opened her emerald eyes.

What she saw in front of her took her breath away. Miles and miles of black velvet sky decorated with tiny crystals that shone so brightly, it nearly lit up the earth they were laying on. In the middle of all that was the moon that smiled down at her. She had never known this kind of beauty. Being a city girl, the lights from all the buildings overpowered the lighting of nature and many people never even knew the difference. Benny smiled at how much she appeared to be taken away by what he discovered about two years ago.

"Do you like it?" he asked her like a six year old boy giving a girl in class a flower he picked at recess.

"Baby, I love it. Thank you," she replied, bringing her head up to kiss him.

The kiss ended and Maureen put her head back down on the blanket and continued to look at the sky above her. Benny shifted to be on his back to look up at the beauty too. He felt Maureen scoot closer to him and lace their fingers together. The silence of the night seemed to comfort them as they together under the stars.

Don't forget about the button in the corner!