A/N: This is doing a lot better than I expected, so I'll continue. I'm reaching the point where I'm about to go back to my other story, so don't kill me if I don't update. I told you, that's my priority.

Mordecai's body was half hanging off the bed with his hand dangling off the side and mouth halfway open. This wasn't exactly the most comfortable sleeping position, but he was too tired to care.

"Mordecai!"

Mordecai jerked up so fast that he fell off the bed with the cover falling down with him and landing on top of his face. Mordecai ripped it off with an angry air.

"What the heck, man? I swear, if you were Muscle Man, I'd punt you across the room, Instead, I'll settle for this," Mordecai said, punching Rigby in the arm with all the strength he had.

"Owwwww!" Rigby moaned, falling to the floor from the force. "What's your problem?"

"My 'problem' as you call it, is that I've only had..." Mordecai quickly took a look at the clock on the dashboard. "...three hours of sleep. I'm so irritable, I'm not in the mood for crap. So unless the reason for waking me up was important, you better get out of here before I kick you in the junk."

Rigby turned white for a second before running out of the room. Mordecai shook his head before punching the wall in frustration.

"I love the guy, but gets on my last nerve a lot," Mordecai thought before collapsing on the bed again. Only this time with more... unpleasant dreams.

Mordecai shuffled a little in his sleep, finding it harder to stay in his composed unconscious state. Then after a while, he figured why it was getting more difficult. He could hear his voice being called. Faintly at first, but it started to gradually grow in volume.

"Mordecai! Mordecai!"

Mordecai froze on his bed, eyes suddenly open as if they were glued. He knew that voice. And it was coming from a person he'd rather avoid.

"Mordecai! I know you're awake! Please, we need to talk. It doesn't need to be like this!"

The sad tone in her voice seemed to hurt him physically and caused him to visibly flinch. If she thought he wasn't up before, she knows it now. He decided to sit up and face the person in question.

"What is there to talk about? I... I made a mistake that night. I'm trying to fix it. Unt-"

"That's the thing though. I don't want you to," Maragret said.

Mordecai's eyes, if possible, got wider from this statement and he sat up straighter.

"What?!" Mordecai asked, his voice going deeper than usual. It practically demanded an answer, which surprised him.

"I... had to leave. That college was my dream. But didn't want to leave like we did," Margaret said.

"Why? You went to your perfect college. You got want you wanted, right?" Mordecai said in a bitter voice. Suddenly, everything that happened in that restaurant hit him all at once. The pain, the loneliness, the depression... Oh, the depression.

Maragret visibly flinched from his statement and the guilt hit him instantly.

"I never thought you wanted to make me feel guilty about the choice I made," she said sadly.

"I didn't! I respected your choice, but... I hated it. It hurt. It hurt so badly. I've moved on, but... you come back all of a sudden, and... this happens. Everything goes straight to the Crash Pit! Up in flames!" Mordecai exclaimed, flailing his arms.

"It hurt me too, but I had to do it. I had to think about my future..."

"That's part of why it hurt! The darned future! I screwed up! I got lazy! I screwed up and dropped out of art school! Maybe if I took it seriously and focused, I could've been somewhere else! Not with a dead end job and a future that I'm probably going to be following till the day I die! I never would've met the people I call friends today, but..."

All of a sudden, Maragret grabbed his arms and held him still before looking him dead in the eye.

"Calm down. I understand. It's not too late to go back. I'm living proof of that," Maragret said.

Mordecai calmed down and took a deep breath before answering.

"On my budget and hours? Rigby has a better chance of beating me at Punchies before that happens," Mordecai said.

Maragret giggled and despite himself, Mordecai laughed too. Suddenly, things felt like they did before... everything.

"Can't we go back to they way things were before?" Maragret asked, placing her arms around his neck.

Mordecai remembered this particular warmth. At the time, he enjoyed nothing more.

"I wish they could, but... we're not together anymore. This is the past. We need to move on," Mordecai said, trying to gently push her away.

"But... don't you love me?"Maragret asked, her voice desperate. Searching, wanting, no, needing an answer.

"I..."

Mordecai awoke with a start and and suddenly shot up from his bed.

"Oh, man. Oh man," he repeated. Mordecai was clammy with cold sweat and was shaking violently. He then began smashing his head on the wall repeatedly.

"Stupid... stupid... stupid..." he repeated over and over again.

The door burst open and Benson, Skips, and Rigby came in.

"Why are you banging your head on the wall like a crazy person?" Rigby asked.

"Just a nightmare. I think. I'm fine. Just give me a sec," Mordecai said, moving away from the wall and waving a hand dismissively.

"Tea helps with a cold sweat. Come downstairs and I'll make you a cup," Skips said.

"I think I need some tea right now," Mordecai said, rising to his feet.

Skips and Benson began heading down the stairs, but Rigby was still looking at Mordecai with a concerned look.

"Maragret haunting your dreams?" Rigby said.

"How'd you guess?" Mordecai asked.

"Only she can get you screaming like that," Rigby said with a small smirk. (Use your imagination as to what that joke meant)

Mordecai playfully shoved his friend with a wide grin.

"You're an idiot, but you'll always be my bro," Mordecai said.

Rigby held out his fist and they fist bumped.

"Forever man. Now let's get downstairs. Next thing you know, Benson will fire us for not drinking tea," Rigby said.

Mordecai smirked and followed Rigby downstairs. By then, Skips already had the tea set up at the table. Mordecai sat down and took a cup of tea. Rigby sat down, but didn't take a cup.

Mordecai took a sip and felt warm sensations travel through his body. Pleasant ones to counter his current state of clamminess.

"Thanks Skips," Mordecai said gratefully.

Skips simply nodded slightly before taking a sip of tea. Benson simply observed his employee with a careful eye before speaking up.

"Now, what's got you bashing your head against the wall like a masochist?" he asked.

"Maragret," Rigby said bluntly.

"The coffee girl? I thought she went to college after the animatronics situation," Benson said.

"She's back, and things got... complicated at the New Years party to say the least," Rigby said

"Complicated how?" Benson asked.

"This ladies man right here kissed her. Swear it was like he was back at his first one all over again," Rigby said smirking.

Mordecai looked Rigby angrily, but he simply shrugged. Mordecai rubbed his eyes, hoping to relieve the blurriness from his vision.

Benson's eyes widened from shock before rounding on Mordecai.

"I never would've expected something like that from you. Did you even stop to think?" he asked.

"I could I think when I didn't even know I moved. It's like my mind took a break and my body took over. I already feel horrible about the whole situation," Mordecai said, holding his head in his hands.

"Mind taking this from the top?" Benson asked.

"Well, it started at the coffee shop..."

A/N: This chapter would've been done a day earlier, but you run into problems when you're typing on a PS3. Issues arose, and I lost everything I typed. But it's done and over with. Now, be prepared for longer spread updates because I'm getting back to my other story. Hope you liked this chapter and you're anticipating more.