Author's Notes: Another chapter! Ahhh! Yay! Thanks a million to all of you who continue to read this. Let me know if you have any issues or suggestions for me, I'll gladly take them. I have quite a few ideas of how I want to take this story (basically if I want to put my Angel and Collins into more trouble or not). Let me know your input.
I OWN NOTHING.
Please read, review and enjoy!
Italics are thoughts and memories.
Chapter Twenty-Five
With Mimi, Angel, Aaron
Finding that damn necklace was the last straw for the dancer who had tried to do everything for Angel.
"Angel, I can't take this shit anymore. I'm not going to let you betray Collins like this."
The street drummer looked up at the young woman who had a look of sadness on her face. "What are you talking about Chica? I'm not doing-"
"Shut-up Angel yes you are. Stop denying it. I'm sick of your shit, I really am. I'm sick of you taking the easy way out of every fucking situation in your life. Don't act like me. Don't do what I did."
Angel was beginning to get angry, Mimi was talking shit and Angel never let anyone talk to much shit to her for to long. "Mimi, please don't do this."
Stepping up closer to her best friend, the dancer realized that the only way Angel was going to learn was by the hard way, which was the only way the streets of Alphabet City taught. "You sit here talking about David, when your man, the love of your fucking life is laid in the hospital. He could be dead and you don't worry or anything? What happened to the Angel I knew that cared about everyone?"
"I do care about everyone." Angel said curtly. "I just…don't know how to feel right now."
"Well you better, because I wouldn't be surprised if Collins left you after this…if he survives by the way."
Angel's head shot up to Mimi's. Did she really just say that?
Mimi looked bitterly away, she didn't want to hurt Angel's feelings, but this was the only way she'd come close to listening.
"What the hell did you say to me?"
The dancer felt very awkward and out of place in that office. Did she really just insult her best friend? "Angel, I just want-"
"Fuck off."
Mimi took a step back. "What Angel?"
Getting up to her feet, the street drummer walked over to meet Mimi, the two now inches apart. "Fuck off."
Finally realizing that it could turn ugly, Aaron pushed in between the two friends in hopes of controlling the situation. "Come on you guys, you both have been through a lot. Just calm down." The two bohemians never took their eyes off of one another. "Listen Angel, your lawyer said that you could go home. Do you just want to come home with me? It might be good for you to get a change of scenery. I gave the lawyer my home number; she said she'd give you a call later on this evening to discuss things with you."
Looking over to Aaron, Angel nodded slowly, trying in all her power not to cry. Mimi did the same backing up, not believing that Angel was acting so stupidly. She was about to lose the love of her life, if she hadn't already and she did nothing about it. Wasn't Collins everything Angel had ever dreamed of? "Even after his death you still can't keep a hold of the things you once held so dear to your heart. You can't handle shit when David is mentioned."
"What?" Angel said angrily.
"You heard me Angel."
"Mimi, you're my best friend. I love you. But I'm asking you to stop being angry at me and just…help me. God dammit just help me." Tears streamed down Angel's cheeks, she was confused and had no one, not even Mimi to help her.
Leaving Mimi behind, Aaron and Angel walked out of the police station, Aaron pulling Angel into an embrace. "Don't worry girlfriend, we'll get through this. Do you want to see your man?"
"I just want to sleep."
"But Angel you don't even know if he made it or not-"
"Aaron, please." Angel pleaded, tears not having a chance to stop.
"I'm so sorry for doing this to you Angel, I feel so responsible. I am so sorry."
The drive to Aaron's apartment was a long and quite one. Neither one said a word, fearing the worst would come if just one conversation was sparked. Angel climbed out of the car and looked up at Aaron's Park Avenue apartment complex. "This is your place? Where did you get the money for this?"
"The job pays pretty well." Aaron said as he opened the front door that led to the apartment elevator.
"Why did you feel I had to have those things when you knew David had hurt me so badly? Do you know how long it took for me to love or trust anyone? Tom was all I had. And you took him away from me."
Aaron knew exactly where this was going. "I didn't do anything Angel, it was in David's will and he wanted you to have-"
"WHO GIVES A FUCK WHAT DAVID WANTS! HE GOT WHAT HE WANTED! THINK FOR A FUCKING MINUTE BEFORE YOU DO THINGS AARON!" Angel screamed so hard her voice began to crack with strain. "I'LL NEVER ESCAPE HIM! I'LL ALWAYS HAVE A SCAR! HE TOLD ME THAT HE NEVER WANTED ME TO BE WITH ANYONE ELSE AND HE GOT HIS WISH…." Collapsing in the elevator Angel wept, while Aaron stood motionless, at a loss of what to do.
With Joanne and Maureen
"I can't believe this is happening to me." Joanne said, going over what the DJ on the radio had said. "The kids, the poor kids…"
Maureen was never very good at comforting anyone, but Joanne was an exception. "Oh Jo, it's alright sweetheart. The kids love you and they'll be just fine."
"No they won't, they've worked SO hard for this…oh my God…Miss Abram…"
"Look at me." Maureen pulled the lawyer's face to meet hers. "You are one of the most brilliant people I know Joanne, I know that even though this is a bunch of bullshit, we'll get through this…together. I love you baby and I'll be right here for you."
Crying was a major sign on weakness to Joanne, but as hard as she tried to hold back the tears that were steadily falling, Joanne was extremely at a loss with Maureen's words. "Maureen, you've never said anything like that to me."
Slightly twiddling her thumbs, Maureen looked down at her pants, taking a piece of lint off of them. "I know, I just really care about you. I know how hard you've been working on this and it hurts to see everything you've worked so hard for…fail. But I promise you, I'll do my best to keep the show going."
"I know you will." Joanne said as she caressed Maureen's face, playing with her earring. "I love you Maureen."
The performance artist leaned toward Joanne, planting a sensual but loving kiss on her lips. "I love you too Pookie."
Backing away, Joanne wiped the tears from her eyes and grabbed Maureen's hand. "Come on, let's go get Angel."
When the two lovers finally arrived at the police station, Angel was no where to be found. It wasn't until they came back outside that they had seen Mimi sitting on the side of a planter, crying her eyes out. Joanne immediately ran over to the young girl, throwing her arm around her. "Mimi! Oh my God sweety what are you doing here? Where's Angel."
"She went with Aaron." Was all Mimi said.
Maureen brushed the hair out of Mimi's face. "Who's Aaron Meems?"
"Some asshole, who started all of this shit between Angel and Collins."
Maureen and Joanne exchanged glances before looked back at Mimi. "Come on, let's get you something to eat-"
"I'm not hungry." Mimi said cutting Maureen off. "I don't want anything, I just…FUCK!" Pushing past the two Mimi stormed off in the other direction loudly calling out. "I NEED A FUCKING HIT!"
"Mimi!" Maureen said cupping her hands around her mouth. Joanne glanced at Maureen, running after Mimi who was completely livid.
When she had caught up to Mimi, the dancer was hysterical, trying to find a reason to go back to the drugs that she had given up for 6 months now. "She thinks she doesn't need me! Fuck her! I don't need her! I'll be just fine on my own! I don't need anyone."
Even though Joanne had come into the group fairly late, she knew from Collins that Mimi depended on Angel like a mother. She needed Angel. Beside from Roger, Angel was everything.
The lawyer lunged for Mimi's arm stopping her. "Come on now honey, don't do this. You know Angel loves you, he's just confused."
"Fuck Angel!" Mimi shouted, her tears beginning to burn her eyes. "I don't need her."
"We all need Angel, and we all need Collins. What do you think is going to happen if they don't fix things between them?"
Joanne wasn't stupid; she knew it would destroy them all. An idiot could have told you that. It would be a painstaking process, but it would work out eventually. "We all need to work together; you and I both know that no one here has an individual relationship. We're all together."
The dancer looked away from Joanne to the cars going by. Joanne squeezed Mimi's hand. "We're all together in this Meems; don't desert Angel when she needs you most. I know she's never left you."
That was true; Angel had never left Mimi behind. If you saw Angel, Mimi wasn't too far behind. When Mimi had moved out of her father's house, it was Angel who had found her, gave her a home. Angel was her friend.
"We're all upset, but we've got to work together so we can fix this. Come on."
Mimi looked at Joanne's outstretched hand, and then up to a worried Maureen. "Let's go."
With Mark, Roger and Collins
The media was eating their story alive, and Mark knew that he couldn't keep Collins away from all the mess that awaited him back at NYU. Roger had stormed out to go to wreak havoc on the cafeteria in an effort to calm down. Life couldn't get any worse than it was.
The door opened, revealing an unconscious Collins being pushed by a male nurse. "Oh my God, Col!" Mark shouted.
"Shh!" The man said. "He's got to get plenty of rest. If he looses anymore blood…"
Mark held his hand up in protest. "I know, I know."
"Only one person in here at a time." The man said before leaving.
Slowly walking up to the man that has never left his side, Mark gently placed his hand on his shoulder. "We're going to get through this man. You and Angel will be back together, and we'll all be fine again."
Even though Mark wanted to believe those words with all of his being, he knew that deep down they'd never be the same. It would never be how it was, and the thing that scared him the most was that, he'd be experiencing it with them. No longer hiding behind the lens, he'd feel the hurt, frustration, the pain. He'd feel everything.