Authors' Notes: Oh boy, oh boy! Read the chapter guys! It's a good one! Why must I put even more twists in this story? I hope I'm not beginning to confuse anyone, let me know if I am I'll gladly explain. Thank you so much to all who review. You make me smile.

I OWN NOTHING (but this story & the add-ons).

Special Thanks:

Kawaii-Peach14

Ickle-S-10

The reviews that I must have before I can go on.

Please read, review and enjoy!

Chapter Twenty-Eight

With Angel

Traveling over to Benny's apartment probably wasn't the best thing she could do right now, but Angel felt like she had no one else. She knew the location of his apartment well, ever since that dog incident she had taken apart of. Stepping out of the way to pay the cabby she was met with the very person she was here to see.

"What are you doing here Angel?" Benny said quickly as he looked around making sure no one he knew was looking at him.

"I need to see you."

The businessman shoved his hands into his pockets. "Why? Did Mark or Roger put you up to this so they didn't have to pay the rent?"

"No."

"Then what are you here for?" When he didn't get an answer, Benny took a step closer to Angel. "Where is Collins?"

Angel looked away. "In the hospital . . . I, I guess." She hadn't even checked to see if he was alive, if their relationship wasn't over then, it sure as hell is now.

Benny's confused face turned to concerned when it finally dawned on him that she was talking about Collins. "What? What do you mean he's in the hospital? Aren't you guys always together? What happened to him?"

When Angel broke down in tears, Benny figured he should take the drag queen upstairs before his senior citizen neighbors felt like they should know why Angel was there too. "Come on."

She continued to cry as they traveled up the flight of stairs to the apartment he shared with Allison. It was beautiful, and Angel suddenly felt out of place when a woman that reminded her of her grandmother came in. "Hola Senor Benny. You are back?"

"Only for a little while Gertrudis, a glass of water please."

"Of course."

Taking Angel into his office, Benny closed the door and plopped himself into his chair. Angel hadn't even bothered getting into to Benny's office before she started telling him what was going on with the group. He rubbed his shaved head over and over, how the hell did this happen? "So what did your lawyer say?"

"She just told me to lay low. We won't know anything until . . . Collins wakes up. If he wants to sue me-"

"Which you know he won't."

Angel froze at his expression. "I guess, then we go to court."

"This is unbelievable."

"Here you are mijo." Gertrudis said as she handed Angel a huge glass of water and a plate of strawberries.

"Gracias Senora." Angel said automatically.

"I guess some things you never forget huh?"

The street drummer smiled weakly. "I guess not."

"So what is it that you need me to do?"

"Tell me where they've placed Collins."

"But you just told me what happened, I have no idea of how I'm going to find out-"

Angel placed the glass down sternly. "Benny, don't play dumb with me. You and I both know that if you would just admit to the stupid shit that you've done and stop pretending to be someone you're not, you wouldn't be as lonely as you are right now."

Well he certainly didn't expect that from her seeing as the two barely knew each other. "Why can't you just call?"

"Please Benny, just do it. I want to know if they still want me around them. I need to know how Tom is doing."

Sighing, Benny turned over the picture of Allison and Evita. "I'll see what I can do."

"Now. Please."

"Has Mimi said anything about me?"

Angel glared at the older man, who took that as his cue to get started on finding Collins.

With Mark, Joanne, Maureen, Collins and Mimi

They hated it, but all they could do was wait. Mark was right. There wasn't a doubt in anyone's minds that they wanted to split up and look for Angel, but they just couldn't right now. They had to see about Collins. They had to wait for him.

The bohemians stood in the waiting room by Collins' room as a doctor went in to check him out. Mimi was in the corner of the waiting room hugging her knees tightly to her chest, she hadn't bothered relaying what Roger had said in the car and truthfully no one asked. No one was ready to deal with anyone else's bullshit.

Maureen silently wept in Joanne's arms, as Mark sat stone faced, not knowing what to do or even how to begin with what to think. After Collins' parents had said that they wanted a lawyer, Angel was as good as gone whether Collins wanted her to be or not.

The tall doctor walked into the room, fixing the glasses that fell off of his nose. "Alright guys. He's doing fine, but I really need you to listen to me right now."

Everyone in the room froze and looked expectantly at the man. "Mr. Collins' right leg has been damaged by the gun wound. When the bullet entered his body, it went straight through him severing a small part of the spine."

Mimi looked around as Maureen began to cry a little louder this time, but Mark hurriedly shushed her. "It will take lots and lots of physical therapy for him to completely walk again, but I just wanted to let you all know this so that you can be prepared. The AIDS virus hasn't harmed him to the point of infection, which is a miracle all in itself, but I do encourage you all as his close friends to make up some sort of schedule because he'll be completely dependent for some months to come."

Mark brushed the tears away before anyone could see. "When can we see him?"

"After that little fiasco I heard happened down here I would say no one, but I'll allow one and only one person at a time. This is your last chance. Anything else to happen, and I'll have to ban you all together until Mr. Collins is well enough."

Joanne grabbed Mimi's hand as she wept herself. "Is he talking?"

"He's mumbling, but please encourage him not to speak much. He needs as much rest as possible."

After the doctor had left, Mark turned to Mimi who hadn't lifted her face from her knees since the doctor came in. "Mimi where's Roger?"

"Who gives a shit."

The other three looked at her quickly. "He needs to know what is happening to Collins."

"Why? So he can go out and do what Angel did to Collins? It ain't happenin'."

Joanne helped Maureen on the next chair so she could sit next to Mimi. "Sweetheart, what are you talking about?"

"Roger hates Angel. He doesn't want Angel near us anymore. How am I supposed to choose between my best friend and the love of my life? What the hell am I supposed to do?"

"You're supposed to do what's logical."

"Rog?" Mark said as he adjusted his glasses. Roger must have heard the whole thing, which scared Mark because his friend's manners were different. Almost, too different.

"Look you guys. We all know what we're supposed to do. It would be the healthiest thing for all of us if he just left us alone."

"Since when do you know about health Mr. I'm-going-to-share-needles-with-the crappiest-woman-I-can-find."

"Maureen! Honeybear please sit down."

Roger glared at Maureen whose mascara was stained on her cheeks. "What did you say to me?"

"You heard me Davis. You've always been suspicious of Angel, never trusting her or even speaking to her if Collins wasn't there!"

Mark stood up between both of them. "Guys, please chill."

"Yeah, you're right. Maybe I don't trust someone who can't seem to make up their minds of what gender they should be. No one is really that sweet! No one is really that loving! No one! There isn't that much fucking love in this world!"

"What is this really about Davis? Angel and Collins? Or someone else?"

Realizing where Maureen was trying to go with her line of questioning, Roger changed the subject almost immediately. "He's got all of you guys under a fucking spell!"

Roger turned a circle, completely crazed by what he heard of Collins' health. "Wake the fuck up Johnson! Collins can't walk because of him. Collins won't be the same! You and I both know that Collins can't handle being dependent on someone!"

Sensing the tension, Joanne walked over to her girlfriend pulling her away. "Maureen please, let's go downstairs."

The performance artist wrenched her hand away from her girlfriend. "No! I want to see Collins!"

"Guys, please don't fight." The stranger said as she fixed the sleeve to her shirt. "Don't fight because of me."