Disclaimer: Oh I wish... Nope, still not mine. Don't own, I rent.

Notes: Thank you to all of you who havestuck with me. I don't have internet access all the time, nor have I really had a chance to write this being busy and all. But here it is: Chapter 9. Enjoy!

This one is to the Jess for all her help in beta-ing and stuff, and just totally helping me come up with more shit to write. You rock hardXcore girl. Love you! Also, to Corinna, for inspiring a brilliant M/R fight that should appear in one of the next two chaps. Probably the next one. I love you, baby!

Chapter 9 - Truths Revealed

All the legalities were taken care of over the next several weeks. Maureen had signed over her rights as a parent to Roger, giving him legal custody of Angelina so he and I could raise her however we wanted to. She and Joanne went back to their everyday lives, though they did happen to come over almost everyday to see Angelina.

Our lives became so much more interesting after she was born. Feeding her, changing her, holding her, caring for her; A whole new life was in our hands, and we had to make sure she was safe and taken care of. Sleep had become a commodity we longed for since every night like clockwork Angelina would wake up wanting her bottle, or needing to be changed, or even having a nightmare. But I'd rock her back to sleep, and Roger would sing her a lullaby.

He rewrote the song he had written for Mimi; turning it into a sweet lullaby he'd sing to her every night. I don't think I've ever seen Roger so happy before. Even when he had to get up in the middle of the night to change her he'd moan about getting out of bed, but when I'd get up to see what was taking him so long, he'd be sleeping in the rocking chair Maureen and Joanne had gotten us as a gift, and Angelina curled up on his chest, his arm drape gently across her body to keep her from falling. I'd pick her up and put her back in the crib Roger's mom gave us, and then help Roger back to the bedroom.

Six months at that point, and we had managed to keep up the same routine. Collins came back about two months after Angelina's birth, and moved back in. His latest fling didn't work out too well so he left him. He had stopped dating drag queens and moved on to guys who looked more like Benny. It came as a big help to us when he moved back in since he was working again (the rewiring of the atm at the food emporium was found out), and he helped us buy groceries and baby supplies. My job was barely paying off Roger's hospital bills.

Speaking of Benny, he had come by the day we brought Angelina home, not realizing she now existed, and just waltzed right into the loft going off about how he let us live there for free for so long, and wanted the rent and back rent from the last several years. He threatened to call the cops again too. Roger had been with Angelina in her room the whole time, and when he heard Benny he came out of the room with her, angered.

"What the hell is your problem, Benny?" Roger yelled through a whisper. "There's a sleeping baby in here, and you come barging in here demanding money?"

I leapt from the couch where I had been sitting and reading, and stepped in between the two of them. Had Roger not been holding Angelina at the time, he probably would've hit Benny and, seeing as I'm not exactly strong enough to hold Roger back, there would've been a huge fight.

"Calm down, Roger." I half-whispered. "He didn't know."

"That's no excuse. He shouldn't just fucking barge in here expecting money from us."

Ignoring the obvious anger in Roger's voice and his stance, Benny walked over to him, eyeing only Angelina. "She's beautiful. She must be yours, Mark because I doubt she'd be this beautiful if she was Roger's."

That only pissed Roger off more, and he pulled the baby away from him, and went back into her room.

"Benny, why are you such an asshole?" I had to ask once we were alone again.

Instead of answering me, he lowered his head and made his way out of the loft, not asking another question about money, or anything else for that matter. I walked to the room where Roger and Angelina were, and Roger was just setting her down in her crib for her nap.

Quietly, I began. "I'm sorry about that, Rog. If I had known-"

"What the fuck is his problem?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. He wasn't always like that, you know. You didn't know him in college like I did. Back then he used to be really cool. Actually, it wasn't until he moved in here that things started up."

"Maybe it has something to do with Muffy." He found amusement in that and tittered.

I sighed, shaking my head. "Yeah, he really hates you for that."

"He's always hated me. Hell, even before that whole thing with Muffy."

"Alison. You'll never say her name right, will you?"

"Nope. I've always called her Muffy and I always will."

Having Collins around was interesting, because he wasn't used to being around small children, and having to conform to the new loft rules left a not-too-sweet taste in his mouth. He didn't like the idea of having to smoke on the fire escape, or waking up in the middle of the night to a baby's crying. I overheard a conversation between him and Roger about two weeks after he moved back in while Roger was changing Angelina.

"This is so unlike you, Roger. When the hell did you become domesticated? I think having a baby has softened you." Collins noted.

"Have you seen her though? She's beautiful; and you know me, I never turn down a beautiful girl."

"Which explains why you're with Mark. I mean, put a dress on him and a little bit of makeup, and hey, instant woman."

Roger laughed heartily. "Have you ever seen Mark in a dress? Hot damn. Nothing like Angel of course, but still… he's pretty damn hot. It's even more fun taking it off of him though."

"Ha, ha. I bet it is. So tell me, how've you been?" I knew from the tone of his voice he was asking about the sickness they shared.

"Actually, I've never felt better. Having Angelina around has been helpful, you know? Like I could take on the world."

"Have you been taking your AZT regularly?"

"Um… not really. I've been out for a while, but I didn't wanna tell Mark cuz you know how he worries." Angelina seemed to cry on cue. I heard him pick her up. "Hey, what's wrong, baby girl?"

"I think she knows something."

"Yeah, like she's trying to warn me that if Mark finds out I won't hear the end of it." His voice shook slightly, meaning he was bouncing her to calm her.

Collins chuckled. "No shit. So does he play mom? Or more, does he play his mom?"

"Ha! You're such a fucker, Tom Collins. No, he doesn't play his mom, thankfully, but he does play wife really well; always on my ass about something. I find myself spending most of my time in here with her. I play her my guitar, sing to her, you know, things like that."

"Does Mark know that's why you spend all your time in here?"

"It's not the only reason I spend all my time in here, but no, of course not. That'd probably make him cry. You know me, I'm not gonna tell him he's been too wife-y lately. I won't even tell him when he's being his usually worrywart self, which does bother me now and again. I don't wanna hurt his feelings."

I realized then I probably shouldn't have been listening in on their conversation, but for some reason I couldn't tear myself away. Sure I was crying somewhat, because it hurt to hear those things, but I continued to listen, wiping my tears away.

"You have softened, Roger Davis. What happened to the rock star I knew back in the day?"

"He grew up, started a family. Holy shit, when did all that happen? I never thought I'd be in this position. EVER!" Roger burst into a vigorous laugh. "Oh fuck, I grew up. Did you ever think you'd see this day? I thought I'd be dead before this day ever came, but here it is, and here I am."

"Strange. Roger Davis, former pretty boy front man has exchanged his guitar for a diaper bag." They both laughed robustly.

"Hey, I still play the guitar. Just for a slightly smaller audience."

"Yeah, an audience of one."

"But she'll never complain, or will she tell me it's off-key, or the same damn song all the time."

"Still playing Musetta's Waltz, are we?"

"I've yet to perfect it, thank you very much. Asshole." There was more laughter between the two of them.

"Besides the obvious, how are things with you and Mark, anyway?" Collins asked after a few minutes of laughter.

"Well, aside the nagging, and constant worry, things are good. I couldn't be happier. Did you ever think I'd be here? I think Angel knew before any of us did, but he… she would never tell me anything specific. I wonder what she's thinking right now, seeing us where we are."

"Probably too busy smiling, and giggling. That, or her and Mimi have found a way to wreak havoc like they used to."

"Yeah…" Roger's voice seemed to drop. Probably thinking about Mimi. "They used to tear up the town." I swear I could almost hear Roger's thoughts. When she wasn't with Benny.

"Oh yeah."

The room became silent after that, both thinking of lost loves and times long gone. I decided to make my entrance at that point.

"Hey, how's Angelina?" I started with, my voice somewhat shaky. What a great opener. Maybe if he doesn't see the tear stains on your face, he won't ask…

"Hey, when did you get home?" Apparently he didn't notice, or was too busy with Angelina. He had been rocking her the whole time while talking to Collins, and she was fast asleep on his shoulder.

"Just a few minutes ago. How long has she been asleep?" I quieted my voice so as not to wake the baby.

Roger continued in his regular voice. "Not too long. She just kinda fell asleep on my shoulder." He set her down in her crib and turned down the lights, pointing out the door for us to leave the room.

Once we got into the living room, it was very much like the old days when we'd just hang out with Collins while he told us stories about his high school and college days, and of course some of the things he and Angel used to do, or his latest stories of his most recent flings. Roger and I snuggled up on one of the beanbag chairs, and listened and laughed. A part of me wanted to say something about overhearing them earlier, but I couldn't. I was afraid Roger would get pissed. I did tell Collins later, and he brought over some AZT for Roger, but didn't tell him I knew. 'Just helping out a friend.'