1I'm so sorry it's been so long. Since I am a writer, I am trying to get my other work published before I try finding an agent. Anyway, as with any fanfiction. Not mine. Never will be.

Chapter 8: Acceptance

The morning sun crept its way through Mark's window. It shined onto his pale

face. Mark woke up to the machines beeping around him. He felt the wires

glued to his chest; his heart monitor and his alarm. He felt the clear thin wire

around his nose. "God, I feel like I'm 100 years old." he groaned as he got up.

He gently took off the heart monitor when suddenly, he heard a knock at his

bedroom door.

"Mark are you okay?" Roger asked.

"I'm fine Roger." Mark groaned.

"Do you need any help?" Roger asked.

"No! I'm fine. I'll be out in a minute." Mark said.

Roger left the door as Mark unhooked himself from the oxygen tank. He

gently stood up and entered the loft. He passed Roger, who sat at the metal

table drinking coffee and Mimi, who gently played with his hair. They both

stopped when Mark passed them into the kitchen.They watched him get the box

of Cap'n Crunch and a bowl. When they knew that Mark got what he needed,

they continued just being together. Suddenly, they heard a beep coming from

the kitchen.

"Mark's alarm." Roger said silently.

He immediately got up and ran into the kitchen. He stopped and paused as he

saw Mark taking a few puffs from his inhaler. He put the device down and

took a few deep breathes. When he opened his eyes, he looked at Roger.

"Roger, are you okay?" Mark asked.

Roger took a deep breath and smiled at his friend.

"Yeah Mark, I'm fine."

He walked away from Mark and sat back down next to Mimi, caressing her

gentle skin. In the kitchen, Mark still stood, taking his medication. As he took

his pills, he said sadly as he took a final sip from his glass.

"This is going to be a long day."

The rest of the day dragged on. The hours seemed distant and vague. Roger

continued to watch Mark when Mimi left for work. His fierce green eyes

became more worried with every puff of the inhaler or the loud beep that

signaled forgotten breaths. Slowly, he drifted off to sleep, trying to relinquish

any bad thoughts that plagued his head.

"Roger, wake up!" Mark said as he shook him.

Roger's eyes instantly opened up, his body sweating. Mark just sighed as he

said:

"Rog, I'm going to go filming."

As Mark went to the door, Roger instantly leapt at the door, blocking him.

Mark looked confused and tried to get out. Roger gripped the door shut,

blocking Mark's path.

"Roger, what the hell's your problem?" Mark shouted.

Roger looked at his friend, his eyes worried and scared. The images of the past

few weeks still plagued his mind.

"You can't go out." Roger said almost defeated.

Mark just laughed at his friend.

"Of course I can go out." Mark said.

"No, you will get out of breath."Roger said.

"Rog, chill out. I have my inhaler right here." Mark said, indicating the inhaler

in his pocket."

"But the doctors..."

"Christ Roger, I know what the doctors said! Mark screamed. " I know what

they said. How I can't tell myself anymore when to breathe and how I'll always

need something to help me. I'll never be on my own again! You're not helping

me Roger!"

"How they hell am I not helping you?" Roger asked.

"By treating me like a fucking invalid!" Mark said. "When you were diagnosed

with HIV, or when Collins did, I never treated you like an invalid. I may have

something wrong with me that will never be fixed, but still treat me normally."

Roger breathed, this time shedding tears. As Mark touched his shoulder, he

said " It's just hard. You were supposed to be the one to survive..."

"Roger, I'm still going to live, but don't limit me. I can still film. I'm still the

same." Mark said..

"But I'm scared." Roger said.

"Of what Roger?" Mark asked.

"You don't understand! When I saw you in that coma, and the doctors

basically didn't believe that you would ever wake up, I was scared. I didn't

want to lose you. None of us did. Then, when the doctor showed me that you

can't tell yourself when to breathe, I panicked. You were meant to live Mark.

You weren't meant to live with this."

Mark just smiled. "Roger. Do any of us know what is going to happen to us?

Did you ever know that you would get HIV, or that you would meet Mimi?

Besides, didn't Mimi say No Day But Today?"

Roger smiled. "Yeah, I guess you are right?"

"I'm never going to go anywhere, I promise." mark said.

The two friends shared a hug, and mark gathered his equipment. His repaired

camera sat in his trusty bag. As he left the loft, Roger just sighed happily and

played his guitar.