Sorry for the delay - and thanks to those who are R&Ring :)

Chapter 8

It was late at night and Maureen was at the performance space sitting on the edge of the stage, her feet lightly swinging back and forth. She was staring blankly at her boots, lost in deep thought, wondering when everything in her life went to shit. She was hoping that somehow life support would help, but after getting her feelings out, she stormed out of the place and went back to the apartment and cried like a baby. She was sick of crying, and ironically enough the one thing that pulled her from her thoughts was when a tear splashed on the back of her hand. Her eyes averted to the wet spot, and when she realized what it was she quickly sniffled and used the back of her hand to clean off her wet cheeks.

"Here."

Maureen's head snapped up at the deep voice, her eyes settling on Collins.

"I brought you food." He said holding up a bag of take out. "Food that will stay in your stomach and not the toilet, you understand?"

Maureen rolled her eyes, but nodded, "Yes, father."

Collins walked over setting the bag next to her. He then reached out gently grabbing her chin so they were making eye contact, "I'm serious, Maureen." He sternly said, "I'm really starting to worry about you."

Maureen watched him carefully, their eyes locked, and for the first time since Collins met Angel and became even happier than a person with a fatal disease should be, she saw the truth of how he felt, she found the sadness hidden behind all that wisdom he seemed to always carry around.

"I see it too." Collins said letting his hand drop from her chin, carrying on as if he were reading her mind, "The sadness in your once sparkling eyes."

Maureen's eyes quickly dropped and suddenly the takeout food seemed way more interesting. She reached out digging through the bag, pulling out a container of pasta.

Collins sighed, and pulled back moving to the other side of the bag and hoisting himself up on the stage, pulling out his own container. They ate in silence for a few minutes, until Maureen spoke.

"How do I get it back?" She quietly asked.

Collins turned to her, studying her slumped body, "I'm trying to figure it out." He said and then reached for her hand, "But the fact that you want to get that spark back is a pretty good start."

"I mope around all the time. I'm starting to annoy myself." She said, "It's like spending 24/7 with Roger." She added looking at Collins out of the corner of her eye, a tiny smirk hitting the corner of her mouth.

Collins smirked too, "She makes a joke."

Maureen shrugged, taking a small forkful of paste. She chewed it slowly looking around the big lot.

"It's going to be gone soon, you know...if you don't do anything." Collins stated, looking at the stage and then around the empty space.

"I don't have to do anything." Maureen said, reaching behind her and picking up a flyer. She handed it to Collins and dug into her food again, her stomach silently thanking her for the food after depriving it for so long.

Collins took the flyer looking it over, an attractive, slender, brunette woman covering most of the page, in jeans and a tank top. Her mouth was wide open and words were flowing out, 'Speak Out or Lose Out' and then on the bottom of the page were the time and place of the protest she would be holding.

"There's a new diva in town." Collins said, setting the flyer down.

Maureen shrugged, "At least someone has an idea of how to stop Benny."

"It should be your idea." Collins said.

"Well it's not." Maureen said setting her half eaten food aside and hoping off the stage. "I used to be the diva of Alphabet City and now I'm not." She said, "I guess..." She paused, "I guess nothing lasts forever."

"Mo..." Collins sighed shaking his head.

Maureen cracked a smile, but it wasn't a happy one, "What?" She shrugged, "Collins...that's life, right?" I've finally accepted it. Sometimes shitty things happen in your life and there really isn't anything you can do about it."

"You can become stronger from it."

"Okay professor, I'll try." Maureen said and turned around.

"Where are you going?" Collins asked.

"I just need...to go for a walk or something." Maureen answered.

Collins watched her disappear, shaking his head. He just hoped his best friend would get better soon. He carefully climbed off the stage, packing up the food he brought, seeing Maureen had eaten a good portion of what he had gotten, only hoping she chose to keep it down. He was just about all packed up when he heard clicking heels hitting the ground, he rose a brow turning around to see who would enter, when he caught sight of the mocha beauty, he's face fell.

"Collins?" Joanne said a flyer in the lawyer's hand, no doubt the same one he was just looking at moments ago.

"What're you doing here?" Collins asked trying to keep his tone even, but quite frankly he was a little pissed at her right now, more than a little pissed after seeing what Maureen was going through.

"I came to see...I just..." Joanne stammered, it was her job to read people and right now she read Collins' face loud and clear, she wasn't wanted here. Finally she just spit it out, "This isn't Maureen." She said holding up the flyer.

"Clever, Ms. Jefferson."

"I just thought, since Benny was at it again she would be the one too..."

Collins shook his head, taking a step closer to her, "Well she's not the one protesting. She lost her mojo if you will."

Joanne's eyes fell to the ground, taking the words like a punch in the stomach, "Oh."

"Look Jo, I can respect the fact that you don't want to be with Maureen, and you can't force your feelings for someone, but I don't respect how you broke up with her, and now you're with someone else, but-"

"I'm not." Joanne said, slowly looking back up, "I'm not with anyone else. Fiona and I...didn't really work out. Behind the fine dining and our love for curling up with a good book, she's actually sort of a bitch."

Collins only paused for a second nodding, but then carried on, "Well...besides all that, you really hurt Maureen, and you can't just show up here expecting to talk to her and be friends. I don't know about you, but Maureen isn't healed yet and seeing you will only make things worse."

Joanne bit her bottom lip, nodding, "I know. I guess I don't know what I was thinking. She even said she couldn't be friends with me. I just...I don't know what I was thinking." She said letting out a breath.

"I'm sorry things ended up like this." Collins softly said.

"Me too." Joanne said tears stinging her eyes. She turned on her heels, heading for the door, dropping the flyer into a trashcan, "I guess maybe...I just miss her." She whispered the last part and then left the building.