Lauren brushed a strand of blonde hair out of her face and flipped out her cell phone. She quickly dialled Roger's number and pressed it to her ear. Roger was Lauren's ex-boyfriend, before he met April, and it turned out her had become best friends with Maureen and her friends.

"Hey, Laur!"

"Hey, Roger, how are you?"

"Good, how are you?"

"Good. Um, I need a phone number."

"Sure, whose?"

"Um, Joanne Jefferson."

There was a pause.

"Jo's number?"

"Yeah."

"Um, okay..."

"Hello, this is Joanne Jefferson."

"Joanne! Um, hi, it's Lauren. Lauren Johnson. We met the other day?"

"Oh, yeah, Maureen's... wife."

"Yeah. I... um, we broke up. I just thought you should know. When we were first dating... when I met her, it was through Roger. She never left her room, couldn't sleep, when she did, she just... screamed. She never ate or anything, and had to undergo hospitalization. It isn't your fault, but I just don't know how she's going to react to you reappearing in her life. She still loves you, Joanne, I can tell. And I can help you guys get back together - you're a good pair. But if I do, you have to promise me something."

"What?"

"Don't ever break her heart again. Because this time, she'd be even more alone. And she literally might die without you."

"Thank you, Lauren. So much."

"Hey, I'm like Maureen was - I flirt with anyone. I know how she thinks. I've been there before. I know what she'll do, what she wants... what she needs. Go to Angel's grave at 5:30, okay?"

"Okay."

Joanne knelt beside Angel's grave, tracing the letters on the stone with one gloved finger.

"Oh," came a voice. Joanne turned.

"Maureen,"

Maureen was on crutches, and Joanne could tell that every step pained her. Her curls were in a French braid, her pale cheeks pink, her chin slightly covered in her scarf.

"Let me help," Joanne said softly.

"I'm good," Maureen replied, her voice breaking.

"Okay." Joanne watched Maureen try to move for a while.

"Um, actually, Joanne... could you help me?" Her voice was broken and soft, almost bringing Joanne to tears.

Joanne stood. "I need you to trust me, okay? On the count of 3, drop the crutches." Joanne wrapped her arms tightly around Maureen's stomach.

"What?" Maureen shrieked.

"1... 2... 3!" Joanne lifted Maureen as she dropped her crutches. They fell to the ground. Maureen yelped as Joanne started to move, digging her fingers into the lawyer's hair. "I got you, Mo."

Joanne gently laid Maureen next to Angel's tombstone. Maureen's jean clad legs sprawled out behind her, snow gathered on her black coat, and she propped herself up with one hand in her hair. She brushed some snow off of Angel's grave, mumbling. It took Joanne a minute to realize she was talking to Angel.

"Ange, why did you leave me? I... I needed you, baby, we all did. I don't want to sound selfish, but me and Collins the most. He loved you, and without you... I was alone. I remember you saying Joanne and I were forever, but you only lived to see us break up. I'm sorry, you were wrong. We did get back together, baby, but then we broke up again."

Joanne listened as Maureen recounted her version of the story, from Joanne to Lauren.

"And... I need you more than ever now, baby. Because now, I really am alone," Maureen whispered.

A tear rolled down Joanne's cheek. Maureen's face was soaked. Joanne leaned over to try to brush her tears away. Maureen didn't seem to notice. Instead, she began to sing softly.

"When all of the beauty turns to pain,
When all of the madness falls like rain,
As long as we crash and we collide,
We will be gorgeous, you and I."

Maureen let out a choked laugh. "And Angel, baby, you were more gorgeous than any of them."

Maureen finally seemed to notice Joanne, and turned.

"Joanne, help me up, please."

Joanne collected Maureen's crutches, lifting Maureen to put her on them again. Maureen smiled weakly, her earrings dangling as she walked as fast as she could up the hill.

"Maureen!" Joanne called. She stood, trying to catch up. Maureen didn't look back. Joanne stepped forward, her toe snagging on a root, tripping, falling backwards, hitting her head on Angel's tombstone. And then there was black.