A/N: Sorry for taking so long to update it's been hectic around here. Anyway, here's chapter 6!

Chapter 6: Meetings and Bruises

Collins was running to the loft, a paper bag with Stoli tucked under his arm. He was going to the loft because Mark had wanted to introduce someone to his friends. On the phone, he said something about how she wanted to meet and get to know the Bohos. Collins chuckled to himself at the thought of Mark wanting them to meet a girl.

He was only a block away from the loft when Collins passed an alleyway . . . or almost did. Something caught his eye. Collins backtracked to the entrance of the alleyway and saw an almost all too common sight for New York City. A couple of yards from where he was standing was the figure of a girl in her mid-twenties sprawled out on the ground. Normally, any New Yorker would pass by this sight without a second glance; but not Collins. Flashes of when Angel had found him on Christmas Eve flooded his mind. He knew he had to be like Angel: he had to help this girl.

Cautiously, Collins made his way to the girl, hoping she was alright. She confirmed this hope by moving and letting out a small groan.

"Ow. . ."

Collins knelt down beside her. "Miss? Miss, are you okay?"

The girl opened her eyes a bit, squinting at the figure of Collins above her. She was sore all over and she could feel a headache coming on.

"Are you okay?" Collins asked again.

"Yeah . . . I'm fine . . ." she tried to sit up but failed when her arms gave out. Collins caught her and helped her sit up. "Thanks . . ."

"I'm Collins, Tom Collins."

The girl regarded Collins carefully before speaking. "Jo, Jo Emay," Jo suddenly realized who Collins was. "Wait, Collins? Um . . . Tom Collins, professor of computer age philosophy at NYU?"

Collins gave Jo a confused look, "Yeah, how did you . . .?"

"Mark told me." She explained, "I'm the 'friend' he's introducing today."

Collins was dumbfounded, "You're the girl?"

Jo laughed through her physical pain. "That's me. I was going out to get food but, as you can see, I ran into some trouble."

"I'll say. Do you need any help?" he gestured to a bruise on Jo's head.

"Um . . ." Jo quickly evaluated her physical ability, "I might." Collins smiled and helped Jo up, only to have her almost fall back down again. Collins caught her. "Okay, so I do need help." She mused as Collins supported her petite form.

"What hurts?"

"Everything, but mostly just dizzy."

"Here," Collins leaned Jo on the wall and crouched down in front of her. "Get on my back, I'll carry you."

Jo laughed, "Are you sure?"

"Positive." Jo laughed for a moment before carefully getting on Collin's back.

"Damn girl, you're light." Collins commented casually as he stood up with Jo.

Jo laughed again. "I know, my roommates are always telling me that. Mark too, even though he's almost as thin as I am."

Collins glanced up at Jo. "He's still losing weight? I thought he finally gained it back!"

"What do you mean?" Jo inquired.

"Collins dove into an explanation, "Before Mark worked at Buzzline, he used to give Roger all the food in the house because he wanted to make sure Roger stayed healthy. But that was at the expense of Mark's own health. He lost a lot of weight. We told him he needed to eat but he kept saying that Roger needed it more. It finally got to the point where he passes out from exhaustion and lack of food and we had to take him to the clinic. Ever since, we've all watched Mark to make sure he eats enough."

Jo was surprised. "He's still having eating issues? I thought we cleared that up in High School!"

"Apparently not." Collins stopped at a pay phone in front of the Loft. "Here we are."

Collins was about to put money in the machine when Jo stopped him.

"Here, I've got a better way." She took a deep breath, "HEY MARK!" She yelled at the top of her lungs, "THROW DOWN THE KEY!"

Two seconds later, Mark appeared on the fire escape. He looked to the street and saw Jo piggy-backing Collins.

"What happened?" He called down, dropping the key to the pair.

"Tell ya in a minute!" Jo replied as she and Collins made their way inside.

Mark shook his head and went back into the loft. Maureen, who had arrived a few minutes earlier with Joanne, immediately jumped on him, bombing him with questions.

"Was that her? Is she coming? Where was she? How come you won't tell us her name?"

"Maureen! Leave the boy alone!" Joanne scolded her girlfiend.

Maureen sighed dramatically, "But Pookie, Marky's got a girlfriend he won't tell us about!"

"She's not my girlfriend, Maureen," Mark explained, annoyed, "She's my best friend. She has been since we were five . . . and don't call me Marky."

Maureen was about to say something when the loft door opened to reveal Collins with Jo on his back. Both were laughing.

"We have Vodka!" Jo declared holding up the bottle of Stoli in triumph.

"But we don't have food!" Collins laughed, making his way to the couch to deposit Jo there.

"What happened to you? I thought you were getting food." Mark said.

"I was," Jo replied as she situated herself on the couch next to Mimi and Roger, "But some asshole thought it'd be fun to steal my food so now we don't have any. Besides, I'm too sore to go get some more."

"Too sore or too lazy?" Mimi asked playfully.

"Both," Jo replied matter-of-factly before looking over to Mark. "Mark I'm fine" She reassured, "Collins found me and helped me home."

Mark sighed, almost frustrated, "Do you need anything?"

"No. I just want you to calm down and introduce me to your family." Jo said calmly. She knew all too well that Mark was thinking of every possible bad thing that could've happened to her. But she also knew that if they allowed Mark to think like that for too long he could have a panic attack. Therefore, she made sure to keep him occupied with something other than his thoughts.

Mark started introductions. "Jo, this is my ex-girlfriend Maureen Johnson, her girlfriend Joanne Jefferson, our ex-landlord Benjamin Coffin the third, and you've already bet Collins. Everyone, this is Jo M- . . . Emay, my best friend since kindergarten."

"Kindergarten?" Benny looked utterly surprised, "How is that even possible?"

Jo answered, "Kindergarten through High School, then a nine year break until now."

"But still . . . wow. That's a long time to know someone." Benny countered.

"Well, Mark's a good friend." Jo replied, carefully placing her feet on the coffee table. "He's worth knowing for . . ." she counted on her fingers, "22 years."

Suddenly, Maureen couldn't stand to keep quiet any longer. "So, are you and Mark together?"

"Maureen!" Mark and Joanne scolded the brunette.

"What?" she asked innocently.

"Mark, it's okay." Jo turned to Maureen, "No Maureen, Mark and I are best friends. We have been for years."

"Aw, but you two . . ."

"Honeybear . . ." Joanne warned, "don't."

Maureen pouted. Collins took this opportunity to ask Jo another question. "Why the nine year break?"

Mark and Jo looked at each other, silently communicating if they wanted to share the sacred information.

"Well . . ." Jo tried. God this was harder than she thought.

"She . . . almost died . . . nine years ago." Mark finally said.

"WHAT?!" Maureen exclaimed.

"Well, what happened was I was kidnapped when I was 17 and I was almost murdered. But I was rescued and afterwards I decided to travel around a bit without telling anyone I had survived. Therefore, Mark and everyone ought I was dead."

"Oh my god!" Maureen couldn't contain herself, "That's so COOL!"

Jo and Mark couldn't help but stare at Maureen. "Cool? Hon, it's scary to almost die. I had to change my name and get out of town to make sure the guy didn't find me again."

"You could've gone home." Joanne stated, going into lawyer mode. "You could've gotten protection."

"I know," Jo said, "But I saw it as an opportunity to see the country and be who I want to be."

"She's an author and an actress. She lives in San Francisco with 4 roommates." Mark explained to the Bohos, "She's written two books and has acted in local workshops."

"Really?" Collins was impressed.

"Really." Mimi confirmed. "She wrote that book Angel and I loved so much."

"You're Marcie Collett?"

Jo laughed, "That's my pseudonym," she said, "I usually go by Jo Emay."

"Is Emay your real last name?" Benny asked.

"No, it's May but don't tell anyone. Mark's the only one from my past who knows I'm not dead." Jo explained carefully.

A silence fell over the room. Suddenly, Mark walked to the bathroom and shut the door. Jo and the Bohemians watched Mark leave; curious, Maureen was the first to speak.

"Is he okay?" she asked.

"I don't know." Was Jo's only response, "Roger could you . . . ?"

"No problem." Roger walked over to the bathroom and knocked.

"What?" Mark's voice came from inside while chatter resumed among the others.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I had to . . ."

"Okay." Roger got the hint and left the door, returning to the group. "He's fine," He whispered to Jo.

"Thanks."

Mark reemerged a few minutes later and sat next to Jo.

"You didn't . . . did you?" she whispered to him, sounding a bit scared. Mark instantly knew what she was talking about.

"No Josie, I promised. Remember?" Mark replied in a hurried whisper. Silently, Jo took a hold of his arm and pushed up his sleeve. There was nothing there, only faint scars from the last time tainted his pale skin. Smiling contently, Jo replaced the sleeve. Mark smiled at her, "See? I've kept my promise."

" . . . I'm glad"

A/N2: PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE Review!! Reviews are the camera to my Mark!