Avenue Q was AMAZING!!! Kande and I had SUCH a great time! Kande, the next chapter is your chapter.

This chapter was interesting to write . . . but also fun. I hope you all like it!

Disclaimer: I don't own, I RENT. Except for my characters and my storyline.

Needed at Home

It was early February, 1993. Exactly two months since the run in with The Man. Mark, Roger, Mimi and Jo were sitting in the loft laughing and talking about various subjects. Jo told embarrassing stories about how gawky Mark was as a teenager and Roger told stories of Mark making a fool out of himself in the city.

Suddenly, Jo's cell phone rang.

"Oh! Hang on." She took out the cumbersome device. "I'll be right back." She said, walking out to the fire escape. "Hello?"

"Jo?" the voice on the other line asked. It was Kaila; she sounded upset ans she hiccupped as if she were crying. Jo was being oblivious and didn't notice.

"Kaila? Hey chica! What's up?"

"Um . . ." she hesitated, "Jo . . . we need you to come back to San Francisco."

"Why? What's wrong?"

A short sob erupted from the other line. "Amber's in the hospital."

Everything froze.

"What?" Jo choked. Amber? Her Amber? Her fiery red-head was in the hospital? How? Why? How could this happen?

"She was in a car accident. We don't know exactly what happened but she's pretty banged up. She's conscious and she's asking for you."

Jo didn't know what to say. She glanced inside at Mark, Roger and Mimi then turned away.

"I'll be coming on the next flight to San Fran chica. Tell Amber I'm coming."

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Jo entered the loft looking upset and frustrated. "What's up?" Mark asked, noticing Jo's expression.

Jo looked up at her friends. "I have to go."

Alarm bells immediately went off in Mark's head.

"Go where?"

Jo started crying, "San Francisco, Amber's in the hospital. She's been in an accident."

Mark immediately rushed over to Jo and held her; he was followed by Roger and Mimi.

"I have to go . . . She . . . she needs me . . ."

"Shh . . . it's okay." Mark tried to comfort the petite girl.

"I have to go." She moved from Mark's embrace and made her way to her room. "I'm leaving on the first flight home." She said, grabbing her duffle bag and starting to pack. Mark, Roger and Mimi watched her from the doorway. "I won't be gone long. I promise I'll come back as soon as I can."

Mark stepped forward and took hold of Jo's hands, stopping her process of packing.

"Jo, I'm coming with you." He declared calmly, "You need to calm down. I'll call the airport, you continue packing. We'll leave in the morning. That gives us enough time to prepare. Okay?"

Jo studied Mark carefully, "Are you sure?"

Mark hugged Jo again. "Positive,"

". . . okay . . ."

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Jo and Mark walked out of the terminal at San Francisco International Airport, their few belongings hanging on their shoulders. They walked out and Jo spotted Ella, Lena and Kaila. Kaila ran to greet Jo.

"Jo! Oh my god it's so good to see you!" Kaila embraced her friend, "We've missed you so much."

"I missed you guys too." Jo returned the sentiment before hugging Ella and Lena.

"Who's this?" Lena asked, eyeing Mark suspiciously.

Jo brought Mark forward. "This is Mark." The trio instantly recognized who Mark was. "Mark Cohen, meet Ella Burgess, Lena Winchester and Kaila Nallia."

Mark shook hands with each girl and exchanged pleasantries.

"Well this is all very nice and cozy but we need to go see Amber now. The car's just outside." Lena said.

"Yeah, we need to get to the hospital. Amber's going to love to see you." Kaila smiled mischievously to Mark. Jo groaned,

"Oh, crap."

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The group of new friends entered Amber's hospital room. Amber turned her head, and when she saw who it was she grinned like a Cheshire cat.

"Jo!" She exclaimed, throwing her arms in the air.

"Amber! What the hell happened to you?" Jo said hugging the red-head.

"Some jackass gave me a huge fender-bender and I ended up here." She noticed Mark for the first time. "Who's this?"

"This is Mark." Jo introduced.

Amber grinned wider. "So this is who you wouldn't shut up about!" She paused, ". . . he's kind of cute."

Mark blushed and Kaila laughed, "I told you so!" She said to Jo.

Jo growled at Amber, "If you weren't in a hospital bed I'd whack you right now."

"I know. Why do you think I said it?" Amber laughed before sticking out her tongue.

Jo rolled her eyes, the girls laughed and Mark was redder than a cherry.

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"So, this is it." Jo stepped into her old home that she shared with the girls. Mark and said girls were right behind her.

"You live here?" Mark was shocked at the big upscale apartment. Who would think Jo lived here in this hoity-toity place when she seemed to love Bohemia.

"Hey, I didn't pick it out. I just happen to have friends who were already living here." Jo said, holding her hands up to say 'not my fault'.

"Ah yes, but you agreed to pay rent." Lena pointed out, sitting down on the couch.

"True," Jo replied, walking to the kitchen, "Mark, you need to eat something. Collins said you needed to gain some weight back."

Mark groaned, "Jo, I don't need food right now. I'm fine."

"Bull shit, boy; you're skinnier than me." Jo growled.

The girls were startled at Jo's harsh demeanor on this subject. But then again, Mark did seem thin.

"Chica, calm down . . ." Jo shot Ella a death glare, causing her to back down.

"Mark. Food. Now." Jo hissed. Mark walked over to the kitchen and sat down. Jo placed an apple and a bowl of dry Cheerios in front of him and he reluctantly started eating. "Thank you," Jo said, smiling a bit.

"Now c'mon Jo," Kaila said, disgusted by such a meager meal. "Give him some real food." She walked over to the kitchen and started to cook.

"Fine," Jo pouted, "But make sure it's kosher. Mark's Jewish last time I checked."

"Really?" Ella asked Mark, "What's that like?"

"Honestly? Annoying; I don't even believe in half of what most Jews do." Mark admitted easily. He found it surprisingly not awkward to talk to Jo's friends.

"So, what do you believe in?" Lena asked in a seemingly innocent way.

This prompted a vivid discussion between everyone that lasted for two hours. When they were done, everyone was tired. But Jo still seemed pissy.

Everyone but Mark and Jo had gone to bed. Mark thought it best to approach Jo's moodiness.

"Hey Jo?" She acknowledged him, "Are you okay?"

Jo rolled her eyes and sighed, "No, I'm not okay." She confessed. "Amber being in the hospital is getting to me." She sat on the couch with Mark and laid her head on his chest. Easily, he put his arm around her. "I mean, Amber's such a fireball. The fact that this happened to her puts things in perspective."

"How so?"

Jo was starting to fall asleep, "We're not as invincible as we'd like to think . . . we're all mortal . . ."

With that, Jo promptly fell asleep in her best friend's arms, content as can be. Mark was not complaining. He situated them to a more comfortable position and soon followed Jo into Dreamland.

Hope you all liked this chapter!! PLEASE REVIEW!!! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!!!! I LOVE reviews!!