Mark's POV

After about an hour we got Roger to sleep. I sat on the couch watching Collins switch the lock on Rogers's door so that we can lock him in and he can't lock us out. "We are going to have to lock him in there sometimes." Collins told us. We all knew Rogers's withdrawal was not going to be a pretty thing, everyone knew that withdrawal from anything wasn't fun. Collins screwed in the lock and shut the door, luckily for us, Roger sleeps like a rock. Maureen's head was resting on my lap, her eyes closed, she fell asleep quite quickly. We all were exhausted. Benny took a look at Maureen and sighed.

"We should all be getting some sleep." He announced, standing up and walking to his room, "Good night" He said before shutting the door. I gently picked up Maureen and carried her to our room and place her on the bed. I ran a hand through my hair and took of my shirt then slid in next to her. I sat up against the head board crossing my arms.

That picture of roger crying haunted my mind. Him showing weakness just didn't seem right. He looked so broken, so… so lost. He was the one that found her. When we came back from the life. He called her name happily, then saw the bathroom light on, and opened the door…

I stopped thinking about it; I couldn't think about it anymore, no I wouldn't think about it anymore. I have been attempting to block out those few minutes that changed everything. I can now only remember parts of it now. The yelling, they crying, the note, the voices. The rest is all gone, pushed out of my mind. Maybe it's for the better, maybe it will hurt me one day, but for now I would rather keep it this way.

I took off my glasses and put them on the night stand next to me. I lay down and pulled the covers over me, and shut my eyes falling into a dreamless sleep.

"Marky, Marky wake up" I heard Maureen say, I slowly opened my blue eyes to the

Bright room. "Morning pookie" my girlfriend says before giving me a peck on the lips.

"Morning." I said back hearing the sounds of people in the kitchen. "How are you feeling?" I asked. Maureen and April where best friends, I knew that this must be hard for her.

"Alright considering." She answered with a small attempt at a smile. I nodded and stood up putting on a new shirt, jeans and my glasses. I walked out of the room with Maureen not far behind me to see Collins and Benny in the kitchen, both drinking some coffee.

"Hey guys how did you sleep?" Collins asked. Collins was like our big brother. He was thirty when the rest of us where twenty one through twenty four. He was always looking out for us and making us feel better, sleeping on the couch because we don't have enough beds, giving us advice or just making us laugh. That was our Collins.

"Alright, is Roger up?" I asked grabbing a coffee for myself.

"Not yet but he should be soon." Benny told us taking a long sip of his coffee, obviously tired. Then as if on cue, Roger came out of his room, wearing his plaid sweat pants and grey sweat shirt, with his hands in his pockets, even thou it was 70 degrees out. We all stopped talking and just stared at him as he made his coffee.

"What?" He finally asked getting slightly annoyed. I decided to speak up.

"How are you feeling?" He just looked up at me and put down his coffee.

"I'm fine! Jesus Christ you don't have to treat me all different now!" He yelled his hands clenched by his sides. Maureen walked up to him and put her hands on his shoulders.

"Easy Rog, he was just asking. Why don't you do play your Guitar?" She suggested. Roger just nodded and walked back into his door, and shutting it, but not before saying. "And I want my lock back to normal." Collins sighed.

"It's starting, his withdrawal, he's getting agitated easily." I wrapped my arm around Maureen's waist and kissed her head.

"Nice job." I said to her trying to ignore Collins statement. I didn't want to think about Rogers's withdrawal. It was like if I didn't think about it then it wouldn't happen, but I knew that wasn't the case. Benny looked at the clock on the wall which read 8:20.

"Shit! I got to go guys; I'm meeting Allison for breakfast." He said getting up. Benny has been dating this new rich girl Allison Gray of the Westport Gray's for a month now, how he got her we will never know, Apparently they met at a bar. "See you all later." He said before walking out the door.

Sounds of Roger's guitar playing could he heard from the kitchen. I always enjoyed it when Roger played, I knew he loved it and he was very good. It made me sad now that I thought about it; He probably wouldn't be able to do any more gigs for a while. I knew he loved his music, ever since I met him that guitar wasn't ever five feet away from his side. I put my empty cup down on the table.

"I'm going to go to the library, to see what we are up against with this withdrawal." I told my friends. "Can you two stay here with Roger?" I asked, because if they had to leave then I didn't want him alone, I just didn't trust him.

"Yeah man, we'll be fine here." I nodded and kissed Maureen gently.

"Be back later." I said then grabbed my bike and walked out of the loft.

I sat in the Library with about seven books on Withdrawal in front of me. I shut the last book loudly and sighed, this was going to be harder then I originally thought… I stood up and walked out of the library and got on my bike. As I rode I passed a pharmacy and the thought of Rogers AIDS hit me. He was just like Collins now, sick. Of course I knew he only had HIV and not full blown AIDS but the thought still scared me. I couldn't louse my best friend early. Collins was bad enough but now Roger. What will happen when… No…Easy mark… don't think negative, take it one steep at a time, focus on today.

I soon made it to our broken down building that looked almost excatally like all the other apartments but some how I can pick it out. I brought my bike up the stairs and opened the door and was surprised by the sight that greeted me. Roger was sitting on the couch shivering and sweating, Collins and Maureen where next to him. Roger's green eyes darted towards me right when I walked in. No not towards me, towards the door. I quickly shut it and set my bike down walked over to the couch and bent down in front of roger.

"Please Mark; they won't let me, just-just one last hit. That's all, just one." He begged with me. I wanted to say yes so badly, I wanted to let him feel better and let his pain stop, and I knew this was only the beginning I had to stay strong.

"No Roger, you're done, I don't want to hear any 'one last hit' shit." I told him firmly. Roger looked at me stunned, never before had I stood up to him like this.

"I swear I'll stop if I just get one more!" He tried to persuade me, but I have to stay strong.

"I said no." I lifted my hand to his sweaty forehead and could tell immediately that he had a temperature. "Come on, why don't you rest for a little bit?" I said, hoping he would take up on my offer. The rocker just nodded and stood up and went to his room shutting the door behind him. I sat down in between Maureen and Collins. "It's only going to get worse right… he wont be giving up so easily." Collins sighed.

"I'm afraid so."

Thanks for reading! I'll try to get another chapter up with in the next week! Thanks for reading and please review!