Copywrite stuff: All characters belong to Jonathan Larson and Rent… story's mine.

We're walking down the street, just me and Roger...it's very foggy out,

but it's cold. Roger stops to smoke a cigarette. As I turn around, I see

Maureen talking to Collins. She's going on about how Joanne left her and

moved to Boston. Collins isn't listening. I look back at Roger sitting on

the curb. He exhales and smiles up at me. "Are you okay?" God, I sound

like I'm a million miles away. I see him nod yes, but his voice says "I

still can't believe Mimi left us...me... all of us." Suddenly there are

hundreds of people running and pushing by us. As they pass, Roger jumps up

and starts running after them. "Hey! What's going on?"

"Mimi!" he yells back. "I saw Mimi. I have to find her."

"Wait... Roger! She's gone, she's not in New York anymore." But he

can't

hear me. I chase him, but can't catch up. The crowd is gone and the

streets are empty again. I see something out of the corner of my eye...

it's

Roger. He's going into a burned out old wearhouse up the block. I run to

catch him...it's suddenly a lot colder. Something's wrong, but I can't

find

my voice to warn him. I get to the door and look in. It's completely

dark,

yet I can see... that it's absolutely empty.

"ROGER?" The only answer I get is the echo of my own voice over and

over

and over...

I wake up in a cold sweat. I look around and try to catch my breath.

I'm

still at the hospital... it was a dream. Maureen pushes my hair back off

my

face and Collins rubs my shoulder. I can tell by their faces that we

haven't

heard anything new. I sigh and lay back down, but sleep won't come

again...

I'm too scared.

"You can see him now." Those words are echoing through my mind.

Maureen

is holding my hand as we walk down the hall...her hand is shaking...along

with mine. 'One at a time' the nurse at the ICU desk tells us. They both

think I should go in first, but I can't... I ... just can't. Collins goes

in. He's not in the room very long and when he come out he's crying. He

won't look at me, just walks right past. Maureen squeezes my hand and goes

after him. I look at the door and take a deep breath.

It's quiet... except for the machines, but they fade into the background

quickly. His face is swollen and bruised and his head is wrapped in

bandages. There are wires coming from his forehead and tubes down his nose

and one in his mouth to help him breath. It doesn't look like him... I

would

swear it wasn't him, except... his hand. I go over to the side of the bed

and look at his hand. More wires and tubes hang over the side of the bed.

I

can't imagine what they are all for.

"Oh God!" My voice seems so loud in the little room. I sit down in the

chair and touch his hand... run my thumb over the cross that assures me,

this

is Roger.

"Talk to him. He can probably hear you." I jump out of my skin. The

nurse smiles. "I didn't mean to scare you." She reads a machine and

leaves.

Talk to him...

I look at the machine beeping his heartbeat... I look back at his face.

"You're going to be alright Roger." I'm sure of this and I feel more in

control than I have since we left the club last night. "And I'll be

here...

we'll all be here, to help you as much as we can." I lean back in the

chair

and fall asleep.

~ I'm still working on the next parts, so they'll be up asap ~