Title: Living Beyond the Camera
Author: Jen
Feedback: LOVED LOVED LOVED!
Pairing: Some Angel/Collins, mentions of Mimi/Roger, Mark Angel friends
Word Count: 1841
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Angst with a bit of humor
Summary: Angel convinces Mark to get out from behind his camera
Notes: Meh...not happy at all with this but, shrugs, I liked where I went with it, if that makes sense and OMG excuse cheesy!title. I figured everyone would name it "mark and his camera" so I decided to be the odd one.
Special Thanks: Jesse because he is the sex and electrakitty74 for looking it over.
Spoilers: None
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: For the final time, Rent is not mine!

Mark sat on the front stoop of the building where he lived, camera in hand, pointed down the street. He loved filming like this, just pointing the camera and seeing what happened. Most people barely noticed him, too eager to get to where they were going. The people who lived in the East Village were so used to him, they paid little attention when they walked by, merely nodding their heads or saying hello. A few characters would smile and ham it up for the camera, knowing that no one would probably ever see it.

Today, he zoomed his camera in on a young, Latino man drumming on the street corner. Mark smiled and stood up, walking closer to the young man, camera still filming. "Angel," he called when he got closer. "How's business today?"

Angel looked up and smiled before returning to her drumming. "Been better but it feels good to be out playing again. And you know, Mark, you look so much more attractive without that camera stuck to your face."

Mark blushed slightly but kept the camera up and filming. "You're looking better today," he said, changing the subject. It threw him a bit seeing Angel dressed in only jeans and a sweatshirt but he also knew Angel rarely drummed while in a dress, not wanting to ruin any clothing. "How are you feeling?"

"Better. Though I suppose it's mainly because I'm finally out of the house." Angel put her drumsticks down and patted the curb next to her. "Sit. I haven't seen you much since I got sick." A few weeks ago, Angel had come down with a severe cold that developed into bronchitis with a touch of pneumonia. She'd spent three days in the hospital before finally being discharged only to be put under lock down by a panicked Collins. No one was even allowed to visit, though that never stopped Mimi from sneaking over when Collins was at work. Mark, knowing exactly what Collins' reaction would be if he visited, stayed away.

Mark sat down beside Angel, still not putting the camera down. He turned it away from Angel and back down the street, filming the every day life of the East Village.

"You know, Mark, I've always wondered something."

"Hmm?" Mark muttered as he adjusted the camera a bit.

"I've always wondered what it would be like to spend more then just meal time with you and not your camera. You know, just sit and talk."

Mark looked up and gave Angel a puzzled look. "What do you mean? We talk all the time without the camera on you."

"Maybe not on me, but it's always on something. You know, you have really pretty eyes, Mark." Angel reached out and carefully pulled the glasses away from Mark's face. "You shouldn't hide them behind a camera."

"I'm...I'm not hiding. I'm working. This is my job, Angel."

"Dear, sweet Mark. You are hiding. From what, I don't know. Life, the world, knowing Roger and Collins and Mimi, three of your closest friends are doomed to die far too young. It can't be easy for you."

Mark sighed and, after a beat, turned the camera off. "It's not. And it's four of my close friends, Angel. Don't forget yourself."

"Oh, honey, I didn't. But I don't plan on dying far too young. I plan on doing everything, that way no matter how old I am, I'll have lived so it won't matter in the end."

"You're amazing, Angel, you know that." It always stunned Mark that Angel was so young, that she'd had the most happen to her in such a short time, and yet she had the best outlook on life of all of them.

Angel thought for a moment. "No, no one's ever told me that. Wonderful, fantastic, hyperactive, over-the-top, stubborn, but never amazing." She smiled and wrapped her arm through Mark's. "Promise something, Mark."

"Depends on what it is."

"Oh, you'll like it." Angel smiled and turned to face Mark. "Promise me that even after I'm gone you'll keep filming, that you'll make something of yourself..."

"Angel..."

"Hush, I'm not done. "That you'll make something of yourself but I also need you to promise that you won't spend all your time filming. I want you to come out from behind the camera once and a while, enjoy life and not just be an observer. Please, Mark, enjoy what life you have, what God or whatever you believe in gives you. Be the subject rather then the creator." Angel's dark eyes locked on Mark's with a stare Mark had never seen before from the younger man. Angel was serious.

"I don't like hearing you guys talk about dying."

"You aren't answering my question." Angel pulled the camera from Mark's hand. "Please, Mark. Can you promise me you'll keep filming but not forget to live?"

Mark looked away but Angel reached out and grabbed his chin, forcing their eyes to lock again. "If you can't, you can't, Mark. I can't force a promise on someone."

"Angel, I can't really promise that I suppose but...but I can try my hardest."

Angel smiled, gave Mark a quick hug and handed him back his glasses "Good to hear and I have five people at least to keep an eye on you." She stood up, grabbing her pickle tub and Mark's camera. "Come upstairs for a second. I have something for you."

"Can I have my camera back?" Mark asked, but Angel either didn't hear him or chose not to as they both walked up to the apartment Angel shared with Collins.

"Angel, come on. I need it back," Mark pleaded as they entered the apartment.

"You're worse then a druggie going through withdrawal, aren't you? I have a purpose it holding it. Wait here." Angel headed off into the bedroom, leaving Mark standing alone, dumbfounded.

Angel reappeared a few moments later, a gift wrapped box in her hand. "Here. Open this. Then, if you're a good boy, you'll get your camera back."

"Gee, thanks Dad." Mark rolled his eyes but opened the package. He took the wrapping paper off the box and then pulled the top off. Laying inside, covered in a thin layer of tissue paper was a beautiful, dark blue, faux leather camera bag, made exactly for Mark's camera. He'd been looking for a better bag to carry it around in but could never find out exactly for his camera model. "Angel...where..."

"I have my sources." Angel pulled Mark over to the couch and sat down. "There was a little shop near NYU. I went to go visit Collins one afternoon, a week or so before I got sick. I was early and didn't want to wait too long for him to be done. My feet were hurting after all. So, I went into this little store and found it sitting right there next to your camera, or one that looked like yours anyways. I had some extra money so I got it for you."

"Angel, I...I don't know how to thank you." Mark stared dumbfounded from the case to Angel then back again.

"Just keep your promise to at least try to live a life out from behind your camera." Angel handed the precious object back. "It needs a break every once and a while. So do you."

Mark took the camera and placed it carefully in his new case. "Does Collins know you bought this?"

"Yeah, he does. He got the box and wrapping paper for me since I was sick. I was going to wait until Christmas but..." Angel shrugged and got a far off look in her eyes. "But you know me. I couldn't wait. So you like it?"

"Angel, I couldn't ask for a better present. Thank you." He pulled Angel into a hug.

Angel squeezed him back and kissed the filmmaker on the cheek. "You're welcome. You're a dear friend of mine, Mark, you know? Honestly, I'm only with Collins to be friends with you."

Mark laughed as he lightly ran his fingers along the smooth finish of the bag. "Oh, yeah, it's so easy to tell."

"Just shhh. Don't tell Collins I told you that. I said I'd keep it a secret."

"Tell me what?" Collins asked as he came into the apartment. "Hey, Mark."

"Tell you that I told Mark I'm only with you to be friends with Mark and Roger," Angel said as she walked over to Collins, greeting her lover with a soft kiss.

"Oh, that." Collins smiled as he snaked his arm around Angel's waist and kissed her back.

Both were unaware Mark had pulled out his camera and was filming them. "Zoom in on Angel and Collins, how love really should be."

He watched for a few moments as the couple kissed and told each other about their days before attention was turned to him.

"Mark, my man! Filming like always." Collins chuckled and playfully poked Mark in the side. "Thanks for talking to my Angel. I know she's been hard up for company lately. So, Mr. Cameraman, what did you film today?"

Mark held the camera up for a brief moment before turning it off and placing it in his case. "Enough," he said, smiling. "Want to go out for dinner or something?"

Collins and Angel exchanged a glance before nodding. "Yeah, sounds like a plan. Let me change out of these clothes though. I think I smell like toner."

"I'll meet you back here, then," Mark said, standing up. "Let me drop my camera off at the loft, and see if Roger or Mimi want to join us. I'll be back in a few." He quickly sprinted from the apartment before anyone could question what he was doing.

Collins poked his head back into the living room. "Did he say 'drop his camera off at the loft' or am I hearing things?"

Angel smiled and headed towards the window, watching Mark sprint up to the loft. "You aren't hearing things, baby."

"What did you say to him?"

"Just asked him to start living beyond his camera."

Collins chuckled as he pulled off his sweater and undid his tie. "That'll be odd, Mark without his camera."

"But nice, don't you think? Him living the action instead of filming it?"

"You're amazing, baby. Anyone ever told you that?"

Angel thought for a moment as she watched Mark appear back on the street, dragging a confused Roger and Mimi behind him. "No, not really."

At dinner that night, Mark hardly noticed he was without his camera, except for when Angel crawled into Roger's lap, making herself at home and sending Collins and Mimi into a fit of laughter when she started kissing the confused rocker's cheeks. Otherwise, Mark was surprisingly happy to not have his camera around. So this is what it's like to be out from beyond the camera, he thought to himself as Angel moved on to his lap. And Mark decided he could get used to this.