Hey! This is my first Rent story. I juuuuuuuuuuust saw it so if maybe one or 2 things are a bit off I'm sorry!

THIS IS AU!

If I owned Rent, I'd own Roger, and if I owned Roger I wouldn't be writing this. SO I don't own Rent.

I ma bit sick right now so I AM trying my hardest! PLEASE REVIEW

That Funny Little Girl

Chapter 1

"MARI! Mari Davis! Stop touching Mark's camera!" Roger left his guitar on the old metal table and grabbed his six-year-old daughter around her skinny waist lifting her up and twirling her around. Marks video camera fell to the floor forgotten as Mari giggled uncontrollably in her daddy's arms.

He sat her on the table on the opposite side of the apartment that he shared with Mark and Collins. Mari looked at her bare feet as she swung them back and forth beneath the thin white April sundress she wore that pooled around her knees.

Roger sighed and rested his hands on the counter top near his daughter's waist. She looked up at him with her dark eyes wide hopping not to get a scolding.

"Did you do your homework?" he asked monotonously. She nodded. "Math?" she nodded. "Writing?" She nodded. "Chemistry?"

"Daddy I'm in first grade."

"Right," he said dully. "Social Studies?"

"I have to color a map." She tilted her dark curly top head to the side. "Will you do it for me daddy?" Roger's mouth dropped.

"NO! I will not do you homework for you!"

Mari pouted….

Mark opened the slide door to the crummy old apartment. The sight he saw was golden.

Mark was sitting on the new leather sofa…. Coloring. Mark burst into laughter.

"Shut it Mark," Roger said without looking up. Mark sat next to him on the couch they had bought with money he had earned from selling hid videos. He looked at the sleeping girl with her thumb in her mouth (an old habit) lying with her head in Roger's lap.

"She looks like Mimi more and more everyday." Mark commented as Roger stroked his daughter's hair. Both men smiled sadly at the thought of Mimi. It had not AIDS that had killed her. She had died in childbirth. Roger had almost died afterwards.

Mari just two weeks old and sound asleep; Roger had taken a knife and placed a picture of Mimi in front of him and positioned the knife at his neck. Sobbing; Roger apologized to Mimi's picture…

And Mari had started wailing.

Roger, startled had sliced his chest with the sharp utensil. He weakly had stood up and rocked his newborn child in his bloodied arms and cried with her until Mark found them. Mark had gotten Mark to the hospital, got him anti-depressants and thrown away all sharp objects. Marks sad attempt at humor had put Roger in high spirits. Distraction and a little humor was what he had needed.

But that was six years ago. Six long years ago.

Mari grew to look and act like Mimi more and more everyday: a constant reminder to her father that his love and her mother was dead and that it was his entire fault.

Mari was smart. She got amazing grades (for first grader standards) and was generally responsible. Mari did her homework and worked hard. Roger usually got stuck coloring which he didn't mind that much. He wasn't sure how coloring enhanced knowledge but he was never the best person at coloring he was learning something new and he just plain didn't mind.

Roger was bad at discipline, not that Mari needed it much. She was a good girl. But if there was something she wanted, he would find a way to give it to her. She was his miracle girl, and his only reminder of his and Mimi's love.

He would do anything for his funny little girl.