A/N: This is the last chapter! I'm sorry that I didn't tell you sooner!

Chapter 8:

Roger sat across from Joanne talking quietly. The rest of the Bohemians were sitting around the loft talking and fooling around.

"So can charges be filed against Mrs. Johnson?" asked Roger. Joanne shook her head.

"I'm afraid not," she replied.

"What do you mean that you can't!?"

"There's a limit on how many years can pass without charging a person with a crime. The limit on second degree kidnapping passed years ago. I'm sorry, Roger."

"Wait, second degree, why not first degree kidnapping?"

"First degree is a capital offense. You'd have to prove that the kidnapping was for the purpose of harming Maureen. Maureen grew up in a loving environment, my hands are tied." Roger stood up abruptly.

"This is bull!" he exclaimed. All the Bohemians fell silent and looked up from what they were doing.

Maureen shrank back against the couch. She knew that Roger and Joanne were talking about and now fighting about her. This had gone far enough.

Leaping to her feet, Maureen cried, "Stop it! Just stop it! I don't give a damn about pressing charges! All I want to do is forget about this whole thing!" With that, Maureen grabbed her stuff and left. Roger grabbed his jacket and left after her. Joanne tried to follow them, but Collins grabbed her arm.

"I think that this is something that Roger and Maureen need to sort out on their own," he said. Joanne grabbed her beer off the counter and leaned against the table. It was hard for her to simply stand on the sidelines and watch the woman she loves break down.

Roger followed Maureen all the way back to her apartment. She refused to even acknowledge him until they got to her floor.

"Are you going to come inside or just stand there?" she asked as she unlocked the door.

"I want to talk to you," Roger replied. Maureen went inside. Roger followed her.

"There's nothing to talk about," Maureen said simply. Roger grabbed her shoulders and forced her to look at him. "All I want is for things to go back to normal, but they never will."

"You're damn right they won't, but when have our lives ever been normal?" Maureen cracked a smile. Roger had an excellent point there.

"True, very true. I'd like a life without so much drama." Roger sighed.

"Wouldn't we all?" Maureen giggled. "What?" Maureen shook her head. "What!?"
"Nothing, it's nothing," she said as she suppressed her giggles. Roger was starting to get frustrated.

"Maureen Johnson you had better tell me what the hell is wrong with you!"

"I just remember years ago, you and I had chased the cat up the Christmas tree. You tried to get it down and ended up knocking over the tree." Roger shook his head.

"No way, it was the other way around. I remember, because, because…" Roger trailed off.

"Because why?" Roger closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"I was so mad at you for getting me in trouble. The next day, at the mall, I was chasing you, telling you that it would be better if you just left. So, you did. It was my entire fault. I'm sorry, Mo." Maureen did the only thing she could do after such a confession from her rock star friend; she gave him a hug.

An hour later, Maureen and Roger were sitting on the couch talking about the limited memories they had from childhood.

"Hey Roger, I was thinking." Roger sighed over-dramatically.

"No Mo, what did I tell you about that? You might hurt yourself if you're to too carefully." Maureen kicked Roger playfully.

"We weren't that close growing up, were we?" Roger shook his head. He couldn't figure out where in the world Maureen was going with this.

"No, we weren't. Why?"
"Well, then we wouldn't be practically best friends, would we?" Roger stopped to think. For once, Maureen actually made sense.

"No, I guess we wouldn't. Maureen leaned back. She was lying across the couch with her feet resting comfortably against Roger's thigh.

"I know that this is going to sound all mushy and yet twisted and cruel, but…" Roger rolled his eyes.

"I can hardly wait to hear this one," he said dryly. Maureen kicked him again. "Ow! You're violent!"

"But, I'm kinda glad that everything that happened when we were younger did happen; or else nothing would be like it is today."

The End

A/N: Mushy ending, I know…what did you expect!?

Tina101