A/N: Last chapter! Sorry it took a little longer than expected. I was having some trouble with my PC, but I finally fixed it! Anyway, this chapter takes the rough outline of the Finale. It has direct and altered lines from OBC and movie, and made-up lines by yours truly.

Disclaimer: Here's a little bit of trivia for ya: Rent premiered when I was four.

The Perfect Ending

"December 24th, 10 pm, Eastern Standard Time. I can't believe a year went by so fast! Let's see what we have here…." Mark reached around his camera to switch the projector on.

Roger, sitting cross-legged on a nearby table, strummed a few notes on his guitar and rolled his eyes good-naturedly. Ever since Mark had finished his film two days ago, he'd been testing it out and going on and on about it. He was very proud, and Roger really couldn't blame him. The musician was feeling much the same way about his song, 'Your Eyes', which he'd revised to perfection (in his eyes) just yesterday.

The roommates had already refused to show each other the entirety of their pieces of art, preferring to wait until later tonight, or possibly very early tomorrow, to reveal both to their friends at the party.

As the projector blinked to life, a moving image of last-year Roger tuning his guitar appeared on the screen. Mark proceeded to narrate softly.

"This first shot is Roger, tuning the Fender guitar he just got out of hock – when he sold the car that took him away from us to Santa Fe."

"I found my song," Roger pointed out, grinning as his counterpart figure on the screen awarded counterpart Mark the middle finger.

"He found his song - now, if he could just find Mimi…" Mark allowed.

"I tried!" Roger said, looking down, "You know I tried."

Mark ignored him, as the image on the screen changed to show Mark himself. "Fade in on Mark, who's still in the dark-"

"Hey, you've got great footage!"

"Which I've cut together-"

"-to screen tonight!"

Mark scratched his head and glanced over at Roger. "I wonder if we'll hear from Benny at all tonight."

Roger snorted. "I hope not, and I doubt it."

Just then, the power blew out, and the image on the projector fizzed and died.

"Speak of the devil..." Roger whistled. "Well, maybe we won't screen it tonight."

Even as the words left his mouth, the power flickered back on, as well as the projector.

Mark reached over, looking relieved, and shut it off, swinging around to face Roger. "Still, I wonder how Alison found out about Mimi…"

"Maybe a little bird told her," Roger said sarcastically.

"Or an angel," a voice from behind suggested.

Collins entered the apartment, carrying a bottle of Stoli and sporting his biggest grin as his former roommates embraced him and welcomed him home.

While Roger grabbed some cups and poured the drinks, Collins looked around and noticed the projector and Mark's camera.

"You finished your movie?" he asked Mark in surprise.

"I did," Mark beamed.

"I wanna see it!" Collins said eagerly.

"Okay – later."

Roger handed out the filled paper cups. "So…are you tutoring again?"

"Nope."

"Back at NYU?" Mark asked.

"Negative. Actually, you know that Food Emporium a few blocks away? I rewired the ATM. Now all you need is a code, and you've got money."

Mark and Roger stared at their computer-genius friend. Slowly, Mark began to smirk.

"What code?"

Collins smiled. "A-N-G-E-L."

"To money, then," Roger proposed, raising his glass, "However shadily received."

The friends bumped their glasses together and drained. Collins was about to speak again when a call from outside interrupted.

"Mark! Roger! Anyone, help!"

The three ran onto the fire escape and saw Maureen and Joanne standing on the street below. What caught their attention was the figure huddled in Joanne's arms.

"Mimi…" Roger breathed.

"We can't get her up the stairs!" Maureen called, "Please, hurry!"

She sounded scared, which meant Mimi must be in bad shape. Roger led the way downstairs, taking the steps in twos and threes. Together, they all managed to get Mimi up to the Loft and onto the table.

"She was huddled in the park, in the dark – and she was freezing!" Maureen explained hurriedly, "She wanted to come here."

"Got a light…I know you…you're shivering," Mimi muttered.

"She's been living on the streets!" Joanne voiced what they'd all realized.

"We need some heat," Roger murmured, throwing his coat over the Latina.

Mimi shuddered. "I'm shivering…"

"I'll go buy some wood, and some food," Mark offered, already on his way to the door.

"Too late for that, man, I'm calling 911," Collins seized the phone and dialed.

"Collins is gonna call the doctor, honey," Maureen whispered to Mimi.

"Don't waste your money on Mimi…me…me…" was her only reply.

"Hello? Hello? I'm on hold!" Collins gasped.

"Would you light my candle?" Mimi wheezed, squeezing Roger's hand tightly.

"Yes, we'll…oh, God…find a candle," Roger said feebly.

Nobody moved, except Collins, who had finally gotten an operator.

"I should tell you…that Benny wasn't…anything," Mimi said hoarsely.

"I know," Roger replied softly, "I should tell you why I left – it wasn't 'cuz I didn't-" His voice broke before he could finish.

"I know…I should tell you, I love you…" Mimi broke off, coughing.

Tears filled Roger's eyes, but he refused to let them show, not when Mimi needed him to be strong. "Who do you think you are, leaving me alone with my guitar? Hold on, there's something you should hear – it isn't much, but it took all year."

And he sang his song to her, the song he'd composed while in Santa Fe, away from her and everything else. When everyone he saw looked exactly like her. Mimi started to fade away near the end, and by the time Roger finished the last note, his voice strong and raw with emotion, she had slipped away from them.

Roger let the tears flow. "Mimi!" He held her body close, wishing it could be some other way. But it was too late.

The other Bohemians watched in silence, releasing their own tears and holding one another. In the distance, sirens blared, already on their way to the Loft.

Roger suddenly drew in a breath, causing everyone to look over at him and Mimi. That was when they saw what he had. Mimi's fingers were twitching, faintly at first, then stronger.

"Mimi…?" Roger whispered in disbelief.

Mimi coughed in response and sat up, pushing Roger's coat off and gazing around at her friends gathered close to the table, eyes wide and wondering.

"She's back…How?" Joanne asked, once again voicing everyone's thoughts.

"I was heading toward this warm, white light," Mimi explained, "And I swear – Angel was there! And she looked good!" Collins gave a strangled laugh as the dancer's eyes fell on him, "And she said, 'Turn around, girlfriend, and listen to that boy's song." Her eyes moved to Roger, and she managed a half-smile.

Roger put a trembling hand on her forehead. "You're drenched," he laughed, so relieved that Mimi was alive he felt like he could jump up and sing.

Maureen followed suit. "Her fever's breaking."

"How bad?" Mimi asked.

Mark stepped forward. "You're gonna be okay," he assured her, even though none of them could know that.

Mimi's gaze moved past the cameraman to the projector and the camera, and her face lit up. "You finished your film?" she asked brightly.

Everyone laughed at her easy distraction.

"Yes, but we'll watch it later. Gotta get you to the hospital first," Mark rubbed her knee fondly.

Roger hugged his love close, kissing her hair as the ambulance pulled up in front of the apartment. Seconds later, the door opened and the paramedics rushed in. Roger managed to persuade Mimi to get on the stretcher, promising to ride in the back of the ambulance with her, and yes, they would "get her out of that place" ASAP.

The two clasped hands briefly as Mimi was carried out the door. "I love you!" she called.

"I love you," Roger called back, silently thanking the heavens for this second chance. Maureen, Joanne, and Collins followed Mimi out the door immediately, leaving Roger and Mark alone in the Loft for a minute.

Roger turned to Mark. "You think she's gonna be okay?" he asked.

Mark considered. "Yes," he answered truthfully, "I think so. If you weren't here, I don't know, but you helped her pull through it."

"Don't get all sappy on me now," Roger warned. He grinned, and held out his hand. "But for the record, I'll never leave again. Friends?"

Mark pulled the musician in for a hug. "Best friends," he corrected.

And together, the two best friends went after the rest of their wacky Bohemian family.

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A/N: Sappy galore! Sry for the sappiness at the end. I was considering ending it earlier, but I decided that this fic was largely about the Mark/Roger friendship, so it needed to end with them. I hope I did the rest of the story justice.

Thanks to all my reviewers. You guys have been great, and I've gotten more positive feedback then I could ever hope to have. Review once more?