A/N: I had to basically re-read my ENTIRE fic to reorient myself with what time the present bits were taking place for this chapter. I'm beginning this chapter not exactly sure how I'm gonna end it. See, I'm an actress, and one of my favorite things to do is characterizations. You just become a character. So, that's what I do when I write fanfictions. I jumped into these characters lives and characterize them so I don't mess up. NONE of my chapters are really planned. So, there's an idea in my head telling me this MIGHT be the last chapter. If not, it SHOULD be over soon. Unless these characters decide to mess me up and do some more stuff.

Again, some language this chapter, but that's because, as I stated before, I get into character when writing. And Roger happened to feel like dropping an 'f bomb' in the beginning.Seriously, I'm not such a potty mouth in real life! I really hate swearing myself! But Roger doesn't mind it, and I'm not Roger. I just characterize him. ;)

.-.-.

"January 10th, 3 PM, Eastern Standard Time. Walking through the park on the warmest day so far of the winter, and I'm still freezing. Roger and Mimi are a few steps in front of me, holding hands as we walk through the snow."

"Mark, could you turn that off, please?" Mimi looks over her shoulder at me, smiling softly. I look over the camera at her, giving a sort of pouting look (which I imagined would be a good imitation of Maureen) that makes her giggle slightly and roll her eyes, facing forward again, indicating I could continue.

I smirk. "Roger and Mimi: the happy couple; the epitome of pure bliss. Or, when Roger isn't PMSing."

"Mark, turn that fucking piece of shit off." Roger's demand compared to Mimi's request almost makes me laugh out loud, but I restrain myself, switching off the camera and slipping it back into my bag. I've been doing this more and more often lately. I still pull out my camera whenever I spot a good shot, but I don't have it out constantly. I suppose that's a good thing. Mimi looks back over her shoulder at me, rolling her eyes, and I have to suppress another laugh as Roger suddenly begins veering Mimi off to the side of the pathway, leading her to sit down.

I blink. "What? Tired or something?"

Roger blinks a few times as Mimi sat down on the bench. "Actually, Mark...I wanted to talk to you about something."

At first, I'm almost shocked. We haven't just talked about anything (calmly) for quite a while. Not since he came back from Santa Fe, at least. But then it hits me. "Is it about...the footage?"

Roger looks away for a second. "Well...yeah."

Mimi leaps up. "Hey! I just remembered! I left my...Roger's...you're, uh, sweater! Yeah! Roger, you're sweater! Better go get it!" She is gone in a flash, leaving the two of us blinking slightly. After a moment of silence, both of us silently agree to sit down.

Neither of us seem to want to start, but after a prolonged and awkward silence Roger decides to begin. "I...wanted to ask you...why you're really watching those clips. You've just kept saying you have to do it for yourself, and...well, I haven't..."

I hold up a hand, motioning him to let me speak. "I...don't really know much myself anymore."

Roger smirks slightly, a bit of his easier going self showing through. "So, you just thought, 'Hmm, I feel like having an emotional break down today! Why don't I pull out these old clips so that I can throw a fit?'"

I roll my eyes. "Very funny."

Roger laughs lightly, and another awkward silence settles between us. Once again, Roger speaks up first. "But seriously...I haven't really gotten quite yet why you started it in the first place. I know I probably said I did, but...why?"

I look up at him, the confusion in his eyes equally matching my own. "I...can't remember..." I look away from him, trying to remember back to a few days ago. Why was I so compelled to dig into my past and bring back all these painful memories I never wanted to remember?

... I wonder what life is like, for all my friends. People like Collins, and Roger, and Mimi, and Angel. I really wonder. It's almost frightening to me, a thing like AIDS. Maybe that's why I always hid from the world. I was so afraid of AIDS, and the death that seemed to ensue.

"...Because...I was afraid. Back then. I was afraid of AIDS, and...dying. Back then, before you came back...well, before you left, too." I pause, wondering if he has anything to say to this. I glance at him, and he is simply staring straight forward, and I feel he wants me to continue. "And I realized that, a few days ago. That I was afraid to live life because of how I knew life lead to death for my friends. I was scared...and I decided, a few days ago..."

I need to face these fears. I can't hide from the world anymore.

"I needed to face that fear. I didn't want to...because keeping away from living my own life, cutting all the scenes that got extremely into AIDS or...well, that were too hard for me to look at, I guess...I was afraid of all the things in those clips. And...I had to face them. If I was going to stop hiding, I needed to face that fear."

There is a long silence that hovers over us. I replay in my head what I have just learned. I didn't realize until just now that was why I was doing it.

Suddenly, Roger speaks. "I think that makes sense. Kinda."

I look at him, an eyebrow raised. Was it that easy for him to understand? He looks up at me, his eyes clear and understanding. "You know, what? I think I was watching those...I think I watched with you for the same reason...without realizing."

I blink a few times. "You sure it wasn't because you would look like a baby if you walked out on it?"

Both of us laugh lightly for a moment, and then Roger shrugs. "I dunno. I think...I think I kept telling myself that, you know. It made more sense. But I think...somehow, I knew I needed to remember those things I had done. I needed to remember that Mimi wasn't the only one I hurt, and I kinda forgot that. And...I think I closed up, too. Around that time. I mean, before New Years, you and me always talked." I nod, deciding I didn't need to give any more confirmation. "And then...well, I guess this is the first time we've talked...without yelling at each other...since then."

I shrug. "I suppose so. I dunno if you closed up, though. Not really."

Roger shrugs as well, shaking his head slightly. "Well, it kinda was. Not like you, but at the same time, almost exactly like you." He looks up at me. "Does that make sense?"

"Clear as a stormy day, Roger."

Roger laughs softly at this. There is a short pause, and then Roger suddenly looks up at me. "Hey, Mark?"

"Huh?"

"Do...do you think you did it?"

I blink multiple times. "...Excuse me?"

"Do you think you've confronted your fear and learned more about how it was for all of us and all that other stuff you said?"

I laugh softly. Only Roger could talk so casually about such a topic. "I dunno. I hope so."

A pause. "I think you have."

I look up at him straight in the eye, and I notice that his eyes are clearer then I can remember them being for ages, the brightest they've been since April. "I think you have, too."

Roger smirks, a short laugh escaping through his lips. "I have too what?"

I shrug, smirking with him. "Opened up a little more and learned how it was for all of us..." I laugh softly. "And all that other stuff you said."

Roger laughs back at me, punching my lightly on the shoulder. "Sure. All that other stuff."

There's a peace between us that I haven't felt for quite a while. Both of us know we aren't quite finished on our own journeys through life, no matter about how long they may be. We know there's more, but we know that we've just taken a massive step in the right direction in our own paths.

.-.-.

January 19th, 10 AM, Eastern Standard Time. Roger told me last night he need to borrow some money for something, and when I asked him what for, he said it was for 'jewelry'. I also saw him looking in the phone book as he called up fancy restaurants to see who had the cheapest menus. Mimi still brings in money to put on the table for me and Roger, but she says she might be quitting soon to get a better job somewhere else. Joanne is planning a surprise birthday party for Maureen for right after her brand new protest next weekend and she wants me to buy the candles. (I might have enough for trick candles; that would be entertaining.) Collins might even be able to take a break from trying to infiltrate the virtual reality equipment at NYU to come down for the party. Hell, Benny might even come, but he'll probably just end up pestering us for the rent. Everybody is going on with their own wonderful lives.

And me? Me? Not sure where my life is going yet. But it's gonna be exciting.

.-.-.

A/N: What a happy ending, no? Guess what? This is the second out of innumerable multiple chapter fics on that I have actually FINISHED! WOW! And it's a RENT fic! What an honor for RENT! Mind you, it was only seven chapters, but I still consider it an achievement! My brain wants to actually continue, but it'll probably be another series, and I need to figure out what my brain wants to do anyways, since I have no idea. IT'S RANDOM. Just because of my closing line, it's like 'CONTINUE! CONTINUE!' And I'm like, NO! We've already finished! STOP! 'KEEP GOING! MORE! MOOOORE!' My brain has a mind of its own. XXXXDDDD (No, I'm not a schitzo. We just like to have fun. XXXDDD JOKING! JOKING!)

P.S. 'Where Is My Life Going?' is Part II of Mark's Life series. You can find it at http/