"August 23, the day before the day. Currently my friends, and I your cameraman, Mark Cohen, are preparing to head out to the city. Classes start for most of us tomorrow. The other half is coming along to start their respective careers. Zoom in on Thomas Collins who is attending New York University and majoring in God knows what. He is currently lifting boxes that are much too heavy considering he got a knife in the belly two months ago."
Collins rolled his eyes and pushed one more box in the trunk of Roger's car, "Don't worry gentle viewers. Angel kissed it and made it all better."
"I'm with him." Maureen said sitting on the lid of the car swinging her legs in the air, "You shouldn't be carrying them."
"And watch all of the girls run to help us." Roger grumbled as he helped Collins fill the car.
Maureen shrugged and snapped her gum, "You could handle it on your own." She winked at him.
"Zoom in on Maureen Johnson the soon to be break out actress of New York City." The diva started posing for the camera and then slipped the bottom of her shirt up to expose her belly button.
"Look I got it pierced!" She called out to the camera.
Roger snorted attempting to close his trunk despite the fact it was overloaded, "That type of comment will get you the parts for sure." Collins and Roger sat down on the trunk together finally closing it.
"Zoom in on Roger Davis who is also following the route of going to New York with the hopes of starting a band. Pan to Angel Dumott Schunard, future fashion mogul, and her best friend Mimi Marquez future Broadway dancer…currently they are sunbathing."
Angel pulled herself from the ground and waved to the camera. The drag queen was wearing a pair of tight shorts, a red spaghetti strap tee, and pink tinted sunglasses. "And I would like to say that I've carefully applied lotion to avoid those nasty, ugly sunburns."
Mark's camera whipped to catch Roger saying, "Forget skin cancer. Sunburns are ugly." It whipped back to Mimi who was giggling at her boyfriend.
"That too!" She called out, "We all ready?"
Maureen nodded, "Somehow we got all of our shit in the car. Just one more thing…"
"We?" Roger asked, "I'm pretty sure it was all Collins and me." The drama queen rolled her eyes and tapped Mark's shoulder.
"What?" The filmmaker asked putting the camera down for a moment. Maureen snatched the it out of his hands and focused it on the filmmaker instead.
"Attempt to zoom in on Marky Cohen. Majoring in communications at Brown University." Maureen taped a buttom assuming it was the zoom button. The camera zoomed out, "Awww Marky you look tiny!"
"Maureen give it back!" Mark called out. Maureen ran around the lawn holding the camera up high.
She giggled, "Come and get it, Mark! Come and get it!"
Collins and Roger leaned on the car observing their friends, "Maturity huh?" Roger asked.
Collins snorted, "Says the man that started a Lion King sing along last night."
"You all sang along." Roger said simply. "Hey Ang, Mimi, we gotta get going. The landlord's holding our keys."
Angel leaped up folding up her towel in the process, "This is going to be so great. Us all living with each other. It'll be like Friends."
"Yeah except the fact that we're all together in one crappy apartment." Mimi said with a giggle getting up as well, "I'm sure it'll be fun though…it has to be."
"Maureen STOP!" Mark called out continuing to follow Maureen was too fast for the shorter teen.
Sybil walked down the steps of her household and shook her head at Maureen and Mark, "You two." She laughed heartily. Angel ran up to her mother and bit her lip.
"I guess this is it…isn't it?" She asked quietly as Collins walked out to stand beside her. "I love you, mom." Angel said quietly.
"And I love you." Sybil replied pulling her into a hard hug.
Mimi took her place next to Roger and opened the passenger seat door of the car, "And how many times have they said goodbye?" She asked pointing to Angel and Sybil.
"About five. You missed her and Collins saying goodbye to all the siblings and Peter. That was an event. Collins even asked who a kid was. Turned out he was a friend of one of the ninjas." Roger explained a smile on his face. Few people had a family like Angel's. An accepting one. A one filled with all races. All types of people. Held together by the enduring love of Peter and Sybil.
Angel sniffed on her mother's shoulder, "I'll call you everyday, I promise."
"You better. I know I'll never hear from Dawson again. So I'd like to hear from you at least." Sybil said with a smile, Angel's brother had gone to school the week before. Although he did love his family, he had a horrible memory. So far he called once or twice.
"And you mister!" Sybil said letting go of Angel to walk over to Collins who hugged her as hard as Angel had, "You be careful. No streaking."
"Aw but Sybil." Collins protested with a smirk on his face.
Sybil let go of him and shook her head, "How many times do I have to tell you? Call me mother. Or something like it. You're practically a son now." She said pinching his cheek. Ever since Collins had a falling out with both of his parents he had moved in with Angel's family. Despite Collins' attempts, he was unable to get a hold of his mother. Perhaps she refused to pick up the phone. Perhaps she was too high to get to it. Collins wasn't sure.
"Ok…Mom." Collins said with some effort, "Thanks for everything."
"Like I said." Sybil said pointing at her son's boyfriend, "You're family. Come here the two of you." The couple hugged Sybil together.
"C'mon Marky! I bet you can run faster than that!" Maureen laughed now climbing over the car. Mark tripped over the curb and landed on the pavement. "Oh shit! Lori would kill me if you got hurt." Maureen said running over to Mark's side, "Not to mention Jo…you hurt?"
"Just my pride." Mark sighed closing his eyes.
Mimi shook her head, "Maureen, give the boy his camera."
The actress complied, "There you go." She dropped it on his stomach.
"Thanks so much." Mark grumbled.
"Ok everyone let's get out of here!" Roger yelled deciding that he had enough good-byes. This on top of the dinner they had last night with Lori and Joanne was enough to make him feel emotional. Therefore it was time to go.
"We better go, baby." Angel whispered to Collins who nodded. They waved to Sybil and walked hand in hand towards the car. "So…our first year away. In the city…you excited?"
"Very." Collins said with a deep smile, "Plus I got my favorite people with me. It's gonna be a blast…and work. I'm not looking forward to the work load."
Angel giggled kissing his cheek, "I'm sure you can handle it Mr. Valedictorian."
"But Ang…I wasn't Valedictorian. Gina was." Collins pointed out holding the car door open for her.
Angel poked him gently in the side steering clear of his scar, "Yes but you should have been. Little bitch."
"You didn't know her!" Collins laughed getting in the back seat of the car and pulling Angel on his lap.
"She still stole it from my baby." Angel said putting her arms around him, "Even though you don't seem to mind."
Collins shrugged, "I graduated, I streaked, I'm with you. I'm a happy camper."
"Ok, happy camper," Roger replied from the driver's seat, "We all in?" Mimi nodded from the passenger seat while Maureen and Mark were squabbling in the backseat next to Angel and Collins.
"You could have broken it you know!" Mark argued, "If you missed my stomach it could have smashed on the ground. Or if my stomach was more bouncy-"
"Oh I like that." Mimi laughed and turned to Roger, "Can you call your band If My Stomach was More Bouncy? I would love it."
"Uhhh…" Roger turned on his car, "I'll think about it."
Angel rolled down the window and waved at Sybil, "Bye Momma!" She called out. Collins put his hand out the window waving as well.
"Bye Sy-Mom!" Collins faltered.
Sybil stood on the pouch of her house balling her eyes out and waving furiously. Andrea, one of her other daughters, walked out with a tissue box as the car drove out of sight.
"You need one of these?" She asked her mother already knowing the answer. Sybil went through five boxes of tissue when Dawson left. Now she was "loosing" Angel and Collins at the same time.
Sybil simply took a handful of tissues and pressed them to her nose. "My babies are all growing up!" She cried.
Andrea raised her head to see Roger's car pull into the driveway again. Angel jumped out and ran up towards the house.
"Forgot something." She disappeared into the house for a few moments coming back with the picture that her father had painted long ago, the painting she fixed up as Collins was recovering in the hospital. Angel kissed Andrea and her mother quickly. "Love you!" She said quickly jumping back into the car.
"Umm guys." Mark said quietly, "I gotta pee…"
"Hold it!" Roger groaned.
"Make it quick, sweetie." Angel said. Mark popped out and waved at Angel's family before running towards the bathroom.
Andrea watched him and shook her head, "Are they ever going to leave?"
Sybil cried into her tissues. Mark came out moments later and got back in.
"Ok now can we go?" Roger asked clearly agitated.
"Hey Roger…" Collins started to say.
"WHAT?"
"Your fly's undone." The whole car erupted in giggles.
"Oh yeah." Andrea mumbled to herself as her mother sobbed, "They're growing up."
Post Note: Ok so much didn't get done as I promised at the end of the other story, but I had too much fun. Te he. Just wanted to let you know with this chapter things are gonna change…but they're gonna stay the same as well. Also I've been thinking about making this fic rated M, would this deter you at all? I'm just thinking so nothing is final. Next Chapter: Arriving in New York and getting nervous about the first day.