Come Back Down

Disclaimer: I do not own the musical RENT or the characters, although I find it a very good musical itself. The only thing I own is that of my own creation such as plot and any character not related to the musical. The story is a post RENT taking place a few years later.

Rating: T

Summary: Roger/Mimi. A disgruntled widower rediscovers himself in 2 points: parenthood & love again.

Chapter One: Hard Hitting Memories

"Courtney!" Mark called out, "Are you ready? You don't want to be late for your first day of first grade!"

"Uncle Mark! Where's daddy?" the six year old girl asked. She was wearing navy blue knee highs, black dress shoes, a white dress blouse with a grey tie, a checkered kilt skirt, and a blazer with a patched logo on it. "Why isn't he taking me to school? Did he go to work early?"

"No kiddo your dad…just had to go somewhere early today," Mark replied to the little girl, "I'm sure he'll be home later. You remember your medicine right? Just in case you have one of your dizzy spells you took it?"

"Don't worry I know!" the girl replied, "I'm ready now. I can't wait for first grade!"

"That's the spirit Courtney shall we?" Mark said as he drove his niece to school. The girl was enrolled in a private school that required uniforms.

Unfortunately, Mark couldn't bring himself to tell his niece why her dad left so early this morning. Courtney Josephine Davis was the daughter of Mark's roommate Roger Davis. It had been 5 years since Mark moved back into his old flat with Roger and Courtney. However, Roger hasn't been the same person since the death of his wife April Davis 5 years ago. It was hard for Roger being a single father raising a six year old daughter by himself. Till this day Mark knew Roger wouldn't talk about his decreased wife to his anyone, not even his own daughter. It had been like this for five years till now.

"Uncle Mark!" Courtney asked, "Do you know where daddy went? He looked sad this morning before he left and he told me that you were taking me to school instead and that he needed to go somewhere."

"Yeah…he went somewhere important Courtney," Mark thought, "You're too young to understand right now what is going with your dad…I can't even figure out what is going through your dad's mind these days Courtney."

Meanwhile, out in the cemeteries of New York City, Roger Davis was standing alone in front of a gravestone with a bouquet of flowers in his hand. He quietly placed them in front of the gravestone of his decreased wife April Davis. It has been five years since his wife died after being struck by an unexpected speeding taxi. The worse part for Roger was he was there when he saw his wife get struck unexpectedly by the taxi cab.

"Hey it's me again…I don't know whether or not I'm forgiven for what happened," Roger sighed, "I'm so sorry for what I put you through April. You know I love you and if I could take back everything then things would go back to the way they were. You relapsed that night because of me and I lead you on the street that night after that fight. Everything is so messed up now I don't know what I'm doing. We're not perfect people and we all make mistakes….thank god for Courtney. She's actually getting bigger. She looks like you a lot and that is what hurts the most…she reminds me of you."

What got to him was he felt it was his fault his wife was dead. It was his fault that his daughter Courtney has spent the last 5 years growing up without a mother. Roger felt responsible for his wife into using drugs again back then after the birth of their daughter. His time at work kept him away from his family, but he couldn't forget about the night when his wife confronted him one last time that claimed her life.

(FLASHBACK-Five Years Ago)

Roger came home from a day at the studio writing his new song. It was a warm September night, but unfortunately something wasn't right. He found a bag of luggage that was packed with April's clothes and Courtney's stuff too. He was shocked to find his one year old daughter dressed on her outerwear as if she was ready to go somewhere. Roger went into the bedroom and found that his wife finished shooting up another dosage of smack again because he could tell by her red eyes.

"What is going on here?" Roger demanded as he spotted the drugs, "What is the meaning of this April? Have you been doing this in front of our daughter?"

"Is that any of your business? Since when did you give a crap about me or your own daughter for that matter?" April snapped.

"What the hell are you doing drugged up and leaving Courtney unsupervised?"

"I'm leaving Roger…and I'm taking Courtney with me!" April snapped.

"What have I done?"

"You tell me! How could you? I trusted you and this is how you repay me? I know about that one night stand you had with Sophie Wade! That slut of a client you were supposedly were helping with her songwriting!" April yelled, "She called asking for you! Tell me…it's not true…that you didn't sleep with her?"

Roger couldn't look at April straight in the eye. He felt the guilt that he was unfaithful with his wife. There were tears in his eyes as he looked at her, "You didn't…it can't be! You ungrateful bastard! I hate you!"

"April calm down please…I'm sorry it was a terrible mistake and I honestly regret it I love you," Roger begged, "Please believe me I love you so much!"

"Well did you love me when you and her were…you disgust me the both of you! I had enough…and I'm out of here!" April was staggering towards the living room to retrieve Courtney but Roger followed worried for the wellbeing of his wife and his daughter. She picked up Courtney and they were heading out the door.

"No April c'mon you're not well enough to care for Courtney in the state you're in c'mon just give her to me!" Roger pleaded but April shoved him out of the way as she was making her way down the stairs in the hall with Courtney.

"April…you're not well enough just get back inside!" Roger yelled chasing April.

"BACK OFF! I'M FINE! I CAN TAKE CARE OF HER!" April yelled, "GO AWAY!"

"FUCK APRIL YOU'RE FUCKEN HIGH! JUST GIVE COURTNEY OVER!" Roger yelled.

The two of them were struggling over Courtney as Roger finally got Courtney in his arms. The two of them were outside on the street fighting over Courtney. April began yelling as Roger was now trying to make his way back inside with Courtney.

"YOU GIVE HER TO ME ROGER!" April was yelling trying to pull Roger's arm to get Courtney back, "YOU GIVE HER TO ME NOW!"

"YOU'RE NOT WELL ENOUGH APRIL! I'M NOT LETTING YOU HAVE YOU UNDER YOUR DRUGGED UP STATE!" Roger replied, "SHE'S GOING BACK INSIDE! AND SO ARE YOU!" Roger was struggling to pull his wife back inside but she was resisting and she was trying to pry Courtney out of Roger's hands.

"DON'T YOU DARE PUT YOUR HANDS ON ME!" April yelled, "GIVE ME BACK MY DAUGHTER!" Instead Roger just pushed her onto the road as April stumbled. Then suddenly there was a sound of screeching tires and a the sound of a woman screaming.

April didn't see the speeding taxi and it was too late to react. Her scream got Roger's attention. What Roger witnessed changed his life forever. He suddenly got a glimpse of his wife going over the windshield and rolling on top the roof of the cab and landing on the ground. The cab driver quickly came out and soon a crowd of people began to circle around the scene of the accident. Roger slowly walked towards the scene of the accident in a traumatizing state. He covered Courtney's eyes and he looked at his wife lying on the floor. There was blood coming out from her head and many scrapes and bruises.

"Oh no…God I'm so sorry!" Roger cried bending down towards wife, "April? APRIL PLEASE! Honey?"

"Roger…I'm so…sorry…" April whispered, "Make sure…Courtney…doesn't end up…like me…take care of her…don't worry…I love you…" With that April went completely still and her eyes completely shut closed.

"April? Please hang on!" Roger cried, "OH GOD I'M SO SORRY! DON'T GO PLEASE I'M SORRY! I DIDN'T MEAN TO HURT YOU! YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME ALONE WITH OUR DAUGHTER!" The paramedics arrived within moments trying to revive April but there was no success and she was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. Roger learned that she fractured her skull due to the impact and that she suffered from a brain herm ridge within seconds. Roger was in disbelief as he stared at his wife's body and only managed to say one thing, "I love you."

(END OF FLASHBACK)

"Please I hope you can forgive me someday April," Roger sighed, "You would still be alive if it weren't for me. It should have been me…not you that night!" With that, after staring a few moments in silence Roger left the cemetery to head off to work.

Author's Notes: okay this is my first attempt of a RENT fanfiction. I hope you guys like the first chapter and please send in your reviews!