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In the wake of the riot, the community pauses to ask, "How do you measure the life of a woman or a man?" The unqualified answer - "measure in love" (Seasons of Love). New Year's Eve, Mark films a "breaking back into the building party" (Happy New Year). Mimi and Roger are there and in love. Maureen humbles herself to earn back Joanne's favor. The celebration is complete when Collins and Angel arrive with a blowtorch. Once inside, Mark discovers a phone machine message left for him with a job offer from a tabloid television show hostess named Alexi Darling (Voice Mail #3). Benny crashes the party to ostentatiously apologize, offering the boys new keys to their old loft (Happy New Year B). Suspecting Benny's motives, Roger balks. Furious, Benny implies that Mimi helped change his mind by sleeping with him Mimi angrily denies this, but the damage is done; Roger is bitterly jealous. Mimi is cornered outside by her dealer with a little something to assure her "happy new year." Valentine's Day. Roger is living with Mimi, but remains terribly jealous, often threatening to leave. Angel and Collins survive together wherever they can. Mark still lives behind his camera. At their apartment, a warring Joanne and Maureen issue each other an ultimatum (Take Me Or Leave Me). Neither backs down - they split up once again. |
| Spring. Everyone feels the coming changes. The community asks: "How do you measure a last year on earth?" (Seasons of Love B). Roger walks out on Mimi, accusing her of being unfaithful with Benny. Alone, Mimi mourns the impending loss of love, while Collins nurses the increasingly ill Angel (Without You). The end of Spring brings reconciliation for Roger and Mimi, as well as Maureen and Joanne, but all is tentative at best. Summer's end, and Alexi is still calling, enticing Mark with big money (Voice Mail #4). Much lovemaking is witnessed, framed by attendant frustrations in the age of safe sex (Contact). By the fall, Roger, Mimi, Joanne and Maureen are all on the outs again. Collins and Angel's separation, however, is profound and final. Angel has died. |  |
 | At Angel's memorial each friend offers a loving tribute. Clutching the overcoat Angel gave him at Christmas, Collins reaffirms his undying love (I'll Cover You (Reprise)). Outside the church, Mark phones Alexi and accepts her job offer, despondent at how drastically life has changed since that Christmas night just one year before (Halloween). As the mourners exit the church, Mimi learns that Roger is leaving town for good. A nasty scene ensues, with arguments erupting between all the estranged lovers. Collins, in sorrow, begs them all to stop. Maureen and Joanne are moved to try once again to reconcile. Mimi and Benny leave together. Mark tries to convince Roger to stay in New York and confront his pain, but Roger lashes out, accusing Mark of also remaining detached, hiding behind his camera. Mark wonders whether Roger is simply afraid to watch Mimi die. Mimi appears and lets Roger off the hook, insisting that she has just come to say goodbye (Goodbye Love). Roger leaves for Santa Fe and Mimi begs Mark for help. Benny turns up and offers to pay for Mimi's drug rehabilitation but she refuses and instead runs away. When Benny covers the cost of Angel's funeral, he and Collins warm to each other and head off to get drunk as Mark prepares for his meeting with Alexi. |
| Mark questions the choice he is about to make and the world in which he lives. His thoughts are echoed by Roger on his way to Santa Fe (What You Own). They both remember the beauty of last Christmas Eve, when they felt connected, and their friends were a family. Roger begins to discover his song. Mark turns down the TV tabloid job to finish his film. Roger, Mark, Mimi and Joanne's parents all wonder where their children are as the holidays approach (Voice Mail #5). Another Christmas Eve. Mark has pieced together a rough cut of his film, which he hopes to screen tonight. Roger has moved back into the loft and has finished his song (Finale). No one has been able to find Mimi. The power blows again but the night is brightened by the arrival of Collins. Then Maureen and Joanne appear on the sidewalk below carrying a desperately ill Mimi. |  |
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Laid out in the loft, Mimi finally manages to tell Roger that she loves him. Begging her not to leave him, Roger sings his "one song" for her (Your Eyes). "I have always loved you," Roger whispers, then cries out her name as Mimi slips away. Moments later, however, she returns, with stories of a warm white light and Angel steering her back to life (Finale B). Celebrating the wonder of life's terrible uncertainty, the community re-affirms love as the strongest force we know, acknowledging there is always, "No day but today." |
