TOW the Morning After Routine
"Wow, it's true what they say, people really do look different the morning after."
Chandler turned around, studying the woman that emerged from Joey's bedroom. Showtime.
"That's beer goggles for you," he joked leaning against the kitchen counter. "I'm afraid Joey had to leave for an early audition."
"No biggie," she shrugged casually. "Hey, I don't remember seeing you at the party last night. I'm Jackie."
She confidently stretched out a hand which he easily accepted.
"Chandler, the roommate," he greeted. "And no, I decided to stay home on a Friday night to wallow in my own misery." He offered a shrug of a smile to take the edge of his self-deprecating sarcasm.
"That explains it then," she grinned hopping onto one of the kitchen stools. "Let me guess- girl troubles?"
He shrugged non-committedly.
"Thought so," she laughed. "I can spot a kindred spirit a mile off. Some sort of vibe us pathetic people give off to one another."
"Kindred spirit?" He questioned, deciding to ignore the fact she'd already branded him pathetic.
"An idiot suffering from unrequited love."
"Oh." Damn she had him.
"Well me, I'm totally in love with a guy named Pete who I work with but I can't have. So I get drunk and have one night stands to forget about him. I'm assuming you're in the same situation but you choose to mope around instead?"
"You caught me," he smiled. "I'm hopelessly in love with Pete too."
She laughed rolling her eyes, "Seriously, tell me I'm wrong."
He shrugged unable to.
"I knew it!" She smiled triumphantly. "Say, do you mind if I use your shower?"
"Sure no problem," he said easily gesturing towards the bathroom, "but if the duck tries to join you just shoo him away."
"A duck? Really? Cool, I won't ask." She jumped down from the stool.
"Say, can I make you some breakfast?" he offered, well used to the morning after routine.
"You are really good at this looking after your roommate's one-night stand aren't you?"
"Well, I usually have the pleasure of breaking the news to them that Joey isn't looking for a long term thing," he confessed.
"I bet that's fun."
"Oh I have a speech all prepared."
"Aw shucks, it's a shame I missed that – you can tell Joey I was heartbroken though," she laughed.
"Deal," he grinned. "How's pancakes suit you?"
"Sound great – I don't suppose you've got any blueberries?"
"Maybe," Chandler said, "I'll check with the shop across the hallway."
She raised a questioning eyebrow.
"Well, we certainly won't have any in our fridge but our friends live across the hall. They are used to me and Joey 'borrowing' food." He used his fingers to make little quotations marks.
"Ah brilliant, thanks. If not I'll have whatever you do have."
Chandler nodded, handing her one of Monica's guest towels that he'd already nabbed. Once she'd entered the bathroom he made his way across to apartment 20.
"Hey," Monica greeted with her gorgeous smile, "that was quick – you must be losing your touch."
"Actually," he tried using his boyish charm. "I was wondering if you had any blueberries for her pancakes."
She chuckled, shaking her head in amusement as she went into the fridge, pulling out a small container. "You're in luck," she handed it over to him, "I have some leftover from the muffins I made earlier."
"You made muffins?" he asked excitedly.
"Yep," she laughed, "but with blueberries in."
"Oh. I guess I can eat around those," he mused laughing as she playfully whacked him. "Ow."
"Shouldn't you get back to your roommate duties?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah, I guess." He'd much rather stay here with Monica. She was still standing close to him and not for the first time he wished he had the guts to tell her how he felt. To just lean forward and kiss her, confident that she'd kiss him back.
"Chandler?" Crap she was looking at him funny.
"Right, blueberries," he swallowed stepping away. "I've got to – with the blueberries." She was still looking at him funny so he beat a hasty retreat, "thanks again – you can add them to Joey's tab."
"They smell amazing," Jackie commented coming out of Joey's room fully dressed.
"Thanks, I was taught by the best chef in Manhattan," he smiled remembering Monica's impromptu lesson one day which had been a disaster- there'd been shouting and admittedly some eggs thrown. But after many more lessons he'd finally been able to produce something edible.
"Is she the one you like? You have that look in your eye."
He froze cursing himself a moment.
"Am I really that obvious?" He finally asked, flipping a pancake.
"Only to those of us in the club," she explained retaking a seat at the kitchen counter. "Happy people are oblivious to our misery."
"Oh," he tossed the last pancake onto the pile and brought them over to the kitchen counter.
He grabbed a couple of plates and some forks.
"So, who is she?" She asked accepting a plate and helping herself to a pancake.
"I'm not telling you." He copied her actions.
"It helps to talk to a stranger that knows nothing about the situation," she pointed out, tucking into her first bite. "Oooh these are amazing – she taught you well."
"Thanks, and still no."
"Come on, I'll tell you all about Pete. Sharing helps – I bet you haven't been able to talk to anyone else about her right?"
"Riiight."
"So spill. What have you got to lose- you're never see me again. I'm never going to meet her. Come on, I promise it will make you feel better."
"How?" He scrunched his face up.
"Just trust me. So who is she?"
"Monica." He finally muttered.
"There you see the world didn't end did it?"
"No," he mumbled reluctantly. "She's one of my best friends."
"See now we're even. Pete's just amazing – he's this gorgeous guy who works downstairs but he's not just cute – he's actually really sweet too and so nice."
"So what's stopping you asking him out?" He asked curiously.
"One, he doesn't know I exist and two, he has a girlfriend."
"Ouch," he winced in sympathy but she simply shrugged.
"What about Monica?"
"She has no girlfriend," he joked, "or boyfriend."
Jackie widened her eyes in surprise, "so she's single?"
"Yep." He agreed, stabbing his pancake with a little more force than needed.
"So why the heck haven't you asked her out?" She asked incredulously raising her eyebrows.
He raised his own eyebrows back at her, "because she's waaay out of my league." He stated. "She's one of my best friends – I've known her for years and I can't just throw that away, I can't. But, god, she's incredible you know? She's so beautiful, even just in a t shirt and sweats and no makeup. And she laughs at my jokes and she's always there for me no matter what crap is going on in her life."
"Hell you've got it bad."
"I know," he sighed, looking down. "It's just-". He shrugged unable to express himself.
She nodded, she did know. With the pancakes finished Chandler cleared away, dumping them into the sink. He noticed Jackie pull out a pack of cigarettes from her pocket. "Do you mind if I..?"
"Only if you share," Chandler grinned, pulling over an old cup as an ashtray.
"Go wild," she shrugged easily and handed him a cigarette and a lighter.
He eagerly lit up and took the first drag, savoring the feeling of smoke in his mouth. "This is soooo good-" he was interrupted by the apartment door opening .
"Hi."
Crap. Chandler spun around to face Monica, his hands behind his back desperately stubbing out the evidence.
"Are you smoking?" She frowned.
"Noooo," his denial let out a puff of smoke.
"Chandler!" she complained wafting the smoke away.
"It's just one," he whined. "I couldn't let her smoke on her own- it's rude."
Monica glared at him for a moment longer before turning her attention to his companion. "I made a few too many muffins and as I hear you're a blueberry fan so I thought I'd offer you a couple? They are too healthy to be wasted on the boys."
"Wow," Jackie grinned. "You guys run a great hotel. Pancakes and muffins! You know the other week I was just left a note and a few dollars for the cab fare."
She accepted the muffins and waved, "I'm Jackie by the way."
"Monica," she introduced herself.
"Ah, Chandler was just talking about you."
"He was?" She turned her attention back to a wide-eyed Chandler.
"Yes I was," he panicked. "I was telling her about you lending us blueberries."
She looked at him curiously.
"And that you taught him how to cook pancakes," Jackie added, bringing Monica's attention back to her. "You must be an amazing teacher as they were the best pancakes I've had for a long time.
"Aww, thank you," she blushed, thrilled at the praise. She looked a little more closely at Jackie. "You know, I really recognize you from somewhere."
"What?" Chandler panicked again but Monica ignored him and carried on studying Jackie.
"You know," Jackie returned the stare. "Now you mention it you do look familiar."
"What?" Chandler repeated wide-eyed.
"Do you work at Bloomingdales?" Monica asked.
"Yeah," she grinned. "Wait are you Rachel Green's friend. Oh the sister of her ex?"
"Yeah!" Monica agreed a big smile on her face. She turned to Chandler who was able to change his look of horror into a fake smile just in time; it lasted just until she turned back. "Small world."
"It is," Jackie agreed. "Tell Rach I say hi."
"Will do," she agreed.
"And thanks again for the muffins."
"Not a problem," Monica assured. "Anyhow, I'll probably see you sometime soon no doubt. See you later Chandler," she turned to leave before shouting over her shoulder, "and don't you dare try to relight that cigarette.
As soon as the door closed behind her, Chandler spun around, "What?!" he hissed. "You know her? You said sharing with a stranger helped but you know her. No no no no," he started rubbing his temples.
"Relax," she laughed. "I barely know her ok? It's not like I know her well enough to say 'hey you know that guy across the hall that isn't Joey? Well he's in love with you,' so chill out."
He glared at her before picking up the stumped cigarette to see if it was still salvageable.
"For what it's worth I think she likes you too."
He looked at her sharply as she merely shrugged.
"She lends you blueberries, brings around muffins and worries about you smoking," she pointedly looked at the cigarette in his hand. "She obviously cares a great deal about you."
"She's one of my best friends," he admitted quietly. "Of course she cares about me. It doesn't mean she's ever gonna want to go on a date with me."
"Call it woman's intuition."
"Or wishful thinking." He countered. "Just cos you're routing for the underdog doesn't mean this is going to have a happy ending."
Jackie offered him a soft smile before stumping out her cigarette and grabbing her handbag.
"Look, I should probably head off before my roommate files a missing person report." She picked up the muffins and walked up to Chandler. "But trust me ok," she placed a hand on his arm, "it's gonna happen between you two someday."
Chandler watched her leave, a wistful expression on his face. "I hope so," he whispered to the closed door, "I hope so."
AN- this is my first attempt to write C/M fic. I know it's just a little warm-up one but any reviews or comments would be very welcome. Thanks.