Authors Note- Ok so I've been watching Series 5 this week and I wondered what might have happened if Emily had never turned up at the airport. I know this story may seem totally unbelievable (you'll see what I mean when you read it, Ross and Rachel wouldn't have acted in this way) but I wanted to write a bit of Lobster fluff and this is the result. Anyway I hope you enjoy it anyway.

Please review if you feel compelled lol :)

Thanks!

Rachel walked through the airport making her way to the information desk to see whether she had finally managed to get a seat on a flight back to New York. At the same time Ross was sat in the departure lounge waiting to see whether Emily was going to turn up for their honeymoon, it was becoming more and more apparent as time ticked by that she wasn't going to.

'Rach… Rach.' Ross said looking up as he saw Rachel rush past him.

'Hi.' Rachel replied shocked.

'What are you… what are you doing here?' Ross asked.

'Well I've been on standby for a flight home for hours.' Rachel explained. 'So no sign of Emily huh?' She asked gently.

'Not yet.' Ross answered.

'So what time are you supposed to leave?' Rachel enquired.

At that point an announcement came over the intercom.

'This is the last call for flight 1066 to Athens. The last call.'

'Pretty soon I guess.' Ross lamented.

'Yeh... I'm sorry.' Rachel offered; she genuinely hated to see Ross like this.

'I just… I don't understand.' Ross began. 'I mean how could she do this? What am I like a complete idiot for thinking she'd actually show up?'

'No, you're not an idiot Ross.' Rachel answered. 'You're a guy very much in love.'

'Same difference.' Ross joked bitterly.

At that point another announcement came over the intercom, it was as if there was some kind of conspiracy to try and make Ross feel as bad as he possibly could.

'All passengers for flight 1066 to Athens should now be on board.'

'I get it.' Ross shouted. 'Well that's that.' He finished sadly.

'No you know what.' Rachel started. 'I think you should go… by yourself. Get some distance, clear your head. I think it'd be really good.'

'Oh uh… uh… I don't know.' Ross protested.

'Oh come on Ross.' Rachel snapped. 'I think it would be really good for you.'

'I could do that… I can't even believe her. You know what. I am going to go!' Ross said triumphantly.

'Good.' Rachel said smiling.

'Right. You know thanks.' Ross told Rachel, hugging her.

'Ok I'll cya back at home, if I ever get a flight… out of here.' Rachel joked.

'Hey. Why. Nah.' Ross said waving the comment away.

'What, wait, what?' Rachel asked.

'Why don't you come I mean I have two tickets why not?' Ross told her.

'Well I don't know Ross… really?' Rachel said.

'Yeh it'd be great. I mean you can lay on the beach and I can cry over my failed marriage. You see how I make jokes.' Ross forced a laugh, which caused Rachel to smile.

'Really I mean. I could use a friend.' Ross finished.

'Oh wow, ok, uh maybe, um.' Rachel deliberated. 'Yes I can do that.' She decided finally.

Ross smiled and they both walked up to the booth. They handed in their tickets to the attendant and were about to get on the plane when Ross suddenly realised he'd forgotten his jacket.

'You tell them to wait.' Ross told Rachel as he walked back to pick it up from the seating area in the departure lounge.

'Wait! Wait.' She shouted as she boarded the plane…

Rachel sat down in her seat and sighed. Ross was married, she still couldn't believe it. After everything they had been through together she'd always assumed that one day their paths would eventually cross and they would get back together. Now she wasn't sure if that would ever happen. Rachel's thoughts were interrupted by an air hostess asking her if she would like any drinks.

'Uh, yes. I will have a glass of the Merlot and uh, he will have a white wine spritzer.' Rachel said pointing to Ross' seat.

As the air hostess walked away, Ross ran up the aisle and sat down, fastening up his seat belt. Rachel looked at him and smiled, okay so he was married but it looked like his marriage was over before it had even started.

'Get your jacket?' Rachel asked.

'Yep.' Ross replied settling down into his seat.

The air hostess brought them their drinks and Ross and Rachel accepted them and clinked their glasses together.

'So should we make a toast?' Rachel joked.

'Yeh we really should.' Ross answered. 'Seeing as how we didn't get to do any at the wedding.' He joked. Rachel laughed.

'So… to?' She started.

'To Greece… to new beginnings and to being single.' Ross said.

'Really.' Rachel said sceptically raising her eyebrows. She knew Ross didn't mean that. He wasn't going to give up on his marriage that easily. Still she was prepared to play along for now.

'Yeh.' Ross said firmly. 'I am looking to the future as a single guy.'

'Ok.' Rachel said. 'To being single and to new beginnings!'

They clinked their glasses together again and took a sip of their drinks both wondering what the future could possibly hold…

Ross and Rachel arrived at the hotel later that night and went to check in.

'Hi I'm Ross Geller.' Ross started before being cut off by the man behind the desk at reception.

'Oh the Gellers, congratulations.' He said looking at him and Rachel. 'You make the perfect couple. I can tell that you are meant to be together.'

Ross laughed nervously and began to try and explain but Rachel cut him off by taking hold of his hand.

'Thank you.' Rachel said as she took the keys to the honeymoon suite.

As the porter took their things to their room Ross looked at Rachel, he couldn't believe what she had done. Rachel just shrugged.

'What? Did you really want to have to explain that your marriage is over in less than a day and that you've brought some girl in place of your wife on your honeymoon?' She whispered.

Ross laughed. 'No not really. Thanks.'

When they reached their suite Rachel opened the door and she and Ross walked into the room. The porter placed their bags onto the floor and after he'd been tipped and left, Ross flopped onto the bed.

'Listen Ross.' Rachel started. 'I'm just going to get a drink in the bar do you want to meet me down there?' She asked. She knew Ross needed some time alone but she also knew she needed to give him the option of company if he needed it.

'Nah I just want a little time to myself right now.' Ross answered predictably.

'Ok I'll be back soon.' Rachel replied. 'If you need me you know.'

'Yeh I know.' Ross answered.

Rachel walked out of the room shutting the door as she went. As soon as the door clicked against the lock the phone rang. Ross picked it up and answered.

'Hello.'

'Hello Ross.' A voice spoke.

'Emily… Emily.' Ross said happily. He was still angry with her for not turning up but he was also glad that she had rung. 'How did you know I was here?' He asked.

'I rang the hotel and they said you'd checked in. Anyway that's not important.' Emily answered. 'I'm only ringing to tell you that my father told me what you said but I can't just forget that you utterly humiliated me.'

'I know and I am so sorry, but I meant everything I said.' Ross said sincerely.

'But it's not enough, you obviously have unresolved business with Rachel, I made a huge mistake getting involved with you. I went against my better judgment when everything told me there was still something there between you and her.'

'Emily, Rachel is just a friend; we were over a long time ago.' Ross insisted.

'Then why did you say her name at our wedding?' Emily asked frankly.

Ross sighed. 'I don't know why I said her name, but it meant nothing I love you.'

'I love you too but…'

'But nothing.' Ross interrupted. 'We can make this work. When you started seeing me you were seeing someone else and we got through that, we can fix this Emily.'

'I'm not sure we can, I mean you went on our honeymoon without me I mean why didn't you try to contact me.'

'I did try to contact you.' Ross answered exasperated. 'I got your dad to tell you that I wanted you to come with me so we could try and work things out but you made it pretty clear to me you didn't care by not turning up.'

'I do care.' Emily replied crossly. 'I was just angry… I'm still angry… still you didn't have to actually go.'

'The only reason I went was because Rachel convinced me I should spend some time alone to clear my head.' Ross said.

'Rachel convinced you?' Emily asked shocked.

'Yes at the airport.' Ross answered matter of factly. 'She said I should go and…' He cut himself off, Emily really didn't need to know that.

'Rachel was at the airport?' Emily asked sharply.

'Yes.' Ross answered simply.

'Why was she there?'

'She was trying to get a flight back home. She just happened to bump into me.' Ross answered weakly.

'Really?' Emily said not believing him.

'Yes believe me it was purely coincidental.'

'Ok… then maybe we can try and fix this.' Emily finally answered. 'If you get a flight back to London then we can meet up and sort out what we are going to do about this whole mess.'

'It's not that simple; I mean I can't just leave Rac…' Ross cut himself off again, was he completely stupid Emily would not appreciate knowing that he had invited Rachel in her place on their honeymoon.

'What about Rachel?' Emily snapped.

'I didn't say Rachel.' Ross replied nervously.

'No you didn't but you were going too, now what about Rachel?'

'Ok now don't get mad but when you didn't show up and Rachel was stuck at the airport I kind of…' Ross flushed.

'Oh, please Ross, tell me you didn't?' Emily asked sadly.

'I am so sorry, I felt bad for her being stuck there alone and I didn't really want to be left alone and…'

'You obviously can't keep away from her can you?' Emily shouted.

'That's ridiculous of course I can, I told you Rachel means nothing to me she is just a friend. You have to believe me.' Ross pleaded.

'But I don't Ross, I'm sorry but this is never going to work.' Emily answered.

'Please Emily, just come to New York I'll come home and we will sort this out.' Ross said.

'I can't even believe you Ross.' Emily said irately. 'You invited her on our honeymoon, are you trying to completely humiliate me? What am I supposed to tell everybody?'

'You don't tell them anything.' Ross answered. 'It has nothing to do with anyone else, please just come to New York and we'll sort this out.'

'I don't know…' Emily deliberated.

'Come on you were going to come and live with me anyway please just come and you will see that Rachel means nothing to me.' Ross said.

'Ok.' Emily finally relented. 'I'll feel better once I'm there and I can know where you are all the time.'

'But you can't know where I am all of the time.' Ross hesitated. 'Look this marriage is never going to work if you don't trust me.'

'You're right.' Emily answered.

'So can you trust me?' Ross asked.

The question hung in the air until Emily finally answered.

'No I can't… I'm sorry. This was a huge mistake, we never should have got married so quickly, and if we'd have waited we'd have seen that we weren't meant to be together. It's over.'

'No Emily, please, this can't be it, we can work this out. Please don't do this.' Ross pleaded.

'I'm sorry; I really am but there will always be three people in this marriage and I don't want to be second to anybody. Goodbye Ross, I really am sorry that things had to end like this.'

Ross sat dumbstruck as the phone line went dead. His second marriage was over and now he truly was single…

Ross lay on the bed. He'd been trying to call Emily back for over an hour to try and get her to change her mind but he'd finally accepted that it wasn't going to happen. Emily was never going to forgive him; and the more he thought about it the more he realised that he really wasn't as upset about it as he thought he would be… or should be. When Emily had had to leave every time she'd gone back to London and when he'd thought they were over after their two weeks together, he'd been really upset but now… now he really didn't care. Being with Emily was just too much like hard work and they really weren't meant to be together. Ross was only bothered about the fact that he would have to go through a second divorce. He decided that he'd only ever liked Emily because of the person he was when he was with her… but he didn't really need her to be able to be that guy… moreover that guy wasn't really him. The only reason he'd got together with Emily was because Rachel had moved on and he couldn't have her. He'd just got caught up in the romantic notion of their whirlwind romance… and besides Emily had been cheating on him when he was with her they'd had no basis for a long term future. As Ross was lost in his thoughts the door opened and he finally sat up, Rachel walked in and sat down next to him.

'You ok?' She asked.

Ross just shook his head. 'Not really, I need to sleep.'

'Yeh that's a good idea, things will look better in the morning.' Rachel answered.

'Erm Rach?' Ross started as he looked around.

'Yeh.' She answered.

'We only have one bed.'

'Oh.'

'I guess I can sleep on that pull out couch.' Ross suggested pointing to the settee in the corner of the room.

'You sure?' Rachel said.

'Yeh.' Ross said nodding his head. He sighed. 'I can't believe my marriage is over.'

'Oh honey.' Rachel said rubbing his shoulder.

'You guys were right.' Ross lamented. 'I rushed into this way too soon.'

'Sweetie, come on it's not your fault. You were so upbeat on the flight. What happened to being single again?' Rachel joked. Ross snorted.

'Emily rang me that's what changed. I'm not even thirty and I'm about to be divorced twice, there isn't really anything to be upbeat about.' Ross said grimly.

'You really don't think you can fix this?' Rachel asked.

'I don't think so… I'm not even sure if I want to; you know Emily made it pretty clear she isn't willing to fight for our relationship. As it turns out we really don't know that much about each other. I'm so stupid what was I thinking. I can't believe I said your name. Why did I say your name?'

Rachel just looked at Ross and smiled sympathetically, she didn't have the answers. In turn Ross just looked at her staring as if he'd finally realised something.

'What?' Rachel asked.

'Nothing.' Ross replied, brushing his thoughts away, he really was so comfortable with Rachel. 'It's just this… it's weird… it isn't exactly how I was expecting to spend my wedding night.' He laughed and Rachel did too.

'No I guess not.'

'Thanks for being here though, I'm really glad you decided to come and I'm glad you changed your mind about coming to the wedding.'

'Yeh.' Rachel said simply.

'Why did you change your mind?' Ross asked.

Rachel sighed could she really tell him the truth now? He was still messed up about the whole Emily fiasco and he was married. Still at that moment as she looked into his eyes she realised none of it mattered, all that did was her feelings for him and she knew Ross deserved to know the truth. Maybe she would get burnt but she didn't care. Anything had to be better than trying to pretend she had moved on when she hadn't!

'The truth is.' Rachel began clearing her throat.

'What?' Ross asked taking her hand.

Rachel took a deep breath as she told herself that Ross and Emily were truly over. 'The truth is Ross; I came to tell you that I still love you.'

Ross sat stunned he couldn't believe it, after everything that had happened she still loved him.

'God I'm sorry Ross.' Rachel flustered. 'That was stupid. I shouldn't have told you, nice one Rach.' She chastised herself. 'I know it's crazy you're married and you don't need this right now.'

'I am married.' Ross eventually said. 'But… it looks like… no it is over and…'

'And?' Rachel began her eyes lighting up.

'God this may be the stupidest thing I have ever done but I love you too Rach… I only ever got together with Emily because I thought you'd moved on.' He ran his hands through his hair nervously. 'It's always been you Rach.' He smiled at the familiar saying.

Rachel smiled too as Ross put his arms around her waist. Their smiles faded as they leant in towards one another and shared a passionate kiss, the longing of all the wasted time without each other finally consuming them.

Ross knew he was cheating on his wife and he didn't care.

Rachel knew she was the 'mistress' and she didn't care.

They both knew Emily was no longer a problem and neither was the fact that there was only the one bed…