A/N: Hi - I'm back! This is a C/M fic that takes place in season five, about eight months into their relationship. I don't usually write this kind of fic, but I think this will turn out well. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: As always, I do not own the Friends. They are the creations of the most brilliant writers in the history of everything, Marta Kauffman and David Crane.

CHAPTER ONE - Not All There

Chandler sighed as the phone rang for a fourth time. Where was Monica? It was six - she should be home from work by now. Did she have anything going on today? No, not that he could think of.

"Hi, you've reached Monica and Rachel," Monica's cheery voice said. "We can't come to the phone right now - " Chandler put the phone down. He'd left a message a half hour before.

"Hi, honey, it's me," he'd said. "I'm really sorry, but I'm going to be home late tonight. The numbers for the WEENUS came in late, and I'm swamped in paperwork, but maybe we can meet for a bite later. Give me a call, okay? Love you."

That had been at five thirty. It was now six fifteen, and still his girlfriend hadn't returned his call. If this had been a one-time occurrence, Chandler wouldn't have worried. Maybe Monica was out with Rachel and Phoebe, or got tied up at the restaurant for an extra hour. But lately, Monica never seemed to be home. She didn't return his calls, and when she finally did, she gave a lame excuse. They hadn't gone on a real date for almost three weeks. What was wrong? Monica and Chandler had been going out for eight months, and other than the time when he had freaked out about their friends joking about babies and marriage, they hadn't really had any fights that had lasted longer than a couple of hours. They used to see each other every day - and it wasn't like it was difficult, because they lived across the hall from each other.

It had to be something different. Was Chandler doing something wrong? Did she not want to be with him anymore? Had she decided he was a pathetic good-for-nothing and wondered how she had ever been so stupid as to go out with him? And was there someone else? Chandler knew Monica could do better than him, even though she insisted he was perfect. Maybe she'd finally come to her senses and found another man. Chandler was worried. He had no way to know that Monica was sitting on the couch, listening to the phone ring with tears in her eyes.

It went on like that for a month, and the space between Monica and Chandler grew, becoming glaringly obvious. Many times, Chandler asked Rachel if she knew what was going on with Monica, but Rachel denied knowing anything, saying she was just as puzzled as she was. Chandler tried to keep their relationship alive - got off work early to take Monica out on dates, became more romantic, did everything he could, but nothing snapped Monica out of the funk she seemed to be in.

Then Chandler started noticing the little things. The way her hand never seemed to find his when they were walking together anymore. The way she stopped calling him at work just to check in and say hi. The way their kisses were cut short, the way they almost stopped altogether. It was like she was letting him down easily. Every day, Chandler lived with the fear that today would be the last, that tonight she would break up with him and tell him what he'd been hoping against hope would never be said.

Sometimes, on nights when he was alone, Chandler wished she would just end it, that she would stop leading him on like this. If there was somebody else, there was nothing Chandler could do. He loved her so much that he would do anything to make her happy, even if it meant sealing his own misery.

Finally, one Saturday afternoon, Chandler decided it was time to take action. He couldn't lie in bed at night and wonder what Monica was doing, if she was in another man's bed - he couldn't do it anymore. He had to know the truth.

"Monica," he said, going over to her apartment. "I need to talk to you. Is Rachel here?"

"No. What do you need to talk about?" Monica asked, and for the first time in several days, she sounded mildly interested. Chandler took a deep breath and stood next to the couch, deciding not to sit down.

"I want to ask you something," he said. "Things have been - different, lately. You're not really there anymore, and I don't know why. If it's something I've done, please tell me so I can fix it. If you don't want to be with me anymore, just tell me. If you love somebody else, I'm not - " he stopped, trying to catch his breath. "I'm not going to stop you from leaving me. If that's what you want to do."

Monica looked up, but didn't look square at him, instead letting her eyes wander to his hands, nervously clasped in front of him, or perhaps the wall behind him. "Everything's fine. I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes, you do," Chandler said, raising his voice. "You think I'm an idiot, Monica? You think I haven't noticed that you, you never even look me in he eyes anymore? That we don't kiss and hug... do stuff like we used to? I just want to know what is going on," he said.

"There's nothing going on," Monica replied, finally looking him the eyes. "I've been busy at work lately and so have you. Let's just leave it at that."

"Monica - "

"Chandler, just drop it!" Monica said. "I don't know where you got these ideas, but they're not right." Chandler stared at her, then left.

She'd blown him off. He confronted her, and she'd said nothing was wrong. Why did she have to lead him on like this? Chandler punched a pillow angrily. Where was his Monica, the sweet, amazing, if slightly neurotic woman he'd fallen in love with? When had she been replaced with the cold, passionless shell of a woman sitting out there on the couch? It was unnerving to Chandler how quickly his seemingly perfect relationship had gone down the drain.

Maybe Monica wasn't sleeping with someone else, but something was definitely wrong. The thing was, Chandler was afraid he wouldn't be able to figure out what it was.

A/N: Sorry this chapter was so short! I'll try to post this quickly - as with my other fic, it's almost completely done! If I get a few reviews, I'll post the next chapter of this tonight! Thanks!