It was a year since Rachel had gotten of the plane and the two were going strong. Naturally there had been a few bumps in the road but they grew up and handled the situations as adults. Ross loved her so much and he knew she loved him back. That's why tonight he was going to propose to her once and for all. Most guys did propose on anniversaries but other couples anniversaries weren't like this one. They always said their real anniversary was the day before. They still celebrated both days.
Ross had spent weeks trying to figure out a sweet and unforgettable way to ask her to be his wife. He had finally decided on a little scavenger hunt, he knew it was a little childish but he also knew that when they were together they didn't always have to be grown up and he took pride in that fact. He had everything set up where it was supposed to be and was waiting at the final destination for Rachel.
When Rachel got home she was greeted by the smell of fettuccini pasta. She turned on the lights and walked into the kitchen to see what Ross brewed up for the special day. When she got in the kitchen she was surprised to find a table setting for one a plate of food with a glass of red wine next to it. In the middle of the table was a card. Curios she crossed the room and picked the note up. It said:
Rach lets play a game, I'm going to give you some clues to a place and you have to figure out what place it is, then go get more clues. Eventually you well get to me. Your first clues are as fallows. You cam in clad in a white dress, you were called 'excuse me', and you need to try the bottom lock. Now before you go I want you to eat something which is why made you the dinner on the table!
Love you,
Ross.
Rachel thought for a moment, it wasn't too hard to figure out the destination, Central Perk. Honestly she was too anxious to eat so she grabbed her keys and was off to the coffee house.
When she got to Central Perk she searched everywhere for another clue but came up empty handed and the people in the store were beginning to wonder what this strange woman was doing. She took the note out of her back pocket and re-read it. Something stood out this time 'you need to try the bottom lock' she recalled her first real kiss with Ross. Rachel had locked the door after Ross had come in screaming at her about a cat he wasn't able to buy. But when Ross had appeared at the door again she couldn't seem to unlock it to let him in. He told her to unlock the bottom one and when she did he kissed her fiercely. Rachel looked at the double doors and sure enough there was a little off-white card wedged between the bottom lock and the door. She read the card to her self.
There was a video tape, me in a rage, and a list of pros and cons. By the way you had all of the pros. I love you
Ross
This one was harder than the last one. The major clue was the pros and cons list, she thought back to all those years ago when they had first gotten together. Ross made a list that had the pros and cons of dating Rachel and continuing to date his at the time girlfriend Julie not intending to have Rachel read it. Of course she found out and was disgusted. When Rachel fount the list she was in Joey and Chandlers apartment which made that where her next clue was.
The note was not hidden in Joey's apartment; it was sitting out on the counter. On it wrote:
There is only one clue for this one, but I am confident you will know what I'm talking about. We both tried to get over her fears here Emma was with us and I ended up getting a concussion.
The Rossatron
Rachel smiled to herself at the nick-name he had given himself years ago. This was really difficult. She couldn't remember any time where they had gotten over her fears. Then Rachel remembered the day that she and Ross took Emma to the playground and Rachel didn't want her daughter to go on the swings because of a traumatic experience. She and Ross made a deal that if she went on the swing then Ross would hold a spider in his hands. When Rachel got on the swing and was comfortably swinging Ross was suddenly it in the head by the kid swinging next to Rachel. She couldn't help but laugh but he eventually had to go to the hospital. That was her next destination; the park.
The note was sitting on the swing and it read:
You're doing great! Only a few more places to go and you will find me! This place was where we technically first kissed fallowed by me hitting my head. You found a lot of confidence here.
Love,
You know who.
p.s. going through all of these memories I realize I hit my head a lot when I am with you. OH WELL!
This she remembered clearly. Ross and Rachel had a 'date' when they were still friends to go do laundry. She had never really done a load of laundry and Ross had to teach her. Along with that Rachel stopped being Mrs. nice and stood up for herself to a mean laundry lady. After getting back her cart that the lady had stolen she pulled Ross down for a quick kiss on the lips. When she pulled away he backed off and turned right into an open dryer. That kiss that they had was often looked-over but deep down they both knew that was beginning of an amazing relationship. They were right. She got in her car and drove to the same Laundromat and on the way she couldn't help but think what Ross was up too. Why did he go through all of this trouble just for a measly anniversary?
At the Laundromat she scanned the store looking for a card and once again couldn't find one. He had hidden it. She knew what type of game he was playing now though; she had to read between the lines. She read and re-read the not over and over and still couldn't figure it out. Then something in her brain clicked the dryer where he hit his head! If only she remembered which one it was! She looked around the room again and knew that it was one at the top on the back wall. Rachel searched through everyone and by the last one she wasn't sure if it was even in the dryer. She looked in it anyway and there it was; the note. She was getting really anxious to finally get to Ross so she quickly grabbed it and ripped it open.
Well honestly I didn't think you were going to get that one. But you did! Now here are your clues. This could be the best or worst place ever. It is the place where we first said (or yelled) our first 'I love you'. But at the same time it is the place where I made the biggest mistake in my life and let you go. I didn't get to wake up next to you the next day and I never want to not wake up to you again.
Love you
This one was really easy. It was Monica and Chandlers' apartment, Rachel focused on the first I love you part mostly because she didn't want to be reminded of the whole 'we were o a break' thing. She raced over to the apartment and up the stairs and when she barged in she was welcomed with rise pedals everywhere and lit candles. She became teary eyed when she put all the pieces together, he was going to propose. This time there was no note; Ross walked out of her old room and hugged her.
"Hey you" he said and then kissed her lips softly.
"Hi, you had me running all over town and you were just across the street!" She said in mock-anger. All she cared about was what was about to happen. Ross let go of her and kneeled down on one knee.
"Rachel when I first saw you, you were my fat sisters popular girlfriend. I then grew to have a major-crush on you. It never went away then you parted you ways with Monica, and I married a lesbian but let me tell you when you walked through those doors of Central Perk in your wedding gown I instantly knew fate had pulled us together again. But I was too scared to make a move" Rachel had tears running freely down her cheeks now "then I took advice from Chandler of all people and 'got over you' honestly I was never and will never be over you. Then you made your move on me and I accepted it. We dated for a year and I made a huge mistake of letting you go, I will never ever forgive myself for that though. We never technically dated again, but I know I never stopped loving you but I was too stubborn to admit it. We had a baby together and she is the spitting image of you which is why she is so beautiful. On this day a year ago you sacrificed your whole career for me. We made an agreement that this was it and we weren't going to screw up anymore. Even if we are on a break" Ross pause for a moment, he cursed himself for bringing that up not once but twice now "So now I am going to show you that this is it" Ross pulled out a box from in his pocket "Rachel Karen Green will you do me the honor in marrying me. You are the only marriage I have ever wanted,"
"Yes, yes, yes Ross of course I will marry you. I love you so much!" Rachel said, her voice cracking at the end of the sentence.
Ross immediately jumped up and kissed her passionately. While they were kissing the whole gang with Monica holding Jack, Chandler holding Erica, and Joey holding Emma came out from Monica and Chandlers' room. They were making whistling sounds like a bunch of middle-school kids. The newly engaged couple pulled away and looked at their friends.
Ross gave Rachel the ring and she put it on her ring finger, it fit perfectly. The rest of the night they chatted with everyone about the wedding that was soon to come. Rachel pulled out her wedding book much like the one Monica had when she began planning her wedding. Not once the whole night did Ross and Rachel let go of each others hand. They were finally going to be a real family. Not that they weren't a great family now.
