What Men Want
by Monica Bing
Chapter One
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of Friends, or anything related thereof, they belong to Warner Brothers and are used purely for entertainment, and obviously I'm making no money off of them. Well...except for the occasional bribe...uh - I mean, what're you talking about?
A/N: well...Mon's back! And she has this one ALL planned out! No more...making it up as we go along stuff...for now. This idea came to me when I was...sleeping, I think. Here it is, I'm not giving away plot or anything, except for this takes place around the beginning of the show, and Chandler and Monica are not together. Everything else is pretty much the same. I hope you enjoy it!
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"They say it has a mystical power inside of it. It's very valuable," the old woman said, holding out the small good luck pendant, grinning wildly.
"Yeah? How valuable might you say?"
"Eh...I'll sell it to ya for twenty, because it's not that clean."
"Trust me, when I'm through with it, it won't even know what it feels like to be dirty."
"All right, but be careful. And wear it always." The old woman took the crisp bill, and swapped it for the beautiful necklace.
"I will."
--
Monica opened her eyes, and sighed. "Another boring day," she whispered to herself, before crawling out of bed, and trudging to the kitchen. She picked up a pot of coffee, that Rachel, her roommate, had set out for her before she headed to work, and poured herself a little. She took a sip of it, and, disgusted, spat it back out into the sink. "Why in the hell does she make coffee still? She can't fix anything!" she muttered, pouring the rest of it down the sink, and drying her hands off on a towel. She headed to the shower, deciding that she would get her coffee downstairs, at their normal hangout, Central Perk. Stripping herself of her clothes, she scrunched up her nose at her reflection in the mirror, before stepping under the warm water. She sighed in pleasure, and began to wash herself, thinking about the day ahead of her.
After she was finished, she wrapped a towel around herself, and headed back out to the living room, where her friend Joey was sitting lazily on the couch, flipping through channels on the television.
"Hey Joey," Monica said, cheerfully.
"Oh, hey Mon - i - ca..." he had just turned his head, and saw her in her towel, and his speech had stumbled. She laughed lightly, and walked off to her room, where she put on her clothes quickly. She made yet another trip to her bathroom, and put on her makeup, and jewelry. While taking out her earrings, she saw a shiny necklace fall to the ground. Picking it up, she noticed that it was something she had bought a week or so ago, and was waiting for a special occasion to wear. It had a long silver chain, and a teardrop pendant in the middle. The woman who had sold it to her, sort of frightened her, and said something about a power, or something. Her thoughts were interrupted when Joey called out from the living room.
"Hey, Mon?"
"Yeah?"
"Are you going to make breakfast, or what?" he asked, honestly.
"Actually, I thought we were going to go to Central Perk to have breakfast."
"Oh, all right, I guess I'll head down, then. See ya!" he called.
"Yup. Byeeee!" she yelled from the bathroom, and poked her head out of the door to smile at him before he left. Just as soon as Monica was relaxing again, the door opened to reveal a soaking wet Phoebe. She was a ditzy friend of theirs. Monica, who had put her jewelry away, came out of the room with a half-confused, half-amused look on her face. She stifled a smile.
"What happened, Pheebs?" Monica asked, trying not to laugh.
"Rotten boys!" she yelled, flailing her arms, and storming into the living room, her feet squishing with water as she walked. Monica followed her, and sat on the table across from the sofa Phoebe slumped down on. "If they think they can get away with tossing water balloons on my head, and giggling at me, they've got another thing coming!" Monica bit her tongue to keep from laughing. Phoebe then added, "oh, yeah, Mon...aren't you supposed to be making breakfast?"
--
Sitting downstairs at Central Perk, Rachel, who was supposed to be working, and Joey were discussing a book they had both read.
"Seriously, that guy needed to be in a mental institution." Rachel commented.
"Who, the kid, or the father?" Joey asked, curious.
"Both of them were whacko."
"Nuh-uh!" Joey defended, "the kid wasn't 'whacko', he just had telepathy."
"Whoa, Joey, isn't that word a little big for you?"
"Hey-hey! Don't bring my intelligence into this!"
Rachel shrugged him off, and went back to serving coffee. Monica entered, a little weathered, and a little wet. She groaned, and sat down next to Phoebe, who was smiling.
"Balloon Boys?" she asked. Monica nodded, rolling her eyes, and Phoebe giggled.
"I told you!" Monica hit her on the arm, and Phoebe stuck her tongue out at her. Chandler came strolling into the coffeehouse.
"Hello children," he said, sitting on the far end of the sofa, next to Ross, who was reading a paper, ignoring the rest. Chandler leaned close to him, and yelled in his ear, "Hey, Ross!" Ross jumped and looked up, squeaking a little, until he noticed Chandler grinning like a maniac, and laughed sarcastically.
"Excuse me...the actual adult here would like to try and get some work done!"
"What? I don't see any adults..." he remarked, looking around. Monica smiled at this, and Chandler caught her eye and grinned again, before heading up to order his coffee.
"I swear," Ross said, shaking his head, "if he doesn't grow up, he's never going to get a girlfriend."
"Or a boyfriend," Joey added, nodding. Monica was getting a little tired of hearing them, and decided to skip breakfast, and hang out in her apartment until she had to leave for work. She got up, and started towards the door, calling a "see ya guys," quickly as she left. The others sort of glanced at the door oddly, and shrugged, going back to conversation.
--
At the apartment, Monica flopped on the couch, and turned on the TV, flipping pointlessly through the channels. The same thought kept entering her mind. What did that woman mean? She shut off the TV and headed to the bathroom, putting on the nice necklace she bought a week ago. When she shut the clasp on the back of her neck, the light in the bathroom flickered ever so slightly. She glanced up, a little nervous, but nothing else happened. Looking in the mirror, she saw how nice it looked on her. Maybe I'll wear it for a date, she said to herself, taking it back off. The lights flickered again. That's odd. She decided to take a nap, until work, away from everyone, and everything. She fell asleep thinking about when the time would come that she'd actually have a date, let alone an occasion to wear the mysterious necklace.
--
"Monica," Phoebe whispered, shaking her sleeping friend, "wake up, Mon!"
"Uh?" Monica mumbled, rubbing her eyes, "what time is it?"
"It's eleven thirty!"
"What?!" Monica sat up quickly, knocking her forehead against Phoebe's, and falling backwards. They both rubbed their new bumps at the same time. "Sorry," she whispered, embarrassed. Phoebe just dismissed her with a wave of her hand, her eyes still closed in a dull pain.
"It's fine. Go get ready for work, silly goose."
Monica was snapped back to reality again. "Oh, right!" she jumped up, and found her purse and jacket by the door, running out, with a "bye, Pheebs!" behind her.
--
Monica arrived very late to work, receiving odd stares from her coworkers, who knew how punctual she usually was. It was common for people to become uneasy around her, because she was so accurate in everything she did. Her kitchen had to be spotless when she worked.
"A place for everything, and everything in its place," she always said.
It was near closing time, and there were still a couple of customers left in the restaurant, but Monica was busy nonetheless. She was in the back, stirring a sauce, when one of the waitresses came into the kitchen.
"Monica?" She asked.
"Hmm?" Monica didn't turn around.
"There's someone here to compliment the chef." She said, smiling playfully, but Monica didn't see her do so.
"All right, send them in." She replied, grinning. She continued to stir the sauce, and heard the door open.
"Ah-Miss Geller?"
Monica heard a man's voice. It sounded professional, yet a little seductive. "Yes?" She turned around, and gasped. A man, quite tall, and quite handsome, was standing in the doorway of her kitchen. My kitchen, she thought. He looked like he couldn't have been more than twenty four. He smiled, and she almost melted.
"My compliments to the chef," he said, walking towards her, and extending his hand. "Very excellent job. I'm Dan Greer, by the way."
"Monica Geller," she replied, quietly. He took her outstretched hand, and kissed her knuckles. Her eyes almost closed. So...a romantic, huh?
"Look, this is kind of an impulse for me, but, would you like to go out with me tomorrow evening?"
"I would love to." She said, smiling broadly.
"Wonderful. Shall I meet you outside of here, tomorrow, say, around 7?"
"Sounds perfect."
"Great I'll see you then. It was great meeting you."
"You too." He then winked at her, turned around, and left, without another word. Seconds later, it hit Monica. What're you doing? she asked herself. She closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. The air she inhaled smelled like burnt tomatoes. "Shit!" she yelled, and ran over to the stove, where she had left her sauce boiling in a large pot.
--
Monica came home late that evening, to find a sleeping Chandler on her sofa. Irritably, she snuck up to him and leaned over.
"What're you doing?" She yelled in his ear, annoyed that she had caught him with a blanket and everything.
"Huh?" Chandler replied, rubbing his eyes.
"Wake up! I think you missed your apartment!"
"Only by a few feet." He was still cracking jokes, even if he wasn't aware of his surroundings. He sat up, stifling a yawn, and looking at his watch.
"What're you doing here?" She asked from the back of the sofa.
"I'm sorry. You were working late, and..." his voice trailed off. He looked almost embarrassed.
"And...?" She was curious.
"I wanted to make sure you came home safe. You were out later than I thought you'd be, and I was worried. I'm sorry for making you mad." He really does look sorry. She immediately lost all irritation with him, and smiled apologetically.
"No, I'M sorry. I didn't know. Thank you."
He grinned back, and she crossed around in front of him, as he tossed his blanket to the side, and patted his lap. She sat in it, and he wrapped his arms around her in a friendly embrace.
"So...how was your day?" he asked.
"Wonderful."
"You got complimented, then?"
"Well, once...other than you," she added, grinning at the memory.
"Oh? Who?"
"He introduced himself as Dan. AND he asked me out!" She giggled, and he squeezed her a little tighter to him.
"That's awesome, Mon." She didn't see his face fall, nor did she notice the disappointment in his voice.
"I KNOW!" She said, in a typical-Monica-fashion, "we're going out tomorrow. I'm so excited, he is SO cute!"
Chandler plastered on his best smile, and watched his best friend's face light up, as she talked about this new guy in her life. This new guy, he thought, that'll probably break your fragile heart. I'm just glad I'm here for you, when you need me, at least. She couldn't hear him, though, as he was only thinking it.
--
"It's TONIGHT!" Monica yelled, practically jumping up and down. Rachel turned to Phoebe, and, out of the corner of her mouth, muttered,
"I hope he's a good lay, for her sake." Phoebe nodded, and they followed a giddy Monica into her bedroom. She began digging through her closet, trying to find an outfit to wear.
"So...where is this guy taking you?" Rachel asked, as she saw Monica pulling out a satin gown, and considering it.
"I actually don't know." Monica replied, discarding the outfit, and picking up a blue skirt instead. She found a coordinating blouse, and placed them neatly onto the bed. "But I'll find out, soon enough. Now, shoo! I need to get dressed!" She ushered Rachel and Phoebe out of the room, and shut the door. She sighed, and put on her clothes, careful not to wrinkle them. She crossed to the bathroom, without a second glance towards the girls who had seated themselves on the sofa, reading the latest issues of Cosmo and Glamour. She meticulously applied her makeup, sticking her extra compact and some other things into her purse. Smacking her lips, and winking at her reflection, she turned out the lights, and walked back into the living room. The girls stood up to walk her down to the front door of the complex.
"How do I look?" Monica asked, when they reached the bottom of the long flight of stairs.
"Like...a million dollars." Phoebe said, smiling, and Rachel gave her the thumbs up.
"All right. Wish me luck." She started towards the street, holding up her hand to hail a cab.
"Good luck!" Phoebe called after her, as the door was swinging shut.
"She said wish it, Pheebs." Rachel said, rolling her eyes, as they trudged back up the stairs together.
--
The cab ride was long, but Monica didn't feel that way when she got in. All she could think about was where he was going to take her, and what they were going to do. What kind of a person Dan was...and what he thought of her, as well. Her mind was swamped, as she got out of the cab at her restaurant, Alessandros. Sure enough, there he was, gorgeous as ever, and smiling. He was wearing clothes a little less formal than she had been expecting...
Well, all right...a LOT less formal...she thought to herself.
She looked him up and down, as he did the same. He was wearing a pair of jeans, and a button up shirt, that didn't look too fancy. From the looks of it, he almost looked like he had come from the bar...
or is heading to one.
"Hi," she whispered.
"Hey."
"You look good."
"You look better." He said, smiling. He took her by the elbow, and led her to a cab he had waiting.
"So..." she said, after the cab had pulled away from Alessandros, "where exactly are we going?"
"Well, I didn't really know what you liked, so I decided we'd go to one of my favorite places, Mudd's. They have some mean buffalo wings."
Monica smiled slightly. She didn't really like the sound of that, but she'd give him the hint later.
The restaurant was packed...and noisy. She mentally noted to herself that it wasn't a good idea to judge a book by its cover. She noticed that he was so much different than when they first met; he was a lot louder, and much more casual.
"Seat yourselves, Dan!" the bartender called, from the middle of the room.
"Thanks, Lou!"
Oh God, the bartender knows him by name? She thought. Jesus, woman, what did you get yourself into?
She took the time she had, while he was leading her to their seat, to look around the room. There were at least a hundred people packed in this small place, and it looked just like he'd described it: A place where 'mean buffalo wings' were served. There was a huge bar in the center, surrounded by old men sucking down one beer after another, and a scratchy-faced, cigar-wielding bartender was wiping his counter on the other side. There were high chairs and high tables around the entire place, and small televisions were assorted around the room playing football.
It was a sports-fanatic's paradise.
"Well, what do you think?" He asked, grinning at all the catcalls the men had been giving her when they walked in. She had become immediately uncomfortable, but she wasn't about to forget about having a good time. After all, this could be a really great guy I'm going out with. Right?
"It's..." she searched for an appropriate word, "fun."
"Glad you like it."
"Me too. Now, if you'd like to order me...uh...something to drink...I need to go to the restroom. Do you know where it is?"
"Straight back." He said, without looking. She glanced up, and sure enough, there was a sign above a doorway labeled "Johns".
"Thanks."
The thought of that name being used for a bathroom made her sick to her stomach. She walked towards it, and heard whistles behind her as she went. That made her even more uncomfortable. Chin up, Monica. She entered the ladies' room, and checked herself out in the dusty mirror. She heard giggles behind her, and, seconds later, a man and a woman, visibly drunk, stumbled out of a nearby stall, and trudged out the door, smiling mischievously. Monica shook her head, and went back to digging through her purse for her lipstick. She felt her fingers close around it, and she pulled it up, but noticed that a necklace came up with it.
"Huh," She said aloud, "how'd that get in there?"
Holding it up, she saw that it matched her outfit, so she decided to put it
on. Closing the small clasp in the back,
the lights in the bathroom flickered.
Dejavoodoo.
She smiled, and adjusted the pendant, before applying her lipstick. She exited the bathroom quietly, and heard a bombardment of more rude comments from the men around her.
"Whoa mamma!" One of them said.
"Mm-mm good. Nice tits, hun." Said another.
"Man, I'd like to take that fine piece of ass, toss it up onto that bar, and - "
"Monica!"
She heard Dan's voice across the restaurant. She looked up, sharply, and met his gaze. Smiling, she walked quickly over to him, and joined him at the table, where their drinks had been served.
"I went ahead and ordered you a beer."
"Oh. All right." She tried to hide her disgust, and apparently did it well. She looked up, and caught his eye. He smiled.
"Are you having fun?"
"Mm-hmm." She nodded, looking down at the menu.
"He shoots, he scores!"
"What?" Monica asked, looking back up again.
"I didn't say anything," Dan said, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh," she began reading again.
"Meow! Feisty little one, aren't you? I'm sure you're an MVP in the sack."
"Excuse me?" she looked up from her menu, visibly blushing.
"What? I didn't say anything!"
"Yes you did!"
"What did I say?"
"I dare not repeat it!" Monica was thoroughly disgusted.
"I swear to you, I didn't say anything to you! Especially something inappropriate." He looked her square in the eyes...
But I was thinkin' it.
...his lips weren't moving.
She blinked several times, before snapping to reality. What had just happened?
"I - I'm sorry. I must've imagined it."
"Are you sure you're okay?" Champ?
"Yeah, I'm fine."
"All right." They went back to silence, but not total silence.
Who's playing tonight? Do I want to see them? Football is so cool, I wish women played it. Basketball is getting a little old, but hey, it's still sports, isn't it?
It finally hit her. She was reading his thoughts. But...how?
What a sports freak, she thought to herself, and then realized he might be able to know what she was thinking as well. The thought frightened her.
"Listen," Monica said, trying to keep her composure, "this has been fun, but I really need to go. I promised my friend I'd help her with...something...and I totally forgot. Thanks a lot. I had a great time. See ya!"
She practically flew out the door.
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And that's the first chapter! Let me know if I should continue! Well...let me know if you're going to READ what I continue WITH...