May 2005

Joey Tribbiani was still trying to get used to living in an empty apartment without Chandler and Monica across the hall. It was about a year since they'd left, and he sometimes still could hear them bickering about something through the closed door, but then he'd remember. It wasn't them. It was some new couple who fought all the time. It drove him crazy. That and he still hadn't actually met them. They'd been living there for seven months, and not once had he caught sight of them. He missed the painter who'd lived there about four months before taking off to Paris. At least he didn't make a sound.

"GET OUT!" a woman's voice screamed. A door slammed. Joey immediately raced to cram his face against the door to catch sight of the poor bastard who just got kicked out of his apartment. He only saw the back of the guy, and he looked tall and lanky. Joey wondered what had happened. A part of him wanted to knock on the door and see if she was all right. The other part of him figured he didn't need to be sucker punched that day. He had to get ready for his set today anyway.

...

Rachel Green was shopping with Emma when she noticed a bit of a hubbub outside. She peered out the store window to see a big crowd with large cameras and what looked like directors out on the street.

"Are they filming a movie?!" Rachel asked the clerk, hailing her down. She was excited. The clerk looked outside too.

"It appears that way," she nodded.

"This is so cool!" Rachel squealed. She pulled out her phone. "Ross? Ross! They're filming a movie right outside of the grocery store!"

"What?" Ross asked, confused.

"I'm going to sneak into the background. Maybe I'll be in it!"

"Rach, I don't think they'd let you be an extra."

"How do you know?"

"It just seems they'd have a process for that."

"Well, maybe they won't. I'm going," Rachel said, pushing Emma's stroller quickly to the exit. She hung up on Ross before he could launch into more logistics. She snuck up behind the crowd, craning her neck.

"All right everybody! Take ten!" the director shouted.

"Damn it," Rachel muttered to herself. The crowd parted, and Rachel caught sight of the director face on. She felt her jaw drop. Could it be? Was it really...?

"Oh my God," she gasped. She yanked out her phone again. "Monica? You're never going to believe who I just saw..."

...

Chandler Bing was working on an advertising campaign, but his heart wasn't into it. He needed a vacation, but in order to go on a vacation, you needed a place to vacate to. With two little twins, there needed to be a steady income, and you couldn't exactly just pack them up and take them to Rome or Hawaii. He had to give Monica credit for being off work and caring for them 24/7. He knew he'd have gone mad three months in.

"Bing here," he said, answering his suddenly ringing phone.

"Hey, are you and Monica free for dinner tonight?" Phoebe asked. "Mike and I have some news."

"You're asking the wrong person," Chandler clarified.

"I tried calling Monica, but I can't get through to her. Why can't you just say yes or no?"

"Because the last time I made plans without consulting Monica, I somehow ended up sleeping on the couch."

"It's just dinner."

"That's what they said."

"Who's 'they?'"

"It's not important," Chandler shook his head. "Look, I'll ask Mon and get back to you."

"All right, but you better show up."

Chandler heard the warning in her tone. He knew Phoebe could get really upset if they didn't all hang out enough. Chandler admitted they did start to drift apart a little since he and Monica moved to the suburbs, but they still did coffee when they could and the odd dinner. Chandler tried to call Monica, and as per what Phoebe had said, he couldn't get through to her.

...

Monica Geller had been covered in cookie dough and entertaining her year freshly turned one year old twins when her phone rang.

"You saw WHO?" Monica asked after Rachel finished, gripping the phone. This was exciting. Too exciting! She scrambled for a pen and paper. Where was the damn phone pen?! She crawled on her hands and knees looking for it. One of the twins gave a a gurgly laugh.

"It's her!" Rachel cried. "I know it is. Oh my God, we have to tell him!"

"I know! Wait, here it is," Monica said, finding the pen lodged under the couch. How the hell did it get there?

"Are you seriously taking notes? You can't just remember what I told you?" Rachel asked.

"I can," Monica said defensively. Her phone beeped, indicating another caller was trying to reach her, but she ignored it. This was too important.

"Look, let's tell him tonight at Phoebe's," Rachel said.

"Phoebe is having a dinner?"

"Yea, didn't she call you?" Rachel asked.

"Um," Monica said, looking at her missed call. It had been from Phoebe. "I think she just tried to call."

"Well, it's tonight at six. She said she has news."

"Then we can't very well deliver our news on the same night," Monica said logically.

"Oh, but I can't wait that long," Rachel whined.

"We'll play it by ear," Monica said. "I gotta go. Erica is tugging on Jack's hair again."

"Good luck."

Ever since Erica started grabbing things, she liked to grab Jack's hair and pull. It did not end well.

"No, no, sweetie," Monica said, taking Erica's fingers and releasing Jack's hair. "That's ouchy ow." Her phone rang again. Honestly, couldn't the world just leave her alone?!

"Hey," Chandler said.

"Hi," Monica said, smiling. "Oh! We're going to Phoebe's tonight for dinner."

"Okay, great. That's what I was calling about. She asked me, but I didn't say yes or no as per our discussion from before," Chandler explained.

"It's Phoebe. You could have said yes."

"Oh, so it's only my coworkers you don't like surprise dinners with," Chandler commented.

"They are intimidating," Monica reasoned.

"Okay, so Phoebs tonight. Got it."

"The babies say hi," Monica said.

"Hi babies."

"I'll see you later. Love you."

"Love you too."

...

Ross Geller was tapping his pencil at his desk. Grading papers had never seemed so trivial until it was the end of the day and he wanted to go home. He couldn't just pick a grade out of the air either. He'd done that once before, giving everyone all B's, and he ended up having a review done on him to see if he was indeed a fair teacher as some of those papers apparently deserved an A or a C. He knew it wasn't the C students that complained.

Dinner tonight with Phoebe and Mike. Rachel texted.

"Aw man," Ross complained. He and Mike still never seemed to have a good relationship. The guy was just plain weird at times. That's probably why he got on with Phoebe so well.

Okay, he wrote back. Did you get in the movie?

No. They took ten when I got outside, but OMG you'll never guess who I saw!

Someone famous?

Don't be a smartass.

Sorry.

I'll tell you later. Emma's throwing a tantrum.

Okay.

Ross chuckled as he set his phone down. Rachel was still Rachel, but he still loved her. They had gotten married two months ago, but sometimes it felt they'd been married forever. He wouldn't change a thing. Well, maybe the whole "on a break" thing, but who wanted to hash that out again? Certainly not him.

...

Phoebe Buffay-Hannigan was excited for this dinner. It had to be perfect. She had Mike cooking the meat, and she was doing a vegetarian dish. Dessert was pie. She couldn't stop vibrating, however, because it was the news they were giving at dinner that was more important than the dinner itself. Everyone would arrive in less than 20 minutes.

"Can you wait until I'm in the room with you before you tell them?" Mike asked. "I know you tend to just blurt stuff out when you're excited."

"I can wait," Phoebe said, a little offended. When the doorbell finally rang, she raced to the door. Mike raced after her, not trusting her to keep it quiet despite her promise.

"Hey!" she cried, seeing Chandler, Monica, and the twins.

"So good to see you," Monica said, hugging her. "It's been too long."

"I'm..." Phoebe started.

"So happy to see you!" Mike cut her off. He hugged her from behind tightly, giving her a small shake. She glared at him.

"Hey, you guys," Rachel said, coming into view then with Ross and Emma. "Sorry we're late."

"You're right on time," Mike smiled. Everyone started hugging everyone then. Rachel took Monica aside.

"Is Joey here yet?"

"Not yet."

"I can't wait to tell him!"

"Not here," Monica hissed. She had an inkling as to what news Phoebe and Mike were going to deliver. She didn't want to steal their thunder. She knew how that felt.

"But..."

"Okay, everyone!" Phoebe called. "Dinner is ready!"

"Joey's not here!" Rachel cried.

"He's running late," Phoebe said. "He said to start without him."

"Man," Rachel complained.

...

Joey was rushing. He was late for Phoebe's dinner, and he already knew what she was going to announce because she couldn't keep it to herself any longer. She had sworn him to absolute secrecy, though. He was fiddling with his key in the lock when a voice spoke up behind him.

"I talk to you and...nothing. You look at me and it's...nothing."

Joey froze. These words...that voice. He turned slowly, and standing in front of him was...

"Kate?!" he exclaimed.

"Hi, Joey," she smiled.

Kate Miller. The girl he loved and had been left by to pursue her career in L.A.

"W-what are you doing here?" he asked. She pointed to Monica's old apartment.

"I live here," she answered.

"You WHAT?!"

"I moved in seven months ago. I wasn't sure if you still lived here. I never saw you."

"So, it's you fighting with that guy all the time..."

"Yes. We broke up today."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm not," she shook her head. "He was a deadbeat who was only using me for money. We weren't dating that long anyway."

"Listen," Joey said. "This might sound crazy, but I'm going to dinner tonight with my friends...did you want to come?"

"Sure."

"So, what brought you back here?" Joey asked as he finally got into his apartment and went to change. Kate stood in the living room, waiting.

"I'm a movie director now. Well, sort of. I am quitting after this film we're doing here."

"You're filming here?!"

"Yes. I've done it too long now, and I want to go back to acting," Kate said.

"Well, I might be able to hook you up."

"That'd be great, Joey," Kate smiled. He returned then, changed and ready to go. She followed him out.

"You know, I never stopped thinking about you," she said as they went down the stairs.

"Really?"

"Yea. I regretted leaving. I felt we had a really good connection."

"I felt we did too."

They stopped on the stairs then, and Joey immediately felt that pull again.

"Would it be too soon?" Kate whispered, looking at his lips.

"It was only eight years ago," Joey replied. "I don't see why not."

"Oh God, I missed you," Kate gasped, pulling him in for a deep kiss. Joey was taken back to their first kiss. It had been amazing then, and it was still amazing now.

...

Phoebe was growing anxious. Joey was still not there, and dinner was finished. It was time to give the news.

"Okay, listen up!" she called. She stood up with Mike. "We have some news."

"You have our attention," Ross grinned. Phoebe and Mike looked at each other.

"We're pregnant!" they shouted together.

"Ooohh!" Rachel cried.

"You guys!" Ross said.

"Congratulations!" Chandler crowed.

"I knew it!" Monica fist pumped.

"Wait! Joey's not here," Rachel said. "You'll have to tell him separately."

"He already knows," Phoebe said, waving her hand. Mike stared.

"You told him?!"

"I had to tell someone."

"Phoebe!"

"Hey, guys," Joey said, coming inside with a woman in tow.

"Her!" Rachel shrieked, pointing. "That's her!"

"You remember Kate," Joey said, making her blush.

"Yes! Kate," Chandler said, remembering. "Boy, you were so in love with her..." He stopped talking, thinking that perhaps that information shouldn't be shared so readily.

"I still am," Joey said.

"Oh, you," Kate said, swatting him. But she was still blushing.

"So, what, you're dating again?" Ross asked, curious. They looked at each other.

"Yea. I'd like to see where this goes," Kate smiled.

2006-9 Months Later

Joey was incredibly nervous. Tonight's dinner had to be perfect. Kate was across the hall getting ready, and Joey was rehearsing in his mind exactly what he wanted to say to her when the wine came. His phone rang then.

"Hey, buddy," Chandler said.

"What's up?" Joey asked.

"Monica told me. Just thought I'd wish you luck," he answered.

"She did? Man, nobody keeps secrets around here," Joey sighed.

"You nervous?"

"Like a bag of cats."

"That's...that's not a good analogy, Joe," Chandler said, laughing.

"What's an analogy?"

"Nevermind. You'll be fine. Call us when it's done."

"I will."

...

Everything was going so wrong. Their table was given away, then the music band bailed, and the waiter gave them the wrong wine. Joey was seriously starting to wonder if these were all signs. He didn't really believe in that sort of thing, but when there was so many in a row, he began to wonder if they did exist.

"Are you okay?" Kate asked. "You seem jittery."

"Too much coffee today," Joey lied. God, she was beautiful. Her hair was down and her dress...oh the dress. He would enjoy removing that later. Now, if he could just do the damn proposal!

"Kate?"

Oh no. No, no, no. Marshal Talmant. The terrible director who had called them terrible actors.

"Marshal?" Kate asked, incredulous.

"Kate! Darling!" Marshal said, bending to kiss her cheeks. He turned to Joey. "And...you." He was squinting at him.

"Joey Tribbiani."

"Sure," Marshal said. "So, Kate! You're back!"

"I've been here over a year now," Kate nodded.

"We're kind of in the middle of something," Joey said. He wanted the guy to leave. He also wanted to punch his stupid face, but that would have to be kept as a fantasy for now.

"It's okay, Joey," Kate said. Marshal pulled up a chair then, leaning in to Kate. Joey was getting more and more frustrated. This was not the way he envisioned this night going. When he was buying the ring, he envisioned roses and a band and everyone cheering them on. He did not envision this.

"Are you seeing anyone?" Marshal asked.

"Ahem!" Joey coughed loudly.

"Yes, I'm dating Joey," Kate said, pointing. Marshal looked at him then.

"I see. Well, if you're ever single again..."

"Have a good night, Marshal," Kate said, making it clear he was to leave, which thank God he did.

"Wow," Joey said. "Still a douche."

"Yes," Kate laughed. "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay."

"Can we get out of here? Just knowing he's lurking in here somewhere is giving me the creeps."

"All right," Joey agreed. So much for his restaurant proposal. He'd have to improvise. They ended up walking hand in hand along Central Park.

"Joey," Kate said suddenly. She stopped walking, making him face her.

"Yea?"

"You know I love you right?"

"Of course."

"Good. I just...I...there's been something I really want to ask you," Kate said. Joey's heart was pounding. She wasn't...she wouldn't...

"Uh huh?"

"I know it's not traditional, but I'm not a traditional kind of person. I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?" she asked. Joey gaped at her. After saying nothing for about ten seconds, her face faltered.

"Oh God. Was it too soon? Was it too weird? I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..."

"No!" he cried, taking her hands in his. "No, no, no! It's just...you stole my line."

"What?" she asked, shocked.

"Yea," he said, digging into his coat and pulling out the ring box. She covered her mouth with her hands.

"Oh my God. You were going to propose..."

"At the restaurant. Then Marshal showed up."

"Oh, Joey!" she started to tear up. "I ruined your proposal!"

"Not at all. Yours was just as beautiful. And yes, I will marry you," Joey said.

"Ask me," she ordered, waving her hands.

"But...I said yes..."

"I want to hear your proposal now," she urged. "Please?"

"Um, all right. Kate," Joey said, getting down on one knee. "I'm so in love with you, like, ridiculously head over heels in love with you. I've loved you since I laid eyes on you. I want us to be together forever, and I want us to have babies and buy a house and be soulmates. I want to spend the rest of my life making you happy the way you make me happy. Kate Miller, will you marry me?"

"Yes!" she cried. He slid the ring on her finger, and she pulled him into an embrace, kissing him passionately. Joey felt his heart swell. This was what it was like to feel happy with the person you were meant to be with. His phone rang then.

"Sorry," he said. "Chandler wants to know how it went."

"That's okay," Kate laughed.

"Joey?" Mike asked.

"Yea?"

"Phoebe's in labor."

...

Eight hours later, little Cecilia Hannigan was born. Everyone crowded around Phoebe, who was crying happy tears.

"I get to keep her," she kept saying.

"Yes, she's yours," Monica reassured her. They all remembered how hard it had been on Phoebe to give up the triplets. Cecilia was passed around, and Joey couldn't believe how tiny she was. Kate was looking over his shoulder at her, smiling.

"Should we tell them?" she asked. The conversation of their engagement had been put aside for the time being. Their news always seemed to coincide with Phoebe's.

"You guys did it!" Phoebe cried, catching their exchange. "Oh! Yay!"

"Let me see," Rachel demanded, looking at the ring. "Oh wow."

"It's beautiful," Monica commented. "I'm so happy for you guys!"

"Us too," Ross and Chandler nodded.

"This is so great," Phoebe said, crying again. "We're all complete now."

Joey agreed. It was a happy time for everyone. He looked around at his friends, and he just knew that they'd be there for each other until the end. He felt incredibly lucky and blessed. Life was good.

The End

And there you have it. Everyone's proposals :) Thanks for reading!