Unexpected Twists In Life
Alely7
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters.
Foreword: I have had such a bad week (first my aunt died, than two days later, my grandfather, I have the flu, and I have finals next week) so I needed to write something happy. I know I have a few other fics that are unfinished, and I am finishing them, but I just had to take a break from them for now; I will continue them as soon as I get out for summer(1 week baby!) Anyway, please read and review. Thanks!
Chapter 1
"Dude, come on, let's go. We have to be at the church in like half an hour." Joey shouted from the living room. He couldn't believe that Chandler was getting married; no one could believe it. Commitment-phobic Chandler was finally settling down, although finally wasn't exactly the right word. Besides Ross, who was now divorced, Chandler was the only one to walk down the aisle. No one had seen it coming, especially because Chandler was marrying Kathy, Joey's ex-girlfriend. But surprisingly, Joey was okay with it all because he had never seen his friend as happy as he had been these past few months. While the entire gang was happy for the couple, they were a little afraid that they were rushing things a bit. Chandler had proposed after only three months with Kathy, and they had decided to set the wedding date for only three months after that. Monica was the maid of honor and Ross was the best man along with Joey. Rachel and Phoebe at first were a little upset about not being maid of honor, but Kathy had explained to them how she had chosen from a hat and they were content with being bridesmaids.
"Coming." Chandler answered from his room. He was lying on his bed, trying to reassure himself that this was right. He loved Kathy, or at least he thought he did. He had never experienced true love, so he had no previous experience to compare this to. Chandler thought back to the day he had proposed; it had been the day he thought he was going to lose her to Nick. That probably wasn't the best reason to propose, but he couldn't let the best thing in his life at that time go. He sighed and stood up, prepared to celebrate what was supposed to be the happiest day of his life; and maybe it would be. Monica had spent so much time planning the wedding, that Chandler didn't have the heart to postpone it. Through the months, Chandler had realized that Monica seemed to be planning her dream wedding. He was glad that she had something to keep her mind off of work and men. He felt bad for thinking this, but he felt that Monica should be the one at the altar today. He didn't mean he should marry her, although that idea didn't scare him, but he wanted her to be getting married exactly the way she had dreamed.
Chandler left his room, with his vows in his pocket, wondering if he was about to make the biggest mistake of his life.
- At the Church-
Monica had spent almost all of the past few months with Chandler and Kathy planning. Well, it was mostly Chandler because Kathy was busy with a new play. She and Chandler had really bonded while making the preparations, and she was surprised at how cooperative Chandler had been with the plans. Even though he did help a lot, the wedding mostly resembled Monica's dream wedding. She sort of felt like she should be the one getting married. And what scared her most was that she had often imagined herself marrying Chandler. She tried to ignore these feelings, but they kept on coming. She felt horrible because she was in love with her best friend, who just happened to be getting married. But she wasn't sure it was love, she hoped it was just a crush that would go away in a few weeks. She hoped that it was all because she had been spending a lot of time with him lately. And she didn't have a boyfriend, so maybe Chandler was just a replacement, for now. Nothing permanent. Although, what Monica truly wanted right now was a permanent relationship. At that moment, she was sitting on the stairs, wondering if she was denying herself something that had the potential for greatness. But she couldn't do something like this to Chandler, no matter how much she was hurting.
"Monica, thank goodness I've found you! Chandler is missing!" Joey informed Monica. He didn't know what to do. The wedding was going to start in twenty minutes and the groom was missing.
"What?!?! I can't believe this!" Monica said in utter shock. All along she had this sinking feeling in her gut saying Chandler was going to freak out and do something Chandler-esque.
"What are we gonna do?" Joey whined. He didn't like dealing with problems.
"Well, where have you looked?" Monica asked.
"Nowhere! I don't even know where to began." Joey said, whining once again.
Monica gave him the death glare, but realized that Joey was Joey, and this was not beyond him. They would just split up and search. Monica had an idea of where he might be.
"Fine. You look all around inside, and I'll look outside. Meet back in fifteen minutes if you still haven't found him."
"What are we gonna do then?"
"I don't know, but we'll think of something."
"Okay." Joey said as he ran off. Monica watched him open a few doors and then she left for the Donut shop a few blocks from the church. She tried walking as fast as she could, but she had on a tight dress and high heels, so it seemed to take forever to reach the shop. She finally made it and opened the door. Her face fell when she didn't see Chandler, but then the door opened and she turned around. There was Chandler, all dressed up in his tux, out of breath and just beginning to break into a sweat.
"Chandler, where the hell have you been?" Monica admonished as she pulled him down into a seat. She wiped the other seat off before sitting down.
"Well…" Chandler started, but was cut off by Monica.
"I don't want to hear excuses, we have to go. You're getting married in like fifteen minutes!"
"I know I am. It's just that, well, I don't know if I'm ready." Chandler's shoulders dropped as he said this and he concentrated on a stain on the ground.
"What do you think that is? Jelly?" Monica asked to try and lighten the mood. She was racking her brain to figure out what to say and she was stalling for time.
"Yeah, I'd say that's about right." Chandler smiled and looked up at Monica. He knew what she was doing. She was trying to buy time so that she could think of something good to say about him getting married.
"Seriously, Chandler, do you love Kathy?"
"You see, that's what I don't know. I think I do, but now I'm not so sure."
"Chandler, you just have cold feet. Of course you love Kathy, that's why you're getting married, because you love each other. I've seen the way you two act together, and I always become jealous. I want a love as strong and as great as yours. That would be my dream, and I cannot stress enough how lucky you are to have found your soul mate. Don't let her go Chandler." Monica smiled and tried to hold back tears. This was the hardest thing she has ever had to do. She could tell Chandler to forget the bitch Kathy and pick her, but she didn't because Chandler had always been such a good friend. She knew that deep down, he loved Kathy, and she couldn't mess that up.
"Thanks Mon. You're right."
"Of course I'm right. Now come on, you can't be late for your wedding day!" She stood up and gestured for him to follow.
"Here I come, but I gotta ask. How did you know I was gonna be here?"
"I remember when we were planning one day that you said you came here to think sometimes because the donuts smelled so good."
"Wow, I can't believe you remembered that. I said that like months ago. I didn't even think you were listening."
"Nothing gets past me, Bing. But how come I got here first, even though I have the heels and dress and you got a head start?"
"Oh, well, I made a little detour. I stopped at the card shop to pick something up."
"What did you get?"
"Nothing important." Monica sensed Chandler wasn't telling her something, but she decided not to press the subject, at least not until after the wedding.
Monica and Chandler walked back to the church rather quickly. Just as they were about to enter the building, Chandler glanced over at her and noticed that a tear was falling down her cheek and her eyes were glistening. He stopped her and stared at her.
"Mon, you okay?" He asked, genuinely worried.
"Oh, yeah, I'm fine. I just can't believe you're getting married. I'm so happy for you." She said, her voice cracking.
Chandler reached out and put his arms reassuringly around her shoulders.
"Don't worry Mon. You'll get married. You'll marry a man who will love you more than life itself. Your wedding will be huge and spectacular and you'll have a bunch of kids running around your house in the suburbs. Sometimes these things take time."
"I know, it's just…" Monica wanted to continue but knew she shouldn't. "Let's not talk about me now, it's your day." She smiled to show Chandler that she was all right, although inside she felt like she was being ripped apart. 'It's just a crush, that's all, just a crush' she repeated to herself over and over again. She was just lonely and her heart was set on marriage. Chandler was the one in the tux with the rings. 'That was it,' she thought, 'I don't love Chandler, I love marriage.' Feeling considerably better, Monica took her place by the door to the church.
-The Ceremony-
Chandler stood there nervously, watching Kathy walk down the aisle. Right then and there, he knew he was doing the right thing. He loved her and wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. He smiled at her as she took her place across from him.
Kathy couldn't believe that she had made it to her wedding day. For some reason, she had thought that something would happen, and it would all be called off, but everything was fine. She wasn't sure if she was happy about that or not. She loved Chandler, but she didn't feel like that was enough to make a marriage work. Nevertheless, she couldn't back out now, and she didn't. The ceremony went on rather monotonously. When the minister asked if anyone had any objections, Monica had to literally bite her lip until it bled, but she remained quiet. Everything was okay until,
"Now, Kathy, repeat after me. I Katherine," the minister began.
"I Katherine,"
"Take thee Chandler," the minister continued.
"Take thee Chandler,"
"As my lawfully wedded husband, in sickness and in health, till death do us part."
"As my lawfully wedded husband, in sickness and in health, till death do us part." Kathy wasn't sure about this, and her tone probably reflected that. She glanced nervously at Chandler to see if he suspected anything, but she couldn't read his face.
"Now, Chandler, repeat after me. I Chandler,"
"I Chandler,"
"Take thee Katherine,"
Chandler hesitated in saying the next part, but when looked at Monica behind Kathy, he saw her give him the thumbs up. "Take thee Monica," 'There, that wasn't so hard,' he thought. He hadn't even realized he had said the wrong name.
Monica gasped when she heard this, but her eyes refused to look at Chandler. All of the wedding guests sat shocked. Kathy looked hurt and tears were threatening in her eyes. She may not have been sure about this marriage, but she had just been horribly humiliated. She ran out of the church, but by the time Chandler had realized what he had done, she was too far away.
Please review cause it might cheer me up a little after this horrid week.