Rachel stood next to a street vendor buying candy bars after probably one of the most awkward dates she has been on. The date was going well until she had accidentally let it slip that she was expecting. Something that was making her kick herself. She was too much into her head to notice that Ross had showed up by her side.
"Hello." Ross said to her. He was shocked to see her alone when he walked up. Last he knew, she was on a date with one of Joey's co-stars. He still wasn't all that sure how he felt about that. She was, in fact, carrying his child.
"Hi." Rachel said back.
"How uh, how was the date?" Ross asked genuinely curious about it.
"Well, I am alone and I just bought fifteen dollars' worth in candy bars. What do you think?" She responded with a slight smile indicting that she can laugh at the entire situation.
"Oh. What happened?" Ross may not have wanted Rachel to date while pregnant but he couldn't stand seeing her upset. Something that always pulled at his heart with Rachel.
Rachel slapped the bag of candy bars and started to walk away.
"Made the mistake of telling him that I was pregnant." Rachel answered honestly.
"He didn't uh, take it so well?"
"Well, better than you." Rachel said smiling. "But ya know, still not what you want."
"Oh?"
"Yeah he got all weird and sputtery and then he said uh, 'yeah I hear those hemorrhoids are a bitch'" Rachel told him in the best impression of her date as she could muster. She and Ross both laughed at the situation as the both sat down on a nearby staircase.
"He sounds swell." Ross said sarcastically.
"Doesn't he?"
"Hey. Want uh, want some cheering up?" Ross asked, nudging her.
"Yes." She nearly begged him.
Ross figured the next thing to come out of his mouth is something he as well had just found out. "Guess whose middle name is 'Muriel'?" Rachel sat there and thought for a minute. Going through everyone she could possibly know with the first letter of their middle name 'M'. Then it hit her.
"Chandler M. Bing." She said out loud.
Ross plastered a big smile and nodded, "Yeah huh." Rachel laughed at that. Ross could make her laugh probably the easiest out of everyone. She wasn't sure why he had that hold on her. The hold that made her enjoy just the small amount of time she was having with him after her terrible date. They have reached a part in their relationship that seemed familiar. Almost safe. She was having his child but it was like nothing had changed. He was still this very adorable geek that could make her smile just by looking at her.
"Sorry about your date." Ross told her.
"Oh that's alright. Guess I am just done with the whole dating thing." Rachel said. "Just one more thing in my life that suddenly completely different." Rachel rested her elbow on her knee and placed her chin in the palm of hand as she came to that realization. "This is hard."
Ross looked her. Admired her natural beauty. The one thing he has noticed about her that is different than any other past relationship he's had. She was real. Honest. Blunt even. She was beautiful to him. Sure, it wasn't how he saw his life turning out in terms of Rachel. Having a child without being married or even so much as in romantic relationship but he was happy no matter what. Happy with being her friend even if deep down he still wanted to be more. "Yeah I know. But I mean on the other hand, in about seven months you're gonna have something that you're gonna love more than any guy you have ever gone out with."
Ross and Rachel smiled at each other and stayed quiet for minute after that. Ross then continued, "Just wait. Wait until, uh, wait until your baby first grabs on to your finger. You have no idea."
Rachel couldn't help the smile that formed on her lips as his words hit her. "Thanks sweetie." She rubbed his knee and continued to look at him with this happy feeling in her heart. Something she hasn't felt for him in a while. Something that she for sure was still there but she kept hidden. Especially from him. He wasn't sure what it was but he knew he didn't want to stop talking with her. But he also didn't want to continue this on the streets of New York, so he looked at her and asked, "Wanna grab some coffee?"
"Oh no. I think I am gonna go home and eat ten candy bars." Rachel said smiling.
Ross laughed but with a shocked face asked, "Hey well, I thought I cheered you up?"
"Oh you did. There are twenty in here." Rachel said lifting the bag.
"Alright." Ross said with a small frown which Rachel noticed.
"Goodnight." Ross leaned in and gave her a kiss on the cheek feeling slightly hurt by her rejection but also completely understanding. He turned away and started to walk towards Central Perk. Rachel watched as he walked away. The same smirk that she had earlier when thinking of him crept back on her face again. 'Oh. What the hell?' she thought. And started to follow Ross. He hadn't made it that far so she jogged to catch up.
"Ross?" Rachel said loudly. He turned around as he reached for the double doors to Central Perk and couldn't help but smile.
When she caught up to him, slightly out of breath. "You know what, having a drink with you would be wonderful." Ross opened the door for her and as she went in, he took her hand and lead them both to the counter ordering a drink for each. Since Rachel couldn't have coffee due to pregnancy, he ordered her a glass of tea and a cup of coffee for himself.
Ross and Rachel sat down at their regular spot on the orange couch in the middle of shop and talked for what seemed to be forever. It felt so normal for them. They talked and laughed about horrible dates and just enjoyed each other's company. Gunther, the manager of Central Perk, who had a huge crush on Rachel came over and informed them that the shop was closing soon.
Rachel looked up and then down at her watch. "Jesus, is it really midnight?" She laughed as she looked at Ross. They had gotten there around nine thirty so they had talked for two in half hours. They haven't spoken to each other like this since they were together. It felt nice.
"I guess so." Ross got up and leant his hand out for her to take which she took gratefully. "Let me take you home." Ross offered.
"Sure." She smiled and they both left, grabbing their coats, Rachel grabbed her bag of candy and they walked up to her apartment that she shared with Joey which was next door to the coffee shop, hand in hand. Something neither of them really noticed, just seemed natural. Rachel turned slightly to face Ross with the biggest smile she's had on her face since the night started with the Soap star.
"Thank you Ross for making my night better." Rachel said squeezing his hand.
"It's no problem. I'd rather see you happy than miserable and If I can help with that, I am your guy." Ross responded squeezing her hand back. Rachel stood up on her toes and kissed his cheek. When she pulled back, she just stared at him and noticed that he was staring back at her with an equal amount of intensity. Neither one knew who leaned in first and neither one cared but the next thing they knew their lips touched in a passionate kiss. Rachel had dropped the bag of candy and gently wrapped her arms around his neck bringing him closer to her. He placed his hands on her waist to close the remaining gap between them that she hadn't closed yet. The kiss was getting heated as Ross gently pushed her up against the wall and kissed her harder. She moaned quietly in his mouth and then breathed out as he went from her lips to her cheek down to her neck, sucking on the spot only he knew drove her crazy.
"Chandler, come on. She was hot." Rachel and Ross jumped at the sound of Joey's voice a floor below that echoed through the staircase near them. Ross quickly stood next to Monica's door as if he was about to knock and Rachel turned around to seem as if she was trying to unlock the door.
Monica looked over at Joey as they reached their floor with a disbelief look on her face as she responded to Joey's statement to Chandler, "Hi. I am his wife and I was standing right there." Joey just shrugged.
"Hey Rach. Ross. What are you guys doing out here?" Chandler asked trying to get out of the awkward situation between his wife and best friend.
"Just got back from…a date." Rachel said honestly. Well, she wasn't completely lying.
"That's right. My co-star. So how was it?" Joey asked as gently pushed by Rachel and went to unlock the door himself since he noticed she was seemingly having trouble. He pushed the door open and turned around to continue to talk to the group.
"Wait, she went out with your co-star?" Monica asked, "Why couldn't you have set me up?"
"Because you're married?" Chandler said.
"Oh right. Stupid vows." Monica said.
Chandler looked at Ross and the others and said, "I am the luckiest guy ever." He joked.
"I am just kidding. Slightly." Monica told him, kissing him on the lips then looks at Rachel, "I want details tomorrow Rach."
"Not much to tell. He got all weird after I let it slip I was pregnant." Rachel said looking up at Ross who had been quiet this entire time. "So Joey, thank you but never again." Rachel said walking into the apartment they shared. Rachel bent down and grabbed the candy bag that she had dropped and walked into the apartment. Setting it down on the counter.
"Well, Ross what are you doing here?" Monica asked turning her attention to her brother.
"Ran into Rachel at Central Perk. So I didn't want her to walk back alone." Ross answered honestly. Rachel had come back to the doorway and leaned against the frame, looking at Ross who was staring at his hands. "Guess ill go home. See you guys later." Ross said as he walked away from the group. Monica and Chandler waved and then walked in their apartment as Joey walked in to his.
"Here, ill walk you out Ross. Least I could do." Rachel said noticing nobody was in the hallway but that Joey was still ear shot. "And Joey, you can have those candy bars." Joey clapped at that and reached in and started to eat one of the candy bars. Ross smiled realizing what that meant as Rachel caught up with him.
Once Rachel and Ross got down to the bottom floor, the atmosphere around them got tense as it always seems to do with them. Something both of them have tried to ignore since they broke up, either time. It was Rachel who broke the silence between them. "Thank you again Ross." Rachel said hugging him. "And about what happened…" Rachel started.
"Old habit. All is good." Ross responded rubbing the back of his neck, looking down.
"Ross, its not just a habit." Rachel responded honestly.
"Rach, we can't go down this road. We are in a good place. I don't want to ruin that, ruin this friendship." Ross stated, breaking both of their hearts.
"Ross, that wasn't what I was going to suggest." Rachel lied. "We need to talk about it though." Ross just nodded. "I do want to say thank you again. You really know how to cheer a girl up. Even if that girl is carrying your child." Rachel joked, trying to lighten the mood. Both laughed lightly and then looked at each other.
"Well uh, see you tomorrow?" Ross said, not understanding why he made it sound like a question.
"Of course." Rachel stood on her tip toes and kissed his cheek. She stayed there longer than needed but she couldn't help it. She felt the pull that she felt upstairs. Ross cleared his throat, snapping her out of her daze. They hugged each other and then he proceeded to walk out of the apartment building, leaving Rachel alone with her thoughts. She placed her hands on her stomach and smiled. She knew that this baby was a sign. A sign she wasn't going to ignore.
Alright so I know for some that this was re-written but I did not feel right with how I ended this chapter before. I want them to have a good talk and maybe wait a bit. Possibly wait until later in the pregnancy (Around the time Rachel moved in with Ross). Plus, I needed to fix some errors that were nagging at me. I am not all that great at this writing thing but I enjoy it.
I am working on chapter two right now. So I hope you guys continue to read this story.
Side note: Things that won't happen in the story that happened on the show:
-Joey will NOT develop a crush on Rachel.
-Mona will not be a factor at all. In fact, if anything, she will more than likely be with Joey for a bit.
