Title: TOW the Life-Changing Hug

Author: Kara Ashley, 14

Disclaimer: This show kicks ass, but belongs to Bright Kauffman Crane Productions. I am just here to write a fanfic, and provide entertainment for people who read this story.

Note: Mid 8th season



SCENE:

Joey and Rachel's apartment. Joey is sitting at the counter watching TV and eating a bowl of cereal. Rachel comes walking out of her room in pajamas and a bath robe.

RACHEL: Morning, Joey.

JOEY[with a mouth full of food]: Hey Rach!

[Rachel shares a quick smile with Joey then takes a seat in his chair. Joe makes a huffing noise.]

RACHEL [turning around to see what's wrong with him.]: What?!

JOEY [hesitant]: Well, ah, ah—[Rachel looks at him for a straight answer] Okay! You're sitting in my chair!!!

RACHEL [looking around where she's sitting]: Umm, I know. Is there something wrong with that? I mean this is not my first time I have ever sat here.

JOEY: I know but after I was done with my cereal I was going to sit in my chair!!!

RACHEL: Well how much cereal have you had so far?

JOEY: This is my second bowl.

RACHEL: All right then, after you finish up your next 5 bowls I will get out of the chair.

JOEY [fuming]: 'The' chair? 'The' chair? Rach, that's MY CHAIR!!!



---Beginning Credits---



SCENE:

Continued from before. Joe is starting to look sick from eating his fifth bowl of cereal.

JOEY [with a spoonful of Frosted Flakes about to go into his mouth] Ohh, God… I can't do it. No… More… Cereal… [drops the spoon].

RACHEL: Ya know, Joey, if you keep on procrastinating like this, I could have my baby in this chair.

[With Rachel's comment, Joey gives her an evil look then shoves a spoonful back in his mouth]

RACHEL: There ya go!

JOEY [looking as if he is about to puke]: Tony the Tiger, YOU SUCK!!!

RACHEL [getting out of the chair, Joey's chair]: See now that wasn't so hard now was it?

JOEY [running over to his chair]: Get outta my way, I want MY CHAIR!!!

RACHEL: Okay, God! I'm goin' to Mon to see if she made any pancakes.

JOEY [eyes lighting up]: Hey, bring me a few! Please?

[Rachel rolls her eyes and walks out with a smile which brings us to Monica and Chandler's apartment]

Rachel: Hey guys!

ROSS/MONICA/PHOEBE/CHANDLER: Hey/hi Rach/what's up… etc.

RACHEL [looking over by the stove to see no pancakes]: Oh, no, no pancakes huh?

MONICA: No sweetie, sorry. Do you want? I'll be happy to make them.

RACHEL: No it's okay! WHOA!!!

[Rachel grabs her stomach]

ROSS: What, what happened?

RACHEL: I think the baby just kicked. It felt weird!

PHOEBE: Well of course it won't feel good! Ya got a little person inside of you kickin' around! It's a sucky feeling!

CHANDLER: You're just a bag full of sunshine and smiles aren't ya?

MONICA: I think it's great. I just wish I could experience that feeling, even the way Phoebe described it.

RACHEL: Awe, sweetie, you will get the rush of a little baby inside of you kicking your stomach some day. I promise!

MONICA: Oh, thank you.

[Monica reaches in for a hug to Rachel]

RACHEL: Oh, you're welcome!

[Hugs her back]

PHOEBE: I want to have a baby kicking around my stomach too! [goes to Monica and Rachel who are hugging]

CHANDLER: But Pheebs, you have already had three babies inside of you kicking. AND, you were just complaining about it!

PHOEBE: Would you shh! I want to have my fun! [Joins Monica and Rachel in a three way hug]

ROSS: So Rachel [she breaks away from the hug and walks to him at the kitchen table]

RACHEL: Yeah?

ROSS: How's the whole pregnancy going so far?

RACHEL: Well, not bad at all. There are a few moments where I feel like I can't take anymore. But that is just when I'm throwing up. I've gotten kind of used to it now.

ROSS: Oh, okay. That's great.

RACHEL: Yeah, yeah I guess it is. Thank you for asking.

[While they were talking we can see that Phoebe, Monica and Chandler are all staring at them in Awe]

---Cut back to Joey and Rachel's apartment---

SCENE:

Joey is sitting in his chair asleep with the TV on. Phoebe is entering.

PHOEBE: Hey Joey, [quietly] oh.

[Joey rolls over and Phoebe grabs the remote to turn the TV off.]

JOEY [slowly waking up and noticing that Phoebe has turned the TV off]: Hey, what are you doing? I was watchin' that!

PHOEBE: Joey, you were asleep, and drooling!!! How could you have been watching that?

JOEY: I have ESP.

PHOEBE: Oh, well that makes sense then. Well Monica made pancakes, did you want some before Rachel eats them all?

[Joey runs out of the apartment without answering and runs into Monica and Chandler's apartment]

JOEY [looking at Rachel's plate with two pancakes on it]: Where are all the pancakes, Rach? Did you already eat them?

RACHEL: No, I didn't already eat them!

MONICA: Joey there is some on the stove for you.

JOEY [noticing the giant mountain of pancakes]: Ooh, YAY!

CHANDLER: Joey, are you gonna eat all of those even though you just had your daily seven bowls of cereal?

JOEY: Chandler, the cereal is my warm up! This [points the pancake tower he has in front of him with a knife and a bib on] is my breakfast!

ROSS: All right, I have to go to work [stands up and gets his coat off the back of the chair]

RACHEL: Work?

ROSS: Yeah I have to teach a class today.

RACHEL: Oh, well have fun then.

ROSS: Okay [rubs Rachel's stomach] bye baby.

[Rachel smiles]

MONICA: Bye Ross.

ROSS: Bye everyone.

[Ross exits]

CHANDLER: Is it me, or was Ross acting just a little weirder today than he does any other day?

MONICA: No, I know what you mean. He wasn't as talkative today.

PHOEBE: Maybe he got married again.

MONICA: Phoebe, he didn't get married again.

PHOEBE: Well that's like his hobby isn't it?

JOEY: Monica, these pancakes are so good. Did you make them from scratch?

[Rachel looks over to Joey and sees that he has a bunch of syrup and crumbs on his face and laughs a little]

RACHEL: Honey, ya got a little somethin' on your face there.

JOEY [takes his bib and wipes most of it off]: Did I get it all?

MONICA: No ya still have a little left.

PHOEBE [whispering to Monica]: No, tell him it's all gone… it's more fun like that. [louder] No, it's all gone Joey.

JOEY [wiping his face back up with his bib. But suddenly, because of the syrup he used on his pancakes, the bib is stuck to his face]: Oh my god!

[Everyone laughs at Joey]

JOEY: It's not funny! It's really stuck!

CHANDLER [laughing]: Hey Joey, if you're trying to hide, you're not doing such a great job.

[Joey gets upset and runs into his apartment, but smacks his head on the door as he walks out]

JOEY [after walking head first into the door]: I'm fine!

[Joey has exited]

RACHEL [laughing]: I think I will go and try to help him.

MONICA: Tell him he can keep the bib.

[Rachel exits trying to hide her laughter]

CHANDLER: Since when did we have a bib?

MONICA: Oh, we bought it for Joey when he stays over actually.

PHOEBE: Oh right, I remember when you bought that! I just thought it was for Ben for when he stays over.

CHANDLER: We'll just tell people that then.

---Cut back to Joey and Rachel's apartment---

SCENE:

Joey is trying to rip the bib off of his face as Rachel is trying to nonchalantly laugh.

RACHEL: Joey, let me help you.

JOEY: No, I can get it! [rips it off of his face] See, I can do it!

RACHEL: Yeah but you still got a little syrup left over on your forehead there.

JOEY [sticking his finger in it]: Oh.

RACHEL [grabbing a paper towel and wetting it]: Here let me get it for you. [stands on her tippie toes to wipe off the remaining syrup.]

JOEY: Thanks.

[Rachel continues to wipe it off of his face, while concentrating on his forehead. Joey is just staring at her face smiling, as she lightly breathes on his nose]

RACHEL: There [now flat footed] it's all off.

JOEY [smiling still]: Thanks, Rach.

RACHEL: You're welcome [smiles back at him]. Now ya have to take it easy with the syrup and pancakes hon.

JOEY: Whatever you say Doc. [smiling even harder]

RACHEL [leaning back on the counter staring at his smiling face]: Are you okay?

JOEY: Fine.

RACHEL: All right, well I am going to go change.

JOEY: Okay [and yet, still smiling]

RACHEL: Seriously, are you okay? [smiles and then walks off into her room to change]

JOEY [his smile is gone and comes to a look of realization and says to himself] I'm fine.

RACHEL [walking back out of her room, but this time with just her pajama top and a pair of pants that zipper up the side] Hey Joey, can you zipper this for me [motions to her hip where the zipper is]

JOEY [unsure at first but then walks toward her]: Sure, yeah, why?

RACHEL: Well it is just so hard for me to turn that way because of my little addition [points down to her stomach]

JOEY [finishing zippering it up]: There.

RACHEL: Thank you Joey [walks back to her room].

[Joey just stares at her admiring as she walks away]

---Cut back to Monica and Chandler's---

SCENE:

Monica is at the kitchen counter making coffee and Chandler and Phoebe are at the kitchen table.

CHANDLER: Mon, are you having a little trouble with making a simple cup of coffee?

MONICA [obviously lying]: No.

PHOEBE: No, I think you are, you can't even get the bag open?

MONICA: Yes [pause] I can! [rips the bag open and all of the coffee grounds go flying all over the place] There, I did it.

CHANDLER: Coffeehouse?

MONICA: Yeah, let me just clean it up.

PHOEBE: Come on Mon. Live vicariously! Don't clean them up!

MONICA: But…

PHOEBE: No

MONICA: Phoeb—

PHOEBE: NO!

MONICA: But I just want to—

PHOEBE: No! You are going to go to the coffeehouse without cleaning something!!!

MONICA [sad]: Okay [walks to the door wiping away her teary eyes]

CHANDLER: Gee Pheebs, don't you think that you were a little hard on her?

PHOEBE: Yeah, but it was fun!

[they both exit as well]

---Cut to Ross's Class---

ROSS: And that is pretty much the summary of the Jurassic Period.

Male Student 1: So could we just watch Jurassic Park and ace the final for this semester?

ROSS: No, because I am not taking my questions directly from Jurassic Park.

Male Student 2: Well what about Lost World?

ROSS: NO!

Male Student 1: Why not? Don't you want us to succeed in this class?

ROSS: Well, yeah. But I don't want you to take the easy way out.

Male Student 2: But why?

ROSS: OKAY! CAN WE JUST GET BACK TO LEARNING NOW???

[both student's eyes widen with shock]

Male Student 1: Dude, why are you yelling?

ROSS: See it's, it's my friend. She is pregnant with my baby, and I am getting a little scared.

Female Student 3: Awe, are you two going to get married?

ROSS: No, we got married while we were drunk and in Las Vegas.

Female Student 3: Did you ever date at least?

ROSS: Oh yeah for a while, we were in love, but then we broke up over the stupidest thing.

Female Student 4: Why?

ROSS [disappointed]: Because I slept with someone else.

Male Student 1: Dude, why did you do that?

ROSS: It's not my fault, WE WERE ON A BREAK!!!

Male Student 2: So how did you knock her up? When you guys were in Vegas?

ROSS: No, actually when she was sending out wedding invitations for my other friend and my sister.

Female Student 4: It sounds like you are in love with her.

ROSS: I am not in love with her!

Male Student 1: Dude, you are so in love with her.

[Bell rings]

ROSS: Class is dismissed, watch Jurassic Park, your questions will be off of that movie. [runs out of the classroom]

[All of the students make sounds of relief]



---Cut back to Joey and Rachel's---



SCENE:

Rachel is sitting in Joey's chair watching a sad movie and is about to cry. Joey is in his bedroom.

RACHEL [talking to the TV]: No! No don't die!

JOEY [coming out of his room]: Die? Who's dying?

RACHEL [crying]: This damn girl was pregnant but died while having her baby! Turn it off Joey, turn it off!!!

JOEY: Okay, okay, calm down. [turns it off]

RACHEL: Joey, I'm scared about having my baby.

JOEY: From watching this movie?

RACHEL: Yeah, but no. Not just the movie. I am going to be raising it all alone.

JOEY: Rach, you won't have to be raising it all alone. I will be here, so will everyone else.

RACHEL: Promise?

JOEY: I promise. [noticing she is still in a few tears] Come here. [grasps her in a tight hug] You will never have to worry about raising this baby all by yourself. I'm here, I will always be here for you. And Ross, Chandler, Phoebe, and you know that Monica will always help out.

RACHEL [breaks a tear with a smile]: Thank you a million times Joey. [smiles bigger and kisses his cheek]

JOEY: Well, you're welcome a million times. [kisses her cheek back]

RACHEL: You're so sweet. [kisses his cheek back]

JOEY: No, you're so sweet. [kisses her cheek]

RACHEL: No you. [kisses his cheek]

JOEY: No you. [kisses her on her lips]

[Rachel pulls away with a look of shock]

RACHEL: Joey!

JOEY: I'm sorry.

RACHEL: No, I liked it. [kisses him back on the lips, but this time it lasts longer]

[Ross is smiling as he walks into Joey and Rachel's apartment only to see them kissing. He gets a sad and depressed look on his face and quietly walks out]

---Fade out to the End credits---

END SCENE:

Monica, Phoebe, and Chandler are sitting on the couch in Central Perk.

MONICA: I can feel the coffee grounds sticking to the floor of my apartment.

CHANDLER: Monica, you're just imagining things.

PHOEBE: No, I think she is right. They do get sticky after while.

MONICA [beams her eyes toward Phoebe]: What? They do?

PHOEBE: Oh yeah, don't they Chandler?

CHANDLER [in the middle of Phoebe and Monica, confused. Phoebe winks at him to play along]: Yes, yes they do!

MONICA: Oh my God!!! I have to go clean them up!!!

[Monica frantically runs out of Central Perk]

PHOEBE: Well that was fun, do you want some more coffee?

CHANDLER [looking at her in an I-can't-believe-you-did-that-to-her face]: Sure.

---THE END---

Hey, this was like my 5th fanfic. Tell me what you think. Bad? Good? Terrible? Any comments, please! If you would like to contact me, my e- mail is crazy_straw06@yahoo.com and my FRIENDS website URL is http://www.geocities.com/crazy_straw06/FRIENDS_pictures_and_links.html [when you go to my website, sign my guestbook]