I feel lips press against the outer shell of my ear and smile as I start to wake up. A few more kisses are pressed to the back of my neck and I manage to blink my eyes open, squinting a little against the morning light.

"Happy New Year, Monica," Chandler whispers into my ear.

I settle deeper into his arms, sighing contentedly. "I can't think of a better way to ring in the New Year than waking up with you."

I feel a satisfied noise rumble through his chest as he pulls me closer, and I realize that this really is the best way to start a new year. Actually, it's the best way to start any day.

"What time is it?" I ask.

"After nine."

I feel a brief moment of panic before I realize everyone is probably still worn out from last night's party. "Wow. We don't usually get to sleep in together."

"Pretty great, huh?"

"I could get used to it. Though, we should probably get up soon if we don't want to get caught."

"Yeah," Chandler agrees, tightening his arms around me.

Neither of us makes a move to get up, and I realize we're starting to care less and less about being caught. While I don't think either of us are entirely ready to be out, some days the effort it takes to be covert seems like way too much work.

"How much after nine is it?"

"It's ten, actually."

"It's nine ten?"

"No, it's ten o'clock."

At that, I bolt up in bed, panic definitely racing through my veins. "What?! Chandler, they're going to come looking for you soon!"

"Yeah, they're gonna wonder where you are, too, but you don't see me worrying."

He is alarmingly calm right now, which only serves to make me panic more. "Why aren't you more concerned about this?"

"Because there is literally nothing we can do about it right now. Calm down a little bit and lay back down with me."

Surprisingly, I manage to both calm down and relax into his arms once more. As I do, I remember that I left Rachel a note. "They won't look for me. Before I came over last night, I left a note on the fridge for Rachel telling her that I went shopping. Aside from having no one to cook her breakfast, she probably won't care."

Suddenly, there's a knock at Chandler's door. Before we can even begin to panic, Joey's voice filters through. "Guys, it's me. Can I come in?"

"Yeah," Chandler answers, and I look at him in confusion. Joey knowing about us is one thing; seeing us in bed together is another. He made it clear early on that he didn't want to see us being a couple if he had to pretend we weren't a couple. Chandler just shrugs at me as his door swings open.

"Hey—" Joey stops, and a goofy little smile spreads over his face as he sees us curled up together in bed.. "Awwww. You guys are so cute together."

I smile even as I pull Chandler's comforter more tightly around my chin. I don't thrill to the idea of Joey seeing me naked.

"What's up, Joey?" Chandler asks, and I can tell by the way he tightens his arms around me possessively he either didn't think our clothing situation through, or he is also not too keen on the idea Joey seeing me like this.

"Oh yeah! Ross and Rachel and me are gonna go meet Phoebe for brunch. Chandler, I told everyone you had to work today."

"And they believed you?"

"Well, not at first, but I told them you'd been talking about it for weeks, and they felt so bad for not remembering that they started to say that they actually remembered you talking about it."

"Nice!"

"So, you guys should have a couple of hours before we get back to do…whatever it is that you two do." Joey waggles his eyebrows at us suggestively and I can feel my face turning red. In the heat of the moment, I always manage to forget that he and Chandler share a wall. I'm sure that Joey has heard a lot more than he ever expected over the last few months.

"You're the best, Joey," Chandler says appreciatively.

"And don't you forget it," he answers sternly. "Hey, do you want me to give you guys a call when we're headed back here, you know, just in case?"

"That would be great."

"You got it." He gives us another goofy grin and says nothing.

"Yes?" I ask pointedly.

"You guys gonna do it?"

"JOEY!" we yell in unison.

"Hey, if I'm gonna be telling all these lies, I at least want it to be for a good cause. And sex is always a good cause." Chandler grabs a pillow and heaves it a Joey's face. "Fine. Just remember this the next time you need a favor."

"Out!" Chandler says. "Out or I'll kill you."

Joey finally turns and pulls the door shut. At the last moment, he sticks head back in and says, "Yeah, baby!"

"Out!"

We can hear Joey chuckling to himself as he leaves the apartment.

"Do you think he was serious, or just screwing with us?" I finally ask.

"No way of knowing with that guy. But, you know what I just realized?"

"What's that?"

"I never got a good morning kiss."

I angle my head so that I can look over my shoulder to see Chandler pouting. I roll my eyes and laugh. "Well, what's stopping you?"

He pulls back from me for a moment so that he can shift my body under his. He strokes my hair for a moment, and when he smiles down at me, I feel my heart start to race. I'll never understand how just his smile can do that to me, but I'm not complaining. It seems that everything he does makes my heart rate jump. "Good morning," he says softly just before he presses his lips to mine.

Man, does he know how to kiss. This morning it's slow, and passionate, and filled with so much promise that I don't know what to do with myself. I want to laugh and cry all at the same time. My heart starts to beat even faster, and I can feel his heart speed up as it tries to keep time with mine.

He moves his lips down to my neck, and I know for sure this is more than just a good morning kiss. I run my hands through his short, soft hair, and he lifts his head to look into my eyes. I feel my heart stop at everything I see there, all the words he's just not ready to say, and I pull his face back to mine before he can see my eyes brimming with tears.

God, I love this man.