London
This is another story about London and what could have been. I posted all the parts together it's one giant fic! Yay! So please review and let me know what you think!
Some background info: Phoebe never got pregnant with her brother's babies, so she went to London with everyone else. Chandler and Monica slept together the night of Ross's actual wedding not rehearsal dinner. Nothing is mentioned about the wedding at all, other then they are in London for it. Monica's mom was however still being a bitch that night as well.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Friends characters, except Matthew Perry. I do this only for fun!
He felt her stir underneath him. Her soft skin lightly brushed his, and all the memories of the night before came flooding back to him. He had slept with her, Monica, his best friend, the one he wasn't allowed to have. But wanted so bad, since…well the second time he had met her. What was he going to do? Man, he had screwed up before, but never like this. He closed his eyes trying to erase everything that happened the night before. He knew that he couldn't no matter how hard he had tried. His friendship with her would be over, she would no doubt regret sleeping with him. He didn't even bother to think of the way she looked at him while he made love to her. Or the way she clanged to him while they slept, afraid something would come and take him away from her. That would only give him false hope. He knew that she deserved so much better then him. But last night just by the way she looked at him or the way she kissed him, he thought maybe, just maybe she could love him the way he loved her. God, did he love her.
He felt her sit up and then mumble under her breath. He should have just left when he had woken up. He should have gone all "Chandler" and left. That would have made things so much easier on them both. Now it looked as though Monica was going to take his idea. He closed his eyes when she quietly got up off the bed and looked around for her clothes that where scattered all around the hotel room. Her heard her curse to herself as she tried to dress in a hurry. Then she was gone. It was like it never even happened.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Chandler closed his eyes, and slowly sat up. He couldn't believe that it was over as soon as it started. His life just wasn't fair. He stood up and headed to the bathroom. He knew that it wouldn't help anything, but at least it would seem like it wasn't a big deal to him if he went around like it never happened. It's not like sleeping with your best friend is a big deal. Maybe it wouldn't have been such a big deal if it were Rachel or Phoebe. But it was Monica. That there was enough said. He let the water hit his body and tried to relax as the water washed away her smell that covered his body. It was driving him crazy to know what she was thinking. She obviously regretted it, otherwise she wouldn't have left. He had to talk to her; he couldn't let something like this just go by. He made up his mind to go over to her hotel room as soon as he got out of the shower, he knew that he would more then likely chicken out, but at least he was considering it. He shut the water off, to excited and nervous at the same time to make it a long shower. He dressed quickly, and a lot sooner then he wanted, he found himself outside of her hotel room. He fought with him self for at least 10 minutes, before he timidly reached out and knocked. He waited for the door to open for what could have been 2 minutes to 2 hours. He finally gave up and turned to leave when the door opened. He felt his heart break when he saw who opened the door.
"Chandler, wow it's so great to see you." The man extended his hand and Chandler unwilling shook it.
"It's nice to see you too." Chandler lowered his head and tried his hardest not to ask him what the hell he was doing in Monica's room. She didn't belong to this man, she belonged to him, her best friend, the one who cared about her. Not this guy, that hasn't even talked to her in three years. She belonged with Chandler. She just didn't know that yet. And now in front of him stood the man that was causing Chandler's broken heart, and once before had caused Monica's.
"Umm…is Monica here? I kinda need to talk to her about something… it's important." Chandler said. "Very Important."
"She is in the shower, I can tell her you stopped by, I'm sure she'll only be a few minutes more. You know how Monica loves to take long showers"
"You know nothing about her." Chandler thought, and wished more then anything he had the guts to say it out loud. He didn't. The man smiled. Chandler nodded and walked away. His life was officially over.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Monica sighed as the hot water covered her body. She closed her eyes and let the memories of the night before fill her mind. Chandler was amazing. She had no idea he was like that in any way. He was constantly putting himself down when it came to being in the bedroom, but he was nothing like he had said. He was amazing. Monica smiled to herself as she remembered what he said to her, the way he touched her, and the look in his eyes when he told her that she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She had never had anyone make love to her like that. She had never made love to anyone like that. If only things where that simple. If only he wasn't her best friend. Then there would be no problems. She could be with him without any of the complications. She wouldn't have to tell their closest friends that they were together. She wouldn't have to explain why now all of a sudden he was the one for her, the one who now occupied her mind. But most of all she wouldn't have to tell her brother that she slept with his best friend. What would he think? He would defiantly be very upset. She closed her eyes and turned off the water. This was all too much for her to handle at the moment. She didn't know what she was going to do, but she knew she had to talk to him, at least to explain this morning, and why she left. She just couldn't deal with the situation then. She couldn't now either. She just hoped that he wasn't upset that she left. Who was she kidding? He had just slept with his best friend too; it was just as hard on him as it was on her. She knew that if he had left her she would have been heart broken. She was going to talk to him as soon as possible, even if it was only to say that she was sorry for leaving him that morning without saying good-bye. The rest they could talk about once they were all home. She knew it would kill her to wait that long but she knew she had to think about things before she told Chandler how she felt.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Richard? What are you doing here?" Monica asked as she opened the bathroom door and was unpleasantly surprised to find him sitting on her bed.
"Hi Monica, wow you look great." He said and walked closer to her. She stepped back uncomfortable, she was really freaked out that he had gotten in without her knowing, and that she was only in her robe. Not only that but she was naked under her robe as well.
She repeated herself. "Why are you here, how did you get in?"
"Your mother gave me a key, and I'm here because I missed you."
"You came all the way to London because you missed me? Couldn't this have waited?"
"Monica, you don't seem like you are happy to see me." She laughed.
"Richard, we have been broken up for 3 years, why are you really here?" She was getting fed up of him dodging all of her questions. She watched as he looked down at the floor then up at her. He looked lost, and she briefly wondered if he slept with his best friend the night before too. She didn't know why but she allowed him to take her hand when he reached for it.
"I came here to tell you that I still love you Monica… I always have, and I was stupid to let you go."
She sat there not believing anything that she was hearing. Why now of all times? She had waited so long to hear him say all that, but now was it what she wanted? Why did things happen to her like this? Especially after last night…Chandler. Her mind floated back to him, he had been on her mind all morning. That was until Richard showed up and dropped this bomb on her. Richard took no response as a good thing and leaned forward, to tip the scale in his direction. Her mind went blank. She didn't know why but she allowed him to touch her face, and she didn't know why but she closed her eyes and allowed him to kiss her.
"What are you doing? Don't kiss me! You can't come all the way over hear tell me you love me and then expect me to drop everything for you."
"Monica…I was stupid…I know that it's been 3 years…but I had to tell you. I couldn't live with myself if I didn't. Your Dad told me about Ross getting married and I knew that this would be a good time….I'm sorry.
"It's to late for sorry…Richard…your to late for everything.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Monica walked around the hotel lobby. She desperately wished that she could talk to someone about what had happened. She knew that she couldn't. She didn't know what was going on. She went to Chandler's room just before and nobody answered. She thought maybe he had gone to find someone to talk to like she had. But why had he not come to talk to her first? That hurt her more then anything. She knew that they would be uncomfortable around each other, but she always thought that they would never stop talking like they had. Then again she never knew that they would sleep together either. Boy, they had come a long way. From hating each other, to cutting toes, to neighbors, to friends, to best friends, and now to lovers. It seemed so clear to Monica now. Each step, every day, every second, led them to where they are now. But now there were few slight problems. One being that she had yet to talk to Chandler about the night before. So she really didn't know what it meant to him if anything at all. And then there was the bigger problem of the two; Richard. In a way she was glad Richard had showed up. She was so confused about her feelings for Chandler then after Richard told her that he loved her, it became easy. She wanted Chandler. He was what had been there all her life, and he was what she wanted for the rest for her life. Richard simply didn't know what love was.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Chandler was so deep in thought that he didn't realize that he had just bumped into a very beautiful girl. Knocking over all the files she had in her hand.
"Oh my god, I wasn't even paying attention, I'm such a klutz. I'm so sorry, here let me help you. The woman smiled and took note of this handsome stranger, with the bluest eyes she had ever seen.
"Hi." She extended her hand. "I'm Carrie…Carrie Calloway."
"Chandler Bing."
"It's very nice to meet you Chandler…Bing is it?"
He laughed. "Yes, unfortunately it is."
"Are you from around here." Carrie was defiantly beginning to like this Chandler person. With or without a Bing.
"No actually, I live in America…New York. Maybe you've heard of it?" he laughed at his own joke, then stopped when he remembered woman don't like that.
"Oh my, what a coincidence I live there too."
"Oh wow what a small world."
They carried one talking for a few more minutes. Chandler smiled and just for a moment forgot about Monica, but only just a moment when he saw her sitting on a bench all alone looking as though she carried the weight of the world on her shoulders. He excused himself from Carrie and walked over and sat next to his best friend who just last night became so much more.
"Hey." He said. It was the only thing that he could think of to say to her. He knew exactly what he wanted to say to her a few hours ago. That was of course before Richard. Things were totally different now. But where was he now? Why wasn't Monica with him?
"Hi, look Chandler about last night…" he watched as she struggled to speak, she had never had a problem talking to him before. He reminded him self once again how different things where between them. She looked so tired, and so confused. He reached out and touched her arm.
"Look…Mon you...you don't have to say anything. I just want you to know that I know all about Richard." She went to speak but he hushed her instead. "Mon…last night…well…it was a mistake."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Oh my Good, Monica what is wrong." Phoebe held out her arms and hugged her best friend and tight as she could.
"He…he said he didn't want to be with me." She chocked out. "He…he said it was a mistake." She finished before falling onto Phoebe's bed and burring her head under her pillow. Phoebe looked back at her friend incredibly confused.
"What... Who…who Monica? Who said it was a mistake?"
"Chandler." Was all she said. She didn't even bother to look up when she heard Phoebe's gasp in surprise. She expected it.
"You are almost as surprised as I was."
"Monica… honey… please just start from the beginning."
So Monica did. She told Phoebe all about how her mother had gone just to far the night before. How Chandler was so wonderful. How he kissed her, and how he had told her that she was the most beautiful woman he had ever saw. How her heart beat so fast, and how she clanged to him afraid he was going to leave her during the night. She told her how she left him instead because she was so scared. She told her how Richard was waiting for her when she got back to her room. How he said that he loved her. How she said nothing, and then let him kiss her. She told her how all she could think about was Chandler. How she went to him, wanting him, needing him. Him telling her making love to her was a mistake. How she didn't know what to do so she left, not saying another word. How he called after her when she ran away. Then how she needed to talk to somebody, anybody.
Phoebe was so shocked. Chandler and Monica? Not even she had seen this coming. Yet it didn't surprise her as much as she thought it would.
"Monica…honey you have to find Chandler…you have to tell him how you feel."
"I can't Phebes, he doesn't want to be with me… he said it was a mistake. Don't you know what that means?"
"How can sleeping with your best friend be a mistake? God, Monica anybody can see that he want to be with you."
"What the hell are you talking about!?" Monica screamed.
Phoebe couldn't believe how na‹ve Monica was being. "You mean to tell me that you don't see the way he looks at you? How he talks about you? Or the way his entire face lights up when you enter a room? Jesus Monica how blind are you? We all knew he had a thing for you. We just didn't know that you had a thing for him.
Monica looked at her friend shocked. She reached over and grabbed onto the table for support, then collapsed into the nearest chair. She really hadn't noticed the way he looked at her, or the way he spoke of her. Maybe it was because he had always been that way with her. She thought that was the way all best friends acted towards one another. That's why he asked her to be his girlfriend at the beach, and why he looked so hurt when she told him no and then laughed in his face. She covered her face in her hands and let the tears fall.
"Phebes…?" Monica looked up at her friend with tear stained cheeks. "How do I get him back? He thinks I'm with Richard, he'll never believe me if I tell him the truth."
"Monica…you are his best friend, he'll believe you anything… especially if it's what he wants to hear."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Chandler walked aimlessly around London. His life was horrible. If you dreamt what you thought was the more terrible dream in the world times 10, and it would not even compare to what his life was actually like at that very moment. He had lost her. He sat down on a park bench and put his head in his hands. What was he going to do? He had no idea. He hated this! He hated that he let his guard down, he hated that Richard got another chance with her and he didn't even get one, but what he hated most of all was that he actually let himself believe in-between all the unbuttoning, his lips touching hers, his hands caressing her bare breast, that she just possibly wanted him as much as he wanted her. It could have been the moment, maybe she was just so caught up that she didn't want to stop. Or didn't want to stop him. But he knew that she wouldn't have let him do that to her, she defiantly would have said something. After all she was the one who moved it to that stage. Sure he had kissed her, but she was the one who told him that she wanted him to make love to her. Chandler closed his eyes, not wanting to think about the night before any longer. No matter what she felt then, she didn't now. Richard was back with her, right? Otherwise he wouldn't have been in her hotel room. How would he have gotten in if she didn't let him in? Everything seemed clear to him now. It didn't matter what he felt, he wanted her to be happy. At least he got to have her at least one night. That was more then he could have ever wished for. Most guys don't even get that. And most guys don't tell her it was a mistake either. He knew that it wasn't. But she didn't argue with him, and tell him that it was the best night of her life like he had hoped, even if he would have never admitted it. She got up and left, and didn't turn around when he called out to her. But if she didn't feel anything for him then why did she look so upset? Maybe what happened was a mistake…he didn't know much…but he knew that if it was indeed a mistake then it was without a doubt his favorite.
He got up and decided to head back to his hotel room, he needed to talk to Monica again, but that could wait. He didn't have the energy to argue or anything left of his heart for her to break. He walked back slowly dreading what was to become of his future. He walked into the hotel lobby, then made his way into the elevator. He decided that he could be just friends with her if that's what she wanted. It was better then nothing at all. That was of course if she even wanted to be friends, if they even had a friendship to salvage. Chandler stepped out of the elevator and instantly knew that everything between him and Monica would be okay. There lying in front of his door asleep was Monica. He walked over to her and watched her for a few moments before gently shaking her.
"Mon…Monica, sweetie…wake up…I'm back." He smiled once she opened her eyes.
"Chan…Chandler? What took you so long? I…"
"I went for a walk…" he interrupted. She nodded. He didn't know what it was, maybe because he knew that he could never have her the way that he wanted or not…but god he had never seen her look so beautiful before.
"I…I think that we need to talk…" she said, her pride getting the best of her and forced her self to look at the ground instead of his eyes. She knew she would lose \her nerve if she made eye contact.
'Lets go inside." She nodded and smiled when he helped her up. Together they walked into his hotel room and each sat down on opposite beds. Both sat quietly, each waiting for the other to start.
"Monica look…" Chandler said breaking the ice.
"I just…I want you to know that you…well you are the best friend that I have ever had. I just want to just everything behind us, I can't…I can't lose you as a friend Mon…I just…I can't." He lost his nerve half way and changed his focus to his shoes. He didn't look up until he felt her body next to his.
"Chandler I can't lose you either." She paused and took a deep breath before continuing.
"But there is something that I need to get cleared up before we can go back to being friends." Chandler looked at her, he had no idea what he was going to tell him, afraid it was going to break his heart even more; she was going to tell him about Richard.
" Chandler…what you said earlier today in the lobby…about me and Richard." Chandler closed his eyes trying to shut it all out. Couldn't she see what this was doing to him?
"The thing is that…we…well we aren't together." Chandler's eyes shot open, had he heard her right, was he hearing things? He had to be.
"Wa…wh…what?" was all he could stammer. Monica slightly smiled. He looked so cute.
"We aren't together. He came to my hotel room to tell me that he was still in love with me…"
"oh…"
"NO, Chandler… no, I told him…I told him that I didn't feel the same way. I told him that…." She looked down feeling the hotness on her cheeks growing. She felt his hand on her shoulder and her eyes looked up and met his.
"I told him that I could never go back to him…because… I want to be with you." He closed his eyes. Was this really happening, was Monica really telling him that she wanted to be with him?
"Please Chandler…please tell me that you feel the same way." Chandler looked up and saw that she was crying.
"Please Chandler… I can't go back to only being your friend, not after last night…please…" He gathered her into his arms and wiped away her tears.
"It's always been you Mon." She smiled through tears, and he hugged her tight, afraid she would change her mind.
"Please promise me that this isn't some wonderful dream and I'm going to wake up from any minute. I couldn't handle that Mon… I just couldn't." She reached out and touched his cheek.
"No…no honey this isn't a dream, although it certainly would be the best one I've ever had."
He leaned in, he watched as she slowly closed her eyes and sighed at the touch of his hand on her face. He could feel her breath on his neck, he could smell her perfume on his clothes, and finally he could feel his lips on hers.
"Earlier when I said…about it being a mistake…" he mumbled in-between kisses
"You're my favorite mistake too."
They made love for the second night in a row. This time very different then the one before. Nothing was rushed, or hurried, no thoughts of being caught entered either's mind. All that was there were them. They both knew what they were getting into, and neither was scared of it. They embraced it. Their future was looking bright, only because the other was in it. If you want to know how happy they are now imagine the best dream you've ever hand and times that by 10, and that wouldn't even compare to their lives now that they were together.
The End