Hey, I know I've have like a million and one stories I should update but here's a short story for Valentines day! Set just after Tow the Jellyfish. Ross and Rachel are fighting still. Please review and let me know what you think.

Dedicated to Matthew Perry… hope he gets better soon!

Enjoy!

The Trial Of Chandler Bing

A Date Is Set:

Chandler glanced up from his cards and across at Monica, a small smile on his face.

"Gin!" Monica grinned proudly as she set her cards down.

"We were playing Gin?" Chandler quipped. "Y'know if we were a couple, we could play this game naked."

"Will you stop!" Monica couldn't help but laugh slightly. It had started when they went to the beach house with Phoebe. He had offered to be her boyfriend and she had laughed at him. Now he wouldn't let it go, he wanted to prove he was boyfriend material.

"Okay…All right…." He forced a small smile.

"Okay, all right, I think you're great, I think you're sweet, and you're smart, and I love you…." She couldn't take that hurt look on his face. She smiled when he took her hand. "But you will always be the guy who peed on me."

"Okay…" He pulled his hands away from hers. "On that note, I think I'll leave…"

"You okay?" She asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine…"

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure…" He nodded. "We're best friends, nothing could happen between…."

"Yeah, we're best friends…" She smiled, hugging him. "Thank you."

"What for?" He frowned slightly.

"For being a friend." She told him. "For being sweet enough to offer to be my boyfriend."

"No problem…but if you ever change your mind, you know where I am…" He teased, winking before turning to head for the door.

He hadn't really been serious about dating her but when she laughed at him it made him want to prove he could be a good boyfriend to her. He had seen how badly she was treated by guys and knew he wouldn't be able to do that to her. She deserved someone great, who would love her and take care of her, giving her everything she had ever dreamed for since she was a little girl. Even if he did have those kind of feelings for her, he knew he wouldn't be what she wanted because there was no way he could make her dreams come true. He wasn't the type of guy who wanted to settle down and have a family.

"Chandler?" Monica called out to him just as he was about the close the door.

"Yeah?"

"Okay…"

"Okay, what?" He frowned.

"I'll go out with you…"

"What!" He looked at her shocked.

"I mean if you were serious."

"Yo…you wanna date me!" Chandler stuttered. "But I'm Chandler…and your Monica…"

"Well, you did say…"

"But I never thought you'd agree!"

"Oh, so you didn't mean it then?" She said quietly, embarrassed.

"What? No…I mean yes…" He said quickly. "I mean, I never thought about you'd agree!"

"You've said that…" She looked up at him.

"Look, Mon…when I said all that stuff, I was messing around." He told her.

"Okay…it doesn't matter."

"Yes it does." He said.

"Chandler, like you said we're best friends…"

"Who are going on a date." He interrupted.

"What? No, Chandler I don't want a pity date…"

"It's not a pity date…we're best friends who care a lot about each other." He claimed. "Why can't we go for a movie and dinner."

"Yeah but you said…"

"I'll pick you up at 7:00."

"Chandler…"

"See you later, Mon…" He flashed her a smile before closing the door behind him.

Monica sighed but couldn't help a small smile spread across her face.

XxXxX

"What time is it?" Monica asked as she walked out the bathroom, wrapped in the towel.

"6:30..." Ross told her, shooting Rachel a look, who was pretending to ignore him.

"You got a date tonight, Mon?" Phoebe asked.

"Yeah, in half an hour so can't talk…" She smiled and headed into her room.

"Wow, wait with who?" Ross went into big brother mode.

"Does it matter?" She asked nervously, not knowing how her friends would react.

"Oh, it's someone we know isn't!" Rachel looked up from her magazine.

"Oh I bet its Gunther…no…Treeger…Oh Ugly Naked guy!" Phoebe guessed.

"What? No!" Monica gave her a look.

"It's so funny!" Joey laughed.

"Uh, what is?" Monica asked.

"Well, both you and Chandler have a date and are acting weird about it…"

Rachel, Ross and Phoebe looked at Joey quickly and then back at Monica.

"Oh my god!" Rachel was the first to speak. "You said yes!"

"Well…"

"What?" Joey looked confused.

"You and Chandler!" Ross exclaimed, ignoring him.

"What!" Joey jumped up. "You're dating Chandler!"

"No dating!" Monica sighed. "Its just one date, it doesn't mean anything!"

"Oh my god…" Rachel said again. "This is great!"

"What!" Ross looked at her.

"Oh, you're going to be so cute… best friends for years then you fall in love…"

"And your kids are going to be so cute!" Phoebe added. "Your hair and eyes….his smile…"

"Wow wow wow…hold on…" Monica stopped them. "We're going out for a dinner and a movie…we're not dating, it's probably going to be a one time thing…"

"Oh, you're no fun!" Phoebe sighed, sitting back down.

"You're really going out with Chandler?" Joey asked, she nodded. "How come you wouldn't go out with me!"

"Joey…" Monica moaned. "Its different."

"How?"

"Me and Chandler are best friends."

"So?"

Monica just rolled her eyes. "Can I go change, now?"

"Fine…" Joey gave in and returned to the TV. He wasn't really bothered anyway.

"Well, I've got to pick up Ben…" Ross said, grabbing his jacket. "Mon?"

"Yeah?" She stopped in her doorway to look at him, worried what he would say.

"Have a good time, yeah…" He gave her a small smile and quickly glanced at Rachel.

"I will, thanks…"

"No problem…Bye."

Monica smiled again as he closed the door before going into her room to get ready; wondering what the night would bring.

TBC


Please review and let me know what you think!