A/N: Just a quick thank you to everyone who read, review and followed this story - it means a lot to me that people like the story! :)
Disclaimer: I do not own Friends, the characters, or the storylines... Or anything else, for that matter.
The taxi came to a screeching halt outside of the hospital. Chandler threw some money at the driver and raced through the doors of the hospital.
"Monica Geller's room please," he said breathlessly. The elderly receptionist glanced at him, before typing something into her computer.
"I'm sorry sir, visiting hours have just ended."
Chandler checked his watch. 7:05pm.
He smiled at the receptionist.
"Her brother just called me and asked me to come visit. I only just got off of work." He gave her his best attempt at a charming smile.
She rolled her eyes. "Sorry sir, but visiting hours are over. You'll have to visit Ms. Geller tomorrow."
She returned to her computer, making it clear that the conversation was over. Chandler ran his fingers through his hair, frantic. He had to see Monica. He walked back to the entrance and called Ross' what seemed like an endless amount of rings, Ross finally picked up.
"Ross, it's Chandler. What room is Monica in?"
"306 man, come on up! She can't wait to see you," Ross said happily. He paused. "Although I'm not sure why. She is on a lot of pain medication though," he pondered aloud.
Chandler rolled his eyes. "Y'know I can still hear you, Ross."
"Just get up here alright? The nurse said if you don't get up here soon you can't come in. Visiting hours are over."
"So I've been told…" Chandler muttered. He hung up the phone and waited until the receptionist was dealing with someone else before making his way to the stairs. He found Monica's room easily and quietly entered, walking over to her bed.
"Hey you," Chandler said, smiling at Monica.
Standing with the rest of their friends on the other side of the bed,Ross looked at them curiously.
"Chandler, you mind if we go get food or coffee or something?" he asked, gesturing to their other friends. "We haven't had dinner or anything and the nurse said it could be a long night."
Chandler tried to hide his smile. "Yeah, no problem guys. Take as long as you like." He grinned at them.
They all sighed in relief. "That's great!", "Thanks Chandler!", "Thanks buddy!" they all said in unison, quickly leaving Monica and Chandler alone in the room.
He smiled at her. "I missed you."
She smiled back. "I missed you too, Bing."
He sat down on the edge of the bed and gently kissed her cheek. When she reached over and took his hand in hers, he noticed the marks on her arms. It was then thathenoticedshe looked weak, her face paler than usual, her eyes didn't contain their usual sparkle, and, on a second glance, Chandler noticed a small cut on her forehead, trailing back into her hair.
"Oh my god, Mon. What happened?" he whispered.
Her smile faded. She sat up and leaned against the bed frame, staring blankly at the white wall of her room. "Out of control fire. One of the candles burned the tablecloth… The table caught on fire... Before I knew it, there was huge blaze." She took a deep breath before continuing. "All of the customers were exiting out the front, so I thought I'd try the back. It was shut tight; didn't wouldn't budge. I pushed at it a few times - that's what the marks on my arms are from - but the smoke was spreading too quickly… There just wasn't enough oxygen and I didn't have enough strength. I ended up collapsing just as I pushed the door open. I was told one of the customers called an ambulance. I regained consciousness here an hour or two later," she explained.
Chandler stroked her hand with his thumb absentmindedly. "Thank God you're okay. I was so worried when I didn't hear from you. I called you and this guy from the fire department picked up." He shuddered. "Dumbass," he muttered under his breath.
"Chandler sweetie, I'm fine, okay?" She laughed weakly. "You're so sweet to worry though. But I'm the least of your problems; my parents are coming to see me tomorrow. Don't be offended when I tell them I'm still single."
Chandler huffed. "Me? Offended?" He shook his head. "Never. I'm the one that does all the offending, remember?" he said while chuckling.
Monica forced a smile. "Yeah, but I know you. You'll get all angry and protective when my parents - well, my mother - starts giving me condescending looks and lectures about how I'll never find a man unless I do something with myself." She sighed. "And, of course, no conversation with my mother would be complete without her snide remarks about how much better Ross is than me." She looked down at their intertwined hands and smiled, shifting her position slightly to rest her head on his shoulder.
"Actually, maybe you should stay at home for that conversation. It's probably best that I see her on my own. She'll have less to make fun of if my friends aren't here," she said added sarcastically. Chandler, however, detected a hint of genuine sadness in her tone.
"I'll be fine Monica," he said. "Are you sure you'll be alright? I'll stay with you if you want, and I won't say anything about us. Promise." He smiled at her.
She squeezed his hand. "Thank you, but it's okay. My mother will get suspicious, and the last thing I need is twenty questions about why you're here. She doesn't know how to have a relationship with her daughter, but if her daughter has a relationship with someone else she'll sniff it out faster than Joey and a meatball sub," she said bitterly.
He looked at her sadly. "Mon…"
She shook her head. "Don't you go pitying me Chandler. I don't need that from you now," she said firmly, a slightly angry look on her face. At his surprisedexpression she softened. "I'm sorry, that was uncalled for."
Chandler shook his head. "It's fine Mon. I know you're upset." He looked at her carefully. "You want to talk about it some more?"
She shook her head again, but he knew this wasn't over. He put his free arm around her and she moved closer to him. "Just forget about it Chandler," she whispered.
He sighed sadly. "Fine. Now, what did Ross mean about it being a long night? I assumed they were just keeping you overnight for observation." Chandler asked worriedly.
Monica didn't look at him.
"I'm fine. Ross just meant that he's staying in the hospital because he promised our parents he would. And he's real excited about it," she muttered. "Everyone else will be leaving when the nurse kicks you all out." She looked up at him.
"You'll have to go." she said quietly.
Chandler couldn't look at her. Leave her in the hospital? It probably didn't matter. Either way, he wouldn't get much sleep tonight.
There was silence for a few minutes.
"Chandler?"
"Yes, Monica?"
"You'll come pick me up tomorrow, won't you?"
Chandler had to laugh. "Of course I will. It's Sunday tomorrow, I'm not working. I'll pick you up, and we can spend the day together, okay?" He paused. "Well, until your parents get here anyway. Promise." He smiled at her, and sat back so she could lean against his chest. He stroked her hair and they sat quietly for a few moments.
Chandler wondered what her parents would say if Monica told them they were dating. It couldn't be that bad, could it? He thought they were reasonably fond of him; he had spent many a time day in the Geller house, and, apart from not eating Thanksgiving food, he thought he had got on rather well with them…
(Monica)
Monica wondered what Chandler would think if he knew that her parents had set her up on a date for next week. They had announced it on the phone when Ross called them to say Monica was in the hospital. It was so typical of them. Did they really think she was so hopeless that she needed her parents to set up dates for her? And of course, they saw nothing wrong on with announcing this news during a phone call about their daughter being hospitalized. It was like they didn't care.
"They'd care if I was too sick to go on the date," she thought bitterly.
She needed to tell Chandler... But now wasn't the time.
Her 'date' was a doctor, or maybe a nurse, her mother wasn't sure, ("Who cares, he's working his way up," she had declared, delighted.) in a hospital in Long Island, and supposedly a good friend of the family, although Monica had never heard of him or his parents. With her parents, however, it was never as simple as meeting a nice guy and thinking your daughter would like him. They were always polite and decent looking, but often plain and boring. Just what her parents wanted for her. But that wasn't what Monica wanted. She knew she only wanted Chandler.
She sat up quickly when she heard loud footsteps approaching their room. Chandler moved to sit on one of the uncomfortable chairs beside her bed.
The door burst open as the nurse entered with Monica's supper. She looked confusedly at Chandler.
"I'm sorry sir, but visiting hours are over. Miss Geller must eat now."
Monica sighed. Ross wasn't back, which meant she was probably going to be on her own tonight.
Just great, she thought.
She didn't really want to be on her own. She hadn't told any of them what the doctors had really said to her, preferring to stick to the "I'll be fine" response. The doctors had said there was only a small chance of the problem, anyway, so Monica had decided to keep quiet. Why worry everyone over a problem that might not be there?
(Chandler)
Chandler reluctantly got up from the chair. He looked at his watch and saw that it was 8:30. He kissed Monica's forehead and said, "I'll be back first thing tomorrow, okay Mon?"
She smiled. "I'll see you then."
He left the room and returned to reception, where he found Rachel, Ross, Phoebe and Joey arguing with the same receptionist Chandler had encountered earlier.
"Ross!" he called.
Ross turned around and saw Chandler leaving. He turned back to the receptionist and said "Sorry, we'll be going now."
He took Rachel's hand and walked away, motioning for the others to follow him. They caught up with Chandler outside.
"The nurse came in and kicked me out," Chandler explained.
Ross groaned. "Alright, if anyone is talking to my parents and they ask if I stayed with Monica, I spent all night in that hospital. Got it?"
"Ross, you might want to mention that to Monica first," Chandler said.
Ross thought about it for a second.
"She'll be fine. She'll work it out…I'll go in early tomorrow morning in case my parents arrive early."
"What time did they say they were coming?" Chandler asked nonchalantly.
"They weren't sure, probably around 12. Although, that probably means around 3. That way, Monica will be out of hospital and they won't have to go." He looked around at the slightly incredulous faces of his friends. "Mommy hates hospitals," Ross explained.
Rachel's hand flew to her forehead dramatically. "Ross, honey, you've got to stop calling her Mommy."
Ross went red, and he began muttering under his breath.
Phoebe hailed a taxi and they all squashed in. "Central Perk, please."
The taxi driver grunted in response.
When they arrived at Central Perk, and they went immediately to sit in their usual spot. Chandler hung back, grabbing Phoebe's elbow.
"Pheebs, I'm going to head home. I'm tired and I have to pick up Monica with Ross from the hospital tomorrow. I'll see you all tomorrow, alright?"
As he left, he realized that no one had questioned him about going to collect Monica, which surprised him. It made him wonder if his friends already suspected that there was something going on between himself and Monica, or were they really just so close before that nobody suspected anything?
When he reached his apartment, he went straight to bed and fell asleep almost immediately, dreaming of Monica.
A/N: Reviews, good or bad, are always appreciated. Thank you! :)