In the airport terminal, Sandra Green stands with a luggage cart ready to welcome her daughter and granddaughter back to America. Passengers shuffle disorientedly out of the gate as people do after a long flight. Finally, Rachel and Emma emerge. Emma runs to her grandmother with an enthusiastic shout, "Gramma." Sandra kneels to hug her.
"Oh, there's my baby girl. You've gotten so big since last time I saw you," says Sandra as Rachel tiredly joins them.
"Hi Mom," she says as they hug.
"Welcome home, Sweetie."
"Thanks for coming to meet us."
"Of course, though I'm a bit surprised I'm the only one here."
"Yeah, well, there's a, uh, good reason for that. I'll explain later."
"Okay, well, you must both be tired after such a long flight."
"I am, but Em fell asleep somewhere over the Arctic and just woke up."
"Well then, lets get the bags and get back to my place."
After some sleep and a shower, Rachel was feeling better. She and Sandra stood in Sandra's kitchen sipping coffee as Rachel told her story.
"So that's why nobody else was at the airport?" questions Sandra
"Yep, I didn't tell anyone but you that I was coming back," responds Rachel.
"But why not? I know all of them will be happy to see you."
"I don't know. I guess I was just scared."
"Scared? Of who? Monica and Chandler? Phoebe? I mean, she was always a little scary."
"No, I mean, Monica and Chandler will be happy, and I'm going to go see them first thing tomorrow. And Phoebe will be glad."
"So then the one you're really hiding from is…" Sandra trails off, leaving the name unspoken.
"His name's Ross, Mom."
" I know. And I also know he misses you like crazy."
"You really think so?"
"I know so. Oh, he's never come out and said anything, but I can tell. The question is, are you ready to face him?"
"I honestly don't know."
We're in the entry hall of a nice house. The doorbell rings and we hear a man in the next room say, "I'll get it." Chandler, a little gray around the temples but very distinguished looking, enters and answers the door.
"Well hi Emma. Who's your friend?" asks Chandler
Emma laughs back, "Uncle Chandler, you know who she is."
Chandler, now kidding, "Well, she looks an awful lot like someone I used to be friends with. But it couldn't be. That person moved to France and we never saw her again."
"Come on, Chandler," says Rachel, who honestly expected no less from the man who was her neighbor for so long.
Monica comes down the stairs distractedly asking, "Who is it hon…" She trails of as she sees who it is. After blinking and double checking, she runs past Chandler while yelling, "Omigod, Rachel. You're here. You're really here." Monica and Rachel hug like the long lost sisters they are.
Chandler, still in the midst of his kidding, "Rachel, yep, that was her name all right."
"Same old Chandler," laughs Rachel.
"How're you doing, Rach? What brings you back to this side of the pond?" He asks as he hugs her.
"Long story"
Monica, still smiling, says, "Well, come on in. Emma, your cousins are playing in the back yard. Why don't you join them?"
Emma looks to Rachel, "Can I?"
"May I, and yes, of course you may."
Emma takes off running, not hearing Monica admonish, "No running in the…nevermind. So, interest you in a cup of coffee?"
"You bet."
The trio of old friends move into Monica's large, immaculate kitchen taking up positions around the large center island.
Monica, as she pours coffee, commands, "Alright, Missy, start talking."
"About?"
"Let's start with an easy one. How long are you here?"
"That one's not that easy."
"Oh?"
"I'm not sure, maybe forever."
Chandler, happily, "They transferred you back? That's great."
"Not exactly."
Monica, taking control of the conversation again, "You got another job?"
"You're getting warmer. I quit."
"What? I thought everything was going so well? Dream come true and all?"
"Yeah, well, guess Joey's not the only one who can act. Truth is, it was awful. I knew it would be tough in the beginning, trying to learn a new job and a new language, taking care of Emma by myself, not knowing anybody. I expected all that, but it just never got better. Then there was the whole Jean-Paul thing."
"Jean-Paul?"
"This great guy I was dating. He was handsome, smart, funny, and great with Emma. Everything a girl could ask for. So, naturally, I broke his heart. I liked him a lot, but when it came right down to it, he wasn't the right guy. And we worked together, and it was too hard seeing him all the time. Especially when I was already so unhappy with everything. So, I quit and decided to come back here."
"And you couldn't pick up a phone," asks Chandler in typical Chandler style. In a well-rehearsed fashion, Monica glares at him, and he shuts up and drinks his coffee.
"Well, things happened fast. Besides, I wasn't sure how you'd react."
"You weren't sure?" Monica questions, a bit surprised.
"Well, I mean, I was sure how you'd react. And Phoebe and Joey. But, you know, I haven't seen or spoken to Ross in five years. Not since the day I left when he poured his heart out at the airport and I just left him standing there."
Chandler, deciding it's safe to rejoin the conversation, asks, "So he doesn't know you're back either?"
"Nope, nobody but you two and my Mom. We're staying with her for now."
"But why the secrecy? You could have just told us not to tell Ross."
"Yeah, but truth be told, I wasn't sure I was coming until I got on the plane in Paris. Didn't want to get your hopes up and then chicken out."
Monica asks the next obvious question, "How's Emma handling all of this?"
"She doesn't know. As far as she knows, we're just on a vacation. Since I don't know for sure that we're staying in New York yet, I don't know what to tell her."
"What, why wouldn't you stay? I mean, you quit your job in Paris, and New York is the fashion capitol."
"Yeah, but I don't think that I want another fashion job. It's just not as much fun as it used to be. I'm thinking maybe a clean start would be good."
"You can do that in New York. Hey, you like advertising? Maybe I can get you on at the firm," enthuses Chandler.
"Don't get me wrong, I want to stay in New York. Hadn't realized just how much I missed it until I looked out that window yesterday and saw Manhattan. But it really depends on how things end up with Ross."
Chandler looks to respond, but at a glance from Monica, changes his mind.
"So you are going to see him?" asks Monica
"I've got to. He's got a right to know his daughter's back on this continent. And, for better or worse, we've got to settle things between us once and for all. But, enough about that. What about Joey?" She switches to a Joey voice "How's he doin?"
"He's great. Of course, you can't help but have heard about all of the success."
"Yeah, it's crazy. Joey, who never had two cents to rub together, a famous, multi-millionaire movie star. But, I guess he's still the same Joey."
"Actually, he's settled down a lot. He's engaged."
"What? This is my old roommate, the Manhattan love machine we're talking about?" asks Rachel, shocked, but laughing.
"Yep, and it gets better. She's a schoolteacher."
"Whoa, Joey with a teacher. I think I'd better sit down. I mean, back in the old days, he wouldn't even date a woman who read books. Guess he has calmed down."
Chandler, chuckling, adds, "Believe it or not, in some bizarre way, they're perfect for each other. Man, he's gonna be so excited you're back. They'll probably be on the first plane out here."
"I hope so. I've missed him so much. And how's Phoebe?"
"She's great. The triplets just turned two."
"They're the cutest little things," adds Chandler with a face-wide grin.
"And I bet they love their Uncle Chandler. Can't wait to see them."
"Well, as a matter of fact, Phoebe, Mike, and the triplets are coming over for lunch. Should be here in just a little while."
"And Ross?" asks Rachel, a bit hopeful
"No, he's…busy."
"Oh-kay. Well, I've been dying to meet Jack and Erica."
"That's right, you haven't seen them since the day they were born. Well, come on Aunt Rachel."
"Aunt Rachel. I like the sound of that."
A/N: Okay, I know the first couple of sections have been just dialogue and coffee, but hey, it is "Friends" we're talking about. Besides, it's all necessary plot exposition. The story will pick up from here.
