AN: I'm sorry if the last chapter was rushed, I really didn't think of the foundation of how I really wanted to write this story, I just started writing.
Anyway, please enjoy! More to come! I welcome all constructive criticism.
Beep. Beep. Beep. The sound resonated through the room and pierced Rachel's brain as a plethora of emotions and thoughts flowed across her mind. It was six o'clock in the morning when she arrived at the hospital with Monica, Chandler, and Joey. Phoebe arrived several minutes after them, bursting through the door.
"Is he alright?" Phoebe ran straight over to Ross, but not before noticing Monica kneeling at his bedside squeezing his hand, crying.
A sniffle and a removal of tears, and Monica stood up to hug her.
"Sweetie," Monica said, choked, "It doesn't look good."
"No…" Phoebe could not help but cry. She had been through so much herself, but to see her friend helpless, it was a pain unlike any other.
Phoebe turned around to see Joey and Chandler standing behind her, distraught.
"You guys…" She shuffled over to them and clinged to them, but her eyes were glued to Rachel, who was sitting in the corner of the room, her face in her hands.
Not even she knew what she was really feeling.
Of course she was angry at Ross. He cheated on her. All of that was herded to the back of her mind now, however. Rachel stared at Ross on the hospital bed, and couldn't help but cry her eyes out. Breaking up couldn't compare to seeing her best friend, her lover, lie there motionless. He was always so feisty, so independent. This reflected in Monica, but she too cringed upon the sight of her brother.
A blank stare filled Rachel's face. She stood up and steadily walked toward Ross. She could not contemplate the suffering he must be in, but would he be able to feel hers? Leaning down, she whispered in his ear, hoping she could hear him.
"I love you Ross." She said, softly trembling.
Rachel would trade places with him in a heartbeat. She loved him with all the power in the universe.
Feeling hands rub her back, she fell into the safety net of her friends, and they held each other for what felt like forever.
Deciding to take a walk that afternoon, Rachel slumped out of the hospital, finally calming down.
An aroma of vanilla filled the air as Rachel passed by Central Perk, which reminded her of her first kiss with Ross. It was vibrant in her mind, like it happened yesterday. This image was suddenly replaced by them breaking up. It was all so trivial now, she thought, as Ross may never wake up. Even if he did, would he be the same? She loves everything about him, even his jealousy. It was only because he cared. If there was a rewind button, she would cherish every moment with him even more than she already did.
Passing through Central Park, Rachel stopped and gazed into the water. She appeared twenty years older. Her makeup ran. That didn't bother her though. She looked at herself in disgust. This didn't have to happen. She told Ross to leave last night. It could have been prevented. As she gazed into the water, each ripple reminded her of Ross, spreading outward, thinning, until nothing is left. That was what he felt like last night. Now, he can't feel anything but pain. Lying in that hospital bed, can he hear? The cries of Monica and Phoebe? The choked up speeches of Chandler and Joey? That only brings him more pain. Ross cares so much for his friends, and Rachel knew that he would take a million bullets for each of them. As she cries and her tears strike the water, the ripples become bigger, and bigger, until they reach the other side of the pond. They stop abruptly at their destination, the cold cement wall. Rachel wanted to believe that the wall was Ross's happiness. He can stop fighting then, and be happy. Maybe with her.
Yes, with her.
Still in a sad yet anxious stupor, Rachel rushes back to the hospital and heads into Ross's room. All of the gang besides Monica, who was still at his bedside, was asleep. Rachel never thought she could smile again, but she did when she saw Monica hold her brother's hand. Rachel never had a brother, no one to really protect her when she was growing up. Ross filled that hole.
Rachel rushed over to his side, and Monica immediately gave her room. Touching his porcelain skin with her silk hands, she hoped that he could hear her.
"Ross, sweetheart," Her breathing became heavy. "I love you. I don't care about Chloe or Mark or anything like that now. I need you. I need you to come back. I'm nothing without you, Ross. Your life is so much more important than some stupid relationship crap. I love you. We love you. You should see Monica bawling. Hell, you should've seen Phoebe and Joey."
Rachel drew a smile across her tear-ridden face. Monica soon followed.
"You're a strong person Ross. You will pull through. Use some of that stubbornness to wake up!" She kissed him on the forehead, and put her hand on his. "Sweetie, you have no idea how much I love you. We can work through our relationship problems. But if you left us, I'd be lost forever. We need you, Ross. Please, wake up." Rachel could barely speak at this point, and she rested her head against the bed.
Ross heard every word.
