AN: This chapter continues from more or less where the last one left off. Italics - Monica's thoughts. This is the complete bathtub scene.

For all those who reviewed the previous chapter, Thank you! I hope you guys will like this, too.

Bingsrule: No offense taken! I mean, that's what reviews and readers are for - Suggestions. I thrive on your views and constructive criticisms. So please don't hesitate to give me your opinions :)

Disclaimer: Nope, Zilch, nothin', nada.

That Thing Called Love

Chapter 3

Chandler collapsed next to Monica, wrapping her in his arms, both breathless from their recent exertion, reveling in their sex-induced euphoria.

They never knew sex to be this good before London. They wondered what it was that made it even better than they had ever known it to be. They didn't know whether it was due to the aspect of it being a secret or because of something else that they felt for each other but were reluctant to admit.

Monica was well aware of her character traits. She knew her pluses and minuses from a very young age.

The result of living with a constantly belittling mother for 18 years.

She knew that spontaneity and impulsiveness were not among those traits. She found herself wondering whether this 'thing' between them had the potential to go any further than what it was now, and whether he even contemplated such a possibility.

She didn't pursue that line of thoughts further, for it seemed too soon a time to be doing that. Besides, she wanted her life, for once, to be not controlled by her. She was developing a strong liking towards both spontaneity and impulsiveness.

Once their breathing returned to their normal states, Chandler bent down to kiss her softly on the lips.

"Wow," he whispered, caressing her back as the kiss ended.

"I know," she whispered back, her skin tingling from his touch.

"What time is it?" she asked a few minutes later, twisting in his embrace to see the clock on his nightstand.

"Must be around 8," he replied, trying to look at his clock, too, and found out that he was actually right.

"So we've been in bed for like two hours now…" she observed, returning her head to his chest, her fingers tracing invisible lines on his arm.

"Guess so."

"You know what I'd love to do now?" she asked, looking up at him.

"I know, Monica, but you've got to let me rest for some time, you know," he replied with a suggestive grin.

"Ha ha, very funny," she said with a laugh, hitting his arm playfully. "I'd love to take a bath. I mean, I didn't even get a chance to wash my face or change my clothes after work."

"Oh… Your clothes are all on the floor, so I don't think you should be complaining about not changing out of them. Besides, this is our last night together before Rachel comes, so don't go now…" he trailed off, his eyes pleading.

I am not planning to leave anytime soon.

She slid up a few inches on the bed, kissing him sweetly on the mouth.

"I am not leaving, sweetie, I was just thinking, now that Joey is not here, would you be interested in taking a bath with me?" she asked, playing with the hair at the nape of his neck.

"You know that'd be hard for me to say no to," he replied smiling.

Fifteen minutes later, they both sat down in the bathtub filled with warm water and bubbles, each holding a glass of wine in their hands, the flickering candle light and the aroma of it making the atmosphere more romantic than it already was.

"I haven't had a bubble bath in years, and by years, I mean decades," commented Chandler, as he sat down, feeling Monica's legs slide over his.

"Really? I can't go without one even for a week. It is so relaxing. I mean, isn't this nice?" she asked, sliding her foot up his thigh.

"With you here, it sure is." He smiled. They clinked their glasses before taking a sip from it.

Monica noticed that he had a far-off look on his face and deduced that it was probably due to what her feet were doing under the water. It didn't go unnoticed with her that he looked incredibly cute in the candle light, with the bubbles all around him.

"You look cute in bubble," she said softly, grinning as his left hand found hers beneath the bubbles.

"Eh, you're just all liquored up," he responded with a self-conscious grin, making them both laugh.

I am gonna kiss you now. Who knows, maybe it'll lead to more.

They both leaned in for a kiss and when their lips were centimeters apart, they heard the knock on the bathroom door, causing them both to draw back.

Who the hell is that?

They heard Joey's voice say, "Hey, it's me. I am coming in."

This cannot be happening. Not now. God, what do I do?

They were both so shocked at the sudden interruption that all they could do was stare at each other helplessly for a couple of seconds, before Monica's natural instincts took over. She took a deep breath and ducked beneath the bubbles, into the water.

Whatever you do, do it fast Chandler. I don't want to drown in your bathtub!

Chandler was left staring at the empty space and was a moment too late to notice that the brim of Monica's glass was still showing through the bubbles, as he tried to spread the bubbles across the water surface. Joey entered a second later, doing a double take as he took in the candles, bubbles, and wine.

"I've had a very long hard day…" Chandler said in an abnormally shaky voice, which Joey might have mistaken to mean that he actually had had a 'very long hard day'.

Joey nodded his understanding, as if to say 'whatever works for you, dude'.

Just a little while longer. I can do this! What is Joey doing here anyway? Isn't he supposed to be on a date? God, all I can hear is muffled voices.

"You're home early?" Chandler noted with a hint of curiosity.

"Yeah, my date threw up…," Joey shrugged, indicating that he had no idea how that'd happened. Chandler shrugged back, his face clearly showing that he was utterly uncomfortable with the whole situation. Anyone other than Joey would have noticed that.

Get him out of here, Chandler! Fast!

"I am gonna get some chicken, you want some?" Joey asked, being the caring, considerate roommate that he was.

"Ah, no thanks, no chicken, buh-bye then," Chandler nodded curtly, with a smile. There was nothing much he could come up with, with a drowning Monica right next to him.

"Okay," said Joey, and Chandler was relieved when his best friend turned to leave the bathroom, but his relief was short-lived when Joey turned back again, quickly.

"You sure? Some extra crispy? Dirty rice? Beans?" he asked again to make sure.

My lungs should burst any second now!

Chandler felt Monica pinch his leg lightly, to signal to him that she had reached a point where she cannot hold her breath for much longer. He had to get Joey out of the bathroom, soon.

"For the last time, NO! Get out! Get out, Joey!" he yelled. He was never good under pressure.

"Okay!" said Joey, giving one last what's up with him look.

The second she heard the door close, Monica came up for air.

"Are you okay? I am so sorry. He wouldn't leave. He kept asking me if I wanted chicken!" said Chandler, concern lining his face.

"Chicken?" Monica looked at the door longingly. She hadn't eaten anything in hours.

Chicken wouldn't be such a bad idea.

"I can eat some chicken…," she admitted, her stomach growling even at the prospect of food.

"Hey, Joe!" Chandler yelled to call his friend, so that he'd hear it through the closed door. He watched Monica take a deep breath and duck into the water, again.

Joey came back in instantly, with an inquiring look on his face.

"Yeah, can I get a 3-piece, some Coleslaw, and some beans, and a Coke-" Chandler's statement was cut halfway through when he felt Monica pinch his thigh with much more intensity than the last time.

Coke? Always get a diet coke! Doesn't he know me at all?

"Aaaah aaah aaah aaah!" he yelped in pain, before adding "diet coke" and nodding his head to convey to Joey that that was all he wanted.

That's more like it…

Joey gave him a thumbs-up before leaving out the door to place the order, not even giving a second thought as to what all the shouting was about.

Monica heard the door close again and came back up from under the water.

"Hey! That was really mean!" cried Chandler, with an accusing glare, rubbing the sore spot.

"I am sorry sweetie, but I had to get your attention!" She smiled, placing her hand over his.

"There are other ways to do that, you know…" He looked a little mollified.

"Yeah, I guess I just need more practice." She leaned in to kiss him.

Within a few seconds, they were in the middle of a very passionate embrace and a flurry of kisses. He pulled back to look at her. "This might be even harder to explain, should he come in again."

"I think we'll manage…" she mumbled against his lips before crashing down on them with her own.

As it got more heated, she felt Chandler pull back again.

God, why does he keep breaking the kiss!

"What's wrong?" She drew back, too.

"Mon, I don't think we should do this now," he whispered, looking uncomfortable.

"Why not?" She was curious.

He's ready to do it, with my brother in the next room, but won't do it, with Joey in the next room?

"It's just…" he trailed off, looking even more uncomfortable.

"Chandler,"

"It's just, I am not comfortable with having sex here," he said quietly, not quite meeting her eyes.

Something about his demeanor made her smile, but she was still intrigued by his confession.

"Because it's slippery…?" she asked him, for she could think of no other reason why he wouldn't want do it in the bathroom. She sat on the other end of the tub, much like how they had at first.

"Well…"

"Oh, come on!"

"This is where people make number twos!" he cried, still keeping his voice low, very much aware of Joey's presence in the apartment.

She stared at him, unable to form a response. That, she wasn't expecting.

Once it sunk in, she giggled, as he looked at her defensively.

"C'mon, think about it, would you rather have sex with someone in some place romantic or in a place where people relieve their bowels?" He knew that would work on her. There was nothing that could possibly disgust her more and for once, he was glad that she had her own share of little obsessive things, so that she wouldn't judge him for his.

That is disgusting! Way to ruin the mood, Chandler...

"Okay, that's like one of the most disgusting things I've ever heard. Anyway, you're right. I would never probably have sex in a bathroom, ever again," she replied, shaking her head lightly.

He smiled at her. He knew her too well.

Since he had successfully managed to diffuse the romantic mood, they both sat at their respective ends of the bathtub, wondering how they were going to leave the bathroom without Joey noticing.

"You know, since Joey is right outside, how are we gonna get me out of here?" she asked him, a minute later. She didn't have many ideas. Since he knew Joey's habits better, she wondered whether he did.

Before he could answer, they heard Joey knock the door again, "Dude, the food should be here any minute now. I am gonna go down to the coffeehouse for a bit, I think I left my wallet there. Not that it has any money in it, but it has those condoms I bought this afternoon, you know for tonight with that girl Jessica. Man, I still cannot believe she threw up! I still cannot believe that I saw her throw up…" he rambled on.

Joey, you're getting side-tracked.

Chandler rolled his eyes, "Joey, Joey!" he called out.

He abruptly stopped his rambling. "Yeah?"

"Do you want me to get the food, if you're not here?" Chandler asked hopefully.

There might be a way for me to sneak out.

"Yeah, and Chandler, are you alright? You've been in there for ages! I know you have a different way of doing things, but even for you, candles and bubble bath are a li-" Joey began in a really worried voice.

"Joey, I am fine! Just go get your wallet. I'll be out in a minute. I'll get the food." Chandler cut Joey off before he dragged his masculinity into the conversation. It was bad enough that most of his friends still thought he was effeminate, and it wouldn't do his ego any good if he let Joey continue the conversation in front of Monica.

"If you're sure."

"I am sure. Just go now!" Chandler yelled again, trying to speed up the whole process.

"Fine!" Joey said, muttering "God knows what's wrong with him," as he went out the door, slamming it hard.

Chandler immediately got out of the bathtub and extended a hand toward Monica pulling her out, too.

"Okay, we have to be quick," he whispered, although he didn't know why he was whispering.

They grabbed their robes from behind the door, hers beneath his, which she had brought from her apartment before drawing the bath. He turned to drain off the water in the tub.

"What about the candles?" she asked, looking a bit hesitant to leave out the door.

Does he really expect me to leave it like this?

"I'll take care of it, Monica." He opened the bathroom door to leave. "Just go now, go get dressed and come back." He held the door to his apartment open. She nodded and started to leave.

He caught her by her ankle just as she placed a foot out the threshold, pulling her towards him, holding her close to him. "Hey, don't take too long, though," he murmured with a slight grin, their faces inches apart.

"Why not?" she whispered back, a grin forming on her face, drawing herself closer to him as she pushed his back against the doorframe.

"Because…" he trailed off, placing a small kiss on her lips and leaning his forehead against hers, "because, then you may have to eat a cold chicken."

She chuckled. She'd expected him to say something silly, and there it was. "Or no chicken, because Joey might eat it all, so I'd better hurry up." She kissed him softly and pulled herself from his embrace.

He watched her leave his apartment and enter hers, the smile on his face unwavering.

If he didn't figure out a way to hide his happiness when she was around, he was going to have a hard time answering his friends' questions.

~.~.~

A/N: Man, that was long! OK, I know I say this at the end of each and every chapter in both my fics, but please review. The response that I received for the previous chapter was just lukewarm, so I really need to know that I am not wasting my time writing a story that nobody cares about. It bugs me that I get a 100 visitors for each of my chapters, but just 3 reviews. And people who've subscribed to my fics, I really appreciate it, but I'd appreciate it even more if you could tell me your opinion on them.

So if there are any Mondler fans out there, who are still reading this story, please let me know whether or not you're interested in this, and whether or not I should continue. That's the only favor I am asking of you.