The door didn't open very far before it stopped short, and Ross walked right into it.
"Ow!" he yelped, rubbing his head. The chain was on. Why was the chain on? "Carol?!"
"Who is it?" Carol's voice came back.
"It's me, Ross!" he called. He could see the living room was filled with candles and rose petals. Was she surprising him? Was that why the door was chained on the inside? She wasn't finished yet?
"Ross," Carol said, huffing. She went over to the door and shut it to undo the chain. Then she opened it again. Ross gaped at her. She was in a red silk robe.
"Wow," he said. "This makes up for you not being at the hospital."
"What?" she asked, confused.
"Gnaaaahhhhh!" Chandler shouted, throwing himself at Ross. Halfway into it he remembered Ross was fragile and probably shouldn't be slammed into, but Ross moved quickly, solving the problem for him. He hit the floor very hard.
"THERE you are! Phoebe cried, tugging on Ross' arm.
"What are you guys doing?" Ross asked angrily.
"Yes, can someone please explain to me what's going on?" Carol questioned. Then she saw Ross properly with his cuts and bandages. "Wait, were you hurt?!"
"Didn't they tell you?" Ross demanded. He glared at Chandler and Phoebe.
"Tell me what?!"
"Ross had an accident and now has amnesia," Phoebe said quickly, trying to give Carol a silent message.
"Ross! How did this happen?" Carol asked. A part of her wished all three of these goons were not on her doorstep. Susan was due to arrive any moment.
"I...I don't really know," Ross admitted, rubbing his head again.
"He flipped the Porsche," Chandler answered from the ground. He pulled himself up and dusted himself off. "Smacked his head real hard. Now he thinks it's 1992." He gave Carol a meaningful look. It took five seconds for her to put it together.
"Oh, God," she said.
"Are you throwing a party or something?" Susan asked, coming into the hallway and seeing everyone at the door. She stopped in front of them.
"No," Carol answered quickly. "Susan, can you talk to Chandler and Phoebe for a moment? I need to speak with Ross." She pulled Ross inside and shut the door.
"What's going on?" Susan asked. Phoebe and Chandler looked at each other.
"You tell it," Chandler instructed.
...
Rachel was back in her own room in Joey's apartment. Monica could only distract her for so long, and after a while, Rachel was tired of pretending to be interested. She also didn't think she'd be able to keep this pregnancy a secret much longer if she stayed over there. Rachel had no idea what to do about this. How was she going to have Ross' baby when Ross didn't even remember her?! She started to cry. How could she ever explain to their child that Ross had no idea who they were? She didn't know what to do.
...
"Ross," Carol said firmly. "We are not married." Ross looked around the apartment at everything. He had argued her first three attempts at telling him they were no longer together.
"Are you sure?" he asked, starting to feel scared.
"Ross! How many times do I have to tell you?"
"A million, I guess, cos this isn't sinking in," Ross snapped. His head hurt. He felt like his vision was blurry. He wasn't understanding why Carol was saying they weren't married.
"Here," Susan said, coming inside and walking up to Carol. "Will this help you figure it out?" She planted a kiss right on Carol's lips. Ross felt gutted.
"You're cheating on me?" he whispered, horrified.
"It was seven years ago, Ross," Carol said softly. "I discovered I was in love with a woman. Susan." Ross felt a flicker of memory that vaguely resembled what she was saying.
"Ross? Buddy?" Chandler said, touching his shoulder lightly. "You ready to go home?"
"I...I guess," Ross agreed. He stared at Carol, his heart breaking. How could this have gone wrong? How could this have happened? He didn't understand. Phoebe was quiet behind them. She felt terrible that Ross had his heart shattered into pieces by Carol, again. Ross reluctantly let Chandler steer him out the door.
"I'm so sorry, man," Chandler said as they left. Carol moved to close the door behind them. She and Ross shared one last look at each other before it snapped shut.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Ross demanded.
"I did!" Chandler exclaimed. "Multiple times!"
"I don't believe this!" Ross exploded. "What is wrong with me? Was I that repulsive to her?"
"No, no, no," Phoebe said. "Ross, she fell out of love with you and into love with someone else. It wasn't anything you did."
"This hurts so much," Ross managed to say. He felt like a part of him was dying.
"Let's get you home," Chandler urged. He and Phoebe put their arms around him and walked him down to hail a cab. Joey came out of nowhere just then, huffing and puffing from the run.
"Is he all right?" Joey asked, noticing Ross' face.
"We time warped to 1994, Joey," Chandler explained. Joey made an "oh" face, getting what Chandler meant.
"Does this mean he's going to go through the Rachel versus Julie faze again?" Joey asked.
"Who's Rachel?" Ross asked. "And Julie?"
"Oh boy," Joey said nervously. "Uh...uhhh, they're the cats you couldn't decide between."
"I like cats?" Ross asked. "I didn't think I did."
"Here we are!" Phoebe exclaimed as a cab suddenly stopped. She didn't get in with the boys.
"You're not coming?" Chandler asked.
"I'm a little tired of living in the past," she answered. She hailed another cab for herself. Truth be told, she couldn't stand seeing the broken look on Ross' face anymore.
...
Monica chucked the phone away from her as fast as she could when Chandler came through the door. He stopped and stared at her while she twisted her hands in that way that meant she had done something she wasn't supposed to.
"Whatcha doing?" he asked.
"Nothing," she answered quickly.
"You know you're not very discreet when you're hiding something," he pointed out.
"Is Ross home okay?" she asked, changing the subject.
"Yea. He didn't want me to stay. Mon, I'm worried about him. He was so upset after Carol told him they weren't together."
"It's not like we didn't try to tell him," Monica said.
"I know, but you weren't there."
"I was the first time," she retorted.
"What if he never gets his memory back?" Chandler asked. He sat down on the couch, and she joined him.
"I think it will. I have faith," she answered.
"I wish I did," Chandler muttered.
"Where's Joey?" Monica asked suddenly. "Did he find you in the end?"
"Hmm? Yea, he did. Ross wouldn't let him into the apartment. Something about not wanting to give Joey any ideas for his next film."
"We have got to get him to watch Days of Our Lives," Monica laughed. "Then he can see Joey acting more appropriately."
"It went right over Joey's head, don't worry," Chandler smirked. "How's Rachel doing?"
"I'm worried about her. She seems really upset that Ross doesn't remember her. No matter how many times I say it could be temporary..."
"You'd be upset too if you were in her place," Chandler pointed out.
"I know, I know," she sighed. The phone rang then. She dove to answer it with Chandler landing on top of her. He wrestled the phone out of her grip.
"No!" she cried.
"Hello?" he said at the same time. There was a big pause. Then Chandler looked at her. "Hi, Dad."
"Sorry," she mouthed, wincing.
"Why yes, you are invited to the wedding. I'm so glad Monica called you," Chandler said a tad sarcastically. He shot daggers at Monica. He conversed for a moment longer before hanging up.
"You called him?" he demanded.
"Yes," she cringed. "I figured since we didn't get down there to personally invite him, we should call."
"I can't believe you did that," Chandler accused.
"You'd feel guilty after if you didn't," Monica argued.
"You're probably right," Chandler agreed. "I'm sorry."
"It's okay," she smiled.
"By the way, you owe me ten bucks," he said, reminding her of the bet they had about Susan kissing Carol making Ross finally understand the truth.
"Damn it," Monica muttered.
The Next Day
"Ross?" Monica called, knocking on his door. Her brother opened it wearing sweats and a t-shirt. He looked miserable.
"What?" he asked.
"I'm so sorry," she said, reaching out to hug him. He let her, but his heart wasn't into it. "You doing okay?"
"No," he answered. "I don't have a wife anymore, Mon. That's not okay!"
"I know it isn't," she said. She patted his arm. "I'm sorry you don't remember."
"That's just it," Ross went on. "I don't! You all seem to know my life pretty well, and I can't remember what year it is!"
"2001," Monica murmured, unable to help herself.
"Whatever," Ross snapped.
"Ross, you have to trust that your memories might come back," Monica started.
"And if they don't? I'm just gonna be trapped in 1992 forever?"
"No. I think you'll adapt..."
"Ross!" Judy cried, rushing into the room. Jack was on her heels. They had been away on a trip when they got home and received Monica's voicemail.
"Mom, Dad," Ross said.
"Whew," Monica muttered. That would have been a tough one to explain if he didn't recognize his own parents.
"Are you all right?" Judy asked, petting him and squeezing him. Jack was examining him all over.
"I'm fine," Ross answered.
"You look like someone shot your dog, son," Jack pointed out.
"I just found out that Carol is with someone else," Ross explained. Judy and Jack looked at Monica, confused.
"He thinks it's 1992," she said. Judy gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. Jack just continued to look confused.
"Yes, but I know it's really 2001," Ross went on.
"How could you let him take the Porsche?" Judy trilled.
"What?!" Monica cried.
"Judy," Jack warned.
"That stupid car!" Judy went on, hysterical. "I knew you should have sold it, Jack. I KNEW it! It was too dangerous!"
"Hey, any car is dangerous," Jack said defensively.
"Mom," Monica interrupted. "It was an accident, okay? An accident."
"Yea," Jack chimed in. "It wasn't the car's fault."
"Dad!"
"What?"
"Oh, Ross," Judy said, fawning over him. "I can't believe I almost lost you."
"Here we go," Monica groaned.
"Let's go out for brunch," Judy suggested.
"Okay," Ross agreed.
"Don't confuse him anymore than he already is," Monica warned as they pulled Ross out the door with them. She grabbed Jack's arm fiercely.
"And do not bring up Ben. He doesn't know he has a son. I'm trying to figure out how to break that to him," she whispered fiercely.
"Got it," he nodded. Then they were gone. Monica went home to keep preparing for her wedding. It was, after all, only a few days away now.
...
Monica had told her about Ross being heartbroken over Carol. It made Rachel feel even worse. She was also barely able to keep her secret anymore. In fact...
"I'm pregnant," Rachel said quietly. Joey had been digging into his cereal on the counter and stopped chewing, not having heard her properly.
"What?" he asked, his mouth full.
"I'm pregnant, Joey," she said louder. "With Ross' baby." Joey dropped his spoon with a loud clatter, choking at the same time. He banged on his chest to clear his airway.
"You what?" he croaked finally, his eyes watering.
"I'm pregnant with Ross' baby!" Rachel shouted, starting to cry. "I almost killed him. I made him lose his mind and be hurt by Carol again, and now I'm having his baby that he won't even know is his! I am the worst person in the world right now." She buried her face into her hands.
"No," he said, coming around the counter. "No, no, no. You are not! Rach, it was an accident. You didn't do it on purpose."
"I shouldn't have been driving at all!" she shrieked. "I should have listened to him and Monica when they said I should not drive the Porsche. What was I thinking?!"
"I...I don't know what to say, Rach, but I do know this isn't your fault," he soothed. She jammed her face into his shoulder as he pulled her into him.
"I should have died," she said, muffled by his shirt. "I should be dead."
"Oh, don't talk like that!" Joey exclaimed. "Come on! You're smarter than that!"
"Am I? Am I really?" she challenged.
"Yes," he said firmly. "You are. Now stop it. Ross is getting better. He knows it's 2001 now." He had heard from Monica about that progress.
"Not helping! And do not tell anyone. This is our secret!" Rachel called over her shoulder as she went to her room. She just wanted to hide.
"Aw man," Joey whined. Why was it always him that got stuck with the damn secrets?!
Thank you for the lovely reviews! I'm so glad you are enjoying this story.
