Monica's party was coming up.

Mike had to skip because of work but the gang would be there, as if everything was okay.

Phoebe was still unsure about her feelings.

I'm getting married soon, I am not even at the altar and already having cold feet! I should have put on some socks, I hate this feeling.

Someone was knocking at the door and to Phoebe's surprise it was Rachel.

"Rach what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be at the party?"

"I am, but I was in the neighborhood and thought we could go together. You are coming right?" Rachel asked Phoebe.

"Of course, just let me get my jacket." Phoebe went to pick it from the closet in the living room only to grab air.

"Pheebs... Your jacket is on the couch." Rachel said, a bit worried.

"Oh, I knew that!"

Rachel was still standing by the door wit an raised eyebrow. "Pheebs you have acted really weird lately and not the typical Phoebe-esque weird that we all like about you... Is everything okay with you?"

"That question... is a matter of opinion." Phoebe said while putting on her jacket.

Should I tell her? Rachel is one of my closest friends and she has never let me down when talking to her about things.

"You can tell me everything" Rachel sat her down at the couch and took her hand in hers.

Phoebe paused for a while. She thought long enough in a few seconds if she was going to tell her or not.

"Rachel, promise me this will stay between us two?"

"Of course! I would never let you down!"

Phoebe sighed and then let if finally out.

"I think I'm losing my feelings for Mike."

Rachel was quit for a few seconds. She was shocked and yet calm about it.

"Are you thinking of leaving?" She finally asked Phoebe.

"I don't know...I feel like I'm being torn between Mike and Joe-"

Before she could finish Rachel had already heard enough it seems.

"Noooo." Rachel said in shock. "Joey? Our Joey?"

Phoebe could only nod.

"Well... Have you told him anything?"

"I did... I asked him if he could be the minister at our wedding..."

Rachel couldn't believe her ears. "Pheebs... Really?"

"I don't know how to talk to him anymore! We used to be so close and I always felt like he was the only who could understand me but now he is so distant ever since I got together with Mike."

"You have to talk to him. Do it before Monica's party or I don't know... Do it soon at least!" Rachel pleaded to her friend Phoebe.

Joey's POV

They were all gathered at Monica's place. A lot of people were mingeling, a lot of names and faces he would soon forget, and also people he had no idea were friends with Monica.

"Hi Joe! Enjoying the party?" Chandler asked him.

"Uh, yeah. Cool party. Who are all of these people?" Joey asked and gestured to all of the people at the apartment.

Chandler chuckled for a while until he actually noticed the people. "I have no idea." His smile went out directly. He sipped on what seemed to be beer.

"So noticed anyone special yet?" Chandler broke off the silence. He looked at Joey who seemed a bit distant from his usual self.

"Uhm, what do ya mean?" Joey asked his friend.

"Well, you haven't been saying any pick up lines to anyone of these women, you haven't even talked to anyone of them. Are you okay buddy?"

"I'm okay, I'm okay." Joey said. "Just a bit tired y'know?"

"From sitting in front of the TV?" Chandler asked again.

"Uhh... Yeah well actually, the remote is missing so y'know... I actually had to get up from the chair." Joey said and seemed to act as if it was the most unbelieveable thing ever to happen. Of course it was, for him.

Moments later. Phoebe had arrived and was welcomed by the rest of the gang. Joey froze for a moment but noticed that Mike wasn't with her. Should I walk up to her? Or just act as if nothing? What if she sees me looking at her?

"Hey, Joe! Phoebe is here!" Ross called out.

Shut up Ross. SHUT UP.

"Hi Pheebs." Joey walked up to the blonde. "How you doin'?" He said with a smile. He noticed her giggling and how she looked down and then up at him. How I love her smile.

"I didn't see ya..." He said again.

"Really?" Phoebe said and the smile went out. She seemed serious about something. Like something was on her mind.

"Oh, you know. I was talking to this other girl... There she is!" Joey waved to a long haired figure standing a couple of meters from them. I hope she just waves back. "Hi how you doin'?" He said trying to be flirty while being nervous.

The long haired person turned around and it was a male co-worker from Monica's job. He looked annoyed at Phoebe and Joey.

"What ya want?" he said showing off his thick mustasche.

"Uh, sorry wrong person..." Joey said with a shaky smile as the person turned around and walked away.

Phoebe turned to Joey. "She seems delightful."

I'm a huge ass.

Phoebe's POV

She noticed Joey standing near the kitchen when she came in.

"Hi Pheebs!" Rachel greeted her first. "Where's Mike?"

"He couldn't come... He had work to do." Phoebe said holding her jacket.

"Anyway Joey is here... Have you talked to him yet?"

Phoebe shook her head as a no.

"Pheebs...You have to talk to him before it is to la-"

Chandler, Monica and Ross showed up to greet Phoebe when Rachel was interrupted.

"Where's Mikey-Mike?" Chandler asked which had Ross react.

"Mikey-Mike?" Ross asked.

"What? Isn't that his nickname? We don't have a nickame for him?" Chandler asked surprised. "I will shut up now." Chandler said when he noticed the friends looking at him.

"Where's Joey?" Ross said and looked around. "There he is. Hey, Joe! Phoebe is here!"

Oh no...

Joey looked out of character at first but then he approached her with a smile that made her heart skip a beat.

"Hi Pheebs. How you doin'?" he smiled at her.

She started giggling at him. Should I tell him right now?

"I didn't see ya." he said.

Oh... Guess that's why he didn't greet me.

"Really?" Phoebe said a bit melancholic.

" Oh, you know. I was talking to this other girl... There she is!" he waved at a girl who was a complete stranger to Phoebe. "How you doin'?" he said in to the girl.

The girl turned around only to show them the thick mustasche.

Joey gasped but quickly got quit.

"What ya want?" the man sounded annoyed.

"Uh, sorry wrong person..." Joey said and faked a smile.

The man grunted and left them both to join the rest of the partygoers.

"She seems delightful." Phoebe said and turned to Joey.

"Uh, the girl must have left before you got here..."

Phoebe's urge to tell him went away quickly after the whole ordeal. He doesn't seem interested. What if I ruin our friendship?

"Why isn't Mike here?" Joey said to quickly change the course of the conversation.

"He couldn't come. He was busy with something else." Phoebe said.

"Can I take your jacket?" Joey quickly removed the clothing from her hand only to quickly feel the stone on her engagement ring. He held her hand and looked at the ring for a good second or two.

"It must have been worth it." Joey said and put her jacket up on the wall.

"What do you mean?"

"Uh... It's a nice ring... And of course, you're worth it. It must have cost thousands..." Joey's smiled at her.

Oh...Joey...She thought. I have to tell him or I'll have to go through with this wedding.

"Uhm.. Joey... I have to tell you something..."

"HEEY GUUYS!" A wild drunken Ross appeared.

Oh great... Ross..

"I just wanted ya'll to know...You twoo... are my bestest friends everrr."

"That is great Ross." Joey looked at Ross irritated for his bad timing.

"Joebe and Phoey..." he hugged them both hard.

"Oh wow, great. Kinda choking me to death here." Phoebe said and got away from Ross' death grip.

A couple of hours later - Joey's POV

The party ended when Ross had passed out on a woman's lap.

"Great Ross...Thank you so much!" Monica said sarcastically.

"Uh... What happened?"

"Remember when Chandler gave you that drink because you were too nervous to talk to women? Remember that?" Rachel asked him.

"Nah..." Ross said, still drunk.

"Well that happened." Monica gave Chandler the evil eye.

"I guess I should help our friend here." Chandler helped Ross to his and Joey's apartment to get away from Rachel and Monica as quickly as possible.

"I should leave now." Phoebe said and got her jacket off the wall. "Mike might be home right now..."

Rachel gave her a quick look and glanced at Joey.

Phoebe answered with shaking her head.

"Ohh... You're leaving already?" Rachel said loudly and leaned towards Joey who was sitting down. "Can't you stay for a minute longer or not?" she pinched Joey which had him react quickly.

"Hey... Don't pi-" Joey noticed Phoebe walking out of the door.

Oh shit... She's leaving?

"Hey Pheebs?"

"Yeah?" Phoebe said before closing the door.

"Are you walking home already?" Monica said. "It is really late. I don't think the streets are safe at this time."

"Mon, I think you are forgetting that I know these streets better than I know the palm of my hand." She took a look at her and. "Wow, didn't notice that line before..."

"Uh, Monica is right. I should go with you." Joey said and got up from the couch.

"Joey... I really don't-"

"Oh, c'mon. It's dark outside. I'll walk you home!"

Before Monica and Rachel could say something, Joey had already gotten up and closed the door.

"What the hell was that?" Monica asked Rachel.

Rachel shrugged while hiding a smile from her friend.

"I really don't need you to walk me home." Phoebe said to him.

"Why not?" Joey asked her. "What if somebody robs you?"

"You mean I can't protect myself from robbers? I need you?"

"I'm just saying, your chances of being robbed will be a lot lower if you are with a guy." Joey said and quickly started to regret what he just said.

Phoebe couldn't believe her ears. "Really? My chances?" she started to laugh. "Joey, you would never survive the streets."

"Really?" He started to smile when she laughed. She had a contagious laughter which had him smile at her.

"You seem to forget I was raised on the streets." Phoebe said, still smiling but looked seriously at him.

"Oh... I'm sorry. I didn't mean..."

"It's okay..." Phoebe said. "We are getting close now... I guess I can go by myself now.."

Before they could even say their goodbye's a short bearded man with a beanie jumped in front of them yielding a knife.

"Hey! Give me that purse!" he spat out.

"What is the chance of that?" Joey said and looked at Phoebe and then back the man. "How 'bout you put that knife down before someone get's hurt?" Joey got in front of Phoebe.

"Joey... Please..."

"I got this Pheebs. How 'bout you wash your face and go back to your mom's house okay? It's almost 2 in the morning and I'm sure you have school tomorrow..." Joey told the man.

"Fuck, ya said to me?" the short man was boiling in anger.

"I said..." Suddenly everything got black for Joey. He felt his face getting warm and suddenly blood was streaming out of his nose.

"Hey, HEY!" Phoebe yelled at the man. "Punching my friend in the face and you deal with me! Okay?" She slapped the man so hard he fell down to the gutter.

"Damn lady... " the man ran away with a cut on his face. Most likely from her engagement ring.

Joey tried to get up from the ground.

"Ow... Ow..."

"Are you okay?" Phoebe said helping him get up.

"Hey... Guess who I am now..." Joey said trying to stop the bleeding from his nose with his sleeve. "Could I be anymore okay?" he laughed and had blood coming down his mouth.

"Joey..." she said in utter disbelief. "This is not the good time to tell a joke..."

"But you smiled? Didn't ya?" he raised his finger while hiding his nose with the other hand.

She tried to hide her smile while looking at him. "It's just... The timing when you said that and then it happened."

"Hilarious isn't it?"

"You should come in by the way, I need to check on that nose for you." Phoebe said and got inside. "Come on."

"You want me to get inside?"

"No I won't you to stay out here in the cold with a nose that might be broken. Come inside!" she dragged him in to her apartment.

Is she really inviting me in? What if Mike is home. What if I make an ass out of myself?

Before he could say anything else, the door behind him was closed.