Boyfriend Material, Day three

It's been a while, but I'm back to torture you. I don't have an excuse for my absence other than I'm lazy.

Disclaimer : I don't own them and I'm not even going to pretend.

 Authors note: I really don't know where I'm going with this one so lets just see what happens….

Chandler dejectedly slumped against the door Monica had just slammed in his face. He brushed his fingers over his lips, tracing where Monica's passionate kisses had been just a minute before. Wearily he stood up and entered his apartment, ready to fall into a dead slumber and forget what had just happened.

Monica tossed and turned in a fitful sleep. In her dream Chandler was kissing her all over, bringing her closer and closer to the brink. Panting she woke up with a start. Guilt washed over her as wisps of her dream floated around her mind.

" Oh God." She moaned into her hands, she knew she was in danger of drowning if she didn't pull herself together. A knock on the door pulled her sharply from her thoughts.

" Monica, I need a favour…" Rachel declared as she marched through the door. When she saw the mess on the floor, still not tidied from the night before, she stopped in her tracks.

" Oh my God! "

"What?" Monica snapped

" It's just the mess…."

" So there's mess in my room, so what?"  Monica scowled; she had bigger things to worry about.

" Are you feeling okay?" Rachel asked her friend suspiciously

" I'm fine just great!" Monica raged as she stormed out of her bedroom.

" Geez, I only asked!" exclaimed Rachel, a little offended.

Monica sighed, " I'm sorry Rach, I just haven't had the best nights sleep."

Rachel shrugged, willing to accept her friend's excuse.

Half an hour later and breakfast was in full swing. Standing tentatively outside Monica's apartment, listening to his chattering friends, Chandler banged his head in frustration against the wall. Taking a big breath, he strode into the apartment full of false bravado,

"Hey Guys!"

Everyone greeted him cheerfully. Everyone, apart from Monica who stayed silent, unable to look him in the eye. Chandler wasn't surprised, and yet he couldn't drag his eyes from her. Her hair was piled high on her head and all he wanted to do was place soft kisses on her smooth, white skin until she was gasping for air.

"Earth to Chandler!" exclaimed Phoebe, dragging him from his treacherous thoughts.

"Huh what?" he replied, quickly dropping his eyes to the floor.

Phoebe repeated her question, slowly so that her apparently distracted friend could understand,

" Did you and Mon have fun last night"

" Depends what you mean by fun" intoned Monica from the cooker.

" Like that was it? Chandler you dog!" Winked Joey, obviously not catching the icy edge in her voice.

"Joey!" shouted Ross angrily, "Don't give him any idea's!"

Breakfast continued in this way. Joey making inappropriate comments, Ross yelling and Monica doing her level best to give Chandler the cold shoulder, her iciness attempting to mask the fire in her heart.

As the food began to run out, the gang started to break up. Before they knew it or could prevent it, Monica and Chandler were left alone.

" So ummm…" Chandler stuttered, Monica just ignored him.

Sighing Chandler ran his hands through his hair. He noted the irony in their situation, Monica had always been his confidant over his screwed up relationships but now she was part of them she wouldn't listen. He tried again,

" Look Mon do you want to talk about what happened last night?" His question hung ominously in the silent air.

" No Chandler, I really don't" Monica answered, willing herself to stay calm

"  Mon I really think we need to talk…."

" And I really don't," with that she turned on her heel and practically ran to her room.

Monica sat down heavily on her bed and sighed loudly. She felt overwhelmed with guilt at how she had treated Chandler but was at a complete loss at what to do. She thumped the bed and cursed under her breath, strongly disliking the feeling of helplessness that was filling her body. Starting to tidy the mess in her room, as an attempt to regain control, she swore again at herself and Chandler, furious that they had let themselves get into such an uncomfortable position.

Chandler watched her go then silently left the apartment. For the first time in his life he didn't understand her and that scared him more than anything else ever had. He entered his apartment and slumped down into his barca lounger , watching the seconds tick away as he tried to figure out what to do.

~* That Evening~*

Monica climbed up the last flight of stairs and fumbled in her bag for her key. All day she had tried to run away from her thoughts of Chandler and she was now both mentally and physically exhausted. Tilting her tired body against the wall she was about to turn the key in the lock when she heard raised voices from inside the apartment.

" Why can't you just accept responsibility Ross?" shouted Rachel.

Monica gritted her teeth, unable to cope with another one of Ross and Rachel's bouts  on today of all days. Leaning her head against the door, she continued to listen to their argument.

" Accept responsibility? WE WERE ON A BREAK!"

" Oh you know what Ross, you know what?"

"What?!"

" We were on a break is just your way of avoiding admitting you're in the wrong!"

As Rachel's voice became shriller, Monica tuned out the argument and realised with horror that she was trapped. From past experience she knew that Rachel and Ross's 'spat' could continue well into the night. It was already late, Central Perk was closed and she really didn't want to wander the New York streets in the dark. She turned towards Chandler's apartment and realised that if she wanted any sleep at all it was her only option. Fighting against her better judgement, she knocked softly and pushed the door open.

" Hey is anyone there?" She asked tentatively, already feeling uncomfortable. At the sound of her voice, Chandler whipped around.

"I thought you weren't speaking to me" he stated, a hint of resentment in his voice.

" Well Ross and Rachel are fighting and I figured if I wanted any sleep my best bet was here." Monica told him, staring intently at her feet.

Chandler gazed at her bent head, a million questions he had been pondering all day running through his head. Deciding to bite the bullet, he swung his chair around to face her.

" Am I really that repulsive?"

" What?!!" Monica asked incredulously. She had been preparing herself for a number of reactions, but not this. The way Chandler was willing to take total responsibility for her coldness towards him made the guilt weigh heavy on her shoulders.

" Am I really so bad that you'd rather avoid me than have to talk about it?"

" Oh my God Chandler, no,"  Monica stumbled over her words as she rushed to rectify the situation, " You're my best friend."

" Obviously," said Chandler sarcastically. Monica looked at him and realised how much she had hurt him by simply shutting him out.

" Look Chandler, I'm really sorry. I've let something stupid and trivial get in the way of our friendship. It was a stupid idea for me to be your 'girlfriend' it put both of us in an unsuitable and uncomfortable position. Lets just forget what happened and be friends again." As she finished her speech, she took a deep breath, tried to swallow her less than friendly feelings, and waited for his answer.

Chandler looked at her for a moment then gestured for her to come and hug him. She willing climbed into the chair with him and buried her face in his shoulder. Chandler kissed her hair reassuringly,

" I'm sorry too Mon I took advantage of the situation," Monica looked up at him and smiled gratefully. They both knew what he said was not true; she had wanted to kiss him as much as he had wanted to kiss her. She knew by taking responsibility he was offering her a no strings attached 'get out of jail free card' What she didn't know was whether she wanted to take it or not.

As they sat in silence, Chandler gently stroked her hair. He was smart enough to recognise that the moments to follow would be the defining ones in their relationship. As the air grew heavier he allowed a small part of himself to believe that maybe they could be more than just friends. The air was crackling with electricity and repressed passion. Ever so slowly, he slid his hand down Monica's shirt till it was resting lightly on the small of her back. Facing no resistance, he became uncharacteristically bold and began to slide his hand up and down her back.

" No Chandler," Mon whispered from his shoulder, " just friends, remember"

Resignedly Chandler removed his hand and smiled sheepishly at her. She looked up at him, directly into to his blue eyes. Reaching up to his face with a wavering hand, she brushed his hair off his brow. Un able to stop herself, her hand lingered and began to stroke his cheek gently.

" I thought we were just friends" Chandler asked mischief gleaming in his eyes as he kissed her wrists.

" We are," she said breathlessly, leaning forward and planting a soft kiss on his nose and then his cheek, " and I'm sorry because that was inappropriate behaviour. As was this," she planted another kiss, just below his ear, " And this," she said as she planted a sweet kiss firmly on his lips.

" So is this" whispered back Chandler as his leant forward and kissed her with all the pent up passion he had been hiding for so long. Monica kissed back hungrily and moaned into his mouth, this time she didn't even try to fight the feelings that were building up inside of her. She was filled to the brim with a serene sense of happiness. Monica decided then and there that there would be a day four to her and Chandler's pact and that it would be the beginning of the rest of their lives together.

" Friends forever?" Chandler asked as he carried her into his room.

" Friends forever" Monica confirmed, sealing the deal with a soft, tender kiss.

THE END!

Originally I was gonna drag this on for longer but I really couldn't be bothered. I think I like it better this way short and (sickly) sweet. What do you guys think? Please leave a review and tell me J

*gets down on her knees to beg*

Okay this is just degrading!