(A/N) Whoo, we're gaining on the final chapters! It could go either way from here - some of you will probably not like the next few chapters, and some of you probably will. Here's hoping the latter is a larger majority! Haha. Well, the reviews I got a lot of great reviews/questions last chapter, so I thought I'd answer them one-by-one! Feel free to skip the thank you's right to the chapter if you'd like! :)
elizzabeth avary - thank you! that meant a lot :)
miss dory - wow, thanks for all those ideas! your imagination is great. I wish I could've used all your plot ideas. anyway, no worries, this will be a happy ending ;) well, in my eyes at least. haha and a sequel is never out of the question!
Champers - yee thank you! I hope it will be dramatic, too ;)
BluEyes - ahh, I totally know what you mean - married Chandler is hard to corrupt, haha! :) next two chapters might be painful to read, but I promise it'll all work out.. for everyone? hehe, who knows!
Laurie M - you must be psychic, because - you can, indeed!
randler x - thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed. I hope the ending is happy too! and you're definitely not the only one who loves Randler ;)
BundyShoes - thanks! as for what happened in Season 9 - Joey was the one who crashed the convention with Rachel, and Rachel was the one who told Joey how she felt about her. haha! and the Phoebe/Mike and Charlie/Ross also happened. :)
Onwards to the chapter!
It'd been a long time since Chandler had done any form of exercising beyond taking the stairs at work when the elevator was too slow, or prying Joey out of whatever he had gotten himself stuck in that day. So it didn't come as much of a surprise when he found himself wheezing and aching after three laps of freestyle in the hotel pool. (Which was beautiful, in any case – that night, it was surrounded by small, glowing lights, white beach chairs underneath a gazebo, and looming trees around its perimeter.)
On his fourth lap back to the shallow end of the pool, Chandler decided to switch from the slightly more demanding freestyle to a lazier breaststroke. Swimming had been therapeutic – the warm night air, damp smell of chlorine, and cool water cutting through his strokes helped clear his head. Relaxing on the step in front of the strongest water jet didn't hurt, either.
Chandler kicked, feeling the calming rush of water over his back. You know, maybe that was the best way to leave things with Rachel for now, he mused, trying to feel optimistic as he floated comfortably in mid-stroke. I mean, it was hard, sure – but we both know it was best to quit cold turkey before it got too serious. And it's so touching that Rachel was so faithful to Monica, selflessly putting her friend's feelings before her own.
Yeah… maybe this all worked out perfectly.
His head broke through the surface of the water in a splash, immediately greeted by both the return of oxygen and – more surprisingly – a pair of sandals.
More specifically, female sandals.
Chandler had an extremely limited idea of what constituted fashion, but he could put money on the fact that these were very expensive and nice sandals.
Disoriented, he slowly directed his gaze upward. The sandals, it turned out, belonged to a pair of nice feet, followed by a pair of bare, tanned legs, an oversized white pullover, and lastly, a beautiful face covered with wispy blond bangs and trembling lips.
Chandler stood there in silent surprise, until the half of his body above water started to feel cold. It was completely quiet except for the chirping crickets and the sound of water splashing along the sides of the pool. He felt rooted to his spot as he stared up at the dark figure.
"Rach." His voice came out flat, but just the one syllable was heavy with unspoken emotion. Questioning. Warning. Longing. "I can't believe you came."
Rachel shook her head lightly – as if she herself were even wondering how she'd gotten there. She gave a small tearful smile and exhaled shakily,
"I missed my exit."
Chandler grasped the railing and slowly climbed out of the pool, step by step, afraid to break eye contact with Rachel lest she disappear if he blinked. In this manner, he quickly pulled on his shirt. It soaked through immediately.
He couldn't believe this was happening. His heart thudded against his ribcage in anticipation, feeling the way one would feel right before he knew something really big was about to happen. It was always the uncertainty over whether it'd be good or bad and how to compose oneself. Knowing that every step took one closer to the resolution. That it was inevitably going to happen.
"So." Chandler finally spoke, hands buried in the pockets of his trunks. "What did you – why – I mean, what made you –" He trailed off, not knowing what to say.
"Don't say anything." Rachel still had that sad smile playing across her lips. "I've been thinking for hours. Just listen."
He nodded.
She took a deep breath and continued, "Do you remember what I said that day? About Barry?"
Chandler didn't need clarification. About what day, or about what she had said about Barry. "I remember." He heard her 23-year-old voice as clear as if it were yesterday – "The idea of Barry for the rest of my life – I don't know… I feel like I need to have one last fling, you know, just to get it out of my system. I'm serious! I just need to have some meaningless sex."
"I was engaged then."
"I know."
They were entering dangerous territory, once again. 'The Line' hovered between them, wobbly and tantalizing, re-drawing itself closer and closer to their feet in hopes that one of them would take the first step to cross it.
"It wouldn't have been wrong."
"It wouldn't have been right."
"Barry would've understood."
"Barry slept with your bridesmaid. This is Monica we're talking about."
Rachel opened her mouth to speak, but closed it, as if conceding a good point. Finally, she sighed, "Look, I know this isn't… ideal, Chandler." She placed a hand on his forearm, but Chandler pulled away. He couldn't handle her touch yet. Not just yet.
Rachel noticed this and folded her arms. "I know there's a lot at risk here," she tried again. Chandler's reluctance seemed to fill her with a renewed sense of fervor. "But I just couldn't – I didn't want to make this mistake again. I chose not to go back to you ten years ago, and look what it's done to us. All the unresolved would've could've-s? I couldn't make the same mistake again. We could've been together right now if I had turned the car around ten years ago."
There was silence.
"I did this for me," Rachel continued, voice growing stronger with each passing word. "I didn't want to walk away today and spend the next few years wondering what could've happened if I had gone back. But you need to decide on your own what you want to do. I'm not going to talk you into making a decision or try to make it for you. All I'm going to do is let you know that I'm here for you. I don't care if you need me or tell me to walk away. I've done my part now; I can live with myself. If you tell me to go, I'll do it." Her eyes were shiny with tears. "You just say the word. Say the word, Chandler, and I'll turn around and leave."
Chandler swallowed. Rachel was holding her breath, waiting for an answer from the person she had just spilled the entire contents of her heart to. He'd made up his mind a long time ago.
He closed the distance between them, watching Rachel's face change as he did so – from challenging to anxious to surprised. One arm reached for her shoulder and the other wrapped around her waist. They both came together so perfectly, so warmly – like puzzle pieces finally reunited after being on the opposite sides of the table for so long. Friends on opposite sides of the armchair.
But they were together now. So close that Chandler didn't want to let go. So close that he could feel Rachel's breath warm the cold, wet spots of his drenched shirt and send his nerves singing. So close that if he shut his eyes, he couldn't tell where he ended and she began. So close that if he turned his face slightly, he could brush aside her hair and cover the crook of her neck with soft kisses.
"I don't think I could stand," Chandler murmured into her hair, "ever having to say goodbye to you again."
(A/N) How was it? I hope you liked it! I'm still nervous about this one, so feel free to let me know what you thought :) Thanks so much for reading, and I'll update ASAP!
