Hey everybody.. I'm back with a new chapter :) First of all I want to take some time to thank MinaParole that she reviewed this story, cos her stories are so inspirational for me as a Roschel shipper/ fanfic writer. I really love TOW The Ski Trip and The Long Road Home. I always wait for her ongoing story that is Fix You. So just.. thankyou so much to you. And all of you guys, please continue with the love you're giving to this story. It brightens up my day to read them all. I hope to live up to your expectations.
"Look at you, Em.. all ready and pretty" Rachel gushed and kissed the top of her head as Ross entered the room.
"So I checked out of the other room.." This brought a big smile on Rachel's face. He came further in, to stand near her. She turned her face up for a peck on the lips. "Do you have anything planned for today?" Ross asked as he encircled his arms around her waist. She rested her hands on his chest.
"No. Not today. Just need to stop by Ralph Lauren headquarters here to collect my itinerary for the week. Then we can plan out how we are gonna spend time together" They kissed "Is that okay?" She asked when she pulled away.
"Of course, sweetie. We're together now. It's all that matters" She smiled as he used 'sweetie'. He pulled his hands and continued "In fact I think..." He took Emma into his arms from her crib "Emma and I will have more fun, just the two of us" He teased. "Won't we, Emma?" He nodded his head up and down and Emma imitated her father, making Rachel laugh.
"Ross, would you look at these heels? They're so made for me" Rachel sat on the bench and straightened her legs to see the boots from a distance at a Jimmy Choo showroom. Ross rolled his eyes, he just didn't get the logic of buying something that she already had. He turned around to see them anyway.
"Wow, these look real nice" Ross commented just like an ideal boyfriend, as he saw them. They really were nice but then the price tag came into his view "500 Euros? You've got to be kidding me" His eyes almost popped out of his head.
"Would you chill? Please.. they're on sale. Down to 425"
"Still Rachel, we can't get those. You'll get the same ones back home at a cheaper rate" He reasoned.
"But these are so pretty. And they match with my dress for the fashion show" She pouted hugging the stiletto to her chest. Ross chuckled.
"I am putting my foot down on this one" He said sternly as he patted Emma on the back when she coughed a little.
"Fine. Now I'm not going to get you a dinosaur tie from Ralph Lauren" She hissed. Ross laughed. Honestly, she didn't expect him to buy her those heels but she always got a kick seeing him all dramatic.
(...)
"I start working two days from now so.. we get today and tomorrow, to make our time count together" Rachel said while reading her itinerary.
The family of three sat in a decent diner near the Louvre. Emma was in her car seat and Ross was making her spoon of baby food go like an aeroplane into her mouth. She laughed seeing her father. Once again, Rachel found herself lost in the moment. Two people she loved the most in the whole world were right there in front of her. With her. She could see the future. A house, probably in Scarsdale, a little brother for Emma, just like Ross had planned. Whoa.. where did all that come from? Rachel seemed to be torn between her two selves.
'Ross has never mentioned anything about marriage. And you're already imagining a family!' She reasoned.
'But it is a beautiful future' She countered.
'Of course it is, it's with Ross' She realised. She smiled beyond herself. Her trail of thoughts was broken when she heard a clicking. It was Ross.
"What's up with you?" He asked amazed by her phase out.
"Nothing... I was just admiring you guys together" She kept her hand over his on the table "There are no words to describe this beautiful sight" She directed her gaze at their daughter.
A few moments passed just like that before Ross realised they must get going.
"Hey.. do you wanna go see the sunset at the Eiffel Tower?"
Rachel smiled. "You remembered?"
Flashback : 1996
Two bodies were wrapped up in each other's arms, lying lazily on a cozy bed in a bedroom at an Inn in the Hamptons. It had french windows on one side of the room and the curtains were open.
Ross and Rachel were there to celebrate the valentine's day weekend. It was their first valentine's. And they were certain there would be more to come.
Her back was pressed against his chest. The bundle of their hands rested on her stomach. She played with his hand, which was big as compared to her smaller, feminine hands. She intertwined her right with his left one. They fit. Just perfectly.
"You have nice hands" She said unknowingly. He reciprocated her compliment with a kiss on her cheek.
"Look.." He started "The sun is about to set"
She directed her gaze towards the window where she could see the bright orange colour of the sun when it is about to set. The two lovers watched the beautiful natural phenomenon silently. They felt content to share the inexplicable moment with each other.
As the room got dark, Rachel tightened her grasp on Ross' hands making him smile in awe. He brought one of her hands to his mouth to kiss her fingertips.
"You know Ross.." She called for his attention. He rubbed the pad of his thumb on her arm letting her know he was listening. "I really like to see the sunsets. It gives us hope that tomorrow, another day will come to start a fresh"
"Mm-hmm"
"And I have always heard how the sight of a sunset at the Eiffel Tower is so enthralling" He smiled, making a note in mind to plan a getaway to the most romantic city of the world.
"I want to go to Paris to witness the serenity someday.." He gave her hand a squeeze "..with you" She added.
"And we will" He said with certainty.
End of flashback
"This is so..." Rachel trailed off not knowing the perfect word for it, leaning on the balustrade.
"I know" Ross said. He did know. It's not everyday that he got to spend an evening in Paris watching the sunset at the Eiffel Tower. And that too with Rachel.
She turned to Ross "I can't believe you remembered" In the back of her mind came a visual of herself saying the exact same words to their friends all those years ago, when she found out about Ross' feelings for herself on her first birthday in the city.
"How could I forget?" Ross said softly, stroking Emma's hair "I even remember planning a trip to Paris for our one year anniversary but.." He trailed off, not wanting to remember that phase of their time together. And Rachel knew. She knew very well how that sentence was to end.
"..but we broke up" She finished for him, with a frown.
"No.. I mean yes, we did. But we wouldn't have if I had gone through with the trip plan"
"Why didn't you mention anything to me?" She questioned.
"Rach you barely had time to see me cos of your new job, how could I ask you to travel an ocean across with me for a week so that I could propo-" He stopped and looked down, mentally kicking himself. Her jaw dropped. She kept looking at him trying to comprehend what he was going to say.
"What?" Rachel inquired. Did I just hear him say he was going to propose? In Paris? He kept shut. "Ross?" No answer. "Hey.." She said as she cupped his face to make him look into her eyes. "You were going to propose to me?" He nodded. "Oh Ross.." She kissed him slowly but passionately. He instinctively encircled her waist with his right arm as he held Emma in his left. She pulled away and let her hands remain on his cheek. "I broke your heart when I didn't give you another chance, didn't I?"
"So did I" He said with a guilt "But you gave me one. THIS one. And you don't know how happy that made me" A faint smile on his face. He kissed her forehead and firmly held his hand to guide her down.
"Ross, I was wondering if you could come to the event with me tonight" Rachel asked as they laid in each other's arms on the sunny morning. The alarm clock had just woken them up and they were just enjoying the feeling of being together.
"But what about Emma? I don't think these fashion shows are for infants, Rach" He countered with a chuckle, continuously stroking her back.
"Well.. I was thinking, since tonight's party is in the ballroom of this hotel itself, we could put Emma in the crèche. If there is any problem, they can call us right away" She reasoned. Ross gave it a thought, it didn't seem like a bad option.
"Okay but.. I don't have a tux to wear to a formal event" This made Rachel look up at him from where her head rested on his chest. When she didn't say anything, Ross said "What?"
"Honey.. let me just remind you of the fact that we are in the fashion capital of the world" She smacked him on the chest.
