I'll Be There For You
Chapter 11: May 1992
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This is the actual new part!
Okay, my bad on the delay in updating. I kinda skipped over an entire year when I had this story planned out, and I could have just gone with it, but, well, I'm a bit of a perfectionist and pretty dang stubborn and have a bit of a need to be right, so…yea. I realized, about a day after posting the last part, that I had skipped a year on my theoretical timeline. It angered me. And frustrated me to no end. And led to a lack of updating this for a couple of months while I tried to fix it. I hated everything I came up with to fill in that year, and none of it quite worked out in my head.
So, problem solved, I added a chapter in-between. Still not completely satisfied, but it will have to do, and I really had to do something, because I really want this fic done so I can completely put my writing energy into something else. I also realize this skips over a lot of time in 1992, but, well…sorry. I want to move on, haha. Also, if you reviewed my previous chapter 11, logged in, it won't let you review again. You'll either have to go forward to chapter 12, or not log in.
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May 1992
Chandler came up the stairs to his apartment slowly after a long day at work. Some people might consider it a good day at work, or even a great day, but, no, not him. He got a promotion. He was no longer a temp, someone who could be replaced. He received a permanent position and a raise. Woo-freaking-hoo. It should have come as good news, but not to him, not at that job.
It was a good job. A stable job. It paid well. The benefits package was awesome. He understood what he was doing. Hell, he was good at what he was doing. He understood the numbers, the statistics. He also knew how to do just a hint more than enough to get by, and he knew how to do it in order to free up enough time to play games on his computer for a good third of his day.
So, although he had been offered a permanent job and a pay raise, he was not happy. He wanted that kick in the ass that would come with being let go, told he was no longer needed there. He wanted a kick in the ass so that he could go out and figure out what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. Because, while it was a stable job, and it was easy, that really wasn't enough. One could only spend so much of their free-time playing MineSweep and Solitaire.
"Goddanm permanent position and pay raise," he grumbled outloud as he reached their floor, heading towards apartment 19. However, he suddenly remembered the pack of cigarettes sitting outside on Monica's balcony. His day definitely called for cigarettes. He was celebrating, right?
Since her door was unlocked, he assumed either she or Phoebe was home, but no one was in site. This actually pleased him, since neither would be there to pester him about quitting smoking for good. He grinned, heading towards the balcony.
And then he found out where Monica was. And Bobby.
"Shit, sorry," he mumbled, face reddening as he hurried back towards the front door. While he would surely tease her about the incident later, he wasn't sure how to react at that moment, seeing the two out on the balcony, naked, in a position he would surely imagine Monica in for months every time he thought of her, obviously enjoying each others' company.
And he prayed Fun Bobby didn't have a second nickname of Angry Bobby. That thought didn't last long, though, as he then moved on to wonder if he could somehow get a girl over there with him, that use of the balcony having never crossed his mind before….
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Monica looked up from the couch at the sound of a knock on the door. She snickered; no one ever knocked, especially when it was unlocked. Chandler must have found the nerve to come back, hours later.
"Hey," she smiled at him as she opened the door, leaning against the doorframe.
"Hey," he smiled nervously. "I'm so, so, so sorry about…that…earlier."
"It's fine," Monica laughed. "What were you doing, though?" she asked as he walked in the apartment, crossing over to the balcony once again. "Chandler?" she said his name when he didn't answer, but instead went out onto the balcony.
"These," he leaned over picking up a pack of cigarettes that were in-between two flower pots," are mine." He placed the pack in his back pocket. "I won't be bugging you out here anymore," he added with a grin.
"Well, I'll make sure to lock the door from now on," Monica reassured him, "Not that that's ever going to happen again out here…"
"Why not?" Chandler asked, amused, as he leaned back against the wall, squinting as a piece of fabric hanging from the telephone pole caught his eye. It appeared to be a pair of underwear. He looked at it for a moment, then back to Monica, who was blushing at Chandler's discovery. "Really?" he asked, not even attempting to contain his laughter.
"If you tell anyone, you are dead," Monica crossed her arms, not finding the situation as amusing as Chandler. "I'm serious, Chandler!" she added when he continued laughing.
"Fine, I won't tell anyone," he held his hands up in defeat.
"How do I know that?" Monica asked, arms still crossed.
Chandler looked at her, trying to decide if she was being serious. "Because it's me?"
"Yea, but how do I know you won't make some joke about it?"
"Because you probably have about twelve of my secrets you could tell if I did tell anyone," Chandler smiled, still amused at how embarrassed she was. Bobby must have done a lot of convincing to get her to have sex out there.
Monica paused for a second, thinking. "Tell me what 'M' stands for," she finally said.
"What?"
"Chandler M. Bing. Tell me what your middle name is," Monica said firmly, and it was clear she was not about to give up on this.
"No one but my parents knows that. Ross doesn't even know that…"
"Exactly," Monica smiled. "You tell my secret, I'll tell your secret."
Chandler sighed, looking up at the underwear again in amusement before looking back to her. "Muriel," he sighed. "My middle name is Muriel."
"Thank you," Monica smiled before turning back towards the window, heading back inside. "Oh, and Chandler?" she added over her shoulder, quite smugly. "You really should quit smoking."