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There will only be one more chapter after this :(

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Disclaimer: The characters from Friends do not belong to me.

Ross watched Rachel as she left the church. He wanted so bad to chase after her, but for some reason his legs wouldn't move. Ross suddenly felt so alone and helpless without her; it was as if she took all of his happiness with her.

Ross snapped out of his daze and began thinking clearly. He turned to face the altar. He noticed everyone in the church staring at him. Some guests wore a look of anger, while others looked at him sympathetically, feeling sorry for him.

Ross began the long walk back to the altar, with every person's eyes burning into him. Over the duration of his return to the front he had many thoughts swirling through his head. He knew he had to make a decision about what he was going to do when he re-joined Amelia. Should I go through with the wedding or should I chase after Rachel? Who do I love? He thought to himself.

Ross felt bad for doing this to Amelia. After being with her for so long he had embarrassed them both by admitting his love for another woman. Ross hoped she hadn't heard everything or, if she did, he hoped that she would forgive him.

Ross had made his choice. No matter how much it hurt to let go of Rachel he had to marry Amelia. He would have had no problem marrying her if he was back in England. If he hadn't come back to New York his feelings for Rachel wouldn't have returned.

Even though Ross had made his conclusion he still felt like he was making a big mistake. Rachel was the one he loved. If he married Amelia Rachel would definitely never want to see him again. Could he live without her for a second time in his life? But, it didn't matter. Ross had made a promise to marry Amelia and he was not a man that went back on his word. He would have to live with it, no matter what the consequences.

All these thoughts caused Ross to make his way very slowly to stand beside Amelia. When he looked at Amelia's face she didn't look mad, surprisingly. She did have tears in her eyes, but her expression was blank. Ross wondered what was going through her head. He was pulled out of his thoughts by the minister's words.

"Ross, Amelia, do you want to continue the wedding?" the minister asked. He was extremely confused; he had never had this happen in all his years of officiating weddings.

"No, we are not going to continue," Amelia answered calmly. Ross hung his head looking at the floor in shame. He wasn't surprized that she didn't want to carry on, but he still felt bad. Ross was still shocked that Amelia was so composed and undisturbed by his actions. "Ross will you come with me, I want to talk to you for a moment," Amelia said, still calm. Ross agreed with a nod.

Amelia took Ross by the hand and led him into the sacristy. This room would have been the place where she and Ross would have signed the official documents after the ceremony. But, now she led Ross to it to talk with him in private.

Ross was nervous. Would Amelia yell at him? He felt like he deserved to be yelled at. In fact he wanted to be yelled at, the guilt made him feel terrible. How could someone do something like he had just done? All Ross knew was that he had to have a very serious and difficult discussion with her.

Amelia led Ross to the middle of the room right in front of a small table. He stood there, silent, while she closed the door. They both knew this conversation would be personal; she didn't want it to reach anyone else's ears.

Ross looked around the room for a few moments, trying hard to look anywhere other than Amelia's face. He took in the wood paneling and the dark red carpet. When he looked on the table he saw the marriage certificate they would have signed and felt even more guilt then he had already felt.

Ross couldn't stand the tension in the close quarters. He decided to start talking first. He hesitantly gave Amelia a timid look.

"Amelia, I know you want to shout at me and hit me, but please try to listen to what I have to say… What happened between me and Rachel was totally out of line. I'm so sorry I humiliated you like that. I promise that I love you, and this will never happen again. I'm over Rachel," Ross explained in a rush.

"Ross, I'm not going to yell at you, and I certainly don't want to hit you," Amelia stated.

"Really? Because I think I deserve it; I ruined everything. We had built a wonderful relationship over the last three years, and I had to let my past feelings get the best of me. I'm so sorry," Ross pleaded.

Amelia stood there for a minute thinking things over. She began to look sad as she looked down at her wedding dress. Ross couldn't stand the silence.

"Amelia, please say something. Please let me know what you're thinking," Ross requested.

"I'm thinking that you shouldn't be sorry. You did what you had to do. You love her," Amelia said, as she let a single tear roll down her face.

"But, that's no excuse to throw away the relationship I have with you. I asked you to marry me, so it's only fair for me to stick to my promise. I'll get over Rachel, I promise," Ross explained.

"Look, Ross, we have a lot of history together, but you and Rachel have so much more. You go way back with her and I can never compete with that. I love you so much but I won't let you settle for me. I can tell that you love her more than you've ever loved anyone else. I can see it in your eyes when you look at her or talk about her. I want you to follow your heart and go get her. You'll be so much happier with her than you'll ever be with me," Amelia said confidently.

Ross couldn't believe what she was saying. She was actually telling him to leave her and go get another woman. He couldn't help but feel sorry for her. But Amelia's encouragement finally made Ross realize what he had to do. He knew he could let go of her and be with the woman he truly loved.

"I want to thank you Amelia, you've been so understanding with me. I'm extremely sorry things didn't work out. I think under different circumstances we would have been great together. I want you to know that I will never forget you. You have been wonderful to me," Ross said truthfully.

Ross leaned in and gave Amelia a sweet kiss on the cheek. Then he hugged her.

"I'll never forget you either, Ross. Now, listen to me, I want you to go find Rachel. When you find her hold on to her and never let her go ever again. You deserve to be happy with the woman you love, even if that woman isn't me," Amelia gave Ross a small smile.

Ross was touched by her kind words.

Amelia had motivated him to do what he needed to do. He took one last look at her, only he couldn't think of anything else to say. But Amelia didn't need him to say anything; his eyes said the entirety of what he was feeling. Ross gave her a thankful smile before he turned and left.

Ross exited the sacristy and searched the crowd for his sister. He was having a hard time getting to her because Amelia's family kept getting in the way. He was being showered by their harsh words of anger and disapproval. Ross ignored them and kept fighting his way through the crowded church.

Ross' parents approached him.

"What are you doing son?" Jack asked in a concerned manner.

"I'm going after the woman I truly love," Ross answered staring at his confused parents.

"Is Rachel really the one you love?" Jack asked.

"Dad, Mom I can't live without Rachel any longer," Ross answered. "I'm really sorry you had to spend all of this money on a wedding that didn't happen, but I have to follow my heart."

"Ross, if you're not happy marrying Amelia we won't force you to go through with this. Now go get Rachel," Judy said giving her son a pat on the back.

Ross continued to run until he finally reached Monica, who was standing with Chandler.

"I have to find her," Ross said seriously. Both Chandler and Monica knew what he meant. All three of them left the church in a rush.

…..

After she left Ross' wedding ceremony Rachel stood on the steps of the church. What do I do, now? She contemplated. After a short amount of time she made a snap decision. A taxi came towards her and she signalled for it to stop. She quickly climbed into the taxi and told the driver where to go. They drove away from the curb.

Rachel rested her head against the window. She was feeling lightheaded. A bunch of memories occupied her thoughts. Some memories were good and some were painful, but all were about the man she had just left. A childhood memory was brought to mind when she thought about Ross.

- - - Flashback - - -

A ten year old Rachel had just moved into a new house with her family. It was a large, red brick colonial house with black shutters and steps up to its grand front door. Her father was relocated to work at a new hospital. They had to move from their home in the suburbs to Long Island.

Rachel was not happy about the move. Everything was changing; she would have to go to a new school and worst of all she would have to make new friends.

Rachel was sitting on the front steps of her new home watching the movers carry in furniture and boxes of her family's belongings. As she saw her bike being unloaded from the moving van; she decided that she wanted to ride it. She went inside to ask her parents.

Rachel's father was busy directing the movers, so Rachel looked around for her mom. She found her in the kitchen.

"Mommy, can I ride my bike around the block?" Rachel asked with the pouty look her parents always fell for.

"Sure sweetie. But, don't go too far, and be back in time for dinner," Sandra told her eldest daughter.

"I promise, mommy!" Rachel exclaimed as she excitedly ran for the door, dodging movers who were bringing in a couch. Rachel ran into the front yard and approached one on the moving vans.

"Excuse me, I need my bike and helmet," Rachel said to the mover that had taken her bike off the truck. He turned and grabbed her bike which had her helmet hanging off the handle bars. He placed them in front of her. Rachel quickly strapped on her helmet and hopped on her bike, which was pink with chrome fenders.

Rachel rode off speedily down the street. She rounded the corner of the block and slowed down to look around her neighbourhood, as she rode. Rachel noticed the houses change as she rode further around the block; they were less impressive than her house. Rachel heard the voices of some kids nearby.

Sure enough she looked across the street, to her left, and saw two kids. They were around Rachel's age, and they were in their front yard. Rachel came to a stop across the street from their house. She watched them curiously. She noticed that these kids were very different from her. They didn't live in a fancy house and they weren't playing with expensive toys.

The boy was sitting in the grass reading a book about dinosaurs, while the girl was eating a cookie on the front steps.

Rachel wanted to say hello but she was too scared. But, the girl noticed Rachel. She got up from the steps and walked over to Rachel, with a friendly smile on her face. She had never seen this girl before; she wondered if she was new to the neighbourhood.

"Hi, I'm Monica Geller. What's your name?" Monica asked. Rachel got off her bike and took off her helmet.

"I'm Rachel Green. My family just moved in around the block," Rachel said as she pointed in the direction of her new house.

"So, that's why we saw so many moving trucks driving around today. Where did you move from?" Monica asked. Rachel liked this girl already; she was very kind and welcoming.

"I moved from just outside the city. My dad got a new job. I have to go to a new school now," Rachel explained sadly.

"What school are you going to?" Monica asked.

"It's the one that's down the street from the high school. I don't know what it's called," Rachel said. Monica smiled a big smile.

"That's my school too!" Monica told Rachel excitedly. "How old are you?"

"I'm ten," Rachel answered.

"Me too!" Monica exclaimed. "Maybe we'll be in the same class!"

"Well, I hope we are. I don't know anyone here, so I don't have any friends," Rachel said.

"You can be my friend!" Monica said happily. Rachel was glad that she would know one person at her school. "Do you want to meet my brother?" Monica asked.

"Sure," Rachel replied. Monica took Rachel's hand and led her to her house. The tall, lanky boy with short brown hair looked up from his book to see his sister with a new friend.

"Rachel this is my brother Ross," Monica said gesturing to Ross. Ross stood up as he closed his book. He got a weird feeling in his stomach when he looked at Rachel. He thought she was pretty.

"Hi," Ross said shyly.

"Hi, Ross. How old are you?" Rachel asked.

"I'm eleven," Ross said, nervously. Monica interrupted their conversation.

"Rachel is the same age as me, and she's going to our school," Monica said, excited that she had a new friend.

"Cool," Ross replied.

"Are you reading about dinosaurs?" Rachel asked Ross, pointing at the book he was holding.

"Um, ya. I like learning about them," Ross said blushing embarrassedly, but he wasn't sure why. Normally he would be proud to tell people he liked dinosaurs.

"That's good. Maybe when you're older you'll dig up their bones," Rachel said. She wanted to be friends with Ross, too. He seemed nice, not like all the rude boys at her old school. Then, Rachel realized that she had been out for a while, she had to get home.

"It was nice to meet you guys, but I have to go home for dinner," Rachel told her two new friends.

"Okay. Why don't you come over tomorrow?" Monica suggested.

"Sure," Rachel responded. Monica gave Rachel a hug. When the hug was over Rachel turned to Ross. She gave him a quick hug too. Ross didn't know why but, again, he blushed a deep red.

Rachel put on her helmet and rode back home. She had a feeling that she, Monica and Ross were going to be great friends.

Ross watched as Rachel biked off around the block. Monica turned to Ross, she had noticed how shy he was being and how he blushed when Rachel hugged him.

"You like Rachel, don't you?" Monica asked. Ross snapped out of his daze and looked at her.

"That's crazy Mon," Ross replied nervously. He himself wasn't quite sure what was going on, but if he did like her he couldn't let anyone know.

Rachel was crying again as she remembered the day she and Ross met. They had known each other forever and now she had to leave him. She found out he liked her after they were in typing class together. It was Monica who had told her about his crush on her.

Rachel regretted being too shallow to ever give Ross a chance. Now she was in love with him, and she couldn't do anything about it.

Rachel was certain she had to leave. She didn't want to live seeing him happily married to Amelia. She admitted to herself that couldn't stand Amelia with her good looks, brilliant mind and British accent.

The cab stopped in front of Rachel and Monica's apartment building. Rachel paid the driver and then rushed upstairs. She fumbled with her keys before her shaky hands unlocked the apartment door. When she got inside she rushed into her bedroom.

Rachel quickly changed out of her dress and struggled to open her closet. She changed into whatever clothes her hands landed on.

Once she was fully clothed she frantically grabbed her suitcase and forcefully packed as many of her belongings she could fit inside it.

Rachel was still crying. Her tears came out in great sobs making her gasp for air. She had never been through so much pain. Rachel picked up her bag and entered the living room. But, before she left she had one more thing to do. She scrambled around the apartment to find a pen and paper.

Rachel scribbled down a note to Monica. Her tears fell on the paper leaving wet drops. She folded the note in half and left it on the kitchen table. Then, she grabbed her things and ran out the door, leaving apartment 20 for good.