TOW Monica's Culinary Decision

Author Note: The framework came from David Crane and Marta Kauffman. I've played fast and loose with the canon timeline even more than usual - it's the only way I could make one scene in this chapter work.

The sun was descending and casting a gold light through the Central Perk windows.

"Hey Rach." Joey smiled as he flopped down on the couch - they were the only ones of the gang in the coffeehouse. He edged closer to her, drumming his fingers.

"Hey Joey." she smiled. An unspoken look passed between them.

"You too, huh?" he pondered, a laugh on his lips. She responded with a full one.

"They are loud." the fashionista chuckled. "I had no idea Monica and Chandler could be so rambunctious! You were right, she does make him scream. I can't sleep!" she finished. A few minutes later, as the place got fuller, they heard Gunther's voice.

"Right, espresso it is." he said as he walked to the machine. And then Joey and Rachel heard an unexpected sound, but familiar all the same.

"Oh my God!" a frizzy-haired... creature exclaimed in their direction. Janice Litman had walked into the establishment in all her high-pitched nasal glory. "Joey! Rachel!"

"H-h-hey there, Janice." Rachel smiled loosely, helping Janice adjust her pram beside the couch. Joey started hitting his head on the arm of said couch.

"Aw, Joey. You love me! Remember our day of fun?" she reminded him. He cringed.

Yes, he remembered, and he could stand to be around her then, but it was for his best friend's sake. Now Monica was the one making Chandler happy, for which the others were all grateful. And now the bat-survivor was hugging the actor tightly.

"So how are you all?" she asked, while Joey fought against her menacing grip.

"We're all fine." Rachel responded, then caught a familiar scent from her mornings.

"Hi guys." Monica beamed, almost jumping. Rachel decided to tease her room-mate.

"Where's lover-boy?" the latter room-mate pondered comically, an evil grin working its way onto her features - she was bright enough to know a shock was coming.

"He's on his way- oh... hello Janice..." Monica trailed. "What brings you here?"

"The best way to tucker this one out is to run the pram across the village streets."

"So you dropped by the coffeehouse." Monica quoted drily - almost in a Chandler-like fashion - not missing the weird irony that Janice paused at Central Perk to get her child to take a nap. Joey and Rachel couldn't help but laugh at this.

"Rachel mentioned a lover-boy. Sooo... who's the lucky guy? You deserve someone special." Janice smiled. Chandler walked in, only having eyes for his dear Monica.

"Hi sweetheart, sorry I was later than expected." he murmured into her neck, ruffling her hair at the same time. After a moment, he noticed his ex-girlfriend. Said ex had her jaw hanging wide open like a fish, then wobbled and fainted. Joey clapped.

"Good job, man. You finally shut her up!" he laughed, giving Chandler a thumbs-up.

"I swear I didn't know she was here. Honestly." Monica said in complete innocence, but a smirk was breaking through. Chandler believed her, but it was still surreal.

"Plus, we all love Mon more than we ever liked Janice!" Rachel grinned.

"Thanks, Rach." Monica beamed back, flopping down next to Rachel and nudging shoulders. Gunther walked over with Janice's espresso and took in the scene.

"Oh, she's fainted. Well, this should wake her up." he said, having one of his witty moments that were somewhat rare. "Oh I'll do it." he grumbled, tipping her head forward to get the coffee in her system. Her eyes snapped open, taking in the scene.

"Hi everyone. Thank you for waking me Gunther." she beamed. "I thought I had this crazy dream that Chandler and Monica were..." she stopped dead when she saw the aforementioned couple holding hands and snuggling.

"Well, I wish you happiness. Honestly, no hard feelings." she smiled loosely as after a minute she got the pram back in motion and walked away. Gunther retreated too.

"That's mature of her." Chandler said. Monica nodded against his chest. "I guess going back to her husband taught her a few things. She is nice underneath, I s'pose."

"Plus I can't imagine her ripping you away from me." Monica whispered.

"Mon, I wouldn't choose her over you. Ever." he whispered back. But Rachel heard this, and was smiling with tears in her eyes. "What is it, Rach?" Chandler pondered.

"You guys... oh, I wish I had what you have. Just to be that connected with a guy..."

"You'll find him, I swear." Monica grinned. "Maybe you need to wake up suddenly."

"Monica!" Chandler gasped in a feminine way, teasing her. Monica whacked him comically, wagging her finger and tutting. A few minutes later, Gunther was back.

"Monica? Phone for you." he said. Monica got up, squirming out of Chandler's grip. A tense minute or two passed - Chandler, Rachel and Joey waited with bated breath.

"That was Pete." Monica said, smiling. "He said he figures enough time has passed for me to take the restaurant!" she beamed, positively bouncing with energy.

"That's great, Mon." Chandler beamed back, hugging her slender frame joyfully.

A few days after, Pete knocked on Monica's door with a grin.

"Hey." she said, a weary smile on her face. Pete continued to grin at her.

"Hi Mon. Honestly, I was torn - it was either the one I'd offered, or I saw this gorgeous place in Atlanta when I went recently. It screamed 'Monica' to me." he said.

"As lovely as that would be, I can't possibly leave my friends." she breathed.

"Well let's be off." Pete replied. Monica held up a finger for a second.

"Rach! Pete's here, we're off to check the restaurant out!" she called. Rachel responded in a muffled manner. Monica chuckled and followed Pete. Soon enough they were in the New York kitchen of Mon's potential dreams - the brunette had a massive grin on her dainty face that threatened to make it crack metaphorically.

"I don't believe this! Wow, look at this refrigerator! It's gigantic! I mean I could live in this thing! I'd be cold, but still! Oh God, look at these spider burners!" she squealed.

"So you like it?" Pete pondered, knowing the obvious answer.

"Oh, it is so perfect. Thank you so much." she beamed, proceeding to hug him.

"You're welcome." Pete said, breathing deeply. Monica tensed and stepped back.

"Did you smell my hair?" she asked seriously. Pete looked away from her.

"No... no way..." he stuttered. Monica tilted her head and looked him in the eye.

"Oh God. You still have feelings for me don't you?" she asked, hating the situation.

"Sorry..." he said truthfully. Monica started pacing around the kitchen.

"Pete, if I'd felt anything, I'd have said. This isn't me getting mad, this is me defending what I have, and that's my loving relationship with Chandler. I can't do this if you're there loving me or pining or whatever. Please, leave me be in life." she exhaled, simply running out of there without a glance, hot tears pooling in her eyes. When Monica returned to the hall, she headed to the left, thinking only of Chandler.

"Mon, sweetheart? What's up?" he asked gently, guiding her into his arms.

"Pete is what's wrong, Chan-Chan-man..." she sniffed. "He sniffed my hair. I thought he'd moved on. Now I have to think of something else regarding my cooking."

"You'll think of something." Chandler said tenderly, kissing her neck and jawline.

"In your spare time, can you take care of money in a catering business?" Monica asked him - it came to her in a flash. How else to make cash out of something she loved? Plus it would sometimes be with Chandler. He nodded and kissed her heartily.

AN: I know a few of you will have gone through emotional rollercoasters with this chapter. As for the Gunther and Janice bit... they are pretty much the seventh and eighth Friends and I like to think they know each other in their own little friendship.