I walked into the bright light that was so inviting, so welcoming. It's a big cliché I know, but it was my only option. My safest option.
However they always say there is someone to greet you on the other side. Someone who has previously died is going to greet you past the bright light. And it's usually someone that you love or loved.
I always assumed this moment would come when I was old and I had actually experienced life. I thought that I would be after I had everything with Monica.
But the universe works in ways that none of us understand.
When it decides our time is up; our time is up.
My eyes adjust to my surroundings as I come to.
It's not really what I imagined.
I always imagined it to be a white a room with no end or escape. Instead it's my favorite place in the world. The middle of Central Perk. Except it's completely empty and there is nobody within a country mile.
Except one.
Maria.
She's different though. Her hair is now brown instead of blond. Her once blue eyes have turned grey and her body is skinnier.
All in all, she looks beautiful. But not as beautiful as Monica was.
"Chandler," she finally says. "You can't be here."
"Why not? What more does the universe want from me?"
"It's not what the universe wants from you. It's what Monica wants from you," she says softly but firmly. "And what Monica wants, is for your heart to be beating."
She's right.
I hate that.
"Maria, how did you get here?" I ask her, curious why we are both in the same afterlife.
She sighs. "It was a week after we broke up when I was diagnosed with a stage 4 brain tumor. I knew something was wrong before we broke up. My twin sister is a neurosurgeon, I knew. I died four months later. Monica would have been about six months pregnant by that point." I can tell that she is fighting back tears. She doesn't deserve this.
"Maria-"
"Let me finish," she insists. "Chandler, if you decide to stay here, you'll only get moments with the people you love. You and Monica will be in the same place at the same time, and all you'll get is the feeling. No contact, no speaking, you're helpless."
I feel my heart break at the thought.
"Maria, this is ridiculous, this isn't actually happening." I state as-a-matter-of-fact.
She steps closer to me her hands coming to rest on my shoulders. "You'll miss everything. Your daughter's first word, first step, graduations, weddings." Tears of my own flood my eyes. "You'll miss Monica's life. She'll fall in love with someone else, have more kids, grand-kids. She'll forget about you."
Tears spill out of my eyes, but Maria doesn't stop.
"Then when she's old and the universe has taken its toll on her, she won't remember you. And she won't love you."
I furiously run fingers through my hair.
"Hey," Maria comforts softly cupping my cheek in her hand. "Right now the paramedics are frantically trying to get your heart starting again. Help them, go back into the light."
"Maria-"
"No, you don't get to do this. I'm not going to watch your heart break like mine did. You have so much to look forward to. A baby, a marriage. The woman of your dreams." She smiles brushing the pad of her thumb against my cheek bone. "So, go, live your life. Be the man that has everything with woman he loves."
"You know Maria I did love you at one point. Just somewhere in there I feel in love with Monica." I say softly and she gives me a sad smile.
"I know, I know you did. I loved you, too. Maybe I never stopped. And I know I was a real jerk at times, but that's only because I loved you." She says sadly, tears of her own falling with mine.
"We were really lucky to have each other, even if it was for a short while." I smile lightly at her.
She pulls me into a hug. I feel her inhale against my body.
"I won't forget, Maria." I assure her. "I won't forget." I repeat more for myself more than for her.
She smiles against my shoulder. "I won't either."
As she pulls away from me she wipes her face of her tears. "Go, be with Monica," she instructs me.
That warm and inviting light appears once more and I make my way towards it. I stop halfway and look back to see Maria is smiling at me, sad and happy at the same time.
She's beautiful, stunning, and I was downright lucky to have her.
But I won the lottery with Monica.
[-]
Rachel's POV
Monica is gulping in for air. She grips the railing of her bed for support as a contraction hits her hard. I'm standing behind her griping her arms as rocks back and forth on her heels.
She's a real natural at this. The only time she has screamed was when I refused to call Chandler again.
I wish I knew where Chandler was. I wish I knew if he was OK.
"Oh God," she moans painfully as she collapses back against me. I take the wet washcloth and cleanse her sweaty forehead.
"Rachel," she whimpers.
"Honey, you're doing great," I assure her.
Her face is full of anguish. She is using everything she has to offer right now. But if someone can do this, it's Monica.
"Rach, do you know where Chandler is?" She asks still breathing heavily.
I make a face at that. I can't tell her that her fiancée has possibly been seriously injured. Can I?
"I'm sorry I don't," I lie terribly. Thankfully, she's in too much pain to catch up on anything.
Suddenly Dr. Harris walks in.
"How's everyone doing in here?" She asks happily. Possibly a little too happily.
Monica shoots her a death glance. "I'm in labor not in and art class."
Dr. Harris nods along with it as if nothing happened. Probably because she's had it before. She immediately goes over to the fetal monitor and checks Monica's contractions.
"You're doing well, Monica, you're at four centimeters."
"That's it!" She exclaims.
"We're at the baby's mercy here, there's nothing we can do." She states sympathetically and exits silently.
I look around the room awkwardly thinking of some excuse to get out and as Dr. Harris something.
"Hey, Mon, I'm gonna go get you some ice chips," I finally come up with. She just nods in response.
I look around the corridor frantically, trying to find Dr. Harris.
But something else catches my eye. Chandler's picture is on the bulletin board. I almost did recognize him at first. A scrape runs from the tip of his nose to the bottom of his chin. There is a large gash on his forehead that has obviously lost a lot of blood.
"Excuse me ma'am can I help you?" A nurse asks me.
"Um, do you know why this man's photo is on the bulletin board?"
"That's the John Doe from the ER. Do you know him?"
"Yea, my best friend is having his baby."
AN: Hey guys! Quick update. Can we have a celebratory moment please? Anyway thank you all so much for the reviews. Let's keep it up.
I'm really sorry to say this but I have so many ideas for stories in my head right now. Like literally my mind is about to explode from creativity.
Anyway. TBC…
~Liv