Rachel didn't move as she listened carefully to every single word that came out of Monica's mouth. Monica cannot be serious. Rachel felt horrible for not noticing but how could she. She doesn't visit Monica as frequently as she used too, but every time she had talked with Monica over the phone not once did she picked up how Monica was actually feeling. Was she too self absorbed? But she can't blame herself for not knowing what was going on with her best friend. She tried to study Monica's face. She did look a little pale and the lines on her face made her look little stressed out.

Monica: "Rach, I don't know what to do. But if I don't, I feel like I might lose him"

Rachel watch as her face fell and she could see that Monica was close to tears. Never did she think about the possibility of any problems between Monica and Chandler. She then thought about how Joey and her had been acting earlier. Now she felt terrible.

Rachel: "Mon, I had no idea. You're not going to lose him, you're not. You two… you're Monica and Chandler. You guys are made for each other. Listen, you have to talk to him."

Monica: "Do you think I haven't tried? One night he came home and just didn't say anything. I've asked him why, but he wouldn't tell me. I asked but he just didn't bother. After then I just gave up and pretend like none of it had happened"

Rachel: "Maybe, maybe he has a reason for acting this way?"

Monica: "He has been a lot distance lately and I just don't know what else I should do. He looks down all the time and God I know his trying but there is something that's bothering him. Please Rach help me"

Rachel wasn't the best person to ask for advice. Usually Monica was the person who gave her the advice. But seeing her so lost and afraid that she will lose Chandler, she must do something. Rachel sat in thought and quickly came up with an idea.

Rachel: "How about this, next week. Bring Erica and Jack over to mine place so they can spend the evening. You and Chandler have some time together. How does that sound?"

Monica: "Really? You would do that for me?"

Rachel: "What? Are you kidding? You're my best friend Monica. I would do anything for you, like you would do anything for me. Right now, I don't know what else I can do to help you, but I do know that you need to sort some things out with Chandler, alone, without the kids"

Monica: "Thanks Rach" she sniffled and leaned forward to hug Rachel.

In the car, on the way back home Rachel's mind wasn't thinking anything else but about Monica and Chandler. Lily and Tyler were resting at the back seat, as they were extremely tired from the entire day playing with Erica and Jack. Rachel turned her head to check up on them and when she found them peacefully sleeping she turned back to look at Joey. She sighed.

Rachel: "Joey, honey. I need to tell you something." Joey didn't flinch but kept his eyes on the road.

Joey: "It's about Chandler and Monica, isn't?"

Rachel closed her eyes and let out a small breath.

Rachel: "What did Chandler say?"

Joey hesitated and started to feel a little uncomfortable. The words that Chandler had told him earlier were still lurking around in his mind. He gripped the wheel tighter but tried to calm himself. He had to tell Rachel. He hated keeping secrets especially from his wife. He pressed onto the brake as the lights turned red.

Joey: "Rach… I don't know how to say this but…"

Rachel: "But what Joe?" she watched his expression on the side. Joey's face was a bit tense but when she focused on his eyes, it seems like he was about to cry. Joey didn't answer her. When the lights were green, Joey turned the corner and stopped the car immediately along the curb. He turned off the engine and sat back, his eyes fixed onto the wheel. Rachel kept her eyes locked onto Joey. She knew they were not yet home which cause Rachel to become even more concern.

Rachel: "Honey, is everything ok?"

Joey didn't look at his wife but he grabbed her hand and clung onto it tightly.

Joey: "Chandler… he's sick" Joey felt his breathing becoming a little short. It was only because a small lump was forming at the back of his throat.

Rachel: "Sick? What do you mean sick?" Rachel held her other hand over Joey's.

Joey: "The doctor said that… oh god" he closed his eyes and tried very hard to concentrate on his breathing. Rachel caresses his hand, while the other rubbing his neck. This cannot be good at all.

Joey: "He has cancer"

Rachel froze. Cancer? She repeated the word again. No, this can't be happening. Joey placed his head on the wheel and gripped onto it tightly. He wanted to scream but with the kids in the car he cannot do that. Then there it was, the tears that finally came out of Joey's eyes. Rachel unfastens her seat belt, reached over and pulled him in for a hug. She soothed him but too could not stop the tears that were coming out of her own eyes. They both cried quietly as they did not want their children to be awake seeing them like this.

Rachel: "It's going to be ok, it has to be. Chandler is a wonderful person, he does not deserve this at all," she cried. Joey did not reply to her. He didn't want to give up on hope but this was serious, very serious and he hated himself for not being able to do anything to help him.

Lily heard a faint cry and started to squirm. She rubbed her eyes, trying to focus at the image that was forming what seem to be her parents.

Lily: "Are we home yet?"

Rachel jumped out of her thoughts and Joey sat back into his seat. They both wiped off their tears.

Rachel: "No sweetie, almost" Joey started the engine again which confused Lily. She didn't question about it but shortly was distracted by the view outside the window.

Rachel kept quiet looking outside the window on her left as she thought of one person. Monica.

It was Monday and Joey surely knew what day it was. Today was the day he was going to find out who he will be acting opposite in the new movie, A Shot of Love. Despite the fact his best friend was going through a difficult time, he was excited for this role. If you surely knew Joey, action movie was his favourite – you do not want to know how many times he had seen Die Hard. Anyway, as he made his way through the studio and was greeted by many people, carelessly without looking where he was going, he accidentally bumped into someone. This someone wasn't just anyone.

Joey: "Oh my God, I'm so sorry" he gazed at the woman in front of him. She had blonde no wait quite orangy colour hair, very curly, and somewhat looked rather familiar. Maybe a little too familiar... When she gazed up at Joey, Joey gasped.

Kate Miller.

Joey: "Kate?" he said while his eyes were wide opened and mouth slightly hung open. He was astonished to see her.

Kate: "Joey, hi! Long time no see" she smiled at him.

Joey: "What are you doing here? You went to LA, well was in LA!"

Kate: "Yeah, I was in a soap opera there but recently got an offer to do a movie here in New York" she shrugged.

Joey: "Oh that's great. How are you? And so sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going there…"

Kate: "I'm fine don't worry about it. I'm great, how about you?"

Joey: "Really good, yeah. Wow, I'm so surprised to see you here"

Kate: "Likewise" she laughed nervously, "So what are you doing here?"

Joey: "Oh, I got the male lead in the new movie, A Shot of Love what-"

Kate: "What? No way, what a coincidence! I'm actually playing the female role in that movie!"

Joey: "No, you're kidding!"

Kate: "I'm not! This is so great. It's going to makes things easier on set I guess"

Joey: "What do you mean?" knitting his eyebrows at her.

Kate: "Well, we know each other and y'know no awkwardness and stuff"

Joey: "Right..." he wasn't too sure what she meant entirely. Possibly the acting but still, at one stage he did love her but he didn't want to open that door into the past.

Kate: "Anyway, I reckon we should go and see the director but how about we catch up over coffee?"

Joey: "Yeah, sounds great" Kate reached into her handbag and pulled out her card which had her agent number and her details.

Kate: "Give me a call yeah?"

Joey nodded his head and began walking along side Kate to the office. He looked at her card. Wow, Kate Miller. Who would have thought that he was ever going to see her again? Joey placed the card in the pocket of his pants and turned his head. Then did he realised Kate was looking at him. She smiled at him when her eyes met his. Joey returned that smile and quickly turned his gazed to the front. What he failed to notice was that Kate didn't do the same. She kept her eyes on Joey looking up and down on him secretively. Oh no…

It was exactly a week since Rachel and Joey visited the Bings. Tonight Erica and Jack were staying over night so their parents would had some quality time together. Monica dropped off the kids over at Rachel's and had told her she'll be back in the morning to pick them up. When she said her thanks and goodbye, Rachel watch her drive away and wipe away the tear that was streaming down her face. This was too much for her.

As Monica was driving back home, she thought of Chandler. She was making his favourite dinner tonight but she was nervous at the same time. It had been awhile since they had some time together alone without the kids.

She waited patiently for his arrival. As soon as she heard the keys rattling, she rushed to the front door waiting to welcome him home. Chandler opened the door and was surprised to see Monica there. He listened carefully to see if his children were going to greet him but there was no sound of them. He closed the door quietly and bent forward to kiss his wife's cheek.

Monica: "Hi" she said nervously while offering to take his jacket.

Chandler: "Hey… where are kids?"

Monica: "Rachel offered to have them tonight, so uhmm we can spend the evening together" she gave him a smile but Chandler missed it as he was taking off his shoes.

Chandler: "Oh" when he saw her face, he gave her a weak smile.

Monica: "Did you want to shower or have dinner now?"

Chandler pretended to think it thoroughly. Clearly he wanted to have a shower but seeing that Monica made so much effort tonight, he couldn't just leave her.

Chandler: "Dinner sounds great"

They ate quietly at the dinner table. At times they would make small conversation but no longer than 2 minutes they would run out of things to say. Don't be too hard on him Mon. Rachel words repeated in her head numerous times. She needed to ask him.

Monica: "Chandler… There's something I've been trying to ask you. Well, I have been for the past few weeks. I don't know how to put this but I feel like, something is bothering you" she looked at him nervously.

Chandler placed his fork down. It was killing him. How was he going to say it to his wife? Oh yeah something is, guess what Monica I have cancer, so what do you think I should do? He was starting feel tense. He didn't want to put his wife in a difficult situation but…

Monica: "Please Chandler, I feel like our marriage is falling apart"

Chandler: "Monica, it's not. It's… it's complicated"

Monica: "Complicated? You know what's complicated? Trying to figure out what the hell is going on with you. This. Our marriage. Us!"

She tried to remain calm. Don't be too hard on him Mon. He's probably has a lot going on.

Chandler sighed. He pushed his chair back and walked off into the kitchen. Monica watched him in disbelief. How can he just walk away? Chandler poured himself a glass of water. He quickly drank from it till there was nothing left, not even a drop. This was it. He knew he had to confess to Monica. If not, it's eating him alive and much worst, his family too.

Chandler walked slowly back to the dinning room. When he saw Monica was wiping away her tears, his heart began to ache. He hated this. He hated seeing her sad and worst he hated himself for putting her through this.

Chandler: "Monica" she quickly wiped away her tears and gazed up at him.

Chandler: "I… About a few weeks ago I went to the doctors to have myself checked up. A week later, he called for my results" he started to feel a lump forming at the back of his throat.

Monica: "What did he say?" she watched him nervously.

Chandler: "He said… He said that I may have prostate cancer" he turned his back away from Monica as quickly as possible. He covered his face in his hand and soon realised that he was crying.

Monica completely went numb. She couldn't feel her pulse and her breathing had stopped. It took a few seconds later until she had a faint cry. Coming to realise it was Chandler, she quickly got onto her feet and walked towards him. She wrapped her arms around him. This cannot be happening. Her tears too like Chandler were streaming down her face.

Chandler: "I'm sorry Mon I didn't tell you earlier, I didn't know how to…" he said as he wrapped his arms around Monica.

Monica: "We can get through this. I know we can" she lifted his face so her eyes could meet his "I'm here for you Chandler, always. I'll never leave you" she looked deep into his eyes. She could see how much pain he was in for hiding such an important yet deathly secret. She should be angry with him, for keeping this from her for so long. However, realising the reason he had been so distance was only because he did not want to put his family in pain. Monica pushed herself towards him as he wrapped his arms tightly around her. As his wife, she was not going to leave him fight this journey alone.

Rachel pushed the button as soon as Monica hung up the phone. She wasn't sure what she was feeling. There were mixed off emotions running through her.

Joey: "Rachel?" Joey watched her holding the phone. "Honey?"

Rachel snapped out of her thoughts when she felt the touch from someone. She gazed up and realised it was Joey.

Joey: "It was Monica, wasn't it?" she nodded her head. She placed the phone down and quickly ran into his arm for embrace. Joey soothed her with one hand caressing her hair while the other wrapped tightly around her waist. Rachel shut her eyes tightly as she could. Why was God doing this to her friend? Chandler was a good person. He didn't deserve this at all.

Joey wanted to ask her what Monica said, but he figured it was best to stay quiet. Suddenly the phone rang again. Rachel opened her eyes as she felt Joey loosening his grip around her waist. Joey reached over the table to grab the phone.

Joey: "Hello? Oh hey Pheebs. I'm good how about you? Oh yeah. Uhmm did you want to talk to Rachel? All right." He handed the phone to her and she quickly took it. In fact she wasn't really in the mood to talk to Phoebe.

Rachel: "Hey Phoebe"

Phoebe: "Hey! So, has Joey told you about dinner?"

Rachel: "Yeah he has"

Phoebe: "I was thinking we should all catch up next week. Do you guys have any plans?"

Rachel: "Not that I know of…"

Phoebe: "Great! How about Four Seasons?"

Rachel: "Sounds great Pheebs"

Phoebe: "I already called Ross, I have been trying to contact Monica but she isn't answering…"

Rachel: "Oh… Hey Pheebs"

Phoebe: "Yeah?"

Rachel hesitated. She wasn't too sure whether she should tell her in person or over the phone. She gazed at Joey. Joey gave her a blank expression. She covered the phone with her hand.

Rachel: "Should I tell her?" she whispered.

Joey hesitated. He wasn't sure either. However, he shook his head. It would be best if Monica and Chandler told her including Ross.

Phoebe: "Hello? Rachel?"

Rachel: "Sorry Pheebs, I'll let Monica know. You leave a message about date and time okay sweetie?"

Phoebe: "Great! Of course! I got to go now, but have a lovely evening you too!"

Rachel: "Bye Phoebe, say hi to Mike for me"

Phoebe: "Will do, bye" and then the line ended.

Rachel placed the phone down and sighed. She was not looking forward to this dinner.