AN: Sorry if this chapter is a little lackluster!
It's hard to think at 3 am.

Anyway, enjoy!

Several mysterious curios hung up on the wall: Jade animals, nativity scenes, used incense sticks with holders, and the like.

A bell was rung, and a robed figure came out from a dark room.

"Greetings. I am Hilda." It was raspy and thick; obviously an elderly woman.

"...I'm Phoebe, and this is Joey."

Nodding her head, the woman, who could not have been a day under seventy by the heavily sagging skin on her neck and face, gestured the duo to follow her through the beaded door curtains from where she came. They complied, albeit cautiously. The room they entered was pitch-black, apart from the round table that stood erect in the middle of the room, covered in a purple sheet adorned with blooming sunflowers, and the mahogany chairs that were on either side.

The wooden floor was creaky and fragile; it was unknown how it managed to stay together.

The woman sat down in her chair, and Phoebe sat across from her as Joey kept standing.

"Now, darling, what do you need?"

Phoebe, still uneasy from the atmosphere, quickly replied. "Just a couple of questions."

Hilda nodded, and laid her arms on the table. "Mm... Give me your hands."

Phoebe put her hands into her cold and bony hands of the psychic, which, while unsettling at first, became quite relaxing. Hilda flipped her hands over, and began tracing her palms with her finger. Joey took a step forward to observe; it still didn't make any sense to him.

"I feel... abandonment. Were you abandoned?"

"Yeah."

She put pressure on the back of Phoebe's hand. "How long ago?"

She thought back, amazed. "Wow. Fourteen years."

Hilda nodded, and quizzically whispered to her. "And you are feeling it again, no?"

She furrowed her brow, thinking that she really did feel like she was being abandoned. "Uh, yeah, I guess?"

Phoebe wasn't very sure of what she was really feeling. Seeing Ross and Monica like that, struggling to survive, slowly sapped the life out of her. Even if she had been through much worse, this was about people she cared about; people who were closer to her than her own family. That sight broke her more than all of her years on the streets. They didn't deserve this.

But pain didn't choose its victims.

Yet, it seemed that it leaned more towards the ones who didn't deserve it. Phoebe didn't understand, nor did she truly want to. The universe worked in mysterious ways, and it was not in her power to questions something so powerful. This had to be a test. Hurting the ones she loved in order to assess her fortitude.

All the while, though, Ross and Monica were slipping away.

"You long for one who understands you." Hilda broke her from her deep thought.

She looked at her, her heart beginning to pound. "I have friends who understand me!" Phoebe raised her voice in defense.

She shook her head, unconvinced. "No. You wish for love."

Phoebe retorted, rolling her eyes. "Don't we all?"

"Perhaps. But you feel strongly for someone."

"Ha! That's not true!"

It really wasn't. Phoebe didn't really like anyone at this point; she had way too many things to focus on than a relationship. She felt like after all that she's been through, love was not worth pursuing. In the end, someone would always get hurt.

She wasn't sure if she could take that.

But, when David and Duncan left her, she didn't have that male counterpart that she could confide and share her story with. Joey, Chandler, and Ross filled that void somewhat; but there was never anything romantic between any of them. Ross and Rachel were so happy together; why couldn't she be half as close with someone as they were? Even if it ended badly, Phoebe could say she's been there and done that.

"You can only deny yourself for so long." Hilda glared at her, trying to break the ruse.

Phoebe, without hesitation, changed the subject. "...Can I get to my question now?" She felt very uncomfortable talking about this now, especially with Joey around. As much as she trusted him, there are some things that no one must know about her.

She raised an eyebrow. "I thought you had more than one?"

Phoebe smiled, her lips full of denial. "Well, I only need one right now." She giggled in order to sound convincing, but to her it failed. So, she awkwardly waited for Hilda to speak next. She only shrugged, which Phoebe took as respecting her decision.

Thank God.

"Ask away, child."

Phoebe sighed, choking up. "Will my friends Ross and Monica get better soon?"

Hilda took her by her wrists, placing her hands on top of Phoebe's. "Hmm... All things heal in time, Phoebe. Might you be more specific?"

Phoebe withdrew her hands and placed a finger on her chin, pondering on how to phrase her question correctly; since Ross was already getting better, she decided to ask about Monica. "Okay... Will Monica wake up today?" She placed her hands back on the table, ready to do another reading.

She closed her eyes, and tilted her head upwards. "I see... her eyes. They are blue, like the sky."

"Yeah, that's right."

Her eyes opened, her pupils dilated. "My dear, it seems she has been awoken already."

Phoebe's gaze widened, unsure if she had heard that correctly. "What? Are you serious?"

Hilda stared at the dark ceiling, her eyes darting back and forth. "I see her. She is with the one you call Ross."

Phoebe stood up incredibly fast, knocking the chair over. Her eyes were riddled with disbelief, and she giddily bounced around. "Really? That's great! Thank you! Come on Joey!" Phoebe exclaimed, pulling out twenty dollars to pay her with.

"One sec." Joey interrupted her.

He picked up the fallen chair and sat down, putting his hands out. "When's my big break gonna come?"

Hilda was about to do another reading, but Phoebe pulled him out of the chair.

As he was dragged to the door, Joey yelled in protest. "Pheebs! Come on!"

She faced him, distressed. "No, Joey! We have to go!" With that, they headed for the door.

"But-" He was cut off this time.

She turned and faced him, her face blue with anger. "Now!" Her screaming shook the entire building, which nearly knocked Joey to the ground. Valiant, Phoebe took his hand, and left.

Soon. Very soon.

Monica was still very loopy from the sedatives that were being pumped through her, but she could register the voices of Ross and her parents. All of them were talking at once as her eyes shot open and her hearing came to, which completely overwhelmed her. So many thoughts flooded her mind at once, and she could feel the various hoses and tubes that were shoved inside her body. It had only been eight hours since she'd done the dark deed.

Not even she had expected to arise so early.

Her first distinguishable thought: Maybe the same thing that happened with Ross would happen with her. Could she handle it?

Suddenly, everything stopped. The room had fallen silent.

Softly, Ross whispered at his disoriented sister. "Mon? Can you hear me?"

She slowly nodded her head downwards, signifying that her vitals were fine.

A wind of relief blew through them all, calming they're crushed hearts. Jack and Judy wiped their tears away, as Ross took Monica's hand, happy that his baby sister was fine. She was always a fighter, and they all knew it. They expected nothing less of their little Harmonica.

Judy sighed, sobbing beyond belief."Oh Monica..."

Jack simply stood still, his mouth clamped shut.

Ross grabbed Monica's hand. He held it as tight as he could, determined to never let go again. He had failed in his duty as a big brother. He was supposed to protect her; even from herself. Why didn't she talk to anybody? Why didn't she seek out help? What the hell even drove her to something so drastic?

By any means necessary, Ross would find the answers he needed.

Shedding a single tear, he looked into Monica's deep-blue eyes. They were glistening from the moisture that had built up, shining like the sun over an eclipse. She had fixated on the spotted ceiling tiles, which meant that she didn't have the energy or awareness to look around. Ross lamented, realizing that he needed to tell his friends the situation.

"I'm gonna phone the others."

His parents didn't reply, so he just wheeled himself toward the phone on the wall, and dialed the first number that came to his mind.

Rachel picked up her phone, and in a professional manner, greeted the person on the other line."This is Bloomingdale's, Joanna's office. How may I help you?"

Amorously, Ross replied to her gentle and soothing voice. "Rach, it's me. Come by as soon as possible. I have a surprise for you."

Her voice became squeaked and hurried; she was busy, like always. "Honey, can you tell me now? I'm kinda swamped over here."

"I think you'd rather see this in person." He stated, matter-of-factly.

Rachel exhaled slowly, her mind in a million different places at the moment. "Alright, alright. But it'll have to wait 'til tonight, okay?"

Ross groaned, half-disappointed and half-satisfied. Just hearing her voice made his day that much easier. Although, it's not like he had a full plate anyway. His trips to the bathroom often required a lot of work, though, so he decided to use that as an example.

"No problem. See ya then."

"Okay, honey."

Ross smiled, and kissed her over the phone. "I love you."

She grinned back, dropping her work onto the floor as she froze in place to whisper those words that sent shivers up their spines.

"I love you too."

With that, he hung up, and began dialing again. Ross wasn't sure of how well Monica could hear him, so he decided to play it safe. When no one answered, Ross tried several other possibilities. Joey and Chandler weren't home; and neither was Phoebe.

So, he took a shot.

Flatly, he answered. "Chandler Bing."

Ross quickly replied. "It's Ross. Get over here."

Concerned, Chandler asked. "Is everything alright, man?"

"Better than alright. Monica's awake." He took great joy in saying those words.

"Really?" Chandler was more than surprised.

"Yep."

Sarcastically, he stated his mind. "Damnit. I'm not scheduled to die today."

Chuckling, Ross became grave. "Quit it. Just come over."

"Fine. Tonight okay for you, your majesty?" He mocked, back to his old self, even if for just a moment.

"Sure. Now back to the fields, peasant." Ross smiled, this time for real.

"Yes, your highness!"

Chandler hung up. Ross was too busy laughing at their banter. He wheeled himself back to his sister, seeing that she had fallen back to a much-needed and dreamless sleep.

They rushed through the doors, speeding to the elevators. Once they were in, Joey and Phoebe's anxiety only grew in size. Pressing the button to Ross and Monica's floor, they were hopping about like they had to pee. The second an opening presented itself, Joey attempted to squeeze right on through, but got stuck. After a strong kick from Phoebe, they were free, and made a beeline for Monica's room.

Without looking through the tiny glass window, they burst in. At first, they were sorely disappointed, but after Ross pulled them to the side and explained everything, they're hearts stopped their death race.

Joey and Phoebe greeted Mr. and Mrs. Geller formally, despite their hurried appearance. After examining Monica's sleeping form, they went to the side of the room as to not crowd her. Sitting down in various spots, they began chatting.

Small talk had turned into storytime, as little anecdotes were shared throughout, mostly about Ross and Monica. After finishing a particularly funny one, the entire group burst into laughter. They quickly looked to see if that had woken up Monica, but thankfully, she was a heavy sleeper. All of the uneasiness and tension that laid siege to their minds had been erased. It was beautiful. For the first time in a week, they had a conversation that didn't include crying or running out of the room. They enjoyed each others company, and it felt so right.

Joey was mesmerized by the dozens of magic tricks that Jack had. One included taking a quarter out of his shoe, which made Joey pledge to search everyone's shoes from now on. Phoebe was busy reading Judy's palms like Hilda had, which she seemed to show an unusual interest in. Ross, on the other hand, kept to himself, as he watched the earth turn beneath their feet.

As it moved on, so did they.

The cozyness of Central Perk returned. Chandler ordered a coffee-to-go, and Gunther made it on the double after he slipped that Rachel might be coming by. He took a sip immediately, feeling the liquid caffeine arouse his senses as he prepared for the hardest thing he ever had to do:

Tell Monica that he loved her.

Even after talking to Rachel and Ross earlier, he still kept a box of fear locked up inside the depths of his mind. He knew it would explode as soon as he confronted Monica, and no amount of patting on the back or crying on a shoulder could stabilize his emotions enough to keep cool in front of her.

Each man faces death by himself; be it physical or mental.

And yet, he knew that if he didn't tell her how he felt, he would regret it for the rest of his life.

Chandler chose the lesser of the two evils.

Her finger slid down the center of the photo, landing on Ross's heaving chest. Rachel looked like such a mummy, decrepit and worn. Her makeup was smudged and run with tears; her clothes were wrinkled and moist. Looking at herself in the mirror, she was the most beautiful person in the world compared to the witch in the picture. Still, it reminded her of days gone by. She'd think back to that night, wishing it could have been different. It easily could have been.

If Ross didn't cheat on her with that slut.

It still hurt. Badly. Every time she thought about it, she wanted to put her head through a wall just so she'd forget. It was easy to forgive him after the accident; she was vulnerable and alone. She needed Ross. Now, the more things were getting better, the more reality had come back to bite her. Rachel loved him more than ever.

The only problem was she couldn't trust him.

They both said things they didn't mean; and she was sure that Ross was not faking it when he tried apologizing that night, either. However, that didn't mean their relationship would be rebuilt in a day. Things took time and work. Rachel wanted to make it work. It would be hard, sure, but she wanted it more than anything in the world.

Despite her previous allegations, Rachel defended her decision.

On a break does not mean broken up.

And she would make Ross see that trust is not something so easily repairable.

But it was best not to bother him with this now; what mattered was that Ross and Monica needed to get better.

So, she fixed her hair and clothes, left the pile of paperwork she had to get done by tomorrow evening on her bed, and walked out of her apartment.

Rachel and Chandler arrived at almost the same exact time. The only difference was how they arrived. Rachel by cab, Chandler by foot. They greeted each other with a hug, and he quietly whispered 'thank you' once more. Rachel smiled in return, telling him that if he needed her for anything, she'd be there.

They headed up towards Ross's room, where Jack and Judy sat with their son.

Ross waved at his friend and lover, smiling like he had won a million bucks. "Hey, you guys."

Rachel greeted his parents, while Chandler simply nodded.

Walking over to Ross, Rachel kissed him on the forehead."So honey, you said you had a surprise for me?" She was anxious; what could Ross surprise her with at the hospital? Used bandages? Cafeteria food? Little did she know, the next words that came from his mouth would marvel her.

He grinned, as he took her hand. "Yes, I did. Monica's awake."

Her eyes brightened like the sun on the horizon. "What? Really?"

Ross kissed her hand, like a courtship romance. "Yes ma'am."

Rachel bounced off, waving the four of them to come with her. "Oh, that's so great! Let's go see her!" She couldn't believe it; just the day before, Monica tried to kill herself. And now, after inflicting a pretty serious wound to herself, she was magically awake? Was modern medicine really that good? Or was the cut not as bad as she thought?

But it came to her.

It was beginning to become a repeat of what happened to Ross.

Hopefully, it wouldn't follow through.

Ross drooped his arm over the bed, breaking her train of thought. "We're good. We just spent the whole day with her."

She was a bit disappointed, but decided to stay as optimistic as possible. "Oh. Okay. Well, Chandler, you'll come, right?"

His sarcasm never ceased as he answered her. "Ha! Why wouldn't I?"

Rachel coyly smiled back, and took his hand. As they left, Ross gave him a reassuring nod; but this only scared him more. He wanted to leave, desperately, and forget everything. He could pretend that he was prepared, but when the time came, he winged it. Chandler didn't want to go down that road again.

"Do we really have to go see her?" Chandler became a more and more worried.

"Yes, Chandler. Well, you do." Rachel faced him, and turned him toward Monica's room.

"Pardon?" He whipped back around, his voice breaking.

She smiled, and took a few steps backward. "I want to be with Ross for a few minutes."

He scoffed at her, and moved forward. "And that means leaving me in the dust? Tre rude!"

Rachel sighed, knowing that there was nothing to be afraid of. "You'll manage. I told you I'd be here for you." And she would. Rachel knew how scared Chandler was; and she would never forsake him in his time of need. Along with her, he was the closest to Ross and Monica. Seeing them like that, it had to have been an indescribable suffering.

Chandler sighed, and softly spoke to her. "...Have an ambulance ready."

Rachel looked at him, to see if that was an actual question. "But we-"

He replied in the only way he knew how: Sarcastically. "Yes I know we're at a hospital blah blah blah!"

She decided not to deal with his antics anymore. "Chandler, just go. Besides, Joey and Phoebe might be there."

Chandler pointed at her. "Fine. You owe me."

"Yes, alright, just go."

Chandler blew pretentious air out of his mouth, and turned around. Rachel watched him walk away, slouching. He shuffled his way to the weave that fate made for him; and was more than ready to just be wrapped up in it and taken away.

He'll be fine.

She walked back into Ross's room, which, to him, was a welcome surprise.

"That was fast."

Rachel grinned at him, and flipped her hair back. "I know, but I wanted to see you."

Ross smiled, as Rachel sat on the bed with him, throwing her arm over his recovering shoulder. Rubbing it gently, she kissed him on the cheek. Ross looked over to his parents, who've been silent for most of the visit. "Mom, dad, can we be alone, please?"

Jack smiled and stated in a way only he could. "Why would we miss this free romance movie?"

Judy stopped and slapped him on the arm, and pulled him up. "Jack!"

Jack yelled as he was dragged towards the door. "I'm just saying! They're right in front of us!"

She pulled him out the room. "Come on. We can get some food downstairs."

Jack popped his head back in. "Okay. You kids make sure to leave a sock on the door-"

He was cut off by an embarrassed Ross. "Yeah, dad, we got it. Thanks." The door was closed behind them, and Ross and Rachel laughed at the silliness of his parents. They did love him, a lot. They loved Monica, too, but had a hard time expressing it, as she was not a miracle.

Once they left, Rachel pulled Ross into a tender kiss. As they parted, they gazed into each other's eyes, and found happiness.

Rachel ran her fingers through his now freshly washed hair. "You know, I was thinking about you all day."

Ross scrunched his face at her, teasing her. "A little distracted, are we?"

Rachel pinched his cheeks. "Well, I just missed your cute wittle face."

Ross smiled, and kissed her softly. "I missed you too. What else is up?"

"Not much, other than I have a stack of work back home that I have to finish in..." She glanced at her watch. "eleven hours."

"You should get started."

Rachel slid her finger down his cheek, whispering into his ear. "But I want to stay with you for a little longer."

He put up a weak protest. "But sweetie..."

She stopped him dead in his tracks. "You don't have a say."

Ross, exhausted, allowed her to win. "Okay."

Rachel smiled at him, before he spoke again.

"I love you." Those three words caused the world to stop; Rachel could barely breathe as his soft lips made their way to hers. It was strange, how something so trivial like a kiss can make someone crazy. Each time they felt each other's touch, Ross and Rachel could not stop their hearts from thumping in their chests.

As they pulled away, she exposed her soul for him, and him alone.

"I love you too."

Ross winced slightly as he put his arms around her waist. It may have caused pain, but he'd be stupid if he thought the lovely Rachel Green wasn't worth it. He finally had everything he could ask for. A beautiful girlfriend, the greatest friends in the world, the greatest family in the world, and even a good paying job.

An income that could support, say, a married couple.

He looked into her eyes one last time, and looked at how Rachel was holding back from crying. Chivalry running through his veins, he spoke. "I wish I could hold you in my arms forever, Rachel. I would protect you, serve you, and love you, until the end of time."

As he noticed the lines of tears making their way down her supple cheeks, he continued, heart set on telling her how he really felt.

"I would die for you. A million times over. No hesitation, no looking back. That's how much I love you." Ross paused, and began crying himself. He knew he had to finish this before he became unintelligible. "I-I would give up everything just to be with you. I love you more than anything in the universe."

With that, he buried himself into Rachel's chest, unable to continue. Ross's sobs commandeered him, ready to pilot them into the future, together.

Rachel, however, had never felt happier. Those words struck a never-ending chord of joy, sending her cries into a whirlwind of emotion. She held Ross as tight as possible, wishing that they could be one. She didn't deserve him. She didn't deserve someone who loved her enough to die for her.

As the Lobsters' tears grew stale, they simply stayed in their positions, holding each other in passionate silence.

Ross mumbled one final time; he made sure that his words loud enough for her to hear.

"I love you, Rachel Green."

Her eyes watered in response, despite believing that she couldn't cry anymore. So, she took him in again, and, unable to speak, they sobbed in each other's arms once more.

They said true love didn't exist; they never met Ross and Rachel.