TOW Monica's Best Massage
By Caroline Prince
Author's Note: This takes place after Chandler tells Monica she gives the 'best bad massage'. And the characters are not mine... but if you did know a place where I could get them for free... well, click my name up there :)
Monica sat on her couch thinking about what had happened the previous day. Sure she'd admitted to Chandler as well as to herself, that she did suck at massaging. But her competetive streak and strong desire to be best at everything kept her unsatisfied. She wanted to give the 'best massage' not the 'best bad massage'. She wanted to be the best in Chandler's eyes. She was the best sex Chandler had ever had, wasn't it? Likewise she wanted to be the best masseur Chandler'd ever known. She wanted to be the one Chandler turned to, when he was exhausted. She'd hated it when she once saw Phoebe giving a simple neck massage to Chandler and she hated it even more when she saw that Chandler was enjoying it. She wanted to be the one giving massages to her boyfriend.
It was perhaps seeing Phoebe massaging Chandler's neck that had prompted Monica to suggest the massage session to Chandler. Chandler had agreed. So later, that same night, she and Chandler decided to give each other massages. Of course, Chandler's massages were great, she felt so relaxed under his touch. But then it was her turn to massage and it turned out to be an unqualified disaster. (Though Chandler did not say so then. But she did have a sneaking suspicion that Chandler had told Joey.)
Monica looked at her watch, it was 10:45. She and Chandler had taken the day off to spend some quality time with each other. Though their decision to take the day off might have seemed strangely co-incidental to everyone except Joey, no-one said anything. Joey had just wiggled his eyebrows at Chandler, when no-one was looking and said in a sultry voice, "Yeah! Baby." causing Chandler to glare at him. Rachel had given a look that unsettled Monica. Did Rachel really know? Rachel had come outright and told her that she knew about her relationship with Chandler. Monica of course had lied her way out of that.
Once again, Monica looked at her watch, it was 10:48. She'd better get going, Chandler had told her he'd meet her at 10:50. He would be there by now. She grabbed her purse and left.
********************
Chandler sat in Central Perk, waiting for Monica. He was a little worried about Monica. He was sure something was still bugging Monica. He only hoped it had nothing to do with massaging.
He turned his head in time to see Monica entering the coffee-house. She came up to him and fell into his waiting arms. "Ah! Finally. We have both the apartments to ourselves.", he said contentedly, kissing her on the top of her head. She sighed contentedly and snuggled closer, "Mmm...", she said.
Chandler frowned slightly. "Mmm...?", he thought to himself, "Is that all she had to say?" Usually she'd launch into the plans for the day. He kissed her once again on the forehead and ventured, "Mon, honey..." Monica looked up at him. He smiled at her, continuing, "What's wrong?"
Monica looked up at him, "Nothing" , she said hastily. "Why would you think anything's wrong?"
"Nothing, it's just that you've been... well... never mind."
"What?"
"You've been acting a bit... differently towards me... are you mad at me for something?"
"No! No... I'm not mad at you or anyone for that matter. It's just that... ", she trailed off...
"Yes?...", he prompted.
Monica looked at him warily, it had surprised her that Chandler had caught on to her feelings. But then, she realized that this wasn't anything new. It was always only Chandler who was able to tell whether she was upset or happy, better than anyone else. He knew her so well and he could read her like a book. She should've known better than to try to hide her feelings from him. He would always know... and she was glad that he knew.
"Mon?", his voice snapped her back to reality.
"Huh?", she said, noticing that he was staring at her curiously.
"What's gotten into you today?", he asked, "You've been staring into space for nearly 10 minutes...". He grinned and then continued, "So are you gonna tell me what's bugging you or do I have to play a round of 20 Questions?"
"How about neither?", she asked only half-serious.
"Why?", he was getting nervous now, it was most unlike Monica to beat around the bush."Honey, seriously... what's wrong?"
"I can't tell you... not now, atleast."
"Aw... come on, Mon. Please...please...", he gave her that 'puppy-dog' look.
"Well... I want to learn how to give...", she paused.
Chandler suddenly knew what was coming next, but he decided to make sure, "What do you want to learn, Mon?"
"Massaging!", she said so loudly, that everyone in the coffee-house turned to stare at her.
Chandler laughed and pulled her into his arms, "I knew it! I knew you weren't OK about that yet... "
She hit him playfully and said, "I really want to, Chandler. For you."
"For me?", he asked incredulously.
She nodded, "Yes... please don't tell me it doesn't matter and that you could always go to Phoebe for a massage... because that's exactly what I don't want. Because I want to be the one you turn to when you're tired, not Pheebs."
"Wow... I didn't know this meant so much to you."
"It does, Chandler. It does.", she said quietly.
He smiled and planted a kiss on her cheek, "You are an amazing woman, do you know that?"
"So, are you gonna let me try?"
"Of course! When?"
"How 'bout right now?"
Chandler's face slightly fell, "I was planning on taking you somewhere out, first.", he said.
"Oh! OK then, how about after we get back?"
"OK!", he agreed.
"Great! So where are we going?"
"I was thinking, lunch at Iridium and then a movie -You've got mail- to be more exact."
"Hmmm... great! Let's go!", she stood up.
********************
A few hours later, Chandler was sprawled on his bed, ready for the massage. Monica nervously rested her hands on his shoulder. Chandler, who could sense her tension said, "Monica, relax. I don't mind in the least bit."
"Hey, that's my line!", she laughed.
"Take it!", he grinned back.
Sensing the tension was broken, Chandler directed, "Now, imagine I'm a wad of dough... start kneading... "
She did. Chandler winced and said through the pain, "Go a bit gentler... there... better."
********************
Later that evening, Monica watched as Phoebe cleansed Ross' aura by plucking the air around him. Ross did not appear to be amused, on the contrary, he looked irritated. Finally, he snapped, "Pheebs! I don't need any aura cleansing, alright!!"Phoebe looked scandalized, "Geez! What's up with you? I was only trying to help."
Ross scowled, "It's not helping!!" Saying thus, he stormed out of the apartment.
Phoebe turned to Monica, "Seriously, what's wrong with him?"
Monica sighed, "He's still taking that Emily thing hard..."
"Whatever, he's mean!", Phoebe said so loudly that Monica jumped despite herself.
"Er... Pheebs?", Monica asked after awhile.
"Yeah?"
"Can I ask you for a favor?"
"Sure! What?"
"Could you give me a few pointers on massaging?"
"What? I mean, why?"
"Because... I wanna practise ya know, just like that... "
"Oh, God! Mon, is this about yesterday?"
"Yeah...", she trailed off, nervously fidgeting with the hem of her sweater.
"OK... come over tomorrow to Healing Hands Inc.. I'll see what we can do. But Mon, I gotta ask. What's with you and massaging? What's going on?"
Monica was about to answer when Chandler and Rachel walked in.
"Hey!", they chorused.
"Hi!", Phoebe and Monica chorused back.
Phoebe turned to Monica, "So... tell me."
"Tell you what?", Rachel asked as she sat down in the chair.
"Oh, she's intent on learning massaging.", Phoebe explained. "I wanna know why."
Monica glanced apologetically at Chandler whose eyes had widened when Phoebe said that.
Rachel was not surprised. She knew perfectly well, why Monica was weird about the whole thing. She was suddenly saddened at the thought that Monica was still not ready to confess her relationship with Chandler to her. "Am I not her best friend? Why the hell is she hiding this from me?", she thought sadly. But she was determined not to force Monica to come out clean with the truth, she wanted Monica to tell the truth of her own free accord. She wouldn't push. Chandler's voice brought her back to reality.
"Is this to please your... er... secret boyfriend?", he asked with a meaningful look at Monica.
"Yeah!", Monica said, glad that Chandler had come to her rescue.
"Wow, Mon! You must be getting pretty serious with the guy.", Rachel said, trying to keep the bitterness in her voice to a bare minimum.
"I am.", she said softly, and she felt Chandler gently squeeze her hand.
********************
"Oh! Hello, Mrs. Tribbianni!", Chandler quipped, the next day, as Joey walked in with the bag Rachel'd given him.
Joey scowled. "Shut up, Bing!", he snapped. "Hey Monica!", he said to Monica who was cuddling with Chandler in the barca-lounger.
Monica stood up, giving Chandler a kiss. "I gotta go. I'll go and make lunch. I'll call ya when its ready." She exited the apartment.
"So, how's it goin'?", Joey asked, settling himself in the other chair.
"Joe, she's... well obsessed with the whole massaging thing.", Chandler said quietly.
"Well, that's what Monica does isn't? Obsession is her middle name."
Chandler glared at Joey, "Dude, that's my girlfriend we're talking about!"
"So?", Joey asked. "I can't...", he trailed off, quailing under his friend's furious stare.
"Joe, she wants to do this for us, for me."
"I think that's nice, Chandler."
He then confessed, "Joe, I think I'm falling in love with her, actually I've already fallen. I'm so afraid, I'm going to mess up."
Joey's face broke into a huge grin at that amazing revelation and his voice cracked as he said, "Dude!"
"What?", Chandler looked confused.
"I'm just so happy for you!", he hugged his friend.
Chandler smiled. Both friends were oblivious to the person standing at the doorway to their apartment. The person quietly closed the door, exiting the apartment.
********************
"My best friend and my sister, in love?", Ross mused. He was now sitting on the big orange couch in Central Perk. "That's amazing! ", he thought and then he felt a little hurt that Chandler had confided in Joey, rather than him. "Wait... maybe there was a reason for that. Was it because Chandler thought that he, Ross wouldn't approve? Maybe... ". His thoughts were interrupted by Rachel sighing loudly.
"What's with you today? I've called your name 15 times and you haven't answered."
"Nothing... so you heard about Monica and Chandler?", he asked directly.
Rachel looked shocked as she nodded in the affirmative. "How did you know? Monica told you?"
"Nope. I overheard Chandler telling Joey that he loved Monica."
"I see...", Rachel said. Then she voiced what she had been feeling, "Ross... what's wrong with me? Why wouldn't Monica tell me the truth? Am I not her best friend?"
"Rach... there's nothing wrong with you. Maybe they have a reason. Let's not jump to conclusions, OK?", Ross said.
"You're right", came a voice from behind. Ross and Rachel started and looked up and were startled to find Monica and Chandler standing there.
Chandler sat down on the couch, pulling Monica down with him. "Ross, Rachel... we're sorry you had to find out this way. The reason we didn't say anything was because we were er... worried about your reactions."
"Why?"
"Because... of some rules... ", Chandler trailed off.
"What rules?", Rachel asked at the same time as Ross said, "Oh! Those rules!"
Ross smiled, "Chandler, under any other circumstances I would've said no. But then hearing what you were telling Joey, I think it's great!! I'm so happy for you too!"
Chandler could not reply. He merely locked his best friend in a strong hug, "Thanks, man!", was all he could say. Ross then hugged Monica, "I'm happy for you!"
"Thanks bro!", Monica smiled and then caught Rachel's less than happy expression.
"I'm happy for you guys too.", Rachel said barely above a whisper.
"Oh, Rach! I'm soo sorry! I...", Monica started, but was cut off by Rachel hugging her.
"It's OK! We're cool", she said.
"No, I should've told you!", Monica said.
"Yes, you should have. But that's all in the past now.", Rachel said.
"Rachel, you will always be my best friend, no matter what... don't ever doubt that OK?"
"OK"
Monica then turned to her boyfriend, "BTW, what were you telling Joey?"
Chandler's expression softened, "That I am in love with you."
"What?", she asked, her voice cracking.
"I love you, Monica.", he said simply.
"I love you too, Chandler", she said her eyes brimming with tears. He leaned in and captured her lips in a sweet kiss.
"Aw!", Rachel and Ross chorused.
"Oh, my God! Chandler and Monica! Chandler and Monica! Chandler and Monica!", Phoebe screeched as she and Joey walked into the coffee-house at that precise moment. Everyone in the coffee-house were looking around at her.
"Pheebs, it's okay", a startled Joey tried to calm her down.
"No... they're doing it!", she shouted.
"Yeah, we are in love", a placid voice said from the couch. Chandler was holding a slightly startled Monica in his arms. The couple had jumped apart when Phoebe had screamed.
"All of you knew about this?", Phoebe glared at the others.
"Uh...we just found out.", Rachel said timidly.
"Uh... Pheebs, good news, huh?", Ross asked.
"I'm mad at you, Ross!", she yelled at Ross and turned to hug Chandler and Monica. "This explains Monica's massaging obssession.", she grinned at them.
Monica blushed.
"Know what, Chandler? I just gave her some useful pointers at work. You might want to see how she's improved.", Phoebe said, grinning slyly.
Chandler laughed and planted a kiss on Monica's cheek which had now turned a brilliant shade of magenta.
"Er... Pheebs, why are you mad at me?", Ross asked.
"If you don't know, I'm not going to tell you!", she retorted.
"Er... were we playing chess, by any chance?", Ross wondered.
"No! This wasn't a dream, Ross!"
"Then what?"
"You snapped at me yesterday..."
"When you were cleansing my... er... aura?"
"That's right"
"Oh, Pheebs... I'm so sorry... it's just that there is so much going on in my life."
"That's okay. But be warned, Geller! I won't let you off that easily next time! You got it?"
"Y...yes!", Ross said, not knowing whether to be scared or not.
"What happened last night?", Chandler asked his love.
"You don't wanna know. It's no big deal.", she said, shrugging.
"You wanted to show me your improved massaging skills", he whispered, sending chills down her spine.
She looked excited as she said, "Yeah... let's go."
"Guys, we're gonna take off.", Chandler said loudly, catching everyone's attention.
"Good luck!", Phoebe whispered to Monica as she and Rachel giggled like school girls.
"Thanks!", Mon said, rolling her eyes.
"Let's go...", Chandler pulled Monica close and they exited the coffee-house to the sounds of cat-calls and whoops from their friends.
As they stepped out, Chandler whispered, "I love you, sweetheart"
"Ditto", she said softly as Chandler scooped her up in his arms as they entered the apartment building.
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That.... That....That.... That.... That's all folks! (Yep, That's Porky Pig's Farewell Greeting! :) )