The Gift

Chapter Nine - Why Not Today?

Monica woke up the next morning and smiled when she saw Chandler sleeping beside her. She reached over and touched his cheek gently, causing his eyes to flutter open. "Sorry," she whispered. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"I'm glad you did," he smiled up at her. "Good morning, beautiful."

She blushed. "Good morning." She snuggled up to him and rested her head on his chest. "Thank you for last night. It was incredible."

"It was my pleasure," he grinned. "It was incredible for me, too."

"I can't believe I'm here with you," Monica said quietly. "It's wonderful, but I just can't believe it."

"I know what you mean. I keep thinking I'm going to wake up from a dream any minute now," he responded as he rubbed her shoulders.

"Well, I promise you, Chandler, this isn't a dream," she smiled and moved so she could kiss him. "I love you."

"I love you, too... You know, I just can't say that enough," he added.

"Then feel free to keep saying it, because I can't hear it enough either," she teased. "As much as I hate to do this, I'm going to have to get up. I have to go in to work this afternoon."

"Yeah, I should probably go in today, too, but I think I'll just hang around here until you kick me out."

"Stay as long as you want," Monica replied as she got out of bed and put on her robe. "I like having you here," she continued and leaned over to give him a quick kiss. "I'm gonna take a shower."

"Okay... I'll make some breakfast for you," he said as he got out of bed and began to get dressed.

"Oh, you don't have to do that, Chandler. I'll make something when I get out."

"You've cooked for us for years. Let me do something for you for a change," he smiled and followed her into the living room.

"Thank you," she said before going into the bathroom and closing the door behind her.

Chandler looked through the refrigerator and took out some bacon and eggs to prepare for Monica. As soon as he started cooking, Joey and Phoebe burst into the apartment. Chandler jumped and dropped several eggs onto the kitchen floor.

"Oh no," Phoebe said when she saw the mess. "Monica will kill you."

"What she doesn't know won't hurt her," Chandler said as he hurried to clean up the sticky mess. "By the way, thanks for scaring me to death."

"No problem," Joey answered. "Hey... You didn't come home last night, did you?" he smirked.

"Joey, that's none of our business," Phoebe interrupted before Chandler could respond. She leaned over to whisper in Joey's ear. "I'll get all the details from Monica later."

Chandler just smiled and went back to preparing breakfast. "You guys want something to eat?" he asked, knowing exactly what he was going to hear from Joey.

"Of course," he said and pulled up a seat at the table. "As long as I don't have to cook it or clean up the mess."

"We don't have time, Joey. We've got stuff to do," Phoebe said and tried to pull him away from the table.

"What kind of stuff?" Chandler asked curiously.

"We're going on a little trip and we've got some things to take care of before we go," Phoebe answered.

"A trip? To where?"

"Well... We're gonna get married!" Joey exclaimed. "We're goin' to Vegas, baby!"

"Wow!" Chandler exclaimed. "Congratulations!"

"Thanks," Joey smiled at his friend. "I'm so excited!"

"I'm excited for both of you," Chandler replied. "So... Vegas, huh?"

"Yeah. We just wanted to do it right away," Phoebe responded. "We're leaving tomorrow... Where's Monica?" she asked.

"Right here," Monica answered when she exited the bathroom in her bathrobe. "What's going on?"

"We're gettin' married!" Joey exclaimed.

Monica just looked shocked for a minute, then responded. "Congratulations!" she exclaimed excitedly. "When?"

"Tomorrow. In Las Vegas," Phoebe informed her. "I was kind of wondering if you could go with me this afternoon to look for a dress. We don't want to bother with the whole ceremony, but I do want a dress."

"Oh, honey, I wish I could, but I'm working this afternoon," Monica replied, disappointed. "No, wait. This is a once in a lifetime thing. I'll call and tell them I can't come in today," she continued and walked over to the living room to pick up the phone.

"This is so great!" Phoebe shouted. "I wonder if Rachel will come, too."

Monica quickly finished her phone call, then dialed Rachel's number. "Ask her," she said and handed the phone to Phoebe.

While Phoebe talked with Rachel over the telephone, Monica went into the kitchen with Joey and Chandler. "So, what did you make me for breakfast?" she asked, smiling at Chandler.

He put a plate of bacon, eggs, and toast in front of her. "How's that?" he asked.

"Looks good," she said, surprised. "Let's just hope it tastes okay."

"Hey, I can cook. Right, Joey?" Chandler said, looking to his friend for support.

"Yeah. He's pretty good at it when he wants to be. But it's too much work, so he hardly ever does it."

Phoebe returned to the kitchen. "Rachel's coming with us to look for my dress, and she had the greatest idea! Why don't you guys go to Vegas with us?" she asked, indicating Monica and Chandler. "Ross and Rachel said they would like to go, but they can't really take Becca. It'll be just the four of us. What do you say?"

"I don't know, Pheebs," Monica began. "I'd really like to be there, but..."

"But what? Do you have plans?" Joey asked.

"No, not really... Chandler? Could you go?"

"I am supposed to work tomorrow... But who am I kidding? They'd never know I was gone," he smiled. "Monica? Do you want to go?"

"Well..." She stopped, looking at the begging face Joey was making. "Okay. I'll go," she smiled.

"Oh, thank you!" Phoebe exclaimed and hugged Monica tightly. "I'm gonna go get ready for our shopping trip!" she said and rushed across the hall.

"See you later," Joey called after grabbing some toast from the table and heading toward the door.

Chandler took a seat at table beside Monica and started to eat his own breakfast. "Pretty exciting news, huh?"

"Yeah. It really is," Monica agreed.

"So, um... I guess we're going to Vegas," he smiled.

"I guess so," she smiled back at him.

"Do you wanna make a weekend out of it?" he suggested. "They're gonna be busy with the honeymoon and all, so... Maybe once we've gotten them married, we could spend a little time with each other. We could probably use the time away from here anyway."

"I'd love that," she responded.

"Great. I'll make some calls," he said before kissing her forehead quickly and going to the living room to take care of plane tickets and hotel reservations over the phone. "Hey, Mon," he called just as he picked up the phone to dial.

She turned around to face him. "Yeah?"

"I love you," he said simply.

She smiled. "I love you, too."

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Chandler and Monica found themselves in a Las Vegas wedding chapel the next evening, watching two of their best friends get married. Phoebe had picked out a very simple knee length, sleeveless, white dress for the ceremony. Joey was wearing a pair of khaki pants and a blue dress shirt. Neither of them looked much like the traditional bride and groom when it came to their clothing, but they had never looked happier.

After the ceremony, Joey and Phoebe headed off to the honeymoon suite they were staying in, which Chandler had paid for as a wedding gift. He and Monica decided to go back to their own room. It had been a long day, and neither of them felt like roaming through casinos at the moment.

"I'm so happy for them," Monica said dreamily as she plopped down on the bed in their hotel room.

"I know. They really are happy, aren't they?" Chandler said as he got onto the bed and propped himself up on his elbow so he could look at her.

"Yeah. They really are," she responded, then rolled over so she was looking at Chandler. "Do you think that we're going to have what they have? Ross and Rachel are happily married, and now Joey and Phoebe have tied the knot... I don't mean to put any pressure on you, Chandler, but do you think we're going to have that, too?"

He just smiled at her. "Yeah, I think we are. Maybe not today, but someday," he assured her. He reached over and brushed her hair away from her face. "You know what? Why not today? I mean, we're in a town that's full of all night wedding chapels. We could get married right here, right now."

"You've got to be kidding me," Monica laughed. "I didn't mean we had to get married right away. I was just thinking about this stuff. Weddings do that to me."

"I'm serious, Monica. I love you. And someday I'm going to ask you to marry me. Why can't that day be today?"

"Chandler -"

"Wait. Let me do this right." He got off the bed, and pulled her up so she was sitting on the edge of the bed. "Just a second," he said and starting frantically looking around the room. He saw his keys on the nightstand and picked them up, then took off a ring from his keychain. After walking back to Monica, he got onto one knee and held up the ring to her. "Monica Geller, will you marry me?"

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A/N - Think she'll say yes? No? It feels good to be the only one with all the answers. lol I've already got the next chapter written, but I'm going to keep you in suspense for day or two... Please let me know what you thought...