A/N: Happy New Year! I know I said that in my last chapter but then I remembered that this is, in fact, a New Years chap, so I decided to update really soon. Hope you all have fun parties and such! I'm going to a party too, yay! Well, *coughs* when I said party, I mean two of my best friends and I watching Friends and staring at pictures of Orlando Bloom and getting high off sparkling apple cider until midnight, at which point we will go outside and pull party poppers and try to find someone doing firecrackers illegally. Par-tay!
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters! I would like a guest list of who would like to come to my wedding, the union of Yennifer Ann and Orlando Bloom, and which celebrity crush they are bringing. Apparently married men are acceptable ;)
Chapter 9 - Happy
Pete slipped the ring on her finger, the gigantic Tiffany's diamond that Monica adored. As soon as she saw the rock against her small finger, the felt a hundred times better. And when she looked at Pete and saw how much he loved her, she felt even happier.
"I can't believe we're engaged!" she whispered.
"Are you happy?" Pete asked.
"Of course," Monica answered. She kissed him. "Oh, my God, we have to tell everyone - we have to go home and tell my friends, and..." she paused, Chandler's face swimming in her mind for a second - and then went on, "And my parents, they'll be so surprised - my mom never thought I'd get married!"
Monica chattered and stared at her finger the whole ride home, and when she jumped out of the carriage and entered her building, she had worked herself into such a frenzy that the entire Chandler matter had been shoved from her mind.
She opened the door to her apartment. Ross, Rachel, Phoebe and Joey were still sitting around watching TV and eating Christmas cookies she'd made the day before.
"Hey, what are you guys doing home so soon?" Rachel asked as greeting.
"We have an announcement," Monica said, unable to keep it in any longer. She scurried to the living room and held up her hand. "We're getting married!"
"Oh my God!" Phoebe squealed, moments before she and Rachel practically jumped on her, grabbing her hand and gasping at the ring, hugging her and talking excitedly. Monica was the center of attention; she was so caught up in the excitement that she didn't notice Chandler enter the room.
"Hey, what's going on?" he asked.
"Monica and Pete are engaged!" Phoebe cried.
Chandler paused for a moment, his eyes widening slightly, his mouth forming an O of surprise. Then he said quickly, "Wow. Congratulations!" He hugged her briefly and then stepped back. Guilt burned like acid in Monica's throat as his eyes met hers, sad and confused.
"So, who wants to open a bottle of champagne?" Rachel said, breaking the silence. While everyone scrambled for glasses, Monica composed herself.
You shouldn't feel guilty. This is your night. Enjoy it. Chandler's probably not even upset, just bummed that the sex is over.
"My night," she repeated quietly.
After champagne was passed out, and the group had gathered around the table, Joey made a toast. "To the first of us to leave Singledom - "
"Hey, what about me?" Ross interjected. "I've been married!"
"To the first of us to leave Singledom and hopefully not come back," Joey amended. "Monica and Pete!" They drank, Monica's new ring sparkling in the light.
"So, have you set a date?" Ross asked.
"No, we haven't talked about it yet. Tonight's just been so exciting," Monica said, smiling up at her fiancé.
"Actually, I was thinking - how about Valentine's Day?" Pete asked.
"So soon?" Monica and Chandler said together.
"Yeah, well, it's the day we got back together... if you don't want to, we could wait until next year, or any other day is fine..." Pete trailed off, failing to hide obvious disappointment.
"No! No, that sounds great! Pete, I love it," Monica said, kissing him on the cheek.
"So Valentine's Day it is?" Joey asked.
"Valentine's Day it is," Monica said with a smile. "Oh my God, that's only two months away! There's so much to do! We need a caterer, a florist, a band..." she continued with her list, and for the next half hour she, Rachel, and Phoebe were engrossed in a bridal magazine.
When Phoebe got up to get more champagne, Rachel nudged Monica and nodded towards the window. Chandler was standing on the balcony without so much as a sweater, his glass of champagne almost empty.
"What?" Monica hissed.
"Are you done playing with him?" Rachel asked.
"Okay, first of all, he's not a toy. And second of all, we both knew it was just a fling! It wasn't going to go on forever, just a big fun friend thing while I got over a rough spot," Monica said.
"Well, it may not seem like it to you, but he just got dumped," Rachel said.
"Fine, I'll go apologize for making my body permanently unavailable," Monica sighed. "It's not like there were any feelings involved." She was trying desperately to get out of talking to Chandler and they both knew it.
"Still, how would you like it if he had waltzed back in here with Janice and announced he was marrying her?" Rachel pointed out. "I mean, look, I'm just trying to save your friendship, but if you don't want any help..."
"I'm going, I'm going," Monica said. She left the living room and climbed through the window.
"Hey, there," she said as she stepped into the chilly night.
Chandler turned and looked at her. "Hey."
"Aren't you cold?" she asked, rubbing her arms.
Chandler shrugged. "Not really." He turned away and sipped his champagne.
"Look, Chandler, I - "
"Hey, Mon, there's nothing to say, okay?" he said without looking at her.
"Okay," she said awkwardly. "I'm just sorry for - "
"Don't apologize!" he said heatedly. "There's nothing to apologize for. You're getting married! It's over. I understand."
"It was - it was fun," she said, completely at a loss.
"Yeah. Yeah, it was," Chandler said almost wistfully. "So now that you've done the fun thing, you want to do the marriage thing. I totally get that, and I'm happy for you." He forced a smile.
"Thanks. That means a lot to me." She paused, staring out at the city. Her heart was bouncing around in her chest, and she felt raw and exposed. "I hope you have the same thing someday."
"Nah, don't wish that on me," Chandler said. "I'm happier being alone. No commitment, no attachment, no worrying, no fights. I like this life better." He turned to her, a strange gleam in his eye, and said in an even tone, "In fact, I'm glad you ended this. Wouldn't want anyone to think I would actually want to settle down."
As Chandler's words washed over her, it was like the gaping wound had closed up. Monica would never feel guilty about Chandler again.
"2 minutes to midnight!" someone called out. A cheer went up. Monica yelled with the rest, refilled her drink and went back to the table to sit on Pete's lap, where Ross was telling a long, drunken story about New Year's 1987 to the assembled group. The only person who even gave the impression of listening was his date.
Monica tuned her brother out as her gaze traveled around her apartment. People filled every nook and cranny; the beverage table was being refilled for the third time. Monica herself was slightly tipsy, and had lost control of the party hours ago.
Not that she cared. She had been engaged for only a week, and already they had booked a hall, arranged the reception, chosen the flowers, and made the guest list. It was like a dream come true for Monica; she was finally getting her picture-perfect wedding. She grinned dazedly at Pete.
"What?" he asked, catching her eye.
"Nothing," she said.
"I love you," Pete said.
"I love you too," she replied. "Can you believe that this time next year, I'll be getting ready to kiss my husband at midnight?"
"I believe it, and I love it," Pete whispered.
"Who wants party poppers?" Phoebe asked to the room in general, tossing the small noisemakers into the crowd.
"Hey, has anybody seen Rachel?" Joey asked.
"No, I sent her out with Chandler to get drinks a while ago - they should be back by now," Monica said, her brow furrowing.
"They probably got stuck in traffic," Pete said wisely.
"Damn, I bet they did," Monica said. All the better, she thought. I don't need him breathing down my neck at midnight.
"30 seconds!"
"So who you kissing at midnight, Pheebs?" Joey asked.
"Who are you kissing?"
"You?" Joey asked, shrugging.
"I guess so," Phoebe said.
"10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 - HAPPY NEW YEAR!" Party poppers blew and people cheered as Monica and Pete wrapped their arms around each other and kissed.
"Happy New Year," Pete whispered in her ear.
"You too," Monica whispered as their lips locked again.
She had no way to know that across the hall, Rachel and Chandler were also bringing in the new year.
A/N: Thank you for reading! Don't know when the next chap will be up, hopefully soon. Bec - you rock! I won't say any more here, but Becca rocks at… doing cool stuff with websites! Luv ya babe! For real this time, Happy New Year!!!
*Yen*