Adultery, Part3
INTRODUCTION: The 3rd part in this series so far... I would just like to point out that I am aware of the fact that it seems a bit unrealistic that Monica and Joey would have an affair... But later in the series I'm going to explain how they started it in the first place. Maybe it will make more sense then... :-)
DISCLAIMER: The "Friends" characters do not belong to me.
Monica straddled Joey and pulled his shirt off. She still hadn't given any thought to weather or not she needed this affair really, or if she could just break it off. She enjoyed it too much to want to think about it rationally. But she felt torn. It was still hard to have the time and lust to have active sexlifes with two men. She and Chandler had sex almost every day, and these days she was afraid of tiring herself out with Joey so that she didn't have any lust to sleep with Chandler later. So instead she didn't see Joey as often.
She kissed him over and over, and thought of how different his kisses were from Chandler's. Joey was really a good kisser, but unlike Chandler he seemed to do it mostly on routine. She quickly dismissed the thought. She didn't want to think about Chandler while she had sex with Joey.
Joey pulled her t-shirt off and unclasped her bra. Monica responded by starting to work on his zipper. She had her part of the protection covered, now he needed his. She reached into his pocked and after a while of searching found a condom.
Joey nibbled her earlobe and then pulled his pants off. She hadn't been by for over a week, and he had longed for her. He had never realized how easy it was to get addicted to her presence, but now he knew why Chandler had been so eager to keep up his secret relationship with her so many years ago. There was just something about her that made you need her. He began kissing her neck while he caressed her back.
Monica glanced at the clock on the wall.
"Joey we're gonna have to hurry up" she said.
"Huh?" she heard him mumble.
"Joey. I've only got fifteen more minutes before I have to get home."
Joey sighed and stopped kissing her neck. He stopped caressing her and he got an annoyed look on his face.
"What?" Monica asked.
"Damn it Monica, you haven't been around for over a week. And now you're telling me you've gotta go in just fifteen minutes? I mean, you just got here!"
"Well I told Chandler I would be back before five!"
"Chandler this and Chandler that…" Joey said. He pushed her off him. "Why are you even thinking of him right now? I feel so low knowing that he is my best friend and you are married to him, yet I am having sex with you. Why bring him up when we're together? Keep him out of this, please."
"Oh for crying out loud, it's not like I said 'do that thing that Chandler does' or anything!" Monica replied. "What, do you want me to stay for longer and have Chandler end up suspecting something? Do you want him to find out about us?"
"Of course not!"
"Well good, because no matter what happens, Chandler is NEVER going to get to know anything! Is that clear? This is going to crush him if he finds out!"
"Why are you saying that as an accusation towards ME?" Joey asked, defensive. "You're just as much a part of this as I am!"
"I know that I am. And believe me, it's hard for me too! How do you think I feel when I get home at night and see all the love he has for me shining in his eyes? How do you think I feel when he worries about me and takes care of me the times when I leave your apartment and get home all exhausted? I feel like a major hypocrite, Joey! I NEVER, EVER thought I could cheat on Chandler! And it would drive me insane if he cheated, I would be so devastated that I don't know if I could handle it! Don't you realize why it is so important that Chandler NEVER finds out?"
"What, do you think *I* want him to know about us? The man is my best friend! My best friend Monica, and I am betraying him in the worst possible way! If he got to know about this affair then I would loose his friendship and his respect, FOREVER! I would probably deserve to loose it all, just look at how I've shown respect towards HIM! By wrecking his marriage without him even knowing it himself!"
"Joey no matter how much you've got to loose, I've got at least ten times more. He is my best friend too. And I LOVE him. I love him so much that I can't find any rime or reason to why I'm being unfaithful to him, to tell you the truth Joey I don't NEED this! I do not need our affair. Chandler gives me everything I could ever need or ask for."
"Then why the hell are you with me?" Joey asked. "What is your reason for risking that we both loose him? I don't think he could ever forgive us something like this…"
"Joey that's the worst part of it all…" Monica said, and felt how a tear fell down her cheek. She wiped it off. "I honestly don't know if he could forgive you. But I know that there is a chance, a good one even, that he would forgive ME." More tears fell and she gave up and started crying. "And God I feel like… I feel so horrible, I feel like I'm just taking advantage of his kindness, his good heart! I feel like I'm using him or something, that I think I can treat him any way I want to, do whatever I feel like, and then just come back and have everything I jeopardized. And that is truly the worst part of it all…"
Joey sighed again and pulled his pants back on. He wasn't in the mood any longer. He pulled his shirt back on and handed Monica her bra. He put an arm around her as she put it back on, shivering slightly from her sobs and her light dressing.
"Mon, easy now, don't cry…" he said. She leaned her head against his shoulder. "What are we going to do, Monica? What are we going to do?"
*
Monica got home fifteen minutes later, feeling very sad. She and Joey had decided to break up. Neither of them felt that it was worth it, so they might as well end it. Monica felt a little relieved, but at the same time she felt depressed. She knew that things would never be the same again. Her relationship with Chandler would always be different, even if Chandler didn't realize it. She had all of her guilt to carry as well as the knowledge that she had done something so terrible that not even Chandler was sure to forgive her for it if he found out.
She found him in the living room, where he was reading the sports on the couch. The sight of him cheered her up a bit, but it could never take away the terrible guilt she felt over being sad that things were over with Joey. She hated herself deeply for it, just like Chandler probably would if he found out about it.
"Hi Chandler" she said.
He looked up and gave her a slight smile.
"Hi there. You're five minutes early. New record."
That comment didn't cheer Monica up. It only reminded her of how she had neglected him.
"Where is Lukas?" she asked.
"Next door. The neighbours bought their kid some video game for his birthday, and Lukas generously volunteered to try it out" Chandler told her, with a grin. "You look a little low, though. Come here," he continued, patting on the couch next to him, "come talk about your worries with Uncle Chandler…"
Monica walked over and sat down next to him. She felt numb inside.
"So…" Chandler said and put his arm around her. "What's wrong?"
"It doesn't matter" Monica said. "I'm kinda hungry though. You haven't eaten yet, have you?"
"Without you? Of course not!"
Monica rose and went into the kitchen. Chandler followed shortly after and helped her set the table and cook dinner. They sat down and ate, and Chandler told her about his day that had been pretty much as usual. Monica didn't say much, he could tell she was upset about something.
After dinner he told her he would do the dishes, and she gladly let him. He finished the dishes and then went to the living room where he knew he could find her. She was looking at one of the paintings on the wall, that represented a story from Greek mythology, where Hera got jealous after Zeus made Semele pregnant, and so she killed her.
"You like that picture?" Chandler asked, just to have something to say.
"It's a timeless theme, I guess… Adultery…" Monica replied, deep in thought.
"Honey?" Chandler said. She turned around. "Come here for a second."
She slowly walked up to him. He took her in his arms and pulled her close for a hug. Monica knew what he was trying to do, he was trying to comfort her and cheer her up, and that made her finally start to cry. At the moment she had been most sad about breaking it off with Joey, and Chandler had hugged her to try and make her feel better. That brought on the guilt again and she couldn't help but crying. It was all just too much.
"Oh honey…" Chandler said. "I am sorry… I don't want you to feel this way. So sad that you start to cry…"
He held her for a minute, and then broke them embrace. He led her to the couch and sat down with her. He pulled her close and let her cry.
"My little sweetheart… It makes me so sad to see you crying…" he mumbled in her hair. She said nothing, she just sobbed. "What is wrong, honey?" he asked gently. "Is there anything I can do to help you out and make you feel better?"
"I'm just so stressed out right now…" Monica sobbed. It was the truth, but not the entire truth. She didn't mention what the cause of her stress was.
"Well then cry" Chandler said. "I think you need it. Just have a good cry and you'll feel much better afterwards."
Monica nodded. She reached up her left hand and put it around his neck, burying her head by his neck on the other side.
"Chandler…" she whispered, "what would I ever do without you? Honey I love you so much…"
"I love you too" Chandler said and kissed the top of her head. "Even when I'm mad at you I love you more than you will ever know."
"I know what you mean…" Monica whispered. "Because I feel the exact same way. I will love you no matter what you do."
"Ditto."
"Are you really sure about that?" Monica asked, and shivered slightly. "I mean, what if I… cheated?"
"I know you would never do that" Chandler answered and giggled slightly. Apparently he found the thought of it amusing, that anyone would ever say she was cheating on him.
"How do you know?" Monica asked in a whisper. "Maybe you don't know me as well as you think you do… And if I did cheat, would you still love me?"
"Sweetheart, you must be feeling so insecure" Chandler remarked. "It's been years since the last time you needed affirmation in that way."
"Just answer me… Please, Chandler" she said, and kissed him on the cheek.
"I don't know…" Chandler honestly said. "I would love you, yes. I would never stop loving you. But I'm getting the feeling that what you really want to know is weather or not I would leave you."
"Never mind, it doesn't matter" Monica said, and tried to dry her tears. She realised that she didn't want to know weather or not he would leave her. If he said that he would, she would feel horrible knowing that she was married to him on borrowed time. And as soon as he found out, if he ever did, that time would be up. But she would never be able to feel calm and secure with him if she knew he would leave her if he found out about her affair with Joey. And if he said he wouldn't leave her she would just feel as if she was using him, using his devotion.
"Well what about you, Mon?" Chandler asked her. "If I ever slept with someone else, would you be able to still love me and stay with me?"
"Nothing you can do is going to make me stop loving you" Monica said. "And I couldn't leave you. Even if you cheated."
She didn't tell him that she knew she could never leave him if he did cheat, because she owed him to stay with him. And she knew she would want to. A life without him was more than she could bare, and she was going to make sure she never got to experience loosing him.
She fell even more in love with him when he lovingly kissed her on the lips, and said he wanted to comfort her. She finally stopped crying and she realized that she really wanted some comfort.
She slid down to the floor and unzipped his pants. She saw a grin on his face and felt his hand stroke her head. She took him in her mouth and felt comforted by it. It was nice and familiar, and his low moans of pleasure comforted her even more. She knew for sure that this was way better than anything she could ever experience together with Joey. A love like this only came once in a lifetime, and with hers and Chandler's love came a connection, a bond that was stronger and more real than what most people ever experienced. And then it didn't even matter if they both were to take lovers at some point. They would still have that bond between them, and they would only be able to find this emotion in each other.
*
Monica stared blankly at the ceiling, not uttering a word. She couldn't believe it. She couldn't comprehend that it had happened. She had only gone over there to pick up her cardigan that she had left there. And now she was in bed next to him.
Joey said nothing either, just as unable to believe it as Monica. It was just like the first times they had slept together. He felt bad about it. She was still Chandler's wife and all the reasons they had to call it quits were still there. He knew he had been the driving force that had made this happen again. But he couldn't help himself. He didn't even know it himself, but he was in love with her. He knew she didn't feel it back, but he couldn't help it.
"So…" Monica finally said. "Where do we go from here? What now?"
"I don't know" Joey said with a sigh. "I really don't. KEEP this up or GIVE this up?"
Monica turned her head and looked at him.
"Nothing has changed, Joey. You know that, don't you?"
"Yes…" Joey sighed. "I know."
*
One week later Monica called home and told Chandler she would be home late from work. At six o'clock Chandler got a phone call that his mother had been in a car accident earlier that evening, just when she'd gotten to New York. Chandler hadn't even known she was coming to New York.
He called Monica at work to tell her to get home as soon as she could, or to meet him and Lukas at the hospital. But when he called he found out Monica wasn't there. She had left an hour earlier. Chandler frowned and wondered what was up. When she didn't show up at seven either he started to feel very scared. He started to wonder if something had happened to her too.
Lukas eyed him as he paced back and forth between the front door and the kitchen. Finally Chandler told him to get his coat, they were going ahead to the hospital. Chandler left Monica a note and hoped she would show up at the hospital. He was worried sick about her, even more worried than he was about his mother.
*
Half past eight Monica came hurrying in to the waiting room at the hospital. Chandler looked up and felt relieved that she was there. She looked stressed out and slightly shocked. She gave Lukas a kiss on the forehead and Chandler a kiss on the mouth before she sat down next to him.
Chandler wanted to ask her where she had been, but he kept quiet. He didn't say a word for over an hour, until Rachel and her husband Nigel showed up. Monica had called them and asked them to come and take Lukas home with them. They were obviously going to be at the hospital for several more hours, and Lukas needed to get some sleep.
Chandler and Rachel talked for a few minutes while Monica helped Lukas on with his coat. When Rachel took Lukas's hand and left with him and Nigel, Chandler walked up to Monica.
"I tried to reach you when I found out she had been in the accident" he said.
"I figured" Monica said with a nod.
"I called your work, they said you weren't there. That you left around five. But you didn't show up here until after eight! Where the hell WERE you, Monica?"
Monica saw the worried look on his face. She sadly smiled at him and kissed him on the cheek.
"Honey I was at Joey's."
"Joey's? What the heck were you doing THERE?"
"Well he's my friend, isn't he? Can't I hang out with him?"
Chandler looked sceptic. He obviously didn't believe her. Monica got slightly upset.
"Hey, listen, you can just call him up and ASK him, okay?" she said, her voice trembled slightly.
"No, I don't need to do that, I'm sorry…" Chandler said and hugged her. "I'm so sorry, it's just the sudden stress of finding out that Mom has been in an accident, that's all…"
"I understand" Monica whispered.
Chandler looked at her when they sat down again. He thanked his lucky star that he had her. She had been late home, but she was there now. She was with him at the hospital when he needed her to. She was calm and composed and she listened when he needed to talk. Sometimes she talked herself. She also did the talking with the doctors, and she went and got him coffee when she thought he needed it. She was everything he had hoped his future wife would be when he was young, and he loved her very much for it. He knew she was there for him, and that she would never leave him.
When the doctors came and told them they could see Chandler's mother she followed him to her room and stood quietly in the doorway when he quietly talked to his mother. She knew he wanted her to be there, but she sensed that he also wanted some privacy. She took off for a minute and returned with two nurses helping her to move a small couch to the room that had been standing empty in the waiting room. She then sat down on it, and waited for Chandler to finish talking to his mother, who was still unconscious. Then she gestured that he should come over to her. She told him to lay down on the couch and he did, falling asleep with his head in her lap. She slowly stroke his head and let her mind wander for a while. Then she fell asleep as well.
Please review. Even if you didn't like it. If you didn't like it then please tell me why, I love constructive criticism!
INTRODUCTION: The 3rd part in this series so far... I would just like to point out that I am aware of the fact that it seems a bit unrealistic that Monica and Joey would have an affair... But later in the series I'm going to explain how they started it in the first place. Maybe it will make more sense then... :-)
DISCLAIMER: The "Friends" characters do not belong to me.
Monica straddled Joey and pulled his shirt off. She still hadn't given any thought to weather or not she needed this affair really, or if she could just break it off. She enjoyed it too much to want to think about it rationally. But she felt torn. It was still hard to have the time and lust to have active sexlifes with two men. She and Chandler had sex almost every day, and these days she was afraid of tiring herself out with Joey so that she didn't have any lust to sleep with Chandler later. So instead she didn't see Joey as often.
She kissed him over and over, and thought of how different his kisses were from Chandler's. Joey was really a good kisser, but unlike Chandler he seemed to do it mostly on routine. She quickly dismissed the thought. She didn't want to think about Chandler while she had sex with Joey.
Joey pulled her t-shirt off and unclasped her bra. Monica responded by starting to work on his zipper. She had her part of the protection covered, now he needed his. She reached into his pocked and after a while of searching found a condom.
Joey nibbled her earlobe and then pulled his pants off. She hadn't been by for over a week, and he had longed for her. He had never realized how easy it was to get addicted to her presence, but now he knew why Chandler had been so eager to keep up his secret relationship with her so many years ago. There was just something about her that made you need her. He began kissing her neck while he caressed her back.
Monica glanced at the clock on the wall.
"Joey we're gonna have to hurry up" she said.
"Huh?" she heard him mumble.
"Joey. I've only got fifteen more minutes before I have to get home."
Joey sighed and stopped kissing her neck. He stopped caressing her and he got an annoyed look on his face.
"What?" Monica asked.
"Damn it Monica, you haven't been around for over a week. And now you're telling me you've gotta go in just fifteen minutes? I mean, you just got here!"
"Well I told Chandler I would be back before five!"
"Chandler this and Chandler that…" Joey said. He pushed her off him. "Why are you even thinking of him right now? I feel so low knowing that he is my best friend and you are married to him, yet I am having sex with you. Why bring him up when we're together? Keep him out of this, please."
"Oh for crying out loud, it's not like I said 'do that thing that Chandler does' or anything!" Monica replied. "What, do you want me to stay for longer and have Chandler end up suspecting something? Do you want him to find out about us?"
"Of course not!"
"Well good, because no matter what happens, Chandler is NEVER going to get to know anything! Is that clear? This is going to crush him if he finds out!"
"Why are you saying that as an accusation towards ME?" Joey asked, defensive. "You're just as much a part of this as I am!"
"I know that I am. And believe me, it's hard for me too! How do you think I feel when I get home at night and see all the love he has for me shining in his eyes? How do you think I feel when he worries about me and takes care of me the times when I leave your apartment and get home all exhausted? I feel like a major hypocrite, Joey! I NEVER, EVER thought I could cheat on Chandler! And it would drive me insane if he cheated, I would be so devastated that I don't know if I could handle it! Don't you realize why it is so important that Chandler NEVER finds out?"
"What, do you think *I* want him to know about us? The man is my best friend! My best friend Monica, and I am betraying him in the worst possible way! If he got to know about this affair then I would loose his friendship and his respect, FOREVER! I would probably deserve to loose it all, just look at how I've shown respect towards HIM! By wrecking his marriage without him even knowing it himself!"
"Joey no matter how much you've got to loose, I've got at least ten times more. He is my best friend too. And I LOVE him. I love him so much that I can't find any rime or reason to why I'm being unfaithful to him, to tell you the truth Joey I don't NEED this! I do not need our affair. Chandler gives me everything I could ever need or ask for."
"Then why the hell are you with me?" Joey asked. "What is your reason for risking that we both loose him? I don't think he could ever forgive us something like this…"
"Joey that's the worst part of it all…" Monica said, and felt how a tear fell down her cheek. She wiped it off. "I honestly don't know if he could forgive you. But I know that there is a chance, a good one even, that he would forgive ME." More tears fell and she gave up and started crying. "And God I feel like… I feel so horrible, I feel like I'm just taking advantage of his kindness, his good heart! I feel like I'm using him or something, that I think I can treat him any way I want to, do whatever I feel like, and then just come back and have everything I jeopardized. And that is truly the worst part of it all…"
Joey sighed again and pulled his pants back on. He wasn't in the mood any longer. He pulled his shirt back on and handed Monica her bra. He put an arm around her as she put it back on, shivering slightly from her sobs and her light dressing.
"Mon, easy now, don't cry…" he said. She leaned her head against his shoulder. "What are we going to do, Monica? What are we going to do?"
*
Monica got home fifteen minutes later, feeling very sad. She and Joey had decided to break up. Neither of them felt that it was worth it, so they might as well end it. Monica felt a little relieved, but at the same time she felt depressed. She knew that things would never be the same again. Her relationship with Chandler would always be different, even if Chandler didn't realize it. She had all of her guilt to carry as well as the knowledge that she had done something so terrible that not even Chandler was sure to forgive her for it if he found out.
She found him in the living room, where he was reading the sports on the couch. The sight of him cheered her up a bit, but it could never take away the terrible guilt she felt over being sad that things were over with Joey. She hated herself deeply for it, just like Chandler probably would if he found out about it.
"Hi Chandler" she said.
He looked up and gave her a slight smile.
"Hi there. You're five minutes early. New record."
That comment didn't cheer Monica up. It only reminded her of how she had neglected him.
"Where is Lukas?" she asked.
"Next door. The neighbours bought their kid some video game for his birthday, and Lukas generously volunteered to try it out" Chandler told her, with a grin. "You look a little low, though. Come here," he continued, patting on the couch next to him, "come talk about your worries with Uncle Chandler…"
Monica walked over and sat down next to him. She felt numb inside.
"So…" Chandler said and put his arm around her. "What's wrong?"
"It doesn't matter" Monica said. "I'm kinda hungry though. You haven't eaten yet, have you?"
"Without you? Of course not!"
Monica rose and went into the kitchen. Chandler followed shortly after and helped her set the table and cook dinner. They sat down and ate, and Chandler told her about his day that had been pretty much as usual. Monica didn't say much, he could tell she was upset about something.
After dinner he told her he would do the dishes, and she gladly let him. He finished the dishes and then went to the living room where he knew he could find her. She was looking at one of the paintings on the wall, that represented a story from Greek mythology, where Hera got jealous after Zeus made Semele pregnant, and so she killed her.
"You like that picture?" Chandler asked, just to have something to say.
"It's a timeless theme, I guess… Adultery…" Monica replied, deep in thought.
"Honey?" Chandler said. She turned around. "Come here for a second."
She slowly walked up to him. He took her in his arms and pulled her close for a hug. Monica knew what he was trying to do, he was trying to comfort her and cheer her up, and that made her finally start to cry. At the moment she had been most sad about breaking it off with Joey, and Chandler had hugged her to try and make her feel better. That brought on the guilt again and she couldn't help but crying. It was all just too much.
"Oh honey…" Chandler said. "I am sorry… I don't want you to feel this way. So sad that you start to cry…"
He held her for a minute, and then broke them embrace. He led her to the couch and sat down with her. He pulled her close and let her cry.
"My little sweetheart… It makes me so sad to see you crying…" he mumbled in her hair. She said nothing, she just sobbed. "What is wrong, honey?" he asked gently. "Is there anything I can do to help you out and make you feel better?"
"I'm just so stressed out right now…" Monica sobbed. It was the truth, but not the entire truth. She didn't mention what the cause of her stress was.
"Well then cry" Chandler said. "I think you need it. Just have a good cry and you'll feel much better afterwards."
Monica nodded. She reached up her left hand and put it around his neck, burying her head by his neck on the other side.
"Chandler…" she whispered, "what would I ever do without you? Honey I love you so much…"
"I love you too" Chandler said and kissed the top of her head. "Even when I'm mad at you I love you more than you will ever know."
"I know what you mean…" Monica whispered. "Because I feel the exact same way. I will love you no matter what you do."
"Ditto."
"Are you really sure about that?" Monica asked, and shivered slightly. "I mean, what if I… cheated?"
"I know you would never do that" Chandler answered and giggled slightly. Apparently he found the thought of it amusing, that anyone would ever say she was cheating on him.
"How do you know?" Monica asked in a whisper. "Maybe you don't know me as well as you think you do… And if I did cheat, would you still love me?"
"Sweetheart, you must be feeling so insecure" Chandler remarked. "It's been years since the last time you needed affirmation in that way."
"Just answer me… Please, Chandler" she said, and kissed him on the cheek.
"I don't know…" Chandler honestly said. "I would love you, yes. I would never stop loving you. But I'm getting the feeling that what you really want to know is weather or not I would leave you."
"Never mind, it doesn't matter" Monica said, and tried to dry her tears. She realised that she didn't want to know weather or not he would leave her. If he said that he would, she would feel horrible knowing that she was married to him on borrowed time. And as soon as he found out, if he ever did, that time would be up. But she would never be able to feel calm and secure with him if she knew he would leave her if he found out about her affair with Joey. And if he said he wouldn't leave her she would just feel as if she was using him, using his devotion.
"Well what about you, Mon?" Chandler asked her. "If I ever slept with someone else, would you be able to still love me and stay with me?"
"Nothing you can do is going to make me stop loving you" Monica said. "And I couldn't leave you. Even if you cheated."
She didn't tell him that she knew she could never leave him if he did cheat, because she owed him to stay with him. And she knew she would want to. A life without him was more than she could bare, and she was going to make sure she never got to experience loosing him.
She fell even more in love with him when he lovingly kissed her on the lips, and said he wanted to comfort her. She finally stopped crying and she realized that she really wanted some comfort.
She slid down to the floor and unzipped his pants. She saw a grin on his face and felt his hand stroke her head. She took him in her mouth and felt comforted by it. It was nice and familiar, and his low moans of pleasure comforted her even more. She knew for sure that this was way better than anything she could ever experience together with Joey. A love like this only came once in a lifetime, and with hers and Chandler's love came a connection, a bond that was stronger and more real than what most people ever experienced. And then it didn't even matter if they both were to take lovers at some point. They would still have that bond between them, and they would only be able to find this emotion in each other.
*
Monica stared blankly at the ceiling, not uttering a word. She couldn't believe it. She couldn't comprehend that it had happened. She had only gone over there to pick up her cardigan that she had left there. And now she was in bed next to him.
Joey said nothing either, just as unable to believe it as Monica. It was just like the first times they had slept together. He felt bad about it. She was still Chandler's wife and all the reasons they had to call it quits were still there. He knew he had been the driving force that had made this happen again. But he couldn't help himself. He didn't even know it himself, but he was in love with her. He knew she didn't feel it back, but he couldn't help it.
"So…" Monica finally said. "Where do we go from here? What now?"
"I don't know" Joey said with a sigh. "I really don't. KEEP this up or GIVE this up?"
Monica turned her head and looked at him.
"Nothing has changed, Joey. You know that, don't you?"
"Yes…" Joey sighed. "I know."
*
One week later Monica called home and told Chandler she would be home late from work. At six o'clock Chandler got a phone call that his mother had been in a car accident earlier that evening, just when she'd gotten to New York. Chandler hadn't even known she was coming to New York.
He called Monica at work to tell her to get home as soon as she could, or to meet him and Lukas at the hospital. But when he called he found out Monica wasn't there. She had left an hour earlier. Chandler frowned and wondered what was up. When she didn't show up at seven either he started to feel very scared. He started to wonder if something had happened to her too.
Lukas eyed him as he paced back and forth between the front door and the kitchen. Finally Chandler told him to get his coat, they were going ahead to the hospital. Chandler left Monica a note and hoped she would show up at the hospital. He was worried sick about her, even more worried than he was about his mother.
*
Half past eight Monica came hurrying in to the waiting room at the hospital. Chandler looked up and felt relieved that she was there. She looked stressed out and slightly shocked. She gave Lukas a kiss on the forehead and Chandler a kiss on the mouth before she sat down next to him.
Chandler wanted to ask her where she had been, but he kept quiet. He didn't say a word for over an hour, until Rachel and her husband Nigel showed up. Monica had called them and asked them to come and take Lukas home with them. They were obviously going to be at the hospital for several more hours, and Lukas needed to get some sleep.
Chandler and Rachel talked for a few minutes while Monica helped Lukas on with his coat. When Rachel took Lukas's hand and left with him and Nigel, Chandler walked up to Monica.
"I tried to reach you when I found out she had been in the accident" he said.
"I figured" Monica said with a nod.
"I called your work, they said you weren't there. That you left around five. But you didn't show up here until after eight! Where the hell WERE you, Monica?"
Monica saw the worried look on his face. She sadly smiled at him and kissed him on the cheek.
"Honey I was at Joey's."
"Joey's? What the heck were you doing THERE?"
"Well he's my friend, isn't he? Can't I hang out with him?"
Chandler looked sceptic. He obviously didn't believe her. Monica got slightly upset.
"Hey, listen, you can just call him up and ASK him, okay?" she said, her voice trembled slightly.
"No, I don't need to do that, I'm sorry…" Chandler said and hugged her. "I'm so sorry, it's just the sudden stress of finding out that Mom has been in an accident, that's all…"
"I understand" Monica whispered.
Chandler looked at her when they sat down again. He thanked his lucky star that he had her. She had been late home, but she was there now. She was with him at the hospital when he needed her to. She was calm and composed and she listened when he needed to talk. Sometimes she talked herself. She also did the talking with the doctors, and she went and got him coffee when she thought he needed it. She was everything he had hoped his future wife would be when he was young, and he loved her very much for it. He knew she was there for him, and that she would never leave him.
When the doctors came and told them they could see Chandler's mother she followed him to her room and stood quietly in the doorway when he quietly talked to his mother. She knew he wanted her to be there, but she sensed that he also wanted some privacy. She took off for a minute and returned with two nurses helping her to move a small couch to the room that had been standing empty in the waiting room. She then sat down on it, and waited for Chandler to finish talking to his mother, who was still unconscious. Then she gestured that he should come over to her. She told him to lay down on the couch and he did, falling asleep with his head in her lap. She slowly stroke his head and let her mind wander for a while. Then she fell asleep as well.
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