A month later
Rachel rushed frantically around the church making last minute arrangements. It was the night of her wedding, and she was ecstatic. The rehearsal, the night before, had went divinely, and now that the big day was FINALLY here, she realized how much it was really worth it.
Ross, on the other hand, was scared to death! He knew that it was right, and it felt right, but he was still nervous. After all, this was his fourth wedding. Chandler had gotten out of the hospital about a week before, and he was standing next to Ross, saying in a coach-like manner, "I, Ross, take thee, RACHEL! RACHEL! RACHEL! Remember that Ross! It's very important!" He was met with an evil glare from Ross. But not even his annoyance and fright could hide his happiness at what was about to take place. He was about to marry Rachel... and Rachel was about to have twins... he would either be a father or a step-father, either way, in his own mind, he won. He was going to marry the only image of perfection he had ever had. In his mind, Rachel could do no wrong -- Ever!
Monica had been dreading this day for awhile now. She was happy for Rachel and her brother, yeah, but her parents were driving her insane! They called her every night, and all they would talk about was how wonderful Rachel was for Ross, what a sweet girl Rachel was, how perfect they were together, how they were going to have THREE grandchildren after this, and how ecstatic they were that Ross was marrying the PERFECT girl. As if Monica didn't have enough on her hands. She had had to deal with the hospital, and the police for the past month while Chandler was in the hospital recovering from his bullet wound, and thankfully, all their bills were to be paid by the NYPD because Chandler was a hero in a sense. And as the future in-law for Rachel, she had had to help with all the wedding plans, which were atrocious because they only had a month left! Phoebe was no help, she was busy floating and panicking over Joey at the same time. Monica was so stressed out, but there was one thing that was keeping her happy -- the baby she was now expecting, only she and Chandler knew about it, and they agreed to keep it a secret until she started to show.
Joey was sitting on a bench outside of the church fumbling with his hands when Phoebe walked up behind him, and draped her arms around his shoulders. He was looking distressed and upset. He turned to Phoebe and said, "Pheebs, what if they're not mine? I love them already ... I want them to be mine. And if they are mine, have I blown it big time for them? They'll never really get to know their daddy because ROSS will be that role for the first few years. And then... is it too late? Will they resent me? Pheebs... I just don't know... I care about Rach a lot, not as much as you of course, but if they're mine... are you going to be okay with that?" Phoebe was touched that Joey had actually started to care for the twins whose father was not yet known to the world, and she just looked him square in the eyes and said, "Joey, I love YOU! No one else... only you. I will love you no matter what happens with Rachel. You'll always be a part of their lives, no matter what, because Rachel and Ross want us all to be. And they'll love you too, either as their dad or their uncle. And if they're not yours, well, we'll just have to have our own babies." Joey loosened up a bit, grinned, and kissed Phoebe. He looked down at his watch and realized, "Ohmigosh! Rachel's going to KILL us! We're late!" They ran back into the church as the ceremony was beginning.
Rachel sat in front of the mirror, and just looked at herself intensely. She was starting to show, but she could afford it, being how skinny she was beforehand. Rachel pondered over everything! Her and Barry's wedding, her and Ross's first time at the relationship thing, her and Joey's one night stand, her and Monica's high school prom, her sharing a house with Phoebe, going to stop Ross's wedding... "I guess Phoebe's right," she thought. "I always have loved him, and I guess I always will! I even attempted, and succeeded accidentally, in wrecking his wedding to that British chippy. Now I love him even more intensely." And as if on cue, the babies moved, almost as if to reassure Rachel that this was the right thing to do, and she took it as such. She took a deep breath, and she heard a knock on her door. It was her father, who said, "Baby, it's time, we're about to start." And Rachel walked out the door ready to take the last walk as a single person, and embark on a new journey with the person she was meant to be with -- Ross.
Rachel and her father walked to the foyer of the church, and waited there, as Phoebe and Joey came running in. Monica turned to Rachel and said, "You ready?" Rachel just nodded. "Good, then I'll tell the candlelighters to start." Rachel's nieces Arian and Alexia were the candlelighters (let's pretend their Rachel's other sister's daughters) and they headed down in their soft blue gowns. Next were the bridesmaids: First Jill, then Annie (Rachel's other sister), then Monica, then the maid of honor, Phoebe. They were wearing tea-length, light, pink, floral print gowns, and each had their hair up with lots of tendrils hanging down. (very pretty style) Then Rachel sent her littlest niece, Sari and Ben down the aisle, as the flower girl and the ring-bearer. Then the doors shut, Rachel took a deep breath and realized there was no turning back, even if for some reason she wanted to. Then the ushers opened the doors, and Rachel caught a glimpse of the church. It was breath-taking! A tulle overhang had been constructed over the aisle, greenery was everywhere with pink, red, and white flowers bursting out in places. Rachel fit right into this fairyland, in her fancy, sleeveless, satin, tulle, and beaded gown. Then she looked up and saw Ross standing there with Joey (best man), Chandler, Jerry (Annie's hubby), and Gunther (why not?). Then her eyes met Ross's, and everything else just seemed to slip away, and it was like they were transcending time. The next thing she knew, she was at the front altar, holding hands with the man she loved. The preacher looked at Ross and said, "Please read your own vows before the traditional ones." And with a tear in his eye, Ross started, "Rachel, this is the one day that I always hoped would happen but never dared believe it would be so. We've seen so much together, and been through just about everything. I promise that I'll always be there for you, no matter what. I'll love those babies as if they were my own, that is, if they're not. I'll pick you up when you're down, and I promise you that I'll never say, "We were on a break" again. I promise that I'll always love you, and I'll never correct your grammar. But I'll always stay enchanted. It was always you Rach. Always. Don't ever forget that." Tears sprang to Rachel's eyes, but she went on with her vows anyway, she said, "Ross, even through the worst times, I always loved you, through everything. And I'll continue loving you forever. I promise that I'll never cook for you. I'll support all your geeky dinosaur stuff. I'll be faithful, but mostly, I'll be your wife. I give my life to you, and I place my heart in the palm of your hand, and I put my soul into my heart. I love you Ross Gellar... and there's nothing I can say to top that." The whole audience was drying their tears as Ross and Rachel took their traditional vows. (ross said the right name) Then the next thing they knew they were being presented to the audience when the preacher said, "By the powers vested in me, and by the state of New York I pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride (and the did). I, now, present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Ross and Rachel Gellar.
Rachel was crying, she was a wife! And she was happy! She took Ross's arm, and started back down the aisle ready for any challenge to come their way. She whispered to herself, "Mrs. Ross Gellar. Rachel Gellar." She grinned. "I like it, no wait, I love it."
Rachel rushed frantically around the church making last minute arrangements. It was the night of her wedding, and she was ecstatic. The rehearsal, the night before, had went divinely, and now that the big day was FINALLY here, she realized how much it was really worth it.
Ross, on the other hand, was scared to death! He knew that it was right, and it felt right, but he was still nervous. After all, this was his fourth wedding. Chandler had gotten out of the hospital about a week before, and he was standing next to Ross, saying in a coach-like manner, "I, Ross, take thee, RACHEL! RACHEL! RACHEL! Remember that Ross! It's very important!" He was met with an evil glare from Ross. But not even his annoyance and fright could hide his happiness at what was about to take place. He was about to marry Rachel... and Rachel was about to have twins... he would either be a father or a step-father, either way, in his own mind, he won. He was going to marry the only image of perfection he had ever had. In his mind, Rachel could do no wrong -- Ever!
Monica had been dreading this day for awhile now. She was happy for Rachel and her brother, yeah, but her parents were driving her insane! They called her every night, and all they would talk about was how wonderful Rachel was for Ross, what a sweet girl Rachel was, how perfect they were together, how they were going to have THREE grandchildren after this, and how ecstatic they were that Ross was marrying the PERFECT girl. As if Monica didn't have enough on her hands. She had had to deal with the hospital, and the police for the past month while Chandler was in the hospital recovering from his bullet wound, and thankfully, all their bills were to be paid by the NYPD because Chandler was a hero in a sense. And as the future in-law for Rachel, she had had to help with all the wedding plans, which were atrocious because they only had a month left! Phoebe was no help, she was busy floating and panicking over Joey at the same time. Monica was so stressed out, but there was one thing that was keeping her happy -- the baby she was now expecting, only she and Chandler knew about it, and they agreed to keep it a secret until she started to show.
Joey was sitting on a bench outside of the church fumbling with his hands when Phoebe walked up behind him, and draped her arms around his shoulders. He was looking distressed and upset. He turned to Phoebe and said, "Pheebs, what if they're not mine? I love them already ... I want them to be mine. And if they are mine, have I blown it big time for them? They'll never really get to know their daddy because ROSS will be that role for the first few years. And then... is it too late? Will they resent me? Pheebs... I just don't know... I care about Rach a lot, not as much as you of course, but if they're mine... are you going to be okay with that?" Phoebe was touched that Joey had actually started to care for the twins whose father was not yet known to the world, and she just looked him square in the eyes and said, "Joey, I love YOU! No one else... only you. I will love you no matter what happens with Rachel. You'll always be a part of their lives, no matter what, because Rachel and Ross want us all to be. And they'll love you too, either as their dad or their uncle. And if they're not yours, well, we'll just have to have our own babies." Joey loosened up a bit, grinned, and kissed Phoebe. He looked down at his watch and realized, "Ohmigosh! Rachel's going to KILL us! We're late!" They ran back into the church as the ceremony was beginning.
Rachel sat in front of the mirror, and just looked at herself intensely. She was starting to show, but she could afford it, being how skinny she was beforehand. Rachel pondered over everything! Her and Barry's wedding, her and Ross's first time at the relationship thing, her and Joey's one night stand, her and Monica's high school prom, her sharing a house with Phoebe, going to stop Ross's wedding... "I guess Phoebe's right," she thought. "I always have loved him, and I guess I always will! I even attempted, and succeeded accidentally, in wrecking his wedding to that British chippy. Now I love him even more intensely." And as if on cue, the babies moved, almost as if to reassure Rachel that this was the right thing to do, and she took it as such. She took a deep breath, and she heard a knock on her door. It was her father, who said, "Baby, it's time, we're about to start." And Rachel walked out the door ready to take the last walk as a single person, and embark on a new journey with the person she was meant to be with -- Ross.
Rachel and her father walked to the foyer of the church, and waited there, as Phoebe and Joey came running in. Monica turned to Rachel and said, "You ready?" Rachel just nodded. "Good, then I'll tell the candlelighters to start." Rachel's nieces Arian and Alexia were the candlelighters (let's pretend their Rachel's other sister's daughters) and they headed down in their soft blue gowns. Next were the bridesmaids: First Jill, then Annie (Rachel's other sister), then Monica, then the maid of honor, Phoebe. They were wearing tea-length, light, pink, floral print gowns, and each had their hair up with lots of tendrils hanging down. (very pretty style) Then Rachel sent her littlest niece, Sari and Ben down the aisle, as the flower girl and the ring-bearer. Then the doors shut, Rachel took a deep breath and realized there was no turning back, even if for some reason she wanted to. Then the ushers opened the doors, and Rachel caught a glimpse of the church. It was breath-taking! A tulle overhang had been constructed over the aisle, greenery was everywhere with pink, red, and white flowers bursting out in places. Rachel fit right into this fairyland, in her fancy, sleeveless, satin, tulle, and beaded gown. Then she looked up and saw Ross standing there with Joey (best man), Chandler, Jerry (Annie's hubby), and Gunther (why not?). Then her eyes met Ross's, and everything else just seemed to slip away, and it was like they were transcending time. The next thing she knew, she was at the front altar, holding hands with the man she loved. The preacher looked at Ross and said, "Please read your own vows before the traditional ones." And with a tear in his eye, Ross started, "Rachel, this is the one day that I always hoped would happen but never dared believe it would be so. We've seen so much together, and been through just about everything. I promise that I'll always be there for you, no matter what. I'll love those babies as if they were my own, that is, if they're not. I'll pick you up when you're down, and I promise you that I'll never say, "We were on a break" again. I promise that I'll always love you, and I'll never correct your grammar. But I'll always stay enchanted. It was always you Rach. Always. Don't ever forget that." Tears sprang to Rachel's eyes, but she went on with her vows anyway, she said, "Ross, even through the worst times, I always loved you, through everything. And I'll continue loving you forever. I promise that I'll never cook for you. I'll support all your geeky dinosaur stuff. I'll be faithful, but mostly, I'll be your wife. I give my life to you, and I place my heart in the palm of your hand, and I put my soul into my heart. I love you Ross Gellar... and there's nothing I can say to top that." The whole audience was drying their tears as Ross and Rachel took their traditional vows. (ross said the right name) Then the next thing they knew they were being presented to the audience when the preacher said, "By the powers vested in me, and by the state of New York I pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride (and the did). I, now, present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Ross and Rachel Gellar.
Rachel was crying, she was a wife! And she was happy! She took Ross's arm, and started back down the aisle ready for any challenge to come their way. She whispered to herself, "Mrs. Ross Gellar. Rachel Gellar." She grinned. "I like it, no wait, I love it."