A note about what's been going on on my reviews page-I appreciate *any* feedback, good and bad. Although I do find it ironic that I get a review on this one saying that I am being melodramatic, and at the same time I get a review on another one of my fics saying that the characters aren't fighting enough. I had to laugh at that.

*~*~*~*~*~*

The Pact, Chapter Thirteen
"In a New York Minute"

~New York City~

Monica opened her apartment door, and greeted Ross and Rachel warmly, as the entered with their bags.

"Welcome home," Monica said to her brother and her best friend.

"It is so great to be back in New York!" Rachel exclaimed.

"Are you guys hungry? I can make something. Or I can order pizza-"

"Monica, we're fine. Let's just sit and talk for a while," Rachel said, as she sat on the sofa next to Ross.

"Yeah, Mon, we're fine," Ross added.

"Okay," Monica said nervously, and took a seat on her reading chair.

"So Mon, what happened?" Rachel asked softly.

Monica swallowed hard and looked at her hands. She knew that this was why Ross and Rachel had stopped by. She was afraid that she would lose all of her friends, if they all knew what she had done. She had told Phoebe about what she had done, hoping to get some of her offbeat wisdom and advice. To Monica's surprise, Phoebe had taken Chandler's side, and was not talking to Monica. Monica wasn't quite sure why she was surprised by Phoebe's actions. Maybe it was because Chandler had always assumed that Phoebe had only put up with him because he was friends with the others. Monica and Chandler had talked about it once, many years ago.


~1995~

"Hey, Mon, you got a minute?" Chandler stuck his head in the apartment door, and saw Monica washing dishes in the kitchen.

"Sure, Chandler, what's up?"

"Uh, not much, I just…uh, can I ask you something, and will you promise not to laugh or anything?"

"Okay. What's going on?"

"Has Phoebe ever said anything to you about me?"

"What do you mean?"

"Has she ever talked about me, you know, when I'm not around?"

"Wow, when did you get so paranoid? She doesn't have a crush on you, if that's what you're asking," Monica laughed.

"That's not what I'm asking," Chandler said, his face deadly serious.

Monica's smile vanished, and she took Chandler's hand. "What's wrong?"

"I just…sometimes I get the feeling that Phoebe doesn't like me very much."

"What? Why would you think that?"

"Just, you know, things that she says, and sometimes the way she looks at me. I know, I'm being an idiot, right?"

"Chandler, Phoebe considers you to be one of her best friends. She just expresses herself a little differently, I guess."

"I guess," Chandler sighed.

"Do you want me to talk to her?" Monica asked.

"No! No, I don't want her to know about this. This is between us, okay?"

"Okay. Chandler, really, she does like you."

Chandler stood up and nodded, looking less than convinced. "Okay. Thanks."

*

~2007~

"Monica?" Rachel looked at Monica intently, trying to get her attention.

"Yeah. Okay, please don't hate me, okay?" Monica looked desperate, and Ross and Rachel became increasingly concerned by her behaviour.

"What's going on, Monica?" Ross asked again.

Monica explained everything that had happened between her and Chandler, from the day of the reunion, to what they had talked about two days ago. She carefully gauged Ross and Rachel's reactions, hoping against hope that they would be understanding. Once she finished talking, she sat back in her chair, nervously awaiting their reactions.

"Wow. Mon, I...I am shocked." Rachel said quietly.

"I know. I can't really believe that I am capable of something like this," Monica muttered.

"So, you haven't heard from Chandler since the last time he was here?"

"No. I think I need to give him some space, you know. He was really mad at me."

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Rachel asked.

Monica was taken aback by Rachel's offer, but she looked over at Ross, who hadn't said anything since Monica had told her story.

"I don't....no I don't think there is," Monica said.

"Mon, would you mind if I talked to Chandler?" Ross asked, avoiding his sister's eyes.

"Uh, no, no I don't mind. He's staying with Phoebe and Mike, I think," Monica said.

Ross nodded, and stood to leave.

"You-you want to go right now?" Rachel asked, standing up with Ross.

"Yeah. Um, do you wanna stay with Monica?" Ross asked, as they walked toward the door.

"Yeah, I think I do. Tell Chandler I said hello," Rachel said, and kissed Ross goodbye.


****


"Ross!" Phoebe said, as she opened the door, "Come in! How are you? Where's Emily?"

"Uh, we're getting a divorce," Ross said, as he walked into the house.

"Oh. I'm so sorry," Phoebe said softly.

"It's okay. It's probably for the best," Ross said.

"Because you're in love with Rachel," Phoebe stated matter-of-factly.

"Right," Ross laughed, "Is, uh, Chandler here?"

"Yeah, he's in the living room. Do you want anything to drink?"

"No, I'm okay." Ross followed Phoebe into a large, airy living room. The room was surrounded by several large picture windows, and a sliding glass door that led to the back yard. There was a television in the corner, and a large, blue sectional sofa took up most of the floor space. There were toys scattered about the room, and Ross spotted Chandler sitting on the sofa, playing with Elaina and Mark. He looked up when Ross and Phoebe came in.

"Hey, Ross," Chandler said, smiling warmly.

"Hey," Ross said, waving at Elaina and Mark.

"What's up?" Chandler asked, pulling a Lego out of Elaina's hand before she had a chance to put it in her mouth.

"I just came by to...can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Uh, yeah--"

"I'll watch the kids," Phoebe interrupted. "You can use the den if you want."

"Thanks Pheebs," Chandler said, before signing something to Elaina, and leading Ross to the den.

*

"So, what's up Ross?" Chandler asked.

"I wanted to see how you were doing, that's all," Ross said quietly.

"I take it you've talked to Monica," Chandler said flatly.

"Yeah. Look, Chandler, I know what you must be feeling, and--"

"Actually, Ross, I am pretty sure you have no idea what I am feeling," Chandler interrupted.

"Okay, maybe I don't, but...it couldn't hurt to talk about it, right?"

"Did Monica send you over here?" Chandler asked suspiciously.

"No, not at all. In fact, I don't think she was very keen on me coming over. So Rachel stayed with her."

"I see."

"Rachel says hello, by the way."

Chandler smiled briefly, then turned in his chair, and peered out the window.

"Chandler, I'd really like to hear your side of things."

"Ross, do you remember when I first moved to Philadelphia?" Chandler asked quietly.

"Yeah. You, uh, were transferred, right?"

"No, I wasn't. My company didn't even have an office in Philadelphia."

"What? Why-why did you say that then?"

"Because I needed an excuse to leave. Think about it Ross, what could have possibly happened that would make me want to leave New York. That would make me want to give up all of my most important friendships."

Ross thought for a minute, then realized where Chandler was going. "Monica married Richard."

"You guys had no idea how I felt about Monica. But then, I really had no idea how I felt about her. I had to leave, because I knew that I couldn't handle it, handle-them. I tried, but I couldn't."

"I really had no idea," Ross said.

"I know. Look, I don't know how much Monica told you, but--"

"She told us everything."

"Then you know that she knew how much I cared about her. Do you think she used that to her advantage, just a little?"

"I guess," Ross said, his mind in a whirl.

"Ross, I am so angry, more at myself than with Monica. I let myself fall in love with her again, something I swore I would never do. What really pisses me off, is that, in spite of what she has done to me, I still love her. I still want to be with her. But I am so wary of what she will do. I am not even convinced that she cares about me at all."

"She does care about you, Chandler. I can see that in her eyes. She feels awful. Look, I know that what she did was horrendous. But the fact that she feels so guilty and remorseful about it says something about her too. She never inteded to hurt you, she is just so...lost. You really have no idea how bad Richard messed her up, emotionally."

"I'm beginning to get an idea," Chandler muttered.

"I know you are angry. And you have every right to be. I just hope that you will follow your heart. I lost ten years with Rachel, because we were both too stubborn to see that we loved each other, in spite of our faults and mistakes."

"I plan to be a part of that baby's life, and I have told Monica as much. But as for Monica...I think it's just going to take time, ya know? I am not ruling anything out at the moment."

"Good. I gotta say, Chandler, you have really grown up in the past ten years," Ross commented with a slight grin.

"Trust me, it's not by choice," Chandler laughed, as the two friends headed back out to the living room.

*

"Ross, why don't you stay for dinner?" Phoebe offered, as Ross said his goodbye's.

"I'd love to, but Rachel is over at Monica's, and I should really get back."

"Oh," Phoebe said, her mood changing noticably, "Well, tell Rachel I said hello!"

"Okay," Ross said, and headed out the door.

****

~Los Angeles, California, One week earlier~

"So, you are really set on moving back to New York then?" Keilyn* was sitting on the edge of her boyfriend's bed, watching him pack up his life.

"Well, I am just so much happier there, you know? Hey, why don't you just come with me?" Joey said. The idea had come to him in New York, but for some reason, Joey felt reluctant to broach the subject.

"Well, my job is here. And my parents live in Apple Valley..." Keilyn reasoned.

"I can buy a private jet, and you can come back whenever you want," Joey said. He couldn't believe that he was making such a crazy offer, but he was beginning to realize that he had fallen for Keilyn, and would miss her terribly if she didn't come with him to New York.

"Wow, that's quite a tempting offer, Mr. Tribbianni," Keilyn laughed, "Let me think about it, okay?"

"Well, you've got about two weeks," Joey said, smiling, "I am filming in New York next month, and I want to be settled in by then."

"Okay. Thank you, Joey," Keilyn said quietly.

"For what?"

"For wanting me to go with you. Even if I decide not to, it's nice to know that you care enough about me to buy me an airplane," she giggled.

"Sweetheart, I'd buy you the moon if I could," Joey grinned.

"Aw, what a charmer."

"Did it make you want to move to New York?" Joey grinned.

"Uhhh!" Keilyn groaned, and tossed a pillow at Joey. Inside, she was torn. She loved California, and she was afraid to make such a committment to Joey, knowing that he could very well change his mind once they got there. Was it worth the risk?

Maybe. It was amazing how one moment had the ability to change your entire world.

What one chose to do with that moment could change everything.

~*~

Okay, I am only ending it there because I may start really stinking up this fic if I force myself to write any more.
Next Part Soon.



*I named the character Keilyn after my baby neice, Abigayle Keilyn. The name is a combination of my father's name, (Kei--pronounced Kay), and the my brother's girlfriend's grandmother's name, Lynn. I love it, and have been dying to use it in a fic!