A/N: Thanks so much for all the feedback on part one. And to those who liked it, but don't like the idea of Chandler/Rachel, this chapter's safe, but you should probably stop reading after that if it really bothers you, since the pairing is kind of the whole point. Sorry. :)
Extenuating Circumstances
by Erana Zeitler
Chapter Two
Rachel walked down the long hallway of the hospital, her nose wrinkling at the stench of sickness in the air. It was a smell she knew no amount of amonia could ever hide, although it didn't seem like this particular hospital was all that interested in masking the aroma of death. She rounded the corner, her eyes flicking past the numbers on the doors, trying to find Chandler's. Hopelessly lost, she stopped in the middle of the hallway and leaned back against the wall, rubbing her sore shoulder with her hand. The flight had been long, the search for the hospital even longer. To make matters worse, she hadn't seen a single hotel on the walk over, which meant as soon as she found Chandler they'd have to keep looking.
Closing her eyes, she ran a hand through her hair, cursing herself for volunteering for this for the hundredth time. If she hadn't said anything, she knew Phoebe or Monica would've gone, and they'd be the ones stuck in this hellhole instead of her. Sighing, she pushed herself away from the wall and continued walking.
Fifteen minutes later, she finally found the room Ross had written down. Opening the door, she walked in to find seven beds all laid out in a row. She started to walk in, but stopped at the sound of a familiar voice.
"Hey. You're not Joey."
Turning to the bed closest to the door, she smiled in relief when she saw Chandler sitting up, a small smile on his face. "Hi," she greeted. "You just noticing that now?" She moved closer to him, suddenly confused. Other than the white-yellow hospital robe, he looked fine. "What happened?"
Chandler rolled his eyes before responding. "Well, I'd brought pretty much everything with me, since Janice helped me pack. So of course trying to find a hotel while lugging all that around was a bit of a chalenge. And unfortunately, a bit of an attention grabber too." He smiled sheepishly. "Almost ten years in New York City, and I've never been mugged. Five minutes in Yemen, and all I got left is the clothes I was wearing."
"Oh my God," Rachel exclaimed, eyes widening. "You should have said something to Ross on the phone, I would've brought something."
Chandler shrugged, wincing slightly. "Don't worry about it, I got what I was wearing in there," he nodded towards a closet on the other side of the room, "plus this lovely hospital robe, so I'm all set."
"But -- so why are you in here, then?"
"I tried to rescue my suit collection," Chandler explained. "Ended up with three broken ribs instead."
"Well, does it hurt?" Rachel asked worriedly.
Chandler shook his head. "Only when I breathe," he assured her. "How come you're here? Not that I'm not glad to see you, or anything."
Rachel smiled as she sat down on the edge of the bed, putting her small overnight bag down onto the floor. "Joey had an audition, and I was planning on quitting my job anyway. Besides, it's kind of nice to have unlimited spending of Ross's credit card."
Chandler smirked. "Always a good time," he agreed. "So, when are we getting out of here anyway?"
Rachel looked away before answering, "Two days."
"Two days?!" Chandler repeated. "But -- why?"
"Some convention thing is ending tomorrow, there weren't any seats left on the flight back. But hey, it'll give us a chance to see the... uh, the... the sky! You wouldn't want to miss that, right?"
"Oh, yeah, 'cause we certainly don't get enough of *that* at home."
Rachel shrugged. "I should probably keep looking for a hotel," she said. "I'll come back when I find one... you don't need to be walking all over if you can help it."
"There's one about three blocks from here, I aksed one of the doctors," he informed her and she gave a soft sigh of relief. "You want to go now or relax for a few?"
"If you're up to it, I'd rather go now," she answered. "The sooner I get somewhere with an actual bed, the better. You need to tell the doctor you're leaving or -- "
"No, I already told them someone was coming," Chandler assured her, and then grimaced. "I'm just glad they accept American insurance." He looked at her for a long moment and sighed. "Sorry you got stuck coming."
Rachel shrugged dismissively. "Don't worry about it. Like I said, it's an excuse to spend Ross's money. Too bad there aren't any good stores around here, otherwise I'd say we should go get you a new wardrobe."
Chandler grinned. "Well, there's always layovers on the way back."
"Good point," Rachel agreed mischeviously as she stood and extended her hand to help him to his feet.
****
E/N: I know this chapter was a bit slow, it took a little longer than I thought it would to get things moving. Luckily in the next one stuff'll actually *happen* . Let me know what you thought, please, and if the characterization was still alright. Thanks. :)
Extenuating Circumstances
by Erana Zeitler
Chapter Two
Rachel walked down the long hallway of the hospital, her nose wrinkling at the stench of sickness in the air. It was a smell she knew no amount of amonia could ever hide, although it didn't seem like this particular hospital was all that interested in masking the aroma of death. She rounded the corner, her eyes flicking past the numbers on the doors, trying to find Chandler's. Hopelessly lost, she stopped in the middle of the hallway and leaned back against the wall, rubbing her sore shoulder with her hand. The flight had been long, the search for the hospital even longer. To make matters worse, she hadn't seen a single hotel on the walk over, which meant as soon as she found Chandler they'd have to keep looking.
Closing her eyes, she ran a hand through her hair, cursing herself for volunteering for this for the hundredth time. If she hadn't said anything, she knew Phoebe or Monica would've gone, and they'd be the ones stuck in this hellhole instead of her. Sighing, she pushed herself away from the wall and continued walking.
Fifteen minutes later, she finally found the room Ross had written down. Opening the door, she walked in to find seven beds all laid out in a row. She started to walk in, but stopped at the sound of a familiar voice.
"Hey. You're not Joey."
Turning to the bed closest to the door, she smiled in relief when she saw Chandler sitting up, a small smile on his face. "Hi," she greeted. "You just noticing that now?" She moved closer to him, suddenly confused. Other than the white-yellow hospital robe, he looked fine. "What happened?"
Chandler rolled his eyes before responding. "Well, I'd brought pretty much everything with me, since Janice helped me pack. So of course trying to find a hotel while lugging all that around was a bit of a chalenge. And unfortunately, a bit of an attention grabber too." He smiled sheepishly. "Almost ten years in New York City, and I've never been mugged. Five minutes in Yemen, and all I got left is the clothes I was wearing."
"Oh my God," Rachel exclaimed, eyes widening. "You should have said something to Ross on the phone, I would've brought something."
Chandler shrugged, wincing slightly. "Don't worry about it, I got what I was wearing in there," he nodded towards a closet on the other side of the room, "plus this lovely hospital robe, so I'm all set."
"But -- so why are you in here, then?"
"I tried to rescue my suit collection," Chandler explained. "Ended up with three broken ribs instead."
"Well, does it hurt?" Rachel asked worriedly.
Chandler shook his head. "Only when I breathe," he assured her. "How come you're here? Not that I'm not glad to see you, or anything."
Rachel smiled as she sat down on the edge of the bed, putting her small overnight bag down onto the floor. "Joey had an audition, and I was planning on quitting my job anyway. Besides, it's kind of nice to have unlimited spending of Ross's credit card."
Chandler smirked. "Always a good time," he agreed. "So, when are we getting out of here anyway?"
Rachel looked away before answering, "Two days."
"Two days?!" Chandler repeated. "But -- why?"
"Some convention thing is ending tomorrow, there weren't any seats left on the flight back. But hey, it'll give us a chance to see the... uh, the... the sky! You wouldn't want to miss that, right?"
"Oh, yeah, 'cause we certainly don't get enough of *that* at home."
Rachel shrugged. "I should probably keep looking for a hotel," she said. "I'll come back when I find one... you don't need to be walking all over if you can help it."
"There's one about three blocks from here, I aksed one of the doctors," he informed her and she gave a soft sigh of relief. "You want to go now or relax for a few?"
"If you're up to it, I'd rather go now," she answered. "The sooner I get somewhere with an actual bed, the better. You need to tell the doctor you're leaving or -- "
"No, I already told them someone was coming," Chandler assured her, and then grimaced. "I'm just glad they accept American insurance." He looked at her for a long moment and sighed. "Sorry you got stuck coming."
Rachel shrugged dismissively. "Don't worry about it. Like I said, it's an excuse to spend Ross's money. Too bad there aren't any good stores around here, otherwise I'd say we should go get you a new wardrobe."
Chandler grinned. "Well, there's always layovers on the way back."
"Good point," Rachel agreed mischeviously as she stood and extended her hand to help him to his feet.
****
E/N: I know this chapter was a bit slow, it took a little longer than I thought it would to get things moving. Luckily in the next one stuff'll actually *happen* . Let me know what you thought, please, and if the characterization was still alright. Thanks. :)
