How Did I Fall In Love With You?
By Backstreet Boys

Disclaimer: The characters are not mine, the quotes are not mine, the song is not mine, and go ahead and sue me if you can be bothered and you think that it'll actually matter :P This fic is purely for entertainment (if that)

Author's Note: This is a songfic about Joey reflecting on his feelings for Rachel. Based on the song by the Backstreet Boys - How did I fall in love with you. Please actually read the lyrics of the song, even if you heard it before, because it just fits much better that way. I know that I am guilty of not always reading songs *looks around with shifty eyes* but please try to in this one.

Anyway, this fic is kinda not that good since it is the result of a teenager trying to relieve her boredom on a Friday night (yes, I am pathetic, and probably not thinking straight either). This is like, my second fic ever.

~*~*~*~*~

Joey walked into the room, flopped down onto Francette (the chair) and sighed. Hugging his bedtime penguin pal, he thought about Rachel. Argh, why did she always manage to creep into his mind so often? He had thought that with her gone, it'd be out of sight, out of mind. So why wasn't it? In fact, it was just the opposite. Absence making the heart grow fonder. He turned on the radio, hoping to distract himself, but as the song came on, it just made him even more lovesick, if that were possible.

Remember when
We never needed each other
The best of friends
Like sister and brother
We understood
We'd never be
Alone
He couldn't be in love with Rachel. It was impossible. Rachel?? Sure, she was hot, he thought, as a smile crept onto his face. As soon as he realised it, he quickly dropped the smile and shook his head. Sure, she was hot, but she was his friend. His best friend, in fact, ever since Chandler moved in with Monica and gradually they began spending less time together. Rachel was his best friend, she was like a sister to him... He couldn't love her..

Those days are gone
Now I want you so much
The night is long
And I need your touch
Don't know what to say
Never meant to feel this way
Don't wanna be alone tonight
So why did he feel this way? It was scary, he had never had such a feeling before. Every time he thought of her, he'd feel happy, thinking about her smile, her laugh, her hair, the way she never made him feel stupid and inferior, the way she always made him happier than he realised he could be. And every time he thought about her leaving, it felt like, as Rachel put it way back 7 years ago - "there's rock bottom, sixty feet of crap, then me."

What can I do to make you mine
Falling so hard, so fast this time
What did I say, what did you do
How did I fall in love with you
He wasn't allowed to fall in love with her. She was Ross' ex - possibly the love of his life. He couldn't hurt his friend like that. She was also carrying Ross' baby. Every little bit of logic and reason inside of his head knew that he could not under any circumstances fall for her. Yet he still did. And he didn't even know how.

I hear your voice
And I start to tremble
Brings back the child
That I resemble
I cannot pretend
That we can still be friends
Don't wanna be alone tonight
Joey: Beth is really, really sick.
Rachel: Awwww.
Joey: Jo's there, but I don't think there's anything she could do.
(Rachel hugs him)
Rachel: Joey?
Joey: Yeah.
Rachel: You want to put the book in the freezer?
Joey: (nods) Okay.
Rachel: 'kay.
(Joey gives her the book and she puts it in the freezer.)

She had always been so caring to him, even before they were roommates, even before he fell in love with her. He didn't have to be the smartest, most brilliant guy around her, and she wouldn't get mad at him when he did silly mistakes. Well, a little, but she could've gotten a lot madder, and sometimes he understood he could be frustrating, although he tried to do everything to please her.

Joey: Well, hey I did learn.
Rachel: Really?
Joey: Yeah, it's okay. I know what a mainsail is. (points to it.) I know, I know to duck when the boom comes across. I-I know port is right.
Rachel: Left.
Joey: Damnit!

What can I do to make you mine
Falling so hard, so fast this time
What did I say, what did you do
How did I fall in love with you
It hadn't taken him too long to fall in love with her, and during most of that time he didn't even realise he was falling for her. He always knew she was gorgeous - he even tried hitting on her in her wedding dress. But only when he really got to know her did he appreciate how beautiful she was both on the outside and on the inside. And he had never met anyone that could measure up to her.

I wanna say this right
And it has to be tonight
Just need you to know
He wanted to tell her his feelings more than anything in the world. He wanted her to love him the way he loved her. But he knew that he'd probably get all tongue-tied and just say a bunch of garbled rubbish which even he didn't understand. There were just no words to express his feelings for her.

Joey: I don't know. It's-it's just…lately, I've been feeling… Okay, here's what it is… (Pause) You know what? I feel a lot better, thanks!

I don't wanna live this lie
I don't wanna say goodbye
With you I wanna spend the rest of my life

As he listened to the lyrics of the song, he realised just how much they suited him. He had been living a lie for a while there, trying to convince himself that no such feelings existed.

Joey: All right. It's a new day. All that stuff about Rachel, you don't feel that now. It was crazy! You're fine. You're better than fine! You are, as your friend Tony would say, Grrrreat! Everything's normal! She's just your friend Rachel! Your friend Rachel. Your friend! Rachel.

But even at the end, he had to admit to himself that it was more than just a crush. It was more than just infatuation. It was the big L.

What can I do to make you mine
Falling so hard, so fast this time
What did I say, what did you do
How did I fall in love with you
The song came to an end and Joey got up off his chair and decided to tell Rachel his feelings. Because he hated secrets and this one was eating him up from inside. He left the apartment and made his way across the street to Ross' place. He pushed all thoughts of how Ross might react from his mind. He didn't want to think about that. Not yet, anyway. He knocked on the door...

To be continued in whatever way you want... :) If a lot of people want me to continue it, I might give it a shot... Anyway, please review it. I don't mind flames, just PLEASE review it.