TOW They Make It, 4
This is a continuation of Chapter 3. Remember that the "Behind The Music" fics really aren't
related to the story, per say, they were just a part of this zany idea of mine.
I own none of these characters, but I do own their music, baby, and it's playing in my head
right now!!;-)
I also do not own "Entertainment Tonight", MTV, "Total Request Live," or anything else I might
mention. You get the idea....
Chapter 4
**New York City**
A group of rowdy protestors were being dragged into the station by weary police officers, and
the chaos provided Monica, Chandler and Rachel with just the distraction they needed to get
past the barrage of cameras and fans, and into the stationhouse.
Once inside the station, Chandler began the process of posting Ross' bail, and Monica and
Rachel were led down a darkened corridor towards the back of the station. Ross was alone
in a small holding cell, in the corner of the station. He was laying on a bed in the front
corner of the cell. The only sound in the room was a rusty sink in the corner that
dripped intermitantly.
"Hey Ross," Monica said, as she and Rachel were let into the cell.
"Hey guys," Ross said, sitting up. He couldn't bring himself to look at the girls. He felt
like an idiot, and on top of that, he was hungover.
"What happened?" Rachel asked.
"I'm not entirely sure," Ross replied.
"He got into a fight," Chandler said flatly, as he approached the cell.
"A fight?" Monica yelled. "Ross, what were you thinking?"
Ross turned red with embarassment. "I, uh..."
"Do you guys mind if I talk to Ross alone for a minute?" Chandler asked.
The girls shook their heads and walked out toward the front desk.
Chandler sat down next to Ross on the bed and sighed.
"I know, I screwed up," Ross said.
"Ross, the press have already gotten wind of this. I need to know what happened, so that
I can tell them...something."
"What do you want me to say, Chandler? I got into a bar fight with some punk who said that
our music sucked. That's it."
"That's not it Ross. You were drunk at the time. In fact, you've been drunk a lot lately, and
it is starting to cost us."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Ross sneered.
"How many hotel rooms have you trashed? And what about that car you crashed in Detroit?
Ross, Rock 'n' Roll is not what it used to be. You can't just go around trashing stuff anymore.
We won't get invited back to these places again, and we'll be liable for the mess."
"Is that all you care about? How much this is gonna cost you? Jesus, Chandler, I can pay you
back!"
"It's not about the money, Ross!" Chandler stood up and ran his hands through his hair. He
struggled to find the right words. He sighed, and decided to simply be straightforward with Ross.
"You're...you're an alcoholic. You need help."
Ross looked at Chandler angrily.
"How the hell would you know that, Chandler," he replied icily. "You are so busy lusting
after my sister, you never notice anything else."
Chandler face went crimson. "First of all, I am NOT lusting after Monica. She's been a better
friend to me lately that you. And second of all, you are right. I am not the one who noticed
that you had a problem. Rachel did."
Ross didn't respond. His heart sank. Rachel thought that he was an alcoholic? He sighed heavily.
"Look, man," Chandler's voice softened, "Rachel cares about you a lot. We all do. You need help.
Monica has booked you an appointment with a place in San Diego. I really think you should do
this."
"And if I don't?" Ross asked wearily.
"Let's just say you are going to, okay?"
Ross nodded.
"But I am only doing this for you guys," Ross said as he and Chandler exited the cell.
"Okay. I can live with that. Thanks Ross." Chandler replied.
~2 months later~
**New York City**
"Do you really think Ross is ready to head back out on tour?" Monica asked.
"Well, this is gonna be the ultimate test, isn't it?" Chandler replied. The two of them were
in Chandler's apartment, preparing to meet with Bert Anderson, the band's lawyer.
"But I still think it's a good idea to add these riders to the contracts," Chandler continued,
"Just in case."
Monica nodded in agreement.
"Are you sure you want to add a no alcohol rider?" She asked. "Won't the crew be pissed?"
"We have to do what's best for Ross. The crew can still drink, they'll just have to buy it
themselves." There was a knock on the door, and Chandler stood to answer it.
"Besides," Chandler continued, as he opened the door, "I think Ross was drinking most of the
booze listed on the old riders."
"So," Bert Anderson said, as he walked into Chandler's apartment, "we are changing the tour
contract?"
Bert was a short, bald man, who always wore blue suits and always seemed nervous about something.
He had a typical lawyer quality to him, but he had been with the band for years, and, because of
the money that the band paid him for his services, rarely had to take on other clients.
He was at their beck and call, which is why, when Monica called him about the tour riders earlier
that day, he was able to meet with them on a moments notice. The three of them sat down at
Chandler's kitchen table, and spent the rest of the evening hammering out the details of the new
tour agreements. After they finished, Bert hung around and chatted with them for another hour.
Monica silently wished he would leave, then cursed herself for being so silly. She needed
to get over her schoolgirl crush. And she needed to find herself a boyfriend. She looked up at
Chandler and caught his eye. He smiled, and then continued to pretend to listen to Bert's
ramblings. Monica's heart skipped a beat. She was in trouble. This wasn't just a schoolgirl
crush anymore.
**
"What are we doing here?" Phoebe asked.
"It's a surprise," Joey replied. "Now keep your eyes closed."
Phoebe giggled as Joey led Phoebe down the darkened corridor. When they got to the centre of the
room, Joey stopped Phoebe and pulled her hands from her eyes. Phoebe gasped. They were standing
in the middle of an empty stadium. The entire stadium was dark, except for a soft light that
illuminated the centre of the floor. Under the light was a small table, decorated with candles,
flowers, wine, and two vegetarian dinners. Phoebe smiled when she realized exactly where she was.
The last time she was at this stadium, it was full over overzealous fans.
"This is where we first met," Joey whispered, as though he was reading Phoebe's thoughts.
"I know," Phoebe said softly.
"Happy Anniversary," Joey smiled, and pulled a single ross from his jacket, and kissed her softly.
"Wow," Phoebe said between kisses, "What are you gonna do for our *two* month anniversary?"
"Well, if I told you that, it wouldn't be a surprise."
Phoebe giggled. Suddenly, her smile faded, and she became very serious.
"Wait, you didn't freak out or anything when I eluded to us having a two month anniversary!"
"Well, I don't know was elu-whatever means, but I do know that I see much more than a two month
anniversary in our future."
"Really?"
"Yeah," Joey said, grinning broadly, "I'd say three, even four."
Phoebe laughed, "Well, you'll have to do a lot to top this anniversary, Mr. Tribianni."
Joey grinned and pulled Phoebe into a passionate kiss. He had plenty of time to think of ways
to top tonight. Though Phoebe was right...it was gonna be tough to do.
**
"So, how long will you be out on the road this time?" Kevin asked, as he and Rachel sat down
for dinner.
"I think this one is relatively short. We've only booked 6 gigs. We just want Ross to get used
to the road again."
"6 gigs...so...."
"I'll be gone about 2 weeks."
Kevin sighed. "That's a long time."
"Well, it's better than two months!"
"Maybe...but, uh," Kevin put down his fork and took Rachel's hand, "maybe you should consider
looking for a different job."
"What?" Rachel replied.
"Well, you can't tour around with these guys forever, right? I mean, don't you want to settle
down? Don't you want a family?"
"Yes, but..."
"Well, it would be kinda tough to settle down while you are travelling around with a bunch of
rock stars, don't you think?"
"I like my job Kevin. It's fun, and I am good at it."
"What exactly do you do, anyway?"
Rachel was furious. Why was Kevin being like this? He suddenly had a problem with her job?
"What is your problem? You know what my job is! Or weren't you listening?"
"Look, sweetie, I just...I just miss you. You are gone for so long...and I just..."
Rachel's eyes softened. Kevin really did miss her. Maybe she was reading too much into this.
"I'm sorry. I know I'm gone a lot. But it won't be forever. I promise."
"I'm sorry too. Let's talk about this later. Dinner is getting cold."
They ate the rest of their meal in silence. Rachel couldn't help wondering if maybe it was time
for her to make a choice.
**St. Louis, 1 week later**
The dressing room was crowded-more crowded than usual. Chandler felt the overwhelming urge to
run into his hotel room and hide from the madness.
"Great show, man!" said a 20-year old kid in a PMQ t-shirt.
"Thanks," Chandler replied mechanically. He had heard how great the show was about 25 times in
the last hour. Personally, Chandler thought the show was mediocre, at best. They were all out
of sync, his guitar string snapped halfway through "Emotional Knapsack", and the acoustics sounded
flat. The venue was hot, and the crowd seemed less-than-enthused. It was a rare off night for
the band, but Chandler decided it was best not to dwell on it.
But it was hard to avoid. The next morning, Chandler was accosted by Monica, who was holding
the local paper in her hands.
"Have you seen today's paper?" She said as she walked into his hotel room.
"Morning, Monica," Chandler replied dryly.
"The review is horrible," she continued. "Look."
"Why don't you just read it to me," Chandler said wearily, as he walked into the bathroom.
"Okay. 'PMQ is the most famous band in the world, yet last night's show left many wondering why.
It was as though there were four people on stage, playing four different things, at four different
times. Chandler Bing sounded like he was singing through a funnel, and Ross Geller seemed to be
putting in a minimal effort. Many wonder if this poor performance was a result of Geller's
recent trip to rehab, though most believe that it is related to the rumour that the members of
the band don't speak to each other anymore.'"
"I didn't know we weren't speaking to each other," Chandler mumbled, while brushing his teeth.
"That's why it's called a rumour, Chandler," Monica replied, not picking up on his sarcasm.
"Really? Is that what a rumour is?Man, I should really invest in a dictionary," Chandler said,
his latest comment literally dripping with sarcasm.
Monica took his hint, and turned beet red. How had she not picked up on the sarcasm? Chandler
thought she was an idiot now. Unless he'd thought she was an idiot before. Oh, no. She was
overthinking the meaning behind *everything* again. She needed to get out of here.
"So, uh, I'll talk to you later," she finally said aloud.
"Are you mad at me, Monica? I was just kidding."
"I know. Kidding. Ha ha, I get it. I, um, have lots to do, you know, because we are checking
out today, and I have to do...something." Was she still talking? Oh, why couldn't she just
shut up?
Chandler smiled wryly. Monica seemed nervous about something. Chandler thought it was adorable.
"Monica," he interrupted her incessant rambling, "What are you talking about?"
"Yes, okay, I don't know. Okay, bye Chandler."
"Monica, wait!" But she was already gone. Chandler sighed heavily. What the hell was that about?
**Boston, MA**
Ross stood in front of the hotel room mirror, examining his outfit. He had finally worked up
enough nerve to try and ask Rachel to go to dinner with him, and he wanted to look good when
he did it. Dark blue jeans and a light blue sweater. Did he look stupid? Maybe he should change
again. Ross sighed. He knew that if he stood there long enough, he could talk himself right
out of this. He shook his head and walked out into the hallway. Rachel's room was only five
doors down, but it looked much further. Ross took a deep breath, and walked toward Rachel's
room. Suddenly, the elevator dinged, and Ross stood frozen, as he watched Kevin walk out of the
elevator, and toward Rachel's door. Kevin knocked, and Rachel opened the door a few seconds later.
"Kevin!" she squealed.
"Hi, baby," Kevin replied, and handed Rachel a dozen red roses.
"Wow! What a lovely surprise! Come in, Come in!"
Kevin and Rachel disappeared into Rachel's room.
Ross turned on his heel, and walked back to his room. Of course Rachel wasn't going to say yes to
a date with him-she had Kevin. How could he have been so stupid? He sighed and turned on the
television. He flipped through a few channels, and then stopped suddenly. His jaw dropped at
the sight before him.
*
"Joey!" Phoebe called out to Joey, who was in the shower.
"What?" Joey called back over the running water.
"You'd better get in here!"
Joey flipped off the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist. He walked over to the bed,
and sat next to Phoebe.
"What's wrong?" Joey asked.
"Look," Phoebe said, pointing to the television.
Joey turned just in time to see his own face staring back at him.
There, on the television, was the top story on "Entertainment Tonight."
Joey's head spun, as he listened to the words coming from Mary Hart's mouth;
"Tonight, we reveal the real reason behind the shocking and sudden break-up of the world's most
famous band--PMQ."
******
Are the rumours true? Will the band break up for good? Will Rachel make a choice between Kevin
and her job? Will Monica ever reveal her feelings for Chandler? What's next for Pheebs and Joey?
Will Ross be able to stay sober? What does it all mean?? Do you care? Then leave
a review and let me know what you think!!!
Chapter 5 coming soon!
This is a continuation of Chapter 3. Remember that the "Behind The Music" fics really aren't
related to the story, per say, they were just a part of this zany idea of mine.
I own none of these characters, but I do own their music, baby, and it's playing in my head
right now!!;-)
I also do not own "Entertainment Tonight", MTV, "Total Request Live," or anything else I might
mention. You get the idea....
Chapter 4
**New York City**
A group of rowdy protestors were being dragged into the station by weary police officers, and
the chaos provided Monica, Chandler and Rachel with just the distraction they needed to get
past the barrage of cameras and fans, and into the stationhouse.
Once inside the station, Chandler began the process of posting Ross' bail, and Monica and
Rachel were led down a darkened corridor towards the back of the station. Ross was alone
in a small holding cell, in the corner of the station. He was laying on a bed in the front
corner of the cell. The only sound in the room was a rusty sink in the corner that
dripped intermitantly.
"Hey Ross," Monica said, as she and Rachel were let into the cell.
"Hey guys," Ross said, sitting up. He couldn't bring himself to look at the girls. He felt
like an idiot, and on top of that, he was hungover.
"What happened?" Rachel asked.
"I'm not entirely sure," Ross replied.
"He got into a fight," Chandler said flatly, as he approached the cell.
"A fight?" Monica yelled. "Ross, what were you thinking?"
Ross turned red with embarassment. "I, uh..."
"Do you guys mind if I talk to Ross alone for a minute?" Chandler asked.
The girls shook their heads and walked out toward the front desk.
Chandler sat down next to Ross on the bed and sighed.
"I know, I screwed up," Ross said.
"Ross, the press have already gotten wind of this. I need to know what happened, so that
I can tell them...something."
"What do you want me to say, Chandler? I got into a bar fight with some punk who said that
our music sucked. That's it."
"That's not it Ross. You were drunk at the time. In fact, you've been drunk a lot lately, and
it is starting to cost us."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Ross sneered.
"How many hotel rooms have you trashed? And what about that car you crashed in Detroit?
Ross, Rock 'n' Roll is not what it used to be. You can't just go around trashing stuff anymore.
We won't get invited back to these places again, and we'll be liable for the mess."
"Is that all you care about? How much this is gonna cost you? Jesus, Chandler, I can pay you
back!"
"It's not about the money, Ross!" Chandler stood up and ran his hands through his hair. He
struggled to find the right words. He sighed, and decided to simply be straightforward with Ross.
"You're...you're an alcoholic. You need help."
Ross looked at Chandler angrily.
"How the hell would you know that, Chandler," he replied icily. "You are so busy lusting
after my sister, you never notice anything else."
Chandler face went crimson. "First of all, I am NOT lusting after Monica. She's been a better
friend to me lately that you. And second of all, you are right. I am not the one who noticed
that you had a problem. Rachel did."
Ross didn't respond. His heart sank. Rachel thought that he was an alcoholic? He sighed heavily.
"Look, man," Chandler's voice softened, "Rachel cares about you a lot. We all do. You need help.
Monica has booked you an appointment with a place in San Diego. I really think you should do
this."
"And if I don't?" Ross asked wearily.
"Let's just say you are going to, okay?"
Ross nodded.
"But I am only doing this for you guys," Ross said as he and Chandler exited the cell.
"Okay. I can live with that. Thanks Ross." Chandler replied.
~2 months later~
**New York City**
"Do you really think Ross is ready to head back out on tour?" Monica asked.
"Well, this is gonna be the ultimate test, isn't it?" Chandler replied. The two of them were
in Chandler's apartment, preparing to meet with Bert Anderson, the band's lawyer.
"But I still think it's a good idea to add these riders to the contracts," Chandler continued,
"Just in case."
Monica nodded in agreement.
"Are you sure you want to add a no alcohol rider?" She asked. "Won't the crew be pissed?"
"We have to do what's best for Ross. The crew can still drink, they'll just have to buy it
themselves." There was a knock on the door, and Chandler stood to answer it.
"Besides," Chandler continued, as he opened the door, "I think Ross was drinking most of the
booze listed on the old riders."
"So," Bert Anderson said, as he walked into Chandler's apartment, "we are changing the tour
contract?"
Bert was a short, bald man, who always wore blue suits and always seemed nervous about something.
He had a typical lawyer quality to him, but he had been with the band for years, and, because of
the money that the band paid him for his services, rarely had to take on other clients.
He was at their beck and call, which is why, when Monica called him about the tour riders earlier
that day, he was able to meet with them on a moments notice. The three of them sat down at
Chandler's kitchen table, and spent the rest of the evening hammering out the details of the new
tour agreements. After they finished, Bert hung around and chatted with them for another hour.
Monica silently wished he would leave, then cursed herself for being so silly. She needed
to get over her schoolgirl crush. And she needed to find herself a boyfriend. She looked up at
Chandler and caught his eye. He smiled, and then continued to pretend to listen to Bert's
ramblings. Monica's heart skipped a beat. She was in trouble. This wasn't just a schoolgirl
crush anymore.
**
"What are we doing here?" Phoebe asked.
"It's a surprise," Joey replied. "Now keep your eyes closed."
Phoebe giggled as Joey led Phoebe down the darkened corridor. When they got to the centre of the
room, Joey stopped Phoebe and pulled her hands from her eyes. Phoebe gasped. They were standing
in the middle of an empty stadium. The entire stadium was dark, except for a soft light that
illuminated the centre of the floor. Under the light was a small table, decorated with candles,
flowers, wine, and two vegetarian dinners. Phoebe smiled when she realized exactly where she was.
The last time she was at this stadium, it was full over overzealous fans.
"This is where we first met," Joey whispered, as though he was reading Phoebe's thoughts.
"I know," Phoebe said softly.
"Happy Anniversary," Joey smiled, and pulled a single ross from his jacket, and kissed her softly.
"Wow," Phoebe said between kisses, "What are you gonna do for our *two* month anniversary?"
"Well, if I told you that, it wouldn't be a surprise."
Phoebe giggled. Suddenly, her smile faded, and she became very serious.
"Wait, you didn't freak out or anything when I eluded to us having a two month anniversary!"
"Well, I don't know was elu-whatever means, but I do know that I see much more than a two month
anniversary in our future."
"Really?"
"Yeah," Joey said, grinning broadly, "I'd say three, even four."
Phoebe laughed, "Well, you'll have to do a lot to top this anniversary, Mr. Tribianni."
Joey grinned and pulled Phoebe into a passionate kiss. He had plenty of time to think of ways
to top tonight. Though Phoebe was right...it was gonna be tough to do.
**
"So, how long will you be out on the road this time?" Kevin asked, as he and Rachel sat down
for dinner.
"I think this one is relatively short. We've only booked 6 gigs. We just want Ross to get used
to the road again."
"6 gigs...so...."
"I'll be gone about 2 weeks."
Kevin sighed. "That's a long time."
"Well, it's better than two months!"
"Maybe...but, uh," Kevin put down his fork and took Rachel's hand, "maybe you should consider
looking for a different job."
"What?" Rachel replied.
"Well, you can't tour around with these guys forever, right? I mean, don't you want to settle
down? Don't you want a family?"
"Yes, but..."
"Well, it would be kinda tough to settle down while you are travelling around with a bunch of
rock stars, don't you think?"
"I like my job Kevin. It's fun, and I am good at it."
"What exactly do you do, anyway?"
Rachel was furious. Why was Kevin being like this? He suddenly had a problem with her job?
"What is your problem? You know what my job is! Or weren't you listening?"
"Look, sweetie, I just...I just miss you. You are gone for so long...and I just..."
Rachel's eyes softened. Kevin really did miss her. Maybe she was reading too much into this.
"I'm sorry. I know I'm gone a lot. But it won't be forever. I promise."
"I'm sorry too. Let's talk about this later. Dinner is getting cold."
They ate the rest of their meal in silence. Rachel couldn't help wondering if maybe it was time
for her to make a choice.
**St. Louis, 1 week later**
The dressing room was crowded-more crowded than usual. Chandler felt the overwhelming urge to
run into his hotel room and hide from the madness.
"Great show, man!" said a 20-year old kid in a PMQ t-shirt.
"Thanks," Chandler replied mechanically. He had heard how great the show was about 25 times in
the last hour. Personally, Chandler thought the show was mediocre, at best. They were all out
of sync, his guitar string snapped halfway through "Emotional Knapsack", and the acoustics sounded
flat. The venue was hot, and the crowd seemed less-than-enthused. It was a rare off night for
the band, but Chandler decided it was best not to dwell on it.
But it was hard to avoid. The next morning, Chandler was accosted by Monica, who was holding
the local paper in her hands.
"Have you seen today's paper?" She said as she walked into his hotel room.
"Morning, Monica," Chandler replied dryly.
"The review is horrible," she continued. "Look."
"Why don't you just read it to me," Chandler said wearily, as he walked into the bathroom.
"Okay. 'PMQ is the most famous band in the world, yet last night's show left many wondering why.
It was as though there were four people on stage, playing four different things, at four different
times. Chandler Bing sounded like he was singing through a funnel, and Ross Geller seemed to be
putting in a minimal effort. Many wonder if this poor performance was a result of Geller's
recent trip to rehab, though most believe that it is related to the rumour that the members of
the band don't speak to each other anymore.'"
"I didn't know we weren't speaking to each other," Chandler mumbled, while brushing his teeth.
"That's why it's called a rumour, Chandler," Monica replied, not picking up on his sarcasm.
"Really? Is that what a rumour is?Man, I should really invest in a dictionary," Chandler said,
his latest comment literally dripping with sarcasm.
Monica took his hint, and turned beet red. How had she not picked up on the sarcasm? Chandler
thought she was an idiot now. Unless he'd thought she was an idiot before. Oh, no. She was
overthinking the meaning behind *everything* again. She needed to get out of here.
"So, uh, I'll talk to you later," she finally said aloud.
"Are you mad at me, Monica? I was just kidding."
"I know. Kidding. Ha ha, I get it. I, um, have lots to do, you know, because we are checking
out today, and I have to do...something." Was she still talking? Oh, why couldn't she just
shut up?
Chandler smiled wryly. Monica seemed nervous about something. Chandler thought it was adorable.
"Monica," he interrupted her incessant rambling, "What are you talking about?"
"Yes, okay, I don't know. Okay, bye Chandler."
"Monica, wait!" But she was already gone. Chandler sighed heavily. What the hell was that about?
**Boston, MA**
Ross stood in front of the hotel room mirror, examining his outfit. He had finally worked up
enough nerve to try and ask Rachel to go to dinner with him, and he wanted to look good when
he did it. Dark blue jeans and a light blue sweater. Did he look stupid? Maybe he should change
again. Ross sighed. He knew that if he stood there long enough, he could talk himself right
out of this. He shook his head and walked out into the hallway. Rachel's room was only five
doors down, but it looked much further. Ross took a deep breath, and walked toward Rachel's
room. Suddenly, the elevator dinged, and Ross stood frozen, as he watched Kevin walk out of the
elevator, and toward Rachel's door. Kevin knocked, and Rachel opened the door a few seconds later.
"Kevin!" she squealed.
"Hi, baby," Kevin replied, and handed Rachel a dozen red roses.
"Wow! What a lovely surprise! Come in, Come in!"
Kevin and Rachel disappeared into Rachel's room.
Ross turned on his heel, and walked back to his room. Of course Rachel wasn't going to say yes to
a date with him-she had Kevin. How could he have been so stupid? He sighed and turned on the
television. He flipped through a few channels, and then stopped suddenly. His jaw dropped at
the sight before him.
*
"Joey!" Phoebe called out to Joey, who was in the shower.
"What?" Joey called back over the running water.
"You'd better get in here!"
Joey flipped off the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist. He walked over to the bed,
and sat next to Phoebe.
"What's wrong?" Joey asked.
"Look," Phoebe said, pointing to the television.
Joey turned just in time to see his own face staring back at him.
There, on the television, was the top story on "Entertainment Tonight."
Joey's head spun, as he listened to the words coming from Mary Hart's mouth;
"Tonight, we reveal the real reason behind the shocking and sudden break-up of the world's most
famous band--PMQ."
******
Are the rumours true? Will the band break up for good? Will Rachel make a choice between Kevin
and her job? Will Monica ever reveal her feelings for Chandler? What's next for Pheebs and Joey?
Will Ross be able to stay sober? What does it all mean?? Do you care? Then leave
a review and let me know what you think!!!
Chapter 5 coming soon!