If Love Is All We Have, Chapter Seven
"Things Go Wrong"
Chandler waited outside of the warehouse, his black wool coat flapping in the winter wind. He always hated the fact that he had to dress up to go to work, and now that he worked for Frank, he was forced to dress to the nine all the time. Monica told him he looked "sexy in Armani", but Chandler retorted sarcastically, saying that he'd "look just as hot wearing The Gap." Chandler saw a car pull up, and straightened his shoulders. It was his first meeting with the Georgian* arms dealers without Frank. *(AN: Georgia the country, not Georgia the U.S. state. tee hee. ;-))*
Granted, he'd been doing this now for four months, but it never got easier. He was, after all, breaking so many laws that, should he ever get caught, he'd be in prison for a good part of the rest of his life.
"Peter, it's good to see you again."
"Mr. Therepanova, how are you?"
"I'll be doing much better once you tell me what I want to hear," Mr. Therepanova smiled.
"Well, it's actually better than you had planned. The merchandise sold for 120% above market value. 5% higher than we predicted."
"You, my friend, are a genius. Your father will be proud."
Chandler smiled, and nodded robotically. The last thing he wanted was to make Frank proud.
***
Monica twirled in front of the mirror, admiring her new evening gown. Monica sighed. She hoped that tonight's dinner party would go well. Frank had let Monica plan the entire event, including the dinner itself. Monica was ecstatic, finally feeling that she was in her element. She didn't want to admit it to Chandler, but she was loving the high-life. Frank was always buying her and Chandler expensive gifts, using the excuse that the two of them needed to keep up appearances. Chandler never really seemed pleased with the gifts, and always took them reluctently. The party planning had helped distract Monica from the fact that she and Chandler were barely speaking to each other anymore. In the four months since her arrival, she and Chandler had slowly begun drifting apart. They rarely saw each other, and when they did, Chandler refused to tell Monica what kind of work Frank had him doing. He always answered with "boring office stuff," but Monica knew it was more complicated than that.
"Hey," Chandler said quietly, as he entered their bedroom.
"Hi," Monica replied, as she turned from the mirror.
"Wow, you look fantastic," Chandler smiled.
"Thanks," Monica smiled shyly.
"What's the occasion?"
"Tonight's the dinner party," Monica said, slightly annoyed that Chandler had forgotten.
"Oh, right."
"How was your day?"
"It was...okay."
"Okay. Um, your tux is layed out on the bed. I need to go check the kitchen," Monica said quickly, and left before Chandler could reply.
Monica leaned up against the closed door, fighting back tears. She hated that they never talked anymore. She hated that she felt guilty for letting Frank be so nice to her. She shook off her tears, and headed down to the main kitchen.
*
Chandler sat down heavily on the bed, and put his head in his hands. He knew that he had to start telling Monica something. He could feel her drifting away from him, and it was killing him inside. But he also knew that he'd be putting Monica in danger by telling her the truth. He sighed, knowing that he'd rather break her heart, than put her in any more danger. He ran his hands through his hair, and grabbed his tux. He was going to be Mr. Charming to these people tonight, even if it killed him.
***
"Monica, you did a fantastic job," Frank whispered, as the two of them stood in the corner of the room, observing the scene that lay before them.
"Thank you, Frank," Monica smiled.
"Well, I am going to go try and charm the Ambassador. Thanks again, Monica," Frank winked and made his way across the room. Monica was impressed by the way Frank seemed to handle his business so gracefully. She often wondered if Chandler had run away from his father because of some teenage angst, not because of anything Frank had done. He just didn't seem to be that bad. But then, he was holding Chandler here against his will. Monica wondered what Frank's reason were for this.
"A penny for your thoughts," Chandler whispered, startling Monica.
"Oh, I was just thinking about...what the others would think of us if they could see us now."
"I miss them too, sweetheart."
"New York seems like a whole other world, doesn't it?"
"Yeah," Chandler looked at Monica, and could see the sadness lining her eyes. It was then that he made the decision. He had to get Monica out of here, no matter what the cost. She may end up hating him for it, but in the long run, it would save her life.
***
"Do you really think this is a good idea?" Thomas asked. He and Chandler were stolling the grounds of the compound the next afternoon.
"Look, Monica doesn't belong here. I don't want her to get hurt because of me."
"But she seems okay right now," Thomas pointed out.
"But what if something happens? What if something goes wrong? Frank has already warned me that if I screw anything up, he'd kill her. I am not willing to take that risk."
"Have you told Monica this?"
"No...not yet. I'm not even sure that I should."
"Don't you think she has a right to know how much danger she's in?"
"I guess. I just...I think that the less she knows, the less she can tell, and in the end, that would be the safest thing for her."
"But she loves you. I doubt she's gonna want to leave without you."
"I'm going to make her want to leave."
"What?"
"Look, things aren't all that great between us right now anyway. I just figure, eventually, she'll want to get away from me. I just need to find a way to make her think I don't love her anymore."
"How are you gonna do that?"
"I don't know," Chandler sighed. "I have to convince the woman I love more than anything, that I don't love her. And I have no idea how to do it." Chandler shook his head. It would be the hardest thing he'd ever have to do. But if she survived, he knew it would all be worth it.
***
Monica smiled as she strolled through one of the back bedrooms. It was the perfect size for a nursery. Her smile faded, when she realized that she and Chandler were nowhere near ready to have children. She shook her head and made her way into the next room. She had to talk to Chandler, she needed to figure out how to fix all of this.
She walked out into the hallway and realized that she was not entirely sure *which* way to head. The house was way too large! She wandered down a small corridor, and found herself in a place she was sure she'd never seen before. It was then that she heard the voices. She peered her head around the corner of the next doorway, and saw a frightened girl...it was one of the maids. She was talking to someone...Monica listened more closely, and realized...it was Frank. He was speaking quietly...she couldn't make out what he was saying. Monica leaned against the wall, and wondered if she could leave without being noticed. It was then that she heard the smack. Monica peered around the corner again, and saw the girl on the ground, and Frank moving to hit her again. She began to think of all the things Chandler had said...about it being dangerous for her here. Monica tip-toed back down the hallway, and made her way down the corridor toward her bedroom.
She needed to find Chandler.
*
Chandler made his way back toward the house. He decided that the sooner he told Monica he didn't love her, the better. He didn't want to hurt her...but...he didn't know what else to do. He walked into the bedroom, and saw Monica sitting on the bed, a strange look on her face.
"Monica," Chandler said, fighting to keep his voice steady, "We need to talk."
"Things Go Wrong"
Chandler waited outside of the warehouse, his black wool coat flapping in the winter wind. He always hated the fact that he had to dress up to go to work, and now that he worked for Frank, he was forced to dress to the nine all the time. Monica told him he looked "sexy in Armani", but Chandler retorted sarcastically, saying that he'd "look just as hot wearing The Gap." Chandler saw a car pull up, and straightened his shoulders. It was his first meeting with the Georgian* arms dealers without Frank. *(AN: Georgia the country, not Georgia the U.S. state. tee hee. ;-))*
Granted, he'd been doing this now for four months, but it never got easier. He was, after all, breaking so many laws that, should he ever get caught, he'd be in prison for a good part of the rest of his life.
"Peter, it's good to see you again."
"Mr. Therepanova, how are you?"
"I'll be doing much better once you tell me what I want to hear," Mr. Therepanova smiled.
"Well, it's actually better than you had planned. The merchandise sold for 120% above market value. 5% higher than we predicted."
"You, my friend, are a genius. Your father will be proud."
Chandler smiled, and nodded robotically. The last thing he wanted was to make Frank proud.
***
Monica twirled in front of the mirror, admiring her new evening gown. Monica sighed. She hoped that tonight's dinner party would go well. Frank had let Monica plan the entire event, including the dinner itself. Monica was ecstatic, finally feeling that she was in her element. She didn't want to admit it to Chandler, but she was loving the high-life. Frank was always buying her and Chandler expensive gifts, using the excuse that the two of them needed to keep up appearances. Chandler never really seemed pleased with the gifts, and always took them reluctently. The party planning had helped distract Monica from the fact that she and Chandler were barely speaking to each other anymore. In the four months since her arrival, she and Chandler had slowly begun drifting apart. They rarely saw each other, and when they did, Chandler refused to tell Monica what kind of work Frank had him doing. He always answered with "boring office stuff," but Monica knew it was more complicated than that.
"Hey," Chandler said quietly, as he entered their bedroom.
"Hi," Monica replied, as she turned from the mirror.
"Wow, you look fantastic," Chandler smiled.
"Thanks," Monica smiled shyly.
"What's the occasion?"
"Tonight's the dinner party," Monica said, slightly annoyed that Chandler had forgotten.
"Oh, right."
"How was your day?"
"It was...okay."
"Okay. Um, your tux is layed out on the bed. I need to go check the kitchen," Monica said quickly, and left before Chandler could reply.
Monica leaned up against the closed door, fighting back tears. She hated that they never talked anymore. She hated that she felt guilty for letting Frank be so nice to her. She shook off her tears, and headed down to the main kitchen.
*
Chandler sat down heavily on the bed, and put his head in his hands. He knew that he had to start telling Monica something. He could feel her drifting away from him, and it was killing him inside. But he also knew that he'd be putting Monica in danger by telling her the truth. He sighed, knowing that he'd rather break her heart, than put her in any more danger. He ran his hands through his hair, and grabbed his tux. He was going to be Mr. Charming to these people tonight, even if it killed him.
***
"Monica, you did a fantastic job," Frank whispered, as the two of them stood in the corner of the room, observing the scene that lay before them.
"Thank you, Frank," Monica smiled.
"Well, I am going to go try and charm the Ambassador. Thanks again, Monica," Frank winked and made his way across the room. Monica was impressed by the way Frank seemed to handle his business so gracefully. She often wondered if Chandler had run away from his father because of some teenage angst, not because of anything Frank had done. He just didn't seem to be that bad. But then, he was holding Chandler here against his will. Monica wondered what Frank's reason were for this.
"A penny for your thoughts," Chandler whispered, startling Monica.
"Oh, I was just thinking about...what the others would think of us if they could see us now."
"I miss them too, sweetheart."
"New York seems like a whole other world, doesn't it?"
"Yeah," Chandler looked at Monica, and could see the sadness lining her eyes. It was then that he made the decision. He had to get Monica out of here, no matter what the cost. She may end up hating him for it, but in the long run, it would save her life.
***
"Do you really think this is a good idea?" Thomas asked. He and Chandler were stolling the grounds of the compound the next afternoon.
"Look, Monica doesn't belong here. I don't want her to get hurt because of me."
"But she seems okay right now," Thomas pointed out.
"But what if something happens? What if something goes wrong? Frank has already warned me that if I screw anything up, he'd kill her. I am not willing to take that risk."
"Have you told Monica this?"
"No...not yet. I'm not even sure that I should."
"Don't you think she has a right to know how much danger she's in?"
"I guess. I just...I think that the less she knows, the less she can tell, and in the end, that would be the safest thing for her."
"But she loves you. I doubt she's gonna want to leave without you."
"I'm going to make her want to leave."
"What?"
"Look, things aren't all that great between us right now anyway. I just figure, eventually, she'll want to get away from me. I just need to find a way to make her think I don't love her anymore."
"How are you gonna do that?"
"I don't know," Chandler sighed. "I have to convince the woman I love more than anything, that I don't love her. And I have no idea how to do it." Chandler shook his head. It would be the hardest thing he'd ever have to do. But if she survived, he knew it would all be worth it.
***
Monica smiled as she strolled through one of the back bedrooms. It was the perfect size for a nursery. Her smile faded, when she realized that she and Chandler were nowhere near ready to have children. She shook her head and made her way into the next room. She had to talk to Chandler, she needed to figure out how to fix all of this.
She walked out into the hallway and realized that she was not entirely sure *which* way to head. The house was way too large! She wandered down a small corridor, and found herself in a place she was sure she'd never seen before. It was then that she heard the voices. She peered her head around the corner of the next doorway, and saw a frightened girl...it was one of the maids. She was talking to someone...Monica listened more closely, and realized...it was Frank. He was speaking quietly...she couldn't make out what he was saying. Monica leaned against the wall, and wondered if she could leave without being noticed. It was then that she heard the smack. Monica peered around the corner again, and saw the girl on the ground, and Frank moving to hit her again. She began to think of all the things Chandler had said...about it being dangerous for her here. Monica tip-toed back down the hallway, and made her way down the corridor toward her bedroom.
She needed to find Chandler.
*
Chandler made his way back toward the house. He decided that the sooner he told Monica he didn't love her, the better. He didn't want to hurt her...but...he didn't know what else to do. He walked into the bedroom, and saw Monica sitting on the bed, a strange look on her face.
"Monica," Chandler said, fighting to keep his voice steady, "We need to talk."