Fate Has A Way
Disclaimer: Nope, not mine… They never were, never will be… That's depressing…
Hmmm… What can I say that won't scare you away? I don't know if such a thing exists. But I'll try anyway. Thanks for reviewing the last chapter; reviews really motivate me. And Carol and Amy *may* turn up in a chapter or two. You'll just have to wait and see… I haven't decided where they live yet, but that's not important right now. The only important thing about them, for right now at least, is that they do not live in New York City. Oh, and in case you were wondering, the stuff that I put in the last chapter about Monica's feelings on being adopted isn't just me making stuff up. I'm not adopted but one of my best friends is, and she has told me many things along those lines. Just thought I'd clarify my credibility on that subject. I think that's it for now…
~*******~
Chapter Four: Putting The Pieces Together
Starts right after the last chapter left off:
"Mom! Dad! I'm getting married!!!" Judy dropped the receiver in shock. Of all the things that she was expecting, this thought had not once crossed her mind. Though the receiver remained on the floor, Ross' screams could still be deciphered. "Mom, Dad? Did you hear me? I'm getting married!"
Jack didn't know what else to do, so he picked up the phone and congratulated his son. Once Judy had recovered from the initial shock, she was able to congratulate Ross- but only while she was lying down on the sofa. She was thrilled that Ross was getting married. She just hoped that this one would turn out better than the last one. It had been so embarrassing to explain to all of her friends about how Carol had discovered that she was a lesbian. She didn't think another rushed marriage was a good idea. Because if it failed, it would be a terrible social marking for her. However, Ross' upbeat attitude and excitement over the engagement were enough to change Judy's mind. It did seem as though they were in love. But for all that Ross went on about Emily, something in the wind told her that it just wasn't going to measure up. She blamed it on the soup that she had for lunch. After all, she had that weird feeling about Chandler's girlfriend Monica, as if she should recognize Monica from somewhere. There had to have been something funny in that soup.
*******
And if Judy was shocked at Ross and Emily's news, the rest of the gang was at least five times as stunned as she had been. Rachel and Phoebe both fainted, and Monica probably would have if she hadn't been sitting down when Ross burst through the door of her apartment, yelling and screaming ecstatically. 'If Mr. Heckles were still alive,' she said to herself, amused with the thought of her former neighbor, 'He would be banging on his ceiling with that broom by now.' And she found herself laughing silently, in spite of herself.
Once Phoebe and Rachel had adjusted to the news, the gang sat down and tried to convince him that he was rushing into things with Emily, that he needed to take it slower. If not for his sake, then for Ben's. Divorce is hard enough on little kids, on kids of any age for that matter, and he shouldn't risk divorce number two like this. Not when his son was involved.
But Ross wouldn't hear of it.
"Come on Ross," Rachel started in on him. "You two haven't been dating as long as Monica and Chandler have, and they don't have any plans to get married yet." Rachel pauses, reconsidering her last statement. She glanced in the general direction of Monica and Chandler. They seemed as though they were married already. She was sitting on his lap, and his arms were wrapped around her. Rachel wouldn't have any objections if they decided to get married then and there. But she was trying to make a point. "Are you?" She continues, directing her question at Monica and Chandler.
"Nope," Monica shakes her head slightly.
"We've only been dating for two and a half months." Chandler added. (A/N: I'm too lazy to go back and check my other chapters to see how long they've actually been dating, so if the number is wrong, feel free to correct me…). "It doesn't mean we're not in love. But we're not ready to get married yet either."
"I rest my case." Rachel gestured towards Monica and Chandler and crossed her arms emphatically.
"I can't believe that Chandler is being more mature about this than you are Ross!" Phoebe exclaimed.
"Had to happen someday," Monica joked, trying desperately to stifle a giggle.
"You," Joey pointed to Monica, "Have been dating him for way too long."
"I don't really mind. I kinda like him." Monica smiles. Even when the six of them were arguing like they were now, she couldn't remember a time when she had been happier. "Back to the point Ross. Marriage is a huge commitment and all of that other stuff that they tell you. You just need to be sure that this is what you really want. That you're gonna love Emily forever, and that she'll be good for you AND for Ben."
"This IS what I really want. I love Emily and I hate only being able to see her when she comes to visit."
"And you don't think you're rushing into this at all?" Rachel asked. "What does Ben think about this? I'm speaking from personal experience that this is a really hard thing to accept. I mean a parent remarrying, that is." Rachel's parents had divorced right after her younger sister was born, and Rachel almost never saw her dad. Her mom got a new job in Boston, where she had met Rachel's stepdad. (A/N: I think I had mentioned this before but I wasn't sure. This is how Monica and Rachel knew each other when they were kids).
"You don't think I've thought this through?"
"Well, this did kind of hit everyone by surprise. Someone usually doesn't plan to propose after they've been dating for less than, oh, two months." Chandler had never known Ross to rush into such an important decision so quickly.
"So it was a spur of the moment thing. That doesn't mean that it's not going to work."
"And what does Ben think about this?" Joey asked. It was surprising how seriously Joey and Phoebe had been handling Ross' news. They were being unusually insightful. Okay, well, relatively speaking.
"Why would Ben mind if he got a mother out of the deal?"
"Well, you never know. I hated my stepdad, and my mom never listened. It came as a big shock to her when they put him in prison." Phoebe added her two cents to the discussion. (A/N: Isn't that the weirdest phrase. LOL).
"You guys are just going to have to get used to the fact that I'm getting married. It's going to happen whether you guys want it to or not!" Ross was getting frustrated that his best friends were trying to lecture him, but he knew that were just trying to help so he just let it slide.
"Okay, okay." Joey paused for a second, "So, who's gonna be best man?"
Ross threw his hands up in exasperation and left the apartment. (A/N: Not in a mean or angry way, but in the friendly 'Will you just give it a rest' way. This is not meant to be incredibly OOC for Ross. Just to get him out of the room so that I can transition. Oh boy, listen to me…).
"I give it two months tops." Chandler referred to Ross and Emily's engagement. "They'll have some huge fight and call the wedding off. I mean, people are usually engaged for at least six months, right?"
"I don't think you're going to get any takers on that bet, Chandler." Rachel said.
"It'll never last." Everyone nodded in agreement.
*******
Six weeks later, the wedding was still on. It would be in two weeks to be exact. Emily had always wanted to get married in this beautiful church in London, but they were tearing it down in a couple of weeks. This was the only way that Emily could have her dream wedding. And that was how Ross wanted it.
Chandler and Amanda stopped by Monica's apartment to visit her after her practice meeting (A/N: Not a run-through for a meeting, her medical practice/group thing meeting. LOL, love you Hayden…). When she finally got home, an hour late, Chandler was pacing like mad.
"Chandler!" Monica jumped. She wasn't expecting him.
"Bad day at work?"
"The worst. We had three admittances, all of them my patients. And the practice meeting was a mess… I don't even want to talk about it."
"I made dinner…" When Monica looks questioningly at him, he adds, "Okay, so I reheated dinner from last night, but it's the thought that counts, right?"
"Of course," Chandler kissed Monica. "Do I get brownie points for that?"
"Sure, if you want to tear Manda away from that puzzle long enough to eat dinner." His cell phone rings. "I'd better answer this. I'll make it short."
"I'll go get Amanda and put dinner on the table."`
*******
"That was an awfully long short phone call," Monica said as Chandler sat down to dinner ten minutes later.
"Sorry," he started to explain. "My office has a meeting this weekend that I was NOT supposed to have to go to, but they just called me to say that the other guy backed out and I have to go." Chandler sighs.
"Where is it?"
"This city in Virginia; Richmond I think. I'm not completely sure though; I've never really paid that much attention to whatever city it is. But I've heard it's a killer to fly out of the airport there as far as flight rates are concerned." (A/N: I'm allowed to mock my home city…).
"Weird place for a conference."
"Yeah, and I'm gonna have to get Joey to clear his schedule for the weekend to babysit Manda. I hope he doesn't have too many dates planned for this weekend or he's gonna be mad."
"He doesn't have to cancel any of his dates. Amanda can stay with me for the weekend. I'm not on call or anything, and I'd love to have her here with me. She's got some stuff here already anyway."
"Oh can I Daddy? Can I stay with Monica this weekend?" Amanda wasn't too upset that her dad had to leave, as long as she got to stay with Monica.
"If you don't mind."
"Absolutely not. I'd love to have her."
"You're sure it's not too much trouble?"
"Why would it be? We'll have a great time while you enjoy your business meeting." She smiles at him; she heard him talk about how much he despises these meetings.
"I wish," Chandler groaned. At least Amanda will be happy this weekend.
*******
Chandler left that Friday afternoon, right when Monica got home from work. It was one week until Ross and Emily's wedding, and everything was in utter chaos with the last minute wedding details. Well, everyone else was in a chaotic state. Monica and Amanda were having a great time.
The two of them spent Saturday morning at the park, and Saturday afternoon at Monica's apartment doing puzzles and painting (Monica set up a smaller easel for Amanda to "paint" on… as much as two year olds can paint, that is…). Monica tried to explain the concept of Go Fish to Amanda, since Ben had learned to play the game at preschool and Amanda wanted to join in the game whenever anyone was playing it with him. However, her efforts were almost completely in vain, and Amanda refused to follow the real rules of the game. Instead, she made up her own rules and created the Amanda Game. (A/N: Don't you just love how two year olds can pull that off? I know I did when my little sister was two…).
As much as Amanda had missed her father, she was sorry when the weekend was over, and she had to leave Monica. She convinced Chandler to stay at Monica's on Sunday night, not that Chandler needed much convincing. He had missed Monica terribly over the weekend. He had missed Amanda too, of course, but he could never remember missing one of his girlfriends that much during one weekend away from each other.
*******
Chandler was tucking Amanda into the sofa bed at Monica's apartment that night, and she was telling him all about her weekend.
"…And she took me to the park again and we fed ducks by the lake and she helped me paint a picture for the refrigerator and…" She continued on and on excitedly.
"It sounds like you had a very eventful weekend."
"Yeah, and we get to go to London next week!" Now that the trip to London was approaching rapidly, the whole gang was really looking forward to the trip. They still thought that Ross and Emily were rushing things along way too fast. This was Emily's first relationship at all since she broke up with her ex-fiancé Karl. Maybe it was just the fact that Emily had an ex-fiancé that made the other five wary of the marriage. Maybe it was because of the lack of time to really think things through. But either way, no matter how happy Ross and Emily appeared to be, the other five sensed that it would never last.
"That's right. It's going to be a lot of fun." Chandler's concentration shifted back to his conversation with Amanda.
"Daddy?"
"Yeah peanut?"
"Uncle Ross is marrying Emily, and then Ben gets a new mom. How come you and Monica aren't getting married?" Chandler was almost in shock. He wasn't expecting this question. Well, not yet at least.
"Umm…" He wasn't completely sure what to say. "Well, it's more complicated than you think. I mean, I'd have to ask her and buy a ring. And then she would have to say yes. And then we'd have a wedding…"
"It sounds easy enough to me." Amanda doesn't understand why Ben gets a mom and she doesn't. "Grown-ups always make things so hard."
Chandler laughs and kisses her cheek. "Goodnight sweetheart."
"Goodnight Daddy." Chandler turned the lights off and shut the door behind him.
*******
One week later, everyone was in London, and the wedding was almost over. None of them could believe that Ross and Emily had actually made it to their wedding day. No one had thought that they would be able to make it this far. Ross and Emily were about to become husband and wife. They were, at that moment, beginning their vows.
"Now Emily, repeat after me. I Emily."
"I Emily"
"Take thee, Ross."
"Take thee, Karl." And everyone in the church let out a sudden gasp.
"Shall I go on?" The minister asks.
~*******~
Ok, that last idea came from TOW Ross' Wedding so don't sue me. I've never read one where Emily says the wrong name. Please review! And make suggestions for another couple. ~Auds
Disclaimer: Nope, not mine… They never were, never will be… That's depressing…
Hmmm… What can I say that won't scare you away? I don't know if such a thing exists. But I'll try anyway. Thanks for reviewing the last chapter; reviews really motivate me. And Carol and Amy *may* turn up in a chapter or two. You'll just have to wait and see… I haven't decided where they live yet, but that's not important right now. The only important thing about them, for right now at least, is that they do not live in New York City. Oh, and in case you were wondering, the stuff that I put in the last chapter about Monica's feelings on being adopted isn't just me making stuff up. I'm not adopted but one of my best friends is, and she has told me many things along those lines. Just thought I'd clarify my credibility on that subject. I think that's it for now…
~*******~
Chapter Four: Putting The Pieces Together
Starts right after the last chapter left off:
"Mom! Dad! I'm getting married!!!" Judy dropped the receiver in shock. Of all the things that she was expecting, this thought had not once crossed her mind. Though the receiver remained on the floor, Ross' screams could still be deciphered. "Mom, Dad? Did you hear me? I'm getting married!"
Jack didn't know what else to do, so he picked up the phone and congratulated his son. Once Judy had recovered from the initial shock, she was able to congratulate Ross- but only while she was lying down on the sofa. She was thrilled that Ross was getting married. She just hoped that this one would turn out better than the last one. It had been so embarrassing to explain to all of her friends about how Carol had discovered that she was a lesbian. She didn't think another rushed marriage was a good idea. Because if it failed, it would be a terrible social marking for her. However, Ross' upbeat attitude and excitement over the engagement were enough to change Judy's mind. It did seem as though they were in love. But for all that Ross went on about Emily, something in the wind told her that it just wasn't going to measure up. She blamed it on the soup that she had for lunch. After all, she had that weird feeling about Chandler's girlfriend Monica, as if she should recognize Monica from somewhere. There had to have been something funny in that soup.
*******
And if Judy was shocked at Ross and Emily's news, the rest of the gang was at least five times as stunned as she had been. Rachel and Phoebe both fainted, and Monica probably would have if she hadn't been sitting down when Ross burst through the door of her apartment, yelling and screaming ecstatically. 'If Mr. Heckles were still alive,' she said to herself, amused with the thought of her former neighbor, 'He would be banging on his ceiling with that broom by now.' And she found herself laughing silently, in spite of herself.
Once Phoebe and Rachel had adjusted to the news, the gang sat down and tried to convince him that he was rushing into things with Emily, that he needed to take it slower. If not for his sake, then for Ben's. Divorce is hard enough on little kids, on kids of any age for that matter, and he shouldn't risk divorce number two like this. Not when his son was involved.
But Ross wouldn't hear of it.
"Come on Ross," Rachel started in on him. "You two haven't been dating as long as Monica and Chandler have, and they don't have any plans to get married yet." Rachel pauses, reconsidering her last statement. She glanced in the general direction of Monica and Chandler. They seemed as though they were married already. She was sitting on his lap, and his arms were wrapped around her. Rachel wouldn't have any objections if they decided to get married then and there. But she was trying to make a point. "Are you?" She continues, directing her question at Monica and Chandler.
"Nope," Monica shakes her head slightly.
"We've only been dating for two and a half months." Chandler added. (A/N: I'm too lazy to go back and check my other chapters to see how long they've actually been dating, so if the number is wrong, feel free to correct me…). "It doesn't mean we're not in love. But we're not ready to get married yet either."
"I rest my case." Rachel gestured towards Monica and Chandler and crossed her arms emphatically.
"I can't believe that Chandler is being more mature about this than you are Ross!" Phoebe exclaimed.
"Had to happen someday," Monica joked, trying desperately to stifle a giggle.
"You," Joey pointed to Monica, "Have been dating him for way too long."
"I don't really mind. I kinda like him." Monica smiles. Even when the six of them were arguing like they were now, she couldn't remember a time when she had been happier. "Back to the point Ross. Marriage is a huge commitment and all of that other stuff that they tell you. You just need to be sure that this is what you really want. That you're gonna love Emily forever, and that she'll be good for you AND for Ben."
"This IS what I really want. I love Emily and I hate only being able to see her when she comes to visit."
"And you don't think you're rushing into this at all?" Rachel asked. "What does Ben think about this? I'm speaking from personal experience that this is a really hard thing to accept. I mean a parent remarrying, that is." Rachel's parents had divorced right after her younger sister was born, and Rachel almost never saw her dad. Her mom got a new job in Boston, where she had met Rachel's stepdad. (A/N: I think I had mentioned this before but I wasn't sure. This is how Monica and Rachel knew each other when they were kids).
"You don't think I've thought this through?"
"Well, this did kind of hit everyone by surprise. Someone usually doesn't plan to propose after they've been dating for less than, oh, two months." Chandler had never known Ross to rush into such an important decision so quickly.
"So it was a spur of the moment thing. That doesn't mean that it's not going to work."
"And what does Ben think about this?" Joey asked. It was surprising how seriously Joey and Phoebe had been handling Ross' news. They were being unusually insightful. Okay, well, relatively speaking.
"Why would Ben mind if he got a mother out of the deal?"
"Well, you never know. I hated my stepdad, and my mom never listened. It came as a big shock to her when they put him in prison." Phoebe added her two cents to the discussion. (A/N: Isn't that the weirdest phrase. LOL).
"You guys are just going to have to get used to the fact that I'm getting married. It's going to happen whether you guys want it to or not!" Ross was getting frustrated that his best friends were trying to lecture him, but he knew that were just trying to help so he just let it slide.
"Okay, okay." Joey paused for a second, "So, who's gonna be best man?"
Ross threw his hands up in exasperation and left the apartment. (A/N: Not in a mean or angry way, but in the friendly 'Will you just give it a rest' way. This is not meant to be incredibly OOC for Ross. Just to get him out of the room so that I can transition. Oh boy, listen to me…).
"I give it two months tops." Chandler referred to Ross and Emily's engagement. "They'll have some huge fight and call the wedding off. I mean, people are usually engaged for at least six months, right?"
"I don't think you're going to get any takers on that bet, Chandler." Rachel said.
"It'll never last." Everyone nodded in agreement.
*******
Six weeks later, the wedding was still on. It would be in two weeks to be exact. Emily had always wanted to get married in this beautiful church in London, but they were tearing it down in a couple of weeks. This was the only way that Emily could have her dream wedding. And that was how Ross wanted it.
Chandler and Amanda stopped by Monica's apartment to visit her after her practice meeting (A/N: Not a run-through for a meeting, her medical practice/group thing meeting. LOL, love you Hayden…). When she finally got home, an hour late, Chandler was pacing like mad.
"Chandler!" Monica jumped. She wasn't expecting him.
"Bad day at work?"
"The worst. We had three admittances, all of them my patients. And the practice meeting was a mess… I don't even want to talk about it."
"I made dinner…" When Monica looks questioningly at him, he adds, "Okay, so I reheated dinner from last night, but it's the thought that counts, right?"
"Of course," Chandler kissed Monica. "Do I get brownie points for that?"
"Sure, if you want to tear Manda away from that puzzle long enough to eat dinner." His cell phone rings. "I'd better answer this. I'll make it short."
"I'll go get Amanda and put dinner on the table."`
*******
"That was an awfully long short phone call," Monica said as Chandler sat down to dinner ten minutes later.
"Sorry," he started to explain. "My office has a meeting this weekend that I was NOT supposed to have to go to, but they just called me to say that the other guy backed out and I have to go." Chandler sighs.
"Where is it?"
"This city in Virginia; Richmond I think. I'm not completely sure though; I've never really paid that much attention to whatever city it is. But I've heard it's a killer to fly out of the airport there as far as flight rates are concerned." (A/N: I'm allowed to mock my home city…).
"Weird place for a conference."
"Yeah, and I'm gonna have to get Joey to clear his schedule for the weekend to babysit Manda. I hope he doesn't have too many dates planned for this weekend or he's gonna be mad."
"He doesn't have to cancel any of his dates. Amanda can stay with me for the weekend. I'm not on call or anything, and I'd love to have her here with me. She's got some stuff here already anyway."
"Oh can I Daddy? Can I stay with Monica this weekend?" Amanda wasn't too upset that her dad had to leave, as long as she got to stay with Monica.
"If you don't mind."
"Absolutely not. I'd love to have her."
"You're sure it's not too much trouble?"
"Why would it be? We'll have a great time while you enjoy your business meeting." She smiles at him; she heard him talk about how much he despises these meetings.
"I wish," Chandler groaned. At least Amanda will be happy this weekend.
*******
Chandler left that Friday afternoon, right when Monica got home from work. It was one week until Ross and Emily's wedding, and everything was in utter chaos with the last minute wedding details. Well, everyone else was in a chaotic state. Monica and Amanda were having a great time.
The two of them spent Saturday morning at the park, and Saturday afternoon at Monica's apartment doing puzzles and painting (Monica set up a smaller easel for Amanda to "paint" on… as much as two year olds can paint, that is…). Monica tried to explain the concept of Go Fish to Amanda, since Ben had learned to play the game at preschool and Amanda wanted to join in the game whenever anyone was playing it with him. However, her efforts were almost completely in vain, and Amanda refused to follow the real rules of the game. Instead, she made up her own rules and created the Amanda Game. (A/N: Don't you just love how two year olds can pull that off? I know I did when my little sister was two…).
As much as Amanda had missed her father, she was sorry when the weekend was over, and she had to leave Monica. She convinced Chandler to stay at Monica's on Sunday night, not that Chandler needed much convincing. He had missed Monica terribly over the weekend. He had missed Amanda too, of course, but he could never remember missing one of his girlfriends that much during one weekend away from each other.
*******
Chandler was tucking Amanda into the sofa bed at Monica's apartment that night, and she was telling him all about her weekend.
"…And she took me to the park again and we fed ducks by the lake and she helped me paint a picture for the refrigerator and…" She continued on and on excitedly.
"It sounds like you had a very eventful weekend."
"Yeah, and we get to go to London next week!" Now that the trip to London was approaching rapidly, the whole gang was really looking forward to the trip. They still thought that Ross and Emily were rushing things along way too fast. This was Emily's first relationship at all since she broke up with her ex-fiancé Karl. Maybe it was just the fact that Emily had an ex-fiancé that made the other five wary of the marriage. Maybe it was because of the lack of time to really think things through. But either way, no matter how happy Ross and Emily appeared to be, the other five sensed that it would never last.
"That's right. It's going to be a lot of fun." Chandler's concentration shifted back to his conversation with Amanda.
"Daddy?"
"Yeah peanut?"
"Uncle Ross is marrying Emily, and then Ben gets a new mom. How come you and Monica aren't getting married?" Chandler was almost in shock. He wasn't expecting this question. Well, not yet at least.
"Umm…" He wasn't completely sure what to say. "Well, it's more complicated than you think. I mean, I'd have to ask her and buy a ring. And then she would have to say yes. And then we'd have a wedding…"
"It sounds easy enough to me." Amanda doesn't understand why Ben gets a mom and she doesn't. "Grown-ups always make things so hard."
Chandler laughs and kisses her cheek. "Goodnight sweetheart."
"Goodnight Daddy." Chandler turned the lights off and shut the door behind him.
*******
One week later, everyone was in London, and the wedding was almost over. None of them could believe that Ross and Emily had actually made it to their wedding day. No one had thought that they would be able to make it this far. Ross and Emily were about to become husband and wife. They were, at that moment, beginning their vows.
"Now Emily, repeat after me. I Emily."
"I Emily"
"Take thee, Ross."
"Take thee, Karl." And everyone in the church let out a sudden gasp.
"Shall I go on?" The minister asks.
~*******~
Ok, that last idea came from TOW Ross' Wedding so don't sue me. I've never read one where Emily says the wrong name. Please review! And make suggestions for another couple. ~Auds