Come What May
by Skye Rocket
Chapter Two
Disclaimer: I don't attempt to claim ownership of Friends characters or anything else, which I do not own. But I bet you knew that. ^__^
A/N: I originally intended this to be a one- parter kinda thing, but for some reason, I had some sort of idea for this newest chappy-ter (ahem, I mean chapter), so I hope it doesn't ruin the whole story for anybody. Have a nice reading experience.
*---*---*---*
10 YEARS LATER
"Go hug your daddy," the fair-haired woman urged the two children. "You know how sad Daddy gets when he comes here." The two children nodded solemnly, temporarily wise beyond their six and eight years. Phoebe sighed wistfully as the two kids scurried off to comfort their daddy.
Sometimes Phoebe hated bringing Joey here. It always depressed him for along time afterward, and Phoebe hated seeing him like that. She knew that he loved her, and she was happier than she had ever been without being married to him. But Phoebe knew that he still loved and missed Marion with all of his heart.
Sometimes, Phoebe would lie awake at night wondering if her still loved Marion even more that he loved her. It wasn't that she doubted her marriage with Joey. And she couldn't help feeling guilty about it afterward. Phoebe knew that Joey considered Marion his first total love. It was like he forgot all of the other girls he had dated before Marion. And she knew that it was always really hard for him to even think about her, much less talk about her.
Every once in awhile Joey would see something that reminded him of his lost love. He'd clam up and not talk to anyone, or he would erupt into violent, dry, racking sobs, and then Phoebe knew that Joey was beyond consoling by then. All that Phoebe had been able to do would be to just sit for hours and hold him, until he was exhausted from crying so much.
The rest of the gang helped in their own ways directly after she had died. But for a year and a half, Joey refused to talk to anyone about Marion. But one day, he had just opened up, and to Phoebe. Somehow this triggered something, and they had clicked in a way that they never had. Marion's death had changed Joey into being quieter than he usually was. But gradually, Phoebe would see glimpses of the old Joey, like when the sun comes peeking through the clouds after a big rainstorm.
And then one day, when Phoebe and Joey went out to dinner, he had asked her to marry him. They were married, and two years after, they had their daughter, Shelia. Phoebe had suggested Marion for a girl's name, but Joey wouldn't hear of it. And then two years after that, they had their son, Chester.
Each year, on the anniversary of Marion and Joey's first date, the family visited Marion's grave. Chester and Shelia never really understood why Daddy got so sad every time they went there. Phoebe had thought that it was best to wait until they were older to explain it to them.
Joey knelt in front of the stone, as he had each year for the past eight years. For the first two years afterward, Joey had refused to visit.
"I miss you, Mar," he whispered softly, somehow hoping that Marion could hear him. A tear dripped slowly down his cheek, softly staining the petals of the peach roses he had brought for her. Marion's favorite flower, he thought remorsefully.
Joey sniffed, trying to make the tears stop falling. He didn't want his children to see their daddy crying. But this only made them fall faster. Joey shuddered and prayed he could stay quiet.
He felt a small hand resting on his shoulder. Joey quickly brushed away his tears with the back of his hand. He looked up and saw his children looking down at him; concerned expressions on their faces; chubby cheeks blushed in natural color and shiny eyes that matched the color of their mother's. He stood and took their hands, leading them away from the spot that reminded him of the first true love he had had, and had lost.
Without a word, the family of four climbed into their car and drove away.
-----
When Joey had lost Marion, he had become violently depressed, cursing himself for not being able to help her. Chandler and Ross tried taking him out for dinner at least once a week after she had died. But he sat sullenly, deep in thought (or so it would appear) the whole time as Ross and Chandler made futile attempts at conversation. It seemed to them that they would never get back the old Joey that was funny without meaning to be, the one that they loved like a brother.
Monica tried to make him feel better by making and sending over cookies and cakes, and of course sandwiches. But Joey refused to eat, and grew thinner and thinner. He stayed in bed for hours, just staring at the ceiling and thinking. He slept in his clothes and hardly changed, only when they would force him to go out with them.
One day, Chandler had come over with more of Monica's homemade snacks, hoping he could get Joey to eat at least one cookie. He went into Joey's bedroom to try to find him, but he wasn't there. He called out for Joey, a faint glimmer of hope that maybe Joey had gone out to eat or to get a newspaper or something, anything to get him out of the apartment.
He heard some shuffling in the bathroom, and Joey managed to croak out Chandler's name. Chandler, sensing something was wrong, hurried in. Joey lay propped up against the shower door, blood on his wrists.
Chandler gasped, feeling his heart stop. Joey had tried to kill himself.
"Oh my god," was all Chandler could manage. Joey had tears in his eyes as he looked up at Chandler.
"I tried," he sobbed. "I couldn't do it, Chandler. I couldn't do it," Joey repeated. "I just miss her so much."
*~*~*~*~*~*
The family that was Phoebe and Joey's drove quickly back to their modest home, right across the street from that of Dr. Ross Gellar and Mrs. Rachel Gellar, and next door to that was the home of Monica and Chandler Bing. Somehow they had all ended up with each other.
After Emma was born, Ross had proposed to Rachel, and they had gotten married. They had Emma, who was now ten years old and on her way to being a spunky, tomboyish teenager, and their eight year old son Danny.
Monica and Chandler had found out, after trying for two years, that they couldn't have children. So a year after that, they adopted a little girl named Maggie. If you looked at them, you couldn't even tell that Maggie wasn't their real daughter. Monica had been able to buy her own restaurant, and Chandler was still happy at his old job.
Phoebe unlocked the door, and Chester and Shelia ran inside to go and play with their toys. Joey slowly followed her inside. She wrapped her arms around him and stroked his hair softly.
"Are you all right?" she asked, concerned for her husband. Joey sighed.
"I guess so, but it's still as hard as it was when we started bringing the kids here," Joey admitted. Phoebe smiled sadly.
"Joey, that's all right, and it's okay if you still love her. I know you always will. Don't worry about it. She's probably looking down on you right now, and she'd be glad you've moved on as best you could," Phoebe tried to comfort him. He pulled away from her gently.
"Yeah," he managed to agree softly, a minute later. "I love you, Phoebe," Joey said with a small smile.
"I love you too, Joey," Phoebe said, smiling back.
--------------------
Weeeeeell, what'd you think? Should I keep my day job? Sorry if I screwed the story up for anybody. I was just thinking that I had an idea for a closing thing. It was bugging me. ^__^ Have a nice day.
See Ya Later, Alligator!
After awhile, Crocodile!
Skye Rocket
by Skye Rocket
Chapter Two
Disclaimer: I don't attempt to claim ownership of Friends characters or anything else, which I do not own. But I bet you knew that. ^__^
A/N: I originally intended this to be a one- parter kinda thing, but for some reason, I had some sort of idea for this newest chappy-ter (ahem, I mean chapter), so I hope it doesn't ruin the whole story for anybody. Have a nice reading experience.
*---*---*---*
10 YEARS LATER
"Go hug your daddy," the fair-haired woman urged the two children. "You know how sad Daddy gets when he comes here." The two children nodded solemnly, temporarily wise beyond their six and eight years. Phoebe sighed wistfully as the two kids scurried off to comfort their daddy.
Sometimes Phoebe hated bringing Joey here. It always depressed him for along time afterward, and Phoebe hated seeing him like that. She knew that he loved her, and she was happier than she had ever been without being married to him. But Phoebe knew that he still loved and missed Marion with all of his heart.
Sometimes, Phoebe would lie awake at night wondering if her still loved Marion even more that he loved her. It wasn't that she doubted her marriage with Joey. And she couldn't help feeling guilty about it afterward. Phoebe knew that Joey considered Marion his first total love. It was like he forgot all of the other girls he had dated before Marion. And she knew that it was always really hard for him to even think about her, much less talk about her.
Every once in awhile Joey would see something that reminded him of his lost love. He'd clam up and not talk to anyone, or he would erupt into violent, dry, racking sobs, and then Phoebe knew that Joey was beyond consoling by then. All that Phoebe had been able to do would be to just sit for hours and hold him, until he was exhausted from crying so much.
The rest of the gang helped in their own ways directly after she had died. But for a year and a half, Joey refused to talk to anyone about Marion. But one day, he had just opened up, and to Phoebe. Somehow this triggered something, and they had clicked in a way that they never had. Marion's death had changed Joey into being quieter than he usually was. But gradually, Phoebe would see glimpses of the old Joey, like when the sun comes peeking through the clouds after a big rainstorm.
And then one day, when Phoebe and Joey went out to dinner, he had asked her to marry him. They were married, and two years after, they had their daughter, Shelia. Phoebe had suggested Marion for a girl's name, but Joey wouldn't hear of it. And then two years after that, they had their son, Chester.
Each year, on the anniversary of Marion and Joey's first date, the family visited Marion's grave. Chester and Shelia never really understood why Daddy got so sad every time they went there. Phoebe had thought that it was best to wait until they were older to explain it to them.
Joey knelt in front of the stone, as he had each year for the past eight years. For the first two years afterward, Joey had refused to visit.
"I miss you, Mar," he whispered softly, somehow hoping that Marion could hear him. A tear dripped slowly down his cheek, softly staining the petals of the peach roses he had brought for her. Marion's favorite flower, he thought remorsefully.
Joey sniffed, trying to make the tears stop falling. He didn't want his children to see their daddy crying. But this only made them fall faster. Joey shuddered and prayed he could stay quiet.
He felt a small hand resting on his shoulder. Joey quickly brushed away his tears with the back of his hand. He looked up and saw his children looking down at him; concerned expressions on their faces; chubby cheeks blushed in natural color and shiny eyes that matched the color of their mother's. He stood and took their hands, leading them away from the spot that reminded him of the first true love he had had, and had lost.
Without a word, the family of four climbed into their car and drove away.
-----
When Joey had lost Marion, he had become violently depressed, cursing himself for not being able to help her. Chandler and Ross tried taking him out for dinner at least once a week after she had died. But he sat sullenly, deep in thought (or so it would appear) the whole time as Ross and Chandler made futile attempts at conversation. It seemed to them that they would never get back the old Joey that was funny without meaning to be, the one that they loved like a brother.
Monica tried to make him feel better by making and sending over cookies and cakes, and of course sandwiches. But Joey refused to eat, and grew thinner and thinner. He stayed in bed for hours, just staring at the ceiling and thinking. He slept in his clothes and hardly changed, only when they would force him to go out with them.
One day, Chandler had come over with more of Monica's homemade snacks, hoping he could get Joey to eat at least one cookie. He went into Joey's bedroom to try to find him, but he wasn't there. He called out for Joey, a faint glimmer of hope that maybe Joey had gone out to eat or to get a newspaper or something, anything to get him out of the apartment.
He heard some shuffling in the bathroom, and Joey managed to croak out Chandler's name. Chandler, sensing something was wrong, hurried in. Joey lay propped up against the shower door, blood on his wrists.
Chandler gasped, feeling his heart stop. Joey had tried to kill himself.
"Oh my god," was all Chandler could manage. Joey had tears in his eyes as he looked up at Chandler.
"I tried," he sobbed. "I couldn't do it, Chandler. I couldn't do it," Joey repeated. "I just miss her so much."
*~*~*~*~*~*
The family that was Phoebe and Joey's drove quickly back to their modest home, right across the street from that of Dr. Ross Gellar and Mrs. Rachel Gellar, and next door to that was the home of Monica and Chandler Bing. Somehow they had all ended up with each other.
After Emma was born, Ross had proposed to Rachel, and they had gotten married. They had Emma, who was now ten years old and on her way to being a spunky, tomboyish teenager, and their eight year old son Danny.
Monica and Chandler had found out, after trying for two years, that they couldn't have children. So a year after that, they adopted a little girl named Maggie. If you looked at them, you couldn't even tell that Maggie wasn't their real daughter. Monica had been able to buy her own restaurant, and Chandler was still happy at his old job.
Phoebe unlocked the door, and Chester and Shelia ran inside to go and play with their toys. Joey slowly followed her inside. She wrapped her arms around him and stroked his hair softly.
"Are you all right?" she asked, concerned for her husband. Joey sighed.
"I guess so, but it's still as hard as it was when we started bringing the kids here," Joey admitted. Phoebe smiled sadly.
"Joey, that's all right, and it's okay if you still love her. I know you always will. Don't worry about it. She's probably looking down on you right now, and she'd be glad you've moved on as best you could," Phoebe tried to comfort him. He pulled away from her gently.
"Yeah," he managed to agree softly, a minute later. "I love you, Phoebe," Joey said with a small smile.
"I love you too, Joey," Phoebe said, smiling back.
--------------------
Weeeeeell, what'd you think? Should I keep my day job? Sorry if I screwed the story up for anybody. I was just thinking that I had an idea for a closing thing. It was bugging me. ^__^ Have a nice day.
See Ya Later, Alligator!
After awhile, Crocodile!
Skye Rocket
