The Story of Faith 8: Just have a little Faith
Author's Note: Thank you AGAIN for all of the support, comments and CONSTRUCTIVE criticism! Hehe...I enjoyed writing this fic. I've never really written something like this before and I had a great experience, so I think I'm going to continue! Yay:)
Disclaimer: These characters will be mine! (When pigs fly...)
This is the conclusion of The Story of Faith series.
A sharp current jolted the plane's aerodynamic sensitivity. Ross' knuckles turned white as he tensely gripped the armrest. He had no reason to be nervous. After all, he had been riding planes pretty frequently. This flight was no different. He exhaled slowly and looked out the window. It was a gorgeous night, completely the opposite of the night before. The stars shone brightly against the tall, cascading hills. Yes, this flight was no different than the others.
Except that it was.
"Honey, turn around so mommy can put your seat belt back on. You're not supposed to take it off yet," said a lady from the row in front of Ross. A little girl, possibly around Ariel's age, had her knees on the seat of the chair. She was facing Ross, looking curiously at the unexplainable expression on his face. Ross turned his head from the window, finally noticing the child. He smiled warmly at her.
"Don't be scared Mister," she sweetly whispered. "I was scared too, but my mommy said that Angels are carrying the airplane, and the reason why it's bumpy is 'cuz their wings get caught in the clouds..." Ross was taken aback by the innocence and eloquence of the little girl. An aching emotion kicked his heart as he felt a longing to be with his daughter.
"Thank you. I'm not scared anymore." He smiled to reassure her.
"Faith, leave the nice gentleman alone and turn around, please," said her mother pleasantly.
"Your name is Faith?" asked Ross, touched.
"Yuh-huh. Faith Johnson. My daddy named me..." her voice grew quiet. "He's not here anymore, though. He's in heaven, with my Grammy and Poppy."
"I'm sorry sweetie," said Ross sympathetically. The flight became smooth once again and the seatbelt sign turned off. "So Faith, how old are you?"
"I'm four. I just turned four last month!" she said excitedly.
"Wow. Hey, you know, I have a daughter who's almost your age. She turns four next month."
"Really? Where is she?"
"She's in California with her Mommy. They're on vacation."
"Oh...does she like the power-puff girls?"
"She loves them. She has the backpack."
"Me too!" Faith squealed, "I even have the lunch -" Her words were cut short by a quick, jerky-motion that made her topple over into her mother's lap. A distinctive "ding" sounded as the lights of the seat belt sign flashed. A static-covered voice sounded over the intercom.
"We apologize for the discomfort of the flight. As your captain, I assure you that everything is under control. Unfortunately, we are experiencing unexpected turbulence because of harsh wind currents. For the meantime, the seatbelt sign will remain on, and for your own safety we advise no one to leave their seats unless necessary for laboratory purposes. Thank you."
Ross quickly adjusted his seatbelt over his lap. Faith was now secured in one as well, next to her mother. He closed his eyes, breathing deeply to calm himself down. Thoughts of Ariel invaded his head, which triggered thoughts of Rachel. He didn't want to leave them, but he felt he needed to. He had overwhelmed Rachel. And even though she told Ross she didn't want to be with him, he had faith that deep down, she did. She needed him as much as he needed her. But it was going to take time for her to realize that, and he was going to give her all the time in the world. He loved her. He loved his daughter. They were worth the wait.
But little did he know, Ross' wait ended that night...with Rachel's telephone call.
"Ross, I know you're not going to get this for a few more hours, but...I just wanted you to know that...well, I understand..." her voice shook. "I finally understand how you felt. I know this doesn't make sense, and I can't fully explain myself on your machine, so call me, okay? When you get this message...call me. Ariel and I...we love you very much Ross," Rachel murmured melodically. "You're more than enough." Yes, his wait ended. But, with much more than just a telephone call.
Ross' eyes opened wide in panic. His sleep was painfully disturbed by a loud roar, the screeching sounds of ripping metal and frantic screams. The body of the plane hastily filled with smoke and the putrid smell of gasoline. Oxygen masks dropped from compartments above the passenger's heads, and the lethal graze of uncontrollable flames injured the right wing of the airplane; the wing outside Ross' window. He felt his breath catch short; his eyes smoldered from the smoke. He grabbed for the oxygen mask above his head and closed his eyes tightly, drowning out the sounds of torment and distress by filling his head with loud prayers. All he could think of was Ariel and Rachel. Ariel and Rachel. Ariel. Rachel. Rachel. Rachel.
Then everything went dark.
"Quick Isabel, can you get me another towel?" cried Monica to a maid. Rachel was sprawled on Monica's bed, her face flushed and her body limp. Her eyes fluttered. "Rachel! Rachel!" Monica said sternly. "Can you hear me?" Rachel lazily opened her eyes to see Monica's concerned face above her. She felt incredibly hot all over, and very dizzy. Her mouth was dry. She felt her lips twitch.
"Mon..." she whispered, strained.
"Chandler!" cried Monica. "She's awake!" She focused her attention back to Rachel.
"I'm here." Chandler raced back into the room, a telephone on each ear. Another maid followed behind him, with two more telephones. They were all connected to the San Jose International airport personnel but were put on hold. The crash had sent their phone lines in frenzy. Chandler figured the more phones they had connected to the airport, the faster they spoke to someone.
"How are you feeling?" asked Monica. Rachel studied her best friend's tired face. Her eyes were incredibly swollen, and her voice sounded raspy. Then she remembered.
Ross.
"Oh my God!" Panicked, she stretched her arms out to lift herself up. The blood that rushed to her head hurt terribly but she didn't care. "Monica!" It all came back to her...The plane. The crash. She had seen him die. She felt him die. She covered her mouth to prevent a scream. "I saw the plane explode!" she grabbed Monica's arm. She put her hands frantically to her face. "I saw Ross die..." Her despair echoed into the room.
"Rachel..." Monica bit her lip. "Calm down, sweetie..."
"But Monica I did! He was there! By the window...and I saw..." she couldn't explain herself anymore. The tears were endless. And so was her pain.
"Sweetie, there was no way you could've seen that...maybe it was a dream or something..."
"No!" Rachel yelled defiantly. "It was SO real!" She bitterly shook her head and fought to continue. "I know it sounds crazy, but I could feel it..." she choked on her sobs. "I felt it Monica..." The emotional tension was too much for Chandler. He left the room and walked down the hall by the staircase. He needed to stay calm in order to retrieve information from the airlines. Ross had to be alive. He didn't get on that plane. He didn't make up with the people he loved just to be taken away the next day. Chandler was going to prove this.
"Thank you for holding. This call may be monitored for our records. This is Joseph with American Airlines. How may I be of service?" Chandler motioned for the maid to hang up the other phones.
"Yes, thank you for speaking with me. My name is Chandler Bing. I need to know if a specific passenger was on Flight 738. His name is Ross Gellar."
"I'm sorry, Sir. That information is classified," said the representative, very simply.
"Excuse me? Do you know which flight I'm referring to?" asked Chandler, his temper boiling over. Fuck the calmness, he figured. "IT'S THE PLANE THAT JUST CRASHED! My brother-in-law was supposed to be on that flight! His sister and his daughter NEED TO KNOW!"
"I'm sorry, Sir. Let me transfer you."
"NO! I'm tired of being transferred! Don't you people know how to do your job? JUST TELL ME IF HE WAS ON THE PLANE OR NOT!"
"Hello Mr. Bing, I'm Andrea Malia, an American Airlines supervisor. If you give me just a quick moment, I'll be able to verify whether or not Mr. Gellar was on the flight."
"Umm...thanks," he said, his voice still quavering from anger. After a few moments, Andrea came back.
Chandler held his breath.
"I'm sorry Mr. Bing," said Andrea dejectedly. "Our records verify that a Mr. Ross Gellar was indeed on the flight. His ticket was collected as he boarded the plane..." The tiny ounce of faith Chandler had left diminished at that instant. "May I have a telephone number, so we can keep in contact? I will be sure to call you first thing in the morning. American Airlines would personally like to offer you and your family any services available--"
Chandler didn't listen to the rest of the conversation. He hung up the phone, refusing to believe. He glanced at his watch. It was nearly midnight. Ross was alive less than 3 hours ago. He was alive. And now, God knows why, he's not. The last of his strength left his body. He knew he needed to stay strong for Monica and Rachel, but it was too hard. What do you do when your best friend dies? How were they going to tell Ariel? Why this on Phoebe and Joey's wedding day? It didn't seem fair. He leaned his back against the wall and let free his livid agony.
A tall figure stood a few feet away, at the top of the staircase, watching Chandler as he cried in his hands. The figure crept closer, careful not to startle him.
Chandler noticed a shadow. He took his hands away from his face and looked up. It was the butler. "Mr. Bing..." he began solemnly. Chandler interrupted him.
"Have you gotten a hold of Phoebe and Joey yet?"
"No, not yet Sir. I left a message at their hotel."
"Alright. Thank you." Jacob nodded and walked down the hallway. Chandler slumped down to the floor, staring aimlessly at the wall in front of him.
A few moments later, the shadow returned. Still staring at the ceiling, he said, "I'm sorry Jacob, but I'd like to be left alone."
"Jacob's downstairs with Isabel," whispered an unsteady, male voice. A series of chills drowned Chandler's body at the sound of those words. He knew that voice. But he was afraid to turn his head. He didn't need to. The man walked over and stood right in front of him.
"SSsshhh, Rachel," cooed Monica. She held Rachel in her arms and soothingly stroked her hair.
"Before, before you told me he..." she stuttered to find the words. "I just called him, Monica...I called him because I finally understand..." Her face was covered against Monica's shoulders. "And now he won't know! He won't know!" Her body shivered in Monica's embrace.
"Of course he knows sweetie...I'm sure he does..." She attempted to wipe Rachel's face. Rachel stared at her, bewildered. After a moment, she tried to calm herself.
"How can you stay so strong?" she whispered. "How do you do it?"
"Because I know how much you need me right now. And I know Ross would want me to take care of you..." She said simply. "And I know he would want you to be strong for Ariel..." Rachel looked away from Monica and glanced at the wall. She ran her hand against her face. She said the next words quietly.
"You know I never stopped loving him, Monica. I tried to hide it, but I couldn't. That's why I haven't moved on..." She sighed. "Even though I pretended I hated him, I didn't. I was just so hurt because I couldn't understand why he changed...And now...now that I've finally realized...now that HE finally realized...we still can't be together...it's just not fair..." She bit her lip so hard it began to bleed. "Is this what love is supposed to be about?"
"I don't know..." Monica shook her head sullenly. "I really don't."
Suddenly, the girls heard a loud but muffled whimper in the hallway. Afraid something happened to Chandler, Monica rushed out of the bedroom.
"Oh My God!"
Rachel came out of the room in response to Monica's outburst. She nearly fell against the wall as she let out a scream. Monica continued to stand, motionless and pale, as though she had just seen a ghost. Ross and Chandler were standing at the end of the hall hugging each other, both engrossed in fear and relief; both crying their hearts out.
"Ross!" yelled Rachel frantically. She clumsily ran to him, a new stream of wetness flooded her vulnerable eyes. Her body was still unbelievably weak, but she fought for strength. She didn't care how he was there or what had happened. He was there; that's all that mattered. "Ross!" she cried again as she was just a few feet away. He let go of Chandler and turned to face her, his eyes wet, his face thankful. Rachel flung her arms around him desperately, her face buried in his chest. "I thought I lost you!" she cried incoherently. "I thought I lost you..."
His sobs were just as strong. "Never, Rach..." he mumbled into her hair. "You will never lose me..."
It was about 2:30am. Chandler, Monica, Rachel and Ross were sitting in the living room drinking coffee, blankets wrapped around them, their bodies cold against the night chill; their hearts warm with reassurance. Ross was explaining what had happened.
Ross handed the flight attendant his ticket. "Thank you Mr. Gellar. Enjoy your flight!" Just as he was about to enter the ramp leading to the plane, a little girl ran past him.
A few seconds later, "Faith!" called a female voice from inside the boarding ramp. "Faith sweetie, where are you!" The pretty lady with short brown hair nearly knocked Ross over, forcing him to drop his carry-on. "Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry!"
Ross smiled. "That's alright. No harm done."
"Did you happen to see which way a little girl with brown wavy hair went?" she asked exasperatedly. She was on the verge of tears.
"No, there were too many people behind me in line, I'm sorry..." Ross said sympathetically. The woman erupted in tears.
"Oh I knew this would happen!" she mumbled, walking up the ramp back towards the airport. Ross followed her, concerned. "She absolutely HATES flying! And I tried to trick her! I told her the plane wouldn't leave the ground! I told her it was just a really big bus! Was that the stupidest lie or what! God, I'm a terrible parent!" she continued to sob loudly. The other passengers walked by her and Ross, trying to ignore the scene she was making. Ross tried to calm her down. A flight attendant approached them.
"Is everything okay?"
"No!" cried the lady. "My daughter is somewhere in the airport, running away from me because I'm a terrible parent!"
"We'll put security on it, Miss. I just need a brief description and also a name so we can page her over the intercom."
"It's Faith Johnson," mumbled the lady. "She just turned four. She has dark, wavy brown hair and hazel eyes..."
"Hey, don't cry...I'm sure you're not a terrible parent..." He hesitated awkwardly before he put his hand on his shoulder. "I have a 3 and a half year old daughter. I have a pretty good idea of what you're going through..." She looked at him solemnly.
"I have no idea where she ran off to! When my ex-husband finds out, he's going to kill me!" The look in her eyes pleaded for Ross' help. He nodded his head reassuringly.
"Don't worry, Miss Johnson. We'll find her..."
"We finally found her at the Duty Free Shop. But by that time, the plane had already taken off..." he voice grew grave. "I took a cab to the Fairmont, but there were no more rooms available because of some out-of-state convention that's supposed to start tomorrow...well actually today. Then the battery on my phone died, so I went into the hotel's sports bar to call you guys. All of your phones were busy. So, I sat down and decided to wait. They had the TV on...that's when I saw the news..." The room fell silent.
"Don't take this the wrong way, but you don't know how happy I am that the little girl ran away from her mom!" exclaimed Monica. The rest nodded in agreement, still shaken up.
"Wait..." started Rachel. "Did you say the little girl's name was Faith?"
"Yeah, beautiful name, huh?"
Rachel sat still, confused at the coincidence. "Yeah," nodded Rachel. She remembered the name from her dream. Her DREAM. It had been a dream. She looked up at the ceiling and mouthed a "Thank You" to God...
The silence was interrupted by the high-pitched yawn coming from the bottom of the staircase. Ariel stood on the bottom step, holding Boo-Boo. She saw Ross. "Daddy!" Her fatigue disappeared. She ran to the couch and jumped on his lap.
"Whoa munchkin!" laughed Ross.
"What are you doing out of bed?" asked Rachel.
"I was firsty and you weren't dere..." she said. She gazed happily at her father. "I thought you said you wuz gonna go home?"
"Nope..." said Ross. He gazed lovingly at Rachel before looking back down at Ariel. "You are my home..."
EPILOGUE
When I see you there,
I'm so aware of how lucky I am, baby
Everyone is at the hospital. Monica had just given birth. Chandler ran out of the delivery room to the gang sitting in the lobby. "I had a son! Did you hear that everybody! I," Chandler pointed to himself to emphasize his point, "HAD A SON! A-WOO-HOO-HOO!" Before anybody could respond, he ran back into the delivery room to find Monica holding their son.
"What should we name him?" she asked quietly. Chandler didn't need to think of one. A name had stayed fresh in his mind for quite awhile.
"How about Jack?"
"It's perfect."
'Cause I don't deserve, I don't come close,
To understanding the logic of your kind of trust.
It amazes me that someone like you
Would care enough to just believe
"Ross," began Rachel shakily, "You have given me everything I've always wanted and more than I've ever needed. With your patience, your understanding, and your undying faith, you have taught me the meaning of unconditional love. I will always be grateful to you because of this." She puts her hand to her heart, calming herself to continue. "I stand here today, among friends and family, promising that I not only love you unconditionally, but I will for the rest of my life." Rachel gently slipped the ring onto his finger as she gazed intently into his gleaming eyes.
"Rachel, all my life I've dreamed of this moment. Even before I met you, I knew you were the one." His voice grew beyond sincere. "And even though the cruelties of this world are constantly trying to test my faith, your faith in me is what keeps me going. I've never loved anybody like I've loved you and I promise, with all of my heart and soul, I will never stop loving you. This vow is forever." Ross slipped the ring onto her finger and gently kissed her hand. As Rachel bent her head down to look at her hand, a single tear escaped from her eye.
"By the Power vested in me by the state of New York and the uh, Internet People, I now pronounce you Husband and Wife! You may kiss the bride!" exclaimed Joey. Ross leaned down to Rachel as she touched his face with her hand. Their lips met simply, but the meaning behind it was profound. Their past, their present and now their future was embedded in that kiss. And it would be, forever. "Yeah baby..." Joey mumbled coyly.
Your faith in me, it pulls me through,
When there's nothing around to hold onto
When I fall, when I'm weak
All the strength that I need is your faith, baby
Your faith in me...
"But Mom, I'm scared..." Ariel gripped her mother's hand tightly. It was her first day of kindergarten.
"Don't worry pumpkin. You'll be fine..."
"But I don't know anybody..." Her voice was uneven.
"Honey look at me," Rachel caught Ariel's gaze. "You are the bravest little girl I know. I know you're going to love it if you just give it a chance, okay?"
"Okay..." She kissed her mother goodbye and walked towards her classroom. Another little girl caught up to Ariel and walked beside her.
"I like your lunchbox. The Power-Puff girls are the best!"
"Hey! Wow! I like yours too! It's the purple one! I wanted that one, but all they had at the store was pink."
"I like pink. It's my favorite color. But I got the purple one 'cuz Bubbles is on it and she's my favorite Power-Puff girl." Ariel smiled gratefully at the girl next to her.
"I'm Ariel, but everyone calls me Rie-Rie. You can too if you'd like."
"Hi Rie-Rie!" The girl grinned. "I'm Faith!"
Even when I fall, I get along,
'Cause our love is real.
It's like salvation to my soul,
'Cause that's how it feels.
"And the Oscar goes to...JOEY TRIBBIANI!" yelled Brad Pitt. Joey stood up, completely surprised. He had won his very first Academy-Award.
"I knew you could do it, sweetie!" Phoebe stood up to kiss him and then pushed him towards the stage. As soon as he was up there, he couldn't contain his excitement and awe.
"Wow. I uh, this completely took me by surprise! Seriously, it was an honor just to be nominated!" He looked down at the award. He laughed. "I can't believe I get to take one of these guys home!" He cleared his throat quickly. "I'd uh, like to thank the Academy for this great, great honor. And Steven Spielberg for his wonderful creativity with this project. And my family in New York! I love you guys! And my best friends, Ross, Rachel, Monica and Chandler! And my niece Ariel and my nephew Jack! But most of all, I'd like to thank my wife, Phoebe, for her never ending support. You always had faith me, Pheebs. And I will love you forever because of that!"
It's a sacred thing that I keep close to carry on
And I know that I will be alright
In your healing arms
"Okay, watch your step..." Ross has Rachel blindfolded as he led her through a doorway. "Okay, now stand right here and don't take off the blindfold yet." He went over to the window to open the drapes. The sunshine illuminated the room. Ross looked around to make sure everything looked just right. "Okay...now..." Rachel undid the blindfold and squinted her eyes against the sunshine. She gasped as she realized she was standing in the middle of a brand-new, gorgeous, two-story house.
"Wow..." she breathed. "Ross...this place is beyond beautiful it's..."
"Ours" he finished. She looked at him stunned.
"Can-can we afford this?"
"We just did." Rachel beamed at him. "I-I figured the city is great and all, but I'd really like if Ariel grew up somewhere safer...that way, she can ride her bike on the sidewalks instead of having to go to Central Park...and, you know...if we wanted to have more kids...there'd be a lot more room..." his voice trailed off as he planned the next fifty years in his head.
"More kids?" asked Rachel teasingly.
"Well, yeah..." he said innocently. "Wouldn't it be kinda great if Ariel had another brother or sister to play with?" Rachel noticed the sparkle in his eye. She was touched.
"Hmm...well we've already bought the house," she said sexily, "we're kinda behind schedule Mr. Gellar..." she winked at him playfully before she wrapped her arms around his neck and met his lips with hers in a passionate kiss.
Your faith in me, it pulls me through
When there's nothing around to hold onto
When I fall, when I'm weak
All the strength that I need is your faith, baby
Your faith in me...
"Congratulation on your doctorate, Dr. Gellar." The Dean of the College of Natural Sciences shook Ross' hand as he handed him his doctorate certificate. "This is quite an achievement."
"Thank you very much, Dr. Benders," said Ross bashfully. He then sauntered excitedly over to Rachel.
"I did it! I'm officially an expert of Dinosaurs!" he shouted gleefully.
"I'm so proud of you Ross!" she squeezed her arms around his waist.
"Yeah Ross!" agreed Chandler. "You're not just a Dinosaur freak anymore. Now you're a Professional Dinosaur freak!"
"Hey!" warned Rachel defensively. "I happen to love this dinosaur freak."
"Really?" asked Ross shyly. "You don't...you don't think it's dorky?"
Rachel giggled. "Of course it's dorky sweetie, but that's why I love you."
You make me feel I can walk on water
I can reach above the stars
And nothing comes against me
Safe within your arms-
"Ten years Mrs. Gellar..." Ross cooed lovingly into Rachel's ear.
"Ten years Mr. Gellar..." Rachel kissed him lightly.
"Happy Anniversary." He presented a box from behind his back.
"What is it?" she asked curiously.
"Open it and see!" he laughed. She opened the tiny velvet box to reveal a blinding, diamond anniversary band.
"Oh my gosh! I can't believe you bought - I mean WOW! I love it!" she squealed. "Now open yours!" Rachel handed him an envelope.
"Season 'Knicks' tickets! You are the best wife ever!"
"I know..." she smiled.
Your faith in me, it pulls me through
When there's nothing around to hold onto
When I fall, when I'm weak
All the strength that I need is your faith, baby
Your faith in me...
"Mom, how do you know you're in love?" Rachel was startled by Ariel's question. Ross raised his eyebrows and peeked over the book he was reading.
"I-uh," Rachel started nervously. "I don't exactly understand what you're asking sweetie. Explain it to me."
"Well, there's this boy at school...and I think I like him...well Faith says I like him cuz I always get all quiet and shy when he's around...But I can't help it...And then my knees get all weak and then my insides flutter like crazy!"
"Well, do you think he likes you?"
"That's what Faith says. She says she always catches him looking at me and that he told Danny who told Cynthia who told Johnny who told Faith that he thinks I'm kinda cool for a girl..." Ariel's face turned to mush.
"Hmm..." said Rachel, trying hard not to smile. If she laughed, she knew Ariel would be incredibly hurt. "I don't know exactly what to tell you, Rie...the best advice I can give you is to just let things flow. If he likes you...you'll know it." Ariel smiled gratefully at her mother.
"Thanks mom," she walked out of the bedroom.
"She's in love!" whispered Ross incredulously. "She's only 15! What could she possibly know about love?" Rachel stared at him suspiciously.
"Excuse me! You fell in love with me when YOU were 15!"
"Yeah, well..." Ross tried to reason. "That's different."
"How!" asked Rachel.
"Cuz..." Ross looked down at his hands. "Cuz she's my little girl..."
"Aww..." giggled Rachel as she took Ross in her arms. "You poor, old, father, you..." she teased.
When I fall,
When I'm weak,
All I need, baby
Is your faith in me...
The night sky was painted with stars. Rachel and Ross were lying on a blanket in their backyard, holding each other. Blackness surrounded them, except for the faint glow of the moonlight and the twinkling from heaven. Rachel delicately nuzzled her head into Ross' neck, amazed, grateful and moved by the realization they had lasted as long as they had. She kissed his shoulder affectionately.
"How did we get this far?" Rachel whispered into Ross' chest. He smiled and his arms wrapped securely around her, stroking her back tenderly.
"Love, compassion...and whole lot of faith."
Your faith in me.
THE END! WOO! Hope you guys liked it! Be sure to stay tuned for my next series!
P.S. This fic included the song "Your faith in me" by Jessica Simpson.
P.P.S. You really didn't think I'd kill Ross, did you?
