AN: uuuuh. Getting this thing done was like pulling teeth! Let me know what you think, cuz I am about ready to give up on it...I have no idea what I'm doing here...and it's shooort too. ick.

Wild Horses, Chapter Seven
"Wanted Dead or Alive"

~Somewhere near Colorado~

Cal Merritt looked around the saloon carefully, before making his way over to the barkeep. Cal was a gruff, intimidating man, and he carried a large pistol on each hip. He leaned over the long, dusty bar menacingly, and glared into the barkeeps terrified eyes.

"Tell me where I can find Chandler Bing," Cal barked.

"Uh, I...I ain't seen Bing for months...sir," the barkeep stammered.

"Don't lie to me, you sorry sack!"

"I...I swear. Him and his buddy done rode off to California...something about findin gold."

Cal smirked, and backed away from the bar. He walked toward the door, then spun around, and glared at the shaking barkeep.

"If I find out you lied to me, I'll kill ya myself." He stormed out of the bar, and mounted his horse.

He was gonna find, and hang Chandler Bing...at any cost.

***

"Mon, you've gotta stop coming out here all alone like this," Chandler whispered into Monica's hair, as they lay together under the stars.

"I'm fine, Chandler. I just sneak out after supper. My parents have no idea."

"That's not what I mean. These woods can be dangerous, and I don't like the idea of you ridin around on your own."

"Well, you could move into town," Monica suggested.

"I can't do that. And besides, you can't be seen with the likes of me in broad daylight," Chandler laughed sadly.

"Chandler," Monica started.

"Look, I just don't think it's a good idea for a lady like yourself to be riding around here all alone, that's all."

"What did you have in mind?" Monica propped herself up on her elbow, and peered at Chandler.

"Well, Joey seems to have taken a liking to your friend Rachel Green..."

"Rachel? She's being courted by my brother, you know that!"

"That's not what I hear," Chandler smirked.

"What?"

"Nothing...look, I'd feel better if you at least had someone to ride with."

"I'll think about it, okay?"

"Fair enough."

"Can we drop this now? I'm sleepy," Monica yawned dramatically.

"Well, if you want to sleep...but I ain't very sleepy," Chandler grinned mischieviously, and pulled Monica down on top of him.

"Oh!" Monica smiled, and kissed Chandler passionately.

***

"Rachel, we need to talk," Ross said quietly, afraid to look at Rachel's face. His hat in his hands, he nervously played with the brim, as Rachel took a seat in the Geller parlour.

"Okay, what is it, Ross?"

"I, uh...I've decided to move back to New York."

"Oh?" Rachel replied, trying desperately to hide her panic. She did NOT want to move back to New York!

"But, I, um, I know that you like it out here, and I was thinking...if you want to, you can, um, you can stay here."

"That's awfully kind of you Ross. I really do adore San Francisco."

"Well, it's not like we're married or anything," Ross laughed.

"Yes," Rachel smiled. It was perfect. Ross would move, and she wouldn't have to tell him about Peter Becker. She wouldn't have to break his heart after all!

"Okay then, it's settled," Ross smiled. This was too easy. He didn't even have to tell Rachel about Phoebe. He wouldn't have to break her heart after all! "I...I need to go pack."

"Alright. I'll see myself out. Thank you, Ross."

"No, Rachel. Thank you."

***

Chandler was standing in a field...a very familiar looking field. His boots were stuck to the ground, and as he tried to free himself from the strangely sticky mud, he heard an ear-piercing scream. He looked up, recognizing the scream as Monica's. He screamed out, but to no avail. He fell into the mud, and began sinking immediately.

Chandler woke up with a start, sweating and panting. To his relief, Monica was sleeping soundly in his arms. Chandler closed his eyes, and tried to force the images from the dream out of his mind. But the images stubbornly refused, and Chandler turned away from Monica, and sat up, rubbing his face with his hands. He had to let this go. Things would work out with Monica...they had to. But in the back of his head, he wondered...would the sins of the past come back to haunt him? Was he putting Monica at risk, by letting her into his life? She couldn't ever find out about any of it...she'd leave him, that was for sure. He looked over at her, as she turned in her sleep.

She must never know.

***

"New York? Why on Earth would you want to move to New York?" Judy was shocked, and angry, at Ross' decision.

"I just...I don't want to live here anymore."

"What about Rachel?"

"She's staying here in San Francisco."

"Well, that's just as well, because I heard that she has been spending a lot of time with one Peter Becker," Judy huffed.

"Judy!" Jack warned.

"What? I'm just telling him what I've heard..."

"I'm leaving," Ross said, picking up his bag. Rachel and Peter Becker? What about Monica? Where *was* Monica, anyway? He never saw her anymore. "Goodbye mother. Father." Ross tipped his hat, and headed down the road, to fetch his future bride.

***

"I heard he was up in San Francisco," said the skinny barkeep.

"But he moves around a lot. Him and that sidekick of his," added a man sitting in the corner of the room.

"I'll find him," Cal growled, "If it's the last thing I do. He'll pay for what he done."


**~**

Oh, for the love of....this one sucks ass. I'm sorry, I am a bit stuck on this one. No promises on when the next one will be done, but I promise to try, k?