Wild Horses, Chapter Nine
*The Sins of the Past*
"Mr, uh, Bing?" Chandler opened his eyes, and sat up quickly, deflating visibly upon discovery that he was not, in fact, dreaming. He rubbed his eyes, and looked up at the man standing on the other side of the jail cell.
"Yeah, that's me."
"I'm Peter Becker, and I'm going to be your lawyer."
"I know who you are, Mr. Becker." Chandler grimaced at the odd irony. The man who had wanted Monica's heart was the man who would now help shape his destiny.
In a way, Peter Becker had been that man already. Chandler knew that his past would eventually catch up to him, and that, when that happened, Monica would most likely turn to Peter, the man who was still officially "courting" her. Chandler had often wondered if Peter would move in on Monica long before Chandler was found out.
He didn't have to wonder anymore.
"You can call me Peter. Do you mind if I call you Chandler?"
"Not at all, Peter," Chandler emphasized Peter's name for effect.
"Well, um, why don't you tell me your side of the story."
"Why don't you tell me what you heard."
"Well, uh, they say you killed a man. Shot him in cold blood."
"I did kill a man. But it wasn't like that."
"Then there's this business with Merritt's sister."
"I did not kill Merritt's sister. But...the two are connected, I suppose."
"What do you mean, connected?"
"I need to explain something to you first, alright?"
"Okay."
"A few years ago, I was livin' in Virginia, and I was makin' a good livin', too. Cal Merritt was one of my good friends, and he had a little sister, Kathy. I asked Cal if I could take Kathy out. At first he wasn't too keen on the idea, but after a while, he saw that we got on real well, so he come to accept that me and Kathy were gonna get married." Chandler swallowed hard, and shifted in his seat, before continuing.
"One night, Kathy and me had a big fight about some damn thing, and that was when she told me that she was in love with someone else. Some rancher she met some months earlier. I was so mad, I kicked a hole in the wall, then I kicked down the front door. I told her she was no better than a prostitute, and I left. I never laid a finger on her, I swear to God. By morning, I'd calmed down, but not before tellin everyone in the saloons how mad I was at her. When I went over to her house to talk to her, I saw the damage I'd done. But it seemed worse than I remembered. I called out to Kathy, but she didn't answer, so I went into her room, and...that's when I found her." Chandler stared at his hands for a long moment, as he gathered his thoughts. He looked Peter in the eyes, and sighed.
"Sometime in the night, bandits broke in to the place, maybe because I kicked down the door. They raped and stabbed Kathy, and stole some stuff. Cal came into town the next day, but by then I was gone. No one wanted to hear my side. They just wanted to hang me. I ran off, and never looked back."
"So, how does this relate to the man you did kill?"
"A few weeks later, I was in Louisiana, lookin' for work. But I was drunk most of the time, so I was never gonna find anything decent. Anyway, this guy came into the saloon one night, and started sayin' stuff to one of the girls that worked there. He hit her, and I stood up, and told him that it wasn't right, hittin' a lady. He started mouthin' off, and some of the others started yellin' stuff. One guy yelled out my name, and that's when this guy started callin' me a murderer, and sayin' he was gonna get the big reward for turnin' me in. Said I was wanted dead or alive. Turns out, he was from Virginia, and news travels fast. He pulled his gun, but I was faster on the draw."
"How is it you got this far without being caught?"
"I stay out of town as much as possible. And I keep movin'. This is the longest I've stayed anywhere since I left Virginia. Plus, that story I just told you, it grew into somethin' it wasn't. I've heard people tell stories about me, when they didn't know I was sittin' right there. I've heard people say that I killed that man with my bare hands, and that I killed twenty more men just like that. It's all lies and folklore, ya know? I ain't no killer. But some of the low-life's around think I am, so most folks leave me alone. And I am okay with that."
"Well, it's a facinating story, Chandler. I just hope the jury believes it."
"Me too."
"We are going to have a hearing next week, and the trial should start soon after that. Is there anything else I should know?"
"I don't think so."
"Alright. I'll be contacting you soon, Chandler."
***
"I think we should settle here, Phoebe, at least until the baby is born. I like it here."
"Okay," Phoebe smiled, but her mind was elsewhere.
"What's the matter? Is everything okay?"
"Yes, yes, of course. I just...Ross, I have to tell you something."
"Okay."
"I'm scared, Ross. I'm scared that this baby...I mean, what if you aren't the father? You know what I used to do for a living, Ross, and I am scared that you will hate me, and my baby, if--"
"Phoebe, I'm not worried. I think it is my baby, and even if it's not, I promise that I will still love it, and raise it like it was my own flesh and blood."
"But--"
"Shhh, no Phoebe. I swear to you, your past is behind you...the only thing that matters is the future."
Phoebe smiled. Ross was right. They had each other...and that was all they needed.
***
"Monica, what are you doin' here?" Chandler whispered, trying not to awaken the sleeping deputy. He stood up, and approached the iron bars that seperated him from freedom, and from Monica.
"I overheard Peter talking to my father. Did you really kill a man?"
"Yes," Chandler sighed, and looked at his feet. He never felt so ashamed in his life.
"Chandler, look at me."
"I can't Monica. You should go. Go, marry Peter Becker, or someone who hasn't killed anybody."
"Chandler, I'm not mad at you."
Chandler looked up, shocked. "What?"
"I understand, I really do. But you can't run away from this anymore. You have to face this."
"I know."
"And when you do, I'll be there with you, I swear."
"No, Monica, I--"
"I love you, Chandler. And I will be there for you." Monica was gripping the bars of Chandler's cell, as the determination set on her face.
Chandler put his hands over Monica's, and looked at her, still shocked that she was willing to risk everything for him. "I love you, too. Thank you."
"It will be okay."
"I hope you're right, Monica." But in his heart, Chandler knew, that his days were numbered. He was going to pay dearly for his crimes, and he knew, deep down, that he couldn't take Monica with him.
TBC...
~*~
AN: Ash is mad at me for bringing Kathy into the story (I'm SORRY!) but, ya know, it had to fit the "Friends" realm--kinda. What was I gonna name her, Jessica? LOL (Oh, come on! Does ANYONE watch Andy Richter...?)
*The Sins of the Past*
"Mr, uh, Bing?" Chandler opened his eyes, and sat up quickly, deflating visibly upon discovery that he was not, in fact, dreaming. He rubbed his eyes, and looked up at the man standing on the other side of the jail cell.
"Yeah, that's me."
"I'm Peter Becker, and I'm going to be your lawyer."
"I know who you are, Mr. Becker." Chandler grimaced at the odd irony. The man who had wanted Monica's heart was the man who would now help shape his destiny.
In a way, Peter Becker had been that man already. Chandler knew that his past would eventually catch up to him, and that, when that happened, Monica would most likely turn to Peter, the man who was still officially "courting" her. Chandler had often wondered if Peter would move in on Monica long before Chandler was found out.
He didn't have to wonder anymore.
"You can call me Peter. Do you mind if I call you Chandler?"
"Not at all, Peter," Chandler emphasized Peter's name for effect.
"Well, um, why don't you tell me your side of the story."
"Why don't you tell me what you heard."
"Well, uh, they say you killed a man. Shot him in cold blood."
"I did kill a man. But it wasn't like that."
"Then there's this business with Merritt's sister."
"I did not kill Merritt's sister. But...the two are connected, I suppose."
"What do you mean, connected?"
"I need to explain something to you first, alright?"
"Okay."
"A few years ago, I was livin' in Virginia, and I was makin' a good livin', too. Cal Merritt was one of my good friends, and he had a little sister, Kathy. I asked Cal if I could take Kathy out. At first he wasn't too keen on the idea, but after a while, he saw that we got on real well, so he come to accept that me and Kathy were gonna get married." Chandler swallowed hard, and shifted in his seat, before continuing.
"One night, Kathy and me had a big fight about some damn thing, and that was when she told me that she was in love with someone else. Some rancher she met some months earlier. I was so mad, I kicked a hole in the wall, then I kicked down the front door. I told her she was no better than a prostitute, and I left. I never laid a finger on her, I swear to God. By morning, I'd calmed down, but not before tellin everyone in the saloons how mad I was at her. When I went over to her house to talk to her, I saw the damage I'd done. But it seemed worse than I remembered. I called out to Kathy, but she didn't answer, so I went into her room, and...that's when I found her." Chandler stared at his hands for a long moment, as he gathered his thoughts. He looked Peter in the eyes, and sighed.
"Sometime in the night, bandits broke in to the place, maybe because I kicked down the door. They raped and stabbed Kathy, and stole some stuff. Cal came into town the next day, but by then I was gone. No one wanted to hear my side. They just wanted to hang me. I ran off, and never looked back."
"So, how does this relate to the man you did kill?"
"A few weeks later, I was in Louisiana, lookin' for work. But I was drunk most of the time, so I was never gonna find anything decent. Anyway, this guy came into the saloon one night, and started sayin' stuff to one of the girls that worked there. He hit her, and I stood up, and told him that it wasn't right, hittin' a lady. He started mouthin' off, and some of the others started yellin' stuff. One guy yelled out my name, and that's when this guy started callin' me a murderer, and sayin' he was gonna get the big reward for turnin' me in. Said I was wanted dead or alive. Turns out, he was from Virginia, and news travels fast. He pulled his gun, but I was faster on the draw."
"How is it you got this far without being caught?"
"I stay out of town as much as possible. And I keep movin'. This is the longest I've stayed anywhere since I left Virginia. Plus, that story I just told you, it grew into somethin' it wasn't. I've heard people tell stories about me, when they didn't know I was sittin' right there. I've heard people say that I killed that man with my bare hands, and that I killed twenty more men just like that. It's all lies and folklore, ya know? I ain't no killer. But some of the low-life's around think I am, so most folks leave me alone. And I am okay with that."
"Well, it's a facinating story, Chandler. I just hope the jury believes it."
"Me too."
"We are going to have a hearing next week, and the trial should start soon after that. Is there anything else I should know?"
"I don't think so."
"Alright. I'll be contacting you soon, Chandler."
***
"I think we should settle here, Phoebe, at least until the baby is born. I like it here."
"Okay," Phoebe smiled, but her mind was elsewhere.
"What's the matter? Is everything okay?"
"Yes, yes, of course. I just...Ross, I have to tell you something."
"Okay."
"I'm scared, Ross. I'm scared that this baby...I mean, what if you aren't the father? You know what I used to do for a living, Ross, and I am scared that you will hate me, and my baby, if--"
"Phoebe, I'm not worried. I think it is my baby, and even if it's not, I promise that I will still love it, and raise it like it was my own flesh and blood."
"But--"
"Shhh, no Phoebe. I swear to you, your past is behind you...the only thing that matters is the future."
Phoebe smiled. Ross was right. They had each other...and that was all they needed.
***
"Monica, what are you doin' here?" Chandler whispered, trying not to awaken the sleeping deputy. He stood up, and approached the iron bars that seperated him from freedom, and from Monica.
"I overheard Peter talking to my father. Did you really kill a man?"
"Yes," Chandler sighed, and looked at his feet. He never felt so ashamed in his life.
"Chandler, look at me."
"I can't Monica. You should go. Go, marry Peter Becker, or someone who hasn't killed anybody."
"Chandler, I'm not mad at you."
Chandler looked up, shocked. "What?"
"I understand, I really do. But you can't run away from this anymore. You have to face this."
"I know."
"And when you do, I'll be there with you, I swear."
"No, Monica, I--"
"I love you, Chandler. And I will be there for you." Monica was gripping the bars of Chandler's cell, as the determination set on her face.
Chandler put his hands over Monica's, and looked at her, still shocked that she was willing to risk everything for him. "I love you, too. Thank you."
"It will be okay."
"I hope you're right, Monica." But in his heart, Chandler knew, that his days were numbered. He was going to pay dearly for his crimes, and he knew, deep down, that he couldn't take Monica with him.
TBC...
~*~
AN: Ash is mad at me for bringing Kathy into the story (I'm SORRY!) but, ya know, it had to fit the "Friends" realm--kinda. What was I gonna name her, Jessica? LOL (Oh, come on! Does ANYONE watch Andy Richter...?)
