~Ugh, I'm like so sick, so I wrote this instead of doing homework haha.  Ok, so this is my fav part, and I've been waiting a while to write it cause something actually happens…for a change haha.  So please, please review, or I'll never add another part- I swear!  Thanks!~

alex

Disclaimer:  I don't own these characters.         

Chapter 9

            Chandler ran down the hallway as quickly as he could.  He needed to do it now.  Now or never, and never would be too late.  He was just approaching the elevator when he saw Doctor Perry on the main phone. Good, she hasn't left yet.  Chandler waited by her side until she hung up.

            "Chandler, what is it?  Is Monica okay?"  Oh, I hope she is, I really do.

            "Um, yeah, I'm sorry to bother you, but I need to get tested again."

            "What?  Why Chandler?  You've already been tested."

            "Once is not good enough."  Chandler's voice was stern, but not at all rude.

            "Well, let's go into my office and talk about this, okay?"  Chandler nodded and the two of them walked to room 117.  It was a little bit cold and it made Chandler uneasy.  After the two settled down, Kara asked the question again.  "Why?"

            Chandler hesitated for a moment and then continued, "I just need another one.  I won't be able to go on living knowing that I didn't do everything possible to help her."

            "Sweetie, you've already been tested. You weren't a match.  Another test is just going to reaffirm that."  But boy do I wish I were wrong.

            "What if the test was wrong though?  Please, it doesn't take long.  And after this one, that'll be it.  I promise."  He looked at her with his puppy dog eyes.  She immediately gave in.

            "Ok, we'll go right---" Kara was cut off by the ringing of the phone.  "Hold on just a second Chandler."  He nodded and she picked up the phone. 

"Hello?"… "Yes, this is she."… "You found a match?" 

Chandler immediately perked up.  They found a match, it was amazing. 

"Well, fax it over and I'll take a look."  After a few seconds, the fax came in and Kara looked over it carefully.  After just a few moments, her smiled turned into a frown, and she continued talking to the caller. 

"It's not a match.  Take a look at the second set of ogliosaccharrides.  The self-recognition proteins aren't a close enough match.  It's so close…but her body would reject it anyway."

"Damnit," Chandler cursed under his breath, but Kara seemed to hear and she looked up, and then she continued on with her phone call.  After a few more minutes, she hung up. 

"I know, Chandler.  It sucks."

"No kidding.

"Why don't we go and test you now, okay?"

"Yeah, and thanks."  His words reflected his true gratefulness.  Kara smiled in response and the duo took the quick elevator trip to the lab.

"All right, so you know the drill, right?"  Kara asked him as she prepared a needle.  He nodded in response and Kara continued with the preparations.  But soon, she couldn't help but ask…

"You love her, don't you?"

Chandler looked up from the floor.  "I do."  It was plain and simple.

"Were you together before?"

"No, I was actually engaged to someone else."

"Oh?"  She was surprised.  Chandler and engaged didn't go together.

"Well, I said Monica's name at the alter."  'That seems more like him,' she thought. "And then I thought maybe there would be a chance for us.  I seriously thought we could be together.  Then she got your call."

Kara smiled guiltily.  She didn't like to make those calls.  Not one bit.  "Hmmm… does she love you?"

"Yeah, but we're just friends.  Not in these circumstances could we, you know, be together.  She doesn't want me to get hurt."

"But you want more?"

"Who wouldn't?"  He said softly.

In an attempt to lighten things up a bit, she replied, "Her brother perhaps, or a gay man?"

For the first time since Kara had known Chandler, he smiled.  He even laughed a little bit too.

"You should smile more, Chandler."

"I wish I had a reason to."  His smile turned into a frown. 

"I know," she conceded.  The room turned silent and Kara administered the test.  As she was cleaning up and packaging the test to drop off in the lab, she felt it was time she told him something important.

"I have to make a confession."

"Yes, Kara, what?"  They were on a first name basis.  They were friends.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

            Monica lay in bed thinking.  A lot had happened today.  She found out she was dying.  She and Chandler confessed their love for one another.  But they were just friends, and she was beginning to hate that phrase, "just friends".  If people loved each other, they should be together, and she wanted to be with him so badly, but… He would end up hurt, and it would make her final moments unbearable knowing that she would never get to see him again.  They couldn't complicate things more than they already were.  And she hated that too.  She was finally so in love, and nothing would come of it.  She thought back to Chandler's almost wedding and how upset she was when she thought she was going to lose him, and then he said her name, and things changed so much, but of course some other force had to make things difficult for them.  She remembered how she was planning on saying no before she got the call, and she mentally scolded herself for even thinking so stupidly.  Nothing about this was fair.  It was all so…………. unfair.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

            "Wow, well, Chandler I don't really know how to say this," She hesitated, but gathered her courage and spoke.  "I had leukemia too.  But I beat it."

            "What?" Chandler was totally shocked.

            "That's why I've been so involved in this case, because Monica reminds me so much of myself when I went through this ordeal fifteen years ago."

"I never knew."

"Not many people do."

"But you had a happy ending.  Monica won't."  His voice trembled a bit.

            "You want to hear my story?"  Chandler nodded in consent, so she continued.  "I had a lot of trouble finding a match, just like Monica, and the doctors were ready to give up.  Then one day, this stranger came in during his work break and visited me.  He said he wanted to help, so he got tested.  I didn't see him for a while after that.  Then the tests came back-he was my match.  Of course, the hospital contacted him, and he came back.  His name is Sam."

            "That's how you met your husband?"  He couldn't believe it.  Today was a day of revelations.

            "Yes it is.  He was my angel, he saved my life.  After I got the transplant, we became really good friends, and from there, well, you know the rest."  She smiled.  "I'm alive because of him."

            "Wow, that's quite an incredible story.  And that's why you tested me again, isn't it?"

            "Chandler, you two are in love.  I am hoping you two will get a chance."

            "I'm hoping too."

            "Of course, and never underestimate the power of prayer."

            "Oh, I don't.  I never used to pray, but I've started to.  But there must be a reason why God is doing this to us." Chandler said.

            After a few moments of silence, Chandler asked, "Does Monica know about your story?"

            She shook her head.  "None of you guys know, besides you of course.  But you can tell her if you want."

            "Thanks.  I'll think about it.  But first, I want to get these test results back." I want to get them back, but I want them to be good news.

            "I know, but Chandler…don't get your hopes up," She was begging and warning and asking all at once, "Please?"

            "Alright."  Kara gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder before she walked to the door.

            "I'll drop this off in the lab, and we should get the results back later on today.  I'll be back at around 8 tonight, I need to go home to my son." She offered a small smile and walked through the door.  Chandler was left all alone in the cold room where he cried.  A lot.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

            "Hey Chandler, what took so long?" Joey asked.

            "Oh, um nothing.  I just went to talk to Kara."  He told a little lie so his friends wouldn't be too hopeful.

            "Kara?  You call her Kara?  You do mean Doctor Perry, right?"  Rachel asked, a little surprised that they were on a first name basis.

            "Um, yeah, that's who I meant.  We've become good…um, good friends."  Chandler explained.

            Ross eyed him warily.  "I thought you were in love with my sister?"

            "What?  Who told you?"

            "Dude, its' so obvious."  Joey added.

            "Well, I am, and I don't see your point, Ross.  Is that not okay?"

            "Well, it's ok, I guess, as long as you don't hurt her, but what's going on with you and "Kara"?"

            "Oh my God, Ross, nothing.  She was just giving me another test, all right?"  He was growing frustrated.

            "Why did you get another test?"  Phoebe asked him, slightly confused.

            "Because, I love her.  Monica, NOT Kara, and I just wanted to try again.  I'm not giving up that easily."

            "I see…Wait, are you and Monica together or no?" Rachel, the gossip, wanted to know.

            "No…we can't be together, and we've already discussed this, so if you'll excuse me, I'm just gonna go lie down."  Chandler walked over to a chair and closed his eyes trying to get this whole ordeal out of his mind.  Until 8 o'clock.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

            Kara stepped out of the elevator and walked to the main office on her floor.  It had been a very long day, and she had one message waiting for her.  Kara picked it up and read it carefully, and then she put her stuff away in her office and went to the waiting room to find Chandler.  She found him asleep in chair, and she didn't want to wake him, but she had to.

            "Chandler, wake up."

            "Huh?"  He whispered groggily.

            "Chandler, we need to talk."

            He perked up immediately.  "Ok, here I come."  Chandler followed Kara into her office.  He couldn't read Kara's face and so he therefore didn't know what to expect, but he figured it had to do with the test results.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

            Chandler opened the door to Monica's room slowly, as to not wake her up if she were asleep.  But in a way, he sort of did want to wake her up.  There was no need to worry though because she was already awake, and was reading a book.

            "Hey, Chandler.  What's up?"

            "Hey Mon.  Um, actually a lot."  He smiled slightly.  She looked so beautiful.

            "Oh, and what do you mean?"  Chandler went over to sit on the chair next to her bed.  Monica put down her book, ready to talk.  She smiled at him.  He was too cute.

            "I was tested again…And, I'm a match."  He was grinning now.

            "You're what?!?!"  She was shell-shocked.

            "I'm your match.  Our self recognition proteins are similar enough!"  He was ecstatic.

            "But, you weren't before.  How did this happen?"  Does this mean I'm not going to die?

            "They made a mistake before.  Some mix-up in the lab."  And as if he could read her mind, "Mon, you're going to make it."

            Then Monica burst into tears; tears of happiness.  It was incredible.  The man she loved was going to save her life.  Maybe that meant that they could be together…

            "Awww Monica, I love you."  He enveloped her small body in a gentle hug.  He was so happy; he couldn't keep himself from giving her small kisses all over her face.

            "Chandler, you're my angel."  He pulled back a bit and looked into her eyes.  He finally did what he had wanted to do for months.  He leaned in and kissed her passionately on the lips.  Monica eagerly kissed back, for she had wanted this so badly too.  There was a spark there, pure and simple.  And it was amazing, like a new beginning.

~Please review! Thanks!~