The One With The President

Chapter Four

By: Jana~

*****~*****

--"He asked you out again?" Rachel squealed, causing Monica to cringe.

"Yes," Monica affirmed. "To some, big political hoopla."

"Oh my God," Rachel muttered with wide eyes. "You know what this means, don't you?" Monica just rolled her eyes at what she sensed was coming. "You're the President's girlfriend!"

An exasperated sigh preceded an exasperated look. "Rachel, I think you're getting just a little bit ahead of yourself here."

"No, no," she insisted. "I know what I'm talking about here! He asked you out on a second date!" she added excitedly. "This is huge!"

"You're making this out to be bigger than it is," Monica mumbled.

"You're making this out to be smaller than it is!" Rachel countered. "It's not every day that the President of the United States asks you out on a date! Let alone two!"

"Look, I'm not saying that this isn't, significant. I'm just saying that-- It's just- it's--"

"What?" Rachel asked, sensing by Monica's stutterings that something was wrong.

"He's the President, Rachel," Monica sighed. "I'm just- I'm not so sure I should go to this thing next week."

"Well--" Rachel scowled. "I don't understand. I thought you said you had fun tonight!"

"I did! He actually has this really great sense of humor! And he's really nice, and he is a gracious loser at foosball…" Her smile grew as she spoke about him.

Rachel's smile grew in response. "You are so into him!"

"After one date?" she dismissed Rachel with a snort. "Doubtful."

"You should go, Mon," Rachel said supportively. "He sounds like a good guy."

"Yeah…"

"If he wasn't the president," Rachel asked, "Could you see yourself dating him?"

Monica nodded. "Yeah."

Rachel placed her hand on her friend's shoulder. "Then, there's your answer."

Monica smiled. "Ok," she said as she gave Rachel a hug. "I'll date the president. But I'm only doing this for you," she added jokingly.

"Of course," Rachel chuckled. "Now, onto the important question!"

"Which is?"

"What are you gonna wear?!"

*****

--"Are you sure this is such a good idea, sir?" Ross questioned his boss. "Your numbers are already so low. Maybe we should focus on that before you start a relationship," he suggested, waiting for Joey to finish his turn at darts.

"Look, Ross, I know you're just trying to be a good advisor, but let's drop the titles at the door and just talk like friends," Chandler suggested. "Alright? I like her," he muttered softly. "And I think she likes me."

"Well, ya'know," Joey interjected, "If you're looking for some lovin', we could always get you a hooker or something."

"That was inappropriate, Joe," Ross scolded.

"Sorr-rry!" Joey snipped, then continued with his turn, throwing the darts a little harder than before.

Ross rolled his eyes at Joey's childishness. "Look, sir, if you would like some female companionship, there are discreet ways of handling that."

"How is that better than what I said?" Joey challenged.

"Well, for one thing, I showed a little more tact," Ross snipped.

"Guys? Can you stop talking about hookers for a minute and listen to me?!"

Joey shrugged and headed for the dartboard to remove the darts he'd just played.

"I'm not looking to get laid!" Chandler told them sternly. "I really felt a connection to Monica, ya'know? I really had a good time with her, and I would like to continue seeing her socially. Why is that so hard for you to understand?"

"It's not hard to understand, sir," Ross said as he took the darts from Joey and began his turn. "It just might not be the best thing to do for your career."

"What career?" Chandler shot back. "This isn't my career! It was Andy's career! It's what my dad wanted for me as a career! But it's certainly not a career as far as I'm concerned! I'm seeing my commitment through, then I'm retiring."

"You're not even going to try to run for re-election?" Ross questioned.

"No, Ross! The people don't like me! They need a leader they can feel comfortable with! They don't think I can do this job!" He scowled, "And maybe they're right."

Ross shook his head slightly before throwing one of the darts. "You don't give yourself enough credit, sir."

"Let me ask you this, Ross. And I want you to answer me honestly. If Andy hadn't been such a great politician; if people had looked a little more closely at me as a politician, would we have won the election?"

Joey fidgeted as Ross struggled to come up with an answer, dropping his hand without throwing the next dart.

"Just talk to me!" Chandler insisted when Ross remained silent. "Talk to me like I'm a person and not the fucking President of the United States!" he yelled, irritated by all the tip-toeing everyone did around him.

Ross sighed. "No, sir. Probably not."

"The people want me to step down, so, when the term is over, that's exactly what I'm going to do."

"But, sir, whether they looked closely at your political past before the election is irrelevant! You are in office now, and if you just show them--"

"No, Ross!" Chandler cut him off. "Don't tell me flowery stories about how if we do this or that, my numbers will climb and I'll be a most beloved president, cause it's just not true! The polls show my unpopularity! They show that the people of this country have no faith in me--!"

"Bullshit, Chandler!" Ross shouted. "The polls show that a select few question your abilities, but if we show them you can do this job, your numbers will climb! If you would just let me do my job!" he exclaimed. "I know what I'm doing! If you would just stop tying my hands--!"

"You dare to yell at The President?!" Chandler challenged, interrupting Ross' rant.

Ross paused, gathering his composure before responding. "I'm sorry, sir. I let my emotions get the better of me. It won't happen again."

"I wasn't serious, Ross!" Chandler sighed. "I hate this! I hate all the tip-toeing, and walking on egg shells! It's like, I'm not even a person anymore! I'm just the title!" He took the darts off the board after Ross threw his last one, then threw the first dart with force. "I just want to be Chandler again," he muttered softly, then threw the second dart as hard as the first.

"You're still Chandler," Joey offered.

"Your position just demands a certain respect," Ross added.

"Yeah, well, respect breeds distance," Chandler sighed, then threw the last two darts in rapid succession before walking out the door, slamming it as he left.

*****

--Monica was greeted warmly by the blonde she knew better by voice than by face. Phoebe had spoken to her several times over the past week, preparing her for the event and what would be expected of her at it.

"Monica, hi!" Phoebe greeted as she approached.

"Phoebe," Monica acknowledged her with a smile.

"You look great," Phoebe complimented, then leaned in to speak sotto. "Just a reminder; the President will enter with the ambassador and his wife, and you will be escorted in by a military guardsman, ok?"

"Yep. I remember."

Phoebe smiled. "Great. And the president would like to see you before all this starts."

Monica inhaled and exhaled to settle her nerves. "Alright."

"Alright," Phoebe repeated with a grin. "Follow me."

Monica could tell that the woman leading the way truly cared for Chandler, and not just because it was her job to.

--She knocked quietly, then waited for permission to enter.

"Yes, come in," Chandler called out, turning to face the door.

"Mr. President," Phoebe said after opening the door and peeking in. "Ms. Geller is here." She opened the door further and gestured for Monica to enter.

She stepped one foot into the room, the butterflies starting all over again as he smiled at her.

"Six minutes, sir," Phoebe informed, then silently excused herself.

Chandler took a step closer to her, "I'm so glad you're here."

"You are?" she asked.

He nodded. "You look, beautiful," he stated in almost a whisper, causing Monica to instantly blush.

"You too," she replied, at a loss for words.

His smile grew. "Thank you. I can't seem to get this tie straight though," he added, tugging at it and loosening it. "I don't suppose you know how to do these?"

Monica moved closer, tentatively placing her hands on the tie hanging loosely around his neck, working it into a bow.

"There you go," she said as she gestured towards the mirror, encouraging him to check it out for himself.

"Hey!" he exclaimed. "Looks good!"

"Thanks," she smiled. "I have that kind of mom who thinks I'll 'never land a man if you don't learn to tie their ties for them!' " She imitated her mom's tone of voice, laughing when Chandler chuckled. "She drives me nuts."

"Don't most moms?" he asked jokingly.

"Mr. President?" Phoebe poked her head in after a brief knock. "We're ready for you."

He nodded, then extended his arm to Monica. "Shall we?"

She nodded in response and linked arms with him.

TBC

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