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Chapter two: A rough start

Rachel: Joey why don't you want me to go?

Joey: Rachel please.

Rachel: NO JOEY I WANT TO KNOW WHY YOU DON'T WANT ME TO GO!

Joey: BECAUSE I'M FALLING IN LOVE WITH YOU!

Rachel: What?

Joey: I'm falling in love with you Rachel.

Rachel: Wha......how?

Joey: I don't know.

Rachel: Joey....I....I have to go.

Joey: Rachel wait.

Rachel: Joey, I'm sorry I just don't know what to say. I have to go for a walk. I'm sorry.

Rachel leaves the apartment and Joey hits the wall.

Joey: SHIT!

Two hours later Joey goes down to Central Perk and finds Rachel asleep on the couch. He sits down beside her, and runs his fingers through her hair. Rachel wakes up.

Rachel: Joey.

Joey: Rach before you say anything I just want to tell you I'm sorry.

Rachel: No. Joey do not say your sorry. It's my fault. I was just scared, because lately I've been feeling the same way about you and I just didn't want to ruin anything. I mean look at what happened with Ross and me. You and I are so close and I don't want to lose that.

Joey: Rachel--

Rachel: No, Joey I think we should give it a shot, and keep it a secret as long as possible.

Joey: That should be easy considering we live together, but I think Chandler might know cause I asked him for advice so he knows how I feel about you.

Rachel: Oh. Well, that doesn't mean he knows we're gonna give it a try.

Joey: Yeah. You wanna go home?

Rachel: Yeah. Yeah I do.

Joey: Well, let's go.

Rachel and Joey get up and walk back up to their apartment. Joey turns on the TV and sits down in the Barcalounger. Rachel walks over and sits on his lap. They have been sitting there for an hour when some one knocks on the door.

Rachel: I'll get it.

Rachel gets up off of Joey's lap and walks over to the door. She opens it up and finds her date on the other side.

Rachel: Oh my god. I forgot to call you. I have to cancel tonight.

R.D.: Well, do you want to reschedule?

Rachel: I don't think so. See the guy I liked just told me he loved me. So I'm sorry bye.

R.D.: Ok, bye I guess.

Rachel shuts the door and sits back down on Joey's lap kissing him gently on the lips. Joey kisses her back, and the kiss gets deeper. The phone rings. Rachel answers it.

Rachel: Hello. Yes. Yes he is.

She hands the phone to Joey.

Joey: Hello. Yes. Yes. Oh my god. Thank you. Yes. I'll be right down.

Joey hangs up the phone and his eyes fill up with tears.

Rachel: Joey what's wrong?

Joey: That was the....um.... hospital. My sister was in a car accident..........and ..........they are doing an emergency surgery right now, but......um.....she's not in good shape. They want me to come down there and sign some papers.

Rachel: Joey I'm sorry. Do you want me to come down there with you.

Joey nods his head, and Rachel wraps her arms around him.

Rachel: It's gonna be ok. Just let me grab my jacket and we'll go.

Joey: Thanks Rach.

Ten minutes later Joey and Rachel run into the hospital emergency room. Joey runs up to the front desk and asks where his sister is, and the receptionist tells him that she is still in surgery and that he would have to fill out some papers and wait in the waiting room.

Two hours later Rachel is asleep on Joey's lap in the waiting room and Joey is watching TV nervously wondering how his sister is when the doctor comes in.

Dr. Smith: Mr. Tribbiani?

Rachel wakes up and stands up with Joey.

Joey: Yes?

Dr. Smith: I'm Dr. Smith. Your sister came into the ER tonight with massive internal injuries. She's been in surgery for the last three hours and we did everything we could, but she ruptured her spleen and we couldn't get the bleeding to stop. I'm sorry.

Joey: She's gone.

Dr. Smith: I'm afraid so. I'll leave you two alone now.

Joey falls to the ground and starts sobbing. Rachel drops to her knees beside him and wraps her arms around him.

Rachel: Joey I'm so sorry. Is there anyone you want me to call?

Joey: No. I should do it.

Rachel: Is there anything I can do?

Joey: No. but thank you for being here.

Rachel: Your welcome honey.

Joey calls his parents and breaks the news to them, and then goes home with Rachel. Rachel sleeps in Joey's bed with her arms wrapped around him all night long. When they wake up in the morning they head to Joey's parents house and spend the day making funeral arrangements. Rachel spends they entire day by Joey's side and they stay the night at his parents house, so they won't have to do anymore traveling. The next morning the get up and go to the viewing and greet people all day telling them how sorry they are. The day after the viewing they hold the funeral and the burial the rest of the gang is there for the funeral. Joey and Rachel stay at Joey's parents house one more night before going back to the city. Joey and Rachel get back to the apartment around noon on Saturday.

Joey and Rachel are sitting in the Barcalounger watching TV when the rest of the gang comes in with six pizzas and an case of beer.

Monica: We thought you might need some cheering up.

Joey: Thanks guys.

Ross: Don't worry about it.

Phoebe: So how are you doing.

Joey: Better. Now that the funeral is over and done with.

Chandler: Well, we're here for ya Joe.

Joey: Well, let's eat that pizza.

Chandler: There's more coming.

Just then there is a knock on the door. Chandler opens it.

Chandler: Thanks. This way.

A Subway delivery walks in with a six foot party sub.

Joey: How depressed did you guys think I was?

Phoebe: We just wanted to show you how much we cared.

Joey: Well, I already knew, but thanks for the sandwich.

Ross: Oh and we know about you and Rachel.

Rachel: What? How did you find out?

Ross: We figured it out at the funeral. You guys were very very close.

Monica: We're happy for you guys.

Ross: Me too.

Rachel: Really?

Ross: Yeah. I want you to be happy Rach.

Joey: Let's eat.

The gang stays up all night taking and eating. CnM and RnP leave at 5:00 A.M. and Joey and Rachel go to bed wrapped up together all night. They sleep until noon and get up and sit wrapped up together in the Barcalounger all day watching TV and talking.

Joey: Rachel I'm sorry about how we had to spend the first few days of our relationship.

Rachel: Joey that's not your fault at all. Don't make yourself feel bad about that.

Joey: I just want you to know I'm gonna make it up to you.

Rachel: What do you have in mind?

Joey: You'll see.

Joey kisses Rachel passionately on the lips, and picks her up. He walks into the bedroom carrying Rachel and continuing the kiss. He lays her down on the bed and takes her tank top off gently as she begins to unbutton his shirt. Rachel starts to unbutton Joey pants as he slips off her jeans. Joey continues kissing Rachel passionately on the lips and as the kiss gets deeper he starts to unhook her bra.

The make love passionately and embrace every moment of it. Afterwards they lay wrapped together with Rachel resting her head on Joey's chest.

Joey: I love you.

Rachel: I love you too Joey.

They fall asleep in an embrace.

Well that's chapter two please read and review.