Authors Note: This is set during season eight, a little after J/R/R triangle was played out during sweeps month. It's an idea that's been rolling around in my head for awhile, since I'm not very happy about the changing dynamics on the show between the six characters. Please tell me what you think, and if I should continue. J
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More and more lately, Chandler found himself thinking about Kip.
His old roommate and good friend, shunned collectively by the group after unwisely choosing to cheat on Monica, ironically enough. He hadn't moved right away, but he may as well have. Phoebe had tried to avoid him, Monica wouldn't speak to him, and Ross had a murderous glint in his eyes whenever he was around. Chandler, of course, was left in the awkward position of Roommate. He was ordered by Monica to make Kip's life a living hell, and Ross told him he should just kick him out of the apartment. Unwilling to toss someone who had been a friend to him out on the streets with no place to go and little money, Chandler had refused. Eventually, of course, Kip and whatshername had run off to get married, leaving of their own accord - but for awhile there, Chandler had been pretty miserable as the middleman.
But no way would he have wanted to be in Kip's shoes. Not in a million years.
Rachel had once said that if anyone left the group, Phoebe would be the one to go. Although he didn't dare to open his mouth and say so, Chandler had been inclined to agree. If they ever did go their separate ways, it seemed fairly obvious that Phoebe would be first. After all, as Rachel said, she lived far away and wasn't related. She lifted right out.
After marrying one sixth of their little group and becoming a relation of one third, Chandler had decided once and for all that he was pretty safe from that particular fate. It wasn't like it was something that worried him, or anything - it was just something he pondered from time to time. And it was nice to know that he'd always have a built-in little family of friends, even if god forbid someone did decide to split from the group someday.
Which was why it came as a complete shock, one Monday evening when he arrived home and none of his friends were there, that he was the one being phased out. He was no longer included. And although it wasn't out of malice, or spite…
He had become Kip.