Chapter # 6
A/N: Well I managed to change the title to TOW the Wallet, so it will no longer bug me. I hope everyone likes this chapter (I was slow getting the last one up because I was unsure as to where I was going with the story.) Also, thank-you to whoever wished me a 'happy turkey day', but just to let you know, I am Canadian and my 'turkey day' was last month. Happy Turkey day to all you Americans out there!
After a short struggle, Monica managed to open her eyes. Everything was blurry. She blinked a couple times, as the world came into focus. She saw her boss looking down at her with concern written across his face. She also saw Chandler.
She was struggling to force her mind to work. She needed answers. Why was he here? Why was he looking at her like that? Why did he look so lost and confused. And finally, why had he disappeared so long ago?
Monica opened her mouth and attempted to make her thoughts into words. "Ch-chandler?. Why.Why? Why are you here? Why did you go? Why did you leave m." She trailed off as she realized that if he was here and he was alive, then he had probably left for a reason. He had purposely disappeared and he hadn't wanted her to know where he was. He had left her because he didn't want her, he didn't love her. With this new information, Monica began to cry.
Her boss seemed to understand what was going through her mind. He motioned for Chandler to leave the room and he then knelt down beside Monica. "Monica," he said. "I think I know what you are thinking."
"He didn't love me," Monica said through her tears. " All these years I thought he was dead, or hurt, or." She trailed off. "I would never allow myself to believe that he didn't love me."
Her boss chose this time to cut it. "It's not what you think, Monica. That man is not the Chandler Bing that you knew. That man's name is Jason Banks. He woke up in the hospital two and a half years ago after a six- month coma, following a plane crash. He doesn't know who he was before the accident. He remembers nothing of his past." He stopped and gave her a moment to let it sink in.
Monica didn't know what to say. She was in shock. She had seen this kind of thing happen in movies, but never in real life. It never occurred to her that he was out there somewhere, live another life, no memory of his previous life with her. This made her cry even more.
Jason didn't know what to think. In the previous hour, his whole life had been turned upside down. He had accepted the fact that he would never know his real name, or anything of his life, and he had never expected this to happen.
"Is she okay?" asked Jeff. Scott was standing beside him, equal concern evident on his face.
"Yah," Jason said, distantly, his mind on other things.
"She called you Chandler, right?" asked Scott. Jason nodded. "Wow, you don't think she could be." He trailed off. He knew from the look on Jason's face that that was exactly what he was thinking. She could be the key to his past.
"Her boss told me her fiancé disappeared 3 years ago." Scott and Jeff were the only people who knew what had happened to Jason.
"Wow," said Scott. "This all makes sense now. I mean, yesterday you said you could tell she was nervous and you stood up to Roger about her. You must have had some weird, past life sense to do that."
Jason nodded his head in agreement. "The moment she walked in the room, it was like I knew I knew her, but I didn't know where from." He sighed. It was frustrating, not remembering anything. It had felt like the past two and a half years of his life had been put on hold because he didn't know who he really was. And now, just when he had decided to give up finding out who he had been, and live the second half of his life as Jason Banks, this women from his past arrived and sent his life back into chaos.
Jason was so frustrated. He just didn't know what to do. Just then Monica's boss came out.
"She wants to talk to you," he said. Jason nodded and quietly entered the room.
Monica immediately looked up when he entered the room. Their eyes met. There was no doubt in her mind that this was the Chandler from her past. She fought back tears and unconsciously reached her hand up to touch the ring, still around her neck. He noticed and remembered noticing it the day before.
"What's around your neck," he asked, breaking the silence.
This startled Monica as she hadn't even noticed what she had done. "O, it's-it's -"
He cut her off. "You don't have to tell me, if its personal or something."
"No, it's not that, it's just that.well," Monica pulled the ring out from under her shirt and showed him. He stepped closer to see it. "It was the ring you .proposed with."
"Oh," he said as recognition appeared on his face. There was an awkward silence. "What, could I not even afford one big enough to fit on your finger, so you have to wear it around your neck?" She gave him a weird look. "I'm sorry," he rushed to say. He felt bad. "I tend to make jokes when I'm uncomfortable."
When Monica heard this she began to cry.
"Oh, I'm sorry," he said. "I'm just so bad at this."
"No," Monica said. "You've said that before,"
"Really?"
"Yah, on the night you were planning on proposing-"
He cut her off again. "No, don't tell me. The doctor told me if I ever meet someone who knows me, I shouldn't let them tell me very much about my old life, as it will create fake memories, and I will never know if I truly remembered them or not."
"Oh," Monica said. She didn't know what else to say.
"I'm sorry," he said. "And not just for today. I'm sorry for disappearing. I'm sorry for putting you through so much."
"It's not your fault," Monica said, quick to reassure him.
"No, but I still feel bad."
"What do we do know?" she asked.
"Maybe.maybe we could just spend some time together?" Jason asked hopefully, unsure of how much she wanted him back in her life.
"I'd really like that," she said. He looked at her for any sign of unsureness, but saw none. Instead he saw a small spark of hope in her dull eyes.
"Why don't we go out for dinner tonight?" he asked. He was startled by her physical response. She seemed to shudder and went pale, she immediately tried to cover for it, but he had already seen the reaction. "Are you okay?" he asked, softly, trying to tread lightly.
"I'm fine," Monica answered. "I would love to go out for dinner." Monica chided herself for allowing herself to loose control, even for only a few seconds.
Jason found himself knowing that she was scared for some reason, but didn't want to push. He didn't want to take her out if she was scared and he didn't want to confront her. He got an idea. "Why don't you come over to my place for dinner? Then we can talk, in private, for as long as we need. Does that sound okay?"
Monica knew he was trying to make her more comfortable, but she didn't let him know she knew. "That would be great." Jason was proud of himself.
"Okay, I will pick you up at 5:30. Where are you staying?"
* * * * *
"Well, this is it," Jason said as he opened the door to his apartment. "Home sweet home," he finished sarcastically. It was a nice enough apartment, but it had never felt like home to him.
"It's nice," Monica said. Jason rolled his eyes. "It is nice," she said reassuringly, "it's just a bit."
"Blah," they both said together. They looked at each other and laughed. There was an awkward silence.
"Anyway," Jason finally said. "How does pizza sound for dinner?"
Four hours later Monica was stuffed. She had eaten far too much pizza, but aside from the stomach ache, found herself having a good time. It had been weird at first, but now she and Chandler/ Jason were chatting away. He had told her about his life for the past two and a half years and she had told him everything he would let her about his life as Chandler Bing, which hadn't been much.
Jason was surprised when he glanced over at the clock. He had been so caught up in the conversation that he hadn't noticed the hours slip by. He could easily tell why his former self had been in love with this woman. He pointed out the time to Monica and said, "why don't I walk you back to the hotel?"
Monica was disappointed that the evening was over, but she felt a new hope. She had felt the connection between the two of them, and she was sure he had to. She knew it would be hard, but she wanted to be with him again; as Chandler or as Jason.
A/N: How do you like it so far? Sorry about the delay. I was really sick this week. Anyway, expect the next chapter really soon. I would have made this one longer, but I have to make a decision about which way I want the story to go. I had it all figured out until I got another idea. Now I really don't know. Thanx for reading!
A/N: Well I managed to change the title to TOW the Wallet, so it will no longer bug me. I hope everyone likes this chapter (I was slow getting the last one up because I was unsure as to where I was going with the story.) Also, thank-you to whoever wished me a 'happy turkey day', but just to let you know, I am Canadian and my 'turkey day' was last month. Happy Turkey day to all you Americans out there!
After a short struggle, Monica managed to open her eyes. Everything was blurry. She blinked a couple times, as the world came into focus. She saw her boss looking down at her with concern written across his face. She also saw Chandler.
She was struggling to force her mind to work. She needed answers. Why was he here? Why was he looking at her like that? Why did he look so lost and confused. And finally, why had he disappeared so long ago?
Monica opened her mouth and attempted to make her thoughts into words. "Ch-chandler?. Why.Why? Why are you here? Why did you go? Why did you leave m." She trailed off as she realized that if he was here and he was alive, then he had probably left for a reason. He had purposely disappeared and he hadn't wanted her to know where he was. He had left her because he didn't want her, he didn't love her. With this new information, Monica began to cry.
Her boss seemed to understand what was going through her mind. He motioned for Chandler to leave the room and he then knelt down beside Monica. "Monica," he said. "I think I know what you are thinking."
"He didn't love me," Monica said through her tears. " All these years I thought he was dead, or hurt, or." She trailed off. "I would never allow myself to believe that he didn't love me."
Her boss chose this time to cut it. "It's not what you think, Monica. That man is not the Chandler Bing that you knew. That man's name is Jason Banks. He woke up in the hospital two and a half years ago after a six- month coma, following a plane crash. He doesn't know who he was before the accident. He remembers nothing of his past." He stopped and gave her a moment to let it sink in.
Monica didn't know what to say. She was in shock. She had seen this kind of thing happen in movies, but never in real life. It never occurred to her that he was out there somewhere, live another life, no memory of his previous life with her. This made her cry even more.
Jason didn't know what to think. In the previous hour, his whole life had been turned upside down. He had accepted the fact that he would never know his real name, or anything of his life, and he had never expected this to happen.
"Is she okay?" asked Jeff. Scott was standing beside him, equal concern evident on his face.
"Yah," Jason said, distantly, his mind on other things.
"She called you Chandler, right?" asked Scott. Jason nodded. "Wow, you don't think she could be." He trailed off. He knew from the look on Jason's face that that was exactly what he was thinking. She could be the key to his past.
"Her boss told me her fiancé disappeared 3 years ago." Scott and Jeff were the only people who knew what had happened to Jason.
"Wow," said Scott. "This all makes sense now. I mean, yesterday you said you could tell she was nervous and you stood up to Roger about her. You must have had some weird, past life sense to do that."
Jason nodded his head in agreement. "The moment she walked in the room, it was like I knew I knew her, but I didn't know where from." He sighed. It was frustrating, not remembering anything. It had felt like the past two and a half years of his life had been put on hold because he didn't know who he really was. And now, just when he had decided to give up finding out who he had been, and live the second half of his life as Jason Banks, this women from his past arrived and sent his life back into chaos.
Jason was so frustrated. He just didn't know what to do. Just then Monica's boss came out.
"She wants to talk to you," he said. Jason nodded and quietly entered the room.
Monica immediately looked up when he entered the room. Their eyes met. There was no doubt in her mind that this was the Chandler from her past. She fought back tears and unconsciously reached her hand up to touch the ring, still around her neck. He noticed and remembered noticing it the day before.
"What's around your neck," he asked, breaking the silence.
This startled Monica as she hadn't even noticed what she had done. "O, it's-it's -"
He cut her off. "You don't have to tell me, if its personal or something."
"No, it's not that, it's just that.well," Monica pulled the ring out from under her shirt and showed him. He stepped closer to see it. "It was the ring you .proposed with."
"Oh," he said as recognition appeared on his face. There was an awkward silence. "What, could I not even afford one big enough to fit on your finger, so you have to wear it around your neck?" She gave him a weird look. "I'm sorry," he rushed to say. He felt bad. "I tend to make jokes when I'm uncomfortable."
When Monica heard this she began to cry.
"Oh, I'm sorry," he said. "I'm just so bad at this."
"No," Monica said. "You've said that before,"
"Really?"
"Yah, on the night you were planning on proposing-"
He cut her off again. "No, don't tell me. The doctor told me if I ever meet someone who knows me, I shouldn't let them tell me very much about my old life, as it will create fake memories, and I will never know if I truly remembered them or not."
"Oh," Monica said. She didn't know what else to say.
"I'm sorry," he said. "And not just for today. I'm sorry for disappearing. I'm sorry for putting you through so much."
"It's not your fault," Monica said, quick to reassure him.
"No, but I still feel bad."
"What do we do know?" she asked.
"Maybe.maybe we could just spend some time together?" Jason asked hopefully, unsure of how much she wanted him back in her life.
"I'd really like that," she said. He looked at her for any sign of unsureness, but saw none. Instead he saw a small spark of hope in her dull eyes.
"Why don't we go out for dinner tonight?" he asked. He was startled by her physical response. She seemed to shudder and went pale, she immediately tried to cover for it, but he had already seen the reaction. "Are you okay?" he asked, softly, trying to tread lightly.
"I'm fine," Monica answered. "I would love to go out for dinner." Monica chided herself for allowing herself to loose control, even for only a few seconds.
Jason found himself knowing that she was scared for some reason, but didn't want to push. He didn't want to take her out if she was scared and he didn't want to confront her. He got an idea. "Why don't you come over to my place for dinner? Then we can talk, in private, for as long as we need. Does that sound okay?"
Monica knew he was trying to make her more comfortable, but she didn't let him know she knew. "That would be great." Jason was proud of himself.
"Okay, I will pick you up at 5:30. Where are you staying?"
* * * * *
"Well, this is it," Jason said as he opened the door to his apartment. "Home sweet home," he finished sarcastically. It was a nice enough apartment, but it had never felt like home to him.
"It's nice," Monica said. Jason rolled his eyes. "It is nice," she said reassuringly, "it's just a bit."
"Blah," they both said together. They looked at each other and laughed. There was an awkward silence.
"Anyway," Jason finally said. "How does pizza sound for dinner?"
Four hours later Monica was stuffed. She had eaten far too much pizza, but aside from the stomach ache, found herself having a good time. It had been weird at first, but now she and Chandler/ Jason were chatting away. He had told her about his life for the past two and a half years and she had told him everything he would let her about his life as Chandler Bing, which hadn't been much.
Jason was surprised when he glanced over at the clock. He had been so caught up in the conversation that he hadn't noticed the hours slip by. He could easily tell why his former self had been in love with this woman. He pointed out the time to Monica and said, "why don't I walk you back to the hotel?"
Monica was disappointed that the evening was over, but she felt a new hope. She had felt the connection between the two of them, and she was sure he had to. She knew it would be hard, but she wanted to be with him again; as Chandler or as Jason.
A/N: How do you like it so far? Sorry about the delay. I was really sick this week. Anyway, expect the next chapter really soon. I would have made this one longer, but I have to make a decision about which way I want the story to go. I had it all figured out until I got another idea. Now I really don't know. Thanx for reading!