*This takes place about season five. And I changed some of Monica's past around, such as she was never fat, and her parents were wealthier than they are supposed to be in the show. This is the first time I've ever done a prologue! Crazy huh? Well, anyway, please drop me a note and tell me how you like the start of it and if I should continue. Thanks.*

Disclaimer: Unfortunately I own neither the song nor the characters. They are, however, on my Christmas list.

1976:

Chandler Bing stood in the playground and watched the kids swing and slide and play and be merry. He was with his mother in New York to promote her new book, and she had thought it would be a good idea to take him to the park. So that's where he was now, in the park, against his will, with his nanny Laurie, whom he had desperately tried to separate himself from. He kicked a rock away from his foot and stuck his hands in his pockets. He glanced at the bench where Laurie was sitting. She was coming towards him. He looked around hurriedly for somewhere to run and hide. No luck. He was stuck.

"Chandler?" He glanced up at her. "Why aren't you playing?"

"I told you already that I didn't want to be here," he explained rolling his eyes and wishing for the hundredth time that day alone that he had been allowed to stay home with his father. But no, his father had insisted, practically demanded that Chandler should see New York with his mother. That it would do him good.

"Well you're here now, so can't you go play like other normal seven-year-olds?" Normal. The word hit Chandler and he physically flinched. He didn't feel that he was normal such as other children his age were normal. Other seven-year-olds he was sure weren't plotting their get away plans. He didn't feel like standing there and listening to her list off the reasons he should go play, so he ventured over to the swings. It was hidden partially by the slide for an easy escape route. He was not afraid of being in the strange city alone, he knew what hotel they were staying in and had money that he had snatched from his mother's pocket for a cab. At seven, he had been left alone far too many times for him not to have acquired skills that were well beyond him. His mother was always off somewhere doing something with her novels, and his father....well, God knows where he went all the time. His nanny was a college student who only cared enough for him not to get killed or hurt, otherwise he was left to his own free devices. That was the way it worked, and that was the way that they all liked it. His parents liked that they only saw him when they felt it was necessary and he felt the same way about them. As he made his way towards the trees he heard sniffling. Sitting in the sandbox, partially shaded by the large oak tree, sat a little girl. She looked to be about a year or two younger than him. Her dark hair fell in soft curls to her shoulders and was held back with blue ribbon which matched the dress she was wearing For a child sitting in a sandbox in a park, she was surprising dressed up. When she heard him approach, bright blue eyes, now rimming with tears, turned to look up at him.

"Are you okay?" He asked. She didn't seem to be hurt, although sometimes he knew you couldn't tell. His parents had known enough to teach him basic first aid figuring he would be off on his own so much.

"Yes," she answered sniffling again.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." He turned to leave and then hesitated.

"What's the matter then?" She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and seemed to study his face to deem if he was trustworthy or not.

"I can't find my brother or my Nana," she said sniffling again. "Nana told us if we were good at lunch she would take us to the park. They went to get ice cream and I was lagging behind. Ross always says that I do that, and then I got caught in a crowd of people and I lost them."

"I can help you find them," he offered and her face lit up and for the first time, he saw the dimples that formed when she smiled.

"Could you?" He shrugged. So he wouldn't run off today, there was always tomorrow to give his mother and caretaker a heart attack. He reached out a hand for her to take. She took it and climbed to her feet and brushed the sand off her dress.

"My name's Monica," she told him smiling.

"I'm Chandler," he said. She tilted her head thoughtfully.

"Chandler," she repeated. "I like it." They found Laurie and explained who Monica was and what had happened. Laurie looked at the pretty little girl with the red and swollen eyes.

"We can find them, sure," she said offering out her hand and leading the two children to find a police officer to help them. After a while, Chandler and Monica sat on a bench and kicked their feet in sync while waiting.

"Monica!" A voice cried out. They saw a older woman running pulling a little boy behind her. She looked clearly panicked and frazzled. The woman let go of the boy's hand and picked up her granddaughter and smothered her with kisses. "Are you okay? I was so worried! What happened?" She didn't wait for a response before turning on Laurie and the police officer and began bombarding them with questions. Monica leaned over to whisper in Chandler's ear.

"That's my Nana. She gets worked up sometimes," she informed him knowledgably. He nodded. Her brother reached out and punched her arm.

"I'm glad you're okay boogerbreath," he said shuffling his feet against the pavement. Then he turned his face away as if he hadn't said anything at least somewhat nice to his sister.

"This is Chandler," Monica said tugging on her grandmother's sleeve. "He helped me."

"Well, thank you Chandler," the woman said winking at the young boy. "Come along Ross, Monica. We have to go call your parents and let them know you're okay before they both have coronaries." She took Monica's hand in one hand and Ross's in the other and pulled them towards the park exit. Monica turned her head slightly and lifted her hand and waved. Chandler lifted his hand and waved back and then sighed and went back to staring at the other children on the swings.

*So okay, this is just the first part, but please review and tell me how it was so far. Okay, I have to go read "All the King's Men" now. *