CHAPTER#3

"So," Rachel began.

"So, what?" Monica asked, acting as if she didn't know what Rachel was getting at.

"Mon, you're not fooling anyone, now spill," Phoebe demanded. Rachel and Phoebe had just managed to get rid of Ross and Chandler so they could talk about Chandler with Monica.

Monica sighed and rolled her eyes; her friends would never change. "What do you want to know?"

"Everything!" Phoebe yelled.

Rachel gave her an odd look. "Who started it?"

"Neither of us really, it just sorta happened."

"Who initiated the first kiss?"

"Uh," Monica started, not sure what to say. "I don't really know."

"How do you not know?"

"Well, I, uh, I don't really remember."

"What!"

"Well, we were kinda, sorta, you know, drunk?"

"Let me get this straight," Phoebe said. "You and Chandler got drunk in London and kissed, and now, eight months later, you're still together?"

"Uh, sure!" Monica said a little too loudly.

Rachel got a look of realization on her face. "Oh!" She exclaimed. "Did you guys do more than just kiss?"

"Maybe," Monica said, a sly smile on her face.

"Tell!" Phoebe demanded.

Monica sighed. She knew she would be forced to tell them eventually. It might as well be now.

"Well, we both got really drunk and kinda woke up together the next day." She didn't tell them that she remembered quite a bit about that night. She didn't tell them that it had been one of the best nights of her life, that she had felt something she had never felt before, that she had known right then and there that she would spend the rest of her life with this man. She smiled. It would remain her little secret, well her and Chandler's secret.

"No." Rachel said. "No way."

"Way." Monica said.

"Ross?" Chandler said hesitantly. He and Ross were sitting in his apartment, drinking a beer. The girls had practically thrown them out.

"What?"

"Are you mad at me?"

"No," Ross said confused. "Why would I be mad at you?"

"Because," Chandler said. "I'm dating your sister."

"Why would that make me mad?"

"Because, dude, there's rules about this kind of stuff. You're not supposed to date your friend's sister."

"Well, I know you Chandler. I know you would never hurt her." Ross smiled warmly at Chandler.

"Thanks, man."

"You know, in all the years I've known Monica, which is a long time, I have never seen as happy as she has been lately. And I know that has something to do with you."

"So Chandler has been in a relationship for eight months?" Rachel asked.

Monica nodded.

"That has got to be some sorta world record or something."

"Yeah," said Phoebe. "I mean its Chandler! How do you stand him, Mon?"

"Hey!" Monica said. "That's not fair. He's not that bad." Monica defended Chandler.

"You know I have to agree with Phoebe," Rachel told her. "I mean, it's Chandler."

"So?"

"So, he's just so anti-committal and immature and sarcastic."

"So?" Monica repeated.

"Well, you're just so pro-commitment and mature and, well, not sarcastic."

Monica sighed. How could she explain to her friends how she felt about Chandler? "You guys just don't know him like I do. He's just, well, he's not; he's not as bad as he seems. He's really sweet, and caring, and it's not that he doesn't want commitment. He's just scared."

"Some-bod-y's in love," Phoebe chanted.

Monica smiled and blushed.

"Are you?" Rachel asked.

Monica nodded shyly.

"Really?" Rachel asked. "Oh honey, that's so great. I'm sorry I wasn't being supportive. I'm really happy for you." Rachel promptly jumped up and gave Monica a big hug, as did Phoebe.

"Have you told him you love him?" Phoebe asked.

"I have."

"Has he said it back?"

Monica nodded, "actually, he said it first."

"Wow Chandler Bing in love," Rachel mused. "It would take someone very special to him for that to happen." She smiled at Monica.

"So," Phoebe said. "What's he like in bed?"

Monica groaned and rolled her eyes. It was definitely going to be a long afternoon.

Monica was relieved when Chandler and Ross finally walked back in the door a couple hours later. Rachel and Phoebe had been driving her crazy with their questions. Any other day she would have been able to get away, but she couldn't get at her crutches or her wheel chair.

Chandler smiled at Monica as he entered, Ross in tow. Ross sat down on the edge of the couch, while Chandler plunked himself down beside Monica on the chair.

"Thank-god you're here," Monica told him as she put her hand in his. She leaned her head against his shoulder. "They're driving me crazy."

An hour later Ross declared he was leaving because he had a date. This reminded Rachel that she also had a date. Ross left to go to his apartment, while Rachel went to have a shower. It wasn't long before Rachel left for her date and Phoebe took off, as she hadn't been home in almost two days, thus leaving Monica and Chandler alone.

Chandler sighed happily as he heard the door close, and he wrapped his arms around Monica's small figure, pulling her in close.

"I love you," he whispered into her ear, making her shiver.

"I love you, to." Monica whispered back. She pulled away slightly, looking into his deep blue eyes. He took this as a sign and leaned in to kiss her. The kiss was short, but full of emotion. He pulled away and rested his forehead against hers. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, just glad to be spending time with her. His mind was still resting on the possible outcomes of her fall the day before.

"Uh, Chandler, I just want you to know, about what happened with Richard yesterday-"

He cut in. "Thank-you," he said simply.

"What?" Monica asked confused.

Chandler hesitated. "For choosing me."

Monica looked at him in shock. She saw the look on his face, the way he seemed so unsure of himself, the way his eyes nervously held contact with hers; as if he were afraid of what she was going to say. She felt her heart in her throat as she reached her good hand up to cup the side of his face. He immediately placed his hand on hers.

"Chandler, I don't want you to think, even for a second, that I would EVER choose ANYONE over you. I love you, Chandler. When Richard said those things to me yesterday I didn't even have to think about my decision; it wasn't even an option. I love everything about you, Chandler, and I want to be with you. No one else. I mean that."

She watched as Chandler's eyes seemed to well up and he turned his head away, as if trying to hide his emotions. Using the hand that was still resting on the side of his face, she gently guided his face back to face her. She met his eyes and held his gaze. "It's okay sweetie, you're allowed to show some emotion." She hesitated before continuing. "I know that you're scared, Chandler, but I'm here and I'm not going anywhere."

Monica pulled him down, into the chair beside her. She wrapped her arms, being careful of the broken one, around his neck. He quickly wrapped his arms around her tightly, as if holding on for dear life. She didn't know how long they stayed like this, but she didn't care. She loved being with Chandler; loved the feeling of being wrapped in his arms, of being with someone who could make her feel things so deeply. She hated how unsure of himself he always was. She wished she could convince him of her feelings. She wished she would take all his self-doubt away. He was always so timid and cautious. He was slowly gaining confidence, but he still had a long way to go.

Monica was pulled out of her thoughts when she felt Chandler tilt his head and kiss her softly on her neck. She sighed as he pulled back slightly. He offered her a brave smile, the light reflecting more than usually in his bright blue eyes.

"I'm sorry," he whispered quietly.

"For what?"

"For always being such a pain. I know I'm not the best boyfriend. I mean, I always freak out and get scared. I'm so, I don't know, pathetic. Ugh, I hate myself."

"Stop," Monica told him. "You don't ALWAYS freak out, and you're not pathetic. Not at all. And Chandler, know this, you are the BEST boyfriend ever, okay? You're sweet, and gentle, and loving. I know I can trust you, and I know you would never hurt me. That's what counts, okay? Not that you get scared. That doesn't change how I feel about you, not at all." Monica smiled at him before continuing. "I want to tell you something, okay?"

"What?"

"You're not the only one who gets scared."

"I'm sorry?"

"I get scared to. The way I feel about you Chandler, I've never felt this way before, and it scares me at times. I just thought you should know."

He smiled, not knowing what to say.

"So," he finally said. "What do you want to do with the remainder of the day?"

"Well," Monica started. "I haven't had a shower in two days now, and with these casts I just may need some help." She raised an eyebrow suggestively.

"Really?" Chandler said, playing along, "what kinda help."

Monica smiled. "Come on, help me into the bathroom." She said.

Chandler carefully picked Monica up, holding her tightly in his arms. He felt more confident about his relationship with this amazing woman than he ever had before. He had a new sense of calm about him. He had this sudden realization that they were going to be okay, he and Monica. They were in going to last. He smiled. For the first time in his life he felt truly at peace.

A/N: Well, that's it. It went on a lot longer than I had originally planned. I hope everyone liked it. If you choose to review, may I ask if you would tell me whether or not I have captured the right persona of each character? I know some of it was exaggerated, but I needed to make it fit. Anyway, thanks for reading. Oh, and here's another quote for you:

"How you got three women to marry you, I'll never know."