AN: Sorry for the delay, to those of you who still like this story J. Life's been kinda crazy. Hope you like this part, I think it'll be the last chapter! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything I'm not supposed to.
It's been three weeks exactly from the night we first slept together again. We've been on several real dates, but mostly just hang out at my apartment or hers, talking and watching movies, kissing, and waking up together.
We've been actually hanging out with our friends a lot, I think because she wants her friends not to hate me for hurting her, and vice versa. She tells me everything, and she says we need to be honest with eachother all the time. I've only lied to her once in three weeks… and that was to tell her that her hairstyle a la Phoebe didn't look weird.
Tonight we hung out at Central Perk, with both of our groups, for the first time in a while. Rachel and Monica's brother Ross was there, and Phoebe and Joey came… it was a really great time. Rachel has forgiven me for any pain I may have caused her best friend, after stern warnings, and Ross has gotten over it too.
Afterwards, Mon came up with me and Joey and we rented a movie… Die Hard, of course. She was a really good sport about it, all things considered. First of all, she didn't complain that there were only two chairs and that she had to squeeze onto the end of mine, practically in my lap. She only rolled her eyes at the really cheesy lines, only squealed at the really gory parts, and only threw popcorn at Joey's head when he said something really offensive. To tell you the truth, I don't mind the squealing part, because that's when her nose scrunches up all cute and she buries her head in my shoulder… and I can live with that.
I can't believe I made myself miss so much of this. I marvel at how perfectly her body fits into mine when we hug, how her head rests in the crook of my neck and my arms are the perfect length to wrap around her. Sometimes, when I'm not with her, I miss her so much that I have to call her up just to hear her voice, so I know it's still there for me when I get back. Weird, yes. Sappy, definitely. What's become of me???
Later, when we were settling into bed, she asked me if I thought it was weird, how fast our relationship had progressed.
"No. I think… I think that for some people, the people who are truly meant to be together, that there can't be time limits or a logical progression of what should happen and when… things happen when they're supposed to, when they're right." She looked at me surprised.
"Have you been taking classes? How do you know the right thing to say every time?!" she asked incredulously.
"A gift I've acquired," I said nonchalantly, grinning and kissing her temple. She snuggled up against me, throwing an arm across my chest possessively.
"You know what?" she asked.
"Hmm?" I asked through her sweet smelling hair.
"I think you're the best thing that has ever happened to me," she said earnestly. I was taken aback by her sentiment for a moment, and then I sat up to look her in those beautiful blue eyes. I brushed a loose lock of dark hair from her face.
"You're exactly what I never thought I deserved," I said quietly, kissing her lips softly.
"There you go again, being all poetic. What's gotten into you?" she teased when we parted.
"Shut up," I said smiling, and kissed her again. She wrapped her arms around my neck and deepened the kiss, pushed past my lips with her tongue until we were swimming in eachother fervently.
"Chandler?" she asked throatily.
"Hmm?" I responded vaguely, kissing her neck and collarbone, making my way down to her breasts.
"Promise me something," she whispered, arching her back to give me easier access.
"Anything."
"I want to stay wrapped up in you forever…" she murmered against my hair. "Promise me you'll be here." I stopped what I was doing to look her in the eyes, which were now glazed over and bright with passion.
"Always," I said to her, meaning it for the first time in my life.
"I love you so much," she said before pressing her lips to mine hungrily. It was the last thing either of us said for quite a while.
"So, do you want to get her like, clothes, or stationary or what?" asked Phoebe as we walked down the street.
"Stationary??? She's not my fifth grade girlfriend," I scoffed.
"Hey! You asked for my help, did you not?"
"I'm sorry, I just don't think that stationary can really convey a message, you know?"
"It can if you get it personalized," she said. "Okay, okay, fine no stationary. Geez."
"Her birthday's this Friday, and I really want to get her something… perfect," I said.
"Well, that really narrows it down," Phoebe said rolling her eyes. "What about jewelry?"
"Maybe. Something different, though. What do girls want to get?"
"A rock?" Phoebe supplied.
"Not yet. Are you trying to get me to hyperventilate?"
"Joking, calm down. Hey, let's go in here, maybe you'll find something cool," she said, pointing to a jewelry shop across the street.
I've been waiting to give it to her all week. I'm insanely nervous about it, which is so stupid. What's she gonna do, hate it and break up with me? But I just really want to make her birthday special.
We go out to a fancy dinner at her favorite restaurant, then to Serendipity's for sundaes, which I think is cute and charming, not immature and stupid, as Phoebe proclaimed it, and Monica agrees with me. Nobody can pack away ice cream like my girlfriend.
After ice cream, we decide to go for a walk in the park, even though it's kind of chilly out. The thing I love about Monica is that she always comes prepared; she's not like one of those stupid women who wear a tiny little dress then get freezing cold later so you have to be a gentleman and give them your jacket. First of all, she wouldn't take my jacket if I tried to give it to her. And secondly, she never needs it, because she always has her own. But I'm getting off topic.
We stop by a bench, and I pull her present out of my pocket. It's a black velvet box, and when I give it to her she recoils and looks at me, surprised and, I must admit, kind of nervous.
"Chandler… is this…"
Aaannddd she thinks I'm proposing. Great.
"No! Oh no, god, I should have got a different box. I'm sorry, I didn't even think of it!" I rambled. She started laughing.
"Oh thank god. No, it's fine, it's fine. I was just a little surprised, is all. Not that I- well its just that its so- oh god where am I going with this…" she stammered nervously. It was my turn to laugh. I pushed the box into her palm.
"Just open it." She snapped open the little box and inhaled sharply at its contents.
"Chandler… it's beautiful," she breathed. She fingered the white gold locket gently and traced the opal that was set in the front.
"See, the front is an opal, for you birthstone," I began, opening it for her. "And the inside is a picture of you and me."
I found the perfect picture, and had it shrunk on one of those picture things at the Kinkos. We're sitting in my barca lounger, and I must have just said something funny, because she's laughing hysterically and I'm just sitting there grinning at her with my arms around her. She looks at the picture for a while and smiles through the tears that are beginning to form in her eyes.
"Hey… don't cry yet… you didn't even read the inscription," I teased, flipping the charm over to reveal the message.
My Love to You,
Always.
Chandler.
She broke down completely now, as I fumbled to clasp the necklace around her neck. Once I got it, I kissed her neck gently several times. She sniffled and fingered the necklace instinctively.
"I don't know if you're crying because you love it, or if you're still getting over the relief of me not proposing," I joked. She smiled briefly, then kissed me.
"I love it. It's the most beautiful, most precious thing anyone's ever given me. I love it, and I love you," she said, kissing me again.
"I'm glad, baby," I said, standing up and offering her my hand.
"Oh, and for the record…" she started, throwing her arms around me in a big hug, "I would have said yes," she whispered into my ear, sending chills down my spine. I grinned the entire way home as we walked hand in hand, in comfortable silence.