Then and Now - Chapter 2
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Author's note - Well, like I said, I was sick when I wrote the first one so I tried to get this one up ASAP, but I've been really busy and I'm SO SORRY it took so long to update. It's much better than the first one. Hope you enjoy.
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Disclaimer - I don't own anything.
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Rachel stepped off the plane and into the busy airport. She'd forgotten how busy J.F.K. airport really was. She'd been to New York a few times, but not enough to have a general clue where anything was. She went to baggage claim and got her bags and attempted to hail a cab. She also had forgotten how hard that was too.
She stepped into her hotel room, trying to remember why she loved that certain hotel all that much. After she had checked into the room, she suddenly remembered why. The room was so spacious, and for such a cheap price too. She threw herself onto the bed and lay like that for the longest time. Finally she got herself up and went out to grab a late lunch/early supper. She decided to save some money by not taking a cab and just walked to her destination. She wasn't really sure where she was headed, but was just wandering around looking for a place to eat.
While she walked, she kept seeing things that reminded her of Chicago. Things like Duke's Book store, except here it was Luke's Book Store, and little things like that. She came across a little coffee shop in the village. Central Perk was its name, and it looked almost exactly like the place where she and Ross spent countless hours together, along with one or two other people.
* FLASHBACK *
Rachel was sitting there with Abby and Kallie waiting for Ross to get back from the set. Abby spoke up "Hey Rachel, what's up with you and Ross?" Rachel sighed, "Well, I guess its time you guys were told. Ross is moving to New York and I'm moving to San Francisco." "WHAT!?!?!?!" was the reply she received. "You guys, please don't say anything, I just want to enjoy out last few days together, ok?" "How long have you guys known?" Kallie asked "Around a week," Rachel said sheepishly, looking down at the ground. "How could you keep something like this from us, we're your best friends," Abby sharply replied. "I didn't want to believe it myself, I thought if no one else know, it might not be real, might not be true, I'm sorry guys." "Whatever Rachel, we'll miss you too, did you think of that?" "I know, and you guys are my best friends, I don't want to leave you, but I have to. You know I don't want to, and if I didn't have to, I wouldn't. I'm going to have to start all over in San Francisco, and its hard to make new friends, I've never been good at that." Kallie started to cry and all three closed in for a hug as Rachel started to cry too. * End Flashback *
She jumped as someone bumped into her. "I'm sorry," the person said as she backed away. "Its ok," Rachel said as she looked at the person. "Hey, you look familiar," they both started at the same time. "Well, hi, I'm Rachel Green, from San Francisco, originally from Chicago." "Hi, I'm Monica Bing, you might know me as Monica Gellar, and yes, to answer your question, I AM related to Ross Gellar, the actor." Monica said. "Oh, My, God," Rachel said, not sure of what to do, "How is he, I mean, I haven't talked to him in around 3 years." "Whoa, wait a minute, YOU'RE Rachel, the one he's always talking about, or well, used to talk about 24/7, that Rachel?" "Well, I think I'm that Rachel, otherwise he went off and found someone with exactly the same name as me." "Oh my god, when he first got here, you were all he could talk about. He was so depressed." "I know, but I gave him my number when I left, he just never called." "Ok, well, umm, how about I take you to his apartment? Or are you busy right now, maybe later." "No, No, now is fine, I was just on my way to get something to eat, but we can stop on the way, can't we?" "Ya, of course, now let's get going. He's going to be so happy to see you."
Rachel (v/o) - She seemed so excited, taking me to Ross's place. I was glad she ran into me though, and I'm glad she stopped to look at me. Most people in New York bump into you and just keep walking. I would know. You see, I'd been here once before, trying to come see him, but when I got to his place I couldn't knock, I just left. I never could figure out why, I just couldn't. It turns out he didn't live to far from that Central Perk place, just up the street a ways, I must have subconsciously been headed to his place, even though I'd only seen it once. We stopped by a deli so I could grab a sandwich. Once we reached his place I got that feeling again, like I couldn't face him.
"C'mon Rachel, we're here," Monica told me, pulling me in. "Ok, ok, I'm coming, don't get all huffy." 'Breathe in and out,' I had to tell myself, 'Just keep breathing."
They got inside the apartment building and Rachel immediately felt like she was back in Chicago. It was almost identical, the same color paint, same stair form. She didn't want to see what it looked like inside the apartments because she knew it would ruin her current memories.
"You ready to go in Rachel?" Monica asked. "Sure, why not, let's do this."
Monica knocked, then took out her key and walked in. They walked in and both realized Ross wasn't there.
"He always leaves a note in case someone who has a key drops by," Monica told Rachel, "Here it is" "Went to the store to pick up some things, be back at around 6:30," Rachel read aloud. "Well, its 6:10 now, I think we can wait, don't you?" "It won't kill us, so why not."
They both sat down on the couch, making small talk, not really sure of what to say to each other.
Rachel (v/o) - I didn't really know what to say to her. I wasn't sure what Ross had told her about me, if they were good things, bad things, or just random things. I kept thinking to myself, 'He's not here yet, you can still leave, and you still have time to run.' Finally, I couldn't take it anymore; I was getting up to leave when the door opened. 'Shoot,' I thought to myself, 'It's too late now.'
They couch was facing opposite the door, so he hadn't seen her yet. Monica got up off the couch and greeted him.
"Hey Ross, you'll never guess who I ran into outside of Central Perk today" "I'm thinking you're probably right, who?"
Rachel (v/o) - I figured this was the part where I stand up and show him who I am. I didn't want to, I just wanted to sink into that couch and disappear.
She stood up and turned, "Hey Ross, how ya been?"
Ross just looked at her, a very stunned look on his face.
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THE END
Sorry its so short, I had to hurry it, and again SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG TO UPDATE. The next chapter will be longer and up much sooner. PLEASE READ AND REVIEW, thanx RANDI
-----
Author's note - Well, like I said, I was sick when I wrote the first one so I tried to get this one up ASAP, but I've been really busy and I'm SO SORRY it took so long to update. It's much better than the first one. Hope you enjoy.
-----
Disclaimer - I don't own anything.
-----
Rachel stepped off the plane and into the busy airport. She'd forgotten how busy J.F.K. airport really was. She'd been to New York a few times, but not enough to have a general clue where anything was. She went to baggage claim and got her bags and attempted to hail a cab. She also had forgotten how hard that was too.
She stepped into her hotel room, trying to remember why she loved that certain hotel all that much. After she had checked into the room, she suddenly remembered why. The room was so spacious, and for such a cheap price too. She threw herself onto the bed and lay like that for the longest time. Finally she got herself up and went out to grab a late lunch/early supper. She decided to save some money by not taking a cab and just walked to her destination. She wasn't really sure where she was headed, but was just wandering around looking for a place to eat.
While she walked, she kept seeing things that reminded her of Chicago. Things like Duke's Book store, except here it was Luke's Book Store, and little things like that. She came across a little coffee shop in the village. Central Perk was its name, and it looked almost exactly like the place where she and Ross spent countless hours together, along with one or two other people.
* FLASHBACK *
Rachel was sitting there with Abby and Kallie waiting for Ross to get back from the set. Abby spoke up "Hey Rachel, what's up with you and Ross?" Rachel sighed, "Well, I guess its time you guys were told. Ross is moving to New York and I'm moving to San Francisco." "WHAT!?!?!?!" was the reply she received. "You guys, please don't say anything, I just want to enjoy out last few days together, ok?" "How long have you guys known?" Kallie asked "Around a week," Rachel said sheepishly, looking down at the ground. "How could you keep something like this from us, we're your best friends," Abby sharply replied. "I didn't want to believe it myself, I thought if no one else know, it might not be real, might not be true, I'm sorry guys." "Whatever Rachel, we'll miss you too, did you think of that?" "I know, and you guys are my best friends, I don't want to leave you, but I have to. You know I don't want to, and if I didn't have to, I wouldn't. I'm going to have to start all over in San Francisco, and its hard to make new friends, I've never been good at that." Kallie started to cry and all three closed in for a hug as Rachel started to cry too. * End Flashback *
She jumped as someone bumped into her. "I'm sorry," the person said as she backed away. "Its ok," Rachel said as she looked at the person. "Hey, you look familiar," they both started at the same time. "Well, hi, I'm Rachel Green, from San Francisco, originally from Chicago." "Hi, I'm Monica Bing, you might know me as Monica Gellar, and yes, to answer your question, I AM related to Ross Gellar, the actor." Monica said. "Oh, My, God," Rachel said, not sure of what to do, "How is he, I mean, I haven't talked to him in around 3 years." "Whoa, wait a minute, YOU'RE Rachel, the one he's always talking about, or well, used to talk about 24/7, that Rachel?" "Well, I think I'm that Rachel, otherwise he went off and found someone with exactly the same name as me." "Oh my god, when he first got here, you were all he could talk about. He was so depressed." "I know, but I gave him my number when I left, he just never called." "Ok, well, umm, how about I take you to his apartment? Or are you busy right now, maybe later." "No, No, now is fine, I was just on my way to get something to eat, but we can stop on the way, can't we?" "Ya, of course, now let's get going. He's going to be so happy to see you."
Rachel (v/o) - She seemed so excited, taking me to Ross's place. I was glad she ran into me though, and I'm glad she stopped to look at me. Most people in New York bump into you and just keep walking. I would know. You see, I'd been here once before, trying to come see him, but when I got to his place I couldn't knock, I just left. I never could figure out why, I just couldn't. It turns out he didn't live to far from that Central Perk place, just up the street a ways, I must have subconsciously been headed to his place, even though I'd only seen it once. We stopped by a deli so I could grab a sandwich. Once we reached his place I got that feeling again, like I couldn't face him.
"C'mon Rachel, we're here," Monica told me, pulling me in. "Ok, ok, I'm coming, don't get all huffy." 'Breathe in and out,' I had to tell myself, 'Just keep breathing."
They got inside the apartment building and Rachel immediately felt like she was back in Chicago. It was almost identical, the same color paint, same stair form. She didn't want to see what it looked like inside the apartments because she knew it would ruin her current memories.
"You ready to go in Rachel?" Monica asked. "Sure, why not, let's do this."
Monica knocked, then took out her key and walked in. They walked in and both realized Ross wasn't there.
"He always leaves a note in case someone who has a key drops by," Monica told Rachel, "Here it is" "Went to the store to pick up some things, be back at around 6:30," Rachel read aloud. "Well, its 6:10 now, I think we can wait, don't you?" "It won't kill us, so why not."
They both sat down on the couch, making small talk, not really sure of what to say to each other.
Rachel (v/o) - I didn't really know what to say to her. I wasn't sure what Ross had told her about me, if they were good things, bad things, or just random things. I kept thinking to myself, 'He's not here yet, you can still leave, and you still have time to run.' Finally, I couldn't take it anymore; I was getting up to leave when the door opened. 'Shoot,' I thought to myself, 'It's too late now.'
They couch was facing opposite the door, so he hadn't seen her yet. Monica got up off the couch and greeted him.
"Hey Ross, you'll never guess who I ran into outside of Central Perk today" "I'm thinking you're probably right, who?"
Rachel (v/o) - I figured this was the part where I stand up and show him who I am. I didn't want to, I just wanted to sink into that couch and disappear.
She stood up and turned, "Hey Ross, how ya been?"
Ross just looked at her, a very stunned look on his face.
---------------------
THE END
Sorry its so short, I had to hurry it, and again SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG TO UPDATE. The next chapter will be longer and up much sooner. PLEASE READ AND REVIEW, thanx RANDI