Foreword: And to the tune of considerable fanfare and merriment, here it is! My first Friends fan fic! Well, the first chapter of my first Friends fan fic. This story begins about 2 years before the pilot episode. So please, read, enjoy, and review!
Author's Note: I've done my best to stay very true to the little time references scattered throughout the show, but as you probably know, there are a lot of conflicts and mistakes. I've done my best, though!
Disclaimer: Of course I don't own any of these characters. If I did, I would probably not be posting fan fiction on this website. I would have my name in bold letters in the credits of must-see TV. Maybe someday.
Copyright 2002 MusicCityDiva
Monica: Best Left Forgotten
Monica Geller flung open the door of the room that had been hers for twenty-four years and grinned at the emptiness of it. Four more boxes. Just four more and she would be gone. Out of her parents' house forever.
She had never planned on living here this long. But when her best friend from high school, Rachel Green, had drifted out of her life, their plans for getting a swanky apartment in the city had vanished as well.
After all, it wasn't like she had had any other high school pals to turn to. No one had wanted to be friends with the fat girl--even if she did happen to make the world's best devil's food cake. And by the time she had gotten thin enough to be mistaken for an entirely different person, she had all ready graduated high school. There had been potential to make friends at the culinary academy she had attended, but living off campus had hindered that. Besides, halfway through her first year, she had been too preoccupied with thoughts of the boy she could never have to care about meeting new guys within her reach.
Chandler Bing. Monica smiled ruefully at the thought of her first real crush. She remembered how she used to doodle his name on the covers of all her notebooks.
Chandler Bing.
Mr. and Mrs. Chandler Bing.
Monica Geller-Bing.
Monica + Chandler = 4-Ever.
It was a goofy name--one Rachel used to make fun of constantly and had probably led to the fizzling of the girls' friendship. Monica had tearfully confessed her yearning for Chandler to her best friend, but soon wished she hadn't as Rachel's popularity amplified and Monica's dwindled more than ever. Monica's unrequited crush suddenly became fuel for Rachel's jokes as Monica's so-called best friend began to make sure the popular kids were within earshot before asking Monica "So how's Chandler Bing?" And then she'd make that irritating 'bing!' sound--every single time.
Whether it was for Rachel's sake or for her own, Monica wasn't sure, but she eventually stopped calling Rachel completely. Her brother Ross was almost more upset about the situation than Monica was, in light of his lingering crush on Rachel. Monica never had the heart to confide in her brother her feelings for his roommate, letting Ross instead believe that the damaged friendship was her own fault. It was just as well, she thought. The Greens had recently joined a country club, and Rachel had been enthralled by "the scene" as she liked to call it.
Monica's hopes had increased dramatically when Ross asked Chandler to be best man at his wedding to his college girlfriend Carol the summer after his and Chandler's graduation. This was it--her big chance. Monica fervently planned every detail, from getting Chandler alone to confessing her undying love to his fervent acceptance to their own 'happily ever after'. Dazzled by wedding fever, Monica began to revel in fantasies of her own big day, even pulling out the wedding book she had been compiling as long as she could remember. The day of Ross' and Carol's wedding, Monica walked dreamily down the aisle on Chandler's arm, thinking more of her chances with Chandler than of her brother's big event.
But her plans of making a move were shattered at the reception when Chandler announced his plans to move upstate for an entry-level data processing job. Gripping the letter she had composed for him in one hand, Monica quietly excused herself from the head table before discreetly rushing to nurse her grief in the privacy of the ladies' restroom.
'I guess that's the one that got away.' Monica shook herself out of her reverie and resisted the nostalgic urge to rummage through the last four boxes in an effort to find that letter that she knew she'd saved.
'Later,' she promised herself, as she stacked one box on top of another and proceeded to carry them downstairs. Ross was waiting next to the doorway, impatiently glaring at his watch.
"Come on, Mon!" he whined. "Carol is supposed to be home by now!"
Monica peered around the stack of boxes to glare back at her brother. "It would get done faster if I had some help," she retorted pointedly. "There are two more boxes upstairs."
Ross sighed audibly and trudged up the stairs, muttering to himself the whole way. Monica rolled her eyes and opened her mouth to yell an insult, but quickly shut it as her parents walked into the room.
"Now, dear, Ross hasn't carried all those boxes by himself, has he? Why don't you go help him?" Judy Geller asked her daughter accusingly before lowering her voice to a conspiratol tone. "He and Carol are trying to get pregnant, you know. We don't want Ross under any unnecessary strain."
"Mom, Ross is under strain when he lifts a pencil, okay?" Monica retorted. "Plus, have you really thought this through? Do we really want a possible prototype of Ross running around? His kid could be exactly like him!"
Judy smiled dreamily. "Yes, wouldn't it be wonderful? To have all those brains in one family!" She leveled her gaze meaningfully on Monica. "Besides, I have to do everything I can to ensure that I have a grandchild. Ross might be my only hope!"
Every defense system in Monica switched to alert. Not THIS argument again. "Mother…"
As usual, Jack Geller quickly interrupted his feuding wife and daughter. "Now, Judy, I'm sure our little Harmonica will meet someone in the city. Maybe even in her building!" He smiled at Monica reassuringly. "Have you got enough money, sweetie?"
Monica couldn't help but smile at her father, although uneasily. "Yeah, I'm fine, Dad. Thanks."
Jack reached out to tousle Monica's hair. "You're sure? Laundry money?" he asked, pulling a quarter "magically" from behind Monica's right ear.
Monica laughed and accepted the quarter. "I'll use it for my first load, Dad."
Just then, a muffled voice called out from behind a stack of boxes. Three Gellers turned toward the stairs as the fourth staggered down. "Can someone give me a hand here?"
Judy flashed Monica a knowing glance as Jack went to help his son.
***
An hour and a half later, all the boxes had been loaded into the U-haul attached to Carol's car, and Monica sat fuming in the front passenger seat as Ross navigated his way towards Monica's new home. Glancing sideways at his sister, he attempted to initiate conversation once again.
"So do you have everything you need for the apartment?" he asked.
Monica gave a half-hearted shrug.
Ross kept pushing. "Excited about moving in? Being on your own for the first time?"
The response this time, as far as Ross could tell, was some sort of affirmative grunt. That was enough to encourage Ross to pursue the topic. He searched his mind for something else to say, words flying out of his mouth before he had time to think.
"I can't believe YOU got the apartment. It took Carol and I forever to find something, and the whole time Nana had the perfect place. Geez, I wish..."
Monica cut in, turning in her seat to glare at her brother. "Ross, you all ready have everything! You're married, you have a good job, and ironically enough, you even have the perfect parents! Would you please let me have just this one thing?"
Startled, Ross began to protest. "But I didn't..."
Monica wasn't done talking. "I appreciate your helping me move in and everything, but after this, I don't really see a reason that we have to hang out more than we have before, just because we live in the same city. Okay?"
Ross simply shrugged and turned a stony gaze on the road. "Yeah. Fine. Whatever you want."
Monica fought back feelings of guilt as she realized that she had hurt her brother's feelings. Biting back an apology, she reminded herself that this was what she wanted. Total independence. Freedom to completely reinvent herself. The ability to forget everything that had led up to this point.
And with the promise of new beginnings within her grasp, Monica rolled down the window to let in the summer air and really smiled for the first time in months.
***
Whether it was nervous anticipation or simply the New York summer heat, Monica's hands were sweating too much to get a firm grip on her key. The pile of clothes draped over one arm didn't make the situation any easier. Monica fumbled with the little piece of metal in another attempt to get it into the lock, and let out a muffled scream of frustration as the key clattered to the floor. A creak on the stairs made her glance over her shoulder, hoping that Ross had returned, but no more footsteps came. Turning back to her dilemma, Monica peered around the heap of clothes at the key, silently willing it to jump back into her hands. No such luck. Seeing no other options, she leaned slightly sideways in an effort to pick it up without dropping the stack in her arms. But the situation went from bad to worse as the dress on top began to slide, catching its hanger on the doorknob and bringing the other items with it. Monica was suddenly blinded as a jacket flopped over her head and the hanger tangled itself in her hair. She was only dimly aware of a door opening as she began to lose balance.
"Whoa!" Monica heard a voice exclaim at the exact moment she felt sturdy hands grasp her upper arms in an attempt to keep her upright. It almost worked, too, except for the evening dress that had somehow gotten wrapped around her left leg. Monica's attempt to regain her footing only resulted in her sliding dangerously on the hem of the dress, and she crashed to the floor, bringing the greatest portion of her wardrobe—and her rescuer—with her.
Monica hadn't even managed to remove the clothes covering her face when Ross reappeared. She heard approaching footsteps come to a sudden halt, and then her brother's voice as he took in the scene.
"Wha--? How...how did this happen?" he stuttered unbelieving.
Monica couldn't seem to find the light of day through the stack of clothing covering her. "I'll explain in a minute, Ross, but do you think maybe you could help me out here?" No answer. "Ross?" She yanked at the hanger tangled in her hair, tearing out quite a few strands, but finally managing to uncover her face. Looking up at her brother, she saw that he was not stunned into silence by her predicament, but by the man on the ground next to her. Without standing up, Monica turned and looked into the face of her unfortunate rescuer and saw the last person she'd ever expect. The three stared at each other for a moment that dragged on forever before Ross found his voice and joyfully exclaimed the name of the man she never thought she'd see again.
"Chandler!"
TO BE CONTINUED…