Okay, I'm out with the next chapter. I had a tough time with this. I think I'm going through writer's block.

I've got a few points to clear up. First of all, Joey may seem a little too serious in this fic. Well, that's because six years have passed. He's bound to mature sometime. Add his marriage to Amanda, losing Rachel and having Ross hate him; its put a lot of strain on him.

As for Ross, I don't mean to make him seem rotten. He's not. Just a very confused person. As for the Jill incident, there's a little more insight in this chapter. Not much. Do not hate me for it!

Thanx to everyone for the reviews. I really live for them!

Disclaimer: You know the drill. Friends are not mine, will never be either.

Out In The Open

Joey stood up. Time to face the music.

Ross was staring at him. It was unnerving. Ross slowly walked up to him. Joey had the mad urge to push him aside and run.

Ross wasn't sure what to say. The only emotion he had felt for Joey in years was anger. It was difficult to see past that. That day at the party he was so blinded by fury, he had hardly acknowledged Joey. But today, seeing him was a shock. Joey had always had this exuberance about him. This Joey was different. More mature and somber.

"We need to talk, Joey." He had to find out if what he suspected was true. Even if it meant putting aside the hostility he felt.

Joey wasn't sure to be relieved or not. The silence was unsettling but conversation seemed an even more frightening prospect. He nodded.

"Rachel told Emma a bedtime story tonight."

Joey raised an eyebrow. "Uh, that's nice?"

Ross ignored him. " She told her a story about a princess who married someone who she didn't love and of a friend who tried to stop the wedding."

"What does this have to do with me?"

Something's never changed. "Doesn't that sound familiar? It's Rachel's life story. She married me who she didn't love and you tried to stop the wedding."

Joey refused to meet Ross' eyes.

Ross continued. "You know what my baby girl said?" Joey shook his head. "She said she thinks the friend wanted to get married to the princess himself."

Joey suddenly found it difficult to breathe. God, this was a nightmare.

Ross grimaced. "Funny thing. My Emma's a lot smarter than I am. All these years and I never even figured it out. You were in love with her." And it didn't seem like such a terrible thing anymore. Nothing did. The reason for his anger seemed so petty.

Joey thought of denying it. But what was the use? Ross knew and nothing would convince him that it wasn't true. "Yeah," he whispered.

"So why didn't you tell her?"

"She was happy, Ross. She didn't need me messing her life up. She loved you."

Ross smiled cynically. "Loved is the keyword. You know, I don't think we were even in love when we got married. I think it was something we fooled ourselves into believing."

Ross couldn't believe he was sharing this with Joey. This was the guy he professed to hate. Seems it was just another delusion he had lived under for the last few years. He had to blame someone and, in Joey, he had found a convenient scapegoat. It actually felt good getting everything out in the open.

"I've had years to analyze it. But truthfully, I think I knew I was making a mistake the day I proposed. It felt like something I had to do, not wanted to. Maybe the whole Jill incident was a way of escape. Maybe subconsciously, I wanted someone to find out and tell Rachel so that the wedding would be called off. I've come up with a thousand reasons. But I think this was one of the right ones."

Joey's eyes clouded with rage. That was something unforgivable. "How could you sink to such a low level? If you didn't want to marry her, couldn't you just tell her?"

"I'm not justifying myself. It was inexcusable. But I didn't have the courage to tell her."

Ross heaved a sigh. Joey didn't have any idea what it was like to be him. To have three divorces. Sure, they always joked about it. But it hurt. When Rachel said she would marry him, a part of him had been so glad. That part had convinced him that this marriage would make it. A small voice had tried to make itself heard. The voice, which had said - this was a mistake. But he had ruthlessly suppressed it. If only he had listened to it.

"Ross, what do you want me to do? Why are you telling me all this? You should be talking to Rachel."

"I need to know what you feel for Rachel. Have you really gotten over her?" He had a feeling he wouldn't like the answer

"Why? What difference is it going to make?"

Ross nodded. That really told him all he needed to know. And, maybe, Joey was right. It might not make any difference. He walked out of Central Perk.

Joey stared at the door. Ross had the right idea. He needed some fresh air.

****

Rachel sighed. This was an incredibly long night. She couldn't get to sleep. All she could think about was Joey. What if it was true? What then? Would it change her friendship with him?

Who was she kidding? If she hadn't been so blind, she would have noticed it long before. Their friendship was already affected. Joey had been different. He treated her differently. Even before she gave birth to Emma. But that didn't mean he was in love with her. But she suspected it did mean just that. Maybe she picked up on it. Because, if she was totally honest with herself, somewhere along the way, she had added to the change. It was subtle but it was there. So what did that mean? What did she feel for Joey? She wasn't sure she knew.

She glanced at Ross. He had come home an hour back. He didn't say a word to her. It seemed like he wanted to, but instead he just lay down in bed and fell asleep.

The doorbell rang. It was Joey. Oh god, not now. She was too vulnerable.

"Rachel, I just came to apologize for last night."

"Joey, now isn't a good time." She wanted him out of here. She was not ready to face him.

"Um, ok. I just wanted to say I'm sorry. Uh…I'll leave now." He turned to leave.

She sighed. She hated that look in his eyes. The crestfallen look. She did need to get a few things cleared up, anyway. Maybe talking to him would help. She grabbed her coat and ran after him. She wasn't sure it was the right move. But she was tired of doing the right thing.

****

She looked around Central Perk. It didn't seem any different from yesterday. "Didn't you guys work on the place today?"

"I cancelled. I really didn't feel up to it."

She sat down. Now that she was here, she really had no idea what to say. This was awkward. Stealing a glance at Joey, she guessed he felt the same.

"So…I'm sorry, Rachel."

"You already said that."

He bit his lip. It was ridiculous. He couldn't seem to think of anything else.

Rachel took a deep breath. Time to take the bull by the horns. "Joey, Emma said something tonight. She…"

He interrupted. "I know. Ross already told me."

She stared at him, dumbfounded. Ross had been here? And they had talked? And Joey was still alive? That could mean only one thing…

"You killed him!" Her eyes twinkled.

He laughed. "No, we had a talk. He told me what Emma said." He paused. "Your daughter…well, she's… right."

She gaped at him. She had had her suspicions. But to hear him say it out loud, it was a bit overwhelming. She cleared her throat. "And now?"

Joey was dreading this. Why did both of them have to ask? He slowly gave a nod.

She groaned. "Joey, why are you doing this? I don't need this." She dashed out of the coffee shop.

That was twice today that someone had walked out on him. The day was just getting worse.

****

Amanda tried to bring her attention back to the book. But she couldn't. Rachel. Why hadn't she seen that? She should have understood that Rachel was Joey's long lost love. That look on his face- when he saw Rachel for the first time in six years -should have been enough. Instead it had taken a slip from Chandler. He didn't know that Joey had never told her the woman's name. All he knew was that Joey had told her the whole story.

And Chandler had asked her how she felt now that Rachel was back in Joey's life. And that's when it clicked.

She supposed she should hate Rachel. But she couldn't. She'd never had Joey's love. Joey's love for Rachel had never waned. And Rachel? She had seen enough of the pain in her eyes to understand that life wasn't a bed of roses for her.

She supposed she really had two choices-she could keep quiet about it or confront him. Maybe it was time she did the right thing.

****

Joey locked Central Perk. He took a few steps ahead and almost tripped over Rachel. She was sitting on the pavement.

"Rach? What're you doing here?"

She gazed up at him. "Do you know how long it took to get used to this life? I was finally resigned to my fate and then you come and screw everything up."

Joey was getting ready to stammer an apology when she continued, "I haven't thought of anything but you for the past two days. Do you know what that feels like?"

"Yeah, actually. I've thought of you for six years, Rachel. So don't tell me your life is crap because you thought of the kiss for just two days." He was seething.

"I didn't say I thought of the kiss. I said I thought of you, Joey."

 Joey narrowed his eyes. He was getting confused.

She sighed. " I thought of what Emma said. I thought of our years together. And I realized that our friendship had changed. Even back then. There was something else. Something I really can't name. Something that scares the life out of me."

She cut such a wretched figure, he felt his anger melt away. He stooped down to sit next to her. She let her gaze sweep across his face searchingly.

She leaned closer to him and brought her mouth up to meet his. She felt him stiffen, for a moment. Only for a moment. His arms went around her and he deepened the kiss. It felt so perfect in his arms.

Joey pulled back. He held her close to him and buried his face in her hair. He could hear a voice in his head. Chandler's. Something he had said a long time back. 'And I'd like to believe that when the right woman comes along, you will have the courage and the guts to say- 'No thanks, I'm married'.'

He wondered if he really did have the courage and guts. Because he didn't want to.

I think I can wrap this fic up in the next chapter! So, if you want the conclusion fast, R & R!