A/N - Thanks for the reviews but one thing - teacherchez thank you for
sharing you opinion. Sometimes I don't like fanfics where the writer
changes everything. But that's why they're fiction. Or maybe you thought in
the new series Monica moved to LA, married Kip, killed Kip and everyone
else did a helluva lot more things than usual. Also I'm gonna say Joey and
Phoebe are a bit older than the others. Only by about 10 years. So Monica's
about 25 and J/P are 35. OK? I need it for later chapters.
This is dedicated to my Grandad Roy. I love you loads Grandad, I hope you're happy wherever you are.
Chapter 2
Monica rolled out of bed the next morning. God she hated getting up early. She really should of tidied up last night. She unwillingly got dressed and walked, almost robotically, down the stairs and into the pub. The place was exactly how she had left it last night. A mess.
"Great" she muttered to herself, "Just great"
She grudgingly began picking up glasses and throwing crisp packets into her already full bins. Just as she slammed the lid shut she heard someone banging on her door.
"We're closed!" she shouted back, "And who needs a drink at 9 o'clock in the morning!"
"I don't want a drink" came the muffled reply.
"Jesus! Rachel!" Monica muttered as she ran to the door and unlocked it allowing her friend to enter. "So how ya been?" Monica asked as they both walked towards the living area of the pub.
Monica's living room was only a stone's throw away from the actual bar and was mainly used as the reception to Geller's B&B. Monica had inherited the pub years ago when her mum died. There were far too many bedrooms for one person so she rented them out to tourists. Gave her a nice bit of pocket money and usually brought in business for the pub. Rachel had said she was insane to give up her job in Dublin and move back here. But this was where Monica had grown up. She'd never been close to her mother and somehow running her pub made her feel better. Like after all these years she was finally making the effort.
"I'm fine thanks" Rachel replied settling herself in one of Monica's chairs, "Anyway. . . . . " she began and Monica knew she had gossip. She'd gotten that look in her eyes, "Have you met the new priest?"
"Yep. I gave him a lift last night"
"What are you doing giving lifts to priests?!" Rachel asked sounding shocked, "You never have anything to do with the clergy"
"I didn't know he was a priest till I picked him up did I?!" Monica snapped back. The truth was before she realised he was a priest she had been drawn to him. She felt there was a connection with him. But then she was Monica, jump in with two feet and sod the consequences. "anyway he seemed nice"
Rachel gave a slight giggle, "Monica Geller, paying a compliment to a priest. I never thought I'd see the day!"
The two friends laughed. Passing the time as best friends do.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Ross Gellar (* had to change the name cos' for the purposes of this story they aren't related *) walked down the main road, towards the pub. He always called in there after work for a quiet drink and most of the time to see Rachel. She and Monica were best friends, had been for as long as he could remember. The three of them had grown up together, gone to school together; university together and now they were all back where they'd started. Joey used to babysit them all. And Phoebe was the one they went to every time they ran away. Ross loved living here, it was beautiful sure, but you knew everyone. You always had. And everyone knew you. You could count on every single person and you didn't have to worry about strangers running into the village and opening a McDonalds or a multi-screen cinema. Just then a strange man walked up to Ross and offered him his hand. Warily Ross shook it.
"Hi" said the man, smiling at Ross, "My names Chandler Bing. I'm the new priest"
"The what?" Ross asked, surprised. This man looked far too young to be a priest. They'd always gotten older priests here. The kind that arrived when no one was looking and waited for you all to come to mass before you got an introduction. And then it was only 'Fr something' never a first name. Ross noticed that Chandler was giving him strange looks and decided he'd better introduce himself.
"Ross Gellar" he replied, "I teach at the village school"
The priest looked puzzled. "Gellar?" he repeated, "I think I just met your sister"
It was Ross' turn to look puzzled. "My sister?" he echoed, "But my sister lives in. . . ." suddenly he understood, "Monica! You mean Monica! She's not my sister"
"But your names?"
"No relation. Spelt differently. No idea why there are two. We used to laugh about it at school"
Chandler smiled and this seemed to relax Ross. He no longer seemed wary of Chandler; instead he offered him a drink.
"Monica's pub's only across the road. It'll give you a chance to meet her. And everyone else. It's pretty busy around this time"
Chandler nodded and the two men walked across the road, looking forward to a nice pint.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Joey!" Monica laughed, "Santa's not real! I'm sorry but he's not!"
Joey looked heartbroken, "Someone told Joseph the same thing today! Where do people come up with this stuff? Santa's not real, the tooth fairy doesn't visit. There's no Easter Bunny. I mean c'mon! Give me a little credit!"
"We're sorry Joey" Rachel butted in, deciding this conversation needed ending before it got out of hand, "Of course Santa's real. We were just messing around"
"Good" Joey said, relieved that his hero was real.
"Now that that's over can I get anyone a drink?"
The contents of the bar started shouting out their orders. Monica smiled. She was back where she belonged.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Hours later Monica was just getting ready to close up. "Time people!" she shouted into the now almost empty pub as she rung the bell. "C'mon! Do you not have homes to go to?"
Eventually people started to leave. Monica noticed that Ross and Rachel snuck off together. She was pleased for them. Ever since school it had been obvious they were made for each other. Soon Joey fell asleep at the bar and Monica knew it really was time to close.
"Hey Pheebs!" she shouted to her friend, "Can you help Joey home. I think he's just tired"
"Sure thing" Phoebe replied, "Up we go!" she said to an unconscious Joey as she lifted him over her shoulder and carried him out of the pub. Monica waved goodbye to the last of her customers and was just about to start cleaning when she noticed the priest was still there. "You should go" she said gesturing to him, "It's getting late"
"It's OK. I don't mind helping"
"Fine suit yourself. You can get the ashtrays then"
Chandler smiled and shook his head. He started to clear out the ashtrays and the pair worked in silence until Chandler spoke. "So, will I be seeing you in mass?"
Monica laughed "Me in mass! Ha! You've as much chance of the Pope being caught with a prostitute!"
"Not a religious person then?"
"Not a priest liking person"
"Why?" Chandler asked setting down the ashtray he was emptying and looking straight at Monica, "What are you trying to hide?"
Monica looked straight back at him for a moment before breaking the look, "Please spare me the psycho analysis"
"But what are you. . . . . " Chandler began again
"Listen", Monica said as she started walking towards him, "Whatever I'm hiding is none of your business. And you won't find it out"
"What makes you so sure. Us priests have a sixth sense you know" he said in an attempt to lighten the atmosphere
Monica walked right up to him, he could feel her breath on his face. He could smell her hair. She was so close he could just reach down and kiss her.
"Because" she said, "I don't want you to. And I always get what I want"
A/N - Well chapter 2's done! Yay!! Erm. . . . gonna write the next part soon, but first I gotta write chapter 5 of Broken Promises, Shattered Dreams (P.S - please read!) Hope you enjoyed it. More M/C action cumin up!!
~*Nina*~
This is dedicated to my Grandad Roy. I love you loads Grandad, I hope you're happy wherever you are.
Chapter 2
Monica rolled out of bed the next morning. God she hated getting up early. She really should of tidied up last night. She unwillingly got dressed and walked, almost robotically, down the stairs and into the pub. The place was exactly how she had left it last night. A mess.
"Great" she muttered to herself, "Just great"
She grudgingly began picking up glasses and throwing crisp packets into her already full bins. Just as she slammed the lid shut she heard someone banging on her door.
"We're closed!" she shouted back, "And who needs a drink at 9 o'clock in the morning!"
"I don't want a drink" came the muffled reply.
"Jesus! Rachel!" Monica muttered as she ran to the door and unlocked it allowing her friend to enter. "So how ya been?" Monica asked as they both walked towards the living area of the pub.
Monica's living room was only a stone's throw away from the actual bar and was mainly used as the reception to Geller's B&B. Monica had inherited the pub years ago when her mum died. There were far too many bedrooms for one person so she rented them out to tourists. Gave her a nice bit of pocket money and usually brought in business for the pub. Rachel had said she was insane to give up her job in Dublin and move back here. But this was where Monica had grown up. She'd never been close to her mother and somehow running her pub made her feel better. Like after all these years she was finally making the effort.
"I'm fine thanks" Rachel replied settling herself in one of Monica's chairs, "Anyway. . . . . " she began and Monica knew she had gossip. She'd gotten that look in her eyes, "Have you met the new priest?"
"Yep. I gave him a lift last night"
"What are you doing giving lifts to priests?!" Rachel asked sounding shocked, "You never have anything to do with the clergy"
"I didn't know he was a priest till I picked him up did I?!" Monica snapped back. The truth was before she realised he was a priest she had been drawn to him. She felt there was a connection with him. But then she was Monica, jump in with two feet and sod the consequences. "anyway he seemed nice"
Rachel gave a slight giggle, "Monica Geller, paying a compliment to a priest. I never thought I'd see the day!"
The two friends laughed. Passing the time as best friends do.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Ross Gellar (* had to change the name cos' for the purposes of this story they aren't related *) walked down the main road, towards the pub. He always called in there after work for a quiet drink and most of the time to see Rachel. She and Monica were best friends, had been for as long as he could remember. The three of them had grown up together, gone to school together; university together and now they were all back where they'd started. Joey used to babysit them all. And Phoebe was the one they went to every time they ran away. Ross loved living here, it was beautiful sure, but you knew everyone. You always had. And everyone knew you. You could count on every single person and you didn't have to worry about strangers running into the village and opening a McDonalds or a multi-screen cinema. Just then a strange man walked up to Ross and offered him his hand. Warily Ross shook it.
"Hi" said the man, smiling at Ross, "My names Chandler Bing. I'm the new priest"
"The what?" Ross asked, surprised. This man looked far too young to be a priest. They'd always gotten older priests here. The kind that arrived when no one was looking and waited for you all to come to mass before you got an introduction. And then it was only 'Fr something' never a first name. Ross noticed that Chandler was giving him strange looks and decided he'd better introduce himself.
"Ross Gellar" he replied, "I teach at the village school"
The priest looked puzzled. "Gellar?" he repeated, "I think I just met your sister"
It was Ross' turn to look puzzled. "My sister?" he echoed, "But my sister lives in. . . ." suddenly he understood, "Monica! You mean Monica! She's not my sister"
"But your names?"
"No relation. Spelt differently. No idea why there are two. We used to laugh about it at school"
Chandler smiled and this seemed to relax Ross. He no longer seemed wary of Chandler; instead he offered him a drink.
"Monica's pub's only across the road. It'll give you a chance to meet her. And everyone else. It's pretty busy around this time"
Chandler nodded and the two men walked across the road, looking forward to a nice pint.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Joey!" Monica laughed, "Santa's not real! I'm sorry but he's not!"
Joey looked heartbroken, "Someone told Joseph the same thing today! Where do people come up with this stuff? Santa's not real, the tooth fairy doesn't visit. There's no Easter Bunny. I mean c'mon! Give me a little credit!"
"We're sorry Joey" Rachel butted in, deciding this conversation needed ending before it got out of hand, "Of course Santa's real. We were just messing around"
"Good" Joey said, relieved that his hero was real.
"Now that that's over can I get anyone a drink?"
The contents of the bar started shouting out their orders. Monica smiled. She was back where she belonged.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Hours later Monica was just getting ready to close up. "Time people!" she shouted into the now almost empty pub as she rung the bell. "C'mon! Do you not have homes to go to?"
Eventually people started to leave. Monica noticed that Ross and Rachel snuck off together. She was pleased for them. Ever since school it had been obvious they were made for each other. Soon Joey fell asleep at the bar and Monica knew it really was time to close.
"Hey Pheebs!" she shouted to her friend, "Can you help Joey home. I think he's just tired"
"Sure thing" Phoebe replied, "Up we go!" she said to an unconscious Joey as she lifted him over her shoulder and carried him out of the pub. Monica waved goodbye to the last of her customers and was just about to start cleaning when she noticed the priest was still there. "You should go" she said gesturing to him, "It's getting late"
"It's OK. I don't mind helping"
"Fine suit yourself. You can get the ashtrays then"
Chandler smiled and shook his head. He started to clear out the ashtrays and the pair worked in silence until Chandler spoke. "So, will I be seeing you in mass?"
Monica laughed "Me in mass! Ha! You've as much chance of the Pope being caught with a prostitute!"
"Not a religious person then?"
"Not a priest liking person"
"Why?" Chandler asked setting down the ashtray he was emptying and looking straight at Monica, "What are you trying to hide?"
Monica looked straight back at him for a moment before breaking the look, "Please spare me the psycho analysis"
"But what are you. . . . . " Chandler began again
"Listen", Monica said as she started walking towards him, "Whatever I'm hiding is none of your business. And you won't find it out"
"What makes you so sure. Us priests have a sixth sense you know" he said in an attempt to lighten the atmosphere
Monica walked right up to him, he could feel her breath on his face. He could smell her hair. She was so close he could just reach down and kiss her.
"Because" she said, "I don't want you to. And I always get what I want"
A/N - Well chapter 2's done! Yay!! Erm. . . . gonna write the next part soon, but first I gotta write chapter 5 of Broken Promises, Shattered Dreams (P.S - please read!) Hope you enjoyed it. More M/C action cumin up!!
~*Nina*~