Between Us~Chapter 9~The Questioning Begins
Hey People! I'm baaaack! Hehe I just love doing that. I'm so much less stressed this week. It's amazing. I have like no work now. Figures. FYI: I finished writing this fic! Yay!! I wrote three chapters in 2 days. I swear that's my record lol. Ok, no, I wrote four chapters of 2 different fics on a snowday once. (the first 2 chapters of this fic, actually hehe).This one is the third to last chapter in this series. So sad, I know. Oh, and I have to formally retract some statements I may have made about BluEyes. She is not mean to me, nor does she have a big head. In fact, her head is so microscopic, that I need a magnifying glass just to see it. No matter what I've said, I love her cuz she's my sexy bitch…in a sexless kind of way! *steals back matty* muwhahahahaahahahaaha! *locks him in her safe* Yay!! I think we lost sight of why we were kidnapping Matty to begin with…Ha, anyways, hopefully you wonderful readers enjoy this next chapter. Please leave me a review! Tankies!
Disclaimer: I still don't own them, although I did steal Matthew. Muwhahahahaha!! *watches as Jamie steals back Matthew* DAMNIT!
This chapter is dedicated to my very dear and weird sexy monkey buddy Yen (JenniGellerBing) in honor of her *coughs* teenth birthday which is today!! Yay!! I've been looking forward to this day all week! *gives Yen blank-teen birthday punches* that was fun! I think I'll do that more often. *kisses Yen* happy birthday babes! Thanks for being an awesome friend. I love u more than a monkey eating banana birthday cake! :-)
A month had gone by since their pact. A month of friends with benefits. And every time he would lay with Monica sleeping soundly in his arms, he would wonder where he got the strength to do this. How he could hold the woman that he felt so much for in his arms, without knowing if it was even accomplishing anything. Still, he cherished the feeling of her body against his in a way that he could communicate to no one else. It was a feeling of comfort that he had gotten from no where ever before. Of course there was that uneasiness along with it, but the good outweighed the bad—for the most part.
That day, the reunited gang sat in Central Perk, sipping coffee and exchanging anecdotes about their lives. Monica sat quietly and took it all in. They rarely all got together anymore. Sure, she would get coffee with Chandler, Phoebe and Joey almost everyday, but Ross and Rachel had families and other obligations keeping them away. However, today, Ross and Rachel had dropped their kids off at Monica's parents, and life was back to normal. Well, back to normal for just a few hours. Chandler got up and walked past Monica, his arm purposely brushing against her thigh as he rose. Well, not everything is back to normal.
"Wow," Ross stated, "We haven't all been together in a long time."
The rest nodded in agreement with Ross.
"We should really do things together more often," Phoebe decided.
"Well, Ross and I were thinking of taking the kids mini-golfing on Sunday," Rachel suggested, "The rest of you could tag along."
Chandler, returning from the restroom, quipped, "Oh, I'm tingling with excitement."
Rachel swatted his arm. "Fine, don't go."
"No," Joey whined, "If Chandler doesn't come with, then that would defeat the purpose of going in the first place! And I sure as hell don't want to go miniature golfing just 'cuz the kids want to."
"You'll make a great father," Ross added, deadpanned.
"Thanks, man. You too."
Ross threw a confused look at Chandler, who just shrugged his shoulders. He had long given up trying to figure out what Joey was saying.
"Ok, so we're all going miniature golfing on Sunday," Rachel announced, "Okay?"
They all mumbled in agreement.
Monica, listening to the conversation from within the silent shell of her life, began to feel physically sick. Since when did Rachel plan things for the gang? That was her job! But she didn't have the strength anymore to get up there and do it. She was surrendering control, and it pained her immensely. She sunk down lower on the couch and sighed sadly.
*~*~*~*
That Sunday, the gang went miniature golfing, as planned. And, as they suspected they would be, they were bored out of their minds. Ross was busy chasing after his kids. The rest of them, however, were standing at the sixth hole, listening to Rachel tell a story. However, Ross demanding that she help take care of her children cut her off.
"Fine, fine," Rachel rolled her eyes dramatically, "Never a moment's peace."
Rachel left and Joey began following her.
"Are you helping with their kids?" Phoebe wondered incredulously.
"What? Hell no, babe. I'm going to get a hotdog!"
"A hotdog?" Chandler challenged.
Joey looked away sheepishly. "Ok, three. And a pretzel."
Chandler and Monica chuckled.
"What?!" he demanded and then sulked off, with Phoebe following him.
"So, ready for the sixth hole?" Chandler questioned.
"Of course!"
"Try not to lose another ball please? The girl at the counter is beginning to think I'm coming on to her. And I don't need a child molesting case on my back."
Monica laughed and shook her head. "I won't lose it. Don't worry, this time I'll get it in. I can feel it."
"Yeah, well just keep it on the green."
Monica raised her golf club and threatened him jokingly. He backed away and then prompted her to try it.
"Ok, ok."
Monica put the purple golf ball down and bent over slightly. She had a grave look of concentration on her face as she attempted to hit the ball through the tunnel. She swung and the ball went flying over the fence of the golf course.
"Shit!" she screamed, causing an alarmed mother and a curious five-year-old girl to look at her.
"This is why we shouldn't be around kids," Chandler joked.
Monica sighed and threw down the club. "Well, I quit."
"No, no, no don't quit!" Chandler coaxed, "You can do this!"
Monica quitting was still unsettling to him. No matter what she was giving up on.
"Ya sure, since I've been doing so well so far."
"Look, I'll help you." He bent down and placed his bright green golf ball in front of her and then handed her the club. "Ok, now get into position." She bent forward and again aimed for the tunnel. Chandler stood behind her, their bodies touching, as he wrapped his arms around hers and bent forward to match her position. His voice hushed as he spoke up again, "Ok, let's try to swing together."
"Okay."
"Ready?"
"Yeah."
Monica moved the golf club backwards, and Chandler held her arms so to restrict her from gaining too much power.
"And hit it," Chandler whispered into her ear.
His warm breath and soft voice by her ear sent chills up and down her spine. Suddenly, she was very aware of how close he was to her. She restrained herself from turning around and kissing him hard and passionately on the lips. Instead, she hit the ball and sent it through the tunnel. It stopped only a few inches from the hole. However, neither Monica nor Chandler was concentrating on the ball anymore. They were too distracted by the intimacy they were sharing. Monica turned her head to face Chandler, but didn't move the rest of her body. Staring into Monica's eyes, Chandler found himself lost in her.
"Meet me behind in the parking lot?" he suggested breathlessly.
"Mmmhmm."
Chandler smiled and then let go of her. After that, he quickly rushed to their meeting spot, hardly able to contain himself for what was about to come. Monica watched his retreating figure and, once he was out of sight, scanned the area for a moment. Satisfied that no one was paying attention to her, she hurried in the direction that Chandler had gone in just moments ago.
Monica ended up behind a shed at the back of the parking lot. She looked around for a moment, but didn't see Chandler. Thinking she had the wrong place, she turned to head in another direction. However, she was stopped when she felt a gentle hand upon her shoulder. She turned around and smiled seductively.
"Hey there."
"Hi Mon."
He licked his lips and pushed her gently against the shed. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes, waiting to feel Chandler's lips upon her own. However, his lips barely brushed hers, before a voice was heard.
"Uhh…what's going on here?"
Chandler jumped away from Monica and stared wide eyed. "Pheebs, we were just…"
"Yeah?"
"Uhh…" Chandler stammered, running his hands through his hair nervously.
"Practicing," Monica finished for him.
Chandler gave her a shocked look, though Monica just shrugged helplessly in return.
"Practicing for what? The sex Olympics?!"
"I—we were just—"
"Are you two…dating?"
Monica and Chandler both looked away guiltily.
"Oh my god!"
"Look, it's not like that…"
Phoebe pointed an accusing finger at Chandler. "Don't you have a girlfriend?!"
"I uhh…" he looked down at the ground shamefully and mumbled, "Yeah, I do."
Phoebe gasped.
"Look," Monica interrupted, "He's not doing anything wrong."
Phoebe raised her eyebrows in bemusement.
"Well, okay, maybe he is. But it's cause of me."
"What?"
"Look, Chandler and I…we have these feelings for each other."
"So why don't you two date for real?"
"Because I just—I can't deal with that right now."
"Why not?"
"I just—can't."
"So Chandler's cheating on his girlfriend for you?"
"Yeah, in a nutshell."
"Well Chandler, why don't you just break up with her?"
Chandler shrugged and turned towards Monica. "She doesn't want me to."
"Wha—this is insane! Why not?"
"Well, I couldn't ask him to do that…I mean there could be something between them."
"He's cheating on her with you and you think that things could work out?"
Monica shrugged. "Yeah."
Phoebe gave her an incredulous look, but prodded no further. "I think I'll just leave you two to practice more for the Olympics." She began to leave but then stopped suddenly and turned to face them again. "Oh and take it from me, if you're gonna cheat on someone, don't do it in public." She then winked and walked away.
Monica turned to Chandler, eyeing each other, slightly dazed.
"I uhh…"
"Do you think she's gonna tell Jill?!" Chandler panicked.
"I doubt she would rat out her two best friends to a woman she can barely stand.
"Yeah you're right," Chandler paused, "She can barely stand Jill?"
"Sweetie…I was putting it nicely."
Chandler chuckled in response but stopped when Monica brushed his cheek with her thumb.
"I—I think we should get back."
"Yeah," Monica conceded, trying to hide her disappointment.
Chandler smiled apologetically and headed back to the golf course. He didn't know about her feelings, but he certainly couldn't do anything at the scene of the crime. He had already felt guilty, but Phoebe's shocked questioning had only made that emotion even more of a reality for him.
*~*~*~*
That night, Chandler was sitting in Central Perk, sipping his coffee and reading a People magazine. He was so engrossed in the story about a woman who almost died from breast cancer that he didn't notice when Phoebe sat down next to him.
"Hey, whatcha reading?"
Chandler jumped and threw the magazine down on the table. "Uhh…just about uhh…"
"By the tears in your eyes, I can tell you were reading one of those real life stories again."
Chandler looked away sheepishly.
"It's sweet?"
"Really?"
Phoebe forced a smile onto her face. "Sure."
"Thanks…"
He went back to reading, while Phoebe studied her mug nervously.
"So, uhh…Chandler?"
He looked up, sensing her nervous demeanor and immediately catching on to the reason.
"Look Pheebs, I'd rather not talk about it."
"I know, it's just…okay, fine."
"Okay."
Phoebe continued to stare at Chandler nervously. After attempting to read for a minute, he threw down the magazine in frustration.
"I can't read with you staring at me!"
"Why not? It's not like you're peeing. Which, by the way, I don't understand that either…"
Chandler rolled his eyes and turned to face her. "So, what is it that you want?"
"Well, it's just…with this Monica stuff…"
"Yeah?"
"I think you're making a big mistake."
"Pheebs--"
"Look, you don't have to listen to me, but I just need to say this, okay?"
"O—okay."
"Okay." She paused to gather her thoughts. "The thing is…I think…you and Monica…well…you guys have different ideas about your umm…relation—ship type thing…"
"What are you talking about?"
"Well, I was thinking about it…and haven't you ever questioned why she would want you to be with a girlfriend in addition to her? I mean I know that if I were a girl sleeping with a guy, I wouldn't want him with another girl."
"But—"
"Even if I'm not technically dating him."
"So…what are you trying to say?"
"I'm trying to say that I think you need to backup and reexamine what's going on with you and Monica. I have a feeling that you're carrying around more than she is."
"But—"
"Come on Chandler, open your eyes! We've all been skeptical of Monica ever since she came back. You're the only one who's been too blind to see it!"
"What are you talking about?!"
"She comes back here and she just expects everything to revolve around her!"
"That's not true!"
"Come on Chandler, take off that blindfold she's covered your eyes with!"
Chandler sat back and began to ponder Phoebe's words. She did have a point. He had wondered why Monica would want him to be with another woman, too. But he had just brushed it off, and held on to the hope that one day soon, Monica would tell him she was ready for more. That he could swoop her off her feet and take away all of her pain. Be her knight in shinning armor. Then she would fall for him, just as he had so long ago fallen for her. But was that all just an untouchable dream?
"It's just," Phoebe continued, "I think she's using you."
"Using me?"
Out of all the things he thought about Monica sleeping with him, he had never even considered that she could be using him.
"Yeah, using you."
"No, okay, no! She's not!"
"Come on Chandler! She is! Look—it just all adds up. She just wants someone to feed her growing hunger! And she found it in you! The unsuspecting, caring guy. She knows that she can rely on you not to tell anyone because you're so caring and charming, but she also knows that she can get you to do whatever she needs because you have these feelings for her. She's manipulating you for her own personal use," Phoebe picked up his magazine and began to bang it for emphasis, "Then, when she finds a guy to replace you, she'll toss you aside like this magazine!" She threw the magazine aside and watched as his eyes followed it through the air. "Chandler, I know you don't want to hear this, but you have to take off that blindfold and see the real Monica!"
"But…she wouldn't do that…"
"No, the old Monica wouldn't do that. The one who cared about us. But this new Monica…she's different. She's been hardened against sentiment. I would stay away from her, Chandler. And I'm telling you this because I care about you. I don't want to see you get hurt again. You won't listen to us when we tell you to break up with Jill because she's using you, but at least you can see it, too. I just don't want you to be unsuspecting when she gives you the walking papers."
"I—I—"
"Just think about it. Be aware of it."
Chandler nodded, his heart aching. Maybe Phoebe was right. How could he have not seen the warning signs? Phoebe moved over and hugged him tightly. He sighed and closed his eyes, willing the tears not to fall. He shouldn't have gotten so attached to Monica. He had told himself not to, and yet, here he was, with his heart in harm's way. And the only person he thought would protect his heart and eventually help it heal was the one person who was shattering his already broken heart into a million other pieces.
"Wh—what should I do?"
"End it with her…"
"I—"
"Just think about it for a bit?"
"Yeah," he answered distractedly, "Okay."
Ok, I swear it gets better...just stick with me. And I'm not trying to make Monica in a bad guy…u'll see, okay? Lol. Leave a review cuz Chuck's getting awfully close to my compooper.;-) HAPPY BIRTHDAY YEN!! EEEE!!