Between Us~Chapter 11~Not Just Between Us
Ya know what's really cool? Well, I'm really quiet in school cuz I hate everyone and everyone hates me…yeah no that's not true, but I never feel really comfortable at school ever since I switched last year…and it's really cool when I say something really deep and they all are amazed. Like, they know I (used to) get good grades :(, but they think I have like no substance. Yeah, nothing really happened to make me feel like that recently, but I'm just saying I love it. I think that's the main reason I keep quiet…to be mysterious, ya know? Cuz I don't shut up to my friends lol. Ok, anyway, totally off topic… OMG this is it…the last chapter!! Excited? I know u are! You guys have been awesome! This is the first fic that has broken 100 reviews without being over 10 chapters! That's so awesome to me! Lol u guys rule! Thanks for being so inspiring. This chapter is dedicated to everyone who has reviewed this fic and hopefully will review this last chapter. Please, please tell me what u think. It's so helpful. I love u all! (lol can I say it once more? I LOVE U!)
Disclaimer: For the last fricken time, I don't own them! I only own Yen…who is my update buddy again btw! (well, she was my update buddy for my other fic before, but that's ok) so u should all check out her new fic, At First Sight (not love is blind or at frist sight lol oops), because it's totally awesome! (true dat, true dat) Yen, I love u more than a monkey eating a cabbage in the Amazon! *pinches yen's lil finger* Hey, I want my pink underwear back!
Tears streamed down Monica's cheeks as she rocked her body back and forth nervously. Ross was on her right side while Rachel was on her left, as they sat on the couch in her and Chandler's apartment. Ross moved in and hugged her closely as Rachel rubbed her knee soothingly.
"Mon," Rachel soothed, "I'm sure he's okay."
"But he just left and," she paused to hiccup and then continued desperately, "He was so upset 'cause Jill dumped him and he ran out of the apartment and I--"
"Shh," Ross added as he drew Monica closer to him, "Chandler can take care of himself."
"I know, it's just he was so upset and I'm afraid he wasn't thinking straight and might do something stupid. Something that he might regret…that we all might regret."
"Now Monica," Rachel continued, "Joey and Phoebe are looking for him, okay? You just have to calm down and wait patiently, okay?"
"I'll--I'll try," Monica conceded timidly as her body convulsed with a repressed hiccup.
"Now, I'm just going to call our neighbors and check up on the kids, okay Mon?"
She nodded and sniffed. Ross kissed her hair, let go of her small frame, and went over to the kitchen counter, where the phone was lying. Rachel moved closer on the couch and squeezed Monica's hand as her body trembled slightly with another silent hiccup.
"You want some water?"
Monica nodded and watched as Rachel rose to get her a bottle of spring water from the refrigerator. Feeling vulnerable and alone on the empty couch, tears began to once again fall from Monica's eyes. Even though she knew that Rachel was only a few feet away, Chandler's absence left her feeling completely void and empty. Upon noticing her tears, Rachel rushed back, bottle in her hand. She handed it to Monica and then grabbed her hand once more.
"Don't worry sweetie, everything's going to be okay."
Monica nodded and hiccupped again before taking a small sip of water. She felt the cold, clear water running down her throat and settling within her. Immediately after she drank, she felt so sick with fear that she was about to throw up. She swallowed hard and squeezed her eyes shut. Once her eyes were shut, however, she began to see images of Chandler, hurt and angry, flood her mind. Then, his eyes shot into her mind like a lightning bolt. They were burning with regret and pain. Suddenly, it was all clear to her. Perhaps he had become impatient with her, but she had never realized just how much she had been asking from him. Chandler, on the other hand, wasn't given the one thing he wanted from her in return—her love. How could she have ever been so selfishly blind to Chandler's feelings? All of a sudden, she began to sob again. However, this time, it was out of sorrow and guilt more than it was of fear for him. What if she had lost him forever? Monica leaned her head on Rachel's shoulder, as Rachel stroked her dark hair gently. Soon, she drifted into a light, fitful slumber.
Ten minutes later, Monica was jolted from sleep upon hearing the door open. She sighed sorrowfully when she realized that it was only Ross re-entering the apartment. He had decided to check Central Perk and see if, perhaps, Chandler had found refuge there. His reasoning was that Chandler was right under their noses, but they were too worried and paranoid to realize it. Disappointingly, Ross had been wrong. Joey and Phoebe, on the other hand, had been searching all over the city for over two hours now. It was getting increasingly dark and unsafe for anyone to be out, especially alone, in the city. A half an hour later, Phoebe and Joey returned, empty handed, to her apartment. At that realization, Monica began to cry yet again as she buried her face in her brother's warm shoulder. Phoebe watched Monica heartbrokenly, unable to face Monica. She had, after all, been the one to convince Chandler to end things between them. Then again, perhaps this was just a much-needed eye opener on Monica's part. Phoebe felt Joey's strong arms wrap around her from behind and she rested her head against his chest, physically drained from their long search of the vast city and emotionally drained from her many thoughts and anxieties.
By 2 AM, everyone else, aside from Ross, had left the apartment. He and Monica were huddled on the couch, and although in the wrong position to see it, they had the television blaring and the lights out in the background. Anything was better than the nerve-racking silence of waiting fearfully, with no knowledge whatsoever of what was to come. Monica found herself inwardly making promises, in the darkness of the untamable night. But those promises--they were not only to herself, but to Chandler as well. Chandler, if you come home now, I'll let you love me, She begged him, I'll let you in my life and I'll love you back...no, no, I already love you…I'll just let you know it…allow you to know the depths of my love! You are my life, please, please, come home! She closed her eyes and rested against her slumbering brother's chest. However, this time, the sweet release of sleep didn't come to her. Instead, after a half an hour lacking in success, she rose from her spot and walked over to the window. She watched the moon glistening in the dark night sky and wondered where, underneath the unflinching watch of that same moon, Chandler was hiding.
Suddenly, she was jolted out of her thoughts by the door being forcefully thrown opening. She turned around hopefully and saw a dark figure enter the apartment forcefully.
"Chandler?" she asked expectantly.
Ross, upon hearing the bustle, rose and walked over to Monica. "Hey Chandler," he started gently, "Are you okay?"
Chandler didn't answer their questioning. Instead, he moved over to the counter and leaned against it. He looked down at his hands that were resting on the white tiles, instead of focusing on the curious eyes above him. It was too much pressure for him to handle. Too many questions he was unfit to answer.
"Chandler?" Ross tried again.
Chandler looked up, the darkness graciously concealing his tearstained cheeks.
"What?"
"Where were you!? We've been worried sick!"
Chandler shrugged, hiding behind a façade of callousness.
Monica, who had drifted a bit behind Ross, began to move closer to him once again. Chandler, noticing this, took in a shaky breath and mustered up enough courage in order to meet her half way. He looked at her, her face visible to him by only the soft light of the moon, in a tense silence. Monica began to tremble as she searched his face anxiously for any clue to his feelings. However, his face was blank, pacifying not a single thought in her curious mind. Chandler's hands began to move closer to hers, and finally grasped them lightly. Their fingers entwined, both completely deaf to everything surrounding them, aside from their own steady breathing. It wasn't until Ross cleared his throat loudly that they shifted their gaze.
"Chandler, where were you?" he repeated forcefully, "Ya know, we were out there half the night looking for you!"
"You don't have to look for me," Chandler stated calmly, "I can look out for myself."
"Yes, but when one of your best friend disappears into the dangerous city alone at night and you get a call from your sister, who's sobbing uncontrollably because she's afraid you're hurt, it's hard not to care."
Chandler kept his eyes focused intently on Ross. "Does Monica really care?"
"Yeah," she whispered, "A lot."
"Yeah?" he turned back towards her and grasped her hands lightly once again. In a somber tone, he began, "I was thinking a lot when I was out."
"Yeah," Monica wondered breathlessly, "What about?"
"About us. About how I want…no need…more."
Without leaving time for Monica to answer, Chandler leaned in and kissed her sweetly on the lips.
"Woah, what's going on here?!" Ross demanded.
He was so confused. One minute his sister was crying that Chandler was depressed since Jill had broken up with him and then, the next moment, he was kissing her! No doubt a rebound kiss, he thought angrily as he studied his distraught friend closely.
Chandler pulled back and they both searched each other's faces intently, neither paying any attention to Ross' protests.
"I was thinking about us, too."
"You were?"
"Yeah. Look, Chandler, I was being selfish. I wanted both your heart and your body, but was too afraid to give you my heart in return. I was afraid of being hurt again."
"So am I, Mon! So much! And then I was so confused 'cuz every time you pushed me away, emotionally, my heart cracked just a bit each time."
"I'm sorry, it's just…I had to push you away. You were giving me everything that I wanted," Monica looked away shamefully, "And it just…seemed too good to not be taken away from me again."
Chandler put two fingers beneath Monica's chin and lifted her head gently. He then cupped her face softly in his hands, caressing her cheeks lightly with his thumbs. "Mon, I need more than what you were willing to give me before."
"I know."
"I don't want this to be between us anymore! I want it to be between the entire world! I want to be able to declare my love for you from the rooftops and--"
"You really love me?"
Chandler dropped his hands from her face and looked away sheepishly. "Yeah, I do."
"And this isn't just 'cause you broke up with Jill?"
"I've loved you before I even met Jill, Mon! I just didn't realize it. I've loved you ever since the first time our lips touched that night in London…maybe even before that."
"What do you mean," Ross challenged, "In London?!"
Chandler ignored Ross' outburst and looked down at the ground. This time, however, Monica was the one to lift his face in order for him to meet her own gaze.
"I've felt the same way."
Chandler did a double take. "Re--really?"
Monica nodded and whispered gently, "I love you, too, Chandler."
Chandler, however, still looked slightly suspicious, so Monica leaned in to place a reassuring kiss on his lips. Chandler timidly wrapped his arms around Monica's waist, but gained more confidence when he felt Monica's tongue enter his mouth.
Chandler held Monica in his arms long after they broke the kiss, as warm tears of relief streamed down Monica's flushed face. Chandler placed soft, reassuring kisses on her forehead, then her nose, then her cheeks, kissing away her tears. They leaned in for another kiss, this time their lips locked in a passionate embrace. They jumped back, however, when Ross' voice broke through their much-needed intimacy.
"What the hell is going on here?!"
"Well, I think," Chandler answered softly, although still looking into Monica's eyes, "Monica and I are in a relationship."
"What?" Ross asked, stunned.
"No, Chandler's wrong." Chandler threw Monica a panicked look and she smiled teasingly. "I know Chandler and I are in a relationship."
Chandler smiled, his stomach churning with excitement. He was finally getting what he had dreamed of for so long. He kissed Monica passionately, his hands cradling her head gently in a loving embrace. Monica broke the kiss and looked up into Chandler's blue eyes, as they danced with excitement and relief in the soft light of the moon. She smiled broadly, unable to keep her excitement from overflowing. It was at that moment when she realized that maybe…just maybe, things would work out for her this time.
Ok, that's…it…wow….it feels so weird to say I'm finished a fic. Wow…lol. It just…doesn't happen so often…lol. Thanks again for being such a great…audience (?) and I love u all! Please leave me a final review! Thanks for sticking through till the end. Oh, and Chuck is enjoying his new home in Yen's house…:) Masebee…u're next…muwhahahahahahaha! Bye all!!