A New Face
*Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, blah, blah, blah...
Author's note: This story takes place during World War II. I don't know where the hell it came
from but I decided to write it down before it left. Monica and Rachel are 16 and Ross and
Chandler are 18. I don't know how or if Phoebe and Joey will fit in. Oh yeah, now I remember
where this came from...I was looking at my grandparents' wedding pictures and listening to
stories about my grandma's childhood. Anyways, enjoy!*
Monica Geller sat on the worn out chair in the Geller family's Woodlawn (Bronx...that's
where my grandma's from) home. She was bent over her favorite book in her extended library:
Gone With the Wind. There was something about the story that made her feel safe. Sure, the
United States was far from the war that was raging through Europe, but this book transported her
to another time and place all together. She was lost in the romance between Scarlett and Rhett
when her mother's voice interrupted her.
"Monica? Where are you?"
"In here, Mom," Monica responded, closing her book, slightly irritated.
Her mother breezed in, gloves, jacket, and hat in hand. "Honestly, Monica," she said,
pressing her lips together, "We'll be late for Ross's graduation."
Monica sighed and stood up, smoothing her solid black skirt and adjusting her silky
cream blouse. She wasn't exactly excited about Ross's graduation. Everything Ross did was
perfect, and his graduating valedictorian of Mt. St. Michael's class of 1941 was just the icing on
the cake.
Monica sat, half bored to death, in the stuffy auditorium. As she listened to Ross drone
on and on about making the most of the future, her thoughts drifted back to the
salutatorian...Chandler something or other. She had no idea if his speech was any good, all she
knew was how cute he was. In fact, she thought he was better looking than Clark Gable. She was
so wrapped up in these thoughts that she didn't even realize Ross was finished with his speech
until the roar of applause exploded from the audience. She jumped slightly, praying that no one
would notice.
When it came time for Ross to get his diploma, she suddenly realized how happy she
was. Ross would be going away to school, which meant she wouldn't have to put up with him
and his perfect existence...except for the holidays. She cheered loudly as his name was read,
happy to get rid of him.
"Oh, Ross, we're so proud of you!" Judy said as she hugged her son.
"That's my boy," Jack said, patting Ross on the shoulder.
"Thanks," Ross said, slightly embarrassed. Monica stood quietly and only offered her big
brother a smile, which he didn't acknowledge.
"Congratulations, man! We are leaving this place forever!" Someone shouted, coming up
from behind Monica.
"Oh, Mom, Dad, Mon, this is Chandler," Ross said as Jack took Chandler's hand in a
handshake. "Chandler, these are my parents, Jack and Judy Geller, and my little sister Monica."
Monica smiled at Chandler, instantly realizing that he was the cute salutatorian.
"A pleasure," he said, shaking their hands. "So, you're Monica? Ross has told us so much
about you."
"Us?" Monica asked uneasily. She didn't like the thought of being the main topic of
conversation at an all boys school.
"Just some of his friends...like, 4 people," he responded, flashing her a smile that made
her go weak in the knees.
"Let's go, man. Danny's party is starting soon," Ross said, prying Chandler away from
his family.
"Well, it's been a thin slice of heaven," Chandler said, waving as Ross dragged him
away.
As Chandler walked with Ross towards Danny Kennedy's house, his thoughts drifted
back to Ross's little sister. Ross was so wrong when he described her. How anyone could even
try to describe her was beyond him. There was something about her...she was magical. Her eyes
lit up when she smiled. Just the thought of her smile made Chandler crack a goofy grin.
"You okay, Chandler?" Ross asked, interrupting Chandler's thoughts.
"Yeah...I'm just so happy we graduated."
Two weeks later, Monica was sitting on the front porch, reading Look magazine, when
her best friend, Rachel Green, bounced up the stairs.
"Hello, Monica," she said, flopping down next to Monica, pulling off her red hat.
"Hey," Monica said, distractedly.
"What's wrong?" Rachel asked, pulling the magazine out of Monica's hands.
"Nothing, I was reading."
"Look? You were reading Look? You hate Look."
"I just thought I would...broaden my horizons."
"Anyway, Katherine and I were wondering if you would like to go the movies with us,"
Rachel said, knowing how much Monica loved the movies.
"I can't," Monica replied shortly.
"Fine, see you later," Rachel said, putting her hat on and walking off the porch, almost
running into...Chandler.
"Sorry," Rachel said, moving out of his way and continuing down the street.
Chandler walked onto the porch and over to Monica, who was once again engrossed in
the magazine. Chandler stuck his hand in her field of vision, visibly annoying her.
"Hey!" she exclaimed, looking up. Her aggravation disappeared when she saw that it was
Chandler. "Chandler, hello," she said, suddenly aware of her disheveled state. She slipped her
feet into her shoes and laced them up as he watched her, slightly amused.
"No, you don't have to do that, I'm not going to be here long," he said, sitting down next
to her. She sat straight up and stared at him.
"Then why are you sitting down?" she asked, regretting how rude she sounded the second
the words left her mouth.
"Fine, I'll leave then," he said, in mock sadness.
"Chandler, I was only fooling," she said, exasperated.
"Thought so."
"Sooo, what's new?" she asked, trying to be pleasant company.
"Is Ross home?"
"No, he's at work...the library."
"Oh," Chandler replied, suddenly embarrassed to be with this beautiful girl.
"So, are you guys going to do something?"
"Nah," he replied, not knowing what else to say.
"So..."
"So..."
"Do you think Roosevelt will have us get involved in the war?" Monica asked, catching
him off guard.
"I don't think so...unless we're attacked. But I don't like talking about that."
"All right. Have you read any good books recently?"
"Yes, I did. I just read The Good Earth, by..."
"Pearl S. Buck," (I did a whole thesis on the literature written during the Great
Depression, so I'll be busting out w/ this kind of stuff throughout the whole story.) Monica
finished, surprising him.
"You read it?"
"It's one of my favorites," she said, looking into his eyes.
"I prefer The Grapes of Wrath myself," he said, smiling at her. "Ross was never a fan of
Steinbeck. He prefers Dickens."
"I always found Dickens too verbose," Monica said, smiling at Chandler's shocked
expression.
"Really? So do I."
"Ross and I had many augments about Dickens and his writings. I must admit, however,
that A Tale of Two Cities is an excellent book...it just doesn't compare to Gone With the Wind,"
she said, her eyes lighting up as she spoke.
"Gone With the Wind?"
"It's my favorite...Scarlett and Rhett's romance..." she sighed, a dreamy smile on her
face. She blushed slightly when she realized that Chandler was staring at her. "I'm sorry," she
said, gazing at the floor. "I'm just a sucker for romance."
"Oh, it's fine," Chandler said, smiling at her when she looked up again. She was again
embarrassed and looked at her feet. He put his thumb and index finger under her chin, lifting her
face up to look into her clear blue eyes. He leaned in and kissed her...her first kiss.
Monica was surprised when she felt his lips softly brush against hers, but she kissed him
back, allowing the kiss to become more passionate. After several minutes, they broke the kiss
and smiled at each other.
"I'm...sorry," Chandler said, standing up.
"For what?" Monica asked, a confused look on her face.
"Absolutely nothing," Chandler said, leaning in and kissing her again.
From that point on, Monica and Chandler were often together. They began dating the
following month, their shared interests and opinions in literature often providing the reason for
some heated debates. On Sunday, December 7th, 1941, their argument was interrupted by
something unexpected.
"How could you possibly say that Anthony Adverse was better than Gone With the
Wind?" Monica asked, ignoring the lull of the radio.
"It has a much better storyline. Didn't you ever get sick of Starlett's fickle personality?"
"No, she is one of the best-written female characters ever. And she wasn't fickle...she
was independent."
"Like you?" Chandler asked, smiling at Monica. She smiled back at him and leaned in to
give him a kiss. They were kissing for a minute when the song that was playing ended abruptly.
They stopped kissing and stared at the radio, when an announcer came on.
"We interrupt this broadcast to bring you breaking news. The Japanese in a predawn
surprise attack have destroyed the American fleet at Pearl Harbor. I repeat. The White House has
confirmed that the Japanese..." the announcer droned on and on, but those words stayed in both
their minds. Anyone could have figured out that meant war was near. War...
*Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, blah, blah, blah...
Author's note: This story takes place during World War II. I don't know where the hell it came
from but I decided to write it down before it left. Monica and Rachel are 16 and Ross and
Chandler are 18. I don't know how or if Phoebe and Joey will fit in. Oh yeah, now I remember
where this came from...I was looking at my grandparents' wedding pictures and listening to
stories about my grandma's childhood. Anyways, enjoy!*
Monica Geller sat on the worn out chair in the Geller family's Woodlawn (Bronx...that's
where my grandma's from) home. She was bent over her favorite book in her extended library:
Gone With the Wind. There was something about the story that made her feel safe. Sure, the
United States was far from the war that was raging through Europe, but this book transported her
to another time and place all together. She was lost in the romance between Scarlett and Rhett
when her mother's voice interrupted her.
"Monica? Where are you?"
"In here, Mom," Monica responded, closing her book, slightly irritated.
Her mother breezed in, gloves, jacket, and hat in hand. "Honestly, Monica," she said,
pressing her lips together, "We'll be late for Ross's graduation."
Monica sighed and stood up, smoothing her solid black skirt and adjusting her silky
cream blouse. She wasn't exactly excited about Ross's graduation. Everything Ross did was
perfect, and his graduating valedictorian of Mt. St. Michael's class of 1941 was just the icing on
the cake.
Monica sat, half bored to death, in the stuffy auditorium. As she listened to Ross drone
on and on about making the most of the future, her thoughts drifted back to the
salutatorian...Chandler something or other. She had no idea if his speech was any good, all she
knew was how cute he was. In fact, she thought he was better looking than Clark Gable. She was
so wrapped up in these thoughts that she didn't even realize Ross was finished with his speech
until the roar of applause exploded from the audience. She jumped slightly, praying that no one
would notice.
When it came time for Ross to get his diploma, she suddenly realized how happy she
was. Ross would be going away to school, which meant she wouldn't have to put up with him
and his perfect existence...except for the holidays. She cheered loudly as his name was read,
happy to get rid of him.
"Oh, Ross, we're so proud of you!" Judy said as she hugged her son.
"That's my boy," Jack said, patting Ross on the shoulder.
"Thanks," Ross said, slightly embarrassed. Monica stood quietly and only offered her big
brother a smile, which he didn't acknowledge.
"Congratulations, man! We are leaving this place forever!" Someone shouted, coming up
from behind Monica.
"Oh, Mom, Dad, Mon, this is Chandler," Ross said as Jack took Chandler's hand in a
handshake. "Chandler, these are my parents, Jack and Judy Geller, and my little sister Monica."
Monica smiled at Chandler, instantly realizing that he was the cute salutatorian.
"A pleasure," he said, shaking their hands. "So, you're Monica? Ross has told us so much
about you."
"Us?" Monica asked uneasily. She didn't like the thought of being the main topic of
conversation at an all boys school.
"Just some of his friends...like, 4 people," he responded, flashing her a smile that made
her go weak in the knees.
"Let's go, man. Danny's party is starting soon," Ross said, prying Chandler away from
his family.
"Well, it's been a thin slice of heaven," Chandler said, waving as Ross dragged him
away.
As Chandler walked with Ross towards Danny Kennedy's house, his thoughts drifted
back to Ross's little sister. Ross was so wrong when he described her. How anyone could even
try to describe her was beyond him. There was something about her...she was magical. Her eyes
lit up when she smiled. Just the thought of her smile made Chandler crack a goofy grin.
"You okay, Chandler?" Ross asked, interrupting Chandler's thoughts.
"Yeah...I'm just so happy we graduated."
Two weeks later, Monica was sitting on the front porch, reading Look magazine, when
her best friend, Rachel Green, bounced up the stairs.
"Hello, Monica," she said, flopping down next to Monica, pulling off her red hat.
"Hey," Monica said, distractedly.
"What's wrong?" Rachel asked, pulling the magazine out of Monica's hands.
"Nothing, I was reading."
"Look? You were reading Look? You hate Look."
"I just thought I would...broaden my horizons."
"Anyway, Katherine and I were wondering if you would like to go the movies with us,"
Rachel said, knowing how much Monica loved the movies.
"I can't," Monica replied shortly.
"Fine, see you later," Rachel said, putting her hat on and walking off the porch, almost
running into...Chandler.
"Sorry," Rachel said, moving out of his way and continuing down the street.
Chandler walked onto the porch and over to Monica, who was once again engrossed in
the magazine. Chandler stuck his hand in her field of vision, visibly annoying her.
"Hey!" she exclaimed, looking up. Her aggravation disappeared when she saw that it was
Chandler. "Chandler, hello," she said, suddenly aware of her disheveled state. She slipped her
feet into her shoes and laced them up as he watched her, slightly amused.
"No, you don't have to do that, I'm not going to be here long," he said, sitting down next
to her. She sat straight up and stared at him.
"Then why are you sitting down?" she asked, regretting how rude she sounded the second
the words left her mouth.
"Fine, I'll leave then," he said, in mock sadness.
"Chandler, I was only fooling," she said, exasperated.
"Thought so."
"Sooo, what's new?" she asked, trying to be pleasant company.
"Is Ross home?"
"No, he's at work...the library."
"Oh," Chandler replied, suddenly embarrassed to be with this beautiful girl.
"So, are you guys going to do something?"
"Nah," he replied, not knowing what else to say.
"So..."
"So..."
"Do you think Roosevelt will have us get involved in the war?" Monica asked, catching
him off guard.
"I don't think so...unless we're attacked. But I don't like talking about that."
"All right. Have you read any good books recently?"
"Yes, I did. I just read The Good Earth, by..."
"Pearl S. Buck," (I did a whole thesis on the literature written during the Great
Depression, so I'll be busting out w/ this kind of stuff throughout the whole story.) Monica
finished, surprising him.
"You read it?"
"It's one of my favorites," she said, looking into his eyes.
"I prefer The Grapes of Wrath myself," he said, smiling at her. "Ross was never a fan of
Steinbeck. He prefers Dickens."
"I always found Dickens too verbose," Monica said, smiling at Chandler's shocked
expression.
"Really? So do I."
"Ross and I had many augments about Dickens and his writings. I must admit, however,
that A Tale of Two Cities is an excellent book...it just doesn't compare to Gone With the Wind,"
she said, her eyes lighting up as she spoke.
"Gone With the Wind?"
"It's my favorite...Scarlett and Rhett's romance..." she sighed, a dreamy smile on her
face. She blushed slightly when she realized that Chandler was staring at her. "I'm sorry," she
said, gazing at the floor. "I'm just a sucker for romance."
"Oh, it's fine," Chandler said, smiling at her when she looked up again. She was again
embarrassed and looked at her feet. He put his thumb and index finger under her chin, lifting her
face up to look into her clear blue eyes. He leaned in and kissed her...her first kiss.
Monica was surprised when she felt his lips softly brush against hers, but she kissed him
back, allowing the kiss to become more passionate. After several minutes, they broke the kiss
and smiled at each other.
"I'm...sorry," Chandler said, standing up.
"For what?" Monica asked, a confused look on her face.
"Absolutely nothing," Chandler said, leaning in and kissing her again.
From that point on, Monica and Chandler were often together. They began dating the
following month, their shared interests and opinions in literature often providing the reason for
some heated debates. On Sunday, December 7th, 1941, their argument was interrupted by
something unexpected.
"How could you possibly say that Anthony Adverse was better than Gone With the
Wind?" Monica asked, ignoring the lull of the radio.
"It has a much better storyline. Didn't you ever get sick of Starlett's fickle personality?"
"No, she is one of the best-written female characters ever. And she wasn't fickle...she
was independent."
"Like you?" Chandler asked, smiling at Monica. She smiled back at him and leaned in to
give him a kiss. They were kissing for a minute when the song that was playing ended abruptly.
They stopped kissing and stared at the radio, when an announcer came on.
"We interrupt this broadcast to bring you breaking news. The Japanese in a predawn
surprise attack have destroyed the American fleet at Pearl Harbor. I repeat. The White House has
confirmed that the Japanese..." the announcer droned on and on, but those words stayed in both
their minds. Anyone could have figured out that meant war was near. War...