Faith's Abyss

Just about a year had passed. Ross and Rachel had moved on. Well, to some extent.

Rachel and Andrea returned to California. After awhile, Ross had never called Rachel, and Andrea advised Rachel not to call Ross, 'When a guy doesn't call you, it's a dead giveaway that it didn't mean much to him.' She would say. Andrea can be blunt many times, but Rachel followed Andreas 'Advice.' Soon, Rachel had near forgotten Ross. Ross had been the first guy she had been with since Jake, and it kind of opened a new world to Rachel, and she tried dating again. After many disastrous dates, she decided to engulf herself into her work. Which brings us to today.

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Rachel twisted the napkin in her hand anxiously as the Delta Airline Plane seatbelt signal came on, and the captain declared that they were landing momentarily. She looked over and Andrea, whom was reading a Ralph Lauren Catalogue, and moaned. Andrea was excellent with flying. Rachel, however, still detested it. She would rather had driven, or even taken a train. But Andrea insisted they take the airplane. It would give them time to find an apartment while the movers drove their furniture there. Andrea finally looked up at Rachel and grinned a small innocent grin that she had always used to get away with murder. Rachel calmed down a bit and continued to stare out the window.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, the seatbelt sign has been activated, so please buckle your seatbelts and stay seated while we land." The overhead speaker said. Rachel sighed again. "Oh, and welcome to New York."

Rachel was the first one off of the airplane. She soon regretted her tank top and jeans that she had worn. In California, February was a time where tank tops were just being re-welcomed from January's cooler climate, but she had forgotten that in New York, there was still snowfall and icicle drafts. She would just have to change in the bathroom before they went to check in to the Hilton that they would e staying in. Andrea finally caught up to her.

"Rachel! I can't believe how quick you booked it off of that plane! The door wasn't even open yet!" Andre joked. Rachel sustained to walk in a swift pace. Andrea finally halted her. "Okay, pay attention, I have shorter legs than you, Barbie!" She said. Rachel laughed. Ever since a while ago, when she had lightened her hair a bit for a few weeks, Andrea called her Barbie. It wasn't a welcomed nickname, and even now, even after she had died it back to its original color, Barbie just seemed to have stuck.

"I'm sorry. I just wish you hadn't volunteered US to go to New York!" Rachel said sitting next to the luggage claim. Andrea laughed.

"Hell-O!" She said. "I volunteered this for YOU." She said. Rachel looked away.

"Look, he's almost certainly moved on. Why do you keep bringing him up anyways? It's not like I think about him." She said honestly. Andrea nodded.

"I know. But I love New York, and it was either me and you, or Oliver and Jessica. I want to run a Ralph Lauren company!" She said. Rachel smiled.

"Okay, lets go check in so we can get some rest. Big day tomorrow. Apartment searching."

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Rachel drowsily sat up to the sheer ringing of the telephone. She looked over to Andrea, who was not there. She picked up the telephone quickly. It was only 11:00, but being awoken from REM made her a bit upset. She gripped the receiver and sighed.

"Hello?" She inquired.

"Rachel! It's Andrea!" She said.

"No shit." Rachel said curtly. "I thought you were going to be back here by now!" Rachel admonished.

"Rachel, you got to get down to this bar now. It is just swarming with cute guys. They're having a soap night! Guess who's here?!" She asked. Rachel rotated her eyes.

"Who?"

"Joey Tribianni! You know! The one from Jamaica!?" She asked. Rachel's eyes shot open.

"Oh, oh he is?" She asked as she rushed out of bed to get dressed. "Who else is there?" She asked. Andrea was hushed for a moment.

"Oh, ex-Ryan from All My Children. And OH! Even Miguel from Passions! There are so many! They rented the place for the night."

"How did you get in?" Rachel asked as she applied a layer of lipstick on.

"Joey let me in. He's out front watching for you, so you'd better hurry! Oh, and it's 'Xperiment: Bar and Grill" So hurry up!" She said before clicking the phone off. Rachel hurried to finish getting ready. Her short, low cut, form fitting, cream-colored dress was on backwards, so she had to fix it. What a wake up call. She fixed her cleavage before leaving. She would do her hair on the way.

The ride was bumpy, making it near impossible to get her hair done. She was just going to pull it back and let occasional strands hang down here and there. She began to think about what moving to New York meant for her. More guys. Maybe new loves. Maybe, maybe even old loves. She couldn't wait to talk to Joey and see what was up with Ross. If she even had the guts to ask about him. She just hoped that she did. It was a weird situation. She didn't want Joey to think that she still thought about Ross. Or that she was obsessed or anything, but Ross was the first man she had loved since Jake, and still the only man she has ever loved since Jake. Finally the cab pulled up in front of the bar and Rachel hurried out towards Joey and smiled.

"Hi!" She greeted. Joey's eyes widened.

"Rachel?" He asked.

"Yea! Oh, I can't believe you remember me!" She laughed. Joey smiled and shook his head.

"Actually I don't. Andrea just told me to look for a chick with big boobs. But now your face is coming back to me." He said and paused. He began to smile and point at her. "Right! Ross' chick in Jamaica!" He said. Rachel shrugged and followed him in. The place was cloudy and smoggy from all of the cigarette smoke. Andrea ran over to her.

"Rach! Omigod!" She smiled. "I just talked with Luis! Luis from passions! Isn't this the best?" She asked. Rachel coughed.

"Uh-huh." She felt weird around all of the soap stars. She wanted to talk to Joey! She walked over to him and tapped him on the shoulder. Joey turned around.

"Yea?" He asked.

"How are you?" She asked. Joey looked at her for a long moment.

"You stopped me from talking to Ex-Gillian from All My Children to ask me how I was doing?" He asked. Rachel blushed.

"I'm sorry. I just, I wanted to ask you about how-"

"Ross?" He asked. Rachel nodded. "Oh, he's good yea. He talked about you all the time when we got back from Jamaica. His sister wants to meet you."

"Funny, he never called." Rachel said casually. Joey's eyes widened.

"Yea. About that. Well, I took the napkin you wrote your number on and used it to wipe up a mess my duck made, and well, I didn't know your number was on it." He said nervously. Rachel gulped. "But, he-he wanted to call you! He did! He just couldn't because of.. the lack of- uh, your number. He waited by the phone for weeks waiting for YOU to call him though!" He finished. Rachel glared over in Andrea's direction. Andrea and her stupid theories.

"Well, if you see him, let him know my hotel number. I'll give it to you." Rachel said writing it down. "And here's my card, where he can reach my at work." She said. Joey looked at her for a long, long moment.

"You know what? Tomorrow we're all having dinner together. Why don't you come? As my guest." He said.

"Oh, but Andrea-" Rachel began.

"She can come too. It wont be the first time I bring two chicks with me to dinner." He joked. Rachel nodded.

"Okay. What are we celebrating?" She asked. Joey paused.

"Ross' engagement." He said before hurrying off.

Rachel nearly collapsed in the chair close by. Ross was engaged. She had always thought that he had moved on, or had ended up with his ex. Now Rachel was stuck going to dinner with the guy she had been crazy about, and his fiancée.

XOXOELIZABETHXOXO