Chadron

Thanks for the reviews! :) Given that it's a long weekend I decided to write the second chapter today because I don't know how much time I will have during the week since finals are starting. Enjoy and please review.

Chapter 2: A new start

Chandler's stomach made a sound which let him know how hungry he was. He had eaten any food he had bought for the ride, so he decided to stop at the first restaurant he saw around. He kept driving for a few minutes, looking around and contemplating the view, trying to get used to his new town.

Downtown he found this restaurant which seemed to be pretty crowded. Chandler decided to stop there - when a restaurant was full it meant it was good... or that it was the only one in the whole town, Chandler hoped the reason was the first one.

He found a place where to park and entered the restaurant, trying to find a table where to sit. In a small corner he saw a couple standing up and ready to leave, so he headed that way and sat there, hoping no one had been waiting before him because he was starving.

Minutes later a waitress walked over to him. "Hi, welcome to Chadron's Place, I'm Rachel and here's the menu," she said.

Chandler looked up and saw a light brown/blonde haired woman standing in front of him, holding the menu and smiling at him.

"Thanks"

"I'll come back in a few minutes to take your order," she said as she turned around and headed towards another table.

Chandler started looking at the menu. 'Salads: Tomatoes... She loved tomatoes... ' Chandler sighed, there was at least one thing in each part of the list which she loved.

"Are you ready, sir?" the waitress asked.

"Yeah, I would like to order some mashed potatoes with chicken, please"

"Ok, I should be back in a couple of minutes with your order"

"Thank you," he replied, sitting back and looking around. He saw happy people everywhere, everyone was talking or laughing, and just having a good time.

--

"Ugh, this place is crowded," Chandler said.

"So what? The more people there is, the better," Antonella replied.

"How come?" he wondered.

"That way we can make out and no one will notice," she said as she winked at him, Chandler couldn't help but laugh. "It's better when there's more people, it means the restaurant is really good"

"But we could come when there isn't as much people and it would still be as good"

Antonella sighed "Chandler, stop complaining, just relax and enjoy," she tried to convince him as she leaned and gave him a short peck on the lips.

Chandler smiled "Fine, fine, but you better make it up for me tonight"

"No doubt I will, as long as you are a good boy"

Chandler smiled happily and never complained again.

--

"Sir?" the waitress said for the 5th time, trying to get his attention.

Chandler was brought back to reality with her voice. "I'm sorry"

"It's ok, here's your order"

"Thank you," he said and started eating quietly. He wondered when all this memories would start to fade away, why did everything have to remind him or her?

*

Chandler looked at the paper he was holding on his hand and looked around at the house's numbers. '73...75...77...79...81...83, here it is, Mountain St., #83'. He parked the car at the garage, got out of the car and took everything he had brought with him out of it.

He went through his pockets trying to find the key until he finally did. He walked towards the door and opened it, entering his new home. It was a brand new house, so there was no furniture nor anything else. He set down the bags he was carrying and started to look around. He walked through the laundry service room and found himself with the kitchen to one side, the dinning room behind, and the TV room to the other side. He started walking to his left, where the main door was and saw that in front of it was the living room. He went upstairs to find two rooms and a bathroom, one room was supposed to be his bedroom and the other one the studio where he could work.

As he was walking down the stairs again he heard the moving van stop in front of his house. He opened the main door and walked over to them.

"Mr. Bing?" the guy who seemed to be in charge asked.

"That's me," he replied.

"Here's all your stuff, just tell us where you want them and we'll put them there"

"Ok, thanks"

Guys started taking out couches, chairs, tables, beds, and anything necessary for a house. Everything was new, Chandler figured if he had moved to start a new life, he needed new furniture as well, considering how anything they had shared would still remind him of her.

An hour and a half later they were done and everything was in it's right place, except for a few things which Chandler decided he was going to choose later where they looked better.

"You need to sign here, sir," the guy said as he handed him a piece of paper saying he confirmed he recieved everything without a problem.

Chandler took the paper and signed it, as a tall, dark haired man approched them.

"Hi, I'm Joey Tribianni, I see you are new here," the man said as he extended his hand.

"Chandler Bing," he replied as they shook hands.

"Nice to meet you," Joey said as the moving van left. "What brings you to Chadron?"

Chandler shruged "Just... a change of view I guess"

"Well, welcome... I live in that house," Joey said as he pointed to the house next to Chandler's. "If you need anything, don't hestiate on paying a visit to me and Phoebe, my roommate"

"Ok, thank you," Chandler said, feeling weird, he didn't expect to feel so welcome. "No problem, now I'll go back inside, but seriously, if you need anything, we will be right in there," Chandler just nodded.

As Joey walked towards his house, Chandler entered his own, looking around and trying to get used to it.

--

"This house is amazing!" Antonella said.

"Do you like it?"

"I love it, Chandler! Please tell me it's our already," she begged.

"Well, not just yet, I wanted to see if you liked it first, but since you do, we can make the deal right now," he smiled.

"You better do it now before somebody else sees it!"

Chandler laughed "Ok, ok, let's go talk to the owner then"

That had been the first and only house they had bought. Antonella had loved it, it was big enough for them and had an extra room for whenever they had kids, thing which hadn't happened but they both knew someday it would, even if they had to adopt. Sadly things took an unexpected turn and they didn't get the chance to even try.

--

Chandler started fixing everything that was left messy. He didn't have much sense of decoration, but with the years he had learned to at least arrange things for them to look good enough.

After he was done he went upstairs and layed down on his bed. He was really tired, it was only 7 o'clock but it had been a long drive and he was exhausted. He closed his eyes and no one knew anything about him until the next day when his phone rang.

"Hello?" he answered with a very sleepy voice.

"Chandler?"

"Yeah, who is this?"

"Hi, this is Joey, remember, your neighbor?"

"Oh, right, hi Joey, what's up?"

"Look, Phoebe isn't home now and I'm pretty hungry, I was wondering if you would like to go out and eat something?"

Chandler thought about it for a second as he looked at the clock: 1:00pm "Sure, let me get ready, I'll be done in a few minutes"

"Great, I'll wait for you outside, man"

"Ok," Chandler got up and changed clothes before walking outside.

"Morning," Joey said.

"Morning"

"Everything doing ok with you and the new house?"

"Yeah, everything is working great, thanks," Chandler said, trying to sound cheery and not depressed as he felt.

"Ok, lets go, I know this place where they have great food and a really hot waitress"

They barely knew each other and Joey was already acting as if they totally trusted each other. Maybe it was normal for him, but Chandler wouldn't make a comment like that to someone he barely knew.

*

Chandler realised they were heading the same way he had the day before when he went to have lunch. "Are we going to Chadron's Place by any chance?"

"Yeah, how did you know?" Joey asked surprised.

"I had lunch there yesterday and the route sounded familiar," he explained.

"Did you like it?"

"Yeah, it was pretty good"

"Hope you don't mind going there again today"

"No, not at all, don't worry"

Once they got there they sat down and Joey started looking around.

"Dammit!"

Chandler frowned. "What?"

"I have a complain to do!"

"But we haven't even tried our food yet... we don't even have our food yet," Chandler said, feeling extremely confused.

"Just come with me," he said as he stood up and walked over to the counter, Chandler following close behind "I need to speak to the owner of this restaurant," Joey said to the woman behind the counter.

The cashier looked confused. "Is there a problem, sir?"

"You bet there is, I have to speak to the owner right now"

"Ok, sir, calm down," the chashier said, trying to calm him down as everyone turned their heads to look at what was hapenning. "Come with me"

Joey and Chandler followed as the woman entered the kitchen. "Monica, a man wants to talk to you"

The chef turned around "Why, is there a problem?," the woman asked the two men standing in front of her.

"Hi, I'm Joey Tribianni and I have a complain"

"What is it? Was there a problem with the food?" Monica asked, worried.

"No, no, it's not that, your food is always delicious"

"Then what's the problem?"

"You know that waitress of yours, Rachel, the one who is always here?"

Chandler laughed, was Rachel not being there what this was all about?

"Yeah, what's wrong, did she not do a good job?"

"No, she does an excelent job, so why did you fire her?"

"Fire her? I didn't fire her"

"Then why isn't she here to take my order?"

Now Chandler was laughing really hard as Monica turned to look at him with an amused look on her face. Chandler suddenly realised how long it had been since he had last laughed. It had been at least 2 weeks, because after his wife's death he hadn't even given a smile.

"Well, Joey, she decided to take the day off and I let her..."

Joey got red. "Oh, so she is still working here?"

"Yes, just not today"

Joey looked really embarrassed "Oh, well, that's great, I was just checking, bye bye!" he turned around and left quickly through the door.

"I promise I barely know him," Chandler said in his defense.

Monica laughed "It's ok, we've all noticed how he drools for her, it's reasonable why he was so worried"

Chandler nodded as he looked into her eyes, and for one second he thought he was looking into Antonella's, until Monica spoke again.

"Are you new around here? I don't think I've seen you before," Monica asked.

"Ye-yeah, I got here yesterday," Chandler said.

"Well, welcome, I hope you stop by more often... If you don't have a problem with some waitress' not being here from time to time"

Chandler laughed "Not at all... thanks," Chandler felt that the only thing he had said since he had gotten to Chadron was 'thanks'.

As Chandler was leaving, Monica said "Oh, and tell your friend not to feel embarrassed"

Chandler laughed again "Will do"

"Bye"

"Bye"

Chandler turned around, walked out of the kitchen and sat down with Joey. For the first time his thoughts didn't wonder to his dead wife, but to this woman who had made him laugh more than anyone had in 2 weeks.

To Be Continued...

...If anyone wants me to. That's part two, please review letting me know what you think :)