Regression

~Aftermath~

He was trembling, and staring at Monica silently.  A large, red mark was forming quickly on his cheek, and tears had formed in his eyes.

Yet he couldn't find his voice.

She refused to meet his gaze; she stormed into the bedroom, and began tossing his things into the living room.  Every once in a while, a primal scream would emanate from the room, as her anger and frustration mounted.

He was lost in a fog, and seemed to be unaware of what was happening to him.  He did not hear the others enter the apartment, expecting breakfast.

She stormed into the living room, red and panting.  The others looked concerned, and asked what was going on.

Still, he did not respond.  He was rooted to his spot, shocked into silence.

His world was crumbling before his eyes, and it was all his fault.

"Chandler, what the hell did you do?" Ross yelled.

"Why do you think it was his fault?" Joey countered.

"Look at Monica…he obviously did…something," Phoebe stated.

"He's fucking someone else," Monica said flatly, kicking some of Chandler's shoes out of her way as she walked into the kitchen.

"What?" came the simultaneous reply from the other four.

Still, he did not move, did not speak, did not respond.

"I am going to kick your ass!" Ross lunged at Chandler, and Joey moved to stop him.

"Wait!  Can we at least hear both sides?" Joey asked.

"What's there to tell?  He's cheating on my sister!" Ross freed himself of Joey's grip, and took a long step toward Chandler.

"Look at me, you son of a bitch," Ross seethed.

"Ross, stop it," Rachel cried, then looked at her best friend, "Monica, what is going on?"

"You can't even look at me," Ross muttered, and swung at Chandler.

He collapsed immediately, his eye pulsating, and his heart hurting.  He felt Ross kick him, and scream at him to get up.

"Get up, I'm not finished with you," Ross screamed.

The words resonated in Chandler's ears.  I'm not finished with you.  And suddenly, his reality went black, and he was plunged into a nightmare that had become all too real.

He could hear him all around him; he could smell him, taste him, and he wanted nothing more than to rip off his own skin.  It was the worst feeling in the world, and it hurt more than anything he'd ever known.

"Stop, please…stop," he cried, but the pain refused to subside, "STOP!  No, please…please don't!"

~*~

Ross kicked Chandler, his anger seemingly out of control.  He wanted Chandler to stand up, and to fight, but he just lay there, accepting what was happening with a frustrating indifference.

"Get up, I'm not finished with you."

Suddenly, Chandler froze, and then curled into a strange fetal position.  He was crying, and screaming, though Ross wasn't touching him at all.

"Stop, please…stop!"

"Chandler…I…I'm not doing anything," Ross said flatly, annoyed at Chandler's inability to put up a fight.

"STOP!  No, please…please don't!" Chandler's cries were desperate, as though he were in real pain.  Ross panicked, and looked up at the others.  Monica stood up from her seat at the kitchen table, and walked toward Chandler.

"Chandler, no one is touching you…" Monica's voice was surprisingly calm and gentle.

"I—can't…please stop…please…I'm sorry…" Chandler was completely gone, and Monica fell to her knees, and pulled him toward her.

"Chandler…"

"Please…you're hurting me," Chandler whispered.

Monica felt her chest constrict, and a large sob overtook her.  She felt utterly helpless.

Then, as suddenly as it had begun, it stopped.  Chandler jerked, and sat up, as though he'd just awaken from a dream.  He pulled away from Monica, looking completely confused.

"Chandler…what is going on?" Monica asked softly.

Chandler looked at Monica, then up at Ross and then the others.

"I…I'm not…" Chandler shook his head, his voice as shaky as his body.

"I know you're not doing anything wrong…I'm so sorry," Monica whispered.

"I thought…she would help me…but I don't want to know anymore," Chandler mumbled, totally unaware of what Monica had said.

"Who?  What don't you want to know?" Monica asked softly.

But Chandler had turned a ghastly green.  He struggled to get up, and shot Ross a grateful glance when he helped pull him up.  Once he was on his feet, he rushed to the bathroom, and vomited.  The others waited for a silent moment, but eventually, the shower started, and Monica decided that Chandler needed space.  She stood up slowly, and began to pick up the things she'd thrown into the living room.  It was so hard for her to believe that, just moments ago, she was so angry with him; that she wanted him out of her life forever.  She felt guilty, for not listening to him, and scared, because she had no idea what was wrong with him.  She was vaguely aware of the fact that Rachel and Ross were helping her clean, and Phoebe and Joey were fumbling through the kitchen to put on tea, and start breakfast.  Normally, she would stop them, and insist that she take care of it all; but she suddenly felt completely drained of all of her energy, and was determined to save any that she had left for Chandler.

It was the least she could do.

~*~