Disclaimer: I still don't own any of the characters
The noise of hundreds of people chatting in the hotels function suite was deafening. Phoebe sat alone next to a huge bowl of punch; glass in hand, gulping her drink down as if it were her last. This clearly wasn't the case as she emptied the glass and dipped into the bowl for the 20th time that night. Monica's words of warning earlier rang true in Phoebes head. but what did she care she was lonely and sad. Well not anymore. 20 glasses of lethal punch had filled that void, for today at least. The room around her was slightly blurred, but she could still see a handsome man in his late 40's approach her. His English accent was music to Phoebe's ears. "Why is such a pretty lady sitting here, all on her own?" the man smiled and stretched out his hand towards her. "My names Michael" "I'm Phoebe" she replied rather drunkenly "What a pretty name, for a pretty lady" Phoebe giggled and looked up at him "I am pretty aren't I?" she smiled, but suddenly her mood changed "So why the hell does no one want me?" she asked half angry half sad. Michael kneeled down next to her. "I want you pretty lady" his tone lustful and almost perverse. "How about we take a ride in my car?" he sneered.

From across the room Joey stood chatting to a group of girls, whom he considered to be hot. But for some reason he couldn't keep his mind on the conversation. He hadn't seen phoebe since they had arrived at the party. His stomach was churning, both with worry and guilt. Phoebe was his best friend, after Chandler of course he thought to himself. How could he be so selfish as to ditch her, especially as she was so low? He had never seen Phoebe without a smile on her face, or a positive word to say. His smile grew as he thought of all the fun times they had together, throwing wet paper towels, locking Chandler out of the apartment and hearing him cry in frustration as he banged the door. before his thoughts could go any further he spotted his friend trying to walk as composed as possible across the hall. Why was she heading for the exit, surely she wasn't leaving without him. His smile fell as he saw the tall, handsome man next to her with his arm around her. He watched them as they got further and further from his view. He turned back around to see the hot girls he had been chatting to only minutes before had disappeared, and he surprised himself with not caring one bit. He was too sad about Phoebe abandoning him. or was it something to do with the fact she had left with another man and not him? In the last few months he had seen Phoebe in a totally different light. There were times when he lay alone at night in his huge king size bed, with just hugsy for company, longing that she was next to him, cuddling him as they fell asleep. It was the first time he had thought of a woman in bed with him with no sex involved. If Phoebe isn't here I don't want to be here either he mumbled to himself as he began to walk to the same exit Phoebe had walked out of 10 minutes before him. He felt the cold air hit as he closed the door behind him. He hugged himself tightly to keep the heat in his body while he looked around him. "Damn, wrong exit" he said to himself as he realised he was in the car park. As he turned and grabbed the door handle he heard a familiar voice cry out. He stopped dead in his tracks and listened.

"No, please don't hurt me, no, please, NO!" phoebe cried out as Michael grabbed furiously at her top, ripping open the buttons.

Joey began to run around the car park. "PHOEBE WHERE ARE YOU?" Joey screamed, fear building in his mind. He wasn't one to pray but he was now. "Please God let me find her safe" he repeated like a mantra. "JOEY!" Phoebe screamed back, soberly. "Please help me Joey, he's hurting me," she sobbed.

He turned to his left, seeing a head tower over a large jeep. He ran in the direction of the car as fast as his legs would carry him. "Get off of her you bastard" Joey shouted as he lunged at Michael, throwing him to the ground. He sat next to Phoebe who was lying on the ground, half naked and bleeding. She looked up at him; staring into his big brown eyes she usually felt comfort and safeness, but now his eyes looked sad. "I'm s. so sor. sorry" she tried to apologise, her tears stopping her. "Hey you have nothing to apologise for" He took her in his arms and she cried hysterically into his chest. A pang of guilt came over him. "This is all my fault," he said under his breath."I shouldn't have left her alone, with strangers, in a strange country".im never letting her out of my sight again he vowed to himself.

By now Michael had done a runner. He was out of sight, but he defiantly wasn't out of mind.

Joey let go of Phoebe and helped her to her feet. As he looked down her breasts where peeping through her open shirt. A wave of emotions washed over him as he tried in vain to cover her up. He walked her over to the steps of the hotels back entrance where they both sat down. Phoebe was quiet, she hadn't spoken since she tried to apologise and Joey didn't know whether to press her for information or not. He pondered it for a few minutes before he couldn't handle it anymore. "Phoebe." she looked up at him again, their eyes locked together. "Did.did that man. r. rape you" as soon as he asked it he wished he hadn't, he didn't really want to know the answer. All was quiet for a second, and then Phoebe shook her head. "He tried, if it hadn't been for you." her voice trailed of as she realised if Joey hadn't saved her she may have been dead by now. Tears welled in her eyes as she thought about the night's events. Relief shot through Joey's body. Thank God he thought.my baby is going to be ok. "Lets get you back to you hotel" he wrapped his arms around her lovingly. She smiled up at him and kissed him on the lips. "You're my hero Joseph Francis Tribbiani.I'll never forget what you've done for me" she leaned in and kissed him again softly. This was the moment Joey had been waiting for, but as he looked at his friend blooded and battered he knew he couldn't take advantage of her innocent kiss. He let go of her and took the car keys from his pocket. "Lets go" he motioned to her as he walked towards his car.

~*~

Back in room 422 of the Shaftesbury hotel Ross lay in bed going over the last 9 years of his life. "Why hadn't she wanted me as much as I wanted her" "Why did she have to come back into my life after high school" "Why am I still obsessed with her!" he shook his head, too many questions going through his mind. As he rolled over to go to sleep a tear fell from his eye. "She doesn't know how much she's hurting me," he said aloud as he shut his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Ross wasn't the only one who was still awake. In room 312 Chandler lay on his bed with a glass of water in his hand reading a British newspaper. He finished the last page, shut it over and placed his glass on the nightstand by his bed. He got up and walked over to a small table and chairs situated next to the window. He pulled open the curtains and took a seat, watching the world go by outside. It had been such a long 24 hours, but yet he was unable to sleep. He didn't know exactly what was keeping him awake, but he was pretty sure it was something to do with jet lag. He rested his legs of the arm of the other chair and leaned back, sighing as he went. He loved Britain and everything about it. Again he didn't know why he was so comfortable here. It was probably something to do with the fact he had been born here. His dads family were from Scotland and his parents had been there visiting when his Mom, Nora had gone into labour.

He didn't remember a thing about it, but from the stories he had heard from his parents before they divorced made the place sound wonderful. "Maybe I'll go visit and look up my family while im here" he nodded to himself while yawning. "I'll look into in the morning," he said aloud as he drew the curtains again, pushed the chair back under the table and headed back to bed.

~*~

The elevator pinged and the doors opened. Phoebe and Joey walked out, his arms still around her, as if still trying to protect her. Joey took the key from Phoebe and opened the door for her. She entered the room, leaving Joey standing at the door. She turned around and stared at him. "Joey, please don't feel awkward around me, I couldn't stand it if you were uncomfortable with me" tears began to appear in her eyes again. "Aw, sweetheart I don't, im just sad about what's happened is all." Phoebe nodded feeling content with his answer. She turned and sat on the end of her bed, her head in her hands. Joey, who was still at the door, looked at the wreck that was his friend, his one true love. He moved inside the room and closed the door behind him. Phoebe, not seeing him enter thought he had left and jumped up. "Joey, please don't leave me, don't leave me ever again." She ran towards him and he embraced her. He nodded, "I'm here with you always baby girl, I swear ill never let anyone hurt you as long as I live." Now he was crying, all the emotions running through him pouring out. Knowing he had to be strong for his friend, he wiped the damp from his face and composed himself. "Lets get you cleaned up," he stated, walking Phoebe to the bathroom.

Joey sat at the edge of Phoebe's bed alone. She had been in the bath now for over half an hour. He got up and chapped the bathroom door. "You ok Pheebs?" he questioned. "I'm ok, ill be out in a minute." He sensed she was smiling, which made him grin too.

The door opened as Phoebe appeared, wearing a large pink towel wrapped around her, her hair wet and curly from the steam. She walked past Joey and moved towards her wardrobe. Joey noticed her soft pink skin was slightly bruised, but she was still so beautiful and delicate looking. He wanted to hug her and never let her go. Thoughts of gently making love to her raced through his mind. He felt good and bad at the same time. How could he dream of having sex with her when she had been hurt so badly? He felt disgusted with himself, trying to erase the images of Phoebe naked from his head. Phoebe, sensing something was on Joey's mind put down the bedclothes she had picked out and walked towards her friend. "Do you want to talk?" she questioned him "Do you" he threw the question back at her.

She nodded as she took his hand and led him to the table by the window. They took seats next to each other and sat in silence for a short moment, each not knowing where to begin. Phoebe reached down to her side and lifted her purse. She unzipped it and took a pack of cigarettes and lighter out. Joey was clearly shocked "PHOEBE!" he gasped "I only smoke when I have something on my mind" she smiled. "I never knew!" Joey answered still stunned. "There's a lot you don't know about me Joey"

He felt bad. Had he not listened to her enough? Had he not spent enough time with her? Had he been selfish all this time?

Phoebe took a cigarette from the pack and lit it up, blowing smoke out towards Joey. He absent-mindedly noticed how sexy it looked.

She took another drag on her cigarette and began to talk.

"Joey, first of all I want to say how sorry I am about tonight. And before you say it wasn't my fault, I know it wasn't. I'm just sorry you had to see what you saw. I can see the hurt in you eyes, and it pains me. Seeing you hurting saddens me more than that man attacking me."

"Phoebe, how can you be so strong?" Joey shook his head in amazement and disbelief

"I lived on the streets for 8 years, this isn't the first time something like this has happened to me." her voiced trailed off, fearing she had said too much. "I had to get over a lot of things from my past, otherwise I wouldn't have had a future. I just didn't expect it too happen all over again. Joey reached out and took her free hand, stroking it gently with his thumb. "But this is something I will get over, because I refuse to dwell on things, no matter how good or bad they are"

Joey smiled the biggest grin Phoebe had ever seen

"Its things like that that make me love you" he blurted out quickly before he realised what he had just said. Phoebe looked visibly shocked. "You love me?" There was so going back now, he had to tell her everything.