Chapter 21
Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Friends.
~*~
Phoebe looked at the TV screen in front of her. It showed a map of the ocean and the route the plane was taking. It was more than half way there already, just 3 more hours and she would be back in the states. Her stomach shook with nerves. She was in a world of her own, still not able to believe what she was doing and the consequences if things went wrong. Like everything in the past 6 months it had just hit her, she had no control over her life anymore, or at least that's how it seemed. To Phoebe it was like Fate was taking over, and it petrified her. She wanted back in control, but it wasn't going to be that easy. Not for a while at least.
She watched a peacefully sleeping Rachel and wondered had she made a mistake by getting on the flight. Only time would tell.
~*~
Monica was busy in her kitchen cooking for tonight's dinner, getting herself worked up in the process. The stress was written all over face as she bashed and knocked pots and pans around.
She wanted her meal to go without a hitch, she was adamant there would be no problems tonight if she could help it. But so far things weren't going great. She prayed this wasn't how the whole evening was going to go.
She had managed to burn the sauce while her mom called her to tell her some idiotic story about the boy next door and how there was "just something about him" she didn't like. Monica got so mad she slammed the phone down on her, vowing to apologise in the morning.
She started a new batch of sauce and went to the freezer to take the meat out. She reached out to pull the handle, but the freezer door was already slightly ajar.
"Oh no!" Monica throw the door open wider and opened the drawer. A rush of water poured out onto the floor.
She slammed the door back over and threw her back against it, tears of frustration streaming her face.
Ross entering saw his sister in a state and ran to her aide.
"Mon, are you ok?"
"The sauce is ruined, the meat is ruined and the night is gonna be ruined too"
"Awww Mon it's going to be ok. No one is gonna care. In fact I think we would all prefer pizza to you cooking anyway," Ross tried to make Monica smile and it worked. She playfully hit him and pushed him away.
"Hey that's better" He loved his sister so much, he hated seeing her sad. She hadn't been happy since London and it showed. She wasn't the Monica everyone knew and loved. In fact come to think of it no one was the same. They were all a pitiful sight to look at.
~*~
Chandler had spent the entire morning picking out what clothes he was going to wear that evening, but 5 hours later he was still trying to decide.
"Isn't it only women who do this kind of thing? Why the hell am I so worked up about a night in at Monica's? Its only a meal, a few drinks and chatting." He paused and searched through his wardrobe one last time. "Casual, definitely casual!" He picked out one of his sweater vests and a pair of khaki trousers. "That'll do nicely"
He peered out of his bedroom door and looked at a miserable Joey who was sitting on his barcalounger staring at a blank TV screen.
"Come on smirky, get a move on, we're due at Monica's in like an hour. You know she hates people being tardy."
Joey grumbled something and Chandler rolled his eyes, wishing he would snap out of his depressions quickly, he didn't want his long face to ruin the evening.
~*~
"Phoebe come on!" Rachel wanted to be first through immigration so she could get to her luggage first.
"I'm pregnant, I can't run as fast as you!" Phoebe tried to shout loud enough for her friend, who was 10 feet in front of her to hear.
Phoebe picked up her pace without running, holding her swollen stomach in a protective manner.
Although she nearly six months gone her bump was tiny. Phoebe had tried not to fret about it, putting her smallness down to her having lost weight. She didn't have anything to worry about, did she?
The girls soon had their luggage back. Seeing Phoebe struggle with her cases made Rachel decide to hire a rental car. It would relieve some of the strain for both of them as neither could handle the weight.
While waiting for the valet to bring the car around, Phoebe and Rachel sat on the wall and discussed what their plans were after this.
"I don't know if I should go see Monica or Ross first? I really owe both of them a huge apology. I think I would be better off seeing Mon first actually. What do you think?" Rachel studied Phoebe for reaction, but got nothing. She hadn't even listened to a word Rachel had just said, she had too much on her mind. Like how to tell Joey she was having his baby.
"I want to go see Joey right away!" Phoebe made her statement with defined confidence. She knew the sooner she spoke to him the sooner she could settle down and enjoy her pregnancy, which she wasn't doing right now.
"Pheebs are you sure? Have you really thought it through?" Rachel was stunned that her friend who only hours ago adamant she wasn't going home, was now being so brave.
"Its all I've thought about since I found out. I have no clue what im going to say, but I know what needs to be said. I can't leave it any longer Rach,"
Rachel nodded, fully supportive of her friends' decision, but still slightly shocked.
Before they could discuss anything further there car drove up. The valet placed their cases securely in the trunk and handed Rachel the keys.
"Have a safe journey Miss."
~*~
Chandler had been in the bathroom pampering himself for 40 minutes. He had showered and was now dressing, making sure he looked perfect. He felt like he was going on a date with the amount of effort he was putting in on his appearance. He also felt extremely stupid about it. "Its only Monica!" He told himself for the twentieth time that day, trying desperately to convince himself that he no ulterior motive for his vainness.
As he exited the bathroom he noticed Joey was still slumped in his chair staring into nothingness.
"Joey did you not hear me before? We are due at Monica's right now! Come on, shake a leg."
"You go over, I'll be there soon, there's a few things I need to sort out first" Joey looked deep in thought, the strain of it all showing on his face.
"Ok buddy, see you soon" Chandler walked to Monica's feeling gravely concerned for Joey. He seemed to be falling back into the depression that clung to him so severely 5 months ago. He prayed he would snap out of it before it was too late.
Rachel stopped the car outside of Central Perk and pulled the hand break on.
She followed Phoebe's gaze to the window, watching people drinking their coffees, chatting casually on the orange sofa. How she longed for that to be her with her 5 friends, the way it had been so long ago.
"Phoebe do you still want to do this?" Rachel asked quietly and watched Phoebe nod her head in agreement.
"Will you stay here?"
"Of course I will honey, ill be right here in the car when you get back!" Rachel leaned over and touched Phoebes bump.
"Good luck sweetie."
Phoebe opened the car door and headed towards the apartment that she had once visited every day and climbed the stairs hesitantly. She covered her pregnant belly with her handbag, wanting to inform Joey before he figured it out for himself.
~*~
"This is Joey. Listen, I know you are ignoring me and I just want to tell you its ok, I understand. It's too complicated. Neither of us knows what we want, especially me. I'm messed up. Anyway if you want to talk about it you know how to reach me." Joey hung up the phone just as there was a chap at his door.
He walked towards it slowly, not really wanting to answer it, but knowing he had to.
Phoebe gasped as she saw him.
"Oh my God!" Joey gasped too.
"Ursula! You missed me after all? Oh baby."
~*~
To be continued soon ;o) Please let me know if u liked this Chapter. :o)
Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Friends.
~*~
Phoebe looked at the TV screen in front of her. It showed a map of the ocean and the route the plane was taking. It was more than half way there already, just 3 more hours and she would be back in the states. Her stomach shook with nerves. She was in a world of her own, still not able to believe what she was doing and the consequences if things went wrong. Like everything in the past 6 months it had just hit her, she had no control over her life anymore, or at least that's how it seemed. To Phoebe it was like Fate was taking over, and it petrified her. She wanted back in control, but it wasn't going to be that easy. Not for a while at least.
She watched a peacefully sleeping Rachel and wondered had she made a mistake by getting on the flight. Only time would tell.
~*~
Monica was busy in her kitchen cooking for tonight's dinner, getting herself worked up in the process. The stress was written all over face as she bashed and knocked pots and pans around.
She wanted her meal to go without a hitch, she was adamant there would be no problems tonight if she could help it. But so far things weren't going great. She prayed this wasn't how the whole evening was going to go.
She had managed to burn the sauce while her mom called her to tell her some idiotic story about the boy next door and how there was "just something about him" she didn't like. Monica got so mad she slammed the phone down on her, vowing to apologise in the morning.
She started a new batch of sauce and went to the freezer to take the meat out. She reached out to pull the handle, but the freezer door was already slightly ajar.
"Oh no!" Monica throw the door open wider and opened the drawer. A rush of water poured out onto the floor.
She slammed the door back over and threw her back against it, tears of frustration streaming her face.
Ross entering saw his sister in a state and ran to her aide.
"Mon, are you ok?"
"The sauce is ruined, the meat is ruined and the night is gonna be ruined too"
"Awww Mon it's going to be ok. No one is gonna care. In fact I think we would all prefer pizza to you cooking anyway," Ross tried to make Monica smile and it worked. She playfully hit him and pushed him away.
"Hey that's better" He loved his sister so much, he hated seeing her sad. She hadn't been happy since London and it showed. She wasn't the Monica everyone knew and loved. In fact come to think of it no one was the same. They were all a pitiful sight to look at.
~*~
Chandler had spent the entire morning picking out what clothes he was going to wear that evening, but 5 hours later he was still trying to decide.
"Isn't it only women who do this kind of thing? Why the hell am I so worked up about a night in at Monica's? Its only a meal, a few drinks and chatting." He paused and searched through his wardrobe one last time. "Casual, definitely casual!" He picked out one of his sweater vests and a pair of khaki trousers. "That'll do nicely"
He peered out of his bedroom door and looked at a miserable Joey who was sitting on his barcalounger staring at a blank TV screen.
"Come on smirky, get a move on, we're due at Monica's in like an hour. You know she hates people being tardy."
Joey grumbled something and Chandler rolled his eyes, wishing he would snap out of his depressions quickly, he didn't want his long face to ruin the evening.
~*~
"Phoebe come on!" Rachel wanted to be first through immigration so she could get to her luggage first.
"I'm pregnant, I can't run as fast as you!" Phoebe tried to shout loud enough for her friend, who was 10 feet in front of her to hear.
Phoebe picked up her pace without running, holding her swollen stomach in a protective manner.
Although she nearly six months gone her bump was tiny. Phoebe had tried not to fret about it, putting her smallness down to her having lost weight. She didn't have anything to worry about, did she?
The girls soon had their luggage back. Seeing Phoebe struggle with her cases made Rachel decide to hire a rental car. It would relieve some of the strain for both of them as neither could handle the weight.
While waiting for the valet to bring the car around, Phoebe and Rachel sat on the wall and discussed what their plans were after this.
"I don't know if I should go see Monica or Ross first? I really owe both of them a huge apology. I think I would be better off seeing Mon first actually. What do you think?" Rachel studied Phoebe for reaction, but got nothing. She hadn't even listened to a word Rachel had just said, she had too much on her mind. Like how to tell Joey she was having his baby.
"I want to go see Joey right away!" Phoebe made her statement with defined confidence. She knew the sooner she spoke to him the sooner she could settle down and enjoy her pregnancy, which she wasn't doing right now.
"Pheebs are you sure? Have you really thought it through?" Rachel was stunned that her friend who only hours ago adamant she wasn't going home, was now being so brave.
"Its all I've thought about since I found out. I have no clue what im going to say, but I know what needs to be said. I can't leave it any longer Rach,"
Rachel nodded, fully supportive of her friends' decision, but still slightly shocked.
Before they could discuss anything further there car drove up. The valet placed their cases securely in the trunk and handed Rachel the keys.
"Have a safe journey Miss."
~*~
Chandler had been in the bathroom pampering himself for 40 minutes. He had showered and was now dressing, making sure he looked perfect. He felt like he was going on a date with the amount of effort he was putting in on his appearance. He also felt extremely stupid about it. "Its only Monica!" He told himself for the twentieth time that day, trying desperately to convince himself that he no ulterior motive for his vainness.
As he exited the bathroom he noticed Joey was still slumped in his chair staring into nothingness.
"Joey did you not hear me before? We are due at Monica's right now! Come on, shake a leg."
"You go over, I'll be there soon, there's a few things I need to sort out first" Joey looked deep in thought, the strain of it all showing on his face.
"Ok buddy, see you soon" Chandler walked to Monica's feeling gravely concerned for Joey. He seemed to be falling back into the depression that clung to him so severely 5 months ago. He prayed he would snap out of it before it was too late.
Rachel stopped the car outside of Central Perk and pulled the hand break on.
She followed Phoebe's gaze to the window, watching people drinking their coffees, chatting casually on the orange sofa. How she longed for that to be her with her 5 friends, the way it had been so long ago.
"Phoebe do you still want to do this?" Rachel asked quietly and watched Phoebe nod her head in agreement.
"Will you stay here?"
"Of course I will honey, ill be right here in the car when you get back!" Rachel leaned over and touched Phoebes bump.
"Good luck sweetie."
Phoebe opened the car door and headed towards the apartment that she had once visited every day and climbed the stairs hesitantly. She covered her pregnant belly with her handbag, wanting to inform Joey before he figured it out for himself.
~*~
"This is Joey. Listen, I know you are ignoring me and I just want to tell you its ok, I understand. It's too complicated. Neither of us knows what we want, especially me. I'm messed up. Anyway if you want to talk about it you know how to reach me." Joey hung up the phone just as there was a chap at his door.
He walked towards it slowly, not really wanting to answer it, but knowing he had to.
Phoebe gasped as she saw him.
"Oh my God!" Joey gasped too.
"Ursula! You missed me after all? Oh baby."
~*~
To be continued soon ;o) Please let me know if u liked this Chapter. :o)
