A/N: Have you ever opened a can of worms you weren't quite sure you wanted to open, but then once you opened it you realized that it was practically itching to be opened? No idea what I'm saying? That's okay. Just my way of saying how much I love Becca. :)

Anyway... Matthew Perry is just too sexy for his own good. 'Nuff said. I never knew how sexy a cig, a jacket, and stubble could be until five minutes ago.

:D

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, but I do own a very nasty sunburn, a souvenir from the beach today. I look like a tomato.

CHAPTER SEVEN

The arms grasping her tightened, and Monica was pulled off her feet. Monica was stunned for a few seconds before her instincts kicked into action. She bit down hard on the hand.

"Shit!" the man screeched. "Little bit - "

At that moment, she kicked his shin with her heel, and he cried out, letting go of her. She pulled away and hit him with her cane, hearing at the metal thunked against his head. He moaned and mumbled a few obscenities, but Monica didn't wait around for him to finish. She turned and ran as fast as she could, feeling her way with her cane and running into people. She could hear their protesting yells, but she didn't care. All she could think of was getting away.

She ran until she was out of breath and had tears rolling down her face. She paused and leaned against a wall, sobbing uncontrollably from apprehension and fear.

Okay, calm down, Monica, she thought to herself. Just calm down. You're fine. Just find your way home. Just -

"Hey - "

"Stay away!" Monica screamed as a hand reached out and touched her shoulder. "Don't touch me!" She swung out with her cane and connected with something soft, like a stomach.

The man groaned, "Oomph. Good God, Monica, if you hate me that much, just tell me."

Monica covered her mouth with her hands. "Chandler? Is that you?"

"Yeah," he grumbled.

"What the hell is the matter with you, sneaking up on me like that? I - I..." she trailed off, starting to cry again. "I'm sor-sor-sorry."

"Oh, God, what happened? Are you okay?" If Monica hadn't been so horrified, she would have been struck at the complete sincerity and concern in Chandler's voice. He pulled her close to him and rubbed her back. She fell into his arms, letting herself relax - finally.

"Please take me home," she sniffled.

"Okay," he said quietly. She continued to hold him. "Mon, if we're gonna go home, you're gonna have to let go of me."

"Right," she said quickly, pulling away. He took her arm and they started walking down the street. She was still crying softly, and every time she thought of what could have happened in the alley, her eyes filled with tears again.

Chandler walked her all the way to her apartment, took her keys out of her purse, and helped her inside. He sat her down on the couch and got her a glass of water and a box of tissues. They sat in silence for a few minutes while Monica's tears dried up.

"Do you want to tell me what happened?" Chandler asked finally. Monica took a deep breath and began to explain what had happened since she'd left her apartment a while before.

When she finished, Chandler took her hand and said, "Oh, honey, I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry that I - well, I guess that I wasn't there to protect you. Is there anything I can do?"

Monica shook her head. "Could you just... stay with me for a while? I don't know if I - if I can really be alone - "

"Of course," Chandler said. Without waiting for an invitation, Monica crawled over and snuggled into his arms. Chandler held her tightly and rocked her back and forth. Soon, despite the terror of her experience, she drifted off to sleep.

"Ahem," a voice said loudly, jerking her awake.

"Uh - uh - hi, Rachel," Chandler stammered.

"Hello, Chandler. Hello, Monica," Rachel said evenly. "Having fun, I see."

"Chandler was just leaving," Monica said, pulling herself away from Chandler.

"Yes, yes I was," Chandler said, standing up. "Bye, Rachel." He paused. "Bye, Mon," he whispered.

"Bye," Monica said.

"Bye, Chandler," Rachel singsonged. She closed the door. "So... have a good time with Chandler?"

"We didn't do anything," she said gruffly.

"Sure ya didn't," Rachel said disbelievingly.

"We didn't," she insisted. "We didn't even kiss. I'm not... we're not together."

"Yet somehow you manage to fall asleep in his arms," Rachel said.

"Would you drop it, Rachel? Dammit, just leave me alone!" Monica yelled.

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry, Mon. I didn't mean to - "

"Well you did," she muttered. "You have no idea what happened today, so you have no reason to pass judgment." She stood up and stomped into her bedroom.

"Monica, what happened? Are you okay?" Rachel asked, following her into her room.

"No! I'm not okay! I haven't been okay for a week - I'll never be okay again! I'm blind! Does it look like I'm okay?"

"I'm sorry - "

"Don't be sorry!" Monica barked. "I'm sick of everyone being sorry! There's nothing to be sorry about!"

"Tell me what's wrong!" Rachel pleaded. "Did Chandler break up with you? Did he hurt you?"

"NO!" Monica yelled. "Chandler is the only one around here that's not hurting me, but somehow I managed to screw everything up with him too." She covered her face with her hands and sat down on her bed. "I just - I need - I don't know what I need."

"I think you need to get out of the city," Rachel said softly, sitting down next to Monica and stroking her hair. "I've been talking to Ross, and we both think it's a good idea to get away for a while. My sister is loaning us her cabin in the Pocono's, and we're all gonna go up there this weekend."

"Okay," Monica said stiffly. "That sounds fine."

"Good. Now why don't you get some rest before we go to the doctor's later, okay?" Rachel said. She stood up and left the room, closing the door gently behind her.

Monica lay down in bed, just as frustrated as ever. I'm not a child, she thought furiously. 'Get some rest' - it's like I'm a little baby.

"I am a baby," she whispered. "And I hate it."

"So let's talk, Monica," Dr. Eckhart said gently.

Let's not, Monica thought bitterly. She knew that "let's talk" trick. It meant that the doctor was about to tell Monica something she wouldn't like.

"Okay," she said.

"Well, as the optometrist at the hospital explained, the vitreous fluid behind the eye has pulled both of her retinas, causing disconnection in both eyes. We thought that maybe time and therapy would heal this tear, but upon closer inspection, it has discovered that the damage is too severe to heal itself."

"What does that mean?" Monica said in a hollow voice.

"It means you may never see again," Dr. Eckhart said.

Monica felt like the Earth was tilting, ready to end all gravity and send her falling over the side. Never see again... never...

"However," Dr. Eckhart said, "There is an experimental new surgery that has proven to work what we in the medical world call 'miracles' on this kind of situation. It is a dangerous procedure, and certain factors may prevent you from even being a candidate. You would need to see several doctors and eye surgeons, naturally, but I would like you to consider it."

"Oh," Monica said, her brain reeling with this new information. "And - and the surgery, it would let me see again?"

"Not for sure," the doctor said. "It is experimental, and there are no guarantees. I will warn you, any surgery is dangerous, and this one, if performed incorrectly, can prove fatal. But it's your best option. I can give you a few weeks to think about it. Talk to your family, maybe you want a second - or third - opinion. Make another appointment with the receptionist as you leave."

Monica left the doctor's office in a daze. She'd only been blind for a week but already she couldn't imagine a life like this. But what was she willing to pay for sight?

A/N: Ack kinda over-dramatic. Sorry this took so long. My "vacation" turned out to be not so bad. Anyway, thanks for reading and I hope to have the next part up soon. Unless, of course, me and Becca post our fic, which happens to be called "What's Love Got To Do With It?" *coughs* ;)

Yen