'Chandler, I didn't have time to tell them yet.' Phoebe whispered to Chandler. it was 20 minutes after Chandler had arrived and this was the first time that Phoebe had found a chance to speak to Chandler alone.

'What do you mean you haven't had a chance to tell them? You had six months!' Chandler exclaimed in a strangled whisper. Phoebe sighed and began to regret becoming a part of this in the first place. It was all becoming too complicated. 'Anyway, what have you said to them about you going?'

'I told them I had undergone a traumatic experience and needed some time alone.' Phoebe said. She looked around the room, watching her friends prepare to celebrate Chandler's return after over a year and half's disappearance. Rachel was on the phone talking to someone who had just rang, Ross had gone out to get some Champaign, Monica was making something in the kitchen and Joey had gone to fetch his new roommate to introduce to Chandler.

'Good excuse.' Chandler mumbled.

'It really is, coz they don't ask too many questions.' Phoebe said brightly, trying to create the illusion that their conversation wasn't as gloomy as it happened to be in case someone looked over.

'It'll make mine more selfish though.'

'It's not like they'll believe us anyway Chandler, I mean come on! What are the odds that two best friends out of a group of six suddenly go missing without a trace with only one single note saying 'Don't look for us' on the same day!' Phoebe hissed. Rachel had come wandering closer to the window seat and was laughing and chatting with the person on the other end of the phone.

They decided to end their conversation there for the time being and split up. Chandler went over to where Joey had just entered the room with his new roommate, surprisingly another guy, and Phoebe went to talk to Monica.

'Chandler, this is Gareth. He moved in about a month ago. Before that it was just me and the birds living there since you left.' Joey said. Chandler winced at the way his departure was worded, as if he had abandoned Joey, which in a  way he supposed he had.

'Hey.' Gareth said, extending his hand to shake Chandler's. Chandler smiled and returned the greeting, but as their hands shook Chandler couldn't help feeling a little disturbed, like he had already met Gareth before.

Ross came through the door, interrupting Chandler's thoughts.

'Hey guys! I got the most expensive one I could!' He announced. The other friends gathered round the table where Monica had set out wine glasses. Rachel had hung up the phone and was now reminding people, very loudly, that she wasn't able to drink.

'Hey guys, I think I'll leave you to it.' Gareth said, turning to go. 'It was nice meeting you Chandler.'

As the door shut the friends dragged Chandler towards the table and sat him down.

'So tell us what happened! Where were you? Why'd you go?' Monica shot questions at him. Chandler smiled at her and calmly accepted the Champagne Rachel offered him.

'Whoa, whoa one at a time!' He joked and took a sip of his drink, playing for time. He looked around at their expectant faces, and Phoebe's nervous glance. 'Well, I don't really want to kill the mood right now by telling the whole story so I guess I'll just say I needed some time, and I ended up seeing my father. We mending all the things that were wrong from my childhood.'

The others smiled at him, feeling no need to pressure him in to an explanation. Phoebe raised her eyebrows and subtly clapped her hands together in mock applause.

'So anyway, what about you guys?' He said, trying desperately to change the subject off him. 'Rachel! You're pregnant! Whose that father? When's it due? Come on I need answers.' He said and winked. The others laughed and Rachel sat down, rubbing her hand over her large stomach. She was positively glowing at the chance to talk about her pregnancy. 

'Well I'm eight and a half months pregnant, so not long now!' She said smiling. She looked over to Ross and held on to his hand. 'Ross and I got together a little after you two disappeared. Were getting married in three months!' She extended out her hand to show Chandler the ring.

'Wow, Ross, when did you win the lottery to pay for that thing!' He laughed. Everyone except Monica laughed too.

'No, you'd have to rob a bank to be able to buy something like that.' Monica said. The others laughed at this but only Chandler knew the real meaning of her comment.

They laughed and talk for hours after, long in to the night. Monica seemed a little distanced from the festivity and Chandler was worried. He knew she knew something was irregular about his and Phoebe's disappearance.  

Ross and Rachel made and excuse to leave, they both looked extremely tired. Joey yawned too, it was time to sleep for the first time in a few days, his sister had been in hospital after a road accident and he had needed to stay wither her. Phoebe looked at Chandler and Monica noticing something between them, but she couldn't tell what.

'Uh, I have no-where to stay.' Chandler announced. All of his stuff had been put into storage a month after he had left, under instructions from his letter goodbye.

'I only have one room in my apartment, and I happen to be sleeping there at the moment.' Phoebe told them. Chandler looked hopefully at Monica, he hadn't mentioned a new roommate after Rachel moved to Ross'.

'Well even though I'm sure you could afford a hotel, why don't you stay here for a little while? We didn't put your clothes in to storage so they're in the wardrobe in the guest room.' She said and pointed to Rachel's old room.'

'Thanks Mon.' Chandler smiled.

Phoebe said goodnight and left to get a cab home. Chandler and Monica were left alone in the apartment. Nothing was spoken for a while whilst they cleared the glasses away. The silence was becoming uneasy until Chandler broke it.

'Thanks a lot for letting me stay, I guess I'll be going to bed now, I'm exhausted.' He yawned, as if to prove his point and turned to go to the bedroom. Monica grabbed his arm and spun him around.

'What were you doing with so much money in Vegas Chandler?' She hissed. Chandler stuttered for an answer and Monica glared at him.

'Well, like I said, I was with my dad in Vegas, I was helping out with the show, just the financial side not the burlesque side, and I was taking the money down to the bank. That's all.' He said. His eyes refused to look in to Monica's as she continued to stare at him.

'Chandler, no-one has that kind of money, there must have been millions of dollars there.'

Chandler scoffed. 'There wasn't that much.'

'I know you're lying to be Chandler, and I want the truth!'

Chandler sighed. 'Ok, I'll tell you everything.'

Well, that's all for the moment, I don't know when the next part will be up but soon I hope. I have study leave for a little while and I can write this during my breaks. Please leave a review. And also this is a mystery fic so there will be questions you will be thinking of in each chapter, which I will answer in the next chapter, it's more fun that way ;-)