Trouble
Author's Note: This chapter took a long time, I know. I'm still not sure about it, so anyone reading this tell me what you think of it. There is one more chapter to come. The song used is Trouble by Coldplay.
UPDATED - If you don't like this, don't review. Bad reviews are pointless. I welcome criticism but there's no need to insult me. I know I've made Ross rather harsh, so don't tell me that, I know. But it was needed for the purpose of this story, so it happened. And hopefully this chapter goes some way to explaining that.
Premise: Why was Ross so harsh all those years ago?
Disclaimer: I own none of these characters. I know, it's really unfair.
Oh no, I see,
I spun a web, it's tangled up with me,
And I lost my head,
The thought of all the stupid things I said,
Ross read the note with a sinking heart.
She'd gone.
He couldn't say he was surprised: her grim and unhappy face had told him she would for over a year now. But he'd still hoped that she would never actually leave.
The early morning sun reflected off the golden ring she'd left behind. It had been a symbol of their love for each other; at least to Ross it had. It was clear to him now that their marriage was one of convience to her, done because she'd had no other choice; done for Emma.
Oh no what's this?
A spider web, and I'm caught in the middle,
I turned to run,
The thought of all the stupid things I've done,
Emma. Their daughter. The only reason why she would ever talk to him again.
Ross knew perfectly well he'd be harsh, but he'd had no other choice. He loved Rachel, Emma needed a proper home, and he'd known if he'd let Rachel see Joey again, she would never have come with him.
He remembered the day he'd taken her away. Her tears, her shouting, her look of sadness. She'd tried to tell Joey how she really felt, but Ross couldn't let her. It would have given Joey hope: hope they would be together again, and Ross couldn't let that happen.
He had no desire to hurt Joey, but every time he'd seen them together, Ross had felt a pang of jealousy. He'd been in love with her since high school, they'd had a child together..... everyone thought they should be together.
Everyone, that is, except Rachel.
I never meant to cause you trouble,
And I never meant to do you wrong,
And I, well if I ever caused you trouble,
Oh no, I never meant to do you harm.
Chandler had told Ross what Joey had been like, and Phoebe had turned her back completely on Ross for upsetting Joey so badly.
Ross hadn't seen Joey in six years. Neither had Rachel. Ross hadn't let her. she had wanted to, desperately, but Ross had been unmovable. She had wanted him at the wedding, but Ross had resisted. If he'd let Rachel see Joey, she'd be gone to him faster than a cheetah at full speed.
Ross knew all about Joey's completely destroyed career; his departure from 'Days Of Our Lives' had been well publicised. And Ross knew why Joey's career had finished: Rachel. Joey's heart had been broken more times than it could handle.
And it was all Ross' fault.
Oh no I see,
A spider web and it's me in the middle,
So I twist and turn,
Here I am in love in a bubble,
Ross hated himself for having been so harsh. He loved Rachel, but everything he had done had just pushed her further away. He'd tried to give her years of happiness; all she'd got was years of sadness.
And Joey. Well, he'd ruined Joey's life. He'd taken away the woman he loved, giving him years of sadness, and the demise of his career, leading to him returning to work at the coffeehouse. The only way Joey managed to stay in his apartment was because the well-off Chander paid for it.
He remembered Joey and Rachel together: the smiles of happiness, the affectionate kisses. The only time Rachel and he had kissed since he'd taken her away was at the wedding, and her only real smiles were around Emma.
Singing, I never meant to cause you trouble,
I never meant to do you wrong,
And I, well if I ever caused you trouble,
Although I never meant to do you harm.
Ross sat in the glow of the rising sun, trying to figure out his head.
He still loved Rachel, but he knew there was no way he'd ever had her again. But then, he'd never really had her - her heart had always been with Joey.
He wanted Rachel to be happy, and he knew that for that to happen she'd have to be with Joey. He'd be happy for them, and who knows, maybe he'd be able to move on.
Maybe.
Author's Note: This chapter took a long time, I know. I'm still not sure about it, so anyone reading this tell me what you think of it. There is one more chapter to come. The song used is Trouble by Coldplay.
UPDATED - If you don't like this, don't review. Bad reviews are pointless. I welcome criticism but there's no need to insult me. I know I've made Ross rather harsh, so don't tell me that, I know. But it was needed for the purpose of this story, so it happened. And hopefully this chapter goes some way to explaining that.
Premise: Why was Ross so harsh all those years ago?
Disclaimer: I own none of these characters. I know, it's really unfair.
Oh no, I see,
I spun a web, it's tangled up with me,
And I lost my head,
The thought of all the stupid things I said,
Ross read the note with a sinking heart.
She'd gone.
He couldn't say he was surprised: her grim and unhappy face had told him she would for over a year now. But he'd still hoped that she would never actually leave.
The early morning sun reflected off the golden ring she'd left behind. It had been a symbol of their love for each other; at least to Ross it had. It was clear to him now that their marriage was one of convience to her, done because she'd had no other choice; done for Emma.
Oh no what's this?
A spider web, and I'm caught in the middle,
I turned to run,
The thought of all the stupid things I've done,
Emma. Their daughter. The only reason why she would ever talk to him again.
Ross knew perfectly well he'd be harsh, but he'd had no other choice. He loved Rachel, Emma needed a proper home, and he'd known if he'd let Rachel see Joey again, she would never have come with him.
He remembered the day he'd taken her away. Her tears, her shouting, her look of sadness. She'd tried to tell Joey how she really felt, but Ross couldn't let her. It would have given Joey hope: hope they would be together again, and Ross couldn't let that happen.
He had no desire to hurt Joey, but every time he'd seen them together, Ross had felt a pang of jealousy. He'd been in love with her since high school, they'd had a child together..... everyone thought they should be together.
Everyone, that is, except Rachel.
I never meant to cause you trouble,
And I never meant to do you wrong,
And I, well if I ever caused you trouble,
Oh no, I never meant to do you harm.
Chandler had told Ross what Joey had been like, and Phoebe had turned her back completely on Ross for upsetting Joey so badly.
Ross hadn't seen Joey in six years. Neither had Rachel. Ross hadn't let her. she had wanted to, desperately, but Ross had been unmovable. She had wanted him at the wedding, but Ross had resisted. If he'd let Rachel see Joey, she'd be gone to him faster than a cheetah at full speed.
Ross knew all about Joey's completely destroyed career; his departure from 'Days Of Our Lives' had been well publicised. And Ross knew why Joey's career had finished: Rachel. Joey's heart had been broken more times than it could handle.
And it was all Ross' fault.
Oh no I see,
A spider web and it's me in the middle,
So I twist and turn,
Here I am in love in a bubble,
Ross hated himself for having been so harsh. He loved Rachel, but everything he had done had just pushed her further away. He'd tried to give her years of happiness; all she'd got was years of sadness.
And Joey. Well, he'd ruined Joey's life. He'd taken away the woman he loved, giving him years of sadness, and the demise of his career, leading to him returning to work at the coffeehouse. The only way Joey managed to stay in his apartment was because the well-off Chander paid for it.
He remembered Joey and Rachel together: the smiles of happiness, the affectionate kisses. The only time Rachel and he had kissed since he'd taken her away was at the wedding, and her only real smiles were around Emma.
Singing, I never meant to cause you trouble,
I never meant to do you wrong,
And I, well if I ever caused you trouble,
Although I never meant to do you harm.
Ross sat in the glow of the rising sun, trying to figure out his head.
He still loved Rachel, but he knew there was no way he'd ever had her again. But then, he'd never really had her - her heart had always been with Joey.
He wanted Rachel to be happy, and he knew that for that to happen she'd have to be with Joey. He'd be happy for them, and who knows, maybe he'd be able to move on.
Maybe.