AN:  I ask you to keep in mind, especially for this chapter, that the "letters" would have been written in the early 80's.  So I did my best to correspond to that (though it was hard to come up with a comedian!).  Still don't hold me to the specific timeline – I did the best I could, but some references would have actually come after letters would have been written. 

Chandler's Future:

            "Mr. Bing, how do you feel about being called "one of the great comedic voices of our time?" "         

            "Mr. Bing, you've said before that Bill Cosby inspired you to go into stand-up comedy, and then into acting.  What was it like to star in a movie with your idol?"
            "Mr. Bing, People Magazine has named you comedy's leading man of the year.  Do you feel that you've 'arrived' in the world of Hollywood?"

            "Mr. Bing, your movie has been nominated for 17 Oscars, including Best Picture, and you have been nominated for Best Actor.  What does this kind of recognition mean for your personal life?"

"Mr. Bing, journalists have paired you with Drew Barrymore, especially with E.T. The Sequel now in production.  Is it true that the two of you are in a relationship?"

            Chandler smiled for the cameras but avoided the barrage of questions as he headed for the entrance of the theater.  He had grown accustomed to the persistent voices that seemed to follow him everywhere (making him joke sometimes that he wondered if he was schizophrenic), but sometimes he still had to stop and think about how he had gotten into this.

            He spotted his costar just inside the theater, and slowly pushed his way in that direction, greeting acquaintances and gracefully accepting gushing compliments on his way.  He rolled his eyes playfully as he reached the Bill Cosby, amazed that his resume now included a role opposite this comedy legend.  Not only that, but he was also allowed – actually required – to call the man Bill.  The taping had been almost completed before Chandler broke his habit of addressing him as "Mr. Cosby". 

            "What a crowd," Chandler remarked as he shook his idol's hand and glanced around them.  "Think we'll live up to all the hype?"

            "I think the question is, is all the hype going to do us justice," Bill Cosby replied, grinning.  "Are you ready for this?"

            "Hey, I've done this before," Chandler replied nonchalantly, trying not to let his nervousness show.  It was true; he had been in this position before.  But never for a movie this big, with so much expectation and publicity.  And never with such big names surrounding his.  This was the first time he had worked with the great Steven Spielberg, but he had already signed on for two more pictures with the movie icon, and they were negotiating a third.

            "Where's your date?" Bill asked him, glancing around them.  "Don't tell me the brilliant Chandler Bing, most eligible bachelor in America, is here alone?"

            "Yeah, it's a funny thing.  The papers tell me I'm in a hot and heavy relationship with Drew Barrymore, but for some reason, she's not returning my calls."  Chandler shrugged as if baffled, and Mr. Cosby laughed out loud.

            "You need a girl, Chandler," he advised him, giving him a wink.  "Give the tabloids something real to blow out of proportion."

            "Nah," Chandler replied, running one hand through his hair.  "Nah, I'm doing okay by myself."

            Chandler was grateful when the movement of the crowd into the theater interrupted the conversation.  He followed the throng into the theater and took a seat, preparing himself for the festivities.  It was going to be a long night, but he figured he would probably have more fun than he'd ever had in his life.

            "I love my job," Chandler groaned as he flopped, alone, onto the couch in his Beverly Hills mansion.  Sighing deeply, he loosened his tie and reached for the remote.  4:00 am or not, he was sure there would be a number of stories on the premiere of his new movie, and he always got a thrill out of seeing himself smiling at the cameras on tv. 

            "…Bing arriving for the premiere of his new comedy Ordinary People, where he stars opposite Bill Cosby.  The movie is nominated for 17 Oscars and is already being hailed the best comedy of the year."

            He was right, they were talking about him.  And there he was on the screen, lifting one hand in the sort of half-wave that movie stars seemed to perfect - his hair perfectly styled, his face tan from his recent trip to Hawaii. 

            "Widely recognized as the hottest bachelor in Hollywood, Bing has most recently been linked to his costar in the upcoming E.T. The Sequel – Drew Barrymore.  He has refused to comment on the relationship, but we expect to see more of the couple when filming on E.T. begins next month."

            Trust the entertainment world to go straight for the tabloid rumors, Chandler thought wryly, unaffected by the false statements.  It didn't really matter what they were saying, as long as they were talking about him.  Besides, it wasn't like he had a wife or girlfriend to get jealous over speculation.  Maybe he would mind if he was attached, but he wasn't.  So he didn't see the point in getting upset.

            "In the meantime," the reporter was continuing on the tv set, "look for Hollywood sensation Chandler Bing in Ordinary People, opening next week in a theater near you."

            Chandler turned the tv off and turned on to his back, staring at the ceiling high above him as he smiled to himself. 

What a life he led. 

End "Chandler's Future" – Back to the Present:

            "Well," Chandler said with a little laugh, breaking the slightly awkward silence that had followed the reading of his letter.  "Guess I better not show this to Joey, huh?  He might get jealous."

"I never knew you wanted to be an actor," Monica said quietly, her forehead puckered in an expression Chandler couldn't quite decipher.  Was it surprise?  Confusion?  Disappointment maybe?

"I…I didn't," Chandler said, looking down at the letter in his hand.  "Well, I guess I did," he corrected himself, holding the paper up in the air as proof.  "But never seriously.  This was just a - a game."

"See, things didn't turn out the way you expected them to, either," Ross commented with satisfaction, feeling that he had just been vindicated. 

"No…no they didn't," Chandler responded, still staring at the letter with a solemn expression on his face, trying to remember the child he had been when he had dreamed up such a successful – but lonely – future.  He lifted his head and looked at Monica, who was biting her lip and staring at the ground, and felt a sudden surge of thankfulness that in his reality, it was the dreams that mattered that had come true.  There were other ways to make your life successful, he realized now.  And they had nothing to do with fame or money.

 "Can you imagine?" Chandler commented with a forced laugh, trying to cover the emotional edge in his voice as he discreetly reached out to grab Monica's hand, hoping the contact would reassure both of them.  "Me, nominated for an Oscar.  How badly would I screw up my acceptance speech, huh?"

Ross laughed openly, happy that attention had moved away from him, while Rachel chuckled more softly and Monica simply smiled.  Chandler leaned his head against hers, lowering his voice so that Ross and Rachel wouldn't hear.

"Would you still love me if I were rich and famous?" he asked huskily, releasing her hand so he could slip his arm around her waist.  Monica smiled and raised her eyes to his, her cheeks flushing in response to the tone of his voice.

"Probably not," she informed him with a playful shrug, though her eyes told him differently.  "I bet you'd have an ego the size of your bank account."

Chandler smirked in response to that, and gave her an affectionate wink before turning to include Ross and Rachel in his next comment.

"Well, now that Ross and I have both humiliated ourselves…"  He paused and looked from Monica to Rachel and back again.  "Which one of you girls is going next?"

"Rachel," Monica announced firmly, just as Rachel pointed and said "Monica".  The girls locked eyes, each trying to stare the other down.  Finally, Rachel sighed, knowing that there was no way her own willpower would overcome Monica's. 

"Fine," she relented, picking up her letter.  "I'll go."

As Rachel reluctantly used her fingernail to open the envelope, Monica put one arm around Chandler's waist and leaned in close.

"I'm glad you're not a movie star," she whispered into his ear.  "I'm glad you're just Chandler.  My Chandler."

Chandler pressed his lips against her temple and swallowed hard, hoping she would hear his silent agreement.  He would tell her later, when they were alone in their apartment, just how glad he was that his life had turned out the way it had.  For now, he was content to have her close to him. 

"Okay," Rachel began, lifting her eyes to glare at Monica one last time.  She took a deep breath and cleared her throat. 

"When I grow up…"