The Pact – Chapter 2
Guess who drove 3 times since Sunday! Whoo! Driving is so cool! I even got to drive on the roads yesterday when I drove with my dad (mom's too nervous, lol…can't imagine why). I got to do this really dark, curvy road and yeah, it was cool! Sorry, dumb 16-year-old rambling. And, Yen, hope your arms feel better, hun.:'( *pokes volleyball with a fork* Ok, anyhow, OMG thank you for all the reviews! I'm in shock, seriously. You all rock! This chapter's a bit slow, but it's setting everything up. And, don't worry, I'm not just gonna have them get married and live happily ever after. *smiles deviously* Remember, nothing's as it seems…
Monica stood rooted to her spot, cookbook in her hands, gaping wordlessly at Rachel and Phoebe. She was shocked, that was certain. During the few moments that her mind processed the information given to her, Rachel squirmed nervously in her seat. It was completely unlike Monica to be silent. She was opinionated to the point that she normally would go to all lengths to allow her opinion to be the first and loudest one stated. However, she expressed nothing, aside from this blank stare. It was killing Rachel.
"Monica?" Phoebe tried, "Aren't you gonna say something?"
"Great," Monica squeaked after a moment.
"That's all?" Rachel wondered angrily, "That's all you have to say when we tell you that four of your best friends are getting married?!"
"Well, what do you want me to say?"
"I don't know…but more than an unenthusiastic 'great'!"
"Yeah, how about, 'I'm happy for you' or 'oh, how exciting!' I mean we were excited for you and Chandler," Phoebe demanded.
Phoebe was getting angry now. Why did they have to tell Monica to begin with? She should appreciate that they were telling her at all, instead of judging them. After all, she and Chandler were the ones who left them, not the other way around. They didn't have to include them anymore. Still, just because their group wasn't as close as they used to be, it didn't mean Monica had any right not to be enthusiastic. I wonder if she's jealous, Phoebe thought, After all, she's always had her eye on Joey…
"Ok, you want the truth?! The truth is…this is insane! Chandler and I are a totally different story! We dated for like two years before we even got engaged!"
"Way to be supportive," Rachel huffed.
"I'm sorry, but I'm not gonna support something as utterly...insane…as this!"
"What's so insane about it?"
"You're friends…not dating."
"So?"
"So? Marriage is about love and feelings and…not backups."
"Who says we don't have love and feelings for our guys?!" Rachel argued.
"Well, do you?"
"Umm…well, I used to be in love with Ross…"
"Used to doesn't cut it."
"Oh, what do you know, anyway?"
"A lot! I'm the only one who's married and still married! Listen to me - it won't work."
Rachel was fuming. How dare Monica tell them that! She didn't know what it felt like to be alone. She was married! Monica had found "that guy". What about her and Phoebe? They had nobody. They were on the path to 'old-maidhood'. Monica couldn't understand. They should have never assumed she would.
"You know what, Monica, you just don't get it!"
"Get it? I don't get it?!" Monica paused, "Fine, then explain."
Phoebe exhaled sharply. "You wouldn't understand."
"Try me."
"We don't want to die alone, that's what."
"Oh come on. You won't die alone."
"Easy for you to say," Rachel screamed, "You're not alone!"
Monica shook her head furiously and threw down the cookbook she had been unconsciously holding. Then, she opened the kitchen door and called anxiously into the living room for Chandler.
Chandler groaned as he entered. "I don't want to be in the kitchen. I thought you said I didn't have to help ton—"
"Rachel's marrying Ross."
"What?"
"And Joey's marrying Phoebe."
Chandler's eyes darted from Rachel, to Phoebe, then to Monica. "What?!" he demanded in a high-pitched shout.
"That's right," Monica answered smugly.
Phoebe's hands unconsciously formed tight fists on her lap. Monica was so happy that Chandler was just as shocked and opposed as she had been. Of course Chandler would be on her side. He always was. She'd probably beat him up if he wasn't, she thought spitefully. Oh well, she could always work on Chandler, when Monica wasn't around to influence him. It was Monica she had to worry about now.
"Were you guys even dating?!"
Neither woman answered for a minute. The silence was tense. Rachel noted that Monica looked as if a vain was about to pop in her forehead. She never thought that Monica would be angry about them getting married. Sure, she'd expected shocked and maybe even opposed to the idea at first, but angry? She had no right to be. It wasn't her life, as much as she considered everything to be her business.
"Well…sorta…" Phoebe finally replied.
"How were you sorta dating?" Monica challenged.
"Um, well, we were friends…"
Chandler raised his eyebrows. "And…"
"And…decided to get married."
"See!" Monica shouted, "It's insane!"
"Oh come on, Mon!" Rachel added angrily, "Remember when we were younger…before you and Chandler got married? You were afraid that you wouldn't ever get married. Don't you remember that?!"
"Well, yeah…"
"And, you didn't ever get so desperate that you at least thought about asking one of your guy friends to be your backup?"
"I never had that."
"Ya know, I offered to be your backup," Chandler reminisced, "Twice, actually."
"See!" Phoebe pointed at Monica, "See!"
"See what?! I never accepted."
"Yeah, the first time I offered for us to have a baby together when we were 40 and then I made Monica cry," Chandler said casually, in between bites of an apple, "And the second time, I offered to be her boyfriend and she turned me down."
Phoebe giggled. "Funny how that worked out, huh?"
Monica frowned.
"See, Mon, it ended up working out that way, anyway, for the two of you."
"I still think it's a bad idea."
"Well, there isn't much you can do about it."
Then, Rachel stood up and left the kitchen angrily. Once they heard the front door slam shut, Phoebe got the picture. She stood up, shot Monica a disappointed look, and also exited the house. Chandler and Monica stared wide-eyed and silently at each other for a few moments.
"Ya know, you didn't have to be so harsh," Chandler criticized lightly.
"Well, they're being stupid about this. It isn't going to work."
Chandler shrugged. "Just let them figure it out for themselves."
Monica shook her head and stared at Chandler deviously.
"Oh no," he backed up slightly, "I know that look…"
"Please?"
"No. No meddling. We always end up getting in trouble."
"If you love me, you'll do this."
Chandler groaned. "You always have to play the 'love card' don't you?"
Monica nodded and smiled smugly towards Chandler.
He sighed. "I'm meeting the guys tomorrow for lunch. I'll talk to them then, okay?"
"Okay."
Monica wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed Chandler softly on the lips. However, they jumped apart when there was a loud crash coming from upstairs.
"I swear they get that from you!" Monica yelled, pointing her finger at him, "I never make messes."
"I'm on it."
Rachel and Phoebe were completely silent on the ride home. They were both too busy contemplating the events of the past few days – their sudden decisions to get married and Monica's reaction, mostly. It wasn't until they were walking up the stairs to Rachel's apartment (formerly Monica and Chandler's apartment) that Rachel broke the silence.
"I think we should marry our guys as soon as possible."
"Really? Why?"
"Because you know Monica's gonna send Chandler out to try to change Joey and Ross' minds."
"Yeah…so what?"
"So what? We havta get married before she succeeds, that's what!"
"Oh, I see what you're getting at..."
"Uh-huh!" Rachel shook her head incredulously, "What a friend."
"I know, really!"
"You don't think she's right…do you?"
"No."
Rachel sighed in relief. "Of course she's not."
"No! Ya know, Monica's not as smart as she thinks she is."
"Totally."
The two of them laughed for a minute, and then, silence again. Monica isn't right, Phoebe decided, Of course not. This was something they needed to do. They had to get married – right? Of course they did. Everything would be fine. She and Joey had been friends for years. It would be like friendship…but instead of calling Joey her friend, she would refer to him as her husband. That was all – right?
Phoebe stopped in the middle of the hallway and took out a small, silver cell phone. Then, she turned around and headed back down the stairs. Rachel stopped and stared at Phoebe's retreating figure before calling out to her.
"Wait! Where are you going?"
"To City Hall."
"What?!"
Phoebe stopped and turned around, as Rachel caught up to her. "That's right. It's time to get married."
"Oh!" Rachel enthused, "Whoo!"
"Yeah baby!"
"See," Rachel elbowed Phoebe, "You and Joey are gonna get along great!"
Phoebe smiled. "Ok, let's move it, move it, move it!"
"Right!"
Rachel and Phoebe then made their way down the stairs, grinning anxiously the entire way.
Joey shuffled nervously back and forth. He was getting married. It was a lot to take in. After all, only three days before, he had been living the life of a single man and enjoying it to it to its fullest. A part of him didn't want to get married and ruin that. After all, Joey was known for his luck with women, yet he rarely dated them for more than a few months. True, he was getting older and it probably wasn't the healthiest manner for him to behave in, but it had become him. By getting married, he was completely changing his personality.
Still, he had made a promise to Phoebe and he intended on keeping it. She was one of his closest friends and he loved her. Often, she was the only one who understood him. While the rest of the gang would leave him out and make fun of him just because he wasn't as intelligent as the rest of them, Phoebe never made him feel neglected or dumb. He appreciated that.
He took a deep breath and then looked at Ross. Ross didn't seem nervous at all. Then again, it was Ross. He was an expert at marriage now. Hell, he'd been married three times – and one of those times it was to Rachel! Besides, Ross didn't get all that many dates to begin with. He wasn't giving up all that much by plummeting into the world of the married.
For a fleeting moment, Joey wondered why he wasn't marrying Rachel. He almost slapped himself at that thought. After all, he and Rachel were over. It had been one kiss, one night, and then…it was over. Joey shuddered. He couldn't think about Rachel – not now. They had hurt each other too much, although they pretended everything was normal again. No, it was better this way. Joey and Phoebe – a clean slate, a new beginning. Well, almost, anyway.
"Joey, you nervous?" Ross wondered, as he studied Joey.
"Nervous? Me? No. Of course not. Do I seem nervous?"
"Whoa, slow down."
"Sorry. I guess I'm a little nervous…"
"Don't be. Marriage is like…friendship…except you live with the person…all the time. Eat at the same kitchen table, watch the same television, perhaps…sleep in the same bed…"
"And have sex, right?" Joey asked, a panicked look on his face.
"And have sex," Ross agreed, monotonously.
"Ok, phew. Scared me there for a second."
"Do you really think it's wise to just start having sex right away?"
"Uh, yeah. What else are honeymoons for?"
"What about getting to know Phoebe better?"
"Dude, I've known Phoebe for like…" Joey started counting on his fingers, but, after a few seconds, became frustrated, "A long time!"
"But, do you really know her?"
Joey raised his eyebrows. "Uh, yeah."
Ross sighed loudly. "Never mind."
Finally, Rachel, wearing a long, white skirt and white blouse, and Phoebe, wearing a sleeveless yellow dress with a big, silver pin that had chains dangling from it (she claimed white was too cliché for her and the pin was just "really cool"), entered the courtroom. Joey took in a deep breath as Phoebe called him over. They were going first. Apprehensively, Joey offered Phoebe his arm, and, after giggling, she took it and the two moved towards the judge.
As Ross and Rachel sat in the back, acting as witnesses for their friends' marriage, Ross began to chew on his lip nervously. He looked at Rachel, who seemed to be completely calm. Ross had been calm…before. But now, as he watched Joey and Phoebe, butterflies formed in his stomach. He was getting married…again. Would this one work? He and Rachel hadn't dated for years. What if they had drifted apart too much to ever get back into "that place". Is it even about "that place," Ross wondered. After all, this was just getting married for the sake of marrying someone, not for love. But was that really so bad? The first two times he married for love, yet what had that left him with? A lesbian and an angry British woman, that's what.
This was insane, sure it was. But maybe it would work. A marriage based purely on friendship. No love, no feelings, no fears of betrayal – just friendship, tweaked a bit. Maybe it was what he needed all along. A smile danced on his parched lips as he heard the judge finalize Joey and Phoebe's marriage.
Rachel pulled on his arm as Emma clapped her hands excitedly. Well, at least Emma's getting a real family. He looked at his daughter for a moment, eyes gleaming with unbridled joy, and couldn't help but smile. He was doing the right thing – not only for himself and Rachel, but for their daughter, as well.
It was really happening.
"Dying in America, at the end of the millennium, we're dying in America to come into our own" Ee! I love Rent! I saw it on Broadway a few weeks ago and I just got the soundtrack and…eep! I love it! *breathes* Anyways, I've yet to type up my next chapter (I've been handwriting them first, although I never used to *shrugs*), but it'll be up sooner if people still wanna read this fic. So, now that I've totally scared you all off by being my normal freaky obsessive self, please leave me a review. Thanks!:)