:hello here is part two! Enjoy and please review!:
TOW The Reunion
PART TWO
Monica stepped back from Chandler and smiled warmly at him. "It's really great to see you again." She told him.
"I just wish it was in a happier situation," Chandler replied sighing heavily.
"When you told me in your letter that Kip was dead I just couldn't believe it!" Monica shook her head. "He just seemed so…"
"Immortal?" Chandler finished for her. He nodded. "He really enjoyed life to it's fullest."
The pair walked arm in arm across the yard. They looked around at all the people gathered around the flowers. "Kip was a great guy," Chandler commented, "He had a lot of friends who wanted to pay their respects."
"Almost all of them," Monica added sadly.
Chandler glanced at her. "Yes…where's Ross and Rachel?" he asked, "I sent them letters."
"I don't know," Monica admitted, "I haven't seen Ross since he went to China, and Rachel…well…she'll be with Barry."
"Did they get married in the end?"
"I don't know. I never got invited to their wedding."
Chandler stopped walking and looked at Monica in shock. "She didn't invite you?! You two were best friends!"
"We kind of drifted apart after college." Monica said quietly.
"I see…"
Chandler and Monica walked along silently for a while, both thinking about the old days.
"Mon, look!" Chandler suddenly shouted, pointing ahead of them. "There's Ross!"
"Oh my god!" Monica exclaimed, starting to run towards her brother. She grabbed him and hugged him tight.
"Look at you!" Ross exclaimed, stepping back. "You look great."
"How's China?" Monica asked.
"Hey Ross!" Chandler greeted walking towards him. They shook hands and grinned at each other. "It's been a while."
"I know." Ross nodded. "I can't believe what happened to Kip." He added sadly.
"Let's just try to remember him alive." Chandler suggested, "We had some great times together."
"Mon! Chandler! Ross!" they heard a voice call out behind them. They turned around to see an elegantly dressed woman running towards them.
"Wow…is that Rachel?" Chandler asked, awed by the woman's stunning appearance.
"Looks like it," Ross replied, also shocked.
Rachel stopped in front of the group, gasping for breath. "Never try to run in heels again Rach," she muttered to herself. She smiled up at her friends. "Hi everybody."
"Married life agrees with you I see." Chandler commented, giving her a hug.
"Oh this old thing?" Rachel laughed, gesturing to her designer outfit.
"Hi Rachel," Monica greeted stiffly.
"Oh…hi." Rachel smiled awkwardly.
"So...er…it's nice to see you all again." Chandler announced, breaking the awkward silence that followed.
"Yes it really is." Rachel agreed.
"Why should you care?" Monica muttered at her.
"Excuse me?" Rachel asked, frowning at her.
"So Rachel, why don't we go and look at the flowers!" Ross interrupted, grabbing her arm. He pulled her in the direction of the flowers. "How's Barry?" he asked as they walked down.
Chandler turned to Monica and chuckled. "I think he likes her." He said.
Monica shrugged. "He can like who he wants."
Chandler put an arm around Monica and gazed at her. "Why is there all that tension between you and Rachel?" he asked, concerned.
"It's a long story." Monica replied, sighing.
Chandler stood in front of her and put his hands on her shoulders. "A story I would very much like to hear," he said meaningfully, looking briefly into her eyes. "How about dinner tonight?"
Monica smiled at him and nodded. "Dinner will be great." She said. "How about you come to my apartment around 8 and I'll cook us something?"
"Well, if you're sure," Chandler replied, looking uncertain. "I was going to take us out somewhere."
"No, it'll be fine." Monica smiled reassuringly at him, "Maybe I'll cook you that macaroni cheese you used to love."
Chandler eyes lit up. "I haven't had that for a while! Macaroni cheese out of the packet never really was the same as your recipe."
"Great! See you tonight then." Monica kissed Chandler on the cheek and walked away, looking back to give him one last smile.
****
As she walked home through the busy streets, Monica realised that she was smiling to herself. It had been a while since she had smiled. Even before the death of Kip, Monica felt she had nothing to be happy about. She lived alone in an apartment she could barely afford to pay the rent for, she was single and the few friends she had hardly ever called.
Now, she felt alive again. Her brother was back and while she felt anger towards Rachel, she had missed her. Then there was Chandler. She had missed Chandler so much when he moved to L.A. They had shared a special bond during their college years. They could talk to each other about anything and everything.
He hadn't changed much. He still had that neurotic sense of humour and the sweet grin that lit up his blue eyes. Monica hoped that he had missed her just as much as she had missed him.
Monica was coming towards a lonely alleyway and she wrapped her coat around herself protectively. She hated walking down this part of the city. It was lonely and had a reputation of being a rough neighbourhood. She wished she had walked the other way.
Suddenly, Monica felt something grab her arm. She screamed, trying to pull free, but this thing was too strong for her. She turned around, and saw a tall man looking menacingly at her. "Got any money?" he whispered, scowling at her.
"No!" Monica whispered, terrified at what this man might do to her.
"You must have something." He said angrily, gripping Monica's arm even tighter. He pushed her against the wall and held her against it.
"Hey!" a voice shouted behind him. "What do you think you're doing?!" Before the man or Monica could say a word, a young woman pulled the man off Monica and shoved him to the ground. She pinned him down. "That's for trying to attack innocent people." She said, kicking the man's legs. She looked up at Monica, who was crouched on the floor crying.
"Are you ok?" the girl asked. Monica nodded, unable to speak.
"Get up!" the girl shouted at the man. The man stood up, wincing at the grip the girl had on him.
The girl shoved him out of the alleyway. "Go on, go away." She yelled. The man ran away.
Through her tears, Monica studied the young woman. She looked quite tall, and she had long, blonde hair. Her face was pretty, but dirty. Her clothes had a hippy, 70's look about them. As she walked over, Monica shrank away. For all she knew, this girl could be another attacker.
"It's ok," the girl whispered, kneeling down. "I'm not going to hurt you. What's your name?"
When Monica didn't answer, the girl sighed. "I'll tell you my name then. I'm Phoebe Buffay and I'm 27 years old. I live at the end of this alleyway."
Monica wiped her eyes and stared at Phoebe. "You're…you're homeless?" she whispered.
Phoebe nodded. "I've lived here for several years." She replied, "You get used to it in the end."
Monica slowly stood up. She knew now that this girl would not hurt her. "I'm Monica." She told her.
"Nice to meet you Monica!" Phoebe smiled. She looked worriedly at her. "Did that guy hurt you?"
Monica shook her head. "I'm just a bit shaken up, that's all." She looked up and down the alleyway. "You live here?" she asked in disbelief.
Phoebe shrugged. "It's really not so bad," she replied, "The only annoying thing about living here is my so called roommate. He talks to his hand a lot."
"Your roommate?" Monica asked, puzzled.
"We share a box together," Phoebe explained, blushing. "Although it gets a bit squashed in there because Lizzie comes to stay with us sometimes. She has this huge cart that carries all her stuff." She looked closely at Monica. "I've seen you before. You walk down here a lot. Not a wise thing to do, especially at this time of the evening."
Monica gasped. She glanced at her watch. "Oh my god! A friend of mine is coming round my apartment in half an hour. I'm so sorry, I must go."
Phoebe nodded and held out her hand. Monica shook it. "It was nice to speak to you," Phoebe said. She walked away. "Goodbye!"
"Wait!" Monica shouted, "Which part do you…" she watched Phoebe disappear around the corner. "…live in." she finished to herself.
"Oh well…" Monica sighed and started to walk in the direction of her home.
****
"Somebody attacked you?" Chandler exclaimed. He wrapped his arms around Monica and held her tight. "Oh my god…are you ok?"
"I'm fine." Monica shakily replied. She realised that delayed shock had set in and she trembled in Chandler's arms.
Chandler tilted his head back and saw the tears running down Monica's face. He lifted his hand and wiped them away from her cheeks. "God Mon…" he whispered, "You could have been hurt…you could have been…" he paused, swallowing hard.
"Don't…don't say it." Monica mumbled, she looked at Chandler's concerned face and more tears gathered in her eyes. "I know what could have happened. If it hadn't been for this girl who fought him off me…"
"What girl?" Chandler asked, frowning.
"Phoebe Buffay. She lives on the streets and she saved me."
"Well, I'm very glad that Phoebe was around." Chandler sighed, and looked at Monica with relief.
"I…I was so scared Chandler." Monica whispered.
"I know."
Monica let go of Chandler's arms and got up from the couch that they had been sitting on for the last hour. "If you don't mind…do you think you could stay the night?" she asked timidly. "I don't want to be on my own."
"Of course," Chandler reassured her. "Anything you want."
Monica smiled. "You'll have to sleep on the couch. The spare room is being decorated at the moment. It's a mess."
"No problem." Chandler spread his legs out on the couch. "Oh my…this is so much more comfortable than the hotel beds."
Monica fetched some blankets and a pillow and threw them on top of Chandler. "I'll leave you to get ready." She said.
Chandler stood up and kissed her on the forehead. "Night Mon." he whispered, sitting back down.
"Night." Monica kissed him on the cheek and walked into her bedroom.
****
She couldn't sleep. Every time she shut her eyes, all Monica could see was that man pinning her against the wall. She rolled out of bed and walked slowly into the living room. Chandler was snuggled into the blankets in a deep sleep. She crept into the kitchen, wanting to make some warm milk to help her sleep. Not noticing where she was going, she tripped over a chair and knocked it to the floor making it fall with a loud bang.
"What? What?!! Who's there?" Chandler yelled, leaping off the couch in a fright. When he saw Monica picking up the chair he let out a huge sigh. "Mon…what the hell are you doing?"
"Sorry!" Monica apologised, blushing deeply. "I couldn't sleep, so I got up to make some warm milk…"
"…And decided to wake me up in the process." Chandler smiled wryly, running his hands through his hair. "God you gave me a scare."
Monica stared at Chandler as he rubbed his eyes suddenly feeling embarrassed being in the same room as him. He had nothing on apart from a pair of shorts.
"I suppose if you're going to wake me up you might as well check me out." Chandler commented, catching Monica staring at his body. He grinned slightly as Monica blushed. "If you can't sleep then lay down here with me." He suggested. "If it makes you feel safer."
Monica looked suspiciously at him. Chandler held up his hands. "With honourable intentions of course." He added, winking.
Monica smiled and joined Chandler on the couch. She lay down next to him and he wrapped the blanket around them. "Night Mon." he mumbled.
"Night Chandler." She mumbled back, as they both fell asleep.
END OF PART TWO:I thought this longer part would make up for the previously short intro I had wrote before:. ;)