Hey guys! This is a short, angsty Chandler/Monica songfic. I'm not sure if I'll continue it or leave it as a stand-alone. Please review if you get the chance.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Friends characters. The song I used, Bad Day, belongs to Fuel.
"Mon, I'm home!" Chandler called out as he swung his briefcase on the small nearby table and kicked the door shut behind him. When no response was heard he quietly walked down the hallway toward the kitchen. He fleetingly thought she might be upstairs again, closed up in their room trying to sleep and escape reality. But that thought quickly left his mind when his eyes settled upon the mess in the kitchen.
The dishwasher was left open and what appeared to be the remains of a shattered plate were scattered across the floor. He concluded that she must have been putting up the clean dishes when one had escaped and fallen to the floor. What unsettled him the most was the fact that she had left the mess there, untouched. The old Monica would not have tolerated such a thing. This thought made him long for their earlier days, before the accident that changed so many lives. He spotted a note on the kitchen table. Reaching over he picked it up and read its contents aloud.
"Chandler, I'm sorry about the mess. I needed to get some fresh air before I started to clean it up. I should be back soon. I guess I'm just having another bad day."
Had a bad day again
She said I would not understand
She left a note and said, "I'm sorry I
had a bad day again"
As if on cue, the back door opened and in stepped a somber looking Monica. She closed the door louder than intended and looked at him apologetically. Her eyes were red and puffy and he could tell she had been crying. As he was moving in to give her a hug, she stepped back to stop him.
"Chandler, just please leave me alone," she pleaded.
He attempted to reach out once more, but she swatted his arms away.
"Please don't touch me. I know you're only trying to help, but I can't deal with your pity-filled looks anymore."
Her voice was steadily getting louder and more demanding.
"I just want everyone to leave me alone. Is that too much to ask? Stop asking me if I'm alright. If you want to help, just let me deal with this on my own!"
Monica turned to leave, but her sleeve caught the top of the chair, which bumped the table causing the mug filling with cold coffee to fall to the ground. She stared at the mess, then back up at his sad eyes. All the sudden she felt old and weak and slid to the ground as the tears started to fall. Chandler met her on the floor and enveloped her in a tight hug as she sobbed into his chest. "I'm sorry. It's just another bad day," she whispered into his shoulder, making him tighten his grip around her.
She spilled her coffee, broke her shoelace
Smeared the lipstick on her face
Slammed the door and said, "I'm sorry I
had a bad day again"
Thirty minutes later Monica was snuggled up in their bed half watching the cooking show Chandler had put on for her. There was a light tap at the bedroom door, followed by Chandler making his way into the room with a cup of hot tea in one hand. He carefully got in bed beside her and handed her the drink. She managed to whisper a thank you and as she was taking a sip, Chandler moved in closer to wrap his arms around her. Monica placed the cup on the bedside table and turned back to smile at him.
"I'm sorry again honey. I really am ok. It was just a bad day. Don't propose going back to New York like I know you always do. Honestly, I'm fine. I love our new house here and I love you and that's all I need right now."
And she swears there's nothing wrong
I hear her playing that same old song
She puts me off and puts me on
And had a bad day again
She said I would not understand
Left a note and said, "I'm sorry I
had a bad day again"
He gave her a half smile and kissed her lightly on the lips. She knew him too well. He was ready to bring up the taboo subject of moving back home, but didn't want to upset her again. She had taken the death of her parents so hard and despite everything he and her therapist had told her, he knew deep down she still blamed herself.
Jack and Judy were on their way to visit them for the night. When they attempted to back out because the weatherman was calling for bad weather, Monica told them she knew they would come if it were Ross they were visiting. She had already cooked her parents' favorite dish and organized a night of fun. As this was the only night all of them had free for a while, she insisted they come. And at the time it was only snowing lightly, nothing to worry about. The two arrived safely at Chandler and Monica's apartment shortly thereafter, just like Monica knew would happen. It was a pleasant evening, but as the time wore on the snow began to fall harder. Everyone decided it would be a good idea for Jack and Judy to leave while the roads still seemed to be safe and travelable.
They got the call two hours later. There had been a terrible accident and there were no survivors out of the four people that were involved.
A little while later Chandler was offered a job in Chicago and Monica begged for him to take it. She wanted to start over in a new place, where she could escape all the sad glances her friends were giving her and the guilt she felt every time she saw Ross.
They had been here for over six months now and Monica only seemed to be getting worse. He knew she didn't want to be in New York, constantly reliving the memories. But he could tell she wasn't getting any better here. She missed her friends and her old life and as much as he loved his wife, he wanted nothing more than to move back to the city.
And she swears there's nothing wrong
I hear her playing that same old song
She puts me off and puts me on
~~2 weeks later~~
The workday was over and his familiar greeting was heard as Chandler walked into the house. He continued down the hall and up the stairs. As he neared their bedroom, he immediately heard her sobs. Softly he opened the door and his heart broke and what he found. Monica was sitting on the bed looking through picture albums and crying at the memories, friends and life she was trying to leave behind.
"Oh, Monica," he whispered as he made his way over to the bed and gathered her into his arms. He gently rocked her back and forth as his own tears began to fall.
"I'm taking you home."
Monica heard his words and wanted to fight them, but all she could manage to do was nod into his chest and whisper, "Okay."
Oh and had a bad day again
She said I would not understand
She left a note and said, "I'm sorry I
had a bad day again"
She left a note and said, "I'm sorry I
had a bad day…"