Here's the next part of the story. Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, I appreciate it so much! I know those prologue things are kind of a pain to read when there's no dialogue. I make sure to write them just to torture you…lol…enjoy…

Chapter 1

"It's Ross."

The words repeated themselves over and over in Monica's head. Ross. Her older brother, Ross. One of the primary people in her life. Something had happened to him. And, judging from the looks on Rachel's and Phoebe's faces, it wasn't good.

"What happened," Monica whispered, struggling against the tears that threatened to spill over her eyes. "Is he…is he okay?"

"We don't know," said Phoebe quietly. "That was Joey I just got off the phone with. He and Chandler are with him at the hospital. There hasn't been any change in his condition."

"What happened to him?" Monica asked. "Was he in an accident, or-".

"He was hit. By a bus," Phoebe stated matter-of-factly.

"Oh, God!" Monica cried out. "By a bus!?! He couldn't have been! He's always so careful! People…people DIE from being hit by buses! Ross can't…he can't die! Ben needs him! We need him!" She began to cry. "I need him! He can't just go away like this!"

Rachel jumped out of her seat and hugged Monica, new tears running down her cheeks. "I know, Monica. Believe me, I know."

"Why!?!?" Monica yelled. "Why was he hit? Ross is always so careful!"

"The driver was speeding. He ran through a stop sign," Phoebe whispered. "The people who saw it said Ross probably wouldn't have been hit, except there was a little boy in front of him. Ross pushed him out of the way and fell." Phoebe finally began to cry, which scared Monica and Rachel even more than they already had been. Phoebe never cried. "He didn't get up in time."

"The doctors don't know if he's going to make it," said Rachel, barely able to get the words out through her tears. "He's in a coma."

"We have to go," said Monica, all fatigue forgotten. Adrenaline was now flowing through her, and it would keep her going until she knew her brother was all right. "We need to go to the hospital and be there with him."

"We know," Phoebe said, grabbing her keys. "We were waiting for you."

"Then let's go," said Rachel, running out the door with Monica and Phoebe behind her.

They took a cab to the hospital. Luckily, it wasn't rush hour, so they got there fairly quickly.

"Is he okay?" Rachel panted as they ran up to Chandler and Joey. "Is he going to be all right?"

"They don't know," said Chandler, his face expressionless. "The doctors don't know anything. He's still out of it."

"Why can't they DO something!?!?" Monica stormed. "They're supposed to be doctors! My brother is in there, maybe dying, and no one's doing anything about it!"

Chandler took her in his arms and rocked her slowly, letting her cry into his shoulder. "They're doing all they can. They said he has severe brain damage." He made a noise like he was struggling not to cry. "He has about a 20 percent chance of survival."

"20 percent?" said Phoebe, her face draining of color. "So they assume he's not going to survive at all?" Rachel gasped and sank down slowly in the chair next to Joey's.

"I know, it sucks," said Joey softly. "They say that if he does live, he's probably gonna need physical therapy and all that stuff before he can leave."

"Oh my God," Monica whispered. "Can I see him?"

"Family can, two at a time," said Chandler. "Which means you and I can go in. I've been waiting for you."

"Let's go," Monica said, and they hurried toward the room where Ross lay, hovering between life and death.

They ran into the room, and Monica gasped. Her brother was hooked up to at least a dozen machines, most of which seemed to be monitoring his head. His arm was in cast, and his leg had a splint on it.

"The doctor said most of the damage was contained to his head," Chandler told her. "The rest of him is pretty much okay."

Monica and Chandler walked forward and looked down at Ross. "Hey, buddy," whispered Chandler. "I don't know if you can hear me. The doctors say it's worth a try." He laughed softly. "Ross, I realize that being hit by a bus isn't a picnic, but you have to come back soon and talk to us. Let us know you're okay. We're all worried sick about you. Monica here is so upset she can't even talk. And you should see Rachel, back in the waiting room. She can barely stop crying. And the rest of us aren't exactly dancing in joy, either." He paused. "Wake up soon, Ross. We need you." He stepped back, and Monica moved shakily forward.

"Hi," she whispered. "Ross, I really don't know what to say…just…you can't leave us here," she said, fresh tears appearing in her eyes. "You just can't. We need you too much. You're my brother. Chandler's college roommate. Phoebe, Joey and Rachel's friend. If you go, it'll never be the same." She carefully squeezed his hand. "Please." She started crying too hard to continue. Chandler wrapped his arm around her and led her slowly from the room.

As they exited, they came very close to bumping into a doctor who was on his way in. "Oh! I assume you are relatives of Mr. Geller," said the doctor.

"Yes," said Monica, wiping her eyes. "I'm his sister, Monica, and this is my husband, Chandler Bing."

"Nice to meet you," said the doctor, shaking their hands. "I'm Dr. Brown. I just examined Mr. Geller a few minutes ago, and I wanted to let you know he's making an improvement."

Monica gasped.

"He is?" Chandler said excitedly. "You mean there's a better chance he's going to live?"

"A much better chance," smiled Dr. Brown. "I'm almost certain he's going to wake up very soon, and his chance of permanent brain damage is minimal."

"That's great!" shrieked Monica, clearly delighted. "How soon do you think he'll wake up?"

"I would say in the next twenty-four hours or so," answered Dr. Brown.

"Twenty-four hours?" Chandler frowned. "That's not soon. That's like, a whole day. AND a whole night."
"It may easily be sooner," replied the doctor. "That's the maximum time slot I estimate."

"We have to go tell the others! Thank you, Doctor!" Monica grabbed Chandler's hand and dragged him over to the waiting room.

"He's going to be okay!" she called as they sprinted in. "He's going to wake up soon! He's going to be all right!"

"Thank God!" Rachel gasped, jumping to her feet.

"Can we see him?" asked Phoebe eagerly, with Joey right behind her.

"Sorry, it's still family only," said Chandler.

"No! They can't do that," Rachel wailed. "I need to see him NOW!"

"Sorry Rach," Monica shrugged. "Rules are rules."

"Yeah, maybe to you," said Rachel, eyeing the receptionist's desk. Before anyone could ask what she meant, she was walking up to it.

"Excuse me," she said sweetly. "I would like to get in to see Mr. Ross Geller, please."

"Are you a relative?" asked the receptionist, checking her chart.

"I'm his girlfriend," Rachel replied. The others stared at each other, shocked. They couldn't believe how easily the lie had come out of Rachel's mouth.

"Go ahead," replied the nurse, buzzing the door open. Rachel sped through it and, after exchanging another shocked look, Monica and Chandler ran after her.

"Rachel! I cannot believe you just did that," hissed Monica and they speedwalked down the hallway. "You just lied in a hospital!"

"Well, it COULD have been true," Rachel argued. "I WAS his girlfriend, more than once! I was married to him for over a month, for crying out loud!"

"Yeah, because he lied to you," Chandler said.

"I still was," said Rachel. "And I don't care what you say, I have to see him! I need to know he's all right!"

"Mr. and Mrs. Bing, back again?" It was Dr. Brown.

"Yes, sir," said Chandler.

"And who is this? Another relative?" he asked, looking at Rachel.

"I'm his girlfriend," Rachel said quickly, before Monica and Chandler could say anything.

"Excellent," he said. "Go on in."

TBC

Ha! I finished! And I realize that Ross would be in much much worse shape if he was hit by a bus, but it's my story, kay? Maybe it was a little bus. Use your imagination. Thanks so much for reading my stuff, and if you wanna make me really happy, leave a review! Thanks a bunch!