centerThis is Mine, You Can't Take It
Part 4/center

[Okay, so this is the final part! I hope you guys enjoyed the story. I had a lot of fun writing it! The last part kinda lacked, though, I dunno. Anyway, thanks for reading! =D Happy back to school to all of you headed back. (Me, too :/) I'm hoping to still have time to write when I go back for the winter term, since I only have one class. But I might be working, so I dunno. If it's a while until I write again, just know... I'll be back!! ;)]

11:55.

Chandler stared at the wall, and flopped back down on the bed. I can't take this. I wish I could just zoom forward to 12:01 and get this over with.

Images flooded through his mind. London, Vegas, sneaking around, being engaged, their wedding, everything. How could I have messed this up? Oh yeah, that's easy. I'm CHANDLER.

He'd never felt so terrible in his life. He'd been given the chance to undo his wife's death, and he messed it up. Sure, he knew he still had a very slight chance, but he doubted it. Not after how the day had gone.

11:57.

PLEASE, let's just get this over with, he begged. It's torture.

Monica said, coming into their room.

Oh, great, he thought. I'd already come to terms with her leaving.

he said back.

You still up?

Yeah, just thinking.

How long have I been asleep out there? she asked.

Couple hours, he said. I let you go because I know the painkillers were supposed to make you drowsy.

Yeah, they sure did, she laughed. But of course now I'm not tired at all.

11:59.

I'm gonna go get ready for bed, she said, leaving the room and heading towards the bathroom.

Chandler whispered lightly. He sighed and fell back on the bed again. He didn't even want to look at the clock. I wonder how many of those other people Lou did this to failed as well? Probably only me.

Okay, wow, my ankle feels FINE now! Monica said, coming back in the room. Painkillers are a miracle. Chandler glanced at the clock.

12:02.

His heart skipped a beat for a second, but then he realized it was probably off a minute or two.

Are you okay? Monica asked him, following his gaze to the clock.

Ummm, yeah. Just... wondering if that clock's set to the right time.

Oh, no, actually it's about two or three minutes slow.

Slow? SLOW? Did she just say slow? As in it's REALLY 12:04 or 12:05?

he asked. Are you sure?

Uh huh, Monica said.



No, Chandler, see, I like to lie about how fast or slow our clocks are.

Oh my God, he said in a whisper.

Why are you acting so weird?

Nothing, just... I love you, he said, then he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. So so so so so so so so so much, he added.

I love you so so so so so so so so much, too, she said with a smile. What's with this sudden proclamation?

He brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear. Just... nothing. I thought you should know.

Part of that new life style change? she asked.

Yeah, exactly! See, you know.

She smiled. So remember what we talked about at the hospital? If I have to be in bed, who's supposed to come with me?

he started, searching for a joke. But he couldn't think of one. He couldn't believe it. Had he really done it? Or had this whole thing been a dream? Or was something wrong and everything bad was delayed? He didn't care. She was still here. And it was now officially MONDAY. It was past 12:01 AM and he wasn't back at the fountain. Maybe he HAD succeeded the first day. I'll think about it, he joked.

Maybe I could talk you into it? she asked.

Eh, wouldn't hurt to try.

Or maybe my HANDS could talk you into it... she said, running her hands across his chest, then lower, and lower.

Mon, are you SURE you're up to this? What about your ankle?

It's numb to pain thanks to those painkillers. I'm sure, she said with a smile.

I don't know... he said. Something might happen to your ankle, and I-

Monica said. He stopped talking, and she smiled. she said, putting her finger to his lips, then kissing him.

If you insist, he said, pulling her down to the bed with him. She giggled when they hit the bed. You sure your ankle is okay?

I promise I'll tell you if it's not. She looked at him and smiled as she ran a hand through his hair. You know what? she asked.

he asked her, kissing her neck.

I think I fell in love with you all over again this weekend.

Obviously, he thought to himself with a little laugh, relief flooding through him. You have NO idea how glad I am to hear that, he told her. She didn't think much of his comment. Saturday, right?

she said with a secretive smile. Today. Well, she glanced at the clock. Yesterday technically.

YESTERDAY? But that wasn't as nearly a good a day for us as Saturday was.

I know, but days like Saturday can only happen with people I'm ALREADY in love with, you know? That kind of closeness and joking and stuff.

But yesterday sucked! Chandler said. Joey woke us up early, you hurt your ankle, Rachel ruined your sweater, we spent all night in the emergency room...

And you took care of me, and worried about me, and helped me, and made me laugh, and were the sweetest guy in the world. Again.

he said. I never would've thought...

she said with a giggle. Anyway, I love you.

Oh, God, I love you, too! You have no idea.

I think I do, she told him. If it's even half as much as I love you.

I'm not gonna fight with you over the fact that I love you more.

she mock pouted.

But I do, he said quickly, then leaned in and kissed her. She protested at first so that she could respond, but then she gave up and kissed him back.

He wondered if he would see Lou again, or if he was just... gone... now. As if he had been reading his mind, when Chandler looked up to glance at the clock again, just in case, he saw Lou standing there. He fought the urge to jump, or say something to him, since Monica was right there.

Lou smiled at him, and gave him a wink. Then he placed something on the dresser.

And with that, he was gone.

For good this time.

You know what? Chandler asked Monica with a smile.

she asked.

You're mine, he told her with a smile, leaning down to kiss her again.

As opposed to what I've been the last five years? she asked.

Chandler just smiled, not sure how to respond to that since she didn't know the story. Instead of responding, he leaned down and kissed her again.

You're amazing, you know that? he asked her. Before you I would have rather been alone my whole life, I didn't want compromises, sharing, fights, commitment, one person for my whole life, he smiled But now I can't imagine anything else. Plus the good stuff that I like, seriously had no idea could be this good.

She smiled. I'm glad you chose me to be the one you changed your mind about wanting all that stuff with.

Me, too, he said. Sure your ankle's okay? he asked with a smile, half serious, half joking.

My ankle's not what I'm thinking about right now, she told him with a smile.

*~*~*~*

Chandler woke up a little after four am that morning. He glanced at Monica, who was fast asleep next to him. He got up and looked at the spot Lou had last been standing, looking to see what he had placed on the dresser before he disappeared his final time.

A penny, dated 1998. Just like the one that had been left on his dresser the morning after he had met Lou. But then it had been to remind him of what he had to do. Now, he knew, it was to tell him he'd done it.

Thank you, he whispered to no one in particular.

He still couldn't believe that he'd gotten her to fall in love with him all over again during that bad day. He was sure that day had ruined it all. Yet, it had been the one that did it. Maybe there had been a reason for her hurting her ankle after all.

He placed the penny in a dresser drawer, then climbed back into bed. He smiled at Monica's sleeping figure, then wrapped his arms around her.

This is mine, he said to no one in particular again, perhaps the same person. You can't take it.

*~*~*~*

Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear Lucy, happy birthday to you!

Everyone cheered and watched the dark-haired blue eyed little girl blow out her fifth birthday candles.

a lighter-haired, younger, but still blue eyed little girl tugged on Monica's shirt. When's my birthday? she asked.

Samantha, you just had a birthday, she told her. Remember? It was just a few months ago? You had a cake and got all those presents?

Oh. Yeah, Samantha remembered. Wait, so when's my next one?

Not for a while, Chandler stepped in, scooping her off her feet. But before Lucy has another one, he assured her.

Okay, good, Samantha said with a smile, wrapping her arms around her father and giving him a hug.

It seems like only yesterday you were just a little baby, Monica said, patting Lucy on the head.

You always say that, Mommy! Lucy said with a giggle.

Well, good, then get used to it, because the older you get the more I'll say it, Monica said with a smile.

Chandler put Samantha down, who ran to the table to join her sister, her friends, and their cousins for the cake. Monica came over to him and smiled.

Well doesn't it seem like just yesterday that she was a baby? she asked.

Definitely does, Chandler agreed, wrapping his arm around Monica. She smiled and rested her head on his shoulder.

You still never told me how you met that guy Lou that we named Lucy after, Monica said.

Oh, him? Well, uh, he just kinda... appeared.

How come I never knew him? she asked curiously.

I, uh, didn't know him for very long, Chandler decided. But he knew you, he thought with a laugh in his head.

Ahh. Doesn't matter, anyway. Obviously he must have done something that made you remember him.

Chandler said, kissing her head. He did.


T H E * E N D

I dunno, I think it could've ended better. But I dunno, maybe that's just my feelings since I'm the author and I'm critical of it! LOL. But anyway, it's finished, and I still have a day and a half to spare before I start school! Maybe I can get a stand alone in there. ;) I also decided not to address the fertility issues in this one... because that was too much thinking just for a quick ending. Thanks for reading!! =D

This is dedicated to my cat, Tiger, who's sick and hanging in there. And also to all our other pets who have wings now, Ryan, Charlie, Bonnie & Oliver. (Plus all my goldfish! ;)