Unbreakable

AN: I haven't posted any Chapters for this story in a while, although I wrote several versions of this chapter until I was finally happy with it. Pleas read and enjoy. Leaving a review wouldn't hurt either!

Rachel gasped, her hands flying to cover her face. She watched Monica fall as if in slow motion. Monica's once energetic blue eyes flickered shut. Rachel watched though her fingers filled with dread. She watched as Chandler dived attempting to prevent Monica from crashing into the coffee table, but to no avail, her small form had already crumpled as her head hit the edge of the wooden table with a dull, aching thud. Rachel glanced quickly at Chandler; thankfully noting her fiancé was not hurt. He pulled himself into a sitting position and immediately noticed Monica was unconscious. Rachel's eyes connected with Chandler and as if they had spoken about it, burst into action. Rachel went to fetch a glass of water, while Chandler focused on waking Monica. He knelt next to Monica desperately trying to force her to open her eyes.

As she filled the cup with tap water Rachel felt like bursting into tears. The past four years she had spent despising Monica for abandoning Chandler and herself without any apparent reason. Now that her former best friend was unconscious on the floor of her living room Rachel felt strangely empty. She didn't know which of her conflicting emotions she should believe to be her true feelings. She had thought up until mere seconds ago that Monica's actions were unforgivable, no matter what the circumstances. But now her whole perspective on her friendship with Monica was blurry.

She rushed to towards Chandler and Monica in two quick strides and kneeled beside him on the carpeted floor and handed him the glass she had half-filled with water. It was always half-full, never half-empty, she reminded herself. Monica was going to be okay. Be optimistic, think on the bright side her mind screamed. She was shocked out of her reverie by Chandler's soft voice, "Rach, it's been nearly a minute, she hasn't moved. I – I think I can still feel her pulse though." He grimaced, "I – I think we need an ambulance." Chandler stated his voice cracking with the last syllable.

Rachel scrambled to her feet reaching for the cordless phone she kept on the coffee table. With shaking fingers she dialled the three digits, anxiously waiting for someone to pick up on the other end. After two rings, which seemed to last forever a bored voice answered.

"911. Is there an emergency situation?"

"Yes. My – my – uh – friend," Rachel said quietly, struggling for the correct word to describe Monica, "she's unconscious. I - she hit her head on - a coffee table. My fiancé and I haven't been able to wake her." Rachel informed the operator, stumbling over her words. Rachel calmed considerably when she felt Chandler reach over Monica's still body to stroke her back comfortingly. Everything would be okay. Monica would be okay. Right?

"Okay Ma'am, Your name please? And where is your apartment located?"

"Rachel Greene. Corner of 52nd and 5th, building 3, apartment 20." Rachel choked into the receiver, "Please hurry," she added urgently.

"The ambulance is on its way Ma'am." The operator told her calmly. A click was heard and the dial tone began pulsing steadily in her ear. Rachel reached out toward Chandler who was sitting on the sofa, next to Monica whom he had moved during Rachel's brief phone conversation. Rachel sat on his lap and wrapped herself in her arms; she was willing to take comfort anyway she could get it. Rachel began to sob helplessly. Chandler instinctively tightened his grip around her waist, meanwhile staring at Monica's lifeless expression.

This was not the way it was supposed to be. Less than 24 hours ago Rachel had been perfectly content. She had a job she loved, a wonderful apartment, a group of devoted friends and she was to be married in two months to Chandler. Of all the things that could have gone wrong, this was the thing she least expected. Maybe she had expected the wedding centrepieces to be the wrong colour or the bridesmaid dresses the wrong size, she would never have imagined that Monica would return. After four years, the group had become accustomed to Monica's absence and had never really expected her to return. They had settled into new lives, which did not include her. They rarely even thought of her anymore. Sure they would always have memories and never forget her, but she was the past and they were focused on the future. Rachel bit her lip, "Maybe time doesn't heal all" she whispered to herself, "It just covers it up."

She hugged her arms around herself, in the process pulling Chandler's arms tighter around her. She wanted to curl up in a ball and sleep. She wanted to go back to yesterday, when there was no Monica and she was peacefully asleep in Chandler's arms without a care in the world. She wanted to be anywhere but here. Rachel paused her thoughts a moment, suddenly wondering what Chandler was feeling. She had deep suspicions Chandler still loved Monica. Months ago she had caught him staring at a picture of himself and Monica. She had accused him of still loving her; he had denied it. She had forgiven him, but she refused to believe he was fully over Monica. And that made her jealous. She knew she was being slightly hypocritical; after all she still had lingering feelings for Ross. Despite her irrational fears she knew Chandler would never hurt her, not like he had been hurt. He knew the emotional pain it caused, from first hand experience and would never inflict it upon her.

Rachel was once again snapped out of her thoughts, this time by the sound of an approaching ambulance. Rachel looked at her watch and realized it had only taken two minutes for the emergency team to arrive. It had seemed so much longer.

With in minutes Monica had been carted off, placed on a stretcher and on her way to the emergency room. Rachel and Chandler followed closely in a cab.

Chandler was the first to break the silence overtaking the cab, "Rach? You okay, honey? I – I know Monica's re-appearance is a shock to say the least."

"Chandler," Rachel said out of the blue, ignoring his question, "You still love her. Admit it." Rachel said fighting a sob, "I – I saw the look on your face when you realized she was unconscious. It was like you were hurting along with her."

"Rachel, Of course I love her."

"You selfish b--" Rachel began to protest but was cut off by Chandler, "I do love her, but it's nothing compared to what I feel for you. The past three years have been some of the best of my life. I got through them without Monica because - because I had you. I love you."

Rachel smiled modestly, swallowing the lump in her throat, "You don't mean that, Chandler."

"I do. I'm marrying you aren't I? I couldn't do that if I didn't love you. And I do. I will always have a soft spot for Monica. She was my first true love like Ross was yours. I understand your past relationship with Ross and I'm asking of you is to try and understand my past relationship with Monica. I may have loved her once and I may even have lingering feelings for her now, I'm not even sure myself. Seeing her today was a shock and brought old feelings to the surface but that – it doesn't affect what we have." He said kissing her lightly for effect.

Rachel sighed hugging Chandler tightly, "You always know just the right things to say; you always have. Where do you come up with your charming little speeches that make me go from wanting to hit you, to wanting to kiss you?" She asked a smile tugging on her lips, before turning her expression to a serious one, "I thought I'd lost you for a moment there. Y'know I was always afraid Monica would return and – and she'd take you away from me. I never thought I could compete with her. She cooks, she cleans, what do I do?" She asked him resting her chin on his shoulder.

"Don't worry, I'm not going anytime soon, and you don't need to do anything, you're perfect already." he assured her. Despite as Chandler's reassurances Rachel still felt insecure, but decided not to voice her opinions.

Rachel and Chandler arrived at the hospital a few minutes later and were told by the somewhat plump, but friendly receptionist to take a seat in the waiting room. The décor of the room was plain. The walls were a soft blue colour and contrasted unpleasantly against the tiled black and white of the floor. Comfortable-looking, blue armchairs circled the room. The other furniture in the room only consisted of a small coffee table, which held dozens of magazines, stacked in a messy pile.

The couple sat uncomfortably in the corner of room hoping for the best. Chandler called the other three group members informing them of Monica's situation. They had arrived shortly after to find Chandler and Rachel curled up together, asleep.

"Huh?" Rachel mumbled sleepily when she felt herself being shaken awake, she felt Chandler's shoulder being pulled out from underneath her head and gasped as her head hit the wall.

"Ow." She muttered angrily. She opened her eyes to see Ross shaking her awake and Phoebe doing the same to Chandler.

"Wake-up sleepy heads!" Phoebe yelled cheerily. Rachel fought the urge to smack her to get her shut-up. Instead she muttered, "I'm up, I'm up!" Beside her Chandler yawned, stretching his arms and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Mon's gonna be fine. She's sleeping." Ross informed. "Yeah" Phoebe added, "We can see her in about half-an-hour, though. The doctor said she'd probably be awake by then. We woke you up because we thought you might want to know." She paused. "Well that and we're dying to find out what got her in this condition. What happened? Didja punch her for hurting your Chandler?" Phoebe teasingly asked Rachel.

"Hell no." Rachel smiled slightly, "She fainted and hit her head on the coffee table." "Yeah," added Chandler who up until this point had been silent, "She fainted when Rach and I told her we were engaged."

"Well that seems to be a very common reaction, when people hear about your engagement." Phoebe stated dryly, looking pointedly at Ross.

"Haha, funny." Ross said, non-smiling, before steering the conversation topic back to Monica, "I knew that she was bound to be upset but-"

"Hold it." Chandler commanded, "You knew? How did you know? She had been at our apartment for no more than five minutes before she passed out. Was she with you before? Have you been talking to her for the past four years behind our backs?"

"Yeah about that--" Ross said reluctantly, "Um yeah, uh Pheebs?"

Phoebe rolled her eyes and looked at her boyfriend, "What Ross was so nicely trying to say is that Monica spent the night at our apartment. She didn't want us to tell you or Rachel because she was sure you were upset with her."

"Damn right." Rachel growled, "How could we not be upset with her?" Chandler nodded slightly, in agreement.

"That was the first time we'd seen or heard from her since she left though." Ross added quickly trying to avoid Chandler and Rachel getting angry with him. Anyway, it wasn't like he was lying, that was the straight truth.

Silence over took the foursome for a few minutes until Chandler spoke realizing Joey wasn't with them, "Where's Joey didn't he come with you guys?"

"Oh yeah, he's in the cafeteria, he was starving. Although, come to think of it he has been there a while." Phoebe giggled. The rest shrugged nonchalantly, they were all accustomed to Joey's unbelievable appetite. As if on cue, Joey entered from the far hallway carrying several large wrapped sandwiches.

"Hi, Ross, Pheebs. Oh Chandler, Rach you're awake." He nodded to each person in acknowledgement as he spoke his or her name. He dumped his armful of sandwiches on Ross' lap. "I figured you guys might be hungry." Joey said taking a seat next to Rachel. Rachel smiled, Joey had changed a lot in four years, he was still the skirt-chasing womanizer he had always been, but now he depended on his friends much more, he was much more considerate of other's feelings.

"Thank Joe. I am pretty hungry." Chandler said grabbing one of the sandwiches, as soon as he had unwrapped enough to eat, Rachel reached up and took a bite. "Ah" Chandler teased, "There's a Rachel on my sandwich." She smirked and kissed him. Then took the sandwich from him taking another bite, "I guess I'm not the only one who's hungry," Chandler remarked, taking his sandwich back from Rachel.

While waiting for Monica to wake up, the quintet talked about and reminisced about their lives before Monica's mysterious disappearance. They pointed out things that had changed since she had left. Chandler and Ross had learned to cook relatively well, realizing soon after Monica's departure they no longer had someone to cook decent food. Rachel, Joey and Phoebe then relied on Chandler and Ross to cook for them. They had learned to solve their own problems and take care of themselves. They had learned to move on. And that was exactly what they did. Phoebe and Ross and Rachel and Chandler had paired up, seeking comfort in one another's arms. Joey relied on acting and random women to keep himself busy.

Whether they would admit it or not all five group-members felt that Monica's departure had done their group more good than bad. It had helped them grow up and they were happy. It was Rachel who finally voiced the thoughts all had been thinking, "Y'know I spent four years wondering where the hell Monica went, missing her, wishing she would call or something, but now that she is back, I feel like I don't need her anymore, like I don't even really want her back. Am I a terrible person or what?" Rachel sniffed. Chandler rubbed her back reassuringly.

"No honey," Phoebe comforted, "I – I think we all feel like that. I know I do. My life was close to perfect, I recovered from losing Monica and all the sudden she's back and – and it's hard to deal with. We know how you feel."

Rachel pulled Phoebe into a hug, Chandler joined in, then Joey and soon all five were hugging furiously, in a silent promise that they would not let Monica's return tear them apart. She had broken them once, it would not happen again. Ever.

TBC…

AN: I really liked writing that Chapter! It was so much fun to write, and (surprisingly) I love the way Chandler and Rachel fit together. However since I have started two versions of the next couple chapters I need you to chose which one you want to be posted, this can be a Chandler and Rachel story or develop into a Monica and Chandler story! Please review and tell me which you would prefer! Although I will say Ross and Phoebe are staying together, I think they are good together. Also there is NO chance of a Joey/Monica thing, I absolutely hate them together.