Disclaimer - I don't own any of the characters in this fic or the song
'Always' by Bon Jovi.
I just wanted to say thankyou for all the nice reviews, it really means a lot to me to know people like my Fic!!!
This seems to be going for longer then I had originally planned, so instead of calling it the final episode of Friends, We'll call it the end of Friends lol...And also, I was reading over Chapter 2 and I noticed a few spelling errors so I am sorry about those!!
Part 3:
Continued on from Chapter 2:
Rachel pulled away from Ross, breaking the kiss. Her eyes were still closed and she stood there for a moment, before opening them, seeing Ross looking at her. Her heart was just about beating in her throat.
That had been one fantastic kiss
"Wow" she said softly "That was..Wow"
"So it's Wow then?" said Ross
He leaned in once again and Rachel didn't pull away.
Their lips met, this time much more firmer and passionate as they stood in the doorway, Rachel's arms were around Ross's neck as they held each other.
Rachel broke the kiss once again, and caught her breath
"What are we doing here?" she asked, "This isn't what I wanted to do when I came over here"
"You don't want to kiss me?" asked Ross, his face dropping
"No..I just meant this isn't what I expected to be doing that's all," said Rachel.
She pulled the door shut behind her and moved Emma's stroller away from the door.
They stood in silence for a moment before Ross spoke softly
"Stay with me tonight Rachel" he said
"What?" asked Rachel "Ross, I really don't think that is such a good idea."
"I really want you to stay with me" said Ross "I want to be with you again, I want hold you and I want to..."
Rachel shook her head , interrupting him "Oh Ross..Honestly..We've done this before, and then look what we ended up with.I just "
Ross silenced her with a kiss, his arms came around her waist and he pulled her body into his once again, she melted and suddenly all her inhibitions disappeared
Millions of thoughts began running through her mind, feeling his lips on hers again had stirred up all those memories of nights they had spent together before, fun, passionate nights, nights they'd just lay in bed talking about the future, their future.
She knew if she was with Ross tonight, it would just complicate things more but something inside of her was screaming at her to do it, she wanted to be with him just as much as he wanted to be with her. Her body was aching for him and suddenly her decision was made
She moved away from Ross silently, and gently picked a sleeping Emma up out of her stroller, lifting her into her playpen where she continued sleeping deeply.
She looked at Ross and he knew she was staying, he took her hand and led her into his bedroom where he began to kiss her passionately, they stepped over towards the bed, Rachel was unbuttoning Ross's shirt as they kissed, her doing that told Ross that it was a mutual feeling, she wanted him and he wasn't going to do anything to stop this from happening.
They fell into the bed, Ross took a moment as he stared at Rachel, and he brushed her hair away from her face and looked into her eyes
"You're beautiful" he said softly "I can't stop loving you"
"Ross." said Rachel softly "You know I love you too but.."
"It doesn't matter," said Ross "Nothing matters when I'm with you"
She traced his face with her finger, looking into these big eyes, which were burning into hers, She knew she loved him, but loving him wasn't enough, She had loved him 7 years ago and it ended in a way that neither of them had planned, Every part of her wanted to tell him that it could work, tell him that she wanted them to be together but it was just to complicated, Loving him wasn't enough and loving him hurt.
"You know how I feel Ross, you know that I would give it all I had to give if I thought we could make it work" said Rachel "But."
"Can't we just stay in this moment?" asked Ross softly, almost pleadingly "I know your mind can't be changed about us"
"But do you know?" pressed Rachel "How I feel"
"I know," said Ross "Rachel I know"
She felt tears pricking in her eyes as he spoke, loving somebody shouldn't be this complicated, it shouldn't be this hard.
Ross saw a tear slid down her face and he wiped it away before kissing her
"Don't cry," he said "I'm always going to be here, wether we're a couple or not"
"I know," said Rachel
They came together, and it was all forgotten.
A couple of hours later, Ross was still awake, watching Rachel as she lay breathing deeply as she slept, he traced her shoulder with his fingers gently and she suddenly shifted underneath his hand. He pulled away quickly, as he thought he'd woken her up but without a word, she rolled over so she was facing away from him, and moved her body back into his so he was spooning her from behind, he felt her hand reach behind her and pull his arm around so it was resting on her stomach, she always was a cuddly sleeper.
He allowed his body to rest against hers and moved his hand up her arm until it reached hers, their fingers interlocked and that was how he fell asleep.
(The next morning)
Rachel opened her eyes as tiny rays of sunlight peeked through the gaps in the blinds, she took a moment to refresh and remember where she was.
Somehow her and Ross had moved apart in the night and she was now lying on her stomach and could feel a heavy hand resting on her back. Turning her head to the other side, she came face to face with Ross, who was sleeping, making little snoring noises with each breath.
She remembered the events of last night and a small smile spread across her face.
The numbers on the clock were flashing 5:45am, it was early but she could hear little noises coming from the living room which told her that Emma was either awake or having a dream.
She climbed out of bed, slowly and quietly as not to wake Ross because she wasn't sure if she was ready to face him, and she didn't want him to be woken up and come face to face with her naked butt.
Looking around the floor by the bed, she found her bra, top and jacket but her bottoms were no where to be seen so she picked up Ross shirt from last night and threw it on with some boxer shorts that were lying on the chair.
She quietly exited the bedroom, closing the door behind her and went into the living room, creeping over to Emma's playpen and looking in to see Emma looking up at her
"Mama" she said, sitting up and reaching her arms out for Rachel to pick her up
"Hi" said Rachel, lifting her out of the playpen "Hey Baby Girl"
She kissed her head and gave her a hug "How's my little girl?"
"Bot Bot?" said Emma, resting her head on Rachel's shoulder
"Thirsty?" asked Rachel, knowing that Emma meant she wanted a bottle.
She went into Ross's kitchen, looking in the cupboards until she found a clean bottle, where she prepared Emma a bottle and herself a coffee before sitting down on the couch with her, and holding it for her as she gulped it down
She just sat there in silence whilst Emma drank, going over the events of last night in her head. They hadn't been together since Emma was conceived and like that night, last night was just as passionate and memorable. They just seemed to fit together when they were making love, Ross knew what to do and it was so perfect.
Rachel turned around as she heard footsteps; Ross came into the living room and sat down on the couch next to her, without a word.
Rachel looked at him and he spoke "Hey you"
"Hi" she said softly "Did I wake you?"
"No" he replied, "I had my alarm set for 6am anyway"
"That's good then" replied Rachel "Emma was up with the sun as usual"
"Just like her Daddy" said Ross
Emma finished drinking her milk and pulled herself up, reaching her arms out for Ross
"Hey pretty girl" he said, pulling her onto his lap "Waking Mummy up early again Huh?"
"Mama" said Emma, pointing at Rachel with a grin
"She's a cheeky girl," said Rachel
Ross laughed "Daddy is gonna miss his cheeky girl" he said "Oh, I forgot to tell you last night, I had to get an earlier flight, it is taking off at 1pm instead of 4pm"
"Oh" said Rachel nodding "Ok"
She stood up "Well I guess Emma and I better get out of your way then"
"What?" said Ross, standing up "No, I didn't mean it like that. Stay!!"
"You know what, we gotta get going soon anyway" said Rachel "Uncle Joey's probably wondering why his alarm clock, also known as Emma hasn't woken him and Jade up yet"
Ross looked at her, wondering why the rushed exit thing was happening
"Are we gonna talk about last night?" he asked, "I know I had an amazing night"
"Me too" said Rachel "It was amazing"
"Do you think maybe we could do it again sometime?" asked Ross "When I'm back for a weekend or something"
Rachel laughed "Ross."
"What?" he asked, putting Emma on the couch and moving over to her, putting his hands on her waist "I wish that I could have you in my arms, every night for the rest of my life"
Rachel sighed and looked down at the floor "We don't always get what we wish for"
"I know" said Ross "Because if wishes always came true, I would have been able to go back in time and take back everything that happened 7 years ago, I would never have broken your heart, we would have never broken up, you would be my wife by now and we'd be living happily every after"
"I wish things weren't so complicated," said Rachel "I wish it weren't so hard"
"We're both full of wishes and wants aren't we?" said Ross
"I guess," said Rachel
Emma, who was trying to climb of the couch, her short little legs not exactly reaching the floor, interrupted them and Rachel picked her up.
"Do you want to go take a shower or something?" asked Ross "Find your clothes perhaps so you don't have to wear my boxer shorts from last week"
"Oh god" said Rachel "Last week? Seriously?"
"Seriously" said Ross with a smile
"Gross" said Rachel as she passed Emma over to Ross
"I'll get Emma some breakfast," said Ross "Wheat Biks ok?"
"Yeah, just mush them up with some warm milk" said Rachel as she headed towards the bathroom "And be careful coz she likes to throw it at you too?"
"Really?" said Ross to Emma "Is what I'm hearing true?"
"No" said Emma
"I hope not," said Ross as he sat her in her highchair and gave her a bottle of apple juice
(Later)
Rachel came out of the bathroom, refreshed although back in her clothes from last night
Ross had changed Emma's nappy and dressed her in some fresh clothes and was sitting on the floor playing with her
Rachel just stood there watching them for a second, as she thought that this may be the last time Ross saw Emma for weeks.
"Are you hungry?" asked Ross, turning around to face Rachel "I could make some pancakes or something like that?"
"No, I'm fine thanks," said Rachel "I had my cup of coffee"
Ross nodded "I got her ready for you"
"Thanks" said Rachel "Do you want us to leave you now so you can finish packing and stuff?"
"I don't want you too" said Ross "But I suppose I still need to finish things up here and everything"
He stood up and picked up Emma
"You say Bye Bye to Daddy Emma" said Rachel "And give him a big hug and kiss?"
Emma leaned in and kissed Ross, her little arms wrapped tightly around his neck
"I'm gonna miss you so much Sweetie" said Ross "I love you"
He put her into her stroller, kissing her sweet little forehead one more time as she stared at him with her big eyes.
Rachel gathered her handbag and Emma's Nappy bag and Ross pulled her into a hug "Remember what I said, anytime you need me, I'm just a phone call away"
"I know," said Rachel "Just for the record, I really did have an amazing time last night..I don't even know what to say.Thankyou"
"You're welcome," said Ross with a laugh "And thankyou for joining me in a wonderful night"
They leaned into a tender kiss and Ross pulled away "Knowing that this is the last time I'm going to kiss you probably, it makes me never want to stop"
Rachel laughed and touched his face "Good Luck in Los Angeles Ross"
"Thankyou" he said "And I hope you find happiness in New York"
Rachel felt tears welling in her eyes and she quickly kissed him one last time before grabbing Emma's stroller and turning for the door
"Good Bye" she called softly as she walked out the door
"I love you," said Ross softly, as she pulled the door shut behind her "Always"
(Ross's Apartment)
He picked up his last box, and turned around to face his home of the last 4 years, so many memories filled this place and it made him a little sad thinking that he was going to be calling another place home and this little place was going to be sitting empty for 6 months.
He remembered something he wanted to do and picked up the phone "Hey Joe, Can you do me a favour?"
(Time lapse - Rachel and Joey's Apartment)
Rachel was feeding Emma some morning tea in the kitchen when Joey came in
"Hey Rach" he said, "How's it going?"
"Uh.Ok I guess," she said "And how are you going, Mr newly engaged"
"I'm great," said Joey "Jade is great and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with this woman.It's unbelievable how much I love her"
"Wow" said Rachel "Listen to you talking about all this, I'm so happy for you Joe"
"Thankyou" said Joey "That means a lot"
Rachel smiled, and looked back down at Emma, letting out a burst of laughter as she saw her baby's face which was covered in her morning tea "Look at you.You're a messy girl"
Emma clapped her hands in delight, sending food in the air
"I'll get you a wet cloth," offered Joey
"Thanks" said Rachel as she lifted Emma out of the highchair "You're as happy as a pig in mud aren't you sweetie, you just love spreading your food everywhere"
Joey walked into the bathroom, flipping on the radio as he went past.
Rachel sat Emma on the edge of the bench "God, You look like your Daddy today, with those eyes and that grin"
[Radio Announcer] Welcome to NY Radio, this is our weekly dedication special, Now if you have someone special in your life that you'd like to dedicate a song too, Call us now and we'll play it on the radio for you and your special someone "Perfect" muttered Rachel "This is exactly what I need to hear"
Joey came back through with the cloth and handed it to Rachel, before retreating hastily to his room
[Radio Announcer] This next song is from Ross to Rachel
Rachel looked up in shock as she heard her name
[Radio Announcer] Rachel, Ross wants you to know that he is sorry for everything that has happened in the past, And even though you can't be together and he is far away, he will always be there for you and he will always love you.
"Oh my god" said Rachel, sitting on the chair quickly as her legs turned to jelly, flashbacks of that night 8 years ago when Ross dedicated With or Without You to her came into her head
[Radio Announcer] This one is for you Rachel!
(Song begins to play)
This romeo is bleeding
But you can't see his blood
It's nothing but some feelings
That this old dog kicked up
It's been raining since you left me
Now I'm drowning in the flood
You see I've always been a fighter
But without you I give up
Now I can't sing a love song
Like the way it's meant to be
Well, I guess I'm not that good anymore
But baby, that's just me
And I will love you, baby - always
And I'll be there forever and a day - always
I'll be there till the stars don't shine
Till the heavens burst and
The words don't rhyme
And I know when I die; you'll be on my mind
And I'll love you - always
Now your pictures that you left behind
Are just memories of a different life
Some that made us laugh, some that made us cry
One that made you have to say goodbye
What I'd give to run my fingers through your hair
To touch your lips, to hold you near
When you say your prayers try to understand
I've made mistakes; I'm just a man
When he holds you close, when he pulls you near
When he says the words you've been needing to hear
I'll wish I was him 'cause those words are mine
To say to you till the end of time
Yeah, I will love you baby - always
And I'll be there forever and a day - always
If you told me to cry for you
I could
If you told me to die for you
I would
Take a look at my face
There's no price I won't pay
To say these words to you
Well, there ain't no luck
In these loaded dice
But baby if you give me just one more try
We can pack up our old dreams
And our old lives
We'll find a place where the sun still shines
And I will love you, baby - always
And I'll be there forever and a day - always
I'll be there till the stars don't shine
Till the heavens burst and
The words don't rhyme
And I know when I die; you'll be on my mind
And I'll love you
Always
Rachel just sat there stunned as the song faded out, having listened intently to the lyrics, she felt like she could cry.
She wondered, Could she be happy with anyone else but Ross? Was there someone else out there who could possibly mean as much to her as Ross did, was there another soulmate out there, waiting for her?
She looked at Emma who was staring at her, Emma who was the main reason that she felt she couldn't be with Ross, Didn't this little girl deserve a family if her mother could at all possibly make it happen for her?
Emma touched her face as a tear rolled down "Sad?"
"A little" said Rachel "Can Mommy have a hug?"
Emma gave her a hug, and kissed her
Suddenly Rachel made her decision, She couldn't give up on her and Ross so easily, Even though they'd had their many problems, maybe this time it would be different.They were both older and more mature now, and Rachel realised that whilst before she thought Emma was reason enough not to do it, now she was reason enough to do it. She knew she had to try, because she could never live with herself if she didn't. Emma deserved a family and although Rachel always put her first, she knew in herself that she deserved to be happy too.
She grabbed her handbag and balanced Emma on her hip, She ran out of the apartment, determined to make it to the airport and tell Ross she wanted to be with him.
She slammed the door behind her and Joey came out of his room with a big grin on his face, the phone in his ear.
"I think she's going to get him," he said to Monica on the phone "I think she's gonna tell him she loves him"
"I hope so" replied Monica "And it's about time too..These Lobsters need to sort themselves out"
(Airport)
Ross sat in the lounge, waiting for his flight to be called.
He was looking at 2 pictures in his wallet, one of Emma and one of himself, Rachel and Emma taken just after she had been born, still in the delivery suite, Rachel's face was flushed and her eyes were shining with tears as they both stared down at their new baby, Even though exhausted, she looked beautiful.
Moving that picture aside, Ross pulled out one that no body knew he had in there; he'd kept it hidden underneath other photos. Rachel's smiling face stared up at him, and he touched the photo
"This is the boarding call for Flight 101, New York to Los Angeles" came over the loudspeaker
Ross sighed and shoved the photo back into his wallet, as he stood up and walked over to the gate.
Taking one last look behind him, and seeing no familiar face, Ross realised that was it.
He handed over his boarding pass and stepped into the hallway leading up to board the plane, He left behind New York.
(Outisde Airport)
The taxi pulled up at the airport and Rachel jumped out with Emma in her arms, she threw some money at the driver before running into the crowded airport, She had no idea where his gate was or what she was going to say to him, all she knew was that she couldn't let him go to Los Angeles without telling him she wanted them to become an 'Us', She knew if she didn't say it now, She might just lose her nerve and never say anything!
As she stood looking around for signs, she heard an announcement for the final boarding call for Flight 101, New York to Los Angeles being called, Gate 15.
"Gate 15" she muttered, "Where the hell is Gate 15"
She was looking around wildly, and spotted a guard so she asked him where the gate was and he pointed her in the direction
Running towards the gate, Emma holding on to her for dear life, She reached it just as she saw the plane pull away from the gate
"No" she said, running up to the window.
She watched the plane taxi down the runway, and lift into the air
"Shit" she muttered to herself.
She moved away from the window and plonked herself in an armchair.
She'd just watched Ross make his way to LA, without telling him and now, she knew she'd probably never get the nerve to tell him again.
She could feel herself beginning to get teary again and she tried to hold them back for the sake of Emma was was sitting in her lap.
"I'm sorry Baby," she said, kissing the top of Emma's head "I tried"
To be Continued...Please review and tell me what you think.
I just wanted to say thankyou for all the nice reviews, it really means a lot to me to know people like my Fic!!!
This seems to be going for longer then I had originally planned, so instead of calling it the final episode of Friends, We'll call it the end of Friends lol...And also, I was reading over Chapter 2 and I noticed a few spelling errors so I am sorry about those!!
Part 3:
Continued on from Chapter 2:
Rachel pulled away from Ross, breaking the kiss. Her eyes were still closed and she stood there for a moment, before opening them, seeing Ross looking at her. Her heart was just about beating in her throat.
That had been one fantastic kiss
"Wow" she said softly "That was..Wow"
"So it's Wow then?" said Ross
He leaned in once again and Rachel didn't pull away.
Their lips met, this time much more firmer and passionate as they stood in the doorway, Rachel's arms were around Ross's neck as they held each other.
Rachel broke the kiss once again, and caught her breath
"What are we doing here?" she asked, "This isn't what I wanted to do when I came over here"
"You don't want to kiss me?" asked Ross, his face dropping
"No..I just meant this isn't what I expected to be doing that's all," said Rachel.
She pulled the door shut behind her and moved Emma's stroller away from the door.
They stood in silence for a moment before Ross spoke softly
"Stay with me tonight Rachel" he said
"What?" asked Rachel "Ross, I really don't think that is such a good idea."
"I really want you to stay with me" said Ross "I want to be with you again, I want hold you and I want to..."
Rachel shook her head , interrupting him "Oh Ross..Honestly..We've done this before, and then look what we ended up with.I just "
Ross silenced her with a kiss, his arms came around her waist and he pulled her body into his once again, she melted and suddenly all her inhibitions disappeared
Millions of thoughts began running through her mind, feeling his lips on hers again had stirred up all those memories of nights they had spent together before, fun, passionate nights, nights they'd just lay in bed talking about the future, their future.
She knew if she was with Ross tonight, it would just complicate things more but something inside of her was screaming at her to do it, she wanted to be with him just as much as he wanted to be with her. Her body was aching for him and suddenly her decision was made
She moved away from Ross silently, and gently picked a sleeping Emma up out of her stroller, lifting her into her playpen where she continued sleeping deeply.
She looked at Ross and he knew she was staying, he took her hand and led her into his bedroom where he began to kiss her passionately, they stepped over towards the bed, Rachel was unbuttoning Ross's shirt as they kissed, her doing that told Ross that it was a mutual feeling, she wanted him and he wasn't going to do anything to stop this from happening.
They fell into the bed, Ross took a moment as he stared at Rachel, and he brushed her hair away from her face and looked into her eyes
"You're beautiful" he said softly "I can't stop loving you"
"Ross." said Rachel softly "You know I love you too but.."
"It doesn't matter," said Ross "Nothing matters when I'm with you"
She traced his face with her finger, looking into these big eyes, which were burning into hers, She knew she loved him, but loving him wasn't enough, She had loved him 7 years ago and it ended in a way that neither of them had planned, Every part of her wanted to tell him that it could work, tell him that she wanted them to be together but it was just to complicated, Loving him wasn't enough and loving him hurt.
"You know how I feel Ross, you know that I would give it all I had to give if I thought we could make it work" said Rachel "But."
"Can't we just stay in this moment?" asked Ross softly, almost pleadingly "I know your mind can't be changed about us"
"But do you know?" pressed Rachel "How I feel"
"I know," said Ross "Rachel I know"
She felt tears pricking in her eyes as he spoke, loving somebody shouldn't be this complicated, it shouldn't be this hard.
Ross saw a tear slid down her face and he wiped it away before kissing her
"Don't cry," he said "I'm always going to be here, wether we're a couple or not"
"I know," said Rachel
They came together, and it was all forgotten.
A couple of hours later, Ross was still awake, watching Rachel as she lay breathing deeply as she slept, he traced her shoulder with his fingers gently and she suddenly shifted underneath his hand. He pulled away quickly, as he thought he'd woken her up but without a word, she rolled over so she was facing away from him, and moved her body back into his so he was spooning her from behind, he felt her hand reach behind her and pull his arm around so it was resting on her stomach, she always was a cuddly sleeper.
He allowed his body to rest against hers and moved his hand up her arm until it reached hers, their fingers interlocked and that was how he fell asleep.
(The next morning)
Rachel opened her eyes as tiny rays of sunlight peeked through the gaps in the blinds, she took a moment to refresh and remember where she was.
Somehow her and Ross had moved apart in the night and she was now lying on her stomach and could feel a heavy hand resting on her back. Turning her head to the other side, she came face to face with Ross, who was sleeping, making little snoring noises with each breath.
She remembered the events of last night and a small smile spread across her face.
The numbers on the clock were flashing 5:45am, it was early but she could hear little noises coming from the living room which told her that Emma was either awake or having a dream.
She climbed out of bed, slowly and quietly as not to wake Ross because she wasn't sure if she was ready to face him, and she didn't want him to be woken up and come face to face with her naked butt.
Looking around the floor by the bed, she found her bra, top and jacket but her bottoms were no where to be seen so she picked up Ross shirt from last night and threw it on with some boxer shorts that were lying on the chair.
She quietly exited the bedroom, closing the door behind her and went into the living room, creeping over to Emma's playpen and looking in to see Emma looking up at her
"Mama" she said, sitting up and reaching her arms out for Rachel to pick her up
"Hi" said Rachel, lifting her out of the playpen "Hey Baby Girl"
She kissed her head and gave her a hug "How's my little girl?"
"Bot Bot?" said Emma, resting her head on Rachel's shoulder
"Thirsty?" asked Rachel, knowing that Emma meant she wanted a bottle.
She went into Ross's kitchen, looking in the cupboards until she found a clean bottle, where she prepared Emma a bottle and herself a coffee before sitting down on the couch with her, and holding it for her as she gulped it down
She just sat there in silence whilst Emma drank, going over the events of last night in her head. They hadn't been together since Emma was conceived and like that night, last night was just as passionate and memorable. They just seemed to fit together when they were making love, Ross knew what to do and it was so perfect.
Rachel turned around as she heard footsteps; Ross came into the living room and sat down on the couch next to her, without a word.
Rachel looked at him and he spoke "Hey you"
"Hi" she said softly "Did I wake you?"
"No" he replied, "I had my alarm set for 6am anyway"
"That's good then" replied Rachel "Emma was up with the sun as usual"
"Just like her Daddy" said Ross
Emma finished drinking her milk and pulled herself up, reaching her arms out for Ross
"Hey pretty girl" he said, pulling her onto his lap "Waking Mummy up early again Huh?"
"Mama" said Emma, pointing at Rachel with a grin
"She's a cheeky girl," said Rachel
Ross laughed "Daddy is gonna miss his cheeky girl" he said "Oh, I forgot to tell you last night, I had to get an earlier flight, it is taking off at 1pm instead of 4pm"
"Oh" said Rachel nodding "Ok"
She stood up "Well I guess Emma and I better get out of your way then"
"What?" said Ross, standing up "No, I didn't mean it like that. Stay!!"
"You know what, we gotta get going soon anyway" said Rachel "Uncle Joey's probably wondering why his alarm clock, also known as Emma hasn't woken him and Jade up yet"
Ross looked at her, wondering why the rushed exit thing was happening
"Are we gonna talk about last night?" he asked, "I know I had an amazing night"
"Me too" said Rachel "It was amazing"
"Do you think maybe we could do it again sometime?" asked Ross "When I'm back for a weekend or something"
Rachel laughed "Ross."
"What?" he asked, putting Emma on the couch and moving over to her, putting his hands on her waist "I wish that I could have you in my arms, every night for the rest of my life"
Rachel sighed and looked down at the floor "We don't always get what we wish for"
"I know" said Ross "Because if wishes always came true, I would have been able to go back in time and take back everything that happened 7 years ago, I would never have broken your heart, we would have never broken up, you would be my wife by now and we'd be living happily every after"
"I wish things weren't so complicated," said Rachel "I wish it weren't so hard"
"We're both full of wishes and wants aren't we?" said Ross
"I guess," said Rachel
Emma, who was trying to climb of the couch, her short little legs not exactly reaching the floor, interrupted them and Rachel picked her up.
"Do you want to go take a shower or something?" asked Ross "Find your clothes perhaps so you don't have to wear my boxer shorts from last week"
"Oh god" said Rachel "Last week? Seriously?"
"Seriously" said Ross with a smile
"Gross" said Rachel as she passed Emma over to Ross
"I'll get Emma some breakfast," said Ross "Wheat Biks ok?"
"Yeah, just mush them up with some warm milk" said Rachel as she headed towards the bathroom "And be careful coz she likes to throw it at you too?"
"Really?" said Ross to Emma "Is what I'm hearing true?"
"No" said Emma
"I hope not," said Ross as he sat her in her highchair and gave her a bottle of apple juice
(Later)
Rachel came out of the bathroom, refreshed although back in her clothes from last night
Ross had changed Emma's nappy and dressed her in some fresh clothes and was sitting on the floor playing with her
Rachel just stood there watching them for a second, as she thought that this may be the last time Ross saw Emma for weeks.
"Are you hungry?" asked Ross, turning around to face Rachel "I could make some pancakes or something like that?"
"No, I'm fine thanks," said Rachel "I had my cup of coffee"
Ross nodded "I got her ready for you"
"Thanks" said Rachel "Do you want us to leave you now so you can finish packing and stuff?"
"I don't want you too" said Ross "But I suppose I still need to finish things up here and everything"
He stood up and picked up Emma
"You say Bye Bye to Daddy Emma" said Rachel "And give him a big hug and kiss?"
Emma leaned in and kissed Ross, her little arms wrapped tightly around his neck
"I'm gonna miss you so much Sweetie" said Ross "I love you"
He put her into her stroller, kissing her sweet little forehead one more time as she stared at him with her big eyes.
Rachel gathered her handbag and Emma's Nappy bag and Ross pulled her into a hug "Remember what I said, anytime you need me, I'm just a phone call away"
"I know," said Rachel "Just for the record, I really did have an amazing time last night..I don't even know what to say.Thankyou"
"You're welcome," said Ross with a laugh "And thankyou for joining me in a wonderful night"
They leaned into a tender kiss and Ross pulled away "Knowing that this is the last time I'm going to kiss you probably, it makes me never want to stop"
Rachel laughed and touched his face "Good Luck in Los Angeles Ross"
"Thankyou" he said "And I hope you find happiness in New York"
Rachel felt tears welling in her eyes and she quickly kissed him one last time before grabbing Emma's stroller and turning for the door
"Good Bye" she called softly as she walked out the door
"I love you," said Ross softly, as she pulled the door shut behind her "Always"
(Ross's Apartment)
He picked up his last box, and turned around to face his home of the last 4 years, so many memories filled this place and it made him a little sad thinking that he was going to be calling another place home and this little place was going to be sitting empty for 6 months.
He remembered something he wanted to do and picked up the phone "Hey Joe, Can you do me a favour?"
(Time lapse - Rachel and Joey's Apartment)
Rachel was feeding Emma some morning tea in the kitchen when Joey came in
"Hey Rach" he said, "How's it going?"
"Uh.Ok I guess," she said "And how are you going, Mr newly engaged"
"I'm great," said Joey "Jade is great and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with this woman.It's unbelievable how much I love her"
"Wow" said Rachel "Listen to you talking about all this, I'm so happy for you Joe"
"Thankyou" said Joey "That means a lot"
Rachel smiled, and looked back down at Emma, letting out a burst of laughter as she saw her baby's face which was covered in her morning tea "Look at you.You're a messy girl"
Emma clapped her hands in delight, sending food in the air
"I'll get you a wet cloth," offered Joey
"Thanks" said Rachel as she lifted Emma out of the highchair "You're as happy as a pig in mud aren't you sweetie, you just love spreading your food everywhere"
Joey walked into the bathroom, flipping on the radio as he went past.
Rachel sat Emma on the edge of the bench "God, You look like your Daddy today, with those eyes and that grin"
[Radio Announcer] Welcome to NY Radio, this is our weekly dedication special, Now if you have someone special in your life that you'd like to dedicate a song too, Call us now and we'll play it on the radio for you and your special someone "Perfect" muttered Rachel "This is exactly what I need to hear"
Joey came back through with the cloth and handed it to Rachel, before retreating hastily to his room
[Radio Announcer] This next song is from Ross to Rachel
Rachel looked up in shock as she heard her name
[Radio Announcer] Rachel, Ross wants you to know that he is sorry for everything that has happened in the past, And even though you can't be together and he is far away, he will always be there for you and he will always love you.
"Oh my god" said Rachel, sitting on the chair quickly as her legs turned to jelly, flashbacks of that night 8 years ago when Ross dedicated With or Without You to her came into her head
[Radio Announcer] This one is for you Rachel!
(Song begins to play)
This romeo is bleeding
But you can't see his blood
It's nothing but some feelings
That this old dog kicked up
It's been raining since you left me
Now I'm drowning in the flood
You see I've always been a fighter
But without you I give up
Now I can't sing a love song
Like the way it's meant to be
Well, I guess I'm not that good anymore
But baby, that's just me
And I will love you, baby - always
And I'll be there forever and a day - always
I'll be there till the stars don't shine
Till the heavens burst and
The words don't rhyme
And I know when I die; you'll be on my mind
And I'll love you - always
Now your pictures that you left behind
Are just memories of a different life
Some that made us laugh, some that made us cry
One that made you have to say goodbye
What I'd give to run my fingers through your hair
To touch your lips, to hold you near
When you say your prayers try to understand
I've made mistakes; I'm just a man
When he holds you close, when he pulls you near
When he says the words you've been needing to hear
I'll wish I was him 'cause those words are mine
To say to you till the end of time
Yeah, I will love you baby - always
And I'll be there forever and a day - always
If you told me to cry for you
I could
If you told me to die for you
I would
Take a look at my face
There's no price I won't pay
To say these words to you
Well, there ain't no luck
In these loaded dice
But baby if you give me just one more try
We can pack up our old dreams
And our old lives
We'll find a place where the sun still shines
And I will love you, baby - always
And I'll be there forever and a day - always
I'll be there till the stars don't shine
Till the heavens burst and
The words don't rhyme
And I know when I die; you'll be on my mind
And I'll love you
Always
Rachel just sat there stunned as the song faded out, having listened intently to the lyrics, she felt like she could cry.
She wondered, Could she be happy with anyone else but Ross? Was there someone else out there who could possibly mean as much to her as Ross did, was there another soulmate out there, waiting for her?
She looked at Emma who was staring at her, Emma who was the main reason that she felt she couldn't be with Ross, Didn't this little girl deserve a family if her mother could at all possibly make it happen for her?
Emma touched her face as a tear rolled down "Sad?"
"A little" said Rachel "Can Mommy have a hug?"
Emma gave her a hug, and kissed her
Suddenly Rachel made her decision, She couldn't give up on her and Ross so easily, Even though they'd had their many problems, maybe this time it would be different.They were both older and more mature now, and Rachel realised that whilst before she thought Emma was reason enough not to do it, now she was reason enough to do it. She knew she had to try, because she could never live with herself if she didn't. Emma deserved a family and although Rachel always put her first, she knew in herself that she deserved to be happy too.
She grabbed her handbag and balanced Emma on her hip, She ran out of the apartment, determined to make it to the airport and tell Ross she wanted to be with him.
She slammed the door behind her and Joey came out of his room with a big grin on his face, the phone in his ear.
"I think she's going to get him," he said to Monica on the phone "I think she's gonna tell him she loves him"
"I hope so" replied Monica "And it's about time too..These Lobsters need to sort themselves out"
(Airport)
Ross sat in the lounge, waiting for his flight to be called.
He was looking at 2 pictures in his wallet, one of Emma and one of himself, Rachel and Emma taken just after she had been born, still in the delivery suite, Rachel's face was flushed and her eyes were shining with tears as they both stared down at their new baby, Even though exhausted, she looked beautiful.
Moving that picture aside, Ross pulled out one that no body knew he had in there; he'd kept it hidden underneath other photos. Rachel's smiling face stared up at him, and he touched the photo
"This is the boarding call for Flight 101, New York to Los Angeles" came over the loudspeaker
Ross sighed and shoved the photo back into his wallet, as he stood up and walked over to the gate.
Taking one last look behind him, and seeing no familiar face, Ross realised that was it.
He handed over his boarding pass and stepped into the hallway leading up to board the plane, He left behind New York.
(Outisde Airport)
The taxi pulled up at the airport and Rachel jumped out with Emma in her arms, she threw some money at the driver before running into the crowded airport, She had no idea where his gate was or what she was going to say to him, all she knew was that she couldn't let him go to Los Angeles without telling him she wanted them to become an 'Us', She knew if she didn't say it now, She might just lose her nerve and never say anything!
As she stood looking around for signs, she heard an announcement for the final boarding call for Flight 101, New York to Los Angeles being called, Gate 15.
"Gate 15" she muttered, "Where the hell is Gate 15"
She was looking around wildly, and spotted a guard so she asked him where the gate was and he pointed her in the direction
Running towards the gate, Emma holding on to her for dear life, She reached it just as she saw the plane pull away from the gate
"No" she said, running up to the window.
She watched the plane taxi down the runway, and lift into the air
"Shit" she muttered to herself.
She moved away from the window and plonked herself in an armchair.
She'd just watched Ross make his way to LA, without telling him and now, she knew she'd probably never get the nerve to tell him again.
She could feel herself beginning to get teary again and she tried to hold them back for the sake of Emma was was sitting in her lap.
"I'm sorry Baby," she said, kissing the top of Emma's head "I tried"
To be Continued...Please review and tell me what you think.
