Easy Lover – You'll never get it
A/N: Sorry, for the delay. Things have been kind of hectic before, and therefore, I haven't felt like writing. I realize some of you are confused and I'm sorry. I should have explained more things in the last a/n, but I'm bad at explaining things (which is why I was a math tutor for 2 years, eh?). So, yes, I switched tenses (haha Yen, I WAS aware, lol)…I've been planning on doing this the whole time. That's why the prologue is in present tense. However, after talking to David (aka Dupton, aka Waffle) I realize I should have named that chapter Present as well. I have done that now. The first chapter connects to the rest. It is the present. Chapters 2-9 reflect upon the events that have occurred up until that point. The rest of the fanfic will deal with the present as it unfolds more. I hope makes more sense. If you're still confused, ask me specific questions in your reviews, will ya? Thanks. :)
Disclaimer: Well, I haven't talked to Yen in 2 days, since we've both been pretty busy with homework, but I was reading through an old conversation I saved from over the summer…so, as to keep with the current trend in my disclaimers, I don't own the characters in this fanfic, but I do own this conversation:
Becca: my eye hurts
Yen: just one eye?
Yen: singular?
Becca: well they're both kinda dry
Becca: from staring w/o blinking
Yen: *starts to kiss eye and realizes that's gross*
Chandler straightens a crease from his khakis, as he runs through the doors. He is late. In his defense, it is not his fault – the publicists had to brief him in. The sounds backstage make him nervous. He can hear the crowd cheering. It feels as if it has been forever since Chandler has last interacted with the world around him. He looks at his reflection in a dark monitor on the side. It isn't so bad – his face is just a tad pale from lack of proper nourishment.
His friends probably do not know that he has returned. Well, Monica knows, but he highly doubts that she has told the rest of the cast. Maybe he has changed in the past few months, but he is sure Monica has not. He shakes his head in disgust. He realizes he hasn't really changed, either, though. He is still in love and he is still in pain. Although what's the difference between the two, anyway? Lately, it seems that love comes hand-in-hand with disappointment.
Suddenly, there's a tremendous wave of screams and clapping from the audience. He turns to see those familiar faces approaching quickly. They have yet to notice him, standing on the side. He holds his breath. That's silly, though. There isn't enough time for them to get angry with him, before approaching the stage. Joey is the first to notice – stopping like a deer in headlights. Chandler tips his head shamefully. Rachel notices Chandler standing there a few seconds later. She sighs and grabs Joey's hand. The two of them study each other for a moment. Chandler looks back, nervously. It is as if some sort of un-verbalized agreement passes through the two. Before he can comprehend, Rachel has her arms tightly locked around his neck. She kisses his cheek and smiles. He smiles back at her. She releases him and Joey walks over, punches him lightly on the arm, and whispers, "You're late."
Right then and there, all the guilt Chandler had neglected to feel while he pitied himself rushes to the surface. After all that he had put them through – the worrying, the waiting, the anger – they take him back unquestioningly. He is unable to comprehend their ability to do this. After all, he is angry with himself for what he did to them. Still, the two of them continue to smile at him, and so he smiles back. However, inwardly, he is fighting against the tears that are threatening to fall. How could he have been such a terrible friend?
"You're on now!" the stage manager hisses.
They line up, waiting to go out. The man motions to Monica, who, in the shadows, has remained unnoticed by the rest. She nods and heads to the front. She takes in a deep breath. She has done this a million times before; she has never done it with other people, though. They would be stealing her spotlight. Not all the questions would be directed at her, for a change. Oddly enough, she is fine with this. Even more so, she feels relieved. For so long, she has craved to hide in the shadows of her public life, like she already does in her private.
Slowly, the group makes their way out onto the brightly lit stage. The sound decibel of the crowd's cheers rise immeasurably. The group waves to the audience, as they watch the crowd, standing on their feet. Rachel and Joey are exhilarated by the screams. Monica is causal, and unfazed. Chandler, however, is completely enthralled with the screaming audience. He stares at them with wandering eyes. He wants to try to get a look at every single person out there.
Something is tugging at his heart. He feels an automatic connection to the audience in a way that he has never felt before. The crowd is in love with them! Chandler is in awe. They love people that they don't actually know! He blinks. The similarity is uncanny. A wave of understanding washes over him. He is, in actuality, the audience in Monica's life. He therefore wants to run up and down the aisles and tell each individual person how much they mean to him. However, instead, he follows the rest of the gang, as they make their way to the guest's couch.
As expected, Monica sits in the spot closet to the interviewer. She is, after all, the most famous one. No one else minds, though. The rest are, in different ways, completely mesmerized by the audience in front of them. They want time to get used to it all, before they begin to talk. Prior to this interview, Monica has done the majority of the television interviews, making this a new experience for the rest. After all, there are no screaming fans in a magazine editor's office.
Chandler is sitting farthest from the interviewer. He feels Rachel's hand rubbing his knee excitedly. He turns and smiles at her. The excitement she feels is contagious, leaving Chandler with the inability to wipe a childish grin of his face.
"So," the interviewer turns to face them, "Your movie premiered this past Friday?"
"That's right," Monica answers.
"It's the number one box office hit! No one was expecting that. After all, it's just another dramatic romance movie."
"Well," Monica smiles and looks at the others, "I guess we brought something to the table that no one else has."
"In deed you have," he responds, looking down at his cards, "It says here that the critics are raving about the chemistry between all of you; especially Monica Geller and Chandler Bing."
All attention turns to Chandler. He smiles sheepishly and salutes the audience. They clap.
"So," the interviewer turns to Chandler, "Monica has said there's nothing going on between the two of you – is this true?"
Chandler smiles mischievously. Monica's breath is caught in her throat. Rachel and Joey stare at Chandler, hoping he will not do anything he will later regret.
"Unfortunately, it is," he sighs dramatically, "I'm just too famous for her."
The crowd laughs. Joey laughs. Rachel lets out a nervous breath and chuckles softly. Monica forces a smile onto her face.
"So, Chandler," the man continues, "We haven't heard much from you lately. Actually, we haven't heard anything from you, at all. What is up with that?"
Chandler shrugs. The words of his publicist run through his head. He has to tell the truth, which in actuality, is a lie. It is the truth, though – to everyone else. The problem is that he has been lying all along.
"I was a little overwhelmed by the fast pace of Hollywood. I needed some time to regroup, before I realized…what it really was that I was missing out on by hiding."
A collective "aww" emerges from the audience. They love to hear the truth; it makes him feel even guiltier. He isn't just lying to himself now; he is lying to the world.
The interview has ended, and Chandler walks to the exit. He stops, however, when Rachel grabs his shoulder. Chandler turns around and smiles sadly at her. The guilt wells up inside him again – it is now dangerously close to the surface.
"I'm sorry – I wish I could explain it better, but I had to get away…for a while."
Again, she reaches up and hugs him, although, this time, it is a little less rushed and a little less surprising than the last. He buries his head on her shoulder and she strokes his hair, like a mother to a child.
"It's okay. It doesn't matter, anymore. You're back."
"Thank you, Rachel," he mumbles into her shoulder.
They break apart.
"You were great today. The audience loved you."
Chandler smiles, "Really?"
"Really. I nearly went deaf each time they laughed at your jokes!"
"I was going for that."
"It's good to have the old Chandler back."
He sighs, "Yeah…"
Rachel cocks her head to the side, "He's not completely back, is he?"
Chandler shakes his head. All the pain he has endured, all the pain he has inflicted upon others, rushes into him with the high tide. His body convulses and he lets out a stifled sob. Rachel immediately notices and runs to his side. As soon as the tears begin to fall, her arms wrap around him for the third time.
Chandler cannot remember the last time he allowed someone to see him cry. He wonders why he is not ashamed of his tears. However, he tightens his grip on Rachel as he lets out all the anguish he has ever felt, upon her shoulder.
The evening is breaking in now. The sky is painted purple, orange, and pink. Monica stares at the sight before her, feeling her own tears gather, on the brink of falling. She yearns to be in Rachel's place, comforting Chandler. She closes her eyes and envisions the feel of his strong arms wrapped tightly around her. She takes in a deep breath, smelling his aftershave and cologne in the distance. She opens her eyes. The sun has set. A lone tear rolls down her cheek. She walks away.
A/N: Okay, well, this fic is approaching the finish line, so if you hate it…well, why are you reading this if you hate it?! I'm so proud of myself! I'm almost finished! I feel like I haven't finished a fic in forever! Man, it's dark in here. Maybe that's because it's 6:00 PM and I have no lights on… I'm so smart. ;) My eyes are starting to hurt. Please read and review. Thanks!