Um, I think it goes without saying that you guys rule. But I'll say it anyway. You guys rule. Thank you so much for reviewing. It made me smile! (Which was hard seeing as I had three tests and two papers due all this week). Here is the next chapter. This chapter is just the italicized universe, and then next chapter will be the regular one. It will make sense I promise. Please review again and enjoy!
Disclaimer: Right, I don't so much own the characters.....I'm working on it though
Chandler was the first to look up as the doctor came out from behind the double doors. He was the first to see the look on his face as the nurse pointed them out to him. He was the first to see the doctor run a hand over his face. And he was the first to realize that the news was not good. Chandler knew the words that were going to come out of his mouth before he even started to speak. I'm sorry. There was nothing we could do. The damages were too extensive. He didn't want to hear it. He just wanted Monica. God, he just wanted Monica.
"Are you with Monica Geller?" The doctor asked approaching the group cautiously. The five looked exhausted, and they nodded and they all climbed slowly to their feet. It was in the air, they could feel it. This would not be a happy ending. Not one moved though, not one said a word. Finally, feeling the pressure of the silence weighing on him, Ross spoke up.
"Is she okay?" It was the million dollar question. The doctor shook his head slightly. This was the part of the job that he hated. She was so young, and obviously so loved It was just another reminder of how cruel and unfair the world was. Tears were glistening in their eyes and not one moved waiting for the doctor to reply. It wasn't fair. It just wasn't fair at all. The driver drops the sandwich that he was eating, and leans down to pick it up and doesn't see that the light has turned red. And she's gone. Just like that.
"I'm sorry. We did everything we could. The damage was just too extensive." The only one to make a sound was Rachel as her hand covered her mouth choking back a sob. "She's still alive, but it won't be long. If you want to say goodbye, we can take you up there." The five stood there too shocked to move.
Monica was dying.
It was too much to handle. And Chandler couldn't. He ran from the emergency room out into the cool morning and fell to his knees ignoring the shooting pain that resulted. He began to sob. No, no, no. It just repeated in his head. It wasn't true. It couldn't be true. She was fine. She was perfectly all right.
He felt a hand on his shoulder and he turned to see Phoebe standing there.
"Hey, come on back inside."
"I can't," he said wiping his tears.
"Chandler listen to me, if you don't do this, if you don't come back in and say goodbye you will regret it forever. Don't you think that I wish every damn day that I could have said goodbye to my mother? I know its terrible, Chandler. I know that okay? Do you know how grateful I am to her? Do you know how much she's done for me? For all of us?"
"But Pheebs," he turned to face her. He met her eye. "I love her. I'm in love with her. We slept together last night. She was going to get us breakfast. That's where she was going when....." He let out a huge shuddering sob. Without responding, she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him.
"I'm so sorry Chandler, but you still have to come in and say goodbye."
"I can't." He shook his head. "I can't see her like that. I just can't."
"Chandler, honey, you have to." He was silent for a minute before nodding.
"Who is in there with her now?"
"Joey. I have to get up there. Please come with me." Letting out the breath that he had been holding, he took her hand. They went up to the Intensive Care Unit and Joey was just coming out. His face was red and streaked with tears. Phoebe let go of Chandler's hand and sighed and walked into Monica's room.
"Hey, man, you okay?" Joey asked coming over to where Chandler was sitting.
"No." Chandler didn't go any further than that. Okay? No. He wasn't okay. There was no okay. A few minutes passed and Phoebe reappeared and Rachel gave Ross a hug before she went in. Chandler just closed his eyes and pretended that he was going to wake up next to her any minute. Jack and Judy Geller came running in while Ross was in there, and they went in to say their goodbyes to their only daughter.
"God," Rachel said finally breaking the silence that had fallen over them. "I don't know what I'm going to do without her." There it was. The sentence that was on everyone's mind, the sentence that no one wanted to say, least of all Chandler. He hadn't accepted it yet. He wouldn't think about life without her. There was still a chance, right? She was still alive. Miracles happened every day.
"Chandler? Do you want to go in?" Ross and his parents came out and were looking at Chandler. He nodded and climbed to his feet willing them to move forward. He walked into the room where the machines beeped reminding him that they were the only things keeping her alive. She was covered with tubes and bruises.
But she was still the most beautiful woman that Chandler had ever seen in his life.
He sat down and took her hand in his.
"Monica? I don't know if you can hear me. I mean, I guess that you can. I just....I just wanted to tell you that I love you. I always have. I should have told you years ago, but I was...God, Mon, I was chicken shit. I don't know...I don't know what to say. I don't know what to do. How do I....how do I say goodbye to you? I can't. I need you. Please don't leave me Monica. Please, just please don't leave me." His head fell onto the bed and he sobbed. Huge hiccuping sobs that racked his body. He held her hand that entire night. He held her hand until the doctors came in and turned off the machine that had just moments before echoed a steady beep. He held her hand as they turned off the respirator, and he held her hand while the doctor said one more time how sorry he was.
Sorry.
So sorry.
~Don't hurt me! Please! Just hold your horses, I promise I'll make it better. The faster the review, the faster I will get the next chapter up. So that means that you should review. See? See how that works? ~
