Title: The Open Road
Author: Kaitlyn
Summary: "I've got some beer and the highway's free, and I got you and baby you got me."
Rating: PG-13
***************************************************************************
After another two and a half hours in the car, the SUV finally pulled into Junaluska Ski Lodge around 10:00 pm. Chandler and Monica woke the other four, who had been sleeping for the remaining duration of the trip since the rest stop. All six, very exhaustedly, made their way into the lobby of the colossal resort.
The foyer was impressive, to say the least. It was dressed in a mostly wilderness decor, with deer antlers mounted on the massive oak walls, and a humungous bearskin rug at the center of the floor. Oak coffee tables, scattered with coffee mugs and magazines, were strategically placed in a sunken sitting area between the front door and the front desk. A 6-foot-tall antler chandelier hung above the group's head, and dim lighting added to the relaxed mood.
They made their way across the polished wooden floors to the receptionist's desk. She was a young woman, probably in her early 20's, with shoulder-length brown hair and deep chestnut eyes. Her skin was olive-tinted, suggesting an Italian bloodline. Overall, she was very attractive, but gave off a more rigid aura that added darker, more defined undertones to her complexion and stature. She was wearing a fitted navy blue suit, obviously company-issued, and her nametag read "Lindsay". When she looked up from her computer screen and met Monica's eye, her deadpan face immediately broke out into a smile.
"Monica!? Oh my God, what are you doing here?!" Monica practically dropped her bags where she was and ran over to Lindsay, meeting her in a tight embrace. The two jumped up and down together, screaming and laughing like little girls.
"Everyone, come over here! I want you to meet Lindsay!" The other 5 walked over to where the two women were standing, a little unsure of exactly who this girl was or what was going on.
"Lindsay, these are my friends! That's Phoebe and Joey. This is my boyfriend, Chandler, and that's Rachel. Oh, and you remember Ross, right?" At the realization of Ross' presence, Lindsay's eyes narrowed a bit, and the smile faded from her face. She became suddenly stiff, intently meeting his gaze and fidgeting uncontrollably.
"Oh, uh, yes. I remember Ross." The mood became deathly somber as the other 5 attempted to figure out exactly what had caused this reaction. Ross seemed almost equally as nervous and fidgety, refusing to look Lindsay in the eye. Monica looked confused.
"Uh, guys? Is everything okay?" Provoked my Monica's words, Lindsay snapped out of whatever trance she had been in, looking up at her long-time friend and smiling simply.
"Oh, yeah, everything's fine. I was just remembering something, right Ross?" Ross turned his eyes downward before answering.
"Right, yeah." During all of this, no one had noticed Rachel's growing discomfort and perplexity. She found herself discreetly moving closer to Ross, until she was finally pressed up right against him, resting her arm possessively around his waist. Some uncontrollable urge to defend herself and their relationship had inexplicably come over her. She wasn't sure what it was, but something about Ross' reaction to Lindsay just did not sit right with her.
"Anyway," Monica finally intervened, "I guess you guys are wondering how I know Lindsay! When I was in college, I worked here during the summer. Lindsay was a rising freshman at Fordham, the summer after I graduated, but we worked and lived here together for two months. Her dad owns the place- he's the family friend who cut the great deal for you and Ross, Rach. Anyway, we kind of lost touch after that, except for a few coffee meetings and phone calls. Where are you living now?"
"Oh, I'm living here at the resort, working full time." Monica wrinkled her nose and tilted her head to the side in disbelief.
"Really? Didn't you major in paleontology? Why would you be working as a receptionist at a hotel?" At the mention of Lindsay's major, Rachel's ears perked up. She directed her attention up at Ross, who was trying his hardest (to no avail) to look unaffected by the conversation that was taking place between his sister and this pretty woman.
"I know," Lindsay continued, "but they're kind of short on staff, right now. It's not forever. I was working as a curator at the MET before this."
"Do you still have a place in New York?" Monica enquired. Lindsay nodded.
"Yeah, I'm making the payments on it until I can get back down there. I really miss it! I'm hoping to be done here by next year. I'm actually thinking about going to bartending school when I get out of here. I'm starting to believe that paleontology just wasn't right for me." At this, she briefly glanced at Ross, crossing her arms tightly across her chest. There was a bitterness in her look- a sternness that everyone picked up on all too well...especially Rachel.
"No," Ross offered, with a definitely bite in his words "it wasn't." Again, an uncomfortable stillness fell over the conversation. Finally, sensing the tension, Chandler decided to speak up.
"Well, that's about it for me. Lindsay, it was nice meeting you. Hon, I'm going to go check in. Ross...good luck with that, man." He patted him on the shoulder before taking his and Monica's suitcases over to the young man at the check-in counter. For the first time, Ross looked down at Rachel. The look on her face was a mixture between discomfort and...exhaustion. She looked confused and a little anxious, and it broke his heart. He draped his arm tightly around her shoulders and kissed her forehead, in hopes of making her feel a little less overlooked. It was now Lindsay's turn to look befuddled. Monica realized.
"Oh, uh, Lindsay, Rachel is Ross' girlfriend." Rachel shot Monica a grave look, sustaining it long enough to meet Lindsay's eyes.
"FinaceƩ." Ross nodded, tightening his grip on Rachel. Lindsay nodded in acknowledgement, politely extending her hand to Rachel, but unable to mask her very evident uneasiness.
"It's nice to meet you. When's the wedding?"
"Actually," Rachel answered, "it's tomorrow. We're getting married in the gazebo by the lake. Your father gave us the rooms and services at a discount rate." Though the conversation was now flowing more freely, the flagrant strain in the air didn't go unnoticed. Lindsay seemed outwardly impervious to Rachel's news of their wedding, but her smile was forced and there was an unshakable look of constipation in her face.
"I'm sure the service will be lovely." She turned back to Monica, smiling genuinely and warmly, and patted her on the arm.
"It was great seeing you again, Monica. I know it's kind of late, but when you wake up, if you're in the mood, I'd love to take a break and just catch up." Monica smiled and nodded in agreement.
The four said goodnight when Lindsay resumed her position behind her desk. Phoebe and Joey had sat down on the love seat behind them during all of this and had fallen back asleep. Monica woke them up to tell them that the rooms were ready, and the group (minus Chandler) traveled through the maze of the hotel until they reached their suites on the eleventh floor.
Lindsay's father, Mr. Underwood, had booked them adjoining suites, but had specifically reserved the Presidential Suite for Ross and Rachel. It was located at the very end of the hallway, and was easy to distinguish from the other rooms from it's gold-trimmed double doors.
"Aw, no fair," Joey mumbled, from behind heavy eyelids, "they get the cool room!" Phoebe joined in on the protest.
"Yeah, and even Monica and Chandler get a REGULAR suite! You and I got stuck with the reject rooms!" Monica rolled her eyes while Chandler fumbled with the key in the lock. Phoebe continued in her complaining.
"Yeah, yeah, these are like the runt rooms! These are the rooms that, you know, like couldn't get enough milk when they were babies, so now they're just practically GIVEN away!" Once Chandler and Ross had gotten their respective doors unlocked and opened, the two couples entered their rooms, all but ignoring Phoebe and Joey's whining. Phoebe turned to Joey in disbelief.
"You know, we are SO overlooked in this group! What the hell happened while we were asleep in that van? Did they form some kind of like collaboration against us?"
"Collaboration?" Joey asked. Phoebe sighed, defeated.
"Oh, who am I kidding? It's a good thing you're so pretty, Joey Tribbiani, or else you would have been fazed out a LONG time ago!" Phoebe opened her door and went inside her room, leaving Joey alone in the hallway.
"I am pretty," he said to himself, smiling, before leaning up against the hallway wall and falling asleep.
****************************************************************************
Inside Ross and Rachel's room, a silent war was being wagered. They had not talked since they had entered the suite. Rachel had immediately sat her suitcase down on the bed and had begun unpacking. Ross had briefly contemplated taking a shower, but he knew that Rachel would want the bathtub soon, so he decided to stay out of her way.
The room was truly immaculate, however. The entire far wall was made of glass, providing a breathtaking view out over the slopes and the lighted city below them. It consisted of a breakfast nook in the corner, two walk-in closets, a Jacuzzi in the bathroom, a personal refrigerator, a wet bar and a kind sized bed. Ross only feared that Rachel might be enjoying that bed alone tonight, if he didn't say something soon. Treat it like a Band-Aid, he thought to himself. One rip, and it's done.
"I slept with her." Rachel stopped in her tracks, looking up from her open suitcase at Ross, who was standing in front of the dwarfing window. Her breath stopped in her throat. She was unable to do anything but stand there, her hands posed inquisitively out to the sides in a "what are you talking about?" sort of gesture. Ross didn't let it faze him, continuing with just as much confidence as he had used to utter those initial words.
"That's what you were wondering, isn't it? If I had slept with her?" Rachel shook her head, almost as if she were attempting to shake his words from her memory. She stared at him for another moment, before going back to her unpacking. She decided to play dumb.
"What are you talking about?"
"What am I talking about?" Ross asked, his voice coming out a little more raised and sharp than he would have liked. This caught Rachel's attention again, who finally stopped unpacking all together, and focused her attention entirely on him.
"Okay, so you slept with her. Big whoop. What'd you want, for me to throw you a little party?" Ross couldn't believe what he was hearing. He had just wanted to be mature and have an adult conversation about this entity that was so obviously having an affect on her.
"No, what I WANT is to know why you haven't talked to him since you met her. It's not like you're the only person I've slept with. What's so different about Lindsay?" His comment about her having not been the only person he had slept with hadn't come out like he'd planned, and he could tell from the look on her face that it had stung a little. Though it had been true, the way in which he'd said it had come out biting and condescending. She crossed her arms over her chest, defensively.
"I don't know, you tell me!"
"Rachel, this is ridiculous! She's just some girl! I had this fling with her one summer, but it didn't work out! I didn't even remember that she EXISTED until we walked into that lobby. Why does she bother you so much?" Rachel knew that what he was saying was true, and she hated it, because it made her seem all that much more irrational. Her voice softened with her next words.
"I don't know. She just seems...different." Rachel looked up, hopeful. There might have been tears in her eyes, but he couldn't quite tell. "Is she?" Ross exhaled, walking over to her. He didn't touch her yet, but just stood closer, personalizing the conversation more. He lowered his voice.
"Tell me why you think she seems different, and I'll tell you if she is." They sat down on the edge of the bed together, letting their legs touch but still not consciously making any moves of comfort or assurance. Rachel shrugged.
"I saw the way she looked at you, Ross. She hadn't seen you in, what, eight years? That wasn't the look of just any old summer fling. She looked...betrayed. She looked hurt." Rachel paused.
"Is that all?" Ross asked. She shook her head.
"No, I noticed something else." He waited for her to continue. Finally, he put a hand on her back, drawing her nearer to him.
"What was it?" She turned to look at him. It was obvious now that she had tears in her eyes.
"She's the complete opposite of me."
"No she's not, Rach."
"Yes she is, Ross! She's serious, and smart, and independent! I could barely tie my own shoe when I first came to the city, and she said she was making her own payments on an apartment that she wasn't even living in! I mean, she was a freaking paleontologist!" Ross small his hand in circles over her back.
"Hey, listen to me, Rach. You ARE smart, and you've earned the independence that you have. Lindsay's family is rich- not all of the money that she spends is hers. And as for being serious, well, that's one of the reasons that it didn't work out. I'm too serious to be with someone else serious. That's partly why I love you! You're sweet and cute and spontaneous! Lindsay was none of those things, let me assure you." A small smile crept across Rachel's face, and she leaned her head lightly against Ross' shoulder. They sat in silence for a moment.
"So, now you tell me...Was Lindsay different? Was she more than just a summer flame?" Ross was dead silent for a few moments, biting his lip and rolling possible answers over inside his head. Finally, he decided to just be honest.
"Yes." Rachel tensed a little beneath his touch, having at least subconsciously known his answers before he'd spoken.
"How?" she enquired. Ross took a deep breath before answering.
"We were engaged."
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End Chapter 12. Continued in Chapter 13.
Author: Kaitlyn
Summary: "I've got some beer and the highway's free, and I got you and baby you got me."
Rating: PG-13
***************************************************************************
After another two and a half hours in the car, the SUV finally pulled into Junaluska Ski Lodge around 10:00 pm. Chandler and Monica woke the other four, who had been sleeping for the remaining duration of the trip since the rest stop. All six, very exhaustedly, made their way into the lobby of the colossal resort.
The foyer was impressive, to say the least. It was dressed in a mostly wilderness decor, with deer antlers mounted on the massive oak walls, and a humungous bearskin rug at the center of the floor. Oak coffee tables, scattered with coffee mugs and magazines, were strategically placed in a sunken sitting area between the front door and the front desk. A 6-foot-tall antler chandelier hung above the group's head, and dim lighting added to the relaxed mood.
They made their way across the polished wooden floors to the receptionist's desk. She was a young woman, probably in her early 20's, with shoulder-length brown hair and deep chestnut eyes. Her skin was olive-tinted, suggesting an Italian bloodline. Overall, she was very attractive, but gave off a more rigid aura that added darker, more defined undertones to her complexion and stature. She was wearing a fitted navy blue suit, obviously company-issued, and her nametag read "Lindsay". When she looked up from her computer screen and met Monica's eye, her deadpan face immediately broke out into a smile.
"Monica!? Oh my God, what are you doing here?!" Monica practically dropped her bags where she was and ran over to Lindsay, meeting her in a tight embrace. The two jumped up and down together, screaming and laughing like little girls.
"Everyone, come over here! I want you to meet Lindsay!" The other 5 walked over to where the two women were standing, a little unsure of exactly who this girl was or what was going on.
"Lindsay, these are my friends! That's Phoebe and Joey. This is my boyfriend, Chandler, and that's Rachel. Oh, and you remember Ross, right?" At the realization of Ross' presence, Lindsay's eyes narrowed a bit, and the smile faded from her face. She became suddenly stiff, intently meeting his gaze and fidgeting uncontrollably.
"Oh, uh, yes. I remember Ross." The mood became deathly somber as the other 5 attempted to figure out exactly what had caused this reaction. Ross seemed almost equally as nervous and fidgety, refusing to look Lindsay in the eye. Monica looked confused.
"Uh, guys? Is everything okay?" Provoked my Monica's words, Lindsay snapped out of whatever trance she had been in, looking up at her long-time friend and smiling simply.
"Oh, yeah, everything's fine. I was just remembering something, right Ross?" Ross turned his eyes downward before answering.
"Right, yeah." During all of this, no one had noticed Rachel's growing discomfort and perplexity. She found herself discreetly moving closer to Ross, until she was finally pressed up right against him, resting her arm possessively around his waist. Some uncontrollable urge to defend herself and their relationship had inexplicably come over her. She wasn't sure what it was, but something about Ross' reaction to Lindsay just did not sit right with her.
"Anyway," Monica finally intervened, "I guess you guys are wondering how I know Lindsay! When I was in college, I worked here during the summer. Lindsay was a rising freshman at Fordham, the summer after I graduated, but we worked and lived here together for two months. Her dad owns the place- he's the family friend who cut the great deal for you and Ross, Rach. Anyway, we kind of lost touch after that, except for a few coffee meetings and phone calls. Where are you living now?"
"Oh, I'm living here at the resort, working full time." Monica wrinkled her nose and tilted her head to the side in disbelief.
"Really? Didn't you major in paleontology? Why would you be working as a receptionist at a hotel?" At the mention of Lindsay's major, Rachel's ears perked up. She directed her attention up at Ross, who was trying his hardest (to no avail) to look unaffected by the conversation that was taking place between his sister and this pretty woman.
"I know," Lindsay continued, "but they're kind of short on staff, right now. It's not forever. I was working as a curator at the MET before this."
"Do you still have a place in New York?" Monica enquired. Lindsay nodded.
"Yeah, I'm making the payments on it until I can get back down there. I really miss it! I'm hoping to be done here by next year. I'm actually thinking about going to bartending school when I get out of here. I'm starting to believe that paleontology just wasn't right for me." At this, she briefly glanced at Ross, crossing her arms tightly across her chest. There was a bitterness in her look- a sternness that everyone picked up on all too well...especially Rachel.
"No," Ross offered, with a definitely bite in his words "it wasn't." Again, an uncomfortable stillness fell over the conversation. Finally, sensing the tension, Chandler decided to speak up.
"Well, that's about it for me. Lindsay, it was nice meeting you. Hon, I'm going to go check in. Ross...good luck with that, man." He patted him on the shoulder before taking his and Monica's suitcases over to the young man at the check-in counter. For the first time, Ross looked down at Rachel. The look on her face was a mixture between discomfort and...exhaustion. She looked confused and a little anxious, and it broke his heart. He draped his arm tightly around her shoulders and kissed her forehead, in hopes of making her feel a little less overlooked. It was now Lindsay's turn to look befuddled. Monica realized.
"Oh, uh, Lindsay, Rachel is Ross' girlfriend." Rachel shot Monica a grave look, sustaining it long enough to meet Lindsay's eyes.
"FinaceƩ." Ross nodded, tightening his grip on Rachel. Lindsay nodded in acknowledgement, politely extending her hand to Rachel, but unable to mask her very evident uneasiness.
"It's nice to meet you. When's the wedding?"
"Actually," Rachel answered, "it's tomorrow. We're getting married in the gazebo by the lake. Your father gave us the rooms and services at a discount rate." Though the conversation was now flowing more freely, the flagrant strain in the air didn't go unnoticed. Lindsay seemed outwardly impervious to Rachel's news of their wedding, but her smile was forced and there was an unshakable look of constipation in her face.
"I'm sure the service will be lovely." She turned back to Monica, smiling genuinely and warmly, and patted her on the arm.
"It was great seeing you again, Monica. I know it's kind of late, but when you wake up, if you're in the mood, I'd love to take a break and just catch up." Monica smiled and nodded in agreement.
The four said goodnight when Lindsay resumed her position behind her desk. Phoebe and Joey had sat down on the love seat behind them during all of this and had fallen back asleep. Monica woke them up to tell them that the rooms were ready, and the group (minus Chandler) traveled through the maze of the hotel until they reached their suites on the eleventh floor.
Lindsay's father, Mr. Underwood, had booked them adjoining suites, but had specifically reserved the Presidential Suite for Ross and Rachel. It was located at the very end of the hallway, and was easy to distinguish from the other rooms from it's gold-trimmed double doors.
"Aw, no fair," Joey mumbled, from behind heavy eyelids, "they get the cool room!" Phoebe joined in on the protest.
"Yeah, and even Monica and Chandler get a REGULAR suite! You and I got stuck with the reject rooms!" Monica rolled her eyes while Chandler fumbled with the key in the lock. Phoebe continued in her complaining.
"Yeah, yeah, these are like the runt rooms! These are the rooms that, you know, like couldn't get enough milk when they were babies, so now they're just practically GIVEN away!" Once Chandler and Ross had gotten their respective doors unlocked and opened, the two couples entered their rooms, all but ignoring Phoebe and Joey's whining. Phoebe turned to Joey in disbelief.
"You know, we are SO overlooked in this group! What the hell happened while we were asleep in that van? Did they form some kind of like collaboration against us?"
"Collaboration?" Joey asked. Phoebe sighed, defeated.
"Oh, who am I kidding? It's a good thing you're so pretty, Joey Tribbiani, or else you would have been fazed out a LONG time ago!" Phoebe opened her door and went inside her room, leaving Joey alone in the hallway.
"I am pretty," he said to himself, smiling, before leaning up against the hallway wall and falling asleep.
****************************************************************************
Inside Ross and Rachel's room, a silent war was being wagered. They had not talked since they had entered the suite. Rachel had immediately sat her suitcase down on the bed and had begun unpacking. Ross had briefly contemplated taking a shower, but he knew that Rachel would want the bathtub soon, so he decided to stay out of her way.
The room was truly immaculate, however. The entire far wall was made of glass, providing a breathtaking view out over the slopes and the lighted city below them. It consisted of a breakfast nook in the corner, two walk-in closets, a Jacuzzi in the bathroom, a personal refrigerator, a wet bar and a kind sized bed. Ross only feared that Rachel might be enjoying that bed alone tonight, if he didn't say something soon. Treat it like a Band-Aid, he thought to himself. One rip, and it's done.
"I slept with her." Rachel stopped in her tracks, looking up from her open suitcase at Ross, who was standing in front of the dwarfing window. Her breath stopped in her throat. She was unable to do anything but stand there, her hands posed inquisitively out to the sides in a "what are you talking about?" sort of gesture. Ross didn't let it faze him, continuing with just as much confidence as he had used to utter those initial words.
"That's what you were wondering, isn't it? If I had slept with her?" Rachel shook her head, almost as if she were attempting to shake his words from her memory. She stared at him for another moment, before going back to her unpacking. She decided to play dumb.
"What are you talking about?"
"What am I talking about?" Ross asked, his voice coming out a little more raised and sharp than he would have liked. This caught Rachel's attention again, who finally stopped unpacking all together, and focused her attention entirely on him.
"Okay, so you slept with her. Big whoop. What'd you want, for me to throw you a little party?" Ross couldn't believe what he was hearing. He had just wanted to be mature and have an adult conversation about this entity that was so obviously having an affect on her.
"No, what I WANT is to know why you haven't talked to him since you met her. It's not like you're the only person I've slept with. What's so different about Lindsay?" His comment about her having not been the only person he had slept with hadn't come out like he'd planned, and he could tell from the look on her face that it had stung a little. Though it had been true, the way in which he'd said it had come out biting and condescending. She crossed her arms over her chest, defensively.
"I don't know, you tell me!"
"Rachel, this is ridiculous! She's just some girl! I had this fling with her one summer, but it didn't work out! I didn't even remember that she EXISTED until we walked into that lobby. Why does she bother you so much?" Rachel knew that what he was saying was true, and she hated it, because it made her seem all that much more irrational. Her voice softened with her next words.
"I don't know. She just seems...different." Rachel looked up, hopeful. There might have been tears in her eyes, but he couldn't quite tell. "Is she?" Ross exhaled, walking over to her. He didn't touch her yet, but just stood closer, personalizing the conversation more. He lowered his voice.
"Tell me why you think she seems different, and I'll tell you if she is." They sat down on the edge of the bed together, letting their legs touch but still not consciously making any moves of comfort or assurance. Rachel shrugged.
"I saw the way she looked at you, Ross. She hadn't seen you in, what, eight years? That wasn't the look of just any old summer fling. She looked...betrayed. She looked hurt." Rachel paused.
"Is that all?" Ross asked. She shook her head.
"No, I noticed something else." He waited for her to continue. Finally, he put a hand on her back, drawing her nearer to him.
"What was it?" She turned to look at him. It was obvious now that she had tears in her eyes.
"She's the complete opposite of me."
"No she's not, Rach."
"Yes she is, Ross! She's serious, and smart, and independent! I could barely tie my own shoe when I first came to the city, and she said she was making her own payments on an apartment that she wasn't even living in! I mean, she was a freaking paleontologist!" Ross small his hand in circles over her back.
"Hey, listen to me, Rach. You ARE smart, and you've earned the independence that you have. Lindsay's family is rich- not all of the money that she spends is hers. And as for being serious, well, that's one of the reasons that it didn't work out. I'm too serious to be with someone else serious. That's partly why I love you! You're sweet and cute and spontaneous! Lindsay was none of those things, let me assure you." A small smile crept across Rachel's face, and she leaned her head lightly against Ross' shoulder. They sat in silence for a moment.
"So, now you tell me...Was Lindsay different? Was she more than just a summer flame?" Ross was dead silent for a few moments, biting his lip and rolling possible answers over inside his head. Finally, he decided to just be honest.
"Yes." Rachel tensed a little beneath his touch, having at least subconsciously known his answers before he'd spoken.
"How?" she enquired. Ross took a deep breath before answering.
"We were engaged."
******************************************************************************
End Chapter 12. Continued in Chapter 13.
