The Setup: 1966.  The US has sent over 300,000 troops to the war in Vietnam.  On the home front, tensions are mounting, as support for the War continues to diminish.  President Johnson makes his first trip to South Vietnam, and the Soviet Union announces its intentions to support North Vietnam, arousing anger among war supporters and moderates. 

As for our favorite sextet, Monica, Rachel and Phoebe are seniors in high school.  Ross, Chandler and Joey have just graduated high school (Joey and Chandler went to a different school, though).  Rachel and Ross are dating.

~The Age of Aquarius~

Chapter One: War & Peace

New York City, Summer, 1966

"I got it, it came today," Ross said quietly, his demeanor suddenly much darker that it was only moments ago.

"Are you going?" Rachel asked, though she already knew the answer.

"I have to, Rach.  It's my duty."

"No, you don't!  We could move to Canada--"

"And live like a coward?  It's my duty, to defend the country Rachel.  They've called, and I have to go."

"I know," Rachel whispered, a single tear sliding down her cheek.

"Rachel," Ross placed his index finger under his girlfriend's chin, and tilted her face up toward his, "I love you, and I want to marry you, and have lots of babies together," Ross smiled, and Rachel giggled.  "I will be back.  I promise."

Rachel's smile faded, and she looked into Ross' eyes sadly.

"You can't make that promise, Ross.  You can't make promises on our fates," Rachel whispered.

"You're starting to sound like your friend Phoebe," Ross laughed.

"I wouldn't go that far," Rachel smiled.  Inside, her stomach was churning.  Her boyfriend was going to war.  He was headed to a far off country, a place she hadn't even heard of, until her neighbors and friends started going.  Rachel sighed, and fell into Ross' embrace.  Everything was changing so fast…

~***~

The final bell of the school year rang, and Phoebe dashed out of her classroom, and headed for her locker.  The faster she got out of this authoritarian hellhole, the better.  She tossed her books into her locker, causing a near avalanche of loose papers, folders, pens and food to begin tumbling out.  Phoebe hastily shoved the pile back into the locker, and slammed the door before disaster struck.  She ran down the corridor, fumbling through her eggshell macramé bag as she went.  She ran out of the school, down the stairs, and out into the student parking lot, and pulled out her keys as she reached her van.

"Pheebs!" the voice came from behind.  She turned around, and saw her good friend Monica running toward her.

"Hey Monica!" Phoebe waved.

"Can you give me a ride home?  I missed the bus!" Monica approached, fully out of breath and sweating.

"Sure.  Hey!  Do you wanna come with me to a protest rally?"

"Protest rally?" Monica furrowed her brow.

"Yeah, it's an anti-war rally!"

"Uh, I dunno, Pheebs, my Mom will kill me if she finds out I went to a rally!"

"Oh, come on, Mon!!  It'll be fun!"

Monica thought for a minute, then shrugged.

"Groovy!"

Monica and Phoebe piled into the van, and headed for the rally.

The University campus was teeming with young, enigmatic people from all walks of life.  Many carried large signs, all adorned with things like peace signs, hand-drawn doves, and phrases like, "US out of Vietnam", and "Down with Johnson".  Monica clasped onto Phoebe's arm, as her friend dragged her through the crowd.  She suddenly felt very self-conscious in her conservative blue dress and black loafers.  The kids around her were dressed in loose fitting cotton tunics, brown sandals, jeans, and long dresses.  Many girls wore flower arrangements in their hair, much like her friend Phoebe. 

"Joey!" Phoebe suddenly screamed, and pulled Monica toward the fountain that sat in the center of the University quad.  Phoebe stopped in front of a tall, dark haired man with shaggy hair and dark wire-rimmed sunglasses.  He smiled lazily as Phoebe approached, then pulled her into a hug.

"Pheebs!!" Joey laughed, and then looked over at Monica, who was standing behind Phoebe, fidgeting nervously with her dress.

"Who's your friend?" Joey asked slowly.

"Oh, this is Monica," Phoebe smiled, then turned to Monica, "Mon, this is Joey Tribianni."

"Hello," Monica said shyly.

"How you doin'?" Joey winked.

"Hey, Joe, I just saw two people doin' it under the Dean's window," a tall, sandy-haired man approached, and plopped down next to Joey.  He was dressed much like everyone else at the rally, and his messy, unclean hair hung in his face.

"Cool," Joey laughed.

"Hey, Chandler," Phoebe said.

"Oh, hey, Pheebs, glad you made it!" Chandler pulled Phoebe into a hug.

"That's uh, Monica," Joey pointed.

"Hey," Chandler smiled, and Monica felt herself blush slightly.  He's cute…for a hippie.

"Hey, you guys wanna go out to Phoebe's van and smoke?" Joey whispered, smiling mischievously.

"Yeah!" Chandler and Phoebe said, and the group headed out to the parking lot.

"Uh, what about the protest?" Monica asked, as they approached the van.

"Huh?  Oh, yeah, it'll still be there.  This won't take long," Joey chuckled.

"Oh.  Um, I don't uh, I don't smoke," Monica looked at Chandler nervously.

"What are you talking about," Chandler laughed, "everybody smokes!"

Joey and Phoebe giggled, and climbed into the van.  Monica hesitated slightly, and Chandler turned, and pulled her into the van, closing and locking the doors behind her.

Once they were settled inside the van, Joey pulled out a plastic bag, a one-dollar bill, and white rolling papers.  He set about rolling a joint, while Phoebe and Chandler chatted.

"Is that, uh, marijuana?" Monica whispered, her eyes wide with wonder.

"Yeah," Joey laughed, and shook his head.  Monica's face reddened, and she bit her lip.  She had never even smoked a cigarette!  If her mother knew she was sitting her with that…stuff…she would be grounded for the rest of her life!

Joey licked and sealed the joint, then twisted the ends, and put one end to his lips.  He pulled out a silver lighter, and ignited the joint, inhaling deeply.  Monica watched carefully, as he handed the lit joint to Phoebe, who then mimicked Joey's actions.  Chandler took the shrinking joint and inhaled deeply.  He closed his eyes, stifled a cough, and exhaled loudly.  Smiling broadly, he handed the joint to Monica.

"Um, I don't know…" Monica said nervously.  She didn't want Chandler and Joey to think she was a square, but she was nervous about what would happen.

"It's okay, Monica, you don't have to," Chandler said softly.  Monica smiled, and relaxed slightly.

Suddenly, Chandler moved his face closer to Monica, and she got her first real look at his deep blue eyes.  Mesmerized, she simply stared as he spoke.

"But Mon, if you aren't doing it just because you think your folks would disapprove, then you are wrong.  You are a grown woman.  Make your own decision." Chandler smiled slyly and sat back. 

A grown woman.  No one had called Monica a woman before.  She was always, her dad's "little harmonica", or a "young lady" or "Ross' baby sister".  She felt her stomach flutter, and couldn't take her eyes off of Chandler.  She took a deep breath, and plucked the glowing joint from Chandler's fingers.

She inhaled, just like the others.  But her throat filled immediately with a horrible burn, and her breath caught in her throat.  She felt the burning move to her lungs, and she began coughing furiously.

"Whoa, whoa, slow down there, princess," Chandler laughed, and patted her on the back.

~***~

Rachel walked quietly into the house, and made her way up to her bedroom.  She plopped down onto the bed, and sighed heavily.  Images of Ross going to that-that place flittered through her mind.  She didn't want to think about it.  Her father had served in World War II, so Rachel knew that once he'd heard that Ross was going over, he would finally accept Ross, and maybe even respect him.  The thought of her father and her boyfriend getting along at long last made Rachel smile, just a bit.  The euphoria was short-lived, however.

"Rachel?" her mother knocked lightly, and then proceeded to walk into her room.

"Hi, Mom," Rachel smiled, but noted that her mother looked worn out, and not very happy.

"Sweetie, I'm afraid I have some bad news.  Your friend Chip was…well, he—"

"Is he dead?" Rachel's eyes widened, and she stood up abruptly.

"Y-yes, honey.  I'm so sorry."

Rachel felt her breath catch in her throat.  Chip, her first boyfriend, back in Junior High, was now nothing more than the latest neighborhood tragedy.  She wondered where he was when he died.  She wondered what his last thoughts were.  She wondered how she was supposed to go on, when everyone she knew was going overseas to die.  She fell onto her bed, and sobbed.

"I'm sorry, sweetie.  I'll, um, I'll go make you some hot cocoa, okay?" her mother left quickly.

Hot cocoa.  As if that was going to make everything better.

~***~

"Well, I think it's terrific," Jack Geller boomed, "My son, a soldier for freedom!"

"Just like you, dad," Ross smiled, as Jack patted him on the back.

"Yes, well, it's about time someone did something about those Commie bastards," Jack laughed.

"Jack! Watch your language," Judy cried.

"Oh, Judy calm down!  Ross is a man now!" Jack chuckled.

"Yes, well…"Judy sighed, "Ross, where is your sister, anyway?"

"I dunno," Ross shrugged, "I think she was gonna hang out with Phoebe."

"That strange girl that wears plants in her hair?  Oh, I do not like that girl.  She is nothing but trouble," Judy rambled.

"Judy, I'm sure she's fine.  I trust our Little Harmonica.  She would never do anything we didn't approve of," Jack smiled proudly.

~***~

Monica could not stop laughing.  No matter how hard she tried, everything just seemed to crack her up.  She looked at Phoebe, who was busy rummaging through her belongings, looking for some food.

None of them made it back to the rally.  And after a few joints, none of them cared.  Monica had never felt so relaxed in her life.  Her cheeks were hurting from smiling so much!  She carelessly kicked her shoes into a corner, and collapsed onto the floor of the van, giggling the entire time.

"Hey, Monica, you want some animal crackers?" Phoebe yelled, tossing a stray cookie onto Monica's chest.

Monica poked her head up, and felt the walls around her sway.  She giggled, and picked up the cookie, studying it intently.  The tiny elephant seemed to me staring right at her.  She giggled, and tossed the cookie toward Chandler, who was half-asleep.

"Hey," Chandler mumbled, then fell back onto a set of shiny orange and yellow pillows that Phoebe had in the back of the van.

Monica laughed, and fell back onto the floor.  Her eyes suddenly felt very heavy.  She giggled softly again, before letting sleep consume her.

When the moon is in the Seventh House
And Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars
 
This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius
The Age of Aquarius
Aquarius!  Aquarius!
 
Harmony and understanding
Sympathy and trust abounding
No more falsehoods or derisions
Golden living dreams of visions
Mystic crystal revelation
And the mind's true liberation
Aquarius!  Aquarius!
 
When the moon is in the Seventh House
And Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars
 
This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius
The Age of Aquarius
Aquarius!  Aquarius!
 
Harmony and understanding
Sympathy and trust abounding
No more falsehoods or derisions
Golden living dreams of visions
Mystic crystal revelation
And the mind's true liberation
Aquarius!  Aquarius!

The Age of Aquarius, ©1969, 5th Dimension

©2002 (SFGrl)