A/N Well something really new for me, an AU Phoebe/Chandler fic so bear with me. This fic is going to be updated slightly more slowly than my previous ones just to be warned. Massive thanks to David for proofing this for me *hug * and for sharing my luby obsession

Disclaimer: I don't own them, any of them, so don't sue me.

Prologue

As the sun slowly set, escaping behind the trees, she lay her head back on the grass, the wind brushing over her face as it carried on it's endless journey, she silently prayed for it take her with her, to allow her to keep moving. The wind always seemed so careless, so free. Her thoughts were interrupted as laughter broke over the park, echoing around, taunting her. She could never be happy, she could never laugh.

People rushed past, with somewhere to go, something to do; a feeling she'd forgotten over the past few years. She longed for a sense of belonging; she didn't need to be here. She didn't need to be anywhere; she hadn't needed to be anywhere for a long time. All these people, as they walked past quickly, averting their eyes away from her, they meant something to someone, they had a purpose. Phoebe didn't. She was nobody.

Chapter 1

"That is so not true!" Rachel laughed, perching on the edge of the couch at Central Perk. "C'mon Mon!" She asked her friend for backup, but Monica shook her head, still laughing.

"I'm staying out of it!"

"I do not sing out loud, at least not when I don't realize it!" Rachel tried to argue once again.

"I hate to tell you this but the man's not lying," Chandler said, gesturing to Ross who had his arm casually round Rachel's waist.

"Yeah we heard you the other day," Joey said, "in your apartment."

"You were killing us softly," Chandler quipped with a grin, ducking as Rachel playfully swiped for his head. Chandler went up to order another coffee, and as Rachel walked off to clear the tables; a comfortable silence fell over the group.

***

She sat, slowly humming to herself, staring intently at plastic cup in front of her, as it began to fill up with water, the rain beating down on the back of her neck, as her head hung low.

A leaf blew across the path, smashing into the cup, causing it to fall over, the water splashing free across the concrete. The feet passed by quickly, a sea of umbrellas and raincoats, the sound of people grumbling filling the air.

A strand of hair fell into her face, water slowly dripping off the end, as she pushed it out the way, she noticed someone standing in front of her, and slowly a coin fell from his hand, landing a few feet away, but Phoebe's eyes never left the cup.

***

"Ugh," Chandler shook his head, water splattering around the apartment, until Monica caught his eye. "Sorry," he said with a grin, "Wasn't thinking,"

"That's ok," Monica said, grabbing a cloth and wiping the table free of the droplets. "Raining?"

"How'd you guess?"

"Just call it a 6th sense," Monica laughed, and Joey walked out of the bathroom.

"Anything to eat, Mon?" he said, rubbing his hands together gleefully.

"Help yourself," she sighed, lowering her voice and mumbling to Chandler "as if I could stop him,"

"Yeah," Chandler laughed, sitting down, "Where are Ross and Rach?"

"They've gone to dinner I think," she replied absent mindidly, her eyes fixated on Joey devouring lasagna. "Why?"

"Just wondering," Chandler shrugged, flicking through the tv channels.

"Have you got any spare change? I need it for the laundry machine," Monica asked, and Chandler checked his pockets.

"Oh no, sorry, I gave my last quarter to a homeless person in the park," he shrugged, his attention fixing back on the tv.

***

She scrapped the coins into a pile, wiping them clean with her thumb. Cold under her touch, she held them in her hands. With her continuous rubbing, they slowly began to shine, now warm from her body heat. She opened her hand and they fell to the floor, she glanced from her thumb to the coins. That's what she needed someone to clean her up, make her warm again.

Phoebe had forgotten what it was like be warm; twelve years on the streets had ridden of her any sort of warmth. She was numb.

Slowly lifting herself to her feet, her knees almost buckling under the weight of her tiny frame she weakly made her way down the path. As she slowly progressed on what seemed like a never ending journey to the coffee shop at the other end, her head began to spin. She hadn't eaten in a few days; people were less generous in winter. In summer the park would fill with people, spending the days lazing there, and she would play her music, people would throw coins at her. Whether they thought she was good, or it was a sympathy vote she didn't know, and she didn't particularly care.

But now, the cold truth of winter was hitting home once again, with the trees lining the path, standing stark, the wind howling between the bare branches, whipping against her face, tears rolled down her cheeks; but before they reached her chin the wind grabbed them hurling them across the path, till they were lost in the rain.

Finally reaching a small coffee house on the edge of the little park she called home, she desperately tried to wipe the dirt from her face, before pushing open the door, embracing in the heat that overtook her. Brushing her hair from her face she examined her surroundings.

It was a very small place, just a few tables and chairs; perhaps that's why you were only allowed to sit in there if you were drinking. She walked up to the counter, running her hand over the smooth wooden counter.

"Excuse me?" A bored looking waitress drummed her fingers on her hips impatiently.

"Oh... just a coffee please," Phoebe said quietly, holding out her hand, full of change and the waitress sighed, scooping it up and counting it out. As she handed Phoebe the cup, Phoebe took her seat at a small chair by the window, gazing out onto the street she inhaled the steam, letting the heat flow through her, warming her body. Her eyes, still fixated on the street outside, knowing that before too long she would be out there again. Alone again. She had been so stripped of human contact for so long; she could barely remember the sight of a friendly smile.

The longer she spent on the streets, the more faded her memories became. Like a picture left out in the sun, they slowly paled until there was nothing left. She longed for the days where she believed optimism would get her through anything, that eternal happiness that seemed to spring from inside her.

Life had been harsh for Phoebe, and as the days went by, the more jaded her view of the world became. The days where people would pause, in their new jackets and pristine hair, before chucking a quarter her way, just to rid themselves of guilt, tricking themselves into believing this would improve her life, expecting some sort of gratitude like they'd just handed her a cheque for a million dollars.

Phoebe used to be grateful; 'every little helps', she used to smile, before continuing her song.

Now she realised that little things don't help; she'd been getting little for years, and she was exactly where she was 10 years ago. Phoebe had accepted sometime ago, that she was on her own.

Review please??