Everytime
Chapter Five: You Go There, You're Gone Forever
Disclaimer: They're mine. No, really.
A/N: Not much to say.... worried about this chapter, big time. So review and either confirm what I think (that this story sucks), or cheer me up. Either way, I'll love you.
Chapter title taken from the Enya song Anywhere Is. I adore Enya. I was listening to the song as I wrote this. I advise you to listen to it too.
And I guess I should take this opportunity to advertise the new TV Boards: &. You can talk aboutall your favourite TV shows there, and since it's new, it's ready for any members. And I'm a mod! My username over there is Chandler. I hope to see you over there!
Oh, and sorry to Becca, Ariel, Monnie and all the rest of you crazy people, but randomness is impossible to find for me today. o__O Maybe next week.
*****
Chandler rolled over in bed and hit the alarm clock hard with his right hand. He struggled to open his eyes. Through the blur, he saw that the clock read "09:00".
"Ohh.." he groaned, sitting up and pulling his eyelids up in an attempt to get them open faster. The light flooded in and his eyes couldn't help but reflex against it, and his eyes closed. Giving up for now, he let his body loosen and he fell back onto the bed.
Today was the first day he and Monica were due to.... start. Everytime Chandler thought about it, he got this sick feeling in his stomach. Picturing Monica happy with Pete was the equivalent of picturing himself in the bowels of hell.
Needless to say, Chander did not want to leave his bed.
Chandler kept his eyes closed and thought about the idea of staying in his bed forever. He'd never have to move, it was comfortable, he'd never have to see Pete again, and he wouldn't be put through the torture of trying to repair the exact relationship he wanted destroyed.
But if he stayed in bed forever, he'd never see Monica again. He'd see her in his dreams, he always did, but he'd never see her smile, her hair flowing over her shoulders, her skin glowing softly in the moonlight of an evening.... in his dreams, she was always beautiful, but in real life, she was utter perfection.
He forced his body upwards, groaning as he sat up, and unfolded the sheets on the bed. He swung his legs off tyhe bed and walked over toa table in the corner.
He sat down on the chair which had been tucked under the desk, and opened the drawer at the side of him. Slowly, he eased out a small box covered in blue felt. He ran his fingers over the felt, feeling it's delicate softness. It reminded him of Monica's skin, and he closed his eyes as he imagined just sitting with her on a normal day, simply stroking her warm skin.
He lifted the lid from the box, and took out a bundle of the photos that were in there, bound together with a piece of string. He saw that they were his pictures of the whole gang, and he lay them aside, taking out the next bundle, which showed him as a child and teenager. His flock of seagulls haircut on the top one made him laugh as he remembered how stupid he had looked. He laid them aside as well, and took out the next bundle.
These were the ones.
He undid the piece of string and looked at the top photograph. There he was, sitting on the couch in the coffeehouse, and next to him sat Monica, snuggled up against his chest. Next to them, Rachel sat smiling at them, and Joey stood behind, talking to Phoebe. Monica's eyes were on the camera, but Chandler's were on her, watching her. He wasn't in love with her then. He just... he didn't know. The way she moved was so fascinating, the way her hair rippled in the wind so bewitching....
He put the first photo aside and took the next one from the pile.
This one was in Monica's old apartment, now where Rachel and Ross lived together. Monica was standing in the kitchen, stirring something stood on the cooker, and Chandler was tasting it with a spoon, and smiling at her. It wasn't a particulary special or unusual moment, but it showed Chandler how he and Monica enjoyed doing everyday things together. She made every moment wonderful.
And he didn't want to loose that.
*****
Monica stepped slowly up the steps towards the restaurant door, her heels clacking loudly against the concrete. She pulled the door open, thanked the doorman who held it for her, and walked into the restaurant.
"May I take your coat?" asked a waiter stood just inside the entrance. Monica nodded and handed her coat over. She looked around for Chandler, and saw him at a table in the corner, looking down and muttering to himself.
"Chandler!" she shouted, and he looked up, a smile creeping onto his face.
"Hey, Mon," he said. Monica thought he looked oddly sad, but she didn't say anything.
"Sorry I'm late," she said, pulling out the chair and sitting down. "Have you been here long?"
"No," dismissed Chandler. "But I have to get going soon, my boss called and said there's some important meeting that EVERYONE has to be at. So I can only stay like ten minutes."
Monica sighed. "Oh," she said. "Well, we've a lot to do in ten minutes, then..."
"Yeah," mumbled Chandler.
Monica looked at him. "So, when does this meeting finish? You can still come over and help, right?"
Chandler wished he could have lied to her. He wished he could have said no, said that the meeting was going to last well into the evening, later than she needed.
But looking at her face, staring deep into her eyes.... he knew he couldn't do it. She made him totally honest. If she had asked him if he was in love with her, he'd have told her. She was impossible to lie to.
"Yes," he said in resignment. "I'll be there. What are you going to do tonight, anyway?"
Monica smiled. "Well, Pete's out late- he still on this big deal thing-"
Chandler interrupted. "Yeah, about that.... has he told you anything more?" he asked, leaning foward.
Monica groaned. "No, and he said he wouldn't until it's all final, and that won't be for like two weeks, so I'm left wondering." She took a sip of water. "Anyway, I was going to cook him this big dinner, and I need you to help me look the place look romantic."
Chandler looked surprised. "Me? I haven't had a date in months!"
Monica smiled. "No, but you are romantic. Remember you made that lovely meal for Janice, before she went back to Gary? That was beautiful, Chandler. Hell, I'd have fallen for that!" she laughed.
Chandler smiled, his heart beginning to thump loudly. "Okay, I'll do it then. But I've got to go right now..." he said, standing up rather hurriedly.
Monica stood up too. "Okay," she said, kissing him on the cheek. "I'll see you later."
Chandler blushed uncontrollably and turned away, walking quickly out of the restaurant, almost forgetting to pick up his coat.
*****
Chandler took a deep breath and pressed the buzzer. As he waited for the door to be answered, he looked up at the huge house she lived in. Being married to Pete certainly gave her the best. And now he was going to help her give him the perfect relationship.
His heart felt like it was being torn apart and displayed in front of him. How could he watch them be happy together again? When she had told him she wasn't happy, his heart had taken a giant leap of hope. But now, it was like she was trampling over his heart, although without knowing it.
He had to help her. Above all, he wanted her to be happy, and if that meant him being heartbroken....
So be it.
The door opened, and the butler bowed to him and stepped aside. Chandler thanked him quietly, then progressed into the lounge, where Monica usually met him. But the room was empty.
"Mon?" he called out, knowing it was probably useless given the size of the house he was in.
"Chandler?" he heard her call faintly back.
Chandler looked around. "Where are you?" he called, louder.
"In the kitchen," she shouted back.
Chandler went back through the lounge door, and walked down the long corridor to the kitchen, which lay at the other end of the house. As he neared the room, the scent of food met his nose, but he couldn't put his name on it.
He entered the kitchen, and was immediatly taken aback by all the utensils lying around on the worktops. "Wow," he said, making Monica look around. "Sure need a lot of stuff to make dinner, huh?" he smiled, although a hint of the bitterness he was feeling entered his voice.
Monica turned away to stir something again. "Well, I have to make it special, or Pete won't like it. Oh, but there is something I need to ask you...." she said, leaning over to a bowl and tipping the contents into a saucepan while she spoke. "It's upstairs... I'll get the maid to hold this stuff for a few minutes, and you go upstairs and wait. I'll be up in a sec, okay?"
Chandler nodded, although her back was already turned, and set off up the staircase to Monica's bedroom.
When he got there, he flumped in relief down on the bed, starting to feel sick as the time when Monica and Pete would begin to be happy again approached.
*****
It took Monica a long time to get upstairs.
"Sorry," she said, as she entered. "I had to show Samantha what to do," she mumbled, walking into her huge closet and starting to search for something. "She's not a very good cook. I don't think I can leave her very long, to be honest, so I'll be quick." She walked out of the closet, holding two things behind her back and smiling.
Chandler sat on the edge of the bed. "Okay, what is it?" he asked, smiling back.
"Which one of these do you think Pete would like best?" she questioned, and held out two, very revealing, nightgowns.
Chandler's eyes just stared at them. His mind had immediatly jumped to picturing her wearing them, and now there was two versions of her swimming around in front of him, each wearing one of them. He just gawped at her.
"Chandler?" said Monica, waving her hand in front of his face.
Chandler looked up at her face. "Huh?" he said cluelessly.
Monica sighed. "Which one?"
Chandler stared. "Er....."
"You know what, I'll put them on for you, then you can make a proper decision," said Monica turning away, leaving Chandler to breathe deeply and almost faint from overheating. He felt so hot, he was surprised Monica hadn't noticed yet.
She came out wearing the first one, a red lace one which hugged tightly to her body, accented her breasts perfectly, and rather showed off the top half of her body.
"Well?" she asked, standing before a dumbfounded Chandler. "What do you think?"
Chandler tried to speak, but the words didn't reach his lips, and he simply uttered "Flen-nen."
Monica grinned. "That good, huh? Well, I guess my problem is solved. Thanks, Chandler," she said, walking back into the closet to change back.
Chandler groaned and let himself fall back onto the bed.
Chapter Five: You Go There, You're Gone Forever
Disclaimer: They're mine. No, really.
A/N: Not much to say.... worried about this chapter, big time. So review and either confirm what I think (that this story sucks), or cheer me up. Either way, I'll love you.
Chapter title taken from the Enya song Anywhere Is. I adore Enya. I was listening to the song as I wrote this. I advise you to listen to it too.
And I guess I should take this opportunity to advertise the new TV Boards: &. You can talk aboutall your favourite TV shows there, and since it's new, it's ready for any members. And I'm a mod! My username over there is Chandler. I hope to see you over there!
Oh, and sorry to Becca, Ariel, Monnie and all the rest of you crazy people, but randomness is impossible to find for me today. o__O Maybe next week.
*****
Chandler rolled over in bed and hit the alarm clock hard with his right hand. He struggled to open his eyes. Through the blur, he saw that the clock read "09:00".
"Ohh.." he groaned, sitting up and pulling his eyelids up in an attempt to get them open faster. The light flooded in and his eyes couldn't help but reflex against it, and his eyes closed. Giving up for now, he let his body loosen and he fell back onto the bed.
Today was the first day he and Monica were due to.... start. Everytime Chandler thought about it, he got this sick feeling in his stomach. Picturing Monica happy with Pete was the equivalent of picturing himself in the bowels of hell.
Needless to say, Chander did not want to leave his bed.
Chandler kept his eyes closed and thought about the idea of staying in his bed forever. He'd never have to move, it was comfortable, he'd never have to see Pete again, and he wouldn't be put through the torture of trying to repair the exact relationship he wanted destroyed.
But if he stayed in bed forever, he'd never see Monica again. He'd see her in his dreams, he always did, but he'd never see her smile, her hair flowing over her shoulders, her skin glowing softly in the moonlight of an evening.... in his dreams, she was always beautiful, but in real life, she was utter perfection.
He forced his body upwards, groaning as he sat up, and unfolded the sheets on the bed. He swung his legs off tyhe bed and walked over toa table in the corner.
He sat down on the chair which had been tucked under the desk, and opened the drawer at the side of him. Slowly, he eased out a small box covered in blue felt. He ran his fingers over the felt, feeling it's delicate softness. It reminded him of Monica's skin, and he closed his eyes as he imagined just sitting with her on a normal day, simply stroking her warm skin.
He lifted the lid from the box, and took out a bundle of the photos that were in there, bound together with a piece of string. He saw that they were his pictures of the whole gang, and he lay them aside, taking out the next bundle, which showed him as a child and teenager. His flock of seagulls haircut on the top one made him laugh as he remembered how stupid he had looked. He laid them aside as well, and took out the next bundle.
These were the ones.
He undid the piece of string and looked at the top photograph. There he was, sitting on the couch in the coffeehouse, and next to him sat Monica, snuggled up against his chest. Next to them, Rachel sat smiling at them, and Joey stood behind, talking to Phoebe. Monica's eyes were on the camera, but Chandler's were on her, watching her. He wasn't in love with her then. He just... he didn't know. The way she moved was so fascinating, the way her hair rippled in the wind so bewitching....
He put the first photo aside and took the next one from the pile.
This one was in Monica's old apartment, now where Rachel and Ross lived together. Monica was standing in the kitchen, stirring something stood on the cooker, and Chandler was tasting it with a spoon, and smiling at her. It wasn't a particulary special or unusual moment, but it showed Chandler how he and Monica enjoyed doing everyday things together. She made every moment wonderful.
And he didn't want to loose that.
*****
Monica stepped slowly up the steps towards the restaurant door, her heels clacking loudly against the concrete. She pulled the door open, thanked the doorman who held it for her, and walked into the restaurant.
"May I take your coat?" asked a waiter stood just inside the entrance. Monica nodded and handed her coat over. She looked around for Chandler, and saw him at a table in the corner, looking down and muttering to himself.
"Chandler!" she shouted, and he looked up, a smile creeping onto his face.
"Hey, Mon," he said. Monica thought he looked oddly sad, but she didn't say anything.
"Sorry I'm late," she said, pulling out the chair and sitting down. "Have you been here long?"
"No," dismissed Chandler. "But I have to get going soon, my boss called and said there's some important meeting that EVERYONE has to be at. So I can only stay like ten minutes."
Monica sighed. "Oh," she said. "Well, we've a lot to do in ten minutes, then..."
"Yeah," mumbled Chandler.
Monica looked at him. "So, when does this meeting finish? You can still come over and help, right?"
Chandler wished he could have lied to her. He wished he could have said no, said that the meeting was going to last well into the evening, later than she needed.
But looking at her face, staring deep into her eyes.... he knew he couldn't do it. She made him totally honest. If she had asked him if he was in love with her, he'd have told her. She was impossible to lie to.
"Yes," he said in resignment. "I'll be there. What are you going to do tonight, anyway?"
Monica smiled. "Well, Pete's out late- he still on this big deal thing-"
Chandler interrupted. "Yeah, about that.... has he told you anything more?" he asked, leaning foward.
Monica groaned. "No, and he said he wouldn't until it's all final, and that won't be for like two weeks, so I'm left wondering." She took a sip of water. "Anyway, I was going to cook him this big dinner, and I need you to help me look the place look romantic."
Chandler looked surprised. "Me? I haven't had a date in months!"
Monica smiled. "No, but you are romantic. Remember you made that lovely meal for Janice, before she went back to Gary? That was beautiful, Chandler. Hell, I'd have fallen for that!" she laughed.
Chandler smiled, his heart beginning to thump loudly. "Okay, I'll do it then. But I've got to go right now..." he said, standing up rather hurriedly.
Monica stood up too. "Okay," she said, kissing him on the cheek. "I'll see you later."
Chandler blushed uncontrollably and turned away, walking quickly out of the restaurant, almost forgetting to pick up his coat.
*****
Chandler took a deep breath and pressed the buzzer. As he waited for the door to be answered, he looked up at the huge house she lived in. Being married to Pete certainly gave her the best. And now he was going to help her give him the perfect relationship.
His heart felt like it was being torn apart and displayed in front of him. How could he watch them be happy together again? When she had told him she wasn't happy, his heart had taken a giant leap of hope. But now, it was like she was trampling over his heart, although without knowing it.
He had to help her. Above all, he wanted her to be happy, and if that meant him being heartbroken....
So be it.
The door opened, and the butler bowed to him and stepped aside. Chandler thanked him quietly, then progressed into the lounge, where Monica usually met him. But the room was empty.
"Mon?" he called out, knowing it was probably useless given the size of the house he was in.
"Chandler?" he heard her call faintly back.
Chandler looked around. "Where are you?" he called, louder.
"In the kitchen," she shouted back.
Chandler went back through the lounge door, and walked down the long corridor to the kitchen, which lay at the other end of the house. As he neared the room, the scent of food met his nose, but he couldn't put his name on it.
He entered the kitchen, and was immediatly taken aback by all the utensils lying around on the worktops. "Wow," he said, making Monica look around. "Sure need a lot of stuff to make dinner, huh?" he smiled, although a hint of the bitterness he was feeling entered his voice.
Monica turned away to stir something again. "Well, I have to make it special, or Pete won't like it. Oh, but there is something I need to ask you...." she said, leaning over to a bowl and tipping the contents into a saucepan while she spoke. "It's upstairs... I'll get the maid to hold this stuff for a few minutes, and you go upstairs and wait. I'll be up in a sec, okay?"
Chandler nodded, although her back was already turned, and set off up the staircase to Monica's bedroom.
When he got there, he flumped in relief down on the bed, starting to feel sick as the time when Monica and Pete would begin to be happy again approached.
*****
It took Monica a long time to get upstairs.
"Sorry," she said, as she entered. "I had to show Samantha what to do," she mumbled, walking into her huge closet and starting to search for something. "She's not a very good cook. I don't think I can leave her very long, to be honest, so I'll be quick." She walked out of the closet, holding two things behind her back and smiling.
Chandler sat on the edge of the bed. "Okay, what is it?" he asked, smiling back.
"Which one of these do you think Pete would like best?" she questioned, and held out two, very revealing, nightgowns.
Chandler's eyes just stared at them. His mind had immediatly jumped to picturing her wearing them, and now there was two versions of her swimming around in front of him, each wearing one of them. He just gawped at her.
"Chandler?" said Monica, waving her hand in front of his face.
Chandler looked up at her face. "Huh?" he said cluelessly.
Monica sighed. "Which one?"
Chandler stared. "Er....."
"You know what, I'll put them on for you, then you can make a proper decision," said Monica turning away, leaving Chandler to breathe deeply and almost faint from overheating. He felt so hot, he was surprised Monica hadn't noticed yet.
She came out wearing the first one, a red lace one which hugged tightly to her body, accented her breasts perfectly, and rather showed off the top half of her body.
"Well?" she asked, standing before a dumbfounded Chandler. "What do you think?"
Chandler tried to speak, but the words didn't reach his lips, and he simply uttered "Flen-nen."
Monica grinned. "That good, huh? Well, I guess my problem is solved. Thanks, Chandler," she said, walking back into the closet to change back.
Chandler groaned and let himself fall back onto the bed.
