Everytime

Chapter Eight: Discovery

Disclaimer: Boo-hoo. Don't make me say it.....

A/N: Uh-hum. I have no idea what to write. I bet no one reads these things anyway. So, for future reference, if you see something in BIG BLOCK CAPITALS here, then I want/need you to READ IT. 'Kay? Thanks.

Next chapter VERY SOON, btw.

*~*~*

Joey threw up his hands against the rays of sun as he exited his bedroom, Kathy giving his neck nibbling kisses. He turned and gave her a kiss in return, then whispered in her ear. She giggled, and ran off to the bathroom, giving him a smile before she closed the door behind her.

Joey walked into the kitchen and grabbed a packet of cereal from the cupboard. He dug into it and started to eat it the flakes as he walked around the room, waiting for the sound of the shower to start up.

As he walked nearer Chandler's bedroom, he heard small sobs coming, short but deep, and he frowned.

He pushed the door open and looked around. It was dark; the blinds were drawn. Chandler lay covered on the bed, his face inward toward the pillow.

"Chandler?" said Joey tentatively.

A loud grunt was his answer, but he moved nearer anyway and shook Chandler's shoulder.

"Chandler? Are you- are you okay buddy?"

Chandler sniffed. "No," he said in a muffled voice.

Joey perched himself on the edge of the bed. "What's wrong?"

Chandler finally turned his head so he could speak properly. "You wouldn't understand, Joey," he said sadly, his face tear-stained, and his eyes glistening with fresh tear drops.

Joey frowned. "Why wouldn't I? Why? Because I'm too stupid or something?" he said bitterly. "Everyone says that," he said, standing up and turning away.

Chandler sat up and grabbed his arm. "No, Joey," he said. "It's not because you're stupid. But you've- you've never been in love...."

Joey's eyes widened. "You're in love?" he said, surprised. "But Chandler...you don't even have a girlfriend!"

Chandler stared at him. "So? You don't have to have a girlfriend to be in love. I mean, she's married, and I'm still in love with her-"

"What?!" shouted Joey. "She's married? Who exactly are we talking about here?" he asked, a look of concentration appearing as he tried to figure it out. His eyes widened yet further. "Monica?!" he yelled, and there came a crash from somewhere in the apartment. "You're in love with Monica?!"

"Ow!" yelled Kathy. "Joey!"

Joey gulped. "Oops," he said. "I'll be right back. We are NOT finished here, man," he said, pointing his finger at Chandler.

Chandler sighed and fell back onto the bed.

*~*~*

Monica groaned as she woke up, and stretched out her arm. "Chandler, why didn't you wake me up?" she said absently, still half asleep.

It took about a minute for her words to register in her brain.

She sat up sharply, staring at her reflection in the large mirror at the end of the bed. "What did I just say?" she asked herself.

Her words taunted her, swimming around her head, just out of reach. 'Chandler....'

"Chandler," she whispered to the air, and looked down at her bedspread. Beneath where she had been lying, Chandler's ruined shirt lay. She picked it up lightly, and smelt it. It smelt just like him. Just like he had last night. It was the best scent in the world.

Suddenly, the image of Pete came into her mind, and guilt washed over her. She threw the shirt as hard as she could across the room, trying to get Chandler out of her head.

It was wrong. She was married to Pete. She loved Pete.

But Chandler... she closed her eyes as she imagined herself back last night, with him pushing her up against the wall, his hands running all over her....

She snapped her eyes open, staring at her reflection.

"Well," she said to herself. "It's all up to you. What are you gonna do?"

*~*~*

Phoebe stooped at the coffeehouse window before she entered. An annoyed looking Chandler was leaning away from a very talkative Joey, and Kathy sat lazily in a chair, apparently not listening, since her eyes were closed. Phoebe pushed open the door and moved quickly to the couch, Joey's words coming soon into earshot.

"... Chandler, why won't you tell me? When was it?"

"When was what?" asked Phoebe absently, signalling to a waitress for a coffee.

Joey looked around. "When Chandler fell in love with Monica?"

Phoebe stared. "You know?" she said incredulously. "Chandler, I thought you weren't going to tell him!"

Joey's eyes widened again. "What?!" he yelled, making Kathy jump. "You know?" he said, pointing at Phoebe.

She lowered his finger slowly, staring him out. "Yes. For quite a while, now, actually," she answered coolly, amused at Joey's expression.

Joey stared at Chandler. "Why would you tell Pheebs- and not me?" he asked, sounding rather hurt.

Chandler gulped, giving Phoebe a sarcastic look before answering. "Look, Joey... you're still my best friend.... I just... you don't seem to be able to keep secrets very well."

Joey glared. "I can keep secrets, man!" he said. "I didn't tell anyone about- about your third nipple..." he said tentatively, pointing at its rough area "You coulda told me," he said.

Chandler smiled. "I'm sorry, Joe."

Phoebe interjected. "Joey, he didn't tell me," she said, smiling.

Joey looked at her. "Of course he did. How else would you know?"

"I figured it out. I'm smarter than I look, y'know," she said, making everyone smile.

Joey grinned. "So, what happened last night?" he asked eagerly.

Chandler looked at him. "Noth-"

"They kissed, she ripped his shirt to pieces, and he ended up in her bathroom!" squealed Phoebe, interrupting Chandler.

"Phoebe!" he groaned, leaning back on the couch in frustration, as Joey and Kathy gasped.

"What?!" said Joey excitedly. "Really?"

"What about Pete?" asked Kathy simply.

And everyone went quiet.

"What?" said Kathy.

*~*~*

"Now here you go again,

You say you want your freedom

Well, who am I to keep you down

It's only right that you should play the way you feel it,

But listen carefully to the sound

Of your loneliness

Like a heartbeat drives you mad

In the stillness of remembering what you had

And what you lost...."

Chandler sighed as music floated out of the car rolling along the road beside him, the traffic jam causing it to somehow move at the same speed as Chandler. He tried to ignore the words, but they washed over him, sticking in his mind. They reminded him of everything.

He had to let her go. She wasn't his. She never was, never could be, and never would be.

He knew she was conflicted. And that made him slightly happy, knowing that she did consider him an option in her life. And if she picked that option- well, he couldn't deny he hoped she would. He'd thought about every day for as long as he could remember.

But she was married, and both she and Chandler knew that that was more important.

He kicked his feet against the sidewalk, not caring that he was scuffing his polished shoes, covering them with the dirt that lay like an invisible blanket on the concrete.

The lights at the end of the street changed to green, and the cars moved off, music still floating from the car beside Chandler. He moved away from the street, feeling a blast of air whipped up by the cars and trucks that passed in the next minute.

He turned the street corner and looked up, the subway finally coming into sight. He walked up to the crossing and pressed the button. It took a while for the lights to change, and when they did, Chandler made his way across slowly, staring melancholy down at the ground.

A horn beeped. Chandler looked up. An angry looking driver motioned for him to get out of the way, and Chandler ran the rest of the way, sticking his finger up in annoyance.

Some people just didn't care.