Every Time

Chapter Ten: Midnight

Disclaimer: The Friends belong to Bright, Kauffman and Crane, and the lyrics are from the Will Young song Leave Right Now. I'm not a particular fan, but the lyrics really fitted...

A/N: And here we are again. Not as speedy as the previous one, but I explained what that one came so lightening fast before.

A note to FlFriend and Rachna: Sorry about those two mistakes- I accidentally uploaded the unproofed version, which is why those two mistakes were in there. That will be fixed right after this chapter is uploaded. Sorry about that.

I hope this situation doesn't seem too cliché or whatever... and when I planned this out, I didn't know about either the Friends situation or the SaTC finale.... And thanks for all the great reviews; they make my day. So, if you wanna make my day again, you know what to do... Oh, and A, it really (happily) surprised when you put me on that author's rec list on FB... [puts A in a suitcase and ships her off to Paris] ;)

*~*~*

He kissed her head. "You always wanted to move to Paris," he said, smiling.

She froze.

Monica pushed Pete's arms from her waist.

"Paris?" she echoed.

He looked at her, looking a little hurt. "I- I thought you wanted to move to Paris. It was- was always your dream, you said," he said slowly, stuttering.

Monica stared at him. "Yes, but that's exactly what it was, Pete... a dream! I never seriously thought about it happening!" she exclaimed.

She got up from her chair and walked to the window at the side of the room, staring out at the rows of houses in the distance. The sun was starting to vanish beneath them, sending out rays through the spaces between the houses. One was resting upon the green lawns in front of the mansion, and Monica watched it, slowly moving away as the sun set.

Pete didn't follow her over, but sat down in her vacated chair. He sighed, evidently tired out. "Monica.... I thought this would be your dream come true. That's why I was so happy about this opportunity! I thought you'd love it!"

Monica turned. "Well, I would, Pete.... but what about my friends? My job? My parents? Am I just supposed to leave them all behind? I love them. I can't just leave them all behind...."

Pete walked over to her, kissing her lightly on the neck, and looking out onto the golden sun with her. He whispered into her ear. "Monica.... just think of your dream. Think of Paris. Think of sunset walks along the boulevard, romantic candlelit nights in together, wine tasting in expensive restaurants... " He turned her body toward him, looking into her eyes. "It could be perfect, Monica. It'd be just us, together."

Monica turned back to the window, needing to get her face away from her husband.

She couldn't say the biggest reason she didn't want to go for... Chandler.

She knew he had 'let her go', but that didn't mean her feelings stopped. She knew it was probably hurting Chandler as much as it was hurting her.... and that just made the feelings deeper. As though his tears were falling onto her skin and becoming embedded in her body, part of her.

Forever.

She felt Pete's head resting on her shoulder, and watched as the last rays of sunlight left the perfect green grass beneath the light pink sky. The sun was not only setting on the day... maybe it was setting on her and Chandler, she thought.

"Okay," she said quietly. "I'll go."

*~*~*

Rachel stared at her. "You're going to Paris?!"

Monica shifted uncomfortably, folding her legs under the table.

They sat together in a dully-lit restaurant, three on each side. Rachel's hand was entwined with Ross' on the left, with Chandler sitting looking uncomfortably on Rachel's other side, while Joey took the centre of the other side, Phoebe facing Ross and Monica trying not to look at Chandler.

Ross leaned forward. "Yo- you can't move to Paris, Mon," he protested. "Everything you have is here, in New York. How can you just leave that and go?" he asked, concern filling his face. Rachel nodded in agreement.

Joey frowned. "Yeah!" he exclaimed to Monica. "You can't just go, like, just pack up and leave." He stared at her. "You really wanna be the one to break up the group?" he asked threateningly.

Chandler sighed loudly, but no one heard but Monica, who looked at him. He gave the smallest of shrugs, and she frowned at him, while the others protested to Monica. Monica searched Chandler's face for any flicker of distress, but before she got to his eyes, Joey pulled at her shirt, and she looked away.

"Mon!" moaned Joey. "You can't leave," he said sadly.

Phoebe kept quiet, her attention focused on Chandler, and, unlike Monica, she saw the sadness in Chandler's eyes, and she sighed, looking sympathetically toward him. He noticed, and turned his head away, looking a little embarrassed.

"I'm going, guys," Monica insisted, not looking them in the eyes. "What reasons are there for staying, apart from you guys?" she asked, sneaking a glance at Chandler, who was staring intently at his shining silver fork.

Rachel put her fork down on her plate, ignoring the fact that Joey was staring hungrily at her chocolate cake. "Well, there's us!" she exclaimed. "Monica, how can you just leave like this?"

"I have to," she answered, glancing at Chandler again.

Rachel frowned. "You're just running away, aren't you?" she said, scrutinising her friend. "You don't want to confront your feelings, so you're just running away from him," she said, looking at Chandler.

"Running away from who?" frowned Ross.

Rachel swallowed. "No one," she said nervously, under a glare from Monica. Chandler hadn't looked up.

Ross frowned, but let it go. He handed his empty plate to the waiter, who distracted them all for a few minutes, bar Monica and Chandler, who looked at each other silently.

She was still searching his face, but he was just looking at her, thinking he would never see her again. After all, it was him she was running from, wasn't it?

The waiter left, and as they waited for the check to arrive, Rachel accosted Monica with questions.

"When are you leaving?" she asked, leaning on her elbows.

Monica swallowed. "Tomorrow," she answered.

Ross stared, and Rachel jerked backward. Even Chandler looked sharply up from inspecting the tablecloth.

"Tomorrow?" echoed Ross. "When did you find out about this?" he asked.

Monica avoided their gaze, playing absently with the sleeve of her shirt. "Only a couple of days ago," she said. "I didn't even talk to you guys yesterday, and I didn't want to tell you over the phone," she said defensively.

Phoebe nodded, but Rachel frowned. "You could have met us yesterday," she said, a little anger creeping into her voice.

"Sweetie," said Ross quietly to her, but she ignored him, turning a little away from him in her seat.

Monica frowned. "Look, it doesn't matter," she said, standing up. "If you guys aren't going to support me, then why are you even here?" she asked, spitting a little in annoyance.

They all spoke at once.

"We do care," said Phoebe quietly.

"Because we want you to stay!" exclaimed Joey.

"You can't go!" said Rachel sadly.

"You're my sister," said Ross simply.

"You should go," said Chandler.

Only Monica and Phoebe heard what Chandler said, and they stared at him, shocked. Joey stood up as well, and Ross looked sadly at Monica before he went with Rachel to get their coats, and they left, throwing upset glances backward.

Joey rubbed Monica's back, and said "I've gotta go, Kathy and I are going out. Monica... please?" he said, and she just looked at him. He collected his coat and pushed the revolving door, looking back before he vanished from sight.

Phoebe was still sat down, staring at Chandler, puzzled. He had said the last thing she had expected. She watched Monica as she sat back down, looking rather fazed.

Monica looked at Chandler, and opened her mouth to speak, but noticed Phoebe.

"Er... Pheebs?" she said, and Phoebe got up, moving toward the bathroom hastily.

Monica looked at Chandler. "Did you just say what I think you said?"

He looked intently at her. "What do you think I said?" he asked annoyingly, a small smile playing on his lips.

She smiled sarcastically. "Chandler, please," she said, and he sighed.

"Yes, I did," he answered. "Because that's what you want to do, and why should I stop you?" he said.

She frowned at him. "So... you don't think I'm running away?"

"From what?" he said innocently.

She cocked her head. "From you," she said.

"Even if you are, it doesn't matter," he said. "You're with Pete, and if that means Paris... then go to Paris."

She smiled. "Really?" she said.

"Yeah," he said, his hand laid out toward her.

It had not been intended for anything; it had just happened to land there- but Monica slid her hand under it, squeezing it lightly. She smiled at him, and then she rose out of her chair, and leaned in toward him, and whispering into his ear.

"Meet me on your building's roof at midnight," she said almost silently, and walked quickly off, before Chandler could say anything back. She took her coat from the check in, and looked back once more before walking out the door.

*~*~*

I'm here just like I said

Though it's breaking every rule I've ever made

My racing heart is just the same

Why make it strong to break it once again?

And I'd love to say I do

Give everything to you

But I can never now be true

So I say...

*~*~*

He pushed the door open, wrapping his coat more firmly around himself as the wind blew it backward, almost making him lose his hold on it. He carefully avoided knocking the rod positioned in the doorway, and walked out onto the roof.

It was a clear night; barely a cloud could be seen in the sky.

He looked around for her. It was five past midnight; she should be here by now...

As he walked around the other side of the entrance, he saw her shadow behind it. He saw her blanket blow in the breeze, the tassels hitting the low brick wall she was standing behind.

She was looking up to the stars, a tear glistening in the corner of her eye. She heard his footsteps and looked around. He smiled weakly, but she did not even attempt to.

She motioned him toward her, opening her blanket. He crept underneath it, standing up tall so the blanket fell over her head. She pushed her hair back straight, and looked up at him.

He was staring at the sky, bewitched by the bright stars, like piercing eyes of the sky. Bright eyes, shining down upon them.

She touched his cheek gently, and he looked down. Her lips were wet, and he stared at them, longing to touch them again; but he knew that would be wrong.

He didn't question why she had asked him here; he had just been glad that she had. Glad that she had wanted to see him again.

She stared up at him as he looked out again to the stars. She lightly touched his prominent jaw, glowing softly in the moonlight. She ran her hand from it onto his lips, grazing them gently.

He forced himself not to do something stupid... but all he wanted to do was run his tongue all over her lips, over her mouth. Yet somehow he managed to stay strong, looking out at the stars.

A bright star fell down across the star.

"Make a wish," he whispered, breathing cold air onto her hands, his tongue flickering for a moment upon her skin.

'Tell me I've made the right choice,' whispered Monica, watching the star streak out of sight.

*~*~*

I think I'd better leave right now

Before I fall any deeper

I think I'd better leave right now

Feeling weaker and weaker

Somebody better show me how

Before I fall any deeper

I think I'd better leave right now