Chapter Five: Time After Time


Woo, another quick (ish) update. I guess I'd better do a disclaimer, I always forget. Ahem: Sadly I do not own any of the Friends characters, and I do not own the song used in this chapter, Time After Time. I hope you enjoy this as much as you seem to have enjoyed the other chapters. ^^


Rachel pored through her letters she had received from Ross when they dated in previous years gone past. Even when he knew that he would see her the next day, he sometimes wrote her a note, or what could be classified as a letter, just to remind her how much he loved her and how much he missed her when he wasn't with her. Her little carriage clock chimed the hour at that minute, and Rachel smiled to herself as she remembered how Ross had spent ages trying to find that clock in an antiques shop. She'd had her heart set on it, and somehow he had found out. How, she would never know.


Lying in bed I hear the clock tick and think of you,

Caught up in circles confusion is nothing new.


She still didn't know what she would say to Ross when he arrived. She presumed he would come to the apartment to see her, to see what she was thinking. Part of her was angry-she felt he had humiliated her. But another part, a stronger part, felt the love that she had had for him before, and it was growing back.


When she closed her eyes she could picture him, with her, as they had been. Memories of when they had finally got together, after all the troubles they'd gone through-Julie, the "List", Russ, and Paolo- memories of the fun times they'd had together when they were a couple. She knew they were still very good friends, extremely close, but she also knew that deep down she wanted-no, needed-more from him.


Flashbacks, warm nights, almost left behind

Suitcase and memories, time after time.


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*


Ross stared up at the block of apartments. He could see Rachel's bedroom light was on. He wondered what she was doing, wondered if she'd ever accept him back in her life. He realised that what he'd done had hurt her pride, caused her to think that he didn't really love her. But he needed to try and sort things out with Emily. He knew that Emily would never want him back, and he knew now that he never wanted to go back to Emily either. He wanted Rachel. It had always been Rachel, and he was sure it always would be.


He wondered whether Joshua had been a ploy, to try and get him to realise what he was missing by not being with her. It was plausible. And in a way, it worked, but not in the way Rachel wanted it to. Ross saw what Rachel and Josh "had." He realised, or thought, that Rachel had obviously moved on. Despite missing her, because he believed she had forgotten about him, he told himself to move on too, and he became closer to Emily because of it.


Sometimes you picture me, I'm walking too far ahead,

You're calling to me, I can't hear what you say


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*


Rachel straightened her dress out. If she was to believe Monica, and Ross, then he would be at the apartment at any time. She at least wanted to look presentable, even though she had no idea what would happen-whether it would end with tears of sadness, or untold happiness.


But you say, go slow, not far behind,

The second hand unwinds


Did she love him? She knew the answer to that. Yes. Of course she loved him. She wouldn't go through all this if it wasn't for love. All this emotion. She understood the saying "There is a fine line between love and hate." Sometimes she felt like she hated Ross, for the way he made her feel-for making him love her.


If you're lost, you can look, and you will find me,

Time after time,

If you fall, I will catch you, I'll be waiting,

Time after time


She would do anything for him, she knew that. And Ross was thinking the same thing, as he watched from outside. If this wasn't what Rachel wanted, if she needed time to figure out how she felt, he would give her all the time she needed. He loved her so much, he didn't want to hurt her. Just like she hadn't wanted to ruin his wedding, no matter what she felt for him. She couldn't spoil his day, risk ruining his life, because she didn't want him to feel pain.


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*


Monica stayed sitting on the couch, feeling comfortable with her head on Chandler's shoulder. She felt safe and supported, but part of felt a little worried. Did she... could she love him already? She didn't even realise she'd had feelings for him until two or three weeks ago. She couldn't love him already. Could she?


And, as Chandler rested, the woman he felt closest to in all the world resting her head on him, he had similar thoughts. Monica was his best friend. He trusted her more than anyone else in the world. It felt right, being with her. And were these strange new feelings that he'd only just touched on with Janice, feelings of love? He wasn't sure, but he knew that he would do anything for Monica. He would protect her, he thought. He carried on thinking about what he would do for her. He would keep her safe, he would talk to her, he would listen, he would love her...


Chandler's thoughts paused. Love? Seriously? Him? He thought he loved Janice, at the time he'd even told her he was in love with her, but what he felt now was a lot stronger than anything he'd ever felt before. He felt like the strongest man in the world, the luckiest person alive, because of this one new feeling. He smiled to himself. He was sure now.


The knock at the door startled both of them. Monica jumped up. "That must be Ross," she muttered, straightening out her skirt that she'd pulled on that morning. But before she could go to open the door, Rachel came out of her bedroom.


"Why is he knocking?" Rachel asked reasonably. "He doesn't usually. Is the door locked?"


Monica looked guiltily at Chandler. She hadn't wanted Joey or Phoebe to burst in uninvited, in case Chandler and her had been... preoccupied, she thought, smiling to herself.


"What have you two been up to?" Rachel asked jokingly. Chandler shot a look at Monica, but Monica could tell that Rachel wasn't being serious. Not waiting for an answer, Rachel went to open the door, and faced Ross, holding a large bunch of flowers. He looked sad, and serious, more serious than anyone had ever seen him in his life.


"Rachel," he said, looking straight into her eyes, and passing the flowers to her. She took them, her hands shaking a little. "I love you so, so much. I don't know why... I don't know why I felt that I had to go to Greece. The fortnight was a nightmare. I just felt obliged to try and explain things to Emily. Explain how... why I felt the way I do about... about you. I have feelings for her, Rache. Affectionate feelings. But I love you, Rache, I love you so much, and I can't lose you again... I want to prove to you how much I love you..."


He pulled something out of his pocket and knelt down, still in the doorway. Monica and Rachel both gasped simultaneously as Ross opened a little jewellery box, and a ring stared Rachel straight in the face. "Rachel, I would do anything for you. I've never felt about anyone the way I feel about you. And I know this might not be the best way of showing how I feel about you-you could tell yourself that I would just propose to anyone, as I proposed to Emily-but Rache, that was a spur of the moment thing, and I've thought about this so much over the past couple of weeks. I want to do nothing more than protect you, keep you safe, talk with you, listen to you, and love you."


Chandler felt weak, as he listened to the things similar to what he'd thought just a few minutes before.


"Rachel Green, will you marry me?" Ross finished, his face looking anxious but hopeful, as he waited for Rachel's response.


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*


If you're lost, you can look, and you will find me,

Time after time,

If you fall, I will catch you, I'll be waiting,

Time after time.


Yeah, I know, another cliffhanger, but I've got to think now. Give me suggestions if you want, or just review. I hope you think the song fitted in well. Please review. Also, sorry it's a little shorter than the others have been, but this chapter was necessary and it needed to be short, I think. xXx