Title: Bad Dreams

Rating: R

Disclaimer: Are they mine? If they are, I wish someone would let me know...I could be seriously cashing in on their fame. Alyssa is mine, based loosely on myself. I suppose it's my sad way of insinuating some of me into the characters I have loved and watched for ten years. I always wanted them for friends and now I guess in my own way, I have 'em.

A.N. - Kyrstin - Thank you so much for your kind review and thank you (just as much) for letting me know that I had the review setting like that.

- Chapter Two -

Alyssa came awake slowly. Dust particles floated on the first rays of morning sunlight, making her realize how long it had been since she had cleaned her bedroom.

What woke me up? she wondered, throwing the covers off.

"Why don't you just lay the hell off me?"

Alyssa, cringing at the sound of Steve's voice, knew instantly that he was the one that had woke her. Why don't you shut up and lay off her, you jerk, she thought bitterly, pulling the covers back over her and the pillow over her head. But it didn't have the desired effect. She could still hear them, their voices raised in anger.

"Steve, you need to go get help. I can't support this family by myself, you know, and all you do is drink yourself into a stupor every night and then pass out in the recliner. If you lay out today you're going to get fired and-"

"I said, lay off! It's not like you're making big money at that two-bit beauty salon you work at. Maybe it's you that needs to get some help and find another job making some damn money. Besides, this is your damn house and that's your damn kid, so you should be the one bringing in the money."

"Steve, be quiet. Alyssa will hear you."

Alyssa climbed out of bed and pulled her old, torn, terry cloth robe around herself. Choosing a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, she showered and dressed for school as quickly as possible.

Grabbing her book bag, Alyssa opened her door and hurried through the house to the front door. "Bye, Mom." she called and slammed the door as hard as she could behind her.

Hurrying down the street, Alyssa angrily wiped away the tear that had managed to escape down her cheek. Damn him, she thought, I won't let him get to me like this. It's not like I want that bastard for a father anyway.

When Alyssa arrived at school five minutes later, Monica and Ross were waiting for her by the front steps of the school.

"Hey, girl." Monica smile faded as she saw the look on Alyssa's face. "What's wrong? You look like you've been crying."

Alyssa shook her head and hurried past them into the school.

"Come on, Alyssa, talk to me." Monica took Alyssa's arm and pulled her to a stop. "You know you can talk to me."

Alyssa, fighting the tears that were threatening to spill over, looked down at the speckled linoleum floor and tried taking deep breaths to calm down.

Ross stepped up beside Monica and, placing his index finger under her chin, lifted her eyes to meet his, asking, "It's Steve again, isn't it?"

Alyssa's bottom lip quivered and she finally nodded.

Ross shook his head, anger flashing in his dark eyes.

Monica slipped her arm around Alyssa's shoulders and walked her to a bench outside in the courtyard. "Are you okay?" she asked quietly.

Alyssa drew a deep breath, feeling a little calmer, "Yeah, I'll be all right." she replied, "I don't know why I let him do this to me every time. I feel like my mom just forgets all about me sometimes and then when he pushes it into her face that I'm not even his kid, well, I just really miss my dad, that's all."

Alyssa's father had been gone for five years, but it never got any easier. She could still remember the night the police knocked on their door and told her mother that there had been an accident. Alyssa still had vivid memories of her father playing games with her and calling her sneaky snake because she could always hide so well he couldn't find her. Of course, now at sixteen, she realized that he had probably known where she was all along

"I know you do, because I miss mine, too" Monica said softly, rubbing Alyssa's back gently, "But you know he's always in your heart. And as long as you remember him, he'll never truly be gone. Hey, at least he didn't choose to leave you, like mine did."

Alyssa hugged her friend, "I know. Thanks you two, I really don't know what I would do without you."

*******************

At lunch, Alyssa met Phoebe in front of the double doors to the cafeteria and they made their way to the vending machines

Alyssa got two cokes and Phoebe got them snickers bars. Nutritious? No. But it sure beat that atrocious slop they called food on the cafeteria line. When they arrived at their table in the courtyard, there was a new guy sitting beside Rachel.

Phoebe stopped in her tracks, eyeing him casually, and inquired, "Who are you and what are you doing in my seat?"

"This is Joey, my friend." Rachel answered.

Joey got to his feet and held out a hand in Phoebe's direction. " Nice to meet you," he mumbled, his mouth full of food.

Phoebe stared at his hand, and then gave him a sugary sweet smile, "Uh huh, could you get out of my seat?" She put a little edge in her voice to let him know she meant business.

Joey got to his feet and moved to the other side of the table, "A little obsessive about our place in the group, are we?" he murmured, just loud enough for Phoebe to hear.

Giving him a withering glance, Phoebe directed her attention at Rachel, "Where did you find this one, Rach, Special Ed?"

"Hey, hey, hey, that was uncalled for." Rachel scolded.

Alyssa wrinkled her nose and leaned in to look at Joey tray, "What is that?"

"Sloppy Joe. Man, it's good, too." Looking at her coke and candy bar, his eyes widened slightly, "That's all you're eating?"

Alyssa snorted derisively, "It's the only thing edible around this place." she replied.

"I think something just moved on my plate." Ross commented, pushing the slop around.

"It probably did, dude, you might want to think about not eating that." Chandler said, taking a bite of his sandwich. "Might give you the runs."

"Oh, yuck, I just got a visual." Phoebe shuddered.

Ross stood and looked down at Monica, who had been uncharacteristically quiet up to now, "Want to go get a bag of chips or something?"

Monica nodded and stood to follow him.

Alyssa stared at Joey. Amazing, she thought, his mouth has not been empty this whole time.

Joey looked up, feeling her eyes on him, "What?" Chewed up sloppy Joe and bun in his mouth, sloshing around.

Alyssa shook her head and turned to Rachel, "Is that a new blouse?" she asked, trying to get that picture out of her head.

Rachel grinned, "Yeah, I got it on sale, too."

Alyssa let her mind drift to her own problems as Rachel rambled on about clothes.

************************************************************

That afternoon, Alyssa met Monica at the mall, and they went to M & J Music to see Chandler. Alyssa didn't really have anything to buy, but anything was better than going home.

"You know, I was wondering, have you, like, thought any more about you and Ross or Ross and you or whatever?" Monica asked casually as they scanned the rows of CD's.

Alyssa looked up and sighed wearily, "Monica, You'll be the first to know when I decide something, okay?" she replied, "Besides, maybe you should concentrate on you and Chandler right now."

"Why?" Monica looked alarmed, "Do you know something that I don't know?"

"No, Mon, quite freaking out. I just think that, maybe, I need a little time to figure things out and you need to focus on your own life instead of mine." Alyssa smiled to take the edge out off her words and turned as Chandler sidled up to them.

"So, pretty lady, want to get together after I get off?"

Monica gave him a small smile, "Well, kind sir, I believe that would be a date." she said softly, leaning in to kiss him.

Alyssa cleared her throat, "Ahh, hello you two, still here."

"Then, go away." Monica said over her shoulder.

"Well, I'm insulted." Alyssa huffed indignantly.

"Is that on the way to quiet?"

Alyssa laughed and left them to their disgusting display of affection.