Till there was you
Bubbles
I got this idea after watching the episode The One With Two Parties. I thought Chandler and Rachel would make a cute couple. It's set sometime in the 4th season before Kathy. Enjoy!
Chandler Bing whistled as he walked up the stairs to his apartment. He was feeling pretty good despite how things had just ended with another relationship. He had his friends and that's all that mattered. He felt as though he could face anything as long as he had them.
He walked into his apartment and wasn't surprised to find it empty. Joey had a date with this girl, Melissa. They were flying a small airplane for their date. Chandler had been impressed. Joey really seemed to like this girl.
After quickly changing into more comfortable clothes he went across the hall to see what the others were up too. Opening the door to Monica and Rachel's apartment he was confused by what he saw.
"Yeah, I talked to his parents...They're doing as well as can be expected." Ross was telling someone on the phone. He his voice sounded calmer and stronger than his appearance did. He looked as if he had been crying and like he would collapse at any second. Monica and Phoebe sat on the couch hugging each other as they cried.
"What's going on?" Chandler finally asked. Ross was just hanging up the phone and noticed him standing there.
"Oh, hey Chandler," He said softly. Monica and Phoebe spun around too look at him.
"Is something wrong?" Chandler asked feeling uneasy. Then Rachel came out of her room. She too looked as if she had been crying. She saw Chandler standing there and burst into tears. Monica held out a free arm and she ran to her for comfort.
"Rach? Are you ok?" Chandler asked starting to head toward her but Ross stopped him.
"Chandler, I think you should sit down." He said.
"Why? What's going on?" Chandler asked feeling panic raise in his throat.
"Just sit down sweetie," Monica said standing up leaving Phoebe and Rachel to cling to each other. "We have something to tell you." She was walking slow and talking in soft calming voice as if he was some injured animal. He obeyed though and sat down at the table. Ross and Monica sat next to him and took a few moments before they began to talk.
"Chandler, there's been an accident." Ross finally said. Chandler felt his stomach drop.
"What kind of accident?" He asked.
"Well you know about Joey's date with Melissa right? How they were going flying?" Ross continued. Chandler stood up suddenly. He didn't like where this was going.
"They were flying and the plane lost control." Monica explained taking over.
"No," Chandler said softly.
"They crashed." Ross said softly. Chandler felt as if he was being chocked. He backed himself up against the door and Ross and Monica came toward him slowly.
"Chandler," Monica said trying to reach out to him.
"Joey...He's OK, right? I mean its Joey, he's alive isn't he?" Monica and Ross exchanged looks and Rachel started to sob again. "Oh god, no, no, no," Chandler muttered as his hands started to shake.
"He isn't ok sweetie," Monica said through her own tears. "There were no survivors. Melissa and the instructor's bodies were found just a few feet from the crash site."
"And Joey?" Chandler asked.
"They actually haven't found his body yet." Ross said.
"So he could still be alive!" Chandler asked feeling hope dawning on him.
"No Chandler." Monica said. "There was no way." Chandler stood and starred at them in shock. This couldn't be happening. Just a few minutes ago everything was perfect. And now...
"I'm gonna vomit." He said and ran to the bathroom. Monica rubbed his back as he violently threw up. Rachel brought him a glass of water.
"He can't be dead. He's Joey. He's supposed to come home and tell me all about his date and then we would play foosball. His favorite episode of "Baywatch" is on tomorrow. There's a lot of running. He was so excited." Chandler couldn't take it anymore and burst into tears. Rachel was closer so she hugged him as he cried.
"Hey Mon," Ross called from the other room. "Mom and dad are here." Monica sighed with relief. As much as her parents bothered her sometimes, right now she really needed their comfort.
"You stay here with Chandler." Monica instructed Rachel. She nodded and continued to rock the sobbing Chandler. Monica jumped up and ran out into the arms of her mother.
"Oh sweetie, how are you?" Judy Geller asked hugging Monica.
"Oh Mom," Monica said breaking down. "It's not fair, it's just not fair." Judy stroked her daughter's hair, hoping to calm her.
"I know baby, I know." She told her soothingly.
"Where are his parents?" Jack Geller asked.
"They're with his family, but they said they'd stop by later." Ross explained. Jack nodded and noticed Phoebe crying so placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"Is there anything we could do?" He asked.
"I guess someone should call his agent." Phoebe suggested.
"I'll do it." Jack said wanting to do something for them all.
"I've got the number in my room." Monica said stepping out of the embrace with her mom and her and Jack went to her room.
"Where are Rachel and Chandler?" Judy asked noticing they weren't there.
"Right here Judy." Rachel said walking out of the bathroom and hugging Judy. "Chandler's still in the bathroom. He wanted to be alone for a little bit." She explained and sat down at the table. Everyone was quiet for a while, unsure of what to say.
"How about I make you guys some dinner?" Judy suggested.
"Mom, I'm not really hungry." Ross said.
"You all really need to eat something."
"I think it's a good idea." Jack said as he and Monica came back.
"I'll make soup." Judy said and began to rummage around the kitchen.
"How's Chandler?" Monica asked coming up to behind Rachel.
"I don't know." Rachel said. "It's hard to tell, he's just a mess." Monica nodded and sat down. Another silence followed as they all thought about everything.
"What do we do now?" Phoebe finally asked.
"I don't know." Ross said still in a daze. Suddenly the phone rang.
"Hello?" Ross said picking it up quickly. "Hi Mr. Trib, how are you and your family doing...We'll we're doing about the same. Is there any news...I see...yeah...Is there anything we can do to help." Ross starred sadly at everyone else as he listened. "Yeah, I'll talk it over with everyone, but I don't think that will be much of a problem...Ok, let us know if anything changes, we're thinking of you guys...Ok, bye." Ross hung up the phone and starred at it in his hand.
"Ross, what is it?" Rachel asked.
"They found his shoe." He almost whispered. "Just his shoe," Then Ross broke down. Judy quickly ran to her son's side.
"Now Ross," She said. "You must have faith and hope that he is still alive." Ross shoke his head.
"No, the police said there could be no way." He told her.
"What did Joey's dad want us to do?" Phoebe asked.
"He, uh, wanted us to help with the memorial service." Ross said wiping his tears away.
"Memorial service?" Rachel asked.
"Yeah, since there's no...body they don't want to call it a funeral. Technically it's not really." Ross explained.
"So that's it." They all spun around to look at Chandler coming out of the bathroom, his eyes red from crying. "We just have a "memorial service" and accept that he's dead?"
"We have too." Ross said. "None of us want too, but it's what we have to do." Chandler shook his head and starred at the ground.
"I won't..." He started, but tears came instead.
"Chandler," Monica said going toward him.
"NO!" He yelled jumping back. "Don't touch me!" Monica looked helplessly at everyone.
"Chandler, I think you need to sit down." Judy said calmly but firmly.
"No, no, no..." He began to mumble to himself.
"Chandler, please," Phoebe pleaded, tears streaming down her face.
"No, I have to go." He said and quickly ran out of the apartment. No one moved at first, but then Rachel stood up and started to walk out. She stopped at the door and turned to everyone.
"What are we going to do?" She asked and then went out to run after Chandler. She didn't have to go far because he was standing in front of his apartment. His and Joey's apartment.
"Chandler?" She said softly.
"He's not in there is he?" he asked.
"No honey, he's not." Rachel answered. Chandler slowly turned to face her.
"I'm really tired." Rachel nodded and carefully put her hand on his elbow.
"Why don't you come lay down on my bed." She suggested. He nodded and pulled her into a hug. As a new set of tears came for them both they just stayed there in the hallway. Rachel wanted to tell Chandler that everything was going to be ok, but she couldn't. Standing there with Chandler crying in her arms and starring at the "19" on the door, she couldn't. She didn't know if everything was going to be ok.
What do you think? Please reveiw and let me know this is my first Friends fic!