Well, first off, I have to take time to thank everyone for their fantastic
reviews. I got a bunch of really great ideas-unfortunately, I have my plan
for the fic already, but they were amazing ideas. Thanks for everything,
all! Please keep it up and review this!
Disclaimer: Audrey Bing is mine, and that's it.
Chapter Eight
Two months passed. Two blissful, perfect months. Long, lazy days at the park with Audrey, late night movies while she slept, quiet dinners at the apartment.....a wonderful life, by anyone's standards. Chandler couldn't help but laugh at the number of people that mistook them for a young family.....and it was their words that made him begin to wonder just how soon he might contemplate actually making them one.
He was in love with her, that much he knew for sure. He'd always thought he knew exactly what love was, having Audrey and all. But what he felt for Monica was completely different from what he'd ever felt for his daughter.....but he liked it. He loved it. Audrey, he loved unconditionally. But Monica.....that he'd had to work at, and he loved that. He loved every little thing about her.....but he loved how he'd learned to love it, how it hadn't just come....and it was nice dating again. He hadn't a girlfriend since Michelle.....almost five years. Girlfriend-less or not, Chandler knew, those five years had been amazing. But it was nice that they now included someone so special.
***
"Happy three month," Chandler said, smiling at Monica.
She sighed. "Happiest three months of my life."
He took her hand. "Mine, too," he said.
Monica shook her head. "Who would've ever thought? Us, together."
"What makes it so surprising?" he said.
She thought for a moment. "Actually, not much. I mean.....I guess it's just surprising that it finally happened."
"Finally?" he asked.
"Yeah, finally," she said. "You know.....I feel weird saying this.....but ever since that day I baby sat Audrey....I've kind of had feelings for you. I mean.....not like, overwhelming ones....but they were always there. Buried, at times, but still there."
He looked at her oddly. "Are you serious?"
She blushed. "Yes. Does it bother you?"
"No," he smiled. "It's just strange....I've kind of felt the same way ever since I met you."
She laughed. "How much time would we have gained if we'd only woken up and realized this years ago?"
He smiled slightly. "I don't know.....but I don't think I would've traded those years of friendship for anything."
Monica nodded. "You're right," she agreed.
He leaned over and kissed her lightly, just as soft music started to drift through the restaurant. "Want to dance?" he asked.
"Do you even have to ask?"
"Probably not," he said, and they got up and headed for the dance floor.
As Monica swayed back and forth with him, the only feeling she could identify was happiness. For those moments when she was with him, just alone and silent....it was like she was in a trance. She could forget about everything, about all the problems, and just focus on him.....just focus on them.
"Mon?" Chandler said gently. She lifted her head slightly so that she could look into his eyes. "Can I tell you something?" She nodded, and he took a deep breath. "Mon, I love you," he finally said, softly, gently.....perfectly.
She smiled....hearing for the first time in her life the words she'd always longed to hear. "I love you, too," she murmured, and he leaned down and kissed her with everything he had.
***
The music over, and dessert done, Chandler had just asked the waiter to bring the check when he placed a thin, long box on the table. "Happy anniversary," he said.
"I thought we said we weren't giving gifts!" she protested.
"I know," he smiled. "But I couldn't help it. Go on, open it!"
She smiled at his sweetness and took off the red paper. Underneath the paper was a black velvet box. Curious, she opened the box to reveal a beautiful, gold bracelet.
He smiled, leaned over and picked up the bracelet to show her something. Inscribed on the back were the words "Monica and Chandler".....and on the front were the three most precious words in the English dictionary.
I Love You.
***
"So how was it?" Rachel asked excitedly as she and Monica sat down the lunch the next day.
"Perfect," Monica sighed. "Absolutely perfect."
"Well, it'd better have been. He was freaking out the whole time I was over there."
Monica laughed as Rachel explained how she'd arrived a bit early to baby sit Audrey and had witnessed Chandler freaking out about his clothes, her gift, the restaurant.....
"I think he just wanted it all to be perfect," Rachel said. "Mon, I think he's in love with you."
Monica sighed. "He is," she said, showing Rachel her bracelet.
Rachel grinned. "Think you found your prince Charming?" she said, knowing full well about Monica's childhood dreams.
Monica smiled. "Yeah," she said. "I think I did."
***
"Good morning, Ms. Geller," Dr. Bryce said.
Monica smiled slightly. "Good morning," she said, wondering just how good a morning it was going to be.
"Okay," Dr. Bryce said. "We have your test results back, obviously."
Monica looked at him as he paused. "And?" she said, the anxiety killing her.
Dr. Bryce sighed, looking at his patient. She was so young, so beautiful and vibrant. She didn't deserve this....she wasn't ready for it. "Monica," he said. "We need to talk."
***
Monica paced back and forth through Audrey and Chandler's apartment, wondering what words on earth could possibly convey the message she had to tell. How could she possibly drop the bomb she was about to? What was she going to say......how on earth was she going to keep from.....
She shook the thoughts out of her head. "Just give it to him straight," she said to herself. "Just say it." She bit her lip and sighed, trying her hardest not to cry. What was he going to say, she wondered. Was he going to leave her, or.....what? She just didn't know.
"Hey, honey," a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.
"Hey," she said, putting on a smile as she saw Chandler and Audrey enter through the door, Audrey still in her ballet uniform. "How was ballet, Aud?" she asked.
"Awesome!" Audrey cried, launching into a detailed description of all the moves they'd learned that day.
Monica smiled and nodded along as Chandler put Audrey's things away and she chatted. "Hey, Chandler," she said. "Can I talk to you?"
"Sure," he said. "Auds, can you go change and then play in your room for a little while?" Audrey nodded and ran off smiling. "What's up?"
Monica looked at the man she loved so very much. "Chandler," she said gently. "Sit down, okay?"
He nodded and sat down on the couch. "Mon," he said cautiously. "What's going on? Is something wrong?"
She sighed and sat down on his lap. "Yeah, honey, something is wrong. We need to talk."
Chandler slumped. "Is it something I did? Mon, please, tell me what I did."
Monica looked at him oddly. "Chandler, what on earth?"
"You're breaking up with me, aren't you?" he said.
Monica laughed. "No, sweetie, I'm not breaking up with you. I love you."
He sighed in relief. "I love you, too."
"It's just.....I've got to tell you something."
"Okay," he said. "You can tell me anything, you know that."
"I know," she sighed and took a deep breath, taking his hand. "Chandler......I have cancer."
TBC.....so now do you all see where the summary comes in? PLEASE REVIEW!
Disclaimer: Audrey Bing is mine, and that's it.
Chapter Eight
Two months passed. Two blissful, perfect months. Long, lazy days at the park with Audrey, late night movies while she slept, quiet dinners at the apartment.....a wonderful life, by anyone's standards. Chandler couldn't help but laugh at the number of people that mistook them for a young family.....and it was their words that made him begin to wonder just how soon he might contemplate actually making them one.
He was in love with her, that much he knew for sure. He'd always thought he knew exactly what love was, having Audrey and all. But what he felt for Monica was completely different from what he'd ever felt for his daughter.....but he liked it. He loved it. Audrey, he loved unconditionally. But Monica.....that he'd had to work at, and he loved that. He loved every little thing about her.....but he loved how he'd learned to love it, how it hadn't just come....and it was nice dating again. He hadn't a girlfriend since Michelle.....almost five years. Girlfriend-less or not, Chandler knew, those five years had been amazing. But it was nice that they now included someone so special.
***
"Happy three month," Chandler said, smiling at Monica.
She sighed. "Happiest three months of my life."
He took her hand. "Mine, too," he said.
Monica shook her head. "Who would've ever thought? Us, together."
"What makes it so surprising?" he said.
She thought for a moment. "Actually, not much. I mean.....I guess it's just surprising that it finally happened."
"Finally?" he asked.
"Yeah, finally," she said. "You know.....I feel weird saying this.....but ever since that day I baby sat Audrey....I've kind of had feelings for you. I mean.....not like, overwhelming ones....but they were always there. Buried, at times, but still there."
He looked at her oddly. "Are you serious?"
She blushed. "Yes. Does it bother you?"
"No," he smiled. "It's just strange....I've kind of felt the same way ever since I met you."
She laughed. "How much time would we have gained if we'd only woken up and realized this years ago?"
He smiled slightly. "I don't know.....but I don't think I would've traded those years of friendship for anything."
Monica nodded. "You're right," she agreed.
He leaned over and kissed her lightly, just as soft music started to drift through the restaurant. "Want to dance?" he asked.
"Do you even have to ask?"
"Probably not," he said, and they got up and headed for the dance floor.
As Monica swayed back and forth with him, the only feeling she could identify was happiness. For those moments when she was with him, just alone and silent....it was like she was in a trance. She could forget about everything, about all the problems, and just focus on him.....just focus on them.
"Mon?" Chandler said gently. She lifted her head slightly so that she could look into his eyes. "Can I tell you something?" She nodded, and he took a deep breath. "Mon, I love you," he finally said, softly, gently.....perfectly.
She smiled....hearing for the first time in her life the words she'd always longed to hear. "I love you, too," she murmured, and he leaned down and kissed her with everything he had.
***
The music over, and dessert done, Chandler had just asked the waiter to bring the check when he placed a thin, long box on the table. "Happy anniversary," he said.
"I thought we said we weren't giving gifts!" she protested.
"I know," he smiled. "But I couldn't help it. Go on, open it!"
She smiled at his sweetness and took off the red paper. Underneath the paper was a black velvet box. Curious, she opened the box to reveal a beautiful, gold bracelet.
He smiled, leaned over and picked up the bracelet to show her something. Inscribed on the back were the words "Monica and Chandler".....and on the front were the three most precious words in the English dictionary.
I Love You.
***
"So how was it?" Rachel asked excitedly as she and Monica sat down the lunch the next day.
"Perfect," Monica sighed. "Absolutely perfect."
"Well, it'd better have been. He was freaking out the whole time I was over there."
Monica laughed as Rachel explained how she'd arrived a bit early to baby sit Audrey and had witnessed Chandler freaking out about his clothes, her gift, the restaurant.....
"I think he just wanted it all to be perfect," Rachel said. "Mon, I think he's in love with you."
Monica sighed. "He is," she said, showing Rachel her bracelet.
Rachel grinned. "Think you found your prince Charming?" she said, knowing full well about Monica's childhood dreams.
Monica smiled. "Yeah," she said. "I think I did."
***
"Good morning, Ms. Geller," Dr. Bryce said.
Monica smiled slightly. "Good morning," she said, wondering just how good a morning it was going to be.
"Okay," Dr. Bryce said. "We have your test results back, obviously."
Monica looked at him as he paused. "And?" she said, the anxiety killing her.
Dr. Bryce sighed, looking at his patient. She was so young, so beautiful and vibrant. She didn't deserve this....she wasn't ready for it. "Monica," he said. "We need to talk."
***
Monica paced back and forth through Audrey and Chandler's apartment, wondering what words on earth could possibly convey the message she had to tell. How could she possibly drop the bomb she was about to? What was she going to say......how on earth was she going to keep from.....
She shook the thoughts out of her head. "Just give it to him straight," she said to herself. "Just say it." She bit her lip and sighed, trying her hardest not to cry. What was he going to say, she wondered. Was he going to leave her, or.....what? She just didn't know.
"Hey, honey," a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.
"Hey," she said, putting on a smile as she saw Chandler and Audrey enter through the door, Audrey still in her ballet uniform. "How was ballet, Aud?" she asked.
"Awesome!" Audrey cried, launching into a detailed description of all the moves they'd learned that day.
Monica smiled and nodded along as Chandler put Audrey's things away and she chatted. "Hey, Chandler," she said. "Can I talk to you?"
"Sure," he said. "Auds, can you go change and then play in your room for a little while?" Audrey nodded and ran off smiling. "What's up?"
Monica looked at the man she loved so very much. "Chandler," she said gently. "Sit down, okay?"
He nodded and sat down on the couch. "Mon," he said cautiously. "What's going on? Is something wrong?"
She sighed and sat down on his lap. "Yeah, honey, something is wrong. We need to talk."
Chandler slumped. "Is it something I did? Mon, please, tell me what I did."
Monica looked at him oddly. "Chandler, what on earth?"
"You're breaking up with me, aren't you?" he said.
Monica laughed. "No, sweetie, I'm not breaking up with you. I love you."
He sighed in relief. "I love you, too."
"It's just.....I've got to tell you something."
"Okay," he said. "You can tell me anything, you know that."
"I know," she sighed and took a deep breath, taking his hand. "Chandler......I have cancer."
TBC.....so now do you all see where the summary comes in? PLEASE REVIEW!