When You Say You Love Me – Chapter 5
Disclaimer: Nope, they're not mine! It's a shame though. And neither are the songs lyrics that inspired the title of this fan fic. The song is by Josh Groban.
Joey, Monica, and Chandler were all sitting together at the table in the kitchen, small-talking about many different topics. Chandler and Joey wanted to get tickets to a hockey or basketball game. Monica was talking about how they should redecorate their bedroom but Chandler chose to ignore his wife because he knew that hands down, his opinion didn't matter because he'd let her do whatever her heart desired to the room. All of a sudden, in came Ross.
"Hey everyone," he said.
"Hey dude," Joey and Chandler both said. Monica got up from her chair and gave her brother a hug.
"Hey big bro. Hungry? Want some pancakes?"
"Sure, that sounds great," he replied while pulling out a chair to sit down. "So, so where's Rachel?"
"Oh, yeah, she had to leave early for her first day as head of junior's but she said she'll give you a call later from work if her day doesn't keep her occupied."
Ross sighed. "Man, I was hoping to talk to her before she left. I wanted to give her some advice."
Joey rolled his eyes at Ross. "Would that be the same advice you gave me on my last audition for that milk commercial?"
"My advice was to NOT burp the alphabet and what did you do? Burp the alphabet. This is completely different," Ross said.
Joey sighed. "Whatever. But I'll have you know, those burps did get me that commercial."
Monica placed a stack of pancakes in front of Ross, who began to dig into them. He was starving. He couldn't eat that morning when he got up because he was still on cloud nine from the previous night's outing with Rachel.
"Mmm, these pancakes are good Mon!"
"Thanks," she said with a passionate smile. "So," she said casually as she began to sit down again, "we heard you and Rachel had a great time last night. Hmm?"
"Indeed we did," he retorted with a smirk. "Magical is a perfect word…."
In mid-sentence, Ross was cut off by the ringing of the telephone. At first he thought it was his cell phone and maybe it was Rachel calling to say she loved him. But it wasn't. It was Chandler and Monica's phone. Monica picked up the phone and moved into the living room to talk, leaving the guys by themselves a bit.
"Ross, want to come with us to a Knicks Game in a couple of weeks?" Joey asked him.
He finished swallowing the bit of pancake that was in his mouth. "Sure. Just tell me when so I don't schedule a date the same night with Rachel."
"Well, if you guys will excuse me, I gotta get to work. Got to find some smart things in this brain of mine to put to use with advertisements," Chandler joked as he got up from the table. He walked over to his wife who was sitting down on the couch with the phone in her lap, and slightly trembling.
"Sweetie," he said crouching down in front of her. He noticed the tears running from her eyes and the tear-stained face. She sniffled and threw her arms around him. Joey and Ross heard the sniffles and a little muffled cry. Concerned, they also went into the living room.
"Monica," Chandler carefully pressed, "what's wrong?"
"That…that…that was someone from Beth Israel Hospital. There, there was an accident. Rachel was brought there in an ambulance. They need someone to come down to the emergency room," she choked out through her tears and sobs.
"Hey, hey," her husband softly spoke as he gathered her in his arms. "It'll be okay. Rachel's strong. She won't die," he said while rubbing her back. He looked over at Joey and Ross. Joey and Ross both looked panicked.
"Did they say if her injuries were serious," Ross whispered, afraid to hear the answer.
"I don't know. They said that she was hit by a car, the car sped away, and than she was brought to the hospital."
Ross's entire body at that moment began to tremble instead. "What kind of asshole hits a person in the street with their car and can't make sure they are okay?" He got his coat and began to pull it on.
Chandler, still rocking weeping Monica in his arms, asked, "Where are you going?"
"To the hospital. I have to make sure she's okay. I just have to."
Joey looked at the distraught look on Ross's face. He looked at the tear-stained face of Monica. "Ross, you can't go by yourself. Come on, you're upset."
"What, are you saying I wait around? Do you want me to wait around to get a call that informs me my girlfriend died from a hit and run accident? Is that what you want?" he began to shout.
"No, no," Joey quietly said. "I'm just very concerned. For both her sake and yours. Let me come with you. Come on. Let's go." The two walked towards the door. Joey turned back to Chandler and Monica. "Are you guys gonna be okay?" They both nodded.
"We'll be right behind you," Monica said. "I'll call Phoebe and we'll meet you all at the hospital. I just need to wash my face. I just can't let her see me like this." The door to the apartment slammed shut as Ross and Joey hurriedly headed out of the building to get to the hospital.
Shortly, they had arrived at Beth Israel. Ross flew into the hospital with Joey at his heels. They flew to the admit desk in the emergency room. Desperate for information, Ross banged his fists on the desk to get the nurse's attention.
"Yes sir," she said looking up from the chart she had been writing. "What can I do for you?"
The look of her face pained Ross. "What if I never get to see her angelic face again?" He couldn't speak.
Clearing his throat, "One of our friends was brought here. She was hit by a car in a hit and run. We were called to come down here."
"Okay, what's her name," she asked, looking at the board.
"Rachel Green," Joey told the nurse.
"Ah, yes. Ms. Green. She was worked on by Dr. Fisher."
Ross snapped back to reality. He just heard the nurse use 'worked on' to describe Rachel. "What do you mean, she was worked on by this doctor? Please, dear God, is she alive?"
"Yes, but she was seriously injured. If you can just have a seat over there," pointing to a row of chairs, "I'll go find the doctor for you so you can get an update."
"Thank you," Joey said as she went off to find Dr. Fisher. "Let's go sit down."
Ross grudgingly sat down in the seat. As he sat there, waiting for any news, he thought he was going to lose it. He could feel the tears welling up in the back of his eyes. His heart raced as fast as a racehorse. Joey was just as nervous as Ross for what might come. He nervously tapped his feet on the floor and drummed his fingers on his thighs. As Joey looked up from starring at the floor, he saw Chandler with Monica and Phoebe, scanning the waiting room chairs for the two of them. Joey motioned where they were and the three hurried over.
"Hey guys," Phoebe said as she took a seat beside them. "Have you heard anything?"
"Well, she's alive," Ross said with a grateful sigh. "Thank God."
"Anything else," Monica asked questioningly, clutching her purse close to her chest.
"No. The nurse went to go find the doctor that worked on her to talk to us."
Than, began the tremendous amount of silence. No one knew what to say. No one really knew what to say to Ross to comfort him. They could see he was distraught. He was frustrated. Ross got up from his seat and began to pace in a path up and down in front of his friends. Monica, Chandler, Joey, and Phoebe all starred at him.
"Pheebs?" Joey whispered.
"Yeah?"
"I don't think I've ever seen Ross like this before," he said quietly as the two watched Ross wring his hands in frustration.
"I know. It's scary. But I don't know what to do."
"Me neither. I don't want to say something wrong. I mean, all we can do is be there for him."
"And Rach. She's gonna need it after the hell she's been through," Phoebe added.
"Right."
It hurt Monica to see her brother in pain. She knew that Ross didn't deserve to spend his day like this, pacing in a hospital, waiting to find out how critical his girlfriend was injured. It just wasn't fair. He had been there for her through all the good times and all the bad times. "Maybe he needs a hug," she thought. She got up, and walked over to her brother, who had been starring into the contents of the snack vending machine.
"Ross," she said as she lightly tapped his shoulder. "Are you okay?"
She heard him sniffle and he turned around to face her. One look at his eyes and face, she knew the answer to her question. "Mon, I'm just so scared. What if she's fine now but she gets worse? What if she dies in a day? How will I live?"
She gathered her big brother in her arms and hugged him. "I don't know what will happen. None of us will. But we just have to pray to God that she'll get through it and come out strong in the end."
Finally, the doctor approached the group who had ever so patiently been waiting in the chairs. "Excuse me."
Ross and Monica broke apart from their hug and turned town the direction of the sound. Phoebe, Joey, and Chandler all looked up from what they'd been doing.
"Are you Ross Geller?" the doctor questioned.
"Yes, yes I am. Are you Dr.Fisher?" he asked the woman doctor in front of him.
"Yes, I am. Please, have a seat."
"No, I don't want to. Please, just tell me how Rachel is. I can't take this agonizing pain anymore."
Dr.Fisher took a deep breath and began. "Well, I must say, she's a fighter. I didn't think she'd make through, but she did. She's a hell of a strong woman."
The five of them sighed in relief.
"Doctor, how serious are her injuries?" Chandler questioned.
"She's not in a coma, which I am sure you're relieved to hear."
"Oh thank God," Ross breathed aloud. Monica let out a happy little cry and Chandler slipped his arm around her waist.
"However, she's going to need a lot of physical therapy. She broke her right hip and fractured her left arm. Also, a couple of rips were broken and her body was bruised. Considering the cause of the injuries, it's a miracle they're not more serious."
"When can I see her?" Ross wanted to know.
"You can all go see her now, but not for very long. She's been through a lot and needs her rest. If you follow me, I'll show you to her room." The five of them followed Dr. Fisher to Rachel's room. As they walked what seemed to be a never ending walk, Ross just kept sighing. "Thank you God. Thank You."
---------
AN: Sorry for the long space in between updates! I got really busy with school and my brother was home from college and I didn't have time to compose the next chapter. I know I didn't use any of the lyrics from the song for this chapter but in the next chapter they'll definitely appear. Please read & review! Thanks! J