(Final chapter!!! Yay!!! Well yay for me but this means the story is
over... aw so sad. Uhm this story is way WAY long and there will be a
muuuuch shorter epilogue soon and then it will be the end. So thanks for
keeping tabs on me guys and c u in a bit on my new story!!! If you're at
all interested in knowing more about me... check out my diary at
)
(Oh! BTW- this story takes place after TOW the Embryos –duh- BUT they never played the game therefore they did not wager against the chick and duck and therefore they did not switch apartments. You'll see why it suddenly struck me later on in this chapter.)
Chandler walked into Monica's apartment and looked around in shock. It was messy. Not over the top messy but more than Monica messy. Clothes were out on the couch, unfolded. He went over to the couch in shock and picked up a shirt, his mouth hanging open, and noticed that it wasn't even cleaned. He dropped the shirt and gaped at the apartment.
"What the hell has happened here?" he asked himself, noticing a pizza box on the counter.
"She... ordered... pizza?" He put down the Chinese food and picked up the delivery receipt to make sure it wasn't supposed to go to his apartment. No, it was at the right address. She never ordered pizza, she'd just make it herself. A bang caught his attention and he turned, walking to the nursery. He stopped in his tracks when he saw it completely restored to the way it was when Rachel lived there, except the walls were still purple, the pink flowers were gone. Her bed was back, dressers, picture frames, everything that was Rachel's. The only thing that was missing were the things she took with her when she moved out, clothes, and everything else.
"Hey Mon?" he asked when he thought he heard her moving around in the apartment.
"Chandler?" He left the room and saw Monica walking out of her bedroom. She had pajamas on, her hair pulled into a high ponytail. She did look better than the last time he had seen her. She wasn't pale anymore and she even smiled when she saw him.
"Hey. I didn't hear you come on, sorry."
"No, it's okay... How are you Mon?"
"Good."
"Listen... We need to talk." She paused and nodded, studying the kitchen tiles. Chandler went to sit on the couch and he watched as she tucked a strand oh hair behind her ear and bit her lip before taking her place on the couch beside him. She folded her legs beneath her and he grinned when he saw the yellow chicks on her pajama pants and a top that said "cheep."
"What, no duck?" he laughed and she glanced at him confused.
"The chick and the duck... The chicks on your pajama pants... No duck"
"I hate the duck."
"What? Why?! It's a duck! Like Donald! And if you have a problem with Donald Duck, get out of my sight NOW." She giggled and he smiled, feeling the tension start to fade.
"Oh, about the chick... Uhm... Joey kind of found out it's... gonna become a rooster."
"A what?!" she screamed, crossing her arms over her chest. He cleared his throat and motioned with his hand.
"It's not exactly a GIRL chick... really."
"Not exactly? Than it IS going to be a rooster! And it will go off at dawn and I will try to kill you for getting the damn chick!"
"I didn't get the chick, Joey did!"
"Oh that's just one more tally against Joey." Chandler realized that this wasn't what he same over to discuss.
"Okay forget the chick slash rooster and let's move on. I kinda had to talk to you..."
"...Is this about the nursery?" she asked quietly, looking down in shame.
"What? No – "
"I'm sorry. I couldn't look at it anymore Chandler. I saw the room... and I thought of Brynne and I thought of you." He was surprised at the last thing she said and leaned back on his arms.
"You thought of me?"
"Yeah. I was afraid you'd get sad and stuff when you walked in there and feel guilty... Anyways Rachel is moving back in, Phoebe already told me, so I figured, what the hell, kill two birds with one stone."
"Mon, you didn't have to do that alone you know."
"I know," she whispered, holding her arms across her. Chandler looked around the apartment and saw that she had really let it go, she let everything slide. She was too busy worrying about the baby and what he would do as a reaction; she didn't want to take care of anything else. He put his hand on her knee and she looked up, her eyes rimmed with tears.
"Oh Mon," he sighed and she fell into his arms, not crying but just wanting him to hold her for the time being. He wrapped his arms tightly around her and she buried his face in his chest, needing to feel safe from everything.
"I'm so sorry this happened," he said softly and she shook her head.
"No... It's not your fault."
"But I still feel bad. I feel like I'm the reason this began in the first place. We never should have slept together." Monica pulled from away from his grasp and looked at him in concern, putting her hands on the sides of his face.
"Even through everything... I'm glad we did. It made me see you differently, you're so sweet for putting up with this, so kind, and funny," she grinned.
"Well...," he smiled. She kept her hands on his face and he put his hands over hers.
"I meant what I said before," he said after a few moments.
"What was that? About the chick?"
"No... I said I was falling in love with you?... Before this all fell apart." Monica's smile faded and her mouth slowly opened silently.
"Oh."
"Well I was sort of... lying."
"Oh," she repeated, her hopes falling when he dropped his hands and she began to lower hers.
"I'm not falling for you... I am in love with you. After everything." Monica felt her heart skip a beat and looked at the man in front of her, beside the set backs and the heartache, he still loved her.
"Oh my God," she muttered. They didn't speak for what seemed like an eternity and Chandler nervously swallowed, nodding his head at her.
"If you want to say something be my guest." She shook her head and he shrugged.
"No? All right. I'll just keep rambling until I decide –"her lips crushed against his and he leaned against the back of the couch in surprise. She moved her hands to the base of his neck and looped her arms on his shoulders. He slid his hands up her back and felt the soft material of her pajama shirt under his fingertips. This was what had made him fall in love with her. The ability she had to always catch him off guard and knock him off his feet. He did love her and he wanted more than anything to do whatever it took to let her know. She pulled back and saw the amusement written on his face.
"Wow," he laughed, lowering his hands to rest on her lower back.
"Wow is right," she giggled. He leaned in to kiss her again, not getting enough of her, and she slid onto his lap, kissing his jaw line. He could smell her shampoo she used, a warm vanilla scent that filled his senses into overdrive. She put her hands on his chest and sat up, looking down at him with a smile.
"Right on," he grinned.
"Right on?"
"I wanted to be cool...," he sighed hopelessly. She laughed and played with his hair.
"You know what?"
"What?"
"We should get together."
"I think we are together," she snickered. Chandler smiled and thought for a moment before taking a leap of faith.
"I mean like... really."
"Like going steady? Oh man, I'm nine years old again!" she laughed, patting his knees.
"Seriously... what if... what if we got married?" Monica's jaw dropped and she laughed nervously.
"Yeah... pretend wedding... Joey will marry us! And I'll wear the white tablecloth and we'll serve ice cream at our reception!" Chandler waited for her to stop giggling before smiling at her and she frowned.
"Are you serious?"
"Yeah! I mean I am so in love with you Mon and why shouldn't we be together?... You know?... And we can start a family for real this time... We'll have more babies and we'll be happy together." Monica paused in thought and he got nervous when she stared at him.
"A real family? None of this hell?" she asked softly, looking at Rachel's room sadly.
"Well, I mean... I want to be with you Monica."
"But we've never dated! We were never boyfriend and girlfriend!" she exclaimed.
"Well we have for the last two minutes," he grinned smugly. Monica smiled and twirled her hair around her finger.
"Chandler this is crazy."
"So?"
"And you're not kidding."
"Not at all, for the first time in my life."
"You want to marry me? And have babies?"
"I do. I love you. I want to have a family with you. Would that be okay?" he asked, unsure. Monica looked around her and he waited for a reaction.
"Yeah. I think it would."
"Really?"
"Yeah," she laughed, leaning in to kiss him. He grinned and kissed her back while picking her up and moving her next to him. She looked at him questioningly and he smiled, getting up from his seat on the couch and she opened her mouth to protest.
"I have to do something."
"Now?!"
"Yeah." Chandler started to leave but paused and turned around, going back to Monica and slowly getting down on one knee. Her hands flew to her mouth and he looked to make sure no one was going to interrupt them.
"Monica. I love you. And I mean everything I just said. And I don't care if we dated for a year or for a minute before I did this... But I want to spend my life with you. I want to make everything right again. I want you to be my family; I want a chance at a baby again. I want you to be happy and I want you to be Monica I could go to with problems and laugh with and share my thoughts with. I love you so much Mon and it took me to now to realize it. Monica, will you marry me?" He pulled out a small velvet box and opened it to reveal a gleaming diamond ring. She gasped and looked at Chandler with tears in her eyes.
"Yes. I love you too," she sniffed and he let out a sigh of relief when she got off the couch and threw her arms around him, pulling him as close to her as possible.
"Oh my God," he laughed, hugging her back and wiping away the tears in his own eyes. She kissed him again then looked down when he put the ring on her finger.
"Wow. So we're serious about this," she laughed.
"They're going to think we're crazy... Well, if they didn't already," he laughed. He put his arm around her and he kissed the top of her head.
"I love you Monica Geller."
"I love you Chandler Bing."
"Wow... we're engaged." Her eyes lit up and a grin split across her face, looking at her the diamond on her hand.
"We are... I can't believe I'm going to be a bride," she laughed. She looked up at him and kissed him before leaning her head on his shoulder.
"I wouldn't want to be married to anyone other than you."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I liked you way before you told me you did. Remember when I met you?"
"When you were fa- aaaaaacinating?" She patted his leg with a smile.
"Good save."
"I thought so. Go on."
"I really had a crush on you. Even with the flock of seagulls haircut."
"Hey! That was hip!" he defended himself.
"I'm just saying... I loved you then... But I love you much... MUCH more now."
"Thank God. I had that band with Ross. We thought we were so cool."
"I went to your concerts. Well... concert." Chandler looked down at her and smiled.
"Really?"
"Well don't get to thrilled... I was made to go with my parents." He shrugged and hugged her again before getting up and pulling her to her feet.
"Let's go tell the others."
"Do you know where they are?"
"Well they're not at home... so my guess... and I mean shot in the dark guess... is the coffee house. Oh, Joey knows I was going to propose."
"What?!"
"He helped pick out the ring with me." She smiled and put her arm across his lower back.
"Aw. I love Joey. I take back what I said before about him getting the chick."
"Good because it ain't going anywhere."
"Ready to face the music?"
"Oh they know. Joey cannot keep a secret. I bet they're all waiting for us to walk in and act all surprised when we announce the engagement."
"Think they'll be happy for us?"
"I know they will." Monica smiled and reached up to kiss him and they left the apartment together.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
(Oh! BTW- this story takes place after TOW the Embryos –duh- BUT they never played the game therefore they did not wager against the chick and duck and therefore they did not switch apartments. You'll see why it suddenly struck me later on in this chapter.)
Chandler walked into Monica's apartment and looked around in shock. It was messy. Not over the top messy but more than Monica messy. Clothes were out on the couch, unfolded. He went over to the couch in shock and picked up a shirt, his mouth hanging open, and noticed that it wasn't even cleaned. He dropped the shirt and gaped at the apartment.
"What the hell has happened here?" he asked himself, noticing a pizza box on the counter.
"She... ordered... pizza?" He put down the Chinese food and picked up the delivery receipt to make sure it wasn't supposed to go to his apartment. No, it was at the right address. She never ordered pizza, she'd just make it herself. A bang caught his attention and he turned, walking to the nursery. He stopped in his tracks when he saw it completely restored to the way it was when Rachel lived there, except the walls were still purple, the pink flowers were gone. Her bed was back, dressers, picture frames, everything that was Rachel's. The only thing that was missing were the things she took with her when she moved out, clothes, and everything else.
"Hey Mon?" he asked when he thought he heard her moving around in the apartment.
"Chandler?" He left the room and saw Monica walking out of her bedroom. She had pajamas on, her hair pulled into a high ponytail. She did look better than the last time he had seen her. She wasn't pale anymore and she even smiled when she saw him.
"Hey. I didn't hear you come on, sorry."
"No, it's okay... How are you Mon?"
"Good."
"Listen... We need to talk." She paused and nodded, studying the kitchen tiles. Chandler went to sit on the couch and he watched as she tucked a strand oh hair behind her ear and bit her lip before taking her place on the couch beside him. She folded her legs beneath her and he grinned when he saw the yellow chicks on her pajama pants and a top that said "cheep."
"What, no duck?" he laughed and she glanced at him confused.
"The chick and the duck... The chicks on your pajama pants... No duck"
"I hate the duck."
"What? Why?! It's a duck! Like Donald! And if you have a problem with Donald Duck, get out of my sight NOW." She giggled and he smiled, feeling the tension start to fade.
"Oh, about the chick... Uhm... Joey kind of found out it's... gonna become a rooster."
"A what?!" she screamed, crossing her arms over her chest. He cleared his throat and motioned with his hand.
"It's not exactly a GIRL chick... really."
"Not exactly? Than it IS going to be a rooster! And it will go off at dawn and I will try to kill you for getting the damn chick!"
"I didn't get the chick, Joey did!"
"Oh that's just one more tally against Joey." Chandler realized that this wasn't what he same over to discuss.
"Okay forget the chick slash rooster and let's move on. I kinda had to talk to you..."
"...Is this about the nursery?" she asked quietly, looking down in shame.
"What? No – "
"I'm sorry. I couldn't look at it anymore Chandler. I saw the room... and I thought of Brynne and I thought of you." He was surprised at the last thing she said and leaned back on his arms.
"You thought of me?"
"Yeah. I was afraid you'd get sad and stuff when you walked in there and feel guilty... Anyways Rachel is moving back in, Phoebe already told me, so I figured, what the hell, kill two birds with one stone."
"Mon, you didn't have to do that alone you know."
"I know," she whispered, holding her arms across her. Chandler looked around the apartment and saw that she had really let it go, she let everything slide. She was too busy worrying about the baby and what he would do as a reaction; she didn't want to take care of anything else. He put his hand on her knee and she looked up, her eyes rimmed with tears.
"Oh Mon," he sighed and she fell into his arms, not crying but just wanting him to hold her for the time being. He wrapped his arms tightly around her and she buried his face in his chest, needing to feel safe from everything.
"I'm so sorry this happened," he said softly and she shook her head.
"No... It's not your fault."
"But I still feel bad. I feel like I'm the reason this began in the first place. We never should have slept together." Monica pulled from away from his grasp and looked at him in concern, putting her hands on the sides of his face.
"Even through everything... I'm glad we did. It made me see you differently, you're so sweet for putting up with this, so kind, and funny," she grinned.
"Well...," he smiled. She kept her hands on his face and he put his hands over hers.
"I meant what I said before," he said after a few moments.
"What was that? About the chick?"
"No... I said I was falling in love with you?... Before this all fell apart." Monica's smile faded and her mouth slowly opened silently.
"Oh."
"Well I was sort of... lying."
"Oh," she repeated, her hopes falling when he dropped his hands and she began to lower hers.
"I'm not falling for you... I am in love with you. After everything." Monica felt her heart skip a beat and looked at the man in front of her, beside the set backs and the heartache, he still loved her.
"Oh my God," she muttered. They didn't speak for what seemed like an eternity and Chandler nervously swallowed, nodding his head at her.
"If you want to say something be my guest." She shook her head and he shrugged.
"No? All right. I'll just keep rambling until I decide –"her lips crushed against his and he leaned against the back of the couch in surprise. She moved her hands to the base of his neck and looped her arms on his shoulders. He slid his hands up her back and felt the soft material of her pajama shirt under his fingertips. This was what had made him fall in love with her. The ability she had to always catch him off guard and knock him off his feet. He did love her and he wanted more than anything to do whatever it took to let her know. She pulled back and saw the amusement written on his face.
"Wow," he laughed, lowering his hands to rest on her lower back.
"Wow is right," she giggled. He leaned in to kiss her again, not getting enough of her, and she slid onto his lap, kissing his jaw line. He could smell her shampoo she used, a warm vanilla scent that filled his senses into overdrive. She put her hands on his chest and sat up, looking down at him with a smile.
"Right on," he grinned.
"Right on?"
"I wanted to be cool...," he sighed hopelessly. She laughed and played with his hair.
"You know what?"
"What?"
"We should get together."
"I think we are together," she snickered. Chandler smiled and thought for a moment before taking a leap of faith.
"I mean like... really."
"Like going steady? Oh man, I'm nine years old again!" she laughed, patting his knees.
"Seriously... what if... what if we got married?" Monica's jaw dropped and she laughed nervously.
"Yeah... pretend wedding... Joey will marry us! And I'll wear the white tablecloth and we'll serve ice cream at our reception!" Chandler waited for her to stop giggling before smiling at her and she frowned.
"Are you serious?"
"Yeah! I mean I am so in love with you Mon and why shouldn't we be together?... You know?... And we can start a family for real this time... We'll have more babies and we'll be happy together." Monica paused in thought and he got nervous when she stared at him.
"A real family? None of this hell?" she asked softly, looking at Rachel's room sadly.
"Well, I mean... I want to be with you Monica."
"But we've never dated! We were never boyfriend and girlfriend!" she exclaimed.
"Well we have for the last two minutes," he grinned smugly. Monica smiled and twirled her hair around her finger.
"Chandler this is crazy."
"So?"
"And you're not kidding."
"Not at all, for the first time in my life."
"You want to marry me? And have babies?"
"I do. I love you. I want to have a family with you. Would that be okay?" he asked, unsure. Monica looked around her and he waited for a reaction.
"Yeah. I think it would."
"Really?"
"Yeah," she laughed, leaning in to kiss him. He grinned and kissed her back while picking her up and moving her next to him. She looked at him questioningly and he smiled, getting up from his seat on the couch and she opened her mouth to protest.
"I have to do something."
"Now?!"
"Yeah." Chandler started to leave but paused and turned around, going back to Monica and slowly getting down on one knee. Her hands flew to her mouth and he looked to make sure no one was going to interrupt them.
"Monica. I love you. And I mean everything I just said. And I don't care if we dated for a year or for a minute before I did this... But I want to spend my life with you. I want to make everything right again. I want you to be my family; I want a chance at a baby again. I want you to be happy and I want you to be Monica I could go to with problems and laugh with and share my thoughts with. I love you so much Mon and it took me to now to realize it. Monica, will you marry me?" He pulled out a small velvet box and opened it to reveal a gleaming diamond ring. She gasped and looked at Chandler with tears in her eyes.
"Yes. I love you too," she sniffed and he let out a sigh of relief when she got off the couch and threw her arms around him, pulling him as close to her as possible.
"Oh my God," he laughed, hugging her back and wiping away the tears in his own eyes. She kissed him again then looked down when he put the ring on her finger.
"Wow. So we're serious about this," she laughed.
"They're going to think we're crazy... Well, if they didn't already," he laughed. He put his arm around her and he kissed the top of her head.
"I love you Monica Geller."
"I love you Chandler Bing."
"Wow... we're engaged." Her eyes lit up and a grin split across her face, looking at her the diamond on her hand.
"We are... I can't believe I'm going to be a bride," she laughed. She looked up at him and kissed him before leaning her head on his shoulder.
"I wouldn't want to be married to anyone other than you."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I liked you way before you told me you did. Remember when I met you?"
"When you were fa- aaaaaacinating?" She patted his leg with a smile.
"Good save."
"I thought so. Go on."
"I really had a crush on you. Even with the flock of seagulls haircut."
"Hey! That was hip!" he defended himself.
"I'm just saying... I loved you then... But I love you much... MUCH more now."
"Thank God. I had that band with Ross. We thought we were so cool."
"I went to your concerts. Well... concert." Chandler looked down at her and smiled.
"Really?"
"Well don't get to thrilled... I was made to go with my parents." He shrugged and hugged her again before getting up and pulling her to her feet.
"Let's go tell the others."
"Do you know where they are?"
"Well they're not at home... so my guess... and I mean shot in the dark guess... is the coffee house. Oh, Joey knows I was going to propose."
"What?!"
"He helped pick out the ring with me." She smiled and put her arm across his lower back.
"Aw. I love Joey. I take back what I said before about him getting the chick."
"Good because it ain't going anywhere."
"Ready to face the music?"
"Oh they know. Joey cannot keep a secret. I bet they're all waiting for us to walk in and act all surprised when we announce the engagement."
"Think they'll be happy for us?"
"I know they will." Monica smiled and reached up to kiss him and they left the apartment together.
"I love you."
"I love you too."