High five to all my fellow Queen fans! Glad to see some people still have taste :p. I must now thank anhonestmoose for giving me the idea to use No One But You, I thought that would fit in with Amy's funeral (yes, it has to happen, I'm sorry) but this chapter is based on "Play The Game", another Queen song. I think it goes quite well with Mon&Chan. I must take this oppurtunity to apologise if you loathe and detest Queen... and recommend a doctor for you :). Hehe. Lilian xXx PS: Timescales are not very good here-when Monica and Rachel were 16, Brian May hadn't released this song I doubt, so just pretend it's present day. I know it might be difficult but... well... live. :p
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A hand across the water,
An angel reaching for the sky,
Is it raining in heaven?
Do you want us to cry?
The lilting voice of Amy's best friend hit all the right notes, quavering slightly as tears started to form. Rachel sat at the front, with Ross holding onto her hand tightly, never wanting to let go. Rachel had insisted that he was there with her. On the other side of her was Monica, still feeling guilt from not being there for her when she had needed her. Rachel's parents sat next to Ross, and Rachel's mom dabbed at her eyes with a white handkerchief. Jill was at the front, by Amy's coffin, singing with June, Amy's friend. It was how Amy would have wanted it, Rachel told herself. She'd often commented on how apart the family seemed from the deceased at all the funerals she had attended. She had thought it would be better if the family took part, reading something, singing something... anything to make it feel more personal.
And everywhere the broken-hearted,
On every lonely avenue,
No one could reach them,
No one but you
Jill joined in, her voice strong, remembering her sister, the fights, the tantrums, but also remembering the love they shared, although at times it seemed invisible. But they knew it always was there. Rachel smiled weakly as she caught Jill's eye, and Jill smiled back, as her and June began to sing the chorus to the song that Amy had loved, and seemed so appropriate for that day.
One by one,
Only the good die young,
They're only flying too close to the sun,
And life goes on,
Without you.
Rachel turned to Ross, not wanting the next part to happen. Rachel's father and three other young men-uncles, cousins- went to the coffin, and lifted it onto their shoulders. It was so light, Rachel knew it would be. Amy was so slim. Enviously slim. She weighed nothing, practically, yet from Mr. Green's face, it looked like it weighed a ton. His eyes were wet with tears, and the struggle to bury his daughter seemed too much for him. No parent should go through having to say goodbye to one of their own children. Yet he was. She had left them far too young. It wasn't fair.
Another tricky situation,
I get to drowning in the blues,
And I find myself thinking,
What would you do?
Yes it was such an operation,
Forever paying every due,
You made a sensation,
You found a way through.
She couldn't. As everyone got up to say their final goodbye to Amy, Rachel knew she couldn't watch her sisters coffin go gracefully into the ground. She couldn't bear it. Ross and Monica understood, and stayed with Rachel in the church, as everyone silently filed out. Jill and June couldn't bear it either, and as their voices slowly trailed away, they walked over to the three friends and all cried together. Ross and Monica barely knew Amy, but they felt the grief of the sisters and the friend, and they all held tight, not wanting to let each other slip away.
And now the party must be over,
I guess we'll never understand,
The sense of your leaving,
Was it the way it was planned?
And so we grace another table,
And raise our glasses one more time,
There's a face at the window,
And I ain't never, ever saying goodbye
One by one,
Only the good die young,
They're only flying too close to the sun,
Crying for nothing,
Crying for no one,
No one but you.
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Two weeks later
Monica sighed, as she stroked Chandler's hair fondly. It was a conversation they had had all too often these days. He desperately wanted to know who it was that had raped her, but what could he do? He couldn't exactly go and beat him up. It was stupid and idiotic to think he could.
"Don't you want revenge?" Chandler asked sadly, as he lay with his head in Monica's lap.
Monica thought for a second. "Not revenge, exactly," she said sadly. "It's not that, Chandler. I'd love to see him get what he deserves. But I couldn't put my family through all that stress. They would feel so guilty, not realising it themselves, and realising that it was because of them... he is their friend, after all."
"But if you get him put away, it will stop him doing a similar thing to someone else," Chandler tried to persuade her.
"I know," she said. "I feel terrible that I could do something to prevent him hurting another girl like me, but, Chandler, I love my parents more. It might not make much sense to you, but I know I'm doing the right thing. You've helped," she assured him, as he sat up and looked at her. "Now I've told someone, I feel freer. I feel more happy. That might also be cos I'm with you," she teased, as he stroked her cheek gently.
He grinned and kissed her lips quickly, then pulled away and reached for a pillow. Monica grinned back, and reached for another, and before long they were involved in a major battle. Monica forgot how expensive the pillows were, and the fact that ornaments dotted her room. She forgot where she was, and the fact that her and Chandler were supposed to be studying together-no one knew about them yet-until her bedroom door opened.
"Monica!" came an exclamation. Monica, who was at this point lying on the floor, being pinned down from Chandler, rolled out from underneath him and a look of dismay washed over her face.
"Rachel..."
Rachel stood at the doorway, Ross standing right behind her, their faces a mixture of astonishment and disbelief. Ross also looked a little mad. It was obvious to him what was going on. He had suspected it ever since he saw them on the park bench together. Were they an item?
"Hey bro, wassup?" Monica said, trying to keep cool. Chandler broke out in a fit of giggles and Monica thumped him in the stomach.
"What... are you doing... with my sister?!" Ross said quietly, but his voice sounded dangerous. Chandler recognised the tone and stood up, sheepishly.
"Hey man, be cool... it's not like I've slept with her..."
Ross looked thunderous suddenly. "That doesn't matter! Chandler, she's my sister! It's not right... it's.... urgh!" He was lost for words. He felt betrayed in a way. His best friend was secretly going out with his sister? And he hadn't even checked that it was alright?
Monica was looking from Ross to Rachel now, suspicious of them. "What about you two, huh?" she asked suddenly, and Ross looked taken aback. "She's my best friend too, Ross. Yet you don't seem to think that's a problem!"
Ross looked at her, angrily. "Nothing is going on between us," he said calmly. "We're just friends. While you've been playing around with Chandler, Rachel has needed someone to talk to, and I've been there for her..."
Monica felt guilty, but it didn't stop her. "Yeh, well, you wish something was happening, don't you Ross?" she asked accusingly. Rachel didn't look surprised, which startled her, but she carried on. "You've always had a crush on her, haven't you? Since ninth grade. I know. I've heard you talking to your friends about it. You've always liked her. So don't you go around preaching at your friend when you're doing a similar thing!"
Rachel turned to Ross. "You like me?" she asked, although her face didn't look that surprised.
Ross turned red, and glared at his sister. "You bitch!" he said, before leaving the room. Rachel turned back to Monica and gave her a half smile. Monica walked over to Rachel and gave her a huge hug. "Rachel... I'm sorry about that," she said. "And I'm sorry I haven't been there for you. I'm sorry I got caught up in other stuff..."
"That's okay," Rachel said, smiling secretively. "I've enjoyed spending time with your brother. He's nice. I really like him, too."
Monica and Chandler both looked shocked, and Rachel laughed. "What?" she asked, innocently. "I do. He's really sincere, and a great listener... and I think I'm going to tell him that too." She left Monica's bedroom without a word, and Monica turned to Chandler, amazed.
"Well!" she said.
"Well!" Chandler said, before grabbing a pillow and pummeling her with it. "I win!"
"Oh no you don't!" Monica laughed, grabbing his legs as he fell over. She leaned across and kissed him on the lips. "You're so cute when you're in danger of death," she joked.
Chandler grinned, before struggling to sit up. "Mon... I don't want to startle you, or anything... but, and I know you might think this is crazy... but I love you."
Monica looked shocked, for a few seconds, before smiling and touching his face. "I love you too Chandler," she whispered, as he pulled her in and kissed her deeply, knowing he would never go further than she wanted to if his life depended on it. What they had was precious. He didn't want to destroy her trust in him. He knew that he loved her, he knew he'd loved her for ages now, but he thought it was too soon to say, in case it wasn't real. But now he knew, and she knew too, that they would always love each other.
Round the corner, Rachel peeped in at them, standing beside Ross. "Look, Ross," she said quietly, as they kissed. "They're in love. I can tell they are. Don't jeopardize their relationship. I mean, you know Chandler... if you really are best friends, surely it would be better that she was going out with him than with someone you didn't know?"
Ross shrugged. "I guess. They do kinda make a cute couple," he admitted grudgingly. Rachel smiled, and pulled him away from the doorway.
"Ross... I just wanted to say thank you," she said, tears filling her eyes again. "You've been there for me so much recently... especially with Amy dying.... you'll never know how grateful I am."
Ross smiled, not knowing how Rachel really felt. "That's okay, Rache," he said, kissing her cheek. She deliberately turned her head so his lips brushed hers. He jumped back, startled, but Rachel smiled and, putting her hands on his head, pulled him closer and kissed him gently.
"Well..." Ross said, a little taken aback, as they parted. "I guess that's a start."
Rachel grinned, and entwined her fingers in his, leaning against his chest as he stood against the wall, just happy to be with him. Ross couldn't believe his luck. Was it possible? Did Rachel like him too?
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Open up your mind and let me step inside
Rest your weary head and let your heart decide
It's so easy when you know the rules
It's so easy all you have to do
Is fall in love
Play the game,
Everybody play the game of love
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Argh! I'm so sorry for my sappy mood of late. Of course, most of you like sappy... but I warn you, this is the end of the sappiness for a while. I'm sorry, really I am... well, it's more interesting to write dramatic stuff anyway. Sorry! Please: a.) read b.) review and c.) listen to Queen! Next chapter coming soon! Lilian xXx