I'm really getting into this now. I love a bit of angst-especially where Chandler and Monica are concerned. I like making my characters suffer Meanie! I hear you cry. Well, sorry. Please keep reading though. I don't own "It's a Hard Life" by the wonder that is Queen. :) Lilian xXx
I don't want my freedom,
There's no reason for living with a broken heart,
This is a tricky situation,
I've only got myself to blame
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"It's raining," Monica whispered softly, as Chandler protested.
"I just... I don't feel comfortable being here, when all your parents friends are in the room below us," he said, feeling a little bit silly, but still adamant that they could be disturbed.
"Chandler, will you stop worrying?" Monica exclaimed. "Look, we have to spend as much time together as we possibly can. I can't believe you're-"
She stopped as she saw Chandler's face. It was a mixture of worry, anger and suspicion. "What?" she asked, confused. "What's wrong?"
"He's downstairs, isn't he?" Chandler said, getting up from Monica's bed and pacing up and down. Monica was still confused.
"Who's downstairs? Chandler, please..."
"The man... the man who..." he couldn't finish, and just looked at her. The penny dropped, and he could tell from her face that his worries were correct. "That bastard..."
"Chandler, please!" she said, her voice urgent. "Just forget it! He's not going to do anything while everyone's here, especially if you're here, is he?"
"I can't believe that this lowlife is in your house, eating and drinking with your parents and... destroying your life..." Chandler finished. "Monica, you can't have forgotten! I don't want to bring it all up again, but, seriously, you can't just forgive and forget something like that?!"
"Why not?" Monica said simply. "It's easier that way. I'm not a disgrace to the family. Everyone's happy. Chandler, we've been through this..." She tried to calm him down, but he wasn't listening.
"You wouldn't disgrace your family! They'd be ashamed that they never worked it out themselves. You'd be apologised to countless times, not frowned upon! They'd kill themselves!"
"Exactly," Monica said. "How much would it kill them, knowing someone had done something that despicable to their only daughter? They'd be crushed. Chandler, I can't do that to them..."
"Well, maybe you can't, but I can," Chandler said furiously, grabbing his jacket. Monica looked scared. "Chandler, no..."
Chandler looked back, anger flashing through his eyes. "Monica, I just, I can't, I won't let him get away with it!" he said, stuttering a little as his arms flailed about. "They have to know! Monica-"
"Chandler, if you go down there and tell them, then we are over!" she threatened, just as angry. "I told you in confidence, I told you because I thought I could trust you! You can't just betray my trust like this!"
Chandler stopped, the message finally hitting home. "Mon..." he tried, slightly more gently this time. "Please..."
"No," she said stubbornly. "I won't let them find out. I want you to leave now."
Chandler looked shocked. "But... I don't want to leave, Monica. Mon.. I'm not gonna be here much longer... I want to spend my last few weeks with you. Just you."
Monica didn't look like she was going to relent. "Chandler, please, just go home. I can't deal with this right now... I don't want to be with you right now," she said, and half pushed him out the door. "I'll phone you tomorrow. See yourself out."
Chandler stood motionless as she closed her bedroom door in his face. He stared at the door for a few seconds before shaking himself, and heading towards the stairs. As he started to descend, Ross came out of his own bedroom.
"Chandler," Ross said, calling to him. Chandler turned round.
"Hey Ross."
"Hey, man, are you okay? You look pretty beat. Have you just had an argument with Mon? I heard you arguing."
Chandler smiled sadly. "Yeah... a "lovers tiff" I suppose you could say," he said, grinning a little. Ross smiled back.
"Wanna talk about it?" Ross held open his bedroom door, indicating for him to come in. Chandler mused for a few seconds.
"If that's okay."
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Science wasn't so appealing when Ross wasn't there to help, Rachel thought to herself, smiling as she remembered the past couple of days she had spent almost entirely in Ross' company. She still couldn't believe how wonderful he was. A great listener, a great friend... a marvellous kisser.
She blushed slightly, a small smile creeping over her face. She looked up to see her father sitting on the couch, pretending to read the newspaper, but she knew that he was thinking about Amy. Rachel sighed, missing her sister, but she knew that she couldn't have got through it so well if it wasn't for Ross.
"Daddy," Rachel said sweetly, and Mr. Green peered over his paper, smiling half-heartedly at his daughter.
"What is it, sweetie?" he asked. His voice sounded bored, but Rachel had grown used to it.
"Do you know anything about radio-activity and half-lives, carbon dating and isotopes?" she asked hopefully. She saw her dad almost laugh to himself. "I'll take that as a no, then?" she asked.
"I know a little, I guess," he said, thinking to himself. School was so different these days. He knew he should know about radioactivity but somehow he had forgotten it. "Why don't you ask that wonderful Boy Wonder you've been dating for the past couple of weeks?" he asked, partly sarcastically. He didn't approve of Rachel having a boyfriend, but, he had to admit, Ross had been a very good friend to his daughter and he knew that she could do a lot worse.
Rachel nodded. "I guess I'll have to," she said, standing up and dusting herself down. She reached for the phone and dialled the Geller house, praying that Ross would answer. She had to admit, his parents scared her sometimes.
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Judy Geller heard the phone ringing, and looked to Richard. "Richard, dear, could you answer that for me please?" she asked sweetly. "I've kinda got my hands full at the moment."
Richard nodded, and took the cordless from the receiver. "Hello, this is the Gellers," he said, so as not to confuse someone who wouldn't recognise his voice.
"Oh, hi," came the reply. "Is Ross there?"
Richard balanced the phone on his shoulder. "Where's Ross, Judy?" he asked.
"In his room," Judy said. "Could you take it up to him?"
Richard took the phone again. "Hang on, I'll just take you to him," he said. "Who is this?" He left the kitchen and went over to the stairs.
"Rachel Green. Who's this?" Rachel asked, confused. It certainly wasn't Jack.
"Richard, Jack and Judy's friend."
"Dr. Burke?" Rachel asked, a little flirtatiously. For an older man, he was rather nice. "Wow, this is a pleasant surprise."
Richard laughed. "Yes, I think I recognise your name, too. Aren't you Monica's friend?"
"Yeah," Rachel said. "But Ross is my boyfriend." Richard was so easy to talk to, she thought to herself. He always had been. She knew Monica had had a massive crush on him when she was younger. She could understand why.
"How lucky you are. Hang on, I'm outside his room now," he said. He knocked on the door. "Ross?" he called. There was no reply. He heard crying coming from Monica's room, and was worried. He also heard male voices, seeming to comfort the girl-Monica, he presumed. He went slowly over to Monica's bedroom and knocked hesitantly. "Ross?" he said. Worried, he didn't wait for an answer, and slowly opened the door. Richard was practically a father to Ross and Monica. He hoped they wouldn't mind.
"Ross it's the phone for you..." His voice faltered. The sight that was before him was tragic. Monica was sobbing into a pillow, a boy who Richard suspected was Chandler was sitting by her, his arm around her, and Ross was sitting the other side, stroking her hair. Ross looked up at Richard and shook his head.
"I'm very sorry, Rachel, Ross will have to call you back," Richard said hurriedly, and hung up. Holding the phone in his hand, he looked at Chandler and Ross, his eyes showing worry.
"Now," he said, addressing the three of them. "What's going on?"
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I try and mend the broken pieces, I try to fight back the tears,
They say it's just a state of mind, but it happens to everyone,
How it hurts, deep inside,
When your love has cut you down to size,
Life is tough on your own.
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Yes, only little bits of that song were used, as not all of it is very fitting with this chapter. I ask you one thing-don't necessarily jump to conclusions with this chapter. What happened might not be what you imagine. But don't let that stop your imaginations run on. Please review! Go on! Be nice!! Lilian xXx