Chapter 9
Revenge is sweet
Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with friends.
A/N: This fic has been so neglected, and I apologies to everyone who is reading. I promise after this chapter there will be a few updates a week. This one's a bit of a transitional chapter before things start to get messy for the friends :o)
Remember to review ;)
~*~
Paris- 11pm
Rachel stood with her arms wrapped tightly around herself as she leaned on the protective barrier of the apartments balcony, watching the sunset over the Parisian skyline.
When she had planned this trip she had imagined this very scene, but one very important thing was missing this time.Ross. She wished it were his arms curled around her waist rather than her own, but he had been gone for over an hour now and there was no sign of him returning anytime soon. And for all she knew he may never return.
Yet another fight had ensued and over the silliest of things as usual. Ross had stormed off to clear his head, leaving Rachel home alone, feeling guiltier than she had ever felt.
She couldn't understand why she felt the need to snap at him all the time, especially when all he ever did was do his best for her. Lavishing her with gifts, and most importantly unconditional love.but somehow it was never good enough.
She cursed her selfish attitude as she looked up to the stars twinkling in the sky, blurring as the tears cascaded a trail down her cheeks.
"Please let him come back to me, I love him so much, I can't live without him."
She waited a moment as though whomever she was praying too was going to answer before she let herself back into the warm apartment and closed over the glass door behind her.
She brushed away the water from her face, and started to turn off the lights one by one as she headed to bed. But her plan was cut short, as there was a chap at the door.
She immediately dropped everything and ran towards it. Ross was back, ready to forgive her as he always did and he had forgotten his key. Or so she thought.
The surprise that awaited her at the door sent her mind reeling and her body into panic.
He had found her.
~*~
New York- 5pm
Monica put the last item of clothing back into Phoebe's wardrobe and closed the door over with a sigh. She had managed to conceal every shed of evidence of the morning's earlier events, even although it had taken her hours without a break.
She wiped away the beads of sweat that had formed over her forehead and took a well-earned rest just as Phoebe got home.
"Pheebs!" Monica jumped up from the sofa, guilt written all over her face as she surveyed the room once last time to make sure there wasn't any trace of the burglary left.
"How was your first day?" Mon could feel herself shaking, as she wrung her hands around one another nervously, trying to divert all attention from the apartment that she was sure still looked suspicious.
"Oh it was amazing Mon! I have had the best day ever. I don't think anything could make me stop smiling right now." Phoebe talked excitedly with her hands to show just how happy she was as she sat down her purse and took off her jacket.
"Great," Monica forced a smile onto her face as she watched Phoebe go into Lily's bedroom to collect her daughter.
"Have you been good for Aunty Monica today?" Lily chuckled and threw her chubby arms around her mom's neck, pleased to see her again after a long day of separation.
"Mommy missed you some much today!" She gave her daughter another hug and sat her down in her playpen.
"I don't know what im gonna do when I start work full time. It's going to be so hard to leave her. Just watching all those babies being brought into the world all day makes me think about her more. I'm so terrified for her, when I can't be there to protect her, she's the only child I'll ever have."
Monica felt like she was about to burst and confess everything. The more and more Phoebe went on the more she felt the guilt take over her mind. It was almost as if Phoebe knew what had happened today and was playing with her, even although there was no possible way she could have found out about it.
She didn't know how much longer she could stay in her company, so she excused herself and went back to her own apartment, where she could cry and finally let her emotions free.
This had been the worst weekend of her life, and she felt the strain of it getting to her. She was about to crack and there was no one there for any kind of support.
She sat on the sofa and eyed the telephone with enthusiasm, and wondered if she should call over to Ross' apartment and talk to Chandler.
Would he even be in? She wondered. Flashes of Chandler out in the city, flirting with other women in bars ran through her mind, causing more tears to well up and break free.
Her world was falling apart piece by piece and she had no control over it whatsoever. Chandler, the love of her life, her soul mate, had left her and she wanted him back more than anything. But what could she possibly say to make him change his mind and take her back? Should she tell him it was all ok, that she didn't want kids after all?
He would know she was lying just to save his pride, and he would most certainly see it as some kind of pity gesture. She had known him too long to know that how he would react.
Nothing she could say or do now would make him change his mind and come home. She knew it deep down, that this was for good. She just didn't want to believe it was real.
She was 35 years old, and in her book an age that made her well past her prime. She felt too old to start dating all over again, never knowing if it would lead to marriage. Not that she wanted a man other than Chandler, but a substitute would be better than living a sad life as a spinster, wouldn't it?
But the thing that hurt her most was having lost her best friend in the whole world. The person she could tell anything to without fear of being judged. The man that made the world seem perfect no matter what was happening all around her. He was her rock, her foundation, he was the mortar that held her together.
And he was gone and never coming back.
~~*~~
After a stressful but wonderful day at work Phoebe was more than ready to get herself to off to bed, but she knew Joey would be phoning her sometime soon as he did each evening, so she decided to settle herself down with her college notes and do some catching up, so that when she went back in a weeks time she wasn't too far behind the rest of the class.
She checked on Lily who was asleep in her crib and went to her bedroom to collect her things.
As she gathered her belongings she noticed they weren't in the same order she had left them. The pages of her written notes were out of synch and her daily schedule was missing.
She couldn't understand why it was gone, and things were in such disarray, but she shrugged it off and put it down to Monica allowing Lily to play around with it, not realising what it was and its importance.
Mon had so much on her mind these last few days she decided to let it go, after all what was the point in bringing it up? She would just have to try and remember where she would be for the next few days until she found her diary. It shouldn't be that hard, all she had to do was go to work and go and see her tutor the following evening.
"Oh well. Never mind," She gathered up the last of her things and settled down on the sofa to wait on Joeys call. But as time dragged on, and an hour or so passed there was still no sign of him ringing.
She shut her books over and decided just to call it a night. He must have fallen asleep after a busy day on set, or got caught up filming and thought it was to late to call.
She couldn't help but feel a little disappointed; after all, it had been her first day in a new job. A new job that could possibly lead to a permanent vacancy and a new career for her, and she was desperate to tell him all about it and the wonderful new people she had met. But it would just have to wait until tomorrow.
She set her books to the side and slid her body down the couch.
"I'll just sleep here in case he does call later," She thought to herself, wishing that he would. She missed his cheery voice, and his loving words of encouragement. The little kisses he blew her down the phone as they hung up, and the three little words that melted her heart, I love you.
What she didn't know was the real reason he wouldn't be calling at all that night. He was home alone in his plush Hollywood apartment, writhing in guilt. Because he had done something stupid, and he didn't have the heart to phone the woman he loved and confess all.
Revenge is sweet
Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with friends.
A/N: This fic has been so neglected, and I apologies to everyone who is reading. I promise after this chapter there will be a few updates a week. This one's a bit of a transitional chapter before things start to get messy for the friends :o)
Remember to review ;)
~*~
Paris- 11pm
Rachel stood with her arms wrapped tightly around herself as she leaned on the protective barrier of the apartments balcony, watching the sunset over the Parisian skyline.
When she had planned this trip she had imagined this very scene, but one very important thing was missing this time.Ross. She wished it were his arms curled around her waist rather than her own, but he had been gone for over an hour now and there was no sign of him returning anytime soon. And for all she knew he may never return.
Yet another fight had ensued and over the silliest of things as usual. Ross had stormed off to clear his head, leaving Rachel home alone, feeling guiltier than she had ever felt.
She couldn't understand why she felt the need to snap at him all the time, especially when all he ever did was do his best for her. Lavishing her with gifts, and most importantly unconditional love.but somehow it was never good enough.
She cursed her selfish attitude as she looked up to the stars twinkling in the sky, blurring as the tears cascaded a trail down her cheeks.
"Please let him come back to me, I love him so much, I can't live without him."
She waited a moment as though whomever she was praying too was going to answer before she let herself back into the warm apartment and closed over the glass door behind her.
She brushed away the water from her face, and started to turn off the lights one by one as she headed to bed. But her plan was cut short, as there was a chap at the door.
She immediately dropped everything and ran towards it. Ross was back, ready to forgive her as he always did and he had forgotten his key. Or so she thought.
The surprise that awaited her at the door sent her mind reeling and her body into panic.
He had found her.
~*~
New York- 5pm
Monica put the last item of clothing back into Phoebe's wardrobe and closed the door over with a sigh. She had managed to conceal every shed of evidence of the morning's earlier events, even although it had taken her hours without a break.
She wiped away the beads of sweat that had formed over her forehead and took a well-earned rest just as Phoebe got home.
"Pheebs!" Monica jumped up from the sofa, guilt written all over her face as she surveyed the room once last time to make sure there wasn't any trace of the burglary left.
"How was your first day?" Mon could feel herself shaking, as she wrung her hands around one another nervously, trying to divert all attention from the apartment that she was sure still looked suspicious.
"Oh it was amazing Mon! I have had the best day ever. I don't think anything could make me stop smiling right now." Phoebe talked excitedly with her hands to show just how happy she was as she sat down her purse and took off her jacket.
"Great," Monica forced a smile onto her face as she watched Phoebe go into Lily's bedroom to collect her daughter.
"Have you been good for Aunty Monica today?" Lily chuckled and threw her chubby arms around her mom's neck, pleased to see her again after a long day of separation.
"Mommy missed you some much today!" She gave her daughter another hug and sat her down in her playpen.
"I don't know what im gonna do when I start work full time. It's going to be so hard to leave her. Just watching all those babies being brought into the world all day makes me think about her more. I'm so terrified for her, when I can't be there to protect her, she's the only child I'll ever have."
Monica felt like she was about to burst and confess everything. The more and more Phoebe went on the more she felt the guilt take over her mind. It was almost as if Phoebe knew what had happened today and was playing with her, even although there was no possible way she could have found out about it.
She didn't know how much longer she could stay in her company, so she excused herself and went back to her own apartment, where she could cry and finally let her emotions free.
This had been the worst weekend of her life, and she felt the strain of it getting to her. She was about to crack and there was no one there for any kind of support.
She sat on the sofa and eyed the telephone with enthusiasm, and wondered if she should call over to Ross' apartment and talk to Chandler.
Would he even be in? She wondered. Flashes of Chandler out in the city, flirting with other women in bars ran through her mind, causing more tears to well up and break free.
Her world was falling apart piece by piece and she had no control over it whatsoever. Chandler, the love of her life, her soul mate, had left her and she wanted him back more than anything. But what could she possibly say to make him change his mind and take her back? Should she tell him it was all ok, that she didn't want kids after all?
He would know she was lying just to save his pride, and he would most certainly see it as some kind of pity gesture. She had known him too long to know that how he would react.
Nothing she could say or do now would make him change his mind and come home. She knew it deep down, that this was for good. She just didn't want to believe it was real.
She was 35 years old, and in her book an age that made her well past her prime. She felt too old to start dating all over again, never knowing if it would lead to marriage. Not that she wanted a man other than Chandler, but a substitute would be better than living a sad life as a spinster, wouldn't it?
But the thing that hurt her most was having lost her best friend in the whole world. The person she could tell anything to without fear of being judged. The man that made the world seem perfect no matter what was happening all around her. He was her rock, her foundation, he was the mortar that held her together.
And he was gone and never coming back.
~~*~~
After a stressful but wonderful day at work Phoebe was more than ready to get herself to off to bed, but she knew Joey would be phoning her sometime soon as he did each evening, so she decided to settle herself down with her college notes and do some catching up, so that when she went back in a weeks time she wasn't too far behind the rest of the class.
She checked on Lily who was asleep in her crib and went to her bedroom to collect her things.
As she gathered her belongings she noticed they weren't in the same order she had left them. The pages of her written notes were out of synch and her daily schedule was missing.
She couldn't understand why it was gone, and things were in such disarray, but she shrugged it off and put it down to Monica allowing Lily to play around with it, not realising what it was and its importance.
Mon had so much on her mind these last few days she decided to let it go, after all what was the point in bringing it up? She would just have to try and remember where she would be for the next few days until she found her diary. It shouldn't be that hard, all she had to do was go to work and go and see her tutor the following evening.
"Oh well. Never mind," She gathered up the last of her things and settled down on the sofa to wait on Joeys call. But as time dragged on, and an hour or so passed there was still no sign of him ringing.
She shut her books over and decided just to call it a night. He must have fallen asleep after a busy day on set, or got caught up filming and thought it was to late to call.
She couldn't help but feel a little disappointed; after all, it had been her first day in a new job. A new job that could possibly lead to a permanent vacancy and a new career for her, and she was desperate to tell him all about it and the wonderful new people she had met. But it would just have to wait until tomorrow.
She set her books to the side and slid her body down the couch.
"I'll just sleep here in case he does call later," She thought to herself, wishing that he would. She missed his cheery voice, and his loving words of encouragement. The little kisses he blew her down the phone as they hung up, and the three little words that melted her heart, I love you.
What she didn't know was the real reason he wouldn't be calling at all that night. He was home alone in his plush Hollywood apartment, writhing in guilt. Because he had done something stupid, and he didn't have the heart to phone the woman he loved and confess all.