In A Lifetime
Chapter Two: The Wind Fought
Disclaimer: Would you really believe me if I said they were mine? Exactly.
A/N: Well, I was very surprised at the reaction I got from the first chapter. I've never gotten so many reviews on a chapter before. I'd like to thank everyone that did review, and I hope you outdo yourselves on this chapter. Wishful thinking, eh? But please, you know what makes my world go round, so leave a review!
This chapter, does in fact reveal the "condition" of Monica. There was no point in dragging that out, since the story is about the couple's reactions to it. Some of you kind of guessed it.
And I said the rest of the chapters would be longer than the first- but this one isn't. If things go according to the plan, the rest WILL be longer. I hope you still enjoy this story, and that you don't think I've gone off on the wrong track with it. I'm too insecure. So that's why reviews are very important. They tell me what people think. So leave one. Please. Do I have to beg?
The two songs used in this chapter are The Way You Look Tonight by Frank Sinatra and Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton. And fans of the show should recognise the significance of those two songs.
*~*~*
A raindrop dripped throught the trees, sliding from leaf to leaf, while others of it's kind fell straight to Earth, bouncing off the paved walkway through the park. The wind blew yet more raindrops from their leaf, sending them hurtling through the air. Men and women struggled along the path, some with umbrellas, some without, trying to stand the pouring rain. The wind fought against the umbrellas, trying it's best to push the people away. But they fought their way on, becoming battered and soaked by the downpour.
On a bench, the wood soaking wet itself, sat Monica, her eyes closed. Partly against the rain, but really because she was thinking. Thinking hard.
The rain didn't really bother Monica. She would dry off, and she was suitably dressed to prevent herself from catching a cold, or something similar. The scarf around her neck was almost so tight that she almost felt like she was being strangled.
The doctor's words rang through her head:
"You need him to know."
Her expression pained as she relived that conversation, remembered being in that office.
"You still have to make a proper decision about it. It won't just vanish. So you need to tell Chandler."
She felt tears start to drop from her already wet eyes, sliding down her face, mostly being blown away before they reached the lower regions of her face. The few that did lingered on her lips for a few moments, then died, evaporating into her warm mouth.
"He could be the one who gets you through this."
He could be. Or he could be the one who makes it worse. He could be the one who freaks out, the one who makes it harder for her to handle, the one who tears her apart.
She knew Chandler. She did. She knew practically ever nook and cranny of him. But they had never been put through a test like this, and she wasn't sure how he would react.
He might be sad, but supportive, helping her out, reassuring her, making it easier for her.
Or he might freak out, abandon her, leave her alone, sad and heart-broken.
And she didn't want to risk that.
So she sat in the drenching rain, as all the people of New York passed by, trying to come to a decision. She ran all the possibilities through her mind, but she sat for hours thinking, not knowing what to do. And as the rain battered down, the sun began to set, and it became darker. And still Monica did not move.
*~*~*
Chandler flicked the lighter, and the last candle illuminated on the table.
He looked around at the room. The main lights were out, and instead the room was lit with dozens of candles, flickering gently in the air. Upon the table sat dishes of food, all prepared by himself. Years of being with Monica had actually taught him how to cook. Granted, it was only pasta tonight, but his menu would expand over the few nights to come.
It wasn't anything special this week, but Chandler had suddenly had the idea to have romantic nights in with Monica this week, just to show her how much he loved her.
And god, he did. The scene in the room reminded him of the night they were engaged, when he had entered the apartment thinking she'd left, that he'd scared her away...and the entire room had been filled with candles, the darkness flowing through the room, between the glowing light of the candles. And their she had been standing, a slight smile on her face. His whole heart had turned upside down at that point, knowing he would always remember this.
He had recreated the scene in the apartment as best he could, candles filling the room, all moving gently together.
He turned on the stereo, taking out a CD and turning it on.
"Some day, when I'm awfully low,
When the world is cold,
I will feel a glow just thinking of you...
And the way you look tonight...."
He closed his eyes and let the music wash over him. This was their song.
"Yes you're lovely, with your smile so warm,
And your cheeks so soft,
There is nothing for me but to love you,
And the way you look tonight...."
She sat in the rain, watching the people run past, and her mind made a decision. She got up, and began to walk home.
"With each word your tenderness grows,
Tearing my fear apart...
And that laugh that wrinkles your nose,
It touches my foolish heart...."
He heard the door starting to open, and jumped up to greet her.
"Lovely ... never, ever change.
Keep that breathless charm.
Won't you please arrange it?
'Cause I love you ... just the way you look tonight."
She walked in, and saw the room, illuminated by the candle light. She heard the music, and smiled.
She saw him, and sighed. She loved him so much, but was she about to steal the wonderful tonight- from both of them?
"Mm, mm, mm, mm,
Just the way you look to-night."
Chandler looked closer at her. "Oh, Monica, you're soaked! Where have you been?" he said, taking off her coat and hanging it up for her, then rubbing her down.
Monica swallowed. "I- I was just walking home, is all. It's really pouring down out there," she said, pointing outside.
"Still, you look like you've been out there for hours," said Chandler concernedly. "Come on, we need to dry you off. You look like you could do with a shower. All the rainwater in your hair...." he said, leading her to the bathroom.
Monica turned to look at the food. " But, Chandler... what about the food?" she asked, pointing to the dishes of pasta that lay on the table. "It'll go cold, and you've worked so hard," she said sadly.
Chandler waved his arm dimissively. "Don't worry about that," he said. "It's only pasta. I'll make some more. Now you go shower," he said, pulling her gently into the bathroom. "Hey," he said, "How about I shower with you?" he smiled coyly.
Monica's eyes widened in horror. "No!" she yelled, making Chandler jump. "I mean, no," she said quieter, kissing him lightly in apology. "You've got to cook the food, haven't you?" she said.
Chandler sighed. "Oh, yeah," he said, walking into the kitchen. "Well, it'll all be ready when you come out," he said, smiling.
She smiled back and walked into the bathroom, sighing in relief.
*~*~*
"He could be the one who gets you through this."
The doctor's words rang through her head again, mixed with the sounds of Eric Clapton from the stereo. Chandler smiled at her as he took another mouthful of pasta. She smiled back.
Okay, she would do it. She would tell him.
But first she wanted one last, perfectly happy moment with him.
She put down her fork and took Chandler's hand from the table.
He looked up. "What?" he said.
"Dance with me," she said softly.
He smiled. "Okay," he said, and let her lead him over to the living room. He put his hands on her back, and she wrapped her's around his neck. The soft sounds floated from the radio, and they swayed gently to the music, still in the candlelight.
"I feel wonderful
Because I see the love light in your eyes
And the wonder of it all
Is that you just don't realize
How much I love you..."
Monica felt herself starting to cry as they turned slowly together, their bodies close together, feeling each other's breath on their shoulder and hair, breathing in each other's scent.
To Chandler, it was just a dance with his fiancee. There'd be lots more.
To Monica, it could have been the last dance she had with him. And she savoured it.
*~*~*
Chandler felt a drop of water fall onto his shoulder, and he leaned back to look at Monica.
She was crying. Teardrops rolled down her face, and she had her eyes closed, her mouth forming the words of the song silently.
"Oh my darling, you were wonderful tonight..."
He smiled. "What's wrong, Mon?" he whispered.
She opened her eyes, and stared at him. "Nothing, it's just the song," she said, drying her eyes with a tissue, and turning away. Tears continued to roll down her face.
Chandler frowned conceredly. "Monica, what's wrong?" he said again, putting his hand on her shoulder.
She swallowed. It was now or never.
"I have something- something to tell you," she said slowly. "And I need you to let me say it all before you say anything."
Chandler nodded. "Okay," he said. "What is it?"
Monica sat down on the floor, and Chandler followed suit.
"Er...." started Monica. "I- I went to the doctor a couple of weeks ago," she said. Chandler just looked at her. "They- they did some tests on me. And the- the results came back a couple of days ago," she said slowly. Chandler looked concerned, but didn't say anything.
Monica looked down. "And it turns out.... it turns out that I've got breast cancer," she whispered, and her tear that had been hanging loosely below her eye fell onto Chandler's outstreched hand, and rolled across his still skin.
Chapter Two: The Wind Fought
Disclaimer: Would you really believe me if I said they were mine? Exactly.
A/N: Well, I was very surprised at the reaction I got from the first chapter. I've never gotten so many reviews on a chapter before. I'd like to thank everyone that did review, and I hope you outdo yourselves on this chapter. Wishful thinking, eh? But please, you know what makes my world go round, so leave a review!
This chapter, does in fact reveal the "condition" of Monica. There was no point in dragging that out, since the story is about the couple's reactions to it. Some of you kind of guessed it.
And I said the rest of the chapters would be longer than the first- but this one isn't. If things go according to the plan, the rest WILL be longer. I hope you still enjoy this story, and that you don't think I've gone off on the wrong track with it. I'm too insecure. So that's why reviews are very important. They tell me what people think. So leave one. Please. Do I have to beg?
The two songs used in this chapter are The Way You Look Tonight by Frank Sinatra and Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton. And fans of the show should recognise the significance of those two songs.
*~*~*
A raindrop dripped throught the trees, sliding from leaf to leaf, while others of it's kind fell straight to Earth, bouncing off the paved walkway through the park. The wind blew yet more raindrops from their leaf, sending them hurtling through the air. Men and women struggled along the path, some with umbrellas, some without, trying to stand the pouring rain. The wind fought against the umbrellas, trying it's best to push the people away. But they fought their way on, becoming battered and soaked by the downpour.
On a bench, the wood soaking wet itself, sat Monica, her eyes closed. Partly against the rain, but really because she was thinking. Thinking hard.
The rain didn't really bother Monica. She would dry off, and she was suitably dressed to prevent herself from catching a cold, or something similar. The scarf around her neck was almost so tight that she almost felt like she was being strangled.
The doctor's words rang through her head:
"You need him to know."
Her expression pained as she relived that conversation, remembered being in that office.
"You still have to make a proper decision about it. It won't just vanish. So you need to tell Chandler."
She felt tears start to drop from her already wet eyes, sliding down her face, mostly being blown away before they reached the lower regions of her face. The few that did lingered on her lips for a few moments, then died, evaporating into her warm mouth.
"He could be the one who gets you through this."
He could be. Or he could be the one who makes it worse. He could be the one who freaks out, the one who makes it harder for her to handle, the one who tears her apart.
She knew Chandler. She did. She knew practically ever nook and cranny of him. But they had never been put through a test like this, and she wasn't sure how he would react.
He might be sad, but supportive, helping her out, reassuring her, making it easier for her.
Or he might freak out, abandon her, leave her alone, sad and heart-broken.
And she didn't want to risk that.
So she sat in the drenching rain, as all the people of New York passed by, trying to come to a decision. She ran all the possibilities through her mind, but she sat for hours thinking, not knowing what to do. And as the rain battered down, the sun began to set, and it became darker. And still Monica did not move.
*~*~*
Chandler flicked the lighter, and the last candle illuminated on the table.
He looked around at the room. The main lights were out, and instead the room was lit with dozens of candles, flickering gently in the air. Upon the table sat dishes of food, all prepared by himself. Years of being with Monica had actually taught him how to cook. Granted, it was only pasta tonight, but his menu would expand over the few nights to come.
It wasn't anything special this week, but Chandler had suddenly had the idea to have romantic nights in with Monica this week, just to show her how much he loved her.
And god, he did. The scene in the room reminded him of the night they were engaged, when he had entered the apartment thinking she'd left, that he'd scared her away...and the entire room had been filled with candles, the darkness flowing through the room, between the glowing light of the candles. And their she had been standing, a slight smile on her face. His whole heart had turned upside down at that point, knowing he would always remember this.
He had recreated the scene in the apartment as best he could, candles filling the room, all moving gently together.
He turned on the stereo, taking out a CD and turning it on.
"Some day, when I'm awfully low,
When the world is cold,
I will feel a glow just thinking of you...
And the way you look tonight...."
He closed his eyes and let the music wash over him. This was their song.
"Yes you're lovely, with your smile so warm,
And your cheeks so soft,
There is nothing for me but to love you,
And the way you look tonight...."
She sat in the rain, watching the people run past, and her mind made a decision. She got up, and began to walk home.
"With each word your tenderness grows,
Tearing my fear apart...
And that laugh that wrinkles your nose,
It touches my foolish heart...."
He heard the door starting to open, and jumped up to greet her.
"Lovely ... never, ever change.
Keep that breathless charm.
Won't you please arrange it?
'Cause I love you ... just the way you look tonight."
She walked in, and saw the room, illuminated by the candle light. She heard the music, and smiled.
She saw him, and sighed. She loved him so much, but was she about to steal the wonderful tonight- from both of them?
"Mm, mm, mm, mm,
Just the way you look to-night."
Chandler looked closer at her. "Oh, Monica, you're soaked! Where have you been?" he said, taking off her coat and hanging it up for her, then rubbing her down.
Monica swallowed. "I- I was just walking home, is all. It's really pouring down out there," she said, pointing outside.
"Still, you look like you've been out there for hours," said Chandler concernedly. "Come on, we need to dry you off. You look like you could do with a shower. All the rainwater in your hair...." he said, leading her to the bathroom.
Monica turned to look at the food. " But, Chandler... what about the food?" she asked, pointing to the dishes of pasta that lay on the table. "It'll go cold, and you've worked so hard," she said sadly.
Chandler waved his arm dimissively. "Don't worry about that," he said. "It's only pasta. I'll make some more. Now you go shower," he said, pulling her gently into the bathroom. "Hey," he said, "How about I shower with you?" he smiled coyly.
Monica's eyes widened in horror. "No!" she yelled, making Chandler jump. "I mean, no," she said quieter, kissing him lightly in apology. "You've got to cook the food, haven't you?" she said.
Chandler sighed. "Oh, yeah," he said, walking into the kitchen. "Well, it'll all be ready when you come out," he said, smiling.
She smiled back and walked into the bathroom, sighing in relief.
*~*~*
"He could be the one who gets you through this."
The doctor's words rang through her head again, mixed with the sounds of Eric Clapton from the stereo. Chandler smiled at her as he took another mouthful of pasta. She smiled back.
Okay, she would do it. She would tell him.
But first she wanted one last, perfectly happy moment with him.
She put down her fork and took Chandler's hand from the table.
He looked up. "What?" he said.
"Dance with me," she said softly.
He smiled. "Okay," he said, and let her lead him over to the living room. He put his hands on her back, and she wrapped her's around his neck. The soft sounds floated from the radio, and they swayed gently to the music, still in the candlelight.
"I feel wonderful
Because I see the love light in your eyes
And the wonder of it all
Is that you just don't realize
How much I love you..."
Monica felt herself starting to cry as they turned slowly together, their bodies close together, feeling each other's breath on their shoulder and hair, breathing in each other's scent.
To Chandler, it was just a dance with his fiancee. There'd be lots more.
To Monica, it could have been the last dance she had with him. And she savoured it.
*~*~*
Chandler felt a drop of water fall onto his shoulder, and he leaned back to look at Monica.
She was crying. Teardrops rolled down her face, and she had her eyes closed, her mouth forming the words of the song silently.
"Oh my darling, you were wonderful tonight..."
He smiled. "What's wrong, Mon?" he whispered.
She opened her eyes, and stared at him. "Nothing, it's just the song," she said, drying her eyes with a tissue, and turning away. Tears continued to roll down her face.
Chandler frowned conceredly. "Monica, what's wrong?" he said again, putting his hand on her shoulder.
She swallowed. It was now or never.
"I have something- something to tell you," she said slowly. "And I need you to let me say it all before you say anything."
Chandler nodded. "Okay," he said. "What is it?"
Monica sat down on the floor, and Chandler followed suit.
"Er...." started Monica. "I- I went to the doctor a couple of weeks ago," she said. Chandler just looked at her. "They- they did some tests on me. And the- the results came back a couple of days ago," she said slowly. Chandler looked concerned, but didn't say anything.
Monica looked down. "And it turns out.... it turns out that I've got breast cancer," she whispered, and her tear that had been hanging loosely below her eye fell onto Chandler's outstreched hand, and rolled across his still skin.