A/N: This isn't my first time writing a Friends fic, however it is my first attempt at a Joey/Rachel fic. Let's hope that this actually goes somewhere.

Also...this takes place in season 7 around the time when Monica and Chandler went to Vegas to meet his dad. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own them...they belong to Kauffman/Bright/Crane and NBC. I just like to play.

Chapter One.

"What do you mean, this doesn't sound like me?" Rachel rasped into the phone. "John...this is Rachel Green. I'm extremely sick and I'm calling to tell you I won't be...I know it's Wednesday; you cannot honestly expect me to do inventory when I'm...yeah. I'll call you back." Sighing, she turned the phone off and threw it across the room, sniffling and coughing into her blanket. As she walked to the fridge in search of some juice, Joey walked in.

"Hey, Rach," he said as he entered, and stopped dead in his tracks as the pathetic, sniffly mess who was formerly the beautiful, radiant Rachel turned and attempted to smile at him. "Whoa, Rachel...you okay? You don't look so good."

"You're perceptive," she snorted, coughing into the blanket again as she flopped onto the yellow couch. She felt his eyes on her as he remained still in the doorway, watching her. Turning, she sniffed and said, "Don't get too close, I don't want you to catch this." Joey frowned and closed the door, moving to sit on the chair across from her. He knew that Monica and Chandler were in Las Vegas, visiting his dad, and that Phoebe and Ross were nowhere to be found. He also knew that Rachel was too stubborn to take care of herself.

"Have you been to the doctor?" he asked, his voice laced with concern. She simply shook her head, and he sighed. "Rachel. Go to the doctor."

"No!" she said with a sneeze. "I'm....ugh. I'm fine, I'll be fine." Joey frowned at her again. "What?!"
"You're so stubborn," Joey sighed. Standing up, he grabbed her arm and pulled her up from the couch, holding up a hand as she went to protest and nudged her toward her bedroom. "If you won't go to the doctor," he said, "I'm just going to have to take care of you. Get in bed." Rachel stared at him for a minute, rather confused, before giving in and climbing into bed. Ahh, her big, fluffy, comfy bed. Why wasn't she in there all day? She looked up at Joey, who was standing in her doorway, watching her, and sighed.

"Joey, I really don't think this is necessary," she rasped as he left to get the thermometer. He chuckled as he returned, sitting down on the bed next to her.

"Of course it is. Open," he said, placing the thermometer under her tongue and brushing a few stray pieces of hair out of her face. Smiling softly, he waited about a minute and then removed the thermometer from her mouth; 100 degrees. "Because if I don't take care of you, you might die. And that would be terrible. Stay here, I'm going to bring you some soup." He grinned at her as he got up and went to the kitchen, and she just stared at the open door. Her mind was foggy from all of the medication from she was on...but was he flirting with her? She was confused. Extremely confused...and sick, and all she wanted to do was sleep. A few minutes later, Joey returned with a bowl of soup, and sat back down on the bed next to her, placing it in her lap. "Careful, it's hot." She couldn't help but smile at his attempts to make her feel better...and it was working. She was feeling better already.

"Thanks, Joe," she grinned, slowly beginning to slurp her soup. They sat in silence as she ate, and she could feel his eyes on her the entire time. When she finished, she handed him the bowl and asked, "Out of curiosity, why is it so important that you take care of me? I mean, is it such a bad thing if I were to die?" She chuckled at her own joke, but he never cracked a smile. He looked thoughtful for a moment, carefully thinking over his answer.

"It's important because...you're my friend, Rach," he replied. She smiled, and he smiled back, adding, "And because I love you. I'd die if anything...anything happened to you." Joey leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "Get some rest, I'll come check on you later." And with that, he left, leaving her even more confused. He loved her? She'd have to investigate later.

The idea of Joey...of her and Joey...excited her, and at the same time freaked her out a bit. She shook her head and closed her eyes, leaning into her pillows and falling asleep.

On the other side of the door, Joey was freaking himself out. What did he just do? It wasn't a lie; he did love her. He'd always loved her...and had done a pretty good job of keeping it from her. Until now. Now, she knew.