Chapter 17
Someone like you
Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with fends
~*~
As Chandler hurtled himself out onto the caus grounds, fighting for breath due to his over use of energy, he noticed the emptiness and the eerie silenc envelope him. He turned his head in every feasible direction, but Phoebe was nowhere to be seen.
He took a sharp intake of cold, crisp New York winter air and becan to scream.
"PHOEBE!" He started to run forward, down the grass verge onto the concrete road that led down into the city.
"PHOEBE!" He couldn't run any more. He was worn out, and it showed on his face. His body bent double, and he rested his hands on his knees as he felt like his lungs would collapse at any minute.
"Phoebe!" This time his scream was barely a whisper as the oxygen levels remained low.
Tears of frustration poured from his eyes as he realised it was his mind playing tricks on him after all. She had never been there in the first place, and he had just got his hopes up, only to be let down.
Deep down he had known it was too good to be true, and that there was no way it really could have been her; she didn't know where he lived. But in his heart he had wanted to believe it, and for a minute he did. But now all he had in his heart was sadness yet again.
Once the air had returned to his depleted lungs he sat himself down on the grass and stared up into the starry black sky, its darkness stretching for eternity. The moon's light cast a shadow all around him as he gazed up, mesmerised and deep in thought.
"Please God keep her safe," He whispered his words, but the impact they had on him was great. He knew she was in danger on the streets. Any 18 year old who was all alone would be, but that night he had met her he had felt a vulnerability in her, and he just hoped someone was watching over and keeping her from harms way, until the day he was able to hold her once again in his arms and protect her for himself.
~*~
Phoebe wandered around in the near darkness, a little fearful of the unknown surroundings. The tall buildings made her feel tiny, their hugeness and unfamiliarity encasing her like a black cloud.
She had taken a wrong turning a second before, and now she had no idea how to get back towards the main entrance where the taxi had dropped her off. She felt safe and comfortable back there where it was well lit, but here in the passageway between two dorm buildings it was cold, dark and extremely frightening.
Suddenly the silence was broken and she swivelled around to see who had shouted her name. She could have sworn her name had been called in the distance, but there was no one around her.
She wanted to scream back that she was there, but she stopped herself. It was all in her imagination she convinced herself. No one here knew her, so they couldn't possibly be shouting on her. Even if she wished they would.
She was cold, tired, hungry and lost. She longed for a hot meal, and a cosy bed to curl up in. But most of all she longed to find her way; her way to Chandler and into his comforting arms.
As time ticked by and her hope faded she lay herself down on a nearby wall and curled into a tight ball to try and retain heat. She would spend the night and try searching again in the morning when there was more light. But for now she had to allow herself to sleep.
Her eyes closed over and she began to drift off the minute her head rested on the stone bricked wall. Just before sleep took over she made herself a solemn promise that she would never give up her search for the man she loved. She had come too far now to go back to Tony.
But maybe she would have no choice. He had told her his eyes were everywhere, and no matter where she went he would be one step behind her, and he meant every word he said.
He knew where she was right now, and he planned to get her back.
~*~
"Joey I don't know why you felt the need to hide your past from me. We're a couple and couples should tell each other stuff like that. We shouldn't be afraid of each other's judgment. Nothing could make me think less of you sweetie."
Monica and Joey had been seated on the wall having a heart to heart for the last 2 hours. Joey had told Monica the full story about his sister Tina, and all the family problems that had stemmed from her disappearance. While Monica opened her heart about her days of being overweight, and how she always felt unloved and unwanted by her family, especially her Mom, who always treated her like a second class citizen, even now that she had lost over a 100 pounds.
Once both had shared their life stories each felt a huge burden had been lifted from their shoulders, and the loving bond they had together suddenly felt a lot stronger than it ever did.
"I love you Monica and always will. You're the best thing that ever happened to me. Nothing in my life has ever gone right, until I met you and all of a sudden it feels like none of that stuff matters anymore. With you around I feel like my life is complete, and I can achieve anything I put my mind to. I need you Mon, I never want anything to come between us again, no matter how large or small the problem is we have to talk it through the way we did tonight." Joey's words were so heartfelt it almost reduced both of them to tears. When Monica had first started to date him she imagined him to be the classic good-looking idiot male, but tonight just proved to her how wrong she had been. Joey had depths to him that had for too long been unexplored but somehow she had gotten to the bottom of them.
"What If I get fat again? Will you still love me then?" Monica knew whatever fate threw at them they would cope with it together, but her weight problems had had plagued her for the majority of her childhood and teen years. No man in his right mind had ever batted an eyelid at her before Joey had come along, let alone loved her and that fear, the fear of being the outcast chubby girl was still very much buried deep within her and probably always would be for as long as she let it.
Even now that she had slimmed down to a size she was comfortable with on the outside that fat girl she loathed still lived on inside her. She was still Monica, the little girl whose favourite toys was her easy bake oven and whose favourite food was double chocolate Oreo's. That would never change, and he would never change. But as long as Joey was by her side she could learn to deal with it. But what if he couldn't deal with it?
"Mon, you really have to believe that I would love you no matter what you looked like. You could turn into the incredible hulk overnight and I would still be proud to have you by my side!" Normally she wouldn't have believed it, but Joey was so sincere she knew he was telling the truth.
"You're my Incredible Hulk!" She gave his bicep a squeeze and they both laughed heartily before stopping for a short, soft kiss.
"Come on, let's get you back to the party where it's warmer. You'll catch a cold if you stay out here in that dress any longer!" He clasped her hand in his and entwined their fingers together as they walked side-by-side back to the dorms.
"Hey look!" Monica stopped abruptly as she spotted someone lying asleep on the wall, around the corner from where they had just been sitting.
"What?" Joey followed her gaze and paused along with her.
"Whoa, she must have been really drunk and passed out!" They both stood and stared in awe at a sound asleep Phoebe.
"Should we help her?" Monica looked up at her boyfriend hoping he would have the answer.
"We should probably just let her sleep it off." He continued to walk, but Monica, still holding his hand yanked him back.
"But its freezing out here, you said it yourself, and look, she's wearing less clothes than I am. That tiny little top and skirt are barely covering an inch of skin. She'll die of Pneumonia if we leave her out here all night. Plus its too dangerous with so many drunk guys wandering around campus, anything could happen to her!"
"You're probably right, but if I lift her and she wakes up and punches me in a drunken rage thinking im a pervert." Monica giggled lovingly.
"I promise I'll explain to her and accept full responsibility." They exchanged smiles before Joey headed towards the sleeping girl whom he didn't recognise, but this didn't bother him. NYU was a huge place and he didn't know every last person that studied there.
He manoeuvred himself as quietly as was possible and lifted her up gently into his strong arms lie she was a baby, trying his best not to wake her. She stirred only slightly at the sudden movement before resting her head against his muscular chest.
"Be careful!" Monica watched the scene, cringing the whole time in case he accidentally dropped the intoxicated stranger.
"She's as light as a feather Mon! I don't think she's eaten in weeks. I can feel her bones digging into me," He scrunched up his face in disgust, but he couldn't help ut feel shocked at her weightlessness.
"She's got to be under a 100 pounds, at least"
Monica looked equally as appalled as Joey did at the idea of someone being so thin. She had though she herself was a little too thin at 115 pounds, but this girls body was just dreadful.
"Do you think she's ill?" Monica raced behind Joey, her heels making it hard to keep up with his pace as he rushed up the stairs back into the midst of the party.
"Nah, but it explains why she got drunk so quickly," Monica nodded in agreement, but she had a niggling feeling that something was right with this girl, but she couldn't explain it so therefore she ignored it.
As they reached the top floor the commotion in the hallway halted them.
"What the hell!" The two stood dumbfounded at the sight that met them.
"MONICA! HELP!" Rachel spotted them coming through the swing doors and ran desperately toward them, quickly eyeing the unconscious girl in Joey's arms before returning her attentions to her best friend.
"Monica, you have to come quickly. Its Jason and Ross, their killing each other outside Cynthia's room!"
Monica turned to look at Joey, who returned her looks of fear.
"You go with Rachel and I'll go find a bed to put this girl into. I'll be right behind you!" Monica and Rachel ran off to the right while Joey turned to his left and opened the first closed over door he came to.
He gently placed Phoebe down on the bed and ran back out of the room, switching off the light and closing the door behind him as he went.
It wasn't long before he had caught up with the girls, who were now working themselves into quite a state at the sight of their boyfriend, and brother throwing punches at each other, drenched in blood, their knuckles cut down to the bone.
"HEY! QUIT IT!" Joey elbowed a crowed of guys out of the way and dived in between the two, who were still brawling. He forcefully pulled the breathless pair apart, and held them at arms length away from each other.
"WHAT THE HELLS THIS ALL ABOUT!" Joey shouted at them while they both shamefully looked down at their feet. Neither could answer Joey's question/
"Look at the state you've got the girls in! I think an apology is in order, don't you!" Joey kept his hold on both of them along with a watchful eye to make sure there was no repeat episode of the antics before.
"I'm sorry," Ross looked Rachel directly in the eye as best he could through the swelling that was worsening by the minute.
She burst into tears, thankful that he was okay, and gave him a nod to let him know she accepted his apology.
"Your turn!" Joey tugged Jason's arm vehemently to show him he meant business.
"I'm not gonna apologise for something I didn't start!" Jason pulled himself from Joey's grip and walked towards Rachel.
"You pushed me too far. I would never have cheated if you hadn't made me do it. You're a frigid little bitch, and I never want to set eyes on you again!" Jason stormed back into Cynthia's room, dragging her with him and slammed the door.
Rachel could hardly believe her ears as she watched him disappear. As far as she was concerned she had never been frigid in her life, but at the same time she knew she held back a lot during sex, unable to allow herself to be as adventurous and liberated as Jason wanted her to be. But he had never complained to her about it before, this revelation was news to her.
"Don't listen to him Rach!" Ross wrapped his bloody hand around her shoulder and pulled her into his battered chest.
The massive crowd had no dispersed back to their rooms to finish off the party leaving just Monica, Rachel, Joey and Ross alone in the hall.
Monica nodded to Joey to tell him to leave with her, giving Ross and Rachel alone time to talk.
They snuck off to Mon' room, leaving their friends still hugging each other outside Ross' room.
"This is the worst night of my life!" Rachel cried freely into Ross' torn shirt.
"Yeah, well it's not exactly been a fun night for me either,"
Rachel broke away and looked up at his bruised face.
"I'm so sorry Ross, here I am going on about how I'm feeling when its all my fault you got into this fight in the first place. Look at the state of your face! Is it sore?" She brushed her hand lightly over his cheek and he winced in pain.
"Let me help you get cleaned up," She placed her hand around his wrist as his hand was too badly swollen to touch and led him into his empty bedroom.
He sat himself down on his bed and watched Rachel with enthusiasm as she filled a bowl with boiling water and lifted a clean towel from the cupboard next to the sink.
"I know this is a cliché, but this is gonna hurt," Both smiled awkwardly, but it hurt Ross so much he had to straighten his face again.
Rachel wet the edge of the towel and gently dabbed around his left eye, which had taken the brunt of Jason's punches.
"Argh, your damned right that's sore!" He screwed his face up into a scowl as she continued to wipe away the crusted blood, moving from his eye, down his cheek and onto the side of his lips.
He was now silent and bearing the agony as their eyes locked, intently staring at each other like it was the first time they had seen one another and in a way it was.
Ross had never seen Rachel think of someone other than herself before without there being something in it for her at the end of her good deed. Tonight it was like her selfish ways had disappeared the minute Jason has broken all ties with her, his hold no longer on her.
He had freed her, and her true personality was shining through.
Rachel could feel it too. For the first time in her life she wanted to help someone who really needed it, rather than allowing someone else to aid because she had too much on her mind, or was too busy to lend a hand.
Ross was her friend, but she had always seen him as a geeky 2nd year, who only had a social life thanks to her and her friends. If it hadn't been for her he would be in the study hall right now. But tonight he had proved to her he was more than that. He had put all his fears aside for her and jumped to her defence when she needed it most. He had saved her unconditionally. Never for one-minute caring if he was severely hurt, as long as she wasn't.
She halted her hand at his lips and let the towel drop from her hand, their eyes never leaving their longing gaze. She leaned in so close to him she could feel his light breaths on her face.
She was terrified about what she was about to do, but somehow it felt so right, despite the circumstances that had led them here. She lightly brushed her lips against his, scared he would reject her, and scared she would be hurting him. But this time he never flinched once. Instead he returned her kiss, the pain he told himself was worth it.
He had waited for this moment for his entire life, and he was damned sure he wasn't going to mess it up in any way.
~*~
Chandler opened his eyes, and once again he was greeted with the night sky before his eyes.
He had fallen asleep on the grass, and a light rainfall had awoken him. He stood up, and ran quickly back into his building before he got soaked through to the skin.
The quietness of the top floor dorm amazed him. The party had died down since he had been outside, and he was more than grateful for the silence. All he wanted to do now was slip into his warm bed and forget all about tonight and its events. Tomorrow would be a fresh start for him. The day he would try and regain the life he had before he had met Phoebe.
As he reached his room he pried open the door and tried to let his eyes adjust to the darkness. He slipped of his clothes, leaving on his under garments and slid with ease into his bed. But as his body hit the mattress he realised he wasn't alone
Someone else was in his bed.
He jumped up and ran towards the light switch. His eyes squinted at the sudden brightness, but there was no mistaking what he was seeing this time. There she was, tucked up soundly in his bed.
Phoebe.
~*~
Please leave a review and let me know what you think. :o) Thanks in advance.
Someone like you
Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with fends
~*~
As Chandler hurtled himself out onto the caus grounds, fighting for breath due to his over use of energy, he noticed the emptiness and the eerie silenc envelope him. He turned his head in every feasible direction, but Phoebe was nowhere to be seen.
He took a sharp intake of cold, crisp New York winter air and becan to scream.
"PHOEBE!" He started to run forward, down the grass verge onto the concrete road that led down into the city.
"PHOEBE!" He couldn't run any more. He was worn out, and it showed on his face. His body bent double, and he rested his hands on his knees as he felt like his lungs would collapse at any minute.
"Phoebe!" This time his scream was barely a whisper as the oxygen levels remained low.
Tears of frustration poured from his eyes as he realised it was his mind playing tricks on him after all. She had never been there in the first place, and he had just got his hopes up, only to be let down.
Deep down he had known it was too good to be true, and that there was no way it really could have been her; she didn't know where he lived. But in his heart he had wanted to believe it, and for a minute he did. But now all he had in his heart was sadness yet again.
Once the air had returned to his depleted lungs he sat himself down on the grass and stared up into the starry black sky, its darkness stretching for eternity. The moon's light cast a shadow all around him as he gazed up, mesmerised and deep in thought.
"Please God keep her safe," He whispered his words, but the impact they had on him was great. He knew she was in danger on the streets. Any 18 year old who was all alone would be, but that night he had met her he had felt a vulnerability in her, and he just hoped someone was watching over and keeping her from harms way, until the day he was able to hold her once again in his arms and protect her for himself.
~*~
Phoebe wandered around in the near darkness, a little fearful of the unknown surroundings. The tall buildings made her feel tiny, their hugeness and unfamiliarity encasing her like a black cloud.
She had taken a wrong turning a second before, and now she had no idea how to get back towards the main entrance where the taxi had dropped her off. She felt safe and comfortable back there where it was well lit, but here in the passageway between two dorm buildings it was cold, dark and extremely frightening.
Suddenly the silence was broken and she swivelled around to see who had shouted her name. She could have sworn her name had been called in the distance, but there was no one around her.
She wanted to scream back that she was there, but she stopped herself. It was all in her imagination she convinced herself. No one here knew her, so they couldn't possibly be shouting on her. Even if she wished they would.
She was cold, tired, hungry and lost. She longed for a hot meal, and a cosy bed to curl up in. But most of all she longed to find her way; her way to Chandler and into his comforting arms.
As time ticked by and her hope faded she lay herself down on a nearby wall and curled into a tight ball to try and retain heat. She would spend the night and try searching again in the morning when there was more light. But for now she had to allow herself to sleep.
Her eyes closed over and she began to drift off the minute her head rested on the stone bricked wall. Just before sleep took over she made herself a solemn promise that she would never give up her search for the man she loved. She had come too far now to go back to Tony.
But maybe she would have no choice. He had told her his eyes were everywhere, and no matter where she went he would be one step behind her, and he meant every word he said.
He knew where she was right now, and he planned to get her back.
~*~
"Joey I don't know why you felt the need to hide your past from me. We're a couple and couples should tell each other stuff like that. We shouldn't be afraid of each other's judgment. Nothing could make me think less of you sweetie."
Monica and Joey had been seated on the wall having a heart to heart for the last 2 hours. Joey had told Monica the full story about his sister Tina, and all the family problems that had stemmed from her disappearance. While Monica opened her heart about her days of being overweight, and how she always felt unloved and unwanted by her family, especially her Mom, who always treated her like a second class citizen, even now that she had lost over a 100 pounds.
Once both had shared their life stories each felt a huge burden had been lifted from their shoulders, and the loving bond they had together suddenly felt a lot stronger than it ever did.
"I love you Monica and always will. You're the best thing that ever happened to me. Nothing in my life has ever gone right, until I met you and all of a sudden it feels like none of that stuff matters anymore. With you around I feel like my life is complete, and I can achieve anything I put my mind to. I need you Mon, I never want anything to come between us again, no matter how large or small the problem is we have to talk it through the way we did tonight." Joey's words were so heartfelt it almost reduced both of them to tears. When Monica had first started to date him she imagined him to be the classic good-looking idiot male, but tonight just proved to her how wrong she had been. Joey had depths to him that had for too long been unexplored but somehow she had gotten to the bottom of them.
"What If I get fat again? Will you still love me then?" Monica knew whatever fate threw at them they would cope with it together, but her weight problems had had plagued her for the majority of her childhood and teen years. No man in his right mind had ever batted an eyelid at her before Joey had come along, let alone loved her and that fear, the fear of being the outcast chubby girl was still very much buried deep within her and probably always would be for as long as she let it.
Even now that she had slimmed down to a size she was comfortable with on the outside that fat girl she loathed still lived on inside her. She was still Monica, the little girl whose favourite toys was her easy bake oven and whose favourite food was double chocolate Oreo's. That would never change, and he would never change. But as long as Joey was by her side she could learn to deal with it. But what if he couldn't deal with it?
"Mon, you really have to believe that I would love you no matter what you looked like. You could turn into the incredible hulk overnight and I would still be proud to have you by my side!" Normally she wouldn't have believed it, but Joey was so sincere she knew he was telling the truth.
"You're my Incredible Hulk!" She gave his bicep a squeeze and they both laughed heartily before stopping for a short, soft kiss.
"Come on, let's get you back to the party where it's warmer. You'll catch a cold if you stay out here in that dress any longer!" He clasped her hand in his and entwined their fingers together as they walked side-by-side back to the dorms.
"Hey look!" Monica stopped abruptly as she spotted someone lying asleep on the wall, around the corner from where they had just been sitting.
"What?" Joey followed her gaze and paused along with her.
"Whoa, she must have been really drunk and passed out!" They both stood and stared in awe at a sound asleep Phoebe.
"Should we help her?" Monica looked up at her boyfriend hoping he would have the answer.
"We should probably just let her sleep it off." He continued to walk, but Monica, still holding his hand yanked him back.
"But its freezing out here, you said it yourself, and look, she's wearing less clothes than I am. That tiny little top and skirt are barely covering an inch of skin. She'll die of Pneumonia if we leave her out here all night. Plus its too dangerous with so many drunk guys wandering around campus, anything could happen to her!"
"You're probably right, but if I lift her and she wakes up and punches me in a drunken rage thinking im a pervert." Monica giggled lovingly.
"I promise I'll explain to her and accept full responsibility." They exchanged smiles before Joey headed towards the sleeping girl whom he didn't recognise, but this didn't bother him. NYU was a huge place and he didn't know every last person that studied there.
He manoeuvred himself as quietly as was possible and lifted her up gently into his strong arms lie she was a baby, trying his best not to wake her. She stirred only slightly at the sudden movement before resting her head against his muscular chest.
"Be careful!" Monica watched the scene, cringing the whole time in case he accidentally dropped the intoxicated stranger.
"She's as light as a feather Mon! I don't think she's eaten in weeks. I can feel her bones digging into me," He scrunched up his face in disgust, but he couldn't help ut feel shocked at her weightlessness.
"She's got to be under a 100 pounds, at least"
Monica looked equally as appalled as Joey did at the idea of someone being so thin. She had though she herself was a little too thin at 115 pounds, but this girls body was just dreadful.
"Do you think she's ill?" Monica raced behind Joey, her heels making it hard to keep up with his pace as he rushed up the stairs back into the midst of the party.
"Nah, but it explains why she got drunk so quickly," Monica nodded in agreement, but she had a niggling feeling that something was right with this girl, but she couldn't explain it so therefore she ignored it.
As they reached the top floor the commotion in the hallway halted them.
"What the hell!" The two stood dumbfounded at the sight that met them.
"MONICA! HELP!" Rachel spotted them coming through the swing doors and ran desperately toward them, quickly eyeing the unconscious girl in Joey's arms before returning her attentions to her best friend.
"Monica, you have to come quickly. Its Jason and Ross, their killing each other outside Cynthia's room!"
Monica turned to look at Joey, who returned her looks of fear.
"You go with Rachel and I'll go find a bed to put this girl into. I'll be right behind you!" Monica and Rachel ran off to the right while Joey turned to his left and opened the first closed over door he came to.
He gently placed Phoebe down on the bed and ran back out of the room, switching off the light and closing the door behind him as he went.
It wasn't long before he had caught up with the girls, who were now working themselves into quite a state at the sight of their boyfriend, and brother throwing punches at each other, drenched in blood, their knuckles cut down to the bone.
"HEY! QUIT IT!" Joey elbowed a crowed of guys out of the way and dived in between the two, who were still brawling. He forcefully pulled the breathless pair apart, and held them at arms length away from each other.
"WHAT THE HELLS THIS ALL ABOUT!" Joey shouted at them while they both shamefully looked down at their feet. Neither could answer Joey's question/
"Look at the state you've got the girls in! I think an apology is in order, don't you!" Joey kept his hold on both of them along with a watchful eye to make sure there was no repeat episode of the antics before.
"I'm sorry," Ross looked Rachel directly in the eye as best he could through the swelling that was worsening by the minute.
She burst into tears, thankful that he was okay, and gave him a nod to let him know she accepted his apology.
"Your turn!" Joey tugged Jason's arm vehemently to show him he meant business.
"I'm not gonna apologise for something I didn't start!" Jason pulled himself from Joey's grip and walked towards Rachel.
"You pushed me too far. I would never have cheated if you hadn't made me do it. You're a frigid little bitch, and I never want to set eyes on you again!" Jason stormed back into Cynthia's room, dragging her with him and slammed the door.
Rachel could hardly believe her ears as she watched him disappear. As far as she was concerned she had never been frigid in her life, but at the same time she knew she held back a lot during sex, unable to allow herself to be as adventurous and liberated as Jason wanted her to be. But he had never complained to her about it before, this revelation was news to her.
"Don't listen to him Rach!" Ross wrapped his bloody hand around her shoulder and pulled her into his battered chest.
The massive crowd had no dispersed back to their rooms to finish off the party leaving just Monica, Rachel, Joey and Ross alone in the hall.
Monica nodded to Joey to tell him to leave with her, giving Ross and Rachel alone time to talk.
They snuck off to Mon' room, leaving their friends still hugging each other outside Ross' room.
"This is the worst night of my life!" Rachel cried freely into Ross' torn shirt.
"Yeah, well it's not exactly been a fun night for me either,"
Rachel broke away and looked up at his bruised face.
"I'm so sorry Ross, here I am going on about how I'm feeling when its all my fault you got into this fight in the first place. Look at the state of your face! Is it sore?" She brushed her hand lightly over his cheek and he winced in pain.
"Let me help you get cleaned up," She placed her hand around his wrist as his hand was too badly swollen to touch and led him into his empty bedroom.
He sat himself down on his bed and watched Rachel with enthusiasm as she filled a bowl with boiling water and lifted a clean towel from the cupboard next to the sink.
"I know this is a cliché, but this is gonna hurt," Both smiled awkwardly, but it hurt Ross so much he had to straighten his face again.
Rachel wet the edge of the towel and gently dabbed around his left eye, which had taken the brunt of Jason's punches.
"Argh, your damned right that's sore!" He screwed his face up into a scowl as she continued to wipe away the crusted blood, moving from his eye, down his cheek and onto the side of his lips.
He was now silent and bearing the agony as their eyes locked, intently staring at each other like it was the first time they had seen one another and in a way it was.
Ross had never seen Rachel think of someone other than herself before without there being something in it for her at the end of her good deed. Tonight it was like her selfish ways had disappeared the minute Jason has broken all ties with her, his hold no longer on her.
He had freed her, and her true personality was shining through.
Rachel could feel it too. For the first time in her life she wanted to help someone who really needed it, rather than allowing someone else to aid because she had too much on her mind, or was too busy to lend a hand.
Ross was her friend, but she had always seen him as a geeky 2nd year, who only had a social life thanks to her and her friends. If it hadn't been for her he would be in the study hall right now. But tonight he had proved to her he was more than that. He had put all his fears aside for her and jumped to her defence when she needed it most. He had saved her unconditionally. Never for one-minute caring if he was severely hurt, as long as she wasn't.
She halted her hand at his lips and let the towel drop from her hand, their eyes never leaving their longing gaze. She leaned in so close to him she could feel his light breaths on her face.
She was terrified about what she was about to do, but somehow it felt so right, despite the circumstances that had led them here. She lightly brushed her lips against his, scared he would reject her, and scared she would be hurting him. But this time he never flinched once. Instead he returned her kiss, the pain he told himself was worth it.
He had waited for this moment for his entire life, and he was damned sure he wasn't going to mess it up in any way.
~*~
Chandler opened his eyes, and once again he was greeted with the night sky before his eyes.
He had fallen asleep on the grass, and a light rainfall had awoken him. He stood up, and ran quickly back into his building before he got soaked through to the skin.
The quietness of the top floor dorm amazed him. The party had died down since he had been outside, and he was more than grateful for the silence. All he wanted to do now was slip into his warm bed and forget all about tonight and its events. Tomorrow would be a fresh start for him. The day he would try and regain the life he had before he had met Phoebe.
As he reached his room he pried open the door and tried to let his eyes adjust to the darkness. He slipped of his clothes, leaving on his under garments and slid with ease into his bed. But as his body hit the mattress he realised he wasn't alone
Someone else was in his bed.
He jumped up and ran towards the light switch. His eyes squinted at the sudden brightness, but there was no mistaking what he was seeing this time. There she was, tucked up soundly in his bed.
Phoebe.
~*~
Please leave a review and let me know what you think. :o) Thanks in advance.