Chapter 1: The One After Chandler's Toe

December 20, 1988 -- Ross and Chandler's Dorm Room

"You sure you don't want to spend the break with me, man?" Ross asked.

Chandler, looking depressed, shook his head, while he piled shirts into a duffel bag. "No, thanks. I think I've seen enough of your family for a lifetime." He paused, glancing at Ross, before continuing. "Well, your psycho sister anyway."

"My sister isn't a…" Ross started, but then stopped. Monica wasn't a psycho, but he couldn't really blame Chandler for thinking so. Heck, he was lucky Chandler was still willing to be his friend after what had happened. Of course, if Chandler ever learned that he was the source of the Sir Limpsalot jokes, that may no longer be the case.

"Monica isn't so bad once you get to know her. She just gets all weird around other people. She hasn't had a lot of friends." Ross finally said.

"I know, I know. Poor Monica. She had no friends cause she looked like a whale!" Chandler replied. He cringed a little, embarrassed about being so cruel, but man - she cut off his toe!

"Hey!" Ross responded, just as there was a knock at the door.

He opened it and the object of their discussion walked in. "Hi, I ran ahead. I needed a break from Mom and Dad," Monica said, her breathing a little bit heavy from the run.

Ross gave her a hug and then went back to packing. Monica glanced around the room and caught Chandler's eye. Damn! When she had decided to escape her parents for a few minutes, she had completely forgotten about Chandler. "Hi," she mumbled, not sure exactly what to say. They hadn't spoken at all since the ill-fated toe incident. He had understandably been angry at her for it, and hadn't spoken to her the rest of his visit. As a result, she hadn't said anymore to him than repeated apologies.

Seeing him again made her remember how badly she felt and at the same time vaguely annoyed. The whole point was to embarrass him and somehow she had become the embarrassed one again.

Chandler nodded at her and turned back to his packing, a clear scowl on his face.

"What are you doing over the break, Chandler?" Monica asked. If anyone had been paying attention to her, they would have noticed her hands grasping the blanket on Ross' bed tightly, but as it was neither Ross nor Chandler were paying enough attention to pick up on the signs of her nervousness.

Chandler grunted in response, then glancing at her suddenly exploded, "Look, don't try to be polite with me, okay! You friggin' cut off my toe!"

He stood for a moment glaring at her and nothing was said. Ross had halted packing and was just watching them. Monica, her eyes still on Chandler, whispered, "I know. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Turning around to grab a pile of socks, Chandler muttered back, "Well, sorry doesn't bring my toe back."

He turned back around to put his socks in the duffel bag and caught sight of Monica's face, her eyes full of tears. He didn't care. She deserved it.

The first tear fell down her cheek and Monica rose just as the door to the room opened. Judy walked in with Jack behind. With one look at her daughter's face, Judy exclaimed, "For goodness sake, Monica. Stop that blubbering!" Then turning to Ross, she walked over to give him a hug. "Oh, Ross, it will be so nice to have you home for awhile."

Chandler watched as Monica walked from the room, tears now falling continuously from her eyes. But he didn't care. She was a psycho and he didn't want any part of her.

May 18, 1991 -- Ross and Chandler's Dorm Room

The knock at the door caused both boys to jump up. Chandler reached the door first. "Oh, it's for you," he grumbled at Ross.

"Oh, Jack, the boy who hates Thanksgiving is here, too." Judy called to her husband, who was following behind her.

"Of course, Chandler's here, Mom. We live together," Ross said, rolling his eyes as his family came in.

"Oh, Ross, we're so proud of you!" Judy exclaimed, engulfing him in a hug. As always, the instant his mom doted on him, Ross forgot to behave in any way resembling mature and gave a goofy grin. "Oh, Mom, it's no big deal… Although, I am graduating summa cum laude."

"Of course you are, dear," Judy exclaimed. "We're so proud of you." There was a slight pause while she turned to glance at Monica. "We'll be lucky if your sister even graduates."

It was hours later after this pathetic display of favoritism that history as Chandler Bing knew it changed dramatically. He was at his last college party, feeling pretty darn good, but not yet completely wasted, and it had been awhile since he'd seen Ross, although he suspected Ross and Carol had gone off for some private celebrating. This would have been fine, and of no consequence to Chandler, if he had gone straight to get another bottle of beer as he had planned. But he did not. He really should have.

But instead, he took a fast look around the room beforehand. And saw something that made his stomach turn. There in the corner stood Monica, or The Toe Amputator, as Chandler was fond of calling her in his head, talking to Matthew Bursten. Ross had been the one to invite Moncia to the party. Which would have been fine if Ross had not gone off with Carol and Monica had chosen to talk to anyone but Matthew Bursten. Chandler could have ignored her presence entirely. Still could, really.

The only problem, and it was a small one, was that gold ole Matt was sort of known for chatting up girls at parties and then convincing them to do things they never seemed all that happy to have done later. With a deep sigh, Chandler wandered over to the pair just in time to hear Matthew say to Monica, "Look I'm only telling you this cause I really like you. You're a great girl, and if you don't wanna, you don't wanna. But if you don't… well, no one is gonna want to hang out with you. No boys, anyway. I mean really, what's the point?"

Monica looked doubtful for a second, but then said, "Well, if you really want to." Her voice was more unsure, but Chandler could hear that same tone to it he had heard years ago, "Hey Chandler, I can make you macaroni and cheese if you want". She was eager to please. And with Matthew Bursten, just a little eager to please was too much.

Matthew grinned as he took Monica's arm. "Let me show you to my room," he said, just as Chandler reached out and grabbed Monica's other arm.

"Monica, Ross is looking for you," he said.

Monica looked at him in surprise. Chandler hadn't spoken to her in years. They had studiously avoided each other's existence since the time she had come with her parents to pick up Ross for winter break right after the toe incident.

His voice a little firmer, Chandler continued, "I really think we should go or he'll be worried."

Matthew gave him a warning glance, before turning to Monica, "You're a grown up, you can do whatever you want. You don't have to go with him."

"Yes, that's true. You are an adult and you can do whatever you want, and any guy who won't like you just cause there's something you don't want to do isn't a guy who deserves you," Chandler replied.

Matthew's warning glance turned into one of pure hatred.

Monica continued to look at Chandler inquisitively and finally backed away from Matthew. "I should go find Ross," she said and Matthew, throwing a disgusted glance her way, walked towards the next unsuspecting victim.

"I don't know where he is," Chandler said. "I guess I just wanted to get you away from that creep."

"But he liked me?" Monica tried to sound certain, but there was a clear question in her words.

"No, he did not. He liked the way you looked and what he thought he could do with you. Monica, trust me, I'm not you're biggest fan, but you're attractive and Ross tells me you're smart and nice, so lots of other guys are going to like you." Glancing at her face, he saw her doubt and so impulsively added, "Despite what your mother tells you or what you think based on what a bunch of idiot guys in high school said to you just cause you needed to lose a little bit of weight. How you've survived before now without figuring this out is beyond me."

The tears fell down Monica's cheeks again, and she moved to leave the party. Chandler followed. "Go back to the dorm, okay?" he asked her. She nodded and so he continued, "And try not to feel the need to please every guy who seems to like you, but only the ones you want to cause they're actually nice to you for more than a few seconds."

"Thanks," Monica mumbled, before continuing on her way.

Chandler went back to the party shaking his head. He was glad that now that he was graduating, he'd never have to see her again.

To Be Continued…