Thanks for all the nice reviews guys! And I know you must hate me because I keep saying this, but I will update more often! The story is almost finished now (only one more Part to write, and the ending is done) so I can just update, without having to actually write anything. But I was thinking, do you think Monica really did it? If not, who do you think it was? Answers on a postcard please :P

While You Were Sleeping

Part 12

No

They couldn't decide

The waiting was not over

It would never be over

Monica stood aside as the guards positioned themselves next to here. She didn't speak as they led her back down, towards her cell. She couldn't breath. She blamed the men and women. They should have known. They shouldn't have told her they couldn't decide. They should have made their decision and told her, she needed to know. She couldn't stand the waiting anymore. The pain of falling asleep every night without her husband by her side. Never knowing when she'd see him again.

"Miss Geller. Follow me"

Those were the only words they spoke to her that day. The guards whom she now saw more than her own family didn't even speak to her now. They all knew she'd done it. They all knew she was a murderer. They all knew how she'd followed them back down. Taken a gun and shot them all. Sparing Ross for reasons even she didn't know. She'd –

Stop it!

She was innocent. She was she was she was she was she was

Almost without her knowledge, Monica found herself back in her cell. The cell she now expected to become her home. In the four months she had been here, very little had changed. The duvet was cleaner. The toiletries and various books, remnants of Ross' earlier visits, now nonexistent, were arranged alphabetically. Apart from that nothing in this room told her that she lived here. Nothing screamed out her name, her voice, her identity. It was bare. It would always be bare. Monica knew that, if nothing else.

She lay down without knowing what she was doing. Her muscles wouldn't work any more tonight. Not after today. Not when all hope was gone. All she could wish for now was a quiet night. A night where the screams couldn't get to her.

Ross walked down the corridor for the first time in almost two months. Even in that time nothing had changed. He hadn't expected it to. A place where they kept people like ... people like ... people like her. Well, it couldn't be too cheerful could it? After everything they'd done why did they deserve cheer? They get nice, brightly painted walls while he was left at home, grieving for his daughter, looking after his wife. Rachel was awake now. Still in hospital, unable to speak, but she was awake. He could gaze into her eyes once more. The doctors weren't sure if she'd ever speak again. Ross tried to push that thought to the back of his mind. She was alive. That was more than five people could say.

"Mr Geller, she's just down the end of the corridor. You know the way?"

Ross nodded and mumbled that he did. He doubted he would ever forget this corridor. And the room at the end of it as long as he lived.

He followed the guard's outstretched arm anyway, keeping to the right all the time. When he reached the end he saw her, lying face up on her bed. He felt his anger rise as he saw how she slept. How she could find a release when all he heard were screams. Lives. Struggles. He fought the urge to yell at her, shout, scream. The way she had made them. But he knew, deep down inside, that that would solve nothing. Swallowing harshly he whispered her name,

"Monica"

and then louder,

"Monica"

before shouting it at her, his anger rapidly rising,

"MONICA!"

She woke up then. He stared down at her, still standing. The officer had offered him a private room where they could talk. It wasn't necessary. He wasn't staying long.

"Ross!" he heard her exclaim, she seemed pleased to see him, "What are you ... ? What are you doing here?"

He swallowed again, "I'm not staying long. I just thought you should know we buried Phoebe today. Rachel couldn't stand it. She's awake now. Can't remember anything about it. Joey and Chandler are still in hospital. Chandler's getting better. He should come off the sedation soon. But," his voice cracked, "But, they don't think Joey will ever wake up. He's being kept alive by the machines now. I just thought you should know". He made to walk away.

"Ross! Wait!"

Against his better judgement. Against the voice inside his head telling him to go. Leave. Walk away now. Against all his instincts, he turned around. He knew after this he would never see her again. No matter which way the Jury went, he couldn't cope with that doubt that would always be in the back of his mind. But no matter what that doubt told him, he couldn't change her being his sister, his children's aunt. He stared at her, waiting for her to speak.

"Ross. I ... I don't know what to say," she paused, "I'm innocent. I couldn't hurt them. You know that. I couldn't ... I loved," she corrected herself, "I love them. I love them all. Ross please don't leave me here. Please"

He saw the tears fill her eyes and in a moment of weakness, or compassion. To this day he isn't sure which, he reached through the bars and held her hand. Held it until she was cried out. Until now more tears could fall. He them calmly walked away. And closed another chapter of his life.