New York

Monica, Chandler, Joey and Phoebe waited anxiously for Ross and Emily to return. And Rachel. They all knew that she was coming back on the same flight. What they didn't know was whether Emily had seen Rachel and if so, what she'd done about it.

'They couldn't have had a fight on the plane,' Chandler said.

'Why would they fight? If Emily has a fight with anyone, it's going to be Ross,' Joey said.

'I don't want them to fight,' Monica said. 'What if they got divorced? My brother would be divorced twice before he was thirty. And it doesn't have to happen.' If anything happened she would be really upset, and Rachel would have to take some of the blame. How could she choose to come back at the same time? But Rachel had pointed out that since the honeymoon was turning out so differently, Ross and Emily could easily have changed their flights anyway.

They saw Ross and Emily come through the departure gates carrying a ridiculous amount of luggage.

'Man, have you two put on weight or what?' Joey said in amazement. Ross and Emily started to strip.

Hey guys, you don't have to show us,' Chandler said, unnerved.

'We've got extra clothes on,' Emily explained. 'We just taking the extras off.'

I'm impressed,' Joey said, to Ross, How did you get two pairs of pants on?'

I'm not telling you that!' Ross said.

'Why did you wear all these clothes?' Monica asked as they started packing them in their bags. It looks so uncomfortable.'

'We were over the limit with our luggage. We bought a few things,' Ross said.

'Presents?' Joey asked as the others nudged him.

'Yeah, except for you Joey,' Ross said. 'Oh all right, and for you.'

'Can we go over to the chairs? I'm tired of standing,' Phoebe said, and they all moved over to the seats, except for Monica who was keeping an eye out for Rachel.

'There you are,' Monica said, hugging Rachel as she appeared. 'Are you okay?'

'I've been better. I had to hide on the plane under this stupid hat. Everyone stared at me, I looked like such a freak. Ross owes me big time.' Rachel took off the hat, folded it and stuffed it in a bin. Two seconds later, someone fished it out again and sped down the hall with it, whooping madly.

'No accounting for tastes,' Monica said.

'So what do we do next? What's the "get rid of Rachel plan" now?' Rachel asked crossly.

'Oh Rach,' Monica said.

'I'm tired Mon. I shouldn't have gone.'

'Never mind, you're home now.' They hugged again. 'I thought we could hide your stuff, you could say hello, like you've never been anywhere, and then Joey and Chandler could take your stuff to the cab rank when the others aren't looking, and Joey could take your stuff back. We could always say he'd met a girl. Meanwhile you're with the rest of us.'

'Okay,' Rachel said. Was she ready to see Emily? Well she was going to, ready or not. She could leave it until they were at Central Perk, or they could get it over with.

'Look,' Monica said, 'Rachel's finally arrived.'

'Hi Rachel,' Ross said. Monica made signs to Chandler.

'Hi Rachel,' Emily said. Chandler made puzzled, I-don't-know-what-you-mean signs to Monica.

'Hi Ross, Hi Emily,' said Rachel. Monica made impatient signs to Chandler. 'Did you have a good honeymoon?'

'Yeah,' Ross said, while Chandler's face wore the oh-I-get-it-now expression. 'We did a lot of sight seeing.'

'That's good,' Rachel said, while Chandler elbowed Joey.

'What?' Joey said. Everyone looked at him. 'Oh er nothing,' he said.

'Hey,' said Emily, 'There's a hat like the one in the plane.' She pointed to her left and while the others turned to look at the person running around in the sombrero, shrieking out Aye Carumba! Joey and Chandler picked up Rachel's bags and ducked into the crowd.

'Someone wore that on the plane?' Phoebe asked.

'Yes,' Emily said. It was really rather bizarre.'

'I've heard of cosmic radiation on flights but I wouldn't think that a straw hat would help much,' mused Phoebe.

'Where'd Chandler and Joey go?' Ross asked, looking around.

'After some girl,' Monica said. Emily shot her a look of inquiry, and she realised that she'd raised the possibility that Chandler might be equally interested in some other girl. 'I expect Chandler's just going along to see that Joey doesn't get himself into trouble.'

He'd certainly better be,' Emily said. That made Rachel, Ross and Phoebe shoot both Monica and Emily a look of inquiry, and Emily added, 'I suppose Joey doesn't want his present.'

'Oh he'll be back when he remembers,' Ross said. 'I think we should go back now, and we can have present giving at our apartment.'

'Except for this,' Emily said. 'I saw this in Athens and thought it would suit you.' To Ross's surprise, he realised that Emily was talking to handed over a small gold wrapped package. 'That whole business with the wedding can't have been nice for you either,' Emily said. 'With people talking and asking questions.' Dumbfounded, Rachel opened the parcel.

'Oh,' she said. She held up a gold pendant on a chain. Ross recognised it as one of the ones they'd been looking at in the jewellery shop.

'It's beautiful,' Monica said.

'We bought a lot of things for everyone else, and I couldn't think of what to get you,' Emily explained. 'And when I saw that, I thought it would be nice.'

'Thankyou Emily.' Rachel glanced briefly at Ross, who was looking as shocked as everyone else. She had hoped that despite it all, this gift had been from him, a special something between them, but it was clear that it was all Emily's idea. It was frozen in her hand. You're not supposed to accept gifts from people you hate, that she knew.

Go on, put it on,' Monica urged. Did she hate Emily? And if she did, was she going to make a scene and give it back? If she made a scene, it would be a declaration of war, and she wasn't sure who would be on her side. Certainly not Ross or Monica.

Of course, it may not be the sort of thing you like,' Emily said, If you don't like it, you could give it away, I wouldn't be offended.' Suddenly, Emily was blushing, and Rachel realised that she wanted to stop her feeling so uncomfortable. So maybe she didn't hate Emily after all. Slowly she put the pendant on. It came to just the level that she liked and she wasn't sure whether she was pleased with this fact or not.

'No,' Rachel said. 'I like it.' She looked at Emily. Hey,' Chandler said, I've lost Joey. He seems to have disappeared, after some girl.'

Oh yeah,' Monica said, as they all started moving towards the exit.

No, really,' Chandler whispered. He's gone, with Rachel's stuff, after some girl. She seemed to have a foreign accent.'

Oh well,' Monica said, I think we can be sure there'll be no wedding out of that one.'

Weddings?' Rachel said, catching the end of this, No more weddings, at least not for a while.'