A/N- We follow directly on from the last chapter. In this I deal with Chandler's issues. It's another very dialogue based chapter, very similar to the last except with a role reversal. I hope it's not too similar.

Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far. I'm still new at this so it's really great to get your thoughts.

Anyway enjoy!

"…Turns out you're not the only one in denial." Chandler paused and looked out at the city below him- the city in which he'd hidden his problems for all these years by busying himself amongst the rat race, so much so that even he had forgotten his own issues.

"How do you mean?" Monica's curious voice brought him back to attention and he shook his head quickly, shrugging his shoulders, " Oh, nothing."

"No," Monica persisted, "Come on."

"No really it's nothing. Anyway this is about helping you."

"Oh no," Monica almost laughed, "This is about us getting to know each other. Come on now, I won't let you shy out of this one. 1 minute ago you just made me realised that talking helps. I don't want to feel in debt to you. Let me help you Chandler. Let's help each other." Monica's words rang true and Chandler smiled honestly at his date. Such an inadequate word he thought. It was odd how two people who'd known each other for little longer than a day could be so open with each other. Aware of Monica's beautiful eyes resting on him, waiting, he began,

"I guess," he ventured warily, " I guess, that the reason I was able to work all that stuff out about your parents is because I know what it's like." Monica sat listening intently. Chandler elaborated, "You never allowed yourself to admit that your parents caused you all your pain and I, well, I made myself forget."

"Your parents were critical too?"

"Not so much critical. They just, just were," Chandler searched his deepest emotions for the word, "passive," he stated. "After they split up, my Dad decided he was guy and ran out on us to star in a burlesque show in Vegas." Chandler looked vaguely embarrassed as Monica desperately tried to suppress a giggle. "Yeah. I know, precisely. My Dad made me a laughing stock." Chandler's cheeks reddened prompting Monica, unsure of whether he was embarrassed or angry, to reach out and take his hand. Chandler gave her palm a grateful squeeze and with new confidence continued, "He was a freak show and I was his son. I was physically weak and I looked odd and I was lonely and vulnerable and he left. He just left." An intense silence followed.

"Chandler, is this about your dad embarrassing you or about him deserting you?"

"Now who's the psychologist!" Monica looked sheepishly at Chandler, a half embarrassed, half apologetic look on her stunning, porcelain face. "It hurt, you know. It just hurt. I was growing up, I was unstable, I needed him and he left. I mean couldn't he have just stuck with it a little longer. Did I not mean enough to him just to put up with it for another year until I was settled."

"Chandler," Monica paused momentarily, searching for the right words. She was aware that what she was about to suggest may not be the comfort Chandler was looking for, "Chandler, would you really have wanted your dad to pretend? Be something he wasn't? Be just as lonely as you were." Chandler stared deep into the compelling blue of her lovely eyes, before searching his soul for the answer.

"No." Chandler was unable to continue. He bottled up and choked back bitter tears. Tears? Not able to find the strength to fight back his emotion, he let tears flow rapidly from his own blue eyes. His anger at his weakness soon faded though as relief washed over him. "I'm, I'm crying," he stated almost proudly, "I'm actually crying! God this is great!" At this point the intensity of the night's discussions became too much for Monica and she burst into tears of her own. Not typical tears though, tears of laughter and happiness. Her eyes met Chandler's and he too began to giggle. Within a few magical seconds, the two were laughing hysterically through their watery eyes.

They were crying. And god, did it feel good. The tears that slid easily down their rosy cheeks were a long overdue release. Drying their faces, they smiled. A mutual, wide and genuine smile. Regaining his composure, Chandler mused, "You're so right. My father was just being honest with himself, the way I've never been. It wasn't his fault I was lonely. I should have learnt from him. He expressed himself the way I should have done." A huge pressure that had been stored in Chandler since his childhood was finally released and everything suddenly made sense. Chandler had a new found respect for his absent father.

"Parents eh? Mine screwed me up so bad that I blamed myself for the excuse of a person I thought and was and you blamed yours for your insecurities. What a pair we are!" Chandler nodded enthusiastically in agreement, as Monica continued, "I guess we were more alike than we could have guessed. Both had issues with parents. I let mine crush me and I compensated form my insecurities with compulsive organisation."

"Yeah, and I hid behind sarcasm and jokes."

"I thought the only way I would ever be happy was too live in a dream world." Chandler gave her an intrigued look. "I had an imaginary family. A husband, children. A big house in the suburbs. If I was upset I would retreat there and for a while I was a mom and a wife but it never lasted. I always came round and it was always awful again."

"Not anymore." Monica shook her head. "As for me I wallowed in self pity. I was the stupid class clown, who was easily broken, and scared."

"You were, Chandler. Years back, now you're a sensitive and wonderful man." Chandler blushed and mouthed thank you before adding,

"And all we had to do to realise it was cry. That simple. How stupid it is, if we'd only done this years ago we never would have…" Monica put a finger to his lips before he could finish and took it upon herself to end the sentence herself.

"… had this moment." A long silence followed as the pair pondered this statement. Chandler found himself once again desperately trying to find a word, an expression that was suitable but words failed him. Instead, in a moment of terrifying yet totally amazing impulsiveness he reached out and took Monica's face in his hands and kissed her passionately.

Monica ran her hands through Chandler's hair and willingly and gratefully, returned the kiss. The streetlights faded around them and the stars were the only light resting on them. From a high-rise apartment block, looking down on New York City Monica and Chandler were lost in their moment and for the first time since they came to the city, they felt like nothing and no one could hurt them.

A/N- I had planned for a few more chapters and to have Chandler introduce Mon to the others etc and him help her to overcome her problems but then it kinda went off in another direction with them both helping each other and this seems like quite a good place to stop. Please let me know what you all think. Maybe I'll just add an epilogue or something?

Please review and tell me what you think I should do and what you thought of the chapter. Thanks