Thank you all for the fantastic reviews. Without you people reviewing I don't think I would be able to keep writing this.

One scene in here overlaps with a scene from the last part so it's probably a good idea to read chapter 17 again since it was so long ago that I posted it.

Anyway, read and enjoy.

Rachel couldn't believe the call she just got. She put down the phone beside her hospital bed just as Ross came back into the room, two cups of coffee in his hands.

"Who was that on the phone?" he asked while trying to close the door without drenching himself in the hot liquid he held carefully in front of him. Rachel watched his struggling with a soft smile on her face. After he finally finished the task and sat down next to her bed she remembered the question he asked her before.

"You'll never guess who called." Rachel smiled smugly. She knew how annoyed Ross could get when someone knew something that he didn't know.

"Ra-chel." Ross whined. "Come oooon."

"Ok, ok." Rachel laughed. "But promise me not to go all mental on me."

Ross looked at her with a skeptical expression on his face. He didn't know why Rachel made such a big deal out of one phone call but now he was definitely intrigued.

"Ohh-kay." Ross answered slowly. "I promise I'll stay as calm as possible."

Rachel watched him, trying to decide if that would be enough but finally she wasn't able to hold it in any longer anyway so she just told him and hoped for the best.

"It was Chandler." Ross was speechless.

During the last days he came to the conclusion that his former best friend was gone for good this time. Now he didn't know if it was good or bad that Chandler contacted Rachel. Every time he thought about Chandler he felt incredibly guilty and embarrassed for the way he and the others had acted all those months ago. When he looked at Rachel he saw that she was having similar thoughts.

Ross suppressed the bitter feelings rising up inside of him when he saw Rachel's guilty face. He had sworn to himself that he wouldn't dwell on the mistake Rachel made – mostly for the sake of their daughter – but also because he really valued the friendship he and Rachel shared before the incident and that they were now slowly re-building.

He remembered a discussion he'd had with Monica two days ago. Monica was very confused and sad since she learned that Chandler had been around and that everybody but her had seen him. Ross had mentioned that to her and advised that maybe now was the time to let Chandler go and try to move on.

Monica had stared at Ross for an endless seeming minute and then explained that she knew Chandler would never want to be together with her again but that she'd be happy if he was in her life at least somehow. Even if it was just as a friend.

The look Monica had had in her eyes that moment made Ross realize just how lost and broken his little sister was without Chandler.

And now Chandler had called Rachel. Ross felt a tremendous wave of optimism wash over him. When Chandler was ready to contact Rachel, the person who started all the mess that practically ruined all their lives, it hopefully meant that his best friend since college could forgive him too. 'And maybe,' a small voice in the back of Ross' head whispered 'he's ready to let Monica back into his life.'

Rachel saw the evolution of Ross' mixed feelings mirrored on his face as he went from stunned over confused to what she hoped was a happy expression. She waited with baited breath that Ross would finally say something. But she knew from former experiences that it could take a while. So she leant back into her bed and tried to relax.

When Ross broke the spell of his confusion a big smile started to brighten his face. Rachel looked up and couldn't help but beam back at him.

"That's great news, Rachel." Ross said. "Does that mean he forgives us and comes back to New York?" Ross went on excitedly.

"Easy, Ross." Rachel laughed. "Let me tell you about the conversation we held and then you can build your own opinion."

Just as Phoebe wanted to open the door to Rachel's hospital room to let herself and Joey in the knob turned and a happy looking Ross exited the room.

"Hey, Ross!" Phoebe screamed enthusiastically. "You proud father, you don't have to leave just because of us." Phoebe patted him on the arm.

"You know, I'd never leave because of you but I'm going to visit my little girl." Ross told them over his shoulder already on his way to the nursery. Phoebe shook his head a smile on her face and entered the room.

"My, Ross is in a good mood today." She addressed Rachel and Joey nodded his agreement.

"Yeah, and if you two come over here I can tell you what caused that." Rachel lured her friends nearer to the bed, almost bursting with the news she just told Ross.

Rachel and Phoebe just started discussing the newest gossip while Joey chewed on a candy bar he'd found in his pocket when their conversation was interrupted. This time Monica entered the room causing the three of them to stop talking.

"What's going on?" Monica asked eying them suspiciously.

"Oh, nothing." Phoebe answered a little too rushed for Monica to believe it. "We were just…eh…talking about Rachel getting out of the hospital tomorrow." She added.

"Yes, that's right." Rachel nodded.

When Monica left half an hour after Joey went to his audition Phoebe and Rachel immediately came back to the topic of the phone call. And when Ross joined them a few minutes later the three of them thought about Chandler's idea and their possibilities to help him.

"I still can't believe he really wants Monica back." Phoebe exclaimed excited.

"Well, I hope it works out like he wants it to." Ross stated pessimistically. "There's so much that could go wrong. I mean, he doesn't even know if Monica would let him back in her life."

"Ross! Of course she'd want him. Didn't you see how hurt she was when we all saw him and she didn't?" Rachel argued.

"Yeah, I guess you are right." Ross sheepishly answered uncomfortably under the fiery glances of the two women.

"Ok. Now let's get to the good part…the planning. I think I know the perfect place Chandler could use." Rachel seemingly enjoyed her role in the conspiracy. It felt like being a real part of the group again.

Chandler was nervous. He couldn't remember a time in his life when he was as anxious as at that moment. It was the day when he would return to New York. And with a little luck it would be forever. He patted his jacket pocket for the seemingly millionth time to check if his plane ticket didn't magically disappear during the last few seconds.

"Chandler, would you please stop with your nervous habits." His father admonished from his place on the couch. "You'll make a hole in my carpet with your constant back and forth walking. And son, if you check for your ticket one more time I'll have to take it and tear it into many little pieces. Understood?"

Chandler looked at his father with big eyes for a few moments. "Yeah…ok…I guess you are right." He started. "I think I'm just wound up about today."

"You think?" Viktor mumbled. He sat in the chair opposite from Charles and looked almost nauseous after watching Chandler's fidgeting for so long.

Now Chandler spun around to him with a questioning look on his face.

"Look, Chandler. I know today is a big day for you but if you keep this up you'll ruin it…or I'll have to kill you." Viktor joked and was happy to see Chandler smile in response.

"You are right." Chandler said and turned to his father. "Both of you. I have to keep it together. I just wish I'd be in New York already. Y'know, getting the thing started."

Just as Chandler finished a car horn could be heard from the front of the house. Chandler jumped at the sound and raced with his bag outside to the waiting cab.

Viktor and Charles looked at each other and shook their heads. Both men's faces showed the worry they felt for Chandler and the hope that everything would go as planed.

Everything was like Chandler had imagined it. He stood in Ross' apartment in front of a lovingly set table. They had put the couch and the coffee table against the wall under the big window to get more space in the living room.

When Chandler scanned the room he felt a great sense of thankfulness for his friends. Without them he wouldn't have managed to arrange this romantic scenario. They were all more than thrilled to see Chandler again and to help him with his attempt to win Monica back.

After Chandler overheard the conversation between Monica and her mother at the hospital he realized that he needed Monica in his life as much as she seemed to need him. But he wanted to make their meeting more special than a reunion in a hospital hallway.

So he went back to Las Vegas to think of the perfect way to get back into Monica's life. But when he couldn't think of anything even with the help of his father and Viktor he decided to include his old friends. And who was a better fitting choice for the organization and the communication between them all than Rachel?

He couldn't have made a better decision and two days later he was in New York, on good terms with his old friends and about to fight for his soul mate.

The idea came from Rachel that they should prepare a situation similar to Monica and Chandler's engagement night. Ross and Rachel picked Chandler up at the airport. Joey was at the final casting for a movie which he kept calling his 'destined chance at a big break' and didn't know what he should be more excited about – Chandler being back in their lives or the casting. Phoebe was out shopping with Monica to keep her away.

A couple of hours after he landed in New York the preparations were finished and Chandler stood in the with flowers and candles decorated room. The ordered food was being kept warm in the oven and the stereo was playing a fitting CD quietly in the background.

Chandler was quite proud of how the room looked and scanned it a last time to make sure everything was perfect. When his eyes reached the table he had an idea and looked down at his watch to make sure he had still enough time to go to the grocery store. He nodded his head when he saw the time and hurriedly left the apartment.

Monica was more than exhausted when she arrived home after her shopping trip with Phoebe. Her friend had been especially energized and even though Monica loved Phoebe with all her quirky antics she'd found it very hard to keep up with her during their shopping spree. So when Monica finally arrived back home she plopped down on her sofa and promised herself to stay there for the next few hours. That was why the phone didn't even get the tiniest bit of Monica's attention when it started to ring ten minutes later. After the fifth ring the machine took the call.

"Monica?" her brother started his message. "Monica, I know you're at home. Please pick up the phone. It's an emergency." Monica perked up a little at Ross' words and tried to choose if he sounded like there really was an emergency or not.

"Ple-ease," Ross' begging voice came from the machine and Monica decided that he was sincere so she picked up the handset from the coffee table.

"Ross? I'm here. Where's the problem?" she asked with a tired voice.

"Oh, Monica, thank god." Ross said. "I really need your help. Could you please come over here?"

"Ross, I'm really tired. Can't it wait till tomorrow?" Monica pleaded. She really didn't know if she had the energy to leave the apartment again. But at the same time she felt the urge to go and help Ross. "Where's Rachel? Isn't she able to help you?" Monica tried to get out of having to go over to her brother.

"No. Rachel is visiting her father with Christina. She won't be back for the next few hours. I really need your help, Mon." Ross kept bugging. If he couldn't get her to go to his apartment all the hours of decorating were wasted.

Monica hesitated and Ross knew that he had her on the hook now.

"Mon?"

"Okay." Monica sighed. "I'm coming over. But you owe me for this." She added.

Ross was happy that he successfully completed his mission and assured his sister that he would make it up to her.

She knocked on the door like always and wondered why she never just barged into the other's apartments like they did with hers every day. When no one answered she decided to just enter. She stepped through the door and stopped dead in her tracks.

Chandler rushed through the streets with a bag in his hands. The errand had taken longer to run than he had thought and now he was running out of time. Another glance at his watch showed him that he would probably be back at Ross' in time.

Monica gasped at the scene in front of her. Ross' whole apartment was illuminated by the soft glow of hundredths of candles and dark red roses were placed in vases all around the room. A table she'd never seen before was perfectly set with new plates and crystal glasses. The napkins fit the big arrangement of roses in the middle of the white table cloth. Monica went further into the room trying to break the spell of wonderment the atmosphere had on her. Tears built in her eyes. She realized that Ross had probably planned that evening to get back together with Rachel and needed her for some cooking details.

She felt happiness when she thought about Ross and Rachel finally becoming a family in the near future but at the same time it made her aware of her own hopeless situation. She just wanted to look for Ross in the kitchen when a voice behind her made her freeze in mid step.

"You are early."

TBC…

That's all for now. I just don't seem to be able to finish this thing. Hmm, maybe with the next part. It looks very promising that it will be the last one. But we'll see.

Oh, and since I had a disagreement with our stairs I have lots of time to write, so expect the next part for this and "TOW They Pushed Too Far" soon. For those interested, the stairs won and I ended up with a broken leg and a nice 12 days long internet-less (How the hell did I survive that?) stay at the hospital.

Now please make me happy and review. Right now I really need it.