Chandler headed back to the hotel where Monica would be waiting. He'd gone to a lot of effort to organise this trip and nothing was going to spoil it now.

Monica had been very surprised when Chandler had sprung it on her at the airport that they weren't going to the Rockies after all but to Florida. She had wanted to go straight home to unpack her hiking gear and pack something more suitable, but they had only just arrived in time, so had to board regardless.

Annoyed that Chandler had tricked her, she had made him carry everything – which served him right because most of what he'd made her pack was useless and very heavy. But by the end of the plane trip, her mind had turned to what they were going to do in Florida.

'We might as well make the most of it,' Monica said.

'That was the point,' Chandler grinned. But what Monica had meant was tourism. By the time they'd left the airport, Monica had a handful of leaflets on what to see and do and was already go through what could be done in the short time that they had. By the end of the cab ride, she had already produced a list of what they were going to be doing and when.

Chandler resigned himself to her organisation because it saved him effort, and he didn't any alternative ideas anyway – his main idea had been to get out of New York without anyone knowing where they were going. He was pleased to see that his compliance made Monica mellow towards him. He was also pleased to see that his thoughtfulness in packing Monica some lighter weight clothes in his own luggage was returned by the sweetness he'd been looking forward to.

Meeting Ross had been unfortunate, but at least it had just been the two of them and at least they had come to an arrangement. Easy. He could continue to enjoy the break and pretend that the two of them were alone – were alone…

In the hotel foyer, he came to a sudden stop, staring at the people he saw hanging around the front desk.

The people stared at him.

'What are you doing here?' Rachel asked in accusing tones. This was a bit much for Chandler who had already had to put up with Ross stealing his idea. He might not have known that he'd stolen it, but stolen it he had.

'I could ask you three that,' Chandler said. Phoebe and Joey were also there. He had remembered Joey boasting about his Valentine's day plans and what he could remember did not involve Florida.

'We are on a holiday, which we're perfectly entitled to be on,' Rachel said, pointedly 'You were going to the Rockies.'

'You weren't supposed to know that,' Chandler exclaimed. Monica! She couldn't be trusted to keep just one little secret…

'I know,' Rachel said sourly. 'I don't know why you think I'd care.'

'Or me,' Phoebe said.

'Or me,' Joey added truculently.

'Oh come on,' Chandler said to Joey, 'You tried to get me drunk the night before last so that I would tell you what we were doing.' Joey was in no position to pretend indifference.

'Oh yeah, I did,' Joey said, crestfallen. Rachel brushed this to one said and said,

'Phoebe and I aren't the slightest bit interested in butting in on you two. We're here for a break – Phoebe's going to paint and I'm going to the beach.'

'And shopping,' Phoebe said slyly.

'I hope you're not the slightest bit interested in butting in on Ross and Emily either,' Chandler said.

'What?' the others all said together.

'Ross and Emily are here?' Phoebe asked.

'Hey are you doing this like a double date thing?' Rachel asked.

'Wow,' Joey said.

'Shut up,' Chandler said, 'No we didn't plan it. It was a total accident, which neither Monica nor Emily knows about, and we plan to keep it that way.'

'Oh,' Rachel said. 'So you guys are trying to keep out of each others way.'

'Got it,' Chandler said.

'Which means,' Phoebe said, 'You really want us to stay out of your way too.'

'Uh, yes,' Chandler said.

'We already booked into this hotel,' Phoebe said, and Chandler noticed for the first time that she was holding a room key. 'And we managed to get a room at short notice for Joey. It's going to be difficult for us to get somewhere else now.'

'I'll help you,' Chandler said.

'You'll have to help us pay for it,' Rachel said. 'I can't speak for the others but I don't have much spare money.'

'I don't have any,' Phoebe said.

'I had to borrow money to be here,' Joey said.

'And why are you here Joey? You had plans.' Chandler said.

'She dumped me,' Joey said, not looking particularly unhappy about it. Phoebe cleared her throat.

'So relocating to stay out of your way is going to be difficult.'

'Oh, right,' Chandler said. He'd split the cost with Ross, whether he liked it or not.

Organising alternative accommodation for the others and squaring up itineraries with them had been difficult without Monica knowing. She had already asked questions about why he had been so long out, and he had had to make up a story about being lost. In the middle of all that, he had to get in contact with Ross without Emily finding out. Ross had immediately blamed him for the others being there, which was extremely aggravating and would have provoked a serious quarrel if the two women involved had not each suddenly walked into the room.

There had been a lot of near misses. Once Emily and Rachel had been in the same shop but neither had noticed the other and Ross had pulled Emily out of the store before she saw Rachel. Monica had actually caught a glimpse of Joey on the beach and had remarked on this to Chandler, who had said,

'What, no way, that guy was much fatter than Joey.' Well it served Joey right.

'You're right,' Monica said, instantly forgetting about him.

They had had a wonderful candle lit dinner and one of the best nights afterward that they had ever had, just the two of them. Perfect, Chandler had thought. He'd had to carry everything back to the airport again and one of their bags got lost on the flight back to New York, but nothing could spoil it. He'd succeeded.

Ross too, was pleased. He'd also reaped the rewards for the trip away. Emily had said,

'I'm so happy that you made this day just for us,' and had then gone on to show him how happy she had been.

Rachel, Phoebe and Joey, had kept very quiet when Emily and Monica talked over their amazement at having been in Florida at the same time and not having seen each other. They avoided looking at Ross and Chandler, who also pretended to be surprised. It would be pushing credulity too far to admit that they also had been there, and gosh, didn't see anyone they knew at all.

Valentine's day was the start of Phoebe's Florida series, although she had only publicly come out with that name after everyone had talked about their Florida holidays. It was safe enough, because nothing she painted reminded anyone of Florida.