Challenge Being Miles Away: Chapter 7
Disclaimer: The purpose of this fic is for entertainment purposes only and nothing monetary is coming out of this. I do not own the Friends characters and the closest that I'll ever get is by owning the nine box sets that already came out.
Why is it that time always sneaks up on you when you're having fun? Sometimes it made you wonder why time goes by painfully slow when you're bored out of your mind.
No sympathy there from Ross to his students, especially on their first day back in class. Today, there was one thing that they could agree on. For once in his career, Ross was in the same boat as his students. He didn't really want to be back, but he had to.
Walking down the streets, Ross felt like he wasn't ready to face his empty apartment. To him, it didn't feel like home anymore and something was missing. No doubt in his mind he knew who it was.
Life with Rachel no longer minutes away was upon him. He knew that it wasn't going to be easy saying goodbye, but he didn't expect it to be that hard. When the time came for Ross to get past security, both tried to put on their boldest face, but they knew deep down that they were doing the total opposite inside. The time they spent during the summer was as if they were in their own world. A glimpse, if you will, of what may come with their lives together. Some days would start off great and stay that way. Other days would start with a ridiculous banter that eventually turned into an all out over-the-top romantic make-up. It was a world that had to be put on hold when Ross had to get back to New York.
Stepping into Central Perk, he didn't see his usual friends occupying the orange couch. Instead, he seen the group of three guys and three girls that was dubbed the next generation by Gunther. Ross made his order to go at the counter and he couldn't help but to overhear what that group was talking about. A small smile crept to his face as he could hear the girls trying to persuade the guys to teach them how to play poker. When the guys told the girls no, the memories poured out as Ross recalled when his group friends played poker.
Their first game was interesting while attempting to teach the girls and the second was pure fun, but he didn't expect the third game to higher the stakes. The memory crept in Ross' mind as he recalled his big showdown with Rachel. After seeing her face when she got the word that she didn't get the job that would set her foot in the fashion industry, Ross, being in love as he was for her back then, couldn't help but think that he made her day when she defeated him in poker. And even better yet, at a high stakes hand. That act perpetuated Ross to a definite understanding that he would do anything to cheer her up whenever something crappy happened. He already knew that fact, but seeing it being put to action made him feel surer about it. Ross always wanted to see her happy and content. It was a job that Ross chose to spend his lifetime doing.
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Laying in bed and staring at the ceiling, Rachel started to feel like the bed was too big for her. One side was missing the warmness of a person in particular and when it was just the two of them, she felt like the size was perfect. She had grown accustomed with Ross sleeping by her side that she felt awkward when she would feel nothing on her right side. To accommodate herself, she placed a long pillow on the space where Ross would usually occupy. It was a temporary substitution for Ross and that was the best she could come up with so far.
It has been a couple of days since Ross left, but to her, it felt like yesterday and the emotions were still fresh. When Rachel returned to her apartment, she was well aware of the fact that it felt so strange being there with Ross gone. Sadness was obviously plastered on Rachel's face that her daughter even picked up on it. Emma, who you would think would be oblivious, knew right when she saw her daddy walking through the gate, that it would be a while before she saw him again.
There were times when Rachel just wanted to pack up and leave, but a voice within her told her not too. She knew who it belonged to. It was Ross'.
Sometimes Rachel felt so alone, living in a foreign place after cozily settling in New York for a decade. The only thing that was keeping her from feeling totally alone was Emma, that precious little girl who understood her mother's sadness and sweetly reminded her that she still had her. Rachel didn't really feel the need to go out anywhere whenever Claudia would offer. She would be perfectly content with spending the night in, watching movies and staying with her daughter. Life, just like her first week there, was definitely in full force once again.
Often times she wished that Ross didn't encourage her to take the job. She was definitely feeling it now. She still hasn't come to a full understanding on why he did what he did. Sure, he explained it, but it still amazed her on what selfless acts Ross would do for others, even if he would also be in the receiving end. More of the reasons to love him even more.
Thinking and analyzing, she came to a conclusion that he must've done it because it was his way of showing her that he supported her career. She knew that he does support her in everything she does, but for him, it was a way of showing that he sincerely does. He definitely wanted this time around to succeed and that meant that he had to go back and trace to a point of time when the relationship started to have problems. Tracing back, she could pinpoint that part of the reason why they broke up the first time was because of the conflict of them spending less time together since she just started a career that she wanted to pursue. It definitely beat working in Central Perk.
They did what they could to try to ease the emotion that they were both feeling, reverting back to the telephone calls and e-mails. Surely, they didn't do the trick but it would have to do for the time being.
Neither Ross nor Rachel wanted the other person to feel guilty for the decision to pursue an opportunity of a lifetime in something that they were dedicated. She didn't know what to expect when Ross came back after his emergency trip from New York. He didn't even tell her what was going on until he returned to Paris, which drove her totally crazy. When he told her about the grant, she was in no doubt happy for him. Not only happiness was running through her body but the fear of failure also started to slowly creep into the back of her mind while Ross was telling her about his plans. Rachel thought that it was enough on their plate to add the Atlantic Ocean, but with more than half of the country also, she couldn't help but have that little thought of uncertainty.
Sometimes she thinks that they're in way over their heads. Sometimes she believes that this is a true challenge for the both of them. An open challenge of being miles away. Either way, she knows that they have to win.
Sorry...I know that this is not normal for me to write a chapter this short, but I kind of liked how it turned out. Wow, I didn't expect myself to post a chapter this quickly with school back in session. Lucky for you guys! It's going to be a busy weekend for me this week and as usual, it's up in the air when another chapter would be posted.
So you know the drill, click that little button and drop me a review. It always made my day to read the comments that you folks have. Thanks you guys!
