Okay, so I know in like a gajillion places I said that this was going to be the last chapter. Guess what? It's not. :) I was writing it and decided that I couldn't resolve all the issues in only one more chapter. So...this is one of the last chapters! Sorry for the confusion, but this isn't the finale. I didn't want to rush anything, and I felt that if I worked this hard on a story I shouldn't rush the end. I wanted it to be good. I thought that the story deserved more. :) So here is the next chapter. There'll be one or maybe two more to follow. Read and Review! :)
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Friends characters...and I don't own the song "If I'm not in love" by Faith Hill.
Looking at the shocked expressions on everyone's faces, Phoebe quickly thought up an escape route. "What's that, Joey? Okay, I'll be right there." She left, leaving the other three in silence.
Rachel could feel her heart beat faster and faster.
Ross was Monica's brother. Monica was Ross's sister. Rachel was Monica's best friend. Rachel was the mother of Ross's unborn child.
She watched on as Ross headed over to the couch. He sat down and rested his weary head in his hands.
So many thoughts were running through his head, and he could only register one at a time.
"Monica," he whispered.
Monica turned her head from Rachel to Ross. "Yeah?"
"Is it really you?"
A small, quizzical smile crossed her face. "Yeah, it's really me."
"Oh my God, I thought I'd never see you again." He pulled her into bear hug, and she didn't pull away.
"I know," she whispered. "Why didn't you ever call me?"
"Why didn't you ever call me? You knew I moved here; Mom and Dad must've told you."
"Yeah, but I did call you. You never returned my calls."
She looked confused. "I never got them."
"Ahem." Chandler cleared his throat, sheepishly. "I think I might be able to explain. I didn't know you were her brother. I thought you were some guy, like an old boyfriend, calling her. Sorry..."
Ross went into overprotective brother mode. "Who is this?"
Monica blushed. "Ross, meet Chandler Bing...my husband."
"Your husband?!"
Chandler stepped forwards, nervously. "H-hi."
"You're married to my BABY SISTER?!"
"Uh...yes?"
"Since when?" He got up and looked Chandler up and down.
Chandler looked down at the ground. "Five years." Ross raised an eyebrow and Chandler gulped. "S-sir."
"Five years, huh? I take it you love my sister?"
Chandler sat down in the armchair and pulled Monica down on his lap. They kissed each other on the lips and Chandler smiled. "You bet I do."
Ross groaned and looked disgusted. "Alright already...get a room!"
Monica smiled and got up, grabbing Chandler's hand. "Actually, our room is just right over there..."
Ross's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "NO! I mean, no. My little sister doesn't need to be sleeping with anyone. She could get a disease...or she could get pregnant!"
Monica shook her head in disbelief. "Ross, we've been married for five years. Neither of us has any diseases, and a baby wouldn't be bad for us right now. Do you actually think I've never had sex before?"
Ross held his head in his hands. "My...my little sister. My baby sister is sleeping...sleeping around?"
Monica looked at Ross, frustrated. "Ross, once again, I'm married. MARRIED. You are going to have to accept the fact that I'm no longer you're little sister. I'm just your sister. I've changed, Ross. In these past five years, I've grown up...Now, I'd really love to talk to you and catch up, but right now you've got bigger problems to deal with."
She looked over at Rachel, who was leaning against the doorframe with a blank, glassy, stare on her face. It didn't even look like she was listening to any of their conversation. She looked afraid and alone. "Much bigger problems," finished Monica.
Ross looked over at her and took a deep breath. "Oh my God..."
Amidst all the other excitement, Ross had forgotten the reason he had even come to New York.
Rachel. He hadn't known her long, but he knew her well. It was amazing how much he cared. The feelings he had for this woman were deeper than the feelings he had ever had for another human being. Ever. And that thought scared him. Yet it scared him even more that he had almost lost her; almost never got the chance to tell her how much he cared.
He studied her face; it looked like she was on the verge of tears. 'It's now or never,' he told himself.
"Hey Rach, can I talk to you for a minute?"
Monica understood what he needed to do. "You can use the guest room if you want."
Ross smiled at her, glad she was able to accept and understand him after all these years. "Thanks, Mon." Very gently, almost as if he was speaking to a lost child, he urged her to follow him. "Rachel?"
Slowly, like a sad puppy dog following its master, she walked in his footsteps; her head hung low and her hand pressed up against her stomach.
Ross opened the door for her, trying to be as helpful as possible. She sat down on the far end of the bed in silence.
'This isn't going to be easy,' Ross thought.
Surprisingly, she initiated the conversation. "Ross, I'm sorry," she choked out in a tearful voice.
"What?" This wasn't what he expected to hear.
"I'm sorry."
"Why are you sorry?"
"I should have told you sooner about the baby; I shouldn't have lied to you. I'm sorry I ever did this to you...forced you into all these situations...I'm sorry I left that night. I-I'm sorry that I ever met you and put you through this." She flopped back onto the bed and put her hand over her head.
Ross was astounded. "You're sorry you ever met me? Are you crazy? That was the best day of my life. I drove 3,000 miles just to find you. We can work this out. We can be great together." Ross pulled her up and held her head in his hands. He moved his face in towards hers.
Their lips met, and for a moment, a spark of electricity passed through them, igniting a flame neither of them knew they possessed.
Against what her heart was telling her, she pulled away. Tears fell, each one building up to the confession of a feeling she was terrified to admit; a feeling she knew she wasn't ready to confess yet. So, she said the opposite of what she felt.
"No...I'm sorry...I'm sorry because...because I don't know if I'm ready for this. A relationship. I just thought you deserved to know about the baby. I just...I don't know...I really like you, but..."
Ross felt like he had been stabbed in the chest. Like. She had said like. Not love.
'Well, yeah, Ross, what did you think she was going to say? It would be ridiculous if she said love. It's too soon. You better not say anything...It would scare her.' Yet the other side of his head said something different. 'Tell her...she'll understand. She probably feels the same way. When you saw her, you kissed...that's got to mean something...She seems so sad...if you told her, it might make her happier...' The other side of his conscience argued back. 'Yes, but it also might scare her...you don't want to do that, do you? It's much too soon. Don't make her cry again, Ross. Don't do this to her.'
Love. Such a small word, yet saying it can change your life forever. It's a word that can either make you jump for joy or make you want to die. Both Ross and Rachel were afraid of the second choice...they didn't want to get hurt.
And their desire to keep protecting their hearts was stronger, at the time, then their desire to open up and put their hearts out on the line.
'Love is too strong a strong word to use in this situation,' Ross thought. Yet, he couldn't shake the feeling that it was the right one. But neither was ready to admit it.
Eyes welling with tears, Rachel stood up. "Ross, I have to go home now. It's late...I'm so sorry. Let's do something tomorrow, okay? I think we both just need to think about this for a night." Her insides screamed to her. 'Don't leave again!'
Ross nodded, reluctantly. "Yeah. Okay."
She pulled a small envelope out of her purse. "And, well, here's something for you to have. Open it later...I thought you might want it."
With the swift opening of the door, she was gone again; leaving them both in a state of misery, despair, and utter confusion.
'If I'm not in love with you
What is this I'm going through...tonight?
And if my heart is lying then
What should I believe in?
Why do I go crazy
Every time I think about you baby
Why else do I want you like I do...
If I'm not in love with you...'
As Rachel headed down the stairs of Monica's apartment building, she couldn't help but think she was making a big mistake. She exited the building, reasoning with herself. "Rach, you've already overwhelmed him with all this news. The poor guy has been through enough. He traveled 3,000 miles, found his long-lost sister, and discovered he is going to be a father. The last thing he needs to know is that some crazy woman having his baby thinks she is in love with him." She re-thought her last sentence. "But isn't that the way it is supposed to be?" She shook her head and put more distance between herself and the only person she felt this way about. "In my life, nothing is the way it is supposed to be."
Other people continued about their nightly business, no one knowing how much pain her lost soul was in. As she brushed away her falling tears, no one knew that with every step she took, a little piece of her heart was breaking...
'And if I don't need your touch
Why do I miss you so much...tonight
If it's just infatuation then
Why is my heart achin'
To hold you forever...
Give a part of me I thought I'd never
Give again to someone I could lose...
If I'm not in love with you...'
Ross wiped the tears from his eyes, not wanting anyone to walk in on him sobbing.
"Why am I doing this? I can't really be in love with her...can I?"
He shut his eyes and thought back to a conversation he had with her on Christmas Eve...
"So, Ross Geller," Rachel began flirtatiously, "do you believe in fate?"
He touched the top of her hand and grinned. "Do you?"
"I believe everything happens for a reason."
"I guess..."
She leaned in towards him, blue eyes sparkling, and whispered in a barely audible, excited tone. "Everything DOES happen for a reason. You and I are here right now due to some reason unbeknownst to us."
"Really?" He pretended to be intrigued and said it in a mocking tone.
She slapped his hand playfully and rolled her eyes. "Of course we are. Why did you come over here and talk to me tonight? I bet you don't usually come up and talk to strangers. What made you pick me?"
He shifted in his seat, not wanting to believe that his views on science were being successfully challenged. "Well, you just seemed nice."
"I'm sure there's lots of other women who seem nice in the world. How come you don't talk to them?"
"Well..." For the first time, Ross found himself at a loss for words.
"Maybe this was meant to be. Something pushed you in my direction, didn't it? You might not want to admit it, but deep down you know that something told you to come talk to me tonight. Do you know what that is?"
Ross shook his head.
"Fate," she said meaningfully. "Fate. It is the driving force behind every action in this world."
He shook his head and smiled at her. "I dunno, Rachel..."
She simply smiled back and shook her head. "One day you'll see. One day, something will happen, and you won't quite understand exactly why it happened. There will only be one explanation for it: It was meant to be. Fate. Destiny. Call it what you want, but one day, you'll see. One day, you won't be able to deny it because it will be looking right at you. One day, you're going to have to believe..."
His eyes fluttered open again. It was like a defining moment of truth for him. The feeling she described to him was happening. He couldn't stop thinking about her. Whenever he closed his eyes, there she was.
His thoughts drifted into a dream. Suddenly, he was in a house. A house where sunshine streamed through the windows and love was in every room. He was sitting at the kitchen table when a woman entered the room.
It was Rachel.
"Hey, sweetie," she purred.
"Hi, babe." He pulled her onto his lap.
"I missed you today."
"I know. I hate going to work every day, knowing what I'm leaving at home." He smiled and looked up into her sparkling blue eyes. "But then again, it just makes me work faster and run home to you."
She kissed him on the lips softly. He responded, hungrily.
"Honey," she moaned, "the kids are in the next room..." Yet she made no attempt to pull away.
"I know, but they're still young enough not to understand..." He raised an eyebrow.
Upon seeing this, she grabbed his hand and led him up the stairs to their room where they made love.
When it was almost over, her eyes locked with his. "I love you."
Breathlessly, he smiled. "Me too."
"Ever since the day I met you."
"I know."
In a blur of sound, color, and passion, it was over. She kissed the top of his head as both their eyes closed and their breathing became in unison. "No, really. It was like love at first sight."
Then, his fantasy was over...
'Oh why in every fantasy
Do I feel your arms embracing me?
Lovers lost in sweet desire...
Oh why in dreams do I surrender
Like a little baby?
Someone help explain this feeling
Someone tell me...'
Rachel had almost reached her apartment building. The rain was falling faster now, and each droplet asked a question.
Do I love him?
Why did I leave?
But...it's too soon for love...
Isn't it?
Her tears became indistinguishable with the rain, blurring her vision. She picked up her pace. "How can I feel this way? I know it can't be anything but love...but why? It is too soon...but what if it is fate? I can't deny it if it is...Someone tell me...please? If it's not love, then what is it?" She voiced her feelings aloud, not caring if the people on the street heard her. Almost expecting an answer, she listened. When she realized she wasn't getting one, she continued on, feeling as helpless as a baby.
'If I'm not in love with you
What is this I'm going through...tonight?
And if my heart is lyin' then
What should I believe in
Why do I go crazy
Every time I think about you baby
Why else do I want you like I...I do...
If I'm not in love...with...you...'
As she stepped out into the street, she looked to the stars for an answer. The street was vacant, so she stood there for a moment, rain pelting down her body. She continued to look upwards and began yelling towards the sky. "Come on! What else can you do to me? Just tell me if it's love. Show me! I need to know...I need help! Someone...tell me!"
Just then, a truck came barreling down the street. The few people on the sidewalk screamed at her to get out of the street. Over the rain and the yelling, she couldn't see the truck, nor could she hear it.
She was silent for a moment, suddenly aware of the noises around her. Like a deer in headlights, she turned around to see it trying to skid to a stop. But the rain made it hard to slow down, and she was frozen in place. Her legs were like lead weights, and the truck was too fast.
It was like she was in a trance...trying to move...yet unable. The truck driver honked his horn, snapping her out of it. He was only a few feet away, and she was not fast enough. Just as she almost made it, the truck hit her in the side, causing her to go flying and hit the cold, wet, pavement.
The driver was finally able to stop his vehicle, but it was too late. A crowd of people gathered around her. The whole left side of her body was bloody and there was a cut across her forehead.
"Oh my God, is she okay?" a woman wondered.
The driver looked horrified. "I tried to stop, but I-I couldn't!"
A man holding a cell phone approached the group. "I called 9-1-1. Does she have any identification on her?"
The woman bent down. "Miss, can you hear me? I'm going to look for your drivers license. We need to find out who you are. Can you answer me?"
Rachel didn't stir, and the worried looking woman opened her coat, revealing her perfectly rounded bump. "Oh dear God...she's pregnant!"
The driver buried his head in his hands. "I'm going to Hell for sure now..."
The man looked closer at Rachel. "No, she's breathing! It's okay. Ma'am? Can you hear me? Say anything!"
For a split second, Rachel's eyes fluttered open. Faces surrounded her, none of them familiar. "Ross..."
The truck driver looked up. "Who's Ross?"
"Ross Geller."
"Remember that name!" someone shouted out.
The driver bent down towards her. "Who is Ross Geller?"
Tears rolled down her bloody face as she was struggling to breathe. "The man I'm in love with..."
Then, her whole world gave way to darkness...
To
Be
Continued...
Please don't give up on me yet! Keep reading this! Oh, and I don't know how hard the truck hit her, but pretend she had a minute to talk, a minute where she was conscious. I needed to add that line in there. So...tell me what you think about this chapter. What did you like...what didn't you like...oh and also, what chapter do you like the best so far? I mean, which one was the most well-written one? I'm just curious. Constructive criticism, as always, is more than welcome! I like to know how I can improve by hearing suggestions by writers better than me. (I know there's a TON of them out there!) I hope everyone had a great New Year! The next chapter (maybe the finale, it might not be though) should be up soon. Please review!
Mel
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Friends characters...and I don't own the song "If I'm not in love" by Faith Hill.
Looking at the shocked expressions on everyone's faces, Phoebe quickly thought up an escape route. "What's that, Joey? Okay, I'll be right there." She left, leaving the other three in silence.
Rachel could feel her heart beat faster and faster.
Ross was Monica's brother. Monica was Ross's sister. Rachel was Monica's best friend. Rachel was the mother of Ross's unborn child.
She watched on as Ross headed over to the couch. He sat down and rested his weary head in his hands.
So many thoughts were running through his head, and he could only register one at a time.
"Monica," he whispered.
Monica turned her head from Rachel to Ross. "Yeah?"
"Is it really you?"
A small, quizzical smile crossed her face. "Yeah, it's really me."
"Oh my God, I thought I'd never see you again." He pulled her into bear hug, and she didn't pull away.
"I know," she whispered. "Why didn't you ever call me?"
"Why didn't you ever call me? You knew I moved here; Mom and Dad must've told you."
"Yeah, but I did call you. You never returned my calls."
She looked confused. "I never got them."
"Ahem." Chandler cleared his throat, sheepishly. "I think I might be able to explain. I didn't know you were her brother. I thought you were some guy, like an old boyfriend, calling her. Sorry..."
Ross went into overprotective brother mode. "Who is this?"
Monica blushed. "Ross, meet Chandler Bing...my husband."
"Your husband?!"
Chandler stepped forwards, nervously. "H-hi."
"You're married to my BABY SISTER?!"
"Uh...yes?"
"Since when?" He got up and looked Chandler up and down.
Chandler looked down at the ground. "Five years." Ross raised an eyebrow and Chandler gulped. "S-sir."
"Five years, huh? I take it you love my sister?"
Chandler sat down in the armchair and pulled Monica down on his lap. They kissed each other on the lips and Chandler smiled. "You bet I do."
Ross groaned and looked disgusted. "Alright already...get a room!"
Monica smiled and got up, grabbing Chandler's hand. "Actually, our room is just right over there..."
Ross's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "NO! I mean, no. My little sister doesn't need to be sleeping with anyone. She could get a disease...or she could get pregnant!"
Monica shook her head in disbelief. "Ross, we've been married for five years. Neither of us has any diseases, and a baby wouldn't be bad for us right now. Do you actually think I've never had sex before?"
Ross held his head in his hands. "My...my little sister. My baby sister is sleeping...sleeping around?"
Monica looked at Ross, frustrated. "Ross, once again, I'm married. MARRIED. You are going to have to accept the fact that I'm no longer you're little sister. I'm just your sister. I've changed, Ross. In these past five years, I've grown up...Now, I'd really love to talk to you and catch up, but right now you've got bigger problems to deal with."
She looked over at Rachel, who was leaning against the doorframe with a blank, glassy, stare on her face. It didn't even look like she was listening to any of their conversation. She looked afraid and alone. "Much bigger problems," finished Monica.
Ross looked over at her and took a deep breath. "Oh my God..."
Amidst all the other excitement, Ross had forgotten the reason he had even come to New York.
Rachel. He hadn't known her long, but he knew her well. It was amazing how much he cared. The feelings he had for this woman were deeper than the feelings he had ever had for another human being. Ever. And that thought scared him. Yet it scared him even more that he had almost lost her; almost never got the chance to tell her how much he cared.
He studied her face; it looked like she was on the verge of tears. 'It's now or never,' he told himself.
"Hey Rach, can I talk to you for a minute?"
Monica understood what he needed to do. "You can use the guest room if you want."
Ross smiled at her, glad she was able to accept and understand him after all these years. "Thanks, Mon." Very gently, almost as if he was speaking to a lost child, he urged her to follow him. "Rachel?"
Slowly, like a sad puppy dog following its master, she walked in his footsteps; her head hung low and her hand pressed up against her stomach.
Ross opened the door for her, trying to be as helpful as possible. She sat down on the far end of the bed in silence.
'This isn't going to be easy,' Ross thought.
Surprisingly, she initiated the conversation. "Ross, I'm sorry," she choked out in a tearful voice.
"What?" This wasn't what he expected to hear.
"I'm sorry."
"Why are you sorry?"
"I should have told you sooner about the baby; I shouldn't have lied to you. I'm sorry I ever did this to you...forced you into all these situations...I'm sorry I left that night. I-I'm sorry that I ever met you and put you through this." She flopped back onto the bed and put her hand over her head.
Ross was astounded. "You're sorry you ever met me? Are you crazy? That was the best day of my life. I drove 3,000 miles just to find you. We can work this out. We can be great together." Ross pulled her up and held her head in his hands. He moved his face in towards hers.
Their lips met, and for a moment, a spark of electricity passed through them, igniting a flame neither of them knew they possessed.
Against what her heart was telling her, she pulled away. Tears fell, each one building up to the confession of a feeling she was terrified to admit; a feeling she knew she wasn't ready to confess yet. So, she said the opposite of what she felt.
"No...I'm sorry...I'm sorry because...because I don't know if I'm ready for this. A relationship. I just thought you deserved to know about the baby. I just...I don't know...I really like you, but..."
Ross felt like he had been stabbed in the chest. Like. She had said like. Not love.
'Well, yeah, Ross, what did you think she was going to say? It would be ridiculous if she said love. It's too soon. You better not say anything...It would scare her.' Yet the other side of his head said something different. 'Tell her...she'll understand. She probably feels the same way. When you saw her, you kissed...that's got to mean something...She seems so sad...if you told her, it might make her happier...' The other side of his conscience argued back. 'Yes, but it also might scare her...you don't want to do that, do you? It's much too soon. Don't make her cry again, Ross. Don't do this to her.'
Love. Such a small word, yet saying it can change your life forever. It's a word that can either make you jump for joy or make you want to die. Both Ross and Rachel were afraid of the second choice...they didn't want to get hurt.
And their desire to keep protecting their hearts was stronger, at the time, then their desire to open up and put their hearts out on the line.
'Love is too strong a strong word to use in this situation,' Ross thought. Yet, he couldn't shake the feeling that it was the right one. But neither was ready to admit it.
Eyes welling with tears, Rachel stood up. "Ross, I have to go home now. It's late...I'm so sorry. Let's do something tomorrow, okay? I think we both just need to think about this for a night." Her insides screamed to her. 'Don't leave again!'
Ross nodded, reluctantly. "Yeah. Okay."
She pulled a small envelope out of her purse. "And, well, here's something for you to have. Open it later...I thought you might want it."
With the swift opening of the door, she was gone again; leaving them both in a state of misery, despair, and utter confusion.
'If I'm not in love with you
What is this I'm going through...tonight?
And if my heart is lying then
What should I believe in?
Why do I go crazy
Every time I think about you baby
Why else do I want you like I do...
If I'm not in love with you...'
As Rachel headed down the stairs of Monica's apartment building, she couldn't help but think she was making a big mistake. She exited the building, reasoning with herself. "Rach, you've already overwhelmed him with all this news. The poor guy has been through enough. He traveled 3,000 miles, found his long-lost sister, and discovered he is going to be a father. The last thing he needs to know is that some crazy woman having his baby thinks she is in love with him." She re-thought her last sentence. "But isn't that the way it is supposed to be?" She shook her head and put more distance between herself and the only person she felt this way about. "In my life, nothing is the way it is supposed to be."
Other people continued about their nightly business, no one knowing how much pain her lost soul was in. As she brushed away her falling tears, no one knew that with every step she took, a little piece of her heart was breaking...
'And if I don't need your touch
Why do I miss you so much...tonight
If it's just infatuation then
Why is my heart achin'
To hold you forever...
Give a part of me I thought I'd never
Give again to someone I could lose...
If I'm not in love with you...'
Ross wiped the tears from his eyes, not wanting anyone to walk in on him sobbing.
"Why am I doing this? I can't really be in love with her...can I?"
He shut his eyes and thought back to a conversation he had with her on Christmas Eve...
"So, Ross Geller," Rachel began flirtatiously, "do you believe in fate?"
He touched the top of her hand and grinned. "Do you?"
"I believe everything happens for a reason."
"I guess..."
She leaned in towards him, blue eyes sparkling, and whispered in a barely audible, excited tone. "Everything DOES happen for a reason. You and I are here right now due to some reason unbeknownst to us."
"Really?" He pretended to be intrigued and said it in a mocking tone.
She slapped his hand playfully and rolled her eyes. "Of course we are. Why did you come over here and talk to me tonight? I bet you don't usually come up and talk to strangers. What made you pick me?"
He shifted in his seat, not wanting to believe that his views on science were being successfully challenged. "Well, you just seemed nice."
"I'm sure there's lots of other women who seem nice in the world. How come you don't talk to them?"
"Well..." For the first time, Ross found himself at a loss for words.
"Maybe this was meant to be. Something pushed you in my direction, didn't it? You might not want to admit it, but deep down you know that something told you to come talk to me tonight. Do you know what that is?"
Ross shook his head.
"Fate," she said meaningfully. "Fate. It is the driving force behind every action in this world."
He shook his head and smiled at her. "I dunno, Rachel..."
She simply smiled back and shook her head. "One day you'll see. One day, something will happen, and you won't quite understand exactly why it happened. There will only be one explanation for it: It was meant to be. Fate. Destiny. Call it what you want, but one day, you'll see. One day, you won't be able to deny it because it will be looking right at you. One day, you're going to have to believe..."
His eyes fluttered open again. It was like a defining moment of truth for him. The feeling she described to him was happening. He couldn't stop thinking about her. Whenever he closed his eyes, there she was.
His thoughts drifted into a dream. Suddenly, he was in a house. A house where sunshine streamed through the windows and love was in every room. He was sitting at the kitchen table when a woman entered the room.
It was Rachel.
"Hey, sweetie," she purred.
"Hi, babe." He pulled her onto his lap.
"I missed you today."
"I know. I hate going to work every day, knowing what I'm leaving at home." He smiled and looked up into her sparkling blue eyes. "But then again, it just makes me work faster and run home to you."
She kissed him on the lips softly. He responded, hungrily.
"Honey," she moaned, "the kids are in the next room..." Yet she made no attempt to pull away.
"I know, but they're still young enough not to understand..." He raised an eyebrow.
Upon seeing this, she grabbed his hand and led him up the stairs to their room where they made love.
When it was almost over, her eyes locked with his. "I love you."
Breathlessly, he smiled. "Me too."
"Ever since the day I met you."
"I know."
In a blur of sound, color, and passion, it was over. She kissed the top of his head as both their eyes closed and their breathing became in unison. "No, really. It was like love at first sight."
Then, his fantasy was over...
'Oh why in every fantasy
Do I feel your arms embracing me?
Lovers lost in sweet desire...
Oh why in dreams do I surrender
Like a little baby?
Someone help explain this feeling
Someone tell me...'
Rachel had almost reached her apartment building. The rain was falling faster now, and each droplet asked a question.
Do I love him?
Why did I leave?
But...it's too soon for love...
Isn't it?
Her tears became indistinguishable with the rain, blurring her vision. She picked up her pace. "How can I feel this way? I know it can't be anything but love...but why? It is too soon...but what if it is fate? I can't deny it if it is...Someone tell me...please? If it's not love, then what is it?" She voiced her feelings aloud, not caring if the people on the street heard her. Almost expecting an answer, she listened. When she realized she wasn't getting one, she continued on, feeling as helpless as a baby.
'If I'm not in love with you
What is this I'm going through...tonight?
And if my heart is lyin' then
What should I believe in
Why do I go crazy
Every time I think about you baby
Why else do I want you like I...I do...
If I'm not in love...with...you...'
As she stepped out into the street, she looked to the stars for an answer. The street was vacant, so she stood there for a moment, rain pelting down her body. She continued to look upwards and began yelling towards the sky. "Come on! What else can you do to me? Just tell me if it's love. Show me! I need to know...I need help! Someone...tell me!"
Just then, a truck came barreling down the street. The few people on the sidewalk screamed at her to get out of the street. Over the rain and the yelling, she couldn't see the truck, nor could she hear it.
She was silent for a moment, suddenly aware of the noises around her. Like a deer in headlights, she turned around to see it trying to skid to a stop. But the rain made it hard to slow down, and she was frozen in place. Her legs were like lead weights, and the truck was too fast.
It was like she was in a trance...trying to move...yet unable. The truck driver honked his horn, snapping her out of it. He was only a few feet away, and she was not fast enough. Just as she almost made it, the truck hit her in the side, causing her to go flying and hit the cold, wet, pavement.
The driver was finally able to stop his vehicle, but it was too late. A crowd of people gathered around her. The whole left side of her body was bloody and there was a cut across her forehead.
"Oh my God, is she okay?" a woman wondered.
The driver looked horrified. "I tried to stop, but I-I couldn't!"
A man holding a cell phone approached the group. "I called 9-1-1. Does she have any identification on her?"
The woman bent down. "Miss, can you hear me? I'm going to look for your drivers license. We need to find out who you are. Can you answer me?"
Rachel didn't stir, and the worried looking woman opened her coat, revealing her perfectly rounded bump. "Oh dear God...she's pregnant!"
The driver buried his head in his hands. "I'm going to Hell for sure now..."
The man looked closer at Rachel. "No, she's breathing! It's okay. Ma'am? Can you hear me? Say anything!"
For a split second, Rachel's eyes fluttered open. Faces surrounded her, none of them familiar. "Ross..."
The truck driver looked up. "Who's Ross?"
"Ross Geller."
"Remember that name!" someone shouted out.
The driver bent down towards her. "Who is Ross Geller?"
Tears rolled down her bloody face as she was struggling to breathe. "The man I'm in love with..."
Then, her whole world gave way to darkness...
To
Be
Continued...
Please don't give up on me yet! Keep reading this! Oh, and I don't know how hard the truck hit her, but pretend she had a minute to talk, a minute where she was conscious. I needed to add that line in there. So...tell me what you think about this chapter. What did you like...what didn't you like...oh and also, what chapter do you like the best so far? I mean, which one was the most well-written one? I'm just curious. Constructive criticism, as always, is more than welcome! I like to know how I can improve by hearing suggestions by writers better than me. (I know there's a TON of them out there!) I hope everyone had a great New Year! The next chapter (maybe the finale, it might not be though) should be up soon. Please review!
Mel