Phoebe stared at the body underneath the sheet. Rachel saw that she had not moved in five minutes. "Pheebs, come on, we are going to have a ton of guys come through today." she said as she tried to push her along. "J-joey." she said softly. "My Joey." she said. Rachel lifted the sheet. "Oh my God, it's true." she said as she put her arms around her friend. Phoebe 's eyes filled with tears. Once again someone she loved was dead.
"Okay, Lieutenant, this sailor is DOA. Move him along. Tribbiani, Joseph F., New York, " the head nurse wrote on the chart. "Get him out." she called to the orderly. Two military men came in and took the stretcher away. Phoebe watched with tears as they took him away.
"Niner one, this is two seven one.. Reaching targets." Ross said as the plane neared the ships. He had to stay on his toes as the Japanese fighters were firing between the ships and the planes in the air. "Good aim.' he smiled as two Japanese planes went down in flames. He looked over at the bay now engulfed in flames. The once tall ships now were on fire and sinking into the ocean. He looked down and saw bodies floating in the water as they tried to save themselves. One of the largest ships, the Arizona, continued to sink in a pond of oil around it.
The skies continued to be filled with planes. Small little planes had left their lethal mark on the American fleet. Japan had it's oil cut off for aiding the axis powers and had led the US along in fake peace talks. Japanese were being told this was the ultimate crusade and they died that day as well, thousands of young men told they would bring honor to their family and their emperor.
"Rachel, I need another bag of plasma." said Monica as she helped the doctor as he began to treat another victim of the attack. Her hands held open the wound as the doctor tried to stitch the seeping cut. Rachel put her hands over her eyes as she saw the burns from the oil in the water. She handed the bag to Monica and quickly left the room.
"I can't take this." she cried. "I never thought it would be this bad." At that moment, a sailor was laying on a cot. He had been marked with a one which meant that he was critical. "Nurse, " he cried out. Something made Rachel walk over to the dying soldier. "I'm here." she whispered. "Please before I die, let me have a beautiful woman kiss me one more time." Tears came to her eyes as she tried to picture her Ross if he would be like this soldier. He was obviously imagining the woman that he loved back home. She bent over and leaned to kiss the dying man. "Bye my love.' she whispered. His eyes closed shut and his soul was now gone.
"Medic." she cried walking away from the sailor. She stood frozen as the sailor was carried away. She had touched someone's life with her kindness.
Phoebe tried to do her job, but all she could see was Joey's burned face. She thought of the first time she met his family back in Queens. He had such dreams. He wanted to be an actor like Clark Gable or Humphrey Bogart. His father wanted him to settle down and work with him in his plumbing business. Phoebe was made very welcome in the Tribbiani house. With her own lack of family, she had warm feelings with Gloria and Joseph Sr. and all of Joey's sisters and his grandmother.
"Pheebs, are you alright?" said Rachel as she saw her sitting down. "Yeah, I guess, " she sighed. Rachel went over and put her coat around her. "Go home Phoebe, you need to rest and to mourn." she said with a hug. "We can handle things." Phoebe hugged her back and then opened the door.
"We need more blood." the head nurse announced. "Any one who is not on their back, I order you to put them on a stretcher and milk them. " Rachel spied a sight that made her go running. Ross was carrying a stretcher as he walked into the hospital.
"All males who are well they have ordered to help." he said as he put down the liter. "Plus it gave me an excuse to come by to see my favorite nurse." he smiled as their lips brushed. Rachel hummed as he kissed her, almost like a sigh of contentment.
"Captain, on your back." announced the head nurse. "Lieutenant, prepare the needle for the captain." Ross got the look of terror in his eyes. "Needle?" he said panicking.
"Captain, all personnel who are not injured are ordered to donate blood for the hospital. We are in short supply and can use anyone's .Including a chicken Air Force pilot." she ordered.
"I am not a chicken." he yelled. "I just don't like needles that's all."
Rachel put her arm around Ross as she led him into the blood bank. "Come on my big strong fighter pilot boyfriend can't be scared of a little needle when he got shot down by the Nazis?" she cooed. "Yes he can." he said as he started to get up from the stretcher. Rachel pushed him back down. "We all have to do our part for the war effort." she said as she eased him down on the cot. She wrapped the rubber tourniquet around his arm and picked up a needle. "Now close your eyes and when you're done, you'll get a big surprise." she cooed. Ross closed his eyes and then Rachel guided the needle into his arm. "OWWWWWWWWCH!" he screamed. "There it's in." she announced "and I am not leaving your side." she said holding his hand. The vial next to the bed filled with red liquid rather quickly.
As the bottle was capped by another nurse, Rachel put a band aid on Ross. She leaned over and began to kiss him. "All better now.' she whispered.
A sailor in the bed next to him was giving blood as well. "Alright, he smiled. Do I get a kiss next?' he asked hopefully.
"At ease , seaman, this one is mine." said Ross brusquely. Rachel leaned over again. "I've got to get back to work, but you lay and rest until you aren't dizzy anymore." she said.
Rachel looked back over and saw Ross on the table. She said a special prayer of thanks to God that he was only there to help, not as a casualty. She also asked for Phoebe to be able to handle this tragedy and a special prayer for the Tribbianis to get through this horrible time.
Monica stood at the nurses station when she heard his voice. "Mon, Mon?" he called. Monica couldn't believe her eyes. He was thinner and maybe a little older, but it was her Chandler. He wrapped his arms around her . "I thought you were dead , ." she whispered. "I was Monica, I was." he said with tears in his eyes.
"Quiet everyone, President Roosevelt is speaking." one of the nurses announced . A radio was blaring as the familiar voice spoke.
"Yesterday December 7, 1941.…a date which will live in infamy." he said.
Monica wrapped herself in Chandler's arms. Ross had gotten up and now had Rachel wrapped around him. Both couples , young and in love, now had begun the biggest tests of their relationships. They had passed the first test, but the test of love is never easy.
Next Chandler and Ross are given secret orders to go to Washington. The friends mourn their friend….
