In the morning, Chandler was relieved that the weekend had finally arrived, and he quickly got out of bed. While he breakfasted on cereal and toast, Joey also woke up and emerged from his bedroom.

"Hey, Chandler," he said with a yawn. Joey was wearing his bathrobe and still rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Morning," Chandler answered from the kitchen. "You're up earlier than usual."

"Yeah." Joey shrugged. "Well, I have to get ready for babysitting, right?"

"Right. Hey, do you feel okay, Joe? You're not sick from eating all that jam, are you?"

Joey chuckled and shook his head. "Nah, are you kidding me? I can never get enough of jam. It's so sweet and gooey and delicious."

Chandler smiled and wondered why Joey didn't have more dental problems, with all the candy and sweets that he frequently ate. Tribbianis must have impervious tooth enamel, as well as iron stomachs.

Joey looked more awake now, and he said, "Well, I'm gonna go take a shower. Do you think you can make me some pancakes in the meantime?"

"Joey!" Chandler sighed, with an air of being put upon, but he wasn't very surprised by the request. It was typical of Joey to angle for special treatment, knowing that his roommate could almost never say no to him. Chandler was always spoiling Joey with money and favors, like having breakfast with Joey's one-night stands and dumping them for Joey.

"Come on, please!" Joey spoke ingratiatingly, even putting his arm around Chandler's shoulders. "I'll eat them all this time, I promise. You really do make good pancakes, and why can't I have a little treat, since I have to go stay with Monica and Rachel for the weekend? I'll have to be neat all the time and not sleep naked or anything."

Chandler swallowed and tried not to tremble at Joey's nearness or the mention of him sleeping naked. Wondering whether Joey was going commando under his robe or not, Chandler had to struggle for his voice. "Uh, okay, I'll make you some pancakes," he pushed Joey away from him, "but you better go shower now."

"Okay!" Joey grinned and hugged him, making Chandler blush and gasp. Joey looked puzzled by this reaction, until he guessed that Chandler might have feared that Joey was trying to kiss his cheek again. "I'm sorry," Joey said, and stepped away from him. "I'll go shower now."

After Joey disappeared into the bathroom, Chandler needed a few minutes to catch his breath and compose himself. He could hardly wait for Janice and Phoebe to arrive.

***

By the time that Joey returned and got dressed, Chandler had already made a stack of pancakes for him. Chandler was glad, actually, since it reminded him that he wanted to cook for Janice this weekend. He would have to go to the store today for some more pancake mix and ingredients to make another loaf of bread.

"Thanks, Chandler," Joey said, as he sat down and generously poured the syrup.

"Better add syrup to the list," Chandler said to himself, as he pulled out his shopping list from his pocket.

"What?" Joey asked with his mouth full.

"I've gotta go to the grocery store soon. Anything you want me to get you while I'm there? Oh, let me guess--more jam."

Joey smiled and nodded vigorously.

Chandler noted that on his list too, then went to grab his coat and keys before leaving. But he stopped at the door and looked worried. "Uh, Joey, Janice will be here soon. Are you gonna be okay with seeing her? I mean, she is gonna want to check on Ruthie a lot this weekend, so you can't avoid her entirely, no matter what."

Joey nodded and frowned, watching Chandler's face. "I can be polite to her, if that's what you mean." Then he tried to be more cheerful and reassuring. "Don't worry, I've been fooling her for this long, haven't I?"

Chandler shrugged and leaned against the counter. "Yeah, ever since Joey and Janice's Day of Fun, she thinks you like her too, and I haven't had the heart to tell her otherwise." He sighed and pouted sadly. "I just, I wish you could like her for real, Joe. Are you sure you'll never like her? Ever?" He didn't want to have to keep Joey and Janice apart for the rest of his life.

Feeling guilty, Joey put down his fork and got up from the foosball table. He shuffled over to Chandler and kept glancing at his feet as he explained, "I-I don't know how to like her, Chandler. It's just her voice, and her laugh, and the way she sings along, loudly, whenever we go out to a show, and--ugh!" he shuddered. "I mean, you know it already, don't you? You and me, we used to talk all the time about how annoying she was, and how you couldn't wait to get rid of her. You got so mad at me when I left you with her on that blind date once, remember? Nothing's changed about her, but somehow you love her now. I don't get it."

Chandler remembered all the hockey games, movies, and other dates on which he had dragged Joey along with him and Janice. Now he understood Joey's feelings better, and he wasn't so mad and disappointed anymore. "You're right, Joe. Nothing's changed about her really, except for her getting divorced and having a kid. I'm the one who changed a lot, for the better, I hope. I realized that all her annoying flaws aren't that important, and can even be endearing too. I mean, I'm not perfect either, and she loves me anyway, for who I am. I've decided to focus on how smart, funny, beautiful, and caring Janice is. That's why I'm so in love with her now. See?"

Joey met his eyes at last, but still looked puzzled. "Really? You can just overlook her flaws like that? Didn't you use to dump girls all the time for having big nostrils and stuff like that?"

"Exactly!" Chandler nodded. "But Janice taught me how to grow up and stop making stupid excuses to dump girls. She showed me that I was running away all the time because I was afraid of commitment and was trying not to get trapped in a terrible relationship just like my parents had. I mean, on some level, I always knew that, but she made me face up to that and move on. Now I'm finally happy with her."

Joey looked skeptical. "But how you can start off hating her and then love her all of the sudden?"

"It wasn't really all of the sudden. It was like, um," Chandler wasn't sure how to make it clear, then he had an idea as the birds walked into the room. "Well, it's just like how you and Kate were."

"Huh?" Joey didn't understand.

"Remember when you first met Kate and you thought you hated her, Joe? But you were really obsessed about her, and you had a crush on her, even bigger than what you had on Ursula. And the more you rehearsed that play together and couldn't have Kate, the more you loved her. You even cried about her and talked with her all night instead of having sex, and that's something I never thought you'd do with any woman. Anyway, that's just how I was with Janice those first few times we went out. I thought I hated her, until I finally figured out that I really loved her all along. I was just too afraid to admit it."

Joey was shocked and tried to comprehend things in a whole new light. "But what took you so long then? What made you finally admit it?"

Chandler smiled and answered easily, "It was when I met her over the internet, Joe. When I didn't see her or hear her voice, I totally connected with her, person to person. I chatted all night with her and fell in love with her, without any of my commitment issues or her superficial flaws getting in the way. When I saw her at Central Perk, I realized that it must be fate, and I kissed her. Janice is my soulmate, and I really love her."

Joey didn't know what to say to that. If Janice was Chandler's soulmate, then they might be together for good this time. They might even wind up getting married and having kids. Joey didn't know how to cope with that, and he protested, "But, but if she's your soulmate, then how come you were so in love with Kathy, huh? I mean, you loved her enough to go behind my back and kiss her. You were crazy about her."

Chandler nodded. "Well, yeah, but that's when I thought Janice wasn't going to come back to me at all. I was looking for somebody to be the next best thing, and I didn't intend for it to happen, but Kathy and I just clicked so well, you know? We talked a lot and had all these interests in common. I thought, 'Well maybe Janice was just a stepping stone so that I could grow up and be ready for a mature relationship,' like what happened between you and Kate. Maybe someday you'll find the girl that you'll really settle down with. So I decided that maybe Kathy was the one for me. But even then, when you were so upset about my betrayal and said you were gonna move out, I was willing to stop seeing her if it meant that much to you." He reached out and hugged Joey close. "I'm so glad you forgave me and stayed. I don't wanna lose you, Joe."

Joey hugged him back and nodded. "I don't want to lose you either." Sighing deeply, he said with difficulty, "I'll--I'll try to like Janice, for you, but I'm not sure how long it will take, or if you'll have to maybe settle for us just getting along and not killing each other."

"I understand," Chandler said, knowing how difficult it would be. "Just the fact that you would try means a lot to me. Just try to not let her annoying mannerisms bother you and try to find stuff in common. You both know a lot about kids, or you could bond over cooking, maybe. And I'll try to tell her to tone down her singing and her laughter a little, okay?"

"Okay." Joey stood back and met Chandler's eyes again, but he didn't quite let go of Chandler yet, and he was strongly tempted to kiss Chandler's cheek as a further sign of friendship. Joey caught himself, though, and knew he shouldn't spoil this moment between them by making Chandler uneasy and panicky again. So Joey just brushed his hand against Chandler's face and asked with wonder, "She really makes you happy, huh?"

Chandler nodded, but said nothing. He could sense that Joey wanted to kiss him again, and part of him really wanted Joey to do it. In fact, he ached to kiss Joey back and have them wind up passionately groping each other, like in his erotic dream. But Chandler couldn't do that. He loved Janice, and he wasn't gay. "I-I should get to the store," he whispered, trying to collect his thoughts again. "So I can get back before Janice gets here."

"Sure," Joey answered, and finally released Chandler from his embrace. "I, uh, I'll clean up around here, and let Janice in when she gets here." He shrugged and cleared his throat. "Maybe we'll try to hang out or something."

"Thanks, Joe. I'll be right back." Chandler pulled his coat tighter around him and headed out the door.