Love is Chapter 4: Firsts, a friends fanfic

Love is...

-Author's Note: Thank you guys SO much for the reviews!!! You can't possibly know how wonderful they make me feel. I'm really sorry about the delay with this chapter, but you know, being a high school sophomore, I have midterms and projects...and to be honest with you, it took me a few days to come up with the main plotline of this chapter...so I'm REALLY sorry about that again. And to Theresa (cutefriendsfan), thanks for pointing that stuff out...I guess I kind of overlooked it. Hopefully I resolve those issues for you in this one...please leave more reviews when you're done!! On with the story...

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Rachel could here Ross's heart beating in his chest. Bump-bump. Bump-bump. Bump-bump. Coming from him, she thought it was the most beautiful sound in the world. It was a nice little reminder that he was real, that she wasn't living a dream, and that when she opened her eyes, he would still be there.

Rachel was lying on top of Ross on the window seat. She had her head resting on his chest and his arms were wrapped around her waist, sitting comfortably on her stomach. Her hands were atop his, and her fingers were playing with his. She finally knew the meaning of heaven. Time stood still and she felt like she had been there, in that position, forever. But when it came to being with him, forever would never, ever be enough.

She was deep in thought...as usual, thoughts of him, but that was a given. Wasn't it? She was thinking about their relationship...all the questions you normally ask each other: Where was it going? How serious were they? But Rachel, for a reason unknown to her, she didn't think they even needed to bring that stuff up. They had been together for a little over a month, and it seemed to be understood by both of them that they were going to stay together as long as they were happy. She knew what she felt for him, she knew that it wasn't going away anytime soon, and she knew, despite the fact that it hadn't been said, that Ross felt the same. She could tell in the way that he held her, the way he kissed her, the way he spoke to her...she just knew. This wasn't the type of thing that happened to him a lot, and she was happy that it was with her.

Lying here with you
Listening to the rain
Smiling just to see the smile upon your face
These are the moments I thank God that I'm alive
These are the moments I'll remember all my life
I found all I've waited for
And I could not ask for more

She smiled as his fingers lightly rubbed her stomach, spreading a feeling of warmth throughout her whole body. Only he had the magic touch that could have that affect on her. And he was so gentle with her – like he was making sure he didn't hurt her. The care he exercised when he touched her made her feel protected, it reassured her that she would always be safe. As long as her was with her, she would always be safe.

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Ross loved touching her. She was so soft; sometimes he was surprised he could even feel her. Her skin was like silk...it was beautiful. She was beautiful.

Sometimes she seemed to perfect to be real. It sounds corny, but it was, oh so true. No one could ever compare to her...ever.

He closed his eyes and smiled, breathing in her scent. God – it was so intoxicating. It made him concentrate on her and only her – it made his mind go straight to her lips, her eyes, her nose, her ears, her fingertips; just...everything Rachel, and nothing else. And he wouldn't have it any other way.

He breathed in a happy sigh and she sat up and turned around to face him, rubbing his thighs with her hands, sending icy currents up and down his spine. 'Only her,' he thought.

She smiled warmly at him, thoroughly enjoying the way he was looking at her; seductive, almost. "Whatcha thinkin' about?" she asked him softly, not wanting to disturb the peaceful silence that had fallen over the apartment in their period of relaxation.

He tilted his head and smiled. "You. Always."

Looking in your eyes
Seeing all I need
Everything you are is everything to me
These are the moments
I know heaven must exist
These are the moments I know all I need is this
I have all I've waited for
And I could not ask for more

Oh, God. How did he do that? When she was already on Cloud 9, he would just say something - it didn't have to be a whole sentence; just two words, and she went even higher. Her heart melted and she just wanted to throw herself on him, showering him with kisses, telling him the power he had over her. All the feelings and emotions he brought out in her. One more word from him and her heart was going to explode...

She smiled and squeezed his hand. "Good answer. You get extra points for that. You're too sweet sometimes."

"Well, I try. Plus, you're just so special, and so....well, how can I not think about you all the time?" She smiled wider. God, he loved that smile. It was the last thing he thought about when he went to sleep, and one of the many things about her that he thought of when he regained consciousness in the morning...he also thought a lot about her eyes, those big, beautiful pools of deep blue. The prettiest blue he'd ever seen....he could see so much in her eyes. He could see everything she was feeling, and he loved that he could read her so well. He could tell when she was upset, or sad. He loved that she could never keep anything from him because her eyes gave her away.

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Rachel noticed that his eyes got distant; he was clearly lost in thought again. She leaned over and lightly grazed his cheek with her hand, bringing him back to reality. He smiled at her, and she leaned in again, kissing him tenderly. When they broke, he took her hands in his, took a deep breath, and said three little words that could never capture just what he was feeling inside. "I love you."

Rachel's eyes widened significantly at the sound of those words. Tears of happiness began to fill her eyes and she whispered so softly it was barely audible, "I love you too."

She squeezed his hands as one single tear rolled down her cheek. Ross lifted his hand and wiped it away, his hand resting on her cheek when he was done. She smiled and took his hand from her cheek and put it to her lips, kissing his fingertips. Then she brought his hand down and placed it on her chest. Not because she wanted him to touch her there, not that she didn't, but she wanted him to feel her heart and how fast it was beating. She wanted him to feel all the love that was building up inside her that would soon be begging to come out. She wanted him to know that all of the love belonged to him and that no one could ever change that.

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When she put his hand to her chest, he felt a connection beyond anything he had ever felt before, with her or anyone. It was a wonderful feeling – her heartbeat getting faster; matching, or maybe even surpassing the speed of his own.

The intensity of this moment was unreal. Smiling and looking into each other's eyes, seeing deeper than they thought humanly possible.

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Rachel's tears were falling freely now, but she didn't care. She wanted him to see just how happy she was. She wanted him to know and love everything about her, and she wasn't afraid to show her emotions. She wasn't afraid to show anything with him, he released all of her insecurities. She had not a care in the world with him. Nothing else mattered. It was just Ross and Rachel in their own little world, and she wouldn't trade that little world for anything.

Slowly, Ross moved his hand from over her heart and brought it once again to her face, moving some free strands of hair behind her ears. They were blocking her face, and he hated that. He didn't think her face should ever be hidden; he didn't think the world should be deprived of such beauty. It just wasn't fair. But at the same time, he wanted to be selfish...he wanted to keep her all to himself, and right there in that moment, she was all his. "You're gorgeous." She smiled as he ran his fingers through her hair until they reached the back of her neck. Then, very slowly still, he pulled her in and kissed her.

I could not ask for more than this time together
I could not ask for more than this time with you
Every prayer has been answered
Every dream I have has come true
And right here in this moment is right where I'm meant to be
Here with you here with me

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At the touch of his lips against hers, all of the love that had built up inside her heart was released in wave after wave of passion; each second more precious than the one that preceded it.

Rachel brought her arms up and wrapped them around his neck, leaning back and taking him with her as they both sank even deeper into that kiss. It was perfect. The whole evening had been perfect. They had taken a major step in their relationship; a step that, perhaps, they both had been ready to take since day one with their first kiss under the stars. But now, it was even more incredible than they expected...

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Rachel had no doubt in her mind that this was it, Ross was it. She was going to be with him forever. She was going to love him forever – every single day until the day she died, maybe even longer. Just, hearing him say that he loved her, and then saying it back, it felt right...it felt like her life was changing, but in a good way. He made her so happy; no one would ever be able to make her feel half as happy as she was with him. He made her feel special, flawless; the list could go on forever. And right now, in this moment, kissing him and having his weight on top of her...she knew that this time they were going all the way. No telephone calls to interrupt them this time. If the phone happened to ring, they would let the machine get it. This moment, this eternity, it was just way too special to stop.

He tore away from her lips and began to kiss along her neck and collarbone, making her moan. Both breathing very heavily, Ross stopped kissing her and looked into her eyes, coming to a silent understanding with her that he didn't want to stop. She smiled and pulled him down for a deep kiss, her hands traveling from his neck to his hair, leaving a trail of fire on his skin.

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Feeling her touch was...pure bliss. No other feeling could compare to it. It was so soft and gentle. He broke their kiss and picked her up. He carried her to her room and kicked the door shut. He gently laid her down on the bed and was just about to climb on top of her again when she sat up and stood on her knees, at eye level with him. He had a look on his face that she just loved – confusion. He had this goofy smile and his eyebrows were furrowed, looking at her questioningly. It made him look adorable...like a little boy. She giggled and he smiled, still not knowing what she was doing. She ran her fingers through his hair and leaned in. She looked straight into his eyes the whole time. Within centimeters of his face, she rubbed her nose against his, moving side to side. Then finally, she looked down at his lips and closed the distance. This kiss was...nothing short of amazing. Her hands still in his hair, holding his head in place as she slowly slipped her tongue into his mouth, which he gladly accepted.

These are the moments I thank God that I'm alive
These are the moments I'll remember all my life
I've got all I've waited for
And I could not ask for more

This kiss was her way of trying to show him how he made her feel. She knew it wouldn't even come close to how she really felt, but she tried to put every ounce of herself into it. She wanted him to know that everything she did, it was all for him. It was because she loved him that much, and she would do whatever it took to get that message to him. And this kiss...it was perfect.

He found her advancements so...romantic. The way she rubbed her nose against his before going in, it just made him feel so many things he had never felt before. She was so intimate, so careful, and so wonderful.

His hands traveled down her body to her waist, lifting her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he lowered her back onto the bed. He went to kiss her neck as she reached to pull his shirt up over his head. After the shirt was thrown across the room, she unbuttoned his pants. He watched her during this, amused at the look of sheer determination on her face. She really wanted those pants off. Finally, he was above her in just his boxers.

She looked at him, taking it all in. He was the most beautiful man she had ever seen. He had a very toned body, it was gorgeous. And it was all hers, he was all hers...

She looked him in the eyes, and that told him exactly what he needed to know – it was his turn. He slid his hands down to the bottom of her shirt and very slowly lifted her shirt. This was his way of teasing her and he was thoroughly enjoying the pleading look in her eyes. She raised her hips, silently begging him to pick up the pace, but he maintained a slow pace, loving how much she was hating it.

He was torturing her. She wanted him so bad, and he was moving agonizingly slow in removing her shirt. She was just about ready to explode, and throughout all of her misery, he loved it. He loved watching her, helpless. Finally, she put her hands over his and pushed her shirt up faster.

When she made him move faster, he smiled. His strategy was working. After he pulled her shirt over her head, he fixed the hair that had fallen into her face, pushing it back behind her ears. She smiled at this gesture. He was so sweet...so torturous, yet so sweet. Interesting combination.

She watched him slide his fingers over her stomach before stopping to unbutton her pants. She wiggled out of them, now laying beneath him in just her bra and panties. He looked at her, taking in every little detail of her body. Every freckle, every curve. Every...little...detail. She was even more gorgeous than she was before. He was in awe. Her skin glowed, her chest rose with every breath she took. He watched a little bead of sweat travel down in the valley between her breasts. He bent down and licked it off, longing to taste her.

She brought her hands up and caressed his arms. He looked back up at her and they both smiled. No more wasting time. No more waiting. He unhooked her bra and tossed it aside, and then gently slid off her panties, throwing those aside too. She was now completely naked beneath him, and he loved it. He looked her in the eyes and she kissed him, her way of telling him that it was time. He broke it and looked into her eyes, and slid inside her...and then they were one.

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Rachel had one arm and one leg draped over Ross. They were lying in her bed, still basking in the wonder of what they had just done.

She couldn't have been happier. She had just made love to the man that she was sure she'd be with for the rest of her life, and that act had made her even more positive. She couldn't wipe the smile on her face. It was their first time, and it couldn't have been more perfect. Saying their first "I love you's," then spending the most wonderful night ever making love. It was so romantic, and she couldn't have asked for a better 'first time'.

Ross was still in shock. A happy shock though. He was currently lying in Rachel's bed, his arms wrapped around her, and her head on his chest. They had just spent the most breathtaking night together, a night that he would never forget. He knew now, more so than before, that she was the one. There was no other fish in the sea like the one in his arms right now, and he would never let her go. He didn't want to lose this feeling; he didn't want to lose her.

Rachel squeezed him tight as she asked, "What did I do to deserve someone as amazing as you?"

Ross kissed her hair as he thought about this question. He figured it was rhetorical but he wanted to answer it anyway, to tell her how he felt. "You were born." He said simply.

Rachel sat up and looked him right in the eyes. "I love you so much."

She kissed him and he rolled her over so he was on top of her again. He looked down at her, wearing one of the most serious faces she had ever seen. "I love you more than you'll ever know."

I could not ask for more than the love you give me
'Coz it's all I've waited for
And I could not ask for more
I could not ask for more

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-Author's Note: So...what did you guys think of this one? I'm a little worried about it to tell you the truth...so leave me reviews and tell me if it was good enough. By the way, the song I used was "I Could Not Ask for More" by Edwin McCain. Thanks a lot...make my day, leave a review?