'Wow,' Joey said, two days later at Central Perk. 'You know guys, this is a really big step you're taking.'

'You don't have to keep saying that,' Chandler said. He was feeling nervous and he gave Monica's hand a squeeze. Moving in with Monica was a big step in its own right. From now on, things were officially more serious – and yes, that was a bit nerve racking. But over time he was beginning to think that risky or not, he wanted to try. He knew that he hated leaving all the time and the only way to get around that was to not leave. So if moving in was the first in a series of steps that were a bit scary then he would just think of the positives – more time with Monica – and take the rest, one step at a time.

So the decision to move in with Monica had been made weeks ago, not long after the Valentine's day escapade. Settled, no matter how nervous he might feel. Those nerves were on his side, not caused by Monica. But there was problem that moving in with Monica caused, and this was a shared one.

'Now you're going to have to tell, Ross.'

'Thanks Joey, for pointing out the obvious,' Chandler said. He felt the pressure of Monica's hand in his and he squeezed it again.

'How are we going to do it?' Monica said. She'd been thinking over this question for days, if not weeks. Rachel, who had been flipping through an interior decorating magazine looked up.

'Like you did before, just tell him.'

'Yes,' Monica said, 'And he went into a rage and it was only because of Emily that he didn't go completely nuts.' Rachel shrugged and said,

'So? You're going to tell him when Emily's there aren't you?'

'Well yes,' Monica said. Of course she'd be there, and she'd hit Ross over the head or something if he got out of hand. He'd take it from Emily, Monica realised, another sign that he had started to settle down. Marriage for the second time had done him good, and although Emily had her weird and flighty moments, she was basically level headed and able to give Ross the grounding he needed. 'Maybe I should have told her.'

'No, that's fine,' Chandler said, 'Because then she can be genuinely surprised and Ross won't think it's a conspiracy against him.'

'Only a moron would be genuinely surprised, even – ' Rachel cut herself off. Even Joey's not surprised, was she what she had been going to say.

'Even?' Joey asked.

'I forgot,' Rachel said. Suddenly Ross came in, making them all start a bit, in case he had gained any idea of what he they were talking about.

'Hey,' Ross said, wandering in with Phoebe, who was holding a felafel.

'Hey,' Phoebe echoed. They all greeted each other and Monica looked anxiously at the door.

'Where's Emily?' she asked.

'She can't be here this evening. She's got food poisoning,' Ross said, as Phoebe, who had already heard the new, shook her head. Rachel, who had taken up her magazine, dropped it.

'She's got what?' she asked in shock.

'Oh poor Emily,' Monica said, 'What's wrong? Has she got a fever? Pain?'

'I don't think she's got a fever and she doesn't have pain. It's just that she's throwing up everywhere,' Ross said, just as Phoebe was about to bite into her felafel.

'Do you mind?' she asked in annoyance.

'Sorry Phoebes – but Emily's really sick. She really wanted to come out, but I said no, and I'm only going to stay for a short while. I came out to get some cordials for her, so she doesn't get dehydrated.' He indicated the bag he was carrying, which had bottles of cordials in different flavours.

'Oh, this is my fault,' Rachel said, aghast. The dinner had been worse than she'd thought. She'd tried so hard and now look what had happened… 'I poisoned her. You were right about that fish Monica, I should have cooked it for longer.' There was a reflective silence as each of them took inventory of their personal health, wondering if they had been poisoned too before Joey said,

'Hey, she had more than the rest of us, she had twice as much as I did.' Which would be five or six times the amount eaten by any of the others.

'I didn't have any fish,' Phoebe said.

'She did eat it with mustard,' Chandler said. 'That was really weird.'

'Do you think it was the mustard?' Rachel asked. If that was the case, at least it wouldn't be her fault.

'No,' Monica said, 'That was just a weird thing she did. But Ross, you should make her see a doctor.'

'She's going to see one tomorrow if she's not better. She doesn't want to make a fuss,' Ross said.

'Make the doctor come and see her,' Monica said. 'If she's sick she shouldn't have to go to the doctor's surgery.'

'I feel so bad,' Rachel said, 'Please tell her I'm sorry. I'll pay the bill.'

'No Rach,' Ross interpolated.

'I didn't mean to poison her, or anyone.' It was lucky in a way that the others hadn't been able to bring themselves to eat much because everyone else might have been poisoned.

'It's okay,' Chandler said, 'I changed my will last week anyway. Monica's getting my stamp collection.'

'You've got a stamp collection?' Joey asked incredulously. 'I never knew that.' Rachel didn't smile and Ross said,

'She knows you didn't mean it, Rach. It was just bad luck.' Rachel picked up her magazine and put it on her lap, closed. 'So, what's news.'

'News?' Chandler asked, taken off guard.

'Yeah, news, as in stuff I don't know.'

'Well Ross, there's a hell of a lot of stuff you don't know,' Chandler said, playing for time. 'I mean, could dinosaurs see in colour? Did they give each other names? Hey Bert, I saw that Stegosaurus going down the street…'

'Oh very funny,' Ross said. 'I meant stuff that's happening to us.'

'Nothing,' Monica said, slightly manic, 'It's as dull as anything around here. Dullsville.'

'Dullstown,' Chandler said.

'Dullsborough,' Monica said.

'Right,' Ross said. There was silence before Rachel said,

'I think I'll go see Emily and apologise.'

'Me too,' Phoebe said.

'Me three,' Joey said. Monica glared at them, and said,

'You two don't need to apologise for anything.'

'We know,' Joey said, 'But Emily might like a visit.'

'Emily may be too sick and tired for visitors,' Monica said, gritting her teeth. 'It's not considerate to just drop in like that.' How dared they abandon her like this?

'We won't stay long,' Rachel said, and she trooped out with Joey and Phoebe. Great, Monica thought, that's what friends were for, to walk off and leave you when you need them. Monica turned back to Ross,

'Do you think Emily will be all right for Sunday?'

'Sure, Mon,' Ross said, 'I'm sure you can arrange your place settings safe in the knowledge that Emily will be there.'

'Oh good, good, I'm so relieved. It's a weight off my mind, it really is.' Ross smiled at his sister and said, slightly patronisingly,

'You'll be able to plan it to the last detail. Nothing will be out of place, nothing will go wrong and there'll be no surprises.'