After Monica left, Joey hugged Chandler closer and shook his head remorsefully. "It's my fault. I mean, you guys were doing fine after Vegas, and you were moving in together, but I ruined it--"

Chandler shook his head and interrupted, "No, no, it was me too. It was--" He ran his hands down Joey's arms, and then along the scar on his abdomen. With a sigh, Chandler raised his head from Joey's shoulder and leaned in for a kiss.

Joey drew back warily.

"Please," Chandler said. "We don't have to feel guilty now."

"But Carol and Susan canceled--"

"I know. But Monica just broke up with me."

He looked so wretched and lonely that Joey went along. They kissed and caressed each other, tenderly at first, until Chandler pulled Joey to lay on top of him on the couch, and they made out feverishly.

Soon Chandler wanted even more comfort. "Let's go to bed."

Joey hesitated and met his eyes. "You sure?"

Chandler nodded. "Make me forget her, Joe. Touch me this time; don't just talk."

So they got up and headed into Chandler's bedroom together. Locking the door, Chandler quickly stripped and waited for Joey to join him on the bed.

"You really wanna do this, Chandler?"

"Yes," he kissed Joey eagerly. "Let's do all that stuff we talked about before. But--but no Monica."

Joey nodded and got under the covers with him, letting their naked bodies meet for the first time. It was a hot, dizzying sensation after all the teasing they'd done already, and Chandler felt better when he realized that he wasn't the only one trembling.

With an aching kiss, they began to experiment and stroke each other. Joey asked Chandler if he really did have any sexy stories about things he'd seen his father doing to the houseboy. Chandler nodded and showed Joey what he could remember. Not everything went smoothly between them, but at last they consummated what they only had imagined in fantasies and sex dreams.

Chandler noticed as Joey sucked on his fingers that they were both still wearing their wedding rings. Just a few weeks ago they were only friends, and now they were in bed for the second time, no longer holding back their lust for each other. But was this lust only temporary? Was it only an illusion manufactured by their fake marriage, and Chandler's heartache? Was it wise to have sex now, if they would only regret it later?

Chandler forgot all his doubts when Joey went down on him, deciding that it shouldn't be that difficult to learn how to suck his erection too. Chandler groaned in ecstasy and was certainly willing to let him try.

After some successes and some misfires that night, they finally spent all their passion and just lay in bed, staring at each other silently.

Then Joey stroked Chandler's cheek and whispered, "You feel better now?"

Chandler nodded and lay his head on Joey's shoulder. "Thank you."

Joey shrugged and confessed, "I wanted it too."

After another silence, Chandler asked him, "Stay the night with me?"

"Okay." They kissed again and closed their eyes, soon falling asleep in each other's arms.


In the morning, Chandler awoke with his alarm and sat up to turn it off. Leaving Joey sleeping, he got out of bed and headed for the shower. As the water hit him, he could remember all the places that Joey had touched him, and for now, at least, he didn't regret last night.

But Chandler sighed and wondered if Joey would soon remove his wedding ring and go back to "normal" as Monica had urged them to. Joey could probably resume his regular life easily enough, since he had no one that he'd need to explain these past few weeks to.

Chandler, on the other hand, wasn't so lucky. For over a year, Monica had been his girlfriend, and she had become a large part of what made his life normal. But now, she was suddenly gone for good, and the only life that Chandler could return to was the life of the dateless loser, which he no longer knew how to live.

At least at work, Chandler could lead the life of a married man. That was much less humiliating, even if it meant that his co-workers thought he was gay. Chandler could flaunt his wedding ring all over the office and pretend that he was still in a happy and committed relationship. The only problem was that he'd have to come home and face the jarring reality that he had neither a girlfriend nor a husband. One had cheated on him and dumped him, while the other had been fake all along.

With a gloomy sigh, Chandler finished his shower and toweled off. Then he put on a robe and tiptoed back into his room to get dressed for work. Joey remained asleep, and Chandler couldn't help glancing at him in bed.

What if I don't go to work today? Chandler asked himself. What if I call in sick and just stay here and have sex with Joey some more?

That was wishful thinking, though. Joey certainly wouldn't want to have sex with him again. Last night had been about comfort, and maybe also the release of the sexual tension that they'd been building up for a while now. It wouldn't be something that Joey would want to repeat, now that he was allowed to have women and porn again.

So Chandler finished dressing and left for work.


Joey was home when Chandler came back that afternoon. "Hey," he spoke softly. "You okay?"

Chandler shrugged morosely. "I'll get over her. It'll just take some time."

Joey nodded with understanding. "So you wanna go out and do something tonight, or is it too soon for you? Are you still in phase one?"

"Yeah, you know me--I'll be here, moping in my sweats and drinking myself insensible. Do we have enough beer for that?" He checked the fridge, and found it well stocked.

Joey warned him, "Hey, I bought that for both of us, Chandler. Don't try to drink it all yourself, because I'm gonna be watching you."

"You don't have to--"

"Yes, I do! You think I forgot how drunk you got at my birthday party a few years back? It's not gonna happen again."

"Fine, but Ross can stay and babysit me then. You should go out and celebrate your first night of freedom, Joe."

"No, that can wait. Besides, Ross has plans with Phoebe."

"What plans?"

"You know, sex."

"Sex?" Chandler looked shocked, before he realized his denseness. "Oh, I forgot they're making babies the old-fashioned way."

Joey offered, "If you wanna have some guys over, I can call up your cousins, or my cousins, or maybe even Gunther."

"No, no, I don't want people I barely know seeing me... you know, crying and stuff." He looked away quickly.

Joey put an arm around his shoulders. "Okay, I guess it's just us then."

Chandler appreciated Joey's concern, but still felt guilty. "No, it's not right, Joey! Look, you're a straight bachelor again, and nobody's dumped you. You should be out getting a hot woman or two."

"And leave you alone? No way!"

"Well, maybe Rachel could come over, or maybe Carol and Susan would take pity on me. Women can get me through phase one all right, if not phase two."

Joey shrugged. "Rachel already said that she's doing something with Monica, but I'll call Carol and Susan."

So Chandler grabbed a beer from the fridge and listened as Joey phoned them.

"Hi, Carol! Look, you know about Monica breaking up with Chandler? Well, he shouldn't be alone tonight, and we were wondering if you could come over... You can't? Oh. No, no, it's okay, I'll be here. He just wanted some more company, you know? Okay, hang on." Joey handed the phone to Chandler.

Chandler reluctantly took the receiver. "Hello?"

"Hi, Chandler, how are you feeling?"

"Oh, I'm fine and dandy! You?"

She sighed and ignored his sarcasm. "Chandler, Susan and I just want you to know how very, very sorry we are about what happened. Not that it really matters right now, but we're coming over tomorrow night to pick up our books and such. If you want us to, we will definitely stick around and keep you company."

"Well, thanks. 'Cause I really want Joey to get out of the house, now that he can, you know?"

"Sure. So you'll be okay for tonight? We don't have somebody to babysit Ben on such short notice, but I can send Susan over if you like. She's very good with sarcastic comebacks."

"Thanks, but when I'm like this, two nights in a row with me is a torture that only close friends should suffer. I'll see you tomorrow."

"All right. Bye."

Chandler hung up and told Joey, "They're gonna stay with me tomorrow night."

"Oh, okay."

Chandler still had some doubts about Joey staying. "You really don't mind waiting until tomorrow to get some hot babes?"

"No, I told you, it's fine. I just wanna know that you're okay."

"That's nice of you. Thanks."

"No problem." Joey hugged him briefly. "So, um, you go change into some sweats, and I'll order some pizza, okay?"

"Okay."