Disclaimer: Oh, yeah, I own Friends. Isn't this kind of pointless?

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THE ONE WITH THE STORY ABOUT THE CAMPING TRIP

Chapter Six: Marshmallows

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["Wait a minute," Ross said, stopping his story-telling. "Joey, I thought you didn't know us then."

"I thought so too," Joey said, considering this. "But I guess I forgot that I met you on that trip. You were all so... different. And anyway, it's confusing. I've camped so many times with Chandler."

"But Chandler and Phoebe, how did you guys forget?" Rachel asked.

"Uh... I think I was confusing this with another camping trip the three of us took," Chandler said. "But telling this story kind of brought everything back. Yeah. Anyway..." ]

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Chandler made his way back to the tents after a few vain attempts at creating fire. How the hell had primitive man done it? Chandler was struggling and he had matches as well as the knowledge of man in the 80's. Heck, it was going to be the next millennium in a few years.

Did you just think 'heck?' Chandler's mind asked him. What kind of a loser ARE you?

Anyway, he was amazed to see that Joey and Phoebe were not quite to the point of 'enjoying themselves' in the tent, but he'd only been away a little while. It probably wouldn't be long, though. They were already in an embrace and gazing at each other.

"Sorry to interrupt your fun," Chandler said, "But I think I need some help."

"No you don't," Joey told him. "We're busy."

"No, you're not," Chandler informed the two. "I, however, am hungry, and would prefer not to eat my hot dogs raw."

Joey gave Phoebe an I'll-be-right-back look and followed Chandler to the scene of no fire.

"Well," Joey said as they approached Chandler's attempt at fire, "I don't know about your hot dogs, but I'd been planning to show mine to Phoebe tonight..."

"No! No, no," Chandler said. "No. I did NOT need to know that!"

"All I'm saying is that I want to do this quickly. You got matches?"

Chandler handed them to Joey, still looking at him in disgust. How did he manage to get landed with people like this? At least once this camping trip from hell was done he'd never have to see Joey again.

Joey set about making a fire. "So where do you live?" he asked.

"NYC, the Big Apple, you know."

"Dude! I'm gonna be moving there sometime soon! I'll look for Chandler, heh?"

"Heh," Chandler agreed. Luckily Joey would never find him in a city that big.

Suddenly the fire roared up. "There we go," Joey said. "I've got Phoebe waiting for—well, she's waiting. Have fun with your hot dogs!"

Chandler had planned to cook a hot dog but after Joey's original hot dog comment the option no longer seemed too appetizing. They really hadn't brought much else, though. There were hamburgers, which would be a pain to cook as Chandler didn't want to have to go seek out a barbecue, but other than that and the hot dogs, they had nothing.

No, not nothing, Chandler realized. They had marshmallows, chocolate, and gram crackers. He would have s'mores for dinner.

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"So... what now?" Rachel asked. The three of them were all sitting on Ross' log, staring out into the darkness. There was no way that they could keep going now—it was completely dark out, and even in the light Ross' foot or ankle or whatever would prevent them from really traveling.

"I don't know," Monica said miserably.

They sat in silence a little longer. Rachel played with her hair a bit, but it was really too dark for anything to matter. Then Ross asked: "Is anyone else hungry?"

"Yeah..." Monica paused. "Wait! I think I've got some granola bars!" She stood up to fish around in her pockets. Her shape was only dimly visible in the nearly total darkness.

"You got anything, Mon?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah, yes, I do!" she held two somewhat squished granola bars triumphantly. "But," she said softly, as if it would make the news better, "I've only got two."

Another silence settled as it became apparent that someone would have to give up their meal. No one wanted to volunteer, it seemed. Until, "Someone can have mine," Monica said.

"Thanks, Mon, love you," Rachel said. Her stomach had been growling, loud enough to hear, and she guessed that Ross and Monica's had been too.

"Yeah, thanks," Ross echoed.

Monica handed the granola bars to her best friend and brother. But she couldn't bear sitting and listening to the chewing noises. She was too hungry. Finally she couldn't stand it. "I'm going to see if what I saw before WAS a path. You know, scout out the way," she told Ross and Rachel.

"Good idea," Ross said. This time it was Rachel who echoed him.

"So... I should be back soon," she said. She left, disappearing into the darkness.

"Awkward..." Ross said after Monica had been gone a few seconds. He had nothing to say to Rachel, or really he lots of things to say that he really couldn't say and damn his foot hurt. And thoughts were really all over the place. Maybe he should tell Rachel how much he liked her. But that was stupid. Or maybe it wasn't. And his thoughts were wandering again, and Rachel still hadn't said anything...

"Do you think Monica'll find that path thingy?" Rachel asked.

"Maybe." Still awkward. And, ow!

"I hope so, don't you?"

"Yeah, I do." Think, Ross... does she have a boyfriend? She'd been going out with Chip, but from what Monica had said she seemed to break up with him a lot. So there was a chance—Oh, what was he thinking. The pain must be messing with his mind, he decided.

They lapsed into silence again.

At least, Ross thought, if I were to say something now I'd have an excuse. I'm not thinking clearly, so she won't hold it against me or something. I'm tired too.

"Hey, Rach," he said.

"Hi, Ross."

"Um, I know I'm kind of confused right now—No, not confused, scratch that, but I mean, um... Anyway, um, yeah." Not going very well.

"Do you have a point?"

"Um, yeah." Ross laughed nervously. "Um, you're really pretty."

Ross waited for a reply, completely appalled by what he'd done. She'd never even look at him again, ever. This was really bad.

"Uh... thank you, I guess," Rachel said.

"I'm sorry, but my foot hurts and that's making me say things I really shouldn't," Ross babbled.

"You know what?" Rachel said. She got up and moved along the log until she was sitting right next to Ross. "You can be cute sometimes."

"What? Heh, heh, really? Um, I should stop talking now. Because I'm saying stupid things."

So am I, Rachel thought. She had a boyfriend, and... and this was Ross! Ew. But she and Chip had sort of hit a rut—was that the expression?—in their relationship. And when that happened, Rachel started looking at other guys. (Like later, with Barry). In this case, Ross. Monica's geeky older brother—ew, again.

They wouldn't have to tell anyone.

There must be something seriously wrong with her, Rachel decided. But it was dark, and they were alone—Again, ew. Or maybe not. He WAS sort of cute. And he was nice, and he was helpful—like when she'd almost fallen in the stream. He'd helped her, probably without even meaning to. And he liked her, too.

Rachel hadn't said anything in quite some, and Ross was getting nervous. His mind was clearing, a little, anyway, and he couldn't believe himself. He knew Rachel didn't like him at all. What had he hoped to accomplish? Well, at least he did have an excuse.

"Ross," Rachel said.

Ah, yes, conversation. Hopefully she would ignore everything he'd just said. Just keep talking, about something... Anything...

"You like me, don't you," Rachel continued.

Or maybe she wouldn't.

"Um, yeah, I mean, I don't mean anything, but y'know..." Why did he always have to get so nervous talking to any girl but Monica? And she didn't count.

"I know what you mean," Rachel said. She slid farther along the log until she was pressed up against Ross. She put her head on his shoulder.

Oh, god, she was insane. But what the hell. "Ross, would you wanna... kiss me?"

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Hope that wasn't too unbelievable... Please review and let me know...

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Reviewer Replies

Friendsfan2000 – Thank you for reviewing MY story... glad you like it...

saRa – I tried to clear that up in this chapter, thanks for pointing it out. Please keep reading...

higherbeingfriendsfan – They're staring to get paired off now... All that's left are Chandler and Monica... hm...

uranus – Thanks...

anonyme – Monica, Ross, and Rachel should get home eventually... be a little weird if they didn't... Anyway, keep reading.

Iluvjoey4lyfe – Wow! Thank you! Lots of exclamation points!

Freezyboncoolipants – Yay! A review! *does a happy dance*