Disclaimer: I don't own Friends.

A/N: Thanks for the positive feedback. I feel better continuing the story, knowing that you guys actually like it.

XXX

Two Years Later...

"Why does it seem like we have more stuff now than we did when we moved in? Where did we get it all?" Chandler Bing huffed over at his best friend and roommate.

Ross looked around at the boxes and furniture the two were moving out of the dorm. "Because we do have more stuff from who-knows-where. That stupid chair you got is humongous, too."

"Hey," Chandler looked at his ugly, lime-green armchair. "It might hear you, man."

Lifting another large box to bring to his car, Ross glanced down the hall at the other students packing up and heading home for summer vacation. He did a double-take when he spotted Monica and Rachel.

Monica had lost nearly all the extra weight she had had over the summer before college, for reasons unknown to him. And Rachel…

After taking her to the prom, Ross had found himself in the company of Rachel often, and had been glad the day he finally felt comfortable around her. Not that he didn't do his fair share of palm-sweating and fumbling over words when she was near. Despite how he felt, the two still grew closer as friends. He'd even talked Rachel out of joining a sorority. He also couldn't deny how the nose job she had gotten done the fall she started college had made her even more beautiful, if that was possible.

The two girls waved. Ross almost waved back, then realized he was carrying a large box and settled with sending them a nod. In return, he got a dazzling smile from Rachel.

"Ross!" someone called out at the other end of the hallway.

Turning, Ross spotted the reason that immediately made him feel guilty of thinking anything more than platonic thoughts involving Rachel.

"Hey, Carol," he said, almost weakly.

It wasn't that she was a bad girlfriend; in fact, she was quite the opposite. She was smart and kind and played sports, not to mention she was the only person he'd, well, been with…

The problem was, she wasn't Rachel. He had hoped that dating Carol would help him get over the girl he'd liked since high school. Still waiting for that, Ross thought darkly.

Carol smiled and gave her boyfriend a quick kiss as Monica and Rachel reached them.

"Ew, I don't want to see my brother and his girlfriend kiss," Monica teased, ruffling Ross's hair. His curls had been disappearing gradually over the past two years, and he was pleased now to be able to spike up the front.

Chandler walked out of the room, stroking his goatee, which he had just grown recently. "Ah, the cavalry hath arrived! We've got plenty of stuff for you girls to help us move."

Nodding, Monica followed Chandler inside. "Just don't get in my way and I'll have you ready to go in no time."

"As long as you don't sort my shirts by color again," he shot back, earning him a playful shove from Monica.

Ross glanced between his sister and best friend. They were even more flirty with each other as of late. He wondered what was going on there. A look from Rachel confirmed his suspicions that she questioned the same thing. Carol was oblivious.

"Lemmi take this," she said as she took the heavy box from Ross and went to put it in the car.

Wanting to break the silence that was settling around he and Rachel, Ross asked, "So how'd you and Mon finish packing so fast?"

"We got a bunch of the girls to help us. And Joshua came."

Ah, Joshua. Rachel's current boyfriend, much to Ross's chagrin. "Oh, yeah? How is, uh, Joshua?" He tried not to sneer out the name, all the while knowing he shouldn't be jealous.

"Okay. I'm breaking up with him later."

Trying to feign sympathy, Ross placed a hand on her shoulder. "Things not going well for you two?"

Sighing, Rachel leaned against the wall beside Ross and Chandler's doorway and folded her arms over her chest. "I dunno. He's great, but not what I'm looking for. Plus, it's summer, and he lives in Maine, and my parents…"

She didn't need to say anymore. Ross inwardly groaned at the mention of her parents. They'd been fighting more-so than usual lately, and it had really been taking a toll on their oldest daughter. Even her self-absorbed sisters had taken notice. Plus, Dr. Green hadn't liked him since he thought he caught Rachel and Ross making out in the Green's living room, when really Ross had been teasing her about her issue with eyes, and they had gotten a bit too close at the wrong time.

Before he could say anything comforting, Carol reappeared. Ross quickly removed his hand from Rachel's shoulder. Rachel excused herself and entered the dorm, where Monica was organizing Chandler's socks.

"You okay?" Carol asked, noticing the slightly distressed look on Ross' face.

Snapping back, he nodded a bit too enthusiastically. "Fine, perfect, just great." He punctured the statement with a thumbs up.

"Alright, well, I gotta go, but I'll see you next weekend," she said, not sounding entirely sure.

"Yup," Ross agreed. "Have a good drive home."

They kissed once more. As she left, Ross stole a glance into his room, where Rachel was currently sitting on his bed, laughing at a joke Chandler had said.

Help me, Ross begged to anyone who could hear him from his mind.

XXX

Rachel flicked her light on, and collapsed on her bed the moment she entered her room. A few boxes were still outside in the hallway, but she didn't have the energy to carry them in now.

Covering her eyes with an arm, she tried to block out the dulled voices coming from downstairs. Her parents were already arguing, and she had only been home for forty-five minutes.

Not for the first time, Rachel wished she was down the street, at the Geller's, which seemed more like home with each passing year than the Green's house. There, she was accepted and loved and taught things, unlike in her home, where her mother or father would just give her some cash to spend, like it would make up for the fact that they weren't spending time with her. Over time, the Geller family had helped change Rachel from the spoiled girl she had grown up being, to the young woman she was now.

As she drifted off to sleep, there was a knock on her door.

"Come in," Rachel said groggily, not bothering to move.

"Hey Rach, just wanted to ask if I could borrow that cute pink shirt of yours," came the voice of her younger sister, Jill. "Since it's been in your dorm room since like, last fall, I haven't been able to get it."

Sitting up, Rachel looked at her sibling. "Hey Jill, nice to see you, too. Thanks for making my homecoming so welcoming." She had meant to sound more sarcastic and less annoyed, but the latter had won.

"Uh, right. Welcome home. Now, can I borrow the shirt? I'm leaving soon."

"Where are you going?"

"A bunch of us are going on a little road trip, then I'm going to Grandma's to spend the rest of the time with her and Amy. And Rob. Mom and Daddy said it was okay."

Rob, Rachel thought, trying to place him. She then remembered that he was one of the many guys Jill had dated last summer.

"It's over there," Rachel waved to a general area where the shirt was located. She knew she probably would never see that particular garment ever again.

"Thanks." Jill found the shirt. "Alright, see you in July." And with that the middle Green daughter was gone.

Having graduated two weeks earlier, Jill was done with school and planning to attend a small college upstate, whose name escaped Rachel at the moment. Amy's junior year in high school had ended earlier than normal this year, and she had jumped at the chance to spend almost two months at their grandmother's, who lived on the water and was surrounded by cute guys for neighbors. All three sisters were happy to get out of the house whenever possible, if it meant avoiding their parents' spats.

Utterly bored- and entirely depressed- now, Rachel began moving boxes into her room. Her thoughts drifted to Joshua.

Breaking up with someone was tough, but it was harder to not have anyone to talk to. It wasn't like she had loved him, but he had still been her boyfriend for five months. She still wanted someone to talk to about it. Also, Rachel wanted to analyze why this kept happening. She'd meet a perfectly nice guy, then dump him after a few months without a real reason.

Setting down the final box, Rachel made a quick decision and left her room, going down the staircase. Things were silent; one of her parents must've left.

Reaching the first floor, she spotted her mother sitting at the large dining room table with her head in her hands. The dog, La Poo, was lying at Sandra's feet. Rachel made a hasty exit, immediately heading to the car she had received for her 18th birthday from her father. Hopping in, she drove only a street away, then stopped.

Looking at the Geller's house, she nodded to herself. Welcome home, Rach.

XXX

Monica ran to open the door as the doorbell rang out through the house. Pushing past Ross, who was also going to retrieve whoever was at the door, she plastered a wide smile on her face, which fell slightly when she opened it to find Rachel, and not her brother's best friend.

"Hey Rach, what's wrong?" Monica had learned over years of friendship with this girl that her small grin wasn't real.

"Oh, you know, I just… couldn't stay there anymore. Jill and Amy are gone, and my parent's are… being themselves."

By now Ross had recovered from Monica's tackle, and joined the two girls in the doorway.

"Well, you know you're always welcomed here. My mom likes you better than me anyways," Monica chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.

"So… are you guys gonna just stand in the doorway?" Ross looked between them.

After a few small laughs, Monica led Rachel into the living room, Ross trailing behind. The three sat in silence, until finally Rachel broke it, a bit hysterically.

"I'm so sorry to just come here, you two probably have tons to do, and I was only thinking of myself, which I've been trying to get better at, and I'm sorry, I just didn't know where to go-"

Monica jumped up from her seat to hug Rachel as the doorbell rang. "You know we don't mind, Rach. We love you. You can hang out with us tonight."

As Rachel cried on her shoulder, Monica glanced at Ross. He was watching uncomfortably from his spot in an armchair. The way he was looking at Rachel, however, made Monica think that maybe he wasn't as over their mutual friend as she thought.

The doorbell rang again impatiently.

"Oh! Chandler!" Ross yelped as he jumped up to let his best friend in.

Monica smoothed her hair unconsciously after Rachel had let go of her to wipe her eyes. Yet she still noticed Monica's sudden odd behavior.

"Mon…," Rachel began.

"Yeah?"

"Do you still like Chandler?"

Shaking her head in the negative firmly, Rachel noted her widened eyes. She shot back an accusing look.

"Maybe… just a little," Monica admitted, defeated.

"I knew it!"

"Knew what?" came a voice.

Both girls looked up to see that Ross had re-entered, this time with Chandler.

"Knew… that…," Rachel started lamely.

"She knew that… trees weren't purple." Monica patted Rachel's arm, smirking at her. "Smart girl, this one."

The two guys stood there, not understanding.

"Right, anyway…," Ross shook his head. "Since Rachel is here, how about all four of us go out together tonight?"

"Sounds good," Monica agreed.

"Where should we go?" Rachel cocked her head to one side, thinking.

"We could just grab some ice cream," Ross shrugged.

Chandler nodded approval. "I haven't eaten ice cream since I saw what my father and the pool boy were doing with it." All four shivered. "Maybe I'll just get some fries."

XXX