Disclaimer: I don't own Friends.

A/N: Sorry for the gap between this update and the last. RL has taken over for the current moment, and, sadly, it may be another large gap until my next update. Suddenly, my schedule has become very busy.

These reviews are incredible. You all are too kind.

XXX

"Central Perk!" Chandler yelled when the six came upon the coffee shop. "That's the cutesy name!"

"Stop saying 'cutesy'," Monica told her boyfriend. "It's weird."

He just grinned and leaned down so his mouth was near her ear. "Cutesy," he breathed, and she hit him across the chest. In retaliation, he grabbed Monica around the waist and pulled her closer to him, giving her no choice but to kiss him quickly.

Rachel walked along behind the couple with Phoebe. Noticing her depressed look, Phoebe prodded the other woman. "Do you like Chandler or something?"

Blinking while trying to comprehend that question, Rachel whipped her head back and forth. "No way! No, it's not… like that."

"Oh. It's just, you've looked kind of sad ever since we left the apartment."

Rachel sighed as the six filed into the coffee shop. Phoebe held back a bit so they were a good few feet away from the other four, who were already inside. "Um, something was… is… might be… going on with me and Ross. It's all just very confusing," she confided.

"Oh!" Phoebe said. "That makes sense. I mean, he's been watching you ever since he joined us."

Trying to hide her pleased look, Rachel leaned closer casually. "Really?"

"Definitely," Phoebe affirmed. "Now is there like, a whole story behind you two? 'Cause you seem like a pair that would have a big back story."

Rachel watched Ross through the window as he took a seat on the big, new-looking orange couch in the center of Central Perk. "You could say that."

Phoebe opened the door, and the two women stepped inside to join their friends. "Well, you'll have to tell me later. I hate when I don't know what's going on."

"Really?" Rachel asked. "Me too." She was beginning to really warm up to this blonde woman.

Joey tried to get Rachel to sit with him, but gave up after receiving a deathly glare from Monica, Chandler, and Phoebe. He still had no clue what was going on between Ross and Rachel.

"This coffee is amazing!" Ross said after he had taken the first sip out of the humongous mug he'd gotten. The others agreed.

"What a place, huh?" Monica smiled at her five companions from her spot beside Chandler on the couch. "Good coffee, good atmosphere… I think we've found ourselves a new hangout spot."

"Yeah, and these muffins are delicious," Joey said as he took a large bite out of one of the five muffins he'd ordered.

The six sat and talked and swapped stories for some time. As Ross sat back to watch as Phoebe animatedly told the others a tale about when she was living on the streets, he felt something, like a click. And with just that feeling, he knew.

These people were going to be the best group of friends a guy could ask for.

XXX

It was nearing closing time, and Ross needed to get back to his place, since he had to get to the museum earlier in the morning than usual to set up a new exhibit. None of the others seemed ready to leave, except for Rachel, who had removed herself from conversation to just sit back and listen.

He'd been watching her all evening. It was hard not to; it was like every time they were in the same room, his eyes immediately found her, and he just couldn't look away.

He was still grasping on to the note's potential.

She looked over at him, and just by the way her face softened he could tell that she was finally ready to talk. He had convinced himself awhile ago that it wasn't him Rachel had run away from; that she was just afraid. The thought pacified him.

Ross stood. "Okay, guys, I'm going to get going."

Rachel got to her feet also. She'd pushed her fears into the back of her mind when she'd glanced at Ross moments before. She was ready.

"I am too," she announced. Ross didn't look as surprised as she'd thought he would.

Monica noticed their silent exchange, and grinned broadly as Ross bent over to kiss her cheek. "See you later," she said, and then added, quietly, "Don't mess this up." She waved to Rachel. "See you back at the dorm."

"Nice to meet you." Ross nodded towards Joey and Phoebe, who bid their farewells to the departing twosome. As he left, he heard Joey ask, "So is she single?"

Once outside, alone with Rachel, (though, there were about a hundred people bustling by them on the street), Ross forgot everything he had been planning to say. She was just staring up at him with her bright blue eyes, and he realized it was the closest they'd been in months.

"Want to go back to my place and talk?" he asked, not even thinking.

Rachel nodded.

Their walk back to his apartment was full of silence being drowned by tension. It was an unspoken agreement to just go by foot instead of taking the subway; it gave them more time to think in the fresh air.

"So, uh, this is it," Ross said uncomfortably as he opened the door to his apartment and let Rachel inside. He now wished he'd cleaned up a bit before leaving.

"It's nice," Rachel commented sincerely.

They both sat; Rachel on the couch, Ross on the chair across from her. Neither spoke.

Finally, Ross sighed. "You know, uh, the phrase 'lets talk' usually requires words."

Rachel shifted on the couch. "I know," she said quietly. "It's just… difficult. I'm not really sure what to say."

"How about you start with why you avoided me all summer?"

"Okay, if I remember correctly, you're the one who was avoiding me first."

Ross' eyes crossed. "Okay, and if I remember correctly, you're the one who ran away after we kissed."

Rachel made a face. "Well, if I remember correctly, you're the-"

"Can we stop? We sound like seven-year-olds," Ross interjected. However much he'd missed Rachel, he hadn't missed her annoying trait of having to have the last word.

Well, he hadn't missed it that much. Maybe just a little.

"Fine."

"Okay." He paused. "I was only avoiding you because you walked away."

Rachel leaned forward on the couch. "I only walked away because I was scared."

"Scared of what?"

"Us."

Ross shook his head in confusion. "You were scared of us? You mean like, being together?"

Rachel threw her hands in the air. "Yes! Okay, yes!" She stood and began pacing. "I was scared of what us getting together would do to things! I like how we are as friends. I mean, ever since Monica and Chandler got together, you've been my best friend, not that Mon isn't, she's just had… someone else! And I've had you. And that was good."

"You've still got me, Rach," Ross said firmly.

She stopped pacing, but stayed standing. "I know I do. But the thing is, I realized that I want all of you. Not just the friend part of you, but the boyfriend part of you, too. You're just such a great guy, Ross. How could I not want that?"

Ross rubbed his temple. "So why did you pull away?"

"Because that feeling of wanting all of you scared me. I've never felt this way for any guy I've ever been friends with or dated. There's so much that could happen between us-"

"Potential?"

"Yes! There's so much potential for us that it scared me. I'm only twenty-one! I shouldn't be thinking about things like that! But now that I've realized my feelings for you, I can't help it." Rachel let out a long sigh, and crossed her arms over her chest, staring at Ross' face to gauge his reactions.

"You know," Ross started with a chuckle after a short silence, "I've liked you since the ninth grade." He stood, so they were each standing on one side of the small coffee table set in the center of the furniture. "And, God Rach, this whole thing scares me too. I mean, it feels like I've always had these feelings for you, and now that you reciprocate them? I don't want to ruin anything."

"I don't either," Rachel whispered, her eyes misting. "I've thought about that kiss every day all summer."

"Me too."

They were quiet as they just watched the other.

"Ross?"

"Yes?"

"I'm not feeling so scared anymore."

"Me either."

Silence.

"You're a good kisser," Ross stated

"I know."

"God, why do we let this crazy stuff get in the way all the time?" Ross asked, shaking his head.

Rachel sighed. "Because we're human." She pondered. "I wonder if it was this hard for Monica and Chandler to get together."

"I have no idea. Neither of them have ever really talked about when they actually got together."

Slowly moving to one side so the coffee table was no longer in front of her, Rachel finally let all of her guard down. "I missed you, Ross. You're one of my best friends."

"I missed you too, Rach. I've hated not having you around." He moved so he was standing directly across from her, only two feet apart.

Ross chose his words carefully. "If I kiss you right now, are you going to run out of here?" He couldn't help but give a little smile, which Rachel returned.

"No," she said simply.

So he bent his head and kissed her. And she wrapped her arms around his neck, and he ran his hands through her hair.

And this time, there was no awkwardness, or hidden worries, and neither held back.

XXX