AN: This fic only features Ross & Rachel, none of the other friends.
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The One With The Unexpected Visitors
As the cold autumn night began to draw to a close, a group of several people began to file through the coffee house doors, and sat down together at a table near the back of the room. Nearby, Ross Geller was enjoying a well-earned night off, sitting near the counter, and absently turning the page of the newspaper he had bought earlier.
For once, Ross was feeling relaxed and contented, which wasn't usually the case with him. Rachel was definately beginning to annoy him; going on and on and hinting that she desperatedly wanted to get married. Of course Ross wanted to marry her, but not just yet. He still wasn't over the whole 'Ross The Divorcer' thing.
Laying back in his chair, Ross sighed, and watched as Gunther served a rather pretty young woman who was sitting at the counter. For a second, his eyes rested on her. Then, he remembered that he was no longer allowed the priviledge of staring at beautiful woman and looked away. That was the only downside to not being single; he was no longer allowed that opportunity.
It was then that something, or someone rather, caught his eye. She had just entered accompanied by another man, who look vaguely familiar to Ross. But the woman looked even more familiar, and then Ross recognised her.
"Julie?" He cried out, glancing at her in surprise.1
Julie jumped and turned to him. "Ross?" She squeaked, gasping.
"Am I missing something?" The man next to her said lowly, glancing from Ross to Julie. Looking at him properly, Ross recognised him in an instant. It was the guy that Rachel had dated for a short while years and years ago. The guy she had dumped because he reminded her too much of someone else2. Yeah, that was it.
"Ross! It's so great to see you again!" Julie said suddenly, hurrying over and jolting Ross out of his reverie. She beamed at him and sat down, beckoning the other guy over to them, "Oh my god! Are you okay? How are things? Are you with Rachel?" She said quickly, glancing at him intently.
"Yeah, I am ..." Ross said quietly, "Julie, what are you doing here?"
"Oh! We were just around this part of town and thought we'd drop in," Julie said casually, glancing sideways at the guy next to her and grinning, "Oh, this is Russ by the way. Russ, Ross. Ross, Russ."
"Um, I think we've met," Ross said uncertainly, shaking Russ by the hand.
"Yeah, I think we did a while ago," Russ said bleakly, "Uh, remind me when we met?"
"You were dating my girlfriend, Rachel," Ross said, glancing at Russ in distaste, "Don't you remember?"
Russ seemed to take a long time to answer. "Uh, yeah. Rachel, right ..."
"So, how are things with you?" Julie repeated, smiling expectantly at Ross, "Are you still working at the museum?"
"Uh, no, that's kind of a funny story really ..." Ross said, giving a false laugh and thinking about the reason he had been fired in the first place, due to his rage problem3, "No, I work at the New York University now."
"That's so great! You know, Russ and I have been married now for six years! We got together a little while after you and I broke up," Julie explained, still smiling widely. Russ glanced at Ross in an edgy way, grunted, but said nothing.
"Well, that's really great, Julie," Ross said, slightly uncomfortable, "I was thinking about asking Rachel to marry me sometime."
He suddenly realised that this was the wrong thing to say, as Julie suddenly lit up and said, "Wow! I could help you out if you like!"
"No, really, no, Julie," Ross began quickly, for he did not want to rush into another marriage right away, "Rachel and I have only been back together for a few weeks now, so I'm not gonna be rushing into anything so soon, sorry."
Julie looked slightly crest-fallen by this, but then shook her head, "Yeah, I get it, Ross. So, when can I see everybody again? Do they all still live in that big appartment?" She enquired, sounding hopeful.
"Uh no, Monica and Chandler got together, actually, and they've been married for a few years and recently adopted twins. They're living just outside of the city now," Ross explained, "Rachel's moved in with me, now. I've got a new appartment. Well, not exactly new ... about six years old?"
"Six years? That's as long as Russ and I've been married!" Julie said happily, taking hold of Russ' hand and giving it an affectionate squeeze.
Russ smiled warmly, "Yeah, It's great."
"So ... can I atleast come back to your appartment to see Rachel? Russ too, of course," Julie asked, smiling.
"Uhh, I don't think that's such a good idea, Julie," Ross said heavily, "It'll just be weird ... and incidently, Rachel never really liked you," He added, hoping that this would make Julie not want to visit his appartment with her husband who looked oddly like himself.
But this only made things worse, "Oh, come on! Surely Rachel can put our differences aside now? She got you, didn't she?" Julie said crossly, looking slightly aggrivated.
"I guess that works," Ross said, wincing, "Okay, Julie, fine ... you and Russ can come back to the appartment for a little while, okay? But Rachel isn't going to be happy about this ..." He added, rolling his eyes and getting up, "My one day off and I'm having to go through this?" Ross mumbled to himself as they left the coffee house.
---
"Ross? Are you here? I'm home!" Rachel called, closing the door behind her and collapsing on the sofa. Just then, Russ returned from the bathroom. Upon seeing him, Rachel gave a yelp of surprise and jumped up, "Ross? What did you do to your hair?" She enquired, staring at him incredulously.
"Uhh, what?" Russ said lowly, glancing at her oddly.
"Listen Ross, I know you keep on going on about how 'flaky' your hair is, but there's no need to keep changing it all the time!" Rachel said exasperatedly, stalking past him to check on Emma, "And I don't appreciate the '19-80's' look, either." She added slyly.
Russ ran a hand through his hair, and then said, "Uh, okay, then."
It was then that Ross appeared in the room, and stumbled upon seeing Rachel, "Hey honey. Uh, you remember Russ, right?" He said, glancing at her.
Rachel's eyes widened, "Um, oh god - yes, I remember Russ," She said, her voice cracking. Then she turned to Russ, "You're not Ross?"
"Uh, no," Russ said quietly, raising an eyebrow.
"Okay then ..." Rachel breathed, turning away from him, "So uh, might I ask why somebody I dated years ago is here, right now?" She added to Ross, folding her arms.
Ross frowned. "Well, okay, yeah," He admitted, "And there's something else ..." But before he could finish his sentence, Julie had come waltzing into the room, a broad smile on her face. "Yeah, Julie's here too. She's married to Russ." Ross said heavily.
Rachel's lip curled. "Right, okay. Ross, can I see you in the kitchen for a second?" She asked Ross, who shrugged and followed her into the kitchen.
"Look, I know you never asked for them to be here, but -" Ross began, as the door closed behind them.
"Oh, you think!" Rachel interjected crossly, folding her arms, "I don't really appreciate your ex-girlfriend and her husband who looks extraordinarily like you, coming round here! I mean, why would you even think of inviting them around?"
"I already told you I didn't invite them!" Ross said indignantly, "Julie just came into Central Perk with him, and they insisted that they come back to the appartment! God, Rach, I'm sorry, I want them out of here just as much as you do, but -"
"Well get them outta here, then!" Rachel said angrily, digging him in the ribs, "Anyway, the reason why I'm so upset about this is because - I was hoping to find you here so we could just - spend some time together, on your night off."
Ross raised an eyebrow, and understood, "Okay, fine. I'll get them outta' here somehow ..."
---
"So uh, that's Monica and I playing in the garden ..."
"Really? Aw Ross, you were so cute as a kid!" Julie remarked, glancing down at the photo album.
"Uh, thanks," Ross said, smiling at her. Then his smile vanished as he glanced across the room towards Rachel, who was giving him a severe look of death, which told him immidiately that he should wrap things up, "Um, Julie, I'm sorry, but -"
"Oh my god! You never told me you had Billie Holiday records!" Julie squealed, leaping up and going over to the shelves, which were stacked with old records.
"Yeah, you a fan?" Ross enquired, his throat dry.
"You bet I am! Russ and I danced to them at our wedding," Julie said, glancing at Russ and beaming, "Wow ... Is it okay if I put one of them on? Just for fun?"
"Uh, sure ..." Ross said, his voice falsely bright and cheery.
"Lady sings the blues, She's got 'em bad ..." Julie sang, dancing around the room.
"Oh, god," Rachel mumbled, covering her face with her hands.
"She feels so bad, But now the world will know, She's never gonna sing them no more - C'mon and dance with me, Russ! - no more ..." Julie continued to sing, as Russ stood up, gave Ross and Rachel a sheepish look, and began to dance with Julie.
"Yeah, that's great ..." Ross said lowly, careful not to look at Rachel.
---
Much later, the four of them were sitting around the apothecary table4 playing monopoly (Julie had discovered it hiding at the back of one of Ross' shelves, and had insisted that they all sit down and play) and Rachel was still shooting Ross black looks.
"So Ross, did I tell you that Russ and I've been trying for a baby?" Julie said after a long silence.
Ross grabbed onto this subject with great relief, "Uh, no, you didn't, Julie," He smiled, feeling Rachel's eyes on the back of his head, "So, any luck yet?"
"No such luck," Julie said sadly, as Russ put an arm around her, "But, you never know, do you? Also Rachel, I meant to ask ..." She glanced in Rachel's direction, "What does having a baby feel like? I mean, just so I know what I'm getting into."
Rachel stiffened, "Well, I hate to say it Julie, but it's probably the worse pain you'll ever feel in your life." She said flatly.
Julie froze, "Oh ..." She said quietly, "Well, I guess if you can do it, anyone can!" She said, going back to her usual cheery manner and smiling at Russ, "Now, Ross, did you already pass go, or is it my turn?"
Rachel seemed to cheer up considerably when Julie launched into the subject of babies. To Ross's horror, the rest of the night went smoothly, but Rachel and Julie didn't seem to want to talk to the men anymore, it was as if they were both shut up in their own little world.
Finally, after three painful hours, Russ finally announced that he and Julie had to get going. At that moment, Ross felt that he couldn't have liked the other guy more. "We'll see you later, then! Remember to call!" Rachel was calling after them, as Julie closed the door.
As soon as they were gone, Ross advanced on Rachel, glancing at her sternly. Rachel frowned, "What?" She said indignantly.
Just then, Julie burst back into the appartment claiming that she had forgotten her bag, and had the door slammed back in her face. "Ross!" Rachel said angrily, opening the door to a rather dazed Julie and handing her her bag, "What the hell did you do that for!" She enquired once they were along again.
"You said you wanted them to leave!" Ross said, turning and going into the bedroom. Rolling her eyes, Rachel turned and followed him.
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1 Ep. 2,1 - Julie is the girl that Ross dated instead of Rachel for a short while during Season 2.
2 Ep. 2,10 - The 'Someone Else' was Ross, Russ was exactly like him. Rachel dated Russ for a short period during Season 2.
3 Ep. 5,9 - Ross's rage problem occured when his boss at work ate his sandwich, which resulted in Ross getting fired from the museum.
4 Ep. 6,11 - When Rachel bought an apothecary table from a certain store, she told Phoebe that it was the only one in exsistence, but then Ross went and bought one too, which of course really upset Phoebe when she found out.