Strangers

Part 2

A/N: Thanks for the awesome reviews, they really made my day! As promised, here is the 2nd installment of my first Mondler fic. I really like writing CM stuff, so I am almost positive I will have other CM stories. But for now, this is the one I am working on. Hope you like it! (Technically, I am supposed to be studying for my Algebra midterm tomorrow, but I like doing this much better. Haha…) Also – I don't know how the whole, blood type thing goes, so I am making up Monica's rare blood type, okay?

Summary: As Chandler's entire world is slowly being ripped away from him, all the bad news just keeps piling on top of each other. But as they say, every cloud has a silver lining, and right when Chandler thinks things couldn't get any worse, the silver lining turns into a golden cloud.

"Well, that wasn't so hard, was it?" Rachel inquired. Joey, Ross, Chandler and Phoebe all looked up at her.

"Yeah, easy for you to say. You're not afraid of needles…" Ross muttered to himself. The 5 friends were back in the waiting room, waiting for the doctor to give them the okay on seeing Monica. The doctors were almost done with a minor surgery on her ankle. Once she was stitched up, cleaned up, and in her new room, they would be allowed in.

A deathly silence filled the room, as no one knew what to say. What do you say in a time like this? Chandler wondered. All he knew is that he would be willing to do anything to save her, and the list kept growing shorter and shorter.

"Do you guys remember when Monica was dating Richard? Imagine if she would have married him… Or any of the others guys she has dated… Would we be here?" Phoebe asked. Chandler couldn't look more appalled if he tried, but he soon realized what she was trying to do.

"I'm glad she's not with any of them… Then Chandler and I wouldn't be family." Ross said. And for the first time since he found out about the accident, Chandler smiled.

"We already were family, Ross…" Silence once again overcame them, and Ross began to cry.

"We are family, man… All of us… We're one big family… God, we have been friends forever! I couldn't have asked for a better group of people to share all this with. I… My baby sister… She couldn't have married any guy better than you, Chandler. I am so glad it was you… Who would imagine 10 years ago, that 6 friends would result into 3 couples?"

"I certainly didn't… I didn't even know you liked me back then…" Rachel sighed, staring into space.

"Yeah me either… I didn't know how great Phoebe was, because I only saw her as my friend…"

"I never knew Joey could actually be a sweet, nice guy… And I guess this is the worst time to announce it, but… we're engaged…" As if forgetting the circumstance that brought them to the hospital in the first place, all five of them smiled. Joey put his arm around Phoebe and squeezed her shoulder. "Now Monica will never be my maid of honor like she is supposed to…" As a single tear rolled down her face, the bitter anguish they were all feeling earlier suddenly resumed its place in their hearts.

"Guys… I know… I know there isn't much hope, but I… I would really appreciate it if we don't all assume she's de-…dead already. Let's share happy memories…" Chandler said solemnly. Everyone muttered their agreements, and began sharing their favorite "Monica Moment."

"Hey Chandler, do you remember back in 1987, and you came over for Thanksgiving?"

"Yeah…"

"You said you didn't want to stay there all night because of my fat sister?"

"Oh man… I thought these were supposed to be happy memories?"

"Well, its not… Kind of. You see, Monica told me later on that she had overheard you… and well, that was her final push to lose weight… She will never admit it, but she liked you back then, and to hear you say that… It hurt her. But, you know… look at her now… She's absolutely gorgeous."

"Man… I can't… I'm glad I said that then, I think… God, guys… I miss her…" Chandler put his head in his hands, and slowly rubbed his forehead.

"We do, too…" Rachel agreed, wiping a tear from her eye. Waiting to know Monica's fate was almost as bad as actually hearing it, to Chandler. Although a part of him wanted to know now if any of them were a match, another part was too afraid to know at all. At least while we're waiting, she still has a chance, he reasoned.

"Ok, we have the test results back," Dr. Barnette said quietly. Phoebe, Ross, Rachel, Joey and Chandler were outside Monica's new hospital room. They all stared at him expectantly, and the doctor slowly shook his head. "I'm terribly sorry, but none of you have the same blood type… We can hope for a donor from someone else, and that's all we can do now, other than pray. I don't want to crowd her, so why don't you go in one at a time…She's sleeping right now, so try not to wake her." Their hearts sunk. Chandler felt tears burning his eyes, but he held them back. Just looking at the others, and seeing their faces made him feel worse.

"Can I… Can I go first? I just… I… I need a moment alone with her…" he asked just above a whisper, staring into her room through the door's window.

"Of course you can, Chandler… You're her husband. She loves you more than anyone…" Joey said. Without hesitation, Chandler slowly opened the door, and stepped inside. Even though no one was in the empty bed on the other side of the room, he still closed the curtain. For the things he was preparing to say, he needed privacy.

As he sat down on the cold plastic chair next to her bed, he sucked in a great amount of air. He hardly recognized the woman lying in front of him. She was pale, and bony, and looked a hell of a lot weaker than he had ever seen her. The usually freakishly strong, beautiful, charming Monica, now looked like an anorexic, scary looking, and lifeless body. He shuddered at the word "lifeless," because he knew that's what she would be if they didn't find a donor in time. Her gorgeous, shiny black hair now looked greasy and knotty, and everything about her now made his heart break. When he clasped her cold hands with his warm ones, he realized just how much he loved her.

"Mon… I don't know if you can hear me, but there are some things I have to say… I'm not very good at words, but let's see how I can put this. I love you…Yeah, I can't think of any better way to put that. I have loved you for years, I just haven't admitted it… Now that I think about it, I think I even loved you back in high school. Although you were big, and I teased you about it all the time, I think deep down I really, truly cared for you. You were my best friend's little sister, ya know? You were like family. You have always been kind to me, despite how bad I treated you. And even when we first became really good friends, and when Rachel came along, I loved you. I know if you can hear me your probably thinking, 'I know he loves me, can he say anything more than that?' Well, I don't think I can. Words can't even begin to describe how valuable you are to me. You're my whole world… You are the reason I am who I am today! You made me grow up, and helped me get over my commitment issues… You are the only woman I have ever, truly loved.

"When we first made love that night in London… I may have been drunk, but I remember it more clearly every day. I remember how we were there to comfort each other, and how great you made me feel. I remember how we laughed together, danced together, talked together, and even cried together, and I can't… I can't imagine being without you…" After saying his last few words, Chandler let all the fury, and hurt and sadness he felt go, with a series of uncontrollable sobs. He held Monica's hand close to his cheek, and kissed it softly. It's all my fault…I told her I wanted a cake, and she went out for one…God, she was out for me! Getting something for me got her killed! This birthday couldn't have gotten any worse…

Suddenly, a sniff brought him back to reality. It didn't come from Monica, although it was in the room. Curiously, Chandler peeked his head out from behind the curtain, and saw a young girl sitting on the once empty bed. She had long dirty blonde hair, long legs, and a creamy complexion. Chandler felt his face flush as he quickly closed the curtain.

"Um, how long have you been sitting there…?" he asked, without opening the curtain once more. The young girl looked down in her lap, feeling guilty for interrupting a personal moment.

"Um… let's just say I heard the whole thing… I came in after you did. I was only in the bathroom…I… I'm really, really sorry. That was a personal moment, I know, and I shouldn't have eavesdropped…"

"It's okay, after all this is your room, too…" He finally pulled the curtain back, so he could see her.

"What's your name?"

"It's Miranda… I'm 14…" She smiled sweetly, before growing solemn again.

"Well, hi Miranda. My name's Chandler, and in case you didn't catch it, this is my wife, Monica. She was in a car accident…" His green eyes slowly scanned the floor, although he knew the young girl's eyes were staring right at him.

"I'm really sorry, Chandler. If you don't mind me asking, what's wrong with her?" She instantly regretted that question by seeing the look on his face, but hoped he'd answer anyway. He shook his head slowly, before answering.

"Well, normally I wouldn't say, but you seem like a nice girl… I'm sure you don't mean anything by it… She needs a new kidney, and none of our friends or her family can give her one. We don't have the same blood type. Now, why are you here?"

"Oh… me? Well, it's complicated… See, my mom put me here… She beat me senseless, and so I fought back… I… I knocked her over the head with a pot, and she… she just died. I'm not exactly sure how, though. The police say it was self defence and that there was nothing else I could have done, it's just… I… I haven't ever killed someone, ya know? I… I am an honor's student, I haven't ever gotten a detention in my life, I have never turned in anything late, I haven't gotten anything lower than an A on my report card, and then I kill someone! My own mother! I… I have no family, so I have nowhere else to go… I am going to stay here until I am completely healed so they can find me a foster family. My mom never spoke of my dad… he left, supposedly, when I was one. She's been a druggie ever since then… I wanna find him, but I just don't know how…" She began crying, and hugging her knees to her chest. Chandler gaped at her, wondering how anyone could tell that to a complete stranger. When she was finished, Chandler was still left dumbstruck.

"I'm sorry you had to hear that, I just lose it sometimes…" She wiped away her tears, and smiled at him. Straight, pearly white teeth shined back at him, and it made him want to smile too.

"It's ok… I guess we're even, then?" she laughed.

"Yeah, I guess we are." She seemed to think for a moment, before brightening up, and almost jumping out of bed. All of her injuries were from the waist up, so she could walk fine. "Hey Chandler, what's your wife's blood type?" she almost sounded excited, but Chandler was too absorbed in his thoughts to notice.

"Uh, Rh-, why?" Miranda's eyes went wide, and she smiled more broad than she had before.

"Chandler, your wife and I have the same blood type!" He didn't seem to comprehend. She made a frustrated noise before walking over to him. "I can donate one of my kidney's to her!"

A/N: OK, so I hope you like it…the reviews make me very happy, and make me want to write more. (Hint, hint: more reviews!) I loved writing this chappy, so please tell me what you think! I tried to describe Miranda the best I could, (after all, she looks like me!) But anyways, if you review, you will get the following in the next chapter:

The others visit Monica

The surgery takes place

The group says goodbye to someone (as in, here comes the grim reaper) I'm not telling you who dies, you just have to wait and see!