woohoo! Finally I got some inspiration for this story...but I still have no friggen clue where I am going with this...I know how its going to end though, if that means anything! No...didnt think so...anyway! Yeah, so this chap is pretty short, I'm keeping the first few chaps short me thinks, before I get into the juicy stuff...now I just gotta figure out what the juicy stuff will be...please read and review and I love you.

I do not own friends/actors/characters, but I do own a rumbling stomach, which I will settle with food just as soon as I post this...ME HUNGRY!

"Do you want another beer?"

Chandler opened his eyes to find Joey looking at him expectantly, standing in front of the fridge. Chandler himself was standing next to the counter, although he wasn't sure how he had gotten there, not that it mattered. "Chan? You okay?"

"Yeah…I was just…I don't know," Chandler let out an awkward laugh, scratching the back of his head. "I could have sworn I was just somewhere else…"

"Hospital?" Joey said nonchalantly, handing Chandler a beer as he brushed past.

"Yeah…how-"

"And right out side of Central Perk with Pheebs?"

"How did you know that?"

Joey shrugged, sitting down in his chair. "I know a lot of things Chan; a lot more then I did once. Being here teaches you things that you could never imagine, and you have so much more time to learn it all. So much more, but less than you could ever imagine."

"Joe…you really aren't making much sense."

"That's because you aren't there yet…but you will be soon," Joey stood up to face Chandler, a sly smile covering his face. "I will make sure of it."

"There? Where is 'there'?"

"There is here, although not for you…you visit us here, and we give you time…time to process things before it happens. So much time, but yet so little. You have to heal and process before we can make our move…teach you about time."

"This is a dream," Chandler whispered. Joey shook his head.

"Not quite…dreams aren't real, except when they are. Reality is real, except when it's not."

"…what?"

"This is the middle of both; real, except not."

"Joe…"

You have time Chandler; time to learn before the teaching begins."

Chandler stared at his friend blankly, unable to comprehend both what Joey was talking about and the fact that it was Joey saying those words.

"I-I don't…"

"Your eyes are closed Chandler."

"I'm staring straight at you."

"At me, not through me…you're not there yet Chandler; you have to open your eyes."

Joey smiled at Chandler – a smile that was like so many he had displayed before, yet so different – taking a seat once more.

"Joey-"

"Open your eyes Chandler." Chandler closed his eyes in frustration. "See? You can see through me now."

"My eyes are closed Joey!"

"Are they?"

Chandler let out a sigh and opened his eyes, crying out when he found himself staring into blue orbs; Monica's blue orbs.

"Mon-"

"Hi sweetie, you still can't see anything," Monica said softly, smiling up at him.

"Honey, I have no idea what you are talking about."

"I know…living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see."

"Isn't that from a song?"

"Perhaps…but it's true. Think about it, and then perhaps you will see."

"O-Okay Mon."

"There is still time to wonder Chandler, so much, and so little…spend that time wisely, because it will be your only chance…"

"What?" Monica grinned and tapped the tip of Chandler's nose. He smiled despite his confused state, closing his eyes at a sudden wave of vertigo.

"You'll know…just have to open your eyes Chandler…and then we can begin. Begin the fun. Begin the-"

"Chandler?"

Chandler let out a groan, his brain feeling like it was about to explode, both from the confusion and from the pain that was now clogging his every sense.

"Chandler? Chandler?"

"Wha," was all Chandler managed to get out before his throat closed up. He coughed painfully.

"It's okay honey, its okay."

"Mon?"

"…no."

Chandler frowned at the way the word had been spoken; so small and uncertain. He decided that maybe it was time to open his eyes. "Mom?"

"Hi darling," Nora said softly, tears brimming in her bright eyes.

"Mom?"

"Yes, it's me Chandler."

"What…you doing… my apartm'nt?"

"Chandler…you aren't in your apartment honey."

Chandler frowned at his mother's comments, then glanced around the room, realising that she spoke the truth.

"Where-"

"You are in the hospital kiddo…you had a bit of an accident," Nora explained in a soft voice, so unlike her usual manner of speaking. The tears that had threatened to fall still lingered in her eyes, but a bright smile now covered her face, although it wavered.

"Accide…" he closed his eyes briefly as a wave of dizziness hit him, then opened them almost immediately, scared of falling back asleep without getting answers.

"Yes…an accident. But you're okay, that's all that matters. You're okay now."

"Mon?"

"You're okay Chandler, and that's all that matters," Nora repeated, as if she hadn't heard Chandler speak.

"But-"

"You had me worried though, I'll tell you that. All that waiting."

"Waiting?"

Nora nodded, glancing down at her hands. "Yeah…you've been asleep for a-a while."

"I-I have?"

"Yes honey, but it doesn't matter now."

"Why…why aren't the others…Mon…where's Mon?" Nora's smile faltered slightly. "M-Mom? Where's…where is she?"

"Chandler…you need to rest."

"Mom, what happ…where is Monica?" Chandler begged.

"It doesn't matter at the moment honey, you need to rest."

"Don't tell me what I nee-" Chandler started to cough violently, tears blurring his vision.

"Chandler? I'm gonna get the doctor-"

"No!" Chandler took a deep breath, calming his furiously beating heart.

"Chandler-"

"Mom, where is she?" Fear had taken over Chandler; his mother not helping matters by avoiding the question. "

"Chandler, I can't…" Nora trailed off, shaking her head slightly. Chandler reached out and took her hand with his own, an IV embedded into the back of it.

Mom…please…I need to…I have to…"

Nora hesitated, staring into her son's pleading eyes. She knew that she should wait; postpone this until his health had improved, but she also knew that he wouldn't wait for that. Nodding, she gave in to her son's wishes, although she knew that it wouldn't be his wish for much longer.

"Chandler…the accident…it involved you and all of your friends."

"A-And?" Chandler whispered after a beat.

"And…and you were the only one that…you were the only one that survived," Chandler stared at his mother, watching as tears spilled over, onto her cheeks. "I-I'm so sorry honey…I don't know what to say…"

"But…" Chandler trailed off, blinking rapidly. "They're…they're gone?"

"Yes Chandler…I am so sorry."

"No…that can't be right…"

"Chandler, I know it's…it's a big shock and God I wish it wasn't true…but-"

Chandler shook his head, causing his mother to stop abruptly.

"They can't be…she can't be…." He shook his head once more, trying to fight the tears that lingered; that, and the niggling voice that was telling him that his mother spoke the truth.

The head shaking didn't work and Chandler soon found himself sobbing- his mother leaning over him, arms wrapped around his shaking body - his physical pain being overtaken by his emotional pain.

"How can they be gone?" he cried. Nora shook her head, feeling like the devil himself for having to deliver this horrible news. She rubbed his back, knowing that the touch was nothing compared to what he needed. He needed his wife's touch to make him whole again. But that touch was no longer. Biting her lip to stop any more tears from falling, Nora decided that she would have to be the one to fix him; or at least try. Sighing, she whispered in his ear, "I'm sorry honey…I'm so sorry," knowing that would never do.