Summary: Ross, Rachel, and the rest of the gang spend New Years Eve together, but they soon discover that a whole lot more is about to change besides the date.
Disclaimer: I do not own Friends or any of it's characters.
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"This place is great, Monica." Rachel said, settling down on a kitchen stool. "I never thought I'd get used to you guys living so far away, but I really can't blame you for buying it.."
Monica smiled, absorbing the compliment.
"Do you need some help?" Rachel stood up and pointed to the table, where her friend had several bowls and utinsils laid out. It was New Years Eve, and she was preparing a feast.
"I would love some, but- what's that? I think I just heard a crying baby.. Would you go upstairs and check on Jack and Erica?"
Rachel raised an eyebrow suspiciously, but nonetheless, walked out of the kitchen and toward the nursary.
Monica let out a sigh of relief. She hadn't allowed Rachel anywhere near a kitchen utinsil since the incident with the trifle a few years prior. "Come in!" she yelled upon hearing a loud knock on the door.
"Happy New Years Eve!" Phoebe's cheerful voice could be heard throughout the entire neighboorhood.
"I'm in the kitchen." Monica said while tying an apron around her waist. "Wipe your shoes!"
Phoebe's long, blonde hair swung from side-to-side as she followed her friend's directions. "Am I the first one here?" she asked upon entering the nearly empty room.
"Rachel's in the nursery with the babies, and Chandler went to pick up a few things."
"Speaking of Chandler.." Phoebe said, a smile creeping across her face. "I'm assuming that apron was a Christmas present from him?"
Monica glanced down at the cherry red apron with the words "Kiss the Chef" written across in big, bold letters. "You guessed right." Needless to say, she did not appreciate the laughter coming from her friend.
"Oh, it wasn't a guess." Phoebe replied, taking off her coat and carelessly tossing it onto a stool. "I helped him pick it out."
Monica folded her arms across her chest, glaring at Phoebe. Partly because of the apron, and partly because she didn't hang her coat up properly.
"No need to bring out the vain." Phoebe said, throwing her arms up in defeat. "I'm going to go say hi to Rachel." Without another word, she left the room.
Now that she was alone in the room, Monica decided that it was time for her to get to work. So, she began taking out various ingredients and throwing it all together in a large bowl. She was just about to plug in the electric mixer when she heard the door open.
"This New Years Eve should be great.. Although, I don't know if it could top the one where Monica and I were on TV.."
"Okay, first of all, that was filmed a week before.. and second, you were not on TV."
Monica smiled upon hearing her brother and her husband enter the house. "Come in the kitchen!"
No more than a few seconds later, they appeared in the doorway. Chandler was holding a large paper sack, and Ross was holding a sleeping Emma. Monica hurried towards them, her arms wide open. "My supplies!"
"No wonder why she's always so excited to visit Aunt Monica.." Ross said sardonically, refferring to Emma.
Monica exchanged scornful expressions with her brother. "You know I always look forward to seeing my only neice... Now go put her in the nursery with the others."
Ross rolled his eyes before leaving the room, gently bouncing his two and a half year old daughter up and down in his arms.
"So, am I allowed to help with this dinner?" Chandler asked, admiring the apron she was wearing.
"Yeah, your job is to keep Rachel away from the kitchen."
"Hey!" Rachel appeared in the doorway, looking offended.
"Be-caause," Monica said with a paniced expression on her face, transforming the word into two syllables. "I didn't want you to see the special dish I'm making for you.. It's a surprise."
Rachel clasped her hands over her mouth, utterly surprised. "For me?" Evidently, she was just as thrilled as she was gullible.
"Yes, for you. Now get out of here or you'll ruin it!" Monica pointed the wooden spoon she was holding, motioning for Rachel to leave the room.
"Oh, sorry!" Rachel moved her hands from her mouth to her eyes as she turned around to leave. "I'm going."
"Looks like you got your work cut out for you." Monica said to Chandler once Rachel was out of their vision. "Now get out of my kitchen."
"Were you born without a heart?" Chandler asked, ignoring his wife's order.
She planted her hands firmly on her hips and narrowed her eyes in on him, exasperated.
"I'm going, I'm going.." He was only halfway to the door when he sprinted back and kissed her on the lips. "You can't get mad at me, you're wearing the apron." he said as he rushed to the doorway.
She rolled her eyes before returning to her cooking.
-45 minutes later-
"Sorry I'm late!" The friends couldn't help but laugh when Joey entered the room wearing a santa suit, complete with a fake beard and toy sack. "I had a last minute audition."
"I'm not even gonna touch this one." Chandler said, apparently unable to come up with a sarcastic comment for the unusual situation.
"Joey!" Monica erupted from the kitchen wearing a scornful expression. "You're forty-five minutes late!"
"That's because I was out buying you guys presents." he replied, holding up the red sack that was previously slung over his shoulder.
Monica was quick to forgive at the mention of gifts. "Oh, well then I guess-"
"It's a sack full of empty boxes, I was totally kidding." he laughed and plopped down on the couch next to Phoebe.
Monica gave him her signature glare before turning around and heading back into the kitchen.
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It was no longer than a month after Monica and Chandler moved from their old apartment that the coffee house was shut down. Losing six of their best customers had taken quite a toll on the business. Monica and Chandler quit going because it was too far away for just a simple cup of coffee. Ross and Rachel quit soon after they moved in together. Their lives revolved around being good parents to their daughter. They no longer saw the importance of spending so much time in a coffee house.
In a desperate attempt to attract more customers, Gunther hired yet another professional to perform. An angered Phoebe began boycotting and convinced Joey to do the same.
Regardless of all this, a part of Central Perk could still be found in Monica and Chandler's house. Despite Monica's desperate plea's, their living room was furnished by the old, orange couch and the green chair.. The very same chair that Ross and Rachel were cuddling in that very moment.
"I can't believe it's almost 2005.." she said, running her fingers through his dark, brown hair that was in dire need of a haircut. "Just think, I could be spending this day alone on the other side of the planet right now.. but I'm glad I'm not."
"Me too." Ross replied as Rachel laced their fingers together. They had been together just over seven months now, and neither could be anymore thrilled.
"Aww.. Aren't you glad that Carol turned out to be a lesbian?" Phoebe said, smiling at the two, completely unaware that she had just ruined the moment.
"I know I am." Joey replied to her rhetorical question while picking up a tortilla chip and dunking it in a bowl of salsa. Over the last few months, Joey had lived up to his reputation. He didn't even show a trace of settling down and starting a family like his other friends were doing.
"So, Phoebe.." Rachel began, eager to change the subject. "Where's Mike?"
"He's at the hospital." she replied plainly, her expression remaining the same.
"What?" The group said in unison, all genuinely concerned.
"Ohhh..." she said, finally coming to a realization. "No, he's not hurt or anything. He's playing the piano for some patients, he does it every year."
"That's nice." Chandler smiled at her, yet refused to show any teeth.
"I know!" she said, startling him a bit with her sudden burst of enthusiasm. "And next year I'm going to join him.. we're thinking about starting a band."
The gang all smiled and nodded approvingly as Phoebe went into the details. The topic stayed the same until Monica entered the room, announcing that it was time to eat.
"So, Monica.." Rachel said as they all took their seats at the circular table. "Where's my surprise?"
"I made your favorite kind of potatos." Monica replied with a smile, nodding to the dish.
"But those aren't my fav-"
"Nothing is good enough for you, is it?" Monica said, cutting Rachel off in mid-sentence. "I slave over a hot stove and all I get in return is-"
"It's perfect." Rachel interrupted, not wanting to get on Monica's bad side. "Thank you, Mon. I appreciate it."
"You are welcome." Monica replied, ignoring the nasty glares coming from Chandler. "Now let's eat!"
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"You've really outdone yourself this time, Monica." Ross said, wiping his mouth with his napkin and leaning back in his chair. "It was delicious."
Everyone agreed, knowing that they would be forced to do dishes if they didn't compliment her atleast once.
Monica smiled and accepted the comments gratefully. Finally, she turned to Joey, awaiting his thoughts.
"I'm still enjoying it." he said through a mouthful of food.
"Thanks." she finally said, standing up. "Now somebody do the dishes."
There were a few sighs and grunts, but nobody refused.. For they all knew how Monica was, and she never hesitated to remind them that she always won.
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-A few hours later-
Ross fidgeted with the small piece of jewelry tucked safely away in the front pocket of his shirt. Five minutes 'til midnight.. He hadn't informed anyone of his intentions.. he wanted it to be a surprise. Since she clearly didn't get one from Monica..
"Ross!"
He jumped at the sound of his name and whirled his head around to see Phoebe looking peeved.
"Why aren't you wearing your hat?" she demanded, throwing it at him using as much strength as she could muster. "You're killing the mood!"
"I'm sorry," he replied. "I just have more important things on my mind right now.."
"Oh?" Phoebe was always the first to know everything, and she wanted to keep it that way.
"Don't tell anyone," he began, taking her by the arm and leading her to a secluded area of the room. "but I'm planning on proposing to Rachel tonight."
She clasped her hands over her mouth in order to muffle the squealing that was impossible to prevent.
"Shh!" he glanced around the room, ensuring that no one had overheard.
"This is so exciting!" she said in a hushed voice. "Okay, I guess you don't have to wear your hat.."
Ross smiled, gradually taking in the enthusiasm. He had been thinking about this for quite some time now.
"Can I sing at your wedding?" she asked, ruling out the possibility that Rachel would say no.
"One minute 'til midnight!" Monica called. "Phoebe! Ross! Get over here!"
"60..59..58..57..56.." The gang chanted as they watched the countdown on the TV screen.
Ross slowly made his way over to Rachel..
"55..54..53..52..51.."
They made eye contact and smiled at eachother..
"50..49..48..47..46.."
Their fingers intertwined as they gazed into eachother's eyes..
"45..44..43..42..41..40.."
Phoebe watched on excitedly, pleased to be the only one who knew..
"39..38..37..36..35..34..33.."
Monica and Chandler, tired of counting, were already making out. Joey was the only one still chanting as the rest were all clearly distracted.
"32..31..30..29..28..27..26.."
Ross took a deep breath before withdrawing the ring from his pocket.
"25..24..23..22..21..20.."
She gasped upon seeing the ring. To her, it was breathtaking.
"19..18..17..16..15.."
"Rachel," he said slowly. "Will you marry me?"
"14..13..12..11..10.."
It was a miracle Monica and Chandler could hear over Joey's loud chanting, but they quit making out long enough to see Ross slip the ring on Rachel's finger after she eagerly said "Yes." Phoebe and Joey were also witnesses. He smiled and clapped, but continued to count. She was jumping up and down ecstatically, happy for her two friends.
"9..8..7..6..5.."
"I know it's not a room filled with lily's.." he said, recalling his pretend proposal. The One in Massapequa, Season 8 "but I thought it would do.."
"It's perfect.." she replied, gazing down at her beautiful engagement ring.
"4..3..2..1"
"Happy New Year!"
It was impossible for her to fight off the tears that were already flowing freely down her face. "I can't wait to be your wife.. Again."
Ross smiled, he was one hundred percent positive that this marriage would not end in divorce. "Me neither.."
They kissed.
Both of them were ready and eager to move on to the next step of their lives.. Marriage.
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A/N: This was a one-shot. Although I am willing to do a sequel, I'm not going to bother if I don't get many reviews. (hint, hint) I hope you enjoyed! I have always been a big fan of Ross and Rachel.. does it show?
If you like my writing style and are interested in the OC, you should definately check out my other fan fic. It's called "Season 3: The Not So Dearly Beloved". Thanks! I appreciate it!