Chapter 8: New Jobs and Little Green Frogs

Monica awoke to the feeling of warmth on her face. She opened her eyes to see a stream on sunlight making it's way from the window across the room into her eyes. She closed her eyes and turned over. It was then that she realized that light never came in her window at home as the building beside hers blocked it. She also realized that the bed she was in was far too comfortable to be her own. She quickly sat up, and peered around the room. The previous nights events came rushing back to her and she remembered she was in Chandler's room. One question: Where was Chandler?

Monica thoughts immediately turned dark. He must of left. He realized who she was and didn't want to be there anymore. He didn't love her. Monica shook her head, trying to clear it of all the bad thoughts. He had told her he loved her. He had told her to trust him. But she couldn't. She knew she loved him, there was no other way to describe the feeling in her heart, but she couldn't make herself believe that someone actually loved her. No had ever loved her before, and she didn't believe anyone ever would. It was just asking too much. She didn't deserve love.

Monica sighed and got up, smiling to herself as she realized she wearing his clothes. They smelled like him. She walked towards the door and cautiously swung it open, not sure if she expected to see Chandler or not. She half-expected to find a note telling her to leave. She was surprised to find Chandler at the stove, dancing to the music on the radio. He was wearing a yellow apron with little green frogs on it and holding a spatula. He didn't hear her enter the room.

Monica smiled and walked forward. She came right up behind him, and reached out a hand to get his attention. Chandler screeched a not-so-masculine-scream and spun around, holding the spatula out in front of him, as if to defend himself. When he noticed Monica standing in front of him, he blushed all shades of red and tried to cover for himself.

"I was…I was just...you know…I…well…you see…" He trailed off, not able to think of anything.

"You think that's gonna protect you?" Monica asked through her laughter, motioning towards the spatula. "I've seen a lot of people use a lot of things to defend themselves, but I've never seen anyone use a spatula before."

"Do you have a point?" Chandler asked, trying not to smile.

Monica raised an eyebrow, and motioned to Chandler's position.

Chandler immediately placed the spatula onto the table beside him and tried to undo the tie at the back of the apron, only in his hast, ended up getting it in a knot. He struggled for a few seconds before giving up. "Yeah, there's no way I can even start to make an excuse for this, so I'm not even going to try."

"I really like the apron," Monica said sarcastically.

Chandler looked down. "It's the only one I have," he told her, "it was Joey's idea of a birthday present. He a good guy, but he's not so smart."

Monica laughed. "I'm gonna tell him you said that."

"Don't you dare," Chandler threatened.

"Maybe I'll let you off the hook this time," Monica told him.

"Thank-you," Chandler said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "So," he began. "How did you sleep?"

Monica felt herself immediately draw back, she could get so out going with him without even realizing it. "Okay," she said looking down.

Chandler noticed her reaction, and stepped forward, pulling her into a hug. "I hope you slept well," he said. "You looked so peaceful when I woke up that I had to let you sleep."

"You could've woken me up," Monica told him. "I would have helped with breakfast."

"Nah," Chandler said. "It's no problem. Breakfast is my treat this morning."

"Well, thanks," Monica told him.

"Not a problem."

"Do you need any help?"

"No, actually, I just finished. You hungry?"

"A little," Monica admitted.

"Good, I'll just serve up a couple plates." Chandler smiled at her, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. He cleared his throat. "Uh, could you do me a favor?"

"Of course," Monica replied, with no hesitation.

Chandler looked down, somewhat embarrassed. "Could you, uh, untie the apron? I can't untie the knot."

Monica laughed at his embarrassment. She rolled her eyes. "Turn around," she said.

Monica stayed at Chandler's for the next couple days, until Phoebe got home. And she continued to stay with him almost every night that she and Phoebe weren't working. Very slowly Monica felt her self-confidence rising. She still reacted negatively to most situations at first, but was recovering faster. She was beginning to believe that this amazing man may actually love her, and may actually be there for her no matter what.

A month later Monica was sitting at one of the miss-matched chairs in her apartment, the only one that didn't wobble. She was surprised when Phoebe jumped excitedly in the door.

"Guess what?" Phoebe asked, very excited.

"What?" Monica asked, smiling.

"I said guess," Phoebe said.

Monica rolled her eyes. She knew from experience that guessing games with Phoebe could last quite some time. "Uh…"

"Oh, who are we kidding?" Phoebe said. "We both know you suck at this game. Anyway, I got a job!"

"A job?" Monica exclaimed. "You have a job."

"Yeah, but this is a better job."

"We have a great job at the restaurant," Monica said, somewhat hurt.

"No, that's not what I meant," Phoebe said. "The restaurant is a good job, for you, but it's not what I want, you know? You're gonna be a chef some day, I know it, but I want something different."

"Like what?"

"Well, I got offered a job at a massage therapist office."

Monica smiled. "Oh, Pheebs, that's so great. I know that's what you wanted to do. Congratulations!"

"Thanks, I'm so excited!" Phoebe said. "They said the first couple of weeks are more about learning, and I start at minimum wage, but after that the pay will go up, and I'll get my own room and everything."

"I'm so happy for you, Pheebs," Monica said, stepping forward. The two hugged tightly.

Another month went by and Monica was now working only during the day at the restaurant. She was a full-time waitress and would fill in as assistant chef when needed. She loved her job. One day she got a surprise.

Monica made her way up the stairs of Chandler's building, taking the steps two and three at a time. She had great news that she had to tell Chandler. She reached the right floor and ran over to his door. She stopped and knocked. Joey answered.

"Hi, Mon," he said, motioning for her to enter.

"Hey, Joe, what's up?"

"Not much, you?"

"Well, actually…" She was cut off by the sound of the phone ringing. Joey motioned for her to hold on for a moment and went to answer the phone.

Chandler entered from his bedroom at the sound of the phone and was surprised to see Monica standing in the middle of the living room.

"Hi, sweetie," he said, "it's you."

Monica rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "And it's you," she said.

Chandler smiled and approached her. He pulled her into a hug.

"You two are so weird," Joey said as he hung up the phone. "Always oh, it's you, blah, blah, blah…"

Both Monica and Chandler laughed. "It's kind of an inside Joke, Joe," Chandler told him, his arm still resting on Monica shoulder.

Joey rolled his eyes. He didn't get a lot of things his roommate/best friend did. "So, Monica, you had news."

"You have news?" Chandler asked.

"I do…" Monica said.

"Well, what is it?"

"She was about to say what it was when you cut her off," Joey put in.

Chandler turned to face Joey. "Did I ask you?" He said jokingly.

"No, I was just saying."

"Whatever, anyway, Mon, what's the news?"

"If you hadn't cut her off you would know by now," Joey mumbled.

Chandler was about to retort something when Monica put her hand up, silencing both of them. "Boys!" She said. "My God you two act like brothers."

"Sorry," both Chandler and Joey said quickly.

"Anyway, I was at work today and Tom, that's my boss, called me in to his office and told me that Marlene, that's our head chef is moving, and offered me the job of head chef!"

"Oh, sweetie, that's so great for you." Chandler told her, pulling her into a hug. "I'm so proud of you."

"Congrats, Mon," Joey said. He stepped forward and gave Monica a quick hug.

"I think this is cause for celebration," Chandler said. "Let's go out for dinner tonight, my treat."

"Sounds good," Joey immediately said. Then to their looks, "what? I'm not invited."

Chandler rolled his eyes at his friend's naivety. "Of course you can come, Joe. Oh, and Mon, you can invite Phoebe. I don't think she and Joey have met yet."

Monica nodded. "Sounds good," she said. Chandler smiled at her and kissed her lightly on the forehead.

Later that night, Monica lay awake, stretched out beside Chandler in his bed. He had his arms around her and she was on her side, her head resting on his shoulder, and her arm draped over his chest. It had become their nightly ritual, when she stayed over, to lie like this and talk before falling asleep. Monica enjoyed this time, as she was finally able to be comfortable with him like this.

"So," Chandler was saying. "Phoebe and Joey really seemed to hit it off."

Monica laughed. "I know. Did you see them both trying to flirt with each other, thinking we couldn't tell what was going on?"

Chandler laughed as well. "I know. You now, they would be a good couple. They both have that ditzy, obvious quality to them."

Monica began laughing harder at Chandler's attempt to describe the 'uniqueness' that was their friends.

It wasn't long before Chandler noticed Monica had fallen asleep. He smiled down at her, and reached his hand down to brush some stray hairs away from her face. "I love you," he whispered. "I love you so much." He then pulled her a little closer and fell asleep himself. What he didn't know was that Monica had been awoken by the action of moving her hair. She heard what he said.

Monica was surprised to hear Chandler say those words to her when he thought she was asleep. It meant something that he would do that, thinking she couldn't hear him. Monica sighed happily. She was finally starting to allow herself to believe that he really did love her, that he wasn't going anywhere. Monica was smiling as she fell back to sleep that night. Her life was starting to look up; she had a good job, good friends, and a guy who loved her. In the first time in twenty years, she allowed herself to feel truly happy.

AN: Well, how was it? Is the story any good? I hope so. I have another chapter or two to get through until it really gets interesting, so please be patient. All of your questions about Monica's family will be answered; it's all planned out. And ROSS and RACHEL fans don't worry, they're coming, I promise.