A/N: If anyone doesn't know already, this is a joint fic between me & rrlobster. Thanks everyone for your kind reviews. Jen, I looked at the story It Only Hurts When I Breathe, and I agree, this story is kinda similar to that one, but I read through it and the plot is pretty different. O, and we tried to add a bit more detail this time around. I don't think we really did a lot though.
Marcus Lazarus..don't worry, we would never kill off Rachel!
All that said, here's chapter 3...enjoy!
Disclaimer: They're not ours.
Rachel vividly tried to remember where she was, and what was going on. She managed to open her eyes slowly, and noticed that she was in a hospital room. Nurses and doctors were scurrying about, but they all seemed to be a big blur.
"Where am I?" she tried murmuring out. She felt like there was a huge weight holding her down, so she couldn't go on. Her throat hurt to breathe out. Then she felt herself slipping back into an unconscious state in her own little world.
Ross slowly awoke as he looked around his surroundings. Monica had moved him to his bedroom after he had fallen asleep at the kitchen table earlier. Ross had finally fallen into a restless sleep after crying for hours about Rachel. He couldn't remember exactly when he had finally fallen asleep. 1 am? 3 am? It was all vague in his mind.
"How are you feeling sweetie?" Monica said, coming in with a tray of scrambled eggs, bacon, and orange juice. Monica, although very upset herself, was trying to stay strong for Ross, who was the only person more upset about what was going on than her.
"Has anybody heard anything yet? Ross whispered weakly.
"No, sorry hon." Monica replied with a sigh. She put the tray down on the bedside table, then sat down on the bed next to Ross and put her hand on his arm.
"This can't be happening!" Ross cried out in outrage, grabbing a paper napkin that sat on the try Monica had brought him, and crumpling it up.
"Shh…sweetie, calm down, breathe." Monica said soothingly, although she wanted to cry out in frustration herself. "I know what you're going through…it's just so hard…"
Rachel slowly opened her eyes. It felt like she was waking up from a deep sleep that had gone on for years. She was still in pain, but felt slightly more aware now. For the first time she tried to logically think about what was happening.
She was in a hospital room…before that there had been a dark alleyway….a man….a bar….and then Rachel remembered with a sudden surge of anger…Emily. Ross and Emily, engaged, even though they hadn't known each other very long.
A nurse came into the room at that moment, breaking into Rachel's thoughts.
"Oh good, you're awake," the nurse said cheerily. "Are you feeling any better?"
Rachel could only nod.
"Can you tell me your name?" the nurse said gently.
Rachel found her voice at last.
"Rachel Green," she said, her voice hoarse.
"OK, Rachel, is there someone we should contact for you? Family? Friends?" the nurse asked.
"ummm….Monica Geller," Rachel whispered, and then told the nurse Monica's number. The burst of energy, her anger toward Emily, all seemed to be fading as quickly as it came. Rachel's eyes closed and she sank into another deep sleep.
Monica had gathered the rest of the gang, plus Emily, to her apartment so they could all wait around to hear news on Rachel.
"It's been two days why hasn't anyone called." Ross said, yet pacing the front room again. "Relax man your wearing a hole in the floor." Chandler said glumly, from where he sat resting his head on the back of the couch. Phoebe sat next to him, looking just as glum. Monica and Joey sat silently at the kitchen table.
Ross gave Chandler a cold stare as he flopped down in a chair next to Monica.
"The police said they'd call if there were any changes," Monica said patiently, trying to calm her brother down.
"I just can't believe any of this is happening," Ross said sadly.
"What do you mean?" Joey asked curiously.
"I always thought by now if Rachel didn't call that break we would've been settling down by now...it's just…" Ross couldn't bear to finish his statement, and buried his head in his hands.
At that moment the phone on the table next to the couch rang. Phoebe quickly went over to answer it. The others looked over at her as she talked on the phone, a mixture of hope and dread on their faces.
"OK, we'll be right there," Phoebe was saying into the phone. She finished the conversation and hung up the phone.
"Who was it?" Monica said immediately. "Was it about Rachel?"
Every time the phone had rung in the past couple of days, all anyone could think about was if it was someone phoning about Rachel. Except Emily, who still made the occasional remark about how everyone should really let the police handle things, and not worry so much.
"Yeah, she's at the hospital," Phoebe said. "They said she's doing well, but they're not really sure what happened yet."
Everyone breathed sighs of relief to hear that Rachel was ok. Ross even looked for a moment like he might cry with the emotion.
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Joey spoke up. "Let's get to the hospital!" Everyone got up, grabbed their coats, and started to walk out the door.
"We'd better ask the taxi drivers not to go too fast, otherwise we won't be able to visit Rachel, will we?" Chandler remarked, in a feeble attempt to make a joke. Everyone ignored him.
Rachel opened her eyes and looked around the empty hospital room. She was still slightly in pain, and still felt slightly unaware of what was going on, but she was getting better. She thought about her friends, for the first time since giving out Monica's phone number to the nurse. Rachel had no idea how much time had passed since the incident in the alleyway. A day? Two? However much time it had been, Rachel knew that her friends would be very worried about her. She just wanted to let them know she was all right…
Suddenly, as if in answer to her thoughts, the door slowly opened, and the kind nurse from before ushered in the five people she cared about most…and one person she didn't care about as much.
"Oh my god Rachel, you're awake!" Monica cried, rushing to Rachel's bedside.
"How do you feel?" Phoebe said with concern, taking a seat in one of several chairs near the bed.
"I feel fine, just like I got the wind knocked out of me," Rachel replied weakly. She felt even better now that her friends were with her. Somehow, their presence let Rachel know that everything was going to be ok.
"Should we get the nurse? Joey asked.
"I don't think it's necessary." Rachel said, shaking her head.
"Have you eaten anything?" Chandler asked, looking out the open door over to the food cart that sat in the hallway.
"I really rather a burger from the Burger Joint," Rachel said, her mouth beginning to water.
"We'll go out and get you one." Ross said thankful to get away from the tension of being around Rachel again. Him and Emily exited the room, shutting the door behind them.
There was a moment of silence after they left.
"I can't believe that they're still together!" Rachel cried out suddenly. Tears formed in her eyes again and she seemed nearly hysterical.
"It's ok, Rach, just go back to sleep," Monica consoled, stroking Rachel's hair until she fell back to sleep again.
Once Ross and Emily had exited the hospital and were walking down the street, looking for a place to get the food for Rachel, Ross turned to Emily. He had decided to finally get things out in the open with her.
"Emily, honey we need to talk," Ross said seriously, pulling Emily over to sit on a bench beside the sidewalk.
Emily turned to face Ross, staring at him intently.
Ross took a deep breath. "It's just…it's just not gonna work out," he said.
Emily then looked at him bewildered. "What?"
"Us, I can't be with you if you only care about yourself. Rachel is one of my best friends, but you didn't even seem to be that worried when she could have been dead," Ross said gravely.
"Ross you've got to understand," Emily began.
Ross interrupted her. "No, you have to understand, if I didn't throw this engagement on us so quickly, Rachel wouldn't be in the mess she's in right now."
"So what are you saying?" Emily asked, upset.
"We're gonna have to break it off," Ross said abruptly.
