Ross couldn't believe the handfuls of hair that he held were Rachel. He bowed his own head as the tears ran out of his own eyes. It was a death for him as well. She was always the perfect woman. She was beauty incarnate. Now he was watching her fall apart literally before his eyes and in his hands. He was speechless.

"I uh I uh think it is starting honey." He stuttered nervously in his usual way. Rachel looked him in the eyes and then she threw her head on the pillow. All he did was stroke the remaining hair that covered her back .

"Leave me alone." She sobbed.

"I am not going to do that anymore , Rachel. I am not leaving you and I wish you would just lean on me and not worry because I am not going anywhere." Ross said defiantly. "When you got off the plane, you said this is where I want to be and this was it. I promised you we would stop being stupid and we would be there for each other no matter what." Rachel raised her head from the pillow and then wrapped her arms around her husband. The two of them embraced as the rest of the gang entered the room.

"Good you are feeling better." Chandler smiled. "We still didn't finish that cheesecake buddy.' He came to the bedside and gave her a hug and then everyone else followed suit.

Rachel explained about her hair and Phoebe and Monica assured her that they would do everything they could to help her keep her appearance up.

"Rachel , you are such a beautiful person on the inside as well. You are loving, kind, a wonderful mother and the best wife that my brother could have ." Monica said to her best friend.

"And that is saying a lot because he has had three wives." Chandler said in a way to break the tension.

"Rachel, even if you had no hair, you would still be hot." Joey smiled.

"Uhm , Joey , that is my wife you are speaking about." Ross said.

Rachel hugged Joey . "I know what you are trying to say , sweetie , and thanks." Rachel knew deep down that her appearance didn't matter to any of her friends on family, well maybe her sisters it would .

Sandra entered the room. "I heard sweetie, I am so glad you are better now." Sandra was let in , when the others moved away from Rachel's bed. "And I talked to someone , we are going to get you some wigs. The best that money can buy."

"Mom, I am losing my hair. It feels weird to know that I am going to have nothing on my head. I am getting scared now." Sandra bent over the bed and held her daughter. "I feel like now I have cancer. I used to watch those little kids on the St Jude specials with their little bald heads and those tubes connected to them. They looked so sad and pitiful and now that is going to be me." Rachel came to a realization.

"Oh I know, I 'll shave my head." Phoebe popped up. "I have no problem with it at all and me and Rachel will look the same."

"Pheebs, I will have a wig , I won't be completely bald. Ross started to stare at her as she started to talk about her baldness. He started to have visions of when he was dating Bonnie and Rachel shaved her head. He couldn't' stand the look of her or to feel the shaved head that she had. "I might actually even try a couple of those designer scarves like Hermes or Channel , you know wrap them around my head." Rachel tried to get excited for these different fashionable looks.

"And I will go shopping with you, dear to get a few. Oh it will be so cute , you will look fabulous." Sandra was also excited because she could help her daughter get through this the only way she knew how.

A few more treatments had passed and Rachel sat in front of the vanity. She picked up the hairbrush and more hair came out of the brush into her hands. She was tired of waiting for this to come to an end and had made a decision.

"Ross, could you come in here." She yelled from the bedroom. Emma was at Monica and Chandler's with her sister for the night. Ross peeked his head in and braced himself for the mood swings that came with the cancer and the chemo.

"What did you want , sweetheart?" he asked politely.

"I am tired of this waiting for it to come out, I want you to get your electric razor and shave it off." Rachel said matter of factly. Ross gave her a startled look. "You want me to shave your head.?" Rachel sighed and then got up. "Yes, it is going to fall out anyway. I might as well just be prepared now." Ross slowly walked over and he tangled his fingers in her remaining hair and then he kissed the top of her head. He just let his fingers be there as his ring was tangled in her locks for just a few more minutes. He wanted to feel it one last time. He had moved his hands through it, he had smelt it, and now he was the one who was going to get rid of it.

Walking to the bathroom, he bravely pulled out his electric razor and then he took a breath and returned to Rachel sitting at her vanity mirror. His eyes met hers as she pulled the wastebasket close to her. Ross plugged in the razor and then he took a large piece of her hair and then began to move down the side of her scalp. Gobs of blondish brown hair fell on the floor and both sets of eyes were filled with tears. He admired her right now, he really did.

With the tears stopped , Rachel looked in the mirror at her bald head. Then with his hand shaking, Ross touched the top of it and he bent over to kiss it once again. She got up slowly and then she opened a drawer filled with accessories. Expertly , she wrapped the colorful scarf around her head. She gave herself a glance , she was still beautiful. The next thing she knew , Monica and Chandler had brought Emma and Isabelle home. Everyone was unprepared for her new appearance, so Ross prepped them for her entrance.

"She had me shave her head and she is very self conscience, so please no bald jokes. "he directed that comment at Chandler. Rachel walked out into the living room with her new look. Monica couldn't believe her eyes.

"Okay I'm waiting. " Rachel stood patiently waiting for the barrage of comments . "Sweetie, you look great.' Monica lied. Emma cautiously walked up to her mother and said. "Mommy , where is your hair?" She felt her bald scalp as Rachel removed the scarf.

"The medicine that Mommy has to take made Mommy's hair fall out and now she has no hair." Rachel said. "But Mommy 's hair will grow back after she feels better." Emma timidly touched her scalp and then said "Oooh it feels smooth." Isabella was totally frightened and ran to her daddy when she saw her mother's appearance.

Rachel started to cry again. "I scared my own child. I am a hideous monster." Ross handed Isabella to Monica and then he said. " You are not hideous."

"Yes I am. I have no hair and I look like a freak. I am never leaving this house ." she ordered as she slammed the door .

Monica , Ross , and Chandler looked at each other. They had to do something . Chandler knew what had to be done.

"Yeah she is pretty bad , and I know that you made me promise that I wouldn't tell anyone. She is one of my dearest friends in the world and my best friend's wife . I know if she talked to you and you told her she would make it , you would help so much."

Who is it that Chandler was talking to? Next chapter.