A/N: Did I really resurrect a 10 year old fanfic I started when I was a teenager because I'm bored in a pandemic? yeah.

{{ Rachel }}

I don't normally think about my father. In fact, I've spent the last eight years trying to pretend that he never even existed. But some freakish little part of me kind of wished he was here right now. Don't get me wrong, my father is for all intents and purposes a terrible human being and father. But if he were here right now, he'd kick both Garfield AND Tara's asses. But I'm not entirely blameless. I'm the idiot who should have realized that this was the most likely outcome. I'm an idiot for even thinking there was a possibility someone like Garfield could have felt the same way about me. And I'm a special kind of idiot for not anticipating Garfield and Tara hooking up at her own wedding. That seemed just about right for a habitual cheater.

I tried to push the image of those two kissing out of my head but it felt like it was permanently branded on to my brain. As if my brain couldn't handle the sudden weight lifted off by Mal and needed to be anchored down with that shitshow of a memory. Stupid brain. Why couldn't you be weighed down by the sight of kittens or something normal?

Suddenly, the vibration of my phone jolted me out of my head. I was praying it wasn't another text from Garfield. Every time I saw his name I felt a stab of overdramatic heartbreak. Luckily though, as I flipped my phone over, it wasn't Garfield. It was Kori.

-Rachel, I have not heard from you in weeks. You seem to be in one of your…moods. Therefore, I decided it was a splendid idea to stop by your apartment!-

Almost as if on cue, I heard an excited knocking on the door. I think the most fucked up part of these last few days was that I didn't even think of Kori once. I didn't bother to see how she was holding up in these last couple of weeks before the wedding. Christ, I'm an asshole, aren't I? I quickly stood up from my bed immediately felt dizzy. Okay, so I hadn't left this room in a couple of days, was that really such a bad thing? Hearing the knocking amplifying, I raced to open the door before it could get any louder.

"Rachel! It has been the longest time, friend!" Kori said gleefully. How could she do that? How could she welcome me with open arms despite the fact that I'd been such a shitty friend recently?

"I'm sorry, Kori. I know I've kind of sucked in the friend department." I replied, exhaling. Kori's eyebrows scrunched up.

"I do not know what this friend department is but I am sure you were doing just fine." I gave Kori a soft smile and nodded.

"Definitely not, but perhaps I'll start trying today." I replied.

[[ Garfield ]]

I. Am. An. Idiot.

Leave it to me to screw up anything I remotely wanted. Leave it to Tara to once again fuck up my life. Alright, that wasn't actually fair. I kissed her back and even she acknowledged that it was a huge mistake and sorta gross. Still though, what a wreck. First, Tara admits she had an affair with Mal while still dating me (which still stings) then, out of nowhere she kisses me after we somehow made up and now Rachel hates my guts for doing it. I couldn't even really blame her. What kind of asshole makes out with the bride at her own wedding? Probably the stupid, vegan variety.

Over the last couple of weeks I'd done nothing but wallow, go to work, come back home and wallow all over again. Lather, rinse, repeat. Even going to work sucked, and I normally love my job. But being around the animals reminded me of volunteering with Rachel and it -hurt-. I was even spending less and less time with Vic, which to be completely honest would have happened regardless of my little heartbreak. Vic spent most of his time with Karen anyway, this was bound to have happened at some point. Still, I felt like I just got hit with double the heartbreak.

Suddenly, Victor barreled into my room, mouth twisted into a very angry frown.

"Woah, dude are you psychic? I was just thinking about you."

"Not psychic green bean, just someone who's staging an intervention." Vic replied, dragging me out of my room. I rolled my eyes and groaned, loudly, for several seconds before Vic set me down and looked at me with annoyance.

"Are you done?"

"Not yet, let me have this." I replied before resuming my groaning. Victor sighed again and crossed his arms across his chest, waiting for me to essentially finish throwing my borderline childish tantrum. Finally, after exhausting pretty much all the air in my lungs, I stopped and threw myself on the couch.

"Why did you take me from my brooding?" I asked, face buried in the couch.

"C'mon dude I let you brood for the last two weeks. Since you obviously haven't sorted this out yourself, now we gotta talk about." Victor replied, forcefully pulling me up. Ouch. I hated how much stronger he was than me. Sighing, I looked into Victor's eyes and immediately felt guilt. Here I was, feeling sorry for myself and I hadn't even thought about Victor's concern for me. God I must be gunning for the Supreme Asshole of the Year Award.

"Rachel saw me make out with Tara at her stupid wedding and now she hates my stupid guts." I said, the words spilling out of my mouth. Victor glanced at me before replying.

"Gar?"

"Yeah buddy?"

"You're an ass." he said, rubbing his forehead. Well, can't exactly fault him for thinking that. I felt the same way too.

"I mean…why? I know you man and you clearly have a thing for Rachel so why would you kiss Tara?" Victor asked, incredulous. That was a good question. I'm not so sure I even knew the full answer to that.

"I don't know man. I think I just wanted to feel how things were before but…I felt nothing. Actually, I did feel something. Gross. It was the grossest kiss I've ever had and you were there for my manwhore phase, Vic." I replied, flopping back on the couch.

"Gar, I'm not gonna sugarcoat it, you fucked up. Like, badly." Vic began. I glared at him. Such a pep talk.

"But I think you can come back from this." He continued. I shook my head. How could I possibly come back from this?

"How, Vic? I ruined everything." While he contemplated that for a moment, I went back to wallowing in self pity.

"Is she ignoring your texts?" Vic asked after a moment. I mean, duh.

"I think she blocked me, actually."

"Well, if she won't answer then you're just gonna have to show up at her doorstep." Vic replied, as if it were that simple.

"First of all, I can't even get into Rachel's building and even if I did, there's no way she'd open the door. She's about as stubborn as me." I replied, hopeless.

"Damn, y'all really are made for each other." Vic said. I gave out a dry chuckle and nodded. Without skipping a beat, Vic carried on with his next great plan.

"Well, I guess you're going to have to crash that rehearsal dinner, then." Victor said. That was insane. If anything, Rachel would hate my guts even more than she already did.

"Are we really doing this? Are we really acting like we're in some cliche 80's romcom?" I replied, taking in Victor's suggestion. He raised his eyebrow, as if that was the only answer I needed. I mean, it's not like I had anything to lose. If I did show up and Rachel didn't want to talk, she'd hate my guts regardless. If I showed up and she was up to talking, we could probably salvage... whatever we were. I let out a huge sigh.

"Alright, I guess we're gonna be John Hughes for the night."