My first Friends story to go past 100 reviews! Thank you all for sticking with me on this journey and leaving your feedback. Here is another chapter for you.

5 Weeks Later

Chandler looked at himself in the mirror. He tried not to dwell on his appearance. He flicked at the stubborn piece of hair that kept standing up like a cockatoo. Monica was cooking Thanksgiving dinner, and he had offered to help. He wasn't sure why he had done this as his version of cooking included putting both bacon and a stick of butter in the frying pan and watching to see what happened. He just felt this pull to Monica lately, and he wasn't sure why. She had been avoiding him most of the time, which he found strange. He refused to believe it had anything to do with him passing a kidney stone and coming off as a baby about it.

"Dude, come on. I gotta get in there," Joey whined.

"All right," Chandler sighed, giving his hair the final once over. It was acceptable he supposed. Joey shoved past him as soon as he opened the door, kicked Chandler out with his foot on his back, and slammed the door. Chandler muttered to himself as he headed over to Monica's.

"Hey," she smiled at him.

"Hey," he smiled back. She was wearing an apron with her hair pinned up and out of the way. A few loose strands were dangling beside her cheek.

"How are you at mashing potatoes?" she asked, not even looking up from what she was doing.

"Um, okay I guess."

"You're about to become a pro," she said, handing him the masher and pushing him over to the pot. Chandler skidded to a stop, the masher held midair in his hand.

"What happened to our grilled cheese tradition?" he asked.

"It died," she answered, going back to pulling stuffing out of the turkey. Chandler had to admit he was grateful to not have that job. He turned to the pot of potatoes and gingerly tapped them with the masher. Monica snorted, catching sight of what he was doing. She came over and put the masher in the right position, her hand on his. Chandler felt his heart skip a beat, but her hand was gone as soon as it had come.

"Now push down on it," she instructed. He did so.

"Whoa, cool," he said as the potatoes got squished.

"See? Pro," she grinned.

"That's all I have to do?" he asked, surprised.

"I'll add in the rest as you mash," she replied. She set the bowl of stuffing on the table and covered it. She went to attend to the turnip next.

"You know," Chandler said. "I heard a comedy bit about turnips."

"Of course you did," Monica nodded.

"Something about God burying them so no one would find them, and we dug them up anyway," Chandler smirked.

"Ha, ha," she said. They worked in silence then, Monica coming over to add butter and milk every so often while Chandler mashed and stirred.

"So, how are you?" Chandler asked, feeling awkward.

"I'm fine," she laughed.

"I mean, three weeks ago it's been a year..." Chandler trailed off. Monica stopped what she was doing and turned to look at him.

"I know," she nodded. "I was trying not to think about it."

"Sorry."

"It's okay."

She turned away then, and Chandler knew she was tearing up. God, he was so stupid sometimes.

"And how are you? I mean, a year ago you were happily dating Kathy," she said.

"I'm getting there," he sighed. It had been a difficult last while. It didn't help when he spotted Kathy standing next to the dope she'd cheated on him with. Apparently they were in looove.

"You been on any dates?" she asked casually. Chandler stiffened and looked at her. She wasn't looking back.

"No," he replied. "I'm not ready I don't think."

"I don't think I am either," Monica admitted. She tucked her hair behind her ear, knowing she was lying. She had been obsessing about Chandler for the past few months, and she still didn't have the guts to broach the subject with him. She wanted him to be ready before she did. There was nothing like being rejected.

"Hmm," was all he said in return. They continued to work in silence until Phoebe came in.

"Hey, you guys," she said, hanging up her coat. "Mmmm something smells amazing in here."

"That'll be my potatoes," Chandler said proudly.

"Oh, so you mash them and suddenly they're your potatoes?" Monica teased. He flushed.

"Possession is nine tenths of the law," Phoebe quoted.

"Moving on," Chandler said.

"How are you?" Monica asked, giving Phoebe a quick kiss on the cheek. "You seen the babies lately?"

"Yesterday," Phoebe replied. "I miss them."

"I know, sweetie," Monica said empathetically. Phoebe got settled on the couch. She had long ago learned she would never be up to Monica's standards of kitchen help on a holiday dinner.

"Hey," Joey said, coming in then. "Man, I'm starving."

"Dinner is in less than twenty minutes," Monica warned as he headed for her fridge.

"Yea, Joey, don't fill up now," Phoebe added. He snorted.

"Tribbiani's don't 'fill up.' Have I taught you nothing?" Joey asked, opening the jar of pickles.

"We're here," Rachel said, out of breath. Ross followed in behind her.

"Where were you guys?" Chandler asked. They looked at each other.

"Well, to be honest, we've been looking at apartments," Ross answered. "We don't want to cramp Monica any longer than we have to."

"You're not cramping," Monica objected. "All I ask is you lock the bathroom door when you're showering together."

"Sorry," Ross and Rachel both said again for the fifth time that day. Joey's eyebrows rose up to his hairline.

"I'm done with the potatoes," Chandler said proudly, turning to Monica. "What else can I do?"

"Just sit down and relax," she answered. "I've got it covered."

"All right," he said, not even fighting it. He was impressed he had made it through his one task without damaging it beyond recognition. There was a whirlwind of activity, and then everyone was eating. Monica enjoyed these moments. She watched each of her friends and her brother while she ate. So much had changed in the last year. She didn't really even feel like the same person anymore.

"That was so good," Phoebe said after. They eventually migrated from the table to the living room, and Monica felt like her stomach was going to burst.

"I guess I'll start," Rachel said, looking at them all. "I'm thankful that we are together."

"I'm thankful for turkeys," Joey added.

"I'm thankful for friends," Phoebe smiled.

"I'm thankful for the support you've all given since the fire," Ross said.

"I'm thankful for the memories we've made in the last year," Monica offered. Her heart hurt a little thinking about Richard, but she kept it to herself.

"I'm not thankful for anything this year," Chandler said, patting his stomach.

"What?!" they all burst out.

"Chandler!" Phoebe shouted.

"What?" he asked. "It was a rotten year, and I'm glad it's over with. What is there to be thankful for? Lying ex fiances? Almost weddings?"

"So you're saying this tops your worst thanksgiving when your parents told you they were divorcing?" Ross asked. Everyone leaned in, interested in Chandler's response since he had repeatedly used this thanksgiving as the reason he hates the holiday.

"It's a close second," Chandler answered.

"I know Monica's worst thanksgiving," Rachel smirked.

"Oh...oh no," Monica started.

"Joey ruined her dinner by putting the turkey on his head!" Phoebe exclaimed. "I know this one."

"No," Rachel tried.

"Yes, it is," Monica cut her off, giving her a dirty look.

"Monica's worst thanksgiving was last year's because her boyfriend had just died," Chandler cut in, looking at them all and feeling puzzled. There was a hush in the room then.

"Right," Rachel nodded. "I...I can't believe I forgot."

"It's okay," Monica said, feeling relieved.

"No, Mon, I shouldn't have forgotten. I'm so sorry."

"Rach, trust me, it's all right," Monica said, patting her leg. She stood then, going to the kitchen to start cleaning up. Chandler joined her after a while.

"She is blonde," he said after a while. Monica gave a small snicker.

"Thanks," she said. They held eye contact for a moment, and then Monica had to look away. Chandler wondered if there really was something there, something she was hiding from him.

"What's your worst thanksgiving, Joey?" Phoebe asked in the background. Monica and Chandler kept cleaning and listening at the same time.

"Oh, it would have to be the time my sister ratted out to my parents that I had lost my virginity," Joey answered, crossing his arms.

"Ouch!" Ross hooted.

"Dude," Chandler commented.

"Yea, they decided to punish me with no dinner at all, but my sister snuck me some anyway cos she felt bad."

"That was sweet of her," Rachel noted.

"What would have been sweeter is if she had kept her big fat mouth shut," Joey corrected.

"Ross?" Phoebe cut in then. "What's yours?"

"Um, I don't really have one," Ross replied.

"Rachel?"

"The one where my aunt decided to tell me that Santa Claus wasn't real," Rachel mused. "I was eight."

"Oh no," Phoebe said sadly.

"Yea. I cried the whole night. My parents couldn't understand what was wrong because I wouldn't tell them."

"Your aunt sounds mean," Joey pointed out.

"She was," Rachel agreed.

"So, Phoebs, you're last," Monica said, picking the turkey apart and bagging the leftovers.

"It's the one where my Mom killed herself," Phoebe replied. "Well, she had done it a while before, but it was my first without her."

"That sounds so hard, Phoebs," Joey said, rubbing her arm. Phoebe smiled sadly at him.

"It was. The guy sharing my box at least managed to find a turkey leg in the trash and shared it with me."

Monica winced. She sometimes still couldn't believe her friend had endured living on the streets. The rest of the evening went by with sharing of good thanksgiving memories, and when it was all over, Monica found herself standing on the balcony and wondering just where her life was going to be next year.

3 Weeks Later

"I cannot wait for the New Year," Chandler said. They were in Monica's apartment, and the party was in full swing. He noticed Joey and Phoebe looking anxious, and he knew it was to do with the New Year's kiss. He meandered over to them casually.

"You're stressing," he said.

"We wanna kiss at midnight, but Ross and Rachel still don't know we're dating," Phoebe told him.

"I'm sure they won't really think about it," Chandler noted. "I mean, they will be busy making out with each other."

"Can you just make sure?" Joey asked.

"How am I gonna do that?" Chandler questioned.

"You're smart. You'll figure something out," Joey said, slapping Chandler's back and pushing him towards Ross and Rachel.

"Oh boy," Chandler said, rubbing his neck. "There's a conundrum with the midnight kissing train."

"Huh?" Ross asked, staring at him.

"Well, you've got Rachel, so that leaves Monica, Joey, Phoebe and myself left with no one to really kiss," Chandler said.

"As long as Joey doesn't kiss Monica, I'm good," Ross said, waving his hand.

"Ookay then," Chandler nodded. He went back to Joey and Phoebe.

"Well?" Joey asked.

"He doesn't want your mouth anywhere near Monica's, so you're in the clear."

"Does this mean you'll be kissing Monica?" Phoebe asked, a glint coming to her eyes.

"Um, I guess it does," Chandler nodded, feeling incredibly nervous suddenly.

"This could be a new start," Phoebe said.

"I dunno..." Chandler began. The countdown began, and Phoebe shoved him in the direction of Monica. He noticed she had been crying.

"You okay?" he asked her.

"Oh yea," she nodded. "I just am going into another year still not married or even dating anyone. It's just getting sad."

"You'll find someone," he reassured her. She looked at him full on then.

"I love your optimism," she said. "I don't even have anyone to kiss at midnight, though, so there, Einstein."

"You can kiss me," Chandler told her, pinching his leg inside his pant pocket to keep from freaking out.

"Huh," Monica said, still looking at him.

"10, 9, 8..." the television chanted.

"It's a go or a no go," he said.

"5, 4, 3..."

Monica stared at him. She had been imagining what it would be like to kiss him, and here was her golden opportunity. He went to move in at "1," but some random guy grabbed her face and planted one on her before Chandler could do anything.

"Happy New Year, luv!" the man said, stumbling away. Monica coughed from the strong taste of alcohol.

"Wow," Chandler said, gaping after the man and wanting to stab him all at the same time.

"Well, I was wrong," Monica said, smoothing her shirt awkwardly. "I did have someone to kiss me." She hurried away, and Chandler stood there feeling like he had just missed out on one hell of an opportunity. The feeling in his gut was telling him that just maybe he was starting to have feelings for Monica again.

3 Weeks Later

"Hey," Phoebe said, looking out the window. "Ugly Naked Guy is packing boxes."

"What?" Rachel asked, leaping off the chair to join her at the window. "Is he moving?!"

"I think so," Phoebe nodded.

"That means his apartment is for rent!" Rachel cried, rushing to call Ross. Phoebe watched her as she talked excitedly into the receiver. She was still reeling from the fact she had seen her father the week before at her grandmother's funeral. Joey had been incredibly supportive the whole time, and he was there for her after she confronted her father. It had been the closure she'd wanted, but it still felt like she needed more. She didn't think she'd ever see her father again, though. Phoebe was now starting to think that maybe Ross and Rachel could know that she and Joey were dating since everyone else knew. It just made sense. It made her nervous, though. She knew Rachel would be mad she kept it a secret so long.

"We're gonna go visit Ugly Naked Guy when Ross is finished at work," Rachel said, hanging up the phone. Then she saw Phoebe's expression. "You okay? I know things have been hard since your grandmother died."

"I'm okay," Phoebe answered. "Are you gonna take Ugly Naked Guy a bribe?"

"I never thought of that," Rachel said, thinking. "Damn it." She dialed Ross back and went into their room to talk to him. Phoebe watched Ugly Naked Guy packing and wondered how he could be true to himself in that way when she couldn't even be true about her relationship with Joey with everyone.

Chandler

Chandler was pacing his apartment. He'd spent the last three weeks going over the almost kiss he had with Monica on New Year's, and he wanted to talk to her about it, but she was avoiding him. He knew that meant she wanted to talk about it too. He decided to just be brave and go talk to her. He charged over to her apartment, and he found her sitting in the living room going through her mail.

"Hey," she said, smiling at him.

"Hey," he replied. "Look, I wanna talk to you about something."

"Oh?" she asked, putting her mail down. Her heart was banging in her chest. It was about that almost kiss, she knew it.

"When we...when I...On New Year's," he started, changing his approach. God, he was scared. Then, he caught something across the street.

"Chandler?" Monica pressed, seeing his stunned expression.

"Oh my God!" he shouted, pointing.

"What?!"

"OH MY GOD!"

"Chandler, wha- OH GOD!" she shrieked.

"They...they're..." Chandler tried to say. Monica turned away, repulsed.

"When I told them to play to his strengths, I didn't mean to sit in the apartment with him naked!" she yelled, covering her mouth.

"I think they've got a real chance of getting it now," Chandler pointed out. He averted his eyes from the window. This was ruining his moment. He wanted to kick Ross's ass for it.

"I gotta go," Monica said, gagging. She jumped up and rushed to the door. Chandler was hot on her heels.

"Um, Mon?"

"Later," she cut him off. "We'll talk later." She hurried down the stairs, leaving Chandler standing at the landing and hating his life.

Ross & Rachel

"Our first apartment together," Rachel said, hugging Ross. She shuddered at what they did to get it, but it was worth it. They were walking back to Monica's when they saw Phoebe and Joey in the street. Rachel went to call out when suddenly Joey kissed Phoebe.

"Oh...wow," Rachel said, stopping in her tracks. Ross stopped too, and they both gaped at what they were seeing.

"Since when?" Ross asked.

"I...I don't know," Rachel answered. "I...this...well..."

"I can see it," Ross said, tilting his head at them. Phoebe released Joey's hand as he went off in the other direction. That's when she saw Ross and Rachel, and her face went very white.

"Phoebs!" Rachel shouted when Phoebe turned and bolted. She looked at Ross.

"I guess she didn't want anyone to know," Ross figured.

"How are we gonna keep this to ourselves?" Rachel asked.

"We have to try," Ross said firmly. "For Phoebe. It's her life. She deserves privacy."

"If she wanted privacy, she shouldn't be kissing boys in public that she doesn't want anyone to know she's with!" Rachel exclaimed. That meant...

"The others know," Ross cut in, getting her drift.

"Those weasels!"

"Well, maybe she swore them to secrecy."

"Ugh. That's it. I'm confronting her," Rachel said, walking again.

"Rach, honey, just calm down for a second. Let's not do anything rash."

"How could she not feel she could tell us?"

"I don't know. Let's wait and see what she says when we see her again," Ross advised. Rachel was fuming, but she finally agreed. She was more hurt that Monica hadn't told her if she knew.

Phoebe

Phoebe was panicked but also relieved. It was in the open. Everyone knew. Perhaps that was for the best. She knew she had to face Rachel sometime, but she had to be ready for the onslaught of questions. She went to work and shoved all thoughts of it from her mind. She needed to be alert for her clients. Joey might not be thrilled about it, but it was too late now. She'd find a good way to tell him before Ross blurted it out, which he was excellent at doing.

Monica

Monica felt like a coward, hiding from Chandler when she knew what he wanted to talk about. She just wasn't ready. She didn't know what to say. She figured if she waited a bit, he'd forget about it. Then she wouldn't have to lie to him and say she hadn't wanted his kiss when she really had. She kept walking, her head low. Things would get complicated if he knew she liked him. She just knew it. It was better this way. That's what she was trying to convince herself anyway. If only she could believe it.

It's a slow burn for Mondler, so sorry if you're wanting them to be together right this second...that's not happening lol. I'm still only on season 5! I've got a lot of story left ;)