A Few Weeks Later

Ben

Channie was avoiding him. He just knew it. She was always either busy or had somewhere she had to suddenly be. Every time he asked Frank if she was still angry, he got the same answer: No clue. It was time to get some proper advice.

"Hey, Dad," Ben said, coming into Ross's office at work. Ross looked up at him, surprised.

"Ben," he replied. "What are you doing here?"

"When you asked Rachel to marry you, did she freak out and run away?"

"No."

"Why does Aunt Phoebe have a different version of that then?" Ben challenged.

"She's referring to when we got married in Vegas while we were extremely wasted," Ross dismissed. "And for the record, it was her idea, not mine."

"Okay, so what about Mom? Or Emily?"

"They didn't freak out either."

"So, is it just me then?" Ben asked, collapsing onto the chair across from Ross.

"Son, some women get spooked by commitment. Have you talked to her about why she's afraid?"

"No. She won't give me the chance," he said. Then he sat up straight.

"You just got an idea. I recognize that move. I practically invented it," Ross said smugly.

"I'll see you later. Thanks, Dad!"

"Sure," Ross nodded at his son's receding back.

Leslie

She was chopping vegetables when Gus approached her.

"Hey, you," she said, looking up at him. Then she caught his face. "What's wrong?"

"Can we talk?" he asked.

"Okay," she agreed, following him to a private area.

"Les," he started. Then he paused.

"You're kinda scaring me here," she laughed nervously, twisting her apron tightly in her hands. "Are you breaking up with me?"

"No! Gosh, no," he shook his head. "I mean, not really unless you don't want to after I tell you."

"Please just tell me," she begged. He drew in a deep breath.

"I got offered a culinary placement in France," he told her.

"You did?! That's so great!"

"It's for a year," he finished, wincing.

"Oh," she said, feeling suddenly disappointed.

"I know we haven't dated long, but I really like you," Gus said. "I'd hate to lose you, but I really want to go."

"No, you should go. It's your dream," Leslie responded.

"I hate the idea of being so far away from you," Gus lamented. He touched her cheek gently.

"I do too," she nodded. She felt like crying. She had the perfect guy, and he was going away.

"It's not forever," he promised.

"When do you leave?"

"In two days," he answered, sighing. "They sent the letter months ago, but it got lost in the mail apparently. I have to tell them in an hour if I accept and then book my flight."

"I don't want you to miss out because of me."

"Here's a crazy thought. What if you came with me?"

"Oh, Gus," Leslie said, her voice catching in her throat. The idea was so tempting, but her family was here.

"You don't have to answer right away. Just let me know by tonight so I can either book two flights or just one."

"I'll think about it," she promised. She felt slightly nauseous. What was she going to do?

Emma

She still didn't have the nerve to ask Frank if he had delivered that note to her. She spent her time watching him and thinking about him. The more she thought about it, the more she realized Frank had always alluded to having feelings for her. Had she really been so blind? She started to notice different things about him like the way he pressed a finger to his temple when he was deep in thought or the way he chewed his lower lip when he was stumped about something. He was cute in his own way.

"Hellooo," Joey said, waving his hand in front of her face.

"What?" she asked, startled. She realized she was standing at the counter in the apartment and staring into space.

"I asked if you had seen Huggsy," Joey repeated.

"I like to pretend that a man your age doesn't talk to stuffed animals," Emma said, looking at him sharply.

"You're still mad I took him from you," Joey accused.

"How can I be mad about something I don't remember?" she asked, incredulous.

"Oh, it's in there," Joey said, peering at her head. "Somewhere."

"I haven't seen your stupid penguin," Emma growled, grabbing her purse. She had to go to work anyway. Joey gasped.

"He's not stupid!"

"See you later," she said, closing the door behind her. She went back to daydreaming about Frank.

Jack

He was sweeping when Leslie came in looking depressed. Concerned, he stopped.

"You okay?" he asked. She sat down on the couch heavily.

"No," she replied.

"You wanna talk about it?"

"Gus is going to France for a year," she spit out. "He wants me to go with him."

"Don't go," Jack blurted out before he could stop himself. Leslie looked at him then, confused.

"What?"

"I mean, it's your decision," he corrected himself.

"No, you said to not go. Why?"

"I...I just think you have so much potential here," Jack rambled. "I mean, you don't really even know this guy. You're really going to go halfway around the world with him?"

Leslie stared at him. If she didn't know any better, she'd guess that he didn't want her to go for his own reasons.

"You make a valid point, but what if I miss out on my soulmate if I don't go?" she asked.

"He might not be your soulmate."

"But he might be," she insisted. Jack blinked, realizing she had figured out he didn't want her to go. It was strange really. He'd never thought of Leslie that way until she started dating Gus. He didn't want to say he was jealous, but it kind of felt that way at times.

"It's your decision. Just make sure you know what you're doing," he finished, going back to sweeping. He turned his back to her, hoping she couldn't read his back.

Rachel/Monica/Phoebe

"Channie still hasn't talked to Ben, huh?" Phoebe asked Rachel. They were at Monica's visiting.

"Nope. He's devastated. I've never seen him so down."

"Do you think they'll break up?" Monica asked, concerned. They made a sweet couple, and she knew they were right for each other just from what she had seen and heard.

"I hope not," Rachel sighed. She felt bad for Ben. Ross had forbade her from meddling, though. She was still sitting on the bombshell of Emma liking Frank Jr. Jr. too. It was killing her.

"At least he didn't hide the ring or use the big screen at a ball game," Phoebe said.

"He didn't get a chance. She found it," Monica reminded her.

"And Ben is not Mike," Rachel added.

"Hey, hey," Phoebe said. "He's not here to defend himself."

"Ross just texted," Rachel said, looking at her phone. "Apparently Ben is going to find Channie?"

"Oohh! He's going to do the 'sweep off her feet' gesture," Phoebe crowed.

"Hopefully she won't trip him first," Monica winced.

Channie

She missed Ben. She had no idea she could miss another person like this. It was horrible. She was at work and trying to stay distracted when the intake worker came and told her she had a client. She went to bring them in when she saw Ben sitting there.

"Ben?!" she exclaimed.

"Hi, yes, I'm here for a session," he said, looking at the receptionist through the window.

"Get in here!" she hissed, yanking him inside. She closed her door behind them, and he got settled into a chair.

"Do you greet all your clients this way?" he asked, teasing.

"Ben, this isn't funny. You're taking someone's spot if they come."

"So pretend I'm a client," he said.

"Ben..."

"No, I'm serious. I need to talk to someone about how to ask my girlfriend if she still wants to be with me."

"Ben, I..."

"Ah! I'm a client, remember?" he said, leaning back into the chair. Channie blew the air out of her mouth, feeling slightly annoyed.

"What happened?" she asked, going with it.

"She was over at my place a few weeks ago and found a ring in my stuff. She got really upset and took off. We haven't really talked since."

"You were going to propose?"

"Eventually, yea. I love her so much. I know she got hurt and wants to go slow, but I want to show her that she means the world to me, and I want to marry her."

"Maybe she was scared," Channie said.

"I know she was, and I don't know how to make her feel better. She won't tell me what I can do to help."

"Maybe she needs her own space for a bit."

"And how long before she thinks I've given up on her? Because I will never give up on her," Ben said, looking at her intently.

"Maybe she doesn't know how to tell you that she wants what you're offering, that she isn't as scared as she was before. Maybe she thinks you're doubting wanting to be with her after her outburst."

"She has nothing to worry about, and when she's ready, I will ask her to marry me," Ben finished. Channie felt tears in her eyes then.

"I'm ready," she whispered. Ben smiled and reached into his jacket pocket. He got down on his knee and opened the ring box.

"Channie, my love," he said. "My everything, my beautiful woman...will you let me spend forever making you happy?"

"Yes," she nodded vigorously. "Yes, Ben, I will marry you." He slid the ring on gently.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you too."

He kissed her deeply then, pulling her close. Channie felt relief and giddiness. She hadn't ruined it after all. She was going to marry Ben.

Leslie

She breathed in deeply, picking up the phone. This was it.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Gus, it's me," she said, feeling shaky. "I've made my decision..."

Such a cliffhanger. Sorry 'bout that! Stay tuned... ;)