Chapter 5

There's not much that happens in this chapter but it's necessary that I added this in. Hope you enjoy nonetheless and I'll try to get the next chapter out soon.

…

"So Monica, now that Ross is back, does that mean the wedding is back on?"

The five friends sat around the kitchen table in Monica's apartment, having lunch and simply talking as they usually do when they had some free time on their hands. It had been two days since Ross had awaken from his coma and as far as enlightenment goes, the group's atmosphere has definitely brightened from the three months of depression earlier. Of course, they had to limit themselves to what they say in do in front of him and the awkwardness of having to re-introduce themselves to someone they've known for years proved to be difficult at times, but re-uniting all 6 of them together has brightened up the mood for everyone, especially Rachel.

Now sitting with the others around the table, all she could think about was him. His attentive dark eyes, his gentle smile, his sweet and caring nature… the phrase "love struck" was the only way she could explain how she felt towards him. They had bonded far more than anyone would have expected, and as risky and close to her boundaries as it was, she enjoyed every moment with him. Even now, she couldn't wait until he returned from his physio class so she could spend some time with him.

As Rachel stared off into space, Monica carried over a plate of food and sat next to Chandler, sharing a look with her fiancée.

"Um… we're not sure yet," she answered for them both.

"What are you waiting for? You said you'd postpone it until Ross got better and now he is," Joey pointed out. "I say we crack out some beers, throw a crazy bachelor party and get you two married!"

Monica rolled her eyes and Chandler just sighed. "Look Joe, things are a little complicated right now and we haven't decided on anything yet. I just don't want to stand up at the altar with a best man who can't remember what I do for a living."

"You know… I still don't know what you do for a living," Monica stated and earned a glare from her fiancée.

"Well whatever you decide, you better do it quick," Phoebe said, "otherwise people will think you both have commitment issues, right Rach…? Rach?"

All attention drew to her but she didn't seem to notice, instead she sat there starring off to the side with a large smile on her face. She let out a sigh, resting her head on her chin in an almost daydream-like state.

"…Do you think Ross has commitment issues…?"

Chandler rolled his eyes. "Well considering he's gone through three marriages in the past seven years, I don't think he does."

"Oh my God! You are so smitten with him! You're a smitten kitten!" Monica exclaimed as if she was a teenage girl.

"Rachel's in looove," Phoebe added on.

"I am, I really am," she admitted with a smile.

"Just look at you. I've never seen you like this before."

She nodded her head. "I don't know, it's like, it took the chance of losing him forever to make me realise what I really wanted. And now when I'm with him and talking with him and laughing with him, it just feels so right, you know? I mean, just talking about him makes me miss him even more."

Phoebe and Monica squealed in delight while Chandler and Joey groaned.

"See, this is when us guys are supposed to leave the conversation and let the girls do their little girl talk thing," Chandler explained to Joey who nodded his head in agreement.

"Oh shut up, you gossip with me all the time," Monica revealed. He blushed and sank down in his seat while Joey just looked at him with a confused look.

"Ok, ok, tell us more," Phoebe persisted.

"Well he's so sweet and caring, and funny, and kind. And when I'm around him, he just makes me feel so good about myself, like I'm the only woman on earth but at the same time, on cloud 9. Oh, and that evening we went out for a walk and he wrapped his arm around me, I felt so protected and cared for I never wanted to leave his side. God, is it crazy of how much I'm in love with him?"

"Not at all," Phoebe responded with a smile. "See, I told you guys my lobsters would find their way back to each other."

"Wait, wait, wait, you guys talk about us behind our backs?"

"Are you kidding? You and Ross are like the only subject we talk about!"

"Well, that and sandwiches," Joey said.

"No, only you talk about sandwiches," Chandler pointed out.

"Ok, hold on!" Rachel said holding up her hands. "What do you guys say about us?"

"Usually we talk about how you two make huge mistakes by dating other people and about you're ridiculous on-again off-again relationship. Then there's the talk about how you both are meant to be with each other and also how you both are too damn stubborn to realise you both love each other but refuse to get back together for some stupid reason," Monica answered.

"What? I didn't love… I mean, he didn't… we didn't…" she stammered, desperately trying to think of something but ending up with nothing. "…yeah ok you're right. How long have you been talking about us?"

"Since you're second break up," Phoebe answered. "… or was it your third?"

"Wasn't it their second?" Joey asked.

Monica shook her head. "No I think it was their third, right?"

"Ok, so they had their original break up on their anniversary, then got back together the next morning but then broke up again. Then they got back together at the beach house but broke up when we got back so that makes three," Chandler counted on his fingers. "So yeah, since you're third break up."

Rachel laughed at how much their friends knew about their relationship. Sure, it sounds ridiculous when you say it like Chandler did but it just goes to show how much they've been through in the past. And now, she knew what she truly wanted in her life and that was him. She wouldn't let him go again and she refused to let the past affect how they see each other in the present. She just had to wait until he regained his memories to tell him how much he meant to her. The question is, however, just how long would she have to wait until it becomes too painful to keep her feelings hidden from him.

Reading her mind, Monica mentioned just that as she reached over and grabbed her hand.

"Rach, as much as I love seeing you happy like this, I hope you're not being overly compassionate with him. You remember what the doctor said…"

"Yeah I remember, and I'm not. It's just sometimes it's really hard not to show how I really feel about him."

"Don't worry, he'll come around soon. You just have to be strong for him now and think of what you'll have when it's all over. You'll get everything you ever wanted."

"I know Mon… I know…" she responded and her thoughts went back to him once again.

Just as she was about to fall into another dream-like state, a knock on the door was heard. The group shared a confused look with each other and they turned to the direction of the doorway.

"Was anyone expecting someone?" Monica asked and they all shook their heads. She made her way to the door and opened it hesitantly, surprised and eager to see Ross standing outside. He didn't have his cane with him, which was a great sight to see, but she could tell he was using the doorway to help keep his balance.

"Hey sis," he greeted and she gave him a hug.

"How many times do I have to tell you, don't knock, just walk in," she mentioned. "Also don't call me sis, you never did before and I don't like it when people say that."

Ross laughed. "Alright, I'll try to remember that."

She sent him a smile before walking back to her seat, crossing paths with Rachel who had just gotten up.

"Hey, you know I call my sisters that," she pointed out.

"Yeah I know."

She rolled her eyes and walked over to Ross, smiling when she saw him smiling back. She was glad he didn't have that cane anymore. It meant he was one step closer to becoming fully healthy, aside from the amnesia.

"Hey you," she greeted, tilting her head to the side. She's been saying that recently, knowing that it was one of their catch phrases while they were dating but she figured he probably didn't remember any of that so why not?

"Hey you," he responded and playfully flicked her nose. She giggled and blushed but gave him a quick hug before he could see any of that. The others looked on, smiling knowingly and seeing just how much they belong together. Monica, however, sported a concerned and worried look as she saw how Rachel fell into his arms so easily.

After a few quick "hey's" to the others, Ross leaned against the counter while Rachel remained by his side.

"So, I got a message from our mom asking me to drive down to Long Island to visit today," he explained, specifically to Monica. "You want to come with me?"

"And be criticized about every little flaw of mine? No thanks," she responded hastily and Ross raised a questioning eyebrow.

"You're mom typically picks on Monica a lot when she visits," Chandler explained.

"Oh, ok. Well how about you Rachel?"

"M-me?" she stuttered, a little thrown off by the offer. "Y-you want to drive down to Long Island… together? Like j-just you and me?"

"Yeah sure, why not? I'll need someone to drive me there anyways."

"Y-you want me to drive too?" she asked with a gulp and looked at the others with a worried look. The last time she and Ross had been in a car with her at the wheel had ended in a nightmare to say the least, and in a sense, that nightmare is still going on.

"Rachel doesn't have her license!" Monica quickly came to the rescue, though funnily enough, it wasn't a lie.

"Really? I was almost positive that you did."

"Why don't you drive down yourself?" Chandler asked. "You have a license."

"Yeah but I don't think I remember the route too well which was why I asked Monica and Rachel to come with me. Besides, I don't have a car either."

"Well I have work later tonight so I won't be able to go," Monica said. "And my Porsche is getting repaired right now from a… accident…"

Seeing the discouraged look on Ross' face, Rachel pushed past her fears and touched his arm.

"I-I'll go with you."

"Really?" he asked, with his eyes practically sparkling.

"Yes, but as long as you drive, oh, and we have to stop by my dad's house to say hi."

"Thanks Rach, you're the best," he said, picking her up and engulfing her in a hug that she enjoyed all too much.

"Wait, you still don't have a car," Chandler pointed out.

"Ooh, you can take my taxi!" Phoebe offered, jumping out of her seat.

Rachel partially flinched at the idea but Ross seemed all for it.

"That'd be great Phoebe, but I thought you were a masseuse."

"I am. My grandma left it for me when she died but I don't use it much. Ooh, but I could be a taxi driver! That would be fun!"

Ross leaned over to whisper into Rachel's ear. "Is she always like that?"

"You'll get used to it." She whispered back with a giggle. "So when do we leave?"

The both of them looked back at their friends, who were now deep in conversation about Phoebe's chances of being a taxi driver. They laughed silently and shared an amused look.

"How about now?"

She nodded with a smile. "Let's go."

…

The drive to Long Island was surprisingly better than what she had expected. At first, she had been extremely nervous, fearing for the possibility of a repeat of what happened last time. The image of the accident flashed before her eyes, but what scared her most was the possibility of losing him all over again, and if that happened, she would have no idea how she was going to live on without him. She kept repeating in her head that she was doing this for him and that nothing would happen, but sometimes fears are too much to overcome by yourself.

Luckily, and ironically, the one person in the entire world who could cause her so much pain and worry was also the one person in the entire world who could make her forget those fears and bring a smile to her face. As the car ride went by, slowly her nerves were eased by their continuous talking and laughter. Eventually, all her fears were washed away by his adorable smile and by the time she knew it, they had arrived.

As the two of them headed for the front door after parking the car, she noticed that Ross had stopped in his tracks and was staring at the ground, fidgeting with his hands.

"Hey, what's wrong?" she asked, concerned that something may be wrong.

He sighed and looked at her with a facial expression she's seen all too well. "I don't know, I guess I'm just nervous, that's all."

"Nervous? Why should you be nervous? If anything, I should be the one who's nervous," she joked but didn't get the same response she was looking for.

"Not really, the difference between us is that you actually remember my parents. I can barely remember their names without repeating it over and over in my head. Jack and Judy… Jack and Judy… Jack and Judy…"

Not letting him go on, she reached over and grabbed his hand. "Ross, honey, you need to relax."

"What if they don't like me Rach? What if they don't think of me as their son anymore because I can't remember anything past 2001?"

"Ross, look at me," she ordered, placing a gentle hand on his cheek and making him look into her eyes. "You're parents are the sweetest parents I know and would never do anything like that. You're their son and no matter what happened or what you don't remember, they'll be there for you, just like me, and Monica, and the rest of the gang."

A small smile trickled onto his face at her words. "Thanks Rachel, you really are the best, you know that?"

She nodded and blushed slightly. They made their way up the stairs together, hands locked with each other as he rang the door bell. She gave him a reassuring squeeze to remind him everything would be alright and he squeezed back. A moment later, the door opened and a smiling Jack and Judy greeted them.

"Ross! So glad you could make it!" his mother said before engulfing him in a hug.

"Good to see you son," his dad chorused and he too hugged him while Rachel stood off to the side, smiling at how happy he looked.

"Rachel! What a pleasant surprise!" Judy said a moment later, noticing her standing in the doorway. She happily gave both parents a quick hug, showing just how comfortable she felt around them.

"Hi Mr. and Mrs. Gellar. Sorry for showing up so unexpectedly."

"Oh nonsense," Jack waved off, "you're always welcome here Rachel."

"Jack's right, you're like the daughter we never had."

Ross sent her a confused look while she just shook her head. "Um, you have a daughter Mrs. Gellar."

"Oh right, of course, Monica…" Judy replied, trailing off. She looked back at Ross who was now nodding his head, mouthing the word "ohhh" to show that he understood.

"Well come in you two, dinner will be ready in a few minutes."

Rachel and Ross entered the house, closing the door behind them. The place looked the exact same as it did the last time she was there, which had been almost five years ago when she and Ross had still been dating. She noticed a few new picture frames have been hung up and a few pieces of furniture have been moved, however her focus was more on Ross than anything else. She watched as he wandered forward into the living room, looking around as if he was having a conflict in his head with whether he remembered the place or not.

"This place feels so familiar. Did I grow up here?"

"You sure did. When you were younger, you spent so much time indoors, your mother and I thought you'd never leave the house," Jack joked. "You used to be all cooped up in your room or in the basement, studying and working on your music."

"My music?" he questioned and Rachel noticed Judy smack her husband across the arm.

"Jack… don't remind him of that…" she heard her whisper and she couldn't help but agree.

"Sorry, did I say working on your music? I meant listening to your music," Jack recovered and Ross seemed to buy it.

"Do you mind if I go look at my room? I have this feeling in my stomach of how familiar this all is."

"Of course son, it's just upstairs, the second door to the left."

Ross nodded and headed for the stairwell but not before turning around and smiling at Rachel. She sent a reassuring smile back, watching him disappear upstairs and perhaps allowing her eyes to linger a bit too long.

As soon as he was gone and out of ear shot, the two parents turned to Rachel wearing a look of concern and worry.

"So dear, how have you been… handling the situation?" Judy asked. They both knew about her feelings towards their son as she had confessed her love for him during the three months when he was in a coma. Surprisingly, they had been extremely pleased and supportive that she had finally realised what she wanted in her life and were also one of the first people she called after he had woken up.

"I'm ok I guess," she admitted, shuffling her feet a bit. "It's hard to say how I feel right now. Sometimes I'm just so happy that he's in my life again, and that I'm able to talk to him and be with him again. Other times, it hurts to know that it's not the same Ross I knew and loved before and it pains me to hide my feelings from him."

"Well Rachel, we'd just like to thank you for being there for him. We know how difficult this has been for you and how much of a sacrifice you're making, so thank you."

"It's the least I can do after he saved my life," she answered with a smile. "I owe him everything and he's my… everything, so hopefully everything works out in the end."

"We hope so too," Judy commented, "and to be honest, we never liked those other girls he's dated. We always knew you two were meant to be together, ever since you were kids and you'd come over to play with him and Monica. When you two first got together, we had thought it'd be it. I'm sorry it didn't work out but we hope you both can get back together again, and this time for good."

She sighed and looked towards the stairs, a small smile appearing on her face.

"I hope so too…"

…

Dinner had been fantastic and Rachel had been treated as though she was a part of the family, although she had always felt that way when she was with the Gellers. They were like the family she never had, always there for each other and looking out for each other. Unlike her own, where she had two unhappy parents and sisters who only cared about parties and getting laid, the Gellers have always made her feel at home.

To compliment the evening, it had seemed like returning to his childhood home had brought back old memories. Ross had surprised everyone when he began talking about different events that took place long before he went off to college, and even mentioned some memories of when he and Monica were kids, though she wasn't included in those memories. She had been so overwhelmed with emotion that she had begun to tear up. He was healing, slowly yes as he didn't mention anything about holidays or her prom night, but he was healing nonetheless and soon, she'd have her Ross back.

After dinner, she had politely excused herself to allow the family to have some time of their own. Now, she found herself exploring the rooms on the second floor, memories of how she had practically lived here during her childhood reappearing as she entered different rooms. She looked into the bathroom she and Monica had used to put on make-up for the first time as well as a closet they had stored their diaries in. She crossed Monica's old room, now turned into a personal gym, and memories of how much fun they had in that room popped into her head.

She passed by another few doors until she stopped at perhaps the only one she hadn't seen as much as others. It was Ross' old room and she tried to remember the last time she had been inside but couldn't find a specific date.

Curiosity got the better of her and she pushed open the door, flickering on the light to reveal a typical boy's room. The walls were painted blue, although certain parts looked faded. Multiple trophies and medals lined the bedroom shelves as a model of the solar system hung from above the bed. When she reached his old desk, she scanned over the number of old scientific books stacked across the desk until she noticed an odd slip of paper sticking out between two of them.

Pulling it out revealed a photo she hadn't seen before; younger versions of her, Ross, and Monica at what appeared to be a playground. It seemed like they were playing tag as she and Ross had been halfway through sliding down the slide while Monica was at the top, about to slide down after them, but what really caught her eye was how she and Ross had held hands while sliding down together. She smiled at the cute photo of them and understood exactly what Jack and Judy meant when they said they were always meant to be together.

She secretly tucked the photo into her pocket, planning on adding it to her photo album when she got back. She doubted anyone would care she took it, especially since she had only found it because of the little corner that had stuck out from its hiding spot. Looking around a bit more, she sat down on his bed, bouncing up and down a couple times. It really was weird for her to be in his room as this was pretty much the first time she had ever looked through at it so thoroughly.

As she lightly bounced up and down, something else caught her eye as she scanned the bookshelf across from her. The entire rack was filled with books, obviously, but what caught her attention was what appeared to be a small, thin box, secretly tucked away on the top shelf and carefully hidden from anyone who wasn't exactly looking for it. Its placement was odd among the rest of the books and to her, stuck out right away as something that didn't belong. Curious as always, she stood up and slid the box out from its hiding spot, returning to her spot on the bed.

She shook the box and heard something shift around. Unable to guess what was inside, she opened it up, placing the lid on the bed next to her. Expecting something extravagant or secretive, she was disappointed to find a bunch of letters, carefully folded and placed inside. She took them out to see if anything else was inside but alas, the letter were the only items inside. Still, she was puzzled as to why Ross had gone out of his way to hide a bunch of letters on his bookshelf. Grabbing the top one, she opened it to find out and gasped, quickly realising what it might be as she read the first word:

Rachel.

Not bothering to read the rest yet, she quickly grabbed the others and started flipping through them as well, not believing what she had just discovered. But sure enough, every single one started the same way and she knew at that moment, she had found what appeared to be Ross' stack of love letters, written to her back when he was in high school but never sent out.

Picking up the first letter she had found, she opened it completely and began reading.

Rachel.

You are so beautiful words cannot even begin to describe it.

Your eyes are like deep pools of ocean blue, washing away every evil in the world.

Your hair, so luscious and golden, compliments your incredible beauty and gives you an unmistakeable glow.

Your smile lights up my world whenever I see you and gives me hope for the future.

Your voice, so melodic and perfectly pitched sounds like something that came from the heavens.

Your big heart, the most amazing part of you is so caring and refuses to let others tell you what's right.

I love you so much Rachel, and yet, you don't have a clue about it.

I wish you would notice me,

Ross

Her hands trembled as she lowered the letter from her face. It was so sweet and possibly the most incredible thing anyone has ever written to her. She had known he had developed a crush on her throughout high school but she had no idea he had felt this much towards her.

"I wish I would have noticed you too…" she whispered as a single tear slid down her cheek and fell onto the letter, forming a shape that almost resembled a heart. She really did wish she had noticed him before and how amazing of a guy he was on the inside. Instead, she had become one of those shallow, popular girls who choose to ignore him because of his awkwardness. If only she hadn't been so arrogant and opened her eyes to the truth. If only she had found these letters sooner or even if he had given at least one of them to her. If only…

The door suddenly whipped open and she jumped, snapping out of her thoughts and hiding the letters behind her back. She wiped her tears with her sleeve and turned to the surprising visitor who just so happened to be the author of those letters.

"Hey Rachel, if you want to head to your dads we should leave now."

"Ok, I'll be right there."

She waited for him to leave but instead he stood there, looking at her with an inspective look. She gulped, hoping she hadn't been crying too hard.

"Are you ok?" he asked with so much concern in his voice, it was hard for her not to lie.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine."

"Are you sure? Your eyes are red."

She blinked a few times and dabbed her eyes with her sleeve. "Yeah, yeah I'm sure. It's probably just the dust in the room."

He thought about her answer for a moment but shrugged it off. "Ok, well I'll meet you downstairs then."

She nodded and faked a smile before he turned and shut the door, leaving her alone in his room once again. She quickly put the letters back in the box but hesitated when she held the one she had just read. Haven felt far too heart connected with the short letter, Rachel folded up the paper and slipped it into her pocket alongside the photo she had taken. The small box went back up onto the shelf and she hoped one day she'd read the rest of them but not alone.

She flicked the light off as she left but looked back into the darkened bedroom, taking it all in at once. A moment later, she smiled knowingly and closed the door.

…

Another house, another door, she thought to herself as they walked up to her father's mansion.

It had only taken a few minutes to get there and there was still some time left before the sun set; however she didn't plan on sticking around for too long. For one, if she knew her father, which she did, he could talk with her about every aspect of her life for hours, but the biggest reason she didn't want to stay too long was because of Ross. She wasn't quite sure how her father would react to him arriving, and though she had told him beforehand that she had accompanied Ross over and would be stopping by later, she knew her father had a very strong disliking towards him.

As she pressed the little button beside the door, the sound of the doorbell echoed through the air, literally screaming "rich" through its melodic tune. She felt Ross shift around uneasily and she had to laugh. He obviously wasn't used to the expensiveness of the household. A moment later, the door swung open, revealing a relieved and smiling Leonard Green.

"Daddy!" Rachel exclaimed, running into his open arms for a hug. As much as she hated to admit it, she would always be a daddy's girl.

"Welcome home pumpkin. I thought you wouldn't make it."

She pulled away and smiled. "Sorry daddy, we were held up at the Geller's for a bit."

Leonard frowned after hearing that family name. He reluctantly looked over at the man standing next to his daughter, nervous as always but also as clueless as he'll ever be. He didn't understand what his daughter saw in this man. All he saw was a weak, frail boy who wasn't close to deserving of someone as his daughter.

"Dr. Green, nice to meet you," Ross greeted casually, extending a hand.

Leonard had to swallow his pride to be able to accept the handshake. He had to remind himself that the man who stood before him wasn't the same one from the last time he saw him.

"Good to see you too… Ross…" he said through gritted teeth, something that didn't go unnoticed by Rachel.

After a moment of awkward silence, Rachel broke the silence by suggesting they enter the house. Her father led them inside, bringing them to the living room where he already had some water out.

"I'm sorry pumpkin but my staff is out today so we won't be able to have dinner," he apologized, taking a seat in a rather expensive chair while Ross and Rachel found a spot on the couch. "If you're hungry, we can go out and eat."

"Oh no, daddy, that's ok. We already had dinner and besides, we're not staying for too long."

Her father nodded his head and the two began conversing like father and daughters do. He asked her questions on her job and living arrangements, where she had to calmly explain to her father why she was living with Ross without giving out too much detail as he was sitting right next to her. That brought up the talk on money where he persisted on giving her some money for rent while she refused, stating that she chose to be independent so that she could earn everything herself. Their talk lasted for almost half an hour; all the while Ross remained silent, staring at nothing in particular.

Leonard eventually noticed his inattentiveness and decided to question it.

"What are you looking at Geller?" he asked with a little annoyance.

"Hmm? Oh, I'm sorry Dr. Green. I was just admiring the architecture in this room. Is this particular design European by any chance?"

His response seemed to come as a surprised to the man who raised his eyebrows questioning. "Yes, it is. The house is based off of a Greek design, honouring my father's native land. How did you know that?"

"Well, I have always taken an interest in European architecture, that is, if I remember correctly," Ross explained. "The Greek particularly have a way with the elegancy of the colour white, which is something I noticed immediately in this room."

Leonard was baffled at his extensive knowledge but at the same time, was genuinely impressed. Rachel all the while smiled off to the side, seeing the look on her father's face and proud that he was actually impressed with Ross' knowledge. As the two men spoke a little on household design, she reached over and gave Ross' hand a squeeze, showing how proud of him she was.

A few minutes later, Ross checked his watch and tapped on Rachel's shoulders, standing up.

"We better get going soon. Rachel has work tomorrow and it's almost 8." He extended a hand to her father who surprisingly, accepted it without a second glance. "It was nice speaking with you Dr. Green."

"Likewise Ross," he responded and the two men nodded at each other.

"Rachel, I'll meet you outside in the car alright?"

"Ok," she answered softly and watched him leave through the front door. As soon as the door shut closed, her father turned to her with an intrigued look.

"What happened to him?"

"Daddy, you already know… There was that car crash and now he has amnesia…"

"So you're telling me because he lost his capability to love, he's turned from a wimpy little boy into a sophisticated and well-mannered man?"

Realising what her father was talking about, she couldn't help but roll her eyes. "If you're talking about the architecture thing, he's always been into that. He's still the same Ross with the same characteristics and hobbies daddy. Maybe if you hadn't judged him so quickly before, you would have gotten to know this side of him earlier."

Seeing her father frown, Rachel had to smile at his facial response. It was rare for her father to ever be proven wrong, making this moment one to remember.

"I still don't see what you see in him," he stated randomly and instantly, her face hardened.

"Daddy!" She couldn't believe he just said that.

"Pumpkin, I just don't want to see you hurt anymore. He's still the same man who cheated on you with some whore, on your anniversary nonetheless!"

"And he's also the one who kept me safe in that car crash and sacrificed himself for me!" she snapped back, irritated at her father's irrational feelings towards the man she cared for the most. "He saved my life and right now, he's suffering from that decision. I owe him everything and frankly, you should too! He more than made up for what happened in the past."

"Yes, but wouldn't you rather have a secured future; financially stable and safe? Rachel, you're over 30 and still aren't anywhere close to receiving a ring from anyone. Don't you want a family? What happened to Barry? Don't you want a proper future where you know exactly what will happen later?"

"No! No I don't and that's exactly why I left Barry at the altar! I'd rather have a shaky, unstable relationship with someone who I truly care about and actually want to spend the rest of my life with than go back to that life I had with Barry. I don't care if you don't like him or his career because this is my life and I get to choose who I want to be with and what my future will look like, and the only person who I want to share that future with is Ross."

She's never stood up to her father like this before but it felt good to let off what she was really feeling and what she really wanted. However, as soon as she finished, she braced for an earful from talking back to her father and waited for the yelling to start.

Except it didn't.

Instead, she watched as her father's expression go from serious and angry to calm and understanding. She was extremely surprised when he came closer and wrapped his arms around her in a hug and she hesitated before hugging him back. She wasn't used to her father being so affectionate so she didn't know exactly what to expect from here on out.

"I'm sorry pumpkin. I know I'm strict on you but I hope you know I just want what's best for my little girl."

Her face softened and now, she properly hugged back. "I know daddy."

She felt him pull away and look directly into her eyes, as if telling her he wanted complete honesty on what he was about to ask. "Just answer this; do you truly love him?"

A small smile crept onto her face as she nodded slowly. "I do, I love him with all my heart and I know he loves me too. He just doesn't know it yet."

"Well then, if that's how you feel then I won't stand in your way of being with him anymore," He smiled back like only a father could, "and I'll always be here to support you and help you if you ever need anything; for both of you."

"Thank you daddy, thank you so much," she said while embracing her father one more time.

"Anything for you pumpkin," he said. A moment later, he broke the hug again and gave her a slight push towards the door. "Now get out there to your boyfriend, he's been waiting for almost 10 minutes now."

She smiled as he kissed her on the cheek. She headed for the front door, turning around before opening it.

"Bye daddy."

"Bye pumpkin," he responded and she left out the door.

Walking out onto her porch, she spotted him leaning against the car waiting for her. The rays of the setting sun shone around him, creating an almost fairy-type scene. Like the Prince Charming in her life, he practically glowed from the lighting and she felt her heart begin to pound against her chest.

As soon as he heard her small footsteps walk across the pavement, he looked up and locked eyes with her, sending her a soft smile. She returned it and walked over to him, embracing him in a tight hug and catching him by surprise.

"What's this for?" he asked in an amused tone.

She just shrugged and looked up at him, glancing into his deep hazel eyes. "I don't know, I'm just really happy."

He paused for a moment then squeezed her back. "Well then so am I."

They shared a smile and she let out a content sigh, resting her head against his chest. This truly was the man she wanted to be with for the rest of her life.

A moment later, she looked back up at him with so much love and longing in her eyes, she was surprised he didn't notice it. Instead, he gave her one of the most adorable and sweet smiles which made her melt on the inside.

"Let's go home."

…