Chapter 13
Today was the day.
After an entire week of planning, organising, preparing, and checking; the day had finally come. Everything was put in motion, everything was ready. Now all he needed was the girl.
Ross strolled into the Ralph Lauren building with the largest smile on his face and the biggest confidence a man could possibly have. His stomach was filled with butterflies, as it has been throughout the week, and as he walked into the elevator, he couldn't help but whistle to himself.
To be in love, it was an amazing feeling. It was like he had finally found what he'd been looking for, and as it turns out, it's been right under his nose this entire time. The week was a tedious one to say the least. So many times had he wanted to come forward and tell her the truth but he'd force himself to keep quiet until the moment was right. Now, that moment was today and he couldn't be more relieved.
"Good afternoon Sophie," he greeted Rachel's secretary, who just so happened to be her partner back when she worked at Bloomingdales.
"Hi Ross, didn't expect to see you today." Sophie eyed the bouquet of lilies in his hand and a knowing grin appeared on her face. "Here to surprise the girl, hmm?"
Ross laughed. "Sure am. Is she busy?"
"I think she's in a call right now but you should be fine to just walk in." She looked at the bouquet again. "Mhmm, flowers… how romantic…"
He just shook his head. Sophie's always been rooting for them to get together from the start but he wouldn't give her the satisfaction in knowing his plan. Like Rachel, she was a huge gossip and no doubt would somehow manage to tell her even before he walked into her office.
"It's nothing like that, it's just a friendly visit," he said, holding back a smile.
Sophie raised an eyebrow. "Then how do you explain the flowers?"
"What? A guy can't bring a friend some flowers to her work?" The look on her face told him he didn't answer her question. "We're just friends Sophie."
"Mmmhm, just keep telling yourself that."
Nope only you, he thought to himself and chuckled.
"I'll see you later Sophie," he said as he started to walk away.
"Try not to make too big of a mess! If you guys fool around, I'll have to clean up afterwards!"
Ross just shook his head and laughed before making his way down the corridor.
…
"… Yes sir… No those shipments are set to arrive in a week and they aren't getting here any sooner… Why do you even care so much about our shipment on lingerie anyways?..."
Rachel's eyes darted to the clock on her wall and she sighed at how long she's been on the phone. Work could not be any worse than having to sit through a man complaining on the other end for an hour and at that moment, she was hoping for anything to get her out of this call.
Her wish came true when a knock sounded from her door and she sighed in relief.
"Come in!"
The handle turned and in walked Ross holding a beautiful bouquet of lilies. She immediately smiled at the man of her dreams and motioned for him to give her a second.
"… Yes, hello? Derek is it? I'm sorry but I'm going to have to call you back. I've just been called to an important meeting…" She eyed him and he laughed. "…No sir, if you have any more questions on our women's underwear I'll be happy to direct you to our production management. Have a good day."
With that, she slammed the phone down and slumped down in her chair, breathing out in relief as she shut her eyes. A second later she opened one eye and sure enough he was still standing there looking at her with an amused look.
"Sounds like you had a pleasant call."
"Oh, the best," she said sarcastically, standing and walking over. She stopped in front of him and stared into his gorgeous eyes, making her heart beat go wild.
"Hey," Ross said, giving her a kiss on her forehead.
She smiled. "Hey. What brings you here on your lunch break?"
"Well I came to give you these," he answered, handing her the bouquet of flowers. Rachel smiled and lifted them gently to her face, inhaling the fresh scent of the lilies.
"Thank you, they're beautiful." She kissed him on the cheek and walked over to window sill where she placed the flowers in an empty vase. She took a moment to admire the flowers before turning around and looking at him with a curious look. "Was that all you came here for? To give me some flowers?"
"Well I thought a visit from me would lighten the mood around here. The flowers are just a bonus."
"Hmm, I think I like the bonus better than the actual gift…" Rachel joked, pretending to be more interested in the flowers than him. He laughed and she turned around, looking him in the eyes. "Thank you… again. You're sweet."
"That's me, just a giant walking, talking gummy bear." This time it was her turn to laugh which made his smile grow more. Her laughter was such a wonderful sound to hear. Like an enchanted melody, he could listen to it over and over and would never get tired of it.
"Actually I did come by for something else," Ross said, getting her attention. "I just wanted to know if you want to go out for dinner tonight."
"Sounds good to me. Where are we going?"
"Oh, well that's going to be a surprise," he said, playfully flicking her nose. "Just make sure you wear something nice and I'll take care of the rest."
"Something nice huh?" she questioned, raising an eyebrow. "What's the occasion?"
"How about… to celebrate our friendship?"
"Are you serious?" She looked at him as if he was joking, but when he didn't say anything else a small smile crept onto her face. "I think that's a perfect thing to celebrate."
"Great so I'll see you tonight."
"Pick me up at 7?"
Ross laughed. "7 it is."
They both smiled at each other, lost in that moment between time and space until he spotted the time on the clock in the corner of his eye.
"Crap, I've got to go. I have a class in 15 minutes," he panicked while she just giggled. "Bye Rach, I'll see you soon."
"Bye," she waved as he quickly left her office.
As the door closed behind him she walked back to her desk and sunk down in her chair. Her day had just gotten 10 times better and now she had something she was really looking forward to after work. What a sweet gesture for him to come down and invite her personally to dinner. One of the many things she loved about him.
Now that she thought about it, he's been awfully cheerful this past week. He's been more attentive and caring, even more than his usual self. They've also been getting closer to each other, so much so that she was now accustom to the amount of kisses and hugs he gave her on a daily basis, not that she was complaining at all. She just sometimes wished that it could be something more.
Rachel shook her head and quickly changed thoughts. It wasn't the time to think about that. She had more important things to think about, like what she was going to wear tonight, or what he's going to be wearing tonight, or where he's taking her, or how handsome he's going to look…
She was snapped out of her thoughts by the sound of her phone ringing. One look at the caller ID and her smile disappeared from her face. She grunted in annoyance before grabbing the receiver and pulling it up to her ear.
"God damn it Derek!"
…
Hours later Ross walked around the cab and opened the door, giving Rachel a hand as she stepped out; not just to be a gentleman but also because she had a blindfold on which made it a little difficult for her to see anything.
"Ross, where are we?" she asked impatiently. She hated the feeling of being restricted of her vision.
"Shh, it's a surprise, remember?"
"Well can I at least take off the blindfold?" she whined.
Ross chuckled as he paid the driver. "No, not yet. Just be a little patient and trust me."
Rachel huffed and crossed her arms but sure enough, she remained quiet. Ross looked over at her and couldn't help but stare. Her black spaghetti dress hugged her small frame in all the right places, showing off her hourglass figure and her attractive legs. The thin layer of lipstick made her lips stand out and look so appealing, he was having trouble stopping himself from leaning over and kissing her then and there. And with the blindfold still securely wrapped around her eyes, she looked so innocent standing there.
Beautiful was an understatement. Stunning might be a possible word to use but truthfully, words could not express her beauty. She was an absolute angel that lit up everywhere she went. Already did he see some people looking at her but he didn't really care.
It was their night.
It was the night.
Ross walked over to her and gently took her hand in his, guiding her over to the sidewalk as the cab drove off.
"Stay close and be careful of where you step, ok?"
"Ok," she answered, leaning over and holding onto his arm. He smiled and kissed her hair before he started leading them down the street.
"Are we there yet?" Rachel asked as they walked passed the third block.
"Not yet…" he answered, unsuccessfully holding back a smile.
"You better not be laughing at me Geller," she warned.
"I'm not! I swear!" He stifled a laugh. "Ok, maybe just a bit but it's only because you look too cute with that blindfold on."
"Shut up," Rachel said with a smile, smacking his arm.
"We're almost there. Trust me, it'll be worth it."
A minute later they turned a corner and all of a sudden, they were both hit with an incredible smell at the same time. Ross stopped and looked ahead with a smile while Rachel frowned next to him.
"Ross, can I please take this thing off now?" she practically begged.
"Yes, you can take it off now," he laughed. "Here, let me help you."
Gently he undid the knot at the back and slowly, he removed the blindfold from her head. As soon as she felt it was gone, Rachel's eyes shot open and when she saw the restaurant in front of them, she gasped.
"Oh my God! Is this where we're eating?"
Ross laughed again. "It sure is. I told you the surprise was worth it."
A few meters ahead of them stood Amélie, the famous French restaurant completely packed inside and out. Waiters and waitresses were seen running from one table to another and right outside the front door stood a line of people as far as the eye could see. Ross just stood there with the biggest smile on his face while Rachel still couldn't believe her eyes that he had taken her here.
"Ross, are-are you serious? We're eating here?"
"Of course silly. Now are we just going to stand here or are we going to go in and eat?" He gave her a little nudge forward but she didn't continue forward.
"Wh-what? How did you… I have so many questions. How did you even get us a table? Even reservation waits take months!"
Ross shrugged. "Well I remember you telling me this was your favourite restaurant and when I told Mike, it turns out his parents are friends with the owner. All he had to do was pull a few strings and got us a spot for tonight."
"Oh my God, remind me to thank Mike a million times when we get back."
"Sure, now are we ready to continue with our night?"
"Wait Ross, everything in there costs a fortune, and I mean literally a fortune. Remember how I told you daddy only took me here on occasions? That's because the food is crazy expensive, even for him!" She looked down at the ground then back up at him. "Listen, this was such a sweet thing of you to do but we don't have to eat here. We can go find somewhere else to eat for tonight."
"Rach, stop being so worried," he said, wrapping an arm around her waist from keeping her from walking off. "I've been saving up for a while now so its fine. Let's just enjoy ourselves tonight and leave the payments to me."
"Are-are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure. You deserve this sweetie." He gave her a little kiss on the forehead and finally she managed to give a genuine smile.
All of a sudden she threw herself at him and wrapped her arms around her torso.
"Thank you," she whispered, smiling into his chest. "You're amazing."
Ross smiled and kissed her hair. "No you are."
Rachel looked up and their eyes locked; their faces so close to each other that they could feel the other person's breathing. They both felt that warm feeling in their chests and the connection between them was so apparent, but it was Ross who broke their eye-contact and turned them back towards the restaurant.
"Alright, now let's go in. I'm starved."
She giggled, shaking off the little moment they just had. "Me too. Let's go."
Ross took her hand and led them to the restaurant. When they reached the front door they were greeted by the host who looked them over, seemingly spending some extra time looking at Rachel, before diverting his attention towards Ross.
"Good evening Monsieur. Do you have a reservation for tonight?"
"I believe so. It should be under Geller."
The host flipped through his reservation book. "Ah yes, welcome Mr. Geller. Allow me to escort you to your table."
They followed the host inside, admiring the atmosphere around them as they walked through the dimly-lit restaurant. The smell they had smelt outside was 2 times stronger inside and already were their mouths watering from the aroma alone.
The host led them to a corner near the back of the restaurant where a table was already set-up for them. Two candles provided a soft romantic hue and as they were seated, Rachel immediately took notice to the lilies in the center of the table. She shot Ross a smile in which he returned with just as much appreciation.
"Here are your menus Monsieur, Madame," the man said, handing them two menus. "A waiter will be with you shortly. I hope you have an excellent night."
As the host returned to his stand outside, Ross took a peak at the menu before setting it down and noticing Rachel staring at him from across the table. He raised an eyebrow in amusement and smiled.
"What?"
"You know this is the first time I've been here with someone other than my dad," she revealed.
"Really? And how is it so far?"
"I think this time is my favourite time coming here."
Ross smiled. "We haven't even ordered yet."
"I know," she smiled back and their eyes locked once again. "Thank you Ross, I really mean it. You're the sweetest, most amazing man I've ever known. And you're my best friend. Thank you."
Ross reached across and took her hand in his, giving it a little squeeze. "You know I'd do anything for you Rach. All of this is for you so don't think too much about it ok? Let's just enjoy ourselves like only Ross and Rachel can."
She laughed softly. "I like the sound of that."
A waiter approached their table and cleared his throat, getting their attention and giving them a small smile.
"Bonjour Monsieur, Madame. Welcome to Amélie. My name is François and I will be your waiter for tonight. May I start you off with some of our vintage '91 Rostaing?"
"That would be great. Thank you," Ross said as the waiter poured the delicate wine into the glasses.
"Are you ready to order Monsieur?"
"Not quite yet François. Could we have some time to decide?"
"But of course Monsieur. I will come back in a few minutes. Please, take your time."
They watched as François left to greet another table and they both managed to look back at the same time, locking glances once again. They both smiled at the coincidence and Ross raised his glass of wine.
"A toast, to us."
"To us," Rachel repeated, gently clanging her glass against his and taking a sip of the French wine.
Ross looked at her for a moment, watching in complete awe at how beautiful she was. When she turned back and caught him staring he quickly snapped out of his trance and raised his own glass for a sip, unable to hide his smile from behind his glass.
"To us…"
…
After an incredible dinner fit with exclusive French cuisine and delicate wine, Ross and Rachel found themselves back outside walking along the sidewalk, the Sun now tucked behind the horizon and the bright stars glimmering in the dark skyline. Ross looked up to see the moon shining beautifully among the night sky and couldn't help but smile. All that weather research paid off as the night as was as clear as can be.
"Thank you for such a wonderful dinner," Rachel said, making him turn his attention to her. He smiled.
"Anytime."
She stopped in her tracks and so did he. She stared into his eyes and held the glance, almost as if she was to say something that words could express.
"I'm serious Ross. Tonight… it was just so… amazing... I don't even know what to say…"
"Then don't say anything," he smiled, leaning in and giving her a kiss on the forehead.
"Ok… well at least let me pay you back for the dinner."
"Woah, no, absolutely not," he said, keeping the receipt that was in his jacket away from her. "Stop thinking about that Rach, I told you, tonight was my treat."
She pouted. "Ross…"
"Rachel, now I'm being serious. I'm not letting you anywhere near this receipt and that's final." Slowly her pout disappeared being replaced by a small smile. He knew she'd continue to persist in paying him back later but tonight he refused to let that happen. Tonight was supposed to be on him and he wouldn't let her pay a dime for what he'd planned.
"Alright, now that that's settled, come on," he started, gently pulling her arm forward.
"What? Aren't we going home? We just missed a taxi," she questioned, waiving unsuccessfully at a cab that just passed them by.
"Nope, I have another surprise for you and we don't need a taxi for where we're going."
"Another surprise?" Rachel perked. The first surprise was already an incredible one but now there's another one? She was really being spoiled tonight. "Ross what's going on? Why are you being so generous today?"
"What I can't take my favourite girl out to a fancy dinner?" A small blushed appeared on her face and he noticed. "Now come on. Do you want this second surprise or not?"
"Ok…" she finally complied, "but only if I don't have to wear the blindfold again."
"Deal," Ross laughed, taking her hand as he led them forward. In the corner of his eye he saw her look down at their interlocked hands and then shyly looking away quickly, making him smile. She could be so cute sometimes.
Hand in hand, they continued their walk down the darkened streets of New York with their only light source illuminating in the night sky. Where they were going? Only Ross knew, and Rachel was eager to find out what else he had planned for her that was so important.
…
15 minutes later they both came to a pause at a stop light, waiting for the pedestrian light to turn green before they could cross the street safely. Though it was night time and there was no one around, you can never be too careful in the city.
In that time, Rachel looked around her surroundings only to find that she recognized none of them. She had been so focused on their walk that she hadn't noticed the sounds of the city fade behind them and at that moment, she had no idea where they were or what part of the city he had led them to.
"Ross where are we?" she asked with a hint of fear in her voice. She squeezed his hand and moved closer to his arm.
"We're just on the outskirts of the city. Your surprise is just up ahead." He noticed her paranoid look and gave a reassuring smile. "Relax Rach, you're safe with me."
She sighed and forced a weak smile just as the pedestrian sign went green. They crossed hand-in-hand and continued forward.
"Are we almost there yet?" Rachel asked minutes later. She had been walking in heels the entire time and it was beginning to hurt. "My feet are killing me."
'Almost," he reassured, pointing towards a large rise in the landscape. "It's just on top of that hill,"
"Hill top?" she questioned.
"You'll see."
And see she did, as after what felt like an hour long trek up the grassy hillside, she was greeted to one of the most magnificent views of her lifetime.
From the hilltop was a complete open view of the night skyline. The moon shone brightly up above the elegant clouds and the stars twinkled as if they were all little flashlights shining in the sky. In the distant, a small town could be seen beneath nature's light show, though even the city lights couldn't even compete with the allure of the stars.
"Wow…" she said, staring in awe and amazement. Behind her Ross came over and gently placed his hands on her waist, leaning in to whisper in her ear.
"Surprise," he said in a soft voice and she could practically feel his smile near her ear, sending chills down her spine.
Before she could say anything Ross took her hand and led her forwards where a single large tree had been planted at the hilltop's peak. There, she noticed a small picnic basket resting at the bottom and watched as Ross let go of her hand to retrieve the basket. From the basket he pulled out a large blanket which he flattened out on the grass as well as a small stereo.
"Sit," he pointed at the blanket and she did was she was told, now not only amazed at the breathtaking view but also amazed at how he had prepared all of this for her. With a twinkle in her eyes as bright as that of the stars, she watched him turn on the stereo to some soft background music before finding a spot next to her on the blanket.
"Ross this… all this… I…"
"Shh," he hushed her, motioning forwards with a smile. "Just watch."
She smiled back before turning away from the man she loved with all her heart to look at this magnificent view he had brought her to. With the soft music playing in the background and the vastness of the night before them, she found herself indulged in the elegancy of the stars once again. There was something about the night sky that touched her heart and sent a wave of calmness through her body. Never had she ever thought she'd find such a view in New York, but somehow he did, and he did it for her.
"It's so beautiful…" she finally managed to say a few minutes later, still staring at the night sky.
"I know."
Rachel turned to look at him but was surprised to find him staring at her with those large brown eyes of his. She blushed under his gaze and gently slapped his arm.
"Stop it, you're too sweet," she smiled.
"I'm serious Rachel, have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?"
"It's come up a few times…" she giggled, leaning up and kissing him on the cheek. "Thank you Ross… for all of this…"
He smiled and kissed her forehead. "Come here," he said, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her up towards him so that she could lean against him as he leaned against the large tree trunk, watching the night sky together.
Rachel sighed happily and closed her eyes, snuggling her back up against his side. This… with his arm wrapped protectively around her, her body right against his, and the night sky shining above them… this was where she wanted to be. This was where she always wanted to be. It was heartwarming, it was romantic, it was just… perfect…
…Too perfect…
Her eyes shot open and she peered up at him as he stared out into the night sky. Did he set all of this up for them or for her? Tonight was supposedly a night to celebrate 'them' but as the night had progressed she had begun to feel as if everything was directed towards her. As if it was her night instead of their night.
And now that she thought about it, this wasn't like any of their other nights out. There had been so much more touching, and more kissing, and more compliments than normal, not to mention the amount of stares and looks they had given each other throughout the night. Then there was the fact that he had visited her on his lunch just to give her flowers, then the expensive surprise dinner to her favourite restaurant, and now this.
And then… there was the sense of familiarity. The dinner plans, the view under the stars, the soft blanket and the gentle music... it was all a reminder of that night in the planetarium, their 'first date', only this time everything did go as planned.
There was something going on, and she had to know.
"Ross…" she started, her voice wavering a bit as she got his attention. "Is this… is this a date?"
Ross smiled, obviously not picking up the worried tone in her voice. He reached out and took both her hands in his, looking into her eyes.
"Yes, yes this is a date."
"Oh my God," she gasped, covering her mouth.
She couldn't believe it. All this time, she had been on a date… with him. This wasn't supposed to happen. He was supposed to recover his memories before falling for her, not the other way around.
What did this mean? Does this mean he'll never remember those memories again? But the only way that could happen is if… no… he couldn't have…
"Wh-why did you… when did you…"
"…Decide to take you out on a date?" he finished for her. "I realized, Rachel, that the reason I got over Mona so quickly is because she just wasn't the person I was looking for. And after talking to the guys, they made me realize that you are that person. You've been with me right from the start and you're the sweetest, most amazing and beautiful woman I've ever known. I can't imagine my life without you. And what I realized… I realized Rachel… that I…"
"No… no don't say it…" she whispered, shaking her head as her eyes began to water.
"…I love you."
That was it. He had said it.
He loved her.
It was over.
Love was the last thing he needed to remember and was the last chance for him to remember his memories… and now, it was over. Everything she's done to try to help him remember, all the pain in the suffering she had went through just so that something like this wouldn't happen… and now it did. He loved her. He would never remember those memories again.
This wasn't what she wanted. She didn't want him to fall in love with her; she wanted him to fall in love with her. The old Ross. Her Ross. The one she's missed right from the start. Only now did she realize that even though she wanted him to be with her, what she really wanted was her Ross to be with her.
And now, knowing that she would never see that Ross again, all she could do was cry, right in his arms.
"Rach, Rachel what's wrong?" he worried, completely taken aback when she had started to break down right in front of him. "Don't cry, please don't cry. Isn't this what you wanted?"
Through her sobs she managed to shake her head. She turned around and wrapped her arms around his torso, burying her face into his chest as she let it all out. All her dreams, all her hope… gone.
"You're… you're not him!" she cried, sobbing harder into his shirt.
"What? Who am I not?"
"You're not him!" she repeated, vigorously shaking her head as she hugged him tighter.
"Rachel I… I don't understand. Do you not love me?"
"No I do! I love you! I love you so much!" she yelled, looking up and revealing her teared up eyes. "I love you… but not you, the old you. The one who knows me better than anyone, even better than myself. The one who I share this huge history with that may sound ridiculous to someone else but is perfect for us. The one who loves me so much that he sacrificed himself just to keep me safe. I love you so much but you're… you're just not him!" And now him; that person of the past, her Ross, will be gone forever.
Ross was at a loss of words. What was there really to say? That things would be better? Even he didn't know that it would be. As much as he wanted to remember and as much as he tried, he just couldn't recall those memories of the past of the person he was in the past. He felt like he had let her down somehow and that he had failed his duty to protect her. He was the one causing her to cry because he wasn't the person she wanted him to be.
"Rachel… I…"
"Please, just hold me," she cried, burying her face into his chest.
And so he did just that. With her tightly hugging his torso and her soft cries muffled by the fabric of his shirt, he gently wrapped an arm around her and caressed her hair.
No words were spoken. No movement was made. Only the feeling of loss and despair circled the air around them as he hugged her tightly against him.
For her, the feeling of a broken heart was a pain she'd never felt before and would never forget. This time was different than all the other ones; he hadn't cheated on her this time, he wasn't with someone else this time, no, this time she had truly lost him for good. Everything she's done up until this point was done in vain. He was gone. Her Ross was gone.
You don't know what you have until it's gone.
Slowly she rubbed her tears off with his shirt and peered up at his eyes, hoping to find even the smallest of glimpse of his old self. Those large brown eyes of his, so familiar and yet so different, looked down at her with so much care that her heart was completely delivered into his hands.
Her Ross was gone, but this one was still here.
She knew she'd have to let go of the past in order to move on. She just needed one final goodbye.
Rachel leaned up and gently wrapped her hands around his neck, looking into his eyes for anything, any sign of her old Ross in there. She wanted him to hear this, and she wanted him to feel this. It was her final goodbye and she hoped with all her heart that somehow someway, he'd know that her heart would forever be his and only his.
"I love you," she whispered softly and with that, she gently pressed her lips onto his.
She put everything into that kiss. Her heart, her soul, her mind; everything. All the passion she's ever felt for that man she poured into the kiss. The moment their lips touched she had felt a spark pass from her into him and from that moment on, everything around her just faded away. Her fears, her worries, her sorrow, all of it disappeared just like that. The kiss was everything she's dreamed of, yet it was also the beginning of her living nightmare.
She didn't want to stop. She never wanted to stop.
But eventually the moment came when they both needed to breath and against all her will not to stop the kiss, she eventually broke away and with that, her final hopes of ever having her old Ross back.
Resting her forehead against his, she kept her eyes shut as tears continued to flow down her cheek. Their heavy breaths mixed together in between and she could feel his eyes staring at her, but she refused to open hers. Once she did, she'd return into the reality where she had lost the one thing she'd ever wanted.
"Rachel."
She thought back to the past; their past, the one that would forever be lost. Their first kiss at Central Perk. Their first time at the planetarium. Their first 'I love you's and their hopes for the future together. Their break up and the pain she had felt when he walked out that door after she suggested the break. The bigger pain when she found out he had cheated on her and the feeling of being hurt by someone she trusted with all her heart.
"Rachel."
Their second break up, filled with more miscommunication and the stubbornness to admit each other's mistakes. The moment she found out he was engaged to Emily and the first time she experienced the feeling of loss. The time she flew to London to stop his wedding, only to hide her feelings for him so he could be happy. The day she told him that she still loved him even though he was married and the feeling of relief when his divorce was made official.
"Rachel."
Their marriage, or their drunken marriage. The morning she woke up to find him in bed with her and the discovery of being unknowingly married to the man she'd always dreamed of marrying. The period when he lied to her about the annulment and the anger she had towards him when she found out. The divorce, and the heartfelt pain they both shared in signing those papers that would separate them completely.
"Rachel."
And finally the car crash. The final chapter of their history where he proved that after everything they've been through, he loved her so much he'd give himself to keep her safe. The feeling of waking up after the accident and rushing to his emergency room, only to find him in a coma and covered in injuries. That was the moment she knew she'd love him forever.
And now, all of it was in the past. All of it was to be forgotten. If she were to be the only one with remembrance to those past memories then she'd prefer to forget them all than to be the last one of the two of them to remember those memories.
She had to let go, but this time both her heart and her mind told her not to.
"Rachel."
"What?" she cried, finally opening her eyes to find his less than an inch away staring directly at her. But there was something different this time. There was almost a sparkle in his eyes that wasn't there before.
And then suddenly, she was pulled into another kiss, only this time it felt different. This time it wasn't a desperation kiss but almost out of longing. She felt him sucking on her bottom lip as the kiss was deepened and before she knew it, both their lips were moving on their own in a synchronized movement. She didn't know what was happening or why this kiss felt different, only that she enjoyed it and had to stop herself from moaning into the kiss.
Then when he broke the kiss she was the first one to open her eyes. Breathing heavily to catch her breath, she looked into his eyes for any explanation for what just happened.
"Rachel, I love you."
Her eyes widened in shock. The way he said it was so genuine and so… familiar. She felt a chill run down her spine from his words and the feeling of butterflies in her stomach returned. She didn't even need to convince herself otherwise because she recognized that 'I love you' anywhere. She couldn't believe it…
"Rachel it's me," he said, a hint of excitement in his voice. "I remember! I remember everything! Our past… our history… you… I remember it all! Rachel I love you."
Tearfully a large smile appeared on her face. "Is… is that really you Ross?"
"It is. Rachel, it's really me," Ross smiled, a few tears swelling up in his eyes too.
This time the tears that fell from her eyes weren't tears of sorrow but tears of joy. She lunged forward and wrapped her arms around his neck, crying into his shoulder. It was true. It was really him. How it was him, she didn't know and really didn't care.
Finally, she had her Ross back.
"I missed you so much. I can't believe it's really you," she cried softly, unable to contain her joy.
Gently Ross pulled her back and with the pad on his thumb, he wiped away the tears on her cheek. With tears in his eyes he locked eyes with her, sharing a loving smile as he softly caressed her cheek.
"I love you," he whispered.
She smiled tearfully, sniffling back a sob. "I love you too. I love you so, so much."
They met in another ardent kiss, not as long as the previous one but long enough for them to pass their feelings for each other through the contact of their lips. When they broke apart their eyes met once again, never wanting to see anything but each other's eyes and souls.
"Rachel, I may have forgotten about our past and I may have forgotten about you, but I have never and will never forget our love. Because no matter what, my heart will always point to yours. Always."
"Oh Ross…"
He leaned forward and gently rested his forehead against hers, staring into her beautiful blue pearls as she stared into his large chocolate eyes.
"I love you."
"I love you."
And on top of that hill under the starry night sky, their love was forever confessed, forever remember and never forgotten.
Never a forgetful love.
…
Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait guys but there you have it! Now onto the Epilogue!