I don't own them.
"You have work today."
Ross was standing next to Chandler once again, looking much more "together" then Chandler was. He had fallen asleep in the chair with his fingers still wound around Joey's. They hadn't broken apart yet.
Chandler didn't want to go to work. He didn't want to go back to his now-empty apartment. He didn't want to go anywhere with Joey. And since Joey wasn't moving, that meant he wasn't leaving. "I'm not going."
"Chandler..." Ross's voice was pleading, his eyes seemed to be getting bigger as he tried to force his friend to see reason. "Chandler, at least go home for a few hours. Get some sleep, wash up, one of us will be here at all times. I promise."
It was a few seconds before Chandler spoke. When he did, his voice was low and bitter. "You don't get it. It's my fault."
"How do you work that one out?" Ross folded his arms over his chest and shifted his weight to his other leg, raising an eyebrow,
The words Chandler had been thinking all night spilled out. "If I hadn't been so set on selling that stupid entertainment center he wouldn't have tried to sell it and gotten...gotten..." he choked as he recalled finding his friend stuffed in the cabinet, a pool of dark blood surrounding him.
Ross knelt down so he was eye level with Chandler. "Hey. Look at me." Chandler raised his eyes to meet the wide, gentle brown ones. "It's not your fault. None of this is your fault. I'm sure Joey doesn't blame you a bit. He'll tell you when he wakes up." Ross talked as though Joey had only fallen asleep for a while.
Chandler bit his lip, his grip tightening around Joey's fingers. "You think so?"
Ross stood up again, "I know so." He reassured Chandler. "Now listen, I don't have to be at work until ten today, I got a later class, so I'll stay here until you get back." They had both given up on Chandler going to work that day. "Phoebe and Rachel are coming around eight. Monica switched shifts, she'll be here at one." He smiled a little. "We're all right here."
Suddenly Ross turned and spoke to the still unmoving Joey. "We're all right here, Joe. We're fighting for you."
He dropped into the chair that, until recently, Chandler had occupied. "It'll be okay." He said quietly when Chandler still didn't uncurl his fingers. "I won't let anything happen to him."
Nodding, Chandler gently began to unwind his fingers from Joey's limp ones. Halfway through he felt a gentle tug and nearly screamed. "He moved, Ross!"
Ross stood up, his face happy but sheltered, not ready to get his hopes up. "Are you sure?"
Another slight tug, this time more like a squeeze, made Chandler nod eagerly, nearly crying now. "He's moving, Ross! He's alright!"
Well, not quite. I'm to mean to make him okay just like that.
So anyways, review!