"Rachel."

Her eyes flew open. Disoriented, she blinked rapidly.

"Rachel?"

Looking to her left, glass. Glass, tattered with rain and tinted blue, close enough to her face to startle her. But all it did was bring her memory back. The sun was shining, but it was cold. Frowning, she thought about Ross, without realizing she was being called.

"Rachel, it's time for us to go."

That wasn't the voice she needed to hear.

Rachel sat up, and found herself in Monica's apartment, next to the window.

"Rachel, here's some coffee. You've gotta get dressed."

"Uhhhh…" She moaned, exhausted.

Looking up, she saw Chandler's smiling face, something that usually cheered her up. It was tough recently.

"Thanks sweetie, what's going on?"

"The h-"

"The hospital called. Good news about Ross. They wouldn't tell us though. So we're going down there, and I know you want more than anyone to see him." said Monica, coming out of the bathroom, tying a knot in her hair.

Of course, this was true.

"The first good news in a while, then." Rachel said, taking a sip of her coffee. She stood up and yawned.

Heading into the bathroom, Rachel examined herself. She was wearing her (Ross's) Frankie Say Relax shirt and her favorite blue pajama bottoms which Ross had bought for her, covered in dinosaurs. Rachel shook her head and grinned, this is the first time she's felt good since the breakup. She didn't think she'd be able to smile through that, let alone Ross's accident.

Maybe it was the thought of Ross. His smiling face, and geeky demeanor. Rachel loved everything about him. They were in each other's hearts.

It had given her hope. A light shining in darkness.

Turning on the shower, Rachel recalled everything in the last two days. She couldn't believe how mad at Ross she was for sleeping with that girl. That was nothing compared to this. Anger was the easiest thing to feel, but with the worst consequences. Forgiveness, on the other hand, took a strong heart. Something Rachel needed for both her and Ross.

Truthfully, she never wanted the relationship to end. Rachel was angry at Ross. He had broken her trust. But she still loved him. Taken by emotion, she told him to leave. He left. The future became blurry at that point, but it would have to involve them avoiding and berating each other. Rachel didn't want that. She was sure Ross didn't either. Now it was certain, however. She would do everything she could to be the greatest girlfriend in the world. She loved him, which was all that mattered. One mistake would never change that.

As Rachel came out of the shower and toweled herself off, she noticed writing on the mirror.

Hey honey!
I know you leave these things all the time for me,
so thought I'd leave one for you,
even though it hurts to defame my own mirror…
Haha. Love you Rach! We can get through anything!

-Monica

She could not stop smiling. She had all the support she could ever need. Her friends gave her the courage to get through anything.

Rachel stepped out of the bathroom and immediately went over to the couch and hugged a surprised Monica.

"Sweetheart, thank you. I know this must have taken quite a toll on you too." Rachel happily groaned.

"It did," Monica patted her best friend on the arm. "I don't think I'd be able to handle losing Ross. He's my brother. I know that we are typical siblings, but deep down I love him dearly."

"I know, sweetie. But at least now we have good news."

Monica chuckled. " Thank God."

"Well I had better get dressed." Rachel said, giving Monica a reassuring squeeze.

"Ohhh yeah," came a voice from behind them. "Kiss her. Kiss her." It became a whisper.

Rachel and Monica spun around to see Joey in the doorway, with Chandler and Phoebe closely behind him, laughing.

"You guys are stupid." Rachel said playfully, before going to her room to get dressed.

Arriving at the hospital, the group immediately headed up to Ross's room. As they entered, a short, petite nurse was refilling his IV. Ross was still lying there, motionless.

"How is he?" Chandler asked, more serious than usual.

"You are his friends?" The nurse's voice was just as soft-spoken as they would have expected.

"Yes." Rachel was full to bursting.

"I'll get the doctor for you, and he'll explain. But I'll tell you this man right here is quite a little miracle." She said, beaming. This was a sign of relief for the gang.

Immediately the girl left to fetch the doctor. Rachel walked up to Ross and petted her hand through his hair. She began to sob, for he couldn't wipe her tears away yet. Pairs of arms reached around her, and she turned to face her friends, holding them as tight as she could. She really had everything she could have ever wanted.

The door creaked, and a tall, handsome doctor walked in with a clipboard. He was not the same one that was there at the time Ross was admitted. He gave off a feeling, a peaceful feeling.

"Is a Ms. Monica Geller here?" His voice was very deep.

"T-That's me." Monica was completely caught off-guard by his demeanor, but stepped forward.

"Your brother is conscious. His hearing has come back completely, and he can open his eyes. His motor skills, however, are limited but slowly recovering," He flashed a quick smile at Monica. "It is unheard of for someone with this much damage close to their spinal cord to recover this fast. He's got some willpower."

"Can he speak?" She asked, worried.

"As of yet, no. The bullet seems to have damaged his vocal cords. He will recover in time, however, but it will take a while."

The feelings tossed around were mixed. Ross was okay now. He could see, hear, and touch them.

The nurse reappeared, and whispered to the handsome doctor, which meant that he had another call.

"Forgive me, but I must leave. Your welcome to stay, just keep it down, as our hero here is resting." His tone became off-guarding and sarcastic, as he flashed another smile that made Monica and Phoebe nearly faint.

The doctor left and the gang rejoiced quietly with the news, while Monica and Phoebe fanned each other over the doctor who was "twice as hot as Richard.", something Chandler scoffed at.

Rachel was the happiest. The love of her life would be okay. She went over to Ross and kissed his forehead, trying not to wake him yet. As she gazed into his closed eyes, she thought about what the future held. She wanted to get back together with him, but did he feel the same? Would he return her love? Little did it occur to Rachel that he would do this, and even more.

"Oh yes, I forgot something!" The nurse exclaimed, as she hurried to the bedside table. "He wanted to give this note to Rachel Green. He wrote it once he could move his arm."

Flustered, Rachel took the note and unfolded it.

See the stone set in your eyes,
See the thorn twist in your side,
I wait for you.

Sleight of hand and twist of fate,
On a bed of nails she makes me wait,
And I wait without you.

With or Without You.

Our song.

I love you Rachel Green.

-Ross

Rachel was frozen. Turned to stone by Ross's love. He was an angel, wrapping his wing of passion around her, protecting her, holding her. Her jaw twitched. Trying to say something, but couldn't. It was so beautiful. Ross loved her, returned her feelings. A moment of pure ecstasy came over her, and her emotions swirled into a melting abyss of happiness. A million pink cherry blossoms filled the space of Rachel's heart, and a chorus of saints sang her story, her tale of love.

Rachel fell to her knees, and cried the tears of the goddess that she was. She clutched the note to her heart, and smiled. Her friends rushed over to her, attempting to take the note, believing it to be of malice. It was not. It was the one single thing that made Rachel's life complete. The gang kneeled beside her and comforted her from the demons that didn't exist. She looked up, tears flowing down her cheeks, and let Ross's love embrace her. She had never felt safer. She had never been happier. Putting her face into her hands, Monica pulled the note out and read it. A sigh, a tear, and soon Chandler read it as well. His smile was unmatched. Joey, with his drawn out "Awwww….." and Phoebe, holding her fingers together with a childish smile, "See? She is his lobster!"

As Rachel sobbed with happiness, her friends could not help but do the same.

Soon enough, the hand of her lover reached over to wipe the tears from her beautiful face.

I really hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, I had to pour my heart out on this one. Tell me what you think!