AN: I hope you guys are still enjoying this story!
Tell me what you think, I was incredibly distracted while writing this chapter.
I'll be there for you.
Monica roused from her sleep, groggy and sore. The past few nights had been rough on everyone, but she was ready to crack. Her sanity held on by a thread, hoping her brother would come back.
Ross was better, but who knows if he would ever be able to speak again. His voice was virtually forgotten to her. The truth would evade her grasp, and it strike her from behind.
Monica needed to be the voice of Ross now; his pillar of strength.
She lifted her legs off the couch from where she crashed last night, and, weakly stood up stretching. Groaning, the midday sunlight stabbed at her eyes like daggers. Monica didn't even feel like tidying herself up. She just wanted to see Ross.
The phone's ringing broke her focus.
"Hello?" Monica's voice was hoarse.
"Monica, sweetheart, I don't think we're coming back today."
"Mom? Why not?" Monica asked, bewildered.
"We were sidetracked in Madrid. Something about hurricanes." Judy's tone became melancholy.
"So what, you guys aren't coming until tomorrow or what?" Monica became slightly annoyed.
"Unfortunately, the flight doesn't leave until tomorrow morning. Your father and I will be home by the next day at the latest."
"Yeah, okay mom. Please come back soon."
"Give our regards to Ross when you see him, tell him to get better or else!"
"Sure thing, Goodbye." Monica abruptly hung up the phone, rolling her eyes. Her mother tried to hide the pain in her words, even when it failed horribly.
It was Ross, after all, the 'favorite'. Hell, if Monica was attacked they'd probably throw a nice little party. She was rapidly approaching 30 and worked at a dead-end job that she absolutely despised. It felt so paltry compared to his achievements.
She grieved, and came back to reality.
None of that mattered; this wasn't about her. This was about Ross, and him getting better.
Monica couldn't believe how they used to fight. This was typical of all siblings, but it sounded so stupid now. It wasn't worth it, to be right all the time. To think that she felt embarrassed by him in public, that she pretended he wasn't even related to her when she was talking to complete strangers. She actually hated him back then. If she could take it all back, she would. Ross loved her unconditionally, and was always there for her, whether she wanted him or not. He was such a good brother, and Monica treated him like crap.
It made her ill.
She tossed on her favorite gray sweatpants and hoodie, before putting a barrette in her messy hair. Slipping on her flip-flops and taking her purse, Monica quickly took some Pepto-Bismol and headed out the door.
Opening the door to Joey and Chandler's, they were nowhere to be found.
"Guys?" Monica yelled, echoing through the apartment.
A loud thud cleaved through the silence.
Monica's brow furrowed as she wondered what that sound was. Before she walked to the middle of the living room, Joey stumbled out of his room.
"Joey? What was that?"
"Uhhh, it definitely wasn't me falling of the bed." Joey replied, flashing a hurt smile.
Monica chortled. "Get dressed. We're going to see Ross," She raised her voice. "Chandler!"
On cue, the shower started running.
Monica plopped herself on one of the stools and buried her head in her hands while waiting for the boys to get ready.
She couldn't help but feel that something was horribly wrong. What could it be? Ross was slowly recovering, Rachel had forgiven him, and they had gotten back together. Yet, this strange feeling of despair and distress began to devour her. Her stomach knotted with uncontrollable pain, and her throat dried up. Things were starting to look up, and all of a sudden they were being dragged down again by something unknown.
Nothing seemed to make sense anymore. Ever since the accident, things have been changing much too fast. For better or worse, it cannot be said.
Monica was no longer in control of her own thoughts.
She tried to muffle her sobs, but all of Manhattan could feel her torment.
Without resistance, the familiar touch of her friends released the agony that approached her. Their support was needed. Ross wasn't the only one who needed help anymore.
Monica, Joey, and Chandler walked into the hospital steadily as an ominous fog shrouded their hearts. Monica told them that something wasn't right; they felt it too.
As the trio reached Ross's room, Monica peered through the window. Rachel was asleep, holding Ross's hand. Turning her head, she saw Carol and Susan playing with Ben. She carefully opened the door, and stepped inside.
Monica walked over to Carol and Susan while Joey and Chandler went to examine Ross, who was still passed out.
"Hello Carol." Monica said, as cheerfully as possible.
Carol pulled her ex-sister-in-law into a hug. "Monica, how are you feeling?"
"I wish I knew. How's Ross?" Her voice softened.
Carol pulled away and sighed heavily. She had to tell Monica the bad news, and then the worse news. She looked back toward Susan, who nodded, holding Ben tightly.
"The doctor came in half an hour after we arrived," Carol's voice began to tremble. "Ross had a seizure."
"What?" Monica's face turned blue and her hands began shaking. "A seizure? How the hell did that happen?" Monica nearly yelled out in pain for her brother. Chandler and Joey double-timed it to her side.
Carol quickly grabbed Monica's shoulders, ripping the proverbial band-aid.
"That's not all. They said it was psychogenic, and that he might have post-traumatic stress disorder."
"A-Are you serious? That's impossible! How? When?" Her yelling woke Rachel up.
"We don't know. Rachel said it happened out of nowhere while they were asleep." Carol looked toward Rachel, who stood up and ran over to them.
Monica whipped around, her body becoming numb. Rachel caught her in a hug, followed by the rest of the group. My brother. My brother will never be the same.
"We're so sorry, Mon." Rachel cried out, remembering the gut-wrenching horror she felt when it all happened. She was thankful Monica didn't witness that.
"I-I need to take a walk." Her voice reeked with denial as she broke off from the group hug.
Monica ran out of the room, her friends shocked and somber.
Rachel immediately attempted to run after her, but was pulled back by Joey.
"I think you should let her go, Rach." He said quietly.
Rachel gave him a cold stare. Angrily, she hissed. "The last time I let somebody go…" She looked over to Ross, and tears fell down her cheeks. They would never understand her plight.
"I'll go with her." Chandler gravely declared.
"Wh- Are you sure, man?" Joey queried, tepidly.
Chandler simply nodded, and left. It was hard enough to see Rachel in such a splintered state, but now Monica? He wouldn't allow it. He would fight for his friends, die for them even. Despite his happy-go-lucky demeanor and his river of jokes, Chandler knew when it became a matter of dire consequence.
Those left in the room gathered around Ross, and Rachel took his hand yet again.
"I need you, Ross. I need you now more than ever." She rested her head on Joey's shoulder, wiping her tears away.
Rachel saw the emotions that swirled in Monica's eyes. They mirrored her own, but with extreme amounts of sadness. Monica was so much closer to Ross than she was, and he was her brother. To lose him would be like losing her own life. As she clutched Ross's hand, zeal had returned to pick up the broken pieces of her spirit.
She marched out of the hospital and headed whichever way her heart led her. The path was steeped in obstacles, and she didn't care whether she could get past them or not. Things really were getting worse, and the light was fading. Monica swallowed as she turned the corner, heading towards Central Park. She would do everything she could to make all the suffering would go away, so that Ross would get better. Of course, it was not that easy. The future became as gray as the skies.
Monica stared into the pond. The water was eerily still, enough to make it look like it was possible for her to walk on it. Post-traumatic stress disorder. Ross had to relive that moment for the rest of his life. Rachel, on the other hand, had to watch him go through it. They both felt guilty for what happened, and they couldn't move forward until that was dealt with. It encompassed them, choking the life out of them. No one in the world cared for Ross more than Rachel and Monica.
Ross couldn't protect his little sister anymore.
"Monica." A whisper; from heaven, she thought.
She craned her neck back to the sound of her name. Chandler stood behind her, arms outstretched, smile plastered on his face. Her euphoria could not described.
"I'm here for you, Mon." His tender voice made her icy heart melt.
Taciturn, she happily threw herself into his arms. The pain had been dulled. She had her friends, who would stick by her in the darkest days. The light that kept her afloat through the all the trials they went through.
"Thank you, Chandler." Color and glow returned to her beautiful face.
"You ready to head back?" He smiled at her, ready to fight the demons.
Monica rubbed her now moist eyes.
"Yeah. Ross and Rachel need us."