Two weeks later, Chandler sat quietly in the over-stuffed chair, pretending to read the paper. He wasn't. He was watching Monica pace the apartment floor, flapping and fluttering over unimportant things. She was waiting for Phoebe to arrive to take her to Pete.

Pete.

It left a bitter taste in his mouth and he didn't like it. He didn't like the idea of her seeing her ex. And it's not like he was any old ex...this man was her ex fiance, someone she was going to marry a couple of weeks ago.

"Have you got everything?" Rachel asked sympathetically, knowing exactly how her friend felt.

"Yeah," Monica swallowed, gesturing towards the out-of-place-box that sat on the coffee table. "Everything's packed and ready."

Chandler's eyes dropped to the box. He should be happy that everything left of the man fitted in that one box and once that box was gone, all traces of Pete would be. That she'd have closure and he'd have closure. Closure. God he wanted that, but he really wished she could do it without having to see him. What if it rekindled? What it they wanted one last fling for old time sake like Rachel and Barry?

He shuddered at the thought. She wouldn't do that, would she?

It would shred him into a million pieces, killing him. These past two weeks things had changed between himself and Monica in the best way possible. They were on the verge of something so exciting, the place between friendship and more. But as amazing as the last two weeks had been, as amazing as the kisses were and that they'd spent so much time together, sneaking off places and snuggling...the bottom line was they weren't officially dating. She'd have every right to change her mind and get back together with her ex millionaire.

His gut twisted, hating the idea. Everyone had told them not to rush it, that she wasn't ready. He'd shrugged their good advice aside, thinking it was more a formality. Just waiting for her to clear her mind of the abandoned wedding. But maybe they were right. Maybe they shouldn't rush it, because he wasn't ready to get involved with someone so quickly after that. What if she wasn't 100% decided? What if in all this confusion she realized that it was Pete she wanted? His heart had been crushed before the wedding and in these two weeks it had healed so quickly, proving how resilient it could be, but could it survive being torn in two again so quickly?

God, he had that feeling in the pit of his gut all over again.

"Do you have the ring?" Ross asked.

"Yeah, in my pocket," she nodded.

She looked worried, tense, and Chandler tried to tell himself she was just dreading the awkwardness. That was it.

"Can I look at the diamond one last time?" Rachel asked, "you know, say goodbye to it?"

"No!" Monica protested.

The buzzer sounded and pure dread filled Monica's face; that had to mean something. Joey was closest and hit the button and Phoebe's voice filtered through the intercom, "I'm here, I've got the engine running."

"She'll be down in a second," Joey called, opening the apartment door in preparation.

Monica took a couple of deep breaths.

"You can do this," Rachel promised. "Just have one last conversation and then bam!" she waved her hands dramatically, "it's all over."

"I can do that," she nodded, but still looked anything but sure.

"Are you sure you don't want us to come with you?" Ross asked and she quickly shook her head.

"I have to do this alone."

Chandler cringed at the words. He hated the idea of her having 'alone' time with Pete. He watched as she rolled back her shoulders and took a deep breath before a determined look set across her features. she walked over to the box and Chandler jumped up, throwing down the newspaper he hadn't read a single word of.

"Let me carry that to the cab for you," he said quickly, striding fast out of the apartment so she wouldn't have time to argue.

He waited for her in the hallway as she closed the door on their curious friends. He looked her over, her determined mask already slipping.

"Are you ok?" he asked with a wince. He wasn't terribly comfortable and he didn't know if this conversation was meant to be reassuring her or himself.

"Sure," she shrugged, "I'm fine. It will be fine, I mean it's only Pete, right?"Right," he agreed. Only Pete, he liked that, "Come on."

Slowly they descended the stairs, their arms brushing occasionally.

"What are you gonna say to him?" he asked, desperate to know. Part of him wished he could be a fly on the wall but another part of him didn't know if he'd be strong enough to watch what happened.

"I'm not sure," she admitted, "apologize, I guess, for leaving him the night before the wedding. Explain some things, hand him back his stuff, hand in my notice for work," she smiled.

And he smiled back a little, appreciating her small attempt at humor. Inside he was still worried about what could happen. Did he have any right to tell her that? Wetting his lips he glanced at her only to find her eyes already on him, "what?" he questioned.

"You know I don't feel that way about him anymore, right?" she asked, she placed a hand on his arm, causing him to falter mid-step.

He swallowed, looking over to the box to see her hand, "you say that now, but things might happen," he admitted quietly, "your feelings may return. You may realize that you made a mistake. You might-"

"That's not going to happen, Chandler."

"You can't promise that," he said quietly, avoiding her eyes.

She frowned, taking the box from him and placing it on the step behind them, turning to look at him, waiting until he reluctantly looked up.

"I can promise that," she said quietly, both hands now on his empty arms, one on each. They moved up and down reassuringly. "I've been thinking a lot these last couple of weeks and I realize now just how wrong Pete and I were. He is a great guy, but not a great guy for me."

"What makes you so sure?" his eyes begged her to squash his fears.

"Because, you've opened my eyes, showing me what it should be like," she smiled up at him. "Every kiss and touch and look...there's a spark there that I never had with him. When I think about a future with you I get goosebumps and a stupid goofy grin."

That caused Chandler's own stupid goofy grin to appear.

"We aren't even dating and yet I've had the best time with you," Monica continued. "These last two weeks have been the best I've had all year. You treat me better than I deserve, you've made me laugh when I needed to or let me cry when I needed that. You haven't pressured me or made me feel stupid for almost marrying the wrong man. You've just been incredible, Chandler." His stupid goofy grin got wider.

"Yeah?" he asked almost shyly.

"Yes," her hands came up to stroke his cheek, "You've got nothing to worry about me seeing Pete again," she promised, her eyes wide and pleading him to believe her, "I won't be having sex in his dentist chair."

"He has a dentist chair?" he frowned.

"Probably," Monica grinned, glad that the tension was easing, "but it wouldn't matter, I'm not gonna be sleeping with him on any piece of furniture, okay? I'm not interested in him."

He looked into her eyes and for a moment both were captured by the same spell. Leaning forwards they pressed their lips together. Her arms slipped around her neck, pressing her body flush against him. Their lips caressed each others' in comfort and reassurance.

Slowly they broke apart and shared a secret smile.

"Well," she sighed, her hands slipping back to his arms stroking gently, "I better go or he will wonder where I am."

She bent down, grabbing the box. Both knew it was light and she didn't need any help with it but he took it off her any way. Silently they descended the stairs, both feeling a little more comforted than previously.

They reached the door way too soon and Monica held it open for Chandler and the box. He walked through it slowly and spotted Phoebe's cab quickly. Damn.

"I guess I should give you this,"he said softly, not moving from the building step. He figured a goodbye here would be a little more private than at the cab...which contained a very curious friend.

"Thanks," she swallowed, taking the box from him, letting their fingers brush as she looked up to meet his eyes. "Trust me," she ordered softly.

"Always," he grinned, his eyes crinkling in the corners

A mutual understanding came over them and finally she nodded satisfied, breaking the eye contact. She turned and took a couple of steps away from him.

"Good luck, Mon," his voice caused her to turn and face him again, "go easy on him." At Monica's confused look, he smiled, "he's just lost the most incredible girl on the planet. I kind of feel sorry for him."

She offered him a shy smile, chuckling just a little, she walked back over to him and stood on tiptoe to place a kiss on his cheek. She cupped his face again, "You're pretty incredible too." Chandler smiled, nodding as her hand left his face, "I'll see you later."

"Count on it," he promised.

She offered him a dazzling smile, allowing herself a few more seconds to bask in this thing between them before turning and purposely heading towards the yellow taxi cab and closure.

He stayed where he was, watching as she greeted Phoebe and entered the car. They both waved goodbye to him and he watched as they drove off. Within moments he heard a horn blaring and a little grin came to his face.

That knot in his stomach was still there, but it had loosened somewhat.

Monica cringed as someone flipped them the finger and turned from the angry driver onto the much happier humming driver, "Thanks so much for driving me, Pheebs."

"Oh, no problem," she said quickly.

It was silent for a while as Phoebe drove down the street, crossing the bridge to leave the busy city.

Phoebe turned for a second and watched her friend, who stared out the window, her hands clutched tightly around the small box with Pete's belongings inside. "Are you alright?" she asked her, "you look a little pale."

Monica nodded, "I'm okay," she said, taking in a breath, "just a little nervous. I haven't seen him since the night I…" she shut her eyes, pressing her lips together.

"Broke off the wedding?" Phoebe finished for her. She only nodded in response, "you'll be fine, Mon."

Monica swallowed, "I hope so." She looked down at her lap, "I hate to let people down. I feel like I hurt him and I don't like that. He's a decent guy."

Phoebe looked over at her again as she turned down another street, "You weren't right for each other. Pete knows that. That's why he took it so well when you told him it wasn't gonna happen." Nodding her head again, she faced the front and let out a breath. Phoebe reached over and grabbed her friend's left hand, "hey, you made the right decision. I'm glad you didn't get married."

Monica sighed and seemed to relax a little, squeezing her hand, "thanks, Pheebs. I just want to get this over with so I can move on."

"With Chandler?" Phoebe asked her, looking over at her again, "oh, geez, look at you! You've got the biggest smile on your face."

Monica tried to stop, she really did, but even the mention of her future with Chandler gave her butterflies.

"Well I-"

"We all know you've been meeting up in secret," her tone was light but it caused Monica's head to snap up.

"What? We haven't-"

"Please, Monica, it's pretty obvious. Are you guys dating?"

"No!"

"Monica," she took her eyes off the road, narrowly avoiding a cyclist, who shoot her a disbelieving look.

"Really, we aren't dating," her fingers started to trace the edge of the box.

"Rachel found that photo from the teacup ride."

Monica couldn't keep from smiling at the memory, "that wasn't a date. We're just...enjoying hanging out with each other."

"And kissing….proper kissing, not just what I saw just then."

Monica frowned, how did the woman know so much all of a sudden? "How did you-?"

"I have my sources."

"Joey?" she grinned.

"Maybe," she winked, "so come on, talk to me, it's just the two of us, what's really going on?"

Monica smiled to herself, happiness bubbling up inside as she thought about Chandler and the stolen, not so secret, time they'd spent together.

"Well," she wet her lips, "we really aren't dating, we wanted to spend some time first, you know, getting over all this."

"Healing?"

"Yeah, something like that," she chuckled, "there may have been some kissing, but it's impossible not to kiss the man Pheebs. He's really, really good at it!"

Phoebe giggled, enjoying this side of her friend. She hadn't seen this light-hearted Monica for a long time. She was pretty certain that Chandler was to thank for that.

"And," Monica continued, "I'm just loving getting to see him like this. I've known the man for years, but never this way. It's like a whole new side to him and it's really really cute and," she blushed a little realizing she was gushing about Chandler but Phoebe had asked, "he's pretty perfect."

"You're in love with him, aren't you?"

Monica swallowed, ducking her head slightly, "yeah...I'm pretty sure I am." At Phoebe's look she sighed, "I've never felt like this," she started, "when you and Rachel were asking about if I was sure about Pete, and if I couldn't wait to see him when he got home, and I didn't with Pete. But with Chandler, it's like that. I literally miss him all the time. I miss him right now. I can't wait for the next touch, the next kiss," she let out a satisfied sigh.

"Wow," Phoebe said, "I've never seen you like this. Not with Richard, not with Pete, not with anybody."

Monica leaned over and grabbed her shoulder squeezing it, "I hope you, Rachel, Ross, and Joey find someone that gives you this amazing feeling."

Phoebe nodded, "Me too, Mon."

She smiled back at her friend and tried to focus on anything but the task she had to do in a few minutes.

"I just want to get through this thing with Pete." She looked down at the box, suddenly getting nervous all over again.

"He doesn't know about you and Chandler, does he?"

"Uh, no. He doesn't. And he's not going to." Phoebe nodded, "he actually asked me one time if I had feelings for Chandler. We almost had a argument about it."

"You never said!" Phoebe raised her eyebrows, "what did he say?"

"He told me that Chandler and I were 'a little too close' and that I should 'back off from him some'. I told him he was crazy, and I wasn't going to push any of my friends away." She shrugged a shoulder.

"I'm glad you didn't let that happen," Phoebe replied.

Monica shook her head, "I wouldn't, but that's all in the past now." She took in a shaky breath as Phoebe's cab turned again, their destination getting closer and closer, "and once I get finished with this, get over this weirdness, Pete will be in the past." Phoebe rolled up to a stop sign, looking over at her, "gotta get through this."

"You will," Phoebe assured her, "and then, when you're done, you can get serious with Chandler. Really serious." She waggled her eyebrows.

Monica's eyes grew bigger, "Oh, I um-"

"What are you waiting for?" Phoebe asked, interrupting the denial that was sure to come out of her friend's mouth next, "there's nothing that will be in your way in a little while. You are clearly ready."

Monica looked out the window for a second and then back over at her friend, "yeah, Pheebs, you might be right. I think-" a smile spread from one side of her face to the other, "I think I am."

"Then just get through this. Go in there, all Monica Geller-like and do it!" Phoebe sounded like a cheerleader, and Monica smiled at her effort. She took in a deep breath as the tall gates slid open and Phoebe drove into the large driveway. She drove around the water feature and parked the cab up into a space. It looked so out of place here that Monica would have giggled if it hadn't been for the circumstances. The engine shut off and she stared out of the window at the mansion that was supposed to be hers. It felt strange to be here.

"Are you going to be ok?" Phoebe asked from the driver's seat.

"Sure," she muttered, her hands still clutching the box on her lap.

"Do you want me to wait?" her friend asked, "I'm more than happy to, honestly, I don't have any other plans for today."

"No, that's, uh, that's ok, I can do this."

"You'll be fine," her blonde friend promised. "Just go in there and talk to him and get it over with and then you can move on." Monica nodded, she understood. She shivered at the fact that moving on from Pete meant that she could be with Chandler. "Plus," Phoebe continued, "that security camera has been on us since we drove in. He knows you're here sitting in the driveway."

"Good point," she smiled, "it's only Pete right? I can do this."

"You can do this," Phoebe nodded. "Now go!"

Nodding more determinedly, Monica removed the much-needed seat belt and left the cab, "thanks again," she told her friend as she closed the door.

"No problem," Phoebe called through the partly opened window, "good luck, Monica."

As she approached the steps leading to the front door she heard the cab pulling away and she couldn't help feel a little trapped. Telling herself she was over-reacting and being ridiculous, she reached for the intercom and with shaking fingers pressed the buzzer.

This was it.