Disclaimer: I don't own Friends or any of the characters (as much as I wish I did!). I have throughout my story used quotes used previously in the show; however most of them have been altered. Also, further down the phrase 'ice and cups' is used. This refers to when Monica planned Rachel's last party, assigning the ice and cups to Phoebe so that she could plan the actual party.
The sky had turned a pinkish-purple and the moon was just visible in the distance. After the hot day, Rachel was thankful for the cool breeze which had picked up. Standing on the balcony, looking out over New York, she couldn't believe she was leaving her home. Not her birth home; no Long Island meant nothing anymore. The Village was where she had met her wonderful friends; Monica, Phoebe, Joey, Chandler and Ross.
Ross. God Ross. He had not only been her best friend but he was also the one person that she had thought she might actually spend the rest of her life with. But things change. Just like her move away from the village to Paris. As tomorrow drew nearer and nearer, she was beginning to find less pulling her to Paris and more holding her here. But no one was going to stop her. They just wanted her to be happy, whether they were or not. But was moving to Paris what she really wanted? She didn't know anymore. All she knew was that ever since Monica had asked her whether she would ever love Ross again, she'd had more doubts than ever. Because the truth was she'd never stopped loving Ross.
Monica thought she understood their relationship. She'd said herself on numerous occasions that it was as simple as 'I love Ross. I hate Ross. I love Ross. I hate Ross' but in fact it was never like that. Not once. She never hated him. Sure she'd been angry beyond belief at times but never once did the love stop. The number of times they got back together and the fact that Emma existed was proof of that. Rachel sighed. She was going to have to do a lot of thinking. But first things first. The moving date set for tomorrow would just have to be pushed back.
"Ross, are you telling me that you care too little to tell the love of your life that you are actually sad she's leaving?" Monica was almost yelling.
"Stop shouting Mon, Rachel's right on the balcony." A huge grin spread across her face.
"So you admit that you still love her?" Ross sighed.
"Mon it's complicated. I…I…" Ross searched for the right words. Chandler walked over and wrapped his arms around Monica, kissing her on her head.
"Come on Ross, you're a palaeontologist, dig a little deeper." Ross rolled his eyes.
"Ha, ha, very funny." Monica repositioned herself on the couch.
"Ross, you just have to ask yourself one question. Do you love her?" Ross didn't speak. The silence was deafening. The answer, without a doubt was yes. Yes, yes, yes. YES. Of course he loved her. Monica and Chandler took the silence as a definite yes. No fake denial – he must really love her.
"What are you going to do about it then, Ross?" Monica asked.
"Mon, I told you, I don-" Ross stoped midway through his sentence, turning to watch Rachel as she came inside.
Her face showed no emotion, yet everyone could tell something as wrong.
"Rach, did something happen?" Monica sounded worried.
"No of course not. But, I do have some rather startling news." She paused, assessing everyone's reactions. "I've decided to push back moving to Paris." Ross' mouth dropped open, Chandler remained frozen and Monica bounded forward to hug her.
"But why? Don't get me wrong, this is great. You'll get to see the baby when it's born and we can spend more time together and…" Chandler found his voice.
"Monica honey, let her finish." Monica stepped back apprehensively, tears of joy streaming down her face.
"Well, it's just; I need to think a few things over."
At that moment Ross, Monica and Chandler had the same thought; Ross still had time. Time to tell her he loved her, whether it made a difference to her plans or not. All four were smiling, happier than they had been in weeks.
"I'm going to go tell Joey and Phoebe, plus I have some calls to make." Rachel was the first to break the silence. She turned and walked out the door, a bound in her step.
On hearing the great news, Phoebe and Joey had gone back to Phoebe and Mike's apartment to start planning what they called 'Rachel's almost / half / kind of but not staying party!'. Unfortunately the name needed working on.
"I've got it! I've got it!" shouted Joey.
"What, what?" Phoebe looked excited now.
"We can have peanut butter fingers!!!" Phoebe, slightly disappointed, objected.
"Joey, have you thought this through?" Joey nodded.
"Ok…Do you realise we're having it at Monica's apartment?" again Joey nodded. "Monica's clean, spotless, tidy, neat apartment?" Joey looked confused.
"Where's this going?" Joey began to think. His 'trying really hard to concentrate look' looked more like he was constipated.
"Well don't hurt yourself Joey. Keep thinking…it has something to do with Monica."
Suddenly Joey jumped up. "We can't have peanut butter fingers." Joey looked proud at himself for solving the clue, yet disappointed at the revelation.
"And why would that be?" Phoebe prompted.
"Monica." That one word said it all. They continued to plan Rachel's party late into the night. Boy would Monica be angry when she found out that she hadn't been included in all the planning. Ah well, thought Phoebe. Serves her right for assigning me 'ice and cups'!
"Ross, honey, I know you're like sorting things out and stuff but did you have to tell mum that Rachel is staying longer. She'll want to visit now. She just adores Rach. You know Rachel's the daughter she never had." Monica rolled her eyes.
"I didn't tell mum!" Ross said in his defence, however not very convincingly.
"Oh, yeah, right! And after I took a shower this morning I just threw my towel on the floor!" Monica wrapped her arms around her stomach as if in serious pain. "Oh God, it hurts to even joke about it." Chandler walked over from the kitchen and gave Monica a hug, comforting her. Ross turned to Chandler for help.
"Chandler you have to help me. I'd usually ask Mon, but she's angry at me right now," he looked at Monica with her hands still around her stomach "and evidently still in pain. I don't know what to do about Rachel." Ross sunk into the couch, waiting for an answer, hoping for once that Chandler might actually be of some help.
"Sorry Ross. I'm not so good with the advice... Can I interest you in a sarcastic comment?" The front door slammed and Phoebe walked in, sitting on the couch.
"Where have you been Pheebs?" asked Monica.
"Oh, just out, you?" A perplexed look crossed Monica's face.
"Well Pheebs, I've been here with Ross and Chandler. I thought that was pretty obvious but…" Phoebe cut her off.
"So anyway, what's up with you Ross?" Monica looked offended. She stormed off into her bedroom, except no one noticed, so the desired effect wasn't achieved.
"Well Phoebe I'm trying to sort out what to do with Rachel." Phoebe looked confused.
"Just tell her that she's your lobster!" as if it was the most obvious thing ever.
"Um, Pheebs, I already tried that like 7 years ago. It didn't work then. It's not going to work now." Phoebe looked offended and walked towards the door.
"Fine" she mumbled as she left. "Don't take my advice." The door slammed. Monica rushed out.
"Good she's gone. Now Ross…what's wrong?" She went to sit by him.
"Nothing, I'm just going to wander around in the rain for a bit." Both Monica and Chandler looked towards the window.
"Uhh…it's not raining, honey." Monica gave him a hug.
"I can't catch a break!" Ross stood up and left anyway. Chandler was the first to speak.
"Well that was awkward." Monica just looked at him. She knew what her brother was going through and she was going to fix it. I mean, she was Monica Gellar. She always won.