Thanks for the reviews, it helps me to be motivated and continue this story :) I want to write more chapters, so I'm gonna play with them for a while :p

This one takes place around the time of the second episode of season 5, so you'll recognize the moment when Monica wants to prevent Rachel from telling Ross that she still loves him... but in my version, it's not Joey who wants to help Monica to open the door.

Chapter 2 : Life Goes On...

* CHANDLER *

It's been a week since we came back from London, and I have the feeling that things are slowly returning back to normal. Monica and I never found ourselves alone in a room because with Phoebe's pregnancy, Ross' problems and Rachel still being in love with him, we have a lot to deal with. Well, we... Monica, mostly.

Sure, sometimes our eyes lock and then I feel butterflies in my stomach, but in the next second I can be sure there's Phoebe with a kick from one of the babies, or Ross and a phone call to England, to quickly make diversion. Nah, I think I'm handling everything pretty good. I'm okay. I have to be.

Whoa, what's that ? I hear banging on the door of the girls' apartment and Monica screaming in the hall. "Mon ? Is there a problem ?" She doesn't turn towards me to answer : "Rachel locked the door". I don't know why she keeps looking at the door instead of me, so I'm afraid to move and I stay on my doorstep. "Why ?" I cautiously ask because the last thing I want is her to be angry with me. And she doesn't look in a good mood. "She's with Ross in there. She wants to tell him she loves him but..." She sighs and finally, she turns around and faces me : "... it's wrong, don't you think ?"

Here we are, looking into each other's eyes, and the damned butterflies come rushing back in my stomach. A few seconds ago, she seemed determined, but now she only looks lost. She breaks the eye contact and shooks her head looking everywhere but at me : "Ross doesn't love her, he's crazy about Emily. Rachel is only going to suffer if she confesses her love to him ! It's over between them... Actually, it's been over for a while... I don't understand why she can't accept it now."

I can't help but saying softly : "Maybe you're right, but I'm sure of one thing : Ross will always have a soft spot for Rachel. Always. He loves her too much." She turns her eyes into mines, and boom ! The tension is back. I can't even swallow. God, I have to do something, I feel uncomfortable and the hall seems like an ocean between us. "So, hum... Mon... hum... You were trying to enter, huh ? Want some help ? Maybe I can break the door for you, or..."

I can't finish my sentence, she bursts into laughing. Hey, I did it, I broke the tension again. But I didn't mean to make her laugh. That proves one thing : she definitely doesn't think of me as a real man who can help in case of emergency. I'm doomed, she would never want me. AND I KNOW THAT ! So stop hoping, for god's sake ! She must see that I'm a little bit disappointed because she immediately apologize, still with her gorgeous smile : "Oh, I'm sorry... I'm not making fun of you, I swear... It's just... I just... I pictured you... you know... breaking a door, and... I don't know, that made me laugh..."

"So yeah, you WERE making fun of me." Oops, I don't know why it came out of my mouth in a so agressive tone. I didn't want to, really. Or maybe my mind didn't want to but my heart was so hurt that him, he did ? She stops smiling and opens her mouth, but she doesn't say a thing. Luckily, my heart shuts up and my mind speaks while I laugh : "Just kidding ! You're right ! Me ? Breaking a door ? Like I could do that !" I know she doesn't buy it, she keeps staring at me, looking sorry and uncomfortable. "Look, I'll help you... without breaking a door."

I walk towards her door and try to open it. Of course, it's locked. "Rachel ? Are you ok ? How come the door is locked ?"

I hear Rachel's voice inside answering me, not sounding too happy : "Chandler... What do you want ?"

"I need to come in, it's urgent... it's... hum... my phone isn't working... and, um... and Monica fell in the stairs, I need to call an ambulance."

I hear footsteps while Rachel is panicking : "Whaaaaaat ?! Oh My God !"

I see Monica raising her eyebrows, smiling. I'm smiling back to her and I give her a thumbs up.

When Rachel opens the door, Monica rushes in her apartment, leaving her friend confused first, then mad. "Ooooooooohhhhhhh, you two ! You had me ! CHANDLER, RAAAAAH ! WHY ? WHYYYYYYYYYY ?"

I shrug my shoulders while Monica is looking at Rachel smiling in a triomphal way. Rachel groans, then slams the door, leaving me alone in the hall.

* MONICA *

I'm at Central Perk, alone, sitting on the orange couch. I pretend to read the newspaper but I'm actually thinking about what happened yesterday evening. I hurt him. Chandler, I hurt him. When I laughed at his proposition of helping me by breaking the door. But I really thought he was kidding ! Not because I don't think he's capable of breaking a door, but because that's what he always does : kidding. And since there was a tension between us – like there is always now when we're alone together... – I genuinely thought he was trying to be funny to break the ice. He was not. I realized that too late. He was hurt... But he still helped me, in a smart way. I loved his trick, and I didn't even thank him.

God, I hate myself ! The other day, at his apartment, when I was "unpacking" Joey's stuffs, I spoke to Chandler and I almost said to him that I wanted to give us a chance. But I couldn't do it. I was saying that he was cute and I planned to admit that I had a crush on him, that I wanted more nights with him, that I wanted to be alone with him... but the words never came out of my mouth and I ended up telling him that I didn't want any awkwardness between us. Yeah, like I could believe it...

When he smiled to me yesterday, before Rachel opened the door, I melted... I don't think I'll ever be able to look at him smiling without melting inside. And if his smile is just for me, the feeling is worse... Man, is he more than cute, now ? I guess... He's attractive. Rachel and Phoebe would laugh so hard at me if they knew ! But they don't know him like I do. I always thought he was cute, in a friendly way. Cute because he's insecure, cute because of his jokes, cute because of his kindness, cute because of his smile... I swear, I could look at him smiling all day long, all my life.

Whoa ! What did I just think ? If HE knew that, we wouldn't have a problem anymore because he would probably run away really fast.

"Hey Mon, why are you smiling to... nobody ?" Chandler, curious.

"Ooooouuuuuuuuuuh, maybe she thinks of a man !" Joey, not curious, just... right on the money.

"Hey guys ! I wasn't smiling, I was... well, yes, I was smiling ! I was thinking of Phoebe, the babies are gonna be here soon, it's great." I hope that they will buy it, but I doubt it.

Politely, Chandler nods and sits. But Joey chuckles : "Yeah, right... You just had the same smile as 90 % of the girls I slept with have in the morning !"

Chandler reacts immediately : "What ? ONLY 90 % ?" and I can't help but laughing.

Joey rolls his eyes : "I know ! Some girls are hard to satisfy... Still better than your 0 %, huh ?!" he playfully adds to Chandler, who laughs and admits : "Right..."

Oh, if only he knew how wrong he is...

I hope you liked this chapter, I already have an idea for the next one, and I hope it will be better than this one :)