Thanks for the great reviews guys! It really keeps me inspired to continure writing. (: Sorry if this chapter is a little dull, but it's leading up to the next few big scenes, so keep posted!
I do not own Friends.
"Hey, Joe." Ross nodded as he walked into Joey and Rachel's apartment. Joey looked up from his meatball sub for a moment to smile as Ross stepped into the kitchen. "You know where Chandler is? I need to borrow his tie for my class." It was Friday afternoon and Ross was already running late, but he couldn't show up without a tie again or his boss would get tremendously irritated with him.
"Nope, sorry. Last I saw he was at place mumbling about some phone message, and 'the Bings' word or something. I think this whole marriage thing is driving him crazy, he can't even remember his own name!" Joey took a break from his sandwich to answer.
"Yeah, I just checked his apartment, he wasn't there." Ross said, not really paying attention to the rest of Joey's memo. "Thanks anyway. Hey don't you have an audition today?" Ross paused from his search to ask.
"Oh crap! Damn it, I completely forgot!" Joey instinctively dropped his lunch on the ground and turned to race out the door before wiping the marinara from his mouth. Ross shrugged and continued looking, it's not like Joey ever made any part anyway.
"Chandler! Hey buddy, I need to borrow something." He peeked into every room before sighing and giving up. The thought started to verge into his mind, but he quickly pushed it away. He had hardly even been looking that long, how could he just assume Chandler was gone? Especially after he'd had that serious conversation about if he ever hurt Monica he would get his ass kicked. Ross smirked at the memory, how frightened Chandler must have been.
I guess I could still check Central Perk. Ross thought, heading for the door, when something caught his eye. A slip of yellow paper folded neatly set next to the telephone. He grabbed it off the counter and read it. Scrawled in Chandler's childish handwriting across the top read
Tell Monica I'm sorry.
Ross halted, his eyes fixated on the words. They were becoming blurry, but no, it couldn't be tears. He never let himself cry. He took several deep puffs of air, and let his shoulders relax before considering what this meant.
But sadly, he knew what it meant. He knew it could only mean one thing, but he had been trying so hard to pretend like it wasn't possible that he wasn't even sure what he thought at this point. His brain became overwhelmed, he needed to tell someone this, but he had to get his thoughts in order.
Chandler freaked. He left, he couldn't take it. Everything Joey had said rushed backed to him. Mumbling, Chandler only mumbles when he's worried. Phone message, Monica had just reset their voicemail to say the 'Bings'. He and Monica would now be the Bings! Ross could picture Chandler freaking out as the phone message rang through the whole apartment, the thought of his parents the "Bings", and then racing out the door. "Oh CRAP!" Ross said, realizing there was no way around this. "C'mon buddy, really? We were this close to the wedding!" He pushed his way out the door and across the hall to Monica and Chandler's apartment. He knocked lightly, and luckily Rachel answered.
"Hey Ross, what's going on?" Rachel asked.
"I think…" He stared at her for a moment, fingering the note in his hands. How do you say something like this? "I think Chandler's gone." He whispered, not wanting Monica to hear.
"Wait, what?" Rachel asked, clearly more confused than distraught. Ross handed her the note. "Tell Monica—" she read silently and then stopped. Her face flushed. All the emotion drained and she began grabbing her hair frantically, what she always did when he was stressed. "Wait, so this could only mean… He wouldn't! Ross, he couldn't!" but try as she might she couldn't force herself to believe her own words.
This wasn't just any old relationship fight. He was gone. Chandler had run out, and on the most important day he would ever share with Monica. Her mind was flooded with dreadful scenarios of if he was never found, Monica sniveling, the wedding dress in a heap in the corner, hundreds of people questioning where the groom was hiding. But they couldn't be true, they wouldn't, she had to make sure. "Ok, Ross, go! Go look for him! You know him, he probably went to get some air!" She said in a jittery tone. "And, Manhattan is only so big. Please, I'll stay here with Phoebe to distract Monica from noticing. Now go, go, go!" She rushed him out the door before he could object and turned around to lean against the wall.
This couldn't be happening; this brought back so many memories of when she had left Barry at the altar. But that was different. She honestly didn't have feelings for Barry, Chandler loved Monica. At least, maybe he did…