Okay, like I promised, this chapter is considerably longer, and it's got a lot of action and surprise, so hope you like it! And please continue to R&R
"The nights are the hardest." Rachel droned on, continuing her speech she'd been carrying on for over an hour. "And then the day comes, and it's every bit as hard as the night." She covered her eyes, pretending to sob.
"Okay, Rach, it's almost 11, I'm sorry but I really have to start getting ready now." Monica said, trying to be comforting but obviously growing antsy.
"No! Monica… Look, this is really hard to explain, but you can't get ready yet." Rachel said anxiously, the panic rising inside her.
"Why not? You know what, I'm not listening anymore. I'm sorry you're upset but I'm getting ready. I love you Rachel, but this is ridiculous, it's my big day!" And with that Monica stormed off to the bathroom.
Rachel could feel her heart picking up speed again. She was out of ideas and out of time. The cold truth was if Phoebe and Ross weren't back with Chandler by now, they probably wouldn't be back in time. And the cold truth was, she would have to tell Monica. It's her right to know what's going on her big day. "Okay look, Mon, here's what's really going on." She took a deep breath, trying to push this off for just one more second, and maybe in that second Phoebe and Ross would finally show up, and it would all be okay. But that didn't happen. They didn't come bursting through the door, so she gently pushed the words out, one by one. "The truth is, we can't find Chandler. He's gone." The apartment went silent for a moment before Monica poked her head out of the bathroom door. Her heart split right down the center, like a sword had pierced her chest when she saw Monica's expression.
"You're… you're kidding, right? I mean, he's just… gone?" Her eyes said more 'I don't believe you' than 'I'm upset that my fiancé isn't even here'.
Rachel opened her mouth, but no words came out, what was there to say? She led Monica over to the couch and sat her down. "Yes. Monica, Chandler's gone. But you know what? Phoebe and Ross are out looking for him right now, and I know they'll find him. I know they will." She stroked Monica's dark hair, the way she'd had it specially done for her wedding, for Chandler.
"Wow." Was all she could say, clearly in shock, neither blinking nor crying. "He would… run out on me. On us." Her voice was simply dry, drained of all sensation and hope.
"Look, he's going to turn up. Now let's go, get showered and dressed and get to the hotel, and I promise you he will be there. I promise." Rachel said with all the strength that she could, but even Monica could tell she was hesitant.
"Alright" Monica said, a bit of elation returning to her face. She stood straight up, "Alright, yeah. I'll get ready. I'll get dressed. What am I doing, I'm getting married today!" She jumped and rushed off to the bathroom like she had never even heard the news. But anyone could tell she would rather just believe an amusing lie than face the horrid truth.
~.~
"Rach, are you ready?" Monica called out from behind the changing curtain.
"Yes! Yes, come on out! I want to see!" Rachel shouted back, ecstatic about finally seeing the bride in her wedding dress. Monica emerged from the curtain, smiling widely. "Oh my God!" she exclaimed, rushing over to wrap her in her arms. "You look absolutely amazing!"
"Aw, thanks!" Monica grinned eagerly. In all the fuss of getting over here and finding their rooms, the two had almost completely forgotten the problem pressing them.
The door creaked open and Rachel turned to see Ross poke his head in. "Oh my—Monica! You look beautiful!" He crossed the room and hugged her tightly. "I can't believe how much you've grown up." He smiled that warm, goofy smile that always made everything seem okay, even though it wasn't. He turned to see Rachel's anxious face and sighed. "Rach, can you come outside with me for a minute? I can't seem to figure out this vending machine down the hall, and I'm real thirsty." He said grimly.
Her heart dropped into her stomach, but she kept a smile plastered onto her face for Monica's sake. "Alright." She agreed. "I'll be right back Monica!" She called on her way out. When they reached the end of the hall she spun him around and gripped his shoulders. "Where the hell is Chandler?" She spat. "I have been promising Monica all morning he would be here. Where is he?" The fury was swallowing her body uncontrollably.
"Rachel!" He shrieked in a high pitched voice. "Let me go!" He struggled his weak boy muscles against her unwavering hold. "Phoebe! Joey! Help me!" Phoebe and Joey came running around the corner and wrestled Rachel off of him. She stood for a moment, realizing what she had just done.
"Oh God, I'm sorry." She mumbled. "I don't know what that was, just Monica's leftover anxiety." She sighed heavily and sunk to the floor next to Ross. "So where is Chandler?"
Phoebe looked uncomfortably at Joey, who shrugged and looked at Ross, who cleared his throat and spoke up. "Well, the thing is, we still haven't found him." He winced, ready for Rachel to blow up again, but she didn't.
She spoke calmly, "It's alright. I guess I knew it would end like this." She buried her face in her knees and inhaled deeply. "Oh God. Chandler." She groaned. She leaned her head back against the cold wallpaper. "We're gonna have to tell her. We'll have to let her know the wedding is off."
"Now, no, not necessarily!" Phoebe said. "The wedding technically doesn't start for another 46 minutes. That's 46 more minutes of searchtime!"
"Phoebe, it's useless." Joey said deeply. He reached up and rubbed her arm. "We've searched all of Manhattan twice, and even part of Bronx. We can't keep wearing ourselves out for someone who might not even want to be found." That last sentence stung all four of them right through their frail bodies. It was such a wise thing for someone like Joey to say, but then again he definitely knew Chandler better than any of them. It couldn't be more wrong but it couldn't be more true a statement. They all sat silently for minutes straight, tears tingling at the back of their eyes, until finally someone let them fall. Then that's all that was left of them, four empty shells resting at the end of a deserted corridor, letting tears surge into the pukey yellow colored carpet.
~.~
"Alright, um everyone!" Rachel tried to shout over all the noise. "This is um, a bit awkward, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask all of you to leave." Whispers started spreading through the crowd. "I know, it's last minute, but we're having some… Attendance issues, so this wedding will be postponed till later notice. Thank you."
Monica was probably upstairs somewhere in her room crying with Phoebe. She awkwardly thanked everyone as they exited the room and assured them that nothing was wrong. 128 people filed out slowly until the whole room was empty.
Rachel then rushed upstairs to find Phoebe comforting Monica in her dressing room. She was wearing her lacy undergarments under a silk black robe, her hair and make-up were still perfect but that couldn't disguise the heartbroken look on her face. "Oh, Mon." Rachel ran over and wrapped her arms around her broken friend. What kind of person could cause this much distress to another?
"Monica, look. If Chandler is stupid enough to not know what he has when he has it, he's not good enough for you. You deserve so much better." Phoebe whispered reassuringly. At this Rachel had to choke up, for that was almost exactly what Ross had said to her when she had walked out on Barry at her wedding. Had she made him feel like how Monica feels right now?
Monica didn't need to say anything. The look of utter betrayal in her eyes was enough to bring Rachel to tears. But there was something else, another hidden emotion loomed deep inside Monica's heart that she detected immediately; disgust. Rachel was suddenly snapped into a whirlpool of anger, this wasn't her fault! If she knew how hard Rachel had been trying to prevent this from happening!
"Monica" she spat, "You think this is easy on me either? You think this is easy on any of us?" Her voice cracked and her eyes began to sting. "He may be your fiancé but he's our best friend too. Phoebe and Ross haven't slept in two days searching for him! Okay, you think I enjoy not knowing where he is? You think I enjoy not knowing if he's ever coming back?" She stopped quickly, realizing how loudly she had been shrieking. What were these random rage attacks she'd been having lately? Were they because of Chandler? She took a sighed and warily said "I'm sorry, Mon. But Phoebe's right. Now c'mon, let's get home. You shouldn't stay here." She pulled her friends off the couch and into a long hug. If only Chandler knew the emotional turmoil he was causing them all…
Rachel wanted the five to catch a cab back to the apartment, but Joey refused. "No!" He retorted as they gathered outside on the sidewalk. "I don't care if the wedding's off, I need to know where my best friend is!" It was odd how he was saying this, when hours before he had been the one saying Chandler wouldn't even want to be found. He had stood his ground, though, crossing his arms and giving them the Joey pout that gave him the appearance of a three-year-old. But it was a tantrum no one could break, they'd all decided to just let him go. He needed closure.
The other four rode back and gathered in Monica's place to order pizza, a Joey special, to be specific. When the two pizzas arrived, Monica appeared out of her room wearing blue sweats and a black and white dinosaur shirt Ross had gotten her when he was first hired at the museum. She collapsed on the chair and realized how tired she really was. She hadn't slept much last night, she was too excited, and all the adrenaline and energy that had been exerted today getting ready and getting everything in place, having her heart crushed and returning home, she was winded. Phoebe handed her a slice and rubbed her shoulders. "Thanks, Pheebs." She offered a weak smile. Phoebe nodded tenderly.
"I'm real sorry, Mon." Ross said. "And you better believe when Chandler comes back, he's gonna get a real ass-whoopin'!" At this, everyone had to laugh, even Ross. The idea of him trying to tackle a 180 pound Chandler to the floor was simply amusing. Maybe it was extra coffee they were drinking to stay awake, maybe it was the two beers Monica had swished down to ease the tension, maybe it was the fact the whole day had gone so, so wrong, and they finally had something to laugh about, but they laughed harder than ever before. They laughed for the broken hearts, for the wasted decorations hanging limp in the reception hall, for the pure stupidity, for the mistakes, but mostly, they laughed at sole reason they were in this predicament; Chandler.