Ok, guys, thanks for the reviews. Don't worry, I will finish the story. ;) But yeah, glad you guys like this. Thanks for the support! I'm really sorry it's been taking so long to update, I'm in and out of town a lot on a weird schedule, but I promise I'm back for good!
l don't own Friends. But I sure as hell wish I did.
Cold, black water swirled around his feet. Chandler turned his head in every direction, searching for a beacon of light, something to save him from the devilish whirlpool that was slowly engulfing him. He heard a high pitched screeching noise up above, and turned his head just in time to see an enormous raven swooping down and grabbing him by the back of his neck with its jagged beak, pulling him into the air.
As Chandler hung there, flying through the air with this majestic bird, his heart picked up speed. Several long, midnight black feathers hung down from the raven's belly, brushing his cheeks smoothly. They were silky feathers, caressing his face like an angel. Caressing him in a way no one has before. It was so relaxing, it was starting to hurt. A harsh pain erupted in his thighs, a white hot burning sensation. But his screams were muffled. He was trapped.
Then, an odd scent pricked at his nose. He was suddenly just left suspended in the warm air, the raven was gone, so was the swooshing ocean and the pain. He was just lying there, on a layer of air. Pepperoni, was it? What was it he was smelling? Onions…
Chandler shot straight up in bed. His whole body was drenched in cold sweat, his heart was racing. He was lying in bed in a hotel room with Joey sitting across from him, munching on a pepperoni and onion pizza. "Joey!" He shouted.
"What?" Joey answered coolly with a mouthful of pizza.
"Wha-, what?" Chandler was at a loss for words. "What am I… Where?"
Joey laughed obnoxiously. "I ordered a pizza man, I used your credit card. Hope you don't mind."
"Nah, it's fine." Chandler replied, still in a daze.
"Are you okay dude? You were squirming and panting in your sleep a lot." Joey inquired, wiping his hands on his pants and tossing the empty pizza box to the foot of the bed.
"Yeah, I just had this weird dream. I was flying, but it was so… painful. Is there any aspirin around here?" He asked, reaching for the bottle of water on the nightstand, noticing the time. "It's only 6? God, I'm so tired." He groaned, falling back into bed.
"Well, don't go to sleep now! We have to go down to the airport and buy tickets back home." Joey whined.
"Joey—"
"Ooooohhhh, no. You are not pulling that one again. We are going home whether you want to or not, Chandler, you don't have a choice!"
"Kidding! God, just give me a minute to get myself together." Chandler snapped as he wobbled over to the bathroom and shut the door. Judging by the putrid, sticky stain on the crotch of his boxers, he assumed he had wet the bed. Something he had not done since he was 10. He sighed as he stripped down and tossed his boxers in the sink. He stepped into the hot shower. Even after he cleaned himself, he just stood there, letting the water run off his shoulders, down his stomach and legs and right down the drain. He wondered if he would ever feel clean again. Free of his disgusting, past mistakes… Maybe if he just stayed in here forever, he'd never have to leave. He'd never have to go back. He started becoming very attracted to the idea. Just staying here, never going back, leaving behind the world… He quickly snapped himself back. Ignoring his problems is what the old Chandler would do. He had grown since he came to Canada. He knew what he had to do now.
He turned off the water and redressed and reappeared from the bathroom. "Hey Joe." He mumbled as he gathered his few items and put them back in his pockets.
"Ready?" Joey asked. Chandler froze for a minute. Yeah, he was ready to check out, buy a ticket, go back home, but was he really ready? Ready to face Monica and everyone? All the shame?
"I'll manage." He said quietly, leading the way out the door.
~.~
"Oh no." Rachel whispered so softly even she had trouble hearing herself. "Oh no." She said a little louder. She sat back down on the toilet, feeling horridly nauseous. Four for four? This couldn't be right, she had used a-
"Rachel? You okay in there?" She heard Monica call from outside the bathroom, interrupting her thought. "You've been there for a while."
"Yeah, yeah I'm fine." Rachel replied, out of breath. She dumped the tests in the trash and walked out into the living room, grabbing hold of one of the chairs to keep her balance.
"You sure? You seem a little shaken." Monica asked again suspiciously. She was looking considerably better than she was yesterday. She was dressed, her face wasn't as sunken, and she had actually made breakfast for everyone this morning.
Rachel stared at her for a moment, considering telling her what had just happened. No, she thought. I shouldn't freak her out… "Yeah, Mon. I'm fine." She smiled pitifully. "But uh, I'm gonna go for a walk. Get some fresh air. I'll see you later."
She stepped out into the hallway and ran into Phoebe. "Hey Rachel! How's Mon—"
"I'm pregnant." Rachel blurted out.
"Wait, wha—"
"That's right Phoebe, I'm pregnant and I'm alone and I'm scared out of my mind and I can't tell Monica because she's already dealing with, with, wi—" Rachel squeaked, tears beginning to pour from her eyes, becoming out of breath again. "She's—And I'm, I—"
"Oh my God, Rachel. What, how did this happen? Who did this? You know what, it doesn't matter. Come here." Phoebe said reassuringly, pulling her into a big hug. "Rachel calm down, it's okay." She soothed as she rubbed her back.
"Oh God, I know, I'm so pathetic. I'm sorry Phoebe." Rachel shrilled. She pulled a tissue out of her purse and began wiping her nose.
"You're not pathetic, lots of people get pregnant!" Phoebe said energetically.
"Yeah. Married people. Or surrogates, or people who are ready for this kind of thing! But, Phoebe I'm not! Oh God." Rachel couldn't help herself, words were just pouring out of her mouth like butter. She wasn't even sure what she was saying but must be making some sort of sense because Phoebe was talking back.
"Look, Rachel. You're strong. You're going to get through this. If anyone of us should raise a child more than the others, it's you. I know you." Phoebe said boldly. "You and… Whoever the father is. Ooo, is it Tag? You know I always liked him, or maybe—"
"Phoebe!" Rachel interrupted.
"What? I mean, you have to tell us who it is!"
"I'm just… not comfortable telling anyone about this until I tell the father."
"But you told me!"
"Yeah, but I trust you, and you were the first person I saw and, look Phoebe, please. You have to promise not to tell anyone until I figure this out myself." Rachel pleaded with her eyes. What she had gone through this morning she had not expected to go through for years, until she was safe and sheltered with a husband and a home, a foundation to build a family on. Not here, still single, living in an apartment on the noisy streets of New York, wondering where on Earth her best friend's fiancé was. "Please?"
"Alright, fine. You can trust me. BUT, if it's a girl, you have to name it Phoebe!" She replied, eyeing her intently.
"Alright. Yeah, I will." Rachel said, letting out a chuckle. It felt good to laugh, like part of this weight was lifting from her shoulders. "I kinda like that name, Phoebe Geller." Rachel smiled for a split second before realizing what she'd done.
"Geller? Oh my God! It's Ross! Ross is the daddy! Ah, I knew it!" Phoebe screamed ecstatically, jumping around.
"No, Phoebe! I didn't say Geller, I said Greene! Phoebe Greene, that's what I said!" Rachel whined, tugging at her hair. "Alright, great. Yeah. Now it's out there. Ross and I are having a baby." She moaned.
"How long was I gone?" The familiar voice rang out from behind them. Phoebe whipped around and Rachel peered over her shoulder.
"Oh my God." They said in unison.
Rachel took a step forward. "Chandler. You're… back."