Happy Easter! Thanks again for the amazing reviews throughout this story. You guys are just incredible.
Just to warn you this is the last 'proper' chapter. After this there'll be a short epilogue. Hope you enjoy!
"What took you guys so long?" Joey asked as they finally arrived at the restaurant.
They took the two empty spaces at the table which were thankfully next to each other.
"Um-" Chandler faltered, deliberately not looking at Ross.
"I had to redo a bit of makeup," Monica lied calmly, relieved that the cab ride had been long enough for them to recover and appear normal. Even though they were going to tell the gang here at dinner, explaining what they had just been doing wasn't part of the plan. Especially with her brother there. However, they had agreed to tell them as soon as possible, so they could enjoy as much of the evening as possible as a couple. That was the plan.
"Well, you look fantastic," Rachel declared, a wine glass already in her hand.
"Happy birthday Monica," Phoebe smiled, "oooh nice necklace."
"Thanks," Monica was thrilled that both the girls had noticed, "I got the matching earrings too," she held back her hair to show them off.
Chandler and Ross shared a congratulatory look across the table; they'd done good.
"Wow, very nice!" Phoebe praised, "are they new? When did you get them?"
Monica saw an opening and decided to take it.
"Today, they were a birthday present," discreetly under the table her hand found his, gripping it tightly.
"Really? From who?"
This was it. She took a deep breath, loving that he squeezed her hand under the table in silent support. Showtime.
"My boyfriend."
She waited for their reactions, still not risking looking at Chandler.
"You're seeing someone?" Rachel asked shocked, "since when?"
"For a couple of months," Monica informed them as Chandler's thumb gently stroked her hand in an unseen show of encouragement, "I, uh, didn't want to tell you guys straight away, because we wanted to find our feet a little and get used to it first."
"So, who is he? What's his name?" Phoebe asked eagerly, "you should have invited him tonight, it would have been the perfect opportunity for us to meet him…and grill him," she chuckled wickedly.
Chandler swallowed. Whenever Monica dated anyone new the group interrogated them endlessly for information. He did it to ensure the guy was decent and good enough to date his best friend. The girls out of a need for details to fuel girly gossip and curiosity. God, they were going to discuss girth. He didn't think it was going to be fun being the guy in the hot seat.
"I did invite him," she said.
His heart started beating a little faster, they were actually doing this.
"But there's only 6 places," Rachel frowned looking at their circular table, pointing out the obvious.
"We, uh, don't need another place setting," she squeezed his hand tightly for support, taking one last calming breath, "because it's…Chandler."
They waited.
There were a few surprised noises and shocked expressions but she turned away from them and looked at him happily. The look on her face was enough to remind him of his earlier confidence. Girth be damned. Let them grill away because they were so good together. He was responsible for her looking that happy; him. And now they'd actually done it; the secret was out. Relieved, he returned her joyful look and unable to resist, leaned forward for a quick peck of the lips.
"Nice!" Joey simply exclaimed, the first to comment "I knew you were getting some, you've been way too happy recently."
"Thanks man," Chandler chuckled, ignoring Ross rolling his eyes.
"Aww, congratulations guys," Phoebe looked genuinely happy, which Chandler was grateful for, "this is such great news! No wonder both your auras are so sparkly."
"Sparkly?" Chandler questioned in protest as Monica patted his knee in sympathy.
"Thanks Phoebe."
Well they had Phoebe, Joey and Ross all on board. Taking a breath he looked over at Rachel.
"You and Chandler?" she asked Monica.
"Yep," Monica replied proudly. Chandler had to hide a smile, she was actually proud to be with him.
"Two months?"
"Uh huh," Monica grinned, looking back at him.
"Wow, this is big news!" she exclaimed, "really big news, I'm in a little shock I think," she confessed.
"I was too," Monica promised her friend. Her free hand reaching out to grab Rachel's, "but we're so happy together Rach, and we wanted to tell you all sooner but we just couldn't find the right time."
Rachel studied her best friend and admitted to herself that there was something different about her recently. She'd changed. She seemed more balanced, more at peace with herself. If she thought back over the last couple of months Monica had been more light-hearted and content with life. She was amazed that Chandler had been the cause.
"I'm really happy for you," she blurted out promising herself she wasn't going to cry as she pulled Monica into a hug, "you both look so…happy."
That was four out of four. Chandler let out a breath, unable to believe it had been so simple. He'd dreaded this moment from the start but they'd done it and actually survived.
"We are," Monica promised beaming. She genuinely couldn't remember being this happy before and was thrilled she could now share this with her friends. She could tell them all about this romantic, caring and cute side to Chandler that she hadn't known existed but now depended on.
"And you got her the jewelry?" Rachel asked surprised looking at Chandler who nodded, "wow, good job Chandler, I'm impressed."
"Thanks," he grinned, relieved that the jewelry was earning him brownie points with the girls. He hadn't even considered that.
"This is just so exciting," Phoebe announced loudly, causing Chandler to wonder how much wine she'd already consumed, "let's celebrate."
When the waiter came over they ordered some champagne to go with their meal.
"Toast!" Joey called as they held their up their glasses expectantly, "double toast!" he amended, "happy birthday to Monica," everyone nodded smiling at her, "and congratulations to two amazing people getting together, to Monica and Chandler."
The glasses clinked around the table and Chandler leaned forward to steal another quick kiss, reveling in the freedom of being able to do this now without having to hide. The look of pure love that washed over her face made him feel pretty damn good about himself and he had to kiss her again.
"So who asked who out?" Phoebe asked curiously, interrupting them.
"I guess I kinda took the first step," Chandler admitted, pulling his attention away from Monica and onto their blonder friend, "it's a long complicated story but I liked her, she found out and realized she liked me too and we had a talk and it went on from there."
"Oh, it was a lot more romantic than he's making out," Monica smiled, stroking his thigh. "He surprised me after my late shift with roses and we walked home through the park as we talked and had our first kiss."
He was slightly embarrassed by the 'aww' noises that the girls were making. Still, he'd rather that than the alternative.
"TMI," Ross muttered reaching for his drink.
"That night with the flowers!" Joey exclaimed pointing at him, "when you had to 'go do a thing' and you refused to tell me what? That was the night?"
"Yeah Joe," he confessed to his roommate, "that was the night."
That night seemed so long ago now.
"How long had you liked her?" Rachel asked, she'd always thought he'd had a soft spot for her roommate but never even considered he'd do anything about it.
"A long time," he shrugged slightly embarrassed with a lopsided grin as Monica pulled him in for a quick reassuring hug.
"I was surprised," Monica confessed, "I thought about it lots until I almost went crazy then decided it was worth the risk."
They shared another look as her hand found his above the table, giving it a little squeeze. They hadn't been able to keep their hands to themselves and as the night went on the group soon became used to seeing them like that, amazed they had managed to keep it a secret at all.
After they'd finished their meal, Monica noticed that a few tables had been cleared away and a band had set up. Some people had made it onto the small dance floor and she grinned, turning to her boyfriend, "dance with me?" she asked hopefully.
He looked at her pleading expression then over to the dance floor. He hadn't really drunk enough to dance but the music was slow and he could sway with the best of them.
"Ok, as it's your birthday," he quipped, taking her hand and leading her to the dance floor.
"Wow, they look so good together," Rachel commented surprised as she watched them reach the dancefloor. Monica wrapped her arms around Chandler's neck as his arms automatically went around her waist, pulling her close. They fit so well together, so natural she couldn't believe she'd never noticed before.
"I know," Ross smiled glancing over at them dancing in each others' arms.
"You're taking this well," Phoebe pointed out confused, "it is your best friend and your sister…"
Joey and Rachel agreed looking at him equally interested; he'd been too quiet.
"Isn't it bugging you?" Rachel asked.
He shrugged looking a little uncomfortable.
"Ross?" she probed.
"I, uh, I actually already knew about them," he confessed to their surprised faces.
"What?" Rachel asked, hating to be last when it came to any sort of gossip.
"You knew?" Joey asked surprised. He'd figured if Chandler would have confided in anyone it would have been him, especially as Ross was her brother.
He nodded with a wince, "I knew from the start, by accident and I kinda helped them get together," he admitted, "…I'm part of that long complicated story," his waved dismissively turning back to his drink.
"Ooh you've got to tell us now!" Phoebe protested, "we need to know more."
Ross looked at them and they all nodded in agreement, eager to learn as much as possible. He'd thought Monica would have gone into more details and she probably would at a later point, but it was nice to finally be able to tell his story of how he'd helped them get together.
"Ok," he agreed leaning forwards going into story mode, "so it all started one Friday night, a couple of months ago when I walked into this bar…"
Oblivious to their friends' excitement, Monica gazed up at Chandler as they gently swayed to the music that was surrounding them. Comfortable in their own little world once again.
"We did it," she smiled.
"I know," he agreed happily with a contented sigh, "no more hiding, no more secrets."
"They took it well," she mused, "and don't seem too mad we hid it from them."
"We didn't hide it for long," he pointed out, pulling her a little closer with a grin, "plus the fact we told them and they didn't discover it themselves probably helped," he considered, "…and I told you, they can't be mad at you on your birthday." He didn't add that the alcohol was probably working in their favor too.
She giggled delighted as she swayed in his arms. Everything just felt perfect right now. It was one of those moments she wanted to bottle up and remember forever.
They gently continued to sway to the music, relaxed in their embrace.
"It may have been a different story if Ross hadn't already known," Chandler pondered. "I don't think he would have liked us getting together and keeping it from him. You know with the rules and stuff."
She chuckled, agreeing with his logic to a degree, "the rules are dumb, besides, I can handle Ross."
"If you say so," he murmured leaning down for a kiss which she happily accepted. It was a loving lingering kiss but neither tried to deepen it, both conscious of the fact they were in public and probably the center of their friends' attention.
As they pulled back he looked down at her and just felt consumed with so many emotions. She was perfect, his best friend now turned girlfriend. She looked so gorgeous and just so happy and he couldn't believe she was with him. He'd spent so many months hating that he'd fallen in love with her and had convinced himself it would never happen for them. It had been worth all that pain though, more than worth it. Being loved by Monica was the most incredible feeling ever.
For her to be there right now in his arms was something short of a miracle.
He wasn't sure if it was because of his reflective thoughts, the fact she was in his arms looking at him like she was, or because of the lateness of the hour but it felt right. He brought his hand up to gently caress her cheek. Staring into her blue eyes he earnestly confessed, "I love you Monica."
He saw her eyes soften and felt the hands behind his neck gently stroke his edge of his hair, sending shivers through him, "I love you too Chandler," she promised just as sincere, "so so much."
Caught in the same spell they leaned forwards and their lips met in a kiss filled with so much hope, promise and love. Neither had ever felt such intensity of emotions and passion before. They were definitely onto something amazing and they both knew it. As they pulled apart they rested their foreheads against each other as they just held one another tightly.
"I love you," he murmured again, relishing how good it was to say those words. How natural they sounded when saying them to her. He'd always associated them with obligation, something expected after so long, the beginning of commitment and being trapped forever.
With her it was the opposite. He wanted to say them and hear her say them to him. They made him feel safe, warm and for the first time they held a sense of freedom. Instead of being afraid he was actually looking forward to his future with this incredible woman. He wanted it all.
"I love you," he heard her murmur again and smiled, hugging her even closer.
For once in his life he had everything he'd ever wanted, right here in his arms. Life was good. He closed his eyes content as he let the music from the band wash over them.
Staggering through the daytime
Your image on my mind
Passing so close beside you baby
Sometimes the feelings are so hard to hide, except
In my midnight confessions
When I tell all the world that I love you
In my midnight confessions
When I say all the things that I want to
I love you
~ Midnight confessions – written by Lou Terry Josie
The Almost End
…there's a very short epilogue to come. Thanks for reading :o)