Encore
An Alternate Universe Mondler Fan fiction
Chapter 1:
The man walked off the stage after closing out the concert possibly one of his best performances of a song ever. He could hear the crowd cheering, as he departed. It was a great feeling to have such support…but he didn't know any of the people there. It was a lonely life for him.
He had discovered his passion quite by accident. He had planned on becoming a literary or comedy writer after 'the incident' as he called it. He had started and found it an outlet, helping his writing ability grow even greater. The words and phrases that came out had a musical flow, and music was in his mind as he wrote. It wasn't long before he realized that his talent wasn't writing, it was writing music.
Now he was a successful artist; writing all of his own songs and lyrics. He was selling out arenas all over the place and his albums were flying off the shelves. Some called it success…but he was alone in it. He had finally found the job he enjoyed and he didn't have his friends to enjoy it alongside.
That was where his thoughts were as he boarded the tour bus, keeping his guitar with him. He kept one with him almost always, for music was also his release. If the mood struck him, he could write an entire song in an hour, and have it be a smash hit. He got to his room having changed into his regular street clothes, returning his outfit to the wardrobe department.
He secured his guitar on its stand before exhaustedly plopping down on his cot by the wall. He was just about to flick on the TV to stare absentmindedly at it, when a young assistant in his stage crew flew into his room. The kid was probably all of twenty years old and had short blonde hair.
"I'm so sorry for the interruption and barging in here sir, but you left your phone in your dressing room sir, and the tour bus was about to leave and I thought you might want it sir."
The man smiled kindly to put the kid who was six years younger than him at ease. "Thank you so much. And please, call me Chandler."
"Of course sir-Chandler." He responded.
Chandler couldn't help but laugh and crack a grin at that. "It's been quite some time since someone addressed me as Sir Chandler."
This seemed to relax the twenty year old who gave a slightly embarrassed grin.
Chandler turned to face him directly; glad the kid was no longer so flustered. "Your name's Daniel, right?"
"Yeah."
"It's a great name." Chandler replied.
Monica always wanted to name her first son that. Ha, funny how I used to think it would be our first son. Chandler couldn't help but shake his head at himself. I thought I was over that…
"Thank you. I think I will leave you be now." Daniel said, noticing the lapse in conversation.
Chandler gave a nod of thanks. When Daniel went to walk out the door of his 'bedroom' he called to him.
"Thanks for bringing me my phone. It was nice speaking with you Daniel."
Daniel flashed a smile before responding, "It was nice speaking with you too Chandler."
Daniel then walked out the door, leaving Chandler alone in his room on the tour bus. Chandler heard the engine start up and felt the bus start to pull out of the parking lot of the concert arena. He sighed, leaning back once more and turning the TV on, hoping to catch Joey in some televised work he had done recently, even if it was a commercial. It was the only way he was able to keep up to date with any of his old friends. He sat there staring at the TV, not being able to help wondering if the gang ever wondered about him.
"It has been a year since they broke up! She needs to get over it!" Ross said worriedly.
"She's tried going on dates, but they all end up horribly. She refuses to go on any date that we set up." Rachel added.
Phoebe walked over from the counter in Central Perk and sat down in the chair to the left of the couch where Joey, Ross, and Rachel were sitting. "We don't know what was said, or even what they broke up over. Sure she needs to move on eventually, but we don't know how badly she's hurt."
Joey looked at the other three. "Are none of you worried about how Chandler's doing? He and Monica were close to begin with, and got even closer while they dated. He had to have been crushed as well."
The other three shook their heads, and looked slightly ashamed. They had gotten used to Joey making insightful comments when the topic was Monica and Chandler. He, apart from Monica, was probably the one who knew their former friend the best.
"Well he's doing pretty well for himself." Ross said trying to justify his shortsightedness.
"Yeah, sold out concerts, selling millions of albums…" Rachel added.
"Joey, if he were and actor, he'd be like, a top a-lister. He is completely and utterly famous." Phoebe said softly, for she had a feeling she knew where Joey was going with this.
"Have any of you even listened to the lyrics of his songs? He writes them himself you know; he said so in an interview. Plus, is he dating anyone? Has he since he broke up with Monica? No! We would know! It would be all over E! and the tabloids." Joey said.
Recognition suddenly dawned on the other three, but it was Ross who put words to it.
"The only difference between he and Mon is that he has found an outlet. His music is the way for him to deal with this…and the lyrics allow him to verbalize his emotion. Monica's only coping mechanism is to clean and cook, none of which involve expressing emotion."
It took Joey a bit of time to work through the much more sophisticated version of what he had been alluding to, but when he finally did, he nodded his agreement. He then dug into his coat pocket, tossing the CD of Chandler's latest album on the coffee table.
"Ross, lets go to your place so Monica doesn't hear. You guys need to hear this." Joey said with a soft yet firm voice.
Phoebe looked cautiously at Rachel, knowing she would be reluctant to go behind Monica's back and listen to his album. Rachel was the only one who hadn't bothered to even follow his career out of loyalty to Monica, though whether it was misguided loyalty, they didn't know.
Rachel felt Phoebe's gaze on her, and finally caved.
"Fine, I'll listen to his album…I feel bad though. It's wrong to do this behind Mon's back."
Ross sighed resignedly, finally realizing that this was what his friends had gone through during he and Rachel's first break up…except to a lesser degree, because Chandler wasn't really vying for their time. He went up to the counter to pay for their drinks and then walked out of Central Perk and across the street to his apartment building, his friends close behind.
Ross unlocked the door to his apartment and walked in, making a beeline for the window so he could close the drapes.
Meanwhile, Joey was inserting the CD into the player, and suddenly Chandler's voice filled the room. It wasn't quite the voice they had known, apart from the obvious fact that he was singing instead of speaking. The one song that came on first sounded almost angry as well as hurt. It was titled: What We Have Become.
All those years
One day changes everything, and
Gone and your life and the passion fades away
Saving for something
That you'll never see in your days
Shutting out everything that you need
(Looking through distorted eyes)
Beautiful disaster
(Adding up a million lies)
So much for "Ever after"
Building up your wall
Everything you wanted
Fit the pieces into holes we used to crowd away
Giving in or leaving this now
Now we have what we have become
All the tears
We never thought we'd see the day when
The trappings of your life would seem to disappear
Goin' through the vacancy you leave behind
Not what you have promised,
Not what you believed
(Looking through distorted eyes)
Beautiful disaster
(Adding up a million lies)
So much for "ever after"
Building up your wall
Everything you wanted
Fit the pieces into holes we used to crowd away
Finding out the truth, when nothing really matters
Chase the light that's blinding even as you crowd away
Giving in or leaving this now
Now we have what we have become
Now you fight to ease your pain
Now you know it's not the way out
Now you know it's not the way out
Not the way out
Building up your wall
Everything you wanted
Fit the pieces into holes we used to crowd away
Finding out the truth, when nothing really matters
Chase the light that's blinding even as you crowd away
Giving in or leaving this now
Now we have what we have become
Giving in or leaving this now
Now we have what we have become
They all stood stunned as they listened to Chandler singing on the CD, his voice clearly showing his pain and anger. But what chilled them the most was just how completely Chandler the lyrics were.
Rachel stood shaking, and upon closer inspection she was crying slightly. "What could they have possibly broken up over that left such devastation for both of them?"
The music seemed to fade into the background as they all looked at each other. None of them could seem to find a suitable answer for the question. Finally, Phoebe looked to Joey. He was the only one who had listened to all the albums, and followed Chandler's career the moment it broke through. "Are they all this pained and angry Joey?"
Joey shook his head softly, as though he were thinking about his friend who he knew so well. "No. I think I can hear him in different stages for each song. Like, I think I can tell his mood and thoughts he had when the song came to him. Some of them I don't think he fully believes, but felt that way at the time."
Ross looked at Joey oddly. "When did you become such a philosopher Joe?"
Joey glanced at Ross, "A what?"
"And he's back." Rachel managed to say with a smile, until she realized how that was something Chandler would have said at that moment. She sniffed slightly before getting enough nerve to voice her question. "Do you think he ever misses us?"
At that moment, the one song that truly always got Joey came on, and he knew it the moment the first note was strummed. "I wish he would." He whispered to himself.
I'm staring out into the night,
Trying to hide the pain.
I'm going to the place where love
And feeling good don't ever cost a thing.
And the pain you feel's a different kind of pain.
Well I'm going home,
Back to the place where I belong,
And where your love has always been enough for me.
I'm not running from.
No, I think you got me all wrong.
I don't regret this life I chose for me.
But these places and these faces are getting old,
So I'm going home.
Well I'm going home.
The miles are getting longer, it seems,
The closer I get to you.
I've not always been the best man or friend for you.
But your love remains true.
And I don't know why.
You always seem to give me another try.
So I'm going home,
Back to the place where I belong,
And where your love has always been enough for me.
I'm not running from.
No, I think you got me all wrong.
I don't regret this life I chose for me.
But these places and these faces are getting old,
Be careful what you wish for,
'Cause you just might get it all.
You just might get it all,
And then some you don't want.
Be careful what you wish for,
'Cause you just might get it all.
You just might get it all, yeah.
Oh, well I'm going home,
Back to the place where I belong,
And where your love has always been enough for me.
I'm not running from.
No, I think you got me all wrong.
I don't regret this life I chose for me.
But these places and these faces are getting old.
I said these places and these faces are getting old,
So I'm going home.
I'm going home.
At that, the CD ended, and all of the friends were left with tears in their eyes. To most it may have just been a song with a beautiful message. But to the four who stood listening to it were hearing their disappeared friend's voice, crying of loneliness and sorrow, a wistfulness for it to be the truth. They were unable to stop from breaking down, left missing their friend who had had a terrible childhood and came out with a relatively few emotional scars. But the scars had led to new scars…and they were left remembering Chandler's face when he spoke to them before he left, the pain and betrayal; the utter heartbreak, all causing his voice to shake as he said farewell, and his explanation for leaving.
AN/Disclaimer: As usual, I do not own FRIENDS; I do not own Daughtry or their songs. The songs used were What We Have Become by Daughtry and Home by Daughtry.