Encore

An Alternate Universe Mondler Fan fiction

Chapter 8:

It had been almost a week since Chandler had confronted Monica, and the awkwardness had in no way subsided. He had taken to disappearing into his room for hours spread throughout the day, writing and playing music. Occasionally he joined his friends at Central Perk, doing his best to ignore the persistent and throbbing pain he felt whenever he was around Monica; after all, he didn't make his friends choose between them before, and he wasn't planning to now.

Thankfully, today was one of the days where there weren't many paparazzi hanging out by the entrance to the gang's favorite hangout or by the entrance to the old brownstone that housed their apartments. It was something none but Chandler had expected. Chandler was completely at ease with the cameras flashing and people yelling out to him, but his friends weren't. Perhaps the most ill at ease was Monica. She wasn't used to all the attention, and certainly wasn't used to the fact Chandler was famous.

Chandler opened the door to Central Perk and the little bell rung; a recent addition that he wasn't sure he liked. Closing the door behind him, he made his way to the counter, ordering a cappuccino before sitting down on the ratty orange couch he knew so well.

It wasn't long before the chatter that accompanied the arrival of the rest of gang poured through the door and for a brief moment, Chandler was transported back to a time just over a year ago. He couldn't have been happier…Monica and he had long since said their 'I love you-s' and in truth, their relationship couldn't have been better. The entire gang was sitting on the couch in Central Perk. Monica was sitting next to him, and his arm was wrapped around her, pulling her closer. He relished the feel of having her so close to him, knowing she was his, and he was hers.

The beautiful illusion was shattered just as quickly, and replaced by the typical throbbing pain that accompanied the presence of Monica. He cast a glance at her, and had to swallow a surge of feelings so intense and conflicting, he was certain he was going to choke on them. He didn't understand how he could be so deeply, madly in love with her, while feeling an all-consuming sense of anger and betrayal as well.

In an attempt to cover his inner turmoil, he took a sip of his coffee, using that brief moment of reprieve to set his façade, just in time for his friends to sit down on the couch beside him, Monica taking a seat in one of the chairs.

He felt guilty for his sense of relief that Monica seemed as uncomfortable and unwilling to make eye contact as he. They both studied the contents of their coffee mugs, desperately trying to stay calm.

Their friends seemed oblivious to the tension and discomfort of the two exes, continuing the easy and good-natured banter as though nothing was wrong.

"Wait, so let me get this straight," Ross said grinning, "You, Joey Tribbiani, got turned down by a woman?"

"How was I supposed to know that I had food all over my face?" Joey replied defensively.

At this point, Chandler couldn't help but step in.

"How couldn't you know? You devoured an entire box of barbequed meats!" he paused a moment for emphasis, "With EXTRA sauce!"

At a loss for a defense Joey turned Chandler, "At least I had the nerve to talk to her, funny man! We all know what you would have said!" Joey retorted, making an unintelligible noise to mock Chandler.

Chandler quickly backed down, his face reddening in embarrassment as he went back to studying his coffee.

Meanwhile, Monica was listening to the conversation and was hit by an indescribable jealously and sense of discomfort at the mere indication of Chandler possibly asking someone else out. She knew it was unwarranted, and the situation posed was completely hypothetical, but she couldn't help it…and that bothered her. She cast a furtive glance at Chandler when she was sure he wasn't looking, desperately trying to decipher the wealth of emotions that consumed her whenever he was around.

Of course it would be just her luck for him to look up. When their eyes met the air of awkwardness returned, and they both blushed, looking back down at their coffees.

The look on Chandler's face seemed more a cross of a grimace and a grin than anything else. He longed for the days when he and Monica could stand to be around each other…before that woman at his office decided to target him and ultimately ruin the only good thing in his life at the time.

His managers always told him that it was good he was single, that it was much more marketable, but all that did was remind him that he and Monica were no more.

He sighed. No matter how far his thoughts wandered, they always led back to Monica. She still dominated his heart and mind twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. He just wished she would give him the benefit of the doubt; that she would listen to his side of the story without her bias. He frowned for a moment before clearing his throat and quickly rising to his feet.

"Sorry to drink and run, but despite the stimulating conversation and palpable tension, I'm gonna head out."

The others turned to him, surprised. But Monica quickly looked back to her coffee; well aware that she was the reason he was leaving. Once again, guilt flooded through her as she longed to go back to the night of their conversation nearly a week ago. She didn't know why she had shown such disregard for his attempt to tell her his side of the story; and looking back, she couldn't understand why she had been so quick to believe the other woman. Chandler had never been the one cheating…he was always the one being cheated on.

With that realization, she announced she was taking her leave before rising to her feet and making her way out the doors. She knew without a doubt that Chandler would have gone back up to his room in his old apartment to play guitar and sing.

She walked into apartment 19 without bothering to knock. She paused when she heard the strumming of a beautiful steel string acoustic and a melodious voice accompanying it. There's no way that's Chandler, she thought, but the more she listened, she realized it was in fact him. She thought back to the few times before they had broken, or even gotten together for that matter, that he had sang in front of any of them. She realized he had always had a nice voice, but it had never been pushed to its limit. She sighed, reluctantly approaching the door, unwilling to let the music end. She paused once more, taking a deep breath before softly knocking on the door.

AN/Disclaimer: So, once again, I'm saying sorry for the time between updates, but I'm finding myself only being able to come up with little bits at a time for the most part. Anyway, not that this matters to any of you, but I'm taking this class, well, more of a five-day workshop, about writing, directing, and acting in plays. Or just writing, directing, and acting in general, but we only have access to a stage. Anywho, thanks for sticking with the story. I'm sorry that I don't give direct shoutouts to reviewers, but I tried that once, and, well, I tend to be too tired to take all the necessary steps. To prove my point, I just finished writing this at 11:05PM EST, and have been getting up at like 7:30AM-ish. So it is safe to say I'm exhausted. And if there are any parents reading this, please, let me speak for your teens or future teens, don't make them get up before at least 11:00AM during the summer…it just doesn't feel right.

Now to the depressing part…I don't own FRIENDS, and, let's face it, probably never will.