Episodes: Somewhere between The One With Phoebe's Wedding (10x12) and The One Where Joey Speaks French (10x13)
"Hey guys!"
"Hey Ross." Monica smiled happily the second she saw her brother with her niece.
"Hi Sweetie!" Rachel immediately stood up from her spot on the couch, greeting her daughter with a lovely smile on her face.
"Hello to you to, Mommy. We missed you at the playground today." Ross voiced Emma's possible thoughts.
Chandler waited for the fussing to stop, then he intervened, "What are you guys doing tonight?"
"There's a documentary about the life of Howard Hughes that I really wanted to watch, so I guess I'm staying home, considering that I have the evening for myself." Ross explained, still holding Emma's tiny fingers in his hands.
Chandler quipped, "Stodgy." With a loud cough.
After noticing Ross glaring at him, Monica smiled at her husband and Rachel chuckled, entertained by Chandler's joke.
"As much as I lo-ooove this idea, we were planning to go to The Small Jazz Club." Chandler proposed.
"Who's playing?" Ross asked.
"There's no live music tonight, but I thought we could go out for a drink, since it's just the four of us." Chandler clarified.
Phoebe was still on her honeymoon and Joey was at his family house for the monthly dinner with his parents and sisters.
"I'd love to, but I have Emma tonight." Came Rachel's response.
"Well, I could drop Emma off at my Mom's" Ross suggested, touching Rachel's arm to get her attention. "She could stay overnight, so that you can come with us."
"That would be so sweet, thank you, Ross!"
Rachel's smile was so contagious that Ross chuckled in response. The two of them didn't notice that Monica and Chandler were exchanging a knowing glance.
Ross took Emma in his lap, "So, Sweetie, would you like to go and visit Grandma Judy, uh?"
To the sound of her grandmother's name, Emma emitted an adorable giggle.
Ross chuckled along with his daughter, "Looks like we all agree about the accommodation."
Rachel caressed her daughter's cheeks, "Ok, then I'm going to get ready."
"See you later, say…8.30?" Chandler arranged their meeting.
"Ok." Rachel walked towards the door with Ross and Emma in tow.
"I'll see you right there after I get back from Mom and Dad's." Ross informed.
"Later." Monica waved goodbye.
She waited a couple of minutes to be sure that Ross and Rachel had indeed left, then she addressed herself to Chandler.
"Have you noticed the chemistry between them, lately?"
"Who? Ross and Rachel? What's new?" Chandler sneered.
Monica shrugged, "Well, you know, after the whole Joey thing…I thought they wouldn't get along anymore, but it looks to me that they are even cozier than before!"
Chandler nodded in agreement, "Maybe, yeah."
"I should talk with Rachel. Maybe she wants to go back and live with Ross!" Monica yelled.
Chandler shook his head, "You know, after walking around half the city with Ross trying to get back at Rachel, searching for women to flirt with – extremely badly, I must say…I don't think the idea of the umpteenth fiasco between them is so tempting."
Monica shook her head slowly, "Perhaps you're right, but…I don't know, don't you feel this fresh wind blowing? I want to know what it is. You think you can find a moment to get away with Ross, later, so that I can speak with Rachel alone?"
Chandler wiggled his eyebrows at her, "Yeah, I can figure something out."
"Thank you, honey."
"Ok, but please, promise me you won't start meddling again."
"Do I look like a meddler to you?" Monica whined.
"Phoebe and Mike got married because YOU called and order him to get to Barbados!" Chandler scolded his wife.
Monica just opened her mouth, caught in the act.
Rachel, Chandler and Monica already had a seat when Ross joined them at the club.
"Hey! Was it so much traffic?" Rachel wondered, welcoming Ross's arrival with a beaming smile on her face.
"No, no…It was Emma, she didn't want to let me go, she kept calling me back." Ross spelled out.
"Can you blame her for loving her fantastic daddy so much?" Rachel asked rhetorically.
When Ross smiled shyly at her, Monica and Chandler exchanged another knowing look. Chandler realized that maybe Monica had a point.
"So, Ross, let's go and order."
Monica secretly smiled to herself, and then she waited for Ross and Chandler to reach the counter.
"So, Rach. It's been a while since we've spent some time you and me, uh?" Rachel nodded with a tender smile. "How's life going since – well, after you broke up with Joey? We never really talked about it."
Rachel just shrugged, "Yeah, because there was nothing to really talk about, honey." She explained. "You already know what happened."
"Are you sure you're completely over him?" Monica questioned her.
"Absolutely." Rachel nodded vigorously. "It was stupid to start things up with Joey; we are too good as friends to go down that road. And he thinks so too."
"I'm glad that you're fine about that. But…to be honest, that's not what I wanted to talk about. Lately I've noticed that you have kind of a…connection…with my brother – again."
Rachel was caught by surprise by her friend's statement, but she didn't feel like denying what Monica was saying. And Monica, for her part, knew her best friend pretty well. When Rachel didn't answer, Monica smirked smugly.
"Come on, Rach. We've lived together for six years, I've known you for like, two decades. I can still read your verbal language and demeanor."
Rachel didn't want to concede anything, "Well, just so you know, after that whole Tribbiani failure, having feelings for Ross is the last thing I want. I don't think this is the time to even think about it. And come on, you know very well that we've closed that door definitively."
"So you have no more feelings for my brother?"
"No." Rachel confirmed.
"Not even if he proposed to move back in with him?"
"No, what are you talking about?" Rachel almost shout.
"You're saying that you didn't make a sigh of relief when he broke up with Charlie?"
"No-ooo." Rachel betrayed herself.
Monica chuckled for her quick answer, Rachel simpered back at her. With her fast questions, Monica had gotten the response she was waiting for.
Of course, Rachel had always been jealous of Ross's girlfriends, even if they were not together. And this meant that she still had lingering feelings for him.
"Mon, I don't like it when Ross dates other women, and you know it. But this time, I thought that Charlie might be the one for him, I was genuinely happy for him."
Monica looked at her in astonishment, "Wow. You've grown. So you had no crazy thoughts about Charlie's hair? No desire to boycott her, at all?"
Rachel laughed heartily, "Well, I might have passed that phase just a tiny little, especially after my break-up with Joey." Monica laughed. "But the truth is, I don't know what I could find from Ross's part, you know? I'm afraid it's just past. End of discussion."
Monica couldn't believe her ears. Had Rachel really abandoned the idea of ever getting back together with Ross?
Rachel sighed, "I just hope that our relationship continues like that, because you're right, we're in tune with each other, we get along very well. And of course, Emma is affected positively by our mature behavior."
Monica nodded in agreement with her, even if she wasn't completely convinced by Rachel's words.
§
"So, Ross, are you going to tell me what's up with you and Rachel?"
"What do you mean?" Ross asked his friend.
"You know, the sweet talking, and the lovey-dovey…" Chandler prodded him.
"Lovey-dovey?!" Ross said harshly.
"You offering to go and drop Emma at your mom's…"
"You're way off track, Chan."
"And then Rachel saying that you're a fantastic daddy…"
Ross shrugged, "That's just something you say."
"And the way she smiled when you got here?"
Ross abandoned his previous attitude and tittered, "She smiled, didn't she?"
Chandler chortled along, "Let me get this straight, it's seven years ago or I imagine things?"
Ross shook his head, "Honestly, I don't know. We get along very well, lately. And I'm glad, especially after that huge fight we had over that – that Gavin guy."
"And Joey." Chandler went further.
"You know, when Joey and Rachel came to my house that night –"
"You mean the Chicago night?"
Ross glared at his best friend. "I can't believe Joey told you!"
Chandler smirked and urged Ross to keep talking.
"Well, anyway, I thought it was over. That's why I tried to give a chance to me and Charlie…I wanted to accept Joey and Rachel together so much, I mean, Joey is my best friend."
This time, Chandler glared suspiciously at Ross.
"Present company excluded."
"Seems fair." He smiled, reassured.
Ross turned around to look at the girls, noticing that Rachel and Monica were laughing at something. He sighed heavily, "I was letting her go, Chandler. If she must end up with somebody else, who better than Joey, I thought. And then, when I found out how they immediately broke up…I was…"
"Relieved?" Chandler inquired with gentle concern.
"Yes. Am I to blame?"
"Did you tell Rachel?"
"No, I was still with Charlie back then. We kind of have a short conversation about it, but I didn't want to get too much into it."
"You think that she decided to end things with Joey because of you?"
Ross was a little taken aback by this possibility, "God, I hope not. I'd hate being the reason of her unhappiness. Both of them told me that it was their decision, that I had nothing to do with it."
Chandler nodded in agreement, "I had the same feeling. But if you want a little tip, even from the man who can't give advice, talk with Rachel about this. I mean, you're getting along so well, it seems just logical to clarify things."
Ross patted him on his back, "I will think about it."
§
Rachel and Monica welcomed Ross and Chandler with pleased smiles when they came back with the cocktails.
"What did you get?" Rachel inquired gently.
"Margarita for both of us, of course." Ross returned, simply stating a fact.
"Are you sure? After what happened the last time…"
Ross gave a half smile, "This time we have our own glass already filled."
Rachel chuckled at the memory of Ross's Mexican dinner during that embarrassing double date with Joey and Charlie. He had drunk two batches of Margaritas on his own.
Monica and Chandler were spectators of this funny banter until they heard the voice of a man speaking into a microphone.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the How Well You Know Me night for couples!"
The four of them exchanged questioning looks.
"The couple who wins gets a free dinner over the next week, so…Partner up and play!"
Monica's smile widened the second she heard the host talking about winning something.
"Let's play!" she begged Chandler.
"Honey, we have company!" he nodded in Ross and Rachel's direction.
Monica had an epiphany, "They can play, too!"
"Monica!" Rachel scolded her.
"I know, I know, you're not a couple now, but you've been for a whole year, and you know each other enough to face the game! It's gonna be fun!" she tried and convince them.
Rachel glanced tentatively at Ross.
"What?" he asked.
Rachel shrugged, "If it's ok for you, then we can play. It could be fun, you know, beating these two." she nodded in Monica and Chandler's direction.
Monica glared at her friend, "Are you challenging me, Green? No couple in the whole world works better than me and Chandler!"
She knew that Ross and Rachel would think that her usual competitive self was speaking, but all she wanted to do was tickling Ross's sense of rivalry.
"Oh yeah?" Ross interjected. "Well, then Rachel and I will play. And if we beat you, you must admit that Rachel and I know each other better than you know your husband!"
Chandler watched the exchange without saying a word, noticing that Monica was thinking this through.
"Oh…" she pretended to be scared. "Deal!"
Chandler hit his head with his own hand, "Mon – "
His wife silenced him with a nod, and he understood that Monica was up to something. Probably something to do with Ross and Rachel.
"Ok, raise your hand if you're playing, please." The host announced.
Monica and Rachel did as they were asked.
"Now, men and women must split up. So please, men, come this way."
While a multitude of guys stood up following the host instructions, a girl that was probably in her twenties began to walk around the tables to hand over a paper to the people who had raised their hands.
"My assistant Lindsay will give a list of 50 questions to all the participants. You'll find questions about yourself, your partner, or even your relationship. You must answer all these questions and give your forms back to her. During the game we will draw 30 random questions from this list; you'll be invited to write your answer on these white boards with a marker. Single questions about your partner will get you one point, questions about the couple will be worth two points, since you must both answer."
"Oh my god, this is so exciting!" Monica yelled. Rachel laughed at her reaction.
"Two teams with fewer points will be excluded every five questions." The host continued. "The couple with more points after the last question wins."
"Why I have the feeling that this game is going to be the cause of my divorce?" Chandler asked Ross.
His friend laughed in response, "I'll give you my lawyer's number."
"Ok, the first random question is…" the host put his hand inside a huge box, mixing the little pieces of papers with the questions taken from the form.
"What's your partner favorite drink?" the host read out loud.
All the people in the room wrote their answers on the boards; more than twenty couples were participating.
After giving them thirty seconds, the host instructed them to stop writing. Then, with Lindsay's help, he inquired couple after couple, asking them to turn their boards to read the answers. After showing what they had written, the assistant always checked the answers given in the questionnaires.
Even if the question was relatively easy, a few people in the room gave an incorrect answer. When Chandler and Monica's turn came, the host asked them to turn their boards.
The host read Chandler's answer, "'Scotch on the rocks, with a twist'. Lindsay, is that right?"
The assistant nodded.
"What about Monica?" the host asked.
"Chandler's favorite drink is 'Boddington's', Dom." She reported.
"Wow, so Monica and Chandler score two points, well done guys!"
Ross and Rachel's turn was as successful as the previous one. They both had written 'Margarita' on their boards, and Lindsay confirmed that they were right.
After the last couple was checked, the host drew the second question.
"Wow, this is much more difficult. Double question, 2 points worth. Which is your partner's favorite kiss?"
Monica and Rachel exchanged views about this question.
"I think that Chandler really loves the first time that we kissed after coming back from London." Monica supposed.
§
"I know for sure, Monica's favorite was that time we kissed before I left for Tulsa." Chandler smiled lovingly at the memory.
§
"Ok, I know mine." Rachel sighed. "But it's hard to think about Ross's favorite kiss…we never spoke about it."
"Well, maybe it's that time you kissed at Central Perk. I remember how excited you were when you came back that night." Monica tried and help her friend.
Rachel shook her head, not convinced "I don't think so."
§
After being quiet for a while, Ross finally wrote something. Chandler peeked at his friend's board. "Did she tell you that?" he asked Ross.
"No." Ross stated quietly.
"Then how do you know?" Chandler smiled jokingly.
"I just know." Ross commented, even if Chandler was still skeptical.
§
Rachel took the last ten seconds to ponder the question, hard. If she thought about it, it was after the whole prom video thing that they had become a couple. That had been an unexpected kiss, which she had initiated. And Ross was so delighted after she had made up her mind…
She nodded with satisfaction and scribbled her answer fast.
After reading the answers of the first few couples, the host checked Chandler and Monica's, which turned out to be correct.
"And with these two points, you are leading the rank!" the host declared.
Monica winked at Chandler from her spot. He was literally beaming with self-respect.
"Now, Lindsay would you read Ross's answer to us?"
Lindsay looked through Ross's questionnaire and she found his answer, "I don't know what this means, Dom, but he wrote, 'The one she gave me after the Prom Video'."
"Rachel." Dominic called her. "Would you turn your board?"
Rachel was as red as a jalapeño when her answer was showed.
She had only written two words in capital letters.
'PROM VIDEO'
As the people in the room clapped at them and the host wowed with excitement, Ross and Rachel got lost in each other's gaze. Just smirking, without saying anything.
The significance of those two words meant everything to them.
"Let's see if Ross is as good. Lindsay, what was Rachel's favorite kiss?"
"She wrote, 'When we kissed after the fat'. Ok, this is even weirder than the previous one." Lindsay commented with laughter.
All the people in the room chuckled at that, but Chandler was looking seriously at Ross, already knowing what was written on his board.
Ross turned it slowly, a proud smile already plastered on his face.
'The one after the fat'.
During the loud applause, the host noticed the longing look that Ross and Rachel were exchanging.
"Well, I think we'd like to know something more about this fat story, seems funny!"
Ross's smile faded a bit, he wanted to avoid getting into detail, "Maybe another time…"
All he could think about was that even if they hadn't been a couple in something like six years, maybe they still had it.
"Ross, how did you know?" Chandler questioned him again, too curious to let go.
Ross shrugged with a sweet smile on his face, "I didn't know, I just…felt it."
On the other side of the room, Monica looked at Rachel, "So, you've closed that door definitively? End of discussion?" Monica quoted her previous statements.
Rachel was still too shaken to reply.
"You two never spoke about this, and yet you both guessed. It's not for everyone. All the other couples in this room got it wrong!"
Rachel nodded ruefully, "I know."
"Ok, let's keep the game going!" Dominic announced. "The third question is…'Your partner's most hated relative'!"
"Ok, this should be easy." Rachel stated.
As usual, Monica and Chandler guessed their respective answers. She had mentioned Aunt Sylvia, whereas Chandler's response was his cousin Larry's wife, Claire.
Ross and Rachel guessed both answers too. Ross's noticeable hate for his Aunt Millie (who kept kissing him on the lips) made it easy for Rachel to write her answer. And Ross knew that Rachel really disliked her Uncle Frank, Leonard Green's brother.
"How come Ross knew about this Uncle Frank thing? He always looked like an exquisite person to me." Monica questioned Rachel.
"Well…I used to like him a lot, then there was this lunch at my father's, Ross and I were invited, and so was Uncle Frank. He lashed out at Ross the whole time we were there, supporting my father's stupid jokes. I haven't spoken to him since."
Monica's wavering grin became more consistent, "Is that so, uh?"
§
"He's a jerk!" Ross whined.
"Ok, but…who's the man? Rachel never mentioned him."
Ross just shrugged, "Another long story for another time."
Chandler simply nodded.
After fifteen questions, only seven teams were still competing.
"Ok, so the new rank shows Monica and Chandler in first place, one point ahead of Ross and Rachel."
The four friends exchanged satisfied looks.
"Now, let's move on with another question." The host mixed the remaining papers in his box.
"Wow, I always like this one. Double question, so two points. 'What is the first film you watched together at the cinema?'"
Rachel looked at Ross, noticing with some nervousness that he was already writing his answer, a soft expression on his face.
Hoping that Ross's answer would be the right one, she smiled too as she wrote, while a very old memory resurfaced.
§§§
"Mon, come on, I really want to see the movie!"
"Rach, I want to go to the cinema too, but my mom and dad aren't home!"
Rachel and Monica had already bought tickets to go and watch 'Back to the future', but Judy and Jack hadn't come back from their Bingo night, yet. It was getting late; they were going to miss the movie.
"Shoot, what are we going to do?" Rachel whined.
"Uhm, I could go with you."
The two girls turned around, noticing a very blushed Ross wearing a ridiculously nerdy Ramones t-shirt.
"Ross, you'd take us?" Rachel asked her friends's brother, a huge grin appearing on her face.
If possible, Ross got even redder.
"Uhm, su – sure. I wanted to watch that movie, in any case." He stammered.
Rachel approached him and grabbed Ross's arms, "Thank you!" she said, grateful.
"Ok, fine…" Monica grumped. "You won't sit next to us, will you?"
Ross cast her an annoyed look, "No, don't worry."
Even if the girls ended up sitting in the penultimate row, with Monica begging Ross to sit as far as he could from them, he couldn't help but think that Rachel Green had smiled at him.
§§§
"So, it looks like Ross and Rachel guessed this one, too!" Dominic commented after checking their answers with Lindsay.
"Yep, those two are a humdinger!" the assistant agreed.
"Yes, you must be a very devoted couple."
Ross and Rachel just waited for the game to move on, trying to ignore the pang of regret in their stomachs.
"Ok, Chandler, what did you write?"
Chandler's board content caused Monica to stop smiling.
"What?" she screamed. "'Life is beautiful'?!"
"Oh, it looks like we have the first mistake for Chandler and Monica!" the host taunted them.
"Monica, what was your answer?"
Monica turned her board with a scoff, showing her answer: 'The Silence of the Lambs'.
"Well, this is weird. How come you wrote two movies released in such different moments?" Dominic wondered.
"Well, mine is the first movie we watched together when Chandler moved in to live in the apartment in front of mine." Monica explained.
Chandler closed his eyes, understanding his mistake.
"What about you, Chandler?" the host asked.
"I misinterpreted the question. I thought the first movie we watched together – as a couple."
"We've known each other for long before getting together." Monica explained with a tender smile, forgetting about Chandler's mistake.
The people in the room heartened them with supportive ahws.
"My bad, sorry." Chandler stated.
"Well, you are still in second place, one point behind Ross and Rachel. I'm afraid the other teams are a bit further behind, but we only are halfway through the game!" Lindsay said with excitement.
"Ok, sixteenth question." The host announced. "'Which is your partner's biggest fear or pet peeve?'"
"Oh, so easy for us." Rachel said to Monica.
After a round of scribblings, the host checked the participant's answers. When the gang's turn came, all of them knew that they would score all the points.
"So, Chandler's biggest fear is… 'Michael Flatley, Lord of the Dance'?"
''Correct." Lindsay checked, making all the people in the room laughing.
"Ok, and Monica's?"
Chandler turned his board, revealing that his wife couldn't stand animals dressed as humans.
"Exactly."
"Well done. What about Ross and Rachel?"
"He hates spiders." Lindsay read through his questionnaire.
Rachel turned her board, feigning a yawn to let the other people in the room understand how easy she had found this question.
Ross chuckled at that, showing his board in response.
'Fish'.
"What? Rachel is scared of fish?" the host asked, incredulous.
"Yes, she is!" Lindsay confirmed.
When he noticed that Chandler and Ross were discussing something with lots of laughter, the host intervened, "What's so funny?"
"Well, this was actually one of the categories of a quiz that Ross made up when the three of us were betting to switch our apartments." Chandler explained.
"Who won?" Dominic asked, intrigued.
"I did." Chandler grinned from ear to ear.
"So you're telling us that you people already had a How well you know me quiz?"
Ross shook his head, feeling nostalgic. "It was a long time ago."
After a while, the four friends were now at first place together again because Ross and Rachel had lost one point for the question 'How old was your partner when he/she had the first kiss?'.
Rachel was very upset to find out that she had written 17 (Ross was in 12th grade when he made out with the librarian, Mrs. Altman) and Ross, on the contrary, had answered 18 (thinking about his first kiss at college).
Rachel had raised her eyebrows in surprise, narrowing her eyes thoughtfully. When she caught Ross's gaze from the other side of the room, he had an amused look on his face.
"Liar." She had mouthed.
He had just nodded, hissing back, "I know."
"With only 10 questions remaining, we are left with five couples. Chandler and Monica lead the rank together with Ross and Rachel. And the next question is…"
The audience waited for the host to gather the next piece of paper from the box.
"Wow, this is always the ladies' favorite question!" he screamed. "'If you are married, where did he propose? And if you're not, where do you think he would like to propose?'"
Monica knew she had a secure point ahead of her when she filled her board with the answer. What surprised her, though, was Rachel's security while she wrote her own.
"Our apartment, too easy." Monica yelled, turning her board.
"Correct." Lindsay smiled.
"Wow, very unique, Chandler!" Dominic taunted him.
Chandler looked bother, "That was romantic as hell!" he defended himself.
"I have no doubt." Dom joked. "Ok, one point for team Monica and Chandler." The host took note. "Now, I'm curious to see Rachel's answer, since we know that she and Ross aren't married."
Ross looked confident, sure that Rachel knew the answer.
§§§
"That proposal, at the planetarium…"
"I know, I know it was stupid." Ross apologized.
"Are you kidding?!" Rachel interjected. "With the, with the lilies, and-and the song, and the stars! It was…really wonderful! Did you just make that up?"
"No, actually I thought about it when, when we were going out. It's how I imagined I uh, I would ask you to marry me."
The very familiar sense of regret flooded in at the weight of that revelation.
"Well, that would've been very hard to say no too." she admitted, emotion evident in her voice.
"It's a good thing I didn't do it, because it sounds like it would've been a very expensive wedding." Ross joked.
§§§
"Why are you smiling?" Chandler asked his friend.
"Because she knows." Ross responded without taking his eyes off from Rachel.
Rachel turned her board around, showing the word she had written.
'PLANETARIUM'
Two seconds later, Lindsay read Ross's answer from his paper, "'Planetarium'."
This time, Ross and Rachel stared at each other intensely. Realizing that Rachel considered that moment to be important meant the world, to him.
After the 27th question, only three were missing.
"That's unbelievable, we still have three teams competing for winning. Chandler and Monica at first place, Ross and Rachel one point behind, and Lucille and John at third place three points behind." Dominic looked at Lindsay. "I think this is the funniest match we've had since we've been playing this game, isn't it?"
"Yeah…we usually have one couple who stands out, and the game ends around question 20. But tonight, we have three!"
"Well, let's see how they deal with the last three questions." The host stated. "Ok, question 28, ladies only. 'What's the first thing that comes to your mind when you think about the moment he said I love you for the first time?'"
After checking the first couple's answer, the host addressed himself to Monica.
"Ok, Monica wrote, 'Turkey on my head'."
People's reaction ranged from entertained to astonished, they emitted all kinds of laughter and loud noises picturing the scene.
"Well, by now we are used to this couple's craziness. Lindsay, what did Chandler write in his questionnaire?" Dominic consulter his assistant.
"Oh, no. He wrote 'Phoebe's bra'. Wait, who's Phoebe?" she wondered, shocked.
Chandler was mortified.
"What? Chandler that wasn't the first time you told me I love you!" Monica stood up, screaming at her husband.
"I'm sorry honey! I thought about our first real I love you!" he explained his choice.
"You suck!" she yelled, sitting again.
Rachel put a hand on her shoulder, patting her on the back with uncertainty.
The host gazed at him in disbelief for Monica's comeback.
"I love her so much." Chandler declared.
"I see." The host conceded. "Ok…let's move on. Lindsay, what was Ross's answer?"
"He wrote 'Scarsdale', Dom."
"Rachel? Would you turn your board?"
Rachel indulged his request gently, showing her board.
'Scarsdale'
"Wow! This takes Rachel and Ross at first place together with Chandler and Monica! Well done! Lucille, John, I'm sorry but you won't be able to win anymore, so your game is over."
The couple waved goodbye amid cheers from the people in the room, Ross complimented John by shaking hands with him.
"Lindsay, I want to spice this up. Can we see what would have happened if the question had been the other way round?" Dominic asked.
"Ok, Dom!" she chuckled, looking for Rachel's answer.
"Ross, wanna try and guess?" Ross nodded as the host kept talking. "You know; one may assume that the answer should be the same. But often couples exchange I love you's in different moments. Or they have very peculiar memories…So, Ross, what does Rachel thinks when she remembers the first time SHE said I love you?"
Ross thought carefully, looking at Rachel with his eyes narrowed.
"That she was holding Ben like a ball." He finally said quietly.
Rachel smiled to herself and Lindsay's face was enlightened by another smile.
"She wrote, 'Holding Ben like a ball'!" she yelled with excitement. "Ross, you are a genius!"
"And you're great, Rachel!" Dominic reinforced.
"Yes." Ross agreed, nodding slowly. "She is."
Rachel mouthed a soft thank you, grateful for his statement.
"Wow, is it hot in here?" the host asked his audience. "Penultimate question, ladies and gentlemen!"
"Can I pick, Dom?" Lindsay asked.
"Of course, my dear!"
Lindsay's hand rummaged through the box, choosing one piece of paper.
"Wow, they're going to love this one!" she shouted. "Question 29, men only. 'Her most humiliating moment'!"
"Come on, I could answer that!" Monica blamed Rachel. "Everybody knows that you left Barry at the altar!"
Rachel shook her head, "Uhm…that wasn't my answer."
Monica cast her a surprised look, "This just got interesting!" she said.
§
"So, you're letting these people know that Rachel ran away from her wedding?" Chandler inquired Ross.
"No, no…" Ross put his hand over his mouth. "That wasn't…uh." He struggled to remember. "There was this time that we talked about it, I'm trying to remember…she said…the only thing that tops was…oh, yes!" he snapped his fingers.
§
After the usual thirty seconds, the host addressed himself to Chandler.
"So, Chan. What did you write?"
He turned his board with a guilty expression on his face.
'When I called her fat'
Dominic was a bit taken aback, "Lindsay, is it correct?"
The assistant nodded, with a saddened and impressed look.
"You really called her fat?" the host asked.
Chandler, Ross, Rachel and Monica all nodded. And that was the moment that Dominic realized that the knowledge that these four people had about one other was beyond any expectation. And that was the reason why the game was so successful that night.
"I'm afraid I did."
"So, how did he win you over?" Dom asked Monica.
"That was the most humiliating moment of my life, but he also inspired me to resort to drastic measures. I went on a diet and I lost about 150 pounds."
"Wow!" Dominic exhaled.
"Yeah. I owe it to him." Monica smiled reassuringly at Chandler.
Ross stared at his sister, recognizing for the umpteenth time that she and Chandler were just perfect for each other.
"So, Ross. Can you show us your answer?"
'Singing Copa Cabana in front of the entire school'
"Ok, this is brand new information!" the host screamed. "Rachel, is that your most humiliating moment?"
Rachel nodded and Lindsay checked her response, "Yes, Dom!" the assistant confirmed.
"Well, okay. At this point, we got to hear you singing, Rachel!"
"No way!" she shook her head vigorously.
Dominic left his podium, "Come on!" he took Rachel by her hand, dragging her towards the center of the room.
Rachel took the microphone from his hands, noticing that Ross was winking at her.
She scoffed.
Her name was Lola, she was a showgirl
With yellow feathers in her hair and a dress cut down to there
She would merengue and do the cha-cha
And while she tried to be a star
Tony always tended bar
The people in the room were cheering out loud, amused by the scene. Monica wasn't laughing, though, because she remembered the last occasion in which Rachel had done the same thing. A little sigh escaped her lips as she recalled how great a couple her brother and best friend were. She tried not think about being with Richard at that time, so many things have changed in less than eight years.
Across the crowded floor, they worked from eight til four
They were young and they had each other
Who could ask for more?
At the copa, Copacabana
The hottest spot north of Havana
At the copa, Copacabana
Music and passion were always the fashion
At the copa, they fell in love
Monica wasn't the only one getting misty over that memory. Ross had watery eyes, too. thinking about Barry and Mindy's wedding always made him feel nostalgic and sorry, he couldn't help it. He made eye contact with his sister, who nodded at him empathically.
"Thank you, Rachel!" Dominic shouted. "You were great!" he let her go back sitting next to Monica.
"Ah, this question always gives satisfaction!" he extorted the usual fit of laughter from the audience.
"Ok, back to business, people! We've got one last question, after a long head-to-head with these two teams. And this thirtieth challenge decides winners and losers of this game. Chandler and Monica, or Ross and Rachel. They have the same score at this moment. If both the teams answer the next question correctly, we'll have a bonus round."
The four friends nodded, trying to stay concentrated.
"Ok, the last question of this game is always the same. It's the 50th request in the questionnaire. And you all need to answer to gain two points for your team." Dominic explained.
"'How many times did your partner fall in love?' Monica and Chandler, you're first."
Rachel and Monica exchanged a horrified look. That was the question they both secretly dreaded the most.
"Not easy. Uh?" Monica asked. "This is the first time I got to guess because I don't know the answer."
Monica focused on Chandler's former relationship. She was pretty sure that he'd been in love with Kathy, when they dated. But…did Chandler think the same, now?
She sighed heavily and wrote her answer on the board.
"Ok, time's up. Chandler, what did you write?"
Chandler turned his board, showing a huge '2'.
Monica smiled and nodded in approbation.
"I assume that's the correct answer, Lindsay?"
"Yes."
Chandler threw his fist in the air, glad that he had guessed.
This hasn't been hard, because he was there to see it. Before they got together, Monica had loved no one but Richard.
"So, Monica?"
Monica was tensed when she turned her board, showing her answer.
"Another two!" Dominic announced. "Lindsay is that right?"
Chandler shook his head, scoffing.
"Ops." Lindsay said. "Chandler's answer was three, Dom!"
"What? Who were you in love with?" Monica screamed.
"You always forget my first real girlfriend, Mon…" he replied.
"Oh, Janice!" she realized.
Monica always made this mistake. She never considered Janice as one of Chandler's former girlfriends because he hated her, now. But she forgot how much he cared about her, then.
"Well, one point could be enough…if either Ross or Rachel don't guess."
"I can't believe I got this wrong!" Monica wailed.
"You should thank Janice! If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't know how to be in a relationship. She provided the groundwork for my growth." Chandler smirked.
Monica was so upset that she emitted an annoying cackle, imitating Janice.
"Oh, my, God!" Chandler mimicked her catchphrase.
They smiled at each other, both fully aware that being more in love than that was almost impossible.
Chandler stood up and went straight to his wife; the game was over, so they could sit together.
"Don't worry, they can't guess. How could they possibly know this? They had so many other people in their life…" Monica reassured Chandler.
"Ok, Ross, Rachel, it's your turn. You have a minute."
Ross was on his own, lost in his thoughts. It wasn't easy to answer, maybe because he didn't actually want to.
He knew that Rachel had a few stupid crushes when she was in high school. He also knew that she never really loved Barry, as much as he refused to believe that she could ever love a lame guy like Paolo.
Making a mental leap, he considered what happened after them. Joshua, Paul, Tag…those relationships were far too insignificant to really mean something to Rachel.
And then, finally, Joey.
Had Rachel been in love with Joey? Or was that just attraction, seeing the way that whole story had ended?
He decided to risk everything, because this wasn't a game anymore. He needed to know if he still knew Rachel that well.
Rachel was as confused as Ross, maybe even more. She knew that Ross loved Carol during their marriage, and she really didn't want to think about how much in love with herself he'd been. Over the last years, Ross had been involved in a few relationships. Elizabeth, Mona, Charlie. But Rachel was confident that he never loved those women. The real issue was only one. Emily.
Rachel knew that Ross hadn't had enough time to love Emily as much as he worshipped herself. But she was positive that at some point he fell in love with her.
God, he had to be in love with her, if he asked Emily to get married.
Or at least, that was what she hoped…
"Ok, time's up, guys. Rachel, why don't you start, dear?" Dominic inquired gently.
The tension in the room was so high that all the people were waiting in silence.
Rachel turned her board with a groan.
She had written '3' with trembling hands.
Ross was beaming, he couldn't believe that Rachel knew his answer.
"Unbelievable, that's right!" Lindsay screamed.
"Wow, this is awesome! Monica, Chandler, are you a little scared now?"
Monica was still too stunned to answer. The only thing she could think about was that Ross and Rachel were definitely hiding their knowledge of each other much better than she ever thought possible. She was nervous, and so was Rachel, at this point.
"Lindsay, please, tell us Rachel's answer." Dominic consulted his assistant.
"She wrote, 'Once', Dom."
Ross's eyes found Rachel's. He wasn't smiling anymore.
His expression was so serious that Rachel realized that maybe he hadn't guessed.
She was terribly afraid that he didn't know, that he never understood.
But Ross's gravity wasn't dictated by the fact that he had written the wrong answer. He had just a million things running through his mind.
He knew that Rachel was in love with him, back then. There was no doubt about it. She used to tell him when they were together, amazingly she had told him twice after their break-up.
This meant that Rachel had loved anyone but him all time long.
Not even Joey.
"Ross, would you turn your board, for the last time?" Dominic asked him.
It took Ross's eyes a few more moments to let go of Rachel's. He solemnly turned the board, showing that his answer was correct.
'1'
The audience simply erupted in screams, they clapped hands. Monica felt a tear forming to the corner of her eyes, and Chandler squeezed her shoulder.
Monica leaned down, touching Rachel's hand to get her attention, "What does that mean?"
Rachel was almost crying, "It's as simple as that, Monica."
Monica caressed her arm tenderly. She really wanted to investigate further, but Rachel was called by Lindsay, who signaled her to stand up.
"This is incredible! Ladies and gentlemen, no couple EVER scored two points in the final question! Ross and Rachel, you are a legend!" Dominic shouted over the noise.
The two of them stood up and joined the host on the podium, trying to avoid each other's gaze. But it was impossible. No person in that room was more touched than Ross and Rachel.
"We've got our winners, people! Thank you all for a wonderful evening!"
Dominic raised Ross and Rachel's arms in the air, while the audience kept clapping at them.
After a little while, they eventually walked back towards their friends.
"It was fun, uh?" Chandler asked.
"Yeah…" Rachel sighed. "A real fun."
"Monica?" Ross flashed a shrewd smile at his sister.
"All right…" she gave up. "You two know each other better than I know my husband!"
"And deal with that." Ross smirked, high-fiving with Rachel.
"Joey isn't home, yet…" Rachel noticed the second she opened the door.
Ross had walked her back home, "Are you going to be okay on your own?" he wondered.
"Sure…it's just weird being without Emma, uh?" Rachel looked for agreement.
"Yeah…I always miss her when she's not around." Ross admitted.
"Hey, here's a thought. Why don't we go fetch her together tomorrow?" Rachel proposed.
"I'd love that." Ross simpered. "My mom hasn't seen you in a while, she'll be happy, too."
"I know." She giggled, thinking of Judy and how sweet she always was to her.
"Ok, I need to take off, now."
Rachel nodded. She scrutinized Ross as he walked away, wearing that awesome black coat that suited him so well and a cool long multicolored scarf that almost touched the floor. He looked positively handsome, that night.
She tried and bite her tongue, but she couldn't resist, "Ross, wait a minute."
In the end, it was Rachel's tone that stopped him. She was almost begging him.
Ross didn't turn around, but Rachel noticed that he was sighing heavily because his shoulders moved up and down slowly.
Ross knew that they needed to talk. And he wasn't sure he was ready for it.
"Ross, look at me." Rachel requested.
Ross did as he was told.
"How did you do it?" she finally asked, surrendering to her feelings.
"Do what?"
"How can you possibly know all those things – still?" she waved her hand in the air, signaling her uneasiness.
Ross's lips turned into a wavering grin, "Because I know you, Rach. The best year of my life was the one we spent together. But…it's not just that." He tried and explain. "I know how much being together meant to both of us."
Rachel nodded, still willing to get a real answer.
"How did you know the last answer?"
"How did you?" Ross replied.
"I asked first." Rachel smirked.
Ross chuckled, "Ok…well…I don't know, I was just remembering all those things you used to say about your former boyfriends when we were together…and then I listed the ones you had after we broke up…I always had this feeling that your relationships never lasted long because you never really fell in love with those men."
Rachel was amazed for the way he really knew her.
"I might have been wrong." Ross conceded. "I took the risk."
"Well played." Rachel smiled. "I don't understand if this makes you the most self-confident jerk in the whole world, or if you read my mind like nobody else can."
Ross nodded with distress, "Believe me, Rach, guessing that answer didn't make me happy."
They looked at each other, nodding in agreement and sorrow.
"And you?" Ross demanded after a while.
"Well…I knew how much you loved Carol, and the matter of 'us' wasn't up for discussion. I just had a few doubts about Emily, but I took the risk too."
Ross wasn't sure that he had heard well, "Excuse-me, Emily?" he asked, bewildered.
"Yes, the third person. Carol, me and Emily." She listed.
Ross's eyes grew wide when he comprehended Rachel's mistake. He laughed, now fully aware of how much wrong she had been.
"What?" she urged him.
"Rach…" his laughter subsided. "I fell in love three times, yes. With you, with Carol…and with you, again."
Rachel didn't understand, "What are you talking about?" she said harshly.
"Rachel, Carol, and Rachel." He counted on his fingers.
Rachel pushed her bangs from her face, "I don't understand."
"The first time I fell in love with you, we were young. That wasn't just a crush. I would have gone to the moon and back for you, Rach. I wanted to take you to your prom. I escorted you and my sister to the cinema when nobody was around…I joined the I hate Rachel club…"
"Co-founded." Rachel reminded him.
Rachel thought that she hadn't seen him laugh like that for a long time; she loved the small dimples that appeared in his cheeks when he did so.
"Co-founded, ok…well, I did that because you never returned my feelings. But the second time…"
She waited for him to go on with his speech, hung on every word. Ross shook his head.
"Well, let's say that you entered Central Perk, still wearing your wedding gown. You came back into my life in such a sensational way, Rach…and I fell in love with you all over again. I got to know who you were. The real you, I mean. Not the spoiled cheerleader, but my friend. The brave woman who struggled to start a new life. The woman who paid her dues. This strong amazing woman who turned her back on a wealthy life to find her way in this world."
Rachel was speechless. She'd never heard Ross saying those kind of things to her. Not so genuinely, not so honestly.
If she thought about it, the only time she'd seen Ross pouring his heart out like that, it had been the night they had broken up.
Tears formed immediately in her eyes. She turned around, she didn't want him to see her that emotional, "I can't believe this." she whispered.
"What?"
Rachel wiped the tears away and turned around again, "I guessed by chance!" she commented.
They both burst out laughing at that consideration. Rachel took that moment to approach Ross and hug him tenderly. She wanted to get lost in that warm sensation, but she knew too well that this would be over soon.
"Thank you, Ross." She said, her voice taking on a sad tone.
"For what?" he asked.
"I don't know. Just…thank you." She sighed, holding him tight.
Ross leaned his head over hears, smelling the scent coming from her hair.
Neither of them wanted to let go.
Rachel remembered the conversation with Monica. Maybe her friend was right. Maybe there was still hope for them.
Ross let go of the perfect woman surrounded by his arms; his hands moved on their own accord as he traced his fingers down her face.
How many moments like those had they wasted during the years? Moments in which they would exchange these longing stares, secretly hoping for the other to stop fighting and give up to his – or her – feelings?
Still loving each other but not willing to admit it?
Ross was the one who came back to his senses, "I really should go, now."
"Yeah, I think so." Rachel agreed, stepping back from his hold.
"Ok, so…See you tomorrow."
"To go and get Emma, right." Rachel nodded.
"Right."
"See ya." She finally said goodbye, closing the apartment door.
The second she found herself alone, Rachel took a moment to rethink about that evening.
She would remember this as the night she had discovered the most important thing that Ross had never told her.
'He's never been in love with Emily.'
One of the biggest doubts she ever had, just got its resolution.
Deep inside, she'd always known, though.
Ross had asked Emily to get married not because he loved her more, but because he wanted to try and move on. And if Ross had mistakenly said her name at the altar, maybe…he was still in love with herself, even then.
She felt a huge sense of relief, and she smiled in contentment.
The reason why Ross had asked Emily to get married after a few weeks – while he never proposed to her even after one year – had always been an issue that gnawed at her.
Now she knew.
One of the greatest matters keeping them apart had just been resolved.
Ross couldn't move from the hallway.
Chandler was right.
'Who am I kidding?', he thought. He would never stop loving Rachel.
That stupid game had just demonstrated how much they still knew and care about each other. If they remembered every little detail of their relationship, it was because they'd never had anything that important, before or after.
He couldn't recall Emily's favorite drink. With Elizabeth, the question never even raised. And with Charlie, he didn't have time to find out.
Ross knew, now.
He thought about his last date, the one with that girl who teased him about how he dressed. The absurd dinner that lasted less than a minute.
There had been women after Rachel. Emily above all. His second wife had been his greatest chance to close that door, and everybody knew how that story went.
'I, Ross, take thee, Rachel.'
EPIC. FAIL.
Maybe time had come to understand if they were still in that place.
And then give Emma the family she deserved.
Author's Note:
If you ever watched Dawson's Creek, you might recognize this last twist as something inspired by my favorite episode, "The All-Nighter" (2x07). I was a huge Dawson Joey shipper so I really loved Season 2. Even if Dawson's Creek was a very silly show, sometimes very poorly written, I was a teenager when it aired, so just don't blame me :)
Anyway, Joey mentioned that she fell in love with Dawson twice. First time, as her friend. Second time, after they kissed. I just wanted to use this idea for the conclusion of this one shot because it was sooooo good!
Hope you liked this!