Disclaimer. I don't own the characters. There is no more gain than the writing practice that is done here

Chapter 19: Physical recovery, the great mental depression

Around 5 in the afternoon, Rachel's cell phone rang, she had just left the office and was walking towards the subway, she did not know the number on her screen, but she still answered.

"With Mrs. Rachel Green…"

"If it's me, who's speaking?"

"I am Inspector J.P Lucas, I am calling you because there was a traffic accident and in the documentation of Ms. Monica Geller her name appears as an emergency contact."

"Oh my God, how is she, where is she…"

"Actually Mrs. Green I don't know how she is, when she was taken by the paramedics she was unconscious, she was taken to Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital"

"Thank your inspector I'm going there"

Rachel waited only a moment until a taxi appeared and she indicated the hospital, once in the taxi she called Phoebe to let her know and she told her that she would also go to the Hospital "

When Rachel asked at the Hospital about Monica Geller the nurse asked her if she was related and she explained that she was the person to call in an emergency. The nurse looked at the admission form and informed her that Monica was in room 308.

Rachel told Phoebe the room on her cell phone.

When she gets to the room there was no one. She asked a nurse and the nurse told her that she would send the doctor to inform her of Mrs. Geller's condition.

Rachel trembled with fear, while she was waiting for the doctor, Phoebe arrived and they hugged each other with tears in her eyes.

A doctor who introduced himself as Dr. Simmons approached them and explained that at this moment Monica was in the operating room, they were operating on her right arm as she had an open fracture.

He also explained that she had bruises, a small crack in a rib and a deep wound on her right leg but fortunately it had not involved the bone, they had cleaned it and given 10 stitches, and finally he informed them that when he arrived she was unconscious and she did not regain consciousness until she went to the operating room, they did a CT scan but no bruise was seen on her, so they assumed that when she came out of anesthesia she could wake up, that the operation had just started so it would take a couple of hours until she was out of the recovery room.

Rachel and Phoebe went to the Hospital cafeteria.

"Rachel, you have to call Judy, Monica is going to need help and care when she leaves the hospital, we are with all the hassle of moving, you are worse than me, since you are leaving in 20 days" said Phoebe"

"If you're right, I'll call her"

In Honolulu it was noon and Judy was home alone. Ross and Chandler were at work, the boys at school, and Jack at the golf course.

When she received the call from Rachel, her heart sank upon learning of Monica's accident, Rachel explained that she would need to recover from the operation on her arm and they in the middle of the move wouldn't be able to do much.

"Judy, could you come over until Monica is better?" Rachel asked

"Yes of course, I already ask Chandler to get me a flight, but isn't Richard with her?"

Rachel was silent for a few seconds, obviously Monica had not told Judy this part of the story. "Judy, Monica separated from Richard for good and returned to New York alone"

"Oh, she didn't tell me, well it's the best I could do, that guy, as Jack says, is a bastard, I'm glad Monica has noticed" "When I know the time of the flight and the arrival time I'll let you know"

Judy immediately called Chandler, She didn't explain the personal details, she just said "Son, Monica was hit by a car in NY, Rachel told me that she has several injuries and they were operating on her, and Rach needs me to travel to help take care of her, so I need you to book me a flight as soon as possible"

Chandler was speechless for a few seconds, his stomach knotted, but he quickly recovered and told Judy not to worry, he'd take care of it.

Meanwhile Judy called Jack and Ross with the news.

Half an hour later, Chandler told her the time and the flight number, which was a direct one to NY, and told her to go ahead and pack her bag that he would pick her up in half an hour to take her to the airport.

During the trip to the airport, Chandler didn't ask any questions, only Judy told him what she knew about the blow, the injuries, and the operation on her arm.

Chandler walked her to the departures area and when they said goodbye Judy thanked her, and he gave her a hug and whispered, "she's going to be fine, I'm sure", and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

Chandler did not want to think about Monica as he came back, but it was inevitable, he hoped she would recover soon, the children needed her….

Monica after the operation, which according to the doctor had been perfect, she was taken to the room where her friends were already waiting for her.

Even a little drunk from her anesthesia, she didn't understand what was wrong with her. Rachel explained, and she Monica began to cry she was confused, hurt and sad, very sad. Her friends stayed with her trying to calm her down, but she wouldn't stop crying. Later she was given a sedative so she could sleep.

Rachel went home to rest since the next morning she had to go pick up Judy, while Phoebe stayed with Monica.

Judy, despite the fatigue from the flight and the jet lag, went straight to the hospital to see Monica, who burst into tears when she saw her mom again.

The friends left the mother and daughter alone, and Monica told her mother what she had told her friends, everything she had been going through with Richard, and the terrible mistake she had made with Chandler. and her children.

Judy just listened to her and tried to reassure her, it was not the time to ask questions, much less to say "we told you" as would have been a logical expression of Judy

Two days later they were cleared, and Monica and Judy went to Phoebe's apartment.

At the Hospital Monica had eaten little and slept little, but when she got home the problem worsened, she cried all the time, she stayed curled up in bed, because of the leg injury they had told her it was better for her to walk, but neither Judy nor her friends could get her to do it.

Judy and Rachel practically forced her every day to shower and change her clothes, if it was up to her she would stay in bed all the time. She didn't want to go for a walk either, not even to walk Judy to the market half a block away. And she ate little or nothing, despite the fact that Judy prepared the meals for her that she knew she liked.

The three of them were very worried, a week and a half had passed since she left the hospital and the situation was not improving, every day she was haggard and paler.

They called the doctor, he checked her, and he told them that she was obviously in a state of depression, that she had to get over it soon or it would be dangerous for her physical and mental health. He prescribed a medication and vitamins and recommended that they take her to a therapist.

But in the state of denial that she was in, Monica didn't want to go see anyone. Medication didn't do much, just getting her to sleep a little more at night.

It was then that Judy asked her friends for advice,

"Girls, you know Monica even better than I do, and I think that in this world there is only one thing, rather, one person who can get Monica out of this state…"

Rachel and Phoebe looked at each other understanding Judy's words.

"I don't know if he wants to, he has every right to refuse, but I also know that he is a good man, and that despite what happened and his silence, he still loves her, even if he doesn't forgive her, he still loves her... I'm going to ask Chandler to come…"

"I think if I explain the state he's in, even if it's not because of the friendship they've had for so many years, I'll probably convince him"

"I don't know," Rachel said, "He was so devastated…. but it is true he is generous with his feelings, let's see what he says."

"I think he's coming," Phoebe assured, "I have a theory, he doesn't want to see her or talk to her because in his heart he loves her so much that he's afraid to forgive her, and his brain doesn't want to forgive her, that way feels safe from succumbing" "But now that he will know that she needs him to survive, love he will be stronger"

"God willing" Judy said and looked at her watch, she had to calculate the time to call him, find him at home when the children were already sleeping to talk calmly with him.

In Honolulu his cell phone rang, Chandler was reading a book on the terrace and having a soda, when he opened the phone he saw it was Judy and answered.

"Hi, Judy, how are you, how's everything?" he asked without mentioning to Monica that she was actually the "Everything" he was asking about.

"Son, nothing is right, Monica is at home in a great depression, she hardly sleeps, hardly eats, she should be recovering from her injuries, but her general condition does not allow improvement to progress"

"And because she's so depressed, it's post-traumatic shock."

"No Chandler, she came back to NY because she left Richard"

Chandler quickly replied sarcastically, "Ah, yes, I understand, she's down for Richard again… like last time."

"No son, it's not because of him, nothing is because of him, she doesn't care... It is that she has fallen into the reality of everything she lost, that she became blinded believing that she had feelings that she did not really have, and now she cannot forgive herself"

"Son, the doctor told us that her condition is dangerous and we don't know what to do, like convincing her to come out of it, that she see a doctor, it's as if she was letting herself die..." Judy said through tears and I continue saying

"And …. the three of us are sure that the only one who can help her to want to live is you…"

"Judy ... please I don't ... "

"Chandler I know…. I know that it is difficult and that she may not deserve that you do anything for her, but they were such friends, she has always needed you…. and now more than ever..." Judy was silent waiting for Chandler to think and answer her. …

Chandler rubbed his forehead and ran his hand over the back of his neck as he walked into the house, preparing the words to refuse, but…. and on one of the low tables he saw the photo of his children…. His did everything for them, and if her mother needed him, he couldn't ignore it, … he would never forgive himself for his children to reproach him for not doing anything for her.

"Okay Judy, I'll try to leave tomorrow if I have a flight, I'll let you know when I get to NY. "

"Thank you, son, …. You don't know how much peace of mind you give me … I will never be able to thank you enough…"

"Please Judy, you have nothing to be thankful for, she is the mother of my children and they need her healthy..."

"Tell us the time so the girls will look for you"

"No Judy, I'll take a taxi, first I want to check into a hotel to leave my bag, where they are living..."

"We are in the apartment that Phoebe lived in before she got married…. She lent it to Monica when she came back to NY since she had nowhere to go"

"Yes I remember where it is, good until tomorrow, and you too take care, we love you here and we miss you"

"Thank son, see you soon"