The One With The Drug Bust
A Friends Fan Fiction
Notes: This is a more modern interpretation of the Fun Bobby storyline from Season 2 Episode 10 of Friends The One With Russ. Emma, Ivy and Erica express concern for their friend Josh who they later discover has substance use disorder. Monica and Chandler are also horrified to discover that their son Jack is also doing drugs. Phoebe's daughter is my original character. All Friends characters belong to David Crane, Marta Kaufman and Kevin S, Bright. I had to do some additional research before writing this story because after reading Matthew Perry's memoir Friends Lovers and The Big Terrible Thing I certainly would not anything in this story to offend him.
It was a warm spring day in early May 2014 Emma Gellar Green was eating lunch on the football field with her cousins Jack Erica and Ivy.
"Um hey did you guy notice Josh acting weird the past couple days?" Erica asked.
Her brother Jack looked down at his mac and cheese and did not reply. Josh was his next door neighbor and one of his best friends.
Emma swallowed a bite of her sandwich and nodded her head. "I sure have. He doesn't look good at all. I'm so worried He's come to school late the past few days and he looks tired."
Ivy sighed. "Eric, his baseball teammate is my chemistry lab partner. We are both really worried about Josh. He does not seem focused in class at all. When we approached him about it he brushed it off. His latest chemistry test grade was a C- and he usually gets As and Bs."
"Should we tell someone else?" Erica asked.
Jack's head snapped up. "No! We absolutely shouldn't."
"Why are you so on edge today Jack?" his sister asked.
Emma patted her cousin's shoulder. "You don't know anything about Josh do you?"
Jack didn't respond.
Suddenly police cars pulled up in front of the school. The four preteens looked at each other," Ivy's breath caught in her throat. "You guys.. look.."
The four heads turned toward the front doors of the school.
"What the fuck is going on? Emma asked.
All of a sudden Jack's cell phone buzzed. It was text a from his other baseball teammate Eric.
"Hey Bing, did you see the cop cars? Lockers are getting searched. I'm pretty sure Josh is in big trouble."
Jack typed furiously and then quickly shut his phone.
Erica tapped her brother's shoulder. "What kind of secret are you keeping Jack? Come on.. I'm your sister for crying out loud.. You can tell me anything."
"Not about this."
"Okay fine. Erica stepped to the side and pulled out her phone. and typed a message.
"Who are you texting?"
"Mom and Dad. I'm super worried about you Jack." Erica turned away from her brother.
Suddenly Emma's phone rang. It was Rachel. "Hi Mom."
"Honey is everything okay? I'm on my lunch break at work and a story just came on the news that cops are outside of your school."
Emma let out a deep breath. "We're all okay Mom but I think our friend Josh is in big trouble. We're not sure exactly what is happening.
"I'm going to call Auntie Monica and have her pick you kids up. I'm really worried about you."
Emma nodded. "Okay. I think that's a good idea. Quite honestly I am kind of freaked out by this. I think we all are."
Emma disconnected the call. "What did your mom say?" Ivy asked.
"Auntie Monica is going to dismiss us and take us home. Hopefully Josh is okay. I really wish we knew what was going on with him."
Jack's phone buzzed again. It was another photo with a caption from Eric.
"The cops just searched Josh's locker and look what they found."
Jack exhaled deeply. "Holy shit."
"What's going on?" Emma asked.
Jack showed his cousin the photo.
"Well that explains a lot. How long do you think he's been smoking? Also hey are those prescription medicine containers?"
Jack didn't reply.
"Come on Jack. something is obviously bugging you. Why won't you tell us?"
"If Josh is in trouble now then I will probably be next." Jack whispered.
Emma's eyes grew worried. "Are you doing okay Jack? Please tell me why you are acting so weird."
Jack didn't reply.
Erica peered over her brother's shoulder. "What the fucking hell? That's a lot of marijuana."
Jack nodded and quickly closed his phone.
Jack's phone buzzed again. This time a text from his father showed up..
"Erica just sent your mother and I a group text. What the fuck is going on Jack? We hate the fact that you are keeping secrets from us."
Jack was so afraid of answering his father right away so he chose not to.
About ten minutes later Monica pulled up in the mini van.
"We are having an emergency family meeting to talk about what is going on with Josh."
All four preteens nodded their heads.
"Jack can you sit up front with me please?" Monica asked
Jack's muscles tensed. "Okay Mom."
Once everyone buckled their seatbelts Monica looked at her son with worry and fear.
"Are you okay sweetheart?"
Jack turned away from his mother and looked out the window.
Monica removed one hand from the steering wheel and touched her son's shoulder gently.
" Please talk to me. Your father and I are very concerned about you.""
"Yeah, Jack we're worried about you too. Emma said and Ivy and Erica nodded in agreement.
"Please tell us what's happening. You must know something about what's going on with Josh." Ivy begged.
" I promised Josh I wouldn't say anything. Please drop it you guys" Jack muttered.
. "Oh really? That's news to me. We just want to help you honey. We love you very much." Monica whispered. Tears started to form at the edges of her eyes.
They drove the rest of the way home in silence.
When they got home Chandler met them at the front door.
The four preteens sat on the couch. Chandler glared at his son angrily and cleared his throat.
"We wanted to know what changes you've all noticed in Josh's behavior."
"He looks tired, he's irritable and whenever we try to talk to him about us he just pushes us away." Erica said.
"His grades are also slipping." Ivy added.
Chandler let out a heavy sigh. "Have you told any of your teachers about this?"
Emma shook her head. " Josh told us not to tell anyone Uncle Chandler. I wish he'd stop keeping secrets and that Jack would stop keeping secrets too."
"He was probably afraid of getting caught." Ivy said.
"Obviously not afraid enough because he fucking got caught anyway." Jack muttered.
Chandler sent his son another angry glare. "You and I will talk privately later son."
"Have the cops gone to his house too?" Emma asked.
Monica nodded. "Yes they have. She looked at her son worriedly. "He hasn't asked you to smoke with him has he Jack?"
"Jesus Christ. "Yes he fucking has. Are you happy now Mom?"
"Hey! Respect your mother! What is your problem Jack?!" Chandler yelled.
Emma looked at her cousin in shock. "Have you been smoking for as long as he has?"
"Back off Em. I don't want to talk about it with you guys okay?"
"Geez Jack. You need to chill out. We love you and we want to help." Ivy muttered.
"Jack meet me in my room please. I'll be there in ten minutes." Chandler ordered.
"Okay! Jack stormed out of the room and up the stairs.
"I think that all of us are wondering if Josh is going to be okay." Emma asked once Jack had departed.
Monica and Chandler exchanged a look between each other.
Chandler let out a heavy sigh. "This couldn't be anymore difficult to tell you three but here goes. Josh has had a problem with abusing drugs for awhile. Marijuana is just one the drugs he's been doing. The cops also found prescription medication in his sock drawer when they searched his house.. mainly XENIX to help him deal with all the stress he's been under at school."
"What's going to happen next?" Ivy whispered.
"Josh is flunking out of school. His parents have hired him a tutor for the summer so he will not fall to behind in his academics and can be on target to be in 8th grade in the fall. As for baseball he has been kicked off the team for the rest of this season. He may not be eligible to play next year either . Hopefully he gets things in order by then."
"Is he getting help?" Emma asked.
Monica nodded. "I talked to his mother last night and he starts attending rehab on Monday morning."
"Do you think he'll continue to push us away if we offer to help him?" Erica asked. She had started to cry.
Monica had tears in her eyes and pulled her daughter into her arms. "Honey, I know this has been scary for all of you. Listen to me, when Josh is ready to talk to you he definitely will. He needs time right now though to work through all of this on his own. I love you so much."
"I love you too Mommy." Erica whispered.
At this time Chandler excused himself to go talk to Jack. He was seated on the bed.
Chandler's eyes met his son's with deep concern. "Your mother and I are really worried about you Jack. Please tell me tell me everything and I mean everything! Leave nothing out."
" Get off my case Dad. alright!"
Angry tears were at the edges of Chandler's eyes. "Don't you understand how worried we all are about you Jack? We love you very much. Please cooperate with me buddy."
"Josh forced me to keep things a secret Dad."
"You could have fucking told him no!"
" He didn't give me much of choice."
"You're smart enough to make your own decisions or at least I always thought you were."
Jack was silent
" How many times you smoked with him?
Jack looked away.
"Look me in the eye when you talk to me Jack Chandler Bing!"
Jack sighed. "I've only smoked with him twice. I'm not too sure if I am addicted or not but I do get cravings every so often."
Chandler paced the floor. "This couldn't be anymore upsetting! Has he given you any pills too?"
Jack was silent.
Chandler got very to close his son's face. Splotches of red filled his eyes. "Stop being so secretive and answer me damn it! Your mother and I hate Josh for doing this to you Jack!"
Jack gulped. "I honestly think he might have slipped some into my soda at dinner one night when I wasn't looking."
"This is just fucking great. You might have to go to rehab too. Do you realize that?"
Jack nodded. "He's asked me for money a few times too Dad."
"Really? Well you certainly won't be giving him any. Your mother and I are cutting off your allowance. We won't allow you to fund Josh's bad habit and we don't want your bringing drugs into this house either. Do you understand me?"
Tears glistened in Jack's eyes. "I sure do Dad. Trust me I have hated keeping secrets from you and Mom."
"Are you hiding any marijuana in your locker too? You better fucking tell me the truth Jack."
Jack let out a sigh. "Josh tried to pressure me to Dad trust me."
"What did you tell him?"
"I told him no and that it was too risky. That's why he hid the rest of the bags in his gym locker. I do have cigarettes in my sock drawer though."
"Go fucking get them right now. We are going to throw them away."
Jack sighed. "All right."
Jack left the room and returned a few minutes later with his stash of cigarettes/
"Did you ever think he could have put some in your gym locker too?"
Jack shrugged. "I guess not. He never said how many extra bags of marijuana he had on him. Damn it! Do you think he'd really do something like that to me?"
Chandler sighed. "Could this be anymore frustrating?" Yes Jack, he very well could have done that. Isn't your locker right next to his?"
Jack's face went pale. "Holy shit, yes it is. He doesn't have my locker combination though. Thank god."
"Did you ever think that maybe he could found a way to break the combination lock?"
"I think I'm gonna be sick Dad." Jack ran to the bathroom and vomited.
At that moment the phone rang. "Chandler, it's the police they want to talk to Jack. It's something about Josh." Monica called up the stairs.
"He'll take it up here" Chandler called back. "Time to face the music son" he said and handed Jack the phone.
Jack swallowed. "Hello, this is Jack Bing. Hi Officer Small. Yeah, Josh is one of my best friends.. or at least he was." Jack was silent. "Yes, my locker is next to his and my friend Eric's is on the other side. "No, sir we had no idea about the additional bags of marijuana and we can't take responsibility for them. He should hold himself accountable for those. Yes, sir I understand. Thank you. Have a great afternoon."
"That fucking douche bag." Jack muttered.
"Well?" Chandler asked.
"You were right Dad. He busted into my gym locker and put drugs in there. He is trying to frame Eric too."
"Where's your cell phone? Give it to me right now!" Chandler demanded.
"It's downstairs in my backpack. Why do you need it?"
"I want to make sure that Josh hasn't been trying to get a hold of you to get him more drugs. I want you to fucking block his number.""
"Ok."
When Jack got back down to the living room four pairs of eyes glanced at him.
"Um hey Jack what's going on? " Emma asked.
Erica looked at her brother with worry. "What did Officer Small want?"
"That dickhead Josh tried to frame me." Jack whispered.
Emma's eyes grew wide. "What the actual fuck? I don't even believe he'd do something like that to you."
" He planted two bags of marijuana in my gym locker though. He did the same thing to Eric too."
"Jesus Christ.. I thought he was your friend." Ivy said.
"So did I." Jack whispered/
Monica hugged her son tightly. "I will never forgive Josh for treating you this way sweetheart and I hate to see that you are hurting so much."
"Why would he do something like this to me Mom?"
"I don't know Jack. Everything is going to be okay. I promise."
Ivy looked at her aunt curiously. "Hey Auntie Monica, what's going to happen next?"
Monica looked at her nieces. "I want you girls to call your parents and tell them everything that has happened today with Josh. I can almost guarantee that they will tell you not to be friends with him anymore."
"What about us?" Erica looked at her brother nervously.
" I'll be damned if drug dealers get near this house and try to hurt you kids. In fact your father and I won't allow that not at all. Josh has really gotten your brother into deep shit." Monica said, She then turned to face her son. "What do you need Jack?"
"Dad wants to be sure that Josh is not contacting me to get more drugs for him and wants to see my text message log," Jack whispered.
"Excellent. I think I am going to get on the phone with his mother right now. She should be made aware of how poorly Josh has treated you. I really hope he will apologize to you and Eric." Monica spun on her heels and headed toward the kitchen.
"Wow, this is not something I was expecting to hear." Emma said/
"I don't think any of us were expecting it Em." Ivy whispered.
Jack grabbed his cell phone from his backpack and headed back upstairs.
"Here you go Dad." he handed his cell phone over to his father.
"What's your pass code? Chandler asked
"My birthday." Jack whispered.
Chandler opened the text message log. A message from Josh was the top of the list that is unopened. It read "Did the cops call you? Please don't tell them anything!"
"I think you should respond to him."
"Would you prefer if I called him instead?"
Chandler nodded. "That's a better idea actually. I have a few words to say him too."
Jack dialed Josh's number. He picked up on the first ring.
"To answer your question, yes the cops did call me. They called Eric too. How could you fucking do this to us Josh?"
"I'm sorry man. I thought you'd cover for me and not rat me out to the cops or your parents."
"I hate you and I will never ever forgive you, You are an idiot! "
"Give me the phone Jack." Chandler growled.
Jack's hand shook as he handed his phone over to his father.. "Josh this is Mr. Bing. You would not believe how angry I am at you. No, you're not fucking sorry. If you were sorry then you would promise not to give Jack any more fucking cigarettes and stick to that promise. I don't think you're sorry for planting those drugs in his gym locker either. Monica and I do not want you contacting Jack or Erica again. Do you understand me? "What's going to happen? If you or the drug dealers get near our house we'll get a restraining order against all of you... that's what's going to fucking happen. Friends do not treat friends the way you treated Jack and I'm almost positive that Eric's parents will feel the same way. Well fuck you too! Good bye!"
Chandler handed Jack's phone back to him.
There was a knock at the door. It was Monica.
"Is everything okay in here?"
Chandler's eyes met his wife's. "I think so. I just told Josh to leave Jack and Erica alone and he better fucking listen." he whispered.
Jack collapsed onto his parents bed convulsing into sobs.
Monica and Chandler sat on either side of Jack. Monica took her son's hand gently.
"My sweet baby boy, Mommy and Daddy are here. Please don't cry. Tell us what's wrong so we can figure out the best way to help you."
"I'm so sorry Mom and Dad. I bet you guys both fucking hate me."
Monica's jaw dropped. "What? Where on earth is this coming from? I think you should know that it certainly isn't true."
Jack averted his gaze from either of his parents and stared down at the bedspread..
"Hey pal, I want you to look at me okay?" Chandler whispered.
Jack glanced up at his father and noticed that tears were in his eyes too.
"Josh didn't say anything to you to give you the impression that we didn't love you did he?"
Jack nodded. Yeah, he did Dad. That's how he convinced me to keep the smoking a secret in the first place."
"That little rat fink bastard." Chandler muttered.
Tears of rage filled Monica's eyes. "Why would you let Josh manipulate you like that Jack... better yet why would you fucking believe him?" He lied to you!"
"I was stupid Mom."
" Your father and I will never ever forgive him for this. He has hurt all of us in unspeakable ways."
Chandler nodded. " No. we absolutely won't. Don't worry son. We'll get you the help that you need."
Monica's jaw dropped. "What are you talking about Chandler?"
Chandler's eyes met his wife's sadly. "Josh got our son addicted to cigarettes and pills too.""
"I want to fucking punch his lights out. I can't believe this."
"Neither can I." I just spent ten minutes defending Jack and Erica to Josh over the phone and I'd do it over all over again if I had to."
"Really? You would?": Jack asked looking up at his father hopefully.
Chandler tousled his son's hair. You know it buddy."
Monica looked at her son with concern. "Have your grades been suffering too?"
Jack nodded. "I've been really embarrassed Mom and that's why I didn't tell you guys."
Monica let out a sigh. "I think you will probably have to go to summer school because it is probably too late to find you a tutor. How many classes are you failing?"
"Math and Chemistry." Jack whispered.
"Well at least you are not completely flunking out of school like Josh is." Chandler said.
Jack looked nervously at his parents. "Um.. do you think maybe you guys could consider home schooling as an option for me? I have bad anxiety about seeing Josh at school."
Chandler nodded. "We will start doing research on tutors that can start working with you in September, sound good?"
Jack sighed with relief. "Yeah, it does Dad. Thanks!"
"You and your sister have such kind hearts Jack but unfortunately the downside of this is that it can lead to people to taking advantage of you." Monica explained
"Is that what Josh did to me and Eric by putting the drugs in our lockers?" Jack asked.
Monica nodded sadly rubbing her son's back consolingly. "Yes, I'm so sorry he has hurt you so much sweetheart. I promise you everything will be okay."
There was a light knock at the door. "Who is it?" Monica asked.
"It's me Mommy." Erica whispered.
"Come in sweetheart."
"Um hey Jack you're not still mad at us are you? Emma and Ivy wanted to know. Aunt Phoebe is picking them up in ten minutes and Emma is staying at Aunt Phoebe's until Aunt Rachel gets home from work.
Jack shook his head. "No. I'm sorry I was so nasty all afternoon Erica. You guys didn't deserve that. I should have been nicer."
"Can I have a hug?" Erica whispered.
"Sure." Jack stood up and embraced his sister. "I love you." Erica whispered.
Chandler and Monica stood up and pulled Jack and Erica close to them.
"My babies, I know today has been scary for you. Josh's mom says that Josh is very sorry for hurting you. Quite frankly I am not completely sure if I can believe him. Your father and I promise to keep you safe from the drug dealers. No one will ever hurt you." Monica whispered kissing her children on the forehead.
"Okay Mommy." Erica whispered.
"Hey buddy?" Chandler said rubbing Jack's shoulder.
"Yeah Dad?" Jack looked up at his father.
"Your mother and I were pretty angry with you today but never ever forget how much we love you.. we'll always love you no matter what all right?"
Jack leaned against his father's chest. I love you too Dad Mom and Erica." he whispered.
"Daddy?" Erica whispered.
"What is it princess?" Chandler squeezed his daughter's hand gently.
"Do you think Josh is going to be okay? Emma and Ivy wanted to know."
Chandler let out a heavy sigh. " Josh has really screwed up a lot honey. He hasn't just messed things up for himself but for your brother too. I think this addiction problem will impact him for a long time unfortunately."
Erica looked at Jack with fear in her eyes. "What's wrong with Jack?"
"That dickhead Josh got me addicted to cigarettes and pills too. Jack whispered.
"Are you going to be okay?"
"I think so."
"Mommy and I are going to look into rehab programs for Jack to attend so we can get him back on the right track." Chandler said
"The drug dealers aren't going to come over here are they?" Erica looked very worried and tears were at the edges of her eyes.
"I talked to Josh and told him that I'd get the police involved if they do. Don't be scared sweetheart. Everything is going to be okay. We promise."
"I love you Daddy."
Chandler kissed his daughter's forehead softly. "I love you too Erica."