Chapter 2: Brothers

The wedding was planned in only a matter of weeks.

While Monica and her loved ones had a vague idea of how much time she had left, there was no guarantee, so speed was of the essence.

Chandler and Monica decided to wed in the spacious front yard in front of her parents' house, followed by dancing on the lawn and with the reception to be held inside.

It was a beautiful summer's afternoon, on the day of their wedding. Chandler fiddled nervously at the head of the altar, with Ross at his side to serve as his Best Man. Joey, after a heartfelt request from Monica, had agreed to marry his dear friends.

When Monica turned to glide up the aisle on her father's arm, looking as graceful as a swan, many present would have been hard pressed to realize that she was a dead woman walking. Someone who had months, maybe a year, to live. She looked radiant, effervescent; her eyes only for Chandler, her best friend who, on a whim, had offered to make her dream come true by becoming her husband.

Jack passed his daughter off to her future, leaving her with a peck on the cheek before hustling into his seat and holding back a sob.

Being an actor, Joey was well suited to sticking to the script that dictated the sacrament of holy matrimony.

"Dearly beloved: we are gathered here today to join this man… and this woman… in holy matrimony…."

Chandler grinned at Monica, entranced by her beauty. 'I love you,' he mouthed to her.

She beamed back. 'I love you.'

"Who gives away this woman…?" Joey asked. Jack answered on behalf of himself and Judy.

Eyes only for each other, the intended couple tuned out the rest of the ceremony until it was their turn to speak. Chandler only came close to breaking down once, when Joey intoned, "... until death do you part...". It felt like a shiv was stabbing him in the gut, but still he stood tall and proud, willing to take this beautiful woman as his wife. Chandler and Monica were solemn and introspective, soft-spoken, as they gave their vows. Trembling, Monica slowly reached out and took Chandler's hand.

"Chandler…. For so long, I wondered if I would ever find my prince…. My soulmate…. When I was diagnosed with cancer…" (Shocked murmurs percolated through the crowd). "…. I resigned myself to the thought that I never would…." Monica blinked back tears. "And then my best…. My best…." She exhaled shakily. "My best friend offered to marry me. I never thought I would be so lucky…. as to marry you. As to fall in love with…." She began to cry in earnest. "Thank you…. for being here for me. Our future is now here before us, and however much of that future is mine, in whatever time I have, I only want to spend it with you: my prince. My soulmate….. My friend."

Ross started to pass some notecards to Chandler, but the groom waved him off.

"Monica, I thought this was going to be the most difficult thing I ever had to do…. but when I saw you walking down that aisle, I realized how simple it was: …. I love you." Monica beamed wetly at him. It felt right to say those three little words, and more and more feel that they were not just a platitude between two close friends, but rather between lovers, spouses. Almost without noticing it, Chandler knew: he had fallen in love with her. "Any surprises or trials that come our way, it's OK, because I will always love you. You are the person I was meant to spend the rest of my life with." He phrased this very deliberately, even as he and Monica both knew, it was he who would likely outlive their marriage, however long it lasted.

"Really….?" Monica gazed at him adoringly.

Chandler just smirked. "You wanna know if I'm sure….?"

He stepped in to draw his bride close and kiss her; they nearly did before Joey stopped them.

"Wait!" He turned to each of them. "Chandler, do you take this woman to be your wife?"

Chandler beamed. "Yeah, I do…."

"Monica, do you take this man to be your husband?"

Monica peered at Chandler. Slowly, she ran her fingers through his bronze curls. "Yes, I do…." she whispered quietly.

"Yeah, you do!" Joey squealed. "OK, now you can kiss her!"

Beaming, Monica stretched towards her husband and she closed the gap between them. Their lips met, and the newlyweds embraced and kissed to applause, whoops and sobs.

Monica held Chandler close. "I love you!" she whispered into his mouth so that only he could hear, her voice hoarse with emotion.

"Mrs. Bing:"

Monica turned around mid-sip at the sound of her married name to find Joey grinning at her bashfully. "May I have this dance?"

Monica laughed brightly and flicked back her bridal skirts in an exaggerated curtsey. "Why, of course you may!" Laughing, the dear friends swept into each other's arms and began a kind of exaggerated jig, spinning around the dance floor.

Twirling in Joey's arms, Monica could feel how her husband Chandler's eyes were on them and catching his gaze, she waved to him where he was over by the punch bowl.

The dance eventually slowed to a waltz as the bride tired, Monica leaning her head against Joey's chest, feeling safe and content. He was like another brother to her, their Joey, and…

"Thank you for marrying us…." Monica sighed.

Joey chuckled. "Thank you for asking me to…." After a moment, he drew back, glancing down at his feet as Monica blinked at him dolefully. "Mon:" he laughed a little to himself, awkwardly. "I'm not much for words, you know, and I hate being all morbid but…"

Monica sighed. "Joey…. Sweetie…."

"I need to say this!" Joey took a deep breath. "I've – I've only ever wanted what was best for you, the same as I would want or expect for Pheebs, or Rache, or any of my sisters! You're like my baby sister, Mon, and…" He glanced back to where Chandler was laughing with Ross and Jack. "Well, if you had to marry anyone, I'd rather it was someone I trust implicitly, like Chandler."

Monica beamed wetly, her eyes flooding with tears. "Joey…"

"Promise me you'll take care of him?"

Monica nodded. "I promise…." She murmured. A beat, and then: "OK, now you." Joey blinked. "Promise me that you'll take care of him too, when I'm…. when I'm gone…" She searched his eyes, beseeching. "Please, Joey… promise me that, when the time comes, you'll take care of my husband."

Joey swallowed hard. "…. I promise…."

Monica grinned, swaying up to kiss him on the cheek. "Thank you…." A slight pause, then she chuckled. "You know…. if not for the Lemonade Incident and you being too quick on the draw, we might have…."

Joey smirked. "You and me? Gotten married? Don't take this the wrong way, my dear, but I don't think we would have worked."

Monica laughed brightly and swatted him in the chest.

Ross now approached. "Mind if I cut in?"

"Of course," Monica grinned, holding out her hands to her big brother. The siblings fell into a companionable, swaying shuffle. At last, Ross spoke:

"Monica… I want to apologize."

"For what…?" she drew back, blinking.

Ross swallowed. "I haven't always been the best big brother to you. I should have been there for you more, when we were younger and you were being teased in school, and…."

Monica hugged her brother around the neck. "Oh, Ross….. It's OK…."

Ross sniffled. "I'm glad you have Chandler. He'll take care of you, every step of the way…."

"I know… And so will you…." Leaning back, Monica softly touched his face.

Chandler now joined his bride and brother-in-law. "Hi…" He swooped in and gave his wife a soft peck on the lips. "You OK?"

Monica nodded. "I'm fine…."

"Great," Chandler grinned. "Come with me…." Taking a bemused Monica by the hand, he led her over to the dessert table. "Attention, everyone!" he called for order. "My bride has reminded me it's time to cut the cake!"

Monica stared at their wedding cake. In planning their nuptials, Chandler had insisted on handling the cake himself; much to her reluctance, she had allowed it. "It's beautiful….! But where did you….?"

"Oh, we didn't order it," Chandler's eyes gleamed. "We baked it."

Monica's mouth fell open. "You baked it...?" she half-laughed.

"With help from Joey and your brother, of course," Chandler scratched at the back of his neck. He bit his lip. "…. Do you like it….?"

In answer, Monica looped her arms around Chandler's neck and reached up to kiss him soundly.

"Oh….. darling, I love it! I love you! It's…." she turned back, eyes dancing, at a complete loss for words. "It's a vision!"

The party wound down. As the sun set, Chandler and Monica posed for pictures, including one where Chandler swept his bride off her feet as he prepared to carry her across the threshold, bridal-style. They would be spending their wedding night alone in her parents' house, with Jack and Judy staying in a hotel nearby. As Chandler lifted her in his arms and carried her inside, Monica laughed musically, even as happy tears glistened along her cheeks.

Later that night, alone in her childhood bedroom, Chandler reverently undressed his wife from her wedding gown. He seemed overly cautious in touching her as husband and wife climbed into bed together, to sleep beside each other as man and wife for the first time.

"Chandler…?" Monica whispered.

"I don't want to hurt you…." Chandler murmured, caressing her cheek.

She shook her head. "You won't," she promised, smiling at him to put him at ease. "You could never hurt me, Chandler. I promise." Kissing him tenderly, Monica pulled him on top of her and spread her legs.

"Tonight, we're just like every other pair of newlyweds. I want to consummate my marriage, Chandler, before I…. I die…." Tears slipped down her cheeks. "I want to sleep beside my husband for the rest of my life…" She caught Chandler's eyes and held them. "Make love to your wife, Chandler…"

And so, drawing the covers up over their naked forms, Chandler and Monica made love on their wedding night.