TOW The Best Thanksgiving Ever

Author Note: The framework came from David Crane and Marta Kauffman. I can't apologise ENOUGH for the writer's block, and due to a planned plot twist coming at the end, I've decided this is the last chapter.

Chandler walked into apartment 20 as the living, breathing embodiment of sarcasm.

"Ugh, turkey. Ugh, giving thanks." he moaned. Monica's mouth twitched.

"Look everyone, it's the spirit of Thanksgiving!" Phoebe cheered. Monica put something down in the kitchen and walked over to her other half, a gentle understanding smile on her complexion. Chandler still looked grumpy.

"Honey, I know this is a difficult day for you, but I promise I will try to make it better on your nerves." Monica soothed, her eyes darting for a second towards his foot. Chandler hugged her - the knife incident was swept under the rug. They'd ironed out those bugs a while ago. "I just wish I could make it so '78 didn't happen." she said, rubbing her cheek against his shoulder. Chandler's eyes softened and he exhaled.

"Mon, thank you for that. Honest and truly. But looking back, as crappy as it was for me, it was better for my folks - they were notoriously unhappy together. I know I told you how when I opened up to J-" but Monica put a finger, knowing exactly where he was headed with this anecdote, and it made perfect sense in this situation.

"I know you said to Janice about how that guy was 'the reason they are not together', but part of me thinks despite the partial truth in that, you said it to make her happier."

"Well, it worked for me too. Janice went back to Gary, and I had the wool lifted from over my eyes." Chandler grinned, picking up Monica by the midriff, a happy 'oomph' coming from her and their bodies melded together for a passionate kiss. "I love you, doll." he whispered. She giggled and blushed slightly. They turned around to see Phoebe, Ross and Rachel staring at them. Monica promptly went back to cooking.

"Hey Mon, Chandler? Want to do Secret Santa - it can help the business." Phoebe asked. Monica responded positively, and Phoebe could've sworn she heard Chandler say 'yes, and then I can finally have the guts to quit my job and go for something I care about'. The blonde looked at him sympathetically - data-processing was slowly killing his soul. Later Rachel and Chandler were watching the traditional parade.

"Oh, I'll take a nap. Turkey always makes me sleepy." Rachel moaned lightly.

"We haven't even eaten yet, Rach. What's with you?" Monica asked.

"All that work you're doing to get it ready." Rachel replied. Monica sighed and walked over to the freezer as Chandler relaxed on the sofa in full-on parade mode.

"What the hell is wrong with this damn freez- ow! Son of a- biscuit!" she screamed, a little voice of self-control telling her not to swear. Chandler leapt up immediately.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" he asked, cuddling Monica straight away.

"Ice in my eye... it really hurts..." she whimpered. Rachel opened the door.

"I'm trying get a nap!" she almost spat out in frustration. Chandler rolled his eyes.

"Mon got ice in her eye." Phoebe said, reaching for the phone. "You're going to the eye doctor." she said in an unusually forceful tone. "Whether it be Richard or not."

"The number's speed dial seven." Monica said in a weak voice. "For emergencies, Chandler, I promise you." she finished that speech, for she could almost sense the strange look on his face. He knew he shouldn't have subconsciously twitched, especially after the Kathy deal, but the grieving period and the jam came to his mind.

"I'm calling on behalf of Monica Geller. Is Dr. Richard Burke in today?" Phoebe asked, phone to her ear. "OK, so the on-call doctor's available? Fine. She'll be there as soon as possible." she smiled in Monica's direction. Relief swept through the brunette.

"Well I'm coming with for moral support, Mon." Rachel said perkily. Chandler and Phoebe promised to keep an eye on the food, so Monica left with unwavering faith. At the surgery waiting room, the door opened revealing a golden brown-haired guy.

"I'll be right with you." he said, walking to his office. Rachel's eyes had bugged out.

"How unbelievably cute is he?!" she whisper-screamed to Monica. Monica coughed.

"Rach, you should be having that conversation with Phoebe, not me." she said.

"Phoebe's not here though, is she?" Rachel fired back with some force.

"Dr. Burke will see you now." the receptionist said. Monica was a tad confused.

"I thought Dr. Burke was absent." she responded. The receptionist chuckled.

"Dr. Richard Burke is absent. His son, Dr. Timothy Burke, isn't." she said.

"Ah." Monica half-smiled, and with a sly smirk at a now ghostly pale Rachel, walked into Timothy's office. Monica soon struck up a conversation with him to break the ice.

"So, does love of eyes run in the family?" she asked. Tim laughed.

"Apparently. Goodness, it's been ages since I've seen you." he smiled. Monica half-heartedly grinned back - he was right, it had been ages, but she could spot an opening for a line from a guy when she saw one. "Not much damage, but you'll have to wear a patch." he continued, turning on the light once he'd finished looking.

"Not the best news to tell a chef." she said. Tim seemed intrigued by this.

"Could I taste any of your recipes?" he asked. "That is... can I come over for Thanksgiving? I'd be glad for company. The holidays... having been dumped..." he trailed off. Monica saw a different side - maybe he hadn't been hitting on her.

"Oh my goodness, Tim. I'm so sorry. I thought you were trying to ask me out!" she exclaimed. "Of course you can come - let me scribble down my address." she breathed, and after putting pen to some paper, she shook his hand and left. Rachel was outside, smiling tentatively, but all she got was an eye-roll.

"You're in luck, Rach. He's single, and I took pity and invited him for Thursday."

"Yay!" Rachel practically sung. Monica rolled her eyes once more - a tricky task with the patch. It was then that the fashion freak noticed said patch on her room-mate.

"He gave you a patch? That bad?" she asked. Monica nodded glumly, sniffing.

"This is so going to hinder me in my cooking." she mumbled. Rachel felt a pang of sympathy go through her as the Tim-related daydream bubble burst. "Luckily Phoebe and Chandler are OK cooks so the trade can go smoothly." the chef whispered. Rachel hugged her in response - she understood how this was acting negatively. Later on, the two had told the others everything that went on at the surgery.

"You invited him here for Thanksgiving?" Ross exclaimed. Rachel rolled her eyes.

"Monica did it, and it's because she feels bad that he was dumped." she responded.

"Excuse me, Rach, but I don't mind setting another place. And besides, who wants to get into his pants? You do!" Monica exclaimed for mostly comic effect. At this moment, Joey had been walking from the bathroom into the kitchen, and overheard.

"Who wants to get into whose pants?" he asked, quite confused. Monica coughed.

"Richard's son is coming over, and Rachel wants to bed him." she chuckled.

"Ewww! Ewww! That's disgusting, Rach!" Joey exclaimed, pulling a repulsed face. The main dinner passed without incident, apart from Ross and Rachel fighting over whether she kept gifts - the rest of the group including Tim tactfully held in their groans. Monica had noticed Chandler had gently growing paler.

"Chandler honey? Are you OK?" she asked, throwing a half-hearted glare at Phoebe.

"Mon, it's not due to Phoebe's food." Chandler said. "I... just feel I need a lie-down."

"Then go and rest." Monica replied, her voice feather-light with love, ruffling his hair.

"He did look peaky." Ross commented a bit later on. "Maybe it's the day's stress."

"I wish I knew. It doesn't seem like normal Thanksgiving woes." Monica said, her vibrant blue eyes full of worry.

Later she entered apartment 19 and knocked on Chandler's bedroom door.

"Come in." Chandler's voice sounded. Monica walked in, her eyes meeting his.

"Why didn't you tell me you were unwell?" she asked. Chandler coughed.

"It was... nerves, Mon." he responded. "Because I have something on my mind. Something to ask you. I know this isn't the most romantic place to do it." he continued, but a smirk was donning his face. Monica let out a light chuckle.

"Well, seeing as we think this is a romantic place, what is it you wanted to ask me that made you extremely nervous?" she pondered, twirling her hair with a finger.

"D-Do you want to move in with me?" Chandler asked, tripping over the first breath. Monica gazed at him, his eyes shining with love, as were hers. She paused.

"Yes. We'll have break it to Joey and Rachel, but yes. I'd love to live with you." she smiled. Chandler leapt up, picking Monica up in one swift moment and spinning her around. They both laughed with happiness, blue eyes meeting another pair of blue.

"Even I'd have to drag my stuff into your place?" Chandler asked, comically fearful.

"Yes, you daft clown! I don't begrudge you putting your own touch on our apartment and I'm sure we can compromise with my cleanliness." Monica almost purred.

"Somebody pinch me, Monica Geller willingly caved on her OCD!" Chandler laughed. Monica pretended to hit his shoulder. "Pinch me, not hit me! You really are freakishly strong for such a tiny little woman, you know." he beamed. Monica laughed.

"Chandler, I love you. And I'm so glad we're moving in together. Phoebe was surely onto something when she said about albatrosses." she murmured, not wasting the opportunity to give Chandler a love-bite as he gently put her down.

"You half-yelled I was your albatross when you were drunk once." Chandler said.

"Crap..." Monica groaned, knowing how she never remembered her drunken antics. "But I mean it, and telling you I love you will never get old, sweetheart." she whispered. "My heart is, and will forever be, yours." she said, her eyes glowing.

"Mon, if I loved you less I might be able to talk about more." Chandler responded. The buzzing emotions very soon turned into a physical expression of bliss.

"Ahhhh... Chandler... what you do to me." Monica breathed as they cuddled under the blankets. "I'm glad you're not worked up with nerves over asking me anymore."

"So am I. It was like being trapped in a box. I wasn't sure whether you'd say yes."

"Of course I would. It's a joyful step for a long life together." Monica replied, smiling.

AN: I knew I'd end the story with Mondler moving in. Just imagine that Kathy still did what she did but to Joey in the next episode. And obviously the box line was a nod to canon despite the HUGE diversion. After an unfortunately long haul, this is done. I hope all who were patient enough to read and indulge all 18 chapters enjoyed it.