You Saw Me.....
"At my most beautiful
I count your eyelashes, secretly.
With every one, whisper I love you.
I let you sleep.
I know you're closed eye watching me,
listening.
I thought I saw a smile."
"At My Most Beautiful" –REM
And that's how he fell asleep each night, to the sound of her breathing, and she to the sound of his heart beating. There were so many nights he wished he didn't have to leave so abruptly, so that nobody would know, but he knew it was for the best. But once he left, it was hard going back to a cold bed. He would always wish for her warmth besides him, the sounds of her breathing, but mainly because he didn't want to leave her.
But he knew better then to stay. And with a reluctant heart, he finally let his eyes close for the night, knowing better then to try and stay up the rest of the night. At least this way he would be able to get a good rest, having her besides him, before he would leave to his bed and spend the rest of the morning tossing and turning.
That was how things would have to be. But he was willing to hide in the shadows, if it meant he could be with her. He loved her, and for once, he wasn't afraid to admit it.
She stirred, starting to wake up for the day. She rubbed her head against his chest, voicing her annoyance in having to wake up so early with a groan. Chandler's eyes fluttered open, he too starting to wake up.
"Morning, sweetie," he cooed, smiling faintly.
"Morn'," she whispered back. She pulled herself up, her lips finding his in a tender 'good morning' kiss. "Rachel is going to be up soon," Monica breathed out, knowing that Chandler would have to leave again.
He groaned, "I hate this."
"What?"
"This, I hate having to keep this a secret. You know how hard it is to leave you every morning? And when we all hang out together, I hate not being able to hug you, or to kiss you, or even hold your hand. I hate it."
"I know, me too. But, we can't,"
"I know," Chandler sighed, "and it sucks."
"Big time," she agreed with him.
He sighed again, running his hand up and down her arm, trying to think of some way to stay longer, even though he knew there wasn't any. He would do this to himself every morning, and every morning never come up with a thing.
"Rachel is going to be up soon, it's almost six-thirty," Monica commented, staring at the clock. "You gotta leave."
Chandler nodded, "alright, I'll go," he sighed, forcing himself off the bed. The cold air hit him harder then usual, and he already found himself missing her warmth while he pulled on his clothes for the day, half awake. If there was one drawback to him and Monica dating, it was this. He barely ever got enough sleep, and work was a bitch normally, but even more so with no sleep.
Once he was finished, he walked back over to Monica, kneeling down besides the bed. "Hey you," he whispered, his face inches from hers.
"Hey yourself," she whispered back, half-awake, half-asleep.
He leaned in, catching her lips again in a more passionate kiss, breaking it after a few moments. She smiled contently, watching him as he walked back out of the room.
"Bye," he whispered, shutting the door quietly, leaving Monica alone in the dark again. She would start moving again in another fifteen minutes, having to go and start breakfast for everyone. And then, about another fifteen minutes later, he would come back again with everyone else. Both of them pretending like nothing happened. Like they were still just good friends. "Hello, children!" Chandler greeted everyone while walking into Monica's kitchen, a visible spring in his step.
"What's with you man?" Ross finally asked, while buttering his toast, "you're so happy now," Ross paused, dropping his bread and a giant smirk coming around his face, "CHANDLER'S GOT A GIRLFRIEND!" He announced his findings to everyone in the room, hell, maybe even the people next door.
"What?" Chandler jumped, "no, no, I don't! Why, why, would I have a girlfriend?"
"Yeah," Monica put in a fake laugh, "like anyone would want to date Chandler, I mean, come on Ross!"
Chandler gave Monica a look, more of an amused look then anything else, but a look none the less.
"Yeah, good point," Ross mumbled, picking up his toast and resuming buttering, "but it would explain why he is so happy."
"Yeah, Ross's got a point there," Rachel crossed her arms, "in fact, both Monica and Chandler seem happier then usual. What's up guys?"
Chandler dropped his pancake, and Monica just stood there while another pancake sizzled in the frying pan. "Umm, what do you mean Rach?" Monica asked uncomfortably.
"Oh my God! YOU GUYS ARE DOING IT!" Phoebe yelled, and Chandler was sure that this time at least the whole building, if not whole block heard her.
Chandler and Monica laughed uncomfortably, "that's funny, Pheebs!"
"Yeah, I could do so much better!" Monica laughed, pointing at Chandler, "I mean, its Chandler!"
"Ouch," Chandler gave Monica another amused look.
Ross had again dropped his toast, and now was clutching his knife. Phoebe turned to him, "wow, Ross, you look mad." She pointed out, "is it because Chandler and Monica are doing it?"
"WE'RE NOT DOING IT!" They yelled at the same time, both casting each other annoyed looks.
Rachel gasped, pointing at them, "see! They are! They're talking at the same time!"
"ARE NOT!" They yelled at the same time, again, making sure that maybe all of New York City heard them. They were really going for the record today.
"OHMYGOD! You're right, Rach!" Phoebe laughed, now forgetting about Ross.
"Pheebs, may I remind you as you are screaming that," Ross cleared his throat, "that's MY LITTLE SISTER YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT!" He yelled at her, rising out of his chair ever so slightly.
Phoebe shrugged, "sorry, Ross, we were only kidding."
"Yeah, I mean, come on, Monica and Chandler together? And we wouldn't know? What kind of idiots do you take us for?" Rachel laughed, walking back into the bathroom to finish getting ready before leaving for work.
Chandler shot an amused grin over at Monica, hoping it went unnoticed by others. If only Rachel knew the irony of her statement. Monica smiled back at Chandler, sharing equal amusement in her eyes. "Hey, where's Joey. He never misses pancakes," Monica asked, deciding that it was a good time to be changing the subject to something safe.
"I donno," Ross shrugged, returning once again to his toast, this time ready to eat it.
"I think he had a date last night," Chandler shrugged, "I donno really. I did some laundry, watched some TV, then went to bed pretty early."
"So the conclusion that Joey had a date fits in where?" Ross asked slowly, as if mocking his friend's idea, completely forgetting about their previous topic.
"Ooh! I bet he heard them last night!" Phoebe decided, half laughing.
Chandler shook his head, "nope, I slept like a baby last night. Didn't hear Joey at all," he shrugged.
Ross gave him another look, "I prove my point," he mumbled while chewing.
"Well, actually, Ross, my idea comes from the fact that Joey is not here eating, which leads me to only two possible conclusions: Joey has been abducted by aliens or Joey is busy dumping another girl."
"Isn't that you're job?" Rachel asked, walking back into the kitchen.
"And miss pancakes, I think he can handle it himself for once!" Chandler said with mock seriousness, taking another huge bite of his pancake.
"Hey Ross? Why are you asking about Joey, I mean you do live with them," Rachel asked, amusement in her tone.
Ross squirmed around uncomfortably, "well, umm, you see, err,"
"Getting over Emily so soon, are we?" Monica teased, but silently thanking God for her brother's new found love interest. Emily was a little twit, she couldn't believe Ross had ever wanted to marry her in the first place. "What's her name?"
He looked over at Chandler, then his eyes shifted back to his plate of food. "You're gonna hate me, man," he mumbled more to his plate of food as apposed to Chandler.
"Why?"
"It was Janice," he mumbled, still staring down at his plate.
The room burst out into laughter, thinking that Ross was probably just kidding around. Janice had always irked all of them, but especially Ross and Joey. They had to deal with her more usually, anyways. Chandler laughed hardest of all of them, "come on, man," he made out between laughs, "what's her name!"
"I told you, it's Janice!" He stood up angrily, grabbing his empty plate and walking over to the sink. "And I know there are rules, man, and I broke one of 'em. I'm so sorry, but I really like her." He rambled on for another moment or two, while the rest of the friends stood in the shock of someone actually liking Janice. Or maybe it was more of Ross actually liking Janice.
"What? What rules?" Rachel blurted out, breaking the silence. "How is Janice involved in the rules?"
"Y'know, you shouldn't date your best friend's ex's, or possible girlfriends, or girls their related too," he shrugged, leaning against the kitchen sink. "I'm so sorry man, I don't know if you could ever forgive me."
Monica dropped her spatula, and Chandler suddenly found himself not hungry anymore. "You know what, I am mad," Chandler made out with mock anger. It was more fear then anything else, but he tired his best to make it come off as anger. He stood up out of his chair, pointing dramatically, "but you know what! I'm gonna forgive you!" He shrugged, trying to make it look like that was a really hard thing to do, "because that's what friends do! When one of us breaks one of those rules, we forgive each other! F-O-R-G-I-V-E! Forgive!"
"Oh really man, cause that means a lot to me," Ross smiled, "cause I'm going out with her again tonight."
"Forgiving!" Chandler shouted again, "I want you to remember that I forgave you!"
"Okay, Chandler, I think he's got the point," Phoebe commented, not even bothering to look up from her magazine.
"Hey I got a question," Rachel eyed Chandler suspiciously.
"What's up, Rach?" Monica asked, trying to act as normal as possible.
"How come Chandler didn't know that Ross wasn't home last night?"
Chandler's eyes got big, "well, well, you see, it's because, it's because, I went to bed so early last night!"
"Uh, huh," Rachel said, not connived, "whatever you say, Bing."
Chandler wrapped his arm around Monica, throwing all caution to the wind as they walked through Central Park together. It was getting harder and harder for him not to show any affection towards her in public, in fact his friends were really the only ones stopping him from going up on the roof and screaming how much he loved her to all of New York city.
Monica rested her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes for a moment, glad to be near him. "We're a real couple," she mumbled, "for once."
He smiled, tightening his grip on her, "I could get used to this."
"We should separate pretty soon, we're almost home," she mumbled, not making any effort to release herself from his grip.
"What if we don't go home just yet?"
"We can't, they're,"
He stopped her, putting a finger to her lips, "shh, they'll never know. Let's just turn around, and walk back through the park."
Monica smiled, leaning up and kissing his lips again. When they released, she took him by the hand, turning around and walking back through the park again with him.
"My parents are coming into town this weekend," Monica said with a slight groan, "this is going to be awful!"
"What do you mean?"
"I won't be able to see you."
"And why not? We sneak out all the time, why should your parents be a problem?"
Monica looked down at her feet, "because they really don't like you," she mumbled.
"What! Why?"
Monica stopped, turning into face him, "I donno why, they just really don't like you," she looked at him sadly. "But you know what, that doesn't matter. They shouldn't dictate who I should see and who I shouldn't!"
Chandler smiled, pulling her in so that his nose touched hers, "you're the best."
"I know," Monica teased, kissing him playfully.
"You know, I really don't see why I still can't sneak in to see you, I mean me and Ross sneaked into your guys house all the time when we were in college!"
"But my mom would freak! I mean, she already thinks I'm a slut, why not prove it!"
"But you're not a slut," he said slowly.
"I know! But to her, I am!"
Chandler smiled, "I like living dangerously."
Monica laughed lightly, "well, I guess it couldn't hurt, I mean, there's already a lot at steak," she leaned in closer to him.
"Yeah, totally."
"Why not toss that into the mix," she cooed, her lips meeting his again in another fiery kiss. She ringed her arms around his neck, pulling him even closer.
Pulling away for lack of oxygen, he whispered, "I love you, Monica Geller."
"I love you too, Chandler Bing."
Monica sat in her apartment, armed with a pair of yellow gloves, a cleaning kit, and a huge bucket of water. This would be the cleanings to end all cleanings, a cleaning that would put to shame the white glove test. Her parents would be here, in her apartment, in under eighteen hours, and she still hadn't cleaned Rachel's room.
It had been decided that Rachel would stay over at Phoebe's until her parents left in a couple of days, and Jack and Judy Geller would take over her room in order to save some money and spend some quality time with their daughter. Or that is at least what her mother had said to her. Her thoughts: her father was just being cheap again, not wanting to spring for a hotel in New York City.
"Hey Mon!" Chandler walked into the apartment, smiling happily, "you ready to go out to lunch?"
"Lunch! I can't go out to lunch! Their gonna be here in," she checked her watch, "seventeen hours, thirty-seven minutes, and ten seconds! How can I go out to lunch!" She yelled, scrubbing the entertainment center.
"Whoa there, calm down, Monica. The place looks great!"
"No! No it doesn't! I need to clean it! I mean just look over there!" She pointed to the corner next to the bathroom.
"Yes, it's a corner, I'm sure glad we have those cause you know without them this apartment would be going on forever and ever."
"Not helping!"
"Sorry," he held up in hands in defeat. "Look, would you like some help?"
"No! You don't know the system!"
"Would you like be to get you a muffin or something? You know, food?"
"Food! Food leaves crumbs!"
"How about some coffee, would you like some coffee?" She looked up at him, deciding as to if she really wanted the coffee. "I'll even put it on a coaster for you."
"A coaster?"
"Yes, a coaster."
"Alright, I could go for a coffee."
"Okay then, I'll go and get you that coffee," Chandler nodded, walking back out of the war zone that was once Monica and Rachel's apartment.
"Now you just sit out here and think about what you did!" Chandler scolded the duck, standing outside in the hallway. The duck quaked back at him, flapping his wings in defiance. "You know what! No dinner for you tonight either!" He challenged, pointing his finger at the duck.
"Hey Chandler," Ross walked over to his new roommate, his parents following behind him, eyes wide open. "What did the Duck do this time?"
Chandler put his hands on his hips, "you know, you think you're doing a good job raising them, teaching them good lessons, and then, BAM! He goes and terrorizes the chick!"
"Ah, man, not that again? You think they'd stop fighting eventually," Ross tried to console his friend, "but you know what, that is no fault of your own, or Joey's for that matter."
"Yeah, yeah, maybe your right," Chandler sighed, "oh hi, Mr. and Mrs. Geller! How are things?" Chandler greeted them, putting on a smile.
"Oh, hi, Chandler," Judy said slowly, disgust in her voice, "Chandler's duck."
"Well I heard you guys were gonna be in town for a couple of days, and that's great," he continued on with his one sided conversation with the Geller's.
"Yes, we're in town 'til Tuesday," Jack answered.
"Tuesday? Well, I guess I'll be seeing ya!" Chandler smiled, walking back into his apartment.
"Didn't you forget your duck!" Jack yelled after him, pointing to the duck still sitting out in the hallway.
Chandler shook his head, "nah, the Chick and the Duck are at it again, so it's time for a time out," he shrugged, shutting the door behind him.
"He has a chicken too!" Judy complained, "you're living with poultry, Ross!"
"Their Joey and Chandler's pets, what am I supposed to do about it? Besides, this is only temporary, until I can find my own apartment."
"Oh, hey, Mr. and Mrs. Geller!" Rachel greeted them, walking over to them in the hallway, smiling happily. "I'm just gonna grab my stuff, and I'll be outta there, okay?" She looked down at the floor, noticing the duck sitting in the middle of the hallway, "Chick and Duck are at it again, huh?" She commented, "they should have Phoebe talk to them again, that seemed to work last time," she shrugged walking into her apartment.
"Ross," Judy whacked her son on the back of his head, "get new friends!" She said harshly, storming into the apartment behind Rachel, Jack in tow.
"Mom!" Ross rolled his eyes, but followed them into the apartment, "you shouldn't say that!"
"Shouldn't say what?" Monica walked over to them, forcing herself to put on a smile, "hey mom, hey dad!" She said with mock happiness, "how are things? You enjoying the city?"
"Thrilled," her mother gave her a look, "and do you know that you're friends have a duck in the middle of the hallway."
"Oh again? I can't believe it."
"For once, something we agree,"
"PHEEBS! Go talk to the Chick and Duck again, could ya?" Monica yelled, walking through the apartment looking for the blonde.
"Oh? Again? I can't believe it! What will you guys ever do without me!" Phoebe stormed out of the apartment and into the hallway, sitting next to the duck.
"So, Mom and Dad, how are things?" Monica smiled, turning back to face her parents.
"Ah, just fine dear," her mother said, disgust in her eyes as she watched Phoebe talk to the duck in the hallway.
"What's new with you?" Her father intervened, or at least that is what Monica would like to think her father was doing, but she wasn't entirely sure he was capable of that sort of thing.
"Nothing really," Monica smiled, "I've just been here, y'know, helping Ross get over Emily, he met another girl, did you hear!"
"Yes, yes, we've heard all about it!" Judy smiled happily, "and she seems like a very nice girl, I can't wait to meet her." Rachel burst out into audible laughter in her bedroom, highly amused by this comment. Monica managed to keep her cool, and not think about how the meeting would be between her mother and Janice. Although, she would pay some serious cash to see it, from far away.
"What's wrong with Rachel?" Jack leaned in, hearing her uncontrollable laughs.
"Rachel's strange like that," Ross commented, probably meaning it, but what's a little bit more water under the bridge?
"So have you been seeing anyone, Monica?" Judy smiled, putting her face dangerously close to her daughter's.
Monica turned a little red, "no, no, why would you say that? I'm busy working, need to make rent, y'know!" She laughed uncomfortably.
"Well have we got the guy for you!" Jack smiled happily, "he's nice, likes to cook, visits the city a lot,"
She put her hand up, "no, no thanks, I'm fine."
"No, no you're not! You're almost thirty!" Her mother complained, "I was married before I turned thirty! In fact! All my friend's daughters are married, and they're not thirty!"
"Well thanks for pointing that one out, mom," Monica said sarcastically, rolling her eyes. "I can't hear that enough!" She through her hands up into the air, walking out of the apartment without another word.
"What did I say?" Judy asked the remaining people in the room, looking around like she had done nothing wrong.
"She didn't want to be set up, Mom. She never does, and never will," Ross complained, "I can't believe you did that again."
So there you guys go, my first stab at a Friends fanficion, starring no other then Monica and Chandler, or as they are affectionatly called by Ross in one epsiode "Mondler".
Please review, it would really help me a ton.