CHAPTER ONE: REUNION
As the plane landed in LA, Phoebe was excited. It had been a while since she'd seen Joey last and what made it all more exciting was the fact that she was by herself. It would be just the two of them spending time together, talking about everything and nothing at the same time. She missed Joey. She had a new life with Mike and still saw Ross and Rachel, and Monica and Chandler, though not as often, but still...none of them were Joey.
Joey had invited the whole gang to come out to LA for a visit during his vacation, and at the time the invitation was extended, all of them had agreed to go, but life has a way of getting in the way of friendships and in the end either kids or jobs had prevented them all from going. All except for Phoebe. When Monica had told her she and Chandler weren't going because the twins had come down with the chicken pox, Phoebe was disappointed but understanding, but when Ross and Rachel had to cancel because they both had job engagements that they couldn't get out of, she had panicked! Noooo, she had thought, not you too!
She'd felt compelled to tell Joey that she wasn't going either, but he'd sounded so heartbroken about the whole mess, that in the end she'd decided to go by herself. Mike had been wonderful about the whole thing. He had in fact encouraged her to make the trip by herself. She was sure that her being edgy and cranky for the better part of a week had played a big part in Mike's being understanding, but she just shrugged that thought off. She was seeing Joey again and she was going to damn well enjoy it!
Joey was pacing the gate like a nervous father-to-be. He was too wound up to be still. In a very short while, Phoebe was going to come through the gate!!! That the other four hadn't been able to make it had sucked, but Phoebe's being here more than made up for it. He had missed her and her quirks more than he cared to admit. Even to himself. He'd come out here to further his career and life had been good to him, but he missed his good friends. Things were different out here, not better not worse, just different. He was happy, but something was off, and he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was.
Then, there she was. Looking a little lost, but otherwise as beautiful as the last time he'd seen her. He actually saw her face light up and the "lost" disappear from it when she saw him and started toward him. He let out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and walked up to meet her.
Neither realized they were short of running, and when they reached each other, Phoebe put her arms tightly around Joey's neck as he picked her up just as tightly and swung her. They stood there embracing for a long time, before they reluctantly moved back a little to give themselves a chance to look at each other. They both had knots in their throats and all Joey could get out was "Hey, Pheebs" before Phoebe broke down in sobs.....
As the plane landed in LA, Phoebe was excited. It had been a while since she'd seen Joey last and what made it all more exciting was the fact that she was by herself. It would be just the two of them spending time together, talking about everything and nothing at the same time. She missed Joey. She had a new life with Mike and still saw Ross and Rachel, and Monica and Chandler, though not as often, but still...none of them were Joey.
Joey had invited the whole gang to come out to LA for a visit during his vacation, and at the time the invitation was extended, all of them had agreed to go, but life has a way of getting in the way of friendships and in the end either kids or jobs had prevented them all from going. All except for Phoebe. When Monica had told her she and Chandler weren't going because the twins had come down with the chicken pox, Phoebe was disappointed but understanding, but when Ross and Rachel had to cancel because they both had job engagements that they couldn't get out of, she had panicked! Noooo, she had thought, not you too!
She'd felt compelled to tell Joey that she wasn't going either, but he'd sounded so heartbroken about the whole mess, that in the end she'd decided to go by herself. Mike had been wonderful about the whole thing. He had in fact encouraged her to make the trip by herself. She was sure that her being edgy and cranky for the better part of a week had played a big part in Mike's being understanding, but she just shrugged that thought off. She was seeing Joey again and she was going to damn well enjoy it!
Joey was pacing the gate like a nervous father-to-be. He was too wound up to be still. In a very short while, Phoebe was going to come through the gate!!! That the other four hadn't been able to make it had sucked, but Phoebe's being here more than made up for it. He had missed her and her quirks more than he cared to admit. Even to himself. He'd come out here to further his career and life had been good to him, but he missed his good friends. Things were different out here, not better not worse, just different. He was happy, but something was off, and he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was.
Then, there she was. Looking a little lost, but otherwise as beautiful as the last time he'd seen her. He actually saw her face light up and the "lost" disappear from it when she saw him and started toward him. He let out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and walked up to meet her.
Neither realized they were short of running, and when they reached each other, Phoebe put her arms tightly around Joey's neck as he picked her up just as tightly and swung her. They stood there embracing for a long time, before they reluctantly moved back a little to give themselves a chance to look at each other. They both had knots in their throats and all Joey could get out was "Hey, Pheebs" before Phoebe broke down in sobs.....