This new story is based on TOW the Soap Opera Party. There is the moment where Charlie is kissing Joey, and Rachel wanted to kiss him and Ross wanted to kiss Charlie. This is what would have happened if they would have really looked at each other. I am dedicating this story to Tina Chaves, who I look up to . She is the original Ross and Rachel writer and in my opinion is the best.

These characters are the property of BKC Productions….

The Night of the Party

Joey looked around nervously then he looked at the clock. His party was only a few hours away. The caterer had been given strict orders that everything had to be done when the residents of the building were away. He had taken a shower and prayed that Rachel would think he had just a normal date.

He hated to deceive his friends, but he knew that they would make a big deal about his soap opera friends. Ross and Chandler weren't too bad, but Monica and Rachel were the worst. They had both been fans of Days of our Lives for years. It was like a dream come true when Joey joined the cast of the show. They would be privy to the secrets of Salem, days before any of the other viewers of the show. They couldn't come to this party because the actors wanted to relax and be themselves, not be chased by crazed soap opera fans.

Rachel couldn't think of nothing but the dream. Her feelings were a mess right now. A few short weeks ago, only one man occupied her mind and that was the father of her child. But that was before he became the suspicious , jealous jerk that kept messages from her. Now she was around Joey, and she actually started to think about Joey in a different way. He had taken in Emma and her and made his apartment their home.

She went to a taping of DOOL where she watched Joey, but it wasn't the same Joey. It was a more romantic and dashing Joey. Monica told her that maybe it was because he was Drake and she was in love with Drake, not Joey. Drake was declaring his love for Olivia. That night , Rachel replayed the whole thing in her mind. Instead of Olivia, he gave Rachel a kiss. Awakening from the dream, she was puzzled by this turn of events. The only man who ever occupied her thoughts was Ross, before this happened. She could only exclaim. "Well that's new." Then she returned to her slumber.

Ross looked nervously at his watch as well. He had been given an assignment as the member of the faculty who would soon be reviewed for tenure. He had impressed the dean with his published papers and his rapport with his students. A few good reviews and he would get his tenure and a raise. There would be no way he could get fired this time, like with the museum. The only part he was dreading was showing the new faculty around. Chances were very good that the new professors were a couple of boring old windbags.

Suddenly a very young, sexy black woman burst through the doors of Central Perk. She seemed to be looking for someone. Gunther was doing his usual chore of taking care of the coffee shop counter. "Excuse me, have you seen Ross Geller?" she asked the brilliant haired proprietor of the Perk. In his usual glib way, he replied ."No." It was no secret that Gunther disliked Ross, after all , he had succeeded in getting Rachel. Rachel was the one woman for Gunther, and if this guy could be eliminated, he always thought that he would get her.

"That would be me." Ross said as he popped up from his discussion with Monica and Chandler. "I 'm Ross Geller." The attractive woman came over and gave him the brightest smile. "I am Charlie Wheeler." She said simply. Ross looked at his new colleague. He remembered when he dated the "Dirty Girl and what a disaster that was. This woman was so hot and she was also in his profession. He remembered how many times he had been with women who either had no interest in paleontology or made fun of him. Rachel tolerated it. This would be a woman who he could share his passion about dinosaurs. He took his hand and smoothed down his dark brown hair that was sticking up. He then gave her his best smile . Everything was finally going his way. Then the other professor showed up.

An hour went by, and Charlie and Ross listened as the older man droned on. "king crab, and cracked crab, and crab legs, which would have been enjoyable except I am deathly allergic to shellfish." They looked at each other , hoping that something would fall on this guy, at least they wouldn't have to be part of this slow torture any more."I have to use the restroom." The older man said slowly. "Right over there." Ross pointed out the familiar coffeehouse bathroom. The elderly professor smiled and headed for the bathroom. "I thought he would never leave." Ross popped up , eager to escape their torture. "Let's just hope he can't run." Charlie giggled. The two younger professors ran from the coffee shop.

"I think that you are making a big mistake." Monica tried to warn her friend. "Friends can't be lovers." Rachel turned to Monica in defense. "Oh yeah, what about you and Chandler?" Monica thought for a minute. The greatest love of her life was there all along. It took her own brother's wedding to make it happen."And I realize it was a long time ago, but look what happened with you and Ross. Then when you broke up, you hated each other and couldn't even stand to be near each other. Do you really want to go through that again?" This brought a smile to her face, truly that was the best relationship until it fell apart . No man had loved her like Ross.

But yet this could all be new and exciting. Joey was an actor who had a reputation of being with women. He would never call them after he slept with them. He just would move onto the next conquest, with a smile and his "How You Doin?" Joey was so uncomplicated and child like as well. Ross had so many hangups. His jealousy , and mistrust were the big ones, and this last time once again were the factors that made her move back to Joey's . Damn , if he could have only been honest with her, and if he was having feelings , they could have tried to work things out. But once again, he began hiding phone numbers and lying. Joey never let a relationship last that long, and somehow the danger of it appealed to Rachel.

The door opened and through it came Chandler and Joey. Rachel turned her head and she noticed something different. His boy like attitude was replaced by a sexy man. Joey was the more athletic of the three, he had that kind of look to him. She also liked the way his hair kind of just fell across his face, framing his dark eyes. She also did seem like to like men who were foreign. Why look how she fell for Paolo? But men like Paolo, and Mark, and Tag were one type and the Gavins, Barrys and Ross's were another. Joey was definitely in that category.

"Hey Rachel." Joey smiled. Rachel smiled back at him with a toss of her hair. Monica noticed that there was something different about the way that Joey was acting. Maybe there was something after all. With a kiss for Monica, the two men left again.

"I've got it." Exclaimed Monica. "Are you in love with Joey or Drake?" Rachel didn't understand what she meant. "You said it was when Drake was trying to stop Olivia's wedding that you began to notice these feelings." Rachel wished that Monica would explain this all to her. Her face showed puzzlement. "Don't you get it? Drake was trying to stop the wedding like when you went to London to stop Ross from marrying Emily. You were in the same situation and maybe you were just relating to it." Rachel shook her head furiously. "No there is definitely something there. I don't know if it is love or lust, but the feelings I have are different from before. I have to find out if I do love Joey." Monica put her arm around her. "Just be careful. I don't want to see anyone get hurt because of this." Rachel put her head down. She knew exactly what she meant .

Walking back to the apartment, she opened the door and stared at Joey for a few minutes. "I don't understand it. I was making a peanut butter smoothie and I forgot this thingy and it sprayed all over the place. " Joey held up the lid of the blender and showed it to Rachel. She gave him a questioning look. "Who would have thunk it?" Joey said as he wiped peanut butter from the back of his head. Rachel had to laugh as she walked back to her room. "Yep, it was Drake." She said to herself.