AN: It may be a couple of weeks until I update with Chapter Five but I got really inspired to write this and I know many wanted to see the ending to this chapter

Chapter Four

It had taken a couple of phone calls but finally Monica had accepted the idea of going out for a coffee with her ex-boyfriend. Despite her want to make sure that the restaurant always delivered superior food, they didn't need her to be there as much as they once did. The chefs who worked for her were all well-trained, well-educated, seasoned. It wasn't as if she had to teach them how to make sauces, she just needed for them to follow her recipe and adapt to their high skills.

The twins were already asleep in their beds and although she was a little curious about the candles that Phoebe was burning in order to bring the family good luck, she felt that letting her friend handle this tragedy in her own way was best. She'd clear up whatever she had to when she returned. Sure, Chandler and Ross always knew her rules and how she liked to run a household but she had to be a little more lenient. Having two young kids had helped her with that.

So when she had cleared her schedule and she still sat down with her ex, she wondered why it felt so painful to do it. She wasn't betraying her husband just by having a coffee with an ex-boyfriend, a family friend. He would understand that she just needed to speak to someone who could understand her.

"So, how long have you been going to the hospital? I mean, I saw the reports. I thought about calling but I didn't think that my presence in tha-" Richard started and Monica nodded. If something had happened to Chandler's brain and he had felt nervous, intimidated, anxious, or any number of negative emotions, this man would certainly not help him.

"It was a wise decision. I don't think he ever didn't respect you but he knew how important you once were to me, he's always had a way of doubting himself and even when he hasn't, he talks himself into doubting himself. Still, that's what makes him adorable, it's one of the reasons why I love him so much." Monica smiled to herself as she thought about all the times she had spent with him. There was the sneaking around, the time spent living together after Vegas, planning their wedding, choosing to adopt and going through the adoption process, raising their kids together, so many other times. It was hard being here, acting without him.

"You really do love him, don't you," Richard said and Monica picked up her coffee, drinking it slowly. She attempted not to cry. Half the time when she spoke about her husband, the love of her life, she would end up crying. "I read somewhere that if someone is shot in the head there's what, a five percent chance of survival?"

"I…don't know, something like that, I think." The executive chef took another deep breath in as she tried to focus on the coffee in front of her. Who cared if it kept her up? Having half of the bed empty haunted her anyway. She had even taken to wearing one of his button-up shirts to bed to have something of his to hold onto.

"I read somewhere that for those who do survive, the risks that come with it are…they're terrible. I mean, you read about these boxers who aren't even shot in the head but get into these fights, not to mention all of the damage that football play-" Monica shivered as she stared at him. Why was he bringing this all up as if she hadn't immediately done all the research that she could on it. Didn't he know her at all? Didn't he think that she had a handful of color-coded folders to do with brain injuries as well as treatment plans, medications, information on how to help in the event of a seizure which was likely, how to help someone with depression, the possibility of speech or memory loss. She even had a file that had papers to tell her which folder each piece of information was in. What she didn't know were the answers to what he would wake up to or when he would finally wake up.

"Can we not discuss this? How about we talk about you," she said as she attempted to change the subject to anything other than Chandler's condition which each of her friends had spoken to her about at different times and it always upset her…well, no, she could speak to Rachel about it who would try to understand, Ross would comfort her in a physical way by coming over if she said she needed him and holding her, Phoebe would talk about candles, incense, protection charms in her own way of helping, and Joey would remind her of important memories. She could speak to them about him. He would want them each to be able to comfort her but being out here with this man, she didn't feel comfortable airing all the pain and heartache she was going through.

"How are you doing? Are you still pra-"

"I mean, let me just say this and I won't say anything more because I don't want to upset you but, I've heard the bad side to these sort of cases. There are always stories of these football stars, promising guys too, getting hurt so much that they might even have to go into assisted living due to the damage that they've ta-"

Monica stood. She knew that coffee would be a bad idea. She had wanted to distract herself, take a moment for herself and have someone listen to her who didn't have a connection to her husband as well. She should have followed Rachel's suggestion and gone to see a therapist to talk to them despite how Ross said that their friends could provide more help than most New York therapists.

"I'm sorry," she said as she removed some cash from her wallet, "I have to go."

"I'm not seeing anyone right now, in case that makes a difference," Richard blurted out and Monica stared at him, her eyes were wide and she looked away from him. There weren't many people here but there were people sneaking glances at them.

"I love him. I don't know who you think I am but I'm not going to turn my back on him. He's been one of my closest friends for years and yes, he has his faults but he admits to them. The man I married, I knew for years before I entered a relationship with him, before I got engaged to him and married him and maybe…maybe that man is gone but I know he'll do anything in his power to get better because I matter to him. So, he might be childish. He might be clumsy and he might forget how I like the magazines to be spread out on the coffee table, or in what order I like laundry folded, or even which flower vase is for the short cut or the long cut ones but he loves me. If I were in his place, he would be doing everything he could to help me feel better. Without conditions," she said as she shivered, wrapping her arms protectively around her waist. "I love him unconditionally because I know that's how he loves me."

Without another word, the strong and independent woman stepped out of the coffee shop. She felt like the earth beneath her feet would swallow her up. Chandler wasn't dead yet and the doctors had said that he was getting stronger each week. Still, they had also mentioned things like a permanent disability, that it might take a year or more for him to recover to the condition he was before he was shot, how she might be able to get money from the government because he would no longer be able to work.

Yes, the doctors had said all of that but what did one year, five years, matter if he was still alive and he was still fighting to improve. She could have already lost a large part of him but she still felt a connection to him. She would have felt this condition were he to have had a stroke and suffered similar injuries, why would she change her mind over him being shot.

She felt alone but she could return to Jack and Erica and hold them in her arms and promise the two of them how loved they were. She just didn't want to feel so lonely any longer.

MGCBMGCB

Somehow, even though she had called Rachel that night and explained everything about the situation with Richard, Monica hadn't felt that her friend blamed her for it. Instead, Rachel had suggested that the two of them take the day off from work and go out shopping. Having heard that his sister needed some support and comfort, Ross had said that he would treat them to food. When food and a chance to get-together had been brought up, Joey had cleared his schedule. That meant that the four of them would meet together to have lunch. It would be good to have family nearby and since it was a weekday, that meant that their kids could attend school without the need for a sitter.

Seeing the restlessness and exhaustion in her friend, Rachel had done her best to coax Monica into really shopping. There was a cute jacket, pair of boots that were very comfortable to wear and on sale, and a purse that would go with many of her outfits. It was refreshing for the once-cheerleader to use her expertise to help the friend who had taken her in when nothing seemed to be going right.

As they approached the restaurant, Monica looked up to see Joey standing there uncomfortably. "What is it?" she asked looking to Rachel nervously. Something had to have gone wrong. These days it was very unusual for everything to stay safe and calm. Life wasn't kind to her these days.

"Nothing's wrong," Joey said before Ross interrupted him.

"No, actually it's a good thing. We're going to have two more people joining us," he said before looking to Joey. "We were able to get Phoebe on board and she's bringing Mike so it'll be the six, six of us," he said and he saw Monica freeze as she stared at him.

"It's not saying that just because there are six of us that -" Joey said and Monica looked at them as she realized what they were saying and how they had made the connection. For years it had always been the six of them, three men and three women and whoever else they were dating. Reservations were made for six. Bills were split six ways. There were six invites to group events.

"Yes, I know," Monica smiled weakly. "It'll be good to see them," she said as she kept thinking about six people. Whenever fate had been kind enough to them, it had always been at least seven people but this wasn't even the original six.

"And you're okay with the number," Ross asked cautiously and Monica nodded. She was already getting used to not having her husband with her. She would at least have Joey. She wouldn't be the only one who was single at the table, no…she wasn't single. She wasn't even separated from her husband, he just physically couldn't be with her. "If it's uncomfortable I'll just…I can g-" he said but Monica's phone rang. She pulled it out before her eyes widened and she took a deep breath in. This was scary. It almost felt ominous.

"What is it?" Joey asked as he looked to her.

"The hospital, I'm sorry, I have to take this," she said as she took a few steps away. She spoke quietly so that her friends wouldn't be able to hear her conversation. She sobbed loudly as they all watched her, wanting to hear what was going on but also trying to keep a respectable distance. "Thank you for letting me know." She said before hanging up and wrapped her arms around her. She sank down into a squat unable to stand any longer and the three others turned to look at each other.

"Mon, are you? Is everything okay?" Rachel asked as she quickly handed her husband the shopping bags. Rachel got down next to her and put her hand on the other woman's back. "Is he?" she dared to ask and then saw Monica pushing her tears away and smiling. The chef laughed weakly, putting her hand over her mouth to keep herself from sobbing too loudly.

"They say that he gained consciousness. It was about a minute, his eyes weren't open but he was moving, they say that he tried to call for me. I'm sorry I have to -" she said feeling the world around her like a complete blur. Joey moved forwards.

"Come on, I'll drive you there," he said, he was unable to keep the excitement out of his voice and Monica hugged her brother and then the other brunette before following Joey to the parking garage.

"Call us!" Rachel shouted after them before she looked at Ross who had a complicated expression. "What is it? You wanted to be the one to drive her there? You wanted to be there when he finally woke up? Can't we just be happy that our friend is awake and that he pulled through what would probably be considered fatal?"

Ross nodded but his expression was still showing his conflict. "I know, Rach. You have no idea how relieved I am that he's made that amazing turn of progress but did you even listen to what Mon said to us."

"That he gained consciousness and was moving, that's a really good thing and I'm sure his eyes will open. Sometimes when you're sleeping you don't open your ey-" she commented but saw Ross's confusion.

"What did she mean he tried to call for her?" he asked and Rachel sighed.

"That he called for her and that she wasn't there, he's probably delirious, might not even realize he's at the hospital. I mean, hopefully if something ever happened to you, which don't you dare let anything happen to you because my heart would be extremely hard to fix, you'd call for me." Rachel looked at him wondering if Ross was over analyzing the situation. He had unfortunately passed that trait onto Emma and although Rachel loved her own impulsivity at times, she knew that this was a way they could balance one another out.

"I hope so," Ross admitted.

He didn't think that was right though. From what he had learned from the doctors and from Monica, the injury to his long-time friend's brain was mainly concentrated on the frontal lobe of the left side which was one area which controlled language. What if that was only one of the complications Chandler would have to endure?

End of Chapter Four

Thank you for reading, reviews are appreciated

Thank you to the reviewers of Chapter Three

Dylan, Oldreruns

Also thank you to Melissa Richards1 who reviewed Chapter One

AN: I also apologize for the total lack of Phoebe in this fic. Believe it or not I actually identify most with her and get her on all of the quizzes I take. I actually even cosplayed as Phoebe when I was much younger as I grew up when the show was airing. (Although I didn't start really watching it until Season Five aired in the UK although my mum watched from Season Three. I also think it was because I started watching during Season Five (I was about ten when I saw it) that I became such a fan of Monica and Chandler. (( some of my earliest fanfics were about that time too and they were kind of awful ))