The one with the Reunion

Chapter 1 The Phone Calls

(What would have happened 2 years later if Rachel had left for Paris?)

"Chandler, we have to have a reunion!" Monica argued. "I know things have changed since we last saw them, but they're still our friends. We grew 10 years with them. I mean I can't remember the last time we were all in the same room."

"I still think it would be too awkward," Chandler pointed out. "I miss them so much, but I can't imagine what would happen if Ross and Rachel were in the same room. Plus, to make Joey fly in from LA and Rachel fly in from Paris. I hear she's really busy these days. She owns her own company, you know and what if Joey is shooting a show that day."

"Well I think I should at least call them," Monica said as she sat down on the couch. "It just seems like all the friends we have these days aren't that important."

"I guess we should call them, but we shouldn't push them, they have their own lives, you know." Chandler sat down next to her. He couldn't help but thinking about when him and Joey used to live together. A little part of him missed those days. Monica missed living with Rachel too, Memories raced through their minds.

(Theme song)

Monica had done it, she had called Rachel. The phone was ringing.

"Hello, this is Rachel Greene," Rachel answered. She didn't even recognize the phone number on color id.

"Hello," Monica's voice was shaky. "It's Monica."

"Oh, hello. So I was about to call you. About those reports you sent in, I don't think I'll be able to send them in just yet."

"What?" Monica was confused.

"Oh, well they were great, but I think the design needs more work. Just take it home over the weekend."

"Um, Rachel, it's Monica Geller."

There was a silence. Rachel hadn't been expecting this. She hadn't talked to Monica for months, if not a year. "Oh, my, god," she whispered. "Well it's about time you called." There was another silence, Rachel's eyes watered. "I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you too," Monica's started to water too. "So…" Monica had thought this would have been awkward, but it wasn't. She knew Rachel too well for it to be awkward. "How's life in Paris. I hear your living life great and I've heard about your company."

"Yeah, well it's ok," Rachel paused; she didn't have to lie to Monica. "Who am I kidding it sucks."

"What?"

"They say life in Paris is so glamorous. It's really not. Sure I have the company in all, but I'd still rather be working for Ralph Lauren."

"So, have you had any relationships or anything lately?" Monica changed the subject; she didn't want to get to an awkward point.

Rachel was almost embarrassed. "Some. Nothing longer than a couple of weeks though. The guys here are not as good as they sound. They are nothing compared to the guys in New York" Rachel didn't want the whole conversation to be about herself. "Enough about me, what about you? How's little Jack and…" This was as sad as it got, Rachel could hardly remember the name of Monica's other child. "Um…oh, Erica?"

"They're great. It's funny though, Erica is 2 inches taller than Jack. They don't even look much like twins anymore. They are at a cute age. Well a cute but tough age, you know, the terrible two's. How's Emma? She's got to be around four now."

"Yeah, she is. She loves talking. She's more like Ross than I expected. She even likes dinosaurs. I don't know who she looks more like, me or Ross." Rachel stared at a picture of her and Ross on her desk. He was brushing her with a fossil brush. A smile spread over her face. "She even looks like you a little. Well speaking of Ross, how's he doing?"

"I wish I could answer. I haven't seen him since Christmas. The last time I saw him, he asked me how you were doing and I of course couldn't answer. Well the reason I called was to invite you to a reunion me and Chandler decided to have. We are inviting you, Ross, Joey, Phoebe, and maybe Mike will come. It's going to be June 4th. We were hoping you could fly in, you know, if you aren't to busy."

"Oh, don't worry about me being busy," Rachel sounded excited. She had been alone for so long. "I'd shut down my company to make it."

"I guess I'll see you there. You can stay at my house for the weekend." Monica was so happy. "Bye."

"Bye." Rachel hung up the phone and jumped up. "Yes!" she whispered to herself.

Chandler noticed Monica was off the phone. "So, how is she?"

"I don't know," Monica answered. She really didn't know if Rachel liked it in Paris or not. "She doesn't seem to like it much, but she can come to the reunion."

"That's great. I guess it's my turn to call Joey. I wonder how he's doing. It's been so long." Chandler thought for a second. "Well, not nearly as long as you and Rachel. It's only been a year since I saw Joey." Chandler picked up the phone and dialed the Joey's cell phone number. The phone started to ring.

"Hello," Joey answered.

"Hey man, its Chandler," Chandler tried to sound happy, but he was really nervous. He should have called Joey more, the last time he saw him was the last time he talked to him.

"Oh," Joey's voice was astonished. "I can't believe it's you. I haven't talked to you for like three years."

"It's only been a year."

"Dear god! It's been a whole year!" Joey was beyond surprised.

"Yeah, I was surprised too when I thought about it."

"You don't call enough," Joey said. "Phoebe calls me every week." Joey wasn't actually upset, he was just surprised.

"I'm sorry, it's just that I've been working more lately and Jack and Erica need a lot of attention."

"So you have time for your new friends but not me," Joey did not remember who Jack and Erica were.

"Uh Joe, Jack and Erica are my kids," Chandler wasn't surprised that Joey didn't know that.

"Oh, right," Joey remembered the first time that they came home, the night that Rachel left. "Wow, it seems like just yesterday they came home from the hospital.

"Wait, why don't you call me more?" Chandler asked.

"Uh, I have a job duh," Joey said, surprised that Chandler even asked.

"Yeah, kids, a job, that's the same," said Chandler, sarcastically. "So, you mentioned Phoebe, how's she doing?"

"Come on Chandler, you haven't talked to her either, make time," Joey said. "Well last I heard she's pregnant, with Mike."

"Oh my god, I can't believe she didn't call and tell me." Chandler's voice got high. "That's huge!"

"I think she just found out, she just called five minutes ago."

"Then why did say 'last I heard'?" Chandler asked.

"Because, that's the last I heard from her. Duh."

"Ok. Well Monica's calling her next so, we'll find out then."

"Why are you calling everybody?"

"Well I called to talk to you and tell you that we are having a reunion June 4th."

"Hold up, who's we?"

"Chandler and Monica," Chandler was used to Joey's level of brightness.

"Right," Joey thought he was on task. "Who's going to the reunion?"

"Um… Well we are inviting you, Rachel, Ross, Phoebe, and probably Mike and Emma also."

"Yea, I can come."

"That's great, you can stay for the weekend if you want to," Chandler said.

"Sounds great."

"Bye, see you then."

"Bye." Joey hung up. He couldn't help but be excited. Even though he'd called Phoebe a lot since he moved, he hadn't talked to Ross, Chandler, or Monica since Christmas. He hadn't talked to Rachel for what seemed like a lifetime. He missed them so much. He loved his life in Los Angeles, but he could never forget the friends that brought him there.

Chandler sat down on the couch. He picked up Erica and sat her on his lap. "You're going to see Auntie Rachel and Uncle Joey in a couple of weeks." Who was he kidding himself? Erica didn't remember Rachel. Rachel left the day she was born. Maybe she still kind of remembered Joey, but he had moved when she was one. How much could you remember when your one.

"Yay!" Erica shouted. When Chandler was excited she was excited, even if she didn't know what she was excited for. Just then Monica walked out of the kitchen. She was holding Jack. She joined Chandler and Erica on the couch.

"I heard you talking about Phoebe. What's up with her?" Monica asked. She wanted to know because she was going to call Phoebe next.

"You'll have to find out when you call her," Chandler answered and then handed the phone to Monica.

Monica grabbed the phone. "Fine." She walked to the kitchen. She picked up the phone book and flipped through the pages until she found out what Phoebe's number was. She started to dial. The phone rang.

"Hello," greeted Mike. Monica could tell it was him. He had a masculine voice.

"Hello, its Monica," said Monica.

"Oh, Monica Geller?" Mike asked.

"Yeah, so is Phoebe there?"

"Yea sure, hang on," Monica heard Mike walking up to Phoebe.

"Who is it?" Monica heard Phoebe's voice in the back round. Mike said something. "Oh," she heard Phoebe say again.

"Hello," Phoebe greeted Monica, once she had the phone in her hand. "Was Mike right? Is it really you, Monica?"

"Yeah, it's really me," Monica answered.

"I can't believe it's been so long. I haven't heard from you since…"

"Christmas," Monica finished.

"Yeah, guess what?"

"What?" Monica asked. Monica was curious to figure out what Joey told Chandler.

"I'm pregnant!" Phoebe yelled into the phone.

"Oh my god!" Monica yelled back. "That's so great! Congratulations!"

"I know. I just found out today. I was thinking of calling you, but… Well, it's been so long."

"Yeah, I totally understand."

"What about you?" Phoebe asked. "Are you dating again?"

"What?" Monica asked. "I'm married."

"Oh my god!" Phoebe yelled. "Who's the lucky man!"

"Uh, Chandler! The man I've been married to for five years!" Monica couldn't believe Phoebe.

"You're still together?" Phoebe was genuinely surprised. "Good for you!"

Monica was used to this. "Ok Phebes, uh, the reason I called is because me and Chandler have decided to…"

"Oh, I see where this is going. Monica, I am so, so sorry. I really thought it was working out between you two," Phoebe interrupted.

"I was going to finish with 'throw a reunion party'"

"Oh, that's so exciting!"

"You and Mike are invited. It's June 4th."

"I can come, but I'm not sure about Mike. You see, he's been obsessing over this famous Pianist coming into town and he wanted to go see it with his pianist friends. The concert's the same day." Phoebe said. She was lying. She knew Monica was only saying that Mike could come to be nice. They both wanted it to be just the six of them and the three cousins.

"Well, can you still come?" Monica asked. She was a little relieved.

"Yeah, sure," Phoebe answered. "I got to go puke so, bye."

"Bye," Monica said and hung up. "Wow!" Chandler smiled.

"I know. Can you actually believe she's pregnant?"

"I know, it seems like just yesterday that she was pregnant with her brother's triplets," Monica said. Monica handed the phone to chandler. "Now you have to call Ross." Chandler picked up the phone.

"This is the toughest one, I guess." Chandler started to dial.

"Hello," Ross answered.

"Hey, it's Chandler," Chandler said.

"Oh, hi," Ross said. Ross was surprised. He hadn't expected to talk to Chandler. They never talked.

"So, how's it going?" Chandler asked. He wanted to know.

"I'm ok, I'm dating again," Ross told Chandler. Last Christmas, he was still thinking about Rachel.

"Oh, that's great," Chandler lied. It wasn't great. Rachel was coming back and she wasn't dating anyone. Monica had told him that Rachel wasn't even doing well in Paris. Ross dating again would make this reunion even more awkward. "Who?"

"I can't say. You wouldn't understand. You would think I was crazy." Ross couldn't say. Chandler would talk him out of the relationship.

"Come on man, just tell me," Chandler said. He really didn't want to know, but he mines well make Ross think he did.

"Fine, but do you promise not to laugh or accuse me?" Ross asked.

"Yeah, of course," Chandler said.

"It's not that serious yet. She's changed a lot."

"Just tell me."

"Emily."

Chandler couldn't believe it. "Oh my god!" Chandler didn't know what to do. He pulled down the phone and covered the speaker with his hand. He tapped Monica's shoulder. She turned around.

"What," she whispered.

"Emily," he whispered back. "They are back together." That was all Monica needed. She grabbed the phone.

"What in heaven's name is wrong with you?" Monica yelled. "She was a Witch!"

"Put Chandler back on. I don't need you lecturing me." Ross expected this.

"No, talk to me," Monica said.

"Look Mon, it's only been 4 dates. She apologized for every thing she did."

"She only apologized because Rachel left and she didn't need to worry about her anymore."

"Even if that is true, we've only been on four dates. If she is a witch I'll find out soon enough."

"Yes, you will, because we called to tell you we are having a reunion party and you and Emily are deeply invited."

"Uh, is…"

"Yes, Rachel is going to be there. If you want proof that Emily is bad, just bring her along and we'll see how things go."

Ross ignored the last thing Monica said. "Rachel is going?"

"Yeah," said Monica. Her voice was quieter. "She is."

"Have you talked to her? How is she doing?"

"Ross, I'm not going to lie to you. She isn't doing the best." Monica said truthfully. "She hasn't even met a great guy yet."

"Oh," Ross said. "When is the reunion?"

"June 4th," Monica answered. "You should come."

"I will. Bye." He said.

"Bye," Monica said then almost hung up.

"Wait."

"Yeah?"

"Don't tell anybody that I went out with Emily," Ross said, and then hung up. He couldn't believe this. He was going to a reunion and Rachel was going to be there. The day still haunted him, the day that Rachel left. He still thought about her at least once a week. He missed his daughter too. She had just left him there broken hearted. He wasn't mad at her, he couldn't be.