Disclaimer: I don't own Friends.

Phoebe hesitantly rapped on the door of Monica and Chandler's new Westchester home. She really hadn't meant to come here at first, but she didn't see any other option. Joey was currently pursuing his big dream of acting in Hollywood, while Rachel and Ross were enjoying a happy family life with Emma. She didn't want to barge in there, to spread all of her negative karma around. So, here she was. She desperately hoped the door would be answered by Monica, as she really didn't feel like explaining all of her problems to Chandler.

" Hey," Chandler greeted, as he opened up the door. ' Ugh, just my luck,' Phoebe thought, as she tried to look past him, to spot for any signs of Monica.

" Uh… hey, so is Monica in here?"

" Uhm… no, she's at the restaurant," Chandler replied uncomfortably, while scratching at the back of his head.

" Oh… I see, I'll come back some other time then," Phoebe retorted in a rushed fashion, as she turned around to leave.

Chandler, who had noticed her tear-stained cheeks, wouldn't have any of that, though.

" Wait!" he all but yelled, as he softly placed a hand on top of her wrist.

" What?!" his friend snapped, as she looked at him again, this time on the brink of crying.

" Well… uh, I... well... you're obviously pretty upset over something and I… I'd like to help ya out," Chandler tried, keeping his hand right where it was.

Phoebe only scoffed in response, then shook of his arm and said: " Yeah right, like you could help me."

" I could try… oh, come on, Pheebs… please, we're friends. I don't like seeing you this way."

His blonde friend let out a deep sigh, then replied: " Okay, alright… fine, I'll tell you." Then, she slowly entered the recently decorated home.

" Good," Chandler stated with a smile, as he went to take a seat on the couch. " Now, sit down and tell me what's up."

Phoebe sighed again, then hesitantly took her place next to him.

" It's uh… It's Mike," she began, staring straight ahead, avoiding all eye-contact with her friend.

" Well, what did he do?" he asked, allowing more venom to slip into the simple question, than he'd originally intended. He'd always had a bit of a funny feeling about that guy. He hadn't forgotten about the whole business of him dating another girl, when he'd already proposed to Phoebe.

" Well, he cheated basically," Phoebe replied, without any emotion, as she kept fixing her gaze on the coffee table in front of her.

" What?! But… why, how?" Chandler inquired, not really understanding how someone could ever even think of betraying a beautiful woman like Phoebe.

" God, why do you have to ask these stupid questions?! I don't know why! Probably, because I wasn't good enough for him anymore!" she suddenly yelled, right before losing her cool and breaking down in tears.

" Hey, hey," her friend began awkwardly, as he lightly patted her on the shoulder.

" Shh, it'll be okay," he cooed softly, while carefully pulling her closer. Much to his surprise, she finally relaxed somewhat and nuzzled her face into his neck.

" I… I just really thought he was the one," she stuttered, as she continued sobbing heavily into the crook of his neck.

" I know, I know," he muttered softly into her ear, while he began rubbing her back in soothing circles.

" So, how'd you find out?" Chandler asked, only realizing afterwards how stupid and insensitive that question must have sounded to her.

" Oh… I mean… uhm… oh, damn it… I didn't mean," he huffed, as he loosened his grip, stuffed his hands inside his pants pockets and shuffled his feet.

" When I went to watch him perform yesterday… he… he wasn't on stage. I searched for him in the back and that's when I saw him… with… her," Phoebe explained bitterly, still having the image of her husband and the random bimbo fresh in her mind. " And, they weren't just kissing either… believe me. He was full-on fucking her."

" Oh… I'm so so sorry," Chandler retorted sympathetically, placing a hesitant hand on her shoulder.

" Fuck! I knew this would happen! I always get the worst of what life has to offer! First my dad leaves me, then, my mom commits suicide, then my step-dad goes to jail, then the albino guy I lived with for years dies, then everybody lies to me about the identity and looks of my real dad, then my mom turns out to not have been my mom at all, then I find out I lost a whole year of my life and now… now my husband cheats on me, with the first young floozy he can find, at some local bar! Damn you, universe!" the blonde ranted, making a fist and raising it high up into the air.

" Hey, it's going to be okay, I mean: Mike's obviously a stupid scumbag, who doesn't know how to appreciate just how beautiful the treasure he's been given is. I mean: if I had you, I would..." her friend rambled absentmindedly, abruptly halting himself, when he realized just how far he had gone.

" What the hell are you saying?!" Phoebe demanded, narrowing her eyes at him.

" I uh… I… nothin', nothin'," he retorted casually, fixing his gaze on the floor. Then, he made a brave attempt to change the subject, as he asked: " So… you wanna watch some TV?"

" No!" she bellowed. " What in the heck was the meaning of all that talk about treasures? Have you finally lost your mind under the reign of your bossy wife?!"

" Hey, she isn't bossy!" Chandler defended his spouse.

" Yeah right, sure and Ross isn't a paleontologist," Phoebe mocked.

" Okay, okay, well let's just say she isn't THAT bossy," her friend rested his case.

" Wait a minute, wait a minute, you are so totally getting besides the point. We're not talking about Monica here."

" Oh, uhum… excuse me, but I believe you were the one who brought her up."

" Well, maybe I did, but like I said before: that's not the point, Mr. funny guy. Now, I asked you a damn question earlier and you still haven't answered it."

Chandler only groaned in frustration, then angrily brought out: " There's nothing TO answer. All I was trying to say, was that you deserve better than that cheating, fucking asshole!"

" Why… why do you feel so strongly about this? We're not even that attached to one another," the blonde asked in genuine surprise. This was one of little occasions, upon which she'd actually experienced Chandler yelling. He almost never raised his voice.

Her friend took a deep sigh, then slowly turned back around to face her, hereby staring straight into a pair of expectant green orbs.

" Because… because… IthinkImightlikeyou," he mumbled quietly and hurriedly, suddenly feeling like a shy schoolboy all over again.

" You what?!" she inquired loudly. He couldn't possibly have said, what she'd thought he'd said.

Chandler only exhaled a puff of air in response, then lowered his head down into his hands. " You know what? Forget it, it… it doesn't matter. You're married, as am I," he muttered unintelligibly, into the palms of his hands.

" Chandler," Phoebe pressed, while urgently prying both his hands away from his face.

" You had better… you had better be going," her friend pleaded softly, as he came up to meet her gaze again.

" What? Why?"

" Because, if you don't, I might just do this," he whispered, right before lunging towards her and forcing a tender, yet intense kiss on her. Hereby letting go of all his repressed emotions, which had been building for the past year, since he'd seen her in her wedding dress. She'd looked absolutely breathtaking that day.

Phoebe absolutely refused to kiss back at first: this was Chandler for Christ's sake. She'd never even really been that close to him, to begin with. But then, when he started to gently stroke her cheek and began adding more pressure to her lips, using just the tip of his tongue, she finally gave in. It had been so long since any guy had kissed or touched her with such love and enthusiasm, too long. It didn't really matter to her, if it was Chandler doing it. Nor, did she care that he was married to one of her best friends. For tonight, she just wanted to feel loved and desired again and she knew for a fact that, if they kept going, Chandler was going to satisfy her every need.

She briefly broke their heavy lip-lock, in order to swiftly pull her shirt over her head, hereby causing her friend to stare at her, like he'd just seen the most precious work of art ever. She smiled momentarily, no other man had ever looked at her like that. Then, she quickly regained her senses and sighed in annoyance at his lack of participation, as she started stripping herself of the rest of her clothes. Then, she began doing the same to him, as he hungrily started showering her neck with kisses, nips and even bites. Monica had never liked him doing that, but judging by the sounds she was making, Phoebe did.

" How… long… till she… comes back?" she muttered in between moans, tilting her head back, while hurriedly ridding him of his boxers.

" Mmh, an hour," Chandler replied hoarsely, leaning in for another kiss, finding himself surprised, when she avoided all contact and pushed his head away.

" That should be enough, come on," she suddenly urged quietly, while getting up and holding her hand out to him.

Chandler looked at it for a minute, then focused his gaze back on her face, her eyes practically begging him to go along with her. Not hesitating for even a second longer, he took her soft hand in his and allowed her to lead him into the master bedroom.

F.R.I.E.N.D.S. F.R.I.E.N.D.S. F.R.I.E.N.D.S. FR.I.E.N.D.S. F.R.I.E.N.D.S. F.R.I.E.N.D.S. F.R.I.E.N.D.S

Not even half an hour later, Phoebe and Chandler were both sweating, completely out of breath from their previous activities.

" Oh my god… that was just…" panted Chandler, as he rolled over to face his friend.

" Yeah… so I… uhm… I'm gonna leave now," Phoebe stated matter of factly, as she slowly rose up from the bed and made her way over to the door.

" O-kay, kiss goodbye?" her friend tried, sporting a wide grin. He was still on a bit of a high, from the amazing experience he'd just had. He was only too happy, that the twins were staying at Jack and Judy's for the weekend.

" Nah, I don't think so," she retorted casually.

" Phoebe!"

" What?! Look: I don't owe you anything, Chandler. Just because we had sex, doesn't mean I want to be your girlfriend or anything. Sex is sex, it's not a commitment for all eternity. And oh… you're still married, just in case you forgot about that. Hence that ring on your finger. In fact: your wife is coming home in a little bit and I'd hate for her to get the shock of her life, so I think I'll better head out!" she explained cruelly, facing away from Chandler.

" But, Phoebe, I..." he tried, rising up from the comfortable mattress and grabbing onto her arm.

" Okay, if you don't let go of me, I am telling Monica that you raped me," the blonde threatened, undertaking a vain attempt to struggle free.

" You wouldn't," Chandler brought out in sheer indignance, while squinting his eyes at her.

" Oh, you just watch me," she whispered venomously.

Just then, they both got terrified expressions on their faces, when they suddenly heard the front door open.

" Oh Chandler, honey. I'm home."

A/N: TBC in chapter 2