Always Forever

***CHAPTER 2-Killing Me Softly***

 "Ross" said Monica as Ross rushed over to hug her, tears in his eyes. "Hey, Mon. Long time no see" he said, his voice wavering with emotion as he pulled back and held her at arms length, looking her over. Chandler got up and walked over to Ross, who grabbed him in a hug. "Hey, dude. How're the dinosaurs?" Chandler joked. "Still make jokes when you're nervous, huh?" Ross laughed. Chandler nodded sheepishly. Ross walked into the living room, and Pheobe rushed over to hug him. "Hey Pheebs" he said "Hi David" he added, looking over the sobbing Pheobe's shoulder. When Pheobe finally let Ross go from her death grip, Ross looked across the room at Joey and Rachel, who were standing uncertainly behind the couch. "H-hey, Ross" Joey stammered, afraid to look Ross in the eye. He couldn't believe it had been nearly four years since they'd last seen one another. The day Ross left was still fresh in everyone's minds, though. ~Flashback to February 2002~ (This is set right after TOW The Birthing Video, so a bit of a spoiler, WARNING!) "Look, just tell the guy!" Ross told Joey, who had finished a long rant about his "friend from work" and his "ex girlfriend from work" that he thought he was falling in love with. Ross got up to leave when Joey called out "It's Rachel" Ross stopped dead in his tracks, feeling as though he'd been hit with a ton of bricks. "You're in love with Rachel?" he asked, feeling his heart sinking into his stomach. "Yeah" replied Joey, looking down at his hands. "Ross, I'm so so sorry. Look, if you want me to shut the feelings up, I can! If-if you're still in love with her, you know? I couldn't steal her from you, man, you're my best friend!" "Wow, I...uh...wow" Ross stuttered, lost for words. His brain was going a million miles an hour. Joey loved Rachel? The first feeling he felt was angry. Rachel was pregnant with HIS baby! But they weren't IN love...were they? "Dude, I need to know how you feel about this" Joey said, breaking the tense silence. "I don't know" Ross said blankly. "I mean, I'm not in love with Rachel...I don't think...but she-she's pregnant with my baby. I'm the daddy!" "I know, Ross. And I'll back away if you want me to." Joey said, looking Ross in the eye for the first time. "I have to go think this over" Ross said, getting up from his stool and leaving the coffee house, leaving Joey staring at his retreating back wondering if he'd just ruined their friendship for good. .*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.* Ross fumbled with the keys to his apartment, finally finding the right one and opening the door. He was so confused. On one hand, he was so angry with Joey. After all, this was Rachel. The woman he had fallen in love with over and over again. PLUS, she was carrying his baby girl. But on the other hand, he was so happy that Joey was finally ready to settle down, finally ready to be with one woman for the rest of his life. Ross grabbed a beer and collapsed on the sofa. This would be so easy if it weren't for one thing: He was still in love with Rachel. He had pushed this love to the back of his mind ever since she found out she was pregnant. But he knew the feelings were still there. He couldn't count the thousands of times he had pictured his future: Rachel in the kitchen making chocolate chip pancakes (shaped like dinosaurs) for their three children, two boys and a girl, and Ross coming in and kissing her on the head, then patting a pregnant stomach, which held their future daughter. He even had names: Ruth, Emily (he and Rachel would fight over that, but he would eventually win) Andrew and Matthew. This was his plan. When he woke up with Chloe, he knew he had ruined it all. But when they got married in Vegas, he thought they might be able to start over; this was why he didn't get the annulment to start with. But Rachel never shared those same feelings. When they almost had sex on Monica's engagement night, the flames seemed to have been re-ignited, but to Ross' dismay, Monica had stopped it. Then, the night he got her pregnant, the passion was so great that it seemed those 20 some years of wanting had finally been over. But Rachel had said it was a one time thing. But when he found out she was having his child, it seemed like it was all coming together. And now, Joey had spoiled it all. Ross took a sip of his beer. He made up his mind. When Rachel got home, he was going to confront her and ask her if she felt the same way. He turned the TV on and waited. About an hour later, Rachel came home from work. "Man, what a day! Three people stormed into the store because their Ralph Lauren cologne gave them a rash, so we had to straighten all that out, then I had the longest meeting ever..." she said as she came in but stopped when she saw the look on Ross' face. "Ross? What's wrong?" she asked, walking over to the couch and sitting beside him. ‘Now or never' thought Ross. "Rachel..." he said. "I think I'm still..."...

TBC.... HAHAHA I AM SO EVIL!!! That's all for now, folks. Will Ross tell Rachel, or will he chicken out? Does Rachel still love him, or will she go for Joey when he tells her??? KEEP REVIEWING!!!