TOW Joey Does Good Work

Okay, okay, think dude, think! And take off this annoying boat shoes. Who wears these? They're not even comfortable! Okay, focus Joey, this is REALLY important. Let's get this straight. Monica thinks Chandler hates marriage, but he doesn't. He SO doesn't. We all thought he was going to be the last person to get married out of us guys, and if I can't fix this, he might NEVER get married. And Monica wants to marry Richard. Wait no, Richard wants to marry Monica. Who knows what Monica wants? Not Chandler, the way he's been acting. Also kind of my fault. Crap!

Rachel and Phoebe headed back up to the apartment and found Joey sitting in the hallway, his hat hanging from limp hands, staring at Monica and Chandler's door – hard.

"Whatcha doin Joe?" Rachel asked.

"I'm thinkin'," he answered.

"Huh, what's that like?" Phoebe asked.

"You guys do not know how much trouble I am in. How much trouble we are all in. This could end all our friendships!"

"Wow, Joey that sounds serious," Rachel stated. "What happened?"

I want to tell them, I really do, but I can't. What are they gonna say? What am I going to say?

"It's all my fault," he groaned. He looked up at Phoebe and Rachel. "And yours. It's all your fault too!"

"My fault? Oh, is this about Richard?"

I can't believe this. Of course it's about Richard, it's always about Richard! Stupid Rachel and stupid Phoebe HAD to ask to see Monica's hand! Then Phoebe had to suggest this STUPID idea. Sure, it sounded great at the time. Who knew Richard was thinking the exact same thing as Chandler? Stupid Richard! I told Monica how much Chandler hates marriage. I egged her on; I pushed her into Richard's arms.

He was about to answer when quick footsteps sounded on the stairs. Joey jumped to his feet as Monica appeared, her loose hair swinging across her shoulders and back as she strode quickly into her apartment without so much as a word.

"Well what's going on?" Rachel asked Phoebe as Joey caught the door before it slammed shut and walked straight in. They followed.

"Monica," he began.

Gotta make it right, gotta fix this. Where's Chandler? I bet he went to Richard's. Not a good idea. I hope he's still alive.

"Not now Joey," Monica stated, close to tears, armed folded, her back turned from her three friends. "If you could all just go away, that'd be really great."

"No."

"Monica honey, what's going on?" Rachel asked. Monica didn't move.

"Joey, just make them leave."

"I'm not going anywhere until you listen to me. You ran outta here so fast before I didn't get to finish."

"I don't have to listen, okay?" She walked into her bedroom and shut the door.

Aw no, no, no, no this is not going well. What do I say?

"Monica, come out! I'm not leaving until you come outta there!"

At least while she was in here she wasn't with Richard, but what if she already said yes?

"Did you say you'd marry him? Please, just tell me!"

"No!"

Oh man, that's confusing.

"No you won't tell me, or no you said you didn't wanna marry him?"

"She said she didn't want to marry Chandler?" Phoebe asked. Rachel gasped.

"Nooooo," she exclaimed. Joey turned to them.

Shhh!

"Would you guys shut up, this is important!" He turned back to Monica's room but it was still silent. "Monica, don't do it, I beg you. Tell me you didn't say yes!"

"What the hell do you care?"

Oh thank God she's talking.

"Look Mon he ruined everything okay? It was never meant to happen like that! Why'd you think Chandler didn't wanna give you his jacket when you were cold at dinner? That's right, he told me about that. THINK about it."

Rachel turned to Phoebe, before gasping.

"Monica," she called. "Did Richard propose to you?"

"What?" Phoebe exclaimed loudly. "Richard proposed? Oh no! No, that's not right!" Monica's bedroom door flew open.

"Yes okay? Yes he did."

"Oh Monica, you can't leave Chandler," Rachel sighed. "Please tell us you're not going to leave Chandler."

"Yeah, it'll kill him," Phoebe added, neither of them willing to give away the truth. Joey watched as tears gathered in Monica's eyes.

Oh don't cry, I hate it when women cry, it's too sad. And kind of scary. Where's Chandler, he'd know what to do!

"Why not?" Monica exclaimed. "Why shouldn't I? He wants to marry me. Chandler doesn't want to marry me."

"What?" Rachel exclaimed. "Monica, of course he does."

"No he doesn't," Monica sighed. "You didn't hear him."

I can't take this any more. She sounds so sad. It's all wrong, she's got it all wrong!

"He's LYING!" Joey screamed. Monica turned to look at him, shocked. "He's been lying all along!"

"What?" Monica whispered, taken aback.

I can't believe I yelled at her, and now it's out. Crap, now I've ruined everything! Again!

"Joey, about the jacket..." Monica looked at Rachel and Phoebe. "You both came back that night and wanted to see my hand..." Rachel, Phoebe and Joey watched as Monica paled to a faint shade of grey. She looked at Phoebe. "I knew you weren't looking for trash," she whispered.

"You okay Monica?" Rachel asked. "You wanna sit down?" Monica looked at Joey.

"Chandler wants to marry me?"

All right I need a way to say yes without giving it away... No, there's no other way.

Monica's mouth opened in shock as Joey nodded, talking quickly to get it all out before she ran away again.

"I'm sorry Monica, it was meant to be a surprise at dinner, and then Richard showed up, and then Chandler thought when everyone came in gushing all over you that you'd caught on, and so ya know, he was trying to...throw you off track."

"I think he threw you a little too far," Phoebe stated.

"Hey, it was your idea," Joey cut in. Monica looked over at Phoebe, shocked. Phoebe cowered, taking a step closer to Rachel.

"Well um, where's Chandler now?" Monica asked softly. Joey sighed.

"I don't know. After you left, I looked everywhere for him. I told him Richard wanted to marry you, and that you were...having second thoughts, and he said he was going to Richard's, to kick his ass, and I told him to find you, and he left." Monica brushed passed them into the living room, racing for the phone. "Monica, nothing happened with Richard, right?" Joey continued as she dialled. Monica ignored him.

"Richard, it's Monica. Um...Chandler isn't there is he? Has he come by? Yeah, listen, I can't, I'm sorry okay? Okay, bye." Monica hung up, slowly turning back to her friends. Rachel and Phoebe were grinning happily. If they were right, Monica just told Richard where to go. "Um, he was there, he'd just left."

"So he'll be back in what, twenty minutes? Half an hour?" Joey asked. Monica nodded, before sinking into a nearby chair and staring into space. Rachel came and sat beside her, resting a hand on her thigh.

"Monica, are you going to be okay?" Monica took a deep breath.

"I'm going to do it," she stated.

"Do what?" Joey asked warily. They watched as a smile graced Monica's face.

"Propose," she answered. Phoebe squealed.

"Really?" Monica nodded, gaining confidence when she saw the reactions of her friends.

"Will you help me set up?"

"Of course," Rachel nodded.

"All right um," Monica thought quickly. "Candles. Lots of candles. Joey," she stated, turning to Joey. "You stand outside and you keep a lookout. We should have enough time. When Chandler comes, you gotta tell him that I left."

"Why?" Joey whined.

"Because it's my turn to throw him off track!" Monica exclaimed. "He's gonna pay."

"Oooh he's going to pay," Rachel mumbled to Phoebe.

"All right, all right let's go we don't have much time!"

"And she's back," Joey mumbled, slipping outside to wait for Chandler while the girls got ready.

#&#

Monica took one final look around the room. Rachel and Phoebe had already left, turning out all the lights on their way. They'd be waiting over at Joey's until Chandler came back. It had been half an hour.

Please come straight home Chandler. I'm right here, waiting for you, and nervous as hell. I want everything to be perfect, and I don't blame you for wanting the same thing. Oh, Joey's door. Voices. He's here. Okay Monica, breathe. You can do this. It's almost a guaranteed yes. Almost. I'll kill myself if he says no. I'm so stupid! I almost ruined this! Don't think about that right now. Oh God, Joey's out there telling him I left, he thinks I've left him. I feel so awful, I can just imagine his face, he's probably heartbroken, I can't believe I almost did this to him for real.

#&#

"She went to her parents house and she said you shouldn't call, but I think you should-"

"I can't believe I ruined this."

That's it. I lost her. I lost the only woman I have ever, ever loved and it's all because of Richard. I can't blame him entirely, I knew I was pushing it too far, I knew it. I shouldn't have been so certain, I should've just put a tiny bit of doubt in her mind. God, she's gone, she's really gone. I'm going to walk in there, and she won't be there, and she probably won't ever again... Come on man, I bet you could save it. You just have to explain. You have to go over there, and tell her everything Joey told her – she'll believe it from you – and you have to tell her that she's the most important person in your life, and that you want to grow old with her, and that you want to marry her, and have babies with her, and give her all the things that Richard never could, that you can. I can do it. I'll just...go inside, and calm down, and then I'll go and I'll get her back. I love her so much, I can't believe this.

Chandler pushed open the door, and at first he didn't even take in his surroundings, but then Monica was there, and there were candles all around them.

"You wanted it to be a surprise," she said softly, fighting back tears. Chandler grasped the ring in his pocket.

She's here, she did believe Joey, she hasn't left and I, I've got another chance. I am going to make you so happy. I'm going to make this whole mess up to you. I promise!

#&#

"Well?" Rachel and Phoebe asked, coming into the hall as they heard Joey close the door behind him.

"Oh he sounded so sad!" Phoebe added. "Nice work Joey!"

"Thanks," Joey grinned. "I think it's gonna go really well."

"Really? Oh, I can't believe this," Rachel sighed, waving away tears.

"Come on, let's listen at the door!" Phoebe exclaimed, kneeling on the ground and pressing her ear up against the wood. Rachel leant over her as did Joey.

"Stop mumbling!" Rachel growled.

"Oh, shh, shh this is it," Joey whispered.

"Shh!" Phoebe hissed.

"Did she say yes?" Rachel asked.

"I think she's crying," Phoebe answered.

"Aw man," Joey sighed.

"No, that's good," Phoebe assured him.

"Oh okay," Joey nodded.

"No, I think that's Chandler crying," Rachel muttered.

"It's silent. I think they're kissin'."

"How do you know that Joe?"

"Those guys were having sex next to me for months. I think I can tell when they're doing that silent kissing thing."

'I knew you were likely to take a wife!'

"Oh, oh, that's good isn't it?" Rachel asked as they heard Monica's tear-filled exclamation, much louder than the muffled conversation they'd been trying to hear.

"Aw, I wanna see!" Phoebe grinned up at them.

"Can we come in yet, we're dying out here!" Joey yelled through the door.

#&#

Chandler smiled as Monica buried her face in his chest that night, as the danced slowly to the music playing on the stereo.

This is such a beautiful song. I'm so glad you're not mad at me, I'm so, so sorry. I still can't believe I'm dancing with you, Monica, my fiancé. I've never been happier. Imagine if we'd kept missing each other all night...

"Remind me to thank Joey again tomorrow," he whispered against Monica's ear, her hair brushing across his face as she lifted her head. There were tears in her eyes again.

I can't believe I started crying, by the way. That's not manly at all. It's all your fault. I can't stand to see you cry. This is exactly what happened at Montaq a few years ago. Well, not exactly.

"Are you okay?" Chandler whispered. Monica nodded silently.

"I'm so sorry I doubted you," she whispered back. "I love you so much, there'll never be anyone else Chandler. I don't love Richard."

"I know," Chandler answered, touching her face with the backs of his fingers, brushing a few tears from her flushed cheeks. "And I hope by now he knows it too." Monica chuckled, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I love you," she stated, as Chandler leant down and captured her lips in a deep kiss.

I love you too. If Richard ever comes near us again I am gonna KICK his ass! Seriously.