My best friend, my prince, my soul mate

By Caroline Prince

Author's Note: Hey all! Thanks a lot for your reviews... and do keep reviewing!

And sorry for the long delay in updating... life has been really hectic...

Chapter 8 : The Plan!

A few hours later, after he had got rid of Ross and Rachel, he went to his room. He pulled out the envelop from his pocket and gazed at it.

"God, I miss you." he murmured, still staring at it.

He reached out for a letter-opener and neatly slit the envelope open. He pulled out the letter and eagerly began to read.

As he went over the letter a third time... only one thing was pretty obvious... Monica was definitely not having a good time there.

He sighed. Why did Judy have to send her daughter to that hellish place, he wondered, angrily.

For Monica had mentioned the kind of diet they were made to follow there... the very thought of it made his stomach turn.

He looked at the letter again.

Many times, I just feel like escaping from here and coming home... but then I remember, that if I do come home, what I have to face there will be a lot worse than what I do now. I feel so helpless. I hate this place and everyone here...

Chandler, please just remember your promise to me. Like I said, that's the only good thing going on in my life.

He then withdrew a shoe box from under his bed and placed Monica's letter in it.

Sighing, he went to his desk and pulled open the drawer to withdraw pen & paper.

When he was halfway through writing, he put his pen down - he'd just had an idea of how to get Monica out of that hellish place. He grinned to himself as the plan began to take form. He knew whom Judy favored and that somebody was gonna be the key to this plan.

Having finished the letter, Chandler slipped the letter into one of the special envelopes he had reserved for just Monica. He then grabbed his jacket and sprinted off to post the letter.

As he walked back home, he began to think about how to put his plan into action. But of course it meant taking the other two into his confidence. He would have to sit them down and explain well, everything. But there was no other choice.

He was going to play what he now called the "Ross" card. He wondered if Monica would approve of that, but like he'd reasoned before, it was the only way.

But just then another worrying thought struck him... if he got Mon out of that place, would that mean that she'd never try to lose that worrisome weight?

He stopped walking, torn between the idea of getting Monica out and allowing her to lose weight.

Wait a minute...

Maybe he could help her lose the weight!

He began walking again. As he neared his house, he saw Ross and Rachel sitting on the front porch of his house, obviously waiting for him.

Time to put that plan into action, Chandler, he thought to himself.

As he neared them, Rachel called out, "Hey! You took off so fast with that letter you received earlier. Now Ross and me are curious... Is it a he or a she?"

"Um, Rach... why don't you just speak for yourself, huh! I wasn't curious... you were. And by the way, it should be "Ross and I", not "Ross and me". That's the correct usage," Ross said, glaring at Rachel.

"Yeah, and you're annoying," Rachel snapped and turned back to Chandler. "So, are you gonna tell us or not?"

"It's a she," Chandler said, trying his hardest not to show his exasperation. He needed to keep them both happy, if he wanted the plan to go well.

"Her name?"

Alright, here we go! Chandler took a deep breath.

"Ross, Rach... the letter was not from just any pen friend, it was from Monica."

"Monica!" Ross and Rachel screeched making Chandler cringe.

"How come she writes to you and not to her own brother?" Ross asked, indignantly. And Rachel felt that jealousy creep up again.

Chandler had to bite his tongue from telling Ross exactly why Monica didn't write to him. But instead he just shrugged and plunged on.

"And Ross, she is not happy there. And so we need to get her out of there."

And he told them that the best way was to have Ross convince his mother, since Judy always did whatever her son wanted.

Rachel nodded, though she was still miffed about Monica picking Chandler, again. But Ross, on the other hand, flared up.

"Hey! Who the hell do you think you are making this kind of decisions of what is right or wrong for Mon, huh? Mom knows what is right or wrong, Ok! You don't!"

Chandler and Rachel stood there looking shocked and disgusted. And when Chandler spoke, his voice was hard and cold. "So, Mr. My-Mother-Loves-Me-So-Why-Should-I-Care-About-Monica, have had your say? OK, now let me make mine. In the past seven to eight years, that we've known each other Ross lemme tell you, if ever there was a person who could be as worse a brother to Monica, it is you! You never stick up for her, do you? And why should you? You always come out looking as the good boy. Mamma's precious little boy. Prince of the family. Golden Child. Don't I remember? How when my parents divorced, you tried to take credit for being there for me, when it was actually Monica who did it! And you didn't even have the decency to put your mom right, when she praised you, did you? And Monica put up with it for all these years! Hell, she got used to it! And what was more, even we got used to it and only because Mon told us to! Now atleast can't you step up and do your duty for once! Be a brother for a change. Your sister's hurting and it is upto you to convince your mom, that it is not right!"

Ross stood there, his mouth agape. He would never have thought that Chandler, his kind, soft-spoken friend could be this fierce. He then turned to look at Rachel for support. There was no pity in her glance either.

Rachel's face was set as she turned to Chandler, "You know what, Chandler, if Ross does not do it, we can. Both of us, together. We'll do our best to convince that bi...," she paused and corrected herself hastily,"... erm.. Mrs. Geller."

"She won't listen to us, Rach," Chandler said, depressed that his plan had been dashed to pieces.

"Or her dad, he might listen to us," Rachel suggested.

"Um, I don't know..."

"Well then maybe we could help her escape..."

"Oh, yeah? Got any brilliant ideas as to how?" he asked sarcastically. "Be realistic, Rach."

"Um, guys?" Ross said, timidly. "I'll do it. I'll talk to Mom."

Chandler looked at him as though wondering whether he'd heard right.

Ross smiled nervously. "I do love her, you know," he said quietly.

"I know. You just don't act like it," Chandler said, shaking his head. "So, you'll do it?"

"Yes," Ross said making a promise to himself to be a good and loyal brother from then on. He was after all 16 years old and he was growing up. They might have been able to overlook his childishness when he was a child... but he was a no longer a child and so there were no more excuses.

"So, what am I supposed to say?" he asked.

"Just tell your mom what I told you about Mon not liking the place," Chandler instructed. "And for Pete's sake, don't tell them that Rachel and I are in on this too. It'd look suspicious."

"Use your whiny voice," Rachel suggested. Chandler laughed as Ross glared at her.

"Whiny?" he asked, looking offended.

"I meant the voice you use when you want to get something from your mom," Rachel said, looking unperturbed at the look of disbelief on Ross' face.

"What the hell is she talking about?" he demanded, looking at Chandler who looked like he was having a hard time keeping a straight face.

"I dunno, Ross. But," Chandler continued, turning serious. "We will also have an additional thing to do."

"What's that?"

"We need to help her lose the weight. I have a vague idea of what we can do. Rachel, your dad's a doctor right?"

Rachel nodded.

"Well, you can ask him what kind of diet a girl needs to follow. Don't say it's for Mon. Say it's for some school summer project thing or something like that."

"Wow! And you said it was vague? It is anything but vague, Chandler! You sound like you've already planned it all!" Rachel said, amused. And she added, "Yes, I'll ask dad."

"What about me? And you?" Ross asked.

"I'm coming to that. We can plan her exercise regimen. I can teach her tennis. (Chandler was the School Tennis Champion) A few games of basket-ball won't go amiss, either. And we'll think of more things as it comes."

"So, I'm in charge of her diet and you are in charge of her exercise. Sounds good to me," Rachel said.

"Cheers!" Chandler and Ross chorused.

End of Chapter 8!

Hope you enjoyed the dressing down Chandler gave Ross.

Sorry, Monica did not appear in this fic... in person that is. But I had to write this chappie as a foundation for everything else that is yet to come.

And hope you can all see Mondlerness that is yet to come... what with Chandler helping Mon lose the weight... think of the possibilities! Yeah I've kinda got it all planned out! But I know what's gonna happen next, you don't! And remember it can't stay all that easy, can it? Life's not easy...

Question to be asked, sure Chan, Ross and Rach have it all planned out!

But will Judy listen to her son?

Will Monica fall into their plan?

Can Rachel pull off asking her dad, without raising suspicion?

Stay tuned to find out!