Requested by lainz_mono
Sorry it took a few weeks, I've been procrastinating which is stupid because I've got literally nothing to do at the moment.
I chose to set this oneshot at the Hoover dam because I was chatting with the head of geography (legend) at school a few weeks ago and he said once he went there on a road trip (we're British) and they went there at night and all the lights were on and it looked like something out of James Bond, so I thought that was pretty cool. Then I googled it and it really does. So I thought I'd use that as part of my inspiration for this story. I'll include a picture:
This is the only accurate one I could find and it has a watermark 😭😭😭
Anyways without much further ado, on with the oneshot. Hope you guys like it :)
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"Here you go, guys." says Rachel, bringing a tray of drinks to us, and handing them out to the wrong people. After making sure she's gone, we swap our drinks around so we all have the right ones. Damn, that's starting to get annoying.
"Guess what," I yawn, "my work gave me two weeks of paid leave."
"What?" says Ross, concern creeping onto my brother's face. "Why?"
"Being an on-call nurse has its cons," I say, suppressing another yawn. "One of which is my sleeping pattern is screwed. My boss said I can have a couple of weeks off to catch up. Any other boss would have told me to just get on with it, I'm not sure why he's being so nice."
"Maybe he likes you." says Chandler quickly, his expression turning sour.
"Well, I don't like him. And why do you care so much about that?" I frown.
He suddenly goes quiet. Chandler has been acting weird around me lately. He's been really nice to me, but becomes really rude whenever I'm talking to or about another guy. And one time, when I came home from a late shift, he was sitting in the kitchen in our shared apartment with his head on the counter. I asked him if he was okay, but he just got up and went into his room without a word.
Oh crap.
Does he-?
No. He doesn't. I'm being stupid. He's my best friend, and besides, I don't see him that way at all.
"Anyway," I continue, "I was thinking we could all take a trip, maybe to the Hoover Dam? I've never been there before!" I only moved here from England a couple of years ago, and I've never seen all the American landmarks my friends have seen.
"That's a great idea!" exclaims Phoebe, a grin appearing on her face. "We could do a road trip!"
"Well I'm afraid I can't go," says Rachel sadly. "My boss wants me to do a training course for the next couple of weeks because I'm 'a terrible, terrible waitress'."
"Well, you won't be alone. The museum needs me for the next week to reassemble the diplodocus. Apparently some kid climbed on it and it fell apart." says Ross. That didn't sound like him. I'm ninety-nine per cent sure he just made that up so he could stay with Rachel.
"Okay," shrugs Chandler, "I'm available."
"So am I." say Phoebe and Joey in unison.
**
A few days before the road trip is due to start, Joey comes into Rachel and Monica's apartment, yelling "I got the part! I'm going to be Dr Drake Ramoray on Days Of Our Lives!"
"Well done, Joe!" I want to be the first to congratulate him, seeing as he is my roommate and one of my best friends. "When do you start filming?" I ask after hugging him.
"In four days."
"Um... Joey, our road trip is in three days."
"Awh, crap... I guess I can't go then..." he mumbles in disappointment.
"Don't worry Joe, it doesn't matter. Come to think of it, I don't think I'll be able to go either. I kind of forgot to cancel all my massage appointments... and it's too late to cancel them now." confesses Phoebe, looking down at her feet.
"It's okay, Pheebs. Chandler, Monica and I will have a great time just the three of us!"
"Actually... I can't go either. The restaurant's all booked up and we need all hands on deck. I'm sorry, you guys." says my sister.
I nod understandingly, telling everyone not to worry. "We'll still have fun together, won't we, Chandler?"
"I bet you will." whispers Joey, almost inaudibly, a smirk on his face. I quirk an eyebrow at him, a little confused. Wait... they're not trying to-
For fuck's sake.
I leave the room, so annoyed at my friends trying to set up Chandler and me, but at the same time I don't want them to know I'm onto them. After all, I deserve this road trip, and whether or not they're trying to set us up, they can't. I'm not interested in Chandler. Period. He's just my friend, and I've never seen him as anything more than that.
I mean-
Oh, for the love of God. I cannot have feelings for him! It's such a big risk, especially when we're such close friends, and what if we broke up? What if we broke up and our friendship was ruined? What then?
I can't think about this right now. I have to pack.
**
Five days later, Chandler and I have finally arrived at the Hoover Dam. It's almost midnight, and all the lights are on, illuminating it. We're parked about a mile away, and from here it looks so... I can't even find a word for it. It's indescribable.
"It looks like something out of a James Bond film." I breathe, accepting the beer Chandler offers me as we sit on the hood of the campervan, gazing at the colossal dam.
"Would that make me 007, then?" he smirks, shuffling a little closer to me for warmth.
"If you were, this'd be a martini," I chuckle, taking a swig of beer. "But I'm English, so we're halfway there. Come on, it's getting late. We should probably get some sleep before we drive back tomorrow."
We head back inside the campervan and I curl up on my bed, which is a couple of feet away from Chandler's, cursing myself for not taking my chance in probably the most romantic setting available. My eyes widen as a bright flash illuminates the inside of the campervan, and about twenty seconds later, it is accompanied by a booming sound, like the sky is being split in half.
"Lightning. On the one evening we decide to visit the Western Desert it's the one night it rains. Typical." Chandler whispers, looking over to see me trembling. "[Y/N], what's wrong?"
"I- I'm bloody terrified of thunderstorms. We only get them around once a year where I grew up so they weren't a big deal, but... oh crap..."
"Hey, it's okay, everyone's scared of something," says Chandler softly, moving over to my bed. He puts an arm around my shoulder just as his cell phone rings, and he gets up to answer it. "Hello? Oh, hey, Pheebs! What do you mean? No, why would we- she what? Well, yeah... but that's not the point- okay, I'll call you back." He hangs up the phone, sitting on the edge of my bed as I sit up.
"What did she say?"
"She seems to think... that you have feelings for me," he says, not quite meeting my eyes. "Is that true?"
I freeze. I trusted that woman with one secret, and she told him? There is going to be a reckoning when we get back home. I let out a sigh, admitting defeat. "Yes, it's true. I'm sorry."
"What for?"
"For ruining our friendship."
"I don't think there's going to be a friendship left after this conversation." he sighs, putting his head in his hands.
"What? Why the hell not?"
He looks up at me, and I suddenly see a fire in his eyes I've never seen before, and before I know what's happening we're kissing. Chandler breaks the kiss, leaning forward, his breath tickling my ear and causing goosebumps to erupt on my skin.
"Because after this, there is no way we are going to be 'just friends'." he whispers, shifting himself so he's hovering over me.
**
Three days later we're back home, and Chandler and I have decided to tell our friends we're together. There's something about the fact their plan actually worked which really pisses me off. Joey, Ross, Rachel, Monica and Phoebe are sitting in Rachel and Monica's living room as Chandler and I stand in front of them, ready to tell them the good news.
"Well... I guess we should just say it-" I begin.
"[Y/N] and I are dating!" finishes Chandler, smiling at me as he slips an arm around my waist. Our friends stand up and hug us in excitement, congratulating us as Joey shouts,
"It was about time!"
**
About a month later, I wake up next to Chandler feeling like absolute shit. No, actually I don't. I feel worse. I feel like death warmed up. I've got a splitting migraine and suddenly a wave of nausea forces me to jump out of bed and rush into the bathroom, making it to the toilet in the nick of time where I throw up several times. It crosses my mind that my period is a little late this month, and I'm about to dismiss it before the two events click in my head. Oh no. Oh nonononononono. I rummage around in the drawer under the sink and find a box of pregnancy tests I'd bought for such an occasion as this. The agonising minutes between taking the test and waiting for the results finally pass, and I pick up the stick, almost not wanting to look.
It's positive. Fuck.
Deciding it's probably better that I look on the bright side than get myself worked up over this, I try to think of the positives. I don't even want to think about the idea if abortion; it may be legal, but I'd never feel right about it. I try to focus on three things: One, I will always have the support of my friends and my siblings (Ross and Monica) throughout this. Two, I'm going to become a mother, which is something I've longed for for as long as I can remember. Three, this child is going to bring me more joy than anything else in the world. Raising it might be difficult, but it'll be the one thing in this world I can always call mine.
My mind shifts to Chandler. How am I going to tell him? He's either going to be elated or distraught, and I can't predict which. I guess I'll just have to he honest with him; keeping this from him will just create more problems. I slowly walk back into his bedroom, clearing my throat awkwardly. "Chandler? There's something I need to talk to you about."
"Sure, [Y/N], are you okay? You look like you could do with a cup of coffee at the very least."
I decide to try to make this funny, so I go and get the pregnancy test. It's still on the closed toilet seat in the bathroom, and I'm relieved Joey didn't go in there and find it. I scribble out a note and put it in an envelope, handing it to Chandler and keeping the test in my hand. It says:
'Chandler, can you go across the hall and tell Mon she's going to be an aunt? Thanks.'
"Okay, I'll just-" He freezes on the spot. "Wait... you're- you're pregnant?"
I nod, handing him the positive test. "Careful, there's piss on that."
There are a few moments of silence, before he finally speaks. "And... it's mine...?"
"Of course it's yours, you goon," I chuckle. "Are you okay with this?"
"I mean... I guess I'll have to be. It's just a lot to take in..." he mumbles.
"I know. We're going to be parents. This is going to completely change our lives, but you know what? It'll change us for the better."
"You're right," he sighs, hugging me and kissing the top of my head. "We should focus on the positives of this. I mean... I'm going to be a dad!" His face suddenly breaks into a grin, one hand moving to my stomach.
"I'm so glad you're okay with this," I smile, squeezing his hand as relief washes over me. "Shall we break the news to everyone else?"
"I don't know... maybe we should hold off for just a little while. I need a bit of time to take it in myself." says Chandler.
"That's fair. We'll give it a few weeks." I shrug, kissing his cheek before going to make some much-needed coffee.
**
Two months later, we enter Mon and Rach's apartment, and the déjà vu of our last announcement three months ago makes me chuckle. Chandler and I decided today is the day to break the news to everyone. We've enjoyed keeping it secret from everyone: it's nice to have something that's just ours, but my stomach has already started to get bigger and it's only a matter of time before our friends work it out for themselves.
"Guys, um... we've got something to tell you." says Chandler, slipping an arm around my waist as my hand absently goes to my stomach. They all lean forwards in their seats nervously, probably thinking we're going to break up or something.
"I'm pregnant!" I announce, and they all jump up, consuming us both in a group hug. I'm so lucky to be part of such a loving group of people, and I just know our baby will fit right into this weird ass family. And I call it a family because we are more like a family than just a group of friends. These guys are so much more than just my friends.
After the hug eventually breaks apart, I walk over to Joey, taking one of his hands, barely able to contain my smile. I can't wait to see the look on his face when I tell him this. "Joey, Chandler and I want you to be the godfather."
His eyes widen and he hugs me tightly, tears starting to collect in his eyes. "I- I get to be godfather?"
"Yeah," I smile, squeezing his hand, "and I know you're going to be amazing."
I sit on the couch next to Chandler, leaning into his side. "That was bloody exhausting," I mumble, "can you make some coffee?"
"Decaf for you," he says, kissing my forehead. "Let's go to the coffee house, I'm sure Gunther will want to hear the news too."
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I've finally, finally managed to finish this after much procrastination (which is entirely my fault)! I think it turned out better than expected. Hope you enjoyed!
-Dynasty
Edit: I just realised how fucking stupid it was to make the reader English as well as Ross and Mon's sister. Oh well, I can't be arsed changing it now lmao