Dying (part 3)

Once again, Chandler woke up to find that Monica was shaking him awake with a concerned look on her face.

"Chandler, are you okay?" she asked worriedly.

"I had another dream," he said.

"About me dying?"

"Yes. Oh God, do you think this means something?"

"No, Chandler, no. People have nightmares about things they're afraid of. Aracnaphobics have nightmares about spider. People who are scared of snakes have nightmares about slimy snakes. You're obviously afraid of losing me. That’s really sweet honey, but I'm not going anywhere. I'm not going to die, just because you dreamt about it," she said calmly. Chandler got the impression she was amused by his fear.

"Twice in a row," he reminded her. She just shrugged carelessly.

"Go back to sleep honey," she recommended. "You'll feel better in the morning."

Monica rolled over and fell asleep again pretty quickly. But although he held her and closed his eyes, Chandler was still wide awake an hour later. He couldn't stop wondering if maybe his dreams had been some kind of premonition. He prayed they weren't. he couldn't lose her.

Chandler stayed awake for most of the night. He didn't dare fall asleep for two reasons. Firstly, he didn't want another dream of Monica dying. Secondly, he wanted to be awake to protect her if anything bad happened.

In the morning, Chandler was extreemly tired. Monica said he should syau in bed and get some sleep, but he insisted on getting up with her and having breakfast with their kids, Josh and Leanne. But when Josh threw himself at his Daddy and demanded chocolate ice cream for breakfast, Chandler reluctantly admitted defeat and sank onto the couch while Monica fixed breakfast for the kids (NOT chocolate ice cream).

"Chandler, I'm gonna have a shower. Keep an eye on the kids, okay?"

"'Kay," Chandler mumbled tiredly.

He was mopping up Leanne's Lucky Charms and milk, which she had spilt on the floor (that had shaken him out of his trance like state alright!) and heard running water. He had just carefully picked up the broken pieces of Leanne's bowel when he heard a scream from the bathroom. Instantly, he dropped the bowl to the floor and didn't notice when it smashed into hundreds of pieces. He didn't even warn the kids to mind the sharp edges, he just sprinted into the bathroom.

Monica was lying in the shower, with the water still running. There was a small cut on her forhead and only a trickle of blood, but she looked so still. Chandler crouched on the floor next to her, not caring about the warm water splashing down on him.

He looked up and saw Josh standin in the doorway, wearing his Thomas the Tank Engine pajamas and looking petrified. Leanne soon joined her brother. She was crying.

"Why isn't Mommy moving, Daddy?" Leanne asked, wiping the tears from her cheeks with her fist.

"Josh take your sister back into the living room and call Uncle Joey. Tell him to call an ambulance and get over here right now," Chandler commanded in a dull sounding voice.

The kids disappeared again. Chandler reached up to turn the water off, then he wrapped Monica in a towel. Suddenly, the first aid lessons he had taken when Josh was a toddler came back to him and he laid Monica flat on her back and started performing CPR on her, in a desperate attempt not to lose her like he had in his nightmares.

Chandler was breathing for her, and forcing blood around her body, but she stayed dead. Ten minutes later, Joey showed up, red in the face and out of breath. When he saw Chandler desperately trying to keep monica alive, Joey rushed to help him.

The ambulance arrived soon after Joey. The two paramedics tried to take over from Chandler and Joey, but Chandler refused to surrender the one thing he still had control over that could help Monica.

After nearly ten minutes of trying to bring Monica back to life, the paramedics gave up, but Chandler stubbornly kept going, with a look of grim determination on his face, and an awfull fear of losing Monica in his eyes.

"I won't give up on her. I won't," he muttered as he massaged her heart.

"Dude," Joey said quietly.

"Mr Bing, I'm sorry, there's nothing more we can do for her. I'm sorry. If I were you, I'd concentrate on those two little kids right now," one of the paramedics said kindly.

"But Monica…" Chandler protested.

"I'm sorry," the other paramedic said quietly.

Chandler dropped his hands to his lap and rocked back onto his heels. His face was pale and shocked, and he was crying. He couldn't believe it was over. He felt Joey's hand on his shoulder, but ignored it.

"I'm sorry Mon," he whispered, leaning forward to kiss her forhead. "I'm sorry I can't help you." He brushed her hair away from her face. I love you so much." He dropped a light kiss onto her lips. "I'm sorry," he said again.

Joey and one of the paramedics helped him to his feet. He saw his two kids in the livingroom with Rachel, who was trying to keep them occupied, but looked worried and distracted. Chandler wondered when Rachel had arrived, and guessed Joey had called her. Not that it mattered. Nothing mattered now.

"Oh God Mon," he murmered, burrying his face in his hands.