Author: Toni McIntyre

Title: The One Where nothing’s Easy 2/4

The sunlight invading the bedroom by some ill stroke of luck seems to land itself across Joey’s face. He tries to ignore it at first, but the light bores against him and slowly his eyes open, flooding with the white before his pupils have a chance to adjust to the abrupt change. He blinks so that slowly the room around him comes into focus. The first thing he notices is that this isn’t his room.

Purple walls, Cosmo magazines piled on the drawers, fabric sample books everywhere…no definitely not his room.

He raises his head slowly to look down at the weight pressing gently against his chest. Red hair flows across his navy blue t-shirt and Joey grins beside himself as Rachel sleepily nuzzles her head further against his chest. He watches her, thinking lazily to himself that she looks beautiful when she sleeps, angelic almost. He moves so he’s on his side and faces her, keeping one arm on her waist and using the other to prop himself up.

He continuous to watch her as her eyes flutter open gently, more at the abrupt sound of the alarm clock blasting the radio then Joey’s sudden shift.

And who can say where your love goes

As your heart grows

Only time

And who can say when your love dies

As your heart cries

Only time

Rachel sighs contentedly and curls herself up against him. Joey takes the initiative to slap the alarm clock, causing the song to end.

"What time is it?" she asks sleepily, closing her eyes again.

"Six thirty," he says. "You have to go to work?"

"I’ll call in sick," she smiles up at him.

"You don’t feel good?" he asks, instantly getting that sweet concerned look on his face. His hand rubs Rachel’s back as she wraps her arms around his waist, her head resting on his shoulder.

"No, I feel perfect," she says contentedly.

Joey just nods and holds her quietly. It had been a long time since he had slept with a woman—meaning actually just lay there and slept, wrapped around each other. They hadn’t had sex last night, not after anything nearly as emotionally driven as Joey’s confession. Instead they walked to Rachel’s bedroom, changed into pajama’s and lay there in her bed, talking softly to each other as they slowly drifted off to sleep.

One night sleeping with his arms around Rachel was five hundred times better then any one-night stand, this Joey was sure of.

"You want to go to dinner tonight?" Joey asks, into Rachel’s shoulder since her head still rests on his arm.

"A date?" Rachel brings her head back to look him in the eye. She has a bright smile on her face and a teasing tone.

"Yeah," Joey smiles. "So?"

"Sure," Rachel giggles. "Our first date."

"Yeah," Joey grins like an idiot so Rachel just has to kiss him.

"What will we tell the guys?" Rachel asks, laying her head back down on his chest. It had fast become her favorite new pillow.

"I don’t know," Joey says truthfully. "I mean how do you even START to say something like this?"

"Maybe that’s why Chandler and Monica kept it a secret for so long," Rachel says knowingly.

"Well I know I don’t want to do THAT."

"I know, you hate secrets," Rachel laughs.

"I do," Joey pouts.

"I know, sweetie, I know," Rachel smiles and sits up in bed, Joey following in suit. She sighs and runs a hand through her hair. "I guess we just out and tell them."

"You going to be okay?" he asks.

"Yeah, why?"

"Well I’m an actor, I can at least pretend to be brave," Joey smiles.

"I’ll be fine," she says and smiles. "But it’s sweet of you to be worried."

"Okay on to next issue…what to do if I end up getting my ass kicked," Joey says seriously.

"Joey!" Rachel laughs. "You are not going to get your ass kicked!"

"Hello?" Joey demands, gesturing widely. "I’m going to go tell the man you’re having a BABY with that I want to date you? Yeah…I’m gonna die."

"You are not going to die either," Rachel rolls her eyes. "You can take Ross."

"Under ordinary circumstances? SURE…but this is one of those ‘you’re-dating- my-ex-how-could-you-you-traitor’ kinda things," Joey explains and then nods, sure of himself. "I’m gonna die."

"Look at it this way," Rachel says and takes his hands. "If Ross makes a move to hurt you, I’ll kick his ass…okay?"

"You’ll wear the boots with the spike heel?" Joey asks hopefully.

"Anything for you sweetie," Rachel assures him.

"Okay," Joey says, speaking more like a little kid as Rachel hugs him, his head resting against her chest.

They spend the whole day in the apartment. Somehow they always find a way to stay wrapped up in each other. When Joey sat down to watch TV, Rachel curled up in his lap, resting against him. When Rachel had lain on the couch to read, Joey sat on the other end and their feet meet in the middle. This eventually lead to a rough battle of foot war in which Joey ended up sprawled on the living room floor but Rachel—after getting a hold on her laughing—simply laid down next to him and read that way.

Especially when they ordered lunch did things noticeably get different. This one guy who is known for always hitting on Rachel delivered the Joey Special. And when Rachel opened the door he gave her the ‘look’ and instantly Joey frowned.

"Oh I can’t find my purse," Rachel had said, looking in the kitchen for her money to pay the pizza guy. Joey walked up to him from the living room and took the pizzas.

"It’s in the bedroom, but don’t worry I got it," Joey had said and opened his wallet to hand the delivery boy the money…with very little tip.

"Oh sweetie, you don’t have to," Rachel smiled. "But thanks." She leaned up and kissed him, not on the cheek, but the mouth and walked to the bedroom to get her purse. Joey proceeded to smirk and shut the door on the pizza guy’s face.

He felt good after that one.

Of course Rachel had known the whole time what had happened there, but had played along, knowing what things like that can do to a guy’s ego.

"Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay…"

"Rach?"

"Okay, okay, okay, okay…"

"Rachel!"

"What?" she asks, snapping her head up.

"Breathe!" Joey insists. "If you turn blue and faint and we have to go to the hospital more people then Ross will want to kill me."

"Okay," Rachel nods and takes a deep breath. "Let’s go."

Joey nods and the two of them leave their apartment and walk across the hall to enter Monica and Chandler’s.

"Hey Joey!" Ross says as he walks in just behind them.

"Oh h-hi Ross," Joey gulps.

"What’s going on?" he asks. "Why did Rachel ask us here?"

"Uh got me," Joey lies.

"Oh okay," Ross shrugs and continuous on his way to sit with everyone else in the living room. As Joey turns he spots his new girlfriend rewarding him with a look.

"What?" he asks.

"Come here," Rachel demands and stalks into the living room, Joey following like a trained dog.

"Hey guys," Phoebe says cheerily. "What’s going on?"

"Uh…well," Rachel takes a deep breath and claps her hands together. "Joey and I have some news."

"Oh thank god you’re moving!" Monica jumps to her feet.

"What? No!" Joey says and frowns. "What’s wrong with our apartment?"

"Uh…nothing, nothing," Monica says hurriedly and sits down.

"No we’re not moving," Rachel confirms. "We’re…uh…well…Joey?"

She turns to Joey who looks, surprised, at the rest of their friends.

"We are…that is, we’ve decided that…um…" Joey stammers and Rachel looks at hi, biting her lip.

"Oh come on and say it Joey," Chandler laughs. "It’s not like you guys are secretly dating or anything like we were." He gestures to himself and Monica.

Joey’s eyes go wide and Rachel stumbles backwards into an arrangement of flowers, causing her to have to catch it with fumbling fingers.

"Oh my GOD!" Chandler gapes.

"Y-you’re not…are you?" Monica asks slowly.

"Well no," Rachel says.

"Oh, okay," Ross says, a recognizable tone of relief in his voice.

"Technically our first date isn’t till tonight," Joey says.

"Oh my god," Monica mutters.

"Is that all you can say?" Rachel whines.

"I’m sorry, but…oh my god!"

"Well I’m happy for you two!" Phoebe says, in her usual cheery tone. "I always knew you two would end up together!"

"No you didn’t," Rachel says. "That’s the same thing you said about me and Ross!"

"Fine would you rather I say the same thing they’re all thinking?" Phoebe asks. She gestures to Monica, Chandler and Ross and gets a mocking tone of surprise. "Oh my God! This is the LAST thing I EVER expected!"

"Nah, go back to the first one," Joey shakes his head.

"Oh okay," Phoebe nods and smiles, instantly returning to her earlier happier tone. "I’m so happy for you guys!"

Rachel just stares at Phoebe in disbelief but Joey grins and nods.

"Thanks Pheebs!"

"Woah, woah, wait," Ross demands, leaping to his feet. Joey dives behind Rachel and cowers slightly, but Rachel stands firm.

"You guys are going out?" he asks in disbelief.

"Yes," Rachel says simply.

"W-what? I mean…HOW?" Ross stammers.

"Well it was really actually pretty sweet, Joey had this little metaphor and everything," Rachel shares a smile with Joey.

"You’re having my baby!" Ross interrupts loudly.

"Yeah Ross I haven’t forgotten that," Rachel says sarcastically. "But this isn’t about us or our baby, this about me and Joey."

"But anyone you date has an effect on…" Ross sighs and after staring at the floor for a second grabs his coat and heads towards the door, walking right past Rachel and Joey.

"Ross," Rachel tries.

"I…I just need to think," Ross says, pausing at the door and then walks out, slamming the door behind him.

Rachel slumps and turns slowly to the rest of her friends, all silent in shock.

"It’s okay," Joey says as Rachel falls wordlessly into his arms.

"I know," she sighs.

"If you don’t want to go tonight…" he starts.

"No, I do," Rachel looks into his eyes. "I need a night out now. Cheer me up?"

"Sure," he smiles and kisses her.

"Oh my god!"

They break their kiss and turn to see Monica near tears on the couch.

"Oh, Mon, honey what’s wrong?" Rachel asks, running to her side.

"Phoebe’s right!" Monica sobs. "You guys ARE cute together!"

Rachel smiles appreciatively and Joey is positively beaming.

"She’s right you know," Chandler smiles. "As much as I would never use the word ‘cute’…"

"I get it," Joey nods.

"Congratulations man," Chandler smiles and they hug, clapping each other on the back.

"Yeah and don’t worry about Ross," Phoebe says. "He’ll come around."

Rachel nods, hoping he will.

As much as Joey is her boyfriend, Ross is still the father of her baby.