Author: Toni McIntyre

Title: The One with Regrets 5/6 it’s looking like

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Ross decides he needs to think about Joey and Rachel being together and they give him his space. Rachel goes to work, find Joey on line…a surprise cliff hangar I couldn’t help but give.

Dedication: To all you unfortunate souls who hate cliff hangars and will be leaving me nasty reviews. I STILL LOVE YOU! God I’m weird…

The One with Regrets 5: Saying Something Stupid

"Joey?"

Rachel peers around the door and sees him seated at the kitchen counter.

"Hey Rachel," he smiles when he sees her.

"Listen you don’t mind if I stay here do you?" she asks, walking in and shutting the door. "It’s just that Ross said he needed time to think about…us…and I wanted to give him room. Not to mention it felt awkward as hell."

Joey nods as Rachel lugs in her overnight bag. Just an hour before when the two announced their love for each other Ross had hurriedly left the room, exclaiming he need time to get used to the two of them, just time to think. Neither are sure what exactly Ross meant, whether good or bad, and agreed silently not to talk about it.

"I can sleep on the couch," Joey offers as Rachel tosses her bag on top of the chair.

"Joey, no," Rachel laughs. "We slept in the same bed last night, we can sleep in the same one tonight. It’s no big deal."

"Right," Joey nods. He smiles as Rachel pulls up a barstool to sit next to him.

"What?" she asks when she realizes he’s staring at her, grinning.

"Nothing…" Joey keeps smiling. "I love you."

"Aw…you keep saying that," Rachel laughs, putting her arms around his neck.

"Well once you start you just can’t stop," Joey confesses. "It’s like those pringle things."

"I’m a potato chip?"

"My potato chip."

Rachel laughs again and kisses him quickly.

"Hey you want to just go to bed early and talk?" she asks.

"Yeah," Joy nods and follows her to his bedroom. She changes into a pair of flannel pajama pants and a large blue T-shirt with an angel on it. Joey also changes, but into boxers and a Knicks shirt.

He lays down first and she curls up against him, resting her head on his chest.

"Night Rach."

"Night Joe…I love you."

He smiles to himself.

"I love you too."

Rachel gets up early the next morning, although it takes a great deal longer then usual just because she once again can’t bring herself to leave the warm bed and Joey. She does her best not to wake him as she tiptoes through the kitchen, briefcase in hand. She pauses at the door to erase the etch-a-sketch and quickly writes him a note.

Joey,

Had early meeting and had to leave. Sorry sweetie, we’ll talk later. You can call me at the office, Monica has the number.

Love you,

Rachel

She smiles at the message before quickly leaving the apartment.

A couple hours later she’s seriously regretting just calling in sick. She’s sitting at her desk, twirling a pen in her hands since there’s absolutely nothing else to do. It was like the world decided to relax for a day, and ordinarily she would appreciate that but today she wanted to work to get her mind off of Ross and the fact that he’s at the moment thinking about how he feels about her and Joey dating. Not that Ross’s opinion should matter so much…if it weren’t for the baby she wouldn’t give it a second thought. Well, maybe a second but definitely not a third. She sighs as the door to her office opens, momentarily banishing her boredom.

"Hey Rachel," her assistant Kathryn says, walking in. Kathryn’s a short college student with black hair and squared glasses. Rachel hired her after Tag left when they both agreed working together after breaking up would be weird.

"Hi Kathryn," Rachel smiles.

"This was delivered to you," Kathryn says, putting a brown bag on her desk.

"I didn’t order anything…" Rachel peers at the bag. "Who delivered it?"

"Just some guy I didn’t know," Kathryn says and she knows all of Rachel’s friends since they visit her all the time.

"Okay," Rachel frowns and opens the bag. Instantly the frown changes to a smile.

"What is it?" Kathryn asks, just as curious.

"Food," Rachel laughs. She pulls out a tuna sandwich, hold the pickles, some yogurt since she was supposed to be eating healthy, and a pint of Ben & Jerry’s Mint Chocolate Chip, completely negating the presence of the yogurt. Also there’s a note which Rachel picks up and reads.

Rachel,

Got your note, thought you should be packing healthy since the only place close to you is the Sushi place and that’s at least two blocks away and pregnant woman should not be made to walk that far! So here you go, enjoy, and don’t eat all the ice cream or you’ll get a headache.

Love you,

Joey

Rachel’s positively beaming now and Kathryn’s looking more and more anxious.

"What is it?" her assistant asks, sounding more like a five year-old then a college student.

"Nothing, it’s from my boyfriend," Rachel says and puts the note in her pocket.

"You have a boyfriend?" Kathryn grins mischievously. "Share now, you have to."

"You know Joey, my ex-room mate?"

"Oh yeah, he’s cute."

"He’s my boyfriend."

"Oh! Wow Rachel, way to go!"

"Thank you, now go back to work," Rachel shoos her away, still smiling. She sits down in her chair and immediately grabs the mint chocolate chip, saving everything else for later. She spins in her chair a couple times before settling in front of her computer and opening AOL.

Hey, nothing going on may as well check e-mail. She shrugs and logs on. She opens her mail and frowns at the days’ porno. How did she get on these lists? She’s in the middle of reading an e-mail from Monica about shopping this weekend when an IM block pops up.

DocDrake: Enjoying your ice cream?

Rachel smiles and giggles excitedly to herself as she IM’s Joey back.

NYDesignerDiva: How do you know I’m not eating the yogurt?

DocDrake: Because you’re you. It’s like making me choose between a meatball sub and a piece of celery.

NYDesignerDiva: Ah, good point.

DocDrake: Slow day?

NYDesignerDiva: Painfully slow. What about you?

DocDrake: Okay, filmed my scenes and went home. Bored now though, this place is empty without you.

NYDesignerDiva: Aww…so sweet. Have you talked to Ross at all?

DocDrake: No, Monica did though and she told me he still hasn’t made up his mind.

NYDesignerDiva: Sigh…I don’t know why but I’m suddenly really nervous.

DocDrake: About Ross?

NYDesignerDiva: Yeah, and what he’ll say.

DocDrake: Don’t worry about it.

NYDesignerDiva: Yeah, but what if he says he’s uncomfortable with us?

DocDrake: I’ll shove him in a closet.

NYDesignerDiva: Joey…

DocDrake: Yeah I know, sorry. I dunno.

NYDesignerDiva: I mean, are we still going to go out?

DocDrake: God I hope so.

NYDesignerDiva: Yeah me too. But I don’t know what else we could possibly do.

DocDrake: I dunno…well actually…

NYDesignerDiva: What?

DocDrake: I have one idea.

NYDesignerDiva: Yeah? Let’s hear it.

DocDrake: It’s stupid though.

NYDesignerDiva: Come on Joey its not like we have any other options, just tell me.

Rachel leans slightly forward in her chair, anxious for his response. But nothing could have properly prepared her for what pops up on the screen.

DocDrake: Let’s get married.

TBC…cause I am SO mean…