Slowing down the car, Rob pulled off the highway and stopped in front of a motel. “You guys wait here while I go get us a room,” he told the others, pulling on a baseball cap to hide his hair and face.
“Okay,” Monica smiled at Rob. As he turned to get out of the car, she reached out and touched his arm. He turned back to look at her. “Thanks.... for everything Rob.”
“Don’t you mean Kenneth?” Rob replied with a chuckle. “Don’t worry about it Kel. You know I’d do anything for you.”
“I know... But thanks anyway,” Monica told him. Rob smiled at her and got out of the car and entered the motel.
A few minutes later he returned with a key and they drove over to their room and parked.
Alex and Monica pulled on hats to hide their hair as well, and quickly grabbed their bags and Dereck. They hurried into the room with Rob and Lawrence.
“Okay, first things first,” Monica said when they were all in the room. “Lets dye our hair, then we can order a pizza or something.”
“What colour are we dying our hair?” Alex asked, touching her light brown hair.
“Well,” Robs said. “You and I are going blond. Lawrence is going to go browner and Mon, Kelly, is going to just go lighter brown.”
“Okay, I guess,” Alex took one last look in the mirror. “Well, here goes nothing.”
“Who’s first?” Monica asked from the bathroom.
“You want to go?” Rob asked Alex. When she shook her head no, he headed into the bathroom.

Chandler stared at the letter in shock, they were gone. And from the sound of it, forever. Stumbling over to a chair, Chandler fell, rather than sank, into it.
His family. Monica. Alex. And even Dereck.
Looking at the piece of paper, her read it again. Why was she blaming him. He hadn’t done anything wrong.
Oh come on, one of the voices in his head said. Of course this is your fault. You drove them away. You dated Kirsten! You ignored Alex and didn’t believe Monica about Dereck. You...
Okay, okay already. I get the point, Chandler broke in. I know I’ve done stuff to her, but she’s done stuff to me. I mean, what about when she disappeared when she was pregnant with Alex? Huh? Come on, you can’t tell me that was right.
She was scared. She didn’t know how you were going to react. Of course she ran!
Okay, who’s side are you on anyway? Oh gosh, what have I done? What can I do? I want her, I need her back. She’s my life! I can’t live without her.
Crying, Chandler stumbled up the stairs and into Mon’s bedroom. Collapsing onto the bed, he cried until he exhausted himself and fell asleep.

When Chandler woke later, he sat up in shock. What was he doing in Mon’s apartment? It was then that everything came back to him. The letter, the fact that they were gone.
Looking at the clock he saw that it was almost eleven clock. Just over an hour to the new year. Dragging himself off the bed he phoned Ross and Rachel and asked them if they had heard from Monica. When they said they hadn’t he phoned the Joey’s, then Alicia and Andrew. None of them had heard from Monica.
Deciding that he’d waited long enough, Chandler picked up the phone and called the police. The police responded quickly, sending out a squad car to the apartment. The police took the letter Mon had left, even though Chandler protested, wanting to keep the last thing she had given him.
The next people to arrive were the reporters. And there were ton’s of reporters. Chandler figured this was because he was involved and so was Alex, Monica and Dereck. Alex was famous because of the movie and Monica and Dereck were becoming well known because of everything that had happened between them and Chandler.
He answered the reporters questions, though didn’t tell them about Dereck. Chandler wanted to tell that to Mon himself. Not through a newspaper.

The next morning when Monica woke she almost didn’t recognize herself. She looked down at Alex who was still sleeping in the bed. Over in the other bed, Rob and Lawrence were also fast asleep.
Getting out of bed, Monica checked on Dereck before going into the bathroom. After having a shower and getting dressed, Monica opened the door to the outside and picked up the newspaper.
Going back inside, Monica sat down in a chair and opened the newspaper. She couldn’t say she was surprised when she found the cover plastered with a big head line, “Alex Bing, Monica and Dereck Geller Go Missing!” and a picture of the three and Chandler.
Laughing quietly, Monica read the article. She was surprised to find out that Chandler had been over to the apartment last night. She had known that he’d be around soon after he got the results, she was just surprised it happened so fast.
“What’s so funny?” Rob asked, flipping on the coffee machine and sitting down next to her.
“Monica passed him the newspaper. “We’ve been discovered. I guess Chandler came by just after we left.”
“Do you want to go back?” Rob questioned. “It’s not too late you know.”
“No,” Monica shook her head. “I just.... I can’t face him yet. Besides, I like the idea of being out of the lime light.”
“Well, you may not be followed by reporters anymore,” Rob agreed. “But you’re going to be in the newspapers. I don’t think Chandler’s going to give up looking for you guys.”
“I don’t think so either,” Monica nodded. “But he’ll find another, he always does.” Monica thought briefly of Kirsten. “We better get the kids up soon. We need to get back on the road.”
Rob gave her a sympathetic smile, then nodded and stood up.

Monica leaned her elbow on a packing box and faced Rob, who was placing books and pictures on a bookshelf. Rob gazed at one picture frame. “These fake family photographs we had taken were a classic touch, Mon.”
“You mean Kelly,” Monica laughed. “That was, er, Robyn’s idea to have the photos done.” She blew the dust off of a picture from and examined the photo inside. “We’re the perfect family.”
Rob decided to test the water. “Not as perfect as you and Chandler without Lawrence and me.”
Monica glared at her husband. “Do we have to go through this again?”
“No. Sorry, Kelly. I don’t object at all to being here. If this is what you want, then it’s what I want too. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay Rob…Ken. I’m sorry too. I guess I have a bit of a headache from the excitement and anticipation of leaving.”
“Well, then you won’t feel like cooking tonight,” Rob said. “Why don’t we go out. We can, er, introduce ourselves around. I checked the district phone book. There’s a little family diner on Main Street; sounds like a nice quaint little place to eat. Why don’t we try eating supper there?”
“Well we are a family,” Monica said, grinning.
“And I’m sure the kids won’t mind,” Rob added with a smile. He peeked past the curtains out to where Alex and Lawrence were riding their bicycles around the cul-de-sac. They really were the perfect family.

The diner was a picturesque little place torn right from the scene of an old sixties comic book. It had everything from jukeboxes to pink lamps hanging from the ceiling, right down to the old-fashioned counter with a cheery soda jerk behind. Alex was mesmerized. This place was amazing!
And, of course, the first thing she and Lawrence wanted to try was the jukebox! “Can we have some quarters, Mommy, please?”
Monica laughed and took some money from her purse. “Sure kids. Go pick something wild!”
Lawrence and Alex ran away, giggling, just as a plump, middle-aged waitress approached their table. She smiled and popped a pink bubble. “I’m Bella and I’ll be your waitress for the evening,” she said. “Hey! You must be new around here! I’ve never seen the likes of such a sweet picturesque family for ages!”
“Yes,” Monica confirmed. “We’ve just moved into that Victorian-style house on Maple Hill. I’m M-Kelly.” Monica stretched our her hand. “And this is my husband Ken.”
“Bella Duveen-Renauld.” Bella shook Monica’s hand. “Nice to meet you folks. So…you’re the Bellars, right?”
“Yep.” Rob nodded, putting his arm around Monica.
“Hey, I’m a good guesser. Yeah. My younger sister, my twin actually, was your realtor, Dulcie Hastings. She told me a family named Bellar was moving into the old Genevieve place. You’ll like it there. And what’s this little guy’s name?” Bella smiled sweetly at Dereck.
“Peter,” Monica said automatically, just as Rob was opening his mouth to say, “Dereck.”
Rob stared at Monica in disbelief, then turned and smiled at Bella. “Could you please bring us four vanilla milkshakes? We’ll be ready to order when you get back.”
“Sure thing, Bellars. I’ll be back in five.”
As Bella walked away, Rob spun around to face Monica and glared at her hard.
“Five is just enough,” Rob hissed. “I thought you decided not to change his name!”
“I know!” Monica hissed back. “It just slipped out! I guess I’m just terrified at being found out. I don’t want to go back.” Tears filled her eyes and she cried out passionately, “I don’t want to go back!!!”
Nearby customers turned to stare, and Rob pulled Monica into a reassuring hug. He whispered to calm her down: “Oh, geez, Kelly, I won’t let them take you back. Don’t worry. This will all work out.” He dropped his voice a few notches. “I can arrange for a new birth certificate-“
Alex and Lawrence returned, scooting excitedly into their places in the booth.
“What did you two pick out?” Rob asked.
“Well, we were arguing over The Beatles and Vanilla Ice, and finally we just did both,” Alex answered.
“Sounds good,” Monica said cheerily, covering up her distress with a smile. “And what are you two hungry for?”
“Fries!” Alex cried.
“Fries!” Lawrence cried.
“I’m pretty sure fries come with anything you order,” Rob laughed, “so what else do you want?”
“How about a BLT?” Alex said, scanning the menu seriously.
“That’s on the adult menu, Robyn,” Moncia warned. “It’ll be gigantic.”
“Mom! I’m not a baby! I’m ten-eleven!”
“Silly,” Rob laughed. “Robyn, you’ve been eleven for quite a while now. How can you keep forgetting?”
“I don’t know, Dad,” Alex giggled nervously, glancing around cautiously.
Bella appeared with the milkshakes. “And two more munchkins at that! What a darling family you have. What are you rnames?”
“Ooh, thank you!” Alex cried, reaching for her milkshake and taking a long sip. “I’m…er, Robyn.”
“And I’m Lawrence Gellar!”
“Er, Lawrence, sweetie, you mean Bellar,” Monica corrected him nervously.
“Yeah! Lawrence Bellar! And I’m five.”
“What a cutie,” Bella cooed. “Sooner than you know it, he’ll be all grown up and the heart-breaker of the town.”
Lawrence smiled shyly and buried his head in his sister’s shoulder. A perfect touch, Monica noted, to show their closeness as siblings.
“Well. How sweet! Now, what can I get you?”

At the end of their meal, Bella promptly brought a check to the table, with four red and white twisted mints on the tray with it. Lawrence and Alex grabbed theirs, and Monica and Rob smiled politely. Rob took out his new Mastercard under the name of Kenneth Bellar.
“Listen, Bellars.” Bella grinned. “I’m having a few people over for brunch tomorrow, and since you’re new around here, it would be a good chance for you to meet people. Plus with all the work you have to do, I’m sure you don’t feel like cooking.”
“We were just talking about that earlier,” Monica admitted. “That would be wonderful if we could.”
“Just name the time and the place,” Rob said.
“Eleven o’clock. I live in the green house on Elm Street. You can’t miss it.”
“We’ll be there.”

“Peter?” Alex wrinkled her nose in distaste. “I understand that you just let it slip out, but why did you have to pick Peter?”
“What’s wrong with Peter? Monica asked defensively, hugging Dereck.
“I don’t know, Mom. It’s not so much Peter, I guess, as it is the fact that you changed his name. If I found out later in lfie that my name isn’t Alex, it would just be too weird. He looks like a Dereck, besides!”
“Your name isn’t Alex,” Rob teased. “It’s Robyn.”
“I’m sorry, Alex-Robyn,” Monica sighed and stroked Dereck’s forehead lovingly.. “It was a mistake. Now go get dressed, sweetie. I think you’ll meet some kids at brunch. It’ll be nice for you to make a few friends before you begin school tomorrow morning.”
Alex saw the bright side and thundered for the stairs.
“Wait a minute!” Monica called after Alex. “No jeans!”
“Aw…do I have to wear a dress?” Alex whined, dropping dramatically down onto the bottom step.
“No,” Monica laughed. “The only dress you own is the on you wore to the premier and everyone has seen it. Khakis will do just fine.”

Monica smoothed out her sundress and nudged Alex. “Stand up straight, Robyn. You too, Lawrence.”
Rob rang the doorbell. Only five seconds later, Bella threw open the door. “It’s the Bellars! Welcome!”
“Your yard is very nice,” Moncia complimented Bella, handing her a platter of pastries. “The hyacinth in the rock garden especially caught my eye, Bella.”
“Those are my personal favorite, as well,” Bella agreed. “My brother-in-law planted those. Neither I nor my husband has the slightest idea of how to care for a garden. Often Jack is out of the country, so he doesn’t have time of course, and I’m just a little lunk-headed, so the garden is out of the question. Ooh, these pastries look absolutely scrumptious! Thank you so much, Kelly! That’s so thoughtful of you to bring something.”
“It’s our pleasure, Bella. It was so thoughtful of you to invite us, complete strangers for brunch.”
“Oh, you’re not strangers!” Bella laughed delightedly. “After all, I know your names!”
We’re more strangers than she thinks, Alex thought dryly. And she’s a little more lunk-headed than she thinks, too. She hasn’t even invited us in yet!
“Bella, who is it? Is it a door-to-door salesman? Because you know how I feel…” A voice drifted from inside the house.
“Oh, dear me, how silly of me. Do come in. I meant to ask you earlier, but…oh, now I’m flustered. No, Jack, it isn’t a door-to-door salesman! It’s just the Bellars, the ones Dulcie and I were telling you about! No, no, don’t take off your shoes. It’s such a beautiful day, we decided to eat out on the back patio. I’ll show you the way. Oh, hullo, Jack, I didn’t know you were standing right there. These are the Bellars. Come out to the patio with us and I’ll introduce everyone. Kelly, Ken, this is my husband Jack Renauld. Oh, Jack, I thought you were bringing out the brunch. Oh well. I’ll get it after introductions. I’m very sorry. I’m just a bit of a talker.”
Whoa! She’s off her rocker more than I thought. Alex shook her head and followed Bella out to the patio. And a bit of a talker is an understatement!
“Everyone, everyone, gather round! Dulcie, you know them, of course, but these are the Bellars: Kelly, Ken, Lawrence, little Peter, and…um…and-“
“Robyn.” Alex rolled her eyes and glanced at a girl about twelve years old standing close by.
“Right, Robyn. I’m sorry, dear, I’m just so terrible with names. Bellars, this is my sister, Dulcie, whom you know, her husband…um, what’s your name again, brother-in-law?”
“Arthur. Arthur Hastings.” He shook his head.
Alex looked toward the sky in an apathetic mannerism. Too obvious, she thought. Could that woman be any more obvious…she just wanted to humour me…which is very stupid… Alex noticed Arthur grinning at her. She grinned back, and he winked at her. She liked this guy. She like him a lot better than Bella.
“Right. Arthur. And their little son Clark. He’s four, and he’ll be in kindergarten next year. Too bad! He misses Lawrence by just a year. But I’m sure that they will get on just fine.”
“Lawrence,” Rob said, “this is Clark. Say, hi.”
“Hi, Clark!” Lawrence smiled a big smile.
“Hi! Wanna see my sandbox!” Clark cried.
“Yeah!” replied Lawrence. “And while we’re there we can play in it too, right?”
“Right!”
Lawrence followed Clark off the patio and into the yard. Bella continued her monologue:
“And these are my friends Nancy and George Somerset, and their daughter, Jamie. Robyn-is that it? Yes?-Robyn, Jamie is eleven as well.”
“Oh, cool! Do you go to the middle school?” Alex asked excitedly.
“No.” Jamie shook her head sorrowfully. “My parents make me go to school in the city. Sorry. Hey, um, do you like bike riding?”
“Yeah!” Alex exclaimed. “I love it.”
“Do you want to go after brunch? I usually go after Sunday brunch, but by myself, since all my friends live in the city. I could show you around town.”
“Okay, great!”
“Also, um…do you like Nintendo?”
“I love Nintendo!” Alex replied.
“So do I!”
“Not right now, Jamie,” Nancy scolded softly. “Bella is about to bring out brunch.”
“Okay, sorry, Mom.”
“Wow,” Nancy continued, admiring the platter of pastries. “Kelly, these look wonderful. Did you make them?”
“Er…no. No, of course not!” She and Rob laughed nervously. “I couldn’t cook for the life of me!”
“But, Mom, you-“ Alex started, only to be cut off when Rob elbowed her and smiled innocently. “Oops. Yeah, my mom’s food is disgusting.”
“That’s right,” Monica continued. “If I had made those things, you’d probably turn into gagging green guppies. No, no, I bought them.”
“Well, I can’t wait to try one. You didn’t get those at the bakery in town, did you? Because I’ve never seen anything as delicious looking as those there.”
“No, I bought them on our way into town yesterday,” Monica answered, amazed at how easy it was becoming to tell white lies.
“So what brings you to our little hick town?” George asked. “Enough of the big city?”
“Er, no, not exactly. A new life, I’d say,” Monica replied.
“Well where are you from?”
At that moment Bella approached with a tray full of food, including lox on bagels, interrupting the conversation.
“Ooh, lox,” Monica gushed. “Back in New Y-New, New Brunswick, we have that all the time. One of my personal favorites, in fact!”
“Eh! So you’re from New Brunswick,” Jack said. “Canadians, are you? I always liked that country. One of the Commonwealth.”
“Yes, you’re English, aren’t you, Jack,” Monica stated. “Go, ol’ Commonwealth!”
“Er, yes, sure…” Jack said slowly.
“So why move all this way?” asked Nancy. “Some problem in New Brunswick?”
“You could say that…” Monica began.
“Um…the cod crisis!” Rob cut in. “See, I worked in the fishing industry, but the government has totally foreclosed that business. Sad, but true. We came down here to have a quiet life, but live in a place where I can live my dream of baseball stardom.”
Monica gave Rob a peck on the cheek. “I couldn’t have put it better myself, darling.”
“So, baseball…” Arthur looked at Rob with interest. “You like baseball?”
“Yeah, I was in the minors…but something happened, it just didn’t work out. Here, I can pursue my dream. I think…so what’s your favorite team?”
“Don’t get Arthur started on baseball,” Dulcie warned, giggling.
“I heard that, Cinderella!” Arthur cried. “And besides, it’s too late now.”
“Cinderella?” Monica smiled.
“His nickname for me,” Dulcie explained.
“Very cute,” Monica said, grinning.
“Does Ken have a nickname for you, Kelly?”
Monica grinned. “Don’t they all? Yes, sometimes he calls me V.I.G.”
“V.I.G.? Vig? What does that mean?”
“Very Important Girl.”
“Cute.”
“I know.”
“Now what’s really cute is little Peter,” Bella interrupted. “Nancy, have you ever seen such a darling?”
“No, I really haven’t. Well, not since the Davidson’s had their little Mikey, but ever since they’ve been off on vacation in-where was it, Bella, Bora Bora or some place?-I’ve missed the smile of a baby around these parts.” Nancy glanced at Monica. “May I hold him?”
“Sure thing.” Monica gently placed Dereck into Nancy’s arms. “Just be careful. I’m a little paranoid.”
“I completely understand,” Nancy replied, kissing the top of Dereck’s head.
“Well you should!” Bella snorted. “When Jamie was born you wouldn’t let the minister touch her long enough to baptize her, let alone anyone else touch her!”
Monica, Dulcie, and Nancy all laughed. Monica glanced over at Rob, who was deep in conversation with Arthur.
Jack spoke up. “Anyone to watch football besides me and George?”
Arthur and Rob didn’t stir from their places.
“Go on inside, Jack,” Bella suggested. “You know whatsisname over there. Once you get him started on baseball, he’ll never be off it.”
“You’re right, you’re right. Well, see you ladies later,” George said.
“Bye, George, honey,” Nancy said, turning back to Dereck. “You girls could go biking now, you know. I’m sure you’re getting bored around us adults with our adult conversation.”
“Um, yeah,” Alex agreed.
“I live right next door,” Jamie said. “So we can run over and get my bike and then we can go to your house.”
“We don’t live too far from here,” Alex replied. “Just a block or so. So that will work. Let’s go!”

Fifteen minutes later, Alex and Jamie were cruising down the street towards the main part of town.
“It’s too bad you go to school in the city,” Alex said thoughtfully.
“Yeah, but I have to,” Jamie said. “It’s the law. I live with my real dad in the city during the week, and with my mom and my step dad on weekends. We’re getting to downtown here, Robyn. See that little building over there? That’s the bakery my mom was talking about earlier. It really sucks. Their cookies taste like mud.”
“Thanks for the advice. I will not go there.”
“Good plan. Hey. Now you see that guy over there? The one with the blue corvette.”
“Yeah. He reminds me of my dad…oops. No, actually, he reminds me of my uncle. My uncle.”
Jamie gave Alex a funny look. “Well anyway, he used to date my mom before she dated and married George. What a jerk he is. Sweet as sugar in the beginning, but after my mom broke up with him, he was always harassing us. Midnight calls to beg Mom to take him back, love letters every day. He even started harassing George, threatening to kill him if he ever lay a finger on Mom again.”
“What a weirdo,” Alex commented. “So nothing ever came of his threats?”
“Well, we did have a close call once,” Jamie admitted. “George was almost hit by a car; no one ever found the driver, or got the licence plate number, so we can’t be sure it was him.”
“Why not let the police know?” Alex suggested.
“Nah. That would only complicate things. Besides, the sheriff in this town is real lenient, especially on his friends. That guy is one of them, unfortunately.”
“Pity. I hate people like that. I’ve had firsthand experience.” Alex doubled back, realizing what she had just said. How could she get out of this one?
Jamie glanced over at her. “Really? What happened?”
“Nothing much. I mean…nevermind, it wasn’t at all as serious as what you were telling me. Um…this guy at school was being, ah, mean to me, yeah that’s it!” Alex breathed a sigh of relief. “See, not exactly the same thing. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
“You’re right,” Jamie agreed. “But just avoid that guy.”
They rode on.
“Here’s the school,” said Jamie. “The elementary one, that is. I went here when I was younger.” She sighed.
“I’m sorry your parents had to get divorced,” Alex said, knowing exactly how Jamie felt. Only her situation was different-a lot different. “I kind of know what you’re going through, though.”
“How so?”
The girls sailed down the road, and Alex sat in silence.
“Well, um…my parents fight sometimes, that’s all.”
“Fighting is healthy,” Jamie replied. “My parents never fought…never spoke at all for that matter. Then they dropped the bomb on me. I wasn’t expecting it.”
“Too bad,” Alex said. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay. Now this topic is getting tacky. Why don’t you tell me something about yourself.”
Alex giggled nervously. She asked herself now why she hadn’t thought up a story earlier. “Well there’s really not much to hear, I’m afraid,” Alex said. “I’ve led a very boring life in, um, Nova Scotia.”
Jamie gave Alex a funny look. “I thought your mom said you lived in New Brunswick.”
“Heh heh. Um, yes, well, I was born in Nova Scotia, and then when Lawrence was born we moved to New Brunswick because it was a better school system. My dad didn’t mind moving his business, because the fish were getting sparse in Nova Scotia anyway. We started up again in New Brunswick, but right after Der-Peter was born…the government closed the fisheries on us. Hundreds of people went out of work, including my dad. It’s pretty sad, actually. Most of my friends’ fathers lost their jobs, too. We were all in the same boat, no pun intended.”
Jamie laughed out loud. “That’s funny. Um…not the part about them losing their jobs, but, just all being in the same boat. What kind of interests do you have?”
“Well, I love to play nintendo. I have an N64. And I like to act. I’m going to try to get in the drama club, I think, if I can.”
“Good luck,” Jamie said. “Not that I think you can’t make it, but the youngest person in that club must be in about eighth grade or something. You’re in *seventh, right?”
“Yeah. But I’m pretty confident. I hope I can do it.”
“I’m sure you can,” Jamie agreed. “Hey, you said you like Nintendo? And you like biking…hey, look out for my old friend Laura. We still get together sometimes…but that’s beside the point. The point is, she loves nintendo, too. And biking. Not acting, but she is in band I think. Last time I talked to her she was anyway. She’s really nice and she loves to make new friends! And she told me she hasn’t had a best friend since me…just a suggestion. But try to make friends with her. She’s about the nicest, coolest, kindest person you’ll ever come across in this day in age.”
“Thanks,” said Alex. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Alex, I mean Robyn, are you ready?” Monica called from the bottom of the stairs. “If you don’t hurry up we’ll be late.”
“I know, I’m coming,” Alex appeared at the top of the stairs. “I’m just nervous. What if it’s really hard? They’re all a grade ahead of me.”
“I know honey, but I’m sure you’ll do fine and make a lot of friends,” Monica attempted to reassure her daughter. “Come on, your lunch is on the table.”
Alex followed her mom through the house. Stopping in the kitchen to grab her lunch, she then exited into the garage. Her mom was already waiting in the car, heating it up. She climbed into the car beside her mom and stared out the window as her mom drove them to the school.

Arriving at the school, Monica parked the car and climbed out with Alex. There were students everywhere, more then they had expected for such a small town. Everyone looked over at them as they walked past and into the office.
“Hello,” the secretary looked up at them from her desk. Alex felt relaxed almost immediately. This secretary was definitely different than her old one!
“Hi,” Monica replied, smiling brightly. “This is Robyn. I was told by Mr. Billings to come here today.”
“Oh right, he told me about that. I’m Mrs. Krahn,” the secretary held out her hand which Monica shook. “You’re in grade six, right Robyn?”
“Yes,” Alex said shyly.
“You’re going to be in Miss. Perry’s class,” Mrs. Krahn told them. “Have you talked with Mr. Billings about French and Band?”
“Yes,” Monica nodded. “We’ve decided that she’d take French and we were thinking that maybe she could join the drama class.”
“Oh,” Mrs. Krahn replied. “I don’t know about that. You have to audition to join. Is that okay with you?”
“Yes,” Monica told her. “Robyn doesn’t mind doing an audition. She’s done them... at her old school.”
“Okay, well why don’t I phone Mr. Reynolds. He’s the drama teacher. Maybe he can arrange an audition right now.” Mrs. Krahn picked up a phone and called him down to the office.
When he stepped into the room, Alex relaxed. He’s the kind of guy that puts everyone at ease when he walks into a room. He was big, with dark brown hair and dressed in a t-shirt and jeans.
“Hello Mrs. Krahn, what did you need me for?” Mr. Reynolds asked the secretary, stepping over to the desk.
“Mr. Reynolds, I’d like you to meet the newest member of our school, Robyn Bellar and her mom Kelly.” Mrs. Krahn pointed at Alex and Monica.
“Hi,” Mr. Reynolds turned to them and shook Monica’s hand.
“They want to arrange an audition for Robyn with you,” Mrs. Krahn said. “She was in the drama club at her old school and would like to join the one here.”
“Okay,” Mr. Reynolds turned to Alex. “What about after school today? That’s when the drama club meets. I’ll just warn you, it’s hard to get in, and I think the youngest in the club right now is in grade seven.”
“That sounds fine,” Monica spoke up. “What time should I pick her up?”
“Four thirty,” Mr. Reynolds replied. “Now I’m sorry, but I’ve got to go. I’ve got a class.”
Mr. Reynolds turned and left the room quickly and Monica and Alex turned back to Mrs. Krahn.
“Well, why don’t I show you to your class,” Mrs. Krahn told Alex, getting up.

Alex followed Mrs. Krahn down the hall after saying goodbye to her mom. She knew she needed to get back to Dereck and pretended not to be worried so her mom would leave.
“Okay Robyn,” Mrs. Krahn stopped in front of a door. “Here’s your class.”
Mrs. Krahn knocked on the door and after a moment, a teacher came over and opened it up.
“Hello Mrs. Krahn,” the teacher said. Alex immediately noticed that the teacher was young, very young.
“Hi Miss. Perry,” Mrs. Krahn smiled at the teacher. “I would like to introduce you to your newest class member, Robyn Bellar.”
“Hello Robyn,” Miss. Perry turned to Alex. “It’s nice to meet you. We’re just having math right now, so why don’t I introduce you to the class and then we can get you settled in.”
“Okay,” Alex said shyly. She watched as Mrs. Krahn left, and then followed her teacher into her class room.
“Class,” Miss. Perry spoke up and they all turned towards her. “I’d like to introduce you to our newest class member, Robyn Bellar. Robyn, why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself.”
“Well,” Alex built up her courage. “I’m from...” Oh where did her mom tell her? Oh right. “I’m from Newmarket, Ontario, Canada. That’s about an hours drive from Toronto. I’ve got two brothers, Peter and Lawrence. Lawrence is five and Peter’s not even one and I really like to act.”
“Canada,” Miss. Perry whistled. “That’s far away. I lived in British Columbia when I was little. Thank you Robyn. Hmm... Laura, why don’t you look after Robyn and make sure she gets to all her classes okay. You’re not sharing a locker, are you?”
“No,” Alex watched a girl in the back reply.
“Good, Robyn can share with you. Robyn, why don’ t you go take the desk next to Laura,” Miss. Perry told Alex. Alex nodded and went and sat down beside the girl. “Now, Laura, would you take Robyn to get her books?”
“Okay,” Laura stood up and Alex followed her out of the room. “So, what’s Newmarket like?”
“Different,” Alex said. She’d never actually been there.
“Are you taking French and band?”
“I’m taking French, I took it at my old school, but I’m not in band. I’m auditioning after school for the Drama club.”
“You got an audition? You’re so lucky,” Laura told her wistfully. “I tried to, but I wasn’t allowed to audition.”
“I took drama at my old school, so I think that’s why he’s letting me audition. I’m nervous though.”
“I would be too,” Laura confessed. “Did you decide on something to audition? Or are you going to let him give you something?”
“Have you seen Queen of Hearts?” Alex asked her.
“Hasn’t everybody?” Laura laughed.
“Well, do you remember the fight scene between Leigh and Tommy? I’m going to act out that part,” Alex told her.
“That’s one of the best parts! Alex Bing is my favourite actor. She’s so good, it’s sad that she disappeared.”
“Yeah, well, from what I understand, her dad wasn’t very nice to her and her mom,” Alex said, turning away to hide the expression on her face.
“Well, maybe he’s right and the boy isn’t his!”
“I don’t think so. I’d trust the mom. She doesn’t strike me as someone who’d lie.”
Laura slowed down, and Alex realized they were standing in front of the library. She followed Laura inside and got her books. The two then hurried back to Miss. Perry’s class.
The rest of the day went by quickly and Alex found that while the work was a lot harder than grade five, she was pretty sure she would be able to manage. She also decide that she liked Laura, and became friends with her quickly.

“Okay everyone, quiet down,” Mr. Reynolds called out above the noise. “As you’ve probably noticed, we have a new student. Robyn’s going to audition today. Robyn, I don’t suppose you’ve got something prepared?”
“Actually, I do,” Alex replied. “But I’m going to need someone to play opposite me. It’s a scene from Queen of Hearts, a movie I’m pretty sure you’ve all seen.”
“Isn’t that the movie that Mr. Bing’s daughter was in?” one kid questioned.
“Yeah,” another commented. “She disappeared with her mom and brother on New Year’s Eve. Mr. Bing’s still looking for them.”
“What scene is it?” Mr. Reynolds asked as everyone quieted down again.
“The fight scene between Leigh and Tommy.” Alex said quickly.
“Oh, you know what I read?” a third student said. “Supposebly Alex and Darren got into a real fight when filming that scene. When they finished, and Mr. Bing had said cut, they continued to scream at each other.”
“I heard that too,” the first student nodded. “And did you see them on Rosie? They were at each other’s throats.”
“Do you have the part written down?” Mr. Reynolds asked Alex, interrupting the comments.
“Um, no,” Alex admitted. “I’ve got it memorized. I could write down Tommy’s part.”
“Why don’t you do that,” Mr. Reynolds nodded. “I’m sure someone will volunteer to play Tommy’s part.”
Alex nodded and took a pen and some paper out of her backpack. She quickly wrote down the part, thinking sadly of Darren. She’d have to write him tonight. When she finished, she gave the paper to Mr. Reynolds.
“Okay, who’s going to volunteer,” he asked the class. The youngest member of the club, a grade sevener named Nick, stepped forward. Mr. Reynolds gave him the part.

“Why are you here?” Leigh asked Tommy as she walked over to him.
“Why does it matter to you?” Tommy asked back.
“Because seeing someone like you could really ruin a person’s day.” Leigh glared at him.
“Oh,” Tommy pretended to be sympathetic. “Am I ruining your day?”
“O h no,” Leigh said sarcastically.
“What is wrong with you?” Tommy asked.
“YOU!” Leigh screamed.
“Hey, that’s not very nice,” Tommy taunted Leigh. “Can’t you do better then that?”
“You wanna bet?” Leigh strode forwards and pushed him. Tommy fell backwards.
“Now that’s not fair!” Tommy shouted, jumping back to his feet. He ran at Leigh and pushed her. “If you’ve got problems you don’t need to take them out on me.”
“Hey, you’re the one with problems,” Leigh screeched. “You need help.”
“That’s not true,” Tommy replied, shouting as well. “You’re the one who needs help.”
“Well at least it’s not my mom that had to sleep with the boss to get her job,” Leigh taunted.
“What?” Tommy shouted. “That’s not true. Besides, you don’t even know your mom. Maybe she did sleep with her boss to get a job.”
“Hey,” Leigh was getting upset. “That’s not very nice. But I do have a dad which is more then you can say.”
“Yeah, who lied to the people which got him my mom’s job,” Tommy shouted angrily. Leigh lunged forwards and pushed him again.

“You’re really good,” Nick told Alex when they finished. “As good as Alex Bing and she’s GREAT!”
“Yes, that was very good. Did you take acting lessons?” Mr. Reynolds nodded.
“I was in the drama club at my old school,” Alex stuck with the story she and Monica had decided on.
“Well, you must’ve had an excellent drama teacher, welcome to the drama club!”
“Thanks,” Alex told Mr. Reynolds happily.

When Rob arrived at four thirty to pick Alex up, Alex hopped excitedly into the car.
“So what happened at the audition?” Rob asked, putting the car into drive.
“It was good, I acted a scene from Queen of Hearts,” Alex told him. “And I made it in!”
“Wow, good for you,” Rob smiled at Alex. “Though, I’m going to make a suggestion. Don’t tell Kelly that you used a scene from Queen of Hearts. She’s paranoid of Chandler finding you guys.”
“I won’t,” Alex promised. “How was school for Lawrence?”
“From what I heard, sounds like he had a fun day. But kindergarten’s always fun,” Rob laughed. “I’m going to drive you to school tomorrow, cos I’ve got an interview for coach.”
“Okay,” Alex smiled at him. “I made a friend today. Her names Laura. She’s really nice.”
“Good for you,” Rob reached over and patted Alex on the head. “How’s the work?”
“Hard,” Alex admitted. “I don’t know how I’m going to do this.”
“I’m sure Kelly will help you. I would, but I didn’t do to well in school.”
“Okay,” Alex nodded, jumping out of the car and grabbing her bag as Rob parked in the garage. “I’ve got to go do some homework though.”
“‘Kay,” Rob watched her leave. Everything seemed to be going great.

Entering her room, Alex dropped her bag on the floor and look over at the Queen of Hearts poster that hung on the back of her door. Reaching into a drawer in her desk, Alex pulled out a pile of pictures she had. Moving over to the bulletin board Rob had put up, she took a container of push pins, and started to hang up the pictures. Most of the pictures were of her friends, Mon, Rob, Lawrence, Dereck and herself. She also had a couple pictures of Darren and Chandler, and her aunts and uncles.. Being careful to sort of ‘hide’ those pictures, she put them up too. When she was done, she stepped back and admired her work. Her gaze landed sadly on a picture of herself with Chandler, Darren, Joey and Joey. They had taken the picture the last day of filming.
Turning away from the board, she headed over to her desk to start her homework. She pulled out her math and social text books and plopped them on the desk. A picture that had been buried, flew out and landed on the floor. Alex reached down and picked it up. It was the picture that Chandler had given her of himself and her mom from the time when they were dating. She held the picture to her chest, tears slipping silently down her cheeks. How was she going to manage to survive this? It already hurt so much. She wanted to go back in time. Back to when her mom and dad were comfortable with each other and had become friends. Back before everything had fallen apart. Back.

“Hullo, what’s this? Ken, you’re the one I’m supposed to interview?”
“Arthur! You’re the one who’s supposed to interview me?”
“At brunch the other day I know we got talking about baseball, but I never imagined this! Come on in!”
Arthur Hastings held the door open for Rob and nodded to the interior of his office. The office was bright, but Rob noticed immediately the English twist on the furnishings. “What a beautiful office, for being in a school, anyway,” Rob commented.
“It’s not at all bad, if I do say so myself. I suppose you could see at once my English background, correct?”
“Well, I knew from your accent already, but, wow, this is amazing. I really really like it. You have definite taste. You’ve done a great job decorating.”
“Cinderella helped quite a bit,” Arthur explained. Rob noticed the love in his eyes and smiled, remembering Tracy. “Er, do sit down. I’m very sorry for my ignorance.”
“Thank you. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?” Rob asked shyly.
“Go right ahead,” Arthur laughed. “You’ve already got the job, so I suppose you can be the interviewer for awhile!!”
“The job? I have the job?” Rob jumped up. “But don’t you want to see my resume? Ask me about previous jobs? Anything?”
Arthur laughed heartily. “I know you haven’t been a phys ed teacher before, but with your love for baseball, this team definitely has a chance at making it to the provincials this spring!”
“Wow, thanks sir!” Rob gave him an impulsive hug. “Now I’m positive that you have definite good taste! Oh, I just can’t believe it! Thank you soooo much!”
“You’re welcome, you’re welcome! Now, you had a few questions to ask me?”
“Well…” Rob settled back in his chair, comfortable once more.

“’Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?’” Monica doubled over in laughter. “R-Ken! What in the world did you want to ask him?”
“Well, I’m sorry, but I was just curious as to why he calls Dulcie ‘Cinderella.’ It came out wrong, I know. But the important thing is, I got the job!”
“Oh, honey, I’m so proud of you. I knew you could do it.” Monica hugged Rob tight. “Why don’t we go out on the balcony? I need to talk to you about something.”
“Sure, Kel. Is it a V.I.M.?” Rob grinned at her.
“Yes. I’ll go get some lemonade and be right out.”
Monica smiled, remembering back to her life in Chicago. She and Rob had had a joke between them. Anything that was very important, they referred toas a V (standing for Very), I (standing for Important) blank. Blank was whatever they were talking about. V.I.M. was a Very Important Matter. V.I.T. was a Very Important Thing. And in the first few months of Alex’s life, Rob had affectionately referred to her as a V.I.K., Very Important Kid, in other words.
Monica walked out on to the balcony carrying a tray of lemonade and chocolate chip cookies.
“Mmm, yummy.” Rob bit into one. “I applaud your cooking, Kelly.”
“Sshh.” Monica shushed him. “What are you talking about, Ken? I can’t cook for the life of me, remember??? Why, these are from the supermarket. But they are rather good, I’ll admit.”
“Oh, yes, I forgot.” Rob laughed nervously.
“These were Chandler’s favorite,” Monica said reminiscently.
“I think we need a code name for him,” Rob mumbled through a mouthful of cookie. “How about V.I.P. Very Important Person. We’ve never used that one before. How about it?”
Monica laughed. “Well he is a Very Important Person, that’s for sure. Okay. That’s great, actually! Well, to tell the truth, Ken, I miss V.I.P.”
“Word has it that he’s broken up with V.B.B.” Rob smiled through his mouth of cookie.
“V.B.B.?”
“Very Blond Bimbo,” Rob explained.
“Ah. Yes, I saw it on the news. I-I guess he never loved her. He always loved-“
“M.E.G.,” Rob broke in. “He always loved M.E.G.”
The couple sat in silence for a few moments before Rob spoke up. “I’m sorry, you had something you wanted to talk to me about? Some V.I.M.?”
“V.I.M.? Oh! Yes, yes of course. Yes, as a matter of fact, I did. Rob-I mean, Ken, sweetie, I’ve been thinking. Maybe I should get a night job.”
“A night job? Oh, Mon, no.”
“Kelly,” Monica reminded him.
“Right. No, Kelly, there’s no need for that. Believe me.”
“But won’t people wonder where all our money is coming from?”
“No.”
“But small towns are alway so gossipy. Well, I suppose we can tell people we have comt into an inheritance.”
“There you go, Kelly, you have the solution already. And you were gonna go and get your self a job! There’s always a simple solution, Kelly, always. You always assume the worst.”
“Well it wouldn’t be that bad…”
“Are you kidding? Leave me alone all night with Dereck-Peter? Are you crazy?!!”
Monica smiled. “You’re right, I’m sorry, sorry, sorry. I can’t believe I even thought of that.”
“It’s okay. Al-Robyn and Lawrence should be home soon. Shall we make them a snack?”
“It’s your turn to be crazy,” Monica laughed. “With my cooking they might gag! They can just have some of these cookies.” Moncia then threw her arms around her friend/husband. “Ah…so why exactly does Arthur call Dulcie Cinderella?”
 

“Mr. Bing?” Chandler looked up to see Lionel standing in the door way to his study.
“Yes Lionel,” Chandler sighed. “What is it?”
“You have guests, a Mr. and Mrs. Geller,” Lionel told him.
“Young or old?”
“Young.”
“Okay, you can send them in,” Chandler nodded. Lionel stepped to the side and Rachel and Ross entered the study and sat down opposite him.
“Chandler,” Rachel looked him over. He was dressed in sweat pants and a t-shirt. His usual ‘my girlfriend dumped me’ outfit. “Why would Monica leave? I thought she was happy here.”
“What happened?” Ross asked. “I thought everything was fine between you.”
“Fine? FINE?” Chandler became angry. “That shows just how little you know Mon and me. I mean, did you see who I was DATING!? And it wasn’t Monica. That should give you a clue.”
“Well...” Rachel stuttered.
“And do you even know what happened between Alex, Mon and me? Like the time I forgot to pick Alex up after school and she had to eventually phone Alicia to pick her up? And what about the time’s she came over to see me and I left her here with Kirsten.” Chandler spit out the name. “I was only dating her to make Monica mad. I never thought it would go this far. I never thought she’d leave me, or take Alex away.” Chandler broke down into the tears he’d been hiding. “I love them, guys, I really do.”
“Of course you do,” Ross nodded. “No one thought this was going to happen.”
“But what about Dereck?” Rachel asked. “Do you miss him?”
“Of course I do, he’s my son.”
“WHAT?!” Ross and Rachel chorused in surprise.
“He’s My Son!” Chandler said slowly. “Monica’s right. He’s mine and I don’t know what to do. I want to be there for him. For all of them. What can I do guys? What?”

“Hey Ben,” Ben looked up to see Lisa and Lance heading towards him, where he sat eating his lunch with Brook.
“Hi,” Ben sighed looking at them. “What do you want?”
“I heard your cousin has disappeared,” Lisa told him.
“Hasn’t everybody?” Brook said sarcastically.
“And don’t you mean cousins?” Ben asked. “I have two, Alex and Dereck!”
“Oh, right. The one with out a dad!” Lance laughed.
“What do you mean without a dad?” Ben demanded. “Dereck has a dad. My Uncle Chandler’s his dad!”
“Mr. Bing isn’t his dad,” Lisa replied. “Besides, isn’t Mr. Bing dating that blond, um, Kirsten?”
“No, that’s old,” Brook shook her head. “Can’t you keep up with the news. Chandler broke up with her on New Years and then he found out that Monica, Alex and Dereck were missing.”
Lisa and Lance looked shocked at how relaxed Brook was talking about Mr. Bing. She even called him Chandler!
“Well!” Lisa and Lance stormed off.
“How are you holding up?” Brook turned to Ben after they had left.
“Not good,” Ben admitted, his head hanging down. “I miss them so much. Alex was like a sister to me! And Dereck, well, I was pretty sure that he was going to become like a brother. And my dad and stepmom are upset. My dad’s been storming around the house, angry with Chandler for driving his sister away and my stepmom’s been in tears, phoning everywhere trying to find them.”
“That sucks,” Brook nodded her head. “I miss them too. They were so nice. I don’t understand why they left.”
“I don’t either. I thought everything was going along fine. But then again, I haven’t seen them in forever.”
“I thought you spend Christmases together.”
“We did. Monica told my parents that she wanted to spend it alone with Alex and Dereck. I think this was because if she was going to spend it with other people, she felt that Chandler should be there for sure, but he’s not acknowledging that Dereck is his.”
“So Dereck is his?”
“Of course he is. At least, if that’s what my aunt says, I’m going to believe her. I’ve known her and Chandler since I was born, but I’ve seen her more. She’s never lied to me about anything.”

“Oh Chandler,” Rachel moved around his desk and gave him a hug. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Neither do I,” Ross nodded in agreement, patting his friend on the back. “Just keep looking man, you’ll find her. I know you can.”
“But she doesn’t want to be found. She said so!” Chandler moaned.
“But you want to find her, right?” Rachel asked. Chandler nodded his head. “Then look for her. It’s the only way to make everything alright.”
“Alright? How can everything ever be alright. Look at what’s already happened. We have two kids together and have never been married. One kid happened during our relationship, which started with us being drunk. And the other happened when we were drunk again!”
“So?!” Ross demanded. “You still love her right?”
“Of course I do. I’ve always loved her and I always will,” Chandler nodded.
“Then what does it matter what happened? You need to find her and straighten everything out.”
“What if she doesn’t want to?”
“She want’s to, believe me,” Rachel told him. “She’s just not sure what to do and how to do it.”

(All I Really Want By: Kim Lucas)

All days...
All I really want is one more day
To make you change your mind and want to stay
All you have to do is call my name
And I’ll come back again

Chandler tried to concentrate on the movie showing on tv but he couldn’t. The date kept going through his head. Feb 14th. Valentines day. The day when all couples celebrate. Except he wouldn’t be celebrating today. Instead, he was sitting home alone watching a tv movie.

All I really want is one more day
To make you change your mind and want to stay,
All you have to do is call my name
And I’ll come back again.

Monica put on the finishing touches and then went to the top of the stairs. Rob was waiting in a tuxedo at the bottom with Alex and Lawrence. The babysitter was in Dereck’s room with him, playing with some toys.  Rob whistled and Monica blushed.
“You look great mom,” Alex told her as Monica came down the stairs.
“Ready to go?” Rob held out his arm. Monica smiled at him and took it.
“Bye Robyn, Lawrence,” Rob and Monica told the two as they left.

All I really want is one more day
To make you change your mind and want to stay
All you have to do is call my name
And I’ll come back again,

Chandler watched as the credits for the movie rolled across the screen. He couldn’t remember what the last half of the movie had been about. It had all been a blur. He needed to talk to someone, but there wasn’t anyone to talk to. Joey and Joey would be out, as would Alicia and Andrew, Rachel and Ross, Lionel and his wife.

All I really want is one more day
To make you change your mind and want to stay
All you have to do is call my name
And I’ll come back again
And I’ll come back again

As they drove to the community hall, where a valentines dance was being held that Rob had decided to take Mon to, Monica sat quietly in the car. Today had been so hard. Alex had come home from school with a pile of valentines. A lot from different boys, to Monica’s shock. Lawrence had also gotten valentines from everyone in his class.
“Are you okay Mon?” Rob turned to look at her. “You look kind of pale.”
“I’m fine, just a tough day,” Monica smiled at him sadly.
“I know what you mean.”

All days...
If I could have another day
To make you feel I am the one.
I’ll show you love in many ways
For your kiss I wait.

Chandler turned on the radio to past time, but quickly turned it off. It was full of love songs about people getting together and people breaking up. Getting frustrated, Chandler turned on his laptop and went online. He had a pile of email’s waiting for responses and it would be a perfect way to pass time.

But now you push my love away
Leave me cold both night and day
All alone, what can I think?
I wait all day, I wait...

As they pulled into the parking lot, Monica got out of the car and followed Rob to the entrance. Rob produced tickets and handed them to the door person. They were waved inside and Rob pulled her forward.
As they entered the room, Monica was dying to leave. The room was bright with red and pinks and on each table was a vase of red roses. People were mingling about, as dinner wasn’t to be served for another half hour.
“Kelly, Ken,” they glanced over to see Mrs. Marsh-Reed waving them over. They smiled at her and made their way across the floor to stand beside her.

All I really want is one more day
To make you change your mind and want to stay
All you have to do is call my name
And I’ll come back again

Chandler hadn’t realized that his ICQ was on until he started to get hit with a message. It looked like someone had found out his ICQ number he decided when he didn’t recognize the name. He opened the message and read it. Feeling down, he decide to reply.

All I really want is one more day
To make you change your mind and want to stay.
All you have to do is call my name
And I’ll come back again.
And I’ll come back again.

Monica was glad to sit down a while later as the dinner was served. She found herself sitting with some people she didn’t know well. The dinner was good, but she found herself thinking that she could have made a better meal.

All days...
I could call you on the phone.
Are you there? Are you home alone?
I have to hear your voice again.
For your kiss, I pray

“How come you’re not on a date?” The person ICQed him back. “Isn’t it valentines day?”
“Yeah, but the person I want to be with, I don’t know where she is,” Chandler wrote back. Maybe this person didn’t know who he was.

Boy comes back, you’ll never see
Just how much you mean to me.
Please stop playing with my heart
I wait all day I wait...

After the dinner was taken away, the tables were pushed to the side to create a dance floor. Many couples moved out quickly to dance. Monica stood by the side, alone as Rob was talking to somebody. She could picture Chandler’s dancing in her head and couldn’t help the smile that spread sadly across her face.
“Would you like to dance?”

All I really want is one more day
To make you change your mind and want to stay
All you have to do is call my name
And I’ll come back again.

“That sucks,” the person wrote. “I know what you mean. My mom knows who’s the right person, except she doesn’t want to be with him.”
“Why not?”

All I really want is one more day
To make you change your mind and wanna stay
All you have to do is call my name
And I’ll come back again

“Sure,” Monica smiled at Rob and took his hand as he lead her out onto the dance floor. She was going to try to enjoy the evening. She deserved it.

All I really want is one more day
To make you change your mind and want to stay
All you have to do is call my name
And I’ll come back again
And I’ll come back again
All days...

“Says he hurt her in too many ways,” Alex typed back. She looked up as she saw the babysitter enter the room. Logging of ICQ she pretended she had been surfing the net.

“Hello?” Chandler groaned. “This had better be good if you’re going to wake me at 2 in the morning about it!”
“Hello, Mr. Bing?” A voice asked. “It’s Daryl Cornfang from the New York Times.”
“What!?” Chandler asked angrily.
“I was just wondering we could get some comments from you about Monica, Alex and Dereck.”
“Leave me alone!” Chandler replied. “Doesn’t everybody deserve a little privacy.”
“Of course,” Daryl replied.
“They get the hell off the phone,” Chandler shouted. “I’m sick and tired of talking to reporters about Monica, Alex and Dereck. I don’t know where they are. I love them all and for all I know, they could have been kidnapped!”

Monica sighed as she pushed her shopping cart up to the check-out till. She glanced over her list.
”Head of lettuce-check. Milk chocolate chips-check. Granny Smith apples-check. Box of Saltines-check. Bag of ranges-check. Skim and two percent milk-check. Eggs-check. Red pepper-ooh, I knew I forgot something! Excuse me.” She turned to the woman behind her in line. “Would you mind saving my spot for a few moments? I seem to have forgotten something on my list.”
The woman smiled and nodded. “Sure thing, Mrs. Bellar.”
“Thanks.” As Monica turned, she momentarily felt an attack on her heart before she realized the woman had called her Mrs. Bellar, not Mrs. Geller. But how had she known her name? Monica backed away toward the fruits and vegetables section, still staring at the lady who had promised to save her spot in line. The lady gave a shy, little wave, and Monica spun the other direction, blushing. Who coul dhave ever thought that running away from her stress could only cause more stress? Not only that, but it aded stress to Rob and Alex as well. But, Monica reminded herself, Alex had been under major stress ever since the birth of Dereck, when the V.I.P had disowned him as his own child and started dating the V.B.B. The fight with Darren, the excitement from Queen of Hearts, the lack of attention from her father, had all resulted in endless stress, (and heartache in some cases) for Alex.
It will be better now, Monica told herself. Alex had made new friends already, and was loving drama classes. Lawrence was getting along fine in kindergarten, Rob’s job was going great, and Monica always had little Dereck right by her heart to remind her how lucky she was. Monica glanced down at Dereck, who was sleeping soundly against her in a teddy-bear covered snuggle. She picked up the red pepper and compared it to her son. Dereck’s head was still barely the size of the pepper. But, Monica decided, he is a million times sweeter and more beautiful. Monica wandered back to the check-out till, still phased out in thought. The woman that had made Monica’s heart nearly stop was gone, and Monica’s cart sat all by it’s lonsome next to the counter.
“Was I gone a long time?” Monica asked the cashier, beginning to unload groceries onto the conveyor belt.
“Yes, Mrs. Bellar,” the young girl replied dutifully. “Next time you could just ask for directions to the red peppers-I know you haven’t been here before.”
Monica looked at her, confused. Again, a complete stranger was aware of her name-and the fact that she had never been to this particular grocery stor ebefore! “Er, if you’ll excuse me asking-“ Monica quickly checked the name tag of the cashier- “Leslie, but how…how does everyone know who I am?”
“Oh! I’m sorry Mrs. Bellar,” Leslie apologized, ringing in groceries as she spoke. “It was rude of me to do that. It’s just that in a small town, news travels fast. Everyone knows about you moving in just last Saturday. And plus-“ Leslie nodded to Dereck- “no one around here has had a baby for months-except for the Davidsons, about a year ago. And you know what I heard about them? They skipped town for the foreign isle of Bali to get a few tax breaks.”
Leslie’s know-it-all manner surprised Monica.
“No kidding,” she commented. “Yes, I heard about the Davidsons from some of my new friends on Sunday.” Not to mention that Nancy’s story was completely different than yours, Monica added to herself. “So,” Monica said casually, “what have you heard about me?” She wanted to make sure nothing had leaked out about who she really was.
“Not much, actually, Mrs. Bellar, just that you rfamily moved into the old Genevieve place, and your husband is the new phys ed teacher at my school. Actually, if you want to know about the latest town gossip, it’s what’s going on in the papers these days.”
“Oh really.” Monica’s relief that Leslie knew next to nothing about her, covered up her slightest mild interest in today’s world affairs. “Well, I suppose I should take a newspaper. Ken will want to read one this evening.”
“All right.” Leslie dug out a paper from under the counter and added it to the bill.
As Monica picked up the paper, her eyes grew wide.
“The total comes to $32.95. Erm, Mrs. Bellar?” Leslie said, waving her hand in front of Monica’s glazed over eyes. Mrs. Bellar didn’t reply. Instead she stared in awe at the headlines.

“Just look at this. Would you just look at this?” Monica growled, slapping the paper down on the table.
“I’m looking, I’m looking!” Rob cried. “It’s not my fault! Don’t look at me!”
“I’m not looking at you, I’m looking at the newspaper! And I’m not liking what I’m seeing!”
“Oh, believe me, Kelly, I’m not liking what I’m seeing either. Not at all. Not at all!”
“How could this happen?” Monica cried out. “I left Chandler that-“
“You mean the V.I.P.?”
“Yes. I left him that nice letter, explaining everything! Why would he blame you? Oh…what are we gonna do, what are we gonna do, what are we gonna do?” Rob didn’t answer. “Rob! Come on, I need answers!”
“First off, Kelly-“ Rob shut the kitchen window with a bang- “you’re going to give us away with your saying names this way and that…Lawrence knows his part better than you know yours! Now calm down!”

“Okay.” Monica took a deep breath, in and out. “I’m calm. Now give me some answers.”
“Okay. My first answer is, this may not be true. You of all people should know how rumours rule the world of the media. Second of all, if it is true, they won’t be looking for a family of five. None of my work colleagues or acquaintances in New York know about Lawrence. Third of all, if they think I kidnapped you, they won’t be looking for a family at all! Think about it Kelly, if someone kidnapped you would you willingly pose as a family?”
“Well…if the kidnapper threatened to kill me or Dereck or Alex, I would. Yes, definitely. Definitely.”
“Um…you’re ruining my point here, Kelly. Look, the point is, they’re not going to find us here. Besides, they’ll abandon that theory once they figure out there’s no ransom from me or a kidnapper.”
Monica let out  asort of bray and Rob raised his eyebrows. “But the supermarket cashier said the whole town is talking about us! And she mentioned that the whole town is talking about ‘what’s going on in the papers’ as she put it! What if they put two and two together?”
“Then I’m sure they’ll get four.” At Rob’s casual words, Monica’s face went a deathly pale. “No. No, Kelly, that’s not what I meant. I was just saying…oh, never mind. In a gossipy town with no-brain chit-chatters like this one, if someone gets four out of two and two, then someone else is bound to get three…or five…or six, seven, eight, nine, or ten. Trust me. What I’m saying is, if, say, Nancy figures out what’s going on, as soon as she confides her new discovery in Bella, Bella will shoot down her discoverey with a theory of her own.”
Monica stared thoughtfully at her husband. “You know, you are right. Completely right. Look at this! They didn’t even put new pictures of us in the paper! This is me from the year Alex was born, and this picture of Alex is three years old! Oh, Rob. Thanks for calming me down. I got a little worked up there.”
“The first few weeks here are going to be very tough and stressful, Monica,” Rob warned.
“But it will be worth it in the end,” Monica cut in. “I just know it will.”
Monica glanced once more at the headline. “Bing Claims Monica, Family Kidnapped.” Then she began to unload the groceries.

“Mom LOOK!” Alex ran into the living room where her mom and ‘dad’ were watching tv. She waved the newspaper she was holding in her mom’s face.
“What is it Alex?” Monica looked over at her. Even though it had been a couple of months since they had left, they still called each other by their real names, so they wouldn’t forget.
“It’s the nominees for the Oscars!” Alex said. “Daddy’s been nominated for best director, Queen of Hearts for best movie, Darren for best male supporting actor and... ME for best female supporting actress!”
“Wow! Way to go honey,” Monica hugged Alex. “I’m proud of you.”
“Same here,” Rob nodded. Then laughing added, “I can’t believe I’m sharing a house with an Oscar
 nominee!”
“What about your aunt and uncle?” Monica asked. “Are they nominated for anything?”
“Yep! Best female and male roles.”
“This reminds me of when the Titanic came out!” Rob said, taking the paper from Alex and looking it over. “Remember how it managed to get nominated for almost everything. Look’s like Queen of Hearts is doing the same.”
“I know,” Monica nodded. “I wasn’t sure how well it would do because it’s a pretty normal story line that’s been done before. I think it helped that a lot of the cast were related or really good friends.”
“Yeah,” Rob agreed. “Well, we’ll have to make sure we watch it! I heard they’re trying a new idea to make it more interesting.”
“Yeah, but it will probably make it longer too!”

“And the winner for best director goes to....” the woman handing out the award paused dramatically. “Chandler Bing!”
The crowd in the auditorium cheered loudly as Chandler stood up nervously and headed down the aisle to the stage. Climbing onto it, he took the microphone from the woman after giving her a hug and accepting the award.
“You know, while this is a great honour, I wasn’t sure I wanted to win. I mean, now I have to sing!” Chandler grimaced and the crowd laughed. “But then again, it shouldn’t be that hard, because I’ve always like kareoke bars. They’re so much fun!  Anyway I’ve decided that I’m going to sing a song that is actually kind of old. It’s by a group called Swirl 360, called Rewind. But before I go on, I’d like to dedicate this award to the cast of Queen of Hearts, Alex, Dereck and Monica. I’m pretty sure you all know who I’m going to dedicate the song too and you’re right. Monica, I still don’t know what to say.”
After placing his award on the little counter thingy, Chandler stepped back as the music began to play. As the words started, Chandler looked directly at the camera, as if looking Monica straight in the eye, where ever she was.

Stop
Right there where you stand
Can we start again
And write this book
Just one more time
It’s sad
To think it’s come to this
But this is where it is
And now our road is undefined

Is it me
Is it you
Tell me what can we do
Should we give it one more try

Cos we’re dancing in the middle
And we’re running out of time
It’s too late and it’s too little
Tell me can we just Rewind

Hey
It was okay for awhile
We hid behind a smile
Now look at where we are today

So
The momentary high
We somehow let slip by
Are we ever going back again

Should we stop
Should we go
Are we losing control
Won’t you please just tell me why

Cos we’re dancing in the middle
And we’re running out of time
It’s too late and it’s too little
To even say goodbye
Cos we’re lost in indecision
And the answer’s hard to find
It seems we have a lack of vision
Tell me can we just Rewind

Gone are the days that we used to know
When I thought that they all would last
forever
And I see what you mean
When it all falls apart
Nothing really seems to make it better
Should we stop should we go
Are we losing control
Can you please just tell me why
Cos we’re dancing in the middle
And we’re running out of time
It’s too late and it’s too little
To even say goodbye

“I’m sorry Mon,” Chandler said softly into the microphone as the music died. Handing the microphone the next announcer, Chandler took his award and headed back to his seat.

“Are you okay mom?” Alex asked Monica. Monica nodded, tears running down her face.
“I’m not surprised he did that,” Rob said from his perch on the couch. “He really is a good singer though.”
“I know,” Monica laughed slightly. “He was the lead singer of the band he had with Ross in collage.”
“They had a band?” Rob asked in shock.
“Oh yeah, you should have heard them,” Monica laughed. “They were awful. The absolute worst! Chandler’s voice has gotten better, I don’t think he could sing that well before.”
“And for the best supporting male actor!” the tv blared and they all turned back to watch. “And the nominees are: Darren Schiller for his role in Queen of Hearts, Matthew Rift for his role in The Edge, Jonathan Kerr for his role in The Edge and Frank Digg for his role in Five Stars!” The announcer tore open the envelope and read the name. “And the winner is.... Darren Schiller for his role in Queen Of Hearts!”
Alex watched eagerly as the camera found Darren in the crowd. He was getting a hug from his mom and dad. The spotlight on him, Darren headed for the stage, stopping to give Chandler a hug. Taking the stairs two at a time, Darren hurried over to the microphone, and paused.
“Hi,” Darren finally started. “Wow, I never thought I’d get this, but thanks! I want to thank Chandler. He’s a great director and I had a lot of fun working on the film with him. I also want to thank the rest of the cast, my parents and most of all, my best friend, Alex Bing. I don’t know how to say what I want to tell her, so I guess I’ll do my, ugh, song part. My song’s dedicated to Alex and it’s called Stick Around by Swirl 360. I know, isn’t it surprising that Chandler and I listen to the same music?” Darren chuckled with the crowd. “Actually, I couldn’t think of a song, and Chandler suggested this to me.”

When you’re feeling lost and lonely
When the world just gets you down
Is there anyone where you come from
That’ll help you out

Cos if you need someone to talk to
If you need a little sympathy
well don’t you know if you’re feeling low
Well you can count on me

So don’t you worry, don’t you cry
Cos I’ll be here for you tonight
And if you want me to
You know I’ll stick around

I told you once, I’ll tell you twice
I’ll always be right by your side
And if you want me to
You know I’ll sick around
Stick Around

And if there’s nothing going your way
And you wanna make a brand new start
Then let’s tear down the walls
Around your broken heart

Cos if you need someone to lean on
If you wanna make a brand new friend
Well can’t you see if you turn to me
I’ll be here ‘til the end

So don’t you worry, don’t you cry
Cos I’ll be here for you tonight
And if you want me to
You know I’ll stick around

I told you once, I’ll tell you twice
I’ll always be right by your side
And if you want me to
You know I”ll stick around
Stick Around

You’re out there on your own
Feeling so alone
Felling like the world is crashing down on
you tonight
And all you really need is a little company
you can’t hold out forever
Forever, forever, forever
Stick Around
Should I stick around?

“And now, for best supporting female actress!” the announcer said after Darren walked off the stage. “One of the most waited for categories of the night, as one of the nominees isn’t here, in fact, no ones where she is! The nominees are: Anne Grace for her role in The Gordem Story, Patricia Goldsten for her role in The Edge, Devon Scott for her role in Five Stars and Alexis Bing for her role in Queen of Hearts!” the announcer tore the envelope open and looked at the name. After a pause, he turned back to the mike. “And the winner is... Alexis Bing for her role in Queen of Hearts! Accepting the award for Alexis is her dad Mr. Chandler Bing!”
The spotlight followed Chandler as he returned to the stage to collect the award for Alex.
“I don’t know what to say,” Chandler laughed. “I’m not Alex. I wish she was here to accept this award herself, but hopefully she’s watching as I accept it for her. I don’t know who Alex would want to thank, but I’m going to guess that she’d want to thank everyone who worked on the movie, her mom and Dereck,” Chandler reached up and brushed away the tears that were in his eyes.  “She’d also probably want to thank her Aunt’s, Rachel and Joey, and her Uncle’s Ross and Joey. She’d also probably want to thank her cousin Ben, who’s been like a brother to her growing up, and Alex, where ever you are, Ben’s still planning on beating you in that Nintendo game! I’m also quite sure she’d want to thank her best friends, Darren, Sam, Jane, Freddy and Corey. And, since I’m not Alex, I don’t have to sing!” The crowd laughed, as Chandler took the award and walked off the stage.

“Now I live in a house with a Oscar winner,” Rob laughed, as they watched Chandler walk to his seat on the screen.
“Do we need to see any more?” Monica asked. When everyone shook their heads, Monica flipped off the tv. Turning to Alex, she gave her daughter a big hug. “I’m so proud of you honey. An Oscar, and at the age of ten!”
“Thanks mom,” Alex hugged her mom back. “Do you mind if I go upstairs. I’ve got a bit of homework left.”
“Go ahead,” Monica nodded her head.
As Alex left the room, Mon turned to Rob. “Rob, I need to talk to you about a VIM. I’m worried.”
“About what?” Rob asked, leaning back in his seat. “Everything’s going great!”
“I know, but,” Monica hesitated. “It’s Alex. I’m worried about her. She’s been doing okay, but not great in school and she never seems incredibly happy anymore.”
“Well, I’m sure it was tough for her to leave. Think of everything she’s left behind. All her friends, her relatives, Ben, Darren, an Oscar and most of all, a dad. While she might not have been to happy with Chandler, he’s still her dad and she still loves him. Nothing’s going to change that.” Rob paused. “You do realize that you’re going to have to go back sometime?”
“I know, it’s either that or be tracked down. I don’t know what to do yet. All I know, is I don’t want to go back for a while.”

In her room, Alex took a piece of paper from her binder and grabbed a pen. She needed to talk to someone, and she couldn’t talk to her “parents.” She knew the best thing to do was to write to Darren. He wouldn’t write back, but it would be good to know someone was listening, or in this case, reading what she wrote.

Dear Darren,

I was just watching the Oscar’s and decided I need to write. We didn’t watch them all, just up to where I got my Oscar. Wow. My own Oscar and I can’t even tell anyone about it. Yeah the whole world knows about it, but I can’t tell my new friends that it’s me. That I won.
If you get a chance, tell my dad that the speech he gave for me was good. I liked it and couldn’t have done better myself. He’s right, those our the people I’d thank. But I’d thank you more then the rest of my friends. You helped me through the filming, making it fun and funny.
Thanks for the song. It goes the same for me. Except, I’m doubting that we have broken hearts over love yet. Maybe someday, but not yet.
My mom was crying when Chandler sang his song. I guess it meant a lot to her. I wish you could tell him that for me, but then he’d know that you know where we are. As much as I’d like him to come out and see us and try to win my mom back, I can’t do that to her. She doesn’t want to see him, not now. She’s still trying to figure everything out.
I’ve got to go now, I can hear my mom coming up the stairs. I told them I was doing homework.

Bye Darren

Your best friend,
Alex Bing

“Somebody tell me!!!!” Nick entered the drama room after school screaming. “Who won the Oscar’s? I was grounded and I need to know!!!”
Alex almost forgot where she was and was about to step forward and said she won when she remembered. “Chandler Bing got Best Director for Queen Of Hearts,” Alex said instead.
“Yeah,” Tyler, another drama student nodded. “And Darren got Best Supporting Actor, and he totally deserved it. He was so funny in that movie.”
“What about Alex Bing?” Nick asked eagerly. “Did she get it even though she wasn’t there?”
“Yeah,” Jennifer joined the conversation. “Her dad went up and accepted it for her. It was sad, you could tell he was trying hard not to cry. But Alex deserved the award. She was awesome in the movie.”
“Yeah,” Alex said softly. “Did you guys see my, I mean, Mr. Bing’s song to Monica Geller?”
“That was so sad,” Jennifer replied. “I wonder if Monica was watching.”
“Probably,” Tyler answered. “I mean, she left with Alex right? And when they found out that Alex was nominated, it’s a pretty dead giveaway that they’d watch to find out if she won.”
“What did you guys think about the new way the Oscar’s were run?” Mr. Reynolds asked, entering the room. “Sorry I’m late.”
“It was funny,” Tyler answered. “Some of the actors really can’t sing, but Mr. Bing was really good.”
“It was a neat idea,” Jennifer added. “It made the Oscar’s longer, but that wasn’t too bad, because at least this time you were entertained the whole way through.”
“Did you guys see what Neve Campbell was wearing?” Ashley asked the group walking into the drama room. “It was so pretty.”
As the discussion moved the clothing choice of the actors, Alex let her mind wander as she replayed her name being announced as the winner of the Oscar over and over again in her head.

“Oh, excuse me, miss, I believe you dropped this.”
Monica turned to see a man a few years younger than herself, perhaps, walking quickly towards her, Monica’s cell phone in his hand. The first thing that struck Monica about this guy was his blond, blond hair.
“Thanks!” Monica smiled, taking and pocketing her cell phone. “I don’t know how I could be so careless as to drop this! Is there any way for me to repay you?”
“Well,” the man admitted, “I was just on my way for a coffee at Starbucks. Are you heading my way?”
“Yes, actually.” Monica smiled. “What’s your name?”
“Oh, I’m sorry. Of course. How silly of me!” The man held out his hand.
“Well that’s a mouthful of a name,” Monica laughed.
“Sorry!” He laughed out loud. “I’m Bruce. Here, let me help you with those groceries.”
“Thankyou. And hello, Bruce.” Monica fell into step beside him, thanking her lucky stars that she had taken Dereck to daycare for that morning’s shopping. She wrinkled her nose, wondering why she felt that way. What a funny feeling.
“Ahem…and you are?”
Monica raised her eyebrows and stopped Bruce. “Look at me carefully, Bruce. Are you sure you don’t know who I am?” He must be joking. She’d been here two months now, and anyone that didn’t know who the Bellars are, were either out of the country, or in a mental penetentiary!
“Ah, no…should I know who you are?” Bruce look at her, confused to the core.
Monica let out a giddy laugh. “Yes! I mean no-no. Not necessarily. I mean, I just assumed-you know, that everyone knows who I am. I just took it for granted that in such a small town-“
“-where gossip travels fast…” Bruce finished.
“That’s right! How did you know what I was going to say?”
“I don’t know,” Bruce admitted. “I just knew-or guessed, at best.”
“Hey, that rhymes,” Monica laughed. “I’m Kelly Bellar. I’m surprised you haven’t heard of me, that’s all. I’ve lived here for nearly two months now, and by thte time I had lived here for two days, just about everyone I met said, ‘Hello, Mrs. Bellar. Nice day, isn’t it?’ I certainly learned that, like you said earlier, gossip travels fast in a town like this.”
“I’ve been out of town for awhile,” he explained. “Well here we are at Starbucks.” Bruce held the door open for Monica.
“Thank you, Bruce.”
“You’re welcome, Kelly. So, you’re married?”
“Er, yes,” Monica admitted, feeling as though she had just confessed to second or third degree murder. Or maybe she was pleading guilty.
“Wow,” Bruce said as he and Monica took their place in line. “Starbucks sure has changed since I was last in here.”
“So you just got home today then?” Monica asked as she glanced momentarily at the menu. She didn’t know why she had done it; she already knew what she would order.
“Yesterday evening, actually.”
Monica stepped up to the counter and ordered her drink. “Hi, Sandra,” she greeted the cashier. “Medium latte with chocolate shavings, please.”
“I know, Mrs. Bellar.” Sandra smiled. “You order that every day. Where’s Peter today?”
“I’m trying a new daycare,” Moncia answered. “I had an extra big shop today because we invited some people over for the baseball game this weekend. I really couldn’t carry around the extra weight of a baby. What would you like Bruce?”
“Bruce?” Sandra exclaimed. “Bruce Lovell. He’s the one I told you about, Kelly. The one that always orders the same as you! How was your trip, Bruce? How’s New York these days?”
Monica’s brain instantly switched from coincidence-he orders the same coffee as me-to panic-he’s just been to New York City.
“Oh, they’re all in a tizzy over that missing Monica Geller and her two kids-you know, Chandler Bing’s family. I would swear the whole city is out searching for her. I feel bad for that Chandler Bing.”
Monica’s heart was wrenched guiltily into her throat. Had she confessed to second or third degree murder earlier? This was indefinitely first degree murder-on her, her family, and Chandler Bing!
“From what I heard,” Bruce continued, “his girlfriend, Monica, got pregnant and ran away, then eight years later he discovered them, and his daughter Alex starred in his latest movie-now they’re gone again!”
“You forget that Monica Geller had another kid with Chandler Bing,” Sandra said in a low voice to Bruce, handing Moncia her drink and not seeming to realize how faint and pale the customer had become. “He practically disowned the baby, and I heard that Monica had his birth certificate name him after his father. Then just to spite her, Chandler Bing started dating this girl named Kirsten…um, oh! What was her name again? It’s on the very tip of my tongue!”
“I don’t remember it either,” Bruce said.
“Hampshire,” Monica cut in absent-mindedly. “Kirsten Hampshire.”
Bruce and Sandra turned to her, surprised because she had been the quiet party up till that point in the conversation.
“I’m surprised you know it,” Sandra said to Monica. “You’re not really the gossip type.”
“You don’t have to be a big gossipy type to keep up with the news,” Monica said vaguely, just becoming aware of what she had said about Kirsten.
“She’s right,” Bruce said to Sandra.
“That comes to four fifty for the two of you,” Sandra said.
Bruce handed her a five dollar bill just as Monica was taking the change from her purse. “I thought I was paying,” she objected. “You found my cellphone for me, and this was your repayment!”
“I didn’t mean you would have to pay,” Bruce said, gently pushing away her purse. “It’s enough of a repayment for you just to join me, Kelly Bellar.”
Monica sighed happily. It had been awhile since someone had paid her such a compliment like that.

“Mom, are you okay? You look like you’re in La-La-Land.” Alex grabbed a banana from the fruit basket on the counter and stared at her mother. The she gasped, noticing the ultimate forbidden norm in her household. “Mom, there are dirty dishes in the sink!” Alex cried out. She wrinkled her nose and scraped a bit of greasy, dried up cheese from a plate with her fingernail. “Disgusting!”
Monica replied with but a sigh. A contented sigh, Alex noted. As her mom did not acknowledge Alex’s presence, she took her banana and returned quietly to her bedroom. She flipped on her discman and sat in solitary at her desk a moment.
Alex’s thoughts drifted to Darren. Had he received her letter? There was no way of knowing. She knew he was too smart to write back to her, but she had so much to tell him! She just had to write to him.
Alex sighed and pulled out her stationery and her colored gel-ink pens. “Purple,” she murmured. “I am in a purple mood.”
She began a second letter to her friend.

Dear Darren;

I hope you received my first letter to you. I know there is no way for you to tell me if you receive any of my letters, but I can wish, can’t I?

I have so many nice new friends here. But I miss you. And my other friends, Sam especially. You two are my best friends in the whole wide world. But I think I have another best friend, Laura, now. She is so nice. We have common interests, except drama. I hope you don’t mind, Darren. You’re still my best friend, too, don’t worry. (But if I’m not still your best friend, you’d better start worrying because I’ll be after you in a flash with a knuckle sandwich!)

I’d like to ask a favour of you. Please tell Sam that you’re positive I’m safe, if you haven’t already done so. I don’t want her to worry about me. But I know she’s a worrier, and if she’s anything like Mom…well let me explain. When we first moved here and news came out that Dad thought we had been kidnapped, Mom had an absolute fit. She was so upset. I know she misses Daddy (at least a bit, I hope!) but we have a new life here and it’s a nice life. Although I do miss my old life and wealth&fame…no, it’s not even that part that I miss. What I really miss is being able to act, and having the whole world see and enjoy my talent. Here, only people who come to see our mini-productions get to enjoy my talent. Oh well. What’s new with you in your ol’ wealth&fame gig? (Please don’t mind me when I ask questions that I know you have no possible way to answer. It’s just that it’s not a normal letter if I only talk about myself!)

I noticed something weird today-my mom is acting really strange. I don’t know why. She seems to be in another world. And guess what-she’s letting dishes pile up in the sink!!! Something is definitely wrong. I will investigate it and keep you updated on that.

So far no one here has fallen wise to our scam-even though it’s such a gossipy town and everyone is talking about us and everyone is talking about the missing Geller family from New York…so far no one has figured us out! It’s so hard to think up stories. Our first day here Mom suddenly changed Dereck’s name…and started calling him Peter! She said it was because she was worried people would figure out what’s up! But then the stories just kept rolling off of our tongues like raindrops off of a duck’s back. So far, we are from New Brunswick, and Dad (by Dad I mean my fake one) was in the fishing industry. Then supposedly the government closed down all the fishing businesses because there weren’t enough fish! Hopefully no one here knows much about Canada! We’re praying! And also, before that, we supposedly lived in Nova Scotia, and only moved to New Brunswick because the school system was better or something. I can’t even remember now! I have told so many lies that I can’t remember many of them! I try not to think of them as lies. I try to think of myself as an actress in a movie (and I’m pretty good at that…I once got paid for it!) I think I’ll call my movie…hm, I don’t know! What shall I call my movie?

Some days when I miss you and Sam and Dad I get lonely, even though I have Mom, Dereck, a fake brother and a fake father, and Sweep, and lots of new friends. I wish that didn’t happen. Sometimes I wish…never mind. I can not say such things. Mom wants us here, and here we’ll stay. I have to accept that.

Sincerely,
Your Best Friend
Alex Bing

“I knew they would win, I just knew it!” Arthur cried.
“Just because they won a single game doesn’t mean they don’t suck,” Rob cried, upset that ‘his team’ had lost the game.
“Oh, is someone feeling a bit pouty?” Arthur asked sweetly.
“Knock, it off, Arthur,” Dulcie said, smiling at he and Rob.
“Personally, Dad, I agree with Mr. Hastings,” Alex said. “The Red Sox are a pretty good team. Way better than your…what were they called?”
“They’re Canadian, the Blue Jays,” Rob pouted. “I thought you would be on my side, Robyn!”
“Sorry, Dad,” Alex said, smiling.
“Er, excuse me,” said Arthur, standing up and clearing his throat before he spoke. “I think I need to go to the washroom for a moment.”
“Go right ahead,” Rob replied. “The main floor toilet is broken, so use the one upstairs, if you don’t mind.”
“Oh, I don’t mind.” That’s perfect, in fact, he added to himself.
Once out of view of his wife and their friends, Arthur took a letter from his pocket. It had been sent to him via email just yesterday. Right in time for the baseball game Ken and Kelly had invited he and Cinderella over for.

My Dear Hastings;

I believe there is a new family in your town with the surname of Bellar. I knew the wife once, not well, but she was a pleasant woman all the same. For a while I was quite close with the girl, Robyn, and her friend. Her friend’s name is Darren Schiller. Eh, Hastings, you have heard of him, non? The child movie star from New York, New York. You are wondering how he knows the lowly Robyn Bellar, are you not? He knows her well from when they worked together on the film, Queen of Hearts, not more than a year ago. But, you say, there is no Robyn Bellar in that film. No, the girl that starred in that film was none other than Alexis Bing, child of the director, Chandler Bing.

Now, Hastings, I must say that what you have deduced by now is correct. Yes, this is a mystery for your amore. For once you will find that your romantic mind is correct…as long as I am correct. I can not be certain, but I have a fair chance at being right. Befriend the Bellars, and you will be able to search their humble abode for what I ask. If you go to Robyn’s bedroom, you will certainly find in the closet a blue dress, the same one Alex Bing wore to the premier of Queen of Hearts. Elsewhere in her room, probably in a drawer or a special box, you will find a picture of Monica Geller and Chandler Bing from their early years together.

And now, my dear Hastings, I shall explain what I want with this. I want nothing, but merely the satisfaction that I have deduced properly. I do not want the Bellars to find out what you have discovered, and I do not wish for you to tell a soul, even your beloved Cinderella, of the secret of the Bellars. I have not told anyone but you, and I trust you, Hastings. I know I can trust you. We worked together for years in London, if you’ll recall, before you…(sniff) left our work to marry your Cinderella. It was a mere coincidence that my missing friend, Alex dropped right into your lap, but I am glad of it. It gives us the chance to work again together, in a way. Without baseball or Cinderella in our way. Eh, Hastings?

Before I end this little note to you, I will explain what happened and why Alex is there and not in New York where she belongs. You see, a while ago, about a year ago, Alex and her friend Darren believed they were being stalked. They hired moi to investigate. That is how I know her. However, she and Darren were not quick to discover just how famous and deductive I am. I noticed at once that something would go wrong between Alex’s parents. I could feel it. You know how I feel things once every so often, Hastings? It was that sort of thing. After I resolved their little stalker problem, I still kept up, without their knowing it, with the affair going on behind the happy family. The little son, Dereck Bing, was born, and yet, for some reason Chandler Bing did not believe that this was his son. I became a friend of the Bing butler, his name was Lionel, who gave me firsthand information that this was indefinitely Chandler Bing’s son. Things went downhill from there, as you may have read in the papers, or heard on television. Alex’s mother, Monica Geller moved herself, Dereck, and Alex from Chandler’s home back to their old apartment. Things got so tense between Monica and Chandler that Monica decided she needed to escape, and take her family away from New York. This is when she came upon her old friend Rob Gellar (no relation) and confided in him what was happening. He insisted on helping her out. Hastings, our friend Kenneth Bellar is in actuality Rob Gellar. The Bellars son Lawrence is Rob Gellar’s son. Peter Bellar is also Dereck Bing. So you see, Hastings…this is only what I believe to be true…you can confirm it for me.

Yours truly,
M   Poirot

There in Alex’s room, Arthur Hastings found not only the blue dress and the photograph of Chandler Bing and Monica Geller, but an autographed poster from the movie Queen of Hearts and other photos of her old family members. As soon as he and Dulcie returned home, he rushed to his computer and emailed Poirot the results of his search. He vowed to keep the secret…a secret. This was so exciting…

“Where is Bruce lately?” Monica leaned over the Starbucks counter to Sandra. “I haven’t seen him around.”
“Back in New York, I think,” Sandra replied. “He goes there quite often on business.”
“Oh.” Monica tried to hide her disappointment. “Too bad.”

It was over a month until Bruce was back. Nevertheless, the Bellars was the first house he dropped by. Monica gasped when she opened the door and saw him standing there. She was so please, though, that she threw her arms around him.
“Well nice to see you too,” Bruce laughed. “I see you missed me.”
“Well it is nice to have you back,” Monica confessed. Only manslaughter this time, she decided. Not murder at all! “To tell you the truth, Bruce, it’s been a little bland around here without you to talk to while I drink my coffee every morning. Yes, I did miss you.”
“Well I’m glad we’ve become such good friends,” Bruce declared.
“Yes, it’s great. Um…I’ll go get some lemonade and we can talk out on the porch for a while. Have a seat, Bruce.”
“Thank you.”
Monica hadn’t actually realized how excited she would be to have Bruce back in town. She had, of course realized how much she liked and was attracted to him…she had, of course realized how much she and Bruce clicked. Why, oh why, she wondered, didn’t I stay in New York?  If she had, she would have still had a chance to meet Bruce, because he went there so often on business, and she would not have been bound to another man, while here, on the outside, she was bound to Kenneth Bellar. She sighed as she opened the door and set down the tray of lemonade.
“And you made it, too,” Bruce said happily. “I don’t like that powdery stuff. But…but I thought I heard that you were a terrible cook! Not that it takes much to make lemonade…but mmmm“ -he took a sip- “you have a special touch for this.”
“Well, I, uh, just tell people that because the bakery in town supposedly sucks, and I don’t want people begging me to make stuff for them. I’m too busy juggling Peter and Lawrence and Robyn and the house.”
“By the way, where is Peter? He’s just such a joy to see.”
“He’s, uh, taking a nap upstairs.” Monica’s heart fluttered. See? Bruce was perfect for her. Not like Chandler, he loved Dereck. Monica’s face flushed red; thinking of Chandler’s actions only made her angry.
“Are you all right, Kelly? Here, take a drink. You look very flushed.”
“Oh, thank you. I just…I just felt a little woozy for a minute there.”
They sat in silence for a few moments. To Monica it was a contented silence. To Bruce, it was a nervous, uncomfortable silence.
“Er…Kelly, we need to talk about something.”
“Yes, what is it?”
“Well…I don’t know if you’ve felt it, but I have.”
“Felt…um, felt what?” Monica blushed, knowing exactly what Bruce was talking about.
“Felt just how we click, Kelly. Have you felt it? I knew even from the back of you when I realized you had dropped your cell phone that fateful day…I just knew that we were meant from each other. And yet here you are, bound in a marriage. I don’t know if it is happy or not, but…Kelly, I can not see you anymore. I want you to patch things up with your husband. I’m sorry we ever met. If only we hadn’t, then I wouldn’t feel this awful pain in my heart when I say these words to you-“
“Shush!” Monica jumped up, disbelieving the passion the she felt. “I have a happy marriage but that doesn’t mean that I love Ken! I don’t love him, I never have! Years and years ago I had a teeny tiny crush on him, yes, but I have never been in love with him! The only man I have ever loved, I lost! In some ways I wish I were not married to him, but it’s the only way I can live. There’s so much about me that you don’t know, and only if you did, you would understand! But, oh, I must stay married to Ken because otherwise…they would find me. Otherwise they would find me.”
Monica realized at once she had said too much, but Bruce, understanding, did not question her.
“I’m sorry, Kelly, I’m so sorry I even brought up the subject.”
“Don’t be!” she cried. “It had to come out. I know I love you, I really do. But I must stay married to Ken. I’m sorry. I’m sorry sorry sorry!”
“Shhh, Kelly. It’s all right. I love you too. I know it’s sudden, and I understand you have to stay married. That’s why we must wait. True love must always wait.”
And then he left.
Monica wept. She left the tray of lemonade on the porch, even when it started to drizzle, and she went up to her bed and lay and wept some more. Her crying woke Dereck, and she held him in her arms, sniffling. She remembered how it had taken so many years for the love between she and Chandler to develop. And look how they had ended up. Broken hearts, far apart. She contemplated how it could be with Bruce. They had fallen in love the moment they met. And that was the exact opposite of she and Chandler. But…with Chandler Monica had had two beautiful children.
Oh forget Chandler, she told herself. He’s gone. Gone forever.
Her thoughts reminded Monica of an old song that she despised greatly, but it hung over her like a dreary rain cloud, and so she sang.
“Oh my darling
Oh my darling
Oh my darling Clementine;
You are lost and gone forever
Dreadful sorry, Clementine.”

“Mom, we need to talk.” Alex plopped herself down on Monica’s bed where she was reading a paper back romance novel. Alex gave her mom a funny look-she was still humming that weird song that she had been singing earlier. “You’re not really in love with that man, are you?”
“Oh my God, Alex, you heard that?” Monica threw down her book. “I’m so sorry you had to listen to me go on in such a way-“
“So you were just ‘going on,’ then?” Alex cried hopefully. “Please tell me you were!”
“Well, I’ve been thinking about it, honey, and I don’t think I really love Bruce. I just miss the closeness and love I got from Daddy before Dereck came along, that’s all. See, sweetie, my emotions are really all jumbled up right now and I can’t help that until I figure out why.”
“Why?!” Alex exclaimed in disbelief. “Why, you just told me yourself! You miss Dad, and that’s simply it. Surrender, Mom, and let’s go home!!!”
“Honey, oh, honey, I can’t admit defeat…I can’t lose. Because what would I lose to? A strong, cold-hearted man that won’t accept me or his children into his life. No, Alex, I can’t lose, and I won’t give up. I simply won’t.”
“Well it was worth a shot,” Alex said, shrugging. She didn’t really care—she didn’t really want to leave her new friends and new life. She liked it here. But…she missed her daddy. “But how are you going to break it to that Bruce guy?”

“Is Bruce back in New York again?” Monica questioned as she took her daily coffee from Sandra.
“Shouldn’t you know?” Sandra replied, winking, and patting Dereck’s head.
“Um…what?”
Monica left Starbucks, confused beyond confused. What had Sandra meant by that?
“Hey, Mrs. Lovell.” It was Leslie from the supermarket, approaching her.
Monica’s mouth dropped open, gasping. “Leslie, what is going on here? My name is Mrs. Bellar! You’ve known that since before I even met you!”
“Um, yeah, but…people talk, you know. I’ve heard about you and Bruce Lovell. It’s all around town about…”
“What about us?”
“That you’ve been, you know…seeing each other, whatever you’d like to call it, Mrs. Bellar. Your normal, small-town affair…”
Leslie continued with their “chat,” but Monica had stopped listening. Apparently Bruce had taken her more seriously than she had wished.

“Oh my gosh, Kelly, you scared me!”
It was a month and a half later, almost the end of March, when Bruce returned. And his first reaction to be home was obviously fright.
“Sorry, Bruce. How was your trip to New York?” Monica stood up and walked from her place in the deck chair to where Bruce was walking up the porch steps.
“Same as always,” Bruce replied, seeming a little bit vague. “Only…interesting.”
“Really.” Monica’s heart leaped into her throat and her mind raced. “What kind of interesting?”
“Curious today, are you?” Bruce said loudly.
Monica smiled but was burning up inside. He was making this more difficult for her than she wanted. Plus, she decided, ikn simple terms, he was acting really really weird.
“Bruce, we need to talk,” Monica began nervously.
“Why talk? Bruce replied. “I like the sound of silence much, much better.”
Monica tried to ignore his comment, but the old song rushed back to her.
“Hello darkness my old friend,
I’ve come to talk with you again,
Because a vision softly creeping,
Left its seeds while I was sleeping
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains within the sound of silence.”
“Really, Bruce, I’m serious. I’ve been stressed out this past month while you were in New York.”
Bruce didn’t look at Monica. Bruce didn’t answer.
“In restless dreams I walked alone,
Narrow streets of cobblestone
‘Neath the halo of a street lamp,
I turned my collar to the cold and damp
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
That split the night, and touched the sound of silence.”
“The truth is, Bruce, that scene I made that day before you left, wasn’t exactly the truth. I’m sorry, I just don’t, I just don’t love you like I said I did…I was just at a confusing time in my life. I didn’t really know how I felt. I just needed someone-“
Bruce’s face flushed. It wasn’t in anger. It wasn’t in sadness, either-
“And in the naked light I saw
Ten thousand people maybe more,
People talking without speaking,
People hearing without listening,
People writing songs that voices never share.
And no one dares disturb the sound of silence.”
“Did you hear me Bruce? I’m really-“
“I heard you!” he lashed out, disturbing the sound of silence.
Monica flew back, now afraid. Calm, peaceful Bruce had never used such a voice.
“And the sign flashed out its warning
In the words that it was forming.
And the sign said:”
“’The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls and tenement halls,” Bruce murmured.
Monica stared at him in amazement. “How did-“
“Oh, I’m sorry, I just had that song in my head. You know, Paul Simon. Sound of Silence. Sorry. I just—Before you go, I have to say something as well-I know you don’t love your husband. Good bye Monica.”
Bruce opened the door and stepped inside. He slammed the door behind him.

It was late when Darren made up his mind to phone Sam. He had been debating for a month of how to tell her what Alex had written in her letter to him. He picked up the phone and dialled. Sam’s mom picked up.
“Hello, is Sam there?”
“Um…yeah. I think she’s in bed but she may not be asleep. Just a minute.”
Darren heard the dead air as he was put on hold. He sighed and rehearsed one last time in his head.
“Hello?” Sam’s voice broke the silence.
“Sam, it’s Darren. Sorry to call you so late!”
“Oh that’s ok. I was just reading.”
“Oh! Reading what?” Darren felt his whole plan abandon him in a split second.
“Nancy Drew of course!” Sam exclaimed. “The Clue in the Bell Tower. A real good one too. So what did you want to talk about? Cos if it’s not that important I better go. My mom is yelling for my friends calling me so late. Last night Jane called me at ten and my dad got so mad.”
“Okay, sorry, Sam, I’ll make it quick. It’s just that-“ Darren cut off his sentence, grasping for words. How could he tell Sam that Alex was safe without letting her know that she had been writing to him? If only he could remember his plan…Darren nearly laughed out loud at how high above the clouds his head was.
“Um…Dar? What’s up. You sound a little sick…I was gonna say you look a little green around the gills only I can’t see you! Man, I’ve gotta remember to use that sometime! I know! I can use it on Katie. Just hearing those words will make her gag!”
“You have to focus here, Sam. All I phoned to say was…well, I’m pretty sure Alex is safe, that’s all.”
“Ohh.” Sam’s voice had lost it’s bouyancy. “Well, um, um, how do you figure?”
“I just have this feeling, Sam. And my feelings are rarely wrong. You gotta believe me. She is fine. She’s safe, and you need not worry about her. And I also have this feeling that she’s thinking about you. She misses you.”
“That’s great, Darren. I only wish I could be as sure as you are.”
Darren heard a click. The line went dead.

“This is so great!” Laura exclaimed. “I can’t believe you guys are already friends!”
“Yeah, and when we met,” Alex explained, “one of the first things Jamie said to me was to look out for you because you’re such a great friend.”
“Aww, thanks, Jamie.” Laura smiled at her friend. “So what do you guys want to do today?”
“I don’t know, but it’s raining out,” Jamie pointed out. “We can’t bike, or rollerblade, or swim…”
“…or go fishing, or go to the park…” Alex continued.
“Why don’t we get my mom to drive us to the video store,” Laura suggested, “and rent some movies for the day. We can make popcorn, watch movies, and hang out.”
“Great plan!” Jamie said.
“Sure thing,” Alex agreed. “Let’s go.”

At the video store, Laura went straight to the Meg Ryan movies. “She’s not in much anymore,” she explained, “but she’s definitely my favorite actress.”
“And your favorite actor is Darren Schiller,” Jamie teased. “Don’t forget about him.”
“Oh I haven’t forgotten,” Laura said. “He’s definitely the best. And I love Alex Geller too.”
“Remember,” Alex said, “her name is Alex Bing now.”
“Yeah, but then again…I really wonder where she’s disappeared to,” Jamie said, picking up You’ve Got Mail. “I like this one, but let’s rent something we’ve never seen before.”
“Wherever she is,” Laura continued, “I’m sure she’s fine.”
“Yeah, all that crap about the kidnapping is false for sure!” Alex agreed readily, bouncing her head up and down. “And I agree about the movie. How about this one, Laura?” She picked one up and skimmed the back.
Laura wasn’t paying attention. “Oh, look, there’s that jerk that used to date your mom, Jamie. He gives me the creeps.”
Alex followed Laura’s gaze and her eyes landed on a handsome blond guy standing over in the action video section. “Oh, I remember you told me about him, Jamie. Who is it, anyway?” She turned back to the video and glanced over the cover with interest.
“His name’s Bruce Lovell,” Jamie said, obviously disgusted just by the thought of him. “I hate him so-“
“Bruce? Bruce, you said?” Alex did a double-take. She recalled the name from her conversation with her mother a few months ago.
“Yeah, that’s him, the creep,” Jamie confirmed. “He’s such a…I won’t say. But he makes me so mad! Hey totally ripped my mom apart! And have you ever been followed? I have…by him. Don’t let him see me.”
Laura, taller than the other two, stepped in front of her friend protectively. “Don’t worry, Jamie. I won’t let him near you!”
Alex had been followed…by fans. But, (she shivered from her toes to her hairs), she did not want to know what it was like to be followed by a strange man.
At the end of May, the drama club finally presented the play they had been working on. The gym was packed, which was abnormal. Normally only the parents and close friends came out to see the performance. This time though, they had attracted a larger crowd because the youngest member in the play was in grade six, and was considered incredibly good by everyone. They put on a comedy and managed to give Alex a big part in the production.
Alex thought she’d be nervous, preforming in front of a large group, but she was surprised she wasn’t. She figured this must be because she already knew that thousands had seen her act in Queen Of Hearts, and there hadn’t been many people who thought she wasn’t good.
After the performance was over, Alex quickly got changed back into jeans and a t-shirt and ran outside to see her family.
Rob picked her up in a hug and swung her around. “That was very good Robyn,” Rob told her.
“It was incredibly funny,” Monica nodded, giving Alex a hug.
“Hey Robyn,” Alex turned away from the hug Lawrence was giving her to see Laura standing behind her with her parents. Laura handed her some flowers. “That was a great performance. It was the best one I’ve seen.”
“Thanks Laura,” Alex blushed. “It was a lot of fun.”
‘Why don’t we go over to Baskin Robins for some ice cream,” Monica suggested and Rob nodded. “Our treat.”
“Can Laura come?” Alex asked.
“Of course, and so can your other friends and their families,” Rob replied.
“Thanks!” Alex shouted. “We’ll go find everybody.” She and Laura ran off laughing about something and Monica turned to Rob.
“You know, I’m so glad Al, Robyn got back into acting. She’s been so much happier since,” Monica told him.
“I know what you mean,” Rob nodded. “It’s her calling.”

When June arrived, Alex handed out birthday invitations to all the friends she’d made in the last five and a half months. They all accepted and on her birthday, June 25th, they arrived in the afternoon for her party.
“You know what I realized,” Laura asked everyone as they sat in the kitchen eating cake. “Robyn’s got the same birthday as Alex Bing. It’s her birthday today too!”
“Oh yeah,” Alana nodded. “I saw something in the paper about that. It’s been almost six months since she and her mom and her brother disappeared.”
“And she’s my favorite actress!” Alex commented. Monica was walking into the room when this conversation happened and caught Alex’s eye. They both laughed silently to themselves.
“Hey Robyn,” Laura turned to her best friend. “I never noticed until today that the poster you have for Queen Of Hearts was signed by the cast.”
“Oh, right,” a look of panic crossed Alex’s face quickly, but she quickly recovered. “I went and saw a filming one day and they signed it.”
“Lucky!” Elizabeth said with envy. “I wish I could have gone. Alex looks like such a cool kid.”
“She’s not really a kid,” Alex defended herself. “She’s only a year younger than us.”
“That’s true,” Laura nodded. “So what she like?”
“She’s nice, pretty cool,” Alex said pretending to think. “I didn’t see her for long. She and Darren only appeared for a moment and then disappeared somewhere. I think they’re really good friends.”
“Yeah,” Kimberly nodded. “I wonder if he know’s where they’ve disappeared to!”
“I doubt it,” Alex said quickly. “I mean, that would be kind of stupid, telling someone where you’re going when you don’t want anyone to know!”
“I suppose so...” Alana replied.

Chandler sat bundled in a blanket before the fireplace in his study. A calender drew his attention every few minutes, reminding him that it was Alex’s birthday and almost six months since they had left.
He’d surprised himself by managing to stay calm the past months. And as the days went on, it became easier and easier to move on. To survive the day and make it to the next, but he knew he couldn’t go on like this forever. He needed to see them again, to make up for what he did.
Sitting sadly on his desk was the gift he had gotten Alex, even though he didn’t know where she was. He’d give it to her when he found her, whenever that was. Even if it was years, he was going to give her this gift, because it was something important to him, and he knew it would be important to her.
Shivering, he turned back to the fireplace. Even though it was June and the day had been warm, he had been feeling cold. Chandler figured he must be getting sick. Sick of being alone, Chandler though sarcastically, pulling the blanket tighter around himself.
“Mr. Bing?” Lionel asked from the doorway. Chandler turned to face him. “Are you okay Mr. Bing? You don’t look to good.”
“Nothing getting my family back won’t heal,” Chandler said sadly, turning away from him to once again face the fireplace. “Do you think I’ll find them Lionel? Honestly? I mean, it’s been almost six months and there still hasn’t been a trace of them. Not one clue, not one lead.”
“Of course you will, sir,” Lionel replied. “If you and Miss. Geller are truly soul mates, then you’ll find your way back to each other someday. And I believe you are, Mr. Bing. I’ve never seen you happier than when you’re with Alex and Miss. Geller and even Dereck. Even though at that time you didn’t think he was yours.”
“I know, but I miss them so much Lionel, I don’t know what to do anymore!”
“I’m sure you’ll figure things out Mr. Bing, you always do,”

“Bye Alana,” Alex and Laura waved good-bye to the last of her friends. Laura was going to spend the night because her parents were out of town.
“What do you want to do now?” Laura asked Alex as they carried Alex’s gifts up to her room.
“I don’t know,” Alex shrugged, dropping the gifts on her bed. She glanced around her room in disgust. Monica had cleaned it before everyone had arrived, and while Alex liked a neat room, she preferred to have a little mess as well. She was a total mix between her mom and dad. Chandler being messy and Monica neat. She opened one of her new DVD’s and stuck it into her DVD player, turning on the TV that sat above. She flopped onto her bed as the credits started across the screen.
“Hey Robyn,” Alex turned to see Laura inspecting her pictures on her bulletin board. “Where’d you get some of these pictures?”
“What one’s?” Alex replied worried.
“The ones of Mr. Bing, Joey, Joey, Alex, Darren. You even have pictures of Monica, Alex and Dereck!” Laura said shocked.
“Um...” Alex tried to think quickly, but no excuse came to mind.
“Oh, wait, did you take them when you visited the taping?” Laura gave her an exit.
“Yeah, that’s right,” Alex said quickly.

Later that night, when they were getting into their pajama’s, Alex opened her closet to grab her’s out. Monica had moved her dress from the premier without realizing it, and now it was in the middle, staring out at who ever opened the door. Alex quickly closed the doors. She turned around and Laura was staring at her in shock.
“You’re.. you’re... you’re Alex Bing!”