Title: The One Where Something Happens to Ross
Author: smlvlchk/iansomerhaldercrazy
Summary: Something happens to Ross and Rachel starts to realize she cares for the stupid bastard.  But the thing that happens to him is bad and he's put in the hospital.  How long will he be in there?  Will Rachel ever be able to tell him how she feels?

Teaser

"Hey!" Rachel exclaimed, walking into Monica and Chandler’s apartment.  Monica was alone, flipping through a magazine at the table.

"Hey Rach!" Monica said looking up.

Rachel walked over and sat at the table, "Are you and Chandler doing anything tonight? I don't have a date, again, Joey's got one and that means I'd have to be all alone, again."

Monica laughed, "No, actually Chandler just called and said that he'd be late.  Did you want to do something?"

Rachel nodded, "Nothing big really, I thought a movie and pizza."

Monica's eyes shot open, "Oooooh! Ross just bought 'Pirates of the Caribbean'!"

Rachel clapped her hands, "Oh that's perfect! Do you think he'll mind?"

Monica shrugged, "Eh, he'll get over it.  I'll order pizza if you'll run over and grab the movie."

Rachel rolled her eyes, "Your treat."  Monica snickered and stuck out her tongue.  "If I'm not back in ten minutes, call the cops."  She began to head out the door, then poked her head back in, "Why did Ross buy Pirates of the Caribbean? I thought he hated pirates!"

Monica nodded, not looking up from her magazine, "One word: Keira Knightly."

Rachel made a puking notion, "The girl is like, not even 20 yet!" Monica threw her hands up.  Rachel giggled and walked out of the apartment and started towards Ross's apartment. 

Even though it had been years since her and Ross, it brought back memories to go to his apartment, or to even think about it.  Times playing with Emma, or living there during her pregnancy were frequent reminders of how pleasant life really was with Ross back then.

Since then, they had grown apart, not ever really feeling that 'thing' that brought them together in the first place.  After she found out she was pregnant, Ross had even suggested marriage, but she had turned him down saying they weren't in love.

After thinking about it, she knew she would always love Ross because he was, well, Ross.  There were things about him that she could never describe, never put a finger on, but he would always have that special place in her heart because he was the most caring man a single mom could hope for and the most loving dad a little girl would want.

She didn't know where they stood right now.  It was one of those times when you knew you were starting to get a great new-found friendship with someone, but it was so different from an involved relationship.  It was the kind of friendship Rachel felt she had with Joey.  He had confessed that he liked her, possibly loved her, but she felt way too weird about it and sadly, for him, she did not return those feelings.

But she was happy, overall, with the way things were going with Ross.  They felt as if they could approach each other now with dating problems and friendship concerns.  There wasn’t that same aura of seclusion, where they had to be careful what they said around each other.  They were comfortable and it felt good.

Still, there was that sense that they had been together.  Every time Rachel looked at Ross, she always saw the man he was underneath the tall, dark figure.  He wasn’t mysterious, in the least, which made her imagination run that much more.  He was always the one who showed her what love could be like.  She hadn’t found that with Barry, and thank God, or else she would never have had Ross.

Ross…Ross…Ross! Why couldn’t she get him out of her mind?  Lately, whenever she found herself thinking about Ross, the phone would ring and it would be him, or he’d show up at the apartment with some news for Joey, or he’d come ask when he got Emma next.  It was strange, but she hadn’t really paid attention to it until now. 

Why was she thinking about Ross so much?  Did he have something she wanted?

Of course, he has the movie, she thought to herself.  Duh, but what else?

Before she could think much more of it, she found herself at the end of the hall where Ross’s apartment was.  How’d I get here so fast? Shrugging, she dug in her purse for a key, a key that everyone of their friends had.  Everybody shared a key with everybody.  No one would have thought otherwise, it was just something they did.  In Rachel’s apartment building, where Joey, Chandler, Monica and herself live, their apartments seem to always be unlocked.

But since Ross was in another apartment building, it was hard for him to be comfortable leaving the door unlocked.  Who could blame him, though? There were some creepy people in that apartment building.

She knocked on the door before using her key.  “Ross?” she knocked.  “Are you in there, honey?”  There was no answer.  She waited another moment longer then used her key to get inside.

The apartment was lit up, there were a few lamps turned on and the television was on as well.  Discovery Channel, wouldn’t you know… Rachel mumbled.  She looked around, feeling a little creeped out. Was Ross here? Was he hiding? Or had he blindly forgotten to shut off the tv?  “Ross?” she called out.  Still no answer.  Must have just forgotten to shut the thing off, she concluded. 

Shrugging, she picked the remote up off the arm chair and turned off the tv.  Holding the remote in her hand for a moment, she felt it.  It was warm, like someone had been holding it.  She looked around again, darting her eyes from corner to corner.  Had someone tried to kill Ross?  “Ross…your really starting to scare me!” she said, loud and not very confidently.  She was terrified, thinking of all the worst possible scenarios one could imagine.

She began to run around the apartment with the remote still in her hand.  “Ross, come on sweetie, you’ve gotta be here somewhere!”  She ran through the bedrooms and back into the living room, then into the kitchen.  Suddenly, she saw him.  “AH!” she screamed.  “Oh my God!” her eyes shot open in terror and she stared, motionless, for several seconds before reacting.

There he was, lying on the kitchen floor, motionless and pale.  “Ross?!” Rachel cried.  “Oh my God…Ross…say something.”  She knelt down beside him and picked up his hand.  She felt around his neck for a pulse then put her head on his chest.  He was breathing, but it seemed to be just barely.  “Ross, sweetie, I’m going to call for help…don’t you worry!”

She stumbled to her feet and looked around frantically for a phone.  It wasn’t on the cradle, so she pressed the page button.  The beeping was faint, barely audible.  She dashed through the apartment, pulling apart furniture and books, desperately looking for the phone.  Finally, she pulled out one of the cushions and there it was, beeping innocently in the midst of her panic attack.

“Oh dear God…” she cursed to herself.  She dialed and waited for someone to pick up. 

Hello? It was Monica.

“Monica? Monica it’s Rachel.  I’m at Ross’s apartment!” Rachel said frantically.

Can you not find the movie? Monica asked.

“No…no no no, it’s not that…he’s unconscious!”

Who? Ross? Is he breathing? Monica asked.

“Barely,” Rachel said, glancing back into the kitchen.

Well call the emergency room, woman.  He could die! Monica yelled into the phone.

Rachel shook herself awake, “Oh duh!”  She hung up the phone and dialed 9-1-1. 

9-1-1 Emergency, a woman said over the phone.

Rachel took a deep breath, then began to speak.