♡

THE ONE WHERE ZARA STARTS HER BOOK.
EPISODE SEVEN

♡

Zara's plan was out in the open: she was finally writing her children's book. You would think she would be excited, but she was overwhelmingly stressed as endless pieces of paper decorated the coffee table, and her laptop was open, ready to work.

"Wonderful," said Zara grinning when she had finally finished setting up. "Now, let's begin, Zara."

But then the lights flickered out, along with Zara's smile.

"What the..."

At the worst timing possible, a power cut had happened. Zara couldn't believe it as she stared at her laptop in disbelief. Luckily, she still had enough battery to last an hour or two, but her laptop screen remained faded without a charger.

Of course, with the power cut, meant that the majority of her friends came back early (minus Chandler). Even Rachel had been let off early because of it, where she now looked out of the window, seeing nothing but darkness.

"Wow, this is so cool, you guys," Rachel commented. "The entire city is blacked out."

"Mom says it's all of Manhattan, parts of Brooklyn and Queens, and they have no idea when it's coming back on."

"Wow," said Rachel behind them. "You guys, this is big."

"Typical," Zara sighed. "The day I decide to start my book is the day the city goes dark."

Phoebe was reading a piece of Zara's plan, laughing away at herself while she lit the candles that made Zara uneasy.

"Her costume is cute," Phoebe complimented, seeing the awful design that Zara had come up with. "What's Ruby's power again?"

"She can create force fields," explained Zara. "And she can turn invisible, too."

To her relief, Phoebe looked impressed. Zara had gone back and forth with powers, particularly with all her characters, so she was glad her main character seemed likeable so far.

"Pants and a sweater? Why, Mom? Who am I going to meet in a blackout—" Monica was still on the phone with her mother. "Power company guys? Eligible looters? Can we talk about this later? Okay."

Phoebe had stood up but Zara had focused on her book once more, where she was in the middle of the first ever chapter that was setting the scene of Ruby's normal life. Soon, chaos would break out, where she discovers her powers on her twelfth birthday before going to the school for heroes.

"Can I borrow the phone?" Phoebe questioned Monica. "I wanna call my apartment and check on my grandma."

"Sure," said Monica.

"What's my number?" There was silence from Monica. "Well, I never call me."

Zara sighed, trying to concentrate but it was hard checking her notes and writing on her ridiculous laptop. It was too much but she was too stubborn to call it quits for the night.

"Zara, you look angry—"

Zara whirled, facing Ross. "Yes, and?"

"Maybe chill," he suggested. "Tonight might not be your night."

Scowling, Zara chose to ignore him.

The front door then opened with Zara turning to see that Joey had entered, where he held a Judaism candle holder. Zara's eyebrows scrunched together, confused at the sight.

"Hi, everyone," Joey greeted, focusing on his candle as he approached the sitting room with the plan with Zara shooting him a glare, telling him to keep those flames far away from her.

"And officiating at tonight's blackout," said Ross, watching as he placed the large candle next to the television. "Is Rabbi Tribbiani."

The boy turned around, addressing his friends. "Well, Chandler's old roommate was Jewish, and these are the only candles we have, so...Happy Hanukkah, everyone!"

Zara shook her head, deciding to gather up the many pages of her plan as she believed them to be safer sat next to her on the sofa. Maybe she should type her plan up, but Zara preferred having a paper copy.

"Ew, look," Phoebe caught their attention from where she stood at the window. "Ugly naked guy lit a bunch of candles."

Ignoring her book, Zara moved to go see herself. They all watched with it not being a nice sight to see as he lit each candle. Then, he caught something briefly against the flames as the friends groaned.

"Oh, that had to hurt!" Rachel said.

Zara sat back down at the sofa once more, believing she was about ready to give up for the night. There was no way she could continue on her laptop anyway, not with the device needing a charger to survive, and the screen was now slower than usual.

"Here," said Joey, handing Zara a beer. "You look stressed."

"Thanks," Zara took it, slightly surprised. "I think I'm giving up. My laptop doesn't work properly without a charger."

Joey frowned. "Not completely, I hope."

"No, you can't give up," Phoebe told her. "I want to read your book."

"So do I," Rachel added.

"Me too."

"Can't you just buy a new laptop?" Ross questioned.

"It'll work once the powers back on," Zara told them. "It'll take me about a year to save for a new one. I'm not giving up, though — it's just not my night."

They weren't cheap and with each new remake with fancy additional features, they ended up being more expensive. Zara saved her work, closing down her laptop as the phone rang.

Zara started putting everything away as the phone rang with Monica answering it.

"It's Chandler," she declared to the room. "Are you okay? What?!"

The friends turned, facing Monica with concerned expressions. Was Chandler in trouble?

"I have no idea what you said," Monica told Chandler done the phone and then Zara watched as she handed the phone to Joey.

"What's up, man?" Joey asked, where, once he knew what Chandler was saying, he turned to address the other five with an alarmed expression. "Oh my God! He's trapped in an A.T.M vestibule with Jill Goodacre!" Then he returned back to concentrating on the phone, talking to Chandler. "Chandler, listen, listen!"

And then he mumbled back as if that was what Chandler had been doing in the first place.

Shaking her head, Zara stood as she returned all her belongings to the bedroom, feeling a little disappointed with her achievements for the night. In the pitch black, she tripped, forgetting about a pile of books as she groaned.

"Zar, you okay?" Monica called out.

"Perfect," she answered. "My night can't get any worse."

Then, she returned to the sitting area as she realised the only seat available was next to Joey.

Apparently, her night could get worse.

With nothing to do, they ended up engaging in conversations that they wouldn't typically talk about on a normal occasion like at the coffee house. During it, Zara was grinning, doing her best to ignore Joey.

"Okay, somebody, somebody," said Rachel.

"All right, I'll go, I'll go," Monica decided. "Okay, um... senior year of college on a pool table."

"Pool table!"

Joey grinned at that, getting excited to hear the gossip.

"That's my sister," Ross confirmed.

"Okay, okay," said Joey. "My weirdest place would have to be...the women's room on the second floor of the New York City Public Library."

"Oh my God," Monica reacted. "What were you doing in a library?"

Zara sniggered at that, but she had stayed quiet on her weirdest place as she wasn't about ready to scare her friends off yet.

"Hey, Pheebs, what about you?"

"Oh, um, Milwaukee."

No one could look at each other, but Zara was certain that they were as shocked as she was.

Monica eyed her friend. "Zara..."

"I'm more of a bedroom kind of girl," Zara answered, ignoring their gazes.

"That's not true," Joey scoffed, ignoring Zara's silencing glare. "You were up for doing it in the cubicle when we met."

"That's not true!" Zara insisted, rolling her eyes, but it was a tiny bit true. She was drunk and a little desperate to be wanted, so... she was a tad impatient (yet, Zara was not going to admit to that). Joey, however, shrugged, deciding not to argue. "Okay, but don't judge... behind a church."

Rachel gasped. "No!"

"Oh my God," Monica responded.

Phoebe laughed along with Joey.

"We didn't know until after!" Zara defended herself.

"How did you not know?" Ross questioned, bewildered.

"Well, Ross, I was a little too caught up in the moment."

"That beats the photobooth at college," said Monica.

Zara frowned at her friends. "Thanks, Mon."

"Um, Ross?" Rachel suggested next.

"Disneyland, 1989—"

There was a series of gasps.

"—that's worse than mine—"

"—It's a small world after all," Ross finished.

Zara's hand cupped around her mouth in shock as she ended up stifling her laughter.

"No way," said Joey.

"Yeah, the ride broke down," explained Ross. "So Carol and I went behind a couple of those mechanical Dutch children," both Zara and Rachel exchanged shocked expressions with neither expecting it from Ross. "They fixed the ride and we were asked never to return to the magic kingdom."

See, Zara knew hers was wrong on so many levels, but at least hers didn't involve children being around or it being a family-centred theme park.

Phoebe turned to face Rachel. "Oh, Rachel?"

"Oh, come on, I already went!"

"I'm pretty sure you didn't," Zara insisted with the others agreeing.

"Yes, I did," Rachel insisted.

"Come on," they encouraged.

"All right, uh..." Rachel trailed off, thinking. "The weirdest place would have to be... oh... the foot of the bed."

There was silence as everyone looked at Rachel. Surely, in her twenty-four years, Rachel had been a little risky? Not even with it being somewhere public: there was plenty of opportunities that made sex a lot more fun that didn't consist of the bedroom.

"Step back," said Ross.

"We have a winner!" Joey declared.

♡

Boredom struck as Zara tried to resist the urge of going outside to smoke. Of course, her friends were watchful of her actions, as well as Monica having confiscated all of her emergency packets.

Now, however, she sat outside with Monica and Phoebe, staring out at the endless darkness. It was eerie to see, but stunning too. New York was known to be a city that never slept, and yet, now, the darkness had surrendered it to a standstill.

"Zar," said Monica, wrapping an arm around her. "Do you ever think you and Joey could ever be friends?"

"Maybe one day," Zara told them both, honestly. "I don't hate him, but he hasn't exactly realised what he's done wrong or apologised."

"Are you still angry with him?" Phoebe asked.

"Yeah, I am," said Zara, shrugging. "He only cares about whether he was good at sex or not."

They fell silent, unknowing to if the two would ever be friends. Zara wasn't one to hold grudges, but she didn't appreciate the way she had been treated nor the way that Joey had recently dealt with it once they had reconnected. Maybe if he respected her enough, then she would be willing enough to forgive him and to forget about it, but she couldn't see that happening anytime soon.

Cold, Zara and Monica eventually wandered back inside to grab jackets before they joined Rachel outside. Phoebe had headed inside to write music as the darkness was inspiring her (all right for some, huh?).

Going into her room, Zara changed into some comfortable clothes before picking up a baggy jumper. She then helped herself to a beer from the fridge as Monica came back out with the two heading towards the balcony.

"Hey, where you going?" Joey questioned them.

"Outside," Monica answered for the two.

"No, no, wait!" Joey stood with him being quick to stop them. "You can't go out there."

"Why not?" Zara demanded, glaring at him.

"Because of, uh... the reason!"

Both Monica and Zara exchanged a look.

"And that would be?" Monica questioned.

"I, uh... I can't tell you," he admitted. "Please don't kill me, Zara."

"Joey, what's going on?"

"Yeah, what, Joey?" Zara's eyebrows rose, intimidating the man. "Don't piss me off."

He studied her expression, debating with himself but Zara knew he feared her more than whatever secret he was keeping. Then, he gave in, not wanting to anger Zara any further. "Okay, listen," his hand fell on Monica's back, gesturing for Zara to follow too. "You got to promise you'll never, ever tell Ross that I told you."

"About what?" Monica asked.

"He's planning your birthday party," Joey answered.

"That's it?" Zara huffed, disappointed, though her eyes flickered to Ross and Rachel in wonder.

"Oh my God!" Monica gasped, happy. "I love him!"

"But you better act surprised," Joey warned Monica.

"About what?" Phoebe questioned, having joined them.

"My surprise party," said Monica.

"What surprise party?"

Yeah, Zara hadn't heard anything either that made her doubt the man. Staring at him, Zara's eyes narrowed as he offered a bright, fake smile.

"Oh, stop it! Joey already told me!"

Zara took a sip of her beer, unknowing whether to believe it or not.

"Well, he didn't tell me," Phoebe argued.

"Nor me," added Zara.

"Hey, don't look at me," Joey told them both. "This is Ross's thing."

"This is so typical," Phoebe declared. "I'm always the last one to know everything."

"Um, hello, I didn't know either?" Zara pointed out.

"But you're still new," Phoebe reminded Zara.

"You are not," Monica placed a comforting hand on Phoebe's back. "We tell you stuff."

"Yuh-hu," said Phoebe. "I was the last to know when Chandler got bit by the peacock at the zoo. I was last to know you had a crush on Joey when he was moving in."

"What?" Joey questioned.

Zara shook her head; how many good women were going to fall victim to Joey Tribbiani?

"Oh, looks like I was second to last," Phoebe realised, satisfied.

At Monica's expense, Phoebe was happy. Zara laughed, feeling for Monica before she took another sip of her beer. Fortunately, everything was dropped as the four decided to have a sing-along together to brighten the mood, where they were oblivious to the cat attacking Ross on the balcony.

♡

Zara didn't like cats, so for once, she pitied Ross.

Both Rachel and Phoebe gave the cat attention, stroking its fur as if it had done nothing wrong. But poor Ross was being treated by Monica for his scratch marks and ended up being in additional pain thanks to Joey and his awful candle holding skills.

"This poor little tooty is scared to death," said Phoebe. "We should find his owner."

"Or let's put the poor little tooty in the hall," suggested Ross.

"And lock the door," added Zara.

"During a blackout?" Rachel questioned, horrified. "She'll get trampled."

"Yeah...?"

"Even better," Zara mumbled.

The two cat lovers disappeared to find the owner as Zara and Monica set up Monopoly. However, Joey was staring at her with a bemused look.

"What, Joey?" Zara demanded.

"Cats," Joey replied, laughing. "Out of all the things, our mean Zara is afraid of cats."

Zara glowered at him, snapping: "So what?"

Joey held up his hands in surrender. "Nothing, it's just funny."

"I mean, I get it," said Ross, sitting down on the floor opposite Monica and Zara. "But, why cats?"

"Cats and I don't get on," Zara explained. "I had a traumatic experience as a child."

"Stuck in a tree with a cat?" Ross joked.

Zara glared at him. "No, I accidentally stood on a cats tail and he scratched me, so I've made a habit of avoiding cats since then."

Joey sniggered. "Cats!"

"Joey, I swear to God—"

"I'll drop it," Joey promised too quickly.

"No, you won't bring it up again," Zara corrected.

Joey nodded, falling silent.

"Can we not wind Zara up?" Monica asked. "Zara's competitive, so I'd rather not have her angry from the moment we start the game."

The three face Monica, struggling to contain their laughter.

"Zara's the competitive one?" Ross repeated.

"Oh, shut up," Monica told her brother. "You haven't played Monopoly with Zara yet."

Zara grinned. "Don't give me away yet, Mon."

"I'm not playing if you play like Monica," Joey declared.

"Sit down, Joey," said Zara. "You are playing."

Maybe Zara was a tad competitive, especially when it came to her anger. The more wound up she got, then the more competitive she ended up being. That and she ended up being spiteful, laughing as people lost.

Ross was the first to shake the dices. "Come on, lucky sixes!"

"Everybody," said Rachel, opening the front door. "This is Paolo."

Surprised, Zara turned to see an attractive Italian man standing close to Rachel, who held onto his arm. His hand rose in a wave as Zara felt her mouth falling open. Now, he was the kind of rebound she needed.

"Paolo, I want you to meet my friends," Rachel continued, bringing him further into their shared apartment as they all stood to greet the random man. "This is Monica."

"Hi," Monica took his hand, shaking with a grin on her face.

"And Zara."

Zara's hand slid into a handshake, startled by how smooth his skin was. "Hello, Paolo."

Then, Paolo was introduced to both Joey and Ross. Once introduced, Paolo started talking in Italian as the friends all exchanged looks. Rachel laughed, holding onto his arm.

"He doesn't speak much English," Rachel informed them.

"Monopoly!" Paolo declared, arms widening as he saw the game board.

They all laughed in agreement, finding it awkward as the language barrier came between them.

"So, uh..." Ross turned, receiving an encouraging nod from Joey as Zara sighed. "Where did, uh, Paolo come from?"

"Uh, Italy, I think," Rachel answered.

"No, I mean tonight, in the building...suddenly into our lives."

Was Ross jealous?

Zara had to press her lips together to stop herself from laughing as she realised what had been going on tonight. Ross had tried to make a move on Rachel — hence Joey's even stranger behaviour — and now here Rachel was with a different guy.

"Well, that cat," Rachel explained. "That cat turned out to be Paolo's cat. Isn't that funny?"

"Hilarious, right, Ross?" Zara agreed, facing the devastated man.

"Ha!" Ross replied. "That — that is funny. And Rachel keeps touching him."

Rachel, though, was oblivious. And fortunately, Phoebe returned to save them from anymore awkwardness.

"I looked all over the building," Phoebe declared. "And I couldn't find the kitty anywhere."

"I found him!" Rachel told her. "It was Paolo's cat."

"Ah, well, there you go — last to know again!"

"Phoebe, no—"

"And I'm guessing since nobody told me this is Paolo."

"Oh, Paolo!" Rachel remembered, hurrying to introduce her new friend. "This is Phoebe."

"Hi," said Paolo before returning to Italian as he took Phoebe's hand, practically wooing her.

"You betcha," replied Phoebe, eagerly.

Zara's head rested in her hand, watching Paolo talk to Rachel. He spoke Italian, so Rachel couldn't understand him, but she was certainly enjoying the conversation. Zara had never seen Rachel so giddy.

"Hey, what did he say that was so funny?" Ross asked.

"I have absolutely no idea," replied Rachel.

"That's, that's classic."

Rachel, however, had leant between Monica and Zara. "My God, you guys, what am I doing? What am I doing? This is so un-me."

"If you want, I'll do it," Monica offered.

"Uh, I know," Phoebe agreed. "I just want to bite his bottom lip. But I won't!"

"You don't want to hear the things I would do to him," Zara admitted, sipping her beer as she averted her gaze from Paolo.

Maybe it was time for that rebound.

"The first time he smiled at me," said Rachel. "Those first three seconds were more exciting than three weeks in Bermuda with Barry."

"Did you rent mopeds?" Phoebe asked as the three faced their blonde friend in bewilderment. "Cause I've heard..." Monica coughed. "Oh, it's not about that right now. Okay."

"God, I know it's totally superficial and we have nothing in common and we don't even speak the same language... but, God!"

"Just do it, Rach," Zara told her. "He's here, so he's obviously interested."

Rachel knew that, of course, and perhaps she was talking to them for encouragement. However, nothing really happened, not as they ended up sitting around the coffee table again with the Monopoly board left untouched.

Phoebe started counting down with the last of the candle about to flicker out.

And then, suddenly, they were submerged in darkness.

"Kind of spooky without any lights," Ross confessed.

Then, as if encouraged, Joey started an evil chuckle that caused Zara to accidentally kick his leg.

"Ow!" Joey complained.

"Whoops," Zara said, where no one could see her smirk. "Sorry, Joey, didn't see you there."

But, of course, Monica had to join in with the evil laughter, which then echoed around the room.

"Guys, guys, I have the definitive one!" Ross told them.

His evil laugh was perhaps the best since he put the most effort in. The lights flickered back on, illuminating the room as Zara saw Ross with his mouth wide and hands out like monster claws. Yet, his facial features were laced with real horror.

Turning, Zara discovered Rachel and Paolo kissing.

♡

EPISODE EIGHT

♡

Zara can't shake the massive smile from her face. So far, she had written five chapters for her novel, finally believing that she might just get it finished by summer. Next to her, Monica read the latest chapter, irises glowing with pride.

"Ruby's adorable," commented Monica.

"Do you think?"

"Oh, yeah, for sure," Monica nodded, finishing the chapter. "She's innocent, yet brave. Sweet with everyone, but still willing enough to stand up for herself. Ruby's a good character."

"Great," said Zara. "I want her to be more like her mother, but still have a few things similar to her father."

"The mother's the hero, right?"

"Yeah, she died during the War of Heroes."

"And the father?"

"He's believed to be dead," Zara told Monica. "But he'll come back at the end in a big reveal, announcing Ruby's his child that'll start the second war in motion."

Monica's eyebrows rose at that. "Poor Ruby."

Yes, poor Ruby. Already, Zara had been asked if anything about Ruby was a reflection of herself, but she wasn't ready to admit the connections yet. Though, it was obvious: they were both raised in the system.

"This is really good, though, Zar," Monica complimented her friend. "I can't believe I'm going to be friends with a best-selling author!"

Zara laughed at that. "I have to finish the book first, Monica."

"Oh, you will!"

Later on, the other's return as they order Chinese takeaway with everyone eager to read the latest chapters of Zara's book. Again, she received the same compliments as Monica, where Joey ended up demanding what'll happen next now that Ruby was heading to superhero school.

"The school needs a fancy name," added Ross. "How about...Rivendell."

"Sure," Zara rolled her eyes, laughing. "I'll plagiarise Tolkien as no one will notice that. I was just going to keep it simple, having a School for Heroes and then a School for Villains. It is a middle-grade book, after all."

Everyone seemed to hum in agreement. Zara had thought about it a lot, but the schools were supposed to be on opposing sides with Ruby in the middle. If it came to a second book, then Ruby would end up attending the School for Villains with the heroes unable to accept who her birth father is. Realistically, Zara wanted Ruby to break down the stereotypes and claim that no one was born a hero or a villain. So, at the end, when the war was over, only would school would remain: a school for all those with powers.

Once the Chinese arrived, Chandler informed them what had happened at work that day.

"I mean, is that ridiculous?" Chandler continued as Zara used chopsticks to eat her noodles from the box. "Can you believe she actually thought that?"

"Um..." Rachel looked around the room, hoping someone else would say something. "Yeah."

Zara snorted a laugh. "Wait, are you not, Bing?"

Chandler looked at them both, surprised.

"Well, I mean when I first met you, you know, I thought maybe... possibly you might be." Rachel announced, looking down at her plate.

"You did?" Chandler questioned.

"Yeah, then you spent Phoebe's entire birthday party talking to my breasts, so then I figured maybe not."

"Did any of the rest of you guys think that when you first met me?" Chandler asked, looking around the room as his eyes fell on Zara. "You've suddenly become quiet, Zara."

"I thought the same," Zara admitted, recalling that she had questioned it when she had first met Chandler, but then hadn't wanted to assume. "You know, but not necessarily gay, just..." her voice trailed off, unknowing what to say.

"I did," confessed Monica, saving Zara.

"Yeah," said Phoebe. "I think so."

"Not me," Joey declared.

"No, no," added Ross. "Me neither. Although, uh, you know back, in college, Susan Salidor did."

"You're kidding," replied Chandler, becoming more shocked. "Did you tell her I wasn't?"

"No," Ross answered. "Well, it's just 'cause I kind of wanted to go out with her too so I told her, actually, you were seeing Bernie Spellman, who also liked her, so..."

Impressed, Joey high-fived Ross, grinning brightly.

"Well, this is fascinating," summarised Chandler. "So, uh, what is it about me?"

Forgetting about her noodles, Zara looked up, studying Chandler with narrowed eyes. She wasn't sure what it was about him, maybe it was simply just him.

"I don't know," Phoebe answered for them all. "'Cause you're smart, you're funny..."

"So is Ross," Chandler declared. "You ever think that about him?"

"Yeah! Right!" They all laughed.

"What is it?" Chandler demanded.

"Okay, I don't know," said Monica. "You just... have a quality."

"Yes!"

"Exactly!"

"I see it!"

"Yeah! A quality!"

"Oh, oh, 'a quality'," said Chandler, standing. "Good. Because I was worried you guys were going to be vague about this."

"Okay," said Zara, turning to the group, once Chandler had disappeared to get more food. "Did you guys know about me?"

"I obviously did," Monica announced.

"No, I didn't," said Rachel.

Phoebe shrugged. "I think so?"

Then, eyes fell on the two guys as they both shook their heads.

"Usually, I can tell," declared Joey. "I have this way—"

A piece of chicken hit Joey in the face, cutting off whatever he was going to say as Zara glared at him. The phone rang at that moment with Monica answering it; on the other end was Paolo, who was calling from Rome.

"Oh my God!" Rachel responded, taking the phone. "He's calling from Rome!"

Rachel then spoke in Italian before disappearing. Even, Zara too got up to leave as Joey had annoyed her (plus she knew Ross was going to start complaining).

Zara opened the fridge, helping herself to a beer.

"Monica, your Dad just beeped in," Rachel returned, passing the phone back to Monica. "But can you make it quick 'cause I'm talking to Rome."

She then repeated the words, grinning brightly.

"I need someone," Zara announced, frowning at Rachel's happiness (though, of course, she was happy for Rachel).

Opposite from herself, Joey added: "don't we all?"

"Hey, Dad, what's up?"

"Oh, God."

♡

Ross and Monica had headed to the hospital, wanting to be there for their parents with their Nana being in hospital. For the rest of them, they headed downstairs to the coffee house, offering to keep Rachel company while she worked.

"I just have to know, okay?" Chandler kept going on. "Is it my hair?"

"Yes, Chandler, that's exactly what it is," Rachel told him. "It's your hair."

"Yeah," agreed Phoebe. "You have homosexual hair."

Both Monica and Ross returned then with solemn expressions as they greeted them.

"So, um, did she...?"

"Twice," Ross answered.

"Oh, that sucks," Phoebe stated.

"I'm so sorry, guys," said Zara, feeling for them both.

"Are you guys okay?" Joey questioned.

"I don't know, it's weird," said Ross, sitting down on the armchair with Monica deciding to perch on the edge. "I mean, I know she's gone but I just don't feel, uh..."

"Maybe she's not really gone," Phoebe told them.

"No, no, she's gone,"  Ross declared.

"We checked," Monica added. "A lot."

"No, I mean, maybe no one ever really goes," said Phoebe. "You know, ever since my mom died, every now and then I get this feeling that she's, like, right here, you know?"

Fortunately, Phoebe had gestured to the side to where Chandler was sitting as the man shuffled away from Phoebe's hovering ghost.

"Oh! And Debbie!" Phoebe continued. "My best friend from junior high got struck by lightning on a miniature golf course. I always get this really strong 'Debbie' vibe whenever I use of those little yellow pencils. You know?" Phoebe fell back against the sofa. "I miss her."

"Oh, here, Pheebs," said Rachel, handing her friend a yellow pencil. "Want this?"

"Oh, thanks. Sure."

"I just sharpened her this morning."

Zara couldn't hide her laughter.

"Now, see, I don't believe any of that," said Joey. "I think when you're dead, you're dead. You're gone. You're worm food."

"Joey, you idiot!" Zara hissed at him.

Realising his mistake, he panicked, trying to find a change of conversation. "So Chandler looks gay, huh?"

"You know, I don't know who this is," Phoebe realised, handing the pencil back to Rachel. "But it's not Debbie."

♡

The funeral for Ross and Monica's Nana came with Zara finishing getting ready, putting on a pair of golden earrings. Then, she headed into the communal space as Phoebe arrived, apologising for being late.

"I couldn't find my bearings," she told them.

Rachel laughed. "Oh, you mean your earrings?"

"What did I say?" Phoebe questioned.

Rachel let out a small cough, capturing their attention as Zara saw her foot wave in the air. "Are these the shoes?" Monica asked, eagerly.

"You can tell, Mon," said Zara, staring at them. "Just look at them!"

"Yes," Rachel told them. "Paolo sent them from Italy."

"What? We, uh... we don't have shoes here?"

"Morning," Joey announced, opening the front door. "We ready to go?"

"Oh, don't we look nice all dressed up?" Chandler said, where every pair of eyes fell on him. "It's stuff like that, isn't it?"

The seven of them decide to leave, where Zara stood throughout the service with a pair of black shades covering her eyes. She had never been to a funeral before, so felt a little out of place as she followed behind the others.

Close by, Rachel let out a small cry as Zara turned, seeing that her shoe had ended up stuck in the mud. Zara flinched, praying that Rachel hadn't broken them.

"Oh, I hope they're not ruined," said Ross.

"God, what a great day!" Phoebe announced once they had started walking again. But the six paused, turning to look at Phoebe. "What? Weather-wise."

"I know," Ross agreed as Zara took Monica's hand, offering silent support. "The air, the trees...even though Nana's gone, there's something almost...I don't know...almost life—"

Zara's head whipped around too quickly, trying to locate Ross but he had vanished. A grave had been dug, where the six now rush, peering down the hole to find that their friend was laying at the bottom. There was a chorus of responses, all concerned for him.

"I'm fine," he told them. "I'm fine."

"You don't look fine," Zara pointed out.

"I'm just...just...having my worst fear realized."

Zara's hand covered her mouth, trying to smother her inappropriate laughter.

♡

There might be some cute Zara and Chandler content in the next chapter! I'm rather excited for it!