♡

THE ONE WHERE ZARA'S DRUNK.
EPISODE TWENTY-ONE.

♡

Zara had sat down on the floor next to Phoebe, starting to eat her burger as the friends all had dinner together.

"Hey, Monica, why are we watching the business channel?" Joey questioned.

"Oh, because I was going by the other day and I saw that there was a stock with my initials – M.E.G," Monica answered. "Sometimes I have to watch for two to three hours before it comes up again. But when it does, it's pretty exciting."

"Hmm... okay, honey," said Rachel. "You really need a job."

"Mon, speaking of which, dad says he knows someone you can call for an interview," Ross told her.

"Really?" Monica questioned.

"Okay, right there," said Phoebe, surprising them. "That's the third sign today, right there."

"On behalf of everyone, I'd just like to say, heh?" Ross replied.

"No, 'cause you just said dad and everywhere I go today, I keep getting signs telling me to go see my father. Like, when I was walking over here and I passed a buffet. Which is my father's last name."

"Oh," they all realised.

"And they were serving Franks," Phoebe added. "Which is his first name, minus the s at the end."

"Yes," they all agreed.

"And, there was a rotisserie with a spinning chicken."

"His Indian name?" Monica guessed.

"No because I chickened out the last time," Phoebe said. "When I tried to meet him. So, I mean, coincidences? I don't think so."

"That's crazy," Zara said with everyone else joining in.

"Okay, so who wants the last hamburger?" Rachel offered.

"All right, that's it," said Phoebe, who had stood up. "Now I have to go see him."

"Why?" Monica asked.

"Hamburger," Phoebe clarified. "McDonald's. Old McDonald had a farm. My dad is a pharmacist."

"Oh!" They all realised.

♡

Zara sat on the living room sofa with Rachel while Joey was on the armchair.

"Hey, how did the interview go?" Rachel asked, seeing Monica come in.

"It bit," Monica told them.

"Oh, Mon," said Zara.

"It was a '50s theme restaurant," Monica explained, walking over to them. "I'd have to cook in a costume and dance on the counter. I mean, I was a sous-chef at Cafe des Artistes. How could I do a job where I have to make something called Laverne and curly fries?"

"So don't do it," Rachel suggested.

"How can I not do it?" Monica exclaimed. "I have $127 in the bank!"

"Monica, relax," Joey advised. "Go get a beer."

"Surprisingly, that's some good advice," Zara said.

"I don't want a beer!" Monica told them.

"Who said it was for you?" Joey questioned.

Monica put her hands on her hips, shooting Joey a look.

At the front door, Chandler and Ross came in, appearing a little grumpy about something. Zara's eyes fell on them, wondering what had happened.

"Hi," the two said unenthusiastically.

"What's the matter with you?" Rachel demanded.

"These mean guys at the coffee house took my hat," said Chandler, putting his stuff down on the counter.

"No!" Rachel cried out.

"You're kidding," said Joey.

"How childish," Zara commented.

"You know, these guys were bullies," Ross told them. "Actual bullies, you know? We're grown-ups. This kind of stuff isn't supposed to happen anymore."

Rachel sympathised with her boyfriend, offering him a hug.

"Oh..." Chandler's arm moved around the room, searching for someone to offer him the same. "Oh, no, wait a minute, I have no one."

"I'll happily go get your hat back," Zara offered.

"Yeah," Joey agreed. "Let's go down there and get your hat back."

"Ah, forget it," Chandler decided. "It's probably stripped and sold for parts by now."

Joey placed a hand on Chandler's back as he sat down on the chair, sulking about his hat. With the conversation moving on, Monica picked up the paper.

"Hey," said Monica. "I went up."

"What?" Rachel questioned.

"My stock. M.E.G. It went up two points. Do you realize that if I had invested my $127 in myself yesterday, then I'd have, like, a lot more than that today? I'm going to do it."

"Do what?" Joey questioned as Monica headed towards the living room.

"Put all my money in me," Monica decided.

"Monica, what are you talking about?" Rachel questioned. "You don't know anything about the stock market."

"What's to know?" Monica replied while on the phone. "Buy! Sell! High! Low! Bears! Bulls! Yes, Manhattan. Yeah, telephone number of the stock...selling...store."

"Monica's lost it," Zara decided.

Wanting to support Phoebe, Zara had gone with the blonde to her dad's place along with Joey and Rachel. During the drive, the two had been in the back with Zara in the passenger seat.

As they reached her dad's house, the taxi came to a jolt with Zara's body launching forward.

"See?" Joey said. "Didn't I tell you these pillows would be a good idea?"

"It would have been nice to have one up front," Zara muttered.

"Oh, God," said Phoebe, suddenly nervous. "Here we go. For the first time in my life, I'm going to say 'hi, birth father'.

Zara smiled at her. "We'll be right here."

"We love you," Rachel said. "We're here for you."

"Good luck," Joey offered.

"Thanks," Phoebe said before she was climbing out of the taxi.

Even though Zara could see how nervous Phoebe was, there was still a look of pure joy in excitement to finally meet her father. Though Zara was afraid that Phoebe would end up being hurt, where she didn't deserve that.

"Hey, Rach, Zara," said Joey. "You want some sandwich?"

Zara twisted her body in the seat, raising her eyebrows at him. "You're sharing food?"

"Oh! What is in that?" Rachel questioned.

"Olive loaf and ham spread, no mayo," Joey explained.

"No mayo?" Zara repeated, shocked.

"With mayo that would make it gross," said Rachel.

Outside of the taxi, a dog had found Phoebe. At first, it seemed chirpy and sweet as if it was playfully greeting before it started tugging at Phoebe's trousers. They shouted for Phoebe to come back to them with Phoebe struggling as the dog's teeth tore at her bottoms.

"A bone!" Joey shouted. "You got a bone?"

"Are you kidding me?" Rachel responded.

It escalated but Zara was forced to move into the driver's seat as Phoebe managed to get back into the taxi with the door closing, where she now sat in the passenger seat. At the window, the dog continued to jump up, yapping at them.

"Okay, all right," said Phoebe. "We have a problem."

"Well, why don't you just reach out and take his trampoline?" Joey suggested.

"Why don't you, Joey?" Zara told him.

"Okay, here," said Rachel. "I know what we can do."

Joey started to protest as Rachel threw the sandwich out of the taxi.

"Okay, doggie," Rachel encouraged. "Get the...get the sandwich!"

While Rachel continued to motivate the dog, the little thing seemed to be having none of it as he ignored the sandwich. "Okay, Joey, the dog will lick itself but he will not touch your sandwich. What does that tell you?"

"If he's not gonna eat it, I will," Joey decided.

"Are you crazy?" Phoebe shouted at him.

"Pheebs, he's just a little dog," Joey said.

Turning back, the dog was in the window as Joey jumped. A small scream left his body before the dog started to bark at them again.

Darkness had descended as Zara's head was in her hand, elbow resting on the frame of the car door. Already, they had wasted the majority of the day, but no one wanted to complain when they were here for Phoebe.

"Hey, Pheebs," said Joey. "I think you're good to go."

"Yeah, I don't know," Phoebe decided.

"What's the matter?" Rachel asked.

"I just think that this was a really bad sign," Phoebe said. "I mean, like, the beast at the threshold. It's just, I have, like, no family left. I mean, except for my grandmother, you know, but let's face it, she's not going to be around forever. Despite what she says. And I have a sister, who I've barely spoken to since we, like, shared a womb. You know? I don't know. This is my real father. And I just...I want things to be, like, just right."

"Yeah, Phoebe, I completely understand," said Rachel.

"Seriously," Zara agreed. "If now's not the time, then it's not the time."

"Whatever you need," Joey added. "Hey, you want to go home?"

"Okay, thanks," said Phoebe. "Sorry again."

"Uh... I'm not driving though," Zara said. "And I don't trust that dog, so Phoebe, we're switching."

It was a little complicated with Phoebe climbing under and Zara moving over so that Phoebe was back in the driver's seat again. Then, as the engine ignited, and the car rocked forward a little, there was a small welp.

Zara's mouth fell open in shock.

♡

The next day, Zara was sitting with Joey, who had joined them for breakfast. In the living room, Monica was going crazy with the stock market that the two tried to tune out.

"Come on, time is money, my friend!" Monica shouted down the phone. "Thank you. Whoo!"

"Time is money, my friend?" Rachel repeated, joining the two in the kitchen.

"Yeah," said Joey. "You missed takes money to make money and don't make me come down there and kick your Wall-street butt."

"It's tragic," Zara said. "Monica scared Hannah away."

"Hey, you were being a bad host," Monica told her, pointing a finger at Zara. "You could of at least made Hannah breakfast before kicking her out."

Zara tried not to wince at the suggestion. "That's dangerous."

"It's true, one minute it's breakfast and the next it's a relationship," Joey agreed.

"Exactly," said Zara.

"Well, I made $17 before breakfast," Monica confessed. "What have you done?"

"Well, I had breakfast here," Joey answered. "So, technically, I saved $3.50."

"I didn't make any money," said Zara. "But I had sex and now I'm eating alone."

Joey grinned. "Nice."

"How did you make $17?" Rachel asked Monica.

"Well, my financially challenged friends, I split my money and I bought some shares of C.H.P. and Z.X.Y."

Monica was frantic, speeding to the kitchen with a chaotic smile on her face. If Monica didn't get a job soon, then she was truly going to lose the plot.

"How come those?" Joey questioned.

"Well C.H.P. 'cause I used to have a crush on Eric Estrada," said Monica, pouring herself some more coffee. "And Z.X.Y., because I think it sounds zexy."

"What happened to M.E.G.?" Rachel asked.

"M.E.G. was good for me, but I dumped her," Monica answered. "You know, my motto is to get out before they go down."

"That is so not my motto," Joey confessed.

Zara tried to hide her laughter with her orange juice.

Phoebe came in then with Zara's eyes instantly on her while greeting her.

"Oh, hey, how's the dog?" Rachel asked.

"Okay," Phoebe told them. "I talked to the vet. People are so nice upstate. Anyway, he said the little fella's going to be okay and I can pick him up tomorrow."

"Oh, good," said Joey.

"Thank God," Rachel added.

"The poor thing," Zara said.

"Yeah, but he did have to have, like, a bunch of stitches," Phoebe continued. "And he said that only once in a blue moon does a dog's ear grow back. So, still hoping."

"Fingers crossed," Zara smiled, not wanting to upset Phoebe with the truth.

Phoebe sat down next to Zara, helping herself to the orange juice.

"Okay, so Phoebe, now are you going to call your dad?" Rachel questioned. "To let him know that his dog is okay?"

Phoebe sighed. "I...I don't want to meet my father over the phone. I mean, what am I going to say? Like: 'Hi. I'm Phoebe, the daughter you abandoned. Oh, by the way, I broke your dog.'"

"Well, hey, Pheebs, if you want, I'll do it," Joey offered.

"Okay," Phoebe decided as she handed Joey the number. "Listen, just don't say anything about me, okay?"

Standing, Phoebe picked up the phone next to Monica.

"Don't!" Monica shouted before pausing, realising how she came across. "Be too long with the phone."

"Okay, she'll be a much better friend once the market closes," Rachel said.

Joey called the number before his irises shot wide in shock. Holding his hand over the speaker, Joey whispered: "it's a woman."

"So, talk to her," Phoebe advised.

"Remember to be gentle," Zara added.

"Uh...hello Mrs Buffay," said Joey with his voice deepening, sounding the complete opposite of what Zara had advised. "I know where your dog is and I want you to know he'll be returned to you almost as good as new within...within twenty-four hours. Good-bye."

"Wow," Zara said after. "I don't think you could have done that any better."

"Why the voice?" Rachel demanded.

"Hard to say," said Joey, still in the voice.

However, the phone rang again as Joey picked it up, still using that ridiculous voice as Zara hoped it wasn't anyone important. To her surprise, the phone call was for herself as Zara took the phone, holding it to her ear.

"Hello?" Zara questioned.

"Hi, is this Miss Elison?"

"Yeah, it is," said Zara, confused. "Who is this?"

"This is Natalie Lawson from HarperCollins. We received your manuscript and would love for you to come in to have a chat with us about it. Is that possible to arrange?"

"You received my manuscript..." Zara was shocked, struggling to process the news as she met Joey's gaze across the table, seeing his wide grin as he nodded his head far too quickly, encouraging her to go along with it. "Oh, yeah. I'm so happy that you got it. I'd love to discuss it."

Natalie was happy to hear that as she arranged a meeting for the following week. After hanging up, Zara was lost for words, having never sent her work out.

Joey was trying to avoid Zara's stare, but he was bouncing with excitement, practically giving it away.

"Joey, what did you do?" Zara questioned.

"It wasn't just me!" Joey exclaimed.

"Honey, it was all of us," Monica explained as Zara's head turned, looking to see that Monica was grinning happily too. "You see, we all read our copies of your book and then sent them out to publishers."

"And one called," Phoebe smiled. "That's so exciting!"

"This is incredible," Rachel added. "Zara, you're going to be published!"

"It's just a meeting," Zara told them. "But...I can't believe you guys did this for me."

"Of course we did," said Joey. "You deserve this, Zara."

But, as Zara stared at the four, she felt the emotion bubbling up inside her; though, she didn't want to feel too much when there was no promise that Zara's book would be published.

♡

EPISODE TWENTY-TWO.

♡

Zara's meeting with the publishing company came, where she found herself sitting in shock towards the end. The publishers had come to the decision that Zara's book would be published, but they didn't just want the one book — they wanted a series.

So, Zara left her meeting, with a signed agreement that they would publish her book, and she would be sent a contract by the end of the week. At the end of the year, Zara would officially be a published author with her work printed for anyone to read.

The friends were all gathered in the coffee house, knowing the meeting was today, but no one had brought it up that morning since Zara didn't want to acknowledge it until it was happening.

But, now, suddenly it was happening.

It was Joey who spotted Zara first, and he was quick to greet her with everyone else turning quickly, analysing Zara's reaction. Zara, of course, was trying to keep a poker face, but the emotions were brewing inside her.

"How did it go?" Joey questioned.

"Zara!" Rachel exclaimed. "Tell us!"

"Yeah," Ross agreed.

"They're publishing it, aren't they?" Phoebe guessed.

"Oh, they are!" Monica cried out, seeing through the cracks of Zara's emotions. "They are!"

All Zara could do was nod, still in shock as if the whole experience had been a dream. Though, the nod was the final confirmation as Zara burst into tears, surprising them all.

Chandler was quick to stand from the sofa, alerted by Zara crying.

"Hey, why are you crying?" Chandler questioned, hands on her upper arms, where he was apprehensive about comforting her. "This is good. Zara, this is incredible."

"I know, but you guys did this for me," Zara reminded them.

"Of course we did," Chandler said.

"You know we love you," Rachel told her.

Zara laughed at that, feeling so stupid for crying as she wiped at the mascara under her eyes. For the hundredth time, she was so grateful for them.

"I love you guys too," Zara said, truly meaning it.

That received a few soft smiles with everyone knowing how tough Zara could be with sharing her emotions. Zara felt tense over her vulnerability showing, but she was so overwhelmed with everything.

"There's actually more," Zara announced.

"More?" Joey questioned, getting impatiently excited.

"Something better?" Monica guessed.

"If the first book sells well, they want it to be a series," Zara told them.

There was a series of squeals as Chandler pulled Zara into a hug as Zara was laughing through her tears again, finding herself far too giddy. Everyone else was standing too with everyone wanting to hug Zara, ecstatic for her. Zara found the same joy erupt inside her too as she hugged them all, knowing that her tears were pure happiness, having never thought she'd get the chance.

And when Chandler's arms wrapped around her again, Zara's head tilted upwards to see him, forever locking the memory of his smile in her mind.

"You have no idea how proud I am of you," Chandler told her. "Seriously, Zar."

Zara felt the moment in her heart — but it wasn't just Chandler, it was all of her friends. If Zara had never met them, then she was sure that she never would have completed her first book, let alone even be published.

"I'm proud of me too," Zara whispered.

Not just for being published, but for the group of friends she had found too.

♡

Zara was still smiling come to Rachel's party. The plan had been simple: they were going to celebrate Rachel's birthday, and then, Zara had agreed that they could go out to celebrate Zara's success once the contract was officially signed.

"Okay, here are the candles," said Phoebe while they were getting ready. "Where's the birthday cake?"

"We're not having birthday cake," Monica informed them as Zara was tying up a balloon. "We're having a birthday flan."

"Excuse me?" Chandler questioned.

"It's a traditional Mexican custard dessert."

"Oh, that's nice," said Joey. "Happy Birthday, Rachel, here's some goo."

"Oh, thank God I have champagne," Zara said.

"You're drinking champagne?" Chandler questioned.

Zara grinned. "Uh, yeah. In case you've forgotten, I'm being published."

"Celebrating in style," said Chandler. "I like it."

"Well, if you don't want the flan, then come find me," Zara told him.

"Isn't Hannah coming tonight?" Phoebe questioned.

However, there was a knock on the door that left Phoebe's question unanswered. Zara should have invited Hannah, but she realised that she didn't want to, and as harsh as it was, Zara really wasn't that bothered.

Monica opened the front door to reveal Rachel's dad. "Doctor Green." Then, she turned, full of surprise as she faced the rest of them. "Oh my God, it's Rachel's dad."

Chandler let go of his balloon at that.

"What are you doing here?" Monica questioned him.

"What, the father can't drop by to see the daughter on her birthday?"

"No, no," said Monica. "The father can. But, um, since I am the roommate, I can tell you that she's not here. And I'll pass along the message, okay? So bye-bye."

"Oh!" The dad said, entering the house. "You're having a party."

Zara held up the bottle. "With champagne."

"No, no, not a party," Monica said, shooting Zara a glare to be quiet. "Just a surprise gathering of some people Rachel knows. This is Phoebe and Zara and Chandler and Joey."

"I'll never remember all of that," Leonard Green said. "So, uh... what's the deal? Rachel comes home, people pop out and yell stuff? Is that it?"

"This isn't your first surprise party, is it, sir?" Chandler questioned.

There was another knock on the door with Rachel's mom now joining.

"This is the one time I'm so thankful to not have parents," Zara decided.

"Chinese menu guy," Monica covered as she abruptly shut the door. "Forgot the menus."

"So, basically, just a Chinese guy," Chandler tried to help.

Again, there was a knock on the door.

"Uh, hey, Doctor Green, why don't you come with me?" Joey suggested. "We'll put your jacket on Rachel's bed."

"All right," the man decided. "That sounds like a two-person job."

With the doctor gone, Monica opened the door again to the confused woman.

"Well, my goodness, what was that?" Rachel's mom questioned.

"Sandra, I am so sorry," Monica apologised. "I thought you were Rachel and we just weren't ready for you yet."

"You thought I was Rachel?" Sandra questioned.

"Uh, yes," Chandler was quick. "Because you look so young."

"And because you're both, you know, white women," Phoebe added.

Zara rose her eyebrows at that, ready to open the bottle now.

"Oh, I missed you kids," said Sandra. "Well, should I put my coat in the bedroom?"

"No!" Chandler cried out, stopping her. "No, I'll take that for you."

"Oh, well, thank you," said Sandra as Chandler helped her take the coat off. "Such a gentleman. Thank you. Oh... it all looks so nice."

Sandra continued as Zara watched Chandler struggle, where he ended up throwing Rachel's mom's coat into the cupboard. So far, the night was a disaster, and it had barely even started.

"The funniest thing happened to me on the way here," Sandra announced. "I was dri—"

Phoebe laughed as the bedroom door opened. "That's great."

The door closed again with Joey and Rachel's dad not returning.

"I can't wait to hear the rest of it," Phoebe said. "But I really have to go to the bathroom, so... Hey, come with me."

"What?" Sandra questioned.

"Yeah, it'll be like we're gal pals. You know, like at a restaurant. Oh, it'll be fun! Come on!"

Phoebe was cheering at that with, Sandra apprehensively following.

"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God," Monica panicked after they were gone with Chandler responding.

The two met with Zara in the kitchen, who rose her eyebrows at them.

"Okay think," said Chandler. "Think. What would Jack and Chrissy do?"

"Okay, now that your coat," Joey appeared at the door with Chandler quick to gesture for him to be quiet, walking towards the bathroom to tell him that Sandra's in there. "Is safely in the bed...okay, we can come back out in the living room."

"So, Joey and Chandler, I think it's time that you take Doctor Green over to your place," Monica told them.

"Uh, yes," said Chandler, practically jumping to the other side of the room to join Leonard. "Absolutely. Um... why again?"

"Because that's where the party is, you goon," Monica pointed at them. "This is just the staging area."

"If that's where the party is, then I'm going to," Zara decided.

"No, you're staying here," Monica told her.

"If she has the champagne, then she might as well come," said Leonard.

Satisfied with that, Zara already found her way out of the apartment, knowing that if the parties were going to be split, then she'd rather be in the fun one. Though, fortunately, Zara was able to get the guy's aparment looking party ready in a limited amount of time.

The party ended up being majority woman as Zara frowned at Joey, seeing that he was enjoying it far too much.

"Chandler did good," Joey commented.

"No, he didn't," said Zara. "Sandra might suspect something if there's all men at her daughter's party."

"Yeah, but we get the good looking ones," Joey said.

Zara found herself scowling at that again, but she knew what the problem was: Chandler had directed all the ladies into apartment, so he was clearly planning on trying tonight and Zara would be forced to watch. The thought alone dampened Zara's mind, sparking a flare of jealous.

"Oh, Zara, come on," said Joey, grinning teasingly at her. "You're still the most beautiful woman in the room."

Zara met his gaze, trying not to react to the words. "Just the room?"

"Sorry," Joey corrected. "In every room."

Now, there was a hint of a smile from Zara, but she wouldn't let Joey see.

"Chandler knows that too," Joey told her. "Come on, you bought champagne, you wanted to celebrate, so don't let something so small bother you."

"Yeah, you're right," Zara realised. "Thanks, Joey."

"Any time," Joey promised.

"Okay, they're coming," Chandler announced as he opened the front door to his apartment.

They were shushed with Zara keeping the room silent, knowing she was recieveing a few glares. Chandler came back with another blonde woman before they all waited, unknowing to how long it would be for Rachel to go from one apartment to the other.

However, when the door opened, the lights flickered on with everyone surprising poor Rachel. Seeing her dad, Rachel gasped, having not expected him in the slightest.

"Happy birthday, sweet pea," Leonard greeted his daughter, pulling her into his arms for a hug.

"Daddy!" Rachel cried out.

Though, her laughter was strained, realising how stressful the night was going to be.

For Zara, she found that it was easy to keep Leonard Green distracted as she constantly kept his glass full (along with her own). The party was swarmed with people as the music was turned up and everyone was drinking. Zara had forgotten about her brief jealousy incident about Chandler, where she was now openly talking to the guests.

Zara ended up being a giddy kind of drunk; for once everything was coming up roses. To every stranger, Zara introduced herself while adding that she was going to be published. There was a happy smile on her face, and nothing could ruin her mood.

Towards the end of the night, Zara was dancing with the bottle of champagne.

"Can you please try to keep it down?" Monica questioned. "We're trying to start a boggle tournament."

Zara, Chandler, and Joey stopped dancing where they briefly exchanged a look before they brust into laughter. But, while Zara was laughing, she still wanted to see her best friend.

"Hey, Mon," said Zara, rushing over to her as she grabbed Monica's hands, causing her to drop the black back. "Come dance with me!"

"Zara, you're drunk," Monica realised.

"No!" Zara spoke a little too quickly before she was pulling Monica towards the temporary dance floof the living room. "Come on, like old times at college!"

But Monica's mouth had fallen open, spotting another woman. "You!" Then, as her head turned, she spotted someone else. "And you! You're supposed to be at my party."

Gunther joined them on the dance floor, having the time of his life.

"And Gunther! What are you doing here?"

"Oh, leave him," said Zara, defending the man. "Gunther's so fun."

Gunther looked towards Zara. "Um... having fun?"

Then, Gunther offered Zara his hand as she became distracted, entranced back into the loop of dancing again. Whether Monica joined, Zara lost track, knowing it would be Phoebe that ended up in trouble more for sneaking people into the fun side.

At the end of the night, Zara had another bottle of champagne, having truly gone all out. Though, she had lost her friends, so Zara had gone searching for them as she ended up out in the hallway. Zara's eyes widened, spotting Joey kissing Sandra and Leonard being directed towards the stairs to leave.

"Have I missed something?" Zara questioned, confused.

Joey pulled away from Sandra, seeming a little surprised himself. "Okay, you take care."

"Oh, you kids!" Sandra said a little breathlessly, playfully slapping Joey's cheek with a giggle. "Well...This is the best party I've been to in years."

"Thank you!" Monica responded.

"Cheers to that," Zara said, raising her bottle.

They ended up in their apartment after to finish the night with the flan. Zara's nose curled upwards, not wanting a piece of the flan.

"Okay, everybody, it's time for flan," Monica told them.

"Yep," said Chandler. "Get ready for the gelatinous fun."

"Kind of looks like that stuff you get when you get a bad infection," Joey realised as he poked the flan.

"Okay, that's enough," Monica cut throw the responses of ew.

"Okay, Rachel, make a special flan wish," Phoebe said.

"Okay, I've got one."

Leaning forward, Rachel blew out the candles as they all cheered for her.

"Heads up!" Chandler cried out.

The white ball crashed into the flan with the dessert being destroyed.

"Wow," said Rachel. "Those things almost never come true."

With that, the night seemed about wrapped up with the friends starting to split: Phoebe had gone home, Ross and Rachel into Rachel's room, then Monica had announced she was tired. Zara had left her shoes at Chandler and Joey's place, so she had headed back over with the two to get them before going to bed herself.

"You got them?" Chandler questioned.

Turning, Zara perked up upon seeing him still up. "You didn't go to bed!"

"Not yet," Chandler told her, finding Zara drunk amusing. "Are you okay?" 

"I'm getting published!" Zara exclaimed.

"I know, that's the hundredth time you've told me," Chandler told her, but he was smiling. "You know, it's adorable, but you're so drunk." Then he offered Zara his hand. "Come on, let's get you home."

"No," Zara decided. "Where's Joey?"

"Gone to bed," Chandler reminded her.

"So it's just us," said Zara, taking another sip of the bottle. "Oh dear."

"Oh dear?" Chandler repeated, raising his eyebrows.

"Oh dear," Zara confirmed.

"Maybe I should go get Monica," Chandler decided.

"No, no!" Zara reached upwards, pulling Chandler down onto the sofa next to her as she giggled again, handing him the bottle. "Just, shut up, and help me finish the bottle, then I'll go to bed."

Chandler took the bottle, taking a sip. "You're on your second bottle?"

"Because I'm getting published," Zara repeated, grinning smugly, though she had shared throughout the night.

"I had no idea," Chandler said.

Zara rolled her eyes at his sarcastic comment before she was taking the bottle back again. The alcohol was thick in her mind with the intrusive thoughts appearing.

"I like this green shirt," Zara told him, tugging at his tie. "Just not the tie. You should take it off."

"I'm not taking my tie off," Chandler laughed. "Zara, you're so drunk."

Maybe she was, and come tomorrow, she would regret her decision. Right now, though, all she could think about was Chandler; for months, he had been thoughts and feelings that Zara had tried to suppress, but now the alcohol was triggering them again.

And Zara tended to do stupid things while drunk.

Zara tugged on Chandler's tie again, pulling him closer to her as the two kissed. There was a hesitation from Chandler, who pulled away, but his eyes were wide with Zara knowing he wanted to as well.

"Chandler, please," Zara pleaded, not letting go of him.

"Zara, we can't," Chandler whispered.

"We can," insisted Zara, placing her hand on his chest. "Please."

There was a pause from Chandler, who had his hands on Zara's waist as if to keep her from him, but he was also gripping onto her tightly, about to give in. Zara took a last swig of the champagne bottle before handing it to Chandler to finish.

Then, the bottle was forgotten, where it rolled onto the floor with Zara pulling Chandler onto her. This time, there was no hesitation with the two giving into the scorching desire that had been suppressed for so long.

"You should go home," Chandler told her.

"Or," said Zara with a grin as she hooked her arms around Chandler's neck. "I could stay here..."

♡

The next morning, Zara had woken with her head aching from the pending hangover. Zara rolled over with a groan, finding Chandler as she recognised his room.

Seeing him, Zara froze with the memory of last night returning.

Zara had been drunk on not just the alcohol but her own joy, which included the shared time with Chandler. There had been a feeling of peace after the brewing storm between them had settled, finding comfort in sharing a bed together.

And now Zara was still naked as she clutched the covers to herself.

Last night had been a foolish mistake.

Now, Zara's fingers ended up tangled in her dishevelled hair, hating herself for the night. Chandler was not awake yet, so Zara scrambled to find her dress from the previous night, where she was quick for her escape.

"Zara, you okay?" Chandler questioned.

"You're awake," Zara realised as she stood, holding onto her heels as she was about ready to flee, completely wimping out. "I, uh, I'm gonna go."

"Go?" Chandler repeated.

Zara tried not to flinch, but her heart was already hammering. "I'll see you later."

"Wait—"

Leaving Chandler's bedroom, Zara found her eyes wide as she spotted Joey. The man had been eating, where his mouth now remained open, the toast in his hand frozen.

"Zara?" Joey questioned.

"I'm not here," Zara told him as she fled. "You never saw me, Joey."

"Zara, wait—"

Behind her, Chandler had his dressing gown on as Zara paused, finding it too awkward to just flee when they were supposed to be friends. This was not supposed to happen, Zara had done everything in her power to move on.

"So you just planned on sleeping with me and then leaving?" Chandler questioned, looking angry, but hurt too that made it worse as Zara faced him.

The door opened with Joey quick to leave, where Zara knew everyone in the other apartment would know now.

"What did you want?" Zara demanded.

"I don't know," said Chandler. "Maybe breakfast."

"It was a drunken mistake," Zara insisted. "It shouldn't have happened."

"It wasn't a mistake to me," Chandler said, his voice so soft as Zara's heart cracked.

"Chandler, stop," Zara pleaded.

"No, I'm not stopping," Chandler decided, stepping closer to her with his face pale, eyes wide with fear. "In fact, I'm gonna keep going, and I'm probably gonna regret it, but it's you, Zara. It's crazy, and it terrifies me, but I love you."

Zara was speechless, staring at Chandler in shock.

It didn't seem possible: Chandler Bing, who was so petrified of commitment or even feeling anything for anyone, was in love with Zara. All Zara could think of was that it was a cruel joke.

"That's not funny," Zara told him.

"I'm not being funny," Chandler said. "You're scared."

"So are you," Zara accused.

"I'm terrified," Chandler repeated himself. "So scared that maybe I did hate you a little bit for making me feel like this. I thought running from it was easier, but...the truth is, not being with you is harder."

"And what if running is easier for me?" Zara questioned.

"I don't believe that," Chandler said.

"You'll leave," Zara accused.

"How do you know that?" Chandler questioned.

"Because you made a list."

"A list that also gave me more reasons to stay."

Zara shook her head, hating that they were doing this right now during the thick of everything. There was no way that either of them was ready to even face the heaviness of their emotions, all that was promised was a neverending pain of heartbreak.

"I can't do this," Zara decided.

Chandler shook his head, scoffing. "You can't do this? I just told you that I loved you — something I've never told anyone or even thought I'd be able to feel."

"I never asked you to," Zara argued. "What did you expect me to do? Declare that I feel the same too? I never wanted this, Chandler."

"Neither did I!" Chandler bit back. "But it happened. And you know what?"

Zara remained silent, knowing what was coming.

"I regret saying it now," Chandler decided, putting his defences back up again. "Just like I regret last night."

The tears stung behind Zara's eyes, but she refused to let them fall.

"Well, you're not the only one with regrets," Zara told him.

Between them, the anger vanished with the two just left with the devastation of where they had ended up. Neither had wanted it to come to such a dark, bitter end, but this was the reality of breakups that Zara knew.

But Zara had never felt the pain of heartbreak like this before.

♡

My heart hurts for them😭 but Zara's being published!! One last chapter for season 2 to go!! Any predictions?