THE ULTIMATUM

  by Creassya
 
 
 

This takes place after Deadly Obsession. While Chandler was about to cross the street, Monica came outside and called him. When he turned around, she noticed that a car was speeding down the street. He saw the car speeding towards him, and he got out of the way just in time.

Two weeks later, Monica was still receiving love letters and threatening phone calls. She slept at Chandler and Joey's every night ever since Chandler was almost run down. She was in her room putting on her night clothes. She was about to go over to Chandler and Joey's, when the phone rang. This time she recognized the voice immediately.

"Hello."

"How are you?"

"Keith, is that you?"

"Who do you think it is? Chandler?"

"No."

"I know that you're seeing him."

"How do know that? Oh my God! So you're the one that's been doing this."

"You catch on quick."

"Why are you doing this?"

"I told you that you haven't seen the last of me."

"Keith, it's over between us. Just leave me and Chandler alone. I know it was you who tried to run him down a couple weeks ago."

"Did it scare you?" He asked grinning.

"Of course it scared me!"

"Good, than get this. If you don't get rid of Chandler, I will."

Monica stood there in shock as Keith hung up the phone. She sat down on the couch with the phone still in her hand when Chandler walked in.

"Mon, are you coming over?"

She snapped out of it and turned around to look at him. She stood up and went over to him. She touched his face and passionately kissed him as if she wouldn't kiss him for a long time to come.

"Wow, what did I do to deserve a kiss like that?"

"I love you so much Chandler." She said with tears in her eyes.

"Monica, what's going on?" He asked concerned.

"Chandler....I....I....."

"What's wrong?"

"I can't see you anymore." She said with her head down.

"What?"

"You have to go." She said wiping her tears as they fell.

"Monica, I don't understand this."

"Chandler, just go...please."

"Monica, what's going on here? One minute you're kissing me and telling me that you love me, and the next minute, you're telling me that we're breaking up. This doesn't make any sense. Did I do something?"

"No, it's not you. I just need some time."

"Time for what?" He asked near tears.

"Chandler please, I don't wanna talk about this right now." She said going over to the door and holding it open for him to leave.

When Chandler reached the doorway, he looked at Monica looking at the floor. Chandler left the apartment completely hurt and puzzled. He walked into his and Joey's apartment and walked into his room slowly and closed the door. He didn't understand what happened. She had been fine earlier. He realized that she was experiencing some stress, but he wanted to be there for her. Now she was pushing him away. Monica was the best thing that ever happened to him and it really devastated him that she broke up with him. He laid in bed with tears falling from his eyes.

Two weeks into Chandler and Monica's breakup, Keith showed up at work to see Monica. She was horrified. Monica didn't want to see him, but she was afraid to tell him so. They were talking for a little while, and went to hug her. When Chandler saw them hugging, he turned and walked away. He was more hurt than angry. He wondered if there was anything going on between them, but he couldn't see Monica breaking up with him to go back to Keith. He made her miserable. Two weeks without Monica was hell for him. He could see that she felt the same way. When he looked at her, she avoided his eyes. Monica missed Chandler so much, but Keith had threatened to harm him if she didn't stop seeing him. The gang wanted to know why they broke up, but neither of them said what happened or why they broke up. While Chandler sat in his chair, he began to think about the exact words Monica used that day that they broke up.

Keith and Monica entered his apartment. He told her to have seat and make herself comfortable. He came back into the living room with some Champaign and sat down beside her. He smiled and touched her face. She wanted to take the Champaign bottle and hit him over the head with it. She hated him for making her miserable when they were together, and she hated him even more that he came between her and Chandler. She knew that if she told him why she was breaking up with him, he wouldn't leave. She didn't want to take any chances. She wouldn't be able to forgive herself if anything were to happen to Chandler because of her. Keith offered her the Champaign, but she declined. He turned on the TV set and put his arm around her, and she cringed. He was too wrapped up in the fact that she was there with him, that he didn't notice.

The next day while Monica was at the coffeehouse, Chandler walked in. She didn't notice that he was there until he reached the counter. She turned around and their eyes met. She wanted so much to go over to hug and kiss him, but she knew that she couldn't. Instead, he came over to the couch and sat next to her. The two of them looked into each other eyes for a few seconds before they began to talk.

"How are you?" He asked taking her hand in his.

"I've been better."

"Yeah me too."

"I don't know what else to say." She said looking down at their hands.

"I know why you're doing this." He said.

"Doing what?

"I know why you broke up with me."

"What?"

"It's because of Keith isn't it?"

"Chandler...."

"Just tell me the truth."

"I told you that I just need time."

"He's the one that's been stalking you. Am I right?"

"Yes."

"Is he still threatening you?"

"He said that if I didn't get rid of you, he would."

"What?"

"That's why I broke up with you. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if he did anything to you."

"I won't let him. This is what he wants Mon. He just wanted to break us up. I'm not gonna let him come between us."

"He already has." She said sadly.

"No he hasn't." He said caressing her hand.

"Chandler, I don't want you to get hurt."

"I won't."

"He scares me. I don't know what he's really capable of."

"Monica, I love you. I'm not letting a creep like him keep me away from the best thing that's ever happened to me." He said holding her hand tightly.

"I love you too. That's why we can't see each other."

"So how long are we supposed to stay apart huh?"

"I don't know."

"We can't let him control us Mon."

When she was about to respond, Phoebe and Joey came in and sat at the table near the couch.

"Hey guys. What's going on?" Phoebe asked.

"Nothing." Monica said getting up and leaving.

"What's up with you guys?" Joey asked.

"I wish I knew." Chandler lied.

Chandler didn't want to talk about what was going on between him and Monica, so he quickly changed the subject. Phoebe and Joey wanted to know why they were so distant, but they decided to stop asking. If Chandler and Monica wanted them to know, then they would say something.

When Monica arrived home from work, she went straight to her room. When she walked in, she saw Chandler sitting on the bed.

"Chandler, what are you doing here?"

"What do you think?"

"We've been over this."

"We never finished our conversation from the other day."

"Yes we did."

"No, we didn't."

"Chandler, why are you doing this?" She asked sitting next to him.

"Because I love you." He said sincerely.

"No, I mean, why are you putting yourself in danger."

"I don't care about that."

"Well I do." She said.

"I hate this."

"So do I. I want to keep you around for a while." She said touching his face.

Chandler leaned in to kiss her, but she hugged him instead. He stroked her hair and held her tightly in his arms. He didn't want to let her go for anything, or anybody. He couldn't persuade her to get back together, but he hadn't planned on giving up. They were meant for each other, and he wasn't going to let anyone stand in the way of that.

While Monica was sitting in the living room at 2am, Rachel came out of her room to go to the bathroom and noticed Monica crying. She had the TV on, but she had the volume turned down low. Rachel came over and sat down next to her.

"Mon, what's wrong? You've been like this for weeks."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"It's you and Chandler?"

"Yeah."

"What's going on with you two?"

"It's a long story."

"I don't have anywhere to go." Rachel said.

"It's Keith."

"What about him?"

"He's been stalking me. For a while now."

"How long?"

"Over a month."

"What? And you haven't told anybody?"

"No. I've been too embarrassed."

"Why?"

"I don't know. He told me that if I didn't get rid of Chandler he would."

"Oh my God!"

"I know." Monica said wiping her tears.

"What did you tell Chandler?"

"I ended it. It killed me. I didn't tell him why I broke up with him until a couple days ago."

"What did he say?"

"He doesn't want to break up. He doesn't think that Keith will do anything to him. Last month, he tried to run him down."

"What!"

"Yeah."

"Mon, you have to go to the police."

"Come on Rach, you and I both know that they won't do anything until Keith actually does something. They can't help me."

"Well, what are you gonna do?"

"I don't know."

"Well, I know that you don't wanna hear this right now, but I think the best thing for you to do...is to stay away from Chandler. If he tried to run him down before, who knows what he might try to do next."

"I know. This isn't fair. I'm finally in a relationship where I'm totally happy, and now this happens."

Rachel put her arm around Monica who leaned her head on Rachel's shoulder. She wished that she had never met Keith. She hated him. He was being nice to her as if he never stalked her. Monica had been pretending to be nice. She was afraid that if she wasn't, he would hurt Chandler. She thought about what he said to her the other day, and she also thought about what Rachel said to her. It was obvious that Keith wasn't going to go away any time soon, and she wasn't sure that she would be able to stay away from Chandler.

When Rachel went back into her room to go to sleep, Monica heard a soft knock on the door. She slowly walked to the door and opened it a crack. She noticed that it was Chandler and let him in.

"I can't sleep." He said walking toward the couch.

"Me either."

"I can't do this Mon."

"I know how you feel."

"I don't wanna be apart from you Monica."

"I don't wanna be apart from you either." She said coming closer to him.

"I love you." He said.

"I love you too." She said crying.

Chandler held her in his arms as she cried. The touch of his hands seemed to calm her down. He was relived to have his Monica back. They sat on the couch and talked for the remainer of the morning. They decided that they wanted to be together, but they would keep it a secret so that Keith wouldn't find out. Monica hoped that she wouldn't regret her decision. Chandler meant the world to her and she didn't want to lose him to someone like Keith. She didn't want to lose him to anyone at all.......
 
 

IS KEITH GOING TO FIND OUT ABOUT CHANDLER AND MONICA?
 

FIND OUT IN.........DANGEROUS GROUND