The Ones We Didn't See

White Lillies and Belgian Nuns

8x18 TOW Massapequa

A/N - Ross and Rachel spent the evening pretending to be married to each other. He made up the most perfect story about how he proposed to her. If only we could have seen that come to life at the end of the series! But this isn't that kind of story. Hope it doesn't disappoint! We are getting to the good stuff, guys!!

---------------------------------------------------------------

She looked up at him from the couch as she removed her shoes. High heels certainly took a toll on her now. "It was really fun being married to you tonight."

He smiled. "Yeah! And it was the easiest 400 bucks I've ever made!"

​​She laughed haphazardly. She wondered how long they'd keep up this game. He was so quick to shrug it off and make a joke. She just wanted to hear him say it. She wanted to hear him say that he needed her. There had been a few times here and there where she had sensed that he felt those words - but he never said them. And until he did, she wouldn't be able to either. Their stubbornness and egos were such a deadly combination. She just couldn't open up her heart to another opportunity for heartbreak. She knew she shouldn't say anything more, but she couldn't fight the urge to give him the opportunity. In a fleeting moment of bravery, or maybe just weakness...

"Okay Ross, can I uh, can I ask you something?"

She walked towards him as he loosened his tie in a devastatingly sexy way. She loved how comfortable they were around each other now. Living together was working out so well - so naturally. But somehow living with him wasn't enough. Helping her raise the baby didn't even feel like enough.

"That proposal, at the planetarium..."

Embarrassed, he looked away. "I know, I know... it was stupid."

"Are you kidding?! With the lilies, and the song, and the stars! It was... really wonderful! Did you just make that up?"

"No, actually I thought about it when we were going out. It's how I imagined I uh, I would ask you to marry me."

Out of everything she thought he might say, she never expected this. She had to fight back the tears that were beginning to well up in the corners of her eyes. Ross had always been the most thoughtful man she knew, and he was so romantic, almost to a fault. She should have known he would think up something like this. If only they could erase their history and meet again for the first time so they could do it right. Everything between them was so tangled and messy. The thought of starting something with him now felt nearly impossible - it was so complicated and they had so many things they needed to work through that she didn't even know where to start. She was scared of these feelings and this new situation. Having a baby scared her. He scared her. But in that moment, as she watched him look into her eyes, she didn't feel scared. There was a sincerity in his eyes, and they were looking at her and only her, and that was enough.

"Wow... well, that would've been very hard to say no to."

He seemed surprised by her response, but he worked hard to maintain a leveled expression. She instantly knew that he could read her thoughts and she sensed his caution, but his lips still allowed a boyish half-grin to escape. With them, their emotions and instincts always spoke more clearly than their words.

"Well It's a good thing I didn't do it, because it sounds like it would've been a very expensive wedding!"

She couldn't help but laugh. He always made her laugh. Plus, the laughter helped ease the tension that was so clearly building between them. Too nervous to catch his gaze, she looked away. It was so obvious that both of them were holding in a sea of words that were desperate to escape. Finally she looked up, only to find his dark brown eyes already peering down at her. How could she ever tell him that she loved him when love was the reason they were in this mess? They stood there in silence, just looking at each other, as if they were both waiting for the other to say something. But the words never came. Maybe that was okay. They would have their time, when it was perfect and right, and they both knew it. Tonight, she found home in his eyes, and that was enough.