third person pov
"excuse me sir, hi, you come in here all the time. i was just wondering, do you think there's a possibility you could give me an advance on my tips?" rachel asks a regular customer. he just looks at her before standing and exiting through the door. "ok, ok, that's fine. fine. hey, i'm sorry about that spill before!" rachel picks up the tip and heads back towards the counter. "only $98.50 to go."
"hey ross, did you know mum and dad are going to puerto rico for thanksgiving?" monica asks, sitting on the arm of the couch. ross sits up in the armchair, his face screwed up.
"no, they're not." he replies and monica nods.
"yes, they are. the blymens invited them." monica continues.
"you're wrong."
"i am not wrong."
"you're wrong."
"no, i just talked to them." monica adds and ross stands immediately.
"i'm calling mum." he replies before heading to the counter. on the couch, chandler sat with his legs over gianna's lap as she read a magazine. phoebe sat beside her, but on the floor, playing with the spoon on the table.
"hey, hey." joey smiles as he goes to sit in the other armchair.
"hey." gianna replies before taking in her older brother's appearance.
"and this from the cry-for-help department. are you wearing make-up?" chandler jokes and gianna returns a giddy smile before joey replies.
"yes, i am. as of today, i am officially joey tribbiani, actor slash model." joey smiles proudly at everyone.
"that's so funny, 'cause i was thinking you look more like joey tribbiani, man slash woman." chandler jokes, earning a slap on the thigh from gianna.
"what are you modelling for?" phoebe asks.
"you know those posters for the city free clinic?" joey continues and the girls nod.
"oh wow, so you're gonna be one of those 'healthy, healthy, healthy guys'?" monica asks and joey nods.
"you know, the asthma guy was really cute." gianna adds and phoebe and monica nod in agreement.
"do you know which one you're gonna be?" chandler asks, sending a side glance to gianna.
"no, but i hear lyme disease is open, so..." joey crosses his fingers in response.
"good luck, man. i hope you get it." chandler nods his head, turning his gaze to gianna's magazine.
"well, you were right. how can they do this to us, huh? it's thanksgiving." ross groans as he comes back from being on the phone.
"ok, i'll tell you what. how about i cook dinner at my place? i'll make it just like mum's." monica replies, offering thanksgiving dinner to ross.
"will you make the mashed potatoes with the lumps?" ross asks.
"you know, they're not actually supposed to have..." monica begins before ross looks at her sheepishly. "i'll work on the lumps. joey and gianna, you're going home right?"
"yeah." joey and gianna share a smile before turning back to monica.
"and i assume, chandler, you are still boycotting all the pilgrim holidays." monica turns to chandler.
"yes, every single one of them." chandler replies sarcastically.
"phoebe, you're gonna be with your grandma?"
"yes, and her boyfriend. but we're celebrating thanksgiving in december, cause he is lunar." phoebe replies.
"so you're free thursday then?" monica questions and phoebe turns to her excited.
"yeah. oh, can i come?" monica nods with a smile before turning to rachel. "yeah, rach, are you thinking you're gonna make it to vail?"
"absolutely. shoop, shoop, shoop. only a hundred and two dollars to go." rachel smiles, pretending to ski for everyone.
"i thought it was $98.50." chandler says and rachel shrugs.
"yeah, well it was. i, i broke a cup." she smiles sheepishly before heading back to the counter.
*
everyone but rachel and joey are hanging out in monica and chandler's apartment. gianna is finishing organising the mail as rachel walks in the door.
"hey, rach, did you make your money?" monica asks and rachel shakes her head glumly.
"no, not even close. forget vail, forget seeing my family, forget shoop, shoop, shoop." rachel sighs before slumping into the couch.
"rach, here's your mail." gianna adds, handing over some envelopes.
"thanks, you can just put it on the table." rachel replies and gianna keeps holding the envelope out.
"no, here's your mail."
"thanks, you can just put it on the table." rachel argues.
"would you just open it?" gianna snaps, handing her the envelope. rachel stands and opens the envelope, seeing exactly a hundred dollars inside. rachel gasps and looks up at gianna with wide eyes.
"oh my god, gianna!" rachel exclaims, tackling the smaller girl in a hug. "you are amazing!" gianna laughs as the pair hug.
"chandler, here you go, got your traditional thanksgiving feast, you got your tomato soup, your grilled cheese fixin's, and your family size bag of funyuns." monica smiles, handing everything to chandler.
"wait, wait, chandler, this is what you're having for thanksgiving dinner? what, what, what is it with you and this holiday?" rachel replies and gianna turns to look up at chandler as well.
"all right, i'm nine years old."
"oh, i hate this story." ross groans, his head landing on the table.
"we just finished this magnificent thanksgiving dinner. i have - and i remember this part vividly - a mouthful of pumpkin pie, and this is the moment my parents choose to tell me they're getting divorced." chandler explains and gianna's face softens.
"oh my god." she mutters, taking a gentle hold of his arm.
"yes. it's very difficult to appreciate a thanksgiving dinner once you're seen it in reverse." chandler adds and gianna pouts up at him in sympathy.
"as much fun as this is you guys, i've got a train to catch." gianna states, taking her coat and bag towards the door.
"have fun gianna!" everyone smiles as she closes the door behind her. gianna sighs heavily before heading down the stairs and towards the train station.
she decides to make a quick stop at central perk before heading to the station and as she walks through the door, gunther holds out the phone.
"gianna. someone's on the phone for you." gianna smiles in thanks and takes the phone.
"hello-" gianna stops short and her face drops. "i'll be as quick as i can." gianna hands the phone back to gunther before rushing from central perk and into the street.
*
joey slumped onto the couch as he enters central perk. everyone around his snickers at his approach.
"so i guess you all saw it." he asks and rachel shakes her head.
"saw what?" she tries to hide her giggles under her hand.
"no, we were just laughing. you know, how laughter can be infectious." phoebe jokes and joey rolls his eyes before standing and going to monica and rachel's apartment.
"se another place for thanksgiving. my entire family thinks i have VD." joey grumbles, sitting with chandler at the couches.
"tonight, on a very special blossom." chandler smirks, earning a disapproving look from joey.
*
gianna raced across new york as it begun to rain. her hair was beginning to stick to her face, her bags swinging behind her as she ducks between people and cars. her heart was racing as she raced through the gates of the zoo, her mind pulsing as she ran to her office.
"sorry i'm la-" gianna stops dead in her tracks as she sees who was sitting in her office chair. matt. "what are you doing here?" he stands from her chair and takes a step towards her.
"i'm here on business." he replies and gianna nods, her breathing finally beginning to slow as she looks around the dark room.
"well why was i called here?" she asks, tiny drops of water plinking to the floor. matt lets a subtle smirk rise to his lips.
"grandfather is returning." matt says and gianna looks at him confused. "you're fired."
*
some time has elapsed and everyone but gianna was now seated around monica and rachel's kitchen table. after an entire fiasco with a blimp, they had returned to a locked apartment, burnt turkey and smokey room.
"shall i carve?" chandler asks, looking across the table.
"by all means." rachel replies glumly.
"ok, who wants light cheese, and who wants dark cheese?" chandler continues, holding up a small knife.
"i don't even wanna know about the dark cheese." ross mutters, looking over at a snickering phoebe.
"does anybody wanna split this with me?" monica questions, holding up a sandwhich.
"oh, i will." joey offers, grabbing onto the other end of the sandwhich.
"ooh, you guys have to make a wish." phoebe insists and everyone looks at her confused.
"make a wish?"
"come on, you know. thanksgiving. ooh, you got the bigger half! what'd you wish for?" phoebe asks joey and he shrugs.
"the bigger half." there is a round of laughter before chandler stands.
"i'd like to propose a toast. little toast here, ding, ding. i know this isn't the kind of thanksgiving all of you planned, but for me, this has been really great, you know, i think because it didn't involve divorce or projectile vomiting. anyway, i was just thinking, i mean, you you'd gone to vail, and if you guy's had been with your family, if you didn't have syphilis and stuff, we wouldn't all be together, you know? and i know gianna isn't here, but at least she gets a normal thanksgiving. so i guess what i'm trying to say is that i'm very thankful that all of your thanksgivings sucked." chandler smiles, looking across everyone.
"that's so sweet."
"and her, here's to a lousy christmas." ross continues.
"and a crappy new year!" rachel adds.
"here, here!"
*
it was later in the night when gianna hauled herself up the stairs towards the apartment. she had wandered the streets, soaked by the rain, shattered from the news.
inside the apartment, everyone sat around the coffee table making conversation. gianna stood on the hallway side of the door, her mind racing. after matt had told her she was fired, an immense rage filled her - she knew it was his doing. without thinking, she lashed out. it wasn't until matt tried to fight back that gianna decided to run, scrambling her way through the bushes and brambles so he wouldn't find her.
her forehead was cut, the blood dried a long time ago, gianna hadn't even noticed she had cut her head in the first place. covered in scratches from bushes and shrubs, she shivered under her drenched clothing. with the physical and emotional strength she had left, gianna turned the door handle and stepped inside.
the sound of the door creaking caught everyone's attention and they all turned.
"gianna?" monica stands from her seat in the armchair, everyone's eyes widening when they take in her appearance.
"gigi, what happened?" joey asks, taking fast steps towards her.
"i thought you were supposed to be with your family?" rachel questions. now everyone stood as gianna stepped slowly towards them all.
"i was fired." she swallows hard, tears beginning to brim her eyes as joey pulls a chair out for her.
"what? how?" ross asks, and monica hands gianna an ice pack.
"work called as i was leaving." gianna swallows hard again, feeling tears trailing down her cheeks. chandler felt his heart ache. gianna's hands were shaking as she takes a towel from rachel. joey places it over her shoulders. "matt was there." the tone in the room immediately shifted at the mention of his name. "he told me his grandfather was returning, and that i was fired."
"so what did you do then?" rachel asks quietly and gianna looks up at them all.
"i hit him." ross choked on his drink as gianna replied. "then it escalated. i just made a run for it." gianna continues and joey places a comforting arm over her shoulders.
"i'm sorry honey." rachel smiles softly and gianna feels her eyes well with tears again.
"i can't believe i was fired." the group of six sit in silence as gianna begins to sob, her entire body shaking. the group was un sure of what to say, or what to do. so instead, they let gianna sob, giving her the space and time she needed.
*
not edited!!