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The Games Cupid Plays
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Written by Tina Nellis
TJNellis@softhome.net
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Introduction: I imagine this taking part somewhere in the 5th season, around Valentines Day (hence the Cupid in the title :)). Ross never married Emily, as she couldn't handle the fact that he called her Rachel, but he never got back together with Rachel either for fear of getting hurt. Oh well, here goes with another one of my wonderful fanfics. :)
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Part 1

Ross was at dinner with Alison, who worked in the forensics department of the museum. She was going on about something at work, but he wasn't really paying attention because he was trying to remember what he'd done the night before. Thanks to Chandler and Joey, who seemed to suffer less when alcohol came into the picture, he'd gone to a batchelor party for one of Joey's cousins and gotten drunk there. The annoying thing was, he was sure he'd ordered something to be delivered to Alison, but she hadn't said thanks yet. In fact, she hadn't even mentioned it.
"I mean, we put the thing through forensics like, 3 times, and then we realise that it's a ringpull from a can of coke that's covered in baked on mud!" Alison told him, laughing. Ross laughed along as well, even though he hadn't the slightest idea what the "thing" was.
"So, anyway," Ross began, remembering what it was he ordered, "did you get the flowers and teddy bear that I sent you?"
"The what?" Alison asked, puzzled.
"You know, the teddy, and the flowers..." The look on Alison's face suddenly turned to one of shock. "You don't know."
"No, I don't," Alison said, with hostility in her voice. She paused for a moment, before saying, "Are you sure you sent them to me?" Ross hesitated, trying to think who he could have sent them to. He couldn't think of anyone, but at that moment, he knew he didn't send them to her, so he shook his head.
Alison got up from her table and began to leave, clearly angry. "You know, if you didn't want to see me anymore, you could have at least told me! I'm not a child, Ross," she practically yelled as she walked outside, with Ross behind her trying to get her to stop.
"Alison, wait!" Ross pleaded.
"Y'know, you could have waited until we were over before you started seeing another woman! You owed me that, at least!"
"But it's not like that! It's not..." Ross called after her, as she walked away. He didn't go after her, as he figured there wasn't much point.

Ross sadly entered Central Perk, where Chandler and Joey were sat in the usual place talking. They stopped when Ross sat on the sofa.
"Hey man, what's up?" Chandler asked.
"I sent flowers and a teddy bear to a woman," Ross started. "Trouble is, it wasn't Alison, and I can't remember who it was because I was so drunk last night it was ridiculous. Now she and I are over." Chandler and Joey looked at Ross, shocked. "I mean, what is it with me? I can't keep a woman for more than a few weeks nowadays. It must be the curse of Carol."
"No, it's not the curse of Carol, maybe you just haven't found the right woman yet," Chandler said.
"Or maybe I already found her and did something stupid to make her go away. Oh my God. I'm turning into you, Chandler."
"I had that one coming."
"So, you have no idea who you sent them to?" Joey asked. Ross shook his head.
"Maybe you sent them to the right woman," Chandler hinted.
"And that would be who?" Ross asked.

The woman sat in her apartment, trying to read some work reports. However, her mind kept wandering to the flowers and teddy bear she had received that morning. She couldn't figure out who had sent them, so she had resigned herself to the fact that they were probably delivered to her by mistake. However, she couldn't help but hope that they were from her ex-boyfriend. She had remained unusually close to him, considering the fact that they had had more than their fair share of problems. Just as she was thinking of this man, in he walked, barging into her apartment without knocking. The woman stood up, startled, as the man looked at her lovingly for a few seconds. Then, deciding not to hesitate any longer, walked over and told her that he loved her, he always had loved her and he always would love her, before kissing her passionately.

Rachel found herself watching another one of those soppy romantic movies. It seemed like that was the millionth one she had seen that week. Monica had advised her that she needed to get back in the game, as the "Ross thing was never gonna happen." She found herself wondering if the flowers and teddy she had received was from Ross. After all, it happened to the girl in the movie, why couldn't it happen to her?

Truthfully, she knew why it couldn't happen to her. Because it had already happened to her, too many times, and she had foolishly thrown it away. She had never known real love before, so when she realised it was real love she felt for Ross, she wanted to run. And if she didn't want to run, she tried to make their relationship like the love she had always known. Her mother and father had been locked in a loveless marriage until very recently, she was never in love with Mr. Potato Head... uh, Barry... She had never even seen real love, let alone experience it. And when she finally realised what true love was, she was convinced it was too late. After all, Ross and Emily were just minutes away from being married. Well, they would have been married right now, if he hadn't made the slip-up that had brought up so many old feelings.
She started planning a speech that she was going to deliver to Ross when she next saw him as she got herself a glass of water. "Ross, I realise you don't want to get into a relationship right now..."

Before Ross even knew what was going on, he was standing outside the door to Rachel and Monica's apartment. After the bombshell Chandler had dropped on him - that he had becomed Rachel's secret admirer (and it was a secret even to him) - he had decided that he needed to clear the air with her. Truthfully, it had needed to be done for a long time. He took a deep breath and steeled himself before opening the door.

As Ross entered, Rachel was delivering her speech to the air while doing the dishes. (Yes, doing the dishes. Monica eventually told her to do them in return for half of the rent.) He decided not to interrupt her, and so watched her from the door in amusement. She hadn't even noticed his entrance.
"And I know that I've done so much to hurt you..." Ross was sure that he was having a minor heart attack as he realised what Rachel was going on about. Of course, she still had no idea that he was standing there, listening to her every word.
"Oh, forget it, it's pointless," Rachel sighed, still not seeing Ross.
"No, it's not," Ross said, before he could stop himself.
"You what?!" Rachel said, turning in shock.
Ross walked over to Rachel. "It's not." Rachel, still in disbelief, had turned pale by this time.
"Are you okay? You look kinda pale."
"Uh-huh. How... how much did you hear?" Rachel asked slowly.
"Enough." Ross took a deep breath, and continued. "Why didn't you tell me before?"
"Because... because..." Rachel trailed off as she looked up, and into Ross's eyes. "Because I, um..." At that moment, both of them realised what they were feeling, and felt themselves falling into a passionate kiss.