The One Where The Lines Get Kinda Blurry

The One With Can We Be Friends?

As the audience rose to their feet to applaud them all off the set, the six of them fell into another impromptu huddle backstage. This past two days had been something so special and they all felt a real sense of coming home. It truly had been a perfect celebration of ten memorable and iconic years.  As they were ushered off to do a few last photos and promo videos, their former guest cast mates, family and close friends were guided towards the Stage 24 building where there were pizzas and drinks and an opportunity for them to see the place that the six of them had called home all those years before.

Around forty-five minutes after the interview had finished up, the Friends were welcomed back onto the Central Perk set to another huge round of applause. Jen was immediately pulled into a large hug with a group of her long time girl friends who had been there supporting her tonight, and who also had been on the last night of filming seventeen years ago. As she was in the middle of chatting with them all she was suddenly captivated by a tall girl with short dark hair and a bright red dress. She was running at speed towards David. "Daddy!" she heard her cry as she jumped up at him and flung her arms tightly around his neck as he caught her. Jen felt an absolute jolt in her heart. She had seen photos, she had even heard her chatting in the background when they'd been on the phone, but seeing her here in the flesh, looking the absolute spitting image of her father, well that almost floored her. She couldn't tear her eyes away from the two of them, happily giggling and playing together, David looking as much a child as she did in the way they were interacting.  He caught her eye and beckoned her over to them.  Jen excused herself from her girls, but not before taking a long drink of the Champagne she'd been holding to calm her nerves, and then she made her way the short distance over towards where they were stood.

"Cleo, I believe this is the person you have been waiting impatiently all day to meet" David said with a smile as he spun her around so she could see who was walking towards them.

"Jen!!" she cried, not standing on ceremony or being in the slightest bit shy. She bounded over to meet her half way, flinging her arms tightly around her waist as Jen opened her arms for a hug, a feeling of relief and surprise washing over her at the same time. "Cleo! I am so happy to finally meet you. Oh my goodness you look so like your dad. He's told me so much about you."

"Well he's told me lots about you too, but not the stuff I really want to know so you can tell me that right?"

"Errrm sure, what do you want to know honey?"

"I wanna know do you love him?"

"Uhmmmmm well..... of course.... I mean yes..... I mean I do love him but..... well, your dad and I.... we have a lot of history..... but you know......"

Cleo burst out into a fit of giggles. "My dad told me to ask you that. He said you wouldn't know what to say but you'd answer me anyway and he was right. You're so awesome Jen. You're my absolute favourite from the show. Do you think we can be friends too?"

Jen looked at David with eyes that said both I'll kill you and I adore you at the same time. "Cleo, I would absolutely love it if we were friends."

Cleo was stood next to Jen chattering away when Ben took to the floor and started to make a short speech. David was standing a few feet away and his eyes could not help but stare at his daughter; his beautiful, confident, talented daughter, who was obviously completely smitten with the woman who he himself had spent over half of his life smitten with too. It was a sight that made his heart swell with pride and extreme happiness. He caught Jen glancing over in his direction and he knew that she knew. Even at this distance she could feel the happiness radiating from him, and she felt it within her also. She no longer felt nervous that Cleo might prove a hurdle in whatever was happening between him and her. In fact, if anything, it gave her more confidence that they could actually try and make this work. If he wanted to that was. That was the discussion they still needed to have. But it was a discussion she was pretty hopeful she knew the outcome of.

The wrap party was almost wrapped up and there were just five of the cast and a small number of crew left when David was finally able to grab Jen in his arms using the excuse of wanting a couple of personal photos. He still couldn't really believe that of all the men in the world, he was the one who had got to share so much history with her. He had been convinced she was special right from the very start, and once again, here she was proving him right, resting happily in his embrace, her body pressed so tightly against his that he could feel every breath she took. He could smell her shampoo and perfume, mixed with the delicate scent that was just her.

One of the floor runners took David's phone and snapped a couple of photos of them looking and smiling at the camera, then nodded that he had the shot. Jen rested her head down onto his chest and he heard her let out a contented sigh, at the exact same moment that the photographer snapped one last picture.

Jen breathed in his scent, closing her eyes momentarily as she enjoyed the strength and comfort of his arms. Although she had been around him all day, she had missed being close to him. She could barely wait to get home and relax, just her, him and their special friends..... and then eventually just her and him, together tonight and then.... well, that was the elephant in the room that they needed to talk about eventually. But not tonight. Tonight was going to be more about actions than words, and she could scarcely keep the smile off her face as she thought that thought.