The Challenges In Love - part 2

Disclaimer: The characters from FRIENDS do not belong to me but to Bright, Kaufman and Crane. This story is for entertainment purposes only.


If you haven’t read The Challenges in Love Part 1 you may want to do so or else parts of this story may not make sense. I am going to go ahead and put the background information in this one too, for ease of reading.

Background Information: First of all, this is my first fic written in script form, so please keep that in mind. This fic is not connected with The Bings and The Gellers, or The Couples of FRIENDS. The story takes place in the future in the year 2020. It is all Ross and Rachel with a few parts about the other characters, but not much. Ross and Rachel are married with 5 kids: Julia 18, Kathryn (Katie or Kate) 16, Olivia (Livy) 14, Amelia 12, and Jaime 9. Chandler and Monica have 4 kids Hannah 17, Liam 15, Campbell 13, and Jackson 12. Joey and Phoebe have 2 teenagers Lilly who is 17 and Joey Jr. who is 16. They all live in Scarsdale within a few blocks of each other. The Gellers and The Bings live in houses, while the Tribbiani’s live in a condominium.


The Challenges In Love Part 2

Several weeks from where the last one left off….
(It is the night before Julia graduates from High School. The four Geller girls are in Julia and Katie’s room. Julia is perched on the edge of her bed. Katie and Olivia are on the floor propped on pillows. Amelia is lying on her stomach on Katie’s bed with her chin propped on her elbows. They are passing around a two-liter bottle of Pepsi and a bag of Doritos.)
Jul: Gosh, this what I am going to miss the most about living at home- the Geller girls’ rite of passage ceremony.
Kate: Hey you’re not gone yet. You still have 3 months til you go off to college. I wish you wouldn’t have picked UCLA. I mean what’s wrong with NYU? Hell, Dad would be one of your professors since you’re majoring in the dinosaur stuff.
Jul: That’s part of the reason I picked a different college. I want to make my own name for myself. And it’s paleontology Kate, not dinosaur stuff.
Oliv: Okay, let’s change the subject before we all get depressed or Julia starts boring us. Let’s play tell all. You know where we each pick a question we want and we all have to answer with the TRUTH. You can’t make up stuff like you tried to do last time, Kathryn. In honor of our graduate, Julia, you may choose the first person and the first question.
Jul: I hate this game. But okay, what is the one secret you don’t want Mom or Dad to ever find out? Kate?
Kate: Ugh, I guess that I’m not a virgin.
Jul/Oliv/Amel: What?/Who?/When?
Kate: Uh-oh save that for another question. Your turn, Liv.
Oliv: Um… okay I guess mine would be that I’ve smoked pot.
Jul: Oh my God!
Am: What?
Kate: Olivia Geller! I’m shocked!
Oliv: Okay, Amelia you’re up chickie.
Amel: I guess, geesh, I don’t really have anything compared to you guys.
Kate: Ah yes, Amelia the young and perfect one!
Amel: Okay fine! I wouldn’t want Mom and Dad to know that Campbell and I skip a class once a month and go to the accessories sale at Bloomingdale’s.
Kate: Way to be brave there Amelia, Aunt Monica would freak out way more than Mom would on that one.
Amel: Sorry to disappoint you all with that one. Okay, Jules, you’re up.
Jul: I wouldn’t want them to know that I got so drunk at Taylor’s graduation party last weekend that I didn’t leave the bathroom so I called Mom and told her I was sleeping over.
Liv: Julia! That is bad especially for a wanna-be scientist! (giggles) Okay, this question is for Katie. Katie, you’ve got to tell us about this no-virgin thing.
Kate: No way you are changing the rules of the game.
Liv: Hey, it’s my game dammit! I can change the rules if I want! Now ANSWER!
Kate: Oh alright, but only because you are guys are going to bug the hell out of me until I tell you. It’s quite simple, really. It happened a few months ago with Joey.
Amel/Oliv/Jul: JOEY? JOEY? Our Joey?
Kate: Well, yeah. Geesh guys we’ve been dating for a long time and it just felt right you know. I really care about him and he cares about me. Don’t worry we very careful and used everything we were supposed to use. Oh and, (she winks wickedly at them) the second time is DEFINITELY better than the first.
Jul/Amel/Oliv: What?/You did it more than once!/Oh my God!
Kate: That one I will leave to your active imaginations! Okay since we’re changing the rules I have a question for Livy. What the hell happened in the park that got you grounded until your 200th birthday?
Oliv: Well, I made out with Chris Jackson in the aviary. We were naked and a policeman caught us. So he brought me home after I told him my name was April Williams and I gave him a fake phone number. When he finally found out who I really was he gave me front door service. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Dad that pissed.
Kate: Ahhh that would explain the whole grounding situation.
(Cut to Ross and Rachel’s bedroom. Ross is working on his laptop. Rachel is sitting on the bed looking at the photo album.)
Rach: I can’t believe that tomorrow our daughter will be a high school graduate. It wasn’t that long ago that she was learning to crawl and walk.
Ross: (turns off his computer and comes to sit next to her) I know. It’s so hard to believe. I don’t want her to go off to college. I will miss her so much. I won’t have anybody to discuss my theories with and practice my lectures on. She has always been the one that I’ve been closest to. Man, the years have flown by!
Rach: Yeah, she always has been the Daddy’s girl in the bunch. I am so proud of who she is and what she has accomplished.
Ross: Me too, we did good Mrs. Geller. (he gives her a kiss) Real good.

Scene: The next day at Julia’s graduation. The ceremony is outdoors and the weather is absolutely perfect. Ross and Rachel are sitting next to each other holding hands. Jaime, Katie, Livy, and Amelia are sitting in front of them. Monica and Chandler’s family and Phoebe and Joey’s family are next to Ross and Rachel. Mr. Nelson, Principal of Westmont High School steps to the microphone.

Mr. Nel: Ladies and gentlemen. We are here on this beautiful day to celebrate the accomplishments of this outstanding group of young people sitting behind me. They have all achieved remarkable things throughout their years here and we as a faculty are so proud of them. We know all of you are too. And now to present our commencement address, may I present the valedictorian of the Westmont High School class of 2020 Miss Julia Claire Geller! (Everyone claps and cheers. Ross and Rachel clap the loudest. Julia steps up to the podium to give her speech. As she listens to Julia’s confident voice, tears flood Rachel’s eyes and her mind begins to wander back through the last eighteen years).

FLASHBACK MAY 2002
(Everyone is in Rachel’s hospital room admiring the beautiful baby girl.)
Ross: (smiles at Rachel) Everyone, we would like you to meet Julia Claire Geller. Julia, this is everyone. And I want to say thank-you to your Mommy for making me the happiest man alive.

MAY 2003
(Julia’s first birthday. She is taking her first steps toward Rachel.)
Rach: Ross! Ross! Are you seeing this? She’s walking! She’s walking!

APRIL 2004
(The day they bring Katie home from the hospital. Julia is just a few weeks away from two and she is very jealous of the new baby. To try and make her feel better, Ross brings her a stuffed dinosaur.)
Jul: This mine?
Ross: Only yours baby. This is a dinosaur like what Daddy works with.
Rach: Julia, sweetie, what would you like to name your dinosaur.
Jul: Julias!
(And so Julias the dinosaur became part of the family.)

AUGUST 2007
(Rachel is dropping Julia off for her first day of Kindergarten. She is dressed in a cute denim jumper and clutching her new lunchbox in one hand and Julias the dinosaur in the other. They come to her classroom.)
Rach: Okay, Julia sweetie this is your classroom remember from our visit yesterday? And look there is Mrs. Owens your teacher. Why don’t you go and put your stuff away?
Jul: No! I want you, Katie and Livy to stay with me.
Rach: I’m sorry sweetie but Mommy and your sisters have to go home. You’ll have to stay at school but I promise I’ll be back to pick you up and we’ll go for an ice cream cone and talk all about your first day.
(Julia looks like she is going to cry. A little redheaded boy taps her on the shoulder.)
Boy: My name is Timmy. What’s yours?
Jul: Julia Claire Geller
Tim: That is some dinosaur you got there. Do you like dinosaurs?
Jul: Yeah, my Daddy works with dinosaurs.
Tim: That is neat! Hey I brought a dinosaur too, you want to go play?
(Julia skips off happily after Timmy and Rachel takes this opportunity to exit swiftly.)

NOVEMBER 2011
(Julia is a fourth grader. She comes running in the front door carrying her model of a tyranosaurus rex and a blue ribbon.)
Jul: Daddy! Daddy I won first place!
Ross: (picking her up and twirling her around) That’s my girl!

AUGUST 2013
(Julia’s first day of Middle school. Rachel and Julia are in the car.)
Jul: Mom, could you drop me off here?
Rach: I guess, but Jules you’re a block away from school.
Jul: I know but I’m really nervous and I think the walk would do me good.
(Rachel lets her out and smiles to herself. She knows that Julia doesn’t want to admit to her that it is embarrassing to have your Mom drive you to school.) Have a good first day sweetie.

MAY 2018
(Julia comes running into the license branch waving a piece of paper.) Mom! Dad! I got it! I got my driver license!
Ross: We knew you could do it! Even though the thought of you driving terrifies me!
Rach: (under her breath) Why? She drives like you SLOW. (to Julia) We are so proud of you, honey.
Jul: So can we go buy my car when we’re done here?
Ross: Nice try, but no.


(The sounds of applause bring Rachel back to the present. Mr. Nelson is once again at the microphone.)
Mr. Nel: Ladies and gentlemen may I present to you the graduating class of 2020. They will each come up and receive their diplomas as their name is called.
(The long line of graduates begin to one by one go up onto the platform to receive their diploma. When Ross sees it is almost Julia’s turn he squeezes Rachel’s hand.)
Mr. Nel: Julia Claire Geller. (Julia walks across the stage and everyone in the Bing, Tribbiani, and Geller sections cheer wildly. Julia takes her diploma holds it up in the air and waves at them all. At the end of the ceremony Julia approaches Rachel, she is carrying two single white roses.)
Jul: (hands her one of the roses) Mom I was going to give this to you during my speech but I knew… (she begins to tear up) I knew I would never be able to get through it. But I need to tell you thank you for being my inspiration and my friend. I love you Mom!
Rach: I love you too sweetheart. And I am so proud of you! (she pulls her into a hug.)
Jul: (hands Ross the other rose) This is going to be hard Dad. I love you so much and you have always been there for me. Thank you for being my rock and for being my number one fan. I wouldn’t be who I am today if not for you.
Ross: (trying not to get teary) I love you too Julia. (he also hugs her.)

Scene: Later that night in Ross and Rachel’s bathroom. Rachel is soaking in a tub full of bubbles. Ross enters.
Ross: (sitting on the edge of the tub) How’s your bath?
Rach: Hmmmm. It’s nice the water is almost perfect.
Ross: God, I can’t believe Julia graduated today. How old are we?
Rach: Well, I’m not sure about you my love but I am still very young. (she blows a bubble at him.)
Ross: Well I guess I just feel old. And when she gave us those roses and started thanking us I honestly thought I was going to break down in tears and I don’t cry
(Rachel raises her eyebrows at him) much.
Rach: I know what you mean. She really is a good kid.
Ross: I’m not sure if I’m ready to let her go Rach. I mean it’s Julia- our firstborn, the child that brought us back together.
Rach: She’s the one I’m least likely to worry about at college. She’s got a great head on her shoulders. (She smiles at her husband.) She gets that from you.
Ross: Still you know…
Rach: Ross, do you remember earlier when I said the water is almost perfect?
Ross: Yeah.
Rach: Well, I just realized what is missing that would make it perfect.
Ross: What? Do you want to be alone? Do you want me to turn on your radio? Do you want those smelly candles you like lit?
Rach: No, what would make this water perfect is if you joined me. (she flashes him a sexy smile) undressed, of course.
Ross: Of course. (he gets undressed and then jumps in the tub making water splash everywhere. Rachel giggles and then pulls him closer to her and kisses him deep on the mouth. They both sink further into the water still kissing as the scene fades out.)

A week later…
Scene: The cafeteria at Evensbrook Middle School. Amelia Geller and Campbell Bing are sitting at one of the tables eating their lunch. Amelia is relaying to Campbell all the events at her house over the past few weeks and has just finished telling her about Livy being brought home by the cop.)
Camp: Oh my God! If I ever did anything like that my parents would kill me! My Mom would go ultrasonic! Hurts my ears just thinking about it.
Amel: Well my parents weren’t exactly cool with it. Livy’s grounded for like the next gazillion years which she is really going to hate next week when we are finally out of school.
Camp: Ugh! Don’t remind me. I hate summer vacation! Mom and Dad are going to take us on one of the “Bing family classic learning vacations” (groans) they suck! Why didn’t they stop having kids after Liam? I would have been totally cool with that!
Amel: I wouldn’t have been cool with that. Then I wouldn’t have a cousin who doubles as my best friend!
Camp: This is true. Hey I know! Maybe I can come stay with you this summer. Surely your parent’s wouldn’t mind. Aunt Rachel loves me. And your sister is getting ready to go to college maybe my presence would pull them out of the misery of saying goodbye to Julia.
Amel: (laughs) There is no question that you are Uncle Chandler’s daughter. I will ask my parents but don’t get your hopes up.
Camp: Will you ask my parents too?
Amel: No way! You are on totally on your own there cuz. I don’t want to deal with Aunt Monica’s interrogations. (she rolls her eyes and collapses on the floor.)
Camp: (laughing) Okay, Amelia I know it’s my Mom we’re talking about here but do you have to be that dramatic about it? Of course, you do it’s you. (looks down at Amelia) Okay, you’ve made your point you can get up now. (Amelia is still lying very still on the cold cafeteria floor. By now a small crowd has gathered around them.) Oh my God!!! Amelia please get up now! (Campbell realizes Amelia is not going to get up and gets down next to her and begins to try and shake her awake) Please wake up Amelia? Please!!!!!!!