Hello and welcome to Life Through the Years part 14. Yes that’s right folks the ride is almost over—and what a long strange trip it’s been(ok not really, I just like that quote and wanted an excuse to use it) anyways When I began this fic in November of 2001 I never dreamed I’d end up having 14 chapters to it. It’s been a lot of fun to write and I’ve loved reading your reviews. I know I am going to prob forget someone, but there are some people who have been very loyal to this story who I need to thank J

Carrie, Lynn(If you actually read every single chapter—then I owe you a prize of some sort) Haydee, Therese, Liz, Tasha, TeacherChez, Sailor Callie, Tabitha, Roche Dog, RossRachnEmma and Kimmy Larissa, and of course all the people at Sm’s, Roni’s, CP and FF.net(who I have not already mentioned)

I know I have prob screwed up on some of the ages(as I kept writing I stopped paying attention to who’s b-dy was when, but I did the best I could. I now present to you the final chapter of Life Through the Years!!! J

Oh yeah-lol before I begin here is once again a rundown of everyone’s ages and so forth J

It’s now 2055

Monica and Chandler were married in 2001 and they have two children; Steven born in 2003 and Laura born in 2005. Steven is gay/homosexual and lives with a man named Houston. Laura was a rebellious, wild child, unable to deal with her brothers sexuality or the rules/values her parents tried to instill in her. She was kicked out of college and began working as a stripper in Miami. She has a daughter named Eva(born in 2031) who Monica and Chandler are raising, due to Laura’s lifestyle and problems with drugs. Chandler died of Lung Cancer in 2051 and Monica died in 2052

Ross and Rachel were married in 2002, when there first daughter Chelsea was 4 months old. They had 3 daughters, Chelsea(2002) Mallory(2004) and Courtney(2007) in 2010 Chelsea died in a horrific accident—it was not caused by Rachel but a choice she made contributed to it. In his grief, Ross blamed Rachel and they began to argue, she turned to drugs to deal with her pain and they subsequently divoced. They slept together once during this period and she became pregnant. But Ross denied being the father as Rachel also had a variety of one night stands. It was later determined that the baby was Ross’s and their son Scott was born in 2012. Ross and Rachel were remarried in 2025. Ross died in 2054 from a sudden Heart attack

Their daughter Mallory is married to Mike(2030) and they have two children
Annie born in 2032(who was paralyzed in a car accident in 2048)
Heather born in 2036

Courtney is married to Grant(and lives in Chicago) they have two children
Sarah born in 2033
Andrew(Andy) 2035

Scott attended and graduated from college in California and worked in N. California as a 9th grade history teacher. He was married to a women named Lisa and they had twin sons. He moved back to NYC after Lisa decided she no longer wanted to be a mom, and left him and the boys
The boys are named Matt and Justin and they were born in 2049

Ben and Kate have a daughter named Molly who was born in 2021

Molly Married Kyle in 2046 their daughter Tasha was born in 2049 and their daughter Taylor was born in 2051

Phoebe was shortly married to David, but left him and began dating Joey, she became pregnant and there was question as to who was the father, it was determined that the baby was Joeys and they were married in 2005. Joey died in 2047
Their son Tyler was born in 2005, and was a few months old when they were married.

Tyler is married to Brooke and they have one daughter, Amanda born in 2035

Girl Chandler is the only one left of the triplets(and is like Phoebe’s daughter and part of the group) because Frank/Alice, Leslie and Frank JR Jr all died(in non related accidents)
She was married to Ryan, but divorced him after he was caught cheating on her, they have three children
Deidra(Dee) born 2024. She married Scott(yes Ross and Rachels scott in 2049. They had a daughter named Casey in 2051 and a son named Adam in 2054
Amber born 2027- she married Daniel in 2052
And Lucus born 2030
Lucus and Eva dated on and off growing up and married in 2051 in 2054 they had a son named Austin
So ages for everyone are:

Phoebe: 86
Rachel: 84
Ben 60
Girl Chandler- 57
Mallory- 51
Courtney- 48
Scott- 45
Steve 52
Laura- 50
Tyler- 50
Molly- 34
Deidra- 31
Amber- 28
Lucus- 25
Eva- 24
Annie(Anne) 23
Heather- 19
Sarah- 22
Andy- 20
Amanda- 20
Matt- 15
Justin- 15
Tasha- 6
Taylor- 4
Casey- 4
Adam- 1
Now on with the fic—Presenting Chapter 14!!!

Oh and I also have to say that it is now 2055, In 2054 Amanda was married to a man named Jason and this past March(2055) she gave birth to a baby boy named Joseph Matthew(little Joey) Mallory and Mike celeberated their 25th anniversary in April
It’s now July

MALLORY: are you sure you want to go all the way to Chicago, Mom?
RACHEL: of course I’m sure
MALLORY: it’s a long way to travel, we can take pictures you know
RACHEL: I am aware of how long it is to Chicago, I am old not senile. I also am aware that this is my granddaughters wedding. Sarah is getting married and I am going to be there.
MALLORY: Fine Mother, I hear you
RACHEL: good, now if you’ll excuse me I’m going to rest before this evening.
MALLORY: that’s a good idea. I told everyone to start arriving around 7pm
RACHEL: It will be good to see everyone, I’ve always loved 4th of July. You were born on the 4th you know
Mallory: I know, you’ve told me that story a billion times. It’s why I have the middle name July
RACHEL: Just making sure you listened to my stories

-Rachel closes her eyes and falls asleep and Mallory begins getting things ready for the 4th of July celebration they are having.

Later that evening, everyone is at Mallory and Mikes. Everybody means everyone except Heather who won’t be in the States for another couple of weeks(for Sarah’s Wedding) and Courtney, Grant, Sarah, And Andy who are in Chicago preparing for the wedding.

MALLORY: are you ok Mom, you’re not cold are you
RACHEL: Mallory I am not a child, yes I’m 84 but I’m not stupid if I was cold I’d get a jacket
MALLORY: I’m just making sure you’re ok
RACHEL: I know and I appreciate it, but I can still care for myself, you don’t need to worry so much
MALLORY: I know and I’m sorry mom it’s just it’s hard to see you grow old you know. I mean when I was a kid it was always the 6 of you, You and dad and Aunt Mon and Uncle Chandler and of course Phoebe and Joey and now most of you are gone, and Phoebe’s well….
RACHEL: it’s ok you can say it, she’s blind as a bat
MALLORY: Yeah, and it just shows me how life will be for me, for all of my generation someday
RACHEL: but that’s part of life, growing, changing, different phases different experiences
MALLORY: yeah.. it’s intersesting though
RACHEL: what is
MALLORY: how so much time can past and you don’t even realize it. It seems like just yesterday I was getting married, or the girls were being born and now look at us
RACHEL: yep, that’s how life is
Mallory walks off and Rachel begins to daydream

AN: I know italics don’t always work when I upload them to ff.net so I’m going to put the flashbacks in Italics—but I’ll also say “end flashback” so you know when it’s back to present time

Flashback

RACHEL: I cant belive how dumb your brother is, he is such a dork
MONICA: well duhh, like I dotn know that. But you are lucky, you don’t have to live with him
RACHEL: what is he doing with that goo on his hair
MONICA: He is trying to spike his hair, to look cool, he thinks that will make Cindy Millingford go out with him
RACHEL: excuse me Cindy the Cheerleader in High School Cindy, go out with your brother Ross Geller an 8th grader
MONICA: yep, that’s his plan he wants a date to the spring dance. Hey I have an idea(evil glint in her eye)
RACHEL: what
MONICA: why don’t you go out with him
RACHEL: Ewww I wouldn’t date Ross Geller if he was the last guy on earth, I will never ever date him

End Flashback

RACHEL: (really softly to herself) but I did, and it was the best choice I ever made
PHOEBE: What did you do
RACHEL: Pheebs you scared me, geesh you sneak up quietly
PHOEBE: hmm, perhaps the loss of my vision has rendered my feet quieter when I walk
RACHEL: I don’t think that’s how it works
PHOEBE: or perhaps I’m just sneaky. Now what did you do
RACHEL: what did you do when
PHOEBE: you just said it was the best thing you ever did
RACHEL: Oh that, I was just remembering when I was younger, one time when Monica and I were teasing Ross, we were real young prob in about 7th grade and I swore I’d never date him.
PHOEBE: but you did
RACHEL: yes I did and it was
PHOEBE and RACHEL: the best thing I/you ever did
RACHEL: do you do that
PHOEBE: you know if you are going to ask me a question, pleae make sure it’s one that makes sense. Do I do what??
RACHEL: think about the past, remember stuff, stuff that happened so long ago but seems like just yesterday
PHOEBE: oh that, yeah of course
RACHEL: I wondere why we do it
PHOEBE: oh that’s easy it’s cause were’ old. We know there’s not much time left, our friends, the amazing people we spent so much time with are gone and we know there’s not much time left for us, so those are our happy memories to look back on. To remember when life was good and seemed endless
RACHEL: I never thought of it that way, that makes sense. Thanks Pheebs
PHOEBE: Don’t mention it

TASHA: Nana, Nana, hide me hide me(she runs over and Darts behind Rachel’s chair)
RACHEL: hide you from what
TASHA: from Taylor her and Casey is chasin me
RACHEL: are chasing you
TASHA: that’s’ what I said, they is chasing me
TAYLOR: (yells to Casey) there she is, get her
TASHA: na na na you cant catch me
TAYLOR: ha ha I got you, come on Tasha catch me, catch me
(The three of them run off, chasing each other around the yard)
TYLER: ah to be young again. (bends down and kisses Phoebee) hey Mom, this little guy wanted to say hello to his great grandma
PHOEBE: well hello there Joseph Matthew
RACHEL: Little Joey. Wonder if he’ll be as good of an eater as his great grandfather
AMANDA: (walks over) if the amount of milk he drinks is any indication, I’d say we named him very well.
--Ben and Kate walk over
KATE: Wow what is this a family conference
PHOEBE: yeah I’m deciding who gets my money after I die
TYLER: Mother
PHOEBE: oh relax Tyler, I don’t intend to go for a good long time yet. (says to the others) The child always was too sensitive for his own good
TYLER” Mom, I’m hardly a child
PHOEBE: are you 86
TYLER” No
PHOEBE: then you’re a child

Suddenly there is a commotion on the other side of the yard

BROOKE: what on earth is going on
MATT(runs up) baby Austin is crawling, he just was sitting there and started crawling man it was soo awesome
SCOTT: he just was sitting there?? Matthew, have I taught you nothing, what kind of atrocious grammar was that
MATT: chill dad, it’s not like I’m in school and I’m not gonna be a teacher like you so it doesn’t matter

RACHEL: V/O(voice over) Life is filled with moments like these, moments that you want to just hold on to, to remember forever. We get so busy living life that we don’t even realize how important those moments will one day become. We take for granted that those we care for will always be there, but there not. I’ve lived a long life and still, I can close my eyes and hear a song or see a face and think of so many special moments. That 4th of July was such a great time, the last time Phoebe and I were really together. She came down with Pnemomia a couple months later and never fully recovred, she died the following December. Sarah married Mark in Chicago in a beautiful wedding. My beautiful granddaughter getting married. What else.. Oh Heather and Piece had a baby girl named Lisette—the three of them live in Paris, they came back for Sarah’s wedding, I haven’t seen the baby yet though, except in pictures. Amanda and Tony married this past June of 2056 and well everyone else is doing well. Eva and Laura are even talking again, over time they have gotten to be friends. There relationsip isn’t like that of mother and daugher, but more that of friends. Laura knows she made mistakes and she’s able to face up to them now-it’s taken a lifetime but she’s conquered her demons. Steven and Houston were still together, up til last year when Steve died of a sudden heart attack-he was only 53.
Yes life is filled with memories. I look at my granddaughters and my great nephew and the great grandchildren of my friends and I wonder where there lives will lead them. I so want to be here to see them, to help them and guide them, to share my memories with them, but I know my time is running out.
-Rachel sits down on her bed and begins to flip through the pages of a photo album. She comes to rest on a photo taken abot 2wks before Joey died, the last photo of the whole gang together, with all the children and grandchildren(the ones where were born then) directly across from it is a photo taken in 2001 at Chandler and Monica’s wedding

In our times of trouble
We only had ourselves
Nobody else
No one there to save us
We had to save ourselves
And when the storm came through
They found me and you
Back to back together
And when the sun would shine
It was yours and mine, yours and mine forever

Oh how the years go by
Oh how the love brings tears to my eyes
All through the changes the soul never dies
We fight, we laugh we cry
As the years go by

There were times we stumbled
They thought they had us down
But we came around yeah
How we rolled and rambled
We got lost, we got found
Now wer’e back on solid ground

We took everything
All our times would bring
In this world of dangers
Cause when the heart is strong
You know you’re not alone
In this world of strangers

Oh how the years go by
Oh how the love brings tears to my eyes
All through the changes the soul never dies
We fight, we laugh, we cry
As the years go by

And if we lose our way
Any night or day
Well we’ll always be
Where we should be
I’m there for you
And I know you’re there for me

Smiling, Rachel closed the album, laid down on the bed and closed her eyes.

THE END!!!!!

AN: and y es folks in case you don’t get it, she died in her sleep.!! I know this last part was rushed but I wanted to get this done and to be honest there wanst much more I could have added. I hope you have enjoyed this fic as much as I have enjoyed reading it