TOW Ross Forgets Rachel

Side note: This story is based upon the song “Oh Where, Oh Where Can My Baby Be?” by Pearl Jam with a small twist. I hope you enjoy it.

When Ross awoke, everything around him was white. As he lay there trying to figure out what was going on, 4 people walked in. he immediately recognized them as Monica, Chandler, Phoebe and Joey.

Chandler: “How are you doing, man?”

Ross: “Aside from the sledgehammer in my head I’m fine.”

Monica: (relieved) “You gave us quite a scare there, bro.”

Joey: “Scare… there… HEY! That rhymes!!!” Everyone stares blankly at Joey. “What?”

Opening credits

Monica: “You’ve been awfully silent so far, Phoebe.”

Phoebe: “Something’s wrong with him, I can sense it.”

Monica: “Pheebs, Ross just said he’s fine besides a headache. Nothing is wrong.”

Meanwhile, the guys are chatting with Ross…

Ross: “So why am I here? What happened to me? I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck.”

Joey: “How did you know?” Chandler whacks him in the head. “What?”

Chandler: “You and Rachel were in a car accident. You were hit by a 4 wheel drive truck.”

Ross: (panicking) “What?!? Rachel too? Is she ok?”

Before the guys can answer, the nurse walks in with a patient. Though the face is pretty bruised and bandaged, we can recognize her as Rachel.

Rachel: “Ross are you ok?” She moves to his bedside as everyone takes a few steps back.

Ross: “Yeah I’m fine, Rach. How about you?”

Rachel: “I’m ok.”

As she leans in to kiss him, Ross suddenly looks very confused.

Ross: “Um Rachel, I know this sounds funny but it looks like you’re about to kiss me.” He sounds just as serious as he is confused. Rachel steps back and looks as if she’s about to cry. The nurse guides her out of the room.

Phoebe: (whispering) “I knew it! I knew something was wrong!”

Monica: “He doesn’t remember being in love with Rachel, that’s so sad.” Everyone looks sadly at Ross who looks confused at this point. They leave the room to go check on Rachel leaving Ross with his own confusion.

Meanwhile outside the hospital room

Monica: “What’s going on, nurse? Is he alright?”

Nurse: (addressing the group) “It seems to me that he may have Selective Memory Loss. (Directing her attention to Rachel) You say that you two were in love before the accident? (Rachel nods) Well, he seems to only have forgotten your relationship. Perhaps he thought you died and to help him cope with the traumatic loss, his subconscious forgot about your relationship. It’s only temporary so I wouldn’t worry about him too much. (Rachel is crying and hugging Monica as the nurse continues) At this point it is better if you let him remember on his own. Be there to support him but don’t fuss over him too much. You can both go home tonight.”

Monica: (letting go of Rachel so she can compose herself) “Thank you, you’ve been so helpful.”

Nurse: “You’re very welcome. (Turning to Rachel) My best wishes to two. I’ll send a Doctor in to check on him and then he can go.”

Rachel: “Thank you.”

Joey: (Sounding suave) “Excuse me, but my name is Dr. Drake Ramoray…” He tries to finish but Chandler clamps a hand over his mouth.

Chandler: “Excuse him, no wait, don’t. He has no excuse.” The rest go back into the room leaving Joey with the nurse.

Joey: “How you doin’?”

Back in the room

Rachel: (trying to compose herself) “Ok, Ross, the nurse says that you can go home today.”

Ross: (concerned) “Are you ok, Rach?”

Rachel: “Yes I am fine, Ross. It’s nothing.”

Ross: “Are you sure?”

Chandler: (cutting in therefore saving Rachel) “Ok, buddy! Looks like you’re ready to go!”

Phoebe: “Ok! Let’s go!”

The drive home

The ride home was pretty quiet for Rachel. She couldn’t stop thinking about how Ross couldn’t remember loving her. Then a song caught her attention.

Oh where, oh where can my baby be?

The Lord took her away from me.

She’s gone to heaven so I’ve got to be good

So I can see my baby when I leave this world.

We were out on a date in my daddy’s car.

We hadn’t driven very far.

There in the road, straight ahead

A car had stalled, the engine was dead.

I couldn’t stop so I swerved to the right.

I’ll never forget the sound that night.

The screamin’ tires and the bustin’ glass

The painful scream that I heard last.

Oh where, oh where can my baby be?

The Lord took her away from me.

She’s gone to heaven so I’ve got to be good

So I can see my baby when I leave this world.

A single tear rolled down Rachel’s cheek.

When I woke up the rain was pourin’ down,

There were people standin’ all around.

Something warm floated through my eye

But somehow I found my baby that night.

I lifted her head; she looked at me and said

“Hold me darling, just a little while.”

I held her close; I kissed her our last kiss.

I found the love that I knew I had missed.

But now she’s gone, even though I hold her tight

I lost my love, my life that night.

Oh where, oh where can my baby be?

The Lord took her away from me.

She’s gone to heaven so I’ve got to be good

So I can see my baby when I leave this world.

With that Rachel began to cry. Monica noticed and began trying to comfort her. Ross had fallen asleep from the combination of hospital drugs and exhaustion and was drooling on the window. Joey was poking Ross, Phoebe was driving her grandmother’s taxicab and Chandler was panicking because Phoebe was driving.

Phoebe: “Oops!”

Chandler: (nervous) “Whaddya mean ‘oops’?”

Phoebe: “My cheat sheet flew out the window but it’s ok!! I think I remember. Brake right, gas left. Or was it the other way around?”

Chandler begins clawing at the window, fogging it up and writing ‘help’ backwards.

After they got Ross home and in bed, Rachel went to Monica’s.

Rachel: (crying) “What am I gonna do, Mon? I don’t know if I can live without Ross.”

Monica: “Remember what the nurse said. Just be there for him. Maybe something you say or do will spark his memory.” Just then Rachel had a light bulb. We see Joey running off with Monica’s portable lamp. “Joey get back here!” Rachel decided to go to bed and think about her plan.

The next day, Rachel decided to put her plan into motion. First she called the local radio station. Then she called Ross to see if he wanted to hang out since everyone else was busy. So he came over and they talked for a little while and at 3:00 Rachel turned the radio on. “With or Without You” by U2 came on. All of a sudden Ross got this strange yet familiar look in eyes. He looked over at Rachel and walked over to her. He cupped her chin and sweetly kissed her lips. “You remember?” Rachel asked him slowly. Ross smile, his eyes filled with love, “I don’t see how I could have forgotten.” Rachel smiled and hugged him tight. The rest is history.

THE END