FRIENDS: The One With the Key

F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

Chapter One: The One With the Key

“You will not believe what I found!”

Rachel exclaimed after she burst through the doors of Central Perk nearly knocking out Gunther on her way to her five friends eagerly waiting to hear the news.

“How many licks it takes to get to the center of a tootsie pop? How to handcuff a one armed man? A cure for cancer?” Chandler spouted off casually.

“No,” Rachel responded impatiently,

“I was cleaning Ross an-” Chandler interrupted her, “You were cleaning...without Monica?”

Rachel rolled her eyes at Chandler while Monica slapped his leg in friendly manner.

“As I was saying,” Rachel continued, “I was cleaning out mine and Ross’ apartment, when I came across this key.”

“Oh my God! Is that the key to my Grandma’s taxi? I’ve been looking all over for that!” Phoebe announced eagerly.

“No, Phebs it’s not, and Joey drove the taxi last to his audition for the Days of Our lives reunion” Rachel said impatiently waiting to tell her friends what the key went to.

Joey looked up from his coffee, “Rach my audition isn’t until Thursday”

Monica looked over at Joey with concern and says, “Joey, today is Thursday.”

“No it’s not Monica” Joey said while he counted his fingers, “Monday, one day. Tuesday, two day. Wednesday, When? Huh? What day? Thursday, the third da-”

The rest of the gang stared at Joey as he realized it was the day of his audition. “NO! I’ve got to hurry.” Joey yelled as he ran out of Central Perk, knocking over Gunther once again.

“Now that pinhead is gone can you please tell us what the key unlocks.” Ross said annoyed.

“Oh sorry Ross I thought we were taking a break from the conversation.” Rachel snapped back at him.

“Touche” Ross replied.

Chandler spoke up; “Tell us what the blasted key goes to before we all die here.”

Rachel flipped her hair as she told everyone to be prepared for the news that was coming. “So I found the key and tried every lock I could think of; Monica’s house, Joey's apartment, Ross’s apartment, and even my old office but nothing worked.” Rachel continued “ So I looked at the key more carefully and it said apartment 20.”

“Oh good thing you did waste all of your time trying all the locks in New York City when you had that information” Chandler rolled off sarcastically.

“How in the world did you get a key to Charlie Sheen’s apartment” Phoebe exclaimed overjoyed. “Pheebs apartment 20 it not Charlie Sheen, it’s my old apartment.” Monica explained.

“Rach how in the world did you get a key to the old apartment, we all turned our keys in when Monica and Chandler moved.” Ross questioned.

“So Rach what are you going to do with it?’ Monica asked as she thought back to the many memories the friends had shared in that apartment with a smile on her face.

“She is going to return it immediately.” Ross instructed and the other friends moaned at their killjoy friend. “Obviously it is illegal, we haven’t lived there in months!”

“Ross, come on we have so many memories in that apartment and it wouldn’t hurt anyone to go up and see the place for one last time.” Monica explained to her brother.

“I say we go!I want to see who is living there now. I say we go!” Phoebe declared, “We have all lived in that apartment at one point in time and I would like to go see who lives in it now to make sure they are taking care of the place.”

“I agree. That is why I brought you guys the key. This is the universe's way of letting us re-live the past ten years” Rachel pointed out to the gang.

Monica bounded off the ever so famous orange sofa and persuaded all of the friends to go up to the apartment with her for one last time. On the way out the door Joey came moping into Central Perk,

“I missed my audition. I always miss my audition”

“The casting director doesn’t even speak to the people who audition, her stupid casting agents do.” Joey said sadly.

“What a sad little life she must lead.” said Phoebe.

“I’m sorry man maybe next time.” Chandler empathized with Joey while he exchanged a nervous look with everyone around the room.

“C’mon Joe we are on our way up to Monica and Chandler’s old apartment!” Phoebe explained to him. “Rachel found a key.”

The six friends; Joey, Chandler, Monica, Rachel, Ross and Phoebe all headed up to apartment number 20 that so many memories had been shared in. As they got up to the apartment Chandler stepped up to unlock the door.

“Here it goes, I’m about to turn the key to the last ten years of our lives.” Chandler told the friends.

“Hurry up!!” Monica yelled, “The place better be clean.”

The door knob was turned and the purple door was opened as the friends were greeted by an oh too familiar sound, “Oh my God!! Chandler Bing.”