the one with the beach breakdown

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“It’s fine. It’s NOT fine.”

Ronnie walks out of Chandler’s bathroom looking… pale. Jake is putting together a beach bag. Chandler’s eating cereal. Joey is asleep on the couch with a sandwich on his chest.

"You okay?" Jake asked her

(flatly)
"Nope. Plans canceled. Nature hates me. I’m bleeding. I want to cry, scream, and light something on fire — not in that order." She tells him

She turns and locks herself in the bathroom.

"Oh." Jake said as he realizes

"Bleeding…?"Chandler asks confused

Beat. Then realization hits. He freezes mid-spoonful.

"Ohhh." He said worried

(muffled)
"Did someone die?" Joey asked

---

“Operation Panic”

The girls — Monica, Phoebe, and Rachel — are gone for the day, off shopping in SoHo.

(knocking on the bathroom door)
"Babe, do you… need anything?" Jake asked her

(through the door)
"My uterus removed. A blanket. Chocolate. All the heating pads in the tri-state area."she said

Chandler stands behind Jake, whispering like they’re in a war zone.

"Do we… have any of that?" Chandler whispered in confusion

"I don't think so. Why would I have heating pads? I’m not… equipped." Jake said

(suddenly wide awake)
"Wait — I think I dated a girl who left pads in the cabinet once. Hold up." Joey said

---
– The Guys Try to Help (Terribly)

Cut to Chandler holding a pack of cotton balls, Jake with a bag of frozen peas, and Joey handing Jake a heating pad that looks suspiciously like a foot warmer.

"You think she’ll let us live after this?" He asked the guys

"Not a chance. But we’ll go down as men who tried." Chandler said

They knock.

(gently)
"Ronnie? We brought supplies. Not sure what’s useful, but… there’s chocolate, painkillers, and Joey’s dignity." Jake said outside of the bathroom

(muffled)
"Put them on the floor. Walk away."she said

They slide everything under the door. Silence. Then:

(quietly)
"Thanks."

---

– Soft Moments

An hour later. Ronnie is on the couch in a giant blanket cocoon. Jake sits beside her, not touching, just near. Joey and Chandler are quietly watching cartoons.

(groggy)
"You guys really suck at woman things." She told them

" Yeah, but I make great popcorn." Joey said

"And I held a heating pad with tongs, like a gentleman." Chandler added

"You can yell at us later. Right now, I’m just glad you let us try." He told her

She rests her head on Jake’s shoulder.

"You were useless. But sweet." She told them

---

– That Night

> “It wasn’t about the pain. It was about letting people see me in it.”
“They didn’t fix anything. They just stayed. That’s starting to feel like enough.”

---

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