Author Note: I do not own any of the Friends characters. Reviews and criticism welcome. Enjoy!
Jack and Erica enter the house and place their backpacks on their hook in the mudroom, knowing how much trouble they will be in with their mother if they don't. The house is surprisingly quiet and eerie; the twins should have been greeted by their father by now. The twins look to one another with fear. Jack grabs his sister's hand and turns toward the rest of the house.
"Dad," Jack yells out at the top of his lungs. "We're home!"
The house goes dead quiet with no response. Erica steps closer to her brother and squeezes his hand in fear.
"Daddy," Erica tries, "where are you?"
Again, no response comes. The twins' breathing picks up as fear spreads throughout their entire bodies.
"Jack," Erica whispers, "I'm scared."
"It's ok Erica," Jack answers as he faces her. He can see the fear in her wide eyes that are brimming with tears. To help reassure her and himself, he pulls his sister into a quick hug. "I'm going to look for Dad. Maybe he's taking a nap."
"I'll come with," Erica answers, not wanting to be alone.
Jack nods and leads her up the stairs slowly as they continue to call out for their father. The second's ticks by slowly, feeling like minutes are agonizingly going by. At the top of the stairs, the twins hesitate to move forward. The door to their parents' bedroom is ajar. Jack calls out one more time before letting go of Erica's hand and creeping up to the door.
"Jack," Erica whispers out with a shaky voice. Jack turns to her and tries to give her a reassuring smile.
"It's ok," he answers. "Just stay there, I'll be right back."
Jack turns back to the door before Erica can answer. He pushes the door open slowly as he whispers for his dad. The site in the room makes his heart feel like someone is squeezing it as it picks up speed and his breath catches in his throat. Lying on the floor with half his body in the bathroom is his father Chandler, his right hand resting in a pool of his own vomit. His head is facing the door with closed eyes.
"Dad!" Jack yells out in pure fear. He runs over to Chandler and starts shaking him as tears begin to flow down his face. "Wake up!"
Erica runs into the room when she hears Jack yell. She stops in her tracks when she sees Jack crying. Her legs buckle from under her and she begins to ball in utter fear. Hearing his sister crying and getting no response from his father, Jack runs to the end table and grabs the phone before booking it down the stairs. He stops in the kitchen and begins to look for the paper with phone numbers his parents printed for emergencies. Finally finding it in one of the drawers, Jack places it on the dinner table and dials his mother's work number quickly.
Jack holds his breath as the phone rings. He starts to rock on his heels impatiently as he waits for someone to pick up the line. On the fourth ring, someone picks up and gives the standard greeting of the restaurant his mother works at.
"Can I speak to Monica Bing please?" Jack asks with a shaky voice as he tries to control his fear.
"One moment please."
The line switches to classical music as Jack is put on hold. He starts to pace around the table as he waits to hear his mother's voice, mumbling to himself. He has never felt so anxious in his little life. Eventually, the music stops and Jack hears the familiar voice of his mother.
"Monica Bing speaking, how may I help you?"
"Mom you need to come home," Jack answers pleadingly.
"Jack, sweetie, you know I'm working late tonight."
"I know, but—"Jack tries to interrupt while bouncing on his heels impatiently.
"You father should be home with you and Erica."
"He is, but mom—"
"Then whatever the problem is, you can tell your father."
"No mom, listen to me—"
"You and I can talk about it tomorrow when you get home from school."
"Dad won't wake up."
Monica stops talking, confused by Jack's last statement. What does he mean by "won't wake up"?
"What?"
"I can't wake Dad up."
"What do you mean you can't wake him up?"
"Erica and I found him in your bedroom asleep, and there is barf next to him. I tried to wake him up, but he won't even move."
Silence follows as Monica takes in what her son is trying to tell her. The unknown of the situation puts a hole in the pit of her stomach from fear for her husband.
"Jack, I need you to call your Aunt Rachel. She has the day off today. Have her check on your father and give me a call back. I'll see what I can do to leave early tonight, ok? I love you."
"Okay, I love you too."
They both hang up and Jack looks at the paper for his Aunt's number. He fumbles with dialing on the phone, but eventually gets it right. Eventually, a woman answers the phone and Jack wastes no time, trying to explain everything as fast as he can. He doesn't want to waste anymore time.
"Jack," Rachel interrupts. "Slow down, I can't understand a word you're saying."
"Mom told me to call you to come over to wake up Dad and then call her at work. I can't get Dad to wake up."
"Um, ok I'll be right over," Rachel answers, not understanding what is going on. Due to her own experience with Emma, she understands young children can overreact and exaggerate, and can't always explain things well.
Jack sets the phone on the table and runs upstairs to tell Erica, who is still up in their parents' bedroom crying. He stops in his tracks again when he enters the room. Erica is lying with her head buried in their father's back, whispering for him to wake up.
"Erica," Jack whimpers with a start. Erica lifts her tear-streaked face and meets his eyes. "Let's go downstairs and wait for Aunt Rachel."
"What about Dad?" Erica asks between sobs, not wanting to leave him alone.
"Aunt Rachel will be able to help Dad when she gets here. Please come wait with me?"
Erica takes one last look at her father before getting up and running out of the room, grabbing Jack's hand on the way out, and continuing down the stairs. She unlocks the front door, opens it, and sits on the front step. Erica leans into Jack, laying her head on his shoulder as Jack wraps his arm around her as they wait for their aunt's arrival.