Authors Note: I love you guys, so many reviews! Aw, wow! You're great!
Anistoncox: Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying it! And yes, I've just stared reading your fics, they're great- if you haven't already, check them out guys!
Dizuz: Thanks, I'm glad you liked my (sort of) update! ;) I am such a perfectionist, and it's hard to write when you're not happy with your writing, if that makes sense.
hugefriendsfan00: thank you!
Mondlerfan16: Thanks, and really, the first one, aw, that's so sweet!
Mondlerfan101: THANKS, and I won't stop in the same place, they'd be cruel!
Prof-the F.R.I.E.N.D.S fanatic: Thank you so much, I guess it was okay the first time around, thanks for saying that, but like I said above, I've got to be happy with my work to want to carry on, and yes, re-reading is a nightmare!
miacarretto17: Oohh, thanks! I hope you enjoy this!
THANKS SO MUCH! I'm so overwhelmed, you're all so kind, that makes me so happy, y'know?! And als0, I told you I'd update soon, the next chapter is about half done, but, I won't get to that for a day or two… thank you again, please enjoy chapter two- and, in regards to my other stories, I will be carrying on with them
Disclaimer: I still don't own FRIENDS… which, really, really sucks.
"Monica, what happened this time?"
Monica sighed sadly to herself, she could hear the disappointment in her voice as she addressed her. Lynda had known her nearly all her life, she first started working alongside Monica back when she fell pregnant all those years ago, trying (and failing) to get her into a job, and keep her there.
"I do explain," Monica argued, sitting back down in the dark blue chair opposite her, "I try, I really do… but they just- no one understands."
Lynda gave her a small, sympathetic smile, "Monica, I know, I know how hard it is with Daniel being sick, but you've to really, really try… it's getting harder to find jobs when you're getting fired or quitting."
"I don't want to quit," Monica explained quietly, "But when people make me chose between a job or my son, I'll choose him, every time."
Lynda sighed again, "And I admire you for that," she said, "You're a wonderful mum, Monica, I just- I don't know how much longer you can carry on like this."
Monica looked down sadly, "Neither do I," she shrugged, "I work hard, and well… I want to give Danny everything."
"You know," Lynda said, thoughtfully after a few minutes, "I was given this card a while back about a project going on with the university, I think you'd be a great candidate."
Monica frowned, watching as Lynda as she retrieved a small note from her desk draw and handed it to her, "I don't know," Monica said slowly, looking apprehensively at the card, "I don't want some kid using me as their homework or something."
"I think it will be really good for you, Monica," Lynda said, "They're Law students, they know about the world and… I think this could help you, and Daniel."
"And Daniel," Monica repeated, smiling slightly, she still didn't like the idea of doing this, she didn't want a snobby Law student trying to 'fix' her, but she'd do it for Daniel, "Okay, I-I'll do it, I'll try."
Chandler opened his file and groaned loudly, attracting a strange look from his roommate, Joey.
"It's bad I guess?" Joey asked, turning around from his desk and smirking.
"Worse," Chandler sighed, "I have to work with a single, teenage mother who can't keep down a job."
Joey raised his brows, "What the- how does this help with Law?"
"Thank you," Chandler said, holding his hands up, "Neither do I. Victoria's crazy, man."
"So, when do you meet… Monica?" Joey asked, reading the name from the top of the file.
"Twenty minutes," Chandler sighed, "I should, I should go and get this over with."
"Good luck, man," Joey said, "Hey, you never know, she could be hot."
Chandler rolled his eyes, "I doubt that," he huffed, grabbing his bag and heading out of the door.
Monica waited in the small conference room for the student to arrive, glancing back over to the small clock and letting out a loud, frustrated sigh- he was over ten minutes late, and she had less than an hour before she'd have to leave to get Daniel from school in time. A few minutes later, when Monica was just about to get up and leave, the door finally opened, she sat back down and watched as a young, sandy-haired man walked into the room.
"Hi," Chandler murmured, closing the door slowly behind himself. He turned slowly, and offered a half-hearted smile to the girl. She was pretty, he noticed, very pretty actually- her hair was long and dark, her skin was pale, freckled and clear, she was obviously poor though, she wore no make-up, and her clothes, a pair of dark blue, tight fitting jeans and a pale blue t-shirt, were obviously cheap. Chandler cleared his throat after a second when he dragged his gaze up to meet her angry, bemused glare.
"Hello," she finally said, a small, fake smile touching her lips.
Chandler sat awkwardly opposite Monica, taking his expensive laptop from his bag and placing it on the table in front of him, "So," he said, "Tell me about yourself."
Monica rolled her eyes- just as she thought, he didn't care about what he was doing at all. She felt herself taking an instant dislike to him, he hadn't even told her his name yet, and he wanted to know her whole life history.
"Why don't you tell me about yourself first?" Monica asked.
Chandler paused, before looking up at her and frowning, "Urrm, well I'm here to help you so…"
"What, so you get to know everything about me, and I don't even get to know your name," Monica said in a sour, sarcastic voice.
Chandler looked perplexed, "What, I don't see why you-"
Monica sighed, "Okay, whatever-your-name-is," she said, "It hardly sounds fair that you get to know about me and-"
"Fine, fine," Chandler interrupted her, snapping, a little angrily, "My name is Chandler, I'm 21 and I'm studying Law."
"See, Chandler," Monica smiled, "That wasn't too hard, was it?"
Chandler's jaw clenched, how she had made him hate her in a matter of minutes, he didn't know, "Okay," he frowned, "Now, tell me about you."
Monica sighed, "My name's Monica, I just turned 20, I have a five year old son, Daniel, and I- well, I need your help finding me a permanent job..."
"See, that wasn't too hard, was it?" Chandler said mockingly, receiving an angry glare from Monica in return.
"Right, so why did you quit your last job?" Chandler asked.
Monica sighed again, "My boss wouldn't let me leave, and my son was really ill-"
"Couldn't you have explained better, or got someone else to pick him up, his dad maybe?"
"His dad isn't around," Monica interrupted him, "And I did explain."
"Well, did he know you son, David, was ill?" Chandler asked dully.
"It's Daniel," Monica corrected him, "And yes, of course I explained, I told him the day I started that he is really, really sick."
Chandler looked at her questionably, "Look, maybe your attitude isn't helping," he said, a little bitterly, "Can you explain it nicer, perhaps?"
Monica rolled her eyes at him, "Chandler, I explain as nice as I can, but there's only so many times I can be polite to an ass like him. And it's not my fault that no one cares."
Chandler looked down at his laptop again, "How do you do in interviews?" he asked.
"See, you don't even care," Monica muttered under her breath.
"Huh?"
"Nothing," Monica sighed, "Okay, I get laughed out of them, because no one wants to hire a young mother, and I can't 'commit to a job'," she explained.
"Well, maybe, errr, maybe we can work on your CV," Chandler suggested.
Monica nodded slowly, "Okay," she replied uneasily.
"Right, so, what qualifications do you have?" he asked.
Monica's heart plummeted, "Only high school grades," she said uncomfortably, avoiding Chandler's eyes, "I got pregnant in my final year, so I couldn't go to college or anything."
Chandler sighed, "Okay, what about experience?"
"N-not really," Monica admitted.
"Well, this is one fine CV we've got here," Chandler said sarcastically.
Monica shot him another glare, her hatred for him growing.
"I'm telling you guys, she's a nightmare," Chandler complained loudly to Joey, and Joey's newest girlfriend, Phoebe.
"But is she hot?" Joey asked, receiving a light smack from Phoebe, and a glare for Chandler.
"Yeah," Chandler admitted, "She's really hot, but she's- she's rude, and bitter and-"
"Okay," Phoebe interrupted him, "We get that you don't like her... how long do you have to work with her for?"
"Until I find her a job," Chandler sighed, "I don't see why she can't do that herself, though."
"Give her a chance," Phoebe said, "I know what it's like to be young and struggling, it's really hard."
"Yeah," Joey said, "But she's what- 20- and you were 14, and homeless… she could try."
"Joey's right," Chandler agreed, "You're the same age, and she has a child, and she can't hold down a job."
"Okay, neither of you have worked a day in your life," Phoebe pointed out.
"Yeah, but we're studying," Joey said, "But, anyway, you wanna get to this party or what?"
"I can't," Chandler told them, "I'm gonna try & find Monica a job."
Phoebe and Joey gave him a small, sympathetic smile before leaving for the party, leaving Chandler alone to find Monica a job.
It was only a few hours later when Monica received a call on her old, battered cell phone, she sighed, recognising Chandler's number and answered quickly.
"Hey," she said quietly, playing with a strand of her long, dark hair.
"Hey, it's Chandler," she heard in reply, "Good news, I've got you an interview, are you free tomorrow?" he asked.
"Yes, thank you, yes, I am, where is it?" Monica asked, smiling for the first time.
"Just a waitress in a breakfast diner thing," Chandler explained.
Monica smiled, "I can do that," she said, "Did you explain about Daniel?"
"Crap," she heard him curse, her smile slipped, "Sorry, I forgot and-"
"Oh, that's great," Monica replied sarcastically, "I hope I get the chance to explain tomorrow… how do I get there?"
"I'll pick you up," Chandler said, "It isn't far."
"Okay," Monica agreed, "I'll see you tomorrow at-"
"Ten," Chandler finished, "See you tomorrow."
Monica let out a small sigh as she hung up the phone. She needed this job, badly, the rent was due next month, and both she and Daniel wouldn't be able to sleep on a couch in her brother's apartment, should anything go wrong, for long.
Since Daniel was born, Monica hadn't slept soundly- she was always listening to Daniel, listening to hear if he coughed or struggled for breath in the middle of the night like he did when he was a baby, so when she heard her bedroom door opening at the dead of night, she woke up immediately.
"Mummy?" she heard him whispering, lingering by the door shyly.
Monica sat up, yawning slightly, "Hey, mister, what are you doing up?" she asked, turning on her bedside lamp.
"I can't sleep," he told her, his small face tired and innocent, his blonde hair ruffled slightly.
"Oh, come here, baby," Monica smiled, picking him up when he came up to the bed, "You're not feeling sick again, are you?" she asked worriedly.
"No," Daniel shook his head, "Can I sleep with you tonight?"
Monica smiled gently, kissing his head, "Of course, just for tonight," she smiled, lifting up the covers as he crawled in beside her.
"I'm sorry," he said, after a few, silent minutes.
"What're you talking about?" Monica asked.
"For getting you fired."
Monica's heart sunk, "Oh, sweetie, it's not your fault," she assured him quietly, "I quit."
"If I wasn't sick-"
"Danny," Monica quieted him, "It's not your fault, okay?"
"Are we gonna be in trouble again?" he asked, his small, sleepy voice breaking her heart.
"Oh, no, no we're not," Monica said, holding him tightly, "I've got an interview tomorrow, and nothing will happen to us, and even if it does, I will never leave you, it's me and you against the world, and it always will be, baby…"
Daniel nodded unsurely, "You're not gonna leave are you?"
Monica sighed, "Where's all this coming from?" she asked, "No, I'm never, ever going to leave you," she told him.
"Daddy left."
Monica let out a shaky sigh, tears creeping into her eyes, "Oh, sweetie, is this what it's all about? Daddy loved you, but we were very young, and he wasn't ready to be a daddy," she explained,
"But you were?" Daniel asked.
Monica smiled, kissing his head, "The day I had you was the best day of my life," she told him, "And I'm not going anywhere…"
"Promise?"
"I promise, I will never leave you," Monica told him, "Now, let's get some sleep. I love you, angel."
Daniel sighed, pulling his small arms around his mother's body, "Good night."