AN: Hey guys. Really sorry for not uploading in ages, but had so much going on, its been kinda crazy. For those of you who were not too sure where I was maybe heading with this story, this may just be the turning point/cliffhanger that you have all been waiting for :) I really hope you enjoy it either way. Please, read and review!
Monica Geller was enjoying a lovely dance with her elder brother on his wedding day. She was so elated with the fact that he and Rachel were finally married (and not accidently through intoxication like last time in Las Vegas). The newly weds and Emma could now be a proper family. There was something about the way the pair looked at each other, deep into one another's eyes, like a silent conversation. Like there was some secret that no one else was aware of. Monica just couldn't figure it out, but she was not all that worried about it, as she knew that her brother and best-friend-now-sister-in-law would tell the rest of the group when they were ready.
"I'm so happy for you Ross," she told him as they spiralled round the dance floor.
"Thanks Mon. I still can't believe I married Rachel. After everything that has happened over the last twelve years, I never thought this day would actually come. But you know what they say, "Fourth time's the charm!"" he smiled down to his younger sister.
Monica smiled and let out a small giggle.
"Ross, you know that we are all here for you and Rach? For anything you ever need?"
Ross looked quizzically at his younger sibling. "Yeah, we know that. Where did that come from?"
"I'm just, reminding you," she answered a little vaguely.
The song ended and all the dancers applauded the band. Monica and Ross went to leave the dance floor to grab a drink from the bar. At this point, Chandler walked up to them with three year old Emma and two year old twins Erica and Jack.
"Hey guys, the kids are getting a little tired and restless, so I'm just gonna take them back to the house just now. Maybe put a film on for them in bed to get them to settle down a bit. They have been running a riot all night."
The three adults looked down to the young children, who were looking rather sheepish, trying to smile away any anger or disappointment that they might receive from their parents.
"Thanks man. Listen, it really means a lot to us that you are looking after Emma tonight, we really appreciate it," Ross said as he placed his hand on Chandlers' shoulder.
Chandler smiled widely to his brother-in law and replied. "Hey, don't worry about it man. We're family, remember?"
The trio laughed just as Rachel was sashaying towards the group. "What's so funny?" she asked her family quizzically.
"Nothing sweetie," Ross answered. "Chandler is just about to take the kids back to their place for the night. They are getting a little fussy. You're actually just in time to say goodnight to Emma."
Rachel scooped up her daughter, now giggling wildly, into her arms to receive kisses and cuddles. She then handed her over to Ross to give him the chance to say goodnight to their daughter. Monica was crouched down receiving a double hug from her twins. The children then all linked hands and started to follow Chandler out of the ballroom, and towards the car to go home. Ross, Monica and Rachel looked after them in adoration towards the youngsters.
"They are so adorable together. They get on so well together," Rachel mused. The siblings nodded in agreement.
Monica turned to Ross to ask him a question. "Ross, have you seen mom? I wanted to say goodnight to her, but I've not spotted her in a while."
"No, I haven't seen her in a while either. I was actually going to ask you the same thing." Ross then turned to Rachel, "Hey babe, you haven't seen my mom wandering around recently have you? Monica and I wanted to say goodnight to her before we left."
"No sorry sweetie, I haven't seen her. I've been busy looking for my dad actually. Have you seen him?"
All holding hands, the three toddlers were running through the main foyer of the hotel. As they were fast approaching the main door, chandler had to run to catch up with them before he lost sight of them, calling for them to stop. When he reached them, they were standing just inside the main entrance, still holding hands. Chandler felt a little light headed ad had to rest for a moment, placing a hand o the wall for support. "Maybe that third glass of champagne was a bad idea…" he thought to himself.
"Daddy okay?" Erica asked. She looked worried about her father and the way he was acting. Chandler looked down to his frightened little girl who was on the verge of tears. Though through worry or tiredness he wasn't quite sure. He knelt down and looked her straight in the eyes.
"Daddy is fine sweetheart, I promise."
Erica grinned and threw her arms around her fathers' neck in an embrace. She nearly knocked him over in her efforts, and chandler had to steady himself with the wall once again.
"Come on you three, let's get you home and into bed. Chandler stood up and took Jack and Erica's hands in his own, and Erica joined hands with her cousin. They walked out of the hotel and across the parking lot to chandlers waiting car. The children all got strapped in to their car seats, ready for the ride home.
"Okay kids, let's go!" Chandler cheered from the driver's seat. A chorus of cheers was the response from the back seat.
"When mommy be home?" Erica quizzed her father.
"She'll be home in a couple of hours princess. She is staying to help tidy up after the big party. I'm taking you home to put you all to bed because it was way past your bed times," Chandler replied. He manoeuvred the car into the busy Manhattan traffic. Chandler could feel his concentration slipping and his vision beginning to blur slightly. The twins and Emma were chatting away loudly I the back seat. They were getting hyper, and Chandler could tell it was going to be hard to get them all calm enough to get them settled and into bed. He could just see it now. The toddlers would be running around the house, causing a riot. Monica would return home, expecting the kids to be in bed and asleep, and be able to have some passionate alone time with her husband, and find the house to be in turmoil. The freak out was too big for even Chandler to imagine. All of the colours of the passing cars and buildings were beginning to blur together. That couldn't be a good sign. The toddler trio in the back seat were having a heated debate about who was "da bestest," Dora the Explorer, or Popeye.
"Nuh-uh. Dora is da bestest cos, cos she talks in spinich and in normal too!" exclaimed Erica.
"No no, Popeye is da bestest because he is really really strong!" Jack argued back.
Even though Chandler was trying extremely hard to concentrate on his driving, his attention was being pulled more and more so to the quarrel in the rear of the car. He turned around in the drivers' seat, for just a second he told himself, to scold the children.
"Will you please be quiet? I am trying to drive, and you three annoying me is going to make me crash!"
At that very moment, the sound of car horns blaring and tyres screeching, Chandlers' attention was brought back to driving. Just in time to see a flash of yellow. And then, everything went silent. Then, everything went black.
