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Seven months have gone by since Gracie joined the Bing family. Gracie has gotten to know them all really well that it was almost like she was born into the family three years ago. The gang came up to visit them and met Gracie a month after she arrived and they adored her. The adoption agency also sent someone by every few weeks like they said they would and each time they came everything was perfect that they only stayed a few minutes, not needing to see more.
Everything couldn't be better.
Monica was in the kitchen making herself a salad on a Saturday for lunch. It was nearing December, Chandler was called into work for a meeting and wasn't expected back until later that day. Erica and Jack were on a out of the school field trip to the tree shop where they were learning about Dug-less furs. Monica was suppose to pick them up back at the school where they would return to in two hours. Gracie was just put down for a nap which she didn't really enjoy but was cranky all morning.
"Mommy?"
Monica looked up to find Gracie in the doorway with her stuffed bear.
"What are you doing up already sweetie?" Monica asked going over to her to carry her back up to her room.
"I'm not tired." She yawned
Monica picked her up before walking up the stairs, "Really?" She asks
Gracie nodded just before her head touched Monica's shoulder "I wanna sleep in your bed with you and daddy."
"Gracie daddy is not going to be home for a while." Monica told her as she neared her room. Monica set the small child on the big bed. "Why don't you go back to sleep and then when you wake up we can call daddy." Monica suggested as she covered her up.
Gracie was fast asleep before Monica had a chance to leave the room.
She closed her bedroom door for her to sleep peacefully. The phone downstairs in the kitchen began to ring.
She hurried down before it woke Gracie.
"Hello?" She whispered
"Hey honey, how's it going?"
"Good, I just put Gracie down. Why, what's up?"
Chandler sighed "This meeting is going to last longer than I thought." He said as he stood in his office going over paper work.
"How much longer?" Monica asked walking to the laundry room where she switched the clothes.
"It could run past dinner." He said "They want the WINUS, that was originally scheduled to be done next month, done before they let us go." He explained
"Oh." Monica stood there
"I'm sorry, I want to be home before the kids go to bed but I don't know if I will be."
She nodded "Don't be sorry. This wasn't your intention. I know that you want to be home as much as I want you to be home but you can't." She sighed
"I hate that this job is making me work on the weekend instead of spending time with my family." He threw the paper work on his desk.
"Chandler, it's fine. Honestly. I know how much you hate this but we both know you can't leave. Not yet. Just work hard." She said "I'm going to let you go before you have to say even longer."
Chandler nodded "Alright, I love you."
"I love you too, bye."
Hearing the dial tone Chandler knew she hung up. He was starting to hate this job here in Tulsa that the raise wasn't seeming like a big thing to him anymore. He wants to be home with his family. In New York.
As the day went on with Chandler at work, Monica picked up the twins with Gracie in the back seat.
"When is daddy coming home?" She had asked for the third time that day.
"Sweetie I told you, he won't be back until you go to sleep." Monica told her once again as she parked the car at the front of the school.
"But I did go asleep."
Monica smiled at her smart come back. "I guess you're right."
Before Gracie could ask anymore questions Jack and Erica's field trip bus pulled up.
Monica watched for them as they got off.
She saw them smiling with their friend Brian as they all walked up to the car.
"You guys have fun?" Monica asked as they climbed in
"Yeah, we got to see how they sell trees and what happens to them if they don't sell." Jack said putting on his seat belt.
"Aunt Phoebe wouldn't have liked what happened to them." Erica told her
Monica pulled away from the school and headed home "It sounds like you guys learned a lot."
"Yeah, is dad home? I want to show him the ornaments I got for the tree."
"Not until bedtime." Gracie chimed in to which Monica continued on.
"No, he won't be home for a while." It was like this sentence that she kept on repeating to herself was trying to tell her something. That they should be back in New York where Chandler would have regular hours and be home on the weekends with his family.
As they pulled up to the house she noticed that Chandler's car was in the driveway.
Before she could unbuckle her seat belt he was already walking outside to greet her.
"Daddy!" Gracie yelled
Chandler smirked as he neared her.
"What are you doing home so early?" Monica smiled climbing out only to be welcomed by a kiss from her husband.
"Well, I quit." He took her hands "I realized I didn't want to work at a company that I hated. I would much rather be here. With my family." He smiled and looked down at the car with his three kids in the backseat talking to one another.
"You really quit?"
He nodded "I know I probably should have asked you first but-"
"No," Monica shook her head "I think it's great. I think you did what you had to do. And now you can actually find a job that you love."
Chandler smiled "In New York."
Monica nodded "Definitely in New York." She kissed him again.
Jack climbed out of the backseat "Dad, we made Christmas ornaments!" He shouted excitedly as he took it out of the bag to show Chandler.
Monica let go of Chandler so his full attention could be on Jack. She rounded the car to get Gracie out of her car seat.
"Daddy's home!" She smiled, wrapping her arms around Monica's neck.
Erica climbed out of the car next and just as she did it was starting to snow again.
Monica made her way back over to her family on the other side of the car with Gracie in her arms.
"Daddy I colored you a picture for at work." She smiled
Chandler matched her smile as he took her from Monica. "Really?"
She nodded
The day couldn't be happier as Jack and Erica started to play in the snow. When Jack threw a snowball that was meant to hit Erica, it hit Chandler in the back instead. "Oh it's on." He turned around and put down Gracie as he threw a snowball back. He picked up some more snow and patted it down for Gracie to try throwing.
Monica smiled at her family having fun in the snow. This was going to be the best Christmas. Going home to their friends.
"Are they out?" Chandler asked
Monica looked back at their kids sound asleep as they drove up the highway back to the big city. She nodded turning back to Chandler "Yeah." She said softly
He took one hand off the stirring wheel and placed it over Monica's hand. "We should be there in about an hour." He told her
She smiled "I can't believe we didn't tell our friends. This is defiantly going to be a very Merry Christmas."
Chandler glanced over at her "And with the moving trucks getting there a few hours before us we will have most of everything set up in our new home."
"Outside of the city." She finished for him "Do you think they are happy to be moving back?"
Chandler nodded "I do. I know they sounded pretty excited when we told them we would be moving back three months earlier."
They were all excited to be moving back to a place they can call home.
"Hey Ross, are you guys busy?" Monica called up her brother the next day.
Jack and Erica were up in their rooms putting all their toys and things where they would want them. While her and Chandler were in the kitchen getting everything together and Gracie took her nap.
"No, we aren't busy. Just at the coffee shop dreading the next three months that you guys are gone."
Monica smiled at that "Great. Do you think you guys can show up at an address in about an hour?"
Ross was confused why she would want them somewhere at sometime but he gladly agreed "Sure, what address?"
Monica gave him the address before hanging up and helping Chandler.
Chandler was unwrapping the glass cups when Monica joined him once again "You think they will be surprised?"
Monica smiled "Yeah." She put the cups in the cabinet.
About an hour later their friends started to arrive
"Hey, does that look like Monica's car to you?" Phoebe pointed out as they all got out of the taxi in front of the house Monica led them too.
"No, it couldn't be..." Rachel said "Do you think..." She paused
"They're back baby!" Joey jumped up and down running to the front door.
Jack answered the door and was immediately picked up by his Uncle. Erica ran over and hugged her cousin.
"You're back?" Ross questioned with a smile when Monica walked in the room with Chandler following holding a tired Gracie.
Chandler nodded "For good."
"How? When?"
"We just got back late last night." Monica told them looking up at Chandler "He quit his job and two weeks later here we are."
Rachel smiled "Well despite you have no job now, I'm happy for you." She hugged her friends "This is where you belong."
THE END!
