The Recovery
By Karla
A week had gone by since Monica was in the hospital. She's now up and walking around. –I'm going to skip around (time wise) try to stay with me.-
A fancy restaurant, Ross, Rachel, and Joey all sat at a large round table waiting, each has a drink in front of them, and Rachel has a glass of water and a diet coke. Joey and Ross both have a bottle of beer in front of them. Phoebe, Chandler and Monica walk in, 'What's kept ya?' Joey asked as he pulled out a chair for Phoebe. 'I couldn't find anything to wear.' Monica confessed. The girls nodded their heads in agreement. The waiter walked up to the table, 'And what would you like to drink?' 'I'll have a Shirley temple.' Phoebe replied as she read the menu. 'And you miss?' The waiter asked Monica. 'I would like a water with a lemon.' 'And for sir?' The waiter asked Chandler. 'I'll have a coke.' The waiter wrote down their drink orders then left. 'You know Mon, you should really start drinking soy milk.' Ross claimed. 'Why?' Monica asked, now worried. 'Well some scientists say that if you drink soy milk when you have breast cancer, it slows down the actual process.' 'But I don't have breast cancer any more.' Monica complained. 'I know, I'm just saying that if you were to get it again, it wouldn't spread through out your body as quickly as it would usually, therefore easier to detect and get rid of.' Monica was thinking of Ross's comment, Chandler interrupted her thoughts. 'Didn't they find genetically engineered DNA in the soy milk, so now when you drink it, it increases the rate.' Chandler commented. 'Where did you hear that?' Rachel asked. 'I heard it on the radio one day when I was off to work.' 'Oh I heard that too!' Joey announced, 'yeah they also found genetically engineered corn in Taco shells, but that ain't stoppin' me from eaten them!' The others starred at Joey in shock. Joey looked around, 'what? Tacos are good!' They all shrugged and went back to their drinks and the meals that came.
A week later, Monica, Phoebe, and Rachel were all waking around the mall, with shopping bags in their hand and Monica's kids running around them. Brian had on a Batman cape, Chasing Ashlee around their mother. They were shopping for Halloween costumes. 'Mon, how are you feeling?' Phoebe asked after they ducted into another costume shop. 'I'm doing a lot better. I've taken a few weeks off work and Chandler's been really supportive.' 'So everything's doing fine?' Rachel asked. 'Well ya, pretty much.' 'Mon what's wrong? Your aura's all…' Phoebe swings her arms about, 'well, lying.' Both Phoebe and Rachel starred at Monica as she thought what to tell her two best friends about her problem. 'Well?' Rachel asked, as the two grew more and more impatient. 'I'm…well… I don't think Chandler's attracted to me any more.' 'What?' Phoebe asked stunned that her friend would think that. 'That's impossible. Chandler's is smitten over you! How can you even think that?' Phoebe and Rachel starred at Monica in disbelief. 'Well, when we go to bed, he doesn't…do things that he used to before I got breast cancer.' 'Well maybe he wants you to be emotionally recovered as well as physical?' The girls continued to shop the rest of the day. Both Rachel and Phoebe talked to Monica, they told her to 'talk to her husband and to just listen to his point of view and his feelings.'
It was a few days before Halloween. Ross and Rachel's house was all decked out with all the Halloween decorations. Chandler and Monica's house was also decked out but do to her surgery; theirs wasn't as much, which had shocked the others. It was late, Chandler had just put the kids to sleep and was on his way back down the stairs to where Monica sat in the living room waiting for him. 'Kids are asleep now.' Chandler announced as he sat down next to her. 'Okay.' she replied, there was a brief moment of silence where Chandler put his arm around Monica, drawing her close to him. 'Honey, is something wrong?' Mon asked him. There was nothing wrong, why would she even think that something was wrong, Chandler thought. 'Nothings wrong, why?' He asked. 'Well, it's just that you seem a little different.' Chandler was confused, how am I different, he thought to himself. 'What do you mean?' Monica sat up and looked him in the eye. She asked him straightforward. 'Are you still attracted to me?' Chandler was shocked at her question. Of course he still thought she was attractive, ever since they got together he hadn't been able to keep his hands off her. It surprised him when she agreed to date him, let alone marry him. 'Are you insane? Of course I'm attracted to you, I can't keep my eyes off you most of the time.' HE spoke the truth. 'That's not what I mean. Now that I have one breast, do still find me attractive?' Chandler took both her hands in his, and looked deep into her eyes. 'Mon, I didn't marry you because of your breasts. Don't get me wrong, they are great, but I'm with you because of YOU, not just because of your breast you lost, hell you could lose both and I would still find you just as sexy as I did on our honey moon.' Monica smiled and hugged him tight. Chandler loved the cheer her p, at times he felt that he was also healing his own problems.
Everyone gathered at Joey and Phoebe's penthouse. They were throwing a Halloween bash, while Joey boosted his latest episode from his TV show. Phoebe, Monica and Rachel were in the kitchen making monster cookies. 'What do you think is a geed name for the baby?' Rachel asked trying not to sound to eager. Phoebe thought for a moment then suggested, 'Phoebe.' Rachel sighed, How about a boy's name?' Phoebe thought for a moment, 'Cooper.' "Copper, it's nice, it's cute…I'll think about it.'
'Hey Mon, when are those cookies gonna be done, I'm hungry!' Joey asked as he walked into the kitchen. 'In about twenty minutes.' Monica said. 'Oh man.' With that Joey left. 'I'm going to see Ross.' Rachel announced as she turned and left. Brian and Ashlee ran into the kitchen. 'Aunt Phoebe, when can we go trick r' treating?' Brian asked flasher her his puppy dog eyes. 'Go get your costumes on and we'll leave.' Phoebe ordered them, they ran out of the room as fast as they could. 'Make sure you don't let them out of your sight, two years ago Chandler lost Brian in out neighborhood.' Monica told Phoebe as she mixed some frosting for the cookies. Five minutes later they were out the door. Jason stayed with the adults, falling asleep in Joey's bed. 'Ding.' Went the oven timer. 'The cookies are done, the cookies are done.' Joey sang as he hoped into the kitchen. 'No they're not, they need to cool down then need to be decorated.' Monica explained while she opened the oven and took out the cookies. Joey left deflated then Chandler walked in, looking at Joey confused. Chandler turned around to ask Monica why Joey walked out looking like that, Monica held up the cookies and Chandler then knew. Getting an idea, Chandler walked up behind Monica, pressing himself into her body. She was frosting the cooler cookies. Chandler reached around her and grabbed a cookie. Mon slapped his hand, and he dropped it. 'They're not done yet.' She picked it up and painted some frosting on it. Chandler reached for another, but was denied again. Thinking of another plan, he buried his face in her neck giving her little kisses. She tilted her head the other way, giving him more room. While Chandler nibbled and kissed her neck, he slowly reached around and snatched a cookie. Suddenly he pulled way, Monica gave a quit moan in disappointment. 'Thanks.' Chandler took a bit from the cookie while walking out of the kitchen. A minute later Joey walked in smiling, thinking the cookies were done. 'So?' He asked. 'Not yet Joey.' 'Well how come Chandler gets one but I don't?' Monica rolled her eyes then gave him a cookie to shut him up.
Later that night Chandler and Monica came into their house, Chandler was caring Brian who was dressed as Batman, and Ashlee who was dressed as a princess. Monica cradled Brian in her arms, while carrying two buckets of candy. Both carried the three kids upstairs and put the in their beds, then went to their room. 'So…how much candy did you get?' Chandler asked walking up behind her and kissing her neck. 'Oh that candy.' She teased. Monica turned around and kissed him back with more passion. Still kissing her, Chandler guided her over to the bed, where they fell on to it. Monica quickly untied his tie, then stripped the rest of his clothes off him. Chandler in the mean time was pulling up her shirt, while kissing her neck. Once her clothes were off, Chandler leaned back and took her in. The scar from the operation was still very noticeable, Monica reached up and pulled him back to her. While they were kissing, Monica held on to the back of his head, clutching his hair. One of his hands slid down her front, grazing her scar. His Hand rested there, as if getting to know a whole new part of her. She placed her hand over his, which rested over her. Chandler gave her a small smile then continued to kiss her. His kiss moved from her mouth to her neck, and further down until his mouth reached her scar. He kissed it gently, she was slightly aroused, and it shocked her. Monica placed both her hands on either side of his face, and brought him back up to her mouth. She rolled the both of them of so that she was now on top. Monica sat up, and Chandler followed, while sucking on her neck his hands grabbed her hair as the other pulled her towards him. Monica softly pushed him down. Chandler lay back down on the bed, he firmly gripped Mon's waist. She placed both hands on his stomach, while his moved along her thighs. Between her lengthily breaths he could hear her soft moans. Mon threw her head back, as she got closer to her orgasm. Chandler gripped her waist and held her firmly in place for his. Mon recovered, she leaned forward and kissed him, his heart was beating fast, he wrapped his arms around her and held all of her close to him.
Chandler walked down the stairs, wearing a pair of boxers and on old T-shirt. He walked into the kitchen to find Brian, Ashlee, and Jason sitting at the table with spilled milk and cereal all over the floor and table. Chandler shook his head and went to brew a pot of coffee. While the coffee dripped he cleaned up the mess and told the kids to go up stairs and get dressed. He figured that if Monica saw the mess she would definitely freak, so he beat her to the punch. Once he was done he went up stairs, after finishing his coffee also, to his and Monica's bedroom. She was still sleeping, lying on her stomach with both arms under her pillow, and her sheet was tucked up to her lower back. Once he finished getting dressed he sat on the edge of the bed and softly shock her awake. Mon stirred a bit, it was 10.00am. Chandler had waken at 9.30, and groaned. 'How you felling?' He asked. She shuffled a little more under the sheet then turned around. Chandler pulled the sheet over the chest, just in case one of the kids came running in. 'Well the kids are already up and moving around. They made their own breakfast, are now down stairs playing.' He informed her. 'Do you have to go to work today?' Monica asked. Chandler laid next to her, 'Nope, I have the day off.' 'Good.' she replied cuddling up next to him.
Two months later the Bing family, Tribianni, and Buffay all gathered at Ross and Rachel's house for her baby shower. Tons of people were there, including Ross and Monica's parents, and Rachel's parents. All the women and a few men were sitting in the living room watching Rachel unwrap her presents. She had gone through most of them and was now coming upon the last few. All the men, except those few, were in the other room, like a den/basement, watching the basketball game.
'Okay, whose next.' Rachel asked as she put away the gift she just unwrapped. Phoebe shoved her present towards Rach. It was a small box, and when Rachel opened it she pulled out a little crystal dyed the color of the January stone. 'It's beautiful Phoebs, thank you so much.' Rachel and Phoebe hugged. 'Okay whose next? Oh Mon, your next come on where is it?' Rachel asked. Monica pushed forward a semi large box. Rachel opened the top and pulled out several baby clothes. 'Oh Mon they're beautiful.' The last present was opened so all the women went to the kitchen for lunch. Rachel held Monica back, 'Mon, weren't those Jason's clothes? And I thought you two were going to try for another baby.' Rachel asked. 'Rach, I can't have any more, once you get breast cancer that's it on the baby having, but at least they will go to a good cause.' Mon tried to joke. Rachel and Monica hugged, 'You can still have kids you know.' and woman spoke from behind Monica. She turned around and looked at this woman who made that comment. 'You can still have kids as long as the cancer hadn't traveled to your uterus.' 'How do you know this?' Monica asked wanting to know as much as she could. Rachel decided to leave the two alone, so she left to join the others.
Monica was so happy to hear that she still might have a chance to expand her family. The two of them sat back down. The woman told her that she could still get pregnant just not to breast-feed. 'How do you know all this?' 'My Aunt had breast cancer. She treated it with chemotherapy. And well a while after the therapy was over, she got pregnant. Nothing was wrong with the baby, she just couldn't breast feed.' Monica thanked the woman for this information, then left to find the others. 'Hey Rach, do you know where chandler is?' 'Ross said they were going to get some ice cream, they should be back in a little while. Hey what did, my boss tell you?' The woman had known Rachel since she got her promotion at Ralph Lauren. 'Oh she said that I can still have kids as long as I don't breast feed and to check with my doctor just to make sure.' 'That's great,' Phoebe commented. 'Weren't you and Chandler trying for a bay a little while ago?' Rachel asked. 'Duh! That was Jason.' Phoebe reminded her. 'Now we were going to try for another, but then we decided to wait until Jason was past his terrible two's.' 'Mon,' Phoebe began, 'are you sure tat Chandler want's more kids?' 'Yeah, I' sure.' Monica replied with a small grin on her face.
TO BE CONTINUED….