AN: Another update for you guys. I'm glad that so many of you are liking this. Hope you like this newest update. PLZ R&R!

Disclaimer: See first chapter.

Chapter 3

Monica arrived home and saw the living room lights still on. She sighed as she started into the house, and her parents turned around to face her.

"You're home finally," Judy stated.

"I told you I had to close."

"You also said that you had to open."

"I was covering for a girl that quit. Tammy said I would get a break if they were slow, which they were this morning."

"Judy, that's enough." Jack spoke up.

"I'm going to bed. I need to be up early tomorrow. I'm going with Chandler to church."

"Church?" Judy said disdainfully.

"Yes, church." Monica stomped up the stairs and slammed her door. Monica walked into her bedroom after taking a shower and getting into her pajamas. There was a soft knock on the door and she sighed as she plugged in her phone to charge.

"Mon, can I come in?" she heard her brother.

"Go away, Ross!"

"Mon-"

"Go away!"

"Sweetie, can I come in?" she heard her dad's voice. "I think we really need to talk."

"Just you," Monica called. "No one else."

Monica put her phone on silent as she watched the door slowly open and her dad came in and sat on the desk chair.

"So what's going on at Chandler's house?" he asked her.

"His dad's still gay." She retorted.

"That's not what I meant." He sighed. "But I suppose that I probably deserved that."

"So what were you talking about?" she put her phone down.

"Ross told us that there are some new additions to the family."

"Joey's been getting into trouble, so his parents sent him to live there. Phoebe was recently found; she's been living on the streets."

"So I wanted to talk to you about your relationship with Chandler."

"I'm not breaking up with him and you can't make me." She stated.

"I don't necessarily want you to break up with him. Maybe you could just slow down with him."

"We haven't done anything except kiss. We're never alone long enough to do that."

"I'm glad. I just don't want him to talk you into anything that you're not ready to do."

"So you think I'm stupid? That I have no self control?"

"No. I'm saying that you're both teenagers who are starting a very serious relationship."

"I guarantee you that Chandler is not pressuring me in any way." She stated. "Like that's the problem you have with Chandler."

"What do you mean?"

"Please," she sighed. "The only problem you have is that he's living with his openly-gay dad and his boyfriend. It's better than the alternative."

"What do you mean? What alternative?"

"If he was living with his mother, it would be hell for him." She told him. "He hasn't given me any details, but he was in a coma for a month because of one of his stepdads when he was ten. His dad had to work fast to make sure that he wouldn't have to go back with her."

"We had no idea."

"He doesn't talk about it. I don't think he's seen her since he woke up from the coma."

"All right. If that's true, I agree that he's in a much healthier environment than he would be at his mother's." Jack sat across from her on the bed. "Look, I don't want us constantly fighting with each other, so I'm willing to be more lenient with you and Chandler."

"You're serious?" Monica looked at him suspiciously.

"Yes."

"Ok. So does that mean that I would be able to go with them when they go on vacation?"

"Where do they plan on going and who all is going?"

"I think they're just going to the Jersey Shore. Chandler and his dads are going of course, Phoebe and Joey now, and Carol's family has been invited since they're all friends. They said Ross was invited, but I don't think Chandler has talked to him about it yet."

"I'll talk to your mother about it, and we'll have to talk to Chandler's dads. When will this vacation happen?"

"Before school starts; probably in a couple weeks."

"We'll talk it over and let you know."

"Thanks, dad." She smiled at him.

"Don't stay up too late." He stood up and headed for the door. "Good night."

"Good night, dad." She smiled as he closed her door behind him.

Chandler turned over in bed as his alarm went off very loudly. He climbed out of bed and padded across his room to turn it off. He went to his closet to pick out what to wear for church as there was a noise at his door and Joey stumbled in.

"Your dad seriously just woke me up to start getting ready." He mumbled. "What time is it anyway?"

"7:30." Chandler pulled out an outfit. "It usually takes all of us a while to get ready anyway. They just want to make sure we all have plenty of time to get to church."

"How far away is the church?"

"A few blocks from here," Chandler replied. "But I'm stopping to pick up Monica."

"So how long have you guys been going out?"

"A couple months."

"How long have you liked her?"

"I always thought of her as just Ross' annoying little sister. Something just changed between us."

"Well I'm happy for you both." Joey told him.

"What about you?" Chandler glanced at him. "Did you leave a girlfriend behind in Queens?"

"Several actually," he smirked.

"I see you haven't changed in that area." Chandler shook his head. "I need to get in to take a shower."

"I guess I'll see you downstairs," Joey stumbled back out.

Chandler took a quick five minute shower and walked back into his room to get dressed. He found his messenger bag that he took with him to church that had his bible and other books that he read. He walked into the kitchen and went to find a travel cup to fill with the already-brewed coffee.

"Morning," Phoebe walked in wearing a denim skirt with flip flops and a light yellow blouse.

"Hey," he smiled at her. "You look nice."

"So this is all right? Or should I change into something dressier?"

"What you have on is fine." He assured her. "Most of the time I just wear jeans."

"All right, we're going now." Terry came in to them. "Don't be late for Sunday school."

"We won't." Chandler told him as he watched him walk out.

"You don't go together?" Phoebe asked.

"I need to pick up Monica," he told her. "Besides they always go earlier than they have to."

"I'll go check on Joey," Phoebe started back upstairs. "Make sure that he hasn't fallen back asleep."

Fifteen minutes later, Chandler pulled up to Monica's and honked the horn. Phoebe and Joey were in the back seat as they waited for Monica to come out.

"Why don't you be a gentleman and go to the door?" Phoebe asked.

"I'd rather not have a run-in with her parents." He told her as they watched the door open, but Ross came out instead. "Watch it guys."

"What are you doing?" Phoebe questioned as the doors locked and the windows were rolled up.

"He and Ross aren't getting along right now," Joey told her. "You should've seen them at the mall yesterday."

"Dude," Ross knocked on the window when the door wouldn't budge.

"This seat is reserved for Monica," Chandler rolled the window down again. "There isn't enough room left for you."

"We always go to church together."

"Well, that's changed." Chandler glared as he saw Monica approaching them. "Now move so my girlfriend can get in."

"Morning," Monica shoved Ross out of the way and climbed into the front seat. "Are we ready?"

"Definitely," Chandler pulled away from the curb, leaving Ross just standing there. "That felt a little too good."

"Hey guys," Monica turned to smile at Phoebe and Joey in the back seat. "Are you awake yet, Joey?"

"Just barely," he mumbled. "Chandler said there's coffee there though."

"I told you to grab some before we left." Chandler told him.

"So my dad talked to me last night," Monica started.

"I can only imagine how that went." Chandler glanced over at her.

"No, it was a pretty good talk. He's thinking about letting me go to the beach with you guys for vacation."

"Seriously?"

"And he's going to try to be more lenient with us. He's just worried because we seem to be moving too fast for his liking."

"But we're going slow."

"That's what I told him. He said that he would try."

"Let's see how long that lasts." Chandler mumbled. "Sorry."

"No, you're right." She agreed. "I guess we'll just have to see what happens."

Chandler pulled into the church parking lot and was lucky to find a spot near the front doors. Joey and Phoebe followed them in and Chandler gestured to the café when they entered. Joey quickly poured himself a cup of coffee before Chandler and Monica led them through a gym and into a room that had a pool table and an air hockey table.

"This is church?" Phoebe looked around.

"This is just Sunday School," Monica told them. "I love coming here."

"So you come with him here all the time?" Joey asked.

"I just recently started coming with him. I'm part Jewish, but we don't really acknowledge it until the holidays."

"He's here," Phoebe saw Ross come into the room.

"He must've driven himself here," Chandler moved to the other side of the room.

"Hey Chandler," an older man came in. "You're always here early."

"Hey, Pastor Dan." Chandler smiled at him. "These are my friends Joey and Phoebe."

"Yes, your dads explained what was going on." He turned to them. "It's nice to meet you both. I'm one of the pastors here."

"One of the pastors?" Joey asked.

"There are several," Chandler explained. "They alternate speaking Sundays."

"Definitely not what I was expecting from a church," Joey told them. "I think I can learn to like coming here."

"That's good," Pastor Dan smiled as more kids started trickling in.

"This is fun so far," Phoebe settled onto one of the couches in the room.

Monica followed behind Chandler and his dads after the service ended as Phoebe and Joey caught up to them. She spotted Ross down the hall; he looked pleadingly at the group of them before walking towards the main doors and leaving.

"So what'd you guys think?" Chandler looked at Joey and Phoebe as his dads went to talk to one of the pastor's wife.

"It's definitely different." Joey told him. "I mean, I wasn't expecting the pool table and air hockey table in the Sunday school class."

"And there's a gym," Phoebe added. "This is kind of cool."

"Is it like this on Wednesdays too?"

"It's a lot more laid back on Wednesdays." Monica told them.

"So will we do anything today?" Joey asked them. "Or do you guys have to work?"

"We usually have Sundays off." Chandler told them. "What should we do today?"

"Why don't we just go to the club and hang out?" Monica suggested.

"The club?" Joey looked at her.

"The country club," "Monica clarified. "Our parents are members. I think my mother joined just so she can be in the middle of everyone's business. There are a lot of gossips there."

"My dads were invited to join because they're business owners." Chandler told them. "So do you guys want to go?"

"Go where?" Charles and Terry joined up with them.

"We were going to show these guys the club if that's all right." Chandler looked at his dads.

"That's fine with us. Just be back by supper tonight."

"Cool," they all started to walk towards the main doors and out to Chandler's car.

"Why don't you drop Phoebe and me off at my house and we'll meet you guys there?" Monica told them.

"Why?" Chandler looked at her.

"So we can have girl time. Besides, I don't think she picked out a swim suit yesterday."

"No, I did not." Phoebe spoke up. "Do you think you have one that will fit me?"

"I should." Monica told her as they climbed into Chandler's car and he pulled out of the parking lot.

Chandler pulled up to the curb outside Monica's house and she and Phoebe climbed out of the car. Monica told him that they would meet up with them at the club in about an hour.

"You're back," Judy came from the kitchen as she heard the door open.

"Mother," Monica mumbled. "You remember Phoebe?"

"Yes, of course." Judy forced a smile on her face. "So what are you two up to?"

"We won't be here long," Monica led Phoebe towards the stairs. "We're meeting Chandler and Joey at the club in a while."

"Our membership isn't open to guests."

"That's all right. I'm sure Chandler's dads have already added her onto theirs." Monica led Phoebe upstairs and into her room.

"I'm beginning to see why you spend so much of your free time over at Chandler's," Phoebe told her as she watched her open her closet door.

"It's a lot more laid-back over there," Monica started pulling out a few of her bathing suits and placed them on the bed. "Half the time, I don't even go over there to be with Chandler."

"I can see that." Phoebe picked up one of the one piece suits and started to try it on. "Do you have any two piece ones?"

"Yeah," Monica rooted around in her dresser and brought out two. "The red one is mine, but you can try on the black."

"Got it," Phoebe started to try it on as Monica gathered some things to take with them to the country club. "So what's the school like where you guys go?"

"It's all right," Monica shrugged as they finished changing. "It's kind of taken over by all the cliché's."

"Like your friend Rachel."

"Ex-friend," Monica spat. "If she wants to choose her new friends over almost ten years of friendship, then so be it."

"Well, you have me now." Phoebe told her. "And I don't pay attention to any kind of cliché."

"We have each other then," Monica smiled as she gathered her bag. "Are we ready to go?"

"Let's do it," Phoebe followed her out.

"Hey," they saw Jack sitting in the living room with Ross as they descended the stairs. "Where are you guys headed?"

"We're meeting up with Chandler and Joey at the country club."

"When will you be back?"

"Chandler's dad told him to be back by supper," she told him. "If they invite me to stay, I will. I'll be back by curfew, though."

"All right," Jack nodded. "I trust you."

"Thanks, daddy." Monica smiled at him as she and Phoebe walked outside and got into her car.

"Sucking up to your dad a little?" Phoebe looked at her.

"Right now, he's the only way that I'll be able to go on vacation with you guys." Monica told her. "So of course I'm sucking up."

AN: So what'd you all think? Do you really think that Jack Gellar was being honest and truthful with Monica? PLZ R&R!