Thank you so much for the reviews! It really does mean a lot to me and its those things that make me want me to keep writing. I hope you aren't getting bored of this story, I promise it will get better and happier. Chandler's back so it obviously getting better! Keep reviewing thank you!

Chapter 4 – He Came Back

"Chandler?!"

"Hey Joey!" Chandler gave Will a look of resent before embracing Joey in a tight hold, making sure not to squash the baby.

"What made you com... MONICA!" Joey's eyes found Monica's small fragile body and he immediately fell beside her, he sighed with relief when he found her pulse and her skin still warm.

"Chandler grab Peyton" Joey turned to see Chandler frozen his eyes darting from Monica's body to Will, his hands forming fists turning his knuckles white. Joey hurried into the bedroom and settled Peyton in her crib and returned to Monica.

"Did y-you do this?" Chandler mumbled towering over Will who shook furiously and edged slowly to the door. "I said DID YOU DO THIS?" Chandler yelled pinning Will up against the door with extreme force.

"Chandler he did it" Joey mumbled dropping his head back to Monica. Before he could say anything else Chandler punched Will in the jaw and in the stomach. "Don't...you…ever…come…near…her again!" He pushed Will outside and slammed the door shut, breathing heavily.

Joey's mouth gaped open as he watched, he snapped back to reality at the door slamming and noticed Monic stirring on the floor. "Mon? Come here" He took her arms and pulled her to her feet, she immediately sank against his body clutching her ribs.

"OW!" Monica shrieked as Joey settled her onto the couch. "What happened?" She glanced at Joey who's face immediately broke into a smile. "What?" She asked again.

Joey stepped out of her view revealing a dark eyed, shaking Chandler, her breath caught in her throat and tears started to freely flow down her sunken cheeks.

"Ch-chandler?" Chandler looked up a her heartbroken voice, he gasped at how she looked. Before she was healthy, happy and PREGNANT! But now she was heartbroken, incredibly skinny and her face was sunken making her cheekbones stick out. Dark circles surrounded her eyes, as well as the darkening bruises on her arms, legs and shoulders.

"Oh my god" He stuttered, Joey slowly edged his way out of the apartment knowing it was time to leave them to talk. "Monica I'm so sorry" He watched her shift and try to get up but only wincing in pain when she fell back.

He rushed to her side on the couch rubbing his hands together nervously, he couldn't believe how much of a mess she looked, this wasn't the Monica he had left.

"Chandler" Monica sobbed again before falling into his body burying her head in his chest, he wrapped his arms tightly around her shoulders letting her cry, his own tears dripping into her hair.

Chandler had missed her so much, so much that he hadn't realised.

Eventually after 30 minutes of crying Monica had finally slowed her breathing and had fallen asleep against Chandler, he looked down at her and stroked his fingers gently through her hair, she looked like she hadn't slept for days. He glanced at her belly noticing it was unbelievably flat, even flatter than it was before she was pregnant. What had happened to her?

He slowly adjusted his arms under her back and legs so he could lift her up. He made his way to her bedroom and gently placed her into her bed, just like he would a child. That's when he noticed the moses basket beside her bed, a tiny baby girl slept peacefully her chest rising and falling with every breath.

She had dark hair just like Monica's, in fact she looked exactly like Monica, she was beautiful. Her face scrunched up and she started to whimper slightly, Chandler lifted her out carefully and brought her to his chest. He returned to the living room so Monica could continue to sleep.

He rocked her back and forth but got flustered when she wouldn't stop crying, he turned in all directions hoping to find something that might help, he spotted diapers and realised the problem.

Proudly he lifted the baby back up and threw away the dirty diaper, then he quickly retrieved some already made formula, he warmed it up and sat on the couch holding Peyton close. As he watched her slowly drift back off to sleep his mind flickered back to how heartbroken Monica was and what he had caused.

"I'm sorry I left you and your mommy Peyton, I will never leave her again, I promise. Your beautiful aren't you! Just like your mommy" Chandler chuckled at Peyton as she stuck out her tongue at him.

Monica tossed and turned a dream quickly turning to a nightmare as Chandler left her again letting Will hit her, ignoring her screams, he left her in the dark, pleading for his help.

"CHANDLER!" Monica suddenly tried to sit up shouting his name tears wetting her cheeks again, instantly falling back from the pain her ribs caused. Mere seconds later Chandler pushed open the door and rushed to her side when he saw the heartbroken mess she had become.

"I'm here you're okay Mon." He pulled her trembling body into his arms as she rested her head on his chest sobbing once again. "Are you okay?"

Monica nodded slightly. "I just had a nightmare, You left me again but never came back and I had no one" Chandler frowned, this was all his fault, he didn't have to leave her. Small whimpers came from the living room, Monica looked up when he began to move away. "Peyton's crying" He whispered, he returned to the bed cradling the baby before handing her to Monica, who naturally began to rock her and shush her.

Chandler couldn't help but smile, Monica had always been a natural with Kids and now she had her own. Instead of sitting back down he left the bedroom and ran a hot bath, lit a few candles and set out some sweats, he found Peyton in her co-sleeper and Monica trying to move off the bed with shaky legs. Chandler hurried to help her, finding it much easier to gather her in his arms and carry her like a child to the bathroom.

"Take all the time you need, I'll be here when you've done" He turned to leave but Monica grabbed his wrist pulling him back to her.
"Thank you for coming back, thank you for everything" She mumbled burying her head in his chest, the smell of his cologne sending her mind fuzzy, she could finally relax and be happy. Chandler had come back to her.

Chandler stayed silent and instead tightened his arms around her. He left the bathroom and laid on the couch exhausted from the days antics.

Looking over at the door, he remembered what had happened right there maybe 1 and a half hours ago. He never liked Will, just like his friends hadn't but he acted happy for Monica's benefit. Then he comes home to find her unconscious because of him. Why would anyone hurt a vulnerable small person like Monica especially when she had a heart of gold? Then try and take her daughter… who does that? He couldn't quite grasp what was going off in Will's head, all he could promise was that he wouldn't allow anyone to hurt Monica or Peyton again.

Monica let the water drain and climbed into the sweats Chandler had left for her. She honestly felt better than she had ever felt in months, Chandler looked up when she closed the bathroom door he motioned for her to sit down. She obliged only to be pulled inbetween his legs so her back curved against his stomach and her head tilted between his arm and chest.

"We need to talk" He stroked back her fruit scented hair waiting for a response but continued when she only nodded. "I'm so so sorry I left you, I'm sorry for what I said to you. I was the selfish one, I have had a lot going on lately that I never told you guys and I guess that argument was the thing sending me off the edge. I never meant to hurt and upset you Mon, I never realised how badly me leaving would affect any of you guys." He took a shaky breath hearing the endless messages on his machine all over again.

"Im sorry I told you to leave. If there ws something bothering you I would've listened but then again I guess I've been distant from the group for the last 4/5 months. There's something I have to tell you… Will was abusing me" Monica choked back her tears, she'd had enough of crying, she looked up confused when Chandler didn't react like the others did.

"I know" Was all he started with.

"Wh-what?"

"Mon when I came back I came down the hall to find Joey shouting at Will, it turns out Joey came over here when he heard yelling. Will had Peyton wrapped up and was about to leave with her, Joey got her back obviously then I walked in and Joey noticed you on the floor, Will didn't say anything and I asked whether he'd done it Joey answered for him and I lost it. I couldn't stop hitting him I was so angry you looked a mess Mon" Chandler glanced down seeing Monica listening intently her eyes glassy but nothing fell.

"He said he loved me and I stood up to him and told him that he used me and he lied to me, that's why he hit me so much, Thank you for being there" She shifted her hand over her ribs Chandler noticed and lifted her shirt enough to see dark bruises covering her. "They're all over"

"I'm sorry Mon. I wish you had said something. I'm glad I came back, I didn't realise how bad you was. I mean you're not healthy you're as skinny as a twig" Monica giggled causing Chandler to grin slightly, she shook her head and sighed her eyes focusing on the coffee table.

"I know, when you left I didn't speak to anyone, I only ate like one snack a day for at least three days I just kept crying. Rachel finally got me to talk and I told her everything then the others. Pheebs and Rach stayed here and took me to the hospital because I hadn't felt the baby move properly in days. That's when we found out she moved so much one day that the umbilical chord got tied around her chest and so she was struggling to breathe, I gave birth that day and came home the next. After having her I concentrated solely on her, I haven't really eaten, bathed or slept properly until today. I haven't spoken to any of the guys properly since the day you left. Chandler its been so hard" Monica took a deep breath and finally tore her eyes back to Chandlers, he had tears freely flowing down his cheeks, this made her stomach drop with guilt.

"I'm so sorry Monica, you can't even start to imagine how much I regret leaving, I missed you so much. I won't ever leave you or Peyton again, I promise" He croaked, Monica stroked her hand over his cheek whipping away the tears, then wrapped them around his neck bringing him into a hug. She just wanted to kiss him and tell him how much she loved him, but now wasn't the time, he was too upset.

"I know I know. I'm sorry too, Just forget about all this now. We have each other back and that's all that matters." She whispered into his shoulder, feeling him nod in response.

Cries filled the apartment 10 minutes later, making them jump apart chuckling in shock.

"She'll want feeding" Monica smiled and disappeared into the bedroom to retrieve Peyton returning with her already settled back down. Holding her in one arm she prepared formula with the other, before sitting back against Chandlers shoulder on the couch. Her body relaxed against him when his arm snaked across her shoulders.

"She's beautiful, just like you Mon" Chandler grinned seeing Peyton's deep blue eyes and brunette hair, replicating her mother. Monica's smile grew even wider. She couldn't possibly be any happier right now. Her head got comfortable against Chandlers arm as her eyelids grew heavy.

"Hmm Chandler?" Monica opened her eyes, finding herself in bed Peyton sleeping beside her, she turned over and automatically relaxed at the sight. Chandler sat against the head board asleep, his hair stuck out in odd places, but it only made him look better. Monica couldn't think of a time when he had ever looked cuter. She moved right up to his body and snuggled her head into his side clinging to him. He stirred awake moments later.

"hm-hm I should go Mon its late" He grumbled still half asleep, his fingers tangled themselves in her hair as he stroked it back almost naturally.

"Don't go, don't leave me" Monica pleaded, he'd promised he wouldn't leave again and maybe she wanted him to stay anyways but the thought of him leaving her again haunted her.

"Mon I will never leave you again I'm just going to go back to my apartment" He replied still making no effort to move.

"Just stay here, you can say you slept on the couch, Joey will have told the others your back they will have more than likely crashed at Ross' because of Rachel. Just stay with me please Chandler" She gave him the saddest eyes she could and smirked when he sighed and smiled.

"Fine" He shuffled down so his head fell against a pillow and climbed under the sheets, Monica immediately felt his arms wrap around her shoulders and she buried her head into his chest, it was the comfiest she had ever been. Tiny shivers ran through her when he whispered good night In her ears.

Monica slept in Chandlers arms all night and only ever woke up when Peyton which Chandler also woke up for, he even offered to change a diaper while Monica made a bottle, But they instantly resumed their earlier position when everything settled back down.

Monica couldn't keep the wide smile off her face all night, even while she slept their was a sign of it being there.

Again, it's a little short but I don't want too much to happen in one chapter and I feel like everything happening in this chapter is enough. Please review I hope you are enjoying and you are happy with the way its going.