Then

Chapter 7: Three Feet Tall and Full of Questions

In response to something brought up by Venused, I don't make Chandler as angsty as I used to because the older, wiser me has decided there is too much of that sh** in real life. Here in fic world, we don't need that :) Just some happy, mushy fluff.

Oh, but I have actually been dying to write something more dramatic one of these days. We'll see what I come up with…

_._._

"Daddy?" Erica came into the living room, where Chandler was sitting, laptop in front of him.

"Hm?" he looked up. Erica sighed, sitting down next to him, hugging the doll in her arms. "What's wrong, sweetie?"

"I just wondered why," she looked down at her doll, picking at its hair. "Why didn't my first mommy love me?"

Chandler's heart sank seeing the hurt and confusion on his daughter's face. He moved the computer from his lap, scooting closer to her. "Erica, she loved you. She loved you very, very much."

"Then why didn't she want me?" she looked up at him, tears in her eyes. Although they had always talked openly about adoption, and read books about it to the twins from a very young age, he knew that this day was coming eventually, especially now that they were in school.

"She knew that she couldn't take care of you herself, and she wanted someone who could."

"But why did she have to herself? Why couldn't she get someone to help her?"

"She was very young," he started, wishing Monica was there. Monica would be better at this.

"So why did she have a baby if she was so young?"

"Well, sometimes God has different plans than we do," he pulled her onto his lap. "And your first mom wasn't ready to have kids, but we wanted kids very, very much. And she loved you so much, that she wanted someone who could take care of you since she couldn't. And when she met us, she knew that we could."

_._._

"I hate my hair," Erica stomped into the kitchen, where Monica and Phoebe were eating breakfast.

"Why, sweetie?" Monica pulled her in for a hug.

"Because it's blonde," she sat down in a huff, pushing the bowl in front of her away.

"But it's so pretty, Erica," Monica touched her hair, but Erica pulled away.

"Aunt Phoebe has blonde hair!" Phoebe exclaimed.

"But you don't," she looked at her sister. "And you don't," she looked her mom. "And Daddy doesn't. And Jack doesn't even," she folded her arms across her chest, sulking.

"You have blue eyes," Phoebe said, taking a bite of her cereal. "And I have blue eyes. And Jack has blue eyes. And Mommy has blue eyes. And Daddy has blue eyes," she took another bite of cereal, and her sister began to smile.

Monica smiled at the two girls; she couldn't have said it better herself.

_._._

"Is she pretty?" Erica asked.

"Very pretty. Just like you," he kissed the top of her head.

"And that's why my name is Erica, too?"

"That's why your name is Erica, too," he squeezed her tightly.

"Are you and Mommy ever going to get rid of me and Jack?" she looked up at him.

"Never, never, never. We are always and forever going to be your Mommy and Daddy," he wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"Promise?"

"Promse," he kissed her nose, and she smiled before wiggling out of his arms. "And you know why?" she shook her head. "Because I love you this much," he held his arms out.

Erica laughed, familiar with their private game. "This much?" she held her arms out as wide as she could.

"Huh-uh," he stretched his arms out again, leaning back into the couch. "This much."

"This much," she stood on her tip-toes, arms outstretched, and he nodded. Giggling, she wrapped her arms around her father's neck. "I love you, Daddy."

"I love you, too, baby," he pulled her back into his lap.

"Love you more," she smiled mischievously. He tickled her suddenly, and she collapsed into a fit of giggles on his lap, and he pulled her into a tight hug.

He laughed, too. Years ago, when they found out that they might never have a child of their own, they had been devastated. Beyond devastated. At the time, it had been the worst news of their lives.

They couldn't have been more wrong.

_._._

Three feet tall and full of questions

You must have thought I was the smartest man alive

I didn't always have the answers

To every little how and where and why

Like, "Daddy, why's the sky so blue today?"

"Does Jesus really hear me when I pray?"

"When I grow up, will I be just like you?"

"Will I be tall and strong and brave?"

There is no power on earth like your fathers' love

So big and so strong as your father's love

A promise that's sacred, a promise from heaven above

No matter where you go... always know

You can depend on your father's love

(Father's Love, Bob Carlisle)

_._._

I did research on talking to kids about adoption before I wrote this chapter. I knew when I started writing this fic that I couldn't just not touch on the subject. So, voila! Hope it was ok :) Review, please and thanks!