Jessica Hayes was a very learned woman. She had gotten her BS in Geology from Stanford, continuing for her Master's and Doctorate at UCLA in Paleontology. She also was an attractive one and knew it from her many boyfriends and romances. Usually she would combine work and pleasure when it came to love, nothing turned her on more than a man with a brain. Several professors could vouch for that. Jessie stared in the mirror and looked at her wrinkled and dusty clothes. No this just would not do.
She went through her suitcase and pulled out a Liz Claybourne sweater and skirt. She wasn't in a competition with this woman was she? After all, didn't she write these brilliant papers on the origins of man that got her critical acclaim and a book contract? No, she only felt threatened by her because she had something that Jessica never would have and that was Ross Geller's heart. She examined her red wavy hair and figure. It would do , as she grabbed her bag and headed for the jeep.
"Now I don't want you to run off Emma, we are in a big airport in a strange country and no one speaks English like us." Rachel commanded as she led them off the gateway toward customs. Emma saw all the people and was anxious to run off and explore. That was all she needed. Picking through her Ralph Lauren bag, she found the passports and inoculation papers.
"Here we are." She said as the attendant looked at her. Rachel then remembered she was in China. Darn , she wished she would have learned some Chinese. "Papers, American?" she said with a loud voice to the oriental girl.
"Actually I am from Joliet," the attendant said with a smile. She stamped them and then smiled at Emma. "My you are pretty girl." She said as she knelt down. Emma smiled back at her. "We are here to visit my daddy. He is looking for dinosaurs." The woman was puzzled by this. "Actually my husband is here with the expedition of scientists who found the new species of dinosaur." Rachel felt she had to explain.
"Enjoy your visit." The lady said as Rachel and Emma continued through the doors.
Jessica stood and looked at her watch. How much stuff could she have Ross involved in so he would not wonder what was going on. Now she was waiting for Rachel and Emma. She knew she would recognize her in a minute, the fashionable Rachel Green Geller. She couldn't wait to meet Emma. She imagined her to be this sweet little girl and definitely smart.
Rachel was still struggling to hold on to Emma. Jessie saw the two of them and just as she thought, Rachel had on a smart mini skirt and dark top with brown boots.
"Emma, I am not going to tell you again. Do you want me to tell Daddy you were a bad girl on the trip?" Emma put her head down as Rachel chastised her. No, she did not want that. "No,mommy." Sighed the young toddler. Jessie hurried over and waved her hand. "Are you Rachel and Emma?" she asked. Rachel eyed the fashionable paleontologist. This woman was the one who was with her own husband on this dug and she didn't expect her to have any style , not like this.
"You must be Jessie." Rachel smiled. "I am sorry I am such a mess. Long flight." She apologized. "I am so glad to meet you. Monica told me that you would be meeting us." The two women exchanged handshakes.
"I am so excited about this and Bones doesn't suspect a thing." Jessie giggled like a school girl. Rachel stopped in her tracks. "Bones?" Jessie knew she had to explain. "Well over here we work pretty close, and we all have nicknames for each other. We call him Bones because he is so tall and he has been on these digs before." Rachel gave her an odd look. Close, what did that mean? She knew Ross couldn't refuse a smart woman because of Julie and Charlie, they were both smart paleontologists who were also gorgeous.
Jessie then knelt down to talk to Emma. "And you have to be Emma." She said with a smile. "You're pretty." Emma grinned. "Just like my mommy." Jessie chose to ignore that comment. "You are going to stay with me and we are going to have lots of fun. I have a little bed set up in my trailer. " Emma clapped her hands with her dinosaur Melman in them.
"I thought we would be staying with Ross." Rachel stated. "The three of us , a family?"
"Well the trailers are very small, and Ross' would only accommodate two people. I thought that you two would enjoy the privacy if Emma stayed with me. More alone time." Rachel now knew this woman was no threat at all. She wanted her to be with Ross and had no desire to take him from her. "Shall we go?" Jessie said as the two women followed her. Rachel pulled the bags and Jessie pulled the other.
Emma pulled her own little Dora suitcase.
Ross looked up into the bright midday sun. The sunglasses were shielding his eyes as he brushed the fossils he found in the river bed. He took his arm and brushed his forehead from the sweat. Even though he was wearing a t shirt and jeans, he was still perspiring. His t shirt declared his loyalty to his hometown, it was a Knicks shirt. The ball cap was because his hair was messy and unkempt. None of the scientists really cared about their looks. They were there to do a job. Jessie had left quite a while ago and he wondered when she would return with the jeep. He wanted to run to town to buy some things. Maybe she would even come with him. She was a good friend and understood despite their little incident.
Rachel and Jessie talked all the way to the site. Jessie got out and looked around. "Nope , no sign of Bones." She said . Rachel went to the trailer and Emma followed as well. Rachel opened her case and began to make her self presentable. Emma would stay just long enough to see her father and then she would be with Jessie. Rachel also unpacked the presents and put them around the threadbare tree on the table. She took out the cookies and candy and put them on a paper plate. The trailer seemed so impersonal, yet she could see the small touches that he had made in an effort to make it more homey. There was a small pennant that said NYU and the pictures of the gang and one picture that she had forgotten. It was one of her as she was staring into space just mesmerized by something. There were pictures of Ben and Emma as well.
Jessie changed from her traveling clothes, back to her tank top and jeans . She didn't want Ross to get suspicious. He was leaning over the river bed and then she appeared as if from nowhere.
"Oh scared me there." He laughed. "Found some more specimens." Jessie looked down and tried her best to hold it in. "Well, I guess you should take a break then. You have been working hard." She said.
Ross got up and looked at her. "Tell you what. You go put on a nice outfit and we will go in town and have dinner. I will go back and take a shower and then we will go." He said.
"That sounds great." Jessie smiled. "Why don't you go back to your trailer and get ready." Ross leaned on his hands to pull himself up and then began the walk to his trailer. He opened the door and then his mouth dropped wide open.
"Hello there Dr. Geller." Rachel purred. Ross just stood and then he removed his sunglasses. He wanted to make sure he wasn't imagining this. He had a glazed look on his face as he saw his wife arranging the presents and his daughter playing on the floor with her new friend.
"Rrrrach, I can't believe its you." He said as he outstretched his arms and ran to embrace her. She looked up to see that it wasn't the same man she said good bye to months ago. The only thing she could recognize was those intense brown eyes and the gold and diamond band that was on his finger. His hair was longer and mussed up and his chin was now covered with a beard. He pushed his lips to hers and then began to kiss her like there was no tomorrow.
"Hi Daddy." A little voice echoed from the floor. The bearded professor ceased his kiss and then smiled down at the little girl on the floor. He scooped her up into his muscular arms and then he gave her a bear hug . Emma giggled with joy as she realized that this was her daddy and had forgotten how wonderful he felt.
"Oh Emma, I missed you so much." Ross said with emotion. "I missed both of my girls."
"We brought Christmas to you." Rachel announced. "With a little help." Jessica said as she peeked into the trailer entrance."Merry Christmas Bones." She said as she hugged him.
"You did this?" Ross asked Jessica. Jessica shyly answered. "Well me and your sister , that is." Ross knew that he would be giving Monica a giant thank you when he returned to the States. He couldn't have asked for a better surprise. "I am going to leave so this family can be alone. Emma I will see you later , sweetie." Jessie said to her. Ross looked puzzled. Jessie whispered in his ear. "So you and Rachel can spend some alone time." Ross grinned at that . Emma waved bye .
"So you came all this way so we could spend some time together." Ross said to Rachel as he held her in his arms. "I think that my holiday is going to be the best ever now." Rachel broke from the hug. "We have cookies and candy that Monica made for you." She held out the plate. "And presents too." Emma chimed in. Ross looked at the pile of gifts under the makeshift tree. He made his way over and started to shake the wrapped packages. "You're terrible." Giggled Rachel. "Just like a big kid." Ross picked up the biggest package and then tore off the paper. "Oh boy! A Robo Raptor!" he exclaimed as he took the large robot dinosaur from the box. He put him on the floor and then started to work the remote. "Thanks hon." Ross said as he kissed Rachel on the cheek. He then put it aside and unwrapped the other presents. There was a new sweater, some shirts , and a special surprise from Joey, a promise for tickets to the premiere of Die Hard 4 when it came out when he came home.
"Phoebe gave me some gifts for you too. But you have to wait for those." Rachel teased. "I don't think we should unwrap them until Emma goes to bed. "
Ross , Rachel and Emma sat and talked for hours until Emma fell asleep still clutching Melman. Ross took her in his arms and him and Rachel went to Jessie's trailer. She had her pajamas on and was doing a crossword puzzle. Ross quietly pushed open the door. "She is down for the count, so I thought I would tuck her in." he said whispering. "Night , night sweetie." He said as he leaned down to kiss her after placing her in the makeshift bed. Rachel beamed at the site , still having a grasp realizing that she was really next to her husband again. Rachel kissed Emma as well. The toddler had a sweet smile on her face as she hugged her new friend.
"Now what about that surprise?" Ross grinned like a naughty college boy. He knew what was next….
