AN: I hope everyone had a great holiday season. I celebrated at my dad's house Christmas Eve night and went to my sister's Christmas morning for a couple hours to give my nieces and nephews their presents. But I spent the rest of the day by myself. So I did what I always do when I have a night to myself. I watched my Friends DVDs:) I also tried making a turkey for the first time just to see if I could actually do. And it came out pretty good. I was so proud of myself.

Anyway, on to the story...

Disclaimer: I own no one. They all belong to Bright/Kauffman/Crane.

Chapter 9: Help Needed

The day after Thanksgiving, Chandler was woken up early again when Sophie started crying. He walked into her room and saw that she had thrown up all over the crib. He quickly got her out of the crib and took her to the bathroom and started the bath water. He got her cleaned off and into some new pajamas and put her down while he went to strip down the crib and started the washer. He picked up Sophie and took her into his bedroom and lay her down beside him on the bed so they could get some more sleep.

A couple hours later, Chandler was sitting in the waiting room of his doctor's office with Sophie in his lap. He bounced her on his lap to calm her down a little.

"Chandler," Dr. Bennett came out. "You can come on back now."

Chandler stood up and followed him down the hall into an exam room. Dr. Bennett took Sophie from him and sat her on the table to examine her.

"I think it's just a bug that's going around," he looked at Chandler. "I can prescribe some antibiotics for both of you."

"Both of us?" Chandler looked at him. "I'm not sick."

"Yes, you are." He handed him two prescription papers. "I just don't think you realize that you're sick because you're too focused on Sophie being sick. You need to take care of yourself, too."

"Ok." Chandler took the prescriptions and picked Sophie back up and walked out of the office.

Chandler made a stop at the drug store to fill their prescriptions and picked up some more electrolyte solution for Sophie. They went back home and Chandler set up the play pen in the living room and lay Sophie down in it after he gave her some of the antibiotics. He took his own medicine and lay down on the couch and they both drifted off to sleep.

Chandler woke up a little while later when he felt someone shaking him. He turned over and saw his mom standing over him. He glanced next to him and saw Sophie still sleeping in the play pen.

"Mom?" he slowly sat up.

"I knocked on the door, but you didn't answer."

"So how'd you get in?"

"You left the door unlocked."

"What are you doing here?" he rubbed his eyes.

"I felt bad for missing Sophie's first Thanksgiving. How was it?"

"It was ok. We went to my friend Ross' house. But we left early. His parents don't like the fact that I have a kid."

"I'm sorry about that. Did you have a good day other than that?"

"Mostly," he sighed. "Other than Sophie getting sick. And me getting sick and not knowing it because I was too worried about Sophie."

"You do look a little flushed." She sat next to him. "Why don't you go lay down in your room for awhile and I'll take care of Sophie for you?"

"Are you sure? She's on solid foods now."

"I'll be fine."

"But I wouldn't feed her any baby food because she's sick. Maybe just water because she threw up all over her crib this morning. But there's some electrolyte solution for her."

"I got it. Now go get some sleep."

"Sure." He got off the couch and went into his room and lay down on the bed and fell right to sleep.

The next time Chandler awoke, it was morning. He had slept the whole day and through the whole night. He slowly walked out of his room and saw his mom sitting on the couch as Sophie played on the floor with her blocks.

"Hey, sleepy head." Nora smiled at him.

"I didn't realize I was so tired." He told her. "Was she any trouble?"

"None." She smiled at him. "I think she's getting over the bug she had. I'm not sure about you, though. You still look a little flushed."

"I'll be fine." He went to get himself some cereal and went back in and sat beside his mom on the couch. "So how long are you here for?"

"I'm hoping to be here until after Christmas."

"Are you planning on staying here the whole time?"

"No. I think we'd get on each other's nerves if I did that."

"You're right."

"I'll stay at a hotel in town. And I can spend time with Sophie while you go to school and work."

"That'd be great." He finished his cereal as there was a knock on the door.

"Hey," Carol and Ross greeted when Chandler opened the door. "Ross told me about Sophie getting sick."

"Come on in." he held the door open for them and they all walked back inside. "Mom, these are my friends Ross and Carol. Guys, this is my mom, Nora."

"Nice to meet you." Nora smiled at them.

"So how's Sophie doing?" Ross asked.

"Better."

"Are you ok?" Carol looked at him. "You look kind of pale."

"The doctor put us both on antibiotics. I guess I didn't realize I was sick because I was too focused on Sophie. But I'm feeling better. I slept for almost a day."

"I'm glad you're feeling better." Carol told him as she sat on the floor beside Sophie as she tried to build a tower of blocks.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Chandler returned to school the next Monday when their vacation was over. His mom was keeping Sophie that day while he went to his classes. He had to work later that night as well. Chandler finished cleaning up the kitchen after he finished his breakfast and went to make sure he had all his books and his papers that he had worked on over the break. There was a knock at the door and he went to let his mom in.

"She's still sleeping." He told her. "I think she's completely better. She was able to eat her food last night."

"I got it, honey. Get going." Nora watched him grab his bag and rush out the door. He made it just in time for his Business class.

Chandler started feeling light-headed halfway through his College Algebra class. He was able to make it through the entire class and gathered up his things and headed toward the atrium where he knew Ross and Carol were eating lunch. He scanned the crowd and spotted them in the middle of the atrium talking as they balanced their lunch trays on their laps.

"Hey, Chandler." Ross spotted him. "Do you want to join us?"

"Are you ok?" Carol noticed how extremely pale he was.

"I need you guys to do me a favor," he said softly. "Can you take me to the hospital? I think something is wrong."

"Of course," They both got up and took care of their trays and helped Chandler out to the parking lot and to his car. Ross took the keys from him and pulled away from the college campus.

Ross sat in one of the chairs by the hospital bed as the nurse took Chandler's temperature. Carol was out in the waiting room using the pay phone to try to get a hold of Chandler's mom.

"Chandler," a doctor came in to them.

"Hi Dr. Bennett," he mumbled.

"How's he doing?" Dr. Bennett looked at the nurse.

"He has a temperature of 102." She told him.

"Have you been taking the antibiotics I prescribed for you?"

"Yes." Chandler told him. "I thought they were starting to work."

"Have you been getting rest?"

"Yeah. My mom is in town. She's been helping with Sophie while I've been taking it easy."

"Good."

Ross was asked to step out of the room while Dr. Bennett finished examining Chandler. He found Carol sitting in the waiting room and went to her.

"How is he?" she asked him.

"The doctor is still examining him. Did you get a hold of his mom?"

"Yeah. She's on her way."

"Carol," Nora Bing came rushing into the hospital with Sophie bundled up in a heavy coat and a hat. "How is he?"

"The doctor is still examining him."

"Mr. Gellar," Dr. Bennett came out and found them. "Your friend is going to be fine."

"So what's wrong with my son?" Nora asked him.

"The antibiotics I prescribed for him weren't strong enough for him. But I've upped the medication so he should be fine." Dr. Bennett told her. "But I want to keep him here overnight just to be safe."

"Can we see him?" Carol asked.

"Sure. I'll take you to the room we just got him into."

They all followed him down the long hallway and he stopped just outside a private room. Carol took Sophie from Nora as she walked into the room to talk to him in private before Ross and Carol went in to see him.

"Hey, mom." Chandler spotted her just standing in the doorway.

"Hey, honey." She went to the bed. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm better."

"Why didn't you tell me that you weren't feeling well this morning?"

"I felt fine this morning. I just started feeling light-headed during my last class."

"You need to start depending on people when you feel overwhelmed. There are two people outside your door that would be willing to help you out."

"I know," he sighed. "But I'm trying to prove to everyone that I can handle everything."

"Everyone needs help from time to time. Don't be too proud to ask for help when you really need it."

"Can we come in yet?" Ross opened the door. "We want to make sure that you're ok."

"I'm fine." He smiled at them as Carol handed Sophie to Chandler and she sat beside him on the hospital bed. "Thank you for bringing me here."

"It's no problem." Carol smiled at him as she watched Sophie cuddle up next to Chandler and he held her to him.

AN: So what'd you all think of this chapter? I'll be posting another chapter within a half hour. Please R&R.