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"I've decided I want to see my father," Phoebe announced to the group at Monica's a week later. "My birth father."

"Oh?" Chandler asked. He remembered how well that went last time.

"Yea. I just...there's been too many signs you know?" she explained.

"Like what?" Ross asked.

"You wouldn't get it," she dismissed. She knew they wouldn't. She was saving herself the embarrassment. Monica was staring at the TV screen intently.

"Watcha watching?" Joey asked, noticing.

"Stocks," Monica said. "My initials are a stock. MEG."

"That's...nice," Joey frowned. He wasn't sure what the significance of that was.

"You need a job, Mon," Ross said.

"I know! I know," she replied.

"Do you want me to come with you, Phoebs?" Joey asked, ignoring the others. Phoebe wasn't sure. She hadn't been alone with Joey since their kiss two weeks ago. She didn't know if she wanted to be alone with him ever again.

"Chandler is going with me," Phoebe announced, making Chandler's head pop up from the fridge.

"Chandler is playing tennis with Ross," Chandler reiterated. Ross shot him a grateful look.

"Oh," Phoebe said. She was panicking now.

"I'll come," Rachel offered. She didn't want to watch tennis anyway.

"Okay!" Phoebe exclaimed, excited. "Let's go!" She went to grab her coat with Rachel following. Joey tagged along as well.

"What?" he asked when Phoebe saw him.

"I didn't realize you were still coming," she replied.

"Hey, I was there in the beginning. I wanna see it through," he grinned.

"Whatever," Phoebe shrugged. At least Rachel was there with her. Phoebe surged ahead down the stairs, but Joey ran into his apartment quickly, making Rachel linger and wait for him.

"What are those for?" she asked, seeing the pillows in his hands.

"You'll see," he answered.

Chandler & Ross

"That guy just took my hat," Chandler said, stunned. The bullies walked out the front door laughing to each other.

"He sure did," Ross agreed.

"I thought bullies ceased to exist when we became adults?" Chandler asked.

"There's always bullies, Chandler," Ross pointed out.

"Maybe, but they're not as childish," Chandler retorted.

"We should have gone to tennis," Ross lamented.

"You think?!" Chandler scoffed. He was feeling like a big loser now. If he couldn't even stand up for himself, then how could he ever stand up for anyone, say Monica? He was still sore about the whole Richard thing.

"Man, I wish Monica was here," Ross sighed.

"What? Why?" Chandler asked, panicking. Had he said something out loud by accident?

"She wouldn't have taken that guy's crap," Ross answered. Chandler relaxed. Of course she wouldn't have. That's what made her so great.

Monica

"So, I'm doing it," Monica said on the phone.

"You really think that's a good idea?" Richard asked. He himself wasn't a big fan of the stock market.

"It's all I've got right now," Monica told him. "I am NOT going to work at that stupid 50s diner. No way. It's humiliating."

"How about I just loan you some money?" Richard suggested.

"No! I'm not taking money from my boyfriend either," Monica replied. "I'm a big girl. I can look after myself."

"All righty," Richard sighed. He hoped she knew what she was doing. They hung up, and Monica stood there reveling in her own daredevilness. It was time to hit the stocks!

Phoebe/Joey/Rachel

When Phoebe slammed on the brakes and sent Joey and Rachel into the glass, Rachel gave Joey a grateful look.

"Told you," he smirked, putting his pillow back onto his lap.

"Okay," Phoebe said. "Here we go." She got out and headed to the front door.

"What the hell is that smell?" Rachel asked. She looked to see Joey holding a sandwich. "When did you get that?"

"I'm just that good," Joey replied. "And it's olive bread with ham spread. No mayo."

"Yea, cos that would be just gross," Rachel said sarcastically. Her stomach was trying to heave just from the odor.

"Oh no! No, no!" Phoebe was shouting as she ran back to the car. A little white dog was barking and chasing her. She jumped into the cab, panicking.

"That thing again, huh?" Joey asked. He remembered it from their last visit.

"I think this is a sign too," Phoebe said.

"What do you mean?" Rachel asked.

"Beast at the threshold!" Phoebe shouted. The dog kept jumping up and down.

"Here," Rachel said, taking Joey's sandwich and tossing it out the window.

"Hey!" Joey cried, indignant.

"Get the sandwich!" Rachel shouted to the dog. "Get the sandwich! Joey, the dog won't even touch your sandwich." She turned to look at him.

"You wasted a perfectly good sandwich," Joey said. "Over a dog. A little dog. It can't be that bad." He turned to get out and retrieve his sandwich, but the dog was sitting in his window, which made him shout in fright.

"See?" Phoebe asked. "This is a sign."

"Uh huh," Joey said. He started rolling up his window, making the dog jump down. "We can come back."

"I think I will," Phoebe said. "This isn't working." She threw the car in gear and set off, but the yelp and thud that followed made her slam her brakes again. This time, Joey and Rachel weren't so fortunate, and they banged their heads off the glass.

"Ouch!" Rachel cried, rubbing her head.

"I think the threshold is clear now," Joey offered. Phoebe felt sick. She had hurt a little dog! A vicious one at that, but still! She went out and collected it, putting it in the cab with Joey and Rachel.

"Ah! Phoebs!" Joey exclaimed, trying to get away from the dog.

"Relax, he's unconscious," Phoebe scoffed.

"You say that, but you're up there. We're back here with it," Joey muttered. Phoebe ignored him and drove to the vet. She dropped them off on they way.

Later

"You know, I think we can do this," Chandler said, handing Ross a mug. "Coffee at home is just as good." They had had another run in with the bullies, and this time they were told to not return if they didn't want trouble.

"Why isn't it blending in with the water?" Ross asked, looking into his mug.

"Stir and drink, stir and drink!" Chandler called. They ended up with it all over themselves.

"This sucks," Ross said, trying to wipe it off. "We shouldn't be so afraid of getting a coffee."

"You're right," Chandler said, getting up. "We are not afraid!"

"Do you need me to go with you ladies?" Joey asked, coming out of his room. He had heard about the bullies earlier from Monica when she had ran into him in the hall. She was frantic for money, but Joey didn't have any for her.

"No. No! We are men. We can take care of ourselves!" Chandler said, his voicing getting high and squeaky. "Let's go!" Ross jumped up and followed him out, both eager to face their bullies. Joey just shook his head. It was too bad he couldn't watch.

Rachel & Monica

"I need a hundred bucks," Monica said as soon as Rachel entered the apartment.

"And hello to you too," Rachel said.

"Hi, sweetie," Monica threw in. "About that hundred bucks?"

"Mon, I don't have it. I'm so sorry," Rachel apologized. "What do you need it for?"

"I lost it all," Monica confessed. "I need to get back into the game!"

"Mon, this isn't such a good idea," Rachel said. Monica teared up.

"I know! But it's so much better than dressing up like an old lady with fake boobs and working at a diner where they make you dance!" Monica cried.

"Have you talked to Richard?" Rachel suggested.

"I'm not taking money from him!" Monica replied sharply.

"All right," Rachel said, holding her hands up. "Relax."

"I'm sorry. I'm just..." Monica trailed off. She couldn't finish that sentence. There were no words to describe how she was feeling anyway.

"It's okay," Rachel soothed. "You'll figure something out. I know it." She went into her room, leaving Monica standing there knowing exactly what she had to do and hating herself for it.

Chandler & Ross

It was down to this, fighting in the street like dogs. Chandler was freaking out so bad right now, and from the look on Ross' face, he was too. They had set the ground rules, and now they were dancing around each other like boxers in a ring. Then, someone stole the hat with all their belongings in it.

"Hey!" Ross shouted after the guy. They all bolted after him. They caught up to him easily, and the guy didn't even know what hit him as all four of them crashed into him and tackled him down. Ross grabbed the hat with the stuff and jumped up out of the way. He shouted to Chandler that he could stop hitting the guy, but he didn't know if Chandler could even hear him.

"Truce! Truce!" the poor guy was shouting, holding his arms over his head. Chandler stopped then.

"We're done here," the one bully said. They all walked back to the Perk.

"You were amazing," the other bully said to Chandler.

"Yea, Chandler," Ross said, admiration in his voice.

"So I can fight," Chandler scoffed. "Big deal." They all sat down in the cafe talking about the incident. Chandler went for his hat as it was his hat after all damn it, and he was getting it back. He managed to yank it off the one bully's head and tried to bolt out the door, but he fell face first instead. Everyone laughed, but Chandler still got up and ran for his life in case the bully tried to steal it again. The hat was special to him. Monica had given it to him for a birthday gift one year. Every time he wore it, it was like she was with him. No bully was going to have Monica on their head. Huffing and puffing, he arrived at his apartment. He noticed Monica leaving hers and looking depressed.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"Nothing," she replied. "Got your hat back I see."

"Sure did. No bully is tougher than me," he joked.

"Good to know," Monica smiled half-heartedly. She waved goodbye and headed off to start her new job.

Phoebe

"So, could I call you sometime?" Frank Jr. asked. Phoebe felt a strange feeling stir within her. This was her half-brother. She had a half-brother! It was all so exciting.

"Yes! Yes, you can," she replied.

"Cool," Frank Jr. said, laughing nervously. "Hey, you wanna see where Dad banged his head off the gutter while he was walking on his stilts?"

"I would love that," Phoebe nodded. She followed him. Even though she didn't gain a father, she gained something better, and she intended on investing in this relationship. Something came to her mind as they were walking around the house.

"Hey, you dropped the condom in my guitar case that time and came back for it," she said suddenly. Frank paused, looking at her closely.

"Oh yea!" he laughed. "Yea, that was me. You play really good music."

"Cool! And thanks!" She dropped the subject, sensing he was embarrassed by the incident. Still, it was nice having a connection from the past.

A Week Later

"Joey! Would you stop staring! They are fake, see?" Monica said, showing him. "Honk! Honk!"

"When did we get on the street?" Chandler asked, feigning surprise. Monica gave him a look.

"I think it's hot," Richard said. He had shown up after the gang had arrived. Rachel was at work, and Monica took this opportunity to talk about the birthday party she was going to throw for Rachel. She ignored Richard's comment.

"Let's just do pizza and beer," Ross suggested. "She might not like big and fancy."

"Okay, then I'm out," Monica said. "Throw the party yourself."

"It'll be fine," Phoebe said. "I'll help." Monica cringed inside. Phoebe wasn't exactly the best person to help with such a thing.

"I have to get to work," Richard said, kissing her. "I'll see you tonight."

"Okay," Monica said, smiling. Chandler faked a hurling sound. She looked over at him.

"Oh sorry. Something caught in my throat," he said. He made the noise again to prove his point. She just rolled her eyes. She left their table to get back to work.

That night-Monica's

"Okay people!" Monica called "Almost show time!" There was a banging at the door, and Richard answered.

"Hello," Dr. Green said, coming in. Monica panicked.

"Wha-what are you doing here?" she asked.

"Can't a father see his daughter on her birthday?" Dr. Green asked. "Ohhh you're having a parteee!"

"Um, yes, but not really," Monica replied. Dr. Green gave her a confused look.

"This is the staging area," Phoebe chimed in, trying to help.

"Yes, the real party is across the hall," Joey threw in. Chandler gave him a "what the hell are you doing?" look, which Joey chose to ignore.

"Okay," Dr. Green said. "Do I leave my coat here or over there?"

"Here," Monica said.

"There," Chandler said at the same time. Dr. Green looked at them both warily.

"Here is fine," Joey said, taking over. He led Dr. Green into Rachel's room.

"Wow what a conundrum," Richard commented. The door knocked again, and he opened it to find Mrs. Green standing there smiling.

"Hello!" she said.

"No!" Monica shouted, slamming the door on her. Richard turned to look at her.

"Now I know I am a little older than you and may have had different teachings, but I don't think that's the proper way to greet a guest," he teased.

"Oh my God! What are we gonna do?" Monica hissed.

"I've got this," Phoebe said. Joey looked out and caught her frantic gestures. Phoebe let Sandra in, apologizing.

"We thought you were Rachel," Phoebe explained.

"Really?" Sandra asked.

"Yes! Because you look so young," Monica added. Sandra blushed.

"Oh, you kids," she said.

"Oh! I need you to see something," Phoebe said to Sandra, pulling her along. "We'll be gal pals. It'll be so much fun!" She shut Sandra into the bathroom with her, and Joey popped out with Dr. Green.

"Away we go," Chandler said, following them out. Dr. Green looked at the Happy Birthday sign over the door questioningly, and Chandler yanked it off on his way by.

"That's clearly on the wrong door," he joked. He tacked it on over their door instead. He wondered how the hell they were going to pull this one off.

Later

Ross walked up the stairs with Rachel leaning on him. They had had a lovely dinner, and Ross was feeling that everything in the world was going to be all right.

"Thank you," Rachel said sincerely. "It was so nice."

"You're welcome," Ross replied. They had reached Monica's door. Rachel figured there was some kind of surprise behind the door, but she didn't want to ruin their hard work. Sure enough, when they entered, everyone shouted "Surprise!" at her. What surprised her the most was her mother standing there.

"Mom!" she cried, giving her a hug.

"Okay, now go across the hall," Monica said. Ross looked at her.

"What?" he asked.

"Just do it," she ordered.

"Okay," he said, confused. They walked over to Joey and Chandler's apartment where another "Surprise!" was thrown at them. Rachel saw her father standing there and immediately knew what was going on.

"Daddy!" she cried, hugging him. She looked at Ross, who shrugged and mouthed "I have no idea."

Later Still

Rachel was sitting in the hallway alone. It was so overwhelming. Her parents weren't even in the same room, and they were still complaining about one another. She barely registered that Phoebe was sneaking people out of Monica's party and into Chandler's. It wasn't until Chandler popped out into the hallway that he noticed her sitting there.

"Tough night huh?" he asked, plopping down beside her.

"How did you do it?" she asked.

"Well, there was lots of bed wetting involved..." Chandler trailed off.

"This is going to be my future," Rachel went on. "Christmas. Thanksgiving. Birthdays. I can't do this."

"It's hard, but you will get through it," Chandler reassured her, patting her shoulder. Ross came out then, and Chandler stood to let him take his place.

"I'm sorry," Ross said, putting his arm around her. She rested her head on his shoulder.

"I don't know what to do," she confessed.

"You can't let yourself get stuck in the middle," Ross said. "They're adults. They will figure out how to be around each other."

"Promise me something," Rachel said suddenly.

"Anything," he answered.

"If anything happens to us, please, can we agree to get along around everybody else?" she asked.

"I will agree, but I don't think anything is going to happen to us," Ross told her.

"How can you promise that?" she questioned.

"It's just a feeling," Ross replied. She didn't question it further. With Ross, she just trusted whatever he said. Maybe it was irrational, but he made her feel so safe.

Monica

"I can't believe people are leaving," Monica said to Richard. "Is my party that bad?"

"No," Richard said, shaking his head. He himself had just snuck back in from Chandler's party. He hoped she wouldn't find that out.

"Thanks again, darling," Sandra said, hugging Monica. "Most fun I've had in years."

"Really?" Monica asked.

"Yes." They walked her out into the hall where Rachel stood and gave her mother a hug as well.

"Here we go," Joey said, coming out of the apartment. "Ahhhh."

"Yippee wahoo!" Chandler started shouting, jumping up and down while blocking Dr. Green from sight. Joey caught on and mimicked him while Richard did his best to stand in front of Sandra. Joey hung back in the hall, letting Chandler go with Dr. Green. Rachel went inside to say goodbye to her father.

"Lovely party, baby," he said to her. She smiled. When he went out the door, he missed Joey grabbing Sandra and kissing her. Rachel held her face in fear until he was out of sight.

"Well," Sandra said, blushing. "Good night."

"Nice one," Richard said to Joey, high fiving him. Monica sighed in relief. It was finally over.

A Week Later

"So, are you going to tell Joey how you feel?" Chandler asked Phoebe. They were at the Perk together.

"Nope," Phoebe replied.

"Why not?"

"Because. We're better off as friends," she explained.

"Hardly," Chandler scoffed. He was still holding on to the fact that Joey had feelings for Phoebe now. He had been paying attention, and he noticed that Joey always tried to sit beside her or be alone with her in some way. How did she not see it?

"Doesn't matter. Ryan is coming," Phoebe said. "For two weeks!"

"Ryan?"

"Yes," Phoebe nodded.

"Submarine guy?"

"Yes!"

"Oh no. No, no," Chandler said. "You can't."

"Why not?"

"Uhhhh..."

"Hey guys!" Joey said, coming up to them.

"Hello and goodbye," Phoebe said. "I have to meet Ryan."

"Oh...okay," Joey said, watching her go with a hint of disappointment on his face.

"So, how's the whole liking Phoebe thing going?" Chandler asked nonchalantly.

"I really thought it'd go away," Joey said. "But it's not. Who's Ryan?"

"No idea," Chandler lied. He knew who Ryan was. He didn't want to bring it up.

"Hey guys," Ross said. "Just letting you know that Ben has chicken pox, so if you haven't had it, then look out."

"Had it," Joey replied.

"Me too," Chandler added.

"Good. Carol is thinking of throwing a pox party," Ross said. "Can you believe we do that?"

"Don't invite me," Joey said. "I don't want to get it again." Chandler and Ross both looked at him.

"Hi, honey," Rachel said, coming over and kissing Ross. "Ben has the pox, huh?"

"Yea."

"That's too bad."

"What is the deal with Ryan? Does Phoebe love him?" Joey asked Chandler, ignoring those two. Rachel gave Ross a questioning look, and he just shrugged.

"I don't know. Stop drilling me!" Chandler shouted, jumping up and running out.

"What's with him?" Joey asked them.

"I dunno. What's with you?" Ross asked.

"What do you mean?"

"You're asking if Phoebe loves Ryan," Ross replied.

"Oh. No reason," Joey lied. He looked at his watch. "Oohh look at the time. I gotta go." He left in a hurry as well.

"There's something funny going on here," Rachel mused. Ross nodded in agreement. Something funny going on indeed.

The next chapter is going to be a cliffhanger. I'm just gonna apologize in advance...Keep on reading and reviewing!