Rachel held Emma tightly in her arms as Ross opened the door to his apartment for her to enter. They had gone put for shopping that weekend, but Rachel's stars seemed to betray her those days. She settled Emma down in her crib and assumed a position on the couch, clearly thinking about something. He followed them inside pushing the stroller and with a couple of shopping bags.

He set the bags down. "You sure know how to get me to buy all this stuff, Rach. But next time I am not falling for the trap, okay?" He joked. He expected her to get all defensive or at least, laugh, but it seemed she did not even listen to a word he said.

"Tired?" Ross sat next to her. Rachel nodded and leaned her head onto his shoulder, closing her eyes. He kissed her hair and rested his cheek over her head.

"It was so great to see Sarah, wasn't it?" Ross mentioned and Rachel's eyes popped open. Of course, she had to be mentioned, as they bumped into her yet again at Barney's. Rachel almost thought she was stalking them.

"Yea.. Uhh, Ross.. Why did you invite her to Mon's and Chan's tonight?" Rachel enquired as she looked up at him.

"Well, she has no one in the city. Plus, Chandler would be thrilled to see her" Ross still did not notice the hint of her discomfort.

"But today was supposed to be just us, the two couples" Rachel said as a matter of fact.

Ross chuckled. "I'm sorry Rach. But I didn't think it was that big a deal"

Rachel jerked her head away. "Oh, he didn't think it was a big deal"

"Wha - what's the matter, Rach?" Ross asked concerned. She got up and kept her hand on her temple, rubbing it.

"Geee.. you tell me, Ross. How would you feel about one of my old 'guy' friends?" Rachel said, raising her voice a little.

Ross could not comprehend. Had she just accused him for not giving her attention?

"Rach, I don't understand. I saw her after such a long time at the park. I am amazed at her, she never even used to look at me back in college" Ross said, keeping his calm.

"So you're telling me that you are enjoying her attention, huh, Ross?"

"What are you talking about?" Ross said, a little angered by the situation she was creating.

"Do you look at her face when she talks to you?" She sat next to him. "She clearly wants you, Ross" Rachel tried to make him realise.

"Wha- you're reading too much into it, Rach. She knows I'm with you, that I am crazy ab-"

"That has never been a problem when it comes to girls like her" Rachel said softly. Both were quiet for a while before Ross got up and started pacing back and forth.

"Whatever it is, I really think you're being unreasonable"

Rachel had had it. He still could not see her point. "Then what were you being in Paris, when you saw Mark?" Rachel said bitterly. Ross stopped. He could not believe she would throw that on his face, when she well knew and understood his reasons the other night in Paris.

"And it all comes back to Mark" Ross said. He waited for her reply, when she made none, he stormed off the apartment.

Rachel was shaken off from her sleep with a continuous knocking on the door. She took in her surroundings as she got out of the afghan and realised she dozed off on Ross' couch last night after he stormed out. She frowned at the thought of the fight being real, and not a part of a bad dream.

Finally, she got the strength to get up and open the door to have Monica barge in through it.

"Where the hell were you last night?"

Rachel shook her head as she walked towards the crib to check up on Emma to see her sleeping soundly. Wow, she slept through the night, she thought.

"Hello.. did you listen to anything I said?" Monica asked for her attention. She turned around with her eyes welling up.

"Mon.. I-" She plopped down on the couch.

"Sweetie, what happened? When I asked Ross, he told me you'd come if you felt well. He didn't even let me call you. He didn't want to disturb you"

"He came?"

Monica nodded. "He even brought his and Chandler's college friend, Sarah"

Rachel started crying and Monica hugged her, not understanding the reason.

"Rachel, you gotta speak to me. What is the matter?" Monica asked wiping her tears.

"We had a fight just before dinner" Rachel let out a sob.

"Why?"

"Over Sarah"

"What?"

"We ran into her at the park the other day"

"Phoebe briefly mentioned your jealousy over her, but I did not think it was this serious, Rach"

"I-I don't know, Mon. Every now and then, they are meeting for lunch and what not. Ross told me she has no one to help her out in the city and I trust him" She lets out a sigh. "But then-" She rubbed her eyes. "..He goes on to invite her to dinner, when he knew it was supposed to be a double date. And apparently my absence does not matter to him anymore"

"No sweetie, he missed you last night. I could see that"

"No Mon, he wouldn't have left me alone here if he missed me" Monica felt so sad for them both.

"How did the fight end?" She needed to know how it got so serious.

"When I told him, Sarah is not a good news. He said I was being unreasonable and.." She shook her head "I said.. that's what he was being when he warned me about Mark. Tha-that was when he stormed out" She knew her brother can be really insensitive to things, but she also knew he was the most sensitive when it came to Rachel.

"I'm so sorry"

"I mean, what is with us, Mon? We just can't get it right, can we?" Monica felt helpless, she was again torn between her best friend and her brother. But she knew they just needed a little push to resolve things.

Ross sat on a bench at the Central Park, thinking about his fight with Rachel. Why did it always come to this? A fight.

He never thought he would be thinking these thoughts. After he was given a second chance. By the girl he had been in love with since he was 15.

Rachel.

He shook his head and closed his eyes, taking in the cool breeze of the evening. Last night before he got to Monica's, he walked around the village. But he was shocked to see that Rachel had blown up the dinner. He didn't think she had taken that fight too seriously. And just when he was about to go across the street to talk to her, Sarah had shown up. He could not excuse himself, because he had only invited her.

The whole time he was there, he was miserable without her. Then it came to him, he did not need to be around Sarah. No other girls for that matter.

Not when he had the best one. His Rachel.

He even went home after dinner to see how she was. He opened the door and saw her asleep on the couch. He walked the small distance and kneeled down. Stray tears still covered her face. He hated to see her like that. He softly traced her face with his fingers.

She was so beautiful. Inside and out. Even in a pair of jeans and top, she was gorgeous. How could she feel so insecure about Sarah? No one out there could hold a candle to her.

His hand trailed down to her arms. Her hand. He felt something.

The promise ring.

He smiled. How happy she became when he gave the ring to her. He had vowed to himself the day she accepted to give him a second chance, that he would not blow it up. So how could he not see that she was so uncomfortable about his acquaintance with Sarah?

And what did he say? She was being unreasonable. When she did not see Mark again in Paris. Because it hurt him. She understood that, why couldn't he? God, he hated himself for that. He fought with her over a girl he never intended to associate with closely. Everything he ever needed, everything he ever wanted, was right there.

Right in front of him.

He kissed her hand and covered her body with an afghan that was kept on the chair. He got up to check up on his daughter.

Emma.

The result of the love so eternal between him and Rachel. Their little angel.

He saw her eyes wide-open, silently playing with her rattle. He sensed it was time for her changing, which he did, and put her down for the night. He kissed Rachel on the forehead and left to stay at Monica's for the night. He told Monica that he forgot his keys and did not want to disturb Rachel in her sleep when she was not feeling well. But of course, Monica could see right through him. He laid on her couch but couldn't sleep. Thoughts about Rachel still invaded his mind.

In the morning, he taught a couple of classes and on his way back, decided he needed to think how he was going to apologise to her. And now here he was, still thinking.

(...)

Ross entered his apartment to see the lights all dimmed up and candles lit in every corner. He looked around for her but he didn't see anyone. He threw his keys on to the table and felt her hug him from behind. She pulled herself up on her tip toes to rest her chin on his right shoulder. He kept his hands over hers that rested on his chest.

They stood like that for a few moments, taking in each other's presence, until Rachel softly kissed the skin behind his ear.

"I'm sorry" She whispered. Her voice so innocent that his heart broke a little. He quickly turned around and kissed her forehead, still holding her hands.

"No.." He shook his head. "I'm sorry. I-I don't know why I had to be a jerk"

"No, Ross.. if I expect you to stop being possessive, then you deserve the same from me" Rachel's eyes got all welled up.

"But I promised myself I won't hurt you again. And I did, I'm so sorry. We've been through so much together in the past and..." He kissed her hands. "I'm so grateful that we got a second chance to make things right" His voice a little too emotional.

She smiled and nodded, covering the small distance between them and embracing him in a tight hug.

"I don't want anymore fights, Ross. I'm tired. I-I just don't have the energy to fight with you" Rachel said with her face buried in his chest.

"Me neither, we're-we're done being stupid" He kissed her hair. She chuckled lightly and pulled away to give him a soft peck. They both looked deep into each other's eyes.

"You know.." He started "I guess in our case, we'll always feel possessive about each other. I mean, when I really thought about it, I realised I-I am yours, you know, to claim" He smiled, and she found his words so endearing.

She nodded. "I know, Ross. My heart belongs to you, even when I didn't" She held his hand in both of hers. "But don't you think it would be better if control those feelings, it would do good to our relationship, and maybe we can avoid these fights?" She was scared this might upset him but to her surprise, he slowly pulled his hands away from hers and caressed her face with both of his hands, leaning in to kiss her. When they stopped to gain their breaths, he tucked the strand of her hair behind her ear. She smiled at him.

"I've planned a dinner for us" When she saw Ross' pained expression, she continued "Planned.. being the operative word" This earned her a chuckle. She led him on to the couch, making him sit. "Be right back"

She brought the lasagne out, obviously a treat by Monica, along with two empty glasses and a bottle of wine.

She sat next to him and kissed his cheek. She put the pieces of lasagne in their plates as Ross poured the wine. Once he set the bottle aside, he realised something.

"Umm, Rach.. where is Emma?" Only now did he notice his daughter's absence.

"She's at Mon's. She wanted us to resolve our differences.." She looked at him seductively "..and more" He smiled in appreciation and brought his glass up.

"Well.. if Monica wants.." He said goofily.

They resumed eating and Rachel broke the silence. "You came home last night, didn't you?"

Ross chuckled. "What?"

"When I fell asleep on the couch, you covered me with the afghan"

"Ho-how?" Clearly surprised that she knew. She put her plate on the table and leaned her head back on the back of the couch. His eyes followed her, his plate still in hand.

"This morning when Monica came, Emma still slept soundly and.. I was covered in an afghan that is usually kept on that chair. There's no way I could have done that in my sleep"

"I couldn't, not see you, Rach. But-"

"Why didn't you wake me up?" She questioned.

"I was afraid you were still mad at me" He answered.

"Yea.. I was mad at you, Ross" He looked down but she held his wrist to make him look at her. "I thought I was, I even said to Mon that you would not have left me alone if you missed me"

Ross was about to say something, but Rachel quickly continued.

"I wondered why always do we end up fighting. Monica said we both have been in love with each other for so long that.. that we just can't think about one of us with someone else. We have been apart for so long that.. even a thought that someone would take you away from me, it hurts. She made me realise it is only normal that we react the way we do"

Ross smiled at how true this evaluation was of their relationship. He made a note in mind to thank his little sister.

"I guess it is nice to have an outside perspective of our relationship" Rachel nodded as she took the glass of wine, she was just about to take a sip when Ross called for her attention again.

"Say Rach?" She looked at him. "I was thinking, maybe.." He saw her looking at him expectantly. He was about to wave the thought off but then he got a look of her hand that held the glass, a ring on its finger. The promise ring. He smiled.

"Ross?"

"Hmm?" Still in a daze.

"You were saying?"

"Oh, yeah. Um.. I feel like we are, you know, ready to take a step forward in our relationship" Rachel furrowed her eyebrows. He continued "I mean, it would be the best for Em and, let's face it, we'll be so much happier. I guess what I'm trying to say is, and you could say no. I don't want you to feel obligated for it, but would you move back in with me?"

Rachel tilted her head to like she does, a smile forming on her face. "Well.." She picked his glass with her free hand and brought closer to his hand. "We can drink to that"

"You mean you will?" He confirmed as he took the glass.

"Of course, Sweetie" She eyed his ears as her fingers traced it. She looked back at him "That's actually been on my mind lately" They both shared a smile and clinked their glasses before taking a sip.