Rated T
Note: I would like to thank my reviewers but especially Brutus an anonymousreviewer. I had to say I have the whole story planned out and then you come along with these really inspiring reviews and they just make me think about the story and how to improve it and has remained loyal to my story so thanks!
And the next chapters up will contain LOADS more Ross and Rachel bonding.
XXX
I present: The drawingRoss had lived in Scarsdale for 2 weeks now and had enjoyed every second of it. His bonds with his daughters were only growing stronger and with Rachel he felt like he was beginning to trust her again even though he hadn't spent some real alone time with her yet.
There was a carnival on Sunday and Ross was going to take this chance to spend some quality time with Rachel and plus he knew the kids wanted to go to the carnival Emma loved it last time he took her and Ella had asked to go as well.
Ross thought about the carnival and all the fun rides he could take his daughters on as he drove to Emma's school to pick her up when he got there he saw a scene he would have preferred not to see.
Standing in a circle was a bunch of girls that must have been about 7 crowded in a circle around a little girl. Ross got out of the car and went nearer to take a closer look just to check that the girl was ok and was horrified to discover that the little girl was his own daughter. As he approached them more her became angrier as he heard them shouts and pushing her
"Move dino geek!" said one girl who looked like the leader pushed Emma into another girl, that girl grabbed her bag and threw it to another girl this went on for a few passes before her bag got back to the leader she tipped everything out and the girls laughed as Emma knelt before them picking up the items that had dropped out of her bag tears flowing down her face.
As the girls began to walk away Ross jumped in "hey you stop" Emma looked up and the girls turned around. Ross walked up to them and stood in front of the leader looking down on her "what right do you have to bully my daughter!" he said wanting so badly to hit the girl but knowing he couldn't. Another girl whispered to another girl "look she's a daddy's girl" they sniggered but Ross turned round and glared at them shutting them up. "So what the hell were you doing to my daughter, who cares if she likes dinosaurs she will make a lot more money then you will as a hooker". The girl gasped and went to turn around to leave but stood in shock as her mother walked over to her. "What's going on here?" she asked Ross faced the woman and said in a stern tone "your daughter and her gang have been bullying my daughter". The mother grabbed her daughter by her hood and looked down scowling at her "is this true?" the girl looked up at her mother "yes" she said quietly then lowering her head. The woman turned towards Ross "I'm extremely sorry about this I assure you it will NOT happen again, will it Tracy she said looking at her daughter and yanking her coat hood so she looked up. The girl whose name was apparently Tracy had small tears in her eyes "no mother it won't"
The mother dragged Tracy over to Emma and let go of her hood pushing her towards Emma and said in a strict voice "apologize!" Tracy looked at Emma. Emma had never seen this side of her she had always seemed so cocky and confident but this girl looked like she was scared and upset "I'm sorry" she muttered Emma nodded wiping away her tears. With that the mother grabbed Tracy's hand and walked her over to the other girls "all of you apologize" she ordered to the gang the other girls were very scared so they said together "we're sorry" "and don't let me hear about you doing this again do you understand" "yes" they all said then ran away. The mother walked away with Tracy and Ross went over to Emma. "Are you ok?" he asked "yeah" she smiled wiping away the last of her tears. "Thanks daddy" Ross shrugged and grinned "anything for my little girl". They walked off and got into the car.
The drive home was relatively quiet Emma sat in the front seat staring out of the window. Ross wanted to lighten the mood so he asked "how about if there is one we go to the museum tomorrow, then the carnival on Sunday?" Emma turned around perking up at this smiling big "yeah, then I can show you all the cool stuff they have!" she smiled. "Daddy…" Emma asked lowering her voice "would you and mummy ever get back together?" Ross went silent for a minute then said "I still don't know maybe" he wanted to be truthful but he knew he couldn't give her the answer she wanted not yet. "Ella likes you, you know" Ross raised an eyebrow "you think so?" Emma smiled "yeah she told me."
At that comment Ross felt proud that his daughter that he had barely seen for most of her life since she was born liked her.
They pulled up outside the flat building that they lived in and got out the car. When they opened the door to flat 27A Ella came rushing over "Rossy look what I drew, mummy put it on the fridge" she grabbed his arm pulling him towards the kitchen but then Rachel walked out of the bedroom "and why are you too back so late, did your dad drive that slow Emma?" she said smirking Emma shook her head and walked to her room. Rachel was concerned now "it was only meant to be a joke" she turned to Ross there was a bullying incident at school Rachel's face turned from concern to sheer horror "oh dear god" Ross cut in before she overreacted "but I sorted it out." Rachel looked at Ross then at the door to Emma and Ella's room "Rossy" Ella said tugging his hand more "see my picture" Ross turned and let Ella drag him to the kitchen while Rachel went in to check on Emma.
When Ross reached the kitchen Ella pointed to the drawing that was stuck on the fridge by a magnet. The picture being done by a three year old had 5 stick people Ella pointed to a red stick person with black lines for hair "that's you" and that's mummy she said pointing to a stick girl with yellow lines for hair, that's Emma she pointed to a smaller stick girl with yellow lines for hair and that's me she said pointing to an even smaller stick girl with black lines for hair and that's Tony she pointed to a tall stick man with brown lines for hair.
"That's very good Ella" he said picking her up and hugging her she smiled "mummy say I good at arm" Ross giggled "you mean art" he said raising his eyebrows. Ella blushed embarrassed.
Ross thought in his head
I've spent so much time with her lately and Tony hasn't even been around why does she like him so much what's he got that I haven't .How is he so good that Rachel would want to sleep with him and Ella would call him daddy.
Ross wished she would call him daddy like Emma did, well at least Emma did that was one good thing .He had a very strong urge to grab the drawing and rip Tony off it but he knew what wouldn't go down too well with Ella or Rachel. This Tony guy had seen so many of Ella's firsts Ross felt like he did when he had Ben and when Rachel was pregnant he missed everything, hell he even missed her birth what kind of a father misses their Childs birth? A bad one that's who. Suddenly Ross couldn't blame Rachel accusing him of being a bad father she had all right too he'd missed her birth then ignored his newborn daughter making excuses that he needed to go out leaving Rachel alone with the baby and Emma. While this Tony guy had always been there for Rachel and helped her out. He had missed some things he would never get to see again…her first word…
Flashback
Ella sat in her high chair while Tony fed her. It had been 6 months since Tony had met Rachel and the two had become fast friends. Tony loved Ella he didn't have any kids of his own but sometimes he felt like Ella was his daughter but then he would just remember that she wasn't and his happy smile would turn into a sad one.
Rachel watched from her bedroom Tony had insisted on feeding her while she took a nap. She smiled the two were so cute. He was so helpful and Ella loved him but sometimes she wished it was Ross bending down to feed her and not Tony. She missed him dearly and so did Emma, Emma didn't like Tony every time he tried to show interest in what she was doing she would grab her stuff and stomp off to her room.
"Here comes the aeroplane" he said gliding the plane shaped plastic spoon towards her mouth she giggled and opened her mouth but before the spoon got to her mouth a word came out
"Tony"
Tony was so shocked that he dropped the food and stood there in shock Rachel had seen it too and couldn't believe that Ella had just said her first word. Emma turned round from watching TV looking like she was going to cry she wanted Ella to miss her dad just like she did she didn't want Tony to replace him and for Ella she felt like he was. Rachel slowly walked towards her youngest daughter and bent down "what did you say" she asked " Tony" said Ella still adjusting to her first word " OMG" Rachel's hands flew to her face she couldn't believe it.
End flashback
When Ross had came back Rachel never told him Ella's first word was Tony she knew how much he now loved Ella and wanted to be her father again and it would kill him if he found out. It was bad enough that Emma had told Ross that Ella sometimes calls Tony daddy. She just hoped that the subject never came up.
Ross turned his attention back to Ella and said "Ella you know how you wanted to go to the funfair?" "Yeah" she nodded "well I heard there is one on Sunday would you like to go?" Ella's face lit up "Oh yes pwlease" she squealed jumping out of Ross's arms and running in to her room to tell her mum the great news.
Then Ross stood there thinking about what else he had missed, her first steps there was a picture on the wall of Ella walking towards Tony's open arms. Ross picked it up and turned it over written on it was Ella's first steps May 23rd 2007…
Flashback
"You can do it" encouraged Emma, Rachel stood above Ella holding her up with her hands in the air while Tony sat about 2 meters away. Rachel began to walk towards Tony moving Ella's feet forward one at a time in front of each other she slowly let go and watched as Ella wobbled for a few seconds then fell down. She picked herself up and began to walk towards Tony who had his arms held out and a smile plastered across his face. Rachel flashed the camera not wanting to forget this moment. When she reached him everyone cheered.
End flashback
Ross wished he could have been the one sitting across from her waiting for her to walk into his open arms, he put the picture back and looked at another one it was of Ella's first birthday it was dated September 30th 2007. Ella sat on a chair in front of a birthday cake the shape of number 1 with 1 candle on it ready to blow it out. Behind her were who he presumed was Tony and Rachel with huge grins on their faces, beside Ella was 3-year-old Emma who was smiling and looking at the cake. There was another photo beside it of Emma sitting on the chair and sitting in front of a cake shaped in the number 3 Ella was beside her smiling and Tony and Rachel were behind her.
Flashback
Rachel had spent months planning for Ella's first birthday, she had ordered the cake and made sure she went and got it herself after what happened at Emma's first birthday. She had borrowed a camcorder off Tony to make a video for Ella's eighteen birthday; she even invited her mother to come down. Her and Tony had decided to have a quiet birthday with only closest family and friends. Rachel wished that Joey and Phoebe and Ross and Monica and Chandler could be there with her, but she knew that was impossible Monica and Chandler hated her and she didn't want Ross to know where she was so she couldn't risk inviting Joey and Phoebe, even though they were her friends when it came to keeping secrets they were useless.
And after months of planning the day had finally come
Rachel stood in the kitchen preparing party food while Emma and Ella were watching the TV, there was a knock at the door and all 3 girls turned to look towards it. Rachel went over and opened it to revealed Tony with 2 huge presents.
"Awww Tony you didn't have to get them something that big"
"I couldn't help it" he grinned and added " its there's so you can't exchange it ok?"
Rachel did a fake pout "ok" they both giggled
Ella noticed Tony and ran to him Emma just sulked " Tonyyyyyyyyyy" Tony put down the gift and scooped the little girl into his arms smiling at her" and how's the birthday girl today?" " I'm gweat" she chirped then looked down at the big wrapped present" that fwor mwe?" She asked "yes and one for Emma, Emma refused to look at him".
Pretty soon more people started to arrive Rachel's mum turned up and lit up when she saw her two grandchildren.
After opening the presents which were from Tony a push along wooden block set, from Emma a Barbie and from Rachel a full set of Winnie the pooh teddies and a dolls pram.
And for Emma from Tony was a huge fisher price dollhouse witch she loved and did say thank you for. From Rachel she got a Barbie 3 wheel scooter and from Ella she got a set of dinosaur figures.
Rachel announced it was time for the cake she turned out the lights but quickly turned them back on when Ella started to cry, She and Tony came in each carrying an iced number cake while every one sung…
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday dear Emma and Ella
Happy birthday to you
Everyone clapped and Sandra Greene took a photo just as Ella was about to blow out the candles. And again when Emma was about to blow out hers.
When she did everyone clapped and cheered but nobody knew that Ella's wish was for her real daddy to be with her, Emma had talked so much about wanting her daddy that she had started to feel the same.
End flashback
Rachel came out of Emma's room and noticed Ross looking at the photos on the fridge.
Ross put the picture back and walked towards his room but when he got to Rachel he stopped and said barely below a whisper
"I'm sorry I missed them"
Rachel just stood there
Ross walked into his bedroom and prepared for the next day.
Please read and review
The next chapter will be 'Choose' (sorry couldn't think of a better name I will try though)