Hi! Finally posting another chapter! Thank you so much for sticking with this story through what, unfortunately, has become long lapses in adding chapters! :-( Hope you enjoy! Thanks, as always, for reading! :-)

Chapter 36

Monica, dressed in black wool pants with a red top and a scarf of multiple shades of green, greeted her guests with a hug when they entered her apartment the next morning.

"You look very Christmassy," Chandler commented.

Adrianna nodded excitedly. Monica noticed she could hardly stand still.

"Thanks. I'm getting together with my family later to celebrate Hanukkah, so I thought I'd dress more appropriately for this outing. I'm ready when you are."

"We're ready," Chandler said, "as soon as my daughter uses the bathroom."

"Don't hafta go."

"I don't care if you don't hafta go, you're gonna go."

"But I don't…"

"Go! And wash your hands. And don't use any of Monica's fancy towels."

"'kay."

"Um, she can use my fancy towels. That's why I have them out for the holiday season."

Once the door closed, Monica, with one eyebrow raised, turned to Chandler.

"Problem?"

He sighed and ran his hands over his face. "She's driving me crazy."

"She's excited. Isn't that a good thing?"

"I know. It is. I know it is. Last year, we weren't even thinking about Christmas. I know this is the first year she's really into it, but did she have to wake me at 6:00 a.m.? She was ready to go. She would not stop talking. And she hasn't even had any sugar!"

Monica laughed and ran the pad of her index finger down his smooth cheek.

"You'll survive. She'll survive. It's only a few more days."

"I know you're right," he said, capturing her hand in his and kissing the back of it. "I just wish she would calm down. A little."

"Since she's been so hyper, you haven't had a chance to ask her about almost calling me mommy?"

Chandler frowned. "No, I'm sorry, I haven't. But I will. I will let you know what she says."

"Thank you."

They turned when they heard the door open.

"Pretty towels. I'm ready!"

"Let's get this show on the road," Monica said, feeling a bit giddy, too.

To Chandler's relief, and maybe Monica's, too, the line wasn't long to see Santa, and Adrianna managed to behave after a stern warning from her father. When the perky elf called her to sit on Santa's lap, she went willingly while Monica and Chandler stood off to the side in case she needed them.

When Santa asked what he could bring her for Christmas, she pointed towards them.

"See the pretty lady?"

"Indeed I do," Santa said.

"I want her for my new mommy."

When Chandler and Monica saw Santa and Adrianna looking at them, they smiled and waved.

"Why are they looking at us?" Monica asked.

Chandler shrugged. "Who knows what my daughter asked for?"

"You know what," Monica said, lowering her voice. "A little more padding and that Santa suit would look good on you."

Chandler grinned. "Oh, yeah?"

"Oh, yeah."

He lowered his voice even more and leaned in closer. "If I were wearing that suit, what list would your name be on: the nice or the naughty one?"

"Definitely the naughty one," she said and grinned.

"I knew it."

"You wouldn't want it any other way, would you?"

Lost in their conversation, they didn't notice the cute elf motioning for them to join Santa and Adrianna.

"Take a family picture," she said.

"Oh, I don't think we should…" Monica said, looking to Chandler.

"I think we should," he said and told Santa's helper they'd be right there.

"Chandler, are you sure?" Monica asked.

"Very. You don't know who that Santa is?"

Monica peered closer, trying to figure it out, but wasn't sure.

"Not really."

"It's Joey. I wasn't sure how comfortable Adrianna would be, so I made sure he was working as Santa and that's why I brought her here. It'll be a fun picture to have. I never thought I would have a child who would be sitting on Santa's, aka, Joey's lap. C'mon. Let's do it."

And so the family picture was taken, and someday, Adrianna would know exactly whose lap she was sitting on when she asked for Monica to be her new mommy.

That evening, Adrianna finally calmed down long enough for Chandler to feed her dinner. She hadn't wanted breakfast and had barely touched her lunch at the mall. She was too enthralled with all of the decorations and window displays to think about food.

"After we eat, we can put the new ornament we bought on the tree, and then I want to talk with you. Okay?"

She nodded; and a little while later, Chandler helped her find the perfect spot on the Douglas fir for her teddy bear ornament. She said it looked just like Timmy bear, and Chandler had to agree. Once the tree was lit and Adrianna had admired it, as she had done every night since they had decorated it, Chandler reached for her hand and led her to the sofa in the living room.

"You can still enjoy the tree," he said, positioning her so she could see the beautiful ornaments and twinkling colorful lights, "but I need to talk to you about something."

"'kay."

"Yesterday, when you were at Rachel's and you saw Monica, you ran to her, right?"

She nodded.

"I want you to be honest with me, Adrianna. Did you almost call her 'mommy'?"

Adrianna looked down at her hands which were folded on her lap. She didn't say anything. Chandler finally tilted her chin with his forefinger so she was looking at him.

"It's okay if you did, I just want to know."

"Yeah, I did," she finally said after squirming for a bit.

"Was it because you were thinking of your mommy or was it because you want to call Monica 'mommy'?"

Adrianna shrugged. "Dunno."

"Sweetheart, I think you do. This is very serious. If you were thinking about your mother, I want to know that, but if you've started looking at Monica differently, I want to know that, too."

"I want Monica to be my new mommy," she blurted out.

Chandler pulled his daughter onto his lap and stroked her hair and then kissed the top of it. "You're sure this is what you want?"

"Yep. She's so pretty and nice. You smile a lot."

Chandler grinned. "And that's a good thing, right?"

She nodded.

"It's one thing to want to call Monica your mommy, but you have to understand certain rules come with that title. If you want Monica to be your mommy, that means she becomes another person of authority in your life. You have to listen to her when she tells you to do or not to do something, and when you are with her; she is your parent just like I am. If you do something wrong and she scolds you, you have to apologize and do what she says just like you have to with me. It won't be just fun times, Adrianna. If Monica is going to be your new mommy, then she gets to discipline and correct you when you misbehave. And you need to listen and learn from her. Do you understand?"

She nodded. "Like Emma's mommy did when we were watchin' Uncle Joey on TV."

"You and Emma were watching TV? Alone?"

"She wanta show me Uncle Joey."

"Well, if Monica or I tell you not to do something and you do it, you will be talked to just like Emma was."

"'kay. Can Monica be my new mommy? Please?"

"Well, now we have something different to talk about. Do you know what has to happen for Monica to become your new mommy?"

She shook her head.

"Monica and I need to be married. That means I have to buy an engagement ring for her. Do you want to help me buy an engagement ring for Monica?"

"Yay!" she said, sounding like Phoebe and clapping her hands just like Rachel when she got excited about something.

What are these women doing to my daughter?

"Okay. Can you keep a secret?"

"Yeah."

"Good. Because I don't want you to say anything to anyone about this, all right? Especially not Emma and not Uncle Joey. Got that?"

"Got it."

"And your Christmas present to Monica will be that you ask her if you can call her 'mommy', okay?"

"'kay."

"And we'll say the pearl earrings are from you, too."

"And my picture from school."

"That's right. Monica will have a very special Christmas. We have to get busy looking for a ring."

"Yeah! Is that for Christmas, too?"

"No," Chandler said, an idea already forming. "I have something else planned for when to propose, but you will definitely be involved."

As soon as Monica opened the door Monday evening, the delicious aromas of a roast cooking in the oven, surrounded by roasting potatoes, and gravy boiling on the stove greeted Chandler as he kissed her and then set the bottle of red wine on the counter.

"I just have to finish tossing the salad and adding a few extra ingredients I know you like," Monica said, clearly in chef mode. "And slice the bread."

"I'll cut the bread," Chandler said. "Wow, Mon, you've outdone yourself."

"I know it's a little much for just the two of us, but I figured Joey can always eat leftovers."

Chandler laughed. "Of course."

Monica locked the door. "But that's for later. I want you all to myself tonight."

"You got me."

Chandler carved the meat while Monica lit the candles and served the side dishes. Once they had been seated and had started eating and taking a sip or two of the wine, Monica calmed down and Chandler felt like he could have a normal conversation with her.

"How was your family celebration last night?"

"Not bad, actually. My parents are still so relieved nothing is wrong with Rachel or the baby, I was pretty much a non-topic, which was fine with me."

Chandler held up his wineglass and smiled at her.

"I can't imagine you ever being a non-topic."

Monica rewarded him with an impish smile.

"Does that mean you and Adrianna talked about me?"

Chandler knew the topic was going to come up, and he didn't want to give anything away.

"Oh, the whole 'mommy' thing?"

"Yes, the whole 'mommy' thing," Monica repeated, a little perturbed.

"I'm sorry, babe. Adrianna told me she was just excited to see you and that word almost slipped out. She does miss you, though, a lot."

"I miss her, too. Oh, well. I told Rachel and Phoebe I wasn't going to get my hopes up, so I'm glad I didn't. I understand. I thought it was just a slip, too, but they told me to tell you, so…"

"Mon," Chandler said, reaching for her hand across the table, "my daughter is very taken with you. You two have come a long way. It didn't happen on Saturday, but that doesn't mean it's not going to happen."

"I know, and I'm fine with it. I really am. Let's just enjoy the rest of our dinner and the evening."

"Okay," Chandler said, feeling a little bad he had dampened Monica's spirits but knowing in a few short days, everything would be fine.

After they cleaned up the kitchen, they got comfortable on the sofa.

"I want to ask you about Adrianna's Christmas present," Monica said. "Would it be okay if I bought her a dollhouse?"

"A dollhouse? Really?"

"Yeah," Monica said, scooting closer to Chandler. "I watched her and Emma play with the one that used to be mine, and they were having so much fun. I thought if she had her own, they could play at both places and maybe switch things around. I'll get her one that has different furniture and accessories. But I won't buy it if it's not okay with you."

"You're spoiling my daughter."

"Not really. It's Christmas. What are you getting her or what is Santa bringing her?"

"I'm sorta stuck," he admitted. "I bought her all the necessities, but I don't have that one gift, you know?"

Monica smiled and nodded. "I know. Want some ideas?"

"Sure."

"Okay. Why don't you buy her a play kitchen set? She's really taken to helping me. I think she would have fun playing in her own kitchen. You could even buy her an Easy Bake Oven. I heard they're making those again. Although she may be a bit too young, but if Emma is with her…"

"You really think she'll like that? I'm kinda concerned about the space in the apartment, although if we move into a house…"

Monica looked at him in surprise. "Are you thinking of buying a house?"

"The idea has crossed my mind. I think I want Adrianna to grow up in a house outside the city. When she gets older, she'll probably hate not being in NYC, but living in a house is really all she knows."

"I think you liked it, too."

"I did. I don't miss some of the bad memories I have of the house in California, but that's another positive. We can make good memories in our new house."

"You seem to have everything figured out," Monica said, her tone wistful.

"Not quite everything," he assured her. "But I am trying to think of my daughter's best interests."

"I admire that so much."

"Do you?" Chandler said, his blue eyes twinkling.

"Of course. There's something else I believe I will admire, too."

"What's that?" he asked, taking her proffered hand as she led him off the couch towards her bedroom.

She opened her door and showed him the Santa outfit she had placed on her bed.

"It took me forever, but I finally found the perfect suit. I can't wait for you to try it on."

"You're serious?"

"You better believe I'm serious. We are going to have some pre-Christmas fun tonight, mister. Now change into that suit while I remind you just how naughty I can be."

And so he did, and when she showed him just how naughty she could be, they both knew Christmas had come early. And neither one would have wanted it any other way.