Dawn in New York

The Cab Ride

By Daphne

No censor, no mistake. If you're nice, normal service will resume in "It Started with a Photo" very soon. But then if you're "nice" you won't want to read that sort of filth.

I don't own them or make any money out of them. Thanks to JJaks for comments.

It was the morning rush hour in New York City. The sirens wailed and the traffic snailed along the streets. Normally not a problem. On some days it gave Chandler a good excuse to be late into work. But today Chandler and Monica needed it to move quicker.

"Oh Jesus. Please can you just get through this?" Chandler pleaded to the cab driver.

The cab driver looked vaguely at Chandler. "Si?"

"Get through traffic, drive through traffic, move through traffic. Ah crap you don't understand a word do ya?"

"Si?"

Chandler sighed. He had to keep cool and calm for Monica. He stared out at the streets, the storeowners opening up, the office workers muffled against the cold scurrying to work and the traffic, the bloody traffic. Everything normal, to everyone just another day. To Chandler and Monica it was THE day. D-day. The day that they would become parents. The woman beside him gasped and clutched again at her abdomen. Chandler winced, guilty that he was the cause of it but felt no pain. He held out his hand for her to hold and tried to reassure her with a look. The familiar blue eyes staring back at him looked scared. Not his "in control Monica" but a Monica who was in pain and scared.

"We'll be there soon honey I promise. If I have to carry you myself we'll be there soon."

She tried to smile, "You'd have more chance carrying Treeger. Ooohhh!!" She clutched herself and beads of sweat started to form on her upper lip and along her temple.

"Just think Mon we'll have a baby soon and this will just be one of those warm memories. You know - do you remember when we got stuck in traffic on the way to the hospital and you had to carry me four blocks and only dropped me twice?"

Monica smiled more genuinely and held onto her husband's hand. "I know. It's OK Chandler. I knew I'd have to go through this. It's just a day. Tomorrow we will be..." She doubled again.

"Kings of the Wild Frontier? The replacement for the Avengers? The new A Team?"

Monica panted. "I'm not gonna have to listen to your jokes all day am I?"

"Ahhh you know me, only when I'm nervous or excited."

"So I am going to have to listen to your jokes all day."

"Fraid so." He leaned over and kissed her on the lips, feeling the damp sweat of her mouth and wondering at the miracle her body was about to be part of. Why not men? Why were men so excluded from this? He touched her bump and felt a new contraction spread over it. He glanced into her face and saw the mirroring pain. He went to remove his hand but she held it there as the contraction built and died.

"You felt it that time?" She asked him.

He nodded. "It's incredible, your whole body seems to be pulling in on itself."

The cab lurched as the driver suddenly found a gap in the traffic and accelerated into it. Chandler instinctively put his hand out to steady Monica and stayed with his arm protectively holding her.

"Did you speak to Ross?" She asked him.

"Yeah. I think I woke him. He said he would tell the others and get there as soon as they could. But ya know it would be quite nice if it was just us. We managed the conception without all the rest being there."

She smiled. "Only just. If you had had your way you would have disappeared rather than marry me. Ross, Phoebe and Rachel got you back for me."

"In that case they are partly to blame for all the pain you are in now. "

Monica looked across at her husband. He was looking out of the window at the busy street. "Does this make you feel guilty Chandler?"

He looked back at her and was unable to hide the expression that affirmed her suspicion. "No man wants to see the woman he loves in pain and be able to do nothing to stop it or help the woman." He told her quietly. "I wish peeing on you would get rid of the pain this time."

The cab driver looked bemused into his mirror at them. "Yeah you understood that." Chandler muttered under his breath.

"And you feel it's your fault?" Monica asked but the contraction ripped through her as she finished the statement.

He watched her grimace and clutch at herself. Her hands pulled into tight fists and the knuckles went white. The contraction released her and she panted away from the pain. He glanced at his watch. It was much longer than the previous ones, she was getting closer, even if the cab wasn't.

"It is my fault." He said. " I want to share this with you like we shared the conception and we will share the child. Why do I get all this and none of the pain, none of the suffering?"

"You gotta stop feeling like that. A book I read said that some men feel so guilty when they see their wives give birth that they lose the ability to have sex with her again afterwards. They blame their penis for the pain and are effectively impotent with their wives. If you're going to be like that it would be better if Rachel or Phoebe comes into the delivery room with me."

Chandler shook his head. "No I have to be there with you."

Monica held tighter to his hand. "Would it make you feel less guilty if I gave you one of my best bad massages when we get back home?"

"Now you're exaggerating. I don't believe it can be that painful!"

"Look I'll understand if you can't be there. Believe me I'll want sex again and if this is going to put you off…"

They were stopped again and a woman walked passed the cap dragging a screaming toddler. "It won't put me off, that will put me off." He said pointing to the woman outside.

Monica smiled. "I can't believe that will be me soon. Do you think he will look like you?"

"Probably my Dad knowing my luck. If he starts to borrow your makeup you will let me know?"

Monica nodded and there was another pause as her body went to work.

"Are we settled on Bob?" He asked as she finished.

"Bob? I like Bob but I can't ever remember mentioning Bob. Oh." She smiled as the penny dropped. "Bob Bing, bobbing, very funny. I thought we had exhausted the topic of which perfectly decent names were completely out because of your daft name."

"I just wanted to see you smile. I can't believe you can still smile."

"I'm about to become a mother. Of course I can still smile." She looked into his face, he was desperately trying to hide his nervousness. She smiled again. "I still think Bert was the best."

He smiled back, "Burping., Bert Bing. I'm still happy with Zac if you are?"

"Zac Bing. It sounds a bit like the name of a Hollywood producer. You know - "A Zac Bing movie."

Monica swore and clutched again at herself. Chandler held her, the contractions were coming on top of one another now and the panic stirred in the pit of his stomach. But the cab driver must have taken an unfamiliar back street as quite suddenly they were pulling into the hospital. He couldn't remember being so pleased about arriving anywhere before. Without quite realizing what he was doing he kissed the nurse that greeted them and for good measure kissed the outraged cab driver.

The doctor was called because it was clear that Monica was well advanced. She was English, as wide as she was tall, and pure cockney. It seemed to Chandler that another language barrier was the last thing they needed right now but the woman had an affectionate efficient manner that soon put him at ease. Monica relinquished responsibility and gave herself over to the medics. She obeyed the cockney voice that came at her without any thought. The pain was so great that she was almost completely unaware of everything else around her.

"OK. Walk slowly," The voice told her. "There's no rush, support her arm. That's right. How long have you been having contractions love?"

"About 5 hours." Chandler answered her.

"Frequency?"

"Every night, sometimes twice a night."

"The contractions!"

"Oh, every 3 minutes".

"Length?"

"About a minute if you're talking about the contractions still, if not 8 inches." Chandler smiled through his nerves.

"Yeah and I'm a size 8. Have the waters gone?"

"No."

"Wow he has been paying attention and he got you here just in time didn't he? OK sit her down, breathe through it sweetheart that's it. Your husband's been good has he? Apart from the terrible sense of humor. He's quite cute, with those blue eyes. I'd let him knock me up too.".

Monica was vaguely aware of Chandler looking horrified. "That's scared him. Stopped him worrying about you for the moment. Just look at him all terrified? That's it breathe, just being a woman, that's all this is, perfectly natural, been doing it for millions of years. Baby blue eyes is going to be here soon OK now? Right lets get you into the delivery suite. Do you know what you're having?"

"A boy." Chandler answered and Monica felt a pop and flooding.

"Oh dear Lordy, there they go. The cab driver was lucky they lasted this long. Don't worry, we'll get a cleaner. We get more flooding in this reception that they get in the bathroom of most nursery schools. Let's get you into a chair."

Lights and corridors, Chandler and the voice running along beside her as a nurse pushed her towards the delivery suite, no release from the pain now, one contraction coming crashing down after another. Double doors, a room, a vague sense of urgency, she was being helped onto a delivery table and Chandler removing her panties.

"Not now sweetheart. I'm kinda busy." She managed to gasp and Chandler marveled at her bravery. If it was him he would be crying on the floor, not making jokes.

The voice cut through the pain again. "OK relax, we just need to check how dilated you are. You happy him being here? I assume he saw it all when he got you into this state?"

"I want him to stay if he wants to stay." Monica's words didn't seem like her own. She desperately wanted him to be there.

"OK, " the voice said, "Hold her hand, you can stay clear of the gruesome end until baby is ready to say hi to Dad."

Time drifted, it had no real meaning anymore to Monica, all her energy was caught up in not succumbing to the pain. Suddenly she felt a strong desire to use the bathroom.

The voice told her the words she needed to hear. "Jesus you are close. You're ready to start pushing. Have you felt the urge to push yet?"

Monica groaned, "Christ yes. Yes."

"Go with it then. That's it push down, not very different from opening your bowels. OK relax. Do you want some gas to help you relax?"

Monica glanced up into Chandler's worried face and noticed him nod.

"For your wife!" The voice said..

Monica mirrored the nod. "Please."

Before the mask was ready her whole body pushed downwards again and she heard a scream and realized it was her. She gasped again. " I can't take the pain any more." She was starting to panic but the voice was soothing.

"I know love, I know, nearly over." The voice stroked her brow and then Chandler took over. " Here hold the mask for her and let her take a few breaths, it'll make her nice and high."

Less than a minute later Monica pushed it away and pulled herself up so that she was half sitting. Chandler held her as she put her head down onto her chest. Primitive instincts were taking over, she went with it. The voice seemed happy with that. "OK you want to push again? Hold her up - right push down. You don't have to be quiet love, if you need to make some noise you do it. You don't have to be a lady here."

Monica grunted as her body pushed down. Chandler felt himself straining and pushing down with her in sympathy, God knows what he would produce.

"He's crowned. We've got a head already. You have a very efficient wife Mr Bing, a head already. You want to see? He's dark, a tuft of dark hair. OK one more push, that's it, now pant sweetheart, the head's fully out, we have a head. Wait til you get the urge and we can finish this. No tearing and the worst bit's done."

Chandler nervously moved down the delivery table and glanced down between Monica's legs and nearly fainted. His son was visible, the head was straining out of Monica's vagina. Chandler's hands flew up to his face and he felt his eyes well up. As he watched, Monica groaned again and her body started to push the rest of him out. As soon as the child's shoulders emerged the doctor helped to twist him round and then the little boy gasped as the cold air hit and he screamed in protest.

Monica's face lit up and rested on Chandler, who now had tears streaming down his face unchecked.

"OK relax," the voice said, "We'll just check everything's OK, airways are clear and then you can hold him. You should feel another contraction soon. That'll be the afterbirth OK?"

"He's OK?" Monica asked concerned.

"He looks fine, just fine."

Within minutes the doctor carefully handed the baby to Monica, and Chandler put his arm around her shoulders as they both examined the tiny face, the mouth still crying in protest at the uncomfortable, noisy cold world that he had suddenly been thrust into.

The doctor smiled. "He's a noisy one isn't he? Nothing wrong with his lungs? You may want to try him at the breast. He won't be hungry but it might soothe him."

Monica shifted him down and the little mouth started to search and latch onto anything and everything that came near it.

"Like father like son." Monica said as he latched on and started sucking frantically. Chandler was still speechless. Tears dripping from his face.

"You're making him all wet Chandler." Monica told him.

"Sorry." He managed to say at last and wiped his face across his sleeve.

"Did your mother never tell you not to do that?"

"Sorry." He said again.

Monica smiled up at him and put her hand to his face. "You don't have to be sorry. You just gave me a perfect little boy. You never have to be sorry again."

Chandler tried to compose himself. "You should be careful what you say. I might just hold you to that."

"He's worth the terrible cab ride here isn't he?

Chandler nodded.

She glanced up at him, he was still struggling to get control of himself.

"All these years trying to get you to stop talking and joking and all I had to do was give birth to our son." She said. "If I'd known it was that easy…You should go and tell the others, they will be here."

He nodded again and went to move out of the door. He turned back to plant a kiss on her and then, very gently, on his son's head.

" I love you Monica."

"Yeah, you're OK too." She said smiling up at him.

She watched him go. "That's your Daddy." She said to the little boy at her breast. She examined his tiny face, he definitely looked like Chandler. She grinned, a little Chandler, it was difficult to stop grinning, and then quite suddenly she burst into tears. She had her family.