***Flashback***
Rachel, 10, and Monica, who had just turned 11, were sprawled out on the grass, their bikes tipped over and on top of them.
Monica pushed her bike off of her legs, surprised to see that despite the tremendous pain, there was nothing wrong with her. She stood, dusting her shorts off and making sure the grass hadn't stained them. "Don't ride your bike so close to me!" Monica bossily said to Rachel, who was behind her.
When Monica didn't get a response from her usually loud friend, she turned to see her best friend sitting in the grass, dazed, with tears silently streaming down her cheeks. "Rachel? Are you okay?" she asked, her voice softening.
"I'm bleeding." Rachel whispered, "My foot hurts."
As soon as the words left Rachel's mouth, she started to wail loudly, attracting the attention of many neighbors. "Monica! My foot hurts! I want my Mom! Owww!"
Monica picked up Rachel's bike, gasping at the sight of Rachel's foot. She tried not to let Rachel look down, knowing that the sight would freak her friend out even worse. Her foot was tilted inwards, already turning purple and black, and nearly covered in blood. Monica knelt down, squeezing Rachel's hand, "I'm going to go get your Dad. I want you to just lay here and concentrate on the sky or something." When Rachel moved to see the cause of her agony, Monica shook her head, pinning her friend down, "The sky Rachel. The sky."
Monica took off running down the street as fast as she could, which was very difficult for a girl of her size. She was halfway to Rachel's house when she heard her best friend's loud scream and the sobs that followed. Sighing heavily, Monica muttered, "I told you not to look at your foot." She picked up her speed, her chest feeling like it was about to burst by the time she got to the end of the block where Rachel and her family lived.
"Mrs. Sandra, Mrs. Sandra!" Monica called out, not even bothering to open the door, "Rachel--and--hurt--hurry"
Sandra put her hand on Monica's arms, "Calm down hon, what is it?"
Monica was now crying, "Rachel fell off her bike and she hurt her foot and it's really gross and she's crying and she wants you and you need to hurry and I think it's broken-"
Just as Monica was starting to hyperventilate from her panic, Sandra cut her off and called up the stairs for her husband. Within moments they were in the car and on their way down the street. Rachel had broken her foot in two places, and had to get stitches for a nasty cut down her leg, and was forbidden by her parents to ever ride bikes again.
***End Flashback***
"She's going to be fine." Monica reassured Rachel as Rachel paced around the waiting room of the hospital, "If she wasn't, Ross would have come out and told us."
"Why does he get to go in with her?" Rachel said for the hundredth time, "What if she's not okay? How could this have happened, I'm always so careful with her!"
"It was an accident." Monica replied, "Now breathe Rach, getting worked up won't help this at all, you'll hurt your baby."
Rachel let her hand drop to her abdomen, smiling softly. She and Ross were expecting their second child, in just a little over a month they'd have a son. She forced herself to calm down, knowing that stress of any kind at this point was bad for her child.
Her serene thoughts about her son were interrupted as Ross rushed into the waiting room, "Rach!"
Rachel ran as fast as she could towards him, "How's Emma? Will she be alright? How bad is it?"
"It's pretty bad, but she's going to be alright." Ross replied, worry mixed with relief written across his face, "The tests showed a little swelling on her brain, but the doctor's are certain it will go down with time, she's awake and alert, so she's definitely out of immediate danger. They're going to finish up with her stitches and then we can both see her."
Rachel's body was flooded with relief and she sank into a nearby chair, "Oh Thank God."
Ross was about to speak, but was cut off by a woman walking into the room, carrying a briefcase, "Rachel Gellar?"
"Yes?" Rachel replied, standing up taking a step towards the lady, "I'm Rachel."
"My name is Gabriella Pearson, I'm from Social Services, I'd like to have a few words with you concerning your daughter, Emma Gellar."
Those were the last words Rachel were able to register before the burning pain seared through her abdomen. She fell down to her knees, her hands shaking as she pressed down on her bulging belly, a low moan escaping her lips. Monica was the first person to get to her, and she put one hand on Rachel's belly, the other on her shoulder, "Are you alright?"
Rachel looked up, her face filled with pain and angst. She looked down, then back up at her friend, "I'm bleeding. Monica, it hurts." Her face scrunched up and she began to cry, rocking back and forth praying that she wouldn't lose either of her children. Her only thoughts were of her babies as she sank into the darkness that was calling out to her.
***Flashback***
"It was a stupid game." Ross muttered, his arms crossed with a scowl on his face.
Rachel held up the score pad, "You only think it's stupid because you lost! You're such a baby sometimes, that's why Monica and I don't play with you."
"You were cheating!" Ross exclaimed, embarrassed that he lost to a girl, and a girl nearly 2 years younger than him at that. "You read all the answers before we started playing, you cheated."
"You just can't admit that you lost!" Rachel replied calmly, putting the game away, "Face it Ross, you're a sore loser."
"I am not!" Ross retorted loudly, "You're a cheater!"
"I am not!" Rachel replied angrily, "Stop saying that!"
'It's true!" Ross replied, "You're not smart enough to have beat me at that game Rachel, you had to have cheated!"
Rachel stood up, her fists clenched, "I hate you Ross! You are so mean! Monica was right, you're just a big geek with a sore attitude."
"Well, you're just a spoiled little snob who has to cheat to win at games!" Ross yelled, "And the only reason Monica's friends with you is because no one better has come along!"
Rachel, obviously hurt, runs out of the Gellar's living room crying, and up the stairs to Monica's room. In the living room, Ross is looking down, embarrassed and a little guilty. Monica comes out of the kitchen, where she had been eating her mid- afternoon snack. She looks about 14, and she glances around the room curiously, "Where's Rachel? I thought you two were playing that stupid little trivia game?"
"She's upstairs." Ross replied softly, kicking the corner of the couch.
"What did you do?" Monica asked, crossing her arms over her chest, "Why isn't she down here?"
Ross shrugged, trying to figure out a way to get away from this topic, "I accused her of cheating, we sort of argued."
"Ross!" Monica yelled, shaking her fist at him, "I told you to be nice to my friends! What is it with you and Rachel anyway? You always want to do stuff with us, but once we do, you yell! I just don't get it!" Monica exclaimed, storming off upstairs to check on her friend.
"I love her." Ross whispered once Monica had left, "I don't know why I'm so mean....but I love her."
***End Flashback***
"How did this happen?" Chandler asked, sitting down on one of the hard plastic hospital chairs as the gang waited for news about both Rachel and Emma.
Monica sighed, "Rachel and Emma were home alone, and Emma was playing in the living room. The phone rang and Rachel left to get it. When she came back, Emma had climbed on Ross's desk to get something, and she apparently had fallen off and hit her head on the corner or side. Rachel rushed her to the emergency room, and Ross met her here. They advised Rachel not to go in because it may stress her out and her doctor has already said for her not to get too stressed, so she was waiting out here for word on Emma. A social worker came to talk to Rach--according to Ross it's standard procedure--and Rachel collapsed with blood coming from, well, there."
"When are we going to find out if she's alright?" Joey asked, concern written across his face, "I really hope they don't lose this baby, especially after Anabel--"
He was cut off by the sharp look Monica sent his way. He tried to think of a way to backtrack, but was unable to. Sighing, he met the questioning looks of Chandler and Phoebe, and decided to tell them what had happened so long ago. "Well, back in high school...."
***Flashback***
"Oh come on, she's a total whore." Rachel said, laughing as she looked at the picture of Joey's new girlfriend, "Just look at her!"
"She's not a whore!" Joey replied, putting the picture away and glaring at Rachel. He had only been friends with Rachel and Monica for a few months, and he was still slightly uncomfortable with the openness the two of them constantly encouraged. "Besides, look who got herself pregnant at 17."
Rachel backed away, as if she had been slapped in the face. Her whole body was tense, and she looked at Joey with a hurt expression. He sighed, knowing he had made a huge mistake, "I'm so sorry Rachel."
"You think I'm a whore?" Rachel cried softly, her hands instinctively dropping to her slightly bulging abdomen, "You know how this baby got here Joey."
"I know, I'm...I'm sorry Rachel. That was totally insensitive of me. I'm so sorry, please don't be mad at me."
Rachel shook her head, "No, I just can't be around you right now." She took off running away from him, pushing past a concerned Monica who had just walked up to her friends.
"What's up with her?" Monica asked, watching her friend rush away. "Why is she so upset?"
Joey looked down, "We just got in a fight about Chrissy [*the girlfriend] and the baby and everything."
"I feel so bad for her." Monica said with a sigh, "I mean, it was bad enough she had to go through being raped, but now she's got a baby too. I don't know what she's going to do...she can't raise a baby, she's still practically a baby herself. Her parents are just going to go through the roof. Her Dad, he's just so mean, I don't want to be in her shoes."
"She hasn't told them?" Joey asked, "I mean, look at her, they're going to figure it out soon enough!"
Monica shrugged, "They probably won't even notice, they're so wrapped up in everything with Jill and her drug problem."
"It's not a drug problem when someone starts smoking cigarettes." Joey pointed out, rolling his eyes.
Monica crossed her arms, glaring at Joey, "How do we know it's only cigarettes? Rachel said her Dad with through the roof, he's not telling anyone what he found, it's private between him, their Mom, and Jill."
Joey shook his head, "Jill would be going to rehab if it were drugs Monica."
"Not necessarily." Monica argued, knowing that it was a pointless argument but wanting to win anyway, "Maybe they're trying to deal with it at home. He is a doctor, you know."
"Whatever." Joey replied, knowing that Monica would argue a point to death. "Do you think Rachel's alright?"
"I'm sure she is." Monica replied, "But let's go check on her just to be safe."
***End Flashback***
"3 months later, Rachel had a daughter, and her parents forced her to give the baby up for adoption. Rachel had been sent to her grandmother's house for 6 months to deal with her feelings, probably so her parents wouldn't have to deal with them, and she returned home forbidden to even think of her daughter, Anabel." Joey finished.
Monica nodded, "So Emma and Jordan [*the unborn son] are the world to Rachel right now, it's like she's getting a second, and third, chance."
"That's so sad." Phoebe replied, looking down as she searched for something to say in response to the story she had just been told.
Everyone looked up anxiously as Ross rushed into the room. "She's okay!" Ross exclaimed, a worried smile on his face, "They're going to have to take the baby now, she's already in premature labor and they won't be able to stop it without jeopardizing the baby, but her doctor is certain the baby's ready."
"But it's so early!" Monica fretted, leaning forward, "She's not due for another 4 or 5 weeks."
Ross shrugged, "Her doctor thinks he can be born now, who are we to argue with a professional? I'm going to call Mom and Dad and check on Emma."
"Can I go wait with Rachel?" Monica asked, "Is she allowed visitors?" "Yeah, go ahead. Room 117." Ross replied, "She was asking for you."
"I'll go with you to see Emma." Joey and Chandler replied in unison, leaving Phoebe to make the decision on who to visit.
Phoebe walked over to Monica, "I'll visit Rachel first, but then I want to see Em." She and Monica walked down the hall, and as soon as they were out of sight, Ross sank down into a chair, tears clouding his vision.
"What's wrong?" Chandler asked, sitting next to his friend of nearly 15 years, "I thought everything was okay?"
Ross took a few deep breaths, trying to calm himself down. He couldn't really describe what he was feeling. He was so relieved that Emma and Rachel were going to be okay, he was excited about Jordan being born, even if it was early, he knew his son would be alright. He was still a little baffled over how Emma managed to get onto his desk, but he was just thankful that everything had turned out fine. He just was so tense for so long today that it just had to be relieved somehow. His whole body shook as he sobbed quietly, letting out the frustration, fear, and tension that he had been bottling up all day.
Chandler and Joey, understanding the pain their friend was feeling, put their arms around him, the three of them feeding off of each other's strength.
***Flashback***
"I love her! And there's nothing I can do about it!" Ross moaned, putting his head in his arms miserably at Chandler and Monica's dining room table, "I don't think she loves me back."
"Why do you think that?" Chandler asked, sitting down next to his friend, "Did she tell you she wasn't in love with you?"
Ross shook his head, "I just know. It's over, we've never been able to make it work, why would we be able to now, all of a sudden? It's just so hard. She's so caring with Emma, she's making a terrific mother, and every day I'm falling more and more in love with her."
"You've got to tell her." Chandler advised, "Look, Emma's going to be six months old next week, if Rachel wasn't feeling something towards you, don't you think she would have moved out and into her own place by now? She obviously doesn't need your reassurance and constant supervision to be a good mother, it's saying something that she hasn't moved on yet." "We agreed she'd live with me. We want to share Emma...she wouldn't give that up. If she moved out, she knows she'd have to be away from our little girl sometimes." Ross reasoned, "I don't think it's love at all."
"Of course it is!" Chandler said loudly, "Would you just trust me?!"
Ross looked up, seeing the look of urgency on his brother-in-law's face, "Why? Do you know something I don't?"
"Just trust me." Chandler repeated, "You won't get shot down if you bring this up with Rachel."
"Did Monica tell you something? What do you know?" Ross pried, needing to know what Chandler was hinting at, "Did Rachel tell her something?"
Rolling his eyes, Chandler sat down beside his friend, "I can't tell you, but just go with your feelings, tell Rachel how you feel about her."
***End Flashback***
"I'm going to throw up." Rachel moaned, her hands clenching the sheets on her hospital bed as she felt another contraction starting. This time was definitely the worst she had ever experienced.
Monica took Rachel's hand into her own, squeezing it gently, "You'll be fine. Once Jordan's born, you won't even remember the pain."
"That's easy for you to say!" Rachel wailed as another contraction hit her hard, "Ohh, this hurts so bad!"
"Just hang in there." Phoebe said gently, "It's going to be over soon."
Rachel fell limply against her pillows as the contractions stopped, and she looked up to Monica and Phoebe with teary eyes, "I want Ross. And I want to know how Emma is."
"I'll go." Phoebe volunteered, hating to see her friend in such pain. "I'll be right back with your husband."
Phoebe left, and Monica sat beside Rachel on the bed, "How are you holding up, besides the contractions."
"Not so good." Rachel admitted, "I feel so bad...I never should have left Emma alone." "Rach, she's nearly 5 years old, that's old enough to be away from. It's not your fault." Monica reassured her, "She's alright, and it was an accident, we all know it was an accident."
Rachel shook her head, "Social Services came Mon, they're going to say it's my fault, they're going to arrest me."
"That's never going to happen." Monica consoled her, hugging her friend tightly, "Accidents happen, it's not your fault."
Rachel braced herself as another contraction began to escalate, her whole body tense with anticipation and misery, knowing how painful this would be. Through clenched teeth, she replied to Monica's statement with, "Ross would never have forgiven me if something would have happened to our daughter. I love him, he's my husband, something I've wanted for so long...but Emma comes first for both of us. He would have been devastated if Emma was seriously hurt, or if I would have hurt this baby."
"You haven't done anything wrong!" Monica exclaimed, "How can I get you to understand that?"
"You can't." Rachel said dejectedly, "I'm just not a good mother, I keep letting my babies get hurt." She covered her mouth with her hand as she started to softly sob.
Monica took the sobbing Rachel into her arms, hugging her tightly as tears began to slide down her cheeks as well.
***Flashback***
"Mon! Who cares about the stupid wrapping paper, just rip it open and see what I got you!" Rachel exclaimed while jumping up and down in her chair, more excited about Monica opening her birthday present than Monica was. "Come on! Hurry!"
"Relax!" Monica commanded her friend, "It's my birthday, and if I want to open it slow then I can!"
Rachel leaned back in her chair, her foot tapping impatiently against the floor. "I've had this waiting at my house for nearly a month now, it's just killing me, please hurry and open it Monica!"
"And you say that I'm neurotic?" Monica questioned, placing the wrapping paper on the floor in a neat square and looking her impatient friend in the eye, "Why is this so important to you?"
"You are neurotic, for one." Rachel pointed out as she eyed the wrapping paper on the floor, "And second, you're my best friend and I went to nearly every store in the city trying to find you a present you would like! I want you to tell me if you like it or not, and you be honest."
"I always love what you get me." Monica said softly, opening the box. It was true, every time Rachel got her a present, it was immediately announced as her new favorite object. Rachel couldn't pick out a bad gift.
She wasn't disappointed, she opened the box and gasped in surprise. Laying in a satin lined box was a gorgeous silver bracelet, with a design of interchanged diamonds and emeralds. "Oh my God." Monica exclaimed, "This is gorgeous!" Putting down the box, she hugged Rachel tightly, "This is the best present I've ever gotten!"
"You really like it?" Rachel asked, her eyes twinkling as her smile spread across her face, "I saw this and I just had to get it for you."
"It must have cost a fortune!" Monica whispered, her eyes fixed on the bracelet, "Thank you!"
Rachel hugged her friend tightly, tears stinging her eyes, "That way you'll never forget me."
"I'll never forget you." Monica vowed, tears stinging her eyes too as she realized this may be the last time they sat around together for a long time. Rachel was leaving the next day to go to college in Connecticut for her last 2 years, and Monica was moving into the city with a friend of hers she met at work, Phoebe. "You're by best friend."
Rachel sobbed, hugging Monica tightly, "And you're my best friend."
"Promise me that once school's ended, you'll move back here and stay with me. We'll have babies together and grow old together. We'll even die together." Monica said through her tears, knowing she sounded childish but not caring. She and Rachel had been best friends for 13 years, since they were 6 years old, and now they were having to part ways.
Rachel laughed through her tears, "Of course I will! We're going to grow old together and we're going to live right next door to each other. Me, you, our husbands, our children, and maybe even your stupid brother and his friend, whom I still think is gay." Rachel said, referring to Chandler, Ross's roommate who had become his best friend. "He's not gay!" Monica exclaimed, pulling away and wiping her eyes. "We should go home now...before I change my mind and don't let you go away."
"Yeah." Rachel agreed softly, "Write me every day."
"Forget writing you, I'm going to call you every day. Twice!" Monica promised, giving Rachel one more quick hug before walking away towards her house. Rachel watched Monica walk away for a few seconds before turning towards her house, tears streaming down both of their cheeks as they ended one chapter of their lives.
***End Flashback***
Rachel, 10, and Monica, who had just turned 11, were sprawled out on the grass, their bikes tipped over and on top of them.
Monica pushed her bike off of her legs, surprised to see that despite the tremendous pain, there was nothing wrong with her. She stood, dusting her shorts off and making sure the grass hadn't stained them. "Don't ride your bike so close to me!" Monica bossily said to Rachel, who was behind her.
When Monica didn't get a response from her usually loud friend, she turned to see her best friend sitting in the grass, dazed, with tears silently streaming down her cheeks. "Rachel? Are you okay?" she asked, her voice softening.
"I'm bleeding." Rachel whispered, "My foot hurts."
As soon as the words left Rachel's mouth, she started to wail loudly, attracting the attention of many neighbors. "Monica! My foot hurts! I want my Mom! Owww!"
Monica picked up Rachel's bike, gasping at the sight of Rachel's foot. She tried not to let Rachel look down, knowing that the sight would freak her friend out even worse. Her foot was tilted inwards, already turning purple and black, and nearly covered in blood. Monica knelt down, squeezing Rachel's hand, "I'm going to go get your Dad. I want you to just lay here and concentrate on the sky or something." When Rachel moved to see the cause of her agony, Monica shook her head, pinning her friend down, "The sky Rachel. The sky."
Monica took off running down the street as fast as she could, which was very difficult for a girl of her size. She was halfway to Rachel's house when she heard her best friend's loud scream and the sobs that followed. Sighing heavily, Monica muttered, "I told you not to look at your foot." She picked up her speed, her chest feeling like it was about to burst by the time she got to the end of the block where Rachel and her family lived.
"Mrs. Sandra, Mrs. Sandra!" Monica called out, not even bothering to open the door, "Rachel--and--hurt--hurry"
Sandra put her hand on Monica's arms, "Calm down hon, what is it?"
Monica was now crying, "Rachel fell off her bike and she hurt her foot and it's really gross and she's crying and she wants you and you need to hurry and I think it's broken-"
Just as Monica was starting to hyperventilate from her panic, Sandra cut her off and called up the stairs for her husband. Within moments they were in the car and on their way down the street. Rachel had broken her foot in two places, and had to get stitches for a nasty cut down her leg, and was forbidden by her parents to ever ride bikes again.
***End Flashback***
"She's going to be fine." Monica reassured Rachel as Rachel paced around the waiting room of the hospital, "If she wasn't, Ross would have come out and told us."
"Why does he get to go in with her?" Rachel said for the hundredth time, "What if she's not okay? How could this have happened, I'm always so careful with her!"
"It was an accident." Monica replied, "Now breathe Rach, getting worked up won't help this at all, you'll hurt your baby."
Rachel let her hand drop to her abdomen, smiling softly. She and Ross were expecting their second child, in just a little over a month they'd have a son. She forced herself to calm down, knowing that stress of any kind at this point was bad for her child.
Her serene thoughts about her son were interrupted as Ross rushed into the waiting room, "Rach!"
Rachel ran as fast as she could towards him, "How's Emma? Will she be alright? How bad is it?"
"It's pretty bad, but she's going to be alright." Ross replied, worry mixed with relief written across his face, "The tests showed a little swelling on her brain, but the doctor's are certain it will go down with time, she's awake and alert, so she's definitely out of immediate danger. They're going to finish up with her stitches and then we can both see her."
Rachel's body was flooded with relief and she sank into a nearby chair, "Oh Thank God."
Ross was about to speak, but was cut off by a woman walking into the room, carrying a briefcase, "Rachel Gellar?"
"Yes?" Rachel replied, standing up taking a step towards the lady, "I'm Rachel."
"My name is Gabriella Pearson, I'm from Social Services, I'd like to have a few words with you concerning your daughter, Emma Gellar."
Those were the last words Rachel were able to register before the burning pain seared through her abdomen. She fell down to her knees, her hands shaking as she pressed down on her bulging belly, a low moan escaping her lips. Monica was the first person to get to her, and she put one hand on Rachel's belly, the other on her shoulder, "Are you alright?"
Rachel looked up, her face filled with pain and angst. She looked down, then back up at her friend, "I'm bleeding. Monica, it hurts." Her face scrunched up and she began to cry, rocking back and forth praying that she wouldn't lose either of her children. Her only thoughts were of her babies as she sank into the darkness that was calling out to her.
***Flashback***
"It was a stupid game." Ross muttered, his arms crossed with a scowl on his face.
Rachel held up the score pad, "You only think it's stupid because you lost! You're such a baby sometimes, that's why Monica and I don't play with you."
"You were cheating!" Ross exclaimed, embarrassed that he lost to a girl, and a girl nearly 2 years younger than him at that. "You read all the answers before we started playing, you cheated."
"You just can't admit that you lost!" Rachel replied calmly, putting the game away, "Face it Ross, you're a sore loser."
"I am not!" Ross retorted loudly, "You're a cheater!"
"I am not!" Rachel replied angrily, "Stop saying that!"
'It's true!" Ross replied, "You're not smart enough to have beat me at that game Rachel, you had to have cheated!"
Rachel stood up, her fists clenched, "I hate you Ross! You are so mean! Monica was right, you're just a big geek with a sore attitude."
"Well, you're just a spoiled little snob who has to cheat to win at games!" Ross yelled, "And the only reason Monica's friends with you is because no one better has come along!"
Rachel, obviously hurt, runs out of the Gellar's living room crying, and up the stairs to Monica's room. In the living room, Ross is looking down, embarrassed and a little guilty. Monica comes out of the kitchen, where she had been eating her mid- afternoon snack. She looks about 14, and she glances around the room curiously, "Where's Rachel? I thought you two were playing that stupid little trivia game?"
"She's upstairs." Ross replied softly, kicking the corner of the couch.
"What did you do?" Monica asked, crossing her arms over her chest, "Why isn't she down here?"
Ross shrugged, trying to figure out a way to get away from this topic, "I accused her of cheating, we sort of argued."
"Ross!" Monica yelled, shaking her fist at him, "I told you to be nice to my friends! What is it with you and Rachel anyway? You always want to do stuff with us, but once we do, you yell! I just don't get it!" Monica exclaimed, storming off upstairs to check on her friend.
"I love her." Ross whispered once Monica had left, "I don't know why I'm so mean....but I love her."
***End Flashback***
"How did this happen?" Chandler asked, sitting down on one of the hard plastic hospital chairs as the gang waited for news about both Rachel and Emma.
Monica sighed, "Rachel and Emma were home alone, and Emma was playing in the living room. The phone rang and Rachel left to get it. When she came back, Emma had climbed on Ross's desk to get something, and she apparently had fallen off and hit her head on the corner or side. Rachel rushed her to the emergency room, and Ross met her here. They advised Rachel not to go in because it may stress her out and her doctor has already said for her not to get too stressed, so she was waiting out here for word on Emma. A social worker came to talk to Rach--according to Ross it's standard procedure--and Rachel collapsed with blood coming from, well, there."
"When are we going to find out if she's alright?" Joey asked, concern written across his face, "I really hope they don't lose this baby, especially after Anabel--"
He was cut off by the sharp look Monica sent his way. He tried to think of a way to backtrack, but was unable to. Sighing, he met the questioning looks of Chandler and Phoebe, and decided to tell them what had happened so long ago. "Well, back in high school...."
***Flashback***
"Oh come on, she's a total whore." Rachel said, laughing as she looked at the picture of Joey's new girlfriend, "Just look at her!"
"She's not a whore!" Joey replied, putting the picture away and glaring at Rachel. He had only been friends with Rachel and Monica for a few months, and he was still slightly uncomfortable with the openness the two of them constantly encouraged. "Besides, look who got herself pregnant at 17."
Rachel backed away, as if she had been slapped in the face. Her whole body was tense, and she looked at Joey with a hurt expression. He sighed, knowing he had made a huge mistake, "I'm so sorry Rachel."
"You think I'm a whore?" Rachel cried softly, her hands instinctively dropping to her slightly bulging abdomen, "You know how this baby got here Joey."
"I know, I'm...I'm sorry Rachel. That was totally insensitive of me. I'm so sorry, please don't be mad at me."
Rachel shook her head, "No, I just can't be around you right now." She took off running away from him, pushing past a concerned Monica who had just walked up to her friends.
"What's up with her?" Monica asked, watching her friend rush away. "Why is she so upset?"
Joey looked down, "We just got in a fight about Chrissy [*the girlfriend] and the baby and everything."
"I feel so bad for her." Monica said with a sigh, "I mean, it was bad enough she had to go through being raped, but now she's got a baby too. I don't know what she's going to do...she can't raise a baby, she's still practically a baby herself. Her parents are just going to go through the roof. Her Dad, he's just so mean, I don't want to be in her shoes."
"She hasn't told them?" Joey asked, "I mean, look at her, they're going to figure it out soon enough!"
Monica shrugged, "They probably won't even notice, they're so wrapped up in everything with Jill and her drug problem."
"It's not a drug problem when someone starts smoking cigarettes." Joey pointed out, rolling his eyes.
Monica crossed her arms, glaring at Joey, "How do we know it's only cigarettes? Rachel said her Dad with through the roof, he's not telling anyone what he found, it's private between him, their Mom, and Jill."
Joey shook his head, "Jill would be going to rehab if it were drugs Monica."
"Not necessarily." Monica argued, knowing that it was a pointless argument but wanting to win anyway, "Maybe they're trying to deal with it at home. He is a doctor, you know."
"Whatever." Joey replied, knowing that Monica would argue a point to death. "Do you think Rachel's alright?"
"I'm sure she is." Monica replied, "But let's go check on her just to be safe."
***End Flashback***
"3 months later, Rachel had a daughter, and her parents forced her to give the baby up for adoption. Rachel had been sent to her grandmother's house for 6 months to deal with her feelings, probably so her parents wouldn't have to deal with them, and she returned home forbidden to even think of her daughter, Anabel." Joey finished.
Monica nodded, "So Emma and Jordan [*the unborn son] are the world to Rachel right now, it's like she's getting a second, and third, chance."
"That's so sad." Phoebe replied, looking down as she searched for something to say in response to the story she had just been told.
Everyone looked up anxiously as Ross rushed into the room. "She's okay!" Ross exclaimed, a worried smile on his face, "They're going to have to take the baby now, she's already in premature labor and they won't be able to stop it without jeopardizing the baby, but her doctor is certain the baby's ready."
"But it's so early!" Monica fretted, leaning forward, "She's not due for another 4 or 5 weeks."
Ross shrugged, "Her doctor thinks he can be born now, who are we to argue with a professional? I'm going to call Mom and Dad and check on Emma."
"Can I go wait with Rachel?" Monica asked, "Is she allowed visitors?" "Yeah, go ahead. Room 117." Ross replied, "She was asking for you."
"I'll go with you to see Emma." Joey and Chandler replied in unison, leaving Phoebe to make the decision on who to visit.
Phoebe walked over to Monica, "I'll visit Rachel first, but then I want to see Em." She and Monica walked down the hall, and as soon as they were out of sight, Ross sank down into a chair, tears clouding his vision.
"What's wrong?" Chandler asked, sitting next to his friend of nearly 15 years, "I thought everything was okay?"
Ross took a few deep breaths, trying to calm himself down. He couldn't really describe what he was feeling. He was so relieved that Emma and Rachel were going to be okay, he was excited about Jordan being born, even if it was early, he knew his son would be alright. He was still a little baffled over how Emma managed to get onto his desk, but he was just thankful that everything had turned out fine. He just was so tense for so long today that it just had to be relieved somehow. His whole body shook as he sobbed quietly, letting out the frustration, fear, and tension that he had been bottling up all day.
Chandler and Joey, understanding the pain their friend was feeling, put their arms around him, the three of them feeding off of each other's strength.
***Flashback***
"I love her! And there's nothing I can do about it!" Ross moaned, putting his head in his arms miserably at Chandler and Monica's dining room table, "I don't think she loves me back."
"Why do you think that?" Chandler asked, sitting down next to his friend, "Did she tell you she wasn't in love with you?"
Ross shook his head, "I just know. It's over, we've never been able to make it work, why would we be able to now, all of a sudden? It's just so hard. She's so caring with Emma, she's making a terrific mother, and every day I'm falling more and more in love with her."
"You've got to tell her." Chandler advised, "Look, Emma's going to be six months old next week, if Rachel wasn't feeling something towards you, don't you think she would have moved out and into her own place by now? She obviously doesn't need your reassurance and constant supervision to be a good mother, it's saying something that she hasn't moved on yet." "We agreed she'd live with me. We want to share Emma...she wouldn't give that up. If she moved out, she knows she'd have to be away from our little girl sometimes." Ross reasoned, "I don't think it's love at all."
"Of course it is!" Chandler said loudly, "Would you just trust me?!"
Ross looked up, seeing the look of urgency on his brother-in-law's face, "Why? Do you know something I don't?"
"Just trust me." Chandler repeated, "You won't get shot down if you bring this up with Rachel."
"Did Monica tell you something? What do you know?" Ross pried, needing to know what Chandler was hinting at, "Did Rachel tell her something?"
Rolling his eyes, Chandler sat down beside his friend, "I can't tell you, but just go with your feelings, tell Rachel how you feel about her."
***End Flashback***
"I'm going to throw up." Rachel moaned, her hands clenching the sheets on her hospital bed as she felt another contraction starting. This time was definitely the worst she had ever experienced.
Monica took Rachel's hand into her own, squeezing it gently, "You'll be fine. Once Jordan's born, you won't even remember the pain."
"That's easy for you to say!" Rachel wailed as another contraction hit her hard, "Ohh, this hurts so bad!"
"Just hang in there." Phoebe said gently, "It's going to be over soon."
Rachel fell limply against her pillows as the contractions stopped, and she looked up to Monica and Phoebe with teary eyes, "I want Ross. And I want to know how Emma is."
"I'll go." Phoebe volunteered, hating to see her friend in such pain. "I'll be right back with your husband."
Phoebe left, and Monica sat beside Rachel on the bed, "How are you holding up, besides the contractions."
"Not so good." Rachel admitted, "I feel so bad...I never should have left Emma alone." "Rach, she's nearly 5 years old, that's old enough to be away from. It's not your fault." Monica reassured her, "She's alright, and it was an accident, we all know it was an accident."
Rachel shook her head, "Social Services came Mon, they're going to say it's my fault, they're going to arrest me."
"That's never going to happen." Monica consoled her, hugging her friend tightly, "Accidents happen, it's not your fault."
Rachel braced herself as another contraction began to escalate, her whole body tense with anticipation and misery, knowing how painful this would be. Through clenched teeth, she replied to Monica's statement with, "Ross would never have forgiven me if something would have happened to our daughter. I love him, he's my husband, something I've wanted for so long...but Emma comes first for both of us. He would have been devastated if Emma was seriously hurt, or if I would have hurt this baby."
"You haven't done anything wrong!" Monica exclaimed, "How can I get you to understand that?"
"You can't." Rachel said dejectedly, "I'm just not a good mother, I keep letting my babies get hurt." She covered her mouth with her hand as she started to softly sob.
Monica took the sobbing Rachel into her arms, hugging her tightly as tears began to slide down her cheeks as well.
***Flashback***
"Mon! Who cares about the stupid wrapping paper, just rip it open and see what I got you!" Rachel exclaimed while jumping up and down in her chair, more excited about Monica opening her birthday present than Monica was. "Come on! Hurry!"
"Relax!" Monica commanded her friend, "It's my birthday, and if I want to open it slow then I can!"
Rachel leaned back in her chair, her foot tapping impatiently against the floor. "I've had this waiting at my house for nearly a month now, it's just killing me, please hurry and open it Monica!"
"And you say that I'm neurotic?" Monica questioned, placing the wrapping paper on the floor in a neat square and looking her impatient friend in the eye, "Why is this so important to you?"
"You are neurotic, for one." Rachel pointed out as she eyed the wrapping paper on the floor, "And second, you're my best friend and I went to nearly every store in the city trying to find you a present you would like! I want you to tell me if you like it or not, and you be honest."
"I always love what you get me." Monica said softly, opening the box. It was true, every time Rachel got her a present, it was immediately announced as her new favorite object. Rachel couldn't pick out a bad gift.
She wasn't disappointed, she opened the box and gasped in surprise. Laying in a satin lined box was a gorgeous silver bracelet, with a design of interchanged diamonds and emeralds. "Oh my God." Monica exclaimed, "This is gorgeous!" Putting down the box, she hugged Rachel tightly, "This is the best present I've ever gotten!"
"You really like it?" Rachel asked, her eyes twinkling as her smile spread across her face, "I saw this and I just had to get it for you."
"It must have cost a fortune!" Monica whispered, her eyes fixed on the bracelet, "Thank you!"
Rachel hugged her friend tightly, tears stinging her eyes, "That way you'll never forget me."
"I'll never forget you." Monica vowed, tears stinging her eyes too as she realized this may be the last time they sat around together for a long time. Rachel was leaving the next day to go to college in Connecticut for her last 2 years, and Monica was moving into the city with a friend of hers she met at work, Phoebe. "You're by best friend."
Rachel sobbed, hugging Monica tightly, "And you're my best friend."
"Promise me that once school's ended, you'll move back here and stay with me. We'll have babies together and grow old together. We'll even die together." Monica said through her tears, knowing she sounded childish but not caring. She and Rachel had been best friends for 13 years, since they were 6 years old, and now they were having to part ways.
Rachel laughed through her tears, "Of course I will! We're going to grow old together and we're going to live right next door to each other. Me, you, our husbands, our children, and maybe even your stupid brother and his friend, whom I still think is gay." Rachel said, referring to Chandler, Ross's roommate who had become his best friend. "He's not gay!" Monica exclaimed, pulling away and wiping her eyes. "We should go home now...before I change my mind and don't let you go away."
"Yeah." Rachel agreed softly, "Write me every day."
"Forget writing you, I'm going to call you every day. Twice!" Monica promised, giving Rachel one more quick hug before walking away towards her house. Rachel watched Monica walk away for a few seconds before turning towards her house, tears streaming down both of their cheeks as they ended one chapter of their lives.
***End Flashback***