A/N: Thank you again for the reviews... they really inspired me to, uh, upload this document! Okay, this chapter is a little longer. I hope you like it - it's one of my favorite chapters.

CHAPTER FOUR

Ross

Later that night, Ross went upstairs to use the phone and call his son, Ben. It was their designated "calling children, spouses and jobs" hour. He picked up the phone and heard it dialing.

Whoa, I haven't drank that much, Ross thought, smiling. Who else was using the phone?

"Hello?" a small, childish voice came.

"Jamie, sweetie, it's Mommy," Rachel said. Ross was about to hang up, but decided not to.

"Hi, Mommy! I miss you! Guess what? Daddy and me read another chapter of our book tonight."

"Oh, that's great, sweetie. Is Daddy there?"

"Yeah, I'll get him. Daddy! Mommy's on he phone!" Ross heard a muffled reply. "Mommy, Daddy's changing Callista. He says he doesn't want to talk to you."

"Ask him why, okay, baby?"

"Why, Daddy?" More muffled speaking, then a yell. "He said he's mad at you for leaving us here with him all weekend while you go gallivanting with your friends. I mean gallivanting."

"Oh, he's - he's mad?" Rachel asked, her voice faltering.

"Yeah, real mad," Jamie said. "But I told him not to hit you when you get home because it hurts." Ross gasped involuntarily. So Joshua was hitting Rachel - and their son knew!

"Thank you for saying that, sweetheart," Rachel said quietly.

"What's the matter, Mommy?" Ross could hear someone, presumably Joshua, speaking. "Daddy says he wants me to hand up. He's real mad. Mommy, his face his turning red. I don't wanna hang up, Daddy! I'm talkin to Mama! No!"

"James Joshua Bradford, did you hear me?" Ross could hear Joshua's voice clearer now.

"Joshua!" Rachel screamed. "Joshua, don't hurt him! Don't hit him! Please! I'll be home tomorrow."

"Good," Joshua said. "I'll save it for you." He slammed the phone down, and Ross jumped. He raced up to Rachel's room, where he could hear her softly crying. He barged in without knocking.

"Ross!" Rachel cried, startled. "What are you doing?"

Ross went over and knelt in front of Rachel. "Let me take you away from him," he said, taking her hands. "Let me take you and James and Callista away. He's a horrible person and I won't let you get hurt anymore."

"Ross - "

"No, Rachel, I heard the conversation. I don't want you or your children near him ever again. Why do you stay with him? Why don't you leave?"

"I don't want the kids to suffer," Rachel said meekly.

"So you let him hit you? Rach, you don't deserve to be treated like that. There are things we can do to get the kids away - "

"I don't want to make him mad."

"Who cares if he's mad? I'll go with you. We'll get the kids and leave, you can divorce him. You can't live with him anymore!"

"I know," Rachel said. "But I can't take my babies away from they're father."

"Yes, you can. And I'll help you," Ross said. He pulled Rachel close to him. "I'll never let you go."

"Thank you," Rachel said, sobbing into Ross's shirt. "Thank you, Ross."

Monica

After dinner, Monica went upstairs and called Daniel's house to talk to Cassie. Hearing Cassie speak reminded Monica of something she'd been planning to do, something she had to do... She pulled on a sweatshirt and went downstairs to find Chandler. Her heart was beating fast and her palms were sweaty.

She walked into Phoebe and Joey - kissing on the couch in the living room. "Um - do you guys know - where Chandler is?"

Joey raised his mouth from Phoebe's to muter, "On the porch," before her lips caught his again. Shaking her head, Monica inched around the two and out onto the porch. Chandler was sitting on the steps again, staring out at the ocean and writing something on a pad of paper.

"Hey," she whispered, going over and sitting next to him.

"Hey, there," he said, taking his glasses off. "What's up?"

"Nothing," Monica said. "Did you see them in there?" she said, pointing toward the room where Phoebe and Joey were making out. "What is up with that?"

"Friends with benefits," Chandler said knowingly.

"Ah. What are you writing?"

"Oh, nothing, really. Just a story."

"When did you start writing? You always said you wanted to but you never did."

"In rehab. I was so bored most of the time, and the people told me I needed an "emotional outlet", so I chose writing."

"That's great." After a moment, Monica noticed Chandler's hands clasped nervously together on his lap. She reached over and impulsively took one. He looked up, and they smiled at each other.

"Listen, there is sort of - sort of something I want to tell you," Monica said, gulping. It's now or never, she thought. He deserves to know. "It's really, really important."

"What is it?"

"It's about Cassie." Monica paused and stared straight into Chandler's eyes. "She's - she's yours."

"What are you talking about?" Chandler said, chuckling. He knew, Monica realized, but was trying to change it. But he can't, Monica thought forlornly. Believe me, I've tried. "Are you giving her to me? Early birthday present?"

"No, Chandler, she's - your daughter." Monica squeezed his hand. "I'm sorry I never told you."

"That's crazy," Chandler said, pulling his hand away. "How do you know? You got back together with Danny a day after we - you know... how could she be mine?"

"When she had her tonsils out three years ago, she had a blood test, and, well... when they said her blood wasn't matching Danny's, I realized she was yours."

"Three years?" Chandler said incredulously. "You've known for three years and you never told me?"

"I didn't want to take her away from Danny!" Monica said. "They really do love each other, and if the courts found out he wasn't really her father, he'd lose partial custody. I didn't want to dot hat to her."

"Why would the courts find out?" Chandler mused, running his hands through his hair.

"I don't know. We kind of... lost each other for a while, and I was afraid if you found out, you might sue for custody or something. I didn't want to ruin all of your lives. I decided it would be easier, that no one would ever have to know."

"So why'd you decide to tell me?" Chandler asked softly.

"Because it's not easier. She' so much like you, it's frightening. I'm always so thankful Danny never really knew you, or else he'd see it. She even looks like you, Chandler, if you can imagine that. And you deserve to know that you have a daughter."

"Oh my God, I have a daughter," Chandler said, putting his head in his hands. "No, Mon - we have a daughter." He let out a deep breath. "So, what am I supposed to do with this? Just know I've got a little girl out there and ignore her? I can't do that."

"I know. And that's why I'm moving back to New York." Chandler stared at her.

"You're - you're moving back to New York?" he repeated dazedly.

"Yes. Daniel's being transferred to a base in New Jersey, but I'm sick of always having to follow him. I want to go back home. And... you can be with Cassie." Monica had thought long and hard about this, and her decision was final.

"Thank you," Chandler said, and then stared straight ahead, as if his mouth was shut closed.

"I'm sorry I never told you before."

"It's okay," Chandler said, taking her hands again. Almost without realizing it, they were leaning closer again. Monica felt her eyes flutter shut as Chandler's lips touched hers.

Monica hadn't been kissed like this since she'd been married to Danny. Chandler cupped her face with his hands and they continued to kiss. A few moments later, when the kiss ended, they pulled apart, and Monica smiled at the bewildered expression on Chandler's face.

"What was that?" he asked, watching her carefully.

"That was a kiss," Monica said, almost as shocked. But before she had time to say any more, their lips were locked again.

Phoebe

They had moved up to Joey and Ross's room and were starting to get undressed. But before Phoebe even had her bra off, Joey was kissing her again. They couldn't keep their hands off each other. And Monica and Chandler knew. But the weirdest part was - it wasn't weird. It seemed natural.

Phoebe shivered as Joey ran his hands around her body and trailed kisses down her neck. They kissed again, and Joey mumbled something.

"What was that?" Phoebe said.

"Marry me, Pheebs."

Phoebe stopped kissing Joey. "What? Did you just propose to me?"

Joey raised his eyebrows. "I think I did."

"Why do you want to marry me?"

Joey rolled his eyes. "Come on. Like you don't know."

Phoebe knew. They'd always had something, always been in love, but had been too afraid to admit it. Phoebe hadn't want to dive deeper into the thing, because she knew Joey was a player, a womanizer, and it had bothered her that she was falling in love with him. But now, after this weekend, their feelings were so clear, and they were feeling so spontaneous.

"All right," Phoebe said, shocking them both.

"All right?"

"All right. Let's get married."

"I don't have a ring," Joey said.

"That's okay. You can buy me one later," Phoebe said, and kissed him again.

A/N: Whew - here's another chapter! There was the Phoebe/Joey you all asked for. Maybe it was a little, I don't know, extreme, but I always thought that's how it would happen for them. If you wanted something different - write your own fic!

Now please review, or, as one of my favorite authors says - Kathy and Janice will come back! :)