Chandler's Daughter

Hiya! These next chapters are not written by me, they're written by another great writer on this fanfiction site Brittany otherwise known as catnamedzane. I want to thank her a lot for helping me with this story, by writing this chapter and a few others after this. Evidently she has greatly improved this fic. Now over to Brittany. ENJOY!!!!



Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me, but to Bright, Kauffman and Crane Productions and Warner Bros. Their use is not intended for profit, only for entertainment. However, if anyone knows where I can purchase them for the low-low price of fifty cents...

Author's Note: This is a little longer than I meant it to be, but oh well. I hope you like it.

- - - - - - - - -

"Monica, honey, please don't cry," Chandler whispered into her hair, his heart breaking more with every small sob that escaped her lips. It had seemed like a good reason before, it had made sense. But now, he knew it wasn't. It seemed wrong. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to lie to you. Please forgive me. I love you. I never meant to hurt you. I just- I was terrified to lose you." ~ And now you will, he added in his mind, preparing for her to pull away from his arms and tell him it was over.

"Chandler-" Monica took a deep breath as she pulled away from his arms. And here it comes. Well, you deserve it anyway, Chandler thought, mentally coaching himself not to break down. "I-I don't know how you could have done this to me. I don't know-I don't know if I can trust you..." Monica continued talking but Chandler's mind barely registered the words. He saw her facial expressions and her hand movements, but the words weren't cutting through the fog. He knew what she was saying anyway. She hates him and she's leaving forever.

~If I could go back in time, I'd tell Monica right when I found out. Or...I could've not joined the Mile-High Club. That would've worked too. It figures though. But it's not like I didn't see this coming. How long did I expect to keep Megan a secret? Until...well, I guess I didn't think that one all the way through. I knew she'd have to find out. I just...I didn't expect her to break up with me. I mean, well...I did. I've always expected her to leave me. But I just-I kinda figured that since we're married...it'd be a little harder for her. Maybe. I'm giving myself too much credit...

He noticed she had stopped talking and was watching him expectantly. It was his turn to talk, to quietly accept the facts.

"Yeah. I kinda...I figured." Chandler paused and sighed. "You know, I just never figured it would end this way." He walked over to the door and grabbed his coat, getting ready to make his departure. Before he opened the door, he turned around, knowing it wouldn't be long before he broke completely. "I'm sorry. For everything." He stared at the ground, focusing on his shoes for a few seconds while Monica watching him in confusion.

"Chandler?"

He glanced up, feeling his eyes line with tears.

"What are you talking about?"

"I was-I-"

"Are you leaving me?"

"What?"

Chandler stared at her for a second, wondering in disbelief if perhaps, maybe, that there was a chance she wasn't divorcing him.

"Then what are you-"

"You don't want us to break up?"

Monica sighed quietly and shook her head. "No." She smiled when she realized what had happened. "You weren't even listening to me, were you?"

"Well...I just-I was so sure that-"

"I'm not gunna give up on us that quick, Chandler! I love you- do you know that? I love you so much it hurts. Do you even realize how much I love you? I can understand why you lied. I don't-I wish you hadn't. I wish you would've told me the truth about it. But...you didn't."

"Please forgive me," Chandler whispered as he walked to where she was standing. "Trust me again."

"I want to. But I just...I don't know if-if I can-"

"I didn't mean to-"

"I know. And that's- I'm-I want to try. But..." Monica sighed as she felt tears drip freely down her face. "Don't-don't ever lie to me again. I don't think I can handle that again."

"I won't. I won't," he promised. "Tell me what-what I can do to help you trust me again. Anything."

"I want you to tell me everything, Chandler," she stated firmly as she sat down on the couch.

"Like?"

"When did you find out?"

"On Thanksgiving."

"What'd she say?"

Both Monica's voice and expressions were unemotional. But she knew if she showed any emotions, she would be crying in seconds. Chandler nodded and sat down on the couch, on the opposite end of Monica.

"She-uh...I introduced her to Joey, and asked her how she'd been. She said..."

"...Pregnant, in case you didn't notice. Do you mind if I get a glass of water? Thanks." She helped herself without even waiting for his answer.

"Preg-pregnant. Really. That's-that's nice," Chandler said hesitantly, wondering why she was telling him this.

"Oh, and it's yours."

"It's-it'-it' mine. Mine? Mine?"

"And it' a girl."

"A girl. A girl?"

"That' yours."

"I have a girl?"

"You don' have anything yet, and you never have to have anything to do with either one of us. But I just want you to know that I am pregnant, that it is yours, and that I am keeping it. If you wanna be involved, here' my number." She slapped a piece of paper on the counter, before dropping her plastic cup into the sink. "Bye."

With that she left, leaving Chandler staring at the closed door, and Joey staring at Chandler. here were a few minutes of silence before Joey said exactly what Chandler was thinking.

"Monica' gunna be mad."

"You didn't now I would be mad, Chandler," Monica said softly.

"Yeah, well..." Chandler started to run his hand through his hair, but Monica reached up and took his hand before he could.

"I'm not mad now. I'm just-I'm hurt because you didn't tell me. Not-not because-" Monica inhaled quietly before saying, "Because you had a baby with someone else."

"I didn't plan it that way. I just-I want you to know that I only wanted to h-"

"I know," she interrupted.

"Do you really?"

She managed a small smile and nodded. "Yeah. So...when do I get to meet my stepdaughter?" Monica said brightly. She asked a little too enthusiastically, but Chandler didn't say anything.

"I have her next weekend."

She looked at him, slightly surprised.

"But I thought you only got her for the day?"

"Yeah, but..." Chandler sighed. "Now that Chloe knows that you know, she called and she's gunna be dropping Megan off for the weekend a lot more. Unless-unless that's not okay with you, and I'll just tell her to work something else-"

"It's fine."

- - - -

"Good, you're here. Megan's on the jungle gym." Chloe handed Chandler Megan's book bag

"Hi, Megan," Chandler said, kneeling on the floor as the little girl ran across the McDonald's Play Place and propelled herself into his arms.

"Hi, Daddy. I missed you."

"Missed you, too," he said, kissing her cheek.

"Who's that?" Megan said, pointing over her father's shoulder at Monica, who was standing a foot or so away, feeling out of place.

"That..." Chandler swiveled around with Megan in his arms, "is Monica."

"Oh. Is she your girlfriend?" Megan whispered loudly into his ear, and Monica smiled, hearing the comment.

"Not...not exactly."

"Oh. Is she your friend, like Uncle Joey?"

"Nope."

"Is she your daughter?"

Monica widened her eyes in surprise and Chandler laughed.

"I don't look that old, do I?" Chandler asked Megan.

"Yes."

"How old?"

"About a bah-gillion and four."

"That old, huh?"

"Yup!" Megan giggled as Chandler tickled her, then, when he stopped, she said, "I wanna a baby sister, Daddy."

"Really."

"Yup. And I already know what I'm gunna name her."

"What?"

"Barbie."

"Barbie, huh?"

"Yeah. I think you and Mommy should get married and have my baby sister so we can be a real family."

"Well-uh-um-" Chandler sputtered for a second, not sure of what to say. "That-that wouldn't be a very good idea."

"It is! You can live in the big closet-"

"Megan-"

"Or-if you don't like that, you can have my room?"

"Meg-"

"Please, Daddy? Please? Just think about it?" Tears filled her eyes and Chandler hugged her. "I wanna real family. Please."

"I know, sweetie. But here's the thing..."

"No! That's what Mommy said." Megan pulled away from Chandler's arms and ran to the plastic slide. She climbed up the ladder and sat on top, her arms crossed, and fighting tears. Chandler stayed where he was for a few seconds, then, when it was evident she wasn't coming back down, he walked over to the slide. It wasn't very tall, the highest point barely reaching his shoulders.

"Hey," Chandler said, putting his arms on the bar and leaning his chin on his folded arms.

"Go 'way," she mumbled.

"You mad at me?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"'Cause. You won't marry Mommy."

"Megs, Mommy doesn't want to marry me."

"Yes, she does," Megan said stubbornly.

"Did she tell you that?"

"No." Megan sniffed, then added, "But I know she wanted to."

Chandler smiled. "Sweetie, Mommy and me love you very much. But we can't get married."

"Why not?"

"Well...because. Mommy doesn't want to marry me, and I'm already married."

"Nu-uh."

"Yu-uh."

"Then why don't I know?"

"Because you're supposed to meet her today."

"Is Monica your wife?"

"Yeah."

"Do you love her very, very much?"

"Yup."

"More than me?"

"No one more than you."

"Do I have to call her Mommy too?"

"Nope. Only if you want to."

Megan looked over Chandler's shoulder and studied Monica for a few seconds. She was sitting at one of the tables inside the Play Place, studying a paper place mat with pictures drawn on it for children to colour.

"I don't think I want to." Megan looked back at Chandler, then asked, "Will she be mean to me?"

Chandler smiled and shook his head.

"Nope."

"She won't make me wash the dishes and clean the fireplace?"

"Nope. And did you watch Cinderella again last night?"

Megan grinned and nodded. "Yup. Pick me up, Daddy," she said, opening her arms for him. Chandler picked her up, spinning her around in a circle.

"Wanna go meet Monica?" he said a few seconds later after both had regained their balance.

"Are you sure she's nice?"

"She's very, very nice."

"She looks sad, Daddy," Megan commented. Chandler glanced at Monica, who did look sad.

"That's because she wants to meet you."

"Oh. What am I s'posed to call her?"

"Well...you can call her Monica."

"What if she doesn't like me?"

"She will."

"But what if she doesn't and says I can never, ever see you again?"

"Well...if she says that, then we'll run away and live in Canada, okay?"

Megan laughed. "Daddy! We can' t go to Canada!"

"Well, why not?"

"Because. All my clothes are in New York!"

Chandler smiled and nodded. "Okay. Let' s go talk to Monica now."

Chandler and Megan walked over to where Monica was sitting.

"Hi, Monica," Megan said a little shyly, holding Chandler' s hand tightly.

"Hi, Megan," Monica said in the same way.

"Okay. Why don't we take Megan' s stuff back to our apartment, then go to the zoo or something?" Chandler suggested.