CHAPTER#9
A/N: Wow! Nine chapters. Now this is my longest fanfic. I hope you enjoy.
Chandler entered the small hospital room apprehensively, staring nervously at the floor. He felt Monica take his hand gently and give it a comforting squeeze. He looked up at her and offered a wry smile, which she returned. He took a deep breath and focused his attention on the small girl staring intently at him from the bed across the room.
She was a spitting image of her sister, with her dark hair and deep blue eyes, except that she was small, more frail looking. And her eyes told him what she had been through. They showed complete innocence of a child, as well as an understanding and knowledge of the horror that is the world. He could tell immediately that she had both witnessed and experienced more suffering than most do in a lifetime. There was a sense of maturity in her eyes that he had never seen in a child.
Chandler felt his heart jump to his throat as he realized this was his daughter, and she had never had a childhood. She had never experienced things she should have. They had been taken from her. It was so unfair, he thought.
Chandler was pulled from his thoughts when he felt Monica give him a small nudge, urging him forward, towards the daughter he had never met. He hesitantly stepped forward, cautiously approaching the small child who seemed to become more and intimidated by him for every step he took.
Chandler finally came to stop beside the bed, Samantha sitting as far to the other side as she could, shaking slightly. Chandler didn't know what to say to the girl to make her relax. He glanced at Monica and Rachel, who were staring at him. Monica offered him a small smile and motioned for him to say something. Chandler turned back to his daughter, who was now staring up at him, fear in her eyes. Chandler remembered what Monica had told him about her never meeting a good man before. He was determined to be the first one. He hesitantly reached out his hand to her and said the first thing that came to his mind.
"Hi," he said softly. Samantha stared at his hand, she knew what it meant, her mother and aunt had taught her. She tentatively reached out her hand to meet his. She remembered her mother telling her that her father was a good person.
"Hi," she answered quietly. Chandler smiled and gently closed his grasped on her hand, shaking it softly.
"I'm your father," he told her quietly, his voice almost at a whisper in his attempt to hide his emotions.
"I know," Samantha said, taking her hand back and moving over, a little closer to him.
"I'm really glad to meet you," Chandler said truthfully, giving her a genuine smile.
Samantha stared at him for a few seconds, weighing her options. Every man she had ever met had been mean to her, but this one seemed to be nice. He mother had told her there were good men out there, and she had never understood what she meant until now.
"You to," Samantha finally told him. "Mommy always said she hoped I would meet you one day."
Chandler wasn't sure what to say to that. He glanced behind him at Monica, who had tears in hers eyes. They matched his own. He tentatively reached out and closed his hand around Samantha's hand. He did so gently so that she could pull back at any time.
"I'm so glad I got to meet you, Samantha," Chandler said, feeling his emotions get the better of him. He felt the tears come as the events of the day became too much for him. He began to sob on the side of the bed, still holding Samantha's small frail hand.
Samantha had never seen a man cry before and didn't know what to do. She knew her mother trusted this man, and decided right then and there that she to would trust him. She carefully pulled her hand back from his and cautiously put her arms around her father's neck.
Chandler felt Samantha pull her hand away and was about to apologize for his outburst, thinking he had scared the young girl, but he suddenly felt her hug him. She wrapped her small arms around his neck, pulling herself closer to him. Chandler responded by wrapping her arms around her small frame and hugging her tightly. It wasn't long before he felt Monica join in the hug.
Rachel, who had watched the scene unfold, quietly excused herself from the room.
Chandler sighed as he rolled over for the umpteenth time that night. He just couldn't sleep. He had been tossing and turning for hours. He glanced at his clock radio and groaned at the time and collapsed back onto his pillow.
So much had happened today. It was what he had dreamed of ever since Monica had disappeared. He had just never dreamt of it being so stressful. In his dreams, Monica always appeared suddenly and they would stare at each other in shock before falling into each other arms. They would then go back to normal, being the seemingly perfect couple.
Reality was much different. Although Chandler was thrilled that Monica was alive and was even more thrilled to find out he had another daughter, he was worried about the future. How would Samantha and Alyssa react to each other? How would Alyssa react to Monica? Would she accept her as a mother? And what was worrying him the most: What would happen between him and Monica? Would they be okay? Would she still want to be with them? Would the four of them ever be a real family?
Chandler sighed and turned over once more. He was worried about Alyssa's reaction to Samantha. He and Monica had told Samantha about her sister and Samantha seemed to understand. He was concerned that Alyssa was too young to understand what her sister and mother had been through. He was concerned that she would be too demanding on Samantha, that she wouldn't understand that Samantha hadn't experienced the same things she had. She wouldn't understand why Samantha was so timid, why she was so dependent on Monica.
Monica. Chandler was still shocked that she was alive and here, with him. He had missed her so much. He yearned to be able to hold her in his arms tonight and sleep soundly for the first time in five and a half years. But, she was on the other side of the wall, sleeping on the floor beside Samantha, who was sleeping on one of the small single beds in Alyssa's room. Rachel was asleep on the other one. Seeing as Samantha hadn't slept in a different room than Monica and Rachel for her whole life, they had thought it best that Monica and Rachel sleep in the same room with Samantha for at least her first night in the 'real' world.
Chandler sighed as he glanced at his clock radio once more. He knew it was going to be a long night.
Monica awoke early the next morning. At first she was disoriented, but it wasn't long before all the events of the previous day came rushing back to her. She sat up to see Samantha fast asleep on the bed beside her. Rachel was curled up on the other side of the room. Monica reached forward and gently ran her fingers through her daughter's hair lovingly. She was so glad Samantha would have the opportunity to live in a world where she was free to do what she wanted, where she could realized that there were good people in the world. Monica sighed and glanced at the clock beside the bed. It was 5AM. She knew she would not be able to fall back to sleep so she kissed Samantha on the head and slowly stood up and exited the room.
Monica was surprised to find Chandler sitting on the windowsill, head leaning against the window. His knees were bent up against his chest and his arms were crossed and leaning on his knees. He seemed deep in thought. She approached him quietly and gently laid a hand on his shoulder. He jumped and looked at her, a sheepish look in his eyes.
"Sorry," she whispered. "I didn't mean to scare you. I couldn't get back to sleep."
"Not a problem," Chandler told her. "I couldn't get to sleep. I came out here to think."
"You've been awake all night?" Chandler nodded. "Oh, I'll just leave you alone to think." Monica said, turning back around.
"No. No." Chandler said. "Come sit." He patted the seat beside him.
Monica smiled and sat down facing him, leaning against the other side of the windowsill. He returned her smile and they sat in silence for a couple minutes.
"So," Chandler started.
"So," Monica repeated.
Silence.
They stared at each other before breaking out laughing.
"This is stupid," Chandler said. "This shouldn't be so awkward."
"I know," Monica told him. She sighed and met his eyes, momentarily loosing herself in them. "I really missed you," she whispered quietly.
"I missed you to," he told her, reaching out for her hand, which she gave him. He gave it a light squeeze.
There stayed like this for a few minutes, in a comfortable silence, before Monica felt her eyes well up with tears. Chandler noticed and pulled her towards him, seating her in front of him, between his legs and wrapping his arms around her. She sighed and leaned back, against his shoulder and closed her eyes.
"What's wrong?" Chandler asked.
"Nothing," Monica said, her voice full of emotion. "I just can't believe that I'm actually here. It's like a dream. It doesn't seem real."
"I know what you mean," Chandler whispered. "I can't believe you're here either."
They stayed like this for some time before Monica and Chandler both drifted off to sleep.
Rachel awoke a couple hours later and rolled out of bed. She immediately noticed that Monica was not there. She got up carefully, as not to wake Samantha, and walked into the living room. She was happy to see Monica and Chandler asleep, snuggled together by the window. She was happy for her friend. Monica had been so scared Chandler had moved on, and that there would be no place for her and Samantha when they returned. From Rachel's point of view, everything would work out just fine.
A/N: It's funny how some chapters are so hard to write and how others just seem to write themselves. Anyway, next part up soon.
A/N: Wow! Nine chapters. Now this is my longest fanfic. I hope you enjoy.
Chandler entered the small hospital room apprehensively, staring nervously at the floor. He felt Monica take his hand gently and give it a comforting squeeze. He looked up at her and offered a wry smile, which she returned. He took a deep breath and focused his attention on the small girl staring intently at him from the bed across the room.
She was a spitting image of her sister, with her dark hair and deep blue eyes, except that she was small, more frail looking. And her eyes told him what she had been through. They showed complete innocence of a child, as well as an understanding and knowledge of the horror that is the world. He could tell immediately that she had both witnessed and experienced more suffering than most do in a lifetime. There was a sense of maturity in her eyes that he had never seen in a child.
Chandler felt his heart jump to his throat as he realized this was his daughter, and she had never had a childhood. She had never experienced things she should have. They had been taken from her. It was so unfair, he thought.
Chandler was pulled from his thoughts when he felt Monica give him a small nudge, urging him forward, towards the daughter he had never met. He hesitantly stepped forward, cautiously approaching the small child who seemed to become more and intimidated by him for every step he took.
Chandler finally came to stop beside the bed, Samantha sitting as far to the other side as she could, shaking slightly. Chandler didn't know what to say to the girl to make her relax. He glanced at Monica and Rachel, who were staring at him. Monica offered him a small smile and motioned for him to say something. Chandler turned back to his daughter, who was now staring up at him, fear in her eyes. Chandler remembered what Monica had told him about her never meeting a good man before. He was determined to be the first one. He hesitantly reached out his hand to her and said the first thing that came to his mind.
"Hi," he said softly. Samantha stared at his hand, she knew what it meant, her mother and aunt had taught her. She tentatively reached out her hand to meet his. She remembered her mother telling her that her father was a good person.
"Hi," she answered quietly. Chandler smiled and gently closed his grasped on her hand, shaking it softly.
"I'm your father," he told her quietly, his voice almost at a whisper in his attempt to hide his emotions.
"I know," Samantha said, taking her hand back and moving over, a little closer to him.
"I'm really glad to meet you," Chandler said truthfully, giving her a genuine smile.
Samantha stared at him for a few seconds, weighing her options. Every man she had ever met had been mean to her, but this one seemed to be nice. He mother had told her there were good men out there, and she had never understood what she meant until now.
"You to," Samantha finally told him. "Mommy always said she hoped I would meet you one day."
Chandler wasn't sure what to say to that. He glanced behind him at Monica, who had tears in hers eyes. They matched his own. He tentatively reached out and closed his hand around Samantha's hand. He did so gently so that she could pull back at any time.
"I'm so glad I got to meet you, Samantha," Chandler said, feeling his emotions get the better of him. He felt the tears come as the events of the day became too much for him. He began to sob on the side of the bed, still holding Samantha's small frail hand.
Samantha had never seen a man cry before and didn't know what to do. She knew her mother trusted this man, and decided right then and there that she to would trust him. She carefully pulled her hand back from his and cautiously put her arms around her father's neck.
Chandler felt Samantha pull her hand away and was about to apologize for his outburst, thinking he had scared the young girl, but he suddenly felt her hug him. She wrapped her small arms around his neck, pulling herself closer to him. Chandler responded by wrapping her arms around her small frame and hugging her tightly. It wasn't long before he felt Monica join in the hug.
Rachel, who had watched the scene unfold, quietly excused herself from the room.
Chandler sighed as he rolled over for the umpteenth time that night. He just couldn't sleep. He had been tossing and turning for hours. He glanced at his clock radio and groaned at the time and collapsed back onto his pillow.
So much had happened today. It was what he had dreamed of ever since Monica had disappeared. He had just never dreamt of it being so stressful. In his dreams, Monica always appeared suddenly and they would stare at each other in shock before falling into each other arms. They would then go back to normal, being the seemingly perfect couple.
Reality was much different. Although Chandler was thrilled that Monica was alive and was even more thrilled to find out he had another daughter, he was worried about the future. How would Samantha and Alyssa react to each other? How would Alyssa react to Monica? Would she accept her as a mother? And what was worrying him the most: What would happen between him and Monica? Would they be okay? Would she still want to be with them? Would the four of them ever be a real family?
Chandler sighed and turned over once more. He was worried about Alyssa's reaction to Samantha. He and Monica had told Samantha about her sister and Samantha seemed to understand. He was concerned that Alyssa was too young to understand what her sister and mother had been through. He was concerned that she would be too demanding on Samantha, that she wouldn't understand that Samantha hadn't experienced the same things she had. She wouldn't understand why Samantha was so timid, why she was so dependent on Monica.
Monica. Chandler was still shocked that she was alive and here, with him. He had missed her so much. He yearned to be able to hold her in his arms tonight and sleep soundly for the first time in five and a half years. But, she was on the other side of the wall, sleeping on the floor beside Samantha, who was sleeping on one of the small single beds in Alyssa's room. Rachel was asleep on the other one. Seeing as Samantha hadn't slept in a different room than Monica and Rachel for her whole life, they had thought it best that Monica and Rachel sleep in the same room with Samantha for at least her first night in the 'real' world.
Chandler sighed as he glanced at his clock radio once more. He knew it was going to be a long night.
Monica awoke early the next morning. At first she was disoriented, but it wasn't long before all the events of the previous day came rushing back to her. She sat up to see Samantha fast asleep on the bed beside her. Rachel was curled up on the other side of the room. Monica reached forward and gently ran her fingers through her daughter's hair lovingly. She was so glad Samantha would have the opportunity to live in a world where she was free to do what she wanted, where she could realized that there were good people in the world. Monica sighed and glanced at the clock beside the bed. It was 5AM. She knew she would not be able to fall back to sleep so she kissed Samantha on the head and slowly stood up and exited the room.
Monica was surprised to find Chandler sitting on the windowsill, head leaning against the window. His knees were bent up against his chest and his arms were crossed and leaning on his knees. He seemed deep in thought. She approached him quietly and gently laid a hand on his shoulder. He jumped and looked at her, a sheepish look in his eyes.
"Sorry," she whispered. "I didn't mean to scare you. I couldn't get back to sleep."
"Not a problem," Chandler told her. "I couldn't get to sleep. I came out here to think."
"You've been awake all night?" Chandler nodded. "Oh, I'll just leave you alone to think." Monica said, turning back around.
"No. No." Chandler said. "Come sit." He patted the seat beside him.
Monica smiled and sat down facing him, leaning against the other side of the windowsill. He returned her smile and they sat in silence for a couple minutes.
"So," Chandler started.
"So," Monica repeated.
Silence.
They stared at each other before breaking out laughing.
"This is stupid," Chandler said. "This shouldn't be so awkward."
"I know," Monica told him. She sighed and met his eyes, momentarily loosing herself in them. "I really missed you," she whispered quietly.
"I missed you to," he told her, reaching out for her hand, which she gave him. He gave it a light squeeze.
There stayed like this for a few minutes, in a comfortable silence, before Monica felt her eyes well up with tears. Chandler noticed and pulled her towards him, seating her in front of him, between his legs and wrapping his arms around her. She sighed and leaned back, against his shoulder and closed her eyes.
"What's wrong?" Chandler asked.
"Nothing," Monica said, her voice full of emotion. "I just can't believe that I'm actually here. It's like a dream. It doesn't seem real."
"I know what you mean," Chandler whispered. "I can't believe you're here either."
They stayed like this for some time before Monica and Chandler both drifted off to sleep.
Rachel awoke a couple hours later and rolled out of bed. She immediately noticed that Monica was not there. She got up carefully, as not to wake Samantha, and walked into the living room. She was happy to see Monica and Chandler asleep, snuggled together by the window. She was happy for her friend. Monica had been so scared Chandler had moved on, and that there would be no place for her and Samantha when they returned. From Rachel's point of view, everything would work out just fine.
A/N: It's funny how some chapters are so hard to write and how others just seem to write themselves. Anyway, next part up soon.