The reactions are in 5 different chapters and go in order of how Ross wrote the letters. So this is Rachel's thoughts, feelings and rants

I have just given birth to my beautiful daughter and all I can think about is "where's Ross?" For three hours I have expected him to come through those doors with a big bunch of balloons and panicking about missing the birth. Even now he is nowhere, he is in so much trouble when I get my hands on him. What if he has been in an accident and the others know and don't want to tell me? Ok now I am starting to freak myself out. Ross wouldn't have missed this for the world, I know that he hasn't been his self lately but he would NEVER miss this.

Monica came in crying and telling me that I have to read this letter; as soon as she gave it to me I noticed Ross' handwriting. She said that she would leave me alone; I tear the seal and begin to read:

By now you will have all realised that I am not around. I wonder if it will take hours or days before you check for these letters at my apartment, I guess I will never know.

What does he mean? Where has he gone? I feel tears threatening to break and I've only read the first two lines.

For your part I want you to know that I consider you my best friend, I know that I will miss a lot of important events but I feel that I have to leave.

LEAVE? How long for? Those tears are falling now; I can't control myself. I hold back as much as possible trying hard not to wake our baby. A lump in my throat has lodged hard and my breathing has become erratic.

I wish things had worked out for us and maybe we could have raised our child together, but you have Joey now and I'm sure that he will be an excellent role model for our child.

I had no idea that he felt like that still, oh God. Joey isn't his replacement; Ross is supposed to be her role model. I look at the little girl across from me "Who's gonna teach you about Dinosaurs and all the boring stuff that I couldn't stay awake to learn at School?" I know that Joey, Phoebe, Monica or Chandler couldn't handle stuff like that.

I know that you all will be thinking I'll be back or something the truth is I won't. I don't want to be treated in the way you have all become comfortable with, I can't be the one who is only around when something goes wrong. I WON'T BE A DOORMAT. Tell our baby that I love her/him

Have I had my eyes closed? I never knew that we had started treating him differently; maybe we had all become comfortable to depend on Ross whenever things went wrong. No he may not be funny or weird, but he is Ross and that's what I love about him. He's the Father of my baby, the baby sleeping soundly by my side who has no idea what a big event she has just missed. He will be back, he must be. I need him.

The next Day

I hate him, how can he do this to us? My God, to think that yesterday I was on the verge of blaming all of us for him leaving. I don't need Ross Geller; I can cope on my own. I'll show him, deserting he's baby before she was even born. I hate him. Monica has been in today, she looks awful, she looks like she has been up all night worrying about her good for nothing Brother. Surely he must know how worried we all are, I know that I just said I hate him but how can I hate the Father of my child?