Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with friends.

A/N: This is the last part :o(I know, I wish it wasn't either, but it really is this time. But the good news is its nearly 8000 words long, so that's like 8 chapters rolled into one for you ;o)

This is my last chance to thank you all for the fab reviews you've sent me over the last 4 months, I can't into words how much I appreciate it. Anyway guys, I wont keep you from reading the last bit. Hope you enjoy it. Mwah

~*~

"No, no please no." Phoebe tossed and turned in her bed, beads of sweat dripping from her forehead, which was now wrinkled from the distressed look that was contorting on her face. Suddenly her body jerked forward and sat up straight in the sweat soaked bed. Her panting was desperate, her eyes adjusting to the darkness. Without second thought she threw her legs hastily over the side of the bed and grabbed onto the bedside table to steady her. She pulled herself onto her feet, her mind still reeling from the nightmare she had just awoken from. Putting one leg in front of the other she gently moved herself towards the door, pain soaring through her body, but she ignored it as best she could. She had to get to Joey; if it killed she had to be near him. With small gentle movements she managed to get to his bedroom door. Holding onto the doorknob she took a few deeps breaths and waited for the pain to subside before continuing her journey.

She took a quick glance over at her sleeping daughter and gave a smile. She looked so peaceful, completely unaware of the situation between her parents. So innocent.

She turned back around; content in the knowledge her little girl was ok and turned the handle, letting it slide open to reveal Joey curled up in a ball on the right hand side of the bed.

"Joey?" She whispered, not wanting to wake him, but at the same time desperate for him to open his eyes and see her.

Nothing.

She waited a moment, watching his steady breathing, before calling out his name again.

"Joey?" She said a little louder this time, and it worked. He sat bolt upright in bed, staring dreamily around him to see where the noise had come from, for a moment forgetting Phoebe was staying with him.

"Pheebs! What are you doing here? How did you get from your bed to the door? You can't walk!" He jumped from the bed and ran towards her, bundling her tightly in his arms, he lifted her carefully off the ground and placed her down on the left hand side of the bed.

It was then the tears she had bottled up for so long began to fall.

"Joey I had a nightmare," Before she could finish he cut in.

"About London? Or the hospital?"

"Worse. I dreamt that you died and I lost you forever. I couldn't bare that Joey. I love you so much." Her sobbing made her words almost undecipherable, but there was no mistaking those words. "I love you."

He had resisted holding her all night, but he couldn't defend against hugging her now.

"Phoebe I love you too, so much it hurts. But ive let you down in so many ways and I can't make up for that, no matter how hard I try. You deserve someone who can be a bigger man than I have been these last few months.

"The only man I deserve is you. I don't want anyone else, I never have. You are all I've ever dreamed about. That night in London when you said you loved me, I didn't believe it, as much as I wanted to I couldn't set myself up for rejection, that's why I had to leave. I didn't leave because I thought I had made a huge mistake by sleeping with you, it was the opposite. I wanted and loved you so much I left to spare us both the pain."

"But why? I would never have rejected you."

"You would have when I told you about my past. Its not all been a bed of roses Joe. Ive had so much sorrow and pain that it tore me apart. I dealt with it, but I didn't think you could have." She sobbed again, choking on her own tears.

"Ursula told me about your past and I don't care. You have nothing to be ashamed of, you hear! The person who should be most ashamed is your stepfather. God if I could just get my hands on that bastard I would kill him. I love you for who you are, not what has or hasn't happened to you before I knew you. The phoebe you are now is the Phoebe I adore." Joey stroked her cheek as her tears of sorrow turned to tears of relief.

"I didn't try to purposely keep the baby from you Joey, you've got to believe me when I say that. I came to tell you, but you thought I was Ursula so I ran again. I couldn't bear to think of you with her. It seemed to me that you had forgotten all about me and gone to her instead. She always got everything she wanted, and in most cases everything I wanted as well, you included. Its like she purposely set out to steal my life. I was arguing with her when I went into labor, she didn't even try to help me. If it hadn't been for Rachel." Her crying was unstoppable.

"You were Ursula the day she, I mean you came to my apartment? Oh my God, Pheebs if I had know I wouldn't have stopped chasing you, I would have followed you to the end of the earth and back, just to have held you again. I might have stopped all this from happening. The baby being premature, your coma, everything, its all my fault." Now it was Joey's turn for waterworks.

Seeing him so emotional made her heart twang with guilt. "Joey, none of this is your fault. Its no ones fault, not even mine, and its taken me a long time to be able to say that. I agree none of this should have happened, I don't know about you but this has made me such a stronger person. Im not scared of life anymore! The strong person I used to pretend to be is the person I'm about to become. I'm sick of crying, sick of feeling sorry for myself and sick of others taking pity on me. I want my life back and I want you to be a part of it. You, me and our daughter, as a family, the way it should it be." She leant her body closer to him and touched his face, the stubble from his newly grown beard rough under her hand.

"Phoebe, I've missed you so much, please don't ever leave me again, I couldn't bear it, it would kill me. For us to be together it would be amazing, all ive ever wanted, but im too scared of losing you again. I don't think I would cope all over. The last time you left I," He paused to think about the night he had his breakdown.

Flashback

Slam! He tossed the empty bottle of Vodka across the room, drunkenly trying to get it into the waste bin, but missing by about a foot. It bounced across the room, thudding along the carpet, stopping and rolling under the foosball table that had been un-played since before London.

He watched its every move, almost as if in slow motion, his brain unable to register its movements. The minute it's rolling subsided his tears started. Uncontrollable wailing filled the once silent room. He rose from his seat and staggered towards the door, leaving it wide open behind him. Who cared if someone broke in and stole everything? Where he was planning on going he didn't need any of that stuff anyway. He climbed the stairwell and busted out into the cool night air on the rooftop. He stood, swaying at the edge, contemplating his next move.

~*~

"Well, thanks for a great night, I'll call you sometime," As he turned away from the small red headed woman he rolled his eyes. "Yeah, like that's ever gonna happen," He muttered under his breath.

He climbed the stairs, thinking about every lousy date he had been on since London, all two of them. No one had compared to Monica, and no one was likely too. She was unique in every way.

As he got to his door all his thoughts were broken. The door was wide open and inside looked like a whirlwind had hit it. Under normal circumstances he would have believed they had burgled, but ever since Joey had started drinking heavily this was just a typical occurrence.

"Joe?" Chandler searched the room for his friend, but he was nowhere to be found. He shut the door over and chapped at Monica's. No answer. She was obviously out enjoying herself, he though gloomily.

"He can't have been away for long, and if he had gone downstairs I would have seen him," Chandler stood in the hallway trying to figure where he could have gone.

"Ill try the roof," He set off in hot pursuit of his friend.

~*~

The wind blew threw his hair as he wobbled unsteadily on the roofs ledge. He looked down at the 100ft drop, all trace of fear now gone. This was going to take his pain away forever. The vodka no longer drowned out his sorrows, so this was his final solution. He held his right leg out over the edge and took a deep breath, but his jumping was put on hold as he heard a bang behind him.

"JOEY! NO!" Chandler ran towards him, stopping himself inches away, afraid he would scare him, causing him to fall.

"Chandler go away. I need to do this and I don't want you to see it." Joey didn't turn round, his gaze fixed firmly on the ground below him.

"I'm not going anywhere, and I refuse to let you do this. Joe what is so bad that you feel the need to end it all? Things cant be that bad can they? Why don't you come down, and sober up. If you still want to do this when your mind is clear then ill let you. But I wont let you jump when you're drunk." Chandler tried his best coaxing tactics, praying they would work. His voice was so steady it amazed him, because inside he was petrified.

"I have nothing. Everything ive ever wanted has been ripped away from me, and its not coming back, so what have I got to live for? Everything is just pointless, nothing in my life makes sense anymore, its like I have a limb missing, I don't know how to function without it."

Chandler didn't waste anytime in throwing Joeys analogy back in his face.

"People lose limbs all the time. And you know what they do? They get on with life. Its always hard to do, but you know the minute they adjust life returns to normal, its all part of a recovery process. You need recovery and adjustment, not death!"

Joey listened intently to what he had to say, but understanding comparisons were hard enough for him to comprehend sober, never mind after a bottle of Vodka.

Chandler watched on in fear, awaiting Joeys next move, but he didn't need to worry. Joey lifted his left leg backwards and rested it on ground level, followed by his right. He stood facing the street for a moment before turning his attention to his terrified friend.

"I'm scared Chandler. Scared of what life has in store for me. Scared of being alone. Scared of losing everyone I've ever loved." Chandler held him tightly, not caring who saw and what they thought. His best friend was in turmoil and he needed to help him in anyway he could.

"Hey, listen to me, you have nothing to be scared of. Life is always gonna throw things at us that we don't like, but you're never going to be alone through it. You have me, and Ross and Monica. We're not going anywhere, you hear? Especially not me!" He could feel Joey nodding on his shoulder.

"I think I need to talk to someone. You know, like a psych," Joey stumbled on his words, unable to say what he wanted.

"A psychiatrist? Sure, I can arrange that for you. Anything you want to make you feel better is no problem, we can do it." Joey knew what he was saying was true, but deep down he knew the only thing that would make him better was for Phoebe to come back to him and that was one thing Chandler couldn't make happen.

Safe in the knowledge he was going to get help, he allowed Chandler to take him back to the apartment, both vowing never to discuss the night's events with each other again.

~*~

"Joey? What you thinking about?" Phoebe looked at the sad expression on his face and began to get worried.

"Oh nothing really, I was just remembering how I felt when I thought I would never get you back. I'm sorry if I scared you," He noticed the look on her face.

"I can understand why you wouldn't want anything to do with me again, I ruined your life. But I know how that feels, because I ruined mine too. I have a lot of apologizing to do, and not just to you, I owe everyone an explanation. I have to make sure no one hates me for what I did."

"Pheebs no one hates you, we all love you. You have no idea how hard we looked for you! We even ended up in Scotland, which turned out uneventful."

Phoebe's eyes opened in shock.

"You went to Scotland? How did you know I'd be there?"

"Monica spoke to some guy at the station and he had seen you, so we found out what bus you got on and followed you up there. We hunted for you, but we couldn't find you, then Ross and Rachel talked to this shopkeeper who you had bought cigarettes from and he said you were going back to the states. So I flew back alone, the others couldn't get a flight. But you weren't here." Joey rushed out his words, condensing the week into its key moments.

"I told that guy I was coming back to America because I didn't want to discuss things with him. I had no intentions of going back to the US, I went to Paris instead." Phoebe hung her head, if only she had told the truth that day then maybe he would have found her sooner, from what she heard they had gotten so close to it anyway.

"Paris?" Joey's eyes widened.

"Yeah, Emily gave me her holiday house to stay in until I sorted myself out, that's when I bumped into Rachel,"

Joey shook his head in amazement.

"This is all just too much to take in. Emily? That explains why she called your apartment and left a message,"

"She did?" Phoebe questioned, but Joey never answered.

"How did it get to this?" Joey kept shaking his head.

"All those wasted Months, we could have been together,"

"Joey, it wasn't that simple. I had to get my head together, I was so messed up, and things had gotten too much for me. I was depressed before I even left America, and what happened in London was just the icing on the cake for me, it pushed me over the edge. All my memories of childhood came flooding back, and they weren't normal. I had spent so many years blocking them out, but I couldn't do it any longer. I was in such a bad place in my life, and it was just unfortunate that it happened to be the same day we got together."

"But you didn't have to leave me Phoebe, you could have stayed, worked through it. I would have helped you, been by your side through it all. The night you were almost, well you know, I vowed to you that I would never let anyone or anything hurt you again, and I meant it, I really did."

Phoebe hung her head in shame again, wishing she had made different choices.

"I know that now. Maybe back then I didn't want to believe it, but I want more than anything to believe it now."

Phoebe leaned in closer to him, lifting her head so it was just millimeters from his. She moved in to plant a kiss on his lips, but he pulled back.

"Im sorry Phoebe, I can't do this, not now." Joey moved from the bed and lifted a spare sheet from his shelf.

"I'll sleep on the couch, you stay there. Get a good nights sleep." He took one last look at her and closed the door over. He leaned over the crib and watched his daughters' chest lift and fall with every small breath she took.

"I love your mommy so much, but we hurt each other really badly. Maybe one day we will be together, but if we don't, always remember I love you, and im there for you, no matter what" he kissed his hand and touched her forehead as gently as he could without waking her.

He curled himself into a ball on the sofa and stared at the wall, motionless. He could hear Phoebe crying in his room and his heart twisted with guilt. He was now the one hurting her; in the same way she had hurt him, by rejecting her. He hated himself for it, for putting her through it, knowing all too well how it felt, but he was scared, more scared than he had ever been.

He let his mind wander back 3 months.

Flashback

A buzzer sounded loudly in the plain looking room he was sat in, stopping his conversation in its tracks.

"Well Joey, that's your therapy over for today, and from what you tell me you think that you won't be needing to come back?"

Joey nodded confidently.

"Just before you go, can I ask how you're feeling about everything? Including your sessions here in the last two months."

Joey thought about it for a moment before answering her questions.

"To be honest I feel a whole lot better. I don't feel suicidal anymore, but," He trailed off.

"Carry on," His Dr. encouraged him, leaning forward expectantly, listening to him intently.

"I still miss her terribly. That's why I have decided to end the therapy. I don't think any amount of counseling will help me with that. I could come to you every week for 10 years and ill still pine for her. But thanks to you I know how to control it, to accept it."

"Joey it's entirely understandable you feel this way. You didn't just lose love, you lost a friend too, and that's always hard to deal with, for anyone. You have done remarkably well in the last 8 weeks, considering what you have been through. It takes most people years to come has far as you have recently. And as far as I can see you have improved 100%"

Joey flashed her a smile, grateful embarrassment making him blush.

"Maybe 98%," Dr. Adams smiled back politely.

"What do you think would help fill in that 2%?" She questioned.

Again he was left pondering her inquiry.

"I don't know. Maybe if I was able to talk to one of my friends about it all? Chandler, he knows about my situation, but he doesn't know what caused it. No one does. They all have so much going on in their own lives; I would just feel guilty burdening them with my problems. None of them have been the same since Phoebe left. Her disappearance split us all up, it was like if we can't hang out as normal, as the 6 of us, then we don't hang out at all. I hardly see anyone anymore. I only see Chandler because we share an apartment, and im pretty sure if it wasn't for that we wouldn't talk at all anymore." Joey's eyes flashed with sadness.

"So it all had a bit of a knock on effect then?" The Dr. nodded in acknowledgement.

Joey shrugged his shoulders and continued.

"I replay London in my head all the time. I often wonder what it would be like if things hadn't happened the way they did. There are so many what ifs in my brain. What if I hadn't taken the job in the play? What if I hadn't invited Phoebe to the party? What if I hadn't admitted I loved her? What if she hadn't gone? Things might have been so different."

"But, those things did happen, and you have to accept that sooner or later. You can't change the past, but you can change your future."

Her words struck a cord with him. "You can't change the past, but you can change your future." Chandler had said almost the same thing to him recently. That's what he would do from now on. No more looking back, only looking forward.

"Is there anyone you could talk to? Someone who knows Phoebe, someone who knows what happened?"

"There's her sister, but they didn't get on. I don't know if talking with her would do me any good? She was the one who told me about Phoebe's past, she's still pretty bitter."

"Maybe it would do you some good. She would be able to fill you in on what has gone on in Phoebe's life; it may make you understand why she ran away a little better. It could give you the closure you are looking for." Dr. Adams suddenly sounded positive, as though she had found the perfect solution to all his troubles.

Joey nodded unsurely.

"If you think it will help then I'll give it a try,"

Both he and Dr. Adams stood from their seats and walked to the door.

She patted him consolingly on the shoulder.

"Take care Joey, and remember if you feel you have made the wrong decision in leaving therapy don't hesitate to call me and make an appointment. I'm always here to talk."

Joey listened to what she had to say, but he knew that even if he did regret finishing his sessions he would never return. He had had enough, as much as it helped, he just wanted to get back to normal. Or at least as normal as things could be.

As he walked down the deserted street on his way to Ursula's apartment he asked himself over and over again if he was doing the right thing by visiting her. He chapped her door and waited for her to answer.

"How bad can it be? He shrugged it off, not knowing the full extent of what lay ahead for him.

~*~

He stopped himself from going any further with his thoughts, before he wadded into dangerous territory. He no longer wanted the memory of seeing Ursula for the first time and imaging it was Phoebe. He no longer wanted the memory of being seduced and having sex with a woman he hated, but loved at the same time. He hated her because she was Ursula, but he loved her because it was like having Phoebe back in his arms once again.

He allowed himself to picture the real deal. The night in London when he had the real love of his life in his arms, not the identical substitute.

Flashback

He turned around slowly to see her sitting on the bed, staring straight at him. "Phoebe, I'm." "Shh" she said as she motioned him over to her. He got up and walked towards the bed not knowing what to think. He stopped in front her. He looked down to see her reach for the top of the towel. She gently unhooked it and let it slip around her, never taking her eyes from Joey. She wanted to savour his reaction, never to forget it.

He knelt down in front of her so they were face to face and reached his hands up to touch the sides of her head, allowing them to run through her long blonde hair before leaning in to kiss her for the first time.

As their lips met he began to feel his heart pound erratically. He had waited for this moment for so long and here it was happening he could hardly believe it. His touch made her shiver with anticipation and excitement, in a way that until now was alien to her. She moved herself further up the bed and he followed, never once allowing their lips to part. Things grew more heated, their embrace becoming more passionate as the situation became more comfortable, all their apprehension washing away with every touch. Joey sat back and took in her form, noting how beautiful and angelic she looked. He circled the tiny purple patches that were beginning to shape under her skin tenderly, as if trying to make them better, his eye contact with her remaining firm as he did so.

The lovemaking that followed was a first in many ways for both. It was the first time they had been together, but it was also the first time that both had not just had "sex". There was emotion there too, and that meant so much more than the passion. Any time Joey had had sex in the past it was purely just for the pleasure that it induced, nothing more. But this was different. He didn't care about the pleasure for him, all he cared about was having her in his arms, having that special connection that brought them that bit closer together.

Phoebe on the other hand had the opposite problems with sex. She had very few sexual partners in the past, compared to Joey at least. Being intimate with someone was always a nightmare for her, memories of her childhood always clouded the experience, never letting it be fun. There was no one she trusted enough to sleep with, without terror making her panic, she only ever did it because her boyfriends got tired waiting. That was until now. This she wanted. No fear and no memories of her abuse entered her head. This time she was able to lie back and enjoy the experience without clenching in dread.

Their smiles were huge as they parted from each other and took a side of the bed each.

His arms were wrapped tightly around her waist, he was afraid to let go for fear that he would never get to be near her again. She slid down the bed and faced towards him, his arms never loosening their grip. Neither had to say a word, their faces said it all. Phoebe reached over and switched off the light before turning back to snuggle tightly into Joey. She shut her eyes as she drifted into sleep, the smile never leaving her face.

Joey watched her for 20 minutes, as she breathed in and out in slow, steady breaths. She looked so beautiful and peaceful. Her eyes flickered slightly. He knew she was dreaming and he just hoped it was about him, and not what had happened to her earlier.

This was just how he had pictured it, Phoebe in his arms as she slept, his strong arms holding her securely.

~*~

It was that day that Joey realised how intense his love for phoebe really was. It wasn't just a fling, or a passing romance. This was the real thing. She was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.

As he sat on the couch listening to Phoebe still sobbing in his room he wondered if those feelings had ever left him. He shook his head. They hadn't left him at all. If anything they had intensified over time.

He rose from the sofa quietly and stood at his door, apprehensive at what he was about to do, but deep in his heart he knew it was the right thing. He pushed all his trepidation aside and turned the handle.

"Joey?" Phoebe sat upright and wiped her wet eyes.

"Pheebs, I can't do this,"

"Yeah so you told me, what are you back to rub it in?" Phoebe snapped and threw herself back onto the bed, pulling the duvet over her head to block her view of him.

"No, I didn't mean it that way. What I meant was I can't ignore this any longer. I didn't mean to push you away, I wanted to kiss you back so much." The covers twitched slightly and the sound of sobbing stopped.

"Talk to me Pheebs, please don't shut me out." Joey sat right next to her and pulled the duvet away from her face.

"What made you come back?" She looked up at him from the tear soaked pillow.

"This," He leaned down and swept the hair away from her face, cupping her chin in his hand, he moved himself forward and placed his lips affectionately onto hers. His eyes shut and his mind whirled with feel of her touch, her taste.

"I missed you. I missed us." He pulled himself back into a sitting position and watched on at Phoebe's gob smacked expression, desperately waiting on her speaking.

"I missed you too, so much. I love you Joey," She smiled and threw her arms frantically around him, feeling joy come back into her life once again. Life had meaning again with him so close to her.

"Wait here," He dived from the bed and ran to the opposite side of the bed. She watched him curiously as he opened the drawer of his cabinet and took out a shabby white envelope.

He carried it carefully back to where he was sitting and held it in his hands for a moment, looking it over.

"What's that?" Phoebe questioned, puzzled at his actions.

"Its something for you." He smiled warily, unsure of how she would react to what she was about to see.

"Well, let me see," She laughed an made a grab for it playfully.

He joined in her fun by pulling it back and hiding it under his arm, laughing along with her, but his tone turned serious.

"before I show you it, I really need to explain a few things."

"Ok?" She sat back, once again confused.

"When I saw you in hospital my heart tore in two, mostly through guilt about everything that had happened, but a large part of it was my regrets at being with your sister."

"Joey I don't care. Its in the past, I know you did it for reasons that were right at the time. I don't blame you for anything, you're with me now and that's all that matters," Phoebe jumped in to his defense.

"No Pheebs, I know, but that's not what I meant. When I was with Ursula she was so spiteful towards you, sometimes I couldn't even bear to listen to her speak, she had such evilness in her," He shook his head at the thought and continued.

"She told me about how when your Mom died you were already living on the streets, and how you didn't know for 4 years that she had killed herself. She mentioned that she had taken all your Mom's possessions and how she would be damned if you got a single item. I couldn't stand the idea of you not having something to remember her by. When you came out of the coma, and I thought you were going to be ok, I decided to go around to Ursula's and try and talk her into giving me just one thing of your moms."

"You did that for me?" Phoebe's eyes welled up with compassion at his thoughtfulness.

He nodded slightly embarrassed and continued.

"It wasn't an easy job, but she finally gave in, saying she would never need this anyway," he pointed down to the envelope.

"What is it?" Phoebe asked again.

"I'm getting to that" He laughed at her impatience. It was so like the old Phoebe.

"I brought it home and I never let it out of my sight for days. I carried it around with me for weeks, before I finally put it in the drawer, until tonight that is. When I was outside I realized there is more to this than just an heirloom, I want you to use it, as a gift from me," He loosened his grip on it and lifted the flap open. He emptied the contents onto the palm of his hand.

Phoebe let out a gasp and threw her hand over her mouth.

"My Mom's engagement ring from my Dad?"

"I wanted it to be something special for you to keep, but now I want it to be your engagement ring as well." Joey took her left hand in his and got down from the bed, onto his knees.

"Phoebe Buffay, will you marry me and make the happiest man on this earth?" Phoebe sobbed through her smiles and nodded excitedly, jumping into his arms as he got back onto the bed with her.

"This is the happiest day of my life Joey, thank you for being in my life."

"Hey, I'm the one who should be thanking you. If it wasn't for you I would have no life."

They both sat in silence reviling in the moment, before Joey lent in and kissed her quickly on the nose.

"Pheebs? Promise me something? Promise you will never run away again. If things get bad all you have to do is talk to me and we will work it out, together. No more secrets or lies from either of us."

"I promise you. I made a mistake before, and the regret I will always live with, but from this moment on it's a clean slate. Pinky promise," She held out her finger and waited on him entwining his with hers. They both fell back onto the bed in laughter, their fingers wrapped around each other, joined, for eternity.

~*~

The reality of the nights events were but a distant memory as they lay in each others arms, still fully clothed and above the bed sheets. They had fallen asleep intertwined with each other as they talked late into the night, recounting many stories of their past, the time they spent apart, and what the future held for them both, their dreams, and aspirations.

As the light beamed through the bedroom window, the diamond ring on Phoebe's finger shimmered and sent out rainbow like lights dancing around the room.

"Are you awake?" Joey gave Phoebe a little squeeze as she lay with her back to his chest, his arms holding her protectively around the waist.

"Hmm," was the only word she could muster, before letting out a yawn.

"I am now," She giggled.

"I don't know about you, but im so hungry. We didn't eat at all yesterday. That's like a record for me!" His eyes bulged at the realization.

She laughed again.

"You think Mon had made breakfast?" Phoebe questioned, unsure if Monica's morning habits had changed since she had been away.

"Is the pope Catholic? Of course she has, it is Monica after all. Always the hostess. In fact, im pretty sure I can smell pancakes!"

"Lets get dressed and go over!" Joey slid out from underneath Phoebe and ran around the room excitedly, picking up a pair of socks and trying to get them on his feet as he did so.

"Eh Joe? Are you forgetting something?" She flashed him her biggest smile.

"Aw, sweetie, of course I didn't forget," he ran over and kissed her on the lips, and sat back down.

"Ok, arms over head," He sounded stern, but in a jovial way, trying to make like of things.

Phoebe did as she was told, as best she could as Joey slid his Knicks T- shirt back over her head, just as he had done last night. But this time there was embarrassment, it all felt so natural.

Joey looked down at her pale white skin and was immediately drawn to the scarlet red open wound that ran the length of her lower belly. He traced around it with his finger as he had done with her bruises in London.

Phoebe watched his face for a sign of disgust, but it never came. Noticing her apprehension Joey spoke up.

"Its going to heal soon, just like a broken heart, there will always be a scar, but the pain will go away," He bent down and kissed her stomach, trying his best not to hurt her.

"I love you, and every part of you, this included. You never need to be ashamed of it"

Phoebe nodded, holding back tears. She felt like the luckiest woman alive and wanted to scream her joy from the rooftops.

He fetched her another t-shirt and a pair of shorts from his wardrobe and put them on her.

"We really need to get your clothes cleaned, otherwise im not gonna have anything else to wear!" Joey quipped and lifted her from the bed into his arms.

"Lets go eat!"

~*~

"I'LL GET IT!" Monica ran to the door leaving Chandler alone in the bedroom.

She wrapped her robe tighter around her waist and opened the door ever so slightly to see who it could be.

"Hey! Why didn't you just come in?" Monica opened the door wider and let Joey enter with Phoebe.

"I kinda had my hands full," He looked down at Phoebe, who was giggling, soon to be joined in by Mon.

"What's so funny? Eh?" He let his grip fall from the stroller that held their daughter and began to tickle Phoebe gently, sending her into more fits of laughter.

"Wow. You guys have certainly perked up since last night." Monica couldn't help but smile at the sight of her two friends having fun. It was just lie old times.

"Well, we did a lot of talking, and we sorted everything out," They both smiled in acknowledgment.

Joey put Phoebe back on her feet and helped her into one of the dining room chairs before taking the seat next to her and kissed her tenderly on the mouth. Monica stood in utter amazement as she watched the stare into each other's eyes like there was no one else in the room.

"Are you two together?" She shouted out in shock.

They both smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, its great isn't it!" Joey had the biggest grin on his face.

"Oh and look!" Phoebe lifted her left hand and stuck her wedding finger into the air, waving it to show the ring that was now situated on it.

"OH MY GOD!" Monica screamed at the top of her lungs, causing Chandler to come running into the room brandishing a bedside lamp.

"What, what what?" Seeing the room was filled with his friends he eased up his hold on the lamp.

"What's all the shouting about?" He questioned, a little mad at his sleep being interrupted.

"Phoebe and Joey and engaged!" Monica held u Phoebe's hand for him to see the ring.

Just at that the door opened a very happy looking Ross and Rachel bounded through it, unable to keep their hands off each other.

Chandler, whose gaze was still on Phoebe's finger let out a shriek.

"You guys are getting married!"

"What?" Rachel stood amazed at what she just heard.

"That's right, we are. We love each other, and that's what people in love do," Joey defended his corner.

"Talk about stealing my thunder!" Rachel laughed and kissed her friends to congratulate them.

"Im just kidding hun. Im so happy for you both!"

Everyone looked up at Chandler waiting for his reaction.

"Wow, well all I can say is. Finally! You guys are just perfect for each other, I couldn't think of a better person for either of you."'

Everyone rallied around Phoebe's chair at the kitchen table and joined into a group hug, all celebrating the fact they had found there soul mate, the person they would spend the rest of their life's with and the fact they were all back together, as friends.

Everyone broke off, heading in their own directions leaving Joey and Phoebe with their baby at the table. Chandler headed to the bedroom to get a robe. Ross and Rachel squashed themselves onto the couch, Rachel practically on his knee, and Monica did what she did best, cooked everyone breakfast.

"So," Monica looked over her shoulder at the table as she stood at the frying pan, watching the pancakes rise.

"What are you gonna call the baby? She cant be called baby girl Tribbiani forever."

"I haven't had a chance to think about it, theres been so much going, and I want it to be special, not just some random name I pull from a baby book." Phoebe rocked her daughter in the stroller and tried to see if she could see what name she looked like.

"What about you Joe? Any ideas?" Monica's attention was focused on her cooking but she was still able to chat.

"Well, I really think Pheebs should chose but I didn't think of a name when I first saw her," He played with his hair awkwardly.

"What name?" Phoebe looked at him expectantly, touched he had already thought about this.

"I was thinking we could name her after your Mom. Lily is such a pretty name, and it suits her."

"Joey that's so beautiful, I cant believe you would do that for me." Phoebe looked back at her daughter and said the name out loud.

"Lily. Its prefect for her! Lily Joanna Tribbiani."

"Joanna?" Joey asked in wonderment.

"After you. That way she can have the nickname Joey, just like her dad. And I don't like the name Josephine, so don't even suggest it," Everyone laughed at Phoebe's comment; it was just such a Phoebe thing to say.

"Awww, Pheebs, I love her new name. Little Lily Jo." He let out a sob and then smiled, his tears were tears of joy.

As Monica finished making breakfast the gang gathered around the coffee table at the couch. They all tucked into their pancakes, giving out random "oh's and ah's" as they savored every last bite.

"So," Ross began "Tell us all about Paris. How did you and Phoebe bump into each other?

"Well," Rachel began.

Joey and Phoebe could hear her recount the story in the background as they gazed at each other lovingly. The story of how he had got his true love back. This was the happiest day of his life, and he was going to make the most of it, for the rest of his life.

There's something in your eyes

Makes me wanna lose my self,

Makes me wanna lose myself in your heart,

There's something in your voice

That makes my heart beat fast

Hope this feeling lasts

For the rest of my life

If you knew how lonely

My life has been

And how long I've been so alone

And if you knew how I wanted someone to come along

And change my life the way you've done

It feels like home to me

It feels like home to me

It feels like I'm all the way back where I come from

It feels like home to me

It feels like home to me

It feels like I'm all the way back where I belong

A window breaks down on lumdard street

And a siren rings in the night

But I'm all right cuz I have you here with me,

And I can almost see through the dark there is light

Well if you knew how much this moment means to me

And how long I've waited for your touch

And if you knew how happy you are making me

I never thought that I'd love anyone so much

It feels like home to me

It feels like home to me

It feels like I'm all the way back where I come from

It feels like home to me

It feels like home to me

It feels like I'm all the way back where I belong

It feels like I'm all the way back where I belong.

~*~

Ahh, all done now :o(How sad am I! Ive really enjoyed writing this so much. Oh well you never know, I may pop u with a sequel :o)

Ok this is your last chance to review, so do it :o) Mwah Oh, and look out for my other story in FF.net "Someone like you" If you enjoyed this one I think you will like that one too.

Bye for just now guys, Love Karen xxx