A.N- ^_^;; Slightly longer chapter. I've been really inspired lately! ^_^;;
Thank you for your reviews, keep 'em coming! ^_^
All usual disclaimers apply
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"Phoebe, you're. You're pregnant.?"
It took Phoebe a short while to answer. "Yeah, Joey. I'm. I'm pregnant. Two months."
At the news, Joey's knees seem to buckle slightly at the shock. Swallowing a lump in his throat, he slowly sat down. How could she be pregnant? He looked up to ask her something but, as soon as he opened his mouth to ask, he suddenly frowned slightly deeper. "Was. Does he know?" When Phoebe nodded, still looking down, Joey waited a while before asking, but in a lower voice, "Is that. Is that why you and Mike broke up?"
Phoebe sat down on the bed, away from Joey and, once more, took a while to answer. As she answered, her voice was low and she kept looking down. "I had asked him what he would think of having a family. Maybe not getting married at first, but.just having kids, you know? And he just said that he hadn't changed his mind about having a family. He said that.that he didn't want to have one. He said a load of crap about why it wasn't good to settle down and have a *real* family, but I said all the good things about having one. He tried to go over the facts again of divorces, and other things."
Joey was, slowly and as best as he could, going to sit next to her. "What'd he say?"
"That I couldn't change his mind. And I told him that he couldn't change mine, either, and I walked out of his apartment."
"So.you didn't tell him? He doesn't know that you're having his baby, then?"
Shaking his head, Phoebe put the paper down. "No. And I won't tell him. If he doesn't want a family, he doesn't need to know about the baby either."
Joey sat down next to her. "You're going to raise the baby on your own.? Phoebe, it's going to be hard. Really hard."
"Joey, I know. I know, ok? Please, just. I know. But I don't want to tie Mike to me just because I'm pregnant. I don't want it that way. He doesn't *want* a family, and I do. I'm just going to raise that baby on my own. I don't need him."
Sighing, Joey wrapped an arm around her shoulders and brought her to him. "Well.for what it's worth, I can help you in whatever you need. I don't know much about being a dad, but I know what it's like to be an uncle." Joey smiled at her, even if she kept looking down. "Yeah, Pheebs, you know, with Ems and Ben, and all those other nephews and nieces I have. And, for what it's worth, that little baby will be my favorite," he suddenly whispered, still smiling, "just don't let anyone else know so they won't get jealous." When Phoebe choked out a small laugh, Joey smiled and held her chin so she would turn to look at him. When she did, he smiled slightly at her, but reassuringly. "Everything's going to be ok, Phoebe. I promise." Smiling, he kissed her forehead gently and hugged her. "I'll be right here, ok?"
Phoebe, touched by all that he said, hugged him back tightly and rested her chin on his shoulder. "You don't know how much that means to me."
Joey kissed her temple and hugged her slightly tighter and smiled at her. "I know. I'll do anything to help you, Pheebs."
Smiling slightly after a while, pulled back. "You should get some sleep, Joey, you need to rest."
"Will you be ok, though? I don't want to leave you alone."
"Oh, don't worry about me; I'll be fine, really."
Joey stared at her for a short while before smiling. "Hey, I know." Grinning childishly and innocently, he laid down on the middle of the bed. Still grinning, he opened his arms for her. "Come 'ere, Pheebs."
At that, Phoebe laughed lightly and went to him; laying down next to him and hugging him when Joey hugged her. But, thinking that they'd get cold, she got a blanket for both of them and got a pillow for Joey's leg. After putting it under his leg so he'd be comfortable, she laid down next to him again as they hugged and they cuddled under the blanket. Not long after, they both fell asleep hugging each other.
**
"Phoebe, hurry.!"
Phoebe, sighing but smiling, went over to where Joey was as he held a pair of light blue baby pajamas. When she saw them, Phoebe's eyes widened slightly but a grin also appeared on her face. "Aww. They're so cute, Joe!"
Joey, grinning widely and childishly, held the pajamas which fit in both of his hands. "I know! Oh my God, your baby's gonna fit in this.? It's so tiny.!"
Unable to help herself, she laughed lightly at his reaction to baby clothes. "Joey, didn't we all see Emma's clothes when she was born and said the exact same things?"
"Well, yeah, but I had forgotten how tiny they are. I mean, look at the little feet!"
Smiling, Phoebe watched as Joey played with the small feet of the pajamas. Joey had just been let out of the hospital for little over two week, and he had gotten tired of being inside so they had gone window shopping for the baby. She refused to tell anyone about the baby yet, so Joey was the only one that she could share everything with. It was still surprising that he was so supportive in all that, but deep down she knew that there shouldn't have been a reason for her to be surprised; that was just how Joey was. Joey, even if his leg was still in the cast, seemed to be an expert with crutches after the doctor had let him take off the wrist brace. Aside from that and the few bruises that were left on his arms and face, and the cuts that were closing and few stitches, no one would have even guessed that Joey had almost been dying less than a month ago. "Hey, Joey, why blue, though?" She held up another pair of pajamas, except that pair was a light pink. "It could be a baby girl."
Joey looked at the pajamas that she was holding and grinned, but at the last thing she said, Joey smiled at her and shook his head. "Nope! I think that that baby you're holding in there is a little boy. Have you thought of any names yet.?"
"No, not yet, but I still have seven months to go. I mean, it's not like the baby's going to be born in the next few weeks."
"Hey, Pheebs.? What.if it's another set of triplets? Or twins, or quadruplets, or something like that.?"
At that, Phoebe dropped the pair of pajamas that she had been holding, which fell on top of the other small stack of them in the store. Turning to him, it was obvious that she hadn't thought of that, and she felt how the color drained from her. She made enough money for her and one baby, but not for that many. And, after having multiples once, she could have them again. Joey, when he saw that, put the pajamas down and went over to her; hugging her. "Sorry, Pheebs, it-."
Phoebe shook her head, putting her hand on her forehead. "It's ok. I. I hadn't thought of that. Joey, what if they *are* multiples? What if I have so many babies that I won't be able to take care of them, and-."
"Joey? Phoebe? What are you guys doing here?"
Monica and Chandler walked up to them, both frowning slightly in utter confusion as to why their friends would be in a baby store. Monica smiled at them, but still frowning. "I thought you guys had gotten our baby a present already."
Chandler nodded. "Yeah, remember when Monica snuck into you guys' apartment to look for 'em and see if she could open them without you noticing?"
"Hey, you helped, mister."
Phoebe smiled slightly at them, trying to think of an excuse as to why they were there. She didn't want them to know yet, even if she knew that she would start showing pretty soon. "I. Well, we."
Joey, sensing Phoebe's dilemma, smiled at them. "My sister's baby's birthday is coming up, so Phoebe here came to help me find her something. Since I can't walk all that well on my own and stuff."
Surprised at that, Phoebe turned to look at him but, when Joey smiled at her and told her to go along with just looking at her, she nodded as she turned back to Chandler and Monica. "Yeah, guys, we came for that."
Monica smiled. "Aren't you guys in the wrong section, though? This is newborn stuff. The toddler section's over there." She pointed over to the section but, when she saw Joey's and Phoebe's nervousness, she frowned slightly and stood up slightly straighter. "Guys, you ok?"
Not able to just hide it anymore, Phoebe shook her head. "No. Guys, I need to talk to you two."
"Pheebs."
"No, Joey, they're going to find out anyway. I. I need to tell them, ok? Let's.go to the park across the street."
Joey nodded as he started out. "Yeah, that way Monica won't be able to scream with the little kids around her."
When they got to the park and sat down on a bench, Phoebe took a deep breath and, as she did so, Joey took her hand in reassurance. Smiling slightly at him, she turned to Chandler and Monica. Chandler, when he saw that, gasped and his eyes widened as he pointed at them and Monica grinned happily. "You. You two?! You-."
Monica grinned. "Aww.! You guys are gonna have a baby together? . But wait! Since when are you two s-."
Joey, frowning, shook his head. "Whoa! Guys, hold up. No, Phoebe and I are not together. And, we're not having a baby together. . Well, sorta, but we're not a couple. . It gets complicated, it's just."
When Joey had said that they were not a couple, Phoebe's heart seemed to twist inside of her. It hurt that they weren't together, when that was all she wanted in the whole world. It had been so much fun to go shopping with him, share her fears of raising a child on her own, and it had been so reassuring when he would tell her that things wouldn't be as bad as they seemed. It made her yearn for him; but she knew that he wasn't hers. Turning back to Chandler and Monica, she smiled very slightly. "I. I'm pregnant, but Joey's not the father. My baby's fatherless."
Chandler's eyebrows went up. "Wow, and it's also a wonder of nature if that's really the case."
Monica leaned to her and took her other hand. "Oh, Phoebe, is it Mike's?"
Nodding, Phoebe explained the whole thing that had happened with Mike and how things had ended up. When she finished telling the story, it was Joey's turn to feel something stir inside of him. At first it had been because he knew that that baby wasn't his; even if he wanted it to be. He wanted to be the one that would hold that baby in his arms and be his father. He wanted to be the one who would take that kid to his first day of school and see him play. He wanted to be the one that would scare the monsters away from under the bed and would tuck him in at night. But he knew that that wouldn't be the case because, how Phoebe explained it, that baby was fatherless. But, at the same time, he wanted to pound Mike and make him respond in some way to Phoebe; make him responsible for the baby that he had helped to create. A big part of him, though, would refuse to do that. He didn't want Mike to have Phoebe; he had had his chance with her and he blew it.
Chandler, knowing some things about Joey's feelings towards Phoebe, looked at both. "So.Joey's just helping you with the clothes and stuff, Pheebs?"
Joey answered himself. "I'm going to help her in all I can. In everything, not just clothes."
Now it was turn for Monica to speak. "In everything? Joey, a baby's a big responsibility."
"I know, Mon, but I want to help Pheebs. I mean, I know that we all will with the baby and stuff, but I wanna help her in whatever I can."
"But. Guys, why hadn't you told us anything?"
Now Phoebe responded. "I. I don't know, it was hard, I guess. I mean, I love you guys, but I couldn't tell you for some reason. I wanted to wait."
Monica grinned and took Phoebe's hand. "It's gonna be great, Phoebe, our babies are going to be cousins and almost the same age!"
Chandler smiled at Phoebe and kissed her cheek. "And, don't worry. All of us will help you with the baby, just how Joey said. We'll all be really supportive."
*
"You're what?!"
Ross took a hold of Rachel and whispered in her ear. "Not really supportive, hon."
The six of them were all seated in the living room of Monica's apartment, and Phoebe had just told Ross and Rachel about the news. But, at Rachel's reaction, even Emma-who had been on Uncle Chandler's lap-looked up at her mother with wide eyes as she kept sucking on her pacifier.
"I- I'm sorry, Pheebs, it's just. . Phoebe, you're *pregnant*? How."
"I know, I know, Rach, but it's not that bad anymore, ok? And my baby and I will be fine."
Ross smiled. "Of course, Phoebe, and you know that we'll always do anything to help you and your baby. Right, Rachel?"
Rachel smiled. "Yeah, of course. I'm sorry, Pheebs, I guess I was just. It's just so surprising.! I mean."
"Yeah, I know, Rach, don't worry about it."
Chandler chuckled and smiled at Phoebe. "Do you know what you're going to name the baby?"
Joey's eyes widened and he grinned. "I know! You can name this one 'Joey', since you named one of the triplets 'Chandler'!"
Phoebe laughed and shook her head. "I don't know, Joey, but I'll think about it, ok?"
Grinning, they all kept talking about what they would name their children when the time would come and, to Joey's surprise, he didn't feel 'out of the loop' in this conversation. In fact, he was having fun making up name and suggesting different ones to both Phoebe and Monica.
All usual disclaimers apply
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"Phoebe, you're. You're pregnant.?"
It took Phoebe a short while to answer. "Yeah, Joey. I'm. I'm pregnant. Two months."
At the news, Joey's knees seem to buckle slightly at the shock. Swallowing a lump in his throat, he slowly sat down. How could she be pregnant? He looked up to ask her something but, as soon as he opened his mouth to ask, he suddenly frowned slightly deeper. "Was. Does he know?" When Phoebe nodded, still looking down, Joey waited a while before asking, but in a lower voice, "Is that. Is that why you and Mike broke up?"
Phoebe sat down on the bed, away from Joey and, once more, took a while to answer. As she answered, her voice was low and she kept looking down. "I had asked him what he would think of having a family. Maybe not getting married at first, but.just having kids, you know? And he just said that he hadn't changed his mind about having a family. He said that.that he didn't want to have one. He said a load of crap about why it wasn't good to settle down and have a *real* family, but I said all the good things about having one. He tried to go over the facts again of divorces, and other things."
Joey was, slowly and as best as he could, going to sit next to her. "What'd he say?"
"That I couldn't change his mind. And I told him that he couldn't change mine, either, and I walked out of his apartment."
"So.you didn't tell him? He doesn't know that you're having his baby, then?"
Shaking his head, Phoebe put the paper down. "No. And I won't tell him. If he doesn't want a family, he doesn't need to know about the baby either."
Joey sat down next to her. "You're going to raise the baby on your own.? Phoebe, it's going to be hard. Really hard."
"Joey, I know. I know, ok? Please, just. I know. But I don't want to tie Mike to me just because I'm pregnant. I don't want it that way. He doesn't *want* a family, and I do. I'm just going to raise that baby on my own. I don't need him."
Sighing, Joey wrapped an arm around her shoulders and brought her to him. "Well.for what it's worth, I can help you in whatever you need. I don't know much about being a dad, but I know what it's like to be an uncle." Joey smiled at her, even if she kept looking down. "Yeah, Pheebs, you know, with Ems and Ben, and all those other nephews and nieces I have. And, for what it's worth, that little baby will be my favorite," he suddenly whispered, still smiling, "just don't let anyone else know so they won't get jealous." When Phoebe choked out a small laugh, Joey smiled and held her chin so she would turn to look at him. When she did, he smiled slightly at her, but reassuringly. "Everything's going to be ok, Phoebe. I promise." Smiling, he kissed her forehead gently and hugged her. "I'll be right here, ok?"
Phoebe, touched by all that he said, hugged him back tightly and rested her chin on his shoulder. "You don't know how much that means to me."
Joey kissed her temple and hugged her slightly tighter and smiled at her. "I know. I'll do anything to help you, Pheebs."
Smiling slightly after a while, pulled back. "You should get some sleep, Joey, you need to rest."
"Will you be ok, though? I don't want to leave you alone."
"Oh, don't worry about me; I'll be fine, really."
Joey stared at her for a short while before smiling. "Hey, I know." Grinning childishly and innocently, he laid down on the middle of the bed. Still grinning, he opened his arms for her. "Come 'ere, Pheebs."
At that, Phoebe laughed lightly and went to him; laying down next to him and hugging him when Joey hugged her. But, thinking that they'd get cold, she got a blanket for both of them and got a pillow for Joey's leg. After putting it under his leg so he'd be comfortable, she laid down next to him again as they hugged and they cuddled under the blanket. Not long after, they both fell asleep hugging each other.
**
"Phoebe, hurry.!"
Phoebe, sighing but smiling, went over to where Joey was as he held a pair of light blue baby pajamas. When she saw them, Phoebe's eyes widened slightly but a grin also appeared on her face. "Aww. They're so cute, Joe!"
Joey, grinning widely and childishly, held the pajamas which fit in both of his hands. "I know! Oh my God, your baby's gonna fit in this.? It's so tiny.!"
Unable to help herself, she laughed lightly at his reaction to baby clothes. "Joey, didn't we all see Emma's clothes when she was born and said the exact same things?"
"Well, yeah, but I had forgotten how tiny they are. I mean, look at the little feet!"
Smiling, Phoebe watched as Joey played with the small feet of the pajamas. Joey had just been let out of the hospital for little over two week, and he had gotten tired of being inside so they had gone window shopping for the baby. She refused to tell anyone about the baby yet, so Joey was the only one that she could share everything with. It was still surprising that he was so supportive in all that, but deep down she knew that there shouldn't have been a reason for her to be surprised; that was just how Joey was. Joey, even if his leg was still in the cast, seemed to be an expert with crutches after the doctor had let him take off the wrist brace. Aside from that and the few bruises that were left on his arms and face, and the cuts that were closing and few stitches, no one would have even guessed that Joey had almost been dying less than a month ago. "Hey, Joey, why blue, though?" She held up another pair of pajamas, except that pair was a light pink. "It could be a baby girl."
Joey looked at the pajamas that she was holding and grinned, but at the last thing she said, Joey smiled at her and shook his head. "Nope! I think that that baby you're holding in there is a little boy. Have you thought of any names yet.?"
"No, not yet, but I still have seven months to go. I mean, it's not like the baby's going to be born in the next few weeks."
"Hey, Pheebs.? What.if it's another set of triplets? Or twins, or quadruplets, or something like that.?"
At that, Phoebe dropped the pair of pajamas that she had been holding, which fell on top of the other small stack of them in the store. Turning to him, it was obvious that she hadn't thought of that, and she felt how the color drained from her. She made enough money for her and one baby, but not for that many. And, after having multiples once, she could have them again. Joey, when he saw that, put the pajamas down and went over to her; hugging her. "Sorry, Pheebs, it-."
Phoebe shook her head, putting her hand on her forehead. "It's ok. I. I hadn't thought of that. Joey, what if they *are* multiples? What if I have so many babies that I won't be able to take care of them, and-."
"Joey? Phoebe? What are you guys doing here?"
Monica and Chandler walked up to them, both frowning slightly in utter confusion as to why their friends would be in a baby store. Monica smiled at them, but still frowning. "I thought you guys had gotten our baby a present already."
Chandler nodded. "Yeah, remember when Monica snuck into you guys' apartment to look for 'em and see if she could open them without you noticing?"
"Hey, you helped, mister."
Phoebe smiled slightly at them, trying to think of an excuse as to why they were there. She didn't want them to know yet, even if she knew that she would start showing pretty soon. "I. Well, we."
Joey, sensing Phoebe's dilemma, smiled at them. "My sister's baby's birthday is coming up, so Phoebe here came to help me find her something. Since I can't walk all that well on my own and stuff."
Surprised at that, Phoebe turned to look at him but, when Joey smiled at her and told her to go along with just looking at her, she nodded as she turned back to Chandler and Monica. "Yeah, guys, we came for that."
Monica smiled. "Aren't you guys in the wrong section, though? This is newborn stuff. The toddler section's over there." She pointed over to the section but, when she saw Joey's and Phoebe's nervousness, she frowned slightly and stood up slightly straighter. "Guys, you ok?"
Not able to just hide it anymore, Phoebe shook her head. "No. Guys, I need to talk to you two."
"Pheebs."
"No, Joey, they're going to find out anyway. I. I need to tell them, ok? Let's.go to the park across the street."
Joey nodded as he started out. "Yeah, that way Monica won't be able to scream with the little kids around her."
When they got to the park and sat down on a bench, Phoebe took a deep breath and, as she did so, Joey took her hand in reassurance. Smiling slightly at him, she turned to Chandler and Monica. Chandler, when he saw that, gasped and his eyes widened as he pointed at them and Monica grinned happily. "You. You two?! You-."
Monica grinned. "Aww.! You guys are gonna have a baby together? . But wait! Since when are you two s-."
Joey, frowning, shook his head. "Whoa! Guys, hold up. No, Phoebe and I are not together. And, we're not having a baby together. . Well, sorta, but we're not a couple. . It gets complicated, it's just."
When Joey had said that they were not a couple, Phoebe's heart seemed to twist inside of her. It hurt that they weren't together, when that was all she wanted in the whole world. It had been so much fun to go shopping with him, share her fears of raising a child on her own, and it had been so reassuring when he would tell her that things wouldn't be as bad as they seemed. It made her yearn for him; but she knew that he wasn't hers. Turning back to Chandler and Monica, she smiled very slightly. "I. I'm pregnant, but Joey's not the father. My baby's fatherless."
Chandler's eyebrows went up. "Wow, and it's also a wonder of nature if that's really the case."
Monica leaned to her and took her other hand. "Oh, Phoebe, is it Mike's?"
Nodding, Phoebe explained the whole thing that had happened with Mike and how things had ended up. When she finished telling the story, it was Joey's turn to feel something stir inside of him. At first it had been because he knew that that baby wasn't his; even if he wanted it to be. He wanted to be the one that would hold that baby in his arms and be his father. He wanted to be the one who would take that kid to his first day of school and see him play. He wanted to be the one that would scare the monsters away from under the bed and would tuck him in at night. But he knew that that wouldn't be the case because, how Phoebe explained it, that baby was fatherless. But, at the same time, he wanted to pound Mike and make him respond in some way to Phoebe; make him responsible for the baby that he had helped to create. A big part of him, though, would refuse to do that. He didn't want Mike to have Phoebe; he had had his chance with her and he blew it.
Chandler, knowing some things about Joey's feelings towards Phoebe, looked at both. "So.Joey's just helping you with the clothes and stuff, Pheebs?"
Joey answered himself. "I'm going to help her in all I can. In everything, not just clothes."
Now it was turn for Monica to speak. "In everything? Joey, a baby's a big responsibility."
"I know, Mon, but I want to help Pheebs. I mean, I know that we all will with the baby and stuff, but I wanna help her in whatever I can."
"But. Guys, why hadn't you told us anything?"
Now Phoebe responded. "I. I don't know, it was hard, I guess. I mean, I love you guys, but I couldn't tell you for some reason. I wanted to wait."
Monica grinned and took Phoebe's hand. "It's gonna be great, Phoebe, our babies are going to be cousins and almost the same age!"
Chandler smiled at Phoebe and kissed her cheek. "And, don't worry. All of us will help you with the baby, just how Joey said. We'll all be really supportive."
*
"You're what?!"
Ross took a hold of Rachel and whispered in her ear. "Not really supportive, hon."
The six of them were all seated in the living room of Monica's apartment, and Phoebe had just told Ross and Rachel about the news. But, at Rachel's reaction, even Emma-who had been on Uncle Chandler's lap-looked up at her mother with wide eyes as she kept sucking on her pacifier.
"I- I'm sorry, Pheebs, it's just. . Phoebe, you're *pregnant*? How."
"I know, I know, Rach, but it's not that bad anymore, ok? And my baby and I will be fine."
Ross smiled. "Of course, Phoebe, and you know that we'll always do anything to help you and your baby. Right, Rachel?"
Rachel smiled. "Yeah, of course. I'm sorry, Pheebs, I guess I was just. It's just so surprising.! I mean."
"Yeah, I know, Rach, don't worry about it."
Chandler chuckled and smiled at Phoebe. "Do you know what you're going to name the baby?"
Joey's eyes widened and he grinned. "I know! You can name this one 'Joey', since you named one of the triplets 'Chandler'!"
Phoebe laughed and shook her head. "I don't know, Joey, but I'll think about it, ok?"
Grinning, they all kept talking about what they would name their children when the time would come and, to Joey's surprise, he didn't feel 'out of the loop' in this conversation. In fact, he was having fun making up name and suggesting different ones to both Phoebe and Monica.