Chapter one

Summery: Monica knows Rachel, Phoebe, and Ross. When she was dating Richard she got pregnant so they got married. The gang doesn't know Chandler or Joey yet. Phoebe moved to Virginia a couple months ago with husband Mike. This would probably be set in season nine or ten because Monica dated Richard in the second season and in my story her son, Alex is seven. You do the math.

Monica checked her watch. Eleven o'clock. He was late again. It was the fourth night in a row. Lately he was almost always late. The only things he cared about now a day was work and money.

Monica got up and walked down the hall to her daughter's room. Allie was peacefully sleeping hugging her teddy bear close to her. Monica smiled. She couldn't believe Allie was already five. It seemed like just yesterday that Allie was born.

She quietly left the room and headed to her seven year old son's room. Alex had his covers thrown off his bed. He was always a fitful sleeper. Monica tucked him back in and kissed his gently.

The kids looked almost nothing like their father. Both had Monica's dark hair and bright blue eyes. Alex had Richard's nose and Allie had her father's smile, but everything else was Monica's.

Monica gave up waiting for Richard to come home and climbed into bed. She soon fell asleep being tired from her hard day. She was awoken a few hours later to Richard kissing her neck.

"Not now Richard, I'm really tired." Monica said rolling over.

"You never want to have sex anymore." Richard complained.

"Maybe I would if you would get here before I fell asleep!" Monica exclaimed.

"I needed to work late! I really want to get this promotion and that means I have to work extra hard!" Richard replied trying to keep his voice down so he wouldn't wake up the kids.

"You always work late! Ever since you got this new job! Nothing matters to you any more except this job!" Monica yelled. She was so tired of Richard coming home late and expecting her to be forgiving and nice and understand. She did understand, but she wanted him to be there for his family. "The kids never see you anymore! They miss their dad. I miss you!"

"Well, Monica, my job is important to me, okay?"

"I know. I just thought you cared more about your family than your stupid job."

"My family is important to me. And I love you guys, but you have to remember that I never wanted to start a family with you. When you got pregnant was a total shock, Monica. I never wanted any more kids."

"Fine than don't have anymore. Get out of this house! I never want to see you again! I want a divorce!" Monica couldn't take hearing him say that about her kids. She couldn't take the waiting up all night for him to get home. She couldn't take the worrying that something awful had happened to him and that was why he wasn't home yet. She just couldn't take it anymore.

"What? Monica." His voice softened.

"No, No! I don't want to hear it!" She screamed. "Get out!"

"Okay." Richard said and with that he left.

Monica broke down crying. She didn't notice her bedroom door open and two small figures enter.

"Mommy?" Allie asked. "Why are you crying?"

Monica looked up and tried to stop crying. She didn't want to cry in front of her kids.

"Where's dad?" Alex asked.

"Dad's gone, sweetie." Monica answered quietly.

"Will I ever see him again?" Allie asked on the verge of tears.

"I don't know." Allie started crying.

"Doesn't he love us?" Allie asked.

"Of course he does." Monica said pulling Allie on her lap. Alex sat down next to his mom and she put her arm around him. "He's just really busy and needs to leave. He still loves you and always will. Never forget that."

"Okay," Allie said sleepily. Monica noticed that Alex was also starting to drift off.

"It's time for you guys to get back to bed."

"Can we sleep in here with you?" Alex asked and Allie nodded.

"Sure." Monica said and they all climbed into bed. They were asleep almost instantly as the events of the day caught up with them.

Monica dreamed a happy dream. She and Alex and Allie were in a different house with a lot of people. A man walked up and asked Monica to dance. She said yes and they danced the night away. In the dream Monica felt so comfortable with this man, but she didn't know who he was. His face was blurry. At the end of the dream the man leaned down and kissed her.

TBC please review it's my first fic! Thanks for reading.