Okay, so I have been incredibly busy lately, but I found one sec to put
this chapter up, but be forewarned that it will be the last chapter for the
next two weeks, probably. I am off to Atlanta for Debate Nationals. Wish me
luck with some good reviews, otherwise the update might come a lot longer
after those two weeks! Thanks for the reviews I've been getting-you guys
are great! Keep it up!
Disclaimer: Other then Audrey, they are not mine!
Chapter Five
***Four Years Later***
"Daddy!" Audrey screeched as she ran towards her father's open arms. "You're home!"
"That I am, baby," Chandler said, holding his five and a half year old daughter to his chest. "How was everything when I was gone?"
"Oh, Daddy, Aunt Rachel's fun, but Aunt Monica's way better! She made the best macaroni and cheese in the world!"
"Better than mine?" Chandler asked as he gathered his daughter's backpack. He was picking her up at school after being away on a business trip for a few days.
"Yeah, Daddy," Audrey said somberly. "Sorry to say it, but it was!"
Chandler laughed happily. "Well, I'm glad you had a good time, honey. Did you miss me?"
Audrey grinned, "Of course I missed you, Daddy! And Monica and me made cookies for you for this afternoon."
"Well then let's go get some!" Chandler said, "Race ya!"
Chandler smiled as he watched his daughter gear up to race him home. As he watched Audrey's blond curls bounce around her shoulders, perfectly styled by Monica, his smile grew wider. That girl was still his life.
***
"Monica, Daddy's home!" Audrey called out as she entered Monica's apartment, Chandler following behind her.
Monica came out of her bedroom, and ran over. "Hey, Chandler!" she said happily, throwing her arms around her best friend.
Chandler reciprocated the hug and then asked, "So where's the cookies. I heard there were cookies."
Monica grinned. "Audrey and I made you cookies, didn't we Aud?"
"You hardly helped at all!" Audrey said, sticking her tongue out at Monica. She stood proudly on her tip toes. "I'm gonna be a chef, Daddy, just like Monica!"
Chandler laughed. "Well, you just get lessons from her then, not from me."
"Sure, 'cause then all you'd learn would be pasta and Kraft mac and cheese," Monica said, knowing full well the extent of Chandler's culinary abilities.
"Hey," Chandler said, pretending to be angry. "I make pretty good pasta! Don't I, Auds?"
"Monica makes it better," Audrey said, her mouth full of cookies. "Daddy, try one!"
Monica grinned and held out a cookie to Chandler. "Sounds like it's a unanimous vote for me for the best cook."
"Ah, you brag too much," Chandler said, laughing. They sat down at the table with Audrey to finish the cookies, just as Rachel walked in.
"Hey, Chandler," she called out. "How was the trip?"
"Great," he told Monica's roommate of two years. She'd moved in after leaving a man at the alter, and had, just like Monica, immediately fallen in love with little Audrey. "I heard you guys had quite the time."
Rachel grinned, "Yeah, we did, didn't we, Audrey?"
Audrey looked up with a chocolate-smeared smile. "We sure did! Daddy, can I live here?"
Chandler looked at his daughter with pretend hurt eyes. "You want to move out of your dad's already?" he said, and Monica and Rachel tried to hold back their giggles.
"Hmm," Audrey thought. "Maybe not. But I've got it! Can Monica and Rachel move in with us?"
The three adults laughed. "We live across the hall, honey," Chandler said. "That's about as close as you can get!"
For about the millionth time that day, a "Hey, Chandler!" was heard as Monica's brother, Ross, along with their friends, walked into the apartment. A year or so ago, Ross had moved into the apartment across the street from Monica, Rachel, and Chandler, and had advertized for a roommate; he'd found Joey. Just down the street lived their last member of their little group, Phoebe, who Monica, Chandler, and Ross had met after college.
Joey and Ross joined the table, Joey grabbing about five of Audrey's cookies. "I made those, Joey!" Audrey said happily.
"They're great, Aud!" Joey said happily, and two exchanged chocolate smiles.
Chandler smiled as he watched his best friends and his daughter. Audrey no longer had one parent-she now had six.
***
As usual, Chandler and Audrey stayed at Monica's for dinner that night. "Daddy," Audrey said between mouthfuls of ravioli. "How did you meet Aunt Monica?"
Chandler glanced at his friend and laughed. "Well, Auds," he said. "Monica was your first babysitter, besides Grandma."
"Really?" Audrey asked, her eyes wide.
"Yep," Chandler replied. "And after that, she helped me out a whole lot with you."
"My daddy needed help?" Audrey asked, turning to face Monica.
Monica laughed. "Oh, yes he did!" She glanced at Chandler and he just laughed.
***Three and a Half Years Ago***
Monica was awaken in the middle of the night by the sound of a persistent phone ringing. "Arrrgh," she grumbled, wiping the sleep from her eyes and grabbing her cordless phone.
"Whosit?" a sleepy Rachel asked from her bed.
Monica shook her head and held a finger in front of her mouth. "Hello," she mumbled into the receiver.
"Monica?" a frantic voice asked. "It's Chandler. I need your help!"
"What's going on?" Monica asked. She'd been hanging out with Chandler ever since that night she'd babysat Audrey, and had offered him a variety of child tips, but he'd never called her in the middle of the night.
"Oh, Mon," he cried. "My mom's on vacation with my aunt, and I'm alone with Audrey, and there's something wrong with her. She won't stop crying and she's got a fever and she's coughing, and oh, Mon, I just don't know what to do!"
"Chandler," she said gently. "Calm down, okay. Toddlers get sick all the time, all right? But I'm gonna come right over. Just stay put, and stay calm."
"Thank you," he whispered into the phone.
"Rach," Monica said to her roommate. "I've got to go over and help Chandler with Audrey."
"Monica, it's one o'clock in the morning!" Rachel exclaimed.
"I know, but he needs me, Rach. Audrey's sick."
Rachel shook her head. "You know, the way you spend time with them, you'd think she was your kid."
Monica just smiled and left. A few minutes later, she was banging on Chandler's door.
He appeared at the door, his hair sticking up in all sorts of places, his eyes red and tired. "Thank you so much for coming," he said. "I just can't get her calmed down. I'm so sorry to wake you."
"It's okay," Monica said, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Where is she?"
Chandler led her back to Audrey's bedroom where she lay in her crib crying. He picked her up. "Please calm down, baby," he begged. "Please, Daddy's so worried."
Monica took the baby from him and a laid a hand on her forehead. "You have any Children's Tylenol?" she asked, looking at Chandler.
He nodded and ran into his mother's bathroom, dashing out with it. "Here it is," he said frantically. "Is she gonna be okay?" he said.
Monica smiled and laughed. "Chandler, she's going to be fine. Kids get sick all the time. She hasn't been sick before?"
Chandler shook his head frantically. "She was such a healthy baby. I mean, she got a cold once, but my mom told me what to do. Is she gonna live?"
Monica chuckled again. "Chandler Bing, you may love this little girl, but you need to learn to calm down. Like I said, kids get sick every day. Audrey's got a little fever, but the Tylenol's gonna bring it right down, okay?"
True to Monica's words, it did. An hour later, Audrey was sleeping soundly, and Chandler had begun thanking Monica profusely for her help. "She would've died if you hadn't come!"
Monica just laughed. "Chandler, you're crazy. Just go get some sleep, okay?"
Chandler laughed. "Thanks again," he said.
"Any time," Monica said. "Any time."
***Return to Present***
Chandler laughed as Monica recounted Audrey's first illness for her. "Daddy, you're so silly," Audrey said happily, shaking her head. But then she turned serious. "But I'm glad you guys met."
Monica grinned, and Chandler grinned back at her. "So am I, honey," Chandler told his daughter.
Audrey was everything to both Monica and Chandler, and she knew that. Chandler often laid in bed at night, marveling on what he had once planned his life to be-a straight arrow bachelor, non-committed life. At least, that'd been the plan when he was a teenager, before Audrey. Now he couldn't imagine his life without her. He didn't want to. Whenever he had a bad day at work, all he had to do was come home and look at her, have her scream out her famous, "Daddy!" That was all it took to make every problem wash away.
Monica had wanted a child forever, and loved Audrey as though she were her own. Chandler was constantly turning to her for help, and constantly apologizing for doing so, but she didn't mind. She didn't mind at all. It didn't hurt that Audrey's father was not only the greatest guy on earth, but also her best friend. Over the years, she'd been his co- parent, but also much more. He'd become her confidant, holding her when she cried over a guy, lending her money when she lost a job and encouraging her to keep on going. Whenever he had a problem with Audrey, with everything, she was there. The three of them, though they had the other four friends, had some kind of special bond. All Chandler had to do was look to Monica and Audrey, and all Monica had to do was look to Chandler and that little girl.
Yeah, life was good.
When it rains it pours and opens doors
And floods the floors we thought would always keep us safe and dry And in the midst of sailing ships we sink our lips into the ones we love
That have to say goodbye
And as I float along this ocean I can feel you like a notion that won't
seem to let me go
Cause when I look to the sky something tells me you're here with me
And you make everything alright
And when I feel like I'm lost something tells me you're here with me
And I can always find my way when you are here
And every word I didn't say that caught up in some busy day
And every dance on the kitchen floor we didn't dance before
And every sunset that we'll miss I'll wrap them all up in a kiss
And pick you up in all of this when I sail away
Whether I am up or down or in or out or just plane overhead
Instead it just feels like it is impossible to fly But with you I can spread my wings to see me over everything that life may
send me
When I am hoping it won't pass me by
And when I feel like there is no one that will ever know me there you are
to show me
Song: "When I Look to the Sky", by Train
PLEASE REVIEW!
Disclaimer: Other then Audrey, they are not mine!
Chapter Five
***Four Years Later***
"Daddy!" Audrey screeched as she ran towards her father's open arms. "You're home!"
"That I am, baby," Chandler said, holding his five and a half year old daughter to his chest. "How was everything when I was gone?"
"Oh, Daddy, Aunt Rachel's fun, but Aunt Monica's way better! She made the best macaroni and cheese in the world!"
"Better than mine?" Chandler asked as he gathered his daughter's backpack. He was picking her up at school after being away on a business trip for a few days.
"Yeah, Daddy," Audrey said somberly. "Sorry to say it, but it was!"
Chandler laughed happily. "Well, I'm glad you had a good time, honey. Did you miss me?"
Audrey grinned, "Of course I missed you, Daddy! And Monica and me made cookies for you for this afternoon."
"Well then let's go get some!" Chandler said, "Race ya!"
Chandler smiled as he watched his daughter gear up to race him home. As he watched Audrey's blond curls bounce around her shoulders, perfectly styled by Monica, his smile grew wider. That girl was still his life.
***
"Monica, Daddy's home!" Audrey called out as she entered Monica's apartment, Chandler following behind her.
Monica came out of her bedroom, and ran over. "Hey, Chandler!" she said happily, throwing her arms around her best friend.
Chandler reciprocated the hug and then asked, "So where's the cookies. I heard there were cookies."
Monica grinned. "Audrey and I made you cookies, didn't we Aud?"
"You hardly helped at all!" Audrey said, sticking her tongue out at Monica. She stood proudly on her tip toes. "I'm gonna be a chef, Daddy, just like Monica!"
Chandler laughed. "Well, you just get lessons from her then, not from me."
"Sure, 'cause then all you'd learn would be pasta and Kraft mac and cheese," Monica said, knowing full well the extent of Chandler's culinary abilities.
"Hey," Chandler said, pretending to be angry. "I make pretty good pasta! Don't I, Auds?"
"Monica makes it better," Audrey said, her mouth full of cookies. "Daddy, try one!"
Monica grinned and held out a cookie to Chandler. "Sounds like it's a unanimous vote for me for the best cook."
"Ah, you brag too much," Chandler said, laughing. They sat down at the table with Audrey to finish the cookies, just as Rachel walked in.
"Hey, Chandler," she called out. "How was the trip?"
"Great," he told Monica's roommate of two years. She'd moved in after leaving a man at the alter, and had, just like Monica, immediately fallen in love with little Audrey. "I heard you guys had quite the time."
Rachel grinned, "Yeah, we did, didn't we, Audrey?"
Audrey looked up with a chocolate-smeared smile. "We sure did! Daddy, can I live here?"
Chandler looked at his daughter with pretend hurt eyes. "You want to move out of your dad's already?" he said, and Monica and Rachel tried to hold back their giggles.
"Hmm," Audrey thought. "Maybe not. But I've got it! Can Monica and Rachel move in with us?"
The three adults laughed. "We live across the hall, honey," Chandler said. "That's about as close as you can get!"
For about the millionth time that day, a "Hey, Chandler!" was heard as Monica's brother, Ross, along with their friends, walked into the apartment. A year or so ago, Ross had moved into the apartment across the street from Monica, Rachel, and Chandler, and had advertized for a roommate; he'd found Joey. Just down the street lived their last member of their little group, Phoebe, who Monica, Chandler, and Ross had met after college.
Joey and Ross joined the table, Joey grabbing about five of Audrey's cookies. "I made those, Joey!" Audrey said happily.
"They're great, Aud!" Joey said happily, and two exchanged chocolate smiles.
Chandler smiled as he watched his best friends and his daughter. Audrey no longer had one parent-she now had six.
***
As usual, Chandler and Audrey stayed at Monica's for dinner that night. "Daddy," Audrey said between mouthfuls of ravioli. "How did you meet Aunt Monica?"
Chandler glanced at his friend and laughed. "Well, Auds," he said. "Monica was your first babysitter, besides Grandma."
"Really?" Audrey asked, her eyes wide.
"Yep," Chandler replied. "And after that, she helped me out a whole lot with you."
"My daddy needed help?" Audrey asked, turning to face Monica.
Monica laughed. "Oh, yes he did!" She glanced at Chandler and he just laughed.
***Three and a Half Years Ago***
Monica was awaken in the middle of the night by the sound of a persistent phone ringing. "Arrrgh," she grumbled, wiping the sleep from her eyes and grabbing her cordless phone.
"Whosit?" a sleepy Rachel asked from her bed.
Monica shook her head and held a finger in front of her mouth. "Hello," she mumbled into the receiver.
"Monica?" a frantic voice asked. "It's Chandler. I need your help!"
"What's going on?" Monica asked. She'd been hanging out with Chandler ever since that night she'd babysat Audrey, and had offered him a variety of child tips, but he'd never called her in the middle of the night.
"Oh, Mon," he cried. "My mom's on vacation with my aunt, and I'm alone with Audrey, and there's something wrong with her. She won't stop crying and she's got a fever and she's coughing, and oh, Mon, I just don't know what to do!"
"Chandler," she said gently. "Calm down, okay. Toddlers get sick all the time, all right? But I'm gonna come right over. Just stay put, and stay calm."
"Thank you," he whispered into the phone.
"Rach," Monica said to her roommate. "I've got to go over and help Chandler with Audrey."
"Monica, it's one o'clock in the morning!" Rachel exclaimed.
"I know, but he needs me, Rach. Audrey's sick."
Rachel shook her head. "You know, the way you spend time with them, you'd think she was your kid."
Monica just smiled and left. A few minutes later, she was banging on Chandler's door.
He appeared at the door, his hair sticking up in all sorts of places, his eyes red and tired. "Thank you so much for coming," he said. "I just can't get her calmed down. I'm so sorry to wake you."
"It's okay," Monica said, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Where is she?"
Chandler led her back to Audrey's bedroom where she lay in her crib crying. He picked her up. "Please calm down, baby," he begged. "Please, Daddy's so worried."
Monica took the baby from him and a laid a hand on her forehead. "You have any Children's Tylenol?" she asked, looking at Chandler.
He nodded and ran into his mother's bathroom, dashing out with it. "Here it is," he said frantically. "Is she gonna be okay?" he said.
Monica smiled and laughed. "Chandler, she's going to be fine. Kids get sick all the time. She hasn't been sick before?"
Chandler shook his head frantically. "She was such a healthy baby. I mean, she got a cold once, but my mom told me what to do. Is she gonna live?"
Monica chuckled again. "Chandler Bing, you may love this little girl, but you need to learn to calm down. Like I said, kids get sick every day. Audrey's got a little fever, but the Tylenol's gonna bring it right down, okay?"
True to Monica's words, it did. An hour later, Audrey was sleeping soundly, and Chandler had begun thanking Monica profusely for her help. "She would've died if you hadn't come!"
Monica just laughed. "Chandler, you're crazy. Just go get some sleep, okay?"
Chandler laughed. "Thanks again," he said.
"Any time," Monica said. "Any time."
***Return to Present***
Chandler laughed as Monica recounted Audrey's first illness for her. "Daddy, you're so silly," Audrey said happily, shaking her head. But then she turned serious. "But I'm glad you guys met."
Monica grinned, and Chandler grinned back at her. "So am I, honey," Chandler told his daughter.
Audrey was everything to both Monica and Chandler, and she knew that. Chandler often laid in bed at night, marveling on what he had once planned his life to be-a straight arrow bachelor, non-committed life. At least, that'd been the plan when he was a teenager, before Audrey. Now he couldn't imagine his life without her. He didn't want to. Whenever he had a bad day at work, all he had to do was come home and look at her, have her scream out her famous, "Daddy!" That was all it took to make every problem wash away.
Monica had wanted a child forever, and loved Audrey as though she were her own. Chandler was constantly turning to her for help, and constantly apologizing for doing so, but she didn't mind. She didn't mind at all. It didn't hurt that Audrey's father was not only the greatest guy on earth, but also her best friend. Over the years, she'd been his co- parent, but also much more. He'd become her confidant, holding her when she cried over a guy, lending her money when she lost a job and encouraging her to keep on going. Whenever he had a problem with Audrey, with everything, she was there. The three of them, though they had the other four friends, had some kind of special bond. All Chandler had to do was look to Monica and Audrey, and all Monica had to do was look to Chandler and that little girl.
Yeah, life was good.
When it rains it pours and opens doors
And floods the floors we thought would always keep us safe and dry And in the midst of sailing ships we sink our lips into the ones we love
That have to say goodbye
And as I float along this ocean I can feel you like a notion that won't
seem to let me go
Cause when I look to the sky something tells me you're here with me
And you make everything alright
And when I feel like I'm lost something tells me you're here with me
And I can always find my way when you are here
And every word I didn't say that caught up in some busy day
And every dance on the kitchen floor we didn't dance before
And every sunset that we'll miss I'll wrap them all up in a kiss
And pick you up in all of this when I sail away
Whether I am up or down or in or out or just plane overhead
Instead it just feels like it is impossible to fly But with you I can spread my wings to see me over everything that life may
send me
When I am hoping it won't pass me by
And when I feel like there is no one that will ever know me there you are
to show me
Song: "When I Look to the Sky", by Train
PLEASE REVIEW!