Hey, everyone! Thanks for all the fantastic reviews on that last chapter.
Anyways.....I went on a car trip this weekend, so I got quite a few
chapters written in the car, which meant I could update sooner. Plus, I've
been having some pretty crappy days lately, and reviews always cheer me
up.....so LEAVE THEM! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Audrey Bing is mine, and that's it.
Chapter Seven
Monica Geller buried her face into the bare chest beside her. "You know, we promised ourselves we'd only be doing this once!" she whined jokingly.
The man beside her smiled, "I know," he whispered, kissing her forehead. "But one night wasn't enough."
"And, at least for me, fifteen aren't enough either," Monica said, relishing in the feeling of his arms around her.
"Yea," he whispered. "Me neither."
"Chandler," she said, leaning against him as they both sat up. "What are we gonna tell them? What are we gonna tell Audrey?"
He sighed, and kissed her forehead. "I don't know," he said. "But to me, it just doesn't matter."
She smiled. "I guess not. But you know we have to tell them, right? Especially Audrey."
Chandler laughed. "Well, I guess we'll all have to tell them at the same time. I mean, it's not like our friends can keep a secret any better than Audrey can!"
Monica laughed. "You're right. We tell them today?"
Chandler smiled. "Okay, we tell them today. But for now," he said, leaning down to kiss her gently. "I'd just like to stay right here."
***
Chandler paced back and forth through his apartment, anxiously waiting for Monica to return with their friends. The rest of his friends had had the day off from work, so they'd gone out together, but he'd worked and then picked Audrey up at school. It was just a matter of time before Monica brought them all home, just a matter of time before they sat all of them down and told them the truth about the past two weeks.
He chuckled to himself, realizing just how anxious he was. There was no real reason to be.....after all, what had happened two weeks ago was not something bad....but one of the best things that had ever happened to him. Monica had leaned in to kiss him and he'd just.....gone. He'd let every thought in his mind leave and he just took the leap. He realized it may have been the wisest decision he ever made.
He'd been holding back because of Audrey, that much he knew. But the more he thought about it, as they were dancing that night, the more he recognized that Audrey loved Monica, practically as a mother. Dating Monica wouldn't take away from his relationship with Audrey, but it would just make Monica, someone Audrey already adored, a bigger aspect in their life.
That, for him, was enough. That night Monica had spent at his apartment, and the next night, and the night after that.....He realized they were moving a bit fast, but after being friends for almost four years, things just seemed to happen naturally. They could skip all the formalities of getting to know each other and move right along. It was the perfect relationship.
"Daddy?" Audrey said, coming out of her bedroom and interrupting Chandler's thoughts.
"What's up, Auds?" he said, using the special nickname he'd had for her since she was a baby. No one else was allowed to call her Auds except for him-Aud, maybe, but never Auds. She insisted on it.
"Can we go to McDonald's with Monica tonight?" she asked, begging him with a puppy face.
He laughed. "Sweetie, everybody's coming over for dinner tonight, okay? Maybe tomorrow we can go."
"Really?" Audrey said. "Everybody's coming over?" With everyone's work schedules, rare was the day when they all could get together for a meal. But Audrey loved it when they could.
Chandler smiled at his daughter's excitement. "They sure are," he said, and just as the words left his mouth, the door opened to reveal Monica and their friends.
Audrey went flying. "Hi, everybody! Daddy says you're all staying for dinner!"
"Yup," said Rachel, holding up three pizza boxes. "And Joey planned the menu."
"Sure did," Joey said, Audrey already up in his arms. "And I got extra anchovies, just because I knew Audrey didn't like them!"
"Joey!" Audrey screeched, and Joey laughed and tickled her.
Chandler shook his head and glanced at Monica, smiling. What a life that little girl gave them all. ***
Twenty minutes after Joey had downed his tenth slice of pizza and Audrey had declared herself full, Monica and Chandler had managed to convince Audrey to go play in her room, and to sit all their friends down in the living room. They'd decided to tell Audrey that night, in case their friends said anything that Chandler wouldn't want Audrey hearing.
"So what's up?" Phoebe asked. "Why were we all summoned?" Her vocabulary gathered giggles from the rest of their friends, and Monica smiled nervously.
"Well," she said. "Chandler and I have something to tell you guys."
"So tell us," Ross said. "What's going on?"
"Okay, well," Chandler started. "A couple weeks ago, Monica and I both went out on blind dates and those dates turned out to be....each other. I guess......" he drifted off, and looked at Monica for help.
"Well, we were dancing," she put in. "And I guess we both felt something. To make a long story short, we kissed, and now we're.....together." She and Chandler sighed simultaneously. It felt good to get it out.
"You're what?" Ross said, and Monica and Chandler could tell he was already beginning to get angry.
"Now, Ross," Monica said. "This is a mutual decision. I'm an adult. I can go out with him if I want to."
Ross' face reddened. "That wasn't what I was going to say..."
"Sure it wasn't," Rachel said, hitting him playfully. "Well, I don't know about him, but I'm thrilled for you guys. It's about time."
Phoebe and Joey nodded in shocked agreement, and finally Ross sighed and gave in. "Okay," he said. "You guys have my blessing. You'll make a great couple."
"Thanks," Monica and Chandler said in unison, and Chandler took Monica's hand.
"Now," he said nervously. "We have to go tell Audrey."
Rachel just laughed. "Chandler, do you know how absolutely thrilled she is going to be?" "Really?" Monica asked softly.
"Really," Rachel said. "Mon, she absolutely adores you, so you two get in there and make her the happiest she's ever been, okay?"
They both laughed and their friends laughed, exchanging congratulations and hugs as they did so. After the door had closed, Chandler glanced at his girlfriend. "Ready?" he asked.
"Ready," she said, and squeezed his hand. Chandler knocked on Audrey's bedroom door, and walked in.
"Hey, sweetie," he said gently. "Can Monica and I talk to you for a second?"
"Sure!" Audrey said, jumping up from the pink carpet and hopping onto her bed. "What's up?"
"Well," Chandler said, sitting down next to her. "Honey, do you know what dating means?"
Audrey nodded knowingly. "Aunt Rachel told me," she said. "She said it's when two people like each an awful lot so they go eat together and go to movies. Daddy, we do that stuff. Are we dating?"
Chandler chuckled. "No, honey, we aren't. Dating is for adults only. Adults who aren't related," he added. "But, honey, I am dating somebody and I want you to know about it."
"Who?" Audrey asked curiously.
"Well," Chandler said, glancing at Monica, who was leaning against the doorway. "Honey, I'm dating Monica. Is that okay with you?"
Audrey grinned, and threw her arms around her father. "Daddy, that's perfect! Does this mean Monica can be around more?"
Chandler and Monica both laughed. "Would you like that?" Monica asked, coming over.
"I'd like that a lot!" Audrey said. "Can you live here, too?"
Chandler and Monica glanced at each other. "Not right now, honey," Chandler said. "Maybe someday, okay? But for now she's right across the hall."
"Okay," Audrey nodded. She snuggled into her father's arms. "You picked a good person to date, Daddy."
"Yeah," Chandler said, taking Monica's hand. "I did."
***
Chandler helped Audrey pull on her pajama top and then lifted her up onto her bed. "So, Auds," he said. "We already read a book. What song tonight?"
Monica smiled from the doorway. Things couldn't have gone more perfectly. Just as Rachel had predicted, Audrey had been thrilled, and had asked Monica to stay to help put her to bed. Monica had read her a story, and now Chandler was getting ready to sing to Audrey-something Monica knew he'd done every night since she was born.
"Hmmmm," Audrey said, scratching her chin. "Oh, I know, Daddy! Sing the song about you!"
Chandler smiled, and Monica looked at him strangely. She didn't know there was song written about Chandler. But as soon as the words left his mouth, softly crooning to his daughter, Monica knew just what Audrey meant.
"All he could think about was I'm too young for this.
Got my whole life ahead.
Heck, I'm just a kid myself.
How'm I gonna raise one.
All he could see were his dreams goin' up in smoke.
So much for ditchin' this town and hangin' out on the coast.
Oh well, those plans are long gone. And he said,
There goes my life.
There goes my future, my everything.
Might as well kiss it all good-bye.
There goes my life....... A couple years of up all night and a few thousand diapers later.
That mistake he thought he made covers up the refrigerator.
Oh yeah..........he loves that little girl. Waiting to tuck her in,
As she fumbles up those stairs.
She smiles back at him dragging that teddy bear.
Sleep tight, blue eyes and bouncin' curls. He smiles.....
There goes my life.
There goes my future, my everything.
I love you, daddy good-night.
There goes my life."
Monica looked at Chandler in amazement as he softly finished the last line. She'd heard the song before, though she realized that Chandler had purposed cut out some swear words, and also omitted the part about the girl in the song's mother. He'd taken out the last verse, too, probably since it didn't relate to Audrey at this age. But, still, the song was beautiful, and Monica couldn't help but think how aptly it described him.
"Daddy said he heard that song right after I was born," Audrey informed Monica. "And he remembered it always. Right, Daddy?"
Chandler smiled at his daughter and kissed her forehead. "I sure did," he said. "Good night, sweetheart."
"'Night, Daddy," Audrey sighed contentedly. "I love you."
"I love you too, baby," Chandler kissed her one last time and left the room with Monica, smiling as he shut off the light and closed the door.
"Chandler," Monica said, as soon as they were out in the living room. "That was beautiful."
He blushed. "She likes somebody to sing to her," he said, shrugging.
She punched him lightly as she sat down on his lap on the couch. "You are an amazing father, Chandler Bing."
He kissed her forehead gently. "Thanks," he said. "I needed that."
She looked at him oddly. "You doubt your parenting skills?"
He shrugged. "Sometimes. Sometimes I wonder if she'd be better off with two parents, two older parents.....but then, I don't know.....I couldn't give her up. I just.....I can't live without her."
Monica smiled. "Chandler, she would never be better off with anyone but you."
He smiled. "Especially since she's got you, too."
"Yeah, probably," Monica said, laughing as she leaned in. With that, he smiled.
He had once thought about how much this baby would be taking away from his life......yet look how much she'd added.
"There Goes My Life", by Kenny Chesney
PLEASE REVIEW!
Disclaimer: Audrey Bing is mine, and that's it.
Chapter Seven
Monica Geller buried her face into the bare chest beside her. "You know, we promised ourselves we'd only be doing this once!" she whined jokingly.
The man beside her smiled, "I know," he whispered, kissing her forehead. "But one night wasn't enough."
"And, at least for me, fifteen aren't enough either," Monica said, relishing in the feeling of his arms around her.
"Yea," he whispered. "Me neither."
"Chandler," she said, leaning against him as they both sat up. "What are we gonna tell them? What are we gonna tell Audrey?"
He sighed, and kissed her forehead. "I don't know," he said. "But to me, it just doesn't matter."
She smiled. "I guess not. But you know we have to tell them, right? Especially Audrey."
Chandler laughed. "Well, I guess we'll all have to tell them at the same time. I mean, it's not like our friends can keep a secret any better than Audrey can!"
Monica laughed. "You're right. We tell them today?"
Chandler smiled. "Okay, we tell them today. But for now," he said, leaning down to kiss her gently. "I'd just like to stay right here."
***
Chandler paced back and forth through his apartment, anxiously waiting for Monica to return with their friends. The rest of his friends had had the day off from work, so they'd gone out together, but he'd worked and then picked Audrey up at school. It was just a matter of time before Monica brought them all home, just a matter of time before they sat all of them down and told them the truth about the past two weeks.
He chuckled to himself, realizing just how anxious he was. There was no real reason to be.....after all, what had happened two weeks ago was not something bad....but one of the best things that had ever happened to him. Monica had leaned in to kiss him and he'd just.....gone. He'd let every thought in his mind leave and he just took the leap. He realized it may have been the wisest decision he ever made.
He'd been holding back because of Audrey, that much he knew. But the more he thought about it, as they were dancing that night, the more he recognized that Audrey loved Monica, practically as a mother. Dating Monica wouldn't take away from his relationship with Audrey, but it would just make Monica, someone Audrey already adored, a bigger aspect in their life.
That, for him, was enough. That night Monica had spent at his apartment, and the next night, and the night after that.....He realized they were moving a bit fast, but after being friends for almost four years, things just seemed to happen naturally. They could skip all the formalities of getting to know each other and move right along. It was the perfect relationship.
"Daddy?" Audrey said, coming out of her bedroom and interrupting Chandler's thoughts.
"What's up, Auds?" he said, using the special nickname he'd had for her since she was a baby. No one else was allowed to call her Auds except for him-Aud, maybe, but never Auds. She insisted on it.
"Can we go to McDonald's with Monica tonight?" she asked, begging him with a puppy face.
He laughed. "Sweetie, everybody's coming over for dinner tonight, okay? Maybe tomorrow we can go."
"Really?" Audrey said. "Everybody's coming over?" With everyone's work schedules, rare was the day when they all could get together for a meal. But Audrey loved it when they could.
Chandler smiled at his daughter's excitement. "They sure are," he said, and just as the words left his mouth, the door opened to reveal Monica and their friends.
Audrey went flying. "Hi, everybody! Daddy says you're all staying for dinner!"
"Yup," said Rachel, holding up three pizza boxes. "And Joey planned the menu."
"Sure did," Joey said, Audrey already up in his arms. "And I got extra anchovies, just because I knew Audrey didn't like them!"
"Joey!" Audrey screeched, and Joey laughed and tickled her.
Chandler shook his head and glanced at Monica, smiling. What a life that little girl gave them all. ***
Twenty minutes after Joey had downed his tenth slice of pizza and Audrey had declared herself full, Monica and Chandler had managed to convince Audrey to go play in her room, and to sit all their friends down in the living room. They'd decided to tell Audrey that night, in case their friends said anything that Chandler wouldn't want Audrey hearing.
"So what's up?" Phoebe asked. "Why were we all summoned?" Her vocabulary gathered giggles from the rest of their friends, and Monica smiled nervously.
"Well," she said. "Chandler and I have something to tell you guys."
"So tell us," Ross said. "What's going on?"
"Okay, well," Chandler started. "A couple weeks ago, Monica and I both went out on blind dates and those dates turned out to be....each other. I guess......" he drifted off, and looked at Monica for help.
"Well, we were dancing," she put in. "And I guess we both felt something. To make a long story short, we kissed, and now we're.....together." She and Chandler sighed simultaneously. It felt good to get it out.
"You're what?" Ross said, and Monica and Chandler could tell he was already beginning to get angry.
"Now, Ross," Monica said. "This is a mutual decision. I'm an adult. I can go out with him if I want to."
Ross' face reddened. "That wasn't what I was going to say..."
"Sure it wasn't," Rachel said, hitting him playfully. "Well, I don't know about him, but I'm thrilled for you guys. It's about time."
Phoebe and Joey nodded in shocked agreement, and finally Ross sighed and gave in. "Okay," he said. "You guys have my blessing. You'll make a great couple."
"Thanks," Monica and Chandler said in unison, and Chandler took Monica's hand.
"Now," he said nervously. "We have to go tell Audrey."
Rachel just laughed. "Chandler, do you know how absolutely thrilled she is going to be?" "Really?" Monica asked softly.
"Really," Rachel said. "Mon, she absolutely adores you, so you two get in there and make her the happiest she's ever been, okay?"
They both laughed and their friends laughed, exchanging congratulations and hugs as they did so. After the door had closed, Chandler glanced at his girlfriend. "Ready?" he asked.
"Ready," she said, and squeezed his hand. Chandler knocked on Audrey's bedroom door, and walked in.
"Hey, sweetie," he said gently. "Can Monica and I talk to you for a second?"
"Sure!" Audrey said, jumping up from the pink carpet and hopping onto her bed. "What's up?"
"Well," Chandler said, sitting down next to her. "Honey, do you know what dating means?"
Audrey nodded knowingly. "Aunt Rachel told me," she said. "She said it's when two people like each an awful lot so they go eat together and go to movies. Daddy, we do that stuff. Are we dating?"
Chandler chuckled. "No, honey, we aren't. Dating is for adults only. Adults who aren't related," he added. "But, honey, I am dating somebody and I want you to know about it."
"Who?" Audrey asked curiously.
"Well," Chandler said, glancing at Monica, who was leaning against the doorway. "Honey, I'm dating Monica. Is that okay with you?"
Audrey grinned, and threw her arms around her father. "Daddy, that's perfect! Does this mean Monica can be around more?"
Chandler and Monica both laughed. "Would you like that?" Monica asked, coming over.
"I'd like that a lot!" Audrey said. "Can you live here, too?"
Chandler and Monica glanced at each other. "Not right now, honey," Chandler said. "Maybe someday, okay? But for now she's right across the hall."
"Okay," Audrey nodded. She snuggled into her father's arms. "You picked a good person to date, Daddy."
"Yeah," Chandler said, taking Monica's hand. "I did."
***
Chandler helped Audrey pull on her pajama top and then lifted her up onto her bed. "So, Auds," he said. "We already read a book. What song tonight?"
Monica smiled from the doorway. Things couldn't have gone more perfectly. Just as Rachel had predicted, Audrey had been thrilled, and had asked Monica to stay to help put her to bed. Monica had read her a story, and now Chandler was getting ready to sing to Audrey-something Monica knew he'd done every night since she was born.
"Hmmmm," Audrey said, scratching her chin. "Oh, I know, Daddy! Sing the song about you!"
Chandler smiled, and Monica looked at him strangely. She didn't know there was song written about Chandler. But as soon as the words left his mouth, softly crooning to his daughter, Monica knew just what Audrey meant.
"All he could think about was I'm too young for this.
Got my whole life ahead.
Heck, I'm just a kid myself.
How'm I gonna raise one.
All he could see were his dreams goin' up in smoke.
So much for ditchin' this town and hangin' out on the coast.
Oh well, those plans are long gone. And he said,
There goes my life.
There goes my future, my everything.
Might as well kiss it all good-bye.
There goes my life....... A couple years of up all night and a few thousand diapers later.
That mistake he thought he made covers up the refrigerator.
Oh yeah..........he loves that little girl. Waiting to tuck her in,
As she fumbles up those stairs.
She smiles back at him dragging that teddy bear.
Sleep tight, blue eyes and bouncin' curls. He smiles.....
There goes my life.
There goes my future, my everything.
I love you, daddy good-night.
There goes my life."
Monica looked at Chandler in amazement as he softly finished the last line. She'd heard the song before, though she realized that Chandler had purposed cut out some swear words, and also omitted the part about the girl in the song's mother. He'd taken out the last verse, too, probably since it didn't relate to Audrey at this age. But, still, the song was beautiful, and Monica couldn't help but think how aptly it described him.
"Daddy said he heard that song right after I was born," Audrey informed Monica. "And he remembered it always. Right, Daddy?"
Chandler smiled at his daughter and kissed her forehead. "I sure did," he said. "Good night, sweetheart."
"'Night, Daddy," Audrey sighed contentedly. "I love you."
"I love you too, baby," Chandler kissed her one last time and left the room with Monica, smiling as he shut off the light and closed the door.
"Chandler," Monica said, as soon as they were out in the living room. "That was beautiful."
He blushed. "She likes somebody to sing to her," he said, shrugging.
She punched him lightly as she sat down on his lap on the couch. "You are an amazing father, Chandler Bing."
He kissed her forehead gently. "Thanks," he said. "I needed that."
She looked at him oddly. "You doubt your parenting skills?"
He shrugged. "Sometimes. Sometimes I wonder if she'd be better off with two parents, two older parents.....but then, I don't know.....I couldn't give her up. I just.....I can't live without her."
Monica smiled. "Chandler, she would never be better off with anyone but you."
He smiled. "Especially since she's got you, too."
"Yeah, probably," Monica said, laughing as she leaned in. With that, he smiled.
He had once thought about how much this baby would be taking away from his life......yet look how much she'd added.
"There Goes My Life", by Kenny Chesney
PLEASE REVIEW!