About Joey
Chandler stared into the tin, shocked. He couldn't believe his son was involved in this kind of stuff. He ran a shaky hadn through his hair, wondering what he should do. He decided against storming into Daniel's room, demanding to know what he was doing. He'd talk to him tomorrow, after school. Then had chance to clear his head and he'd be in a better state to handle it.
He placed the tin back into his son's jacket pocket. Chandler guessed that he wouldn't use it until Friday, the next day, when he would normally go to a party or hang out with friends.
He stared at the carpet for a moment deep in thoughts before blinking away the tears and heading into the sitting room.
"Hey, you okay?" Monica asked, as he sat down next to her.
"Yeah…" He forced a smile for sake. He didn't want to worry her and decided to talk to Daniel first.
"How were the kids?" Monica asked, knowing they were concerned about him.
"They're fine, I told them that I okay and just tired."
"They accepted that?" She raised an eyebrow.
"Not really…" He rubbed his eyes, then put his arm around her and pulled her closer.
She smiled slightly and put her head on his shoulder. She sighed happily before breaking the silence.
"Well, I'm going to bed," She told him, standing up, "you coming?"
"I'll be up in a bit." He promised.
She leant down and kissed him before heading for the stairs.
When she came down stairs the next morning, she found him asleep on the couch.
"Chandler?" She said, touching his shoulder.
His eyes opened slowly, he looked around confused, wondering why he wasn't in his bed when it all came back like a flash.
"Morning, sleep well?" She teased, smiling at him.
"Sorry, I must have fallen asleep…" He explained, stretching his aching muscles.
"You okay?" She asked.
"I'm fine…" He said, standing up and hugging her. "I was just thinking about Joey…I guess I fell asleep."
"Okay…If you're sure you're alright."
"I am." He smiled at her.
Monica frowned as she stood at the oven, watching her family. Becky and Hayley were having a discussion about some up and coming event at school. Matt and Tom were teasing Amy, telling her stories about some monsters. Rachel was trying to feed Kaydan while shouting at Adam and Emma who were still arguing about something that happened the day before. Daniel, Ross and Mike were talking about the last Knicks game and tried to involve Chandler in the conversation but he sat quietly, playing with the food on his plate.
Her thoughts were interrupted by Phoebe, who was telling a story about something that happened at work.
"Mon?!"
"Huh… what?"
"Are you okay?" She asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine."
"Is Chandler?"
Monica sighed and turned to look at her husband, staring at a piece of bacon on the end of his fork for a moment before putting it back down on his plate.
"I dunno…" She told her, "I think he's thinking about Joey."
"Has he said anything to you about it?"
"No, not really…I don't know what to do."
"He'll talk to you in the end." Phoebe told her, smiling slightly before walking over and joining the others.
Chandler looked up slightly when he heard Daniel laughing and then looked back down. He felt terrible, he didn't know what to do…he couldn't even look at his own son.
"Daddy!" He quickly turned his attention to Amy, who was stood next to him, tugging at his sleeve.
"What's up, Baby?" He asked.
"Is there a monster under my bed?" She asked, tears forming in her eyes.
He glared at his two youngest sons, as they laughed. He picked her up and sat her down on his lap.
"Course there isn't…" He reassured her.
"Really?"
"Really."
"Really, really?" She asked, causing Chandler to smile. She had picked that up from Becky. It was only something, her and Amy did with their Father, Chandler often wondered where Becky had got."Really, Really…" He told her, kissing the top of her head. He looked at her, her facing telling him she still wasn't convinced. "Come on, I'll go and check with you."
He told her, standing up, still holding her.
"Hey, Dad…if you're not back in 10 minutes, I'll call the police." Daniel told him, teasing, grinning.
"Don't think that would be a very good idea." Chandler stated, glancing at his son quickly.
There silence, as they left the room. Ross, Rachel, Phoebe and Monica exchanged worried glances. While the kids looked confused. No one had ever seen Chandler acted like that towards any of the children, not even Emma or Adam. Normally he would just come back with a funny sarcastic comment.
"Did I do something?" Daniel asked.
"No, don't worry, your father's just tired…" Monica explained, walking towards the door to go and talk to him but Ross stopped her.
"Mon, let me." He told her, she nodded, agreement.
Ross found Chandler sat crossed-legged in Amy's room, holding one of her dolls while she was looking for something in her toy box, obviously forgetting about the monster.
"You okay, Man?" He asked, leaning on the door frame.
"Why does everyone keep asking that?"
"Because you're not acting yourself…"
"I'm fine!" Chandler insisted, cutting him off.
"Look, we all miss Joey…" Ross said with sympathy. "If you ever wanna talk…"
"Why can't they stay like this?" Chandler suddenly said, looking towards Amy.
"Huh?"
"Why can't they stay kids? Why do they have to grow up?"
"I dunno…the way of life?" Ross frowned, "is this about Hayley having a boyfriend?"
"You're not think about having more kids, are ya?" Ross wondered, "you've got 6!!"
"No, I'm not…"
"Then what is it?"
"You wouldn't understand…"
"Why not?"
"Cos you don't know what it's like."
"What what's like?" Ross was now confused.
"This."
"You're making no sense to me…" Ross told him.
"It doesn't make sense to me, either." Chandler smiled sadly, "Come on, Amy…you've gotta eat your breakfast."
Ross watched as they walked back downstairs, totally confused about what Chandler was talking about. He stood think for a moment before shaking his head and following them down.
"Right, I've gotta go to work." Rachel said, standing up from the table.
Everyone else had left apart from Chandler, who decided to talk the day off again and offered to look after Kaydan so she didn't have to go to day-care.
"Alright, see ya later, Rach."
"You sure, you don't mind looking after her?" She asked him, for the tenth time.
"I'm sure! Go to work!"
"Alright, alright…I'm going.." She smiled at him and then kissed her daughter. "Thanks."
"No problem."
She smiled at him again before leaving. Once he heard the door close, he picked up Kaydan from her play-pen.
"What am I going to do, huh?" He asked her soft.
"So, what's the occasion?" Monica asked, as she set the table that night. Chandler had suggest everyone come over to their house that night, so they could all hang out. His plan was to keep Daniel in, so wouldn't go out and do something stupid and then he would take him a side and talk to him about what he found.
"Nothing, just thought it would be fun." He told her.
"What? With 8 kids running around?" She raised an eyebrow.
"9 kids."
"9 kids?"
"Yeah, Amy, Matt, Tom, Hayley, Becky, Daniel, Adam, Emma and Kaydan…." He told her, "9 kids."
"Daniel's going out tonight," Monica told him.
"No he's not.""How come?"
"Because I want us to have a family night in." He replied, just as Phoebe and Mike walked in.
"Hey, guys," Phoebe said brightly.
"Hey."
"So, what's happening tonight?" Mike asked.
"We're going to eat then we'll watch a movie…" Chandler suggested, "maybe play so games."
"Sounds like fun," Phoebe grinned, "just like the old times!"
"Yeah," Chandler smiled sadly, "just like the old times."
"Hey guys," Rachel appeared, Kaydan in her arms and with Ross behind her. "Thanks again for today, Chandler…she had fun with her uncle Chandler."
"Yeah, I had a good time too…"
"Have to watch him, Mon…" Ross teased, "I think he's getting baby blues."
"I know you wanted a big family, Mon….but 7 kids, whoa…" Phoebe laughed.
"Yeah, yeah….very funny…" Chandler smiled at them all as they laughed.
He wouldn't mind having another baby but he was very happy with his family at the moment, well except for the problem he was having at the moment.
"Hey, mom…dad.." Daniel popped his head around the door, "I'm going out, I'll be back before mid-night."
"Wait!" Chandler said before he had chance to leave, "you're staying in tonight."
"What?" Dan frowned, moving into the room.
Everyone else in the room looked at each other. Chandler rarely said no to his children or stopped them from doing what they wanted, it was normally left up to Monica.
"You're not going out…" He told him, "we're having a family night in.
"Why?"
"Because I said!"
"But I've made plans…" Daniel was confused by his father's weird behaviour.
"What, to go and get high with your friends?" Chandler asked, sarcastically.
"What?" His son went pale.
"What's going on?" Monica asked, looking from her husband to his son.
"I dunno…I have no idea what he's talking about…" Dan stuttered.
"Chandler?" Ross joined in, wondering if this was what he was talking about earlier.
His friend looked at him and then around at everyone else. All wondering what was going on.
Daniel swallowed a lump that raised in his throat as his, he moved towards him and before he could do anything, his father reached into his pocket, pulled out the tin and throw it on the table.
"Still don't know what I'm talking about?" He asked.
"Daniel, please tell me this isn't what I think it is?" Monica asked.
"I..ermm…I…" He didn't know what to say, he looked around the room, to see his Mom, aunts and uncles looking at him with disappointment and fear. He then looked at his father, he couldn't tell what he was think…his face was emotionless and that scared him.
"You looked through my stuff?" He looked accusingly at his Dad, hoping he could make him feel guilty enough to get out of trouble.
"Don't even try guilt tripping me!" Chandler warned.
Damn, he knows me to well…He thought to himself.
"I can't believe you would do that!" Dan said, hurtfully.
"I can't believe you're doing this stuff!" Chandler raised his voice slightly and waved the tin in the air.
"Oh come on, its not that big of a deal!"
"Not much of a big deal!!" Chandler shouted, "how stupid can you get!?"
"Chandler, keep your voice down…" Monica told him, "the kids are only in the other room!"
"You're having a go at me?" He spun around to face her, "He's had this in our house! What if one of the others found it?! What if Amy thought it was sweets!?"
Monica started to cry, silently when he saw his tear filled eyes. She'd only see that look once before and that was when they were waiting for news on Joey that night in the hospital. He reached out and squeezed her hand, giving her a silent apologize for snapping at her.
"I'm not stupid!" Daniel cut in, "I hide to well!"
"Well, not that well, considering I found it at the bottom of the stairs!" Chandler turned back to him, "and anyone doing this kinda of stuff, is stupid!"
"Even you?" His son responded.
"What?"
"Nan, told me about your drug problem…" Daniel told him, "said you had one for 3 years, up till the age of 16...so what, you started when you were 13??"
"That has nothing to do with this!!" Chandler yelled. He couldn't believe his mother had told his son about that and he couldn't believe he was using it against him.
"Course it does! You're a hypocrite!"
There was silence, as his words, struck Chandler, right in his heart.
No one else, knew what to say. They just watched Father and Son, shout at each other, they were too in shock to do anything.
"You're right," Chandler said, slowly, much to the surprise of his son, "I was stupid but I know what drug can do, I've seen what happens!"
"It's not that big a deal…" Daniel said quietly, "Its only a bit of weed."
"That's how it starts, then next it will be something stronger, then something ever stronger…and it will go on until you're dead!"
"You're being dramatic…" His son told him, "loads of kids do it!"
"Oh so if loads of kids jump of a bridge, would you?" He asked sarcastically.
"Why are you being like this?" Dan asked, "I thought we were Friends!"
"I'm not your friend, Daniel! I'm your father!" Chandler glared at him. "And I will not allow you to do this stuff in my house!"
"Maybe I shouldn't be in your house then!!" He shouted.
"Okay, think everyone should calm down…" Ross attempted to cut in, "before someone does something they will regret."
"I don't care!" Dan yelled, "I'm just doing what most teenagers do, even he did it but yet, he still has ago at me…"
"Yeah, I did it! It was one of the most stupidest thing I done in my life!" Chandler informed him, "and I will not let you do what I did…I will not let you die too!!"
Chandler walked and leant over the table, trying to calm down and also to shield his face so no one saw the tears. He felt some put a hand on his shoulder but he didn't want to look up to see who it was… he knew all of them would also be in tears or close to them and he couldn't handle seeing them like that.
"What do you mean, 'too'?" Daniel asked.
There was no reply.
"Something happened and long time ago…" Ross started but then saw Rachel shaking her head, telling him not to say anything.
"What did?" He frowned. There was silence again and he got annoyed about being kept in the dark. "Fine! I'm out of here!"
"Daniel!!" Monica called after him as he walked out but he paid no attention.
"Get back here!" Chandler said, walking after him and caught him in the hall by the front door. "Don't you dare walk out that door!"
"I'll see ya later!" He muttered before slamming the door.
Chandler stood there for a moment, trying to work out what to do. He sighed and head back to the others.
"Daddy?" Hayley asked, as he walked through the sitting room. "What's going on?"
"Nothing for you to worry about.." He told her and tried to smile before leaving the room.
"Has he gone?" Monica asked.
"Yep." Chandler rubbed his eyes. "I'm sorry, I reacted like that."
"Forget it, I would have done the same thing if it was Adam." Ross told him.
"I should have handle it better." Chandler sat down in defeat and then reached out for Monica, "I'm so sorry, I snapped at you too."
"No, you were right." She told him. "How long have you known?"
"Found out last night."
"Why didn't you say anything?"
"I didn't want to worry you…" Chandler sighed, "I thought I could deal with it on my own….guess I stuffed up again."
"Hey, you ever stuffed up!" Phoebe told him.
"Yeah, I did… just like I did with Joey."
"No, Chandler…don't do this again…" Rachel warned. It had taken them years to convince him that what happened to Joey wasn't his fault.
"He hates me."
"He'll come round." Ross predicted, "he's a teenager."
"Yeah…" Chandler agreed and then stood up, "I think I need to go for a walk…clear my head."
"You want me to come?" Monica asked.
"No, you stay here…" He hugged her, "I need to be on my own for a bit."
"Okay, if you're sure…"
"Yeah, thanks…" He nodded and head out the room but then turned when he reached the door, "I love you."
"I love you, too.."
Daniel stood outside, running a hand through his hair, a trait he inherited from his Dad. He knew his father was right, he knew he was in the wrong and he couldn't believe the way he reacted, he should have just done what his Dad said.
He hide behind a tree when he heard the door open, he watched his Dad walk out and then down the road.
He wonder where he was going, maybe he was going to search for him. He decided to following, to see where he went.
Chandler sat in front of the headstone for the second time that day. He hadn't told anyone but he had came there earlier when he was walking Kaydan, trying to get her to sleep and somehow he ended up there. He sat there with the baby, in his lap, telling her funny stories about what he and Joey got up. Like when they got the chick and duck, when they got the Barcalounger and foosball table. How they used to be best buds.
Now he was sat alone, in the dark with tears streaming down his face. He had no idea what to do.
"Dad?"
He looked up sharply to see Daniel stood there.
"What you doing here?" He asked, trying to wipe away the tears.
"I follow you…Are you okay?"
"I'm fine…" He told his son, there was an awkward silence and Daniel stood sifting from foot to foot, something else he got from his father.
"You gonna sit down or just stand there."
Daniel slowly sat down and looked at the grave stone.
"Who's Joey?" He asked.
"A friend…" Chandler explained. "A really good friend…He was my old roommate…"
"How did he die?"
"Overdose…" Chandler told him, not taking his eyes of the gravestone, "a drugs overdose…"
"Oh…"
"Yeah, so now you know why I reacted like that…" He said, "because I've seen what drugs do, I don't want to be sit in front of your grave talking to you about the latest things that have happened to me and my family."
"You…come here a lot?"
"He was like a brother to me…" Chandler told him, he glance at him before looking away again, "Guess you know where you get your name from now…"
"I've always wondered…." Daniel smiled slightly before it faded, "I'm sorry."
"What for?"
"Everything…for Joey…for the drugs… for shouting at you…"
"Are you really sorry or are you just sorry you got caught?"
"I'm really sorry…"
"Okay…." Chandler said, simply.
"Please talk to me, Dad." Daniel was so scared that he had wracked the amazing relationship he had with his father.
"Why don't you go home…" Chandler suggested, "we'll talk later."
"Please, Dad…" He attempted again.
"Go home Daniel…go check on your Mom…she'll be worried sick."
He nodded slightly and stood up, he's dad rarely called him Daniel…only when he was in trouble, normally it would be Dan or Danny when he was teasing him. He hated it when he called him Daniel.
"Okay..I'm sorry.."
"We'll talk later…"
When he's son had left, he rubbed his eyes, trying to stopped more tears from flowing.
"So, that's my son…." Chandler spoke to Joey and then sighed, letting go of his emotions, "What am I going to do, Joe?"
2 hours later, he arrived home and found Ross, Rachel and Monica sat in the kitchen.
"Hey.."
"Hey, you okay?" Monica asked, immediately hugging him.
"Yeah, I'm okay…" He smiled sadly at her, "did Dan come on?"
"Yeah, he's gone to bed…"
"He said he found you at the graveyard…" Rachel said, "and you told him about Joey."
"Yeah…" He nodded, "I think he's really sorry about what happened."
"So do I…" Monica agreed.
Silence took over as they all were deep in thoughts.
"I'm going to say goodnight to the kids…" Chandler said.
He found Amy, Tom and Matt fast asleep. He kissed them all and told them he loved them before moving into the twin room. They both were sat up, talking.
"Hey, shouldn't you be asleep?" He asked them, sitting on Becky's bed.
"We couldn't…"
"How come?"
"We were worried about you…" Hayley told him.
"I'm fine." He smiled, "Don't worry about me."
"Is..is Daniel alright?" Becky asked.
"Yeah, he will be…" He assured them, "now, get to sleep."
"Okay, night, Dad.."
"Good night.." He kissed them both.
"Love you dad…" Hayley yawned, just as he turned off the light.
"Love you, dad…" Becky said as well.
"I love you both too." He smiled and walked out.
He stopped outside Daniel's room, he knocked lightly before entering. His son, spun around to face him.
"Hi…" He said, shyly.
"Hey…" Chandler sat down on his bed. "How you feeling?"
"I'm okay…" Daniel was surprised at his father's change of attitude. "I'm really am sorry."
"I know you are…"
"I didn't mean to hurt you or disappoint you… you're the best dad ever, I don't want to lose you!" Tears spilled down his face.
"Hey, you're not going to lose me!" Chandler pulled him into a hug, letting him cry for a few minute. "You are never going to lose me! You're my son, I love you!"
"I love you too!" Dan told him, brushing away the tears.
"Promise that you'll stop doing this…" Chandler said.
"I promise…I swear I'll never touch it again… I was so stupid."
"You weren't stupid…." Chandler told him, "just a bit dumb."
Daniel let a out a small laugh.
"What you said earlier about one of the others finding it…." Daniel started, "I would never let anything happen to them, I wouldn't do anything to put them in danger."
"I know you wouldn't, on purpose…" Chandler told him, "but you do stuff like this and you're putting everyone in danger, mostly yourself. I don't know what I would do if I something happened to you."Daniel looked down, ashamed. "Will you tell me about Joey?"
"Yeah…" Chandler nodded, "but not tonight, its late…go to sleep."
"Okay.."
"Dan?"
"Yeah?"
"It's going to be okay…we're going to get through this…I'm not going to let anything happen to you."
"Thanks Dad." He hugged him again, "I love you."
"I love you too…" Chandler watched him as he got into bed and lead down. He then did something he hadn't done since Daniel was about 12. He brushed back the hair on his forehead and kissed him. "Sweet dreams."
Please review! Let me know if I should do more chapters and any ideas would be welcome.