Thanks for feedback so far. I have been reading it even though this is the first comment back I've made about it. I want to make this drama not melodrama so everyone has to have a plausible reason for doing what they do. Also the series is over and I take this to mean that if everyone's lives continued it would all be a lot more real' and not as simple as it appears on TV. I don't know how real' you will find this but we'll see. It will not be a Days of Our Lives type drama.

Part 5 Emily's Secret

Monica staggered back into the café and almost fell into her seat. She could hardly believe what she had just seen. Her heart was racing. The images of the girls flashed across her mind. They had been there alright. She should have chased after Emily, confronted her, made her explain how she could possibly

Emily had been hoodwinking them all along, drinking tea, pretending she was telling everything yet all along hiding that. Monica would have pursued her to let her know that she knew now, and that she couldn't get away with hiding it any more, but the way that man had looked at her had stopped her dead in her tracks. It was as though he knew exactly what she wanted and he'd do anything to stop her getting it. She felt foolish now for letting him intimidate her. But EmilyWhat's wrong? What did you see?' Phoebe asked, recalling her to her surroundings. Miss, please bring some chamomile tea,' she ordered when Monica didn't speak straight away. The waitress, who had been standing close by, disappeared behind the counter.

I'm alright Phoebe,' Monica said. I've just had a shock.'

What is it?' Phoebe asked. What happened out there? I thought you were going to faint.' From Phoebe's point of view, she still wasn't certain that Monica wouldn't faint. Always slender, she looked so delicate and frail.

She's got children,' Monica said bleakly

We know that. That man was carrying one. And I think she's pregnant too,' Phoebe said. Did you see how she held her back a moment ago? That's a typical expectant mother pose, even though there's nothing much there to see yet. Apparently it's unconscious and you don't really realise that you're doing it.' She sighed. She was hoping that she would fall pregnant soon.

She's got two more,' Monica said flatly.

Three's a lot of children to have in five years, and number four on the way,' Phoebe said, surprised. She never struck me as an earth mother type although I suppose you can't tell what people would be like as mothers until they have children. I mean I never knew how it would hit me until I had the triplets and giving them away was so hard even though I knew I wasn't ever going to keep them and I know that that they're growing up just fine.' Phoebe knew that she was blathering on but she felt a strong urge to fill the silence between them. Monica was worrying her. The chamomile tea arrived and Phoebe smiled gratefully at the waitress for being so quick, such a change from the place they'd waited at before. She would definitely be leaving a tip. Maybe the tea would help, Phoebe thought anxiously. Monica was very agitated. Here Mon,' she said, pushing the tea towards her, Have some.' Monica took at sip and put the cup down, but her shaking hand made the tea to slop over the sides.

It helps if two of those four children are twins!' Monica laughed mirthlessly.

Oh yes,' Phoebe the multiple birth veteran said, So she's got twins. You've got twins.'

Pheebes, they have black hair,' Monica said. Phoebe frowned.

But she's – he's – ' Exactly. She was brown, he was blond.

They look just like I did when I was five,' Monica said. They are Ross's children. That's what she didn't want us to see.' Phoebe stared. She tried to shoo that man away before he could come into the café with those children. He did walk away, but I saw them outside. Ross's children Phoebe.' Monica felt like crying. Ross's children, and he didn't even know.

She's hiding them from us?' Phoebe asked, amazed.

It looks that way.'

But,' Phoebe said, They're Ross's children.'

Well she obviously hates him – she practically said so. She doesn't want him to know they exist,' Monica said.

But she would have – I mean she could have got alimony or child support or something if she'd told him,' Phoebe said.

She obviously didn't need it. That blond guy must be paying.' "he's done everything for me" came back to her. Emily had said that her husband knew everything. He'd have to, the girls looked so different. And one of the things he'd done for Emily was to raise those girls as his own. Her impression of him was brief and she wondered whether he did that grudgingly or wholeheartedly.

Why would she bring them to New York if she didn't want anyone to find out?' Phoebe asked. Monica could understand that.

She wouldn't have wanted to leave them behind if she had to come here,' she said. There was no way Monica would leave the twins anywhere if she had to go out of town. She had a hard enough time going out with Chandler and leaving them with the nanny. Phoebe nodded. Maybe she wanted her aunt to see them before she dies.' Some relatives got to share, others were kept in the dark, Monica thought bitterly. She was their aunt, she had more rights than Emily's aunt, who was only a great aunt by marriage to those little girls. Phoebe was shaking her head slowly.

But to keep it a secret? How could she? Ross has a right to know.;'

Revenge,' Monica said.

There's no point in revenge if he doesn't know about it,' Phoebe said. If it was revenge, she'd have told him and then said he was never going to see them.' But Monica didn't care about Emily's motives. Phoebe had raised the next problem. What are we going to do?' Phoebe asked.

I don't know, this is terrible,' Monica said, This will ruin things with Ross and Rachel, but I can't keep it a secret that he's got two more children. He's got a right to know.'

It might not ruin things with them. They're definitely together and Emily's in the past,' Phoebe said. Rachel had to make her choice in the end and she made it, she's not going to unmake it now.'

But if Emily's got two of his children he's going to have to deal with her if he wants to see them. He'll be stuck with Emily for the rest of his life. And Rachel is not going to be happy no matter what. Emily's the only one of his other girlfriends he actually married even if it was a complete disaster,' Monica said.

Rachel know Ross loves her,' Phoebe said. "She's not going to be worried about Emily, that was years ago.' Monica wasn't so sure. Her friend hadn't been so sensible in the past.