This is probably the second last chapter of this fic. I can't think of a reasonably realistic way to continue it. Any suggestions are welcome but I almost certainly won't take up any that involve sudden convenient deaths.

The Lie of the Land

Ross and Rachel were visiting England to see if anything could be done. There had already been negotiations with Emily and David - if they could be called negotiations at all. Emily and David had a silent number, and the only letters that were answered were answered by lawyers making it clear that they would have to fight every step of the way.

The first thing they had done was to get English lawyer of their own to find out what their rights were. They were told that they would have to spend a lot to get very little.

'And is this in their best interests?' the lawyer, Miss Carson asked them.

'But of course it is,' Ross said.

'Even if they know you exist, at the age these children are at, it could be confusing for them,' Miss Carson said.

'It's not Ross's fault if they get confused,' Rachel said. 'If she hadn't kept them a secret all this time, Ross could have stayed involved.'

'You can't just turn back the clock,' Miss Carson said. 'These are real living five year old girls who already have a father. They may not be able to deal with a second one, especially if they perceive that their mother and the man they know as their father are resistant to you.' There was no question that they wouldn't be resistant, Rachel realised. 'Of course in a few years time, when they start asking questions about who their father is, they'll be better able to manage.'

'Who says Emily's going to tell them about me if they ask her questions?' Ross said. 'Can we make her tell them?' Miss Carson shook her head.

'She's told them you exist, hasn't she?'

'So she says'

'Then they'll probably ask questions one day. She's likely to tell them about you if they ask questions.'

'If her husband lets her,' Ross said. Rachel just didn't believe in the husband. Wouldn't Emily just order him around?

'Children demand to know these things, if she deceives them, they'll call her on it one day. If she's sensible, she'll tell.' Ross and Rachel looked at each other. How would they know if Emily was going to be sensible? How could Emily have all this power?

Ross and Rachel had found out where Emily lived and they watched the house. It seemed a nice enough house in the suburbs for children to grow up in. Ross wondered whether the girls dug in the front or the back garden. He had walked up to the front yard once and had seen a small excavation site in one corner. Just like Emily had said. He suddenly felt very sad. He remembered the early excitement and anticipation of his childhood, hoping that something would turn up. He stared at the patch in the garden, wondering if they'd found anything.

'We're too obvious here,' Rachel said. 'Why don't we take the car into the next street?'

'But we won't see anything,' Ross said puzzled. Rachel pointed at the map that she'd been studying.

'They'll be going to school soon. The local school is this way. So the girls will be walking along this street - you can see them without Emily or David knowing you're watching.'

'Okay,' Ross said. He had thought that waiting outside would be the best option but he could see that Rachel had a point.

They moved the car that they had hired and parked it. About half an hour later, they saw the girls running ahead of David along the footpath - the same side that they were on, which was not what they had expected from looking at the map. Ross and Rachel took a breath in. Neither had seen the girls before in real life and they were struck at the sight of them.

The girls had passed the car and had come to a stop right in front of them and Ross and Rachel realised why they had been walking on this side of the street. Sitting on the wall, looking as though it owned the street and that every passer by was subject to approval was a large ginger cat.

'Mr Marmalade!' said one of the girls as she petted the cat.

'Dear Mr Marmalade,' said the other. The cat took all this as its due.

'How do you know it's a boy?' David asked, stopping while they fussed the cat. His voice was harder to make out as his back was turned to Ross and Rachel.

'Oh Daddy,' one of the girls said, 'Don't you know all orange cats are boys?'

'Everyone knows that,' said the other pityingly. And then,

'May we get a cat?'

'Please?'

'We'd love a cat.'

'We'd really love a cat.'

'Jamie would love a cat too.' That was something they could get, Rachel thought quickly. Somehow they could get a cat for the New York apartment, an orange one. That would be something for them to look forward to when they came. Getting a word in edgeways the man said, or at least they thought he said,

'No we can't have a cat yet, we've got to have the new baby first.' The owner of the cat, an old lady opened the front door and looked at them. The twins looked at each other and then at David,

'But Daddy, we need a cat.'

'We really need a cat,' the other said earnestly. The old lady put her hand to her mouth to stifle a laugh and David said,

'Come on, you'll be late for school.' It sounded like he was trying not to laugh. 'These two,' he said to the old lady, 'Are in love with your cat.' The twins turned to their feline friend.

'Goodbye Mr Marmalade, we love you.'

'We love you lots.'

'See you tomorrow.' They were walking away now. Rachel watched them go. Then she noticed Ross who had his head in his hands silently crying.