Wow, ok. This one goes out to anhonestmoose. Because you seem to like this story so much that you review one chapter three times. ;-) And hey, good work with the Chandler driving thing. Oh, and let me assure you that I write the chapters as fast as I can. And you have to agree that I've gotten better. In the beginning I just updated once every few months.

DISCLAIMER: The characters are not mine.

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Chandler couldn't believe his luck. Millions of people living in New York City and who had to fall to his feet, literally? The one person he thought he would never see again. Well, definitely one of the people he never wanted to see again.

He was shocked by the sudden reappearance of Rachel in his life. But he was more than glad that she wasn't hurt. And these mixed feelings were confusing him. Because his relief went deeper than the relief he would feel for a stranger. Did that mean he still cared about Rachel? After all the time he had tried to tell himself that he didn't need friends, neither his old friends nor any new ones.

Chandler didn't know how to process all his thoughts and feelings. So he just stood rooted to his spot beside the car, staring at the scene unfolding in front of him. His eyes followed every move Rachel made but out of the corner of his eye he saw the cab driver turning around to him. And then Rachel's look fell on Chandler and he heard her gasp and utter his name.

The cabbie, still steadying Rachel and holding her arm, changed his view from Rachel to Chandler and back.

"Do you two know each other?" He asked, like so often amazed about how small New York City really was. As a taxi driver he had seen the weirdest things. And he didn't believe in coincidences. But he believed in fate and he got the feeling that this meeting was important for these people.

"Yeah." Rachel whispered looking into Chandler's eyes. Chandler still couldn't find any words.

"Well, then it shouldn't be a problem to bring her to the hospital before I take you to your destination." The driver said to Chandler, pulling him out of his trance.

"Oh, no. No." Chandler replied quickly. "You can take her to the hospital. I…I'll…just take another cab." Chandler felt a pang of guilt when he saw Rachel's pleading face. But then he remembered who she was and what she had done and he broke the eye contact to look at his hands. "I'm sorry, Rachel. But I just…I can't." Chandler lifted his gaze back to Rachel's face.

"It's ok Chandler. I totally understand that…" But again an almost unbearable pain prevented her from ending the sentence. She doubled over and swayed on her legs. If it wasn't for the man holding her arm she would've fallen down again. And she wanted nothing more then to lie down and curl into a fetal position. "Something…isn't…right…" Rachel managed to get out through clenched teeth.

The cab driver was now fully alert and began to move Rachel toward the vehicle.

"Listen, Mister. I don't know what kind of problem you have with this woman. But I think it's necessary that you join her in the back seat because I have to drive. And I have the feeling that this aren't just normal labor pains." He added, casting a concerned glance at Rachel, who had paled to a scary white and was wobbling on her unsteady legs. When Chandler saw her swaying like that he acted almost as if on autopilot. Without a second thought he jumped forward and took Rachel's other arm. "You made the right decision." The cabbie nodded, relieved that he wouldn't have to take the woman to the hospital all by himself.

The two men guided Rachel to the car and helped her into the back. She was shaking now and in a cold sweat. She grabbed Chandler's hand as soon as he slid in beside her.

"Please don't let anything happen to my baby." Rachel pleaded with tears streaming down her cheeks. She clung at Chandler's sleeve, forcing him to look at her. "Please, Chandler, promise me you won't let anything happen to her." She begged before another wave of pain had her screaming.

"Shhh, don't talk, Rachel. It's all going to be alright." Chandler tried to reassure her. He exchanged a worried glance through the rear view mirror with the driver. He knew that women in labor had to endure horrible pain but somehow he had a sinking suspicion that things weren't as they were supposed to be and he prayed that they would reach the hospital soon.

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Still no Monica and Chandler in this chapter. That's your cliffhanger-punishment, Vikki. ;-)

Now that you made it this far please leave a review. Thanks. :-)