Midway through their celebrations for Emma's first birthday. Rachel gazed over at Ross who was chatting to Joey; she wanted to get his attention so they could begin to tell the gang about their news. 'Guys..' Ross announced, almost reading Rachel's mind telling him to bring up the exciting news that the couple were desperately want to share. 'Me and Rachel have something to tell you all…' he began. Rachel budged her chair next to Ross',' Its pretty exciting…' she smiled. Joey and Phoebe were staring at the pair, desperately hoping on news of a wedding, the two of them had often got together to talk about Ross and Rachel's relationship and they both agreed it would be a crime for them not to wed. 'Are you getting married?' phoebe interrupted, slightly giddy with excitement.

Rachel laughed, 'I'm afraid not, but your close..' she hinted. Monica and Chandler were eagerly waiting also, they had also wanted the best for Ross and Rachel, one thing that Monica loved was that even though she had the pain of not having children yet, Ross had always supplied her with niece's and nephews. 'C'mon Rach…' Monica said impatiently. 'Yes hurry otherwise Emma will soon be two years old…' Chandler joked.

Ross began to speak and put them all out of their misery. 'We're going to have another baby…' he told them. He looked beside him at Rachel who was already gazing up at him. 'Well?' they asked the guys who hadn't yet said a thing.

'Its Brilliant…' Phoebe said first. 'A sister or brother for Emma, Great' Monica added. Rachel and Ross were slightly taken back by the sudden mood change within the room. 'Guys? What's wrong?' Ross asked, now slightly concerned. Rachel was now feeling confused, why weren't her friends congratulating them on their exciting news?

'We are happy for you both, it's just that we were kind of expecting a different kind of news.' Joey told them, 'were so excited that your going to have a baby but guys…. tell me this…why the hell aren't you getting married yet?' Joey asked them.

Ross shrugged. 'Its something that we haven't discussed yet since we got back together.' He took hold of Rachel's hand; 'We probably will get married somewhere down the line…' he reassured them.

'I don't understand, you guys would prefer us to get married than having a baby together?' Rachel asked them. 'We mightn't be married yet, and both children might have been unplanned but guys…just because you think marriage would make everything perfect, your wrong…' she said sharply.

She got up from her chair, 'I'm going to check on Emma.' she announced before rushing off into the guest room.

'What did we do wrong? Honestly Ross, we didn't meant to…'

Ross cut Monica off, 'don't worry, Its just a sensitive subject, Rachel was just excited about telling you about the pregnancy, so was I…'

'But we didn't mean to take away the excitement…' Phoebe explained.

'No. I know that…it's just that we expected you to be more. Well excited, and believe me, an engagement would be a dream for me…but its not the time yet, you understand right?'

'You don't have to explain Ross, we just thought it would be an engagement announcement that's all, but we really are happy for you guys…' Joey told him. 'Now go and bring Rachel back here with Emma, we'll continue the celebrations..' Joey said, desperate to bring back the party atmosphere.

Ross followed Rachel into the guest room where he found her talking to their daughter, the rest of the gang remained in silence wishing they hadn't caused such a fuss.

Rachel was sat at the end of the bed with her daughter sat on her lap, she was busy explaining to Emma that herself and Ross despite not being married still loved her more than the world and the new baby on the way wasn't going to change a thing about the way they felt about their first born. 'Rach…' Ross said to her, politely interrupting her with her conversation with Emma. 'I think you need to not take what the guys said too seriously, so what if we're not married or engaged…we have the most beautiful daughter and another baby on the way…'.

He now sat on the bed next to Rachel; Emma began to reach out to him for attention. He let her take hold of his finger so she had something to keep her occupied. 'That's the thing Ross, we have everything else, maybe we should be married, we should have done this a long time ago..' she told him looking slightly frustrated and angry with herself.

'We can't change the past Rach, and its not as though marriage is off the table is it?' he asked her. He now put her hand over hers, rubbing it affectionately. 'We love each other whether we're married or not and just because we're having another baby doesn't mean we have to get married straightaway….' He explained, 'nobody is putting pressure on us, it's just the way you think should be…'

'But they should be that way.' she quickly cut in, 'I love you…I want to marry you' she told him outright.

Ross looked behind her eyes, she was being totally honest.

'You do?'

She nodded. 'I do…'

Ross couldn't help but smile, 'I never thought you would say that to me…. all my life I've waited for you to say that' he admitted.

She began to laugh. 'I've always thought marriage wasn't for me and I've seen so many people get married and get divorced straight away..'

'Is that comment aimed at me?' Ross joked.

Rachel rested her head on his chest, 'Course not darling…' she reassured him, 'but you have to admit…marriage hasn't exactly been good in our past has it?' she asked him.

Ross hated thinking of the past, 2 failed marriages and a drunken marriage at Vegas. He couldn't help but laugh, 'I know what you mean, but somehow no matter how much I ended up doubting marriage, I figured with you, it would somehow be different…'

She smiled up at him, 'till recently, ive never thought of marriage with anybody, even you…but it has been on my mind and because the guys brought it up. I got sensitive and a bit upset.' she told him. 'But I do want to one day…' she told him.

Emma was busy sucking Ross's finger, she was at the stage of teething and Ross and Rachel both thought it was an adorable stage, 'do you think Emma is aware of us not being a…well a proper mum and dad'

'Rach, we are a proper mum and dad…we live together and Emma has never really been apart from either of us at all in this past year…she is too young at the moment anyway to realise what's going on around her…but look at her' he pointed out, Emma looked up at her proud parents. She had to be the most beautiful child on the earth; she was their little girl. 'She's a very happy child Rachel…' Ross told her, 'She knows that we love her and she will always be reminded of that.'

Rachel squeezed her daughter in her arms gently as Ross kissed her head, 'we're a family whether we're married or not, but now that I know you are thinking of marriage, I will start to think about it again. I was only waiting for you Rach'.

'You've waited forever…' she realised, 'I'm sorry…'

Ross shook his head, 'I would wait longer if I had to…'

The two of them kissed, Emma still not letting go of her father's finger. There was silence for a few seconds before Ross and Rachel noticed Emma babbling,'Mammmm'.

Rachel smiled, 'She's trying to say mummy'.

They continued to look at their daughter as she struggled with her words, 'Mam and Daddaaa!' Emma squealed with delight.

It was her first words and neither of them could have wished for a more perfect moment nor a more perfect choice of words, She knew who mummy and daddy was, and she knew they were very much in love with one another and their growing family.

'

'