A/N: Chapter Five is a little shorter than the others, but lots of stuff happens! Chapter Six is the last one, I think. I just want to take the time to thank all of you who have stuck with me this whole time and reviewed. I hope this is the first of many stories I write! :) I hope you enjoy this chapter! Happy Holidays! :)
Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with Bright, Kauffman, or Crane. This little idea for the story is mine though! :)
Chapter Five: Surprises, Surprises
Wind blew, marking its presence on the streets of Manhattan. The biting cold tore through the crowds. It was March, the month of wind, rain, and everything that came in between.
Rachel pulled her coat closer to her body as she briskly walked down the streets. The ravaging gusts ripped through her hair as she began to pick up her pace.
It had been three weeks to the day since she was released from the hospital, and since then she had done everything in her power to contact Ross. She had found out where he worked, made phone calls to his job, only to discover that he no longer worked there. She had looked up his address in the post office phone book, and found out that he had moved. She was running in circles, never quite reaching her destination. It was at that point that she just decided to stop trying. It seemed like all hope was gone; she was at the back of the tunnel where no light was visible, and he was out of sight. 'I guess Ross will never know that he has a baby,' she thought sadly.
Amidst the biting cold, she reached down to feel her growing belly. It was definitely getting larger. To some, it may go unnoticed, but to those who knew her well, they could tell that she possessed a newfound luminescent glow and a slightly more positive outlook on life.
Knowing that she not only had to protect her own life, but provide everything for the life of another left her with a strange feeling of power, and a surge of happiness. The only factor in this that didn't add up perfectly was the fact that her child was fatherless.
She let out a small sigh and glanced across the street in order to see a man that looked exactly like Ross pass by. 'Great, now I'm seeing things.'
That hadn't been the first time she'd seen something like this. Everywhere she went, Ross's presence seemed to be there. She would see a man with his jacket, her waiter at a restaurant would have the same name as him, going to work she would have to serve coffee to scientists studying their work while they sipped coffee. No matter where she was, she always saw something that reminded her of him. 'And now apparently, I've stepped up a level and I'm just seeing him now! I should probably go to the doctor and get this checked out. Hallucinating can't be a good sign.'
Yet a part of her heart held a tiny sliver of hope in that one of these times, her hallucination would be more than what it was. If only she would consider the fact that she wasn't hallucinating. If only she knew that what she saw was indeed what was there.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ross grimaced and picked up his pace. It was bitterly cold outside. 'Manhattan sure is busy,' he thought. 'Not to mention cold.'
After three long weeks on the road, his destination had been reached. There was only a slight problem in the mix. Now that he was here, he had no idea how to find her. He laughed to himself. 'If I was the most gorgeous, loving woman in the world, where would I be?'
It was then that he saw her. He could hardly believe his eyes, yet he knew in his heart that there could be no other explanation. There she was. Rachel Green. Just walking down the street, less than a hundred feet away from him. Not believing his luck, he broke into a sprint, and, barely dodging oncoming traffic, ran across the street to her.
With a look of disgust on her face, Rachel noticed the man running across the street in the middle of traffic. 'What an idiot. He must want to die.' Her mood immediately changed as she saw him coming straight towards her. 'Oh my God! I'm going to be mugged!' She started running, which had become a difficult task for her as of late.
As he reached the sidewalk, he began to notice that she was running from him. Quickly he realized why. 'She must think I'm some psycho who's chasing after her!' In his loudest voice possible, he called out to her. "Rachel! Rachel, wait!"
She stopped dead in her tracks. That voice had an all too familiar ring to it. She slowly began to realize what had happened. The illusion she had witnessed not thirty seconds ago was not merely an illusion. This time, what she had seen before her eyes was real. It was wonderful, magically, blissfully, real.
Slowly, she pivoted on her heel. At this point, he was right in front of her. He was panting, his brown hair windblown, and his face a deep shade of red. Yet, his face held an emotion that was unmistakable. A smile the length of the ocean spread across his face as he engulfed her into a hug.
A tear fell from her eye as she realized that she had, by some twist of fate, found exactly what she had been looking for.
He pulled her away from him and studied her. Blond hair framed her tear-stained face, and her blue eyes were wet. "Hey, hey. Why are you crying?" he asked her in a gentle voice.
She sniffed and shook her head. "I never thought I'd see you again. I just can't believe that you're-you're actually right here. Standing in front of me." She looked up into his deep brown eyes. "Those two days we spent together were the best days of my life. What I had with you, I never had with anyone else. I felt so bad when I left that morning. Yet, I couldn't go back. I tried looking for you afterwards, but everywhere I called, I kept going in circles. I just can't believe you're here right now!"
He stroked her hair. "I know. They fired me from my job. I had nowhere to go. Something told me to come to New York. And whatever it was, I listened to it."
She smiled. "I'm glad you did." Wind swirled, and he pulled her into a passionate kiss, lifting her off the ground and spinning around. He buried his face in his hair, never wanting this moment to end. Cupping his face in her hands, she kissed him with all her might.
People that passed by smiled at them, remembering what it was like to be young and in love. All else going on in the world didn't matter to them. In that moment, the noise of traffic, gusts of wind, and crowds of people all around them were little more than a buzz in the back of their heads.
All that mattered was that moment, in which two lovers were reunited in the least likely of places. And this time, they hoped, it would be for good.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ring, Ring
"Coming!"
Ring, Ring
"I'm coming!"
Ring, Ring
Out of breath from running, Phoebe answered the phone. "Hello?"
"Phoebe, it's Rachel," came the excited voice on the phone, barely audible over the noise in the background.
"Rach, where are you,? Everything is so loud!"
Rachel plugged one ear and started yelling into the phone. "I'm at a basketball game!"
Phoebe's jaw dropped. "You? Are at a basketball game? Oh my God, is there some kind of fashion show going on with the players?"
Rachel laughed. "No, but you're never in a million years going to believe who I'm here with!"
Phoebe's mind raced. "Um...Michael Jackson?"
"Ew, no! Where did you get that idea?"
"I don't know, you said I'd never believe it. And I don't believe that you'd be there with him so..."
Rachel shook her head. "Pheebs, you are weird sometimes..."
Phoebe grinned. "Now don't say that like its a bad thing! Weird is good. Now, who are you there with?"
Rachel smiled from ear to ear. "Well, lets just say that now, maybe my child won't have to be fatherless."
"Oh my God! You're there with...with HIM?! The father? The man that you've been so secretive about that we don't even know his name?"
"Yes! You know how I looked everywhere, and just when I had given up, I see him walking across the street!"
"See! I told you he was your lobster!"
"I know! And so he had tickets to tonight's game and offered to take me. I couldn't exactly tell him that I hated basketball. Heck, if he offered to take me to the bottom of the ocean, I'd probably follow him. He just went to get me a soda. He'll be back any second."
"Wow...So, did you tell him about the baby?"
The crowds cheered wildly, making it harder for Rachel to hear.
"What?" she practically screamed.
"Did you tell him about the baby?!" Phoebe screamed back.
"Did I say I loved him maybe?"
"Did you tell him about the BABY?!"
"Oh, no, not yet. I was going to tell him later. He has no idea about the baby. This is the first time I've seen the guy in like three months. At this point, he's not going to care who's pregnant."
"Yeah, I guess so. Hey, why don't you bring him over to Mon's for dinner tonight? I bet she'd be thrilled. You know how it's been driving her crazy how she doesn't know who the father is."
"Yeah, I'll see if he wants to go. Listen, Pheebs, I gotta go. He should be back any second now. See you tonight."
"Okay, bye."
"Bye."
She turned around in her chair and gasped. Ross was sitting in the seat next to her, like he had been there for a while. 'Oh my God! Did he hear me say anything about the baby?'
His feelings could not be deciphered from his outward appearance. From the look on his face, one could tell that he was very much into the game. Rachel decided to see how much he had heard. "So, are you enjoying the game?"
He turned over towards her. "Yeah! It's great!" he replied almost overenthusiastically. "Who were you talking to?"
She sighed. This was it. "My friend and roommate, Phoebe. We were wondering if you'd like to have dinner with us tonight?"
He smiled. "Sure! I'd love to. Who else will be there?"
"Well, Me, Phoebe, and our friends Joey, Chandler, and Monica. That's it. You'll love them, I promise."
"Sounds fine to me. Say, I have a question."
She gulped. "Yeah?"
"Do any of them have kids?"
"Uh...no..." She could tell he overheard parts of her conversation. Her mind was racing quickly, searching for an excuse. "But...but Monica is pregnant. Yeah, that's it! Only a couple of months, but she is! We're all really excited for her." She felt bad lying about Monica, but she knew Monica wouldn't mind. She was too loyal of a friend to mind. When a friend was in need, Monica was always there and ready to help. Even if that meant she was part of a white lie at the moment. Besides, its not like Monica and Ross would become close friends right away. He would never know the difference. It wouldn't matter in the least bit.
Ross grinned at her. "Okay, then. I guess that solves that. What time are we going to dinner?"
Rachel glanced at her watch. "At eight. We should leave here in a couple of hours."
He smiled. Finally, he was back where he belonged. Yet something was different. He studied her as she pretended to be interested in the game. Her hair was still the same silky blond, her eyes the same shade of blue. Yet in the way she smiled, something was different. It was as if she held a precious secret that she withheld from everyone but herself. Ross couldn't exactly pinpoint what was different, but he knew that in time he would find out. He reached for her hand and smiled at her. In time, all questions would be answered.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
"Chandler, feet off the couch! Joey, stop eating the appetizers! And Phoebe, can I get a little help in here!?" an exasperated Monica exclaimed.
It was ten till eight, and Monica was overly excited at the prospect of meeting the father of Rachel's baby. She had done everything to get the information out of her, but Rachel would not succumb to her pestering. It was a secret, her secret. But that secret was about to become common knowledge in about ten minutes. And Monica wanted everything to be perfect.
Unfortunately for her, the others didn't think of this meeting as a big deal, which was exactly what Monica saw it as. 'No one keeps a secret from Monica Geller!' She smiled as she accidentally used her maiden name. 'Well, that's a name I haven't heard in a long time. Geller. It did have a nice ring to it.' She continued setting the table. 'I wonder if Rachel is going to stay with this guy. If he's not good to her, I'll kick his ass. No man is too tough for me!'
At that precise moment, there was a knock on the door.
Chandler jumped up from his position on the couch where he and Joey were watching 'Baywatch' and drinking beer.
Chandler ran to the door, followed closely by Joey and Phoebe. Monica stayed behind for a moment, making sure everything looked perfect. On top of that, it was good not to look eager in situations like this. She took a deep breath and prepared to meet Rachel's dream man.
On the other side of the door, Ross held Rachel's hand. He looked nervous for some reason. Rachel saw this and giggled. She gave his hand an extra squeeze for good luck. "Don't worry. They're all fairly normal, and they're going to love you. I promise."
He looked unsure of himself, and closed his eyes. "I guess."
That moment, the door was flung open. Ross opened his eyes and could hardly keep from laughing. The first thing he saw was a man with brown hair and dark eyes, a man with light hair and blue eyes, and a very pretty blond woman. They said nothing, and neither did he, yet it all seemed comical in a sense. They seemed to stare him up and down. Ross was beginning to look nervous. Rachel gave all of her friends the evil eye that seemed to say, 'He's not an animal at the zoo, for God sakes, talk to him!'
Phoebe finally broke the ice and stepped outside to the other side of the door. "Hi, I'm Phoebe. Nice to meet you."
Ross breathed a sigh of relief, as did Rachel. "I'm Ross. Nice to meet you, too."
Monica overheard the name of Rachel's mystery man. Ross. Funny how a name could bring back such painful memories. She figured she should step out and meet him. She cringed when she overheard Joey's greeting.
"So, you're the father! Nice to finally meet you! Joey Tribbiani. Actor." He grinned, while Ross's mouth dropped open in confusion.
Phoebe waved her hands about wildly to Joey while she was standing next to Ross. Joey, mistaking this as a wave instead of a gesture telling him to shut up, waved back. Chandler, realizing what was happening, grabbed Joey and yanked him into the other room. Phoebe bit her lip and looked at Rachel. 'I'm sorry,' she mouthed. Rachel buried her head in her hands.
Ross looked at Rachel. "Rach, what are they talking about, the father? I'm not a father. I don't have any kids. Unless..." Everything fell into place at that moment as he looked at her very closely. "Wow, I need to sit down..." He looked at the ground.
Rachel fought back her tears. "I'm so sorry, Ross."
Phoebe called out to Monica. "Mon, can we get some water over here?"
Monica, having overheard the whole conversation was already prepared. "I've already got some. Here and I also brought-"
Her words faded off into silence as she got her first glimpse at the father of Rachel's child. What she saw stopped her dead in her tracks. "Oh my God..."
Ross, hearing the familiar voice, looked up. Although he hadn't seen her in five years, nothing had changed. Her hair was still the same old brown, her eyes the same old blue. She looked much happier now, that was for sure. The face he saw was the face of the girl he grew up with, spent twenty years of his life with. Together, they chased off monsters in the dark, made up dance routines, snooped for presents at Christmastime, and hid in closets while their parents argued. He was the one person she could count on for over half of her life.
Monica's jaw hit the floor. "Ross?" she asked in a quiet voice, barely believing what she saw.
"Oh my God, Monica!"
Rachel looked up and wiped her eyes off. "You two know each other?"
Ross looked at her incredulously. "Yeah. She's my...She's my...She's my sister."
Rachel's eyes widened and her hand flew to her stomach. "Oh my God..."
Phoebe surveyed the scene with a little smile on her face. "Wow. I did NOT see this coming!"
TBC...
LOL...so you all probably DID see it coming, but oh well! :) I had fun writing this chapter, anyways! :) Sorry if this chapter wasn't very good. I wrote it pretty quickly and I was going through a MAJOR writer's block at the time. So, let me know how it was, ok? :) Happy Holidays! Next chapter should be up soon. Hopefully before next year. :) Thanks!
Mel
Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with Bright, Kauffman, or Crane. This little idea for the story is mine though! :)
Chapter Five: Surprises, Surprises
Wind blew, marking its presence on the streets of Manhattan. The biting cold tore through the crowds. It was March, the month of wind, rain, and everything that came in between.
Rachel pulled her coat closer to her body as she briskly walked down the streets. The ravaging gusts ripped through her hair as she began to pick up her pace.
It had been three weeks to the day since she was released from the hospital, and since then she had done everything in her power to contact Ross. She had found out where he worked, made phone calls to his job, only to discover that he no longer worked there. She had looked up his address in the post office phone book, and found out that he had moved. She was running in circles, never quite reaching her destination. It was at that point that she just decided to stop trying. It seemed like all hope was gone; she was at the back of the tunnel where no light was visible, and he was out of sight. 'I guess Ross will never know that he has a baby,' she thought sadly.
Amidst the biting cold, she reached down to feel her growing belly. It was definitely getting larger. To some, it may go unnoticed, but to those who knew her well, they could tell that she possessed a newfound luminescent glow and a slightly more positive outlook on life.
Knowing that she not only had to protect her own life, but provide everything for the life of another left her with a strange feeling of power, and a surge of happiness. The only factor in this that didn't add up perfectly was the fact that her child was fatherless.
She let out a small sigh and glanced across the street in order to see a man that looked exactly like Ross pass by. 'Great, now I'm seeing things.'
That hadn't been the first time she'd seen something like this. Everywhere she went, Ross's presence seemed to be there. She would see a man with his jacket, her waiter at a restaurant would have the same name as him, going to work she would have to serve coffee to scientists studying their work while they sipped coffee. No matter where she was, she always saw something that reminded her of him. 'And now apparently, I've stepped up a level and I'm just seeing him now! I should probably go to the doctor and get this checked out. Hallucinating can't be a good sign.'
Yet a part of her heart held a tiny sliver of hope in that one of these times, her hallucination would be more than what it was. If only she would consider the fact that she wasn't hallucinating. If only she knew that what she saw was indeed what was there.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ross grimaced and picked up his pace. It was bitterly cold outside. 'Manhattan sure is busy,' he thought. 'Not to mention cold.'
After three long weeks on the road, his destination had been reached. There was only a slight problem in the mix. Now that he was here, he had no idea how to find her. He laughed to himself. 'If I was the most gorgeous, loving woman in the world, where would I be?'
It was then that he saw her. He could hardly believe his eyes, yet he knew in his heart that there could be no other explanation. There she was. Rachel Green. Just walking down the street, less than a hundred feet away from him. Not believing his luck, he broke into a sprint, and, barely dodging oncoming traffic, ran across the street to her.
With a look of disgust on her face, Rachel noticed the man running across the street in the middle of traffic. 'What an idiot. He must want to die.' Her mood immediately changed as she saw him coming straight towards her. 'Oh my God! I'm going to be mugged!' She started running, which had become a difficult task for her as of late.
As he reached the sidewalk, he began to notice that she was running from him. Quickly he realized why. 'She must think I'm some psycho who's chasing after her!' In his loudest voice possible, he called out to her. "Rachel! Rachel, wait!"
She stopped dead in her tracks. That voice had an all too familiar ring to it. She slowly began to realize what had happened. The illusion she had witnessed not thirty seconds ago was not merely an illusion. This time, what she had seen before her eyes was real. It was wonderful, magically, blissfully, real.
Slowly, she pivoted on her heel. At this point, he was right in front of her. He was panting, his brown hair windblown, and his face a deep shade of red. Yet, his face held an emotion that was unmistakable. A smile the length of the ocean spread across his face as he engulfed her into a hug.
A tear fell from her eye as she realized that she had, by some twist of fate, found exactly what she had been looking for.
He pulled her away from him and studied her. Blond hair framed her tear-stained face, and her blue eyes were wet. "Hey, hey. Why are you crying?" he asked her in a gentle voice.
She sniffed and shook her head. "I never thought I'd see you again. I just can't believe that you're-you're actually right here. Standing in front of me." She looked up into his deep brown eyes. "Those two days we spent together were the best days of my life. What I had with you, I never had with anyone else. I felt so bad when I left that morning. Yet, I couldn't go back. I tried looking for you afterwards, but everywhere I called, I kept going in circles. I just can't believe you're here right now!"
He stroked her hair. "I know. They fired me from my job. I had nowhere to go. Something told me to come to New York. And whatever it was, I listened to it."
She smiled. "I'm glad you did." Wind swirled, and he pulled her into a passionate kiss, lifting her off the ground and spinning around. He buried his face in his hair, never wanting this moment to end. Cupping his face in her hands, she kissed him with all her might.
People that passed by smiled at them, remembering what it was like to be young and in love. All else going on in the world didn't matter to them. In that moment, the noise of traffic, gusts of wind, and crowds of people all around them were little more than a buzz in the back of their heads.
All that mattered was that moment, in which two lovers were reunited in the least likely of places. And this time, they hoped, it would be for good.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ring, Ring
"Coming!"
Ring, Ring
"I'm coming!"
Ring, Ring
Out of breath from running, Phoebe answered the phone. "Hello?"
"Phoebe, it's Rachel," came the excited voice on the phone, barely audible over the noise in the background.
"Rach, where are you,? Everything is so loud!"
Rachel plugged one ear and started yelling into the phone. "I'm at a basketball game!"
Phoebe's jaw dropped. "You? Are at a basketball game? Oh my God, is there some kind of fashion show going on with the players?"
Rachel laughed. "No, but you're never in a million years going to believe who I'm here with!"
Phoebe's mind raced. "Um...Michael Jackson?"
"Ew, no! Where did you get that idea?"
"I don't know, you said I'd never believe it. And I don't believe that you'd be there with him so..."
Rachel shook her head. "Pheebs, you are weird sometimes..."
Phoebe grinned. "Now don't say that like its a bad thing! Weird is good. Now, who are you there with?"
Rachel smiled from ear to ear. "Well, lets just say that now, maybe my child won't have to be fatherless."
"Oh my God! You're there with...with HIM?! The father? The man that you've been so secretive about that we don't even know his name?"
"Yes! You know how I looked everywhere, and just when I had given up, I see him walking across the street!"
"See! I told you he was your lobster!"
"I know! And so he had tickets to tonight's game and offered to take me. I couldn't exactly tell him that I hated basketball. Heck, if he offered to take me to the bottom of the ocean, I'd probably follow him. He just went to get me a soda. He'll be back any second."
"Wow...So, did you tell him about the baby?"
The crowds cheered wildly, making it harder for Rachel to hear.
"What?" she practically screamed.
"Did you tell him about the baby?!" Phoebe screamed back.
"Did I say I loved him maybe?"
"Did you tell him about the BABY?!"
"Oh, no, not yet. I was going to tell him later. He has no idea about the baby. This is the first time I've seen the guy in like three months. At this point, he's not going to care who's pregnant."
"Yeah, I guess so. Hey, why don't you bring him over to Mon's for dinner tonight? I bet she'd be thrilled. You know how it's been driving her crazy how she doesn't know who the father is."
"Yeah, I'll see if he wants to go. Listen, Pheebs, I gotta go. He should be back any second now. See you tonight."
"Okay, bye."
"Bye."
She turned around in her chair and gasped. Ross was sitting in the seat next to her, like he had been there for a while. 'Oh my God! Did he hear me say anything about the baby?'
His feelings could not be deciphered from his outward appearance. From the look on his face, one could tell that he was very much into the game. Rachel decided to see how much he had heard. "So, are you enjoying the game?"
He turned over towards her. "Yeah! It's great!" he replied almost overenthusiastically. "Who were you talking to?"
She sighed. This was it. "My friend and roommate, Phoebe. We were wondering if you'd like to have dinner with us tonight?"
He smiled. "Sure! I'd love to. Who else will be there?"
"Well, Me, Phoebe, and our friends Joey, Chandler, and Monica. That's it. You'll love them, I promise."
"Sounds fine to me. Say, I have a question."
She gulped. "Yeah?"
"Do any of them have kids?"
"Uh...no..." She could tell he overheard parts of her conversation. Her mind was racing quickly, searching for an excuse. "But...but Monica is pregnant. Yeah, that's it! Only a couple of months, but she is! We're all really excited for her." She felt bad lying about Monica, but she knew Monica wouldn't mind. She was too loyal of a friend to mind. When a friend was in need, Monica was always there and ready to help. Even if that meant she was part of a white lie at the moment. Besides, its not like Monica and Ross would become close friends right away. He would never know the difference. It wouldn't matter in the least bit.
Ross grinned at her. "Okay, then. I guess that solves that. What time are we going to dinner?"
Rachel glanced at her watch. "At eight. We should leave here in a couple of hours."
He smiled. Finally, he was back where he belonged. Yet something was different. He studied her as she pretended to be interested in the game. Her hair was still the same silky blond, her eyes the same shade of blue. Yet in the way she smiled, something was different. It was as if she held a precious secret that she withheld from everyone but herself. Ross couldn't exactly pinpoint what was different, but he knew that in time he would find out. He reached for her hand and smiled at her. In time, all questions would be answered.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
"Chandler, feet off the couch! Joey, stop eating the appetizers! And Phoebe, can I get a little help in here!?" an exasperated Monica exclaimed.
It was ten till eight, and Monica was overly excited at the prospect of meeting the father of Rachel's baby. She had done everything to get the information out of her, but Rachel would not succumb to her pestering. It was a secret, her secret. But that secret was about to become common knowledge in about ten minutes. And Monica wanted everything to be perfect.
Unfortunately for her, the others didn't think of this meeting as a big deal, which was exactly what Monica saw it as. 'No one keeps a secret from Monica Geller!' She smiled as she accidentally used her maiden name. 'Well, that's a name I haven't heard in a long time. Geller. It did have a nice ring to it.' She continued setting the table. 'I wonder if Rachel is going to stay with this guy. If he's not good to her, I'll kick his ass. No man is too tough for me!'
At that precise moment, there was a knock on the door.
Chandler jumped up from his position on the couch where he and Joey were watching 'Baywatch' and drinking beer.
Chandler ran to the door, followed closely by Joey and Phoebe. Monica stayed behind for a moment, making sure everything looked perfect. On top of that, it was good not to look eager in situations like this. She took a deep breath and prepared to meet Rachel's dream man.
On the other side of the door, Ross held Rachel's hand. He looked nervous for some reason. Rachel saw this and giggled. She gave his hand an extra squeeze for good luck. "Don't worry. They're all fairly normal, and they're going to love you. I promise."
He looked unsure of himself, and closed his eyes. "I guess."
That moment, the door was flung open. Ross opened his eyes and could hardly keep from laughing. The first thing he saw was a man with brown hair and dark eyes, a man with light hair and blue eyes, and a very pretty blond woman. They said nothing, and neither did he, yet it all seemed comical in a sense. They seemed to stare him up and down. Ross was beginning to look nervous. Rachel gave all of her friends the evil eye that seemed to say, 'He's not an animal at the zoo, for God sakes, talk to him!'
Phoebe finally broke the ice and stepped outside to the other side of the door. "Hi, I'm Phoebe. Nice to meet you."
Ross breathed a sigh of relief, as did Rachel. "I'm Ross. Nice to meet you, too."
Monica overheard the name of Rachel's mystery man. Ross. Funny how a name could bring back such painful memories. She figured she should step out and meet him. She cringed when she overheard Joey's greeting.
"So, you're the father! Nice to finally meet you! Joey Tribbiani. Actor." He grinned, while Ross's mouth dropped open in confusion.
Phoebe waved her hands about wildly to Joey while she was standing next to Ross. Joey, mistaking this as a wave instead of a gesture telling him to shut up, waved back. Chandler, realizing what was happening, grabbed Joey and yanked him into the other room. Phoebe bit her lip and looked at Rachel. 'I'm sorry,' she mouthed. Rachel buried her head in her hands.
Ross looked at Rachel. "Rach, what are they talking about, the father? I'm not a father. I don't have any kids. Unless..." Everything fell into place at that moment as he looked at her very closely. "Wow, I need to sit down..." He looked at the ground.
Rachel fought back her tears. "I'm so sorry, Ross."
Phoebe called out to Monica. "Mon, can we get some water over here?"
Monica, having overheard the whole conversation was already prepared. "I've already got some. Here and I also brought-"
Her words faded off into silence as she got her first glimpse at the father of Rachel's child. What she saw stopped her dead in her tracks. "Oh my God..."
Ross, hearing the familiar voice, looked up. Although he hadn't seen her in five years, nothing had changed. Her hair was still the same old brown, her eyes the same old blue. She looked much happier now, that was for sure. The face he saw was the face of the girl he grew up with, spent twenty years of his life with. Together, they chased off monsters in the dark, made up dance routines, snooped for presents at Christmastime, and hid in closets while their parents argued. He was the one person she could count on for over half of her life.
Monica's jaw hit the floor. "Ross?" she asked in a quiet voice, barely believing what she saw.
"Oh my God, Monica!"
Rachel looked up and wiped her eyes off. "You two know each other?"
Ross looked at her incredulously. "Yeah. She's my...She's my...She's my sister."
Rachel's eyes widened and her hand flew to her stomach. "Oh my God..."
Phoebe surveyed the scene with a little smile on her face. "Wow. I did NOT see this coming!"
TBC...
LOL...so you all probably DID see it coming, but oh well! :) I had fun writing this chapter, anyways! :) Sorry if this chapter wasn't very good. I wrote it pretty quickly and I was going through a MAJOR writer's block at the time. So, let me know how it was, ok? :) Happy Holidays! Next chapter should be up soon. Hopefully before next year. :) Thanks!
Mel