So, finally I updated! I've been busy with the other story, so, that's why the delay. Anyway, I went to my uncle's house in Rio de Janeiro last weekend and it was really great, I had a lot of fun with my cousins and it was the first time that I traveled by myself, I was thrilled… Thanks for the reviews, by the way, and I hope you like the chapter.

I don't own them, you know. Just to remember.

Chapter 4: The cookout – part 2: The conversation

Chandler made his way into the house after everybody was gone and walked to the sitting room. Joey went home earlier because Chandler still had to wait for the twins get ready to go home with their daddy.

Jack came running into the sitting room and Erica was just behind him, while Monica tried to get their attention for just one second:

"Hey, you two look at me. I want you to go upstairs and take a shower, ok? Then get your backpacks and come back here to go home with your daddy, all right?"

"Ok!" Jack shouted happily, pulling Erica "C'mon, Erica, let's see if you can run as fast as me!"

"I'll win!"

Monica smiled at the children and then turned to face Chandler, saying:

"This two drive me crazy, you know?"

"Yeah, I know." He chuckled "Well…"

After an awkwardly moment between them, Monica sighed and asked him:

"Do you want some coffee?"

"Sure."

She walked him to the kitchen and Chandler sat on the chair while she started to prepare the coffee.

"So… is everything ok, Mon?"

"Yes." She answered without looking at him. "Everything is fine."

"Are you sure? You know you can ask me anything… you know that, don't you?"

"I know, Chandler, but I'm ok, really. Thanks."

Chandler nodded and looked down, feeling kind of sad. He wanted her so badly, but he knew it was almost impossible. Monica didn't love him anymore, he was completely sure about that.

"And what about you?" She asked him while sitting in front of him. "Are you ok?"

"What?" He looked at her, distracted.

"I asked if you are ok."

"Oh…" He shrugged "I don't know."

"How come you don't know?"

"I'm having some problems."

"At work?"

"This is just one of them. But you don't have to hear about my problems, that's why I have Joey around." He laughed.

"Yeah… Joey is such a good friend."

"I don't know what I would do if he wasn't around all the time. He stayed with me after all that thing, you know… He was really mad at me when he knew what I did and he told me off, you guys don't know about that. But he stayed by my side even though."

"Yeah… you two are soul mates, be sure." She smiled

Chandler returned the smile and lowered his gaze again, feeling sad.

"Did you talk with Ross?"

"I tried…" Chandler ran his hand through his hair, nervous. "Ross will never forgive me, Mon, and you won't either."

Monica stared at him for a while, when he tried to stop the tears. After that she got up and grabbed two cups of coffee, putting one of them in front of him. Chandler looked at her again, with his eyes red.

"Chandler, I don't want to start this conversation again, please. We always end up arguing."

"I know, sorry… it's just… I have a little hope that someday you will want to talk about this again and maybe give me another chance."

"How can I give you another chance if I don't trust you anymore, Chandler?"

"So please tell me what I have to do… I'll do anything to make you trust in me again. If there is something I could do, Mon, tell me…"

"Chandler, I don't know if our relationship can be the same, 'cause I don't know if I'll be able to forget what happened. It's difficult to me to be near you… I don't see my Chandler anymore. The one who was so funny and that I loved so much… I trusted you… and look what you did to us. Now I look at you and see the man who lied to me. You're so different… I don't know if I can handle this."

Chandler just grabbed his cup of coffee and stared at her while Monica waited for an answer. He took a sip of his coffee and nodded his head, saying:

"Sorry for not being the man you thought I was, Monica… I'm sorry for messing with your life… shit, I always do things wrong…"

It was Monica's turn to run out of words. Chandler seemed so different and, at that exactly moment, so handsome. She didn't want to fell this way again, but it was impossible: she wanted so much to hug him now and tell that everything would be ok.

Monica reached out her hand and touched his neck, caressing it in a timid way. Chandler kept looking at her without knowing what to say or think, almost crying. What was she doing?

Jack and Erica, that were running downstairs at that exactly moment, stopped, surprised, when they saw what was happening.

"Mom? Dad?" Jack put his backpack on the floor.

Monica looked to the boy almost instantly, feeling like she was caught red-handed doing something wrong. Chandler just wiped away his tears, and sighed, before gazing at his children.

"Yes, honey?" Monica smiled to Jack.

"Why is daddy crying?…" Erica asked, worried, getting near him.

"You weren't fighting again, were you?" Jack looked at her, searching for a confirmation.

"No, honey. Your daddy and me were just talking, ok? Did you put the toothbrushes in your backpacks?"

"Sure!" Jack smiled, happier now, and sat in his mother's lap, looking at the coffee in front of him. "Can I take a sip?"

"No way, children don't drink coffee." Then she looked to Erica, who was sitting in Chandler's lap. "And you won't drink either, young lady…"

"What!" Erica rose her eyebrows "I don't even like this coffee thing…"

"And have you ever drunk coffee?" Monica asked suspiciously.

"Oh… daddy let me take a sip one day…"

Monica pretended she was angry with the little girl, but she smiled after that, looking into Chandler's eyes.

"Sounds like your daddy needs to learn some things…"

"I was just trying to be a cool father." He laughed.

"But, dad, you are a cool father." Jack said. "You're the coolest father in the whole world…"

"And what about me?" Monica made a sad face, playing with them.

"You're the coolest mom in the whole world." The boy kissed her face.

"Yeah, you two are the best parents ever." Erica completed. "But it would be better if we could live all together, don't you think?"

The kids waited for an answer and Monica and Chandler looked at each other, embarrassed.

"So, we'd better get going! Your uncle Joey must be impatient, I promised him that I would buy pizza…" Chandler got up. "Let's go?"

"Yes!" The twins screamed at the same time, happily.

"They can stay with you until Monday. You just have to drop them at school in the morning and I'll collect them at the end of the classes, if that's ok for you." Monica suggested.

"That's fine, Mon. So, let's go, guys!"

The others got up at the same time and Chandler gave Monica a small, timid smile that she accepted gratefully. She smiled back and he felt like he was melting inside. He loved her smile. She was so beautiful that night…

"C'mon, daddy, I wanna go." Jack pulled him towards the door.

"Yeah!" Erica completed. "I want to play video game."

"And eat pizza!"

"Ok, let's go…" Chandler gave in, still looking at Monica.

They left the house slowly and Monica kissed the children and mouthed a 'see you' to Chandler, who just waved at her in response, going to the car.

"Buckle your seatbelts, kids…" He said to them, gazing at Monica by the car's window. He was lost in her eyes.

When Chandler turned right, he couldn't see Monica or the house. His heart was beating so fast, he was so happy: it was the first time that they made a conversation without arguing, since the divorce. This had to be good.

"Daddy, can you buy pepperoni pizza for me?" Erica asked him from the backseat.

"And I want one with extra cheese."

"Can you guys really eat this?" Chandler asked amazed.

"Yes, daddy!" Jack said, confident. "We can eat with uncle Joey, and see who can eat more slices!"

Chandler laughed at his son's idea and kept driving. He wanted his life back, and now, he wanted to fight for that with all that he had. He wanted Monica back in his life.

Wow, I did it! I was so lazy this past weeks, god knows. I wasn't really doing anything important, and just forgot about finishing the chapter. Besides, I was working on the other fic, as you know. Anyway, review if you liked, and if you want me to continue, ok? See you kids soon, take care.