Chapter Four: The, well, New Guy

Joey hadn't been to New York in years. The last time he had come was to visit his parents, and that was six years ago. Now he was back for a very different reason. In fact, he would have never guessed in a million years that he would be returning to the Big Apple because of this.

He could never forget the sound of her voice on his machine: "Hi Joey. It's me. Well, you probably don't remember me. It's been about nineteen years. M-My name is Megan Wallace. We went out for a little while when you used to live in New York. I know you live in L.A. now. Anyway, I found out your number and I had to give you a call. You see, there's something really important I have to tell you. I can't do it over the phone. Um, if you can com out here for a few days, I really need to talk to you. I should have called you before now, but you really need to come out. If you don't, like, think I'm totally crazy, you'll meet me at Central Perk at 1:00 on the 13th. Please come, Joey. If you don't, I'll have to tell you over the phone and I REALLY don't want to do that. Well, hopefully, I'll see you soon. Bye.

It had taken Joey a day or so to remember Megan Wallace. There had been so many women over the years. But he did remember her eventually. He had really liked her and she dumped him. That was right before Monica and Chandler got married and he fell for Rachel. She was really cute and fun to hang out with. She liked the Mets, but it was fun to fight with her about them. She would always go, "Shut up!" in a really cute voice.

Megan Wallace. But why was she calling him now, after nineteen years?

Joey stepped into Central Perk on the 13th just before 1. He almost didn't come, but whatever she wanted was really bugging him, so he had to. He hadn't done any acting in a while, so she couldn't have been a fan or anything. He had gotten too many headaches thinking about what she wanted and just decided to go meet her.

She was already there when he got there. She was obviously older but still good-looking, and he recognized her immediately. She looked up when he walked through the door and smiled with relief.

"Hi Joey," she said softly.

He walked over to her. "Megan. Wow. Hi! You look great!"

She blushed. "Thanks. Sit down."

He did, but he couldn't help staring at her. She was gorgeous, maybe even prettier than when they dated all those years ago. Her brown eyes sparkled. He found himself not able to stop smiling.

"So, you're probably wondering why I called you out-of-the-blue like I did," she said. She twiddled her thumbs nervously. "But I've waited too long to tell you what I'm about to tell you."

"That's fine," he said, wanting to reach out and touch her hand. "Just go ahead."

She took a deep breath. "Okay, but tell me right now if you're prone to fainting."

Joey laughed in a very macho-way. "Fainting? Me? I don't think so."

"Good," she replied, "because this is really big news." She took another deep breath and looked him straight in the eye. "Joey, you have a son."

Joey's face fell. "Wh-Wh-What?"

"You have a son," she repeated. "After we broke up, I found out I was pregnant." She tried to keep her smile on. "You have a son."

And sure enough, Joey fainted.

When he awoke, he was blinded by a bright light shining in his face. It moved sideways and then right back in his vision again. Joey screamed and sat up.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! What just happened?"

The person who had shone the light in his eyes was a boy that couldn't have been older than fifteen. He stared wide-eyed at Joey. He had light brown skin and thick black hair.

"Where am I?" Joey shouted. "And who the hell are you?"

"Hey, don't yell at me just 'cause you fainted at the coffeehouse," the kid retorted. He turned away. "Mom! That dude just woke up!"

Megan emerged from a doorway with a tray of coffee and cookies. When she saw Joey awake, her face relaxed. He walked over to him, who was lying on a couch.

"Hey there," she said, setting the tray down on a coffee table. "You said you weren't going to faint."

"Sorry," Joey replied. "But I wasn't expecting to hear you say that…" He paused. What had she said?

"That you had a son?" Megan finished.

Joey snapped his fingers. "There you go. I can't believe that." He rubbed his forehead. "I mean, I'm a father. Like, how long have I been one?"

She sighed. "Eighteen years next week."

"Wow." He looked at the kid sitting next to him and then back at Megan. "Is this him?"

"If you are an African-American ballet dancer, it is," she replied. She rubbed the boy's head. "This is my son Dillon."

"Are you married?" Joey asked her.

She shook her head and held up her bare left hand. "Divorced." She jerked her thumb towards the doorway she had just come out of. "Your son is down the hall."

Joey had a momentary out-of-body experience. He had actually had a child. Well, not a child. He was basically a man now. He had "offspring".

"So, is his name Joey?" he couldn't help but ask.

"No," Megan said. "His name is Ryan."

"Ryan Tribbiani?"

Megan giggled. "Ryan Wallace."

Ryan Wallace. Joey shook his head in amazement. The last thing he expected to hear coming to New York was that he had a son. He had had one for eighteen years. He thought it was weird that all these years he had a son and never even knew he existed.

"Do you want to meet him?" Megan asked, pulling Joey out of his train of thought. "I didn't exactly tell him about you, but he's always wanted to know who his father was."

"Uh, s-sure," Joey replied, sort of hesitant. "I mean, we're both here."

Megan smiled wide. "Okay." He turned her head. "Ryan! Can you come out here for a second?"

Joey's heart raced for a few moments until a tall, handsome young man walked into the room. He looked like a Tribbiani; he had Italian features. He was wearing a Mets jersey and holding a slice of pizza in his hand.

"Yeah ma?" he said.

She stood and walked over to her son. She placed her hands on his shoulders and looked him firmly in the eye.

"Ry, you know how you've always wanted to know who your father was?"

Ryan nodded.

Megan looked over her shoulder at Joey. "Well, this is him. Joey Tribbiani."

And just like that, Joey was a dad.

Hey everyone! Thanks to all my reviewers. Well, now that we've been introduced to everyone's children, all the stories will come together (btw, sorry if this chapter was really short). Quick note: in the first chapter, I said Erica and Jack were almost sixteen when they should probably already be like sixteen and a half or something. For Phoebe's son to be almost sixteen, they have to be older. I didn't realize that. Oh, and for the reviewer that asked for a Janice, don't worry. Plenty of guest stars are incorporated into this, just like Megan (she was a real character, played by Kristin Davis, if anyone saw that episode). So, thanks for reading. More chapters soon!