Thanks again for the reviews! I'll try not to let you down, and I'm nowhere near done yet – I have at least five more chapters yet!

Chapter Four – A Problem Shared

Chandler Bing made his way through the busy restaurant. Javu was one of the hottest restaurants in Manhattan and fortunately for Chandler, his wife was the head chef here. So, good tables and cut price meals all the way, he thought to himself smirking.

He looked around the restaurant for Ross who had phoned him and asked to meet here. The call was very ominous indeed, Chandler thought, he just said that he needed to talk and to meet him here as soon as possible. Luckily for Ross, Chandler had stayed late for a meeting at work and Grandma Judy was more than happy to stay longer with the twins, which meant he could stay in the city to find out what was going on. Chandler soon spotted his best friend, who was sat in the corner with his back to the rest of the room.

Chandler strode to the table and sat down opposite Ross who didn't look up.

"Hey man" Chandler began "What's this? A date!" He quipped.

Ross looked at Chandler for the first time since he got here. He looked tired and drawn, not his usual self at all. Chandler's grin faded as he noted the difference in Ross, and his expression turned to concern for his obviously unhappy brother in law.

"What's wrong?"

Ross laughed to himself. "God, dude, I don't even know where to start"

At that point, a waiter came to take their order. Chandler ordered quickly, not even stopping for breath. His mind was racing as he ran through every disastrous event that could possibly happen in the last twenty four hours, which would make Ross so glum.

Deciding to give Ross the chance to open up and talk about what was going on without being coaxed, Chandler didn't speak at first. However, his only patience lasted until their drinks were brought over. When Ross sipped his drink then put his head in his hands, he knew he couldn't wait any longer and had to initiate the discussion.

"Ross. You've gotta tell me what's going on with you!"

Ross tutted and took another sip of his drink anxiously.

"So?" Chandler asked.

After a prolonged pause, Ross began. "You remember that girl Chloe?"

Chandler looked puzzled and shook his head

"You know, the girl from the copy place?"

Chandler's eyes widened as he realised who Ross was referring to. "God, yes, how could I forget?"

Ross livened up a little and nodded "well I saw yesterday" he explained "When we were in the park and I playing with Ben and Emma"

He paused and looked down at the table. Chandler looked puzzled again "So what's the problem?"

"She wasn't alone" Ross sighed and rubbed his eyes "She had her daughter with her"

Ross searched Chandler's expression for some kind of understanding, but his face remained unchanged.

Ross swallowed hard and continued "she was a pretty little girl. Dark hair, dark eyes. About ten years old…." He trailed off as it dawned on Chandler what Ross's problem was.

"Oh my God!" Chandler said in total disbelief "Chloe's daughter… is your daughter?"

Ross nodded sorrowfully. There was another lengthy pause.

"What are you gonna do?" Chandler asked quietly "Have you told Rach yet?"

"I have no idea what I'm going to do" Ross snapped almost yelling at his friend

Ross glanced at Chandler apologetically, but Chandler understood why Ross had reacted the way he did. In fact, he could not imagine how Ross was even coping with this. If it was happening to him, he'd be dangling himself off the Brooklyn Bridge by now!

Ross sighed "As for Rach" he paused to think for a second "I have absolutely no idea. I mean how do you explain to your wife that you have a nine year old daughter that was the result of a stupid mistake, which ruined your relationship ten years ago?"

No sooner had he finished the sentence, there was a loud crash of smashing dishes to the right of their table. They both looked round to see that Monica, who had overheard the last part of the conversation, was the one that who'd dropped the dishes and was now stood stone still with a look of complete horror plastered across her face.

"WHAT!" She shrieked so loudly that everyone in the room stopped what they were doing and turned to look at them.

Ross stood up and stuttered "Mon… I…"

Monica held her hand out to silence her brother. "Wait, Ross" she ordered. Two waiters were scuttling around cleaning up the mess of broken dishes and ruined food. "Alex, can you tell Jeff to re-make this order please?" She shouted to one of the waiters "And tell him I'm taking a break"

With that Ross sat back down and Monica pulled a chair over to the table to sit with her brother and her husband. She didn't know what to think or believe after what she'd heard. She was physically shaking through shock and anger, and the guys could see that.

"Mon…" Ross started again

"You better tell me that what I just heard is some kind of joke" Monica interrupted

She looked at Ross and then at Chandler as they exchanged knowing looks with each other.

"No" sighed Ross "It's true. I have another daughter"

Ross relayed to his sister what he had already told Chandler. Monica listened in disbelief. She was torn between feeling happy that there was another Geller in the family, another niece, and feeling worried that their family would now be ripped apart by this revelation. Family was very important to Monica now she was a mother. She had been over the moon when Ross married Rachel, as they had been best friends since childhood, just like Chandler had been Ross's best friend since college. It was friendship that made their family special and closer than most.

There was an awkward moment as Ross finished telling Monica. No one knew what to say.

Monica sat up straight in her chair and reached out to hold Ross's hands. "Ross. You have to tell Rachel, and sooner rather than later. It could be dangerous for her and the baby to get this big a shock"

"I know" Ross squeezed his sister's hand "I know, I need to tell her. It's just so difficult. But I'll do it tonight, as soon as I get home"

Monica and Chandler smiled sympathetically at Ross and hoped for the best,

Ross had thought about everything on his way home and decided that he would definitely tell Rachel tonight. It was only fair, he thought.

He stood outside the apartment door for a whole two minutes before slowly opening the door and going in.

Rachel was perched on the couch, surrounded by papers. She turned to see Ross come in and smiled widely. "There you are! I was starting to worry about you"

Ross took a seat next to her and kissed her on the cheek. "What's going on? Where's Em?" He asked quietly. He'd rather not have Emma around when he broke the news to Rachel.

"She's in bed" Rachel laughed "Early for once! And this? Well..." she said picking up some papers "Do you remember us making and offer on that house?"

They had indeed, made an offer for a house in Nassau County, Long Island, but at the time another family had beaten them to it and got the house instead of them.

Ross nodded curiously.

Rachel beamed "The other offer fell through! The house could be ours of we still want it."

With those words, Ross forgot all about Chloe and Aimee and all the drama. He was so delighted; he pushed it all to the back of his mind.

What the hell, he could tell Rachel tomorrow.