Ross looked out the window as the snow continued to blow. The wind was causing it to drift. If he was going to make it home, he had to leave before it got too bad. He turned off the terminal and put on his coat. Heading toward the elevator, he took out his cell phone and called Rachel. "I'm heading home now. The storm is getting worse and I don't want to be far from you tonight. I'll pick up some dinner." He said lovingly. Rachel smiled when she heard his voice. "Okay be careful getting home." She stopped herself from saying the words until she hung up the phone, then she whispered "I love you Ross." Almost inaudibly.

A sudden knocking at the door took Rachel from her reverie. She maneuvered herself off the chair to answer the door. "Whoever that is, it takes me forever to get up, so just come in." Monica came in worried. "Honey, I was just wrapping some presents and then I saw the light on. Why are you alone? Does my idiot brother realize you are ready to go into labor at any time?" Monica said in a panic.

"He had to get last semester grades into the main system before tomorrow. He said he was only going to be gone for a little while. A little while ago , he called and said he was on his way home." Rachel explained. Monica picked up the phone. "Chandler, Rachel is alone over here and Ross is out in the storm. Honey, bring my stuff over here , we're going to stay with her." Hanging up the phone, Monica pushed Rachel back to the couch. "You just rest. We're going to come over here and keep you company." Rachel sighed.

Ross went out the university's main doors where he was almost knocked over by a gust of wind. Pulling his scarf around his throat, he stood by the curb in the hope a cab would come along soon. By the university was a Chinese restaurant, so he went in and got Rachel some food for her and himself. Clutching the bag, he lifted his gloved hand into the air. Cab after cab went by and ignored the frozen father to be. Finally a cab driven by a grizzled old man stopped. Ross opened the door and said in a panic. "I thought I would never get a cab and I want to be home because my girlfriend is expecting anytime soon."

The cab driver laughed. "Expecting huh? Let me guess, you are a Jewish carpenter and your wife is expecting her first child. " Ross didn't know how to take this. "Well I am Jewish, but I am not a carpenter. I am actually a paleontology professor." Ross announced as the driver went on his way. "Paleon nnn what?" he asked. "I teach about prehistoric life and dinosaurs." Ross explained. "And actually she isn't my girlfriend. She is a friend that one night we got a little drunk and then she got pregnant with my baby. Well she is my ex wife and my ex girlfriend. " Ross said with a little bit of guilt. "She is living with me so I could be there for her and the baby." The driver smiled. "It sounds like you care for her very much. Most guys wouldn't do this for a girl they knocked up. " he said. Ross started to think. "Well I am a nice guy." He laughed. "You are more than a nice guy, I think you still love this girl. You should tell her so tonight. I mean it's Christmas Eve." The driver said. "Trust me it will be the most special gift she could get. Better than anything you put under a tree." Ross decided then and there, this would be the night he would tell Rachel he was still in love with her.

"Joey put that down. You know Ross doesn't let anyone touch his dinosaurs." Rachel said as she took the plastic figure from his hand. Joey sat down like a little boy who had misbehaved. Monica took another piece of tape from Chandler and put it on the paper and then wrapped it around the package. Phoebe was visiting some of her old friends from her days on the street. Every Christmas Eve , she would spend with them since she was now able to do a little something for them. Monica kept an eye on the window. Now she was beginning to worry. She looked over and saw Rachel on the couch. A tear began to form in her eye.

"Sweetie , what's wrong?" Monica said. "What happens if there was an accident. The snow is blowing and the cab is hit by a bus or something." Rachel started to cry. "What if the reason he's not home is that and he is either in the hospital or dead?" Her crying was now full blown. Monica put her arm Rachel . "Sweetie, everything is going to be fine. Ross is going to come right through that door any minute." Rachel wiped her eyes and stopped crying. "I'm sorry , it's just these damn pregnancy hormones." She said wiping her nose. But Rachel knew it was more than that. She couldn't bear to think of life without Ross and to lose him would hurt her more than ever.

As the cab drove past a florist, Ross got an idea.
"Could you stop?" he asked the driver. Ross got out of the cab as the owner of the tiny shop was putting the closed sign in the window. He got up and started to pound on the glass. "Open up!" he yelled. "I need to buy some flowers for the woman I love." The elderly owner saw the desperation in the young man's eyes. He was in love like that a long time ago . He knew love like this man had. Unfortunately, it was this past year when he lost his wife. One of the things his Isabella believed in was true love. She believed that it was fate that brought them together. "Come in young man." He smiled as he opened the door. "I see you are a man in love. My wife says that there isn't a more wonderful thing in the world than true love. What is it that you wanted?" Ross couldn't believe his luck. "Well I would like a dozen lilies. That is her favorite flower." The owner took a dozen of the whitest lilies that he had and wrapped them in green tissue paper. Ross was so overjoyed that he handed him his credit card. "No my son, these are on the house. They are a Christmas present." The owner explained. "Merry Christmas." Ross took the flowers and turned to the elderly man. "Merry Christmas to you too sir." He left for the cab. The owner watched as the taxi took off, a tear flowed down his cheek. "For you my Bella, Merry Christmas." He whispered and then smiled.

Rachel began to feel something. It was slow at first , but then it was quick and sharp. She held her stomach and then doubled over. "Owww." Monica flinched. "Rachel, was that what I think it was?" she asked. She backed her onto the couch and then she began to go into Monica mode. "I want you to take this stopwatch and tell me how far apart the contractions are." She commanded. "Chandler, go and get Rachel's bag out of her room." "I will call Ross cell again. We have to be prepared. I will not let my niece come into this world without being prepared ." she yelled. At that moment, another pain hit Rachel. They are getting closer now. And each one is more painful than the last. " Rachel moaned. "Ross, where in the hell are you?" she cried. Monica wished she could find her brother and kill him. Meanwhile, he was stuck in traffic as the driver continued through the blinding snow. He had a feeling that her time was coming soon.