Chapter 16:
ShatteredChandler took a minute to process the information… Monica slept with Joey… that confirmed all what Chandler ever feared: he wasn't good enough for Monica. As soon as she had the opportunity she got together with someone better.
Then, showing no emotion Chandler nodded… and muttering something that sounded like an "of course" he went into the bathroom.
Suddenly, Joey woke up and went into the kitchen… He smiled when he saw Monica.
Joey- good morning beautiful…But Monica wasn't smiling… she was shattered… her head was a mess… Chandler wasn't gay? She dreamed about that more times that she could remember, and now he said it: "I'm not really gay"… but he said it too late… she was with Joey now… she did have and strong feelings for Joey and they had a wonderful night together. She just couldn't pretend that nothing happen with Joey… at that moment she looked inside Joey's brown eyes and she saw a man who wanted to make her happy… while in the bathroom there was a man who broke his heart and realized too late that it was a mistake. There was no doubt who she should choose. She finally could smile back at Joey.
Monica- good morning honey…They kissed softly on the lips.
Joey- did something happened? You acted weird when I first came out the bedroom…
Monica- well… don't freak out… but Chandler is on the bathroom…
Joey was shocked and very angry.
Joey- what! What the hell is he doing here?
Monica- he is miserable and he feels really lonely… he just wants to be with his friends…
Joey- but Mon… he is just going to mess with your head…
Monica- no… he knows I'm with you now… he just needs a friend… please… he is in a horrible state, he is very sad… be nice to him…
Joey sighed and he thought about what Monica had just said for a few seconds.
Joey- ok… but he better be crying a river when he comes out of that bathroom.
If Chandler was really that miserable as Monica said then Joey would be nice to him. Chandler finally came out of the bathroom and looked very uncomfortable at Joey. They looked at each other awkwardly for a few seconds no knowing what to say… but suddenly all of their problems where left behind because Rachel walked quickly into the apartment carrying Emma, and she had a most important problem…
Rachel- there is something wrong with Emma…Rachel was crying her eyes out while saying that… and Emma was crying hysterically, the baby was sweating a lot and looked like she was in a lot of pain… They were all very worried…
Monica- what happened Rach?
Rachel… still crying, managed to explain the situation…Rachel- I don't know… Emma suddenly woke up crying and she is burning up… she has a very high fever and I tried to get the fever down but I couldn't…. I couldn't! and she also threw up… she is very sick!
Monica took a deep breath to calm down… she was very worried but she needed to think clearly in order to help her beloved niece…
Monica- ok… Rachel, you put some ice in Emma's head and under her arms that will get her fever down… Joey, you get us a cab to go to the hospital as soon as possible… Chandler, you go to get Ross and I will go to get the twins so we can all go to the hospital…
Two long hours later…Phoebe finally made it to the hospital… her big bally didn't allowed her to walk very fast, but she saw Chandler, Monica, the twins and Joey sitting on the waiting room. Monica was giving Liz some orange juice and Joey was giving some apple juice to "little Joey"… the babies were twins but they already had different tastes and a different favorite juice. Chandler was getting very jealous looking at Joey and Monica with the twins… suddenly they noticed Phoebe.
Phoebe- hi… what happened? How's Emma?
Monica- she is not so good right now… the doctor said she might have meningitis…
Phoebe gasped and covered her mouth with her hand…Phoebe- oh no! That's very bad!
Monica's eyes filled with tears.
Monica- yes… but since she is the hospital now, she will be ok… right?
They all loved baby Emma so much and they wanted to believe that she was going to be fine… Phoebe hugged Monica to comfort her and Joey left "little Joey" in his stroller and hugged the two girls. Chandler started feeling like the fifth wheel.
Joey- hey… is all going to be fine… the doctors are taking care of Emma… they will cure her… They all saw Ross walking towards them… he looked more serious than ever… he had been right next to Emma and Rachel for the last two hours and it had been a horrible situation… now things where a little calmer so he could tell his friends the news… who weren't exactly bad news… but weren't really good news either.Monica- so… how is she?
Ross- she definitely has meningitis…
Phoebe- oh no!
Joey- well… but now that they know for certain what she has they will be able to cure her… right? doctors can cure meningitis… right?
He looked desperately to his friends in search for an answer.
Ross- yes Joey… luckily we brought Emma on time so they will be able to cure her… but when someone has meningitis there is always the risk of brain damage…
Monica- oh my God! And can Emma be brain damaged?
Ross- they said that is not very likely in her case because they treated her on time… but there is a small possibility…
Phoebe, always optimistic, smiled widely to give Ross some joy…
Phoebe- but chances are she will be ok! That's great news!
Monica- and how is Rachel?
Ross- worried sick… I never saw her like that…
Suddenly Phoebe gasped and grabbed her stomach…. Nobody noticed until she said…Phoebe- wow… I'm so glad we are in a hospital…
Monica- why?
Phoebe- because I'm in labor…
Suddenly Phoebe felt a horrible pain and she screamed, everybody freaked out… how could Phoebe be in labor? She was only seven months pregnant.
Monica- Phoebe relax… is probably just false labor…
Chandler- I will go to call Mike…
Phoebe- ok… and please… call my obstetrician…
Phoebe handed him a card she was carrying in her pocket (just in case) and Chandler nodded and left to call the doctor and Mike. A nurse saw everything and she rushed to help Phoebe…
Nurse- is ok madam… we will get you a room and a doctor will see you immediately… when was your due date?
Phoebe- I wasn't due until two more months… I'm only seven months pregnant…
Nurse- then don't worry… this is probably just a false labor…
Phoebe was in pain… but now she was also very annoyed…Phoebe- no… is not a false labor! Why does everybody keep saying that! Don't you see that I'm having a baby earlier because my body works faster that western medicine!
The nurse looked everybody very confused… But suddenly Phoebe's water broke and it became very obvious that she was really having the baby earlier.
Several hours later….
Mike was already in the hospital and he was with Phoebe in their room… luckily everything was fine with Phoebe's baby and it was going to be born in any minute.
Rachel and Ross were taking care of Emma in the pediatric ward, but they managed to visit Phoebe a little while… they congratulated her and brought her some flowers. Even Phoebe's birth mother was there… The truth was that Phoebe never felt so loved in her whole life: she had her friends, her birth mother and her beloved husband and she also had her grandmother's presence that was stronger than ever.
Finally, the doctor announced that it was time to take Phoebe to the delivery room… so she went there with Mike…
Mike- push honey! You are doing great but we need one more push…
Phoebe was exhausted.
Phoebe- I can't!
Mike- yes you can! If you can't then nobody cans
Doctor- ok… this baby is about to be born… we just need more pushes
Phoebe looked at Mike terrified.
Phoebe- Mike…. I'm scared…
Mike was next to the doctor watching the baby being born… but when Phoebe said that he went right next to her and hold her hand…
Mike- is ok honey… if you could give birth triplets you can give birth our baby… you will be fine…
Phoebe- I know… but the triplets weren't mine… this is really my baby… that's why I'm scared… now I will be a mother….
Mike- don't be scared… you will be a great mother and I will be with you…
Mike simply kissed Phoebe's forehead and held Phoebe's hand… then Phoebe gave one last push and she gave birth to her very own baby.
Several minutes later… Monica was watching trough the glass at the babies who where in the nursery… and Joey approached to talk to her.
Joey- so… witch one is Phoebe's?
Monica- that one… over there…
She pointed at a very small baby girl.
Joey- is beautiful… what's her name?
Monica- Lillian Boffey Hannigan
Joey- Lillian?
Monica- yes… she said that she got it from a book… but I think she just wants another Lily in her life… hey… how are little Joey and Elizabeth?
Joey- Chandler is keeping an eye on them….
Monica didn't know how to react to that… Her ex-husband was looking after her babies?
Monica- that's weird…
Joey- yes… but he offered to do it and since you told me to be nice to him… I didn't say no.
Monica- I guess he just really wants to be my friend again…
Joey- I think he is just trying to win you back…
Monica- maybe… but I can't forgive him after what he did… besides I want to be with you now… I think that you and I can start something really amazing…
As a response Joey simply kissed Monica's lips and they melted in a very sweet kiss.
Two weeks later….
The lives of the six friends seemed to be as good as it could get: Phoebe was back in her apartment with Mike and little Lily, Monica and Joey were dating and were very happy with each other and with the twins, and Emma was cured and completely out of danger.
Rachel and Ross were taking Emma to Joey and Rachel's apartment… for the first time in two weeks. The baby had just been discharged from the hospital. Rachel putted the baby in her crib and looked at her amazed…
Rachel- I'm so happy she is at home again…
Ross- yes… well… I will go to my apartment to get some sleep… call me is something happens…
Ross started to walk away from Rachel and Emma's room, but Rachel took his hand very tight.
Rachel- Ross… please don't go… what if something happens? This is the first night she spends here after being in the hospital for two weeks…
Ross- you don't need me to stay Rach… you can call me is something happens… and Joey and Monica are just across the hall.
Rachel- but is not the same Ross… I need YOU here… I'm scared… and you were great with me and Emma when she got sick… you always been an amazing father and you were amazing with me too… please… just stay with me tonight…
For some reason Rachel really needed Ross to stay with her that night. Very impulsively and unexpectedly she kissed him… both of them melted in a very passionate kiss that they had not intentions to break… at least until the morning.
To be continued…SIX more chapters to go! Remember… anything might happen.