This story moves us ahead several months… Rachel is now six months pregnant… Monica and Chandler are still seeing each other and Ross and Melanie are actually dating…..

Ross held the pewter candlesticks in his hand . He had found them at an antique store near Beacon Hill. He had today off and was cleaning his apartment. It was his and Melanie's six month anniversary. They had considered that first night in Boston as their first date. He had on a blue cashmere sweater that he had bought at Jordan Marsh. His dark hair was now a little shorter , but easier to spike.

"Knock , knock." Said Melanie sweetly. She opened the door and then came inside. "Happy Anniversary , darling." She said as she kissed her boyfriend. She handed him a childish looking card with a dinosaur on it. "This is so cute." Ross smiled. "But not as cute as you." She said as she took off her coat to reveal a spaghetti strapped pink dress . "So do I get a present?" she said as she plopped herself on the couch. Ross handed her an envelope. "Oh my God, tickets to Cat on a Hot Tin Roof ." she shrieked.

"It will be a lot better when you are Maggie." Ross said to his girlfriend. "I will open the wine and then we can start celebrating." Melanie glowed as she looked at her boyfriend. She had finally found a nice guy. Someone who loved theatre as much as her , that was straight. They had gone to many plays in the six months they had been together. Melanie had done many roles, the one she was proudest of was when she played Shelby in Steel Magnolias. It was a very big deal and of course, Ross was there to support her with a dozen of director's cut roses when she finished the grueling role. Ross was starting to wonder, was it time to move to the next step.

Rachel looked down at her stomach. She placed her hand on the bump and then had an astonished look on her face. Everyone ran over when they heard her yell. "Oh my. The baby just kicked." Her face lit up with glee when she realized that this baby was growing inside of her. Monica felt the bump and smiled. 'My little nephew or niece." Rachel started to cry again. "Oh hon, I forgot." Monica rubbed her back. Rachel would have given anything to have the daddy stand over her with that goofy look and smile as he felt his baby kick for the first time. She remembered when he told her about when he sang to Carol's stomach and Ben began to move. Phoebe laid her hand on her stomach next. "Babies are wonderful, huh?" she said. "Well if you will excuse me, I have to get to work, " Rachel said as she tried to get her mind off her thoughts of the absent father.

"That was weird." Said Joey. Monica turned to him. "Do you have any idea how hard this pregnancy has been on her. I mean she has had to go every step on her own." "Why don't you call Ross? " Phoebe suggested.

"Because I promised Rachel I wouldn't ." Monica admitted. "I have his number in Boston and I really think I should let him know he is going to be a father. She said she doesn't want to have anything to do with him."

"What she says and what she wants are two different things. I think you should call him." Phoebe said.

"Yeah if the woman I loved was going to have my baby. I would certainly want to know." Chandler said as he looked into Monica's eyes.i t was as if they were sharing a special bond. After the failed relationship of their friends, they decided to keep seeing each other in secret.

"Yeah and if I knocked up a girl, I would certainly want to know" Joey added what he thought was his two cents worth.

"You are a pig." Monica said with disgust.

"No body is calling him. I decided three years ago , I wanted to be independent and not depend on anyone. This baby is the first thing I can actually say is mine. I totally love it and it will never hurt me. It will love me forever and it will never leave me." Apparently Rachel had heard the conversation and made it clear again that Ross was not needed anymore.

Rachel had been called into her boss office . She wondered what she had done wrong. Sophie was always being picked apart by Jo Ann and to tell the truth, Rachel was kind of afraid of her. With trepidation , she entered Jo Ann's office.

"Sit down Rachel." JoAnn said. Rachel backed her body into the chair . "I am sorry Jo Ann, " she apologized for the trouble in sitting down. "That's alright ." she smiled. "So how is the baby?" Jo Ann was trying to show her genuine human caring side, something many of her employees said she didn't have.

Jo Ann sat on the edge of her desk. "A lot of people have been very impressed with your work. You have a real eye and good taste.."

Rachel smiled and placed her hand on her ever present belly. "Thank you Jo Ann." Jo Ann picked up a file and looked through it. "The people in the main office want to see if you have the potential to be a buyer , so they have asked me to send you to one of our distributors in Boston." She said matter of factly.

"That's great." Rachel exclaimed. Then she thought for a minute. "Boston?"

"One of our major suppliers is located in Malden , that is about an hour outside of Boston. You would go up there and talk to them and then you would give them our order. If you do well, there will be a job waiting for you when you get back from maternity leave." Jo Ann smiled and then put her arm around Rachel. "I have every confidence in the world that you will be great." She said. "Here is your ticket and itinerary." Jo Ann handed them to Rachel. Rachel slowly got up and walked toward the desk. "Boston, oh my God." She whispered.

Monica and Chandler were sure that no one would be home. Monica snuggled on the couch next to Chandler when they started to giggle and kiss. Rachel opened the door and her mouth dropped.

"What are you guys doing?" she said as she startled the lovebirds. Monica pulled away from Chandler and he looked away. "Rach, we didn't want you to catch us." He said guiltily.

"Obviously." Rachel said as she walked to her bedroom and pulled out her suitcase. Throwing things in it, she focused on her packing. Monica felt the need to explain. "I know how much you were hurting, so we decided to keep it a secret. I have been so lonely since Richard and I broke up, Chandler was so sweet and we just started to click that's all." Rachel put her arm around her friend. "You don't have to explain anything. I am happy for you. Even back in high school, I could tell you liked him. That whole toe thing was an accident , even though it was partially my fault. I think that you and Chandler make a sweet couple." Rachel smiled.

"Where are you off to?" Monica asked curiously. "Well there is good news and bad news. My boss Jo Ann is sending me on my first buying assignment and if I do good on it, she is going to recommend me for a promotion. " Rachel said as she dragged out her underwear and put it in the bag.

"That's great , now what is the bad news?" Monica wondered.

"She wants me to go to Boston." Rachel said with a sigh. Monica brought her hand to her mouth. "Boston, as in?" Rachel looked at her ."As in where your brother now lives." Rachel turned to her. "You never told him did you?" "No I made a promise to you, and I kept that promise." Monica said.

"I am going to Los Angeles!" screamed Melanie with excitement. "This director saw me in one of my classes and he wants me to test for a role in a sitcom. " Ross hugged her and kissed her. "My girlfriend, the television star. "

"I have to fly out this afternoon. I can't believe this." She said as she grabbed clothes and started flinging them in the suitcase. "I am going to be on television . I am going to be famous."

"I have some time off today, I will come with you to say goodbye." He said sweetly. "Remember me when you are a big star." Ross said .

"How could I forget my sweetie? My big old cuddly dinosaur man." She said as she wrapped herself around him.

Ross threw the bags in the car and drove onto the Fitzgerald Expressway. Soon he was crossing over the Mystic River Bridge and seeing the turnoff for Logan. Parking the car, the two walked hand and hand into the terminal. Melanie checked her bags and then the two of them walked toward the gate.

It had been a long flight and Rachel had to go to the bathroom. She swore that this baby was using her bladder as a squeeze toy. She spotted a bathroom and made a mad dash for it as she got off the plane.

"Call me when you get there." Ross said as he moved a hair back on Melanie 's face. "I will baby." She cooed. They moved together one last time as she kissed him. "Break a leg." He called out to his girlfriend. As he watched Melanie go to her plane, he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. He thought he would never see her again.

"Rach?" he said as he spotted her. "What was she going to do now?"