by Tina
Hey guys, here's another installment! :) Keep those reviews coming, please! I need to know what you think, might change what I have in mind for the future of this fic! ;) Thanks for the ones who took time to leave me one! Some of them made me laugh, in a good way! Anyway, here we go...
Ross looked at the builting across the street for a while. He paid the cabdriver, hopped off the car and checked the adress one more time. Yes, that was the exact same adress Jasmine, Isaak's sister, Phoebe's friend, had given him.
The cold wind that blew hard matched perfectly with the weird sensation on the tip of his stomach, but was a contrast against his sweaty hot palms.
Slowly, he marched across the street and yet quickly buzzed Isaak's apartment, praying for him to be home. It didn't take long untill he heard his familiar voice answer.
"Yes?"
"Isaak, hi, it's Ross Geller"
"Oh" his voice showed surprise "Come on up"
When the door opened, Ross' vision carefully yet quickly scanned the room. It was a small livingroom with bright green walls, a four seats round table and a couch in front of a fairly big t.v.. Baby toys were scattered around the floor and a playpen rested on one corner. Ross' heart skipped a beat as he saw a form lying in there. Looking closely, however, he realised it was only a teddy bear.
"I really didn't think you'd come"
Ross turned his atention back to Isaak. He opened the door wide and Ross entered the apartment.
"Yeah, hm.."
Ross' eyes still kept observing very inch of the room. He was surprised to spot stuffed dinosaurs among the toys and that provoked a sensation he wasn't quite able to distinguish yet. Isaak noticed Ross' eyes wandering.
"She's not here, you know?"
"What?"
"The baby, Melissa, she's not here. I had a friend of mine take her to a clinic, aparently she's supposed to get a shot today and I just got home from work"
"Oh"
"It's a shame though. I'm sure once you see her, you'll believe me when I say she's yours."
Ross hung his head and sighed. Isaak also took a deep breath.
"Okay, look, why don't we sit down? Do you want something to eat or drink?"
They sat down on the couch.
"No, thanks, I'm fine. Listen, hm, Isaak. I'm sorry about the other day, really. It's just that... You need to understand how it feels for me. You just come knocking on my door saying that I'm a father and that I'm supposed to take care of this baby I didn't even know that existed, I-" he trailed off "Again, I'm sorry for saying this about Chloe, but how am I supposed to be sure that she is even mine?"
"That's okay, Ross. I get where you stand and I'm also sorry for how I acted the other day. Things have just been really emotional since what happened, you know? I also don't blame you for not being sure about the baby and all... Given the circunstances to how she was conceived, it's only normal"
Silence fell, while Isaak looked thoughtful.
"Look, it wasn't Chloe's intention for any of this to happen. But she told me about the night you guys slept together and how you were drunk and depressed and... didn't wear protection"
Ross sighed and Isaak continued.
"She hadn't been with anyone around that time. I know she looks like the sort of person who'd put it out like that, but she really wasn't. She'd fool around with random guys ocasionally, but she never gave herself away to anyone like she did to you. She said you were different."
"I had a girlfriend" Ross' voice was soft.
"She didn't force you into anything, Ross"
Ross looked down, ashamed.
"Anyway... The thing is... She liked you a lot. But she realised just how in love you were with that girlfriend of yours and so she didn't want to ruin anything for you. Later on we heard she'd found out about what happened and forgave you, so that only made Chloe stronger on her decision not to tell you. She really did like you, you see?"
Ross sighed. He had no idea that there was a whole other set of consequences to that night that he was not aware of.
"She couldn't go through any of her decisions to not keep the child, so after Melissa came our lives just changed. Children change everything, don't they?" He chuckled "She got a new job, which motivated me to get one myself. She was even picking up her studies again. I stopped using drugs I considered to be so innocent just so Chloe would let me babysit for her when she had a date with someone promising. That's how amazing Melissa is"
"Still, she didn't want to tell you. I talked to her a few times about this but she wouldn't listen. But now that she's, hm-" Isaak paused, as if those words were too painful to be pronounced "...not around anymore... I figured I should be the one to try and make things right. You might not want to keep her, but at least you'll know"
"Wow", Ross almost inaudibly mumbled. "I... I don't know what to say. Hm, no, you're right, you're right. I had to know, yes." Ross ran his fingers through his hair and thought. "Is it okay if I ask for a DNA test? Just to be sure?"
"That's fine, Ross"
"Thanks"
"Okay, listen. Why don't we do it over the week and then when the results come out we set a date for you to come over and meet her?"
Isaak's conviction on the results of the exam had an effect on Ross. Isaak was so sure.
"Right, okay. That sounds like a good plan, yeah"
And a good plan it was. This way, Ross thought, he wouldn't have to say anything to Rachel untill he was certain that this child was his.
Rachel was laid in the comfortable chair with her legs and head carefully set on the arms of it. She got a full view of everything that was going on in the apartment. She, Monica and Phoebe were having a typical girl's night, which was unsual for a monday night. However, with Phoebe's pregnancy having just ended not long ago, she was still experiencing hormonal disfunctions. The perfect medicine for that would be nothing but a good night of doing nothing with her girls.
"So, how did the weekend away go, Rach?" Phoebe asked.
"Fine"
Upon the one-word sentence, Phoebe decided not to prolong the subject.
"Do you guys wanna play Operation?" she quickly suggested.
"We've burnt the guy last time we were preparing him since we don't have the tweezes, remember?"
"Ohh, right." Phoebe paused "How did we do that?"
"We could play Twister!"
"Nah, I've been feeling too flotsy lately"
Monica rolled her eyes.
"What do you think we should do, Rach?"
There was no answer.
"Rach? Rachel?"
"What?"
"What dimention are you in?"
Rachel shot Phoebe a look.
"Sorry, I'm just a little out of it"
"Anything wrong?"
"No, nothing wrong."
At this moment, the door opened and Ross entered, holding a fine bouquet of white lillies. Rachel quickly sat up and stood.
"Where have you been?"
She approached him, while Monica and Phoebe looked at each other.
"That's what's wrong", Phoebe whispered.
"What?" Ross asked his girlfriend.
"I called you at work and they said you left early. Where were you?"
It was not typical of Rachel to get so jealous, but Ross was not about to start with her.
"I was just solving a few things at the bank." he lied as handed her the flowers "And picking these for you"
Rachel picked them slowly and couldn't help but smile, leaning over to feel the soft scent that emerged from the imaculate petals.
"Thank you"
"What's this, girls' night?"
"Yeah, didn't Rachel tell you?"
"That's what I was calling for" she shot him a look. "You left your cell at home"
"I know, I realised it when I got at work. I'm sorry"
"It's okay"
"But that's fine, 'cause I would still come over 'cause I wanted to see you"
Rachel smiled brightly.
"Oh yeah?"
He pulled her closer and they kissed softly.
"Yeah"
"Oh, get a room" Phoebe mumbled. "Wait, don't!"
Ross and Rachel startled.
"Ew, I don't wanna see what they're gonna do!" Monica complained.
"I know, but they had a whole weekend together, now she's ours"
"Fair enough", Ross said. "I'll just see you tomorrow, sweetie?"
"Sure"
With another kiss, Ross made his way across the hall, leaving Rachel with a wide smile on her face. It seemed like their awkward anniversary phase was fading away quicker this year.
I know, if I keep writing these short-short chapters the story will be huge (as in with a lot of chapters, lol!), but...! What can I say, I've gotten used to it now! You know the drift, please leave me a review! Even if it's really short!