Author's Note: This may be my last update for a little while (it could be a week or so unless I have time to do a chapter this weekend). I hope you are all still enjoying this story, please review!
When Rachel's IV was finished, Ross, Rachel, and the kids headed back to the beach house. They stopped at McDonald's on the way home and got Ross and the kids some dinner. Rachel was still feeling too sick to eat anything. When they got back to the house, Ross gave the kids their baths while Rachel lay on the bed and rested. Just as Ross was finished with the baths, Monica, Chandler, Jack, and Erica came in the front door. Jack and Erica immediately ran upstairs to go play with Emma and Caleb.
"Okay," said Monica. "The first thing we need to do is work out sleeping arrangements. I was thinking that we let Emma and Erica sleep on the sofa sleeper, Jack and Caleb can sleep in the room with the two twin beds, Bella's crib can go in with the boys, and Chandler and I will take the room with the double bed for tonight while you guys sleep in the master bedroom then tomorrow night we'll switch!"
"Actually Mon," said Ross. "I was thinking maybe Rachel and I should have the master bedroom the whole weekend."
"What!" exclaimed Monica. "Do you just assume since your mom and dad's favorite that you can have the best room. Well mommy isn't here to take your side now is she?"
"If you would just calm down, I would explain," said Ross. "We've been at the hospital all night because Rachel's got a bad stomach virus. They had to give her an IV with fluids because she was dehydrated, and the doctor told her she had to stay in bed and rest all weekend. I just think she would be more comfortable in the big bed."
"Okay," Monica relented with a pout.
"Is Rachel okay?" asked Chandler.
"Yeah, I think she's feeling a little better," said Ross. "She's just really got to be careful. It's dangerous for someone in her condition to have a stomach virus."
"In her condition?" asked Chandler. "What condition is that?"
"I'm supposed to wait and let her tell you guys tomorrow," said Ross.
"Hold on," Monica said, beginning to catch on. "Is Rachel pregnant again?"
"Yes, but you better act surprised when she tells you tomorrow," said Ross.
"I can't believe she didn't tell me!" exclaimed Monica. "Here I was thinking that I was her best friend, but she doesn't even tell me when she's pregnant. Who knows what else she's not telling me?"
"Well, if it makes you feel any better she didn't tell me either," said Ross.
"So how do you know?" asked Chandler. "Are you a mind reader now?"
"Mandy told me after Rachel passed out this afternoon while talking on the phone to her," said Ross. "I think Rachel was afraid that I wouldn't want the baby because we had both decided not to have any more children."
"Well, how do you feel about this?" asked Monica.
"At first I was pretty freaked out," said Ross. "When the baby gets here we'll have five kids living at home. Now, I'm starting to get kind of excited about it, I mean we're going to have another baby!"
"I thought I was going to tell them!" exclaimed Rachel as she walked into the room.
"Why are you out of bed, sweetie?" asked Ross.
"I wanted a glass of water," answered Rachel. "I can't believe you told them! I haven't got to tell anybody. I didn't even get to tell you!"
"You can tell everyone else, I promise honey," said Ross as he wrapped his arm around Rachel's waist.
"Well congratulations sweetie!" said Monica as she gave Rachel a hug.
"Yeah, congrats!" added Chandler as he gave her a hug too.
"Well, I think I'm going to go to bed and try to get some sleep," said Rachel.
"Okay, let's talk tomorrow though," said Monica.
"Okay," answered Rachel.
"I'll get the kids to bed then I'll be up," said Ross as he gave Rachel a quick kiss.
The next morning all the kids were up by seven and ready to hit the beach. A dragging Ross and Chandler were assigned to beach duty while Monica cleaned up the kitchen and Rachel slept. After Monica was finished cleaning up the breakfast dishes, she grabbed some water and saltine crackers to take up to Rachel. She stuck her head in the door to find Rachel propped up in bed just sitting there. "Are you feeling any better this morning?" asked Monica.
"Well, I feel kinda sick, but I don't know if it's still the virus or if it's morning sickness," said Rachel.
"I brought you up some saltines if you feel like eating anything. You need to try to eat something if you can," said Monica.
"Thanks honey, but I think I'll wait a little while because I don't think I can keep anything down right now," said Rachel.
"So are you excited about being pregnant again?" asked Monica.
"I guess," said Rachel. "I mean, I feel better now that I know Ross is okay with it all, but I'm still worried that I can't handle it. How am I going to handle another baby? I can barely handle the ones I have! I mean, we don't even have an extra room for the baby! Where will it sleep?" Rachel was now crying. It felt so good to get all of her fears out to her best friend.
"Honey, those things will work themselves out," said Monica. "Just think about that sweet little baby. Think about the first time you'll hold it. Think about the first time your child looks at you. How can you be upset about this?"
"I know I shouldn't be upset about having another child because children are blessings, but I'm just afraid," said Rachel.
"What exactly are you afraid of?" asked Monica.
"I'm afraid of having it! After what happened with Bella and how we almost lost her, I'm afraid to have another child. What if something goes wrong again? I just couldn't handle it," said Rachel, now crying even harder. Rachel thought back to the day when Bella had been born. She had gone into labor two months early after her most difficult pregnancy ever. Bella's heart rate had dropped suddenly and an emergency C-section had to be preformed. When she was born, she wasn't even breathing. She had spent three months in neo-natal ICU before she could be brought home. For the first few weeks they hadn't known if she was going to make it. Rachel hadn't even been allowed to hold her child for a month. Just thinking about it made her cry.
"Oh Rach," said Monica as she held her best friend in her arms. "Everything is going to be okay. We are all going to make sure that you get plenty of rest and have as easy a pregnancy as possible. If you ever need me to watch the kids or anything just let me know, okay?"
"Okay, thanks Mon," said Rachel. "I'm sorry I came unglued, but it felt good to get it out. Maybe now that I've talked about the real reason I've been so scared I can start to be happy about this, I mean I'm having a baby!"
"I know!" said Monica as she gave Rachel another hug.
A/N: Sorry Mandy really hasn't been in these past two chapters. I just really wanted to talk about Ross and Rachel's feelings about the baby. In the next chapter we will skip ahead a couple of months to Mandy starting college! Please Review!