The Fun Parts

Monica had prepared a plate of assorted cheeses, grapes and some apple slices to serve for lunch with a few cut up pieces of a baguette that she had picked up this morning from the bakery in town. For the last few years she had been determined to get Chandler to finally try some baked brie, and she made sure to include it in today's meal, but like always, he refused and poked at it with his fork as if he were a skeptical child. Once he was done inspecting the offending cheese, he instead opted to eat the cheddar and smoked gouda cubes she had carved up. When they were done eating, Chandler left to check on the twins and Monica took some time to enjoy a rare quiet moment alone as she washed the dishes. Once she finished rinsing, she turned off the faucet and grabbed a dish towel to dry the plates before putting them back in the cabinets, but stopped when she realized she could hear her husband in the next room. She stood at the sink as she listened to him babbling and making strange sounds. He was blowing air through his closed lips and singing show-tunes, which never ceased to amuse her. She looked down and smiled. She had always known that Chandler would do well with the babies; he was such a natural when they would watch Emma for Ross and Rachel. He always gave himself a hard time about the prospect of actually having to take care of his own child, worrying that he wouldn't know what to do. However, over these last two weeks, he was gaining confidence and even taking the lead with some things, like baths and feedings. While he did learn to enjoy caring for the twins, playing with them like this was his favorite. His face would light up and his eyes would practically sparkle anytime he was down on the floor with them. Monica decided the drying could wait and put the towel back on the drainboard. She walked over to the entranceway of the den, trying to be quiet so she wouldn't disturb her family. She wanted to enjoy a few moments observing them.

The twins were laid out on their playmat. Kicking their little legs and moving their heads around slowly. Once in a while one of them would gabble a bit, but for the most part, they were fairly quiet. The mat had crossing arches which were covered with a soft materiel. It had mirrors, rattles, decorative sewn pieces made to look like jungle leaves that crinkled when you touched them, and small stuffed animals that were connected to pull strings. As Monica watched them, she realized, as usual, that all the noises she heard were coming from their father. He was laying on his back next to the mat with his head upside down, watching them closely. He had his legs up, with his knees pointed at the ceiling. He would reach a hand over and alternate between which toys on the mat he would crinkle or spin, in an attempt to get them to notice something and react. He was making nonsensical noises and contorted his face, trying to keep them entertained. Although, it didn't look like they were too interested in his antics. Monica folded her arms and smiled as a wave of complete warmth flowed over her entire being from somewhere deep inside her chest.

"Everything I'll ever need is right here in this room."

She felt a tear start to form, but quickly brushed her finger under her eyes to stifle it. Chandler had been making jokes at her expense all week.

"Monica, you can't keep crying every time you see the babies. They're going to think there is something wrong with you."

He wasn't exaggerating, she had found herself to be much more emotional than she thought she would be during these first two weeks. It seemed, whenever the babies did something new, or anytime she could catch Chandler with them unnoticed, her heart would melt and she wouldn't be able to keep her emotions in check. Standing here, in-between the two rooms, she concluded that she doesn't really want to contain them anyway. She smirked as Chandler started to roll side-to-side.

"See guys, it's easy. Just do what I'm doing."

"What are you doing?"

Chandler craned his neck to look over at her. "Me? I'm trying to teach them how to roll over, but now, I'm not sure if I can get back up on my own. I think I may have to be an on-the-floor parent from now on. You'll have to take care of everything else that happens higher than two feet from the floor."

An amused smile had spread across her lips. "Honey, they aren't ready to do that yet."

Chandler rolled over on his side and supported his head with one of his hands. "I know, but I go back to work Monday and I don't want to miss anything huge."

"I promise, I will take video of everything they do. We might as well get some use out of that camera my dad bought us."

Chandler pouted a bit, "I know, but it isn't the same. Why can't we get paid to stay home and play with the babies? Where is that job?"

Monica made her way over to where her family was positioned in the room and dropped down to her knees. "You tell me if you find it, okay?"

Chandler reached his free hand over to rub her thigh. "These last two weeks have been some of the best of my life. I didn't know how much I would love this. Hasn't it been great?"

"Even with all the poop and spit up?"

Chandler screwed up his face in disgust. "They are messy. It's like having two little Joeys. You know, I think he is still working on object permanence too."

"That's mean."

"But true. Come to think of it, for the first six months we lived together, he would spit up milk on all his shirts too."

Monica exhaled a chuckle and shook her head. "Well, I have heard him cry more than these two do." She stood up and looked down at the babies one more time. "If you are okay here and have them under control, maybe I'll go and throw on some laundry."

Chandler reached his hand out towards his wife. "Wait, come down here with me."

Monica smiled and put her hands on her hips. "Why?"

"Look, it's my last day of paternity leave. They're being so quiet and adorable right now. I just want to enjoy this moment, right here on the floor, with my entire family. The four of us."

Monica couldn't help but get swept up in his enthusiasm. She shook her head and smiled. Her heart still fluttered whenever Chandler displayed the sweet, sentimental part of his personality.

"You are so cute."

She lowered herself back down to the floor. "I guess the laundry can wait."

Monica settled down on all fours and gave each baby a gentle kiss; Erica got one on her hand and Jack one on his toes.

"You know, maybe, if they fall asleep soon, we can do some laundry of our own." She looked over at Chandler and waggled her eyebrows.

Chandler smiled with a sly expression. "Really? Daytime s-e-x? I must be really cute."

She started to slowly nod her head. "Oh definitely. And we haven't really made time for ourselves since we got in the house. With this being your last day off, and tomorrow it'll be just me with these two and you'll be commuting. I don't know how tired we will be by tomorrow night. Or all week for that matter. I guess, I'm worried we may fall into a rut. Sexually. Lose some of our oomph."

Chandler reached out to grab her hand. "Monica, I know we've both been really tired. I'm sorry if I haven't been, uh, fulfilling your needs."

Her lips curled up on one side. "No, it isn't that. I mean, sure, that too, but also, I just don't want us to become one of those couples who loses their spark because their kids take up all their focus. As it is, it has been almost a week since we," she paused and looked over at the babies, realizing she doesn't want to say anything too explicit while they are awake. "since we did some laundry of our own. And, except for a few times while you were working in Tulsa, we have never gone this long between, um, loads."

Chandler laughed. "Okay, first, you're terrible at double entendres. Second, you don't have to tell me twice." He tilted his head and looked over towards the twins. "Erica, Jack. Go to your room, I am about to perform some unspeakable acts on your mother."

Monica laughed and rolled over into her husband's arms. They laid there on the floor in an embrace and shared a long, slow kiss. She curled up into his body as they both rested on their backs beside the playmat, interlocking their legs. She looked up at the babies and reached out to pull on one of the hanging toys, when she released it, it made a comical, vibrating noise and wiggled back to its original position.

"Well, maybe we can enjoy this for a few more minutes."

Chandler laughed and pressed a kiss against her hair, wrapping his arm around her waist.

"Sure, I think we can too."

Monica cinched her robe tightly and then poured some fresh coffee into two mugs. Chandler sat down at the table and pulled over some papers to look at. She slid a mug in front of him and sat down. She nodded her head in the direction of the baby monitor in the middle of the table.

"Sounds like they're still out."

"Good. I was hoping we could enjoy a little more alone time."

"Are you telling me you're ready to go for round three?" She smiled and brushed some of her hair away from her face.

Chandler looked up and flashed her an awestruck expression before letting his lips curl into a roguish smile. "Well, I don't know how many more times I have in me, but I'm willing to try." He reached across the table to take her hand in his. "I meant, just spending some time together. Just us. No babies."

Monica gently squeezed his fingers between her own and a serene smile fell across her face. "That sounds good too."

"I'm really going to miss you this week. I don't think we've ever spent this much time together at home. Just being a family. I didn't expect this to be so much fun." He took a slow sip from his coffee cup.

"You're a really different kind of guy Mr. Bing. I don't know how many men would love to spend two weeks taking care of two babies and a wife who didn't have time to shave her legs, or do her hair, or sometimes shower."

"You look amazing to me."

"You don't have to butter me up, handsome, I already put out."

Chandler chuckled. "No, I know. I guess all of this." he waved his hands around the kitchen. "The whole package of wife and mom looks really hot on you. You seem so comfortable and relaxed. It's only four in the afternoon and we're sitting here in our robes. And it's such a turn on."

She slapped his hand playfully. "Stop it." She then looked out towards the entranceway of the kitchen. "I have to say, knowing that one of our friends isn't going to come barging in the room at any moment probably helps. I love them, don't get me wrong, but it is nice to be truly alone."

"I know what you mean. It almost feels like when we started dating, and we would sneak around and we had our own little world that no one else knew about. That's what this feels like. It is just Ours. Mine and yours. And no one else will ever know what these moments are like."

Monica's smile widened and she huffed out a small laugh. "I love you; you know that?"

"I do."

"And you're really an amazing husband and father."

"Thank you." Chandler pulled his hands back and lifted his mug so he could take a triumphant swig of his coffee.

Monica lifted her eyebrows, trying to give him a non-verbal clue to return the compliment. She jabbed her head in his direction and then cleared her throat.

"Uh, and don't you have something to say?"

"I do have something to say. You were right. I am a pretty amazing husband." He sipped from his coffee again with a smirk on his lips.

Monica's eyes narrowed and she mocked an indignant glare at her husband. She quickly got up from her seat, walked over to him, and smacked him on the arm.

Chandler chuckled and pulled her down onto his lap.

"So, round three?"

Monica pulled back from him and smirked. "After that comment?".

"You know, if I'm amazing, it is because of you."

"That's better." She leaned and placed a tender kiss on his lips. She then stood up and took his hand in hers. "Okay, let's go for round three."

They playfully sprinted up the stairs and turned sharply into their bedroom. Just as they crashed down onto the bed and began to share several frenetic kisses, a soft noise carried out over the monitor. They both sighed as they heard one of the babies start to gurgle from their crib. Both of them already able to predict that they had a short amount of time before it turned into a full cry.

Chandler started to haphazardly remove his robe. "We have ninety seconds."

Monica huffed. "We can't get anything done in ninety seconds!"

"I'm pretty sure I can." Chandler leaned into his wife and started to kiss her jawline.

Monica scoffed at him as she pushed him back. "What about me?"

"We knew having kids meant some sacrifices would have to be made."

Monica chuckled and rolled him off of her before she got up from the bed. "Come on champ. Let's take care of them, and then after that, maybe you can take care of me." She reached her hand out and pulled him up to his feet. They shared one more quick kiss and then walked hand-in-hand into the twins' bedroom.