I will just say this once: If you don't like my story, you do not have to read it. I am not forcing you to read it and will not be offended if you choose not to. I know my ideas aren't going to please everyone, but repeatedly berating me for writing them and calling me ridiculous is unnecessary. It's just a story.

I'm just trying to survive in this world with a full plate of stressors like everybody else. Writing is my escape from facing some of those stressors, especially the ones that involve sick family members and a brother facing a potential, lethal cancer diagnosis. Please remember that before you flame me again. I'm not just a faceless person on the internet. To prevent possible review wars such as the one I have had before, I don't post those flaming comments, so save your energy.

I have posted the final four chapters of this story, bringing the saga to an end at 50 chapters. Happy reading everyone.

Monica was lying in bed, her hand over her abdomen. She was wondering about her baby. Their baby. What would they be like as a person? Would they be a boy or a girl? She knew the fetus was very small right now. It blew her mind that something could start off so tiny and turn into a baby, who then turned into an adult.

"Hey," Chandler said, bringing her a cup of coffee. She sat up, and he handed it to her.

"I have to admit, I'm a little jealous of Phoebe and Joey being on their honeymoon right now. All that sand and water..." Monica trailed off.

"We can go to the Bahamas sometime," Chandler offered.

"Okay," she laughed.

"I'm serious! We could go on a trip together. Anywhere you want to go," Chandler smiled.

"I'll think about it," she replied. Chandler sat there looking at her, and he had to resist proposing to her on the spot. He wanted it to be executed just right. He had a plan. After drinking their coffee and chatting a bit more, they got up.

"Aw crap," Monica groaned, seeing half of Phoebe and Joey's wedding gifts piled in her living room. She had agreed to store them there for the time being, but it was beginning to irk her, not to mention her itching desire to open one of them.

"Remind me again why we're keeping these here?" Chandler asked, examining them.

"Because their apartment is smaller than ours, and I'm nice," Monica answered.

"Right."

"I wonder what's in here," Monica mused, picking up a small gift. Chandler immediately went over and removed it from her hand, setting it back down on the pile.

"No," he said firmly.

"Just one," she whined.

"No! They're not our gifts!"

"I'll re-wrap it," Monica promised.

"No."

"You're no fun," she complained.

"I value my life," Chandler corrected. He knew how mean Phoebe could get.

"Then I have to get out of the apartment because I can't help myself," she said.

"Okay. Coffeehouse it is," Chandler said, dumping the rest of his coffee down the drain, rinsing his mug, and setting it neatly on the counter just like he'd been trained to do. Monica followed suit except she had finished her coffee. Then they went down together.

Ross & Rachel

"Can you believe that Monica is pregnant?" Rachel asked Ross as they sat at their table together. Ben was entertaining Daniel in his jolly jumper and making him laugh.

"It's incredible," Ross agreed. "I mean, to be told you can't have children to suddenly being pregnant...that's just amazing."

"It's like those women who adopt because they can't have children and then suddenly get pregnant afterwards," Rachel mused. "Hey! Monica was thinking about adopting, right? Then she got pregnant. Weird..."

"I wish she would hurry up and tell our parents," Ross said. "I want to point out how Monica and Mom both had a..."

"Don't say medical marvel," Rachel warned, stopping him. "I've heard that story too many times."

"But it's true!"

"I know it's true. It's also annoying," Rachel said.

"Can we go to the park today?" Ben asked hopefully, coming over to them.

"Sure," Ross agreed, ruffling his son's hair. "Why not?"

"Will you swing with me?" Ben asked Rachel, who shuddered.

"Um, that's more your Dad's thing," Rachel answered. Ross raised a brow.

"You don't like swings?"

"No," Rachel shook her head a little too vigorously. The vivid memory of her hair getting caught and having to be cut flashed through her mind.

"I didn't know that," Ross said.

"It's not something I broadcast," Rachel sniffed. She went to pick Daniel up and carried him to his room to get him changed and ready for outside. She wondered what Monica was up to. She wondered when Chandler was going to propose. It was killing her that she knew that secret and couldn't tell anyone. She looked at Daniel then. Well, she could...

A baby can't reveal secrets, especially when they haven't started talking yet. She knew babies started talking near 12 months, and he was only 10 months old. There were the noises he was making and the words he was trying to say, but they weren't complete words yet.

"Your uncle Chandler is going to give Aunt Monica a ring," she whispered to Daniel. "A very pretty ring."

He smiled at her as though he understood full well what she was saying.

"You're so cute," Rachel smiled at him before picking him up again.

They were off to the park.

Central Perk

Monica and Chandler looked up when Ross and Rachel trooped in with Ben in tow and Daniel in the carrier on Ross's back. Rachel looked as though she had been petrified, and Ross was wincing as he walked. Monica frowned.

"What happened?" she asked.

"We went to the park," Ross answered.

"And were there ghosts in the park?" Chandler asked, looking at Rachel and then back to Ross. "Or wrestlers?"

"There were swings at the park," Rachel replied, sitting down heavily in the chair across from them. Ross turned so she could pull Daniel out of the carrier and hold him.

"Were they evil swings?" Chandler couldn't help but ask.

"Yes! Very!" Rachel exclaimed, tugging at her hair absently.

"I got you on them after a while," Ross pointed out. Then he winced again and rubbed his back.

"What happened to you?" Monica asked, noticing.

"Well..."

"I proved that swings are indeed very dangerous!" Rachel cut in emphatically. Ben was giggling beside Ross on the couch.

"It was awesome," Ben commented.

"No, it wasn't," Ross corrected.

"Momma R got Dad to hold a spider while she went on the swing, and when it escaped and crawled on him, he panicked. That's when Momma R kicked him while she was swinging!" Ben explained eagerly. "Dad went flying!"

"I'm glad someone got enjoyment out of it," Ross muttered.

"Oh my," Monica said, stifling her giggles. Chandler had a look of delight on his face, which said he was working on some jokes to use in the future from all of this new information.

"Anyway," Ross said, changing the subject. "Have you talked to Mom and Dad yet, Mon?"

"Not yet," Monica answered.

"You gotta tell them!" he exclaimed.

"Why? Is it killing you that badly that you can't share someone else's news?" Monica challenged.

"Yes! Very much so!"

"You're not scared to tell your parents, are you?" Rachel asked.

"No! I just...I want the perfect moment," Monica answered. "I'll do it soon."

"It's okay to not say anything either," Rachel told her. "I didn't, remember?"

"Yea, and your sister told for you," Ross pointed out.

"Not the best moment," Rachel agreed. "Maybe you should tell them before Ross does."

"I wasn't implying that I would..."

"I have a doctor's appointment in a few days. I'll see what he says and then tell them," Monica promised, cutting Ross off.

"Wing!" Daniel suddenly said. "Wing!" Rachel stared at her little son. Was he trying to say "ring"?! She snapped her head to look at Chandler, who also caught it. His eyes bulged at her slightly.

"Wing?" Monica laughed. "Aw, that's cute. He's trying to say swing. I love babies!"

"Yes! Swing!" Rachel exclaimed. "He thinks it was funny too." She laughed a little too nervously then. Chandler coughed.

"His first proper word is 'wing'?" Ross asked, disappointed.

"Well, we have said the word 'swing' an awful lot today," Rachel pointed out. "Don't worry. He'll say Daddy or Mommy soon."

Monica stood up then.

"I can't wait any longer. I'm going to go to the baby store and look at stuff!" she practically squealed.

"I'll come too!" Rachel said enthusiastically. "Unless you want to be alone..."

"No! Come with me!" Monica grinned. Rachel handed Daniel back to Ross so as to avoid the infant managing to say "ring" next time. The two women went out then, chattering excitedly over the things Monica could buy.

"Why do you look so glum suddenly?" Chandler asked, peering at Ross.

"I...I just really like the baby store," Ross answered sheepishly. "They have so much neat stuff in there. Dinosaur blankets, Chandler. Dinosaur blankets!"

"You're upset that you didn't get invited to go?" Chandler asked incredulously.

"A little."

"We could go back to the park," Ben suggested. "That might cheer you up."

"I'll supervise," Chandler offered. "Make sure no one else gets a kick out of you."

"You mean a kick at me," Ross pointed out.

"It's a work in progress, okay?" Chandler shot back. They left together, Daniel gleefully repeating "wing" as they went.

Hours Later

Chandler returned to find Monica sitting on the floor beside opened gifts. He halted in his tracks, stunned.

"Monica!" he yelped. She whipped her head to look at him.

"I'm sorry!" she wailed. "I couldn't help myself! I even went to the baby store in hopes it would distract me, but it just made me want to open the gifts even more!"

"You know they weren't baby gifts, right?"

"I know! I just really like opening things, Chandler," Monica cried. "I'm a horrible person."

"No, no, no," Chandler chanted, going over and kneeling next to her. "You're not! You just let your impulses take over, that's all."

"I saved the wrapping paper," she pointed. "See? I can put them all back and no one would even know!"

Chandler had to admit that she had done a stellar job at keeping the original wrapping paper in mint condition. If there was an award for such a thing, she'd win it. Phoebe and Joey would not notice a little wear on the seams where the original tape had been.

"Look at these presents, Chandler," she said, beaming as she gestured. "They're so beautiful."

Chandler guffawed in response, but he felt a sudden warmth in his chest as he looked at her. She was the one that was so beautiful, her face glowing with excitement from indulging herself as she sat in the middle of a pile of someone else's gifts. His perfect plan he'd been developing went straight out the window. He wanted to do it now. He couldn't wait another second. He stood and hurried to his hiding spot in the guest room. Monica was giving him a bit of a quizzical look when he returned, and he landed back on his knees in front of her.

"What's wrong?" she asked, feeling concerned suddenly.

"Nothing is wrong," he answered. "Nothing has been wrong for a long time. I just...I can't help but marvel at how someone like you is with someone like me..."

"Give yourself some credit, Chandler," she admonished. "You're an amazing person with a lot to give others. Don't sell yourself short."

"Just listen to me for a second," he interrupted gently. "Monica, I love you so much. I've loved you for a long time. The only regret I have is not being brave enough to tell you sooner, but what we have now is incredible, and I never want to lose it."

Monica's heart started to pound faster as she suddenly realized what Chandler was doing. She put a hand over her mouth, feeling tears coming. Happy tears of course.

"I wish we had stayed married after Vegas, but then I wouldn't get the chance to do this properly," he said, pulling out the ring box. Monica put both hands over her mouth now. "There's no one else I'd rather spend the rest of my life with. You are perfect for me just as you are, and I will spend forever trying to be perfect for you. I can't wait to have our baby and start a family, and I can't wait to call you my wife, if you'll have me. Monica, will you marry me?"

Monica was full out crying now. She grabbed his face and kissed him hard, noticing his face was a bit wet too. She pulled back, wiping at her eyes and laughing a little.

"Yes!" she cried. "Yes, I'll marry you!"

Chandler grinned so hard he felt like his face would crack in two as he pulled the ring out and slid it on her finger. Monica hugged him tightly again, and they rocked back and forth on their knees on the floor until she realized she hadn't properly looked at the ring. She sat back and examined it, gasping in delight.

"You like it?" he asked.

"I love it," she whispered. She took his face in her hands and looked at him fiercely. "And you are perfect for me, Chandler Bing. You don't have to prove that to me."

They kissed again, and Chandler felt as though he was on cloud nine and never coming down.

"Oh my God!" she yelped once they stopped and she noticed all the opened gifts next to her. "I have to re-wrap all of these!"

Laughing, Chandler hurried to help her, and they spent the rest of the afternoon putting the presents back together while stopping to keep kissing and looking at her ring.

A Week Later

Phoebe and Joey returned from their honeymoon all tanned and excited. They did not notice that their wedding gifts had already been opened and put back together. Monica felt relief that they didn't notice. She then felt slightly annoyed that neither of them noticed the flashing ring on her finger either.

"Oh! We met this amazing couple on the trip!" Phoebe exclaimed.

"Yea! Bob and Sandy!" Joey chimed in. "It was their honeymoon too!"

"Amazing couple, huh?" Monica asked, feeling a little jealous.

"Bob was so funny! He had so many good jokes," Phoebe went on. Chandler felt his face twitch then. He was the guy with the jokes, not Bob.

"And Sandy made us dinner one night," Joey said, practically drooling. "Her lasagna was to die for!"

Monica hugged herself, trying not to feel affected. Other people could cook lasagna too. She wouldn't deny someone having their own recipe that people may or may not like. It was a free country. Lasagna didn't have to be kept in a "box" that followed specific ingredients in order to make people enjoy it. It could be experimented with.

Chandler reached to take her hand, knowing she was feeling put out.

"She cooked on their honeymoon?" he asked, knowing Monica would be looking for some kind of flaw to pick on.

"Yup! I was surprised too, but she just loves cooking so much," Phoebe answered, bobbing her head.

"Hmph," Monica said.

"Should we call them? I think we should call them," Joey said eagerly.

"Yea!" Phoebe cried, rushing to grab their phone.

"Right in front of us?" Monica asked quietly for only Chandler to hear.

"They're new," Chandler assured her. "That will wear off, and they'll be old, forgotten friends like us in no time."

"I hope you're right."

"Sandy!" Phoebe exclaimed into the phone. "It's Phoebe! Hi!"

"'Hi!'" Monica mocked under her breath, making a face. "I can't watch this." She left, and Chandler resisted following her.

"Is she okay?" Joey asked, noticing Monica had left.

"Yea. Just baby nausea," Chandler lied. He had tried to pay attention as much as possible at the doctor's appointment the other day. He was determined to make her pregnancy as bearable as possible for her. That included stocking up on ginger ale and plain crackers.

"Ah," Joey nodded, understanding.

"They invited us over!" Phoebe said happily once she hung up the phone.

"When!"

"Tomorrow night!"

"Is she making lasagna again?" Joey asked hopefully.

"She's making a vegetarian dish for me and a pot roast for the rest of you."

"Pot roast! That's even better!"

Chandler was wincing at all the excited shouting now. He rubbed his neck.

"So, I'm gonna go," he said, gesturing to the door with his thumbs. They didn't even notice him leave. He found Monica standing in the living room with crossed arms.

"I'm almost sorry I put their gifts back together," she sniffed. He went to hug her.

"It's all right," he assured her. "We'll be number one again soon."

"I don't like being number two," Monica said, muffled by his shirt.

"No one likes being number two," he agreed. "It's messy."

"Chandler!"

But it got her to giggle, which was his goal.

Two Days Later-Central Perk

"I can't believe those idiots haven't realized you're engaged," Rachel said. She and Ross were sitting with Monica and Chandler having coffee and muffins. Ben was at school, and Carol had offered to watch Daniel for a few hours to give them a break.

"They're on a New Friend high right now," Chandler said. "They'll come down."

On cue, Phoebe and Joey came into the coffeehouse looking desolate.

"See?" Chandler gestured.

"What's wrong?" Monica asked when Joey and Phoebe sat down.

"Bob and Sandy dumped us," Phoebe sighed sadly.

"What? Why?" Rachel questioned.

Phoebe looked at Joey, who hung his head. The others quickly gathered it had something to do with him.

"What did you do?" Ross inquired.

"I...I can't," Joey said, becoming emotional and hiding his face. Phoebe sighed again.

"So Bob and Sandy had also invited Sandy's sister and brother in law, who have a 12 year old son," Phoebe started. "We were having dinner, and when Dylan was gone, they told us that he was adopted."

"Uh oh," Monica said, knowing where this was going.

"Then Joey sees Dylan and asks him what it's like to be adopted," Phoebe went on.

Joey gave a yelping kind of cry in his hands then.

"Dylan didn't know?" Rachel asked, her voice hushed.

"No! He had no idea! He was devastated!"

"He was 12 and didn't know?" Chandler asked, incredulous. "Joey, that's a mistake even I would have made. They should have told you he didn't know!"

"They did, but Joey had gone to the bathroom and missed it," Phoebe replied. "He also ruined Santa Claus for the kid too."

"Oh, Joey," Monica said sympathetically, but she gave Chandler a look of triumph. The honeymoon was officially over for the so called new friendship.

"Needless to say, they said they don't want to see us ever again," Phoebe said sadly.

"If Bob was truly a jokey kind of guy, he would have found a way to make light of it," Chandler insisted. He would have, so maybe Bob wasn't the funniest guy on Earth after all.

"Want me to make you a lasagna?" Monica offered Joey, resting her hand on his shoulder.

"Okay," he agreed.

"Holy crap!" Phoebe exclaimed, pointing at Monica's hand. "What is THAT?!"

"Oh, this? It's the engagement ring Chandler gave me when you were away," Monica answered.

"WHAT?!"

"Yup," Chandler grinned proudly. "I asked her to marry me."

"And I said yes!" Monica finished, high fiving him.

"You guys!" Phoebe cried, hugging them both suddenly. "I'm so happy for you!"

"Me too!" Joey added, piling onto the hug. Monica grinned at Chandler. They were the number one couple friends again.