Disclaimer: I don't own friends or Joey, I just wrote this story. But I do own Hailey and am proud of that.

Chapter Six—

Loving Wife. He traced his fingers over each of the letters one at a time. Tears trickled silently down his cheek as he remembered what he once had and what he had lost. Living that part of his life had been the easiest thing he had ever had to do. Life had not been difficult to get up to in the morning, he could not remember even groaning at the thought of starting a new day, but remembering it, that became the hardest thing he had ever had to do. To remember what he had lost, to face the fact that he would never have it again was to face a very harsh reality, one which he didn't believe he would ever be ready for but knew he had to face for the sake of those around him, for his son and for he himself as well.

"Uncle Joey! Uncle Joey!"

Joey looked around and saw the owner of the voice detaching herself from her mother and running out of the airport terminal towards him.

"Baby girl!" Joey exclaimed as the girl jumped into his awaiting arms. "How have you been Em?"

"I missed you so much Joey," answered the three and a half year old. "Are we going to have fun like we did when I came to visit you with daddy?"

"Aw I don't know Em. I'm going to be really busy this time. You know I'm getting married tomorrow."

"I know Uncle Joey. I'm the flower girl remember!" exclaimed Emma. "But Erica's the flower girl too, why couldn't I do it by myself, Jack gets to be pageboy by himself?" she asked, looking annoyed.

"That wouldn't be fair if Erica had to miss out Em. And he doesn't anyway, Dylan's going to be pageboy as well. Where is everyone else anyway?" Joey asked, realizing that he had only seen Emma and, very briefly, Rachel, when there was supposed to be a whole lot more people.

"They went to get the bags and everything. Uncle Chandler told mommy and me to come meet you so you wouldn't get worried," she explained hurriedly.

"Hi Joey."

Joey turned and beautiful green eyes swarmed into his brown. Silently, he placed Emma back on the ground. He took in the woman before him. Her hair was still the same light brown, her eyes still the same green but she looked different to what he remembered. She appeared more fragile, more worn. He supposed motherhood combined with age must have taken some toll on her. But nonetheless she still was one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen.

"Hi Rach."

She smiled at him slightly as he said her name. For the moments while he was conversing with her daughter she had stood back and simply watched and remembered. She remembered the man she knew for all those years and saw him smiling at her daughter. He had found himself again. He was no longer the broken man that had left New York. He was happy. He was in love. The child in him was back. The light in his eyes was shinning again. And as she realized that he truly was happy with his life as it was, she couldn't help but be happy for him. As much as she wanted to wish that he had stayed in New York with her, just as she had been for the past year and a half, she couldn't bring herself to. She had to let go.

Even with this in mind she couldn't help but think of the last time she had had any contact with him. It was a contact that came in the form of a box, three months after he left.

Her birthday had rolled around and with it came another surprise birthday party. This time it was held at Monica and Chandler's new house. It was a good party but Rachel hadn't been able to get into the mood of it. She had looked around at the house full of so many people she loved and had only been able to see an empty space. Joey had been missing. She hadn't expected him to be there, they hadn't even talked since he moved to L.A, but she had still hoped he would come for the occasion.

Once the party had dissipated and there were only the five friends and their children and husbands left, the present opening had begun. And that was when Chandler presented her with the box from Joey.

Rachel had pulled out item after item, trying desperately not to cry before the watchful eyes of her friends. First came a baby pink Barbie skateboard. A note was attached. It read 'I went back for it, try not to break your but this time'. She had let out an odd laugh at that.

Next item out was a large penguin, Hugsy. This too had a note attached to it, it said 'For Emma, just something so that she doesn't feel left out, he's missing you baby girl'. Rachel had passed Hugsy over to the little girl who had clapped her hands delightedly at been reunited with her friend.

Next Rachel had pulled a white T-shirt out of the box. She had turned it over to find 'Cobra's' written in big red letters. The note said 'Tell Chandler that half the gang might be gone, but the spirits still alive'. As she had laughingly thrown the shirt across to Chandler, she hadn't been able to stop herself from thinking of the symbolic meaning of that. He may be gone, but his spirit remained.

A Titanic DVD was the thing from the box. This ones note read 'The initials of Jack and Rose can also be for Joey and Rachel. Jack let go of everything for his Rose. I did the same for mine. You have to live and be happy Rach. Go to your true love. Never give up sweetie'. That was the item that had broken her. Tears had begun to leak out of her eyes. The others had looked at her alarmed but she had offered no explanation.

Through her tears she had delved into the box once more. The last item out was a picture frame with a card taped over the top of it. The card was not your typical birthday card but one which meant so much more. The picture on the front was black and white; it was of two children perched on top of the monkey bars in a park. The girl in the picture had light hair while the boys was black. Shakily, Rachel had pulled the card off the frame and opened it to read what was inside. It said 'I'll never forget what we had Rach, I will always remember it but I am moving on and you have to as well. It wasn't fair of me to tell you. It probably confused you so much. Remember what we had and you should understand. I know you love me, but you will never love me like that. You have a lobster and I've accepted that, you have to as well. Let go of me Rach, and marry your true love. Don't give up on that and maybe one day we will be able to have what we did again.'

Sobbing, Rachel had then looked down at the picture in the frame. It was the one from Dylan's christening. One look at the picture and she was lost as to why she never worked out that he loved her like he did. It was all there, written so clearly on his face.

"Rachel, what's wrong?" The voice had brought her back to reality. It had been Ross, looking at her with worry etched into his features.

She had looked around at everyone. The worry had been written on their faces as well. She had run from the room but a quick peak at the items from the box had told everyone all they needed to know. Joey's secret had been exposed, and they had not talked of it as a group since. The only people to say anything had been Rachel and Chandler, he had become her confidant and that was it.

Now as she looked at the man who was so alive and happy she knew she would finally have to do a he asked, she would have to move on.

Joey was about to say something more to Rachel but the rest of his friends exiting the airport distracted him. He moved swiftly over to the group and quickly engulfed Chandler in a hug.

The next morning Joey woke with a strange feeling. Something was missing. He rolled on to his side and quickly realized what that was. Hailey wasn't beside him. It was the first time in two months that he had awoken without her there and it was slightly disconcerting. However, the uneasy feeling was soon replaced by excitement. His wedding day had arrived.

Joey jumped out of bed and made his way downstairs but came to a standstill at the bottom. Sitting on his couch was his past. They were all so happy, smiling and laughing amongst themselves. It struck him as odd that he had left but they all seemed to be still together, especially since he was the one who was so against change.

He stood there for a moment and simply reminisced, but was abruptly brought out of his thoughts by a door slamming into his left side. He let out a yell and turned to look at the culprit, let out another yell and jumped around behind the railing of the stairs and hid.

"Oh my god! Joe I'm so sorry," said Hailey coming around to check on him with her hands over her eyes.

"Hailey! Get back. We aren't supposed to see each other," exclaimed Joey.

"Oh for god sakes, it's a stupid tradition anyway," she said, dropping her hand. "What were you doing standing there anyway?"

"Oh I'm sorry," said Joey sarcastically, his hands still over his eyes. "Do you always throw doors open like that?"

"Well we can see you two are going to be very happy together," Chandler said sarcastically from the lounge.

Hailey jumped, "There's people here, oh Joe it's your friends." She smiled brightly at them all and went to embrace them. All arguments were forgotten.

"Hails, what are you doing?" Gina asked, poking her head through the door. "Alex is about to have a hernia over here. I reckon if we leave it another minute she'll explode, wanna wait and see?"

"Sure," said Hailey, smiling at her sister-in-law, slightly evilly.

"I heard that you two!" came a voice. "Next time plan your own god damn wedding Hailey."

"Guess we better go, see you later Joe," she said while rolling her eyes at Gina, who smiled appreciatively. Hailey pecked him on the cheek and he bent down and kissed her round stomach, then she and Gina left to the apartment next door to get ready.

The day passed quickly and soon sunset was upon them.

Joey stood on a beach, barefoot with his suit pants rolled up to just above his ankles, his white shirt rolled to his mid forearm, staring in wonder as the sun began to set over the ocean. Behind him a priest stood, ready to perform the service. The guests were in front of him, on either side of a pebble-lined isle, smiling graciously.

He heard music begin and his heart began to pump even more wildly then it already was. Four small figures were the first down the isle, Emma and Dylan with Jack and Erica just in front. Next came Gina, her arm interlaced with Chandler. After that were Alex and Zac, then Juliet, Hailey's friend, and Michael came down. Finally it was her turn.

Hailey took his breath away. He could do nothing but stare at her. She looked absolutely stunning, four and a half months pregnant and glowing. With her blonde hair falling in curls down her back and her blue eyes shinning while she smiled her cute dimpled smile, she looked like an angel. She was the second angel he had ever come in contact with, except this one was his, this one was marrying him. And with that thought his heart stopped pounding and his eyes began to water. This truly was the happiest moment in his life.

He blinked and he was on the dance floor, a ring on his finger and his wife in his arms. Pulling her body up against his he could feel the bump where their child grew and he knew his life was complete. To him, the three of them were the only people in the world at that moment. It didn't matter that the woman he once loved with every bit of his being was dancing with her lobster while watching their child dance with Ben and Dylan, just across the room. He barely noticed Monica and Chandler dancing with their twins nearby, nor did he notice Phoebe and Mike sitting comfortably with their six-month-old daughter. It was just he, Hailey and their child.

Further into the night he was sitting down watching as Hailey danced with Chandler when his mother came and sat beside him.

"You did good with this one Joe. See your mother does know best right. Now you know not to question me. Your lights back my boy, and I think we have Hailey to thank for that." And with that she got up and left.

Four months past and Joey found himself standing over his wife as their son was placed in her arms for the first time. She looked up at him with tears in her blue eyes and smiled. He could only smile back and utter a single word. "Cole." She nodded and both their eyes slid back onto the child they created together.

Two days later Joey walked into his apartment with his son in his arms and his wife's hand in his. Together they walked to the room that Michael had once occupied. Hailey pushed the door open and Joey walked and placed the sleeping Cole in his cot for the first time. Together they stood over him and simply watched him sleep. Tears trickled out of Hailey's eyes and Joey pulled her close to his side.

"He's going to be hot isn't he," said Hailey. "Look at him, he's got blonde hair, he will hopefully get your eyes and most probably your olive skin."

Joey smiled gleefully and said, "I'm not going to have a problem teaching him how to work the women am I?" just as Hailey continued with "I'm going to be working overtime judging the girls that try to get into his pants."

Joey laughed and murmured in her ear "Don't judge them on first glance will you."

"Oh I plan to," responded Hailey.

His life was perfect. There was no other word to describe it.

Perfection could only last for so long.

A/N: Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed that. Please leave a review, I love them dearly. If you hated it, I would love to hear that. Next chapter should be up soon. I am sorry this one took so long but I wrote it ages ago and then I lost it and it took a lot to get the motivation to do it again. So sorry.