Hey guys :D Thank you for the wonderful reviews. I always say this, but it's the truth; they make it worth writing. And also, a special thanks to Tina Chaves for her review. I really appreciate it, because you're one of those who gives constructive criticism, and no; I don't hate you for it. You can have the opinions you want, I'm just glad you're reading and that you like it. Glad you found the pregnancy well written (huge smile here, by the way) and also all the other stuff you said was good ! That really, really made me happy. And also I would like to thank Imaginewhatif, also for the constructive criticism. I would so like to get better, so that's why I like your reviews ;p Thanks for that. And thanks to BrookeGreene too.
Disclaimer; I do not own the 6 wonderful characters created by Bright, Kaufmann and Crane. Which characters am I talking about? Friends, of course! We love them, don't we?
What Love Can Do
Chapter 13.
"So, are you gonna be okay with that?" Rachel asked Emma, looking at her adorable face.
"Yeah, that's alright" Emma smiled, "It doesn't matter who's taking me; bottom line is, I'm gonna see daddy."
"Yeah," Rachel smiled, hugging her, "And uncle Joey cant wait to spend time with you. He's picking you up already at 3 o'clock today. Isn't that great?"
"Yes!" Emma squealed, "And then we go to the hospital, right?"
"Exactly." Rachel said, pushing her daughter into the car, "It's gonna be a good day for you honey."
"Yeah, but aren't you gonna take me to see daddy one day, yourself?" Emma asked.
Rachel took the drivers seat, "Hmm, y'know what? Actually, one day I'll have to have an appointment at the hospital myself, and then I can drop you off with dad while I'm there! How does that sound?"
"M'good!" Emma paused, "But why are you going to the hospital? You sick?"
"No, it's just grown-up stuff." Rachel smiled.
--
"So, Ross," doctor Evans said, "Are you ready for the program that doctor Woods have made for you?"
"More than ready." Ross said, "I really want to walk again, so I'll practically do everything."
"Okay then." doctor Evans smiled, "Doctor Woods will be with you in a second. She was just attending to another patient's program. And don't worry – you're in good hands with her."
Ross nodded, and watched the doctor leave.
He had finally made a decision, and was now dealing with a special doctor, who was an expert in these kinds of things. He wanted to walk again, he really did. He knew that he shouldn't even be considering the possibility of NOT walking again, but it had been taking over his mind the last few days.
Why bother trying when there is a possibility of not making it?, had he asked himself.
Now he knew he was wrong.
He should bother trying, because the possibility of making it was just as good as the possibility of not.
That was why he'd told the doctors he was going to do it.
He HAD to walk again.
--
After dropping the twins off at preschool, Monica took a look at Ross and Rachel's car again.
Things were left exactly like that morning. She would bet a thousand dollars that Rachel hadn't been there since then.
Monica could easily understand that. Had it been her, she wouldn't have been able to do it either.
Monica walked around the car, looking at their belongings, thrown like everything was okay. It had just been an ordinary day.
Monica knew that she should probably want to kill Rachel right now – for doing all the stuff she was doing. For taking Chandler away. For breaking up with Ross. For being her – but exactly that fact, the fact that she was her, that she was Rachel, did the trick. Did that Monica couldn't hate her.
She was her best friend.
Ever since they were kids, they'd been there for each other. Helped each other. Loved each other.
She couldn't believe it if she'd lose Rachel over this.
But on the other hand… How would they ever work through?
Go on?
--
When Rachel got into work an hour later, after dropping Emma off, she made a list of what she had to do that day. She had listened to Chandler's messages yesterday when she got home, and had decided to call him. She also needed to call an OBGYN, possibly doctor Long, whom she had, when she was expecting Emma.
That would be wonderful.
Then she needed to rest. She hadn't done that in such a long time, so it was wonderful that Joey was picking up Emma today. Rachel would go home early, and then just sleep. Watch some TV in Emma's room.
It was Thursday.
Usually, good Soap Operas were on.
Rachel grabbed her phone and dialled Chandler's number.
It didn't take long for him to pick up. He was probably starring out into space like he so often did at his job.
"Hi, Chandler Bing"
"Hi Chandler, it's Rachel."
The other end was silent for awhile, until he cleared his troth; "Uhm, Rachel…?"
"Hey." she whispered, "So… I got your messages?"
"Yeah, I just-" he paused, "I just wanted to talk to you. I guess I freaked you out in some way."
"It was a pretty huge shock." Rachel admitted, "But… Most of all, I didn't know what brought it on? I mean, did you leave Monica… for me? Because you know we can't be together."
"No, Rach. Stop talking!" Chandler exclaimed, "I--- I didn't leave Mon because of you, there were a lot of different reasons, and you're one of them. But I hoped that we could maybe work past this or something.. I know you wouldn't want me, so I wasn't expecting anything."
"Chandler, it has nothing to do with you. You are a sweet, sweet guy. I do feel something for you, but… I still love Ross. I've always loved Ross. I loved him after our break-up, I loved him when we were getting married. When we were having Emma. Why do you think I couldn't even make it work with Joey? I love Ross too much!"
"But he isn't very nice to you." Chandler said, "He's… yelling at you now. Why do you put up with that? Why don't you tell him he has to change if he wants you, I mean… why!?"
"I just thought, that for once, he had to figure that out himself." Rachel whispered.
Chandler took a deep breath, "I don't want to lose you over this stupid thing, Rach. I love you very much."
"I love you too, Chandler," Rachel said, "I really do, but everything is so screwed up! Monica and I haven't spoken since forever, and now she probably wont talk to me, since I believe you told her about your feelings. Otherwise she would have overlooked our other problems, and come to me."
"You're right, I did tell her." Chandler said, "But that was just because I wanted to tell her the truth. I thought she deserved that."
"She does, she does." Rachel sighed, "But I feel like I'm losing everyone who's ever really been important to me. I don't think me and Ross' friendship will survive another break-up. Mon is mad at me, and so is Phoebs. We're all falling apart!"
"I know." Chandler said, "I wish I could save everything, Rach. I really do. But… I don't know how to do it. The best I can suggest for you is try and take contact with Mon and Phoebe. And try and talk to Ross once again!"
"But, Mon will kill me…" Rachel trailed off.
"I don't know if she will." Chandler said, "I told her that you didn't want me, that I was the one with the feelings, and all… I just… I had feelings for you before Rach, and then you kissed me…"
"Is that never talking about it again?" Rachel asked.
"No, but I cant stop thinking about it. It was so good."
"I was good, Chandler." Rachel said, "But whatever it is that you and I have, we cant continue right now. I don't know if we will ever be able to, but… Definitely not now. I have a lot going on."
"I know, Rach, I know." Chandler said, filling with hope.
"What I've told you is far from everything." Rachel said, flipping through her calendar, once again. She couldn't remember when she'd last had her period, but it must have been some time ago. She was definitely pregnant, but when had they conceived?
"What is wrong?" Chandler asked.
"Nothing, Chandler." Rachel said, "Look, I've got to go, but we should get together some time?"
"Yeah, in the weekend? Maybe we could take the kids to McDonald's… If I can have them for one day."
"We'll work something out." Rachel smiled, "Bye Chandler."
"Bye."
They hung up.
Then Rachel digged into her old phone numbers, and quickly found doctor Long's.
She sighed and dialed the number.
--
Phoebe looked at phone, wondering if her plan was a good idea.
She had at some sort promised Monica to find out if Rachel was okay. If she was not hurting too much, or if she was.
Phoebe just didn't want to ask her, because she had been so rude to her last time, and Rachel would probably kill her.
Plus, it was easier this way, if she could just ask her mom. What wasn't brilliant about that?
Phoebe quickly dialed the number she'd had in her address book for so long and waited for Sandra Green to answer.
"Sandra Green?"
"Hi, this is Phoebe Buffay. I don't know if you remember me, but I'm… or was, …am one of Rachel's friends."
"Yeah, sure. The blond one right?"
"Yes!"
"So, how can I help you?"
"I was wondering… Because Rachel seems to be busy and I cant get in touch with her, if you could tell me if she was ok? I'm worried about her. Something is not right…"
--
"Thank you so much for taking me here, uncle Joey." Emma smiled, squeezing his hand tight, "I don't know why, but mom wont come here. I am a little scared for her."
"She's ok, Emma." Joey said, looking at the girl who had come to mean so much to him, "She's just not really herself right now. It'll come, don't worry."
"Okay." Emma said, she stopped in front of one room, "Isn't it here – daddy's room?"
"Yes, it is." Joey smiled, "Why don't you knock then?"
"I can wait to see him again." Emma shared, "I miss him a lot. I know mommy does too." She leaned up, and Joey bent down to hear her secret, "She sometimes cry at night when she thinks I'm asleep." she whispered, "But don't tell daddy. He's gonna be mad at her. And it's not her fault. You cant stop tears from coming, can you?"
"No Emma…" Joey said, "No you cant."
Emma nodded and knocked at the door. When no-one answered, she just opened it, and curious, slipped into the room.
Joey followed right after, opening to door.
"There's no-one here." Emma said, telling to obvious.
The bed was messy though, which proved that someone had been there. Joey looked at the nightstand and saw one of Ross' billion dinosaur books lying there. It had to be Ross' room.
"Hey, what are you doing here?" a voice behind them said.
They turned around and found Ross in the doorway.
"Daddy!" Emma squealed and ran to him. She grabbed him around his waist, and hugged him with all her might, "I missed you daddy!"
"Oh…" Ross padded her hair, "I've missed you too, Ems." he smiled, "So much, in fact!"
Emma pulled away and looked at him, "Really, have you daddy? Have you?"
"How could I not?" Ross asked.
"But can you walk again, now?" Emma asked, pointing at his feet, "You're up!"
"I can't walk that much." Ross said, "I was training with doctor Woods, and she wanted me to go somewhere, so I told her I'd pick up my book."
"But can you soon come home, then?"
"I have to stay here for at least sometime yet." Ross told her, "Because I still need to train everyday. But later, when it's only around one time at week, then I'll come home."
"How long does you have to train?" Joey asked, seeking answers.
"Hmm, for a half a year to a year. It depends."
"Depends?"
"How fast I am, and how much my legs can take." Ross told them.
"Ok." Joey said, "Shouldn't you go back?"
"Yeah, and the two of you should come." Ross smiled.
"Yai!" Emma laughed.
"Come on." Ross said.
They followed him, and Joey noticed that Ross was far from walking. He had his hand on the wall the entire time, and was close to tripping about a hundred times in those 5 minutes it took them to walk. Joey wanted to grab his arm for help, or carry him, but he knew he shouldn't. Ross was supposed to train his legs, and he wouldn't do that if Joey had a firm grab around his arm.
They went with him, and watched him as he fought for himself.
Joey knew he was gonna make it.
--
Rachel was walking around, looking at vegetables, pondering what to make for dinner, when someone touched her shoulder. She turned around, and was surprised to find Carol, Susan and Ben, standing there.
"Oh hi!" she smiled.
"Hi Rachel!" Ben said, hugging her. They'd become very close friends after Ross and Rachel had gotten back together.
"How are you, Ben?" Rachel asked.
"I'm ok." Ben said, "Doing good, except the fact that my dad is at the hospital" the 13 year old told her.
"Yeah, I know, it's tough." Rachel smiled, "Have you visited him yet?"
"No," Ben said, "I don't really like hospitals, and mom doesn't want to go with me."
"It's true." Susan said, "We're so busted."
"No," Carol laughed, "We was actually hoping that you might want to take him…?"
"Oh…" Rachel trailed off, "Well, I guess you haven't heard this, since you haven't spoken to Ross, but him and I… well, we broke up."
"What?" Carol exclaimed.
Rachel just nodded.
"You broke up?"
"Hmm," Rachel said, "Well, hmm, we weren't doing really good, so…"
"Oh my God!" Susan said, "How are you, then?"
"Ok." Rachel said, "He just doesn't want me to go to the hospital anymore, so Joey is taking Emma."
"That doesn't sound like Ross." Carol mused.
Rachel cooked an eyebrow, "No, but you know… It just didn't work out, so…"
"I'm so sorry." Susan just said, "Is there anything we can do?"
"No!" Rachel said, "Have no idea of what that could be!" she giggled.
Susan joined, getting a hard look from Carol.
"Then I guess we'll have to take you Ben." she said instead.
"Or you could get Monica to take him. She's probably going sometime." Rachel said, "Which reminds me; did you hear of her and Chandler?"
"What happened with them?" Carol asked.
"Broke up too." Rachel said, "Chandler is living in his mom's apartment."
"Oh my God!" Carol said, "They were like the perfect couple!"
"I know!" Rachel said, "Anyway, give her a call. She would love to pick up Ben and take him, I bet."
"Yeah…" Susan trialed off, "Anyway, we've got to go. Give us a call if you need anything, okay?"
"Yup." Rachel said.
They turned around to leave, and when they turned to corner, Susan held her hands like a phone, to prove her point.
Rachel giggled and gave her thumbs up.
The three woman had been getting really close after Rachel got back together with Ross, especially Rachel and Susan, who loved teasing Ross, and Carol always ended up defending him.
They got a huge laugh out of that.
Rachel turned around to look at the cucumbers again.
Finally deciding on just mixed salad for dinner, she placed it in her basket.
--
Phoebe looked at the phone in her hand, stunned.
She couldn't believe what she'd just been told. It couldn't be true. It just couldn't!
She placed the cordless at the table, and went to the kitchen to grab a glass of water.
If it was true, what she'd been told, things were much more complicated than she'd thought it was.
Question; what was she gonna do about it?
--
Ross said goodbye to Emma and Joey with a huge smile on his face.
It had been one of the best days since he got into the hospital. His little girl had said so many wonderful things, one thing had worried him though.
Emma told him that she might come back the next day. He'd asked her why, and she'd said that Rachel had an appointment at the hospital.
Ross had freaked. What could be wrong?
Emma didn't know.
Ross could just wait and see. Maybe, maybe if he was lucky, she would step by and talk to him.
Just maybe.
--
When Joey got back to the apartment after dropping Emma off with Rachel, he found Chandler by the TV, watching some sort of reality show.
"Hey, where were you?" he turned off the TV.
"I was taking Emma to the hospital, remember?" Joe said, throwing his coat at the chair, "How was your day?"
"It was okay." Chandler said, "I talked to Rachel. We're doing something this weekend. With the kids."
"Wow, she agreed on that?"
"Yeah, why do you sound so surprised?"
"Well, you said she seemed pretty shocked, that's all" Joey shrugged, "Anyway, what are you gonna do about her? What did she say about your feelings?"
"She said that she was feeling something for me too, but she couldn't do anything about it. She said she had too much going on, y'know? And then… We thought we'd do something. I don't know."
"Ok." Joey said, "What?"
"Probably just a trip to McDonald's like last time." Chandler said.
"That sound fine, but Chandler…" Joey trailed off, "I want you to think it through. What you're doing. You lost Monica, you don't wanna lose Ross to, do you? Or Rachel?"
Chandler looked at him, "I don't know Joe… I just – I really like her"
"Um, I know" Joey said, "Believe me, I've been there"
--
Rachel hung up.
After talking with Jill, and arranging lunch with her and Amy tomorrow, she was physically drained.
Her sisters were so irritating, but sometimes sweet too.
Amy was in town tomorrow, and Jill's husband watched their son, so they could all go out. Rachel would probably let her mom or Joey take Emma.
She went into Emma's room, and saw that she was asleep.
She had been so excited after Joey dropped her off.
Apparently it had been so fun to visit Ross, and she told that he had begun on his training.
That thought warmed Rachel, it was good to know that he was doing that.
For himself.
But also for Ben, Emma and… hmm, the little new one he was gonna have.
Rachel turned off Emma's bedside lamp and retired to the couch.
She yawned and sat down.
God, she really needed new furniture.
She turned off her cell, not wanting to be interrupted, and thought about the next day.
She had an appointment with doctor Long to get her pregnancy confirmed. Then she had dinner with her sisters. Plus she also had to work.
She was so tired already, and the day hadn't even arrived yet.
She leaned back, and the minute her head hit the pillow, she was sleeping.
Okay, so I think this was the worst chapter so far, but I really had trouble writing it, you wouldn't believe! I've fought like hell to get pass this… Urgh! And I had mock examination today, so my mood is just cherry! ;p Anyway, I wouldn't even ask this, because you guys are always so wonderful to do it, but; Will you please leave me a review? I love them!
Thanks, Stessa.