AN: Ok. So I know that it's been such a long time since I've updated this, and I'm sooooo sorry. Unfortunately, that's what happens when you're an adult and have so many responsibilities and such a hectic schedule. And I've been focusing on a couple of my other stories on the OC board. If you guys are familiar with that TV show, head on over there and check them out. Anyway, PLZ R&R!

THIS CHAPTER IS DEDICATED TO BORIS YELTSIN WHO WANTED TO SEE A CHAPTER WITH RACHEL BABY-SITTING DANIEL. IT'S NOT A LONG BABY-SITTING EXPERIENCE FOR HER.

Disclaimer: See earlier chapters.

Chapter 4: TOW Chandler Smokes

(Follows TOW The Thumb)

Chandler was sitting on the couch in the main room of the apartment with Daniel beside him as they both watched cartoons. He should probably turn them off and play a board game with Daniel, but he was content. Monica didn't like him watching TV for hours on end. She said she didn't want it to turn into his baby-sitter. Besides, she argued, he had a room full of toys to keep him occupied, along with his entire playroom. The door opened abruptly and Chandler moved to turn the TV off.

"Relax, it's me." he heard Joey and turned around to greet him.

"Hey. What's up?"

"I have an audition coming up in a couple days. Would you run lines with me?"

"I have no one to keep an eye on Daniel."

"Aunt Rachel's home." Daniel told him. "She came in when you fell asleep."

"I did not fall asleep." Chandler argued.

"Then how did Aunt Rachel sneak past you?"

"Have Rachel watch him while you run lines with me." Joey pleaded.

"I'm not sure if Monica would want her to. We haven't given her a chance to be alone with him yet."

"It'll only be an hour tops. And we'll be right across the hall."

"All right. I'll ask Rachel if she wants to do it." Chandler started to get off the couch as the door to the addition opened and Rachel came out.

"Ask me what?" Rachel looked at him.

"Joey needs me to run lines with him for an audition he has soon." Chandler told her. "Can you watch Daniel over here for about an hour while I help him?"

"Oh. Um, ok." she suddenly looked nervous.

"It'll only be an hour, and we'll be right across the hall. He'll probably just want to show you all his awesome toys anyway." Chandler glanced down at Daniel, whose eyes lit up and he ran off to his room. "Seriously, it won't be that bad. He'll ramble on about all his toys in vivid detail. If he happens to run out of things to say, suggest a coloring contest to him. That'll keep him occupied. Any trouble at all, come and get us."

"Ok." Rachel looked less nervous as Daniel came back out with a few of his remote control cars.

"He's already had a snack. He doesn't get another one no matter how many times he asks. He can have a juice box if he gets thirsty, he knows where they are. Just don't let him make a big mess. I'm sure you know how Monica is about stuff like that."

"Right." Rachel glanced down at Daniel as Chandler started to leave.

"This is my favorite one, Aunt Rachel. It's the fastest. It went up the wall one time, but mommy didn't like that so we can't do that."

"Do you think she'll be ok?" Joey asked as they closed the door behind them.

"Probably not." he looked at him. "It's her first time with him by herself. I'd say give it at least three times before she's comfortable with him."

"You're probably right." Joey said as they walked into his apartment.

"So what's this part you're trying out for?" Chandler took the script from him.

"I'm a prisoner on death row. You can play the warden."

"Sure." Chandler opened up the script as they took seats across from each other.

Monica got off work and walked into the apartment as a remote control car came flying towards her. She saw Daniel running towards her with the controller in his hands as Rachel trailed behind him.

"Mommy!" Daniel jumped into her arms. "What's for supper?"

"Chicken and rice." she put him down. "Where's your dad?"

"He's at Uncle Joey's."

"Joey wanted him to run lines with him for an audition." Rachel told her. "He said it wouldn't last more than an hour."

"Daniel, run across the hall and get your dad." Monica told him and he rushed out.

"That kid sure has a lot of energy." Rachel told her.

"Yes, he does. So how'd you do your first time watching him?"

"I think it went ok. Chandler was right about him going into detail about his toys."

"Yes. He does that a lot." Monica smiled as Daniel came back with Chandler.

"Hey. How was work today?" Chandler greeted Monica with a kiss on the cheek.

"Don't ask." she sighed. "So many things went wrong today."

"Do you want me to make supper tonight?"

"No. I've got it." She got the package of chicken out of the refrigerator where it had defrosted during the day.

"Daddy, Candy Land!" Daniel came in carrying the box. "Can we play while mommy makes supper?"

"Sure." he took the box from him and set it up on the coffee table.

"Want to play, Aunt Rachel?" Daniel called to her.

"Sure." she joined them in the living room.

"What color do you want to be?" Daniel asked her. "I already chose blue."

"He always chooses blue." Chandler told her. "It's his favorite color."

"There's also red, yellow, and green." Daniel said.

"I guess I'll choose yellow then."

"And I'll be green." Chandler set up the game board and they all started to play.

Monica gave Daniel his bath that night as the other three showed up and Phoebe started telling them about an incident that happened with her bank. As usual, Daniel splashed all around with his toys until Monica finally told him that it was time to get out.

"Mommy?" Daniel looked up at her as he pulled on his pajama bottoms.

"What is it?" she helped him get his shirt on.

"Is smoking bad?"

"What do you mean?"

"Is it bad if someone smokes cigarettes?"

"Well, yes. Smoking of any kind isn't good."

"Why?"

"Because anyone who smokes ruins their lungs. It makes it hard for them to breathe how they're supposed to. And it can make them very sick."

"Oh."

"Why are you asking? Did you see someone smoking?"

A little while later, everyone else left and Rachel went off to her room. Chandler went in to read Daniel his nightly story as Monica cleaned up. Chandler walked out of Daniel's room after he fell asleep and silently closed the door. He turned around to see Monica waiting for him with an odd expression on her face.

"Is he asleep?" she asked him.

"Yeah. He's out like a light." he told her. "What's the matter?"

"Should something be wrong?"

"I don't think so." he said slowly.

"We need to talk. Bedroom, now. I don't want Daniel to overhear us."

"Ok." he slowly followed her into their bedroom and he closed their door as she turned around to face him. "So what's this about?"

"I need you to answer a question for me. When you were helping Joey run lines today, were you doing anything that you weren't supposed to?"

"I-"

"And before you even attempt to make something up, I already know. Our five-year-old son saw you and told me about it."

"Ok. Yes, I smoked a cigarette." he sat down on the bed. "It was just a moment of weakness. I only had one, though."

"Well, that had better be as far as it goes. Do you understand?"

"Yeah."

"Because we have a child. I don't want him to have asthma or any other kind of breathing problems as a result of the second hand smoke."

"I get it, Mon." he assured her. "I don't want him to have any problems either. Tomorrow I'll go out and get the patches and the gum and anything else I need."

"Thank you." She smiled at him. "No offense, but you're not getting a kiss right now. The smell of the smoke is making me sick."

"Ok." he smiled back at her as they got ready for bed.

The next morning, Chandler awoke early and went down the street to the drug store and got every product he could find on quitting smoking. He got back to the apartment and found Daniel watching Saturday morning cartoons as Monica made some breakfast.

"Did you get it?" Monica asked him.

"Everything I could find." he opened up the package of nicotine patches and put one on his arm. "I'm going to talk to Daniel."

"I think you better." Monica watched him go to the living room where Daniel was and shut off the TV.

"Hey!" Daniel exclaimed. "That's my favorite."

"I know, buddy. I need to talk to you, though." Chandler sat beside him on the couch. "I understand you saw me doing something at Uncle Joey's yesterday. Something that I shouldn't have been doing."

"You were smoking." Daniel looked at him.

"Yes, I was. And that is bad. And I never wanted you to keep the secret for me, so I'm not mad that you told mommy. That was the right thing to do, ok?"

"Ok. So you won't smoke anymore?"

"I'm going to try very hard. I got some things at the store to help me."

"Good cause I don't want you to get sick."

"I don't want to get sick either." he pulled him onto his lap. "What do you say, if it's ok with mommy, after breakfast we can go to the park for the day?"

"Yeah." he got off his lap and ran to the kitchen. "Mommy, can we go to the park today? Daddy said we could if you say it's ok."

"I think that will be fun." Monica smiled down at him.

"Can I ride my bike there? And take my baseball and bat?"

"Sure. How about I make us a picnic lunch to take with us?"

"Yeah!" Daniel cheered. "But just us, right? No Uncle Joey or Aunt Phoebe? Just me, you, and daddy?"

"If that's what you want." Chandler came over to them as Monica finished making breakfast and set the plates out on the table.

After they finished eating, Chandler helped Daniel get dressed and pick out some things to take with them to the park. Chandler packed up a back pack full of Daniel's baseball bat, ball, glove, and his soccer ball. Monica made up some sandwiches for them later and grabbed some snacks and drinks to take with them as well.

"Are we ready?" Chandler came out after getting Daniel's bicycle from the hall closet. "Let's head out."

"Let's go!" Daniel tugged on Chandler's shirt as they walked out of the apartment.

"Hey. Where are you guys going?" Phoebe was coming upstairs.

"We're going to the park." Monica told her. It's family day."

"Well, have fun!" she called after them as they got outside and Daniel got on his bike and started pedaling down the sidewalk.

They got to the park and Monica spread a blanket out on the ground underneath a tall tree and set up the picnic basket. Chandler got all the baseball stuff out of the bag and started to play catch with Daniel. Monica watched them as she sat on the blanket and got out one of her books to read. She smiled as Chandler showed him how to swing the bat just right and applauded loudly when he was able to hit the ball when Chandler tossed it towards him. It was definitely turning out to be a good day. Hopefully, it would continue to be.

AN: So what'd you all think? I hope you liked it. I'm going to try to update this soon, but like I said life tends to get in the way. I have a non-fanfiction story going as well over on fictionpress. If any of you are at all interested, go check it out. I use the same name on there as I do here. Also, I have a livejournal account that I set up so I can keep others informed about my story updates and other things. My username is bobbiejod1. Check it out and add me as a friend if you'd like. Finally, PLZ R&R!