Then

Chapter 3: My Blue-Eyed Girls

"Erica, shoes," Chandler yelled up the stairs, knowing very well that she would come down, jacket on, backpack in hand, yet shoe-less. He had to get the kids ready for school this year, and though he was not quite as quick at it as Monica, after the first two weeks of school, he was getting there.

"Daddy," Chandler looked down at Phoebe, who was struggling to put her own shoes on. "These aren't mine," she stood up, and wiggled out of them.

"Erica, never mind, I found your shoes," he again yelled up the stairs. "So, are you excited for preschool today?" he asked Phoebe, picking her up as he went to the closet to find her shoes. She nodded in return.

"Dad, where's my backpack?" Jack came bouncing down the stairs. Chandler sighed. He often marveled at Monica's ability to get the kids up and out the door in the morning without this much of a struggle. "Never mind," he stopped, seeing it hanging next to the door.

"Erica, you ready yet?" he again yelled up the stairs, and this time she came down, long, blonde hair in un-even pigtails.

"I can't get my hairs to match," she made a face as she gestured to both sides of her head, and he couldn't help but laugh. He motioned her over, and undid her pigtails, redoing them so that they were even, and setting her shoes next to her feet. "Thanks, Daddy!" she jumped up, ready to go.

"Ok, let's get going!" he exclaimed, and the three followed him out the door. "Chandler: one. Bing kids…13," he mumbled to himself, pulling the door shut behind them.

_._._

"Why won't she quit crying? Why won't she quit crying?" Chandler bounced around the half-unpacked nursery, having had a few too many cups of coffee that night. It was their first night in their new house, and their first night home with the babies.

"I don't know, Chandler," Monica sighed. "Emma was like this, too, remember?"

"Yea, but Jack just went right to sleep! And they're twins, so shouldn't they be the same?"

"Yes, the exact same! I mean, they're even the same sex!" she snapped back sarcastically. "Here, you take her for a minute," she handed him the baby, standing up from the rocking chair. "I'll be right back."

"Hey, baby girl," he bounced her gently in his arms. "Why won't you quit crying? Huh, what's wrong?" he sat down in the rocking chair. "Babies like singing, right? God, why don't I know any baby songs," he rocked her gently, but she continued to cry. Jack, thankfully, was still sleeping. He had already woken up a half dozen times thanks to his screaming sister, but was at the moment sleeping.

"Ok, a song, any song," he sighed. No song came to mind. None. "Ok, whatever, whatever, doesn't matter what song," he shrugged to himself. "Whatever," he paused, looking down as she screamed louder, amazed that such a little person could make such a loud noise. "Whatever-whatever happened to Tuesday and so slow," he started to sing, "Goin' down to the old mine, with a transistor radio. Standin' in the sunlight laughin', hidin' behind a rainbow's wall," he continued to sing softly, realizing she was beginning to calm down. "Slipin' and a slidin', all along the waterfall with you," he poked her nose, which she scrunched in return, "My blue-eyed girl," he changed the lyrics, smiling at the baby, who was now only whimpering. "Yea, you my, blue-eyed girl. Do you remember when we used to sing, sha la la la la la la la la la dee dah," he trailed off, looking up in victory. Monica was now standing in the doorway with amazement. He stood up slowly, grinning as he gently placed her in her crib before leaving the room with Monica.

"You wanna do your happy dance now, don't you?" Monica whispered.

"Like you wouldn't believe," he grinned, doing a slight jump in victory as they walked into their own room before collapsing onto the bed. "So, should we shoot for an hour of sleep?"

"God, I hope so," she collapsed next to him, on top of the covers. "Love you," she mumbled, half asleep already.

"Love you, too."

_._._

"Daddy, you don't have to walk us inside," Jack sighed as Chandler parked the car. "You can just drop us off in the front like everyone else. We're not in preschool anymore like Phoebe. In kindergarten, you just drop us off and we walk in."

"Ok, ok," Chandler pulled up closer to the school. "I'll see you guys tonight. Love you!"

"Love you, too, Daddy!"

"Love you!"

"Daddy?" Phoebe said as they pulled away from the school, heading towards her school.

"Yea, Phoebs?"

"You can walk me in school forever," he glanced at her big, blue eyes in his rearview mirror, and his heart melted, though he wasn't so sure she would feel the same in a year.

"Ok, Phoebs. I'll walk you into school forever."

"Pinky promise?"

"Pinky promise."

_._._

(lyrics adapted from Brown Eyed Girl, Van Morrison)

_._._

to be continued…

Yea, I got on a roll writing the other night, so I thought I would post this as well. It makes me smile, so I thought it might make you smile as well. And I am working on the next part of Whatever It Is, I swear! Review, and I will, in fact, stop working on my papers, and continue to write fics instead. However…I don't see that being very good on my GPA…hm…Well, I'll continue as soon as I can, at least!