Listen To Your Heart - Epilogue
xx
Three years Later – Christmas Eve
xx
Seven-year-old Michelle rushed up to her parents, a brightly wrapped gift in hand, drawing their attention away from the conversation they were having with her aunt and uncle. She smiled angelically at her father, "Daddy?"
Chandler, Monica and Michelle were celebrating Christmas Eve with the Tribbiani clan, as Chandler had done since before Michelle was born. When Monica and Chandler had become engaged three years previous, she had joined in on the tradition.
Plastering on her best puppy-dog face, Michelle waved the gift at her father, who was always the first one to give in. "Can I open this one, now, Daddy? Please? Just one?"
Chandler looked to Monica questioningly, causing Joey and Rachel to laugh. He would never be the one to deny his daughter anything. Monica rolled her eyes and addressed Michelle directly, "Sure, honey. Just one though. Save the rest for tomorrow morning, okay?"
"I wanna open the one from Auntie Angie," Michelle stated firmly clutching it tighter, "It's the biggest!"
Monica nodded. "Okay. Just make sure she knows you're opening it and you thank her when you do, alright? She's in the kitchen with Gramma, getting Christmas dinner ready."
"Okay!" Michelle agreed, hurrying off towards the kitchen, eager to open the gift before her stepmother changed her mind. Monica and Chandler laughed as they watched her go.
"She's just as impatient as you, you know," Monica told Chandler teasingly.
"You're one to talk! And, I can be very patient!" Both Joey and Rachel, who had been listening, scoffed. "What?" he questioned.
"Do you remember when Caleb was born?" Rachel prompted, with an eyebrow raised, bouncing her one-year-old son on her lap, "When you threatened to go home, because you were sick of waiting in the hospital for him to be born?"
"That doesn't count," Chandler complained, "We'd been waiting 46 hours! That's pretty patient, Rachel! Who takes 47 hours to have a kid, anyway? That's nearly two whole days. I've seen enough ER to know that's a long time, even for a first child!"
"ER?" Joey chuckled, "Seriously, dude?"
Chandler flushed lightly. "Monica likes it. I like doing things with my wife, dude!"
"Sure, man," Joey laughed.
"Really, Joe? Is that how you feel?" Chandler smirked, adding maliciously, "Rachel told me you've gone to get pedicures with her!"
"Rach!" Joey complained to his wife, "Why would you tell him that? Why?"
Rachel shrugged, noncommittal, "I thought it was sweet. I was proving what a great husband you are!"
"Yeah! And making me seem gay!"
An argument was avoided as Michelle rushed back into the room claiming everyone's attention. She was pulling Mary Angela behind her with one hand, her gift clutched tightly in the other. "Aunt Angie," she complained, "Daddy and Monica said you have to watch me open it, or I don't get to. Come onnn!"
Mary Angela smirked at the couple, taking the empty seat next to Chandler on the couch. Over the years all hard feelings between them had disappeared, and they had reemerged as good friends. "She's taking after you more and more, each day, Chandler!" Mary Angela joked to her ex-husband, "At least as far as her impatience goes!" All the others burst into laugher.
Chandler rolled his eyes. "Apparently that's a common opinion."
Mary Angela shrugged, "Just pointing it out as I see it," she claimed, most of her attention focused on Michelle who had plopped down at their feet, and was tearing the pretty silver paper that covered her gift to shreds.
All the adults watched her, a bright smile bursting across her face as she unearthed a doll from the tissue paper-filled box. Hugging the doll, she exclaimed a quick thanks to her Aunt, before hurrying out of the room to show off her new possession to her grandparents and Joey's other sisters and their kids.
"Looks like you scored a winner, Angie," Monica smiled. "She loves it."
Mary Angela smiled at the compliment, "Thanks, Monica."
"Now, she's gonna be disappointed with her gifts tomorrow," Monica teased.
Joey scoffed. "Doubt that! You guys spoil her rotten. You spent more on her this year than my parents spent on me my whole childhood combined!"
"Don't look at me," Monica laughed, "That's all her Daddy. Michelle has him wrapped around her little finger."
"Geez," Chandler complained, "Can't I get any peace around here? Now I'm being blasted for wanting my little girl to be happy on Christmas? Besides, Rachel's even worse! Have you seen the mountain of gifts she got your son?" he asked Joey, pointing at Caleb who was playing with the bow from Michelle's gift, fascinated, "Though it looks like he'd have been just as happy with a piece of ribbon."
Joey shrugged, "We all know Rachel loves to shop. Buying stuff for Christmas is her specialty." He frowned, "Or buying stuff for anything, really."
Rachel shrugged, knowing it was true, pausing bouncing her son momentarily, in order reach out a hand to prevent him from trying to stuff the shiny bow in his mouth.
Monica grinned as she watched him. "He is just so adorable, Rach."
"Oh I know," Rachel grinned proudly, "He looks just like Joey, doesn't he?"
"Nah," Joey claimed, allowing his son to grab his finger, "He looks like his Mommy. He's got your hair and your eyes," he explained. They smiled at one another briefly and Rachel planted a sweet 'thank you' kiss on her husband's lips.
Mary Angela grinned at her brother, jokingly, "You guys make me sick, you're so happy!" She paused. "And I don't even have a boyfriend," she sighed.
"Can I hold him?" Monica asked, staring at the baby longingly, "He is just so precious!" Rachel nodded. "Yes you are!" Monica cooed to the baby, as Rachel transferred him into her arms. Chandler wrapped an arm around her, allowing the baby his wife was holding to play with his fingers. "You like your Auntie Monica and Uncle Chandler, don't you Caleb?" Monica cooed. Caleb babbled something incomprehensible in response, pleased with all the attention he was garnering.
"You look like a natural, with a baby in your arms," Mary Angela noted to Monica. "You were born to be a Mom."
"Thanks," Monica said, smiling genuinely. The way they got along now, it was hard to believe they had ever been sworn enemies.
"Yeah," Rachel added, "You and Chandler have been married almost a year now. When are you planning on hearing the pitter patter of little feet in the Bing household?"
Monica smiled, looking at her husband shyly, "Soon enough, right, baby?"
Chandler grinned back. "Whatever you say, darling."
xx
"Dinner was delicious, Ma," Joey told his mother, as all the dinner dishes were being cleared away, "You make the best turkey!" he paused, "So… what's for dessert?" The group laughed.
"Mon baked a ton of Christmas cookies this afternoon," Chandler offered, "If you're looking for something for dessert, Joe. We were a little worried we wouldn't be able to fit them in the car with Michelle and all the presents, but we managed. Though they should last us until next Christmas."
"We've got two kinds of pie, brownies and fruit, too," Gloria added, "And I think Cookie brought some dessert trifle."
"Awesome!" Joey grinned, "The best part of Christmas is the food!" Chandler shook his head and smiled at his bestfriend's enthusiasm. Joey may have grown up a lot in the past few years, but some things never changed.
Rachel patted her husband on the back, and handed him Caleb. "Do you mind giving Cae a cookie, too, honey? You know how much he loves cookies."
Joey nodded, taking his son easily, "Sure thing," he said, settling his son on his lap, "The Tribbiani men will have dessert together, right, Cae?" The baby gurgled in response, gladly accepting the chocolate chip cookie his father handed him, setting about gnawing on it immediately.
Chandler rose from the table, excusing himself, "I'm gonna go get Michelle ready for bed. She's looking kinda tired," he gestured to his daughter who was lounging sleepily on the couch with a few of Joey's sisters' children, who had finished dinners hours earlier, while the adults opted to stay and talk over coffee. "Running around with all her cousins has really tired her out."
Joey nodded in agreement. "Yeah, she looks exhausted. I think Caleb is gonna be following after he's finished his cookie," he added, noting his son's droopy eyes.
"I'll come with you, sweetie," Monica offered, rising. "I love watching you read her The Night Before Christmas," she explained. Chandler grinned, accepting her hand in his, leading her over to his daughter.
"Michelle, honey, it's time for bed," he said quietly.
"Aww, but Daddy, I wanna play with my dollies with Sylvie and Tina. How come they get to stay up if I don't?"
"They're older than you, honey," Monica explained, "Besides, don't you want to go to bed? The sooner you go to sleep, the earlier you can wake up and open your presents."
Michelle nodded eagerly, "Is Santa coming?"
Her parents nodded, smiling brightly. "Yep, he wouldn't miss his favourite little girl, would he?" Chandler asked. Michelle shook her head in agreement, allowing him to pick her up, and carry her around the house to say goodnight to all of her family, before leading her into the bedroom she would be sleeping in.
"Are you gonna read me the Christmas story, Daddy?" Michelle wondered, causing Monica to grin, knowing she was referring to The Night Before Christmas. It had become tradition over the past few years for the three of them to cuddle in bed on Christmas Eve and read it together.
Chandler grinned, "Of course I am, sweetie, just, let's get you changed into you PJs and ready for bed first, okay?" Together, Monica and Chandler made quick work of getting Michelle dressed and ready for bed, and tucking her in. Almost immediately after Chandler and Monica laid down, one of them on either side of her, the picture book version of The Night Before Christmas open between them, the little girl's eyelids began drooping tiredly, the busy day catching up with her.
Within ten minutes Michelle was fast asleep. Chandler smiled over his daughter at Monica, reading the last lines even more softly than he had been, so as to not wake her.
Monica smiled at him, getting up from her side of the bed, sitting down next to him on his side, "That was a great reading, Bing. It gets better every year," she claimed, kissing him gently. "Just proves I was right all along, when I said you were an amazing Daddy."
Chandler grinned back. "I hope so," he said, "If I am, a lot of it has to do with you. We make a great team."
"Yeah," Monica agreed, softly, "We really do."
He stood, pulling her with him, wrapping his arms loosely around her waist, from behind. They watched Michelle in silence, before Monica asked shyly, "Can you believe in a few months we're gonna have two of these?"
Chandler nodded, placing a hand on her stomach gently. "I can't wait. I love being a Daddy," he kissed her neck gently, "It's going to be amazing doing this all over again with you. I love you."
Monica nodded, resting her head back against his chest contentedly, "Do you think Michelle will be okay?" she asked, worriedly, "I'm her step-mom and I love her so, so much, but I'm not her 'Mommy.' Do you think she'll be jealous of the baby?"
"She'll be fine, honey," Chandler promised, "She has so many people who love her. She knows you're the closest thing she has to a Mommy and that you love her like one, even though she doesn't call you 'Mommy'. We're going to love her just as much as ever, and she'll be a great big sister. You know how she loves to boss everyone around. She may not be biologically yours, but there's a little of you in her, baby."
Monica laughed, hitting Chandler in the arm lightly. "If that's your idea of a compliment… you have some learning to do, yet."
"I'll work on it," he promised with a laugh, "But, seriously, Mon, she's like you in so many ways. She adores you. And she knows you adore her. Everything is going to be perfect, trust me."
"I do," she nodded, turning in his arms, hugging him, "I'm just nervous."
"Is that why you didn't want to tell everyone? He asked gently, "When Rachel asked about it this afternoon… I thought we agreed we were going to tell everyone, while we were here for the holidays?"
"I know," Monica agreed, shrugging, "And I do want to. I don't know, I've just liked having this as our little secret. I'm kind of surprised Rachel and Joey don't know, already. You know how they love to get all up in our business. Anyway, I'm only 9 weeks. They don't recommend telling people until you pass the three month mark, usually."
"I know, sweetie," he agreed, "But Dr. Long did give you the go ahead last week. I'm comfortable with whatever you want, though. I'm just excited; I can't wait to share it with everyone. You know I never wanted Michelle to be an only child."
"I know," she agreed with a smile and a kiss, "Tomorrow, maybe? It'll be a nice family Christmas gift."
"Deal," he agreed, intertwining his fingers with hers, and pulling her out of the room, "Come on, we don't want to wake Michelle; not that I think a hurricane could wake her now. But on the off chance… she'll be cranky if she wakes up and finds it's not Christmas, yet. And somehow I've been elected as Santa this year. I've got to dress up for the older kids and hand out candy canes."
"Santa, huh?" Monica laughed, following him, "I cannot wait to see that!"
xx
The next morning Chandler woke to the feeling of Monica being pulled out of his arms. Still half-asleep, he pulled her back toward him, before he realized Michelle was pulling on Monica's hand, trying to get her to wake up.
"Monnn! Daddyyy! Come on, we need to go see if Santa came! Christmas is gonna start without us!"
Shooting a wry smile at her husband, who returned it, Monica grumbled, "It's not even six yet, Michelle, Christmas is not going to start without us."
"What if it does?" she wondered, worriedly.
"It won't."
"But what if it does?"
"It won't," Monica said firmly, pulling her step-daughter onto the bed, and hugging her, "Just come here and sleep with me and Daddy for a bit, okay?" She pointed at Chandler who had all but fallen back asleep, his arms still wrapped around his wife. "Look," she pointed, "Daddy's tired. You don't want him to be cranky, do you?"
"No," Michelle pouted.
"Then come rest with us for a bit, okay? Not long, just until six, okay?"
"Okay," Michelle agreed with a frown, allowing Monica to wrap the blankets around her. A minute later, Monica had just started to drift off again when Michelle questioned, "Is it six yet?"
"No."
Michelle waited ten seconds before asking impatiently, "Now?"
Monica sighed. Clearly more sleep was not an option.
She detangled herself from Chandler and sat up, prodding him in the arm to wake him up. How could he fall back asleep so easily? Feeling a little irritated at his ability to sleep so soundly, while she had to suffer, Monica threw the covers off of him, allowing the cold winter air to hit his sleeping form.
He yelped and sat up, suddenly very awake, "That was mean," he complained, shivering.
"What?" Monica said with an innocent smile, "I was just helping you wake up. Michelle isn't going to wait a minute longer."
He stretched and rubbed his eyes. "There are nicer ways of doing that, you know," he protested good-naturedly, kissing her good-morning.
"I know," Monica said, flatly, "You had it coming, sleeping like that, while your wife deals with the kid."
"You guys are awake now, so come on!" Michelle whined, grabbing Chandler's hand in one of hers, and Monica's in the other, and trying futilely to pull them out of bed.
"We're coming, we're coming!" Chandler grumbled, fighting off sleep, "Grow some patience."
"See," Monica looked at her step-daughter, "What did I tell you? Cranky."
Michelle shrugged, smiling angelically. "But I wanna open presents," she explained, as if that made everything better.
Monica shook her head and laughed, wrapping her robe around her, checking to make sure her sleepy husband was doing the same.
Content that her parents were following her, Michelle raced down towards the living room where an ornately decorated tree stood, brightly wrapped presents stacked beneath it.
She immediately began digging through them for ones with her and her parents names on them.
As soon Monica and Chandler had settled into the couch, Michelle plonked a gift on each of their laps, and immediately began tearing into the pile she had set aside for herself.
By the time Joey, Rachel, Joey's parents and several of his sisters arrived five minutes later, the room was a whirlwind of giftwrap and ribbon.
"Whoa!" Joey exclaimed, "Did a tornado roar through here while we were sleeping, or did your wrapping drawer explode, Monica?"
"I think Hurricane Michelle is at the source," Monica teased, shaking her head at her step-daughter who was playing happily with one of her unwrapped toys.
Joey rolled his eyes, "You sound more and more like Chandler everyday. And it goes both ways! The other day, Chandler complained to me for not folding the toilet paper under so it's 'easier to find the end!'" Joey complained, mocking his friend in a funny voice. He shook his head in disbelief, "One day you guys are just gonna wake up and be one person!"
Chandler and Monica looked at one another and shrugged. The idea didn't sound so horrible…
Changing the subject, Chandler asked, "It's your first Christmas with Cae, guys. Are you excited?"
"Oh yeah," Rachel exclaimed, "It's going to be the best! We got him the cutest little bouncy seat thing…. And these little chew toy things… And some stuffed animals… It's gonna be good, trust me!"
"He doesn't seem to share your enthusiasm," Chandler said soberly, pointing to Caleb, who was blowing spit bubbles in Rachel's arms, looking decidedly bored.
"He hasn't opened his gifts, yet!" Rachel said indignantly.
Monica poked her husband in the side, causing him to smirk. "Chandler's just being a pain in the ass, Rach; it's a talent of his. I'm sure Caleb'll have a great first Christmas."
"He will," Rachel claimed, settling down on the carpet in front of the tree, with her son in her lap, helping him open his first gift.
"Look, Daddy! Look Mon!" Michelle exclaimed, "Santa brought me a teacher Barbie!"
"That's nice sweetheart," Monica claimed, "Did you get everything you wanted from Santa?"
Michelle shrugged, "Mostly everything. But he forgot one thing from the letter." A couple weeks before Christmas, Michelle had written and mailed a letter to Santa, which she had refused to let Monica or Chandler see, claiming it was top-secret.
"What's that, honey?" Chandler asked.
"A little brother," Michelle explained, "He must've forgot."
Hearing this, Joey burst out laughing, "Are we sure about that?" Whispering, so that Michelle wouldn't hear, he added jokingly to Chandler, "After playing Santa for the kids last night did you pay Monica a visit to drop off one last gift," he teased. Rachel laughed too, nudging her bestfriend.
When Chandler and Monica flushed, neither of them responding, Joey raised an eyebrow at his wife, "Looks like we may need to get the Santa suit dry-cleaned."
Monica flushed deeper, "It's not that." Chandler shook his head in agreement, causing their friends to smirk at them, thinking they were embarrassed. When the embarrassment didn't subside after a moment, Rachel and Joey looked at one another confused. Suddenly understanding, Rachel gasped and pointed at her friend.
"What?" Joey asked, clueless, before gasping in surprise, a little slower to catch on that his wife.
"Mon?" Rachel questioned, eagerly. "Are you? Are you guys?"
Monica bit her bottom lip to contain her enormous smile, and looked at Chandler briefly who gave her a 'go ahead' smile, wrapping an arm around her waist, subtly resting it on the side of her abdomen. Monica nodded slightly, adding as confirmation, "I'm pregnant."
"Oh my God!" Rachel exclaimed, "This is huge! I'm so happy for you guys! Oh! This is just so cool! Caleb's gonna have another cousin!"
"Pregnant? What's that, Daddy?" Michelle asked, looking up at her father, questioningly.
Chandler looked at Monica questioningly, not sure how to explain. She wouldn't remember Phoebe being pregnant with the triplets, and she'd never asked about Rachel the year before. Thankfully, he didn't have to come up with a response. Joey butted in, instead, "It means that Santa is going to be delivering your little brother after all, Mishi," he snickered, "He'll just be a bit late, that's all."
Michelle looked confused, "Okay," she nodded, "As long as he does. He's probably late 'cause he can't visit that many houses all in one day and didn't have time to come back," she explained rationally to the adults who laugh.
"Something like that," Monica agreed.
"Daddy look!" Michelle explained pointing to the plate of cookies, she suddenly remembered she had left out for Santa, "Santa ate all of the cookies." Chandler nodded, repressing his smile; much to Joey's chagrin he has been the one (as the 'Santa') elected to eat them. Joey had been quieted on the reminder there was a whole tin full in the kitchen, and to serve himself.
"That's great, honey. Did he leave a note?" Chandler asked innocently, knowing that he had. Michelle had been asleep long before her cookies had been eaten, but he wanted her to know her 'good deed' hadn't gone unappreciated.
"Yeah!" she exclaimed, finding it underneath the empty plate, "Dear Michelle," she read, carefully, "Thank you for the…" she paused, "Daddy's what's this word say?"
"Delicious," he answered.
"-delicious cookies. Love Santa," she finished, "He knew they were from me, Daddy! And he thought they were yummy!"
"That's great, sweetie," he smiled, "You must be on his good list for sure, now."
"Yep!" she agreed, turning back to play with her new toys a smile on her face.
Monica wrapped an arm around Chandler's waist cuddling against his side. "You never cease to amaze me at how good you are with her," she smiled, "Look how happy she is, now." She paused, momentarily appreciating her step-daughter's happiness. "Do you think our baby will have her smile?" she wondered.
Chandler shrugged, "I don't know. Michelle's adorable, but I want our baby to look like you. You've got a beautiful smile, too."
She grinned, "As long as he has your eyes."
"He?"
"You heard Michelle," she answered, "She wants a little brother."
"Since when did we start letting the seven-year-old make all the big decisions?" he joked.
"Hmm," Monica pretended to think, "I'm not sure. But I'm pretty sure it was you who started it. She was spoiled long before I was even in the picture. And speaking of spoiling, thank you for my necklace, it's gorgeous," she said appreciatively, kissing him gently.
Rachel, overhearing the comment, butted in, nodding in agreement, "It really is. It must have cost you a fortune. Joey never gets me jewelry."
"Do you blame him?" Monica laughed, "You return it all, anyway. I think he was smart getting you store credit at Saks."
Rachel couldn't help the smile that overcame her face. "Yeah. I get to go shopping! Are you coming with me for the post-Christmas sales, tomorrow, Mon?"
"Aren't the malls going to be crazy?" Monica asked, with a sigh.
"Yes, but everything is on sale!" Rachel countered, "And you're the best shopping buddy! I can't rip stuff out of people's hands like you can. I get laughed at," she pouted. "Williams Sonoma is having a sale, too…" she added, temptingly, knowing her friend adored finding new cooking gadgets.
"Fine," Monica agreed slowly, "But if some chick gets the last sweater in aqua, but there's one left in blue, you're taking the blue. I'm not getting into another screaming match."
"Deal!" Rachel agreed eagerly, "Hear that, Joey?" she asked her husband, "Your gift is making itself useful already!"
"That's great, babe," he said with a quick kiss, before setting his face in a pout.
"What's the matter?" Rachel asked, taking notice of her husband's expression.
Joey looked up at her pouting for a moment, before answering, "Caleb's pile is bigger than mine."
Rachel laughed, "Are you seriously telling me you're jealous of your son?"
Joey shrugged sheepishly, realizing how ridiculous it sounded, "No," he said, an embarrassed waver to his voice. He paused to think of a suitable excuse. After a moment genius struck. "I just don't want us to spoil him too much. When his pile of gifts is taller than he is, something's up."
Rachel shrugged, non-committal, pushing aside her husband's worries. If it meant she got to shop more, especially for her son, she was all for it. "Michelle turned out okay," she reasoned.
"Hey," Chandler complained, "Are you trying to imply something, here?"
Rachel smiled innocently. "Just stating a fact."
Monica patted him on the back consolingly. "Didn't we already discuss this, honey?"
"Yeah," he grumbled, "But we were joking around, weren't we?"
Monica laughed. "Sure we were, honey," she told him, her tone indicating that she was only appeasing him.
"If I remember correctly, we were saying you were spoiled, too. We can rectify that one, too, if you like," he threatened, teasingly.
Monica kissed his cheek, "Oh, but you wouldn't do that. You love me too much, and you're the biggest softie that ever lived."
Chandler shrugged, conceding that she was right, "You know me too well."
"Nah," she countered, with a smile, "Just the right amount."
Chandler smiled back at the sweet sentiment, revelling in his wife's affection. "Merry Christmas Mon."
"Merry Christmas to you too, baby." Monica looked around her, at her gathered family and friends, all of whom were enjoying their gifts and Christmas snacks, feeling a happy glow inside of her. "The best one yet," she added softly.
Chandler wrapped an arm around her, resting his hand on her stomach, "Somehow," he smiled knowingly, "I think the best is yet to come."
xx
And that's a wrap! For real this time :)
Thank you so much to everyone who supported this story and reviewed faithfully along the way. I love you all for your encouragement :)
I know the Christmas theme is a little bit too late by a couple months, but it was my original intent to have this done before Christmas. But that didn't pan out, so here it is, anyway. Hopefully it's still a fun read, even if it's not seasonally appropriate :P
Now that this is done, look out for a new fic from me in the next couple weeks :)
Oh, and do me a favour? Review this one one last time?
:P