Summary: Chandler just started his senior year of high school when he gets some life-altering news. His mother forces him to face it as his dad turns his back on him. He pulls his life together and goes off on his own to prove that he can handle it on his own.

AN: Here's another chapter for you guys. Hope you like it. Please R&R.

Disclaimer: I own no one. They all belong to Bright/Kauffman/Crane.

Chapter 2

Chandler awoke one morning when he heard his alarm go off. He sat up abruptly when he realized that Sophie hadn't woken up earlier. He climbed out of bed and went to the crib set up in the corner of his room and saw it empty. He walked out of his room and downstairs. He saw his mom in the sitting room feeding three month old Sophie Grace a bottle as she rocked her.

"Mom, what's going on?" he walked in to her as he rubbed his eyes.

"Nothing." she sat up Sophie to burp her. "I just wanted to give you a little bit longer to sleep. Today is a big day. It's not everyday that you graduate high school."

"Especially since no one's made it easy for me this last semester."

"We all got through it." She stood up and handed Sophie to him. "I'm going to make us some breakfast."

"You don't have to go to any trouble." he sat with Sophie on the couch.

"It's a big day for you." she went to the kitchen and Chandler rocked Sophie in his arms.

Fifteen minutes later, Chandler lay a content Sophie in the play pen that was set up in the room. He walked into the kitchen and saw his mom setting a couple plates on the table and went to get a couple glasses out as Chandler got out the orange juice.

"It's ready. Let's eat." they both sat at the table and were silent as they spent the next few minutes eating.

After they finished eating, Chandler went up to get ready as he left Sophie sleeping in the play pen. He took a quick shower and got changed into dress pants, a button-up shirt, and a gray tie. He got Sophie's diaper bag out from under the crib and started packing it up with diapers, wipes, extra clothes and a couple pacifiers. He grabbed an outfit to put Sophie into and pulled the car seat out from under the crib and started downstairs.

When he got downstairs, he saw that Sophie was starting to wake up. He gently picked her up and lay her down on the floor to get her dressed. Nora came in and smiled at them as Chandler got Sophie fastened into the carrier.

"About ready, kiddo?" she asked him. "We're running late."

"Just about." he went to the kitchen and grabbed a few prepared bottles out of the refrigerator and put them in the diaper bag. He picked up the carrier and grabbed his cap and gown and followed his mom out to her car.

They reached the high school and Chandler grabbed his cap and gown as Nora took the carrier and diaper bag into the front entrance and went into the gym to find her reserved seat.

Chandler walked into the auditorium and sat in the very back once he saw all the looks he was getting from his classmates. He saw many of them get into small huddles as they all pointed in his direction as they talked.

"Hey, Chandler." he looked up as Katie sat in the seat beside him.

"Hey," he offered her a small smile. "Are you sure you should risk sitting next to me?"

"You need a friend today." she smiled at him. "Don't listen to what they say. She wasn't a mistake. She was meant to be born. If for no other reason than for you to raise her."

"Thanks."

"So where'd you decide to go to college?"

"NYU. There's a day care center on campus." he glanced at her. "What about you?"

"I'm going to UCLA. I just need to get away. Make a fresh start."

"I understand." they stood up and followed the rest of their class out as the principal came to get them. They lined up in alphabetical order and slowly walked in and down the aisles towards their seats.

Chandler was sitting in the front row and saw his mom sitting towards the middle of the parents section and he smiled at her. The ceremony lasted almost an hour and the gym was not air conditioned. So when his name was called to get his diploma, he hurried to the podium and shook hands with the principal and went back to his seat.

Chandler followed his classmates out of the gym and made his way out of the school to wait for his mom to come out with Sophie. She finally caught up to him and hugged him tightly.

"Congratulations, honey. I knew you'd make it." she told him.

"Thanks, mom." he smiled at her as he took the baby carrier from her.

"What do you say we go to Alejandro's for dinner to celebrate?"

"Sounds great." he smiled as they went to find the car.

They arrived at Alejandro's and were shown to a booth in the back. The waiter took their orders and they settled in. Sophie started to get restless in her car carrier, so Chandler got her out of it and held her in his arms. Their food arrived and they started eating as Chandler saw some of his classmates arrive with their families. They ignored their looks and started eating.

"Let's go, kiddo." Nora told him as soon as they both finished eating.

Chandler got Sophie back into the carrier and lifted her as they both started towards the exit. They stopped abruptly when they saw someone walking across the parking lot towards them.

"Nora, Chandler," Charles approached them. "I was hoping I'd catch you."

"We'll be in the car." Chandler told his mother. "Just get rid of him."

"Chandler, I wanted to see you today." Charles told him. "I was at the graduation earlier."

"Yeah. I saw you." Chandler went to the car and got Sophie secured.

"So did I." Nora told him. "It would have been a better day if you hadn't shown up at all."

"I thought maybe you had come to your senses and had convinced him to put the baby up for adoption."

"We're done here. He's made the first grown up decision of his life and I'm supporting him one hundred percent." she left him in the middle of the parking lot and joined Chandler in the car.

"I heard what he said." Chandler mumbled as she started up the car and pulled away.

"Don't listen to him." she told him. "You graduated high school today. We should be happy. In a few months, you'll be starting college. We don't have to worry about him anymore."

"I hope so." he sighed as they reached their house again and Chandler got Sophie out of the back and took her inside to feed her a bottle.

AN: So what'd you guys think? The next chapter will be Chandler going off to college. So please R&R.

Thank you to sneaker89 for the great idea for the name of Chandler's daughter.