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. Please R&R.

Thank you to sneaker 89 for the review. You're the one that keeps me writing this story.

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

Chapter 3

Chandler came downstairs with another one of his bags as Nora brought down with the rest of Sophie's things. They started loading up the back of their cars with everything they were taking to Chandler's new campus housing. Nora was able to find him a two bedroom fully furnished apartment through family housing. It was only a couple blocks from campus.

She had also traded in his small car for a bigger, more safer car. He had already secured a part-time job near campus as well. His old boss had another pizza joint near campus. He put in a good word with his brother, who ran it, and he made him a delivery driver. And he said that he'd work with him on his schedule because of his classes.

And he had a baby-sitter for now six month old Sophie while he was at work. He contacted a service that provided state-certified caregivers for students who were parents. He could put her in the on-campus daycare center while he was at school.

"Ok. I think that's everything." Nora placed the last piece of the crib in the back of Chandler's car as he put Sophie in the back seat securely.

"Ok. Let's go." Chandler closed the back door to his car and got in and they pulled away from the house.

A little while later, Chandler pulled up to a duplex house and turned off his car. He opened the back door and got out Sophie and pulled out the keys to his new apartment as his mom pulled up behind him. Nora followed him up the steps with a couple boxes and followed him in.

They went up a couple more steps and turned left into such a big space. To the right were two rooms side by side. Further on to the left was a small living area. To the right, was a hallway that had a small table and a couple chairs set up outside a kitchen area. At the end of the hall on the left was a bathroom.

"This looks nice." Nora told him.

"At least most of the furniture is furnished."

"Let's start unloading all your things."

"Just let me set up the playpen so I can lay down Sophie." he set down the carrier and started to get the playpen set up as Nora started unloading their cars.

Chandler gently lay Sophie down in the playpen and went out to help his mom unload everything. Chandler started unpacking Sophie's room and tried to organize everything as Nora unpacked the kitchen dishes and silverware.

"Ok. Kitchen is all unpacked." Nora came into where he was. "You and Sophie have enough food to last a couple months. I'll run out and get you some more."

"Mom, you've done more than enough. I can do this, you know."

"Just let me spoil you while I still can." she smiled at him.

"I'll probably be gone when you get back." he told her. "I have to go meet my new boss up at the pizza shop. The baby-sitter should be here soon."

"Oh, good. I get to meet her."

"Be nice to her." he told her. "I trust her with Sophie. The agency sent over all her references, and it all checked out."

"Ok. I'll be nice." she grabbed her purse and walked out of the apartment.

Chandler tightened the last bolt on the crib and tested the sturdiness before he placed the mattress in it and put on the bumpers and sheets. He finished placing all of Sophie's clothes in the dresser as a soft knock came at the door. He went to answer it and let in a girl a little bit older than him.

"Hi. I'm Chandler. You must be Beth." he smiled at her.

"Yeah." she smiled back. "How old is your daughter?"

"Six months. Sophie. She's still just on formula right now." he went to check on her and saw her still sleeping in the play pen. "She should sleep for about another hour. I should be back before then."

"Don't worry. I have over ten years of experience with this."

"Ok." Chandler grabbed his keys and went out to his car and drove the ten blocks to his new job.

Chandler parked by the curb outside the pizza place and slowly walked into the entrance. He approached the front counter and got the guys' attention.

"I have a meeting with Tony. My name is Chandler Bing."

"He'll be right out." he gave him a look and returned to the back.

"Don't mind him." he heard behind him and saw another guy cleaning off some tables. "That's Jimmy. The Boss' son. He thought he'd get a raise this year. He thinks he didn't because you got hired in. It's just because he was too lazy."

"I'm not trying to step on anyone's toes. I'm just trying to support my daughter."

"Chandler," he turned and saw an older guy come out to them. "My brother spoke very highly of you. Let's go in the back and talk."

Chandler followed him through the kitchen and into a back room, which he assumed was Tony's office because of all the papers all over the wooden desk.

"So my brother speaks very highly of you. Said you were always willing to fill in for people whenever you could."

"I can't do that as much since I have a daughter now."

"I understand." they spent the next fifteen minutes talking about Chandler's schedule at the pizza shop and his school schedule.

Chandler pulled back up to his apartment and saw his mom's car there. He walked through the door and saw that Sophie was awake and sitting on Beth's lap as she talked to Nora.

"Ok. I'm back." he told them.

"How'd it go, honey?" Nora asked.

"Fine." he told her. "Are you being nice?"

"Everything is fine." she assured him.

"If you don't need me for anything else, I'll go." Beth stood up as Nora took Sophie from her.

"So how do I go about paying you?" Chandler asked.

"It's a co-op. You only pay me once a month."

"Ok." he walked her to the door, then went back to his mom and Sophie.

"I think she's getting cranky," Nora shifted her in her arms. "I can feed her a bottle and get her ready for bed if you want to unpack some more."

"I'm not going to unpack anymore tonight," he sighed. "But you can still get her ready for me. I know you're going to miss us when you go off on your come back book tour."

"Thank you, sweetie." Nora smiled at him and went to get a bottle from the kitchen.

Chandler lounged on the couch as he watched his mom feed Sophie a bottle, give her a bath, and get her into her pajamas and get her ready for bed. He watched her come out of Sophie's room closing the door quietly behind her.

"She's asleep now." She told him. "So I guess I should go."

"Ok." He got off the couch and followed her outside.

"Good luck with school, honey." She hugged him tightly. "I know you'll be fine. I'll call you as often as I can."

"We'll miss you, mom. But we'll be fine." He watched her get into her car and waved to her as she pulled away.

Chandler walked back into the apartment and checked on Sophie before he shut off all the lights and climbed into bed for the night. It was still early, but he was tired. And he had a long day ahead of him tomorrow.

AN: So there's another chapter. Hope you liked it. I'll try to post another chapter within the week. Please R&R.