I'm posting the rest for you, Dr. JES, because it's probably easier for me to take over the translation than for you to be able to read it in French or have a bad translation. At least worse than my English

Enjoy this chapter !


After Monica's funeral, Chandler's mother Nora had come to take over from Rachel. But quickly, in less than two days, tension had mounted between mother and son, to the point that Rachel had to return in the middle of the evening because Nora could no longer contain her verbal aggression toward her beloved son. By the time she arrived, the tone between the two was acrimonious, and Chandler's accusations about his childhood and Nora's blaming him for keeping her at arm's length from his life were reaching a climax. Nora and Chandler had never learned to communicate well together. The son was a good communicator, but lost his temper when it came to his parents. When Rachel entered the house, both Bings turned to her. In Nora's gaze, she noticed that the mother had finally understood her only son's distress. Chandler's gaze softened when he saw her. It was the first time since Monica had left that Rachel felt Chandler was grateful for her presence. The silence was quickly broken by Emma who, paying no attention to the tension in the house, let out a howl of happiness when she saw her godfather sitting on the couch. She ran to him, arms outstretched, singing "Chandler" to anyone who would listen.

In the first month and a half following Monica's death, Chandler had named a wish to be a little alone. The children lacked for nothing. Chandler had taken five months' parental leave. The advertising agency he'd worked for for four years didn't want to lose him and had allowed him to take these months off with pay to take care of his little family. Rachel returned to Manhattan with a mixture of happiness and sadness. She had been able to work from home for the last eight weeks, and she would miss the evening conversations with Chandler. She promised to come back every weekend, and that was non-negotiable. Chandler had agreed without a smile, for that expression had disappeared from the widower's face along with his wife.

The cloud of black smoke that enveloped Chandler's life was just beginning to thin. The next three months were marked by this new routine. Rachel returned every weekend with her daughter to spend with the Bing family. She arrived late Friday and left Sunday evening. Ross and Joey didn't visit their friend often, not knowing how to deal with such a different Chandler. Phoebe hadn't wanted to give up. She called often, and when she gave birth to her daughter, Chandler and Rachel were the first to meet Skye Hannigan.

On the first Saturday morning of the fifth month, Rachel awoke with a start, not quite sure what had woken her. She strained her ear, but no sound disturbed the silence of the house. She reached for her cell phone and realized it was 9.30 a.m., which made her jump. She'd fallen asleep the night before and hadn't woken up all night. Normally, she could hear Chandler walking in the living room and would get up to chat with him until he fell asleep. Rachel got out of bed in the guest room and realized Emma's bed was empty. Her heart stopped. Where was her daughter when no sound betrayed her presence in the house?

With four children in the house, at this hour of the morning, there should have been the sound of the television or the children's voices chattering, but only silence answered Rachel. She opened the door and glanced into the master bedroom.

The door was open and the bed unmade, as it had been every morning for months. Chandler hadn't set foot in there since Monica's death. She descended the stairs.

- Chandler?

She looked into the kitchen. There was no one there. Even the mess hadn't moved, which would have driven Monica crazy, Rachel thought with a smile. It was as if Chandler needed to leave everything lying around to erase Monica, she thought. Her anger had subsided some time ago, but it was still rather difficult to tame this new Chandler. Rachel was heading for the living room when she froze at the sight before her: Chandler was sitting on the couch, head back, obviously asleep. He was shirtless and carrying baby Daniel against his chest. Erica had her head on her father's thighs, her thumb firmly in her mouth. Emma was snuggled up against her godfather's body. One of her little arms held one of Chandler's, while her other held little Jack, who slept like his twin, thumb in mouth. Rachel smiled at this touching picture of a man surrounded by young children who had their full trust to sleep safely.

For as long as she'd known Chandler, he'd always doubted his ability to be a good father. If before Monica's death, Rachel hadn't really paid attention to Chandler's behavior with his children. But she had to admit to herself that Chandler Bing was a child magnet. Something disturbed her even more. Ross is a good father and takes good care of his children, Ben and Emma. But Rachel couldn't remember ever seeing Ross sleeping with Emma. Daniel moved slightly, drooling on his father's chest, seeming to seek out his nipple. Chandler frowned in his sleep, which made him look even better. Rachel gasped at the thought. Never had she found Chandler truly handsome. Cute, yes, but never had she considered him a potentially interesting man. She shook her head, locking that feeling away in an inaccessible part of her brain.

Chandler wasn't getting much sleep, so Rachel approached the couch to take the baby and let her friend sleep longer. Daniel turned his head toward her and, as she always did when she saw this baby, she realized it was Monica's portrait. Rachel's heart sank. When she touched Chandler's hand to take the baby, he suddenly opened his eyes. He'd been her friend for thirteen years and had always had a rather teasing blue look in his eyes. She'd never seen him any other way, except since the death of the love of her life. His blue eyes no longer had that teasing gleam that promised you a good time. Their Chandler was gone. All that remained was this man, unknown to everyone but her. Rachel knew him best now.

If three years ago a serious Chandler would have scared the hell out of her, today she was able to connect with him.

- I'll get Daniel to eat. He's hungry and he was looking right at your chest for food.

Chandler lowered his intense gaze to his son, who began to smile and chirp. Chandler's face changed dramatically.

A smile brightened his overly severe features and his eyes became light blue. He was definitely a very handsome man at this moment, Rachel thought, before having a crazy urge to call Ross, her lover.

- Are you hungry, little man?" asked Chandler in a husky voice.

Daniel laughed loudly, waking the other three children. Emma jumped on her mother as soon as she saw her. Erica clung tighter to her father and Jack sat there rubbing his eyes. The telephone rang, breaking up the impromptu scene. Chandler handed the baby to Rachel and got up, with Erica in his arms and Jack following close behind, to make breakfast. He knew that if Rachel made them any more food, they'd all want to go to a restaurant. She put Daniel on her hips and took the phone into the living room.

- Hello?

- Rach? How are you this morning? I didn't get to say goodbye yesterday," says Ross on the other end of the line.

- Oh, that's all right. We're getting ready to make breakfast. It's not long since the whole household woke up. Emma, it's Dad. Do you want to talk to him?" asked Rachel quickly, her gaze on Chandler who had seated the twins on the kitchen counter as he pulled out the necessities to make dinner.

- PAPAAAA," Emma shouted in Ross's ear.

Rachel bounced Daniel lightly on her hip as she watched Chandler put on a sweater, his head bent toward his twins who were clapping their hands in laughter. Emma pulled her out of her contemplation by telling her that Dad wanted to talk to her. She picked up the receiver again.

- Rachel? How's Chandler?

- He's fine. There's been no change since you all came to lunch last week.

- How are you? You look like you're...

- Ross, I'm gonna have to go. I have to feed the baby. I'll see you Sunday.

- I kiss you and Emma for me too... I love you, Ross concluded

- Okay.

Emma was already in the kitchen and had joined her cousin on the counter watching her godfather make pancakes. Rachel took up a position just inside the kitchen entrance to spy on the scene. Chandler glanced over his shoulder and spotted Rachel.

- You have to help, even if what you're cooking is indigestible.

- Hey! I know how to cook baby food and I promise he'll love it.

Chandler approached them and tickled his baby's cheek. He dodged a faint smile at Rachel before returning to his pancakes.

- Monica was kind enough to give me this recipe for pancakes when I floated the idea of me making breakfast on Saturdays..., Chandler began.

Rachel put a hand to her heart. In five months, this was the first time he'd talked about his dead wife on his own. He'd been through a lot of anger, but she hadn't seen him cry since the day Monica died and at the salon, probably keeping it all inside. Rachel settled Daniel in his high chair. At five months, he already knew how to hold his head and sit up. He ate applesauce more than he took a bottle. This baby had a lovely round face with two beautiful eyes the same blue as Monica's eyes. His black hair was starting to grow. Physically, he was much more like the Gellers, but he had inherited his father's smile. He laughed a lot. Rachel headed for the refrigerator to get food for Daniel, leaving Chandler to continue his story. Her throat was tight with emotion as she too missed Monica.

- I obviously burned the pancakes the first time, so much so that Monica almost yelled at me. But I think I was so pitiful that she didn't freak out over the damage I'd done to her kitchen," Chandler continued.

- She must have watched you closely afterwards, Rachel asked, holding back tears.

- Oh, you have no idea! It took two months before she'd let me make breakfast on my own...

Chandler placed the last of the pancakes on the plate, which already contained many, and clapped his hands to announce to the children that it was time to eat. He took the three children down from the counter, seating them at the table with Rachel. He served them juice, plastic utensils and pancakes. Rachel sat down in front of Daniel and began to feed him, while Chandler stood for a few seconds before joining them.

- I miss her so much," Chandler murmured, looking at Rachel.

- Oh... Me too, Chandler.