A Sad Goodbye (part 5)

Hey guys! Welcome to part 5. This will be the final part, I promise! I don’t own these characters, except Steve, Jake and Vicky. The rest belong to Warner Bros. Or someone. Anyway, here goes:

Steve hadn’t expected Monica to have been so upset by her trip to New York. But when she was still upset after a week, he was beginning to wonder what the hell had happened. She hadn’t told him anything, in fact, she’d hardly spoken to him at all since she got back. All she did was mope about in the kids rooms. If steve went near them, Monica snapped at him. He guessed he could kinda understand that. After all, they were her kids, not his. But according to Monica, Vicky’s dad didn’t even know he had a daughter.

It was eleven o'clock at night. Steve was watching TV in bed, waiting for Monica to come in. she was in Jake's room, watching him sleep. She did that a lot lately, he had noticed.

At a quarter past midnight, he switched the TV off and got ready for bed, expecting Monica to join him at any moment. By half one, Monica still hadn’t come to bed. Steve got up to go see where she was. He opened the door to Jake’s bedroom. Monica was sat on the floor by Jake’s bed, with her legs tucked under her. Her head was resting on her arms on the edge of the bed.

"Mon, honey, what are you still doing here?" Steve asked. He touched her shoulders lightly. She raised her head.

"I don’t want to leave him," she said.

"Why? Mon, what happened in New York? Who did you see there? Why are you suddenly so different?" Steve demanded angrily.

"I’m not different," Monica insisted.

"Yeah, you are. Ever since you came back, you’ve been acting really different. You spend all your time sitting in Jake and Vicky’s rooms. You never talk to me. Mon, what the hell happened in New York? Why won’t you leave the kids alone?" Steve demanded. He didn’t realise he was shouting in her face until he was through. And by then, Monica was in tears. "Honey, I’m sorry. I didn’t mena to upset you, but I’m worried about you," Steve said, making an effort to lower his voice.

"Well, you don’t need to worry much longer," Monica snapped, wi[ping away her tears. Her sadness at leaving Chandler replaced by her anger at Steve for demanding answers she wasn’t prepared to give him.

"What do you mean?" Steve asked suspiciously. He knelt on the floor next to Monica and put his arm around her. She pulled away. Then she got up and went into the living room, as if she wanted to escape from Steve. But she couldn’t. he followed her.

"I’m leaving," she said in a dull, lifeless voice. "I’m taking Jake and Vicky back to New York."

"Why Mon? I can tell you’re mad at me, but I have no idea why. But you don’t have to go all the way to New York just because you’re mad at me," Steve said. Monica got the impression he thought she was being silly. He followed Monica ionto their bedroom, where she started throwing her clothes into a bag.

"Don’t be so bloody self-centred. I’m not leaving because of you. I’m leaving because of Chandler," Monica snapped. Then she bit her lip, she had never actually told Steve about Chandler.

"Who’s Chandler?" he demanded. When she didn’t answer, he grabbed her arms and turned her round to face him. "Who is he? Is he Jake’s father? Vicky’s father? Your New York toyboy? Who the hell is her?"

"He’s my best friend," Monica said quietly. "He’s my boyfriend, the father of my kids. And he adores me and I adore him. And I just left him without a word of explanation," Monica said, starting to cry. She shook Steve’s hands off her arms and turned away from him.

"Do you love him?" Steve asked. Monica sisn’t answer. "Mon, do you love him?" he repeated. Monica turned back to face him. She nodded.

"Yes," she confessed. "I love him more than anyhting else in the world."

"Well you go get him then," Steve said. He had realised how much this Chandler guy meant to her, he had seen the love in her eyes when she talked about him, even for a few seconds. She truly loved this bastard. And she would never love Steve in the same way. "Don’t let me stop you. But please, wait until morning. There’s no sense in running off in the middle of the night like tthis," Steve said sadly.

"I can’t. Steve, I was horrible to him. He took me to London for our Anniversary, the same hotel and everything." Steve didn’t understand what she meant, but he didn’t interrupt. "And I just left him there, not even telling him where I was going. I didn’t even say goodbye. Steve, I love him so much, but he doesn’t love me, not anymore. He can’t! not after the way I treated him," Monica sobbed. Steve pulled her into his arms and hugged her.

"Mon, from the little you’ve told me about this guy, you’ll never, ever stop loving you. And I bet he feels the same way," Steve assured her.

"You don’t even know him," she wailed. Steve stroked her hair.

"No, but I really think you should give it a try. I mean, you were with him for like, three days, after an eight month separation and he took you to London. To me, it seems like whatever you do, he’ll still love you, worship you. So why the hell are you here, crying? Mon, stay here, go to sleep, start packing in the morning, then get a plane to New York with Jake and Vicky and go get him," Steve said, trying to keep the sorrow out of his voice.

"Thank you," Monica whispered. "For everything." She reached up and kissed his cheek.

"no problem," he replie, but they both knew he was just putting on a brave face. "Chandler’s a lucky guy," he said, forcing a smile.

"I’m sorry Steve, I know this is really unfair on you," she said.

"Yeah, well, I’d never forgive myself if I got in the way of true love," Steve shrugged. Monica smiled and hugged him.

* * *

In New York, Chandler had spent all day searching for Monica. He had looked everywhere he thought she might be. But he hadn't found her. After an umbelievably long day, he had finally admitted what he had know all along but hadn't wanted to believe, Monica had gone back to Boston. What he couldn't figure out was why. Why had she just left without a word like that? Why had she come back to New York if she was going to leave again a few days later?

He now sat alone in the empty apartment. For some reason, it seemed even emptier than it had before Monica and Jake had visisted. Chandler had already been through this once, this lonely feeling of losing the only people in the world who he cared about. He didn’t think he could do it again.

Ross, Rachel, Phoebe and Joey came in without knocking. Chandler hardly noticed. Their voices and laughter seemed distant and unimportant.

"Chandler!" Joey said, right in Chandler's ear, making him jump. "Dude, what's the matter with you?" Joey asked. He looked worried and concerned for his friend, but all at once, for no reason whatsoever, Chandler wanted to laugh. All the sympathy and concern in the world couldn't make him miss Monica any less. Chandler looked at Phoebe.

"You didn't tell them?" he asked wearily.

"I sensed that you guys didn't want me to," Phoebe said.

"Chandler, what's going on?" Ross asked.

"Monica's back," Phoebe answered for him. The others brightened.

"Why didn't she tell me?" Ross asked, "I am her brother after all."

"Well, I'm her best friend," Rachel argued.

"Where is she?" Joey asked excitedly. No doubt antcipating all the food Monica would make him, Chandler thought.

"Guys, she's not here," Chandler said.

"Well where is she then?" Ross asked.

"She went back to Boston," Chandler said. He thought he might be about to cry, but he knew Ross and Joey would never let him hear the end of it if he did.

"Why?" Rachel asked, confused. "Why would she come back, not tell anyone she was here, then leave again?"

"I have no idea," Chandler confessed. "She didn't even say goodbye. She just left."

"That’s not like her," Ross said.

"I know. Which is why I'm so worried. Why didn't she even leave a note? Why did she leave in the first place? She knows how much I love her," Chandler said. He finally gave in to the tears that had been pricking the backs of his eyes all day, and broke down in a crying heap.

Rachel and Phoebe rushed to his side and put their arms around him. Ross and Joey just stood there, feeling utterly useless. They had never seen Chandler break down like this before.

"Its okay Chandler. Its okay to cry," Rachel said soothingly.

"I need her Rach. I need her," Chandler said tearfully.

"I know you do sweetie," Phoebe said softly.

"Why? She knows I can't live without her. Why did she leave me like this?," Chandler demanded. His friends were silent. They didn't know what to say. Nothing they said could ease the pain Chandler felt now.

* * *

It was mid afternoon the next day. Chandler hadn't slept all night. He hadn't even gone into either of the bedrooms. Even though Monica and Jake had only been there a few days, they had managed to re-evolk all his memories of them. Chandler was wearing grey sweat pants and a worn grey sweatshirt. His hair was a mess, his face pale, eyes dull with dark circles underneath them.

The door opened. Chandler didn't bother looking over his should to see who it was. It was probably just Joey wanting lunch. Chandler had given up on hoping Monica would ever come back.

He heard footsteps. Either Joey had just started wearing high heels, or his visitor was a woman, either Rachel or Phoebe, he supposed.

A hand touched his shoulder. Chandler had to make a concious effort not to flinch. Another hand ran through his hair, trying to smooth out two days of worry. Chandler figured it must be Rachel. Phoebe would have been pluckign at his aura, not his hair.

"Leave it Rach," he said, swatting her hand away. Obediently, Rachel withdrew her hands.

A few seconds later, he felt her gently kiss his neck. Why the hell was Rachel kissing his neck? The concept that it wasn't Rachel didn't even occur to him. The woman moved her light, butterfly kisses up his neck, along his jaw and onto his cheek. She put her index finger under his chin and turning his face to her. Before he had time to think, he felt her soft lips gentle kiss his. Chandler pulled away slightly, far enough to see that it was Monica. He blinked several times, not quite believing his eyes.

"m…m…mon?" he stuttered. She smield and nodded.

"Yeah," she said. She looked slightly nervous, as if she was afraid Chandler would reject her. "Chandler, honey, I don't know if you still want me back, I wouldn't blame you if you said you never wanted to see me ever again, but I would really, really like to be with you again.i know it was awful of me to treat you the way I did, I was horrible to you. But you have to know something, well, two things really," Monica said. She was talking very fast, as if she thought he would try to interrupt her, but he didn’t. he wanted to hear her out.

"What?" he asked warily, "is it Jake? Steve? What?"

"No Chandler. I think you should know why I left you. Just wait here a second," Monica said mysteriously. She gave him a quick peck on the cheek (afraid that would be the last kiss she ever got to give him), which he didn’t try and stop, then went outside. For a moment Chandler was terrified she wouldn't come back. But she did. And she was holding Jake's hand and pushing a pram. The pram had a little baby girl in it. Chandler gasped.

"You were cheating on me? And you were pregnant? That’s why you left?" Chandler asked, amazed at the discovery that Monica had another child, that Jake had a half sister.

"No, yes and yes," she said with a nervous smile.

"huh?"

"I wasn't cheating on you, you know I'd never do that. But I was pregnant, and that is the reason I left New York," Monica explained. She held her breath.

"My daughter? She's my baby?" Chandler asked in shock. Monica nodded. She left the stroller and gently touched his cheek.

"is that okay?" she asked worriedly. Chandler could have laughed at her apprehension if she hadn’t have looked so genuinely scared. Instead he impulsively pulled her into his lap and kissed her hard.

"Its perfect," he said, his eyes alive with happiness. He helped Monica to her feet, then went over to the pram. He looked at the baby in awe. "What's her name?" he asked quietly.

"Victoria Sarah Bing. Vicky, " she told him.

"She's gorgeous, "Chandle breathed. "Can I touch her? Hold her?"

"Of course," Monica said with an amused smile.

Chandle picked Vicky up as carefully as if she was made of pure crystal. He felt Jake press his small hand into his father's much bigger one and squeezed it. Then he let go of Jake's hand just long enough to put his arm around Monica. She picked up Jake and Chandler pulled them both closer. He felt so lcuky holding his whole family in his arms. It occurred to him that this was the first time. But that didn’t matter now. He was holding them now, and he was never, ever going to let them go, ever again.

Monica was crying. Chandler's shirt had damp patches on the front from her tears.

"What's the matter?" he asked, concerned.

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing," she assured him. Chandler kissed her passionately. Jake pulled a face and laughed, but even that couldn't ruin the moment. They were finally all back together again.

THE END

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