Disclaimer: I don’t own any of these characters, but I wish I did.

"I want you to adopt Matthew," Chandler repeated. "It’s simple. You look after him as your own son, and I give you money for doing it."

"I can’t," Monica said, wildly. She didn’t want Matthew to go to strangers, but she didn’t want to be his ‘mother’. She couldn’t look after a newborn baby, anyway.

"Why not?" Chandler asked. "I mean, you need the money, right? And you don’t want me to give Matthew to strangers. So you’re not a stranger, you’re a woman who badly needs money, and who loves kids. I can give you both."

Monica wished he meant that in some other sense. She would love Chandler to give her kids, only not by giving away his existing ones.

"Oh, come on, Monica, you’re my only hope," he sighed. "There’s no one else who’d do this. And," he added, "You know how it feels, not to want a child."

"Well, I won’t," Monica told him, ruthlessly. "The thing that I think is awful is that you’re prepared to give away your own flesh and blood. Sure, I didn’t really want Daisy, but when she came I loved her. I’d never give her away."

Chandler looked at her with puppy-dog eyes. "Please?"

"No."

"Monica…"

"Chandler, I’ll gladly look after Matthew for you – I’d be his babysitter if you want – but I’m not letting you give away your son. It’s not as if we won’t all help you, sweetie," she added, patting his shoulder. "I just don’t want to be a ‘mom’ to someone else’s child." She paused. "I’m going to be there every step of the way, though, Chandler. And so will all the others."

Chandler looked sulky. "Monica, I need you to do this. I’ve helped you, can’t you help me just this once?"

"It’s not a little favour, Chandler. This is a person’s life. You want me to be what you’re too afraid to be."

"I’m not afraid."

"Oh yeah?" She looked him straight in the eye. "So how come you won’t keep your child?"

"I will – soon," Chandler insisted. "Just look after him for a few weeks – ‘til Christmas?"

"Oh fine," Monica snapped. "That’s only two weeks away, Mister. You’d better be ready by then. And you have to help me – I’ve already got Daisy to look after."

"Don’t snap at me, Mon," he pleaded. Monica’s heart melted. He looked so cute when he was hurt, she thought.

"All right," she sighed. "Give him here," she instructed him, reaching for the baby. "And the bag," she added, taking the diaper bag. "C’mon, Matthew," she whispered to the sleeping newborn. "And you, Chandler." She let him in, taking the baby with her. "Does he have a travel cot?"

"I’ll go get it," Chandler said, walking back out the door. "Thank you, so much, Monica. You won’t regret it – I promise."

* * *

Two days later, Matthew Bing was comfortably settled in. Daisy thought her new ‘brother’ was interesting, and was always trying to dress him up.

Monica arrived back from grocery shopping to find her normally spotless apartment in complete disarray. Daisy was running around wearing only a nappy and a T-shirt, singing, Matthew was lying on the sofa screaming, the CD player was belting out ‘I Believe In Christmas’ by the Tweenies, and Chandler was sitting on the floor with his head in his hands.

"Chandler!" cried Monica. "I’ve only been gone an hour."

"I believe in dreams come true…" howled the CD player, drowning out Matthew’s shriek and Chandler’s reply.

Monica turned off the CD, and picked up the baby, whose cries subsided almost instantaneously. "Chandler?"

"I can’t cope, Mon," he said, crying.

"Oh honey," Monica sighed, sitting down by him. Daisy tired of running, and came to sit by them.

"I can’t cope with two little kids for one hour," sobbed Chandler. "How can I be a dad to Matthew?"

Monica stroked his head gently. "Oh, sweetie, don’t put yourself down," she coaxed. "Daisy is hyper today, so don’t feel bad. Wait a moment, I’ll put her and Matthew down for a nap, and then I’ll come talk to you."

"Thanks," he sighed, as his best friend left the room. He sat there in silence, thinking about how he would cope when he had to take his son back. He was pretty sure that Monica’s good nature would soon wear thin, and he didn’t want to lose his best friend.

Monica returned, and smiled at him. "Come, sit," she said, patting the sofa. He sat. "Now, what’s the matter?"

"I can’t do it," he said. "I-I mean, Matthew’s such a little thing, but he’s such hard work, and I couldn’t cope with him for years and years. I’d have to quit my job, and just stay at home all day with him, and then I wouldn’t earn any money and then…"

"Sweetie, honey, slow down," Monica laughed. "You won’t have to quit your job. I’ll look after him when you’re at work. I don’t have a job any more, and what you said two days ago was right. I do love kids. And it does get easier. When he’s five, he won’t be half the work he is now."

"Thanks," Chandler mumbled, but Monica wasn’t finished. She snuggled close to him, and carried on.

"I’ll always be there for you. And so will the others." She smiled. "And Phoebe and Joey will know exactly what you’re going through!"

"Huh?"

"They’re having a baby! I heard it on the TV this morning." Monica smiled.

"Wow… We’re all changing, aren’t we?" he asked.

"I’m not."

"You could be."

"How?"

"By this." He touched her face gently with his finger, and kissed her. She didn’t pull away; they sat there, until Chandler broke away, several minutes in.

"Why don’t we take this in there?" he asked, nodding toward Monica’s bedroom. She nodded, and they got up and walked away, hand-in-hand.