“Mom, Mom, guess what?”
Monica glanced up to see her daughter Alexis running into the room.
“Hey Alex, what’s up?”
“Estelle got me an audition for the new Chandler Bing movie. It’s for a major part!” Alex danced around the room.
“Wow, this could be your big break!” Mon smiled. Chandler Bing, now that was a name she hadn’t heard in a while. “When’s the audition?”
“Two days.”
“You better go start practising.”
“‘Kay!” Alex ran out of the room.
When Mon was sure Alex was gone, she put her head in her hands. Why or why did she let Alex become an actor? Because you know that’s what her dad would’ve wanted, a voice in her head said. If the dad knew he HAD a kid, another voice argued back. Well, it looked like they were about to meet.

“Next,” Chandler called. He turned to Joey and GJoey. They were going to be the stars of his next movie and were helping him cast the rest of the cast.
“Who would’ve thought that casting an eight year old girl would be so hard!” GJoey commented, leaning back in her seat.
“I know! How many left?” Joey asked Chandler. He was getting restless.
“Umm... five more.” Chandler shuffled through some papers, counting. He glanced up as he heard the door open and another girl walked in.
“Hi,” GJoey told the girl.
“Hey,” the girl replied, smiling.
“What’s your name?” Chandler asked, looking once more through the papers, trying to find her form.
“Alex. Alex Geller.” Alex smiled brightly, becoming relaxed. She paused, then added. “Well my names actually Alexis, I go by Alex.”
Joey, Chandler and GJoey mouths dropped open at her last name. Chandler quickly recovered. There’s probably lots of people with that last name he thought.
“Okay Alex, can you try act two and scene three? Joey will play his part.”
“Sure,” Alex paused, getting into character. “Hey dad. Where were you last - hey, how come this guy wasn’t with his daughter last night?”
Chandler laughed. “Because he was with the woman he falls in love with. Go on.”
“Aww, that’s so romantic. Are you an old romantic?”
“Chandler?” Joey scoffed. “Romantic? He’s about as romantic as a slippery fish. Oh! Well when Mon was around, I guess he was okay but...”
“Who’s Monica?” Alex begged with interest.
“Never mind, never mind. Now lets start over. We’re wasting time.” Chandler spoke up.
“Okay. Hey dad. Where were you last night?”
“Heaven,” Joey replied dreamily.
“Hold on, hold on.” Alex cried. “I thought he was with his girlfriend.”
“He was with his girlfriend and he felt like he was in heaven. Now lets continue people!” Chandler replied impatiently.
“Is his girlfriends name Monica?”
GJoey walked toward Alex. “Who do you mean,” she asked. “Chandler or your dad?”
“Well, I don’t have a dad.. so I must mean him!” Alex seemed to glow with pleasure as she pointed at Chandler and grinned.
“Well, yeah,” Chandler admitted. “I once had a girlfriend named Monica. Eight years ago!”
“I’m eight years old!” Alex cried. “what a kwink-ee-dink!”
“Yeah... I guess,” Chandler, too, wondered at the happenings: the name, the no-dad, the age... the loss of a condom that one night...
Alex wallowing in her childish joy, ran out the door.
“Where the hell is she going?” Joey asked.
“I don’t know. Let’s go,” Chandler said. Chandler and the Joeys jogged out the door. What met their eyes was a great marvel. Monica Geller stood at Alex’s side, shyly.
“Monica?” Chandler stared at her in shock.
“Hello Chandler,” Monica said coldly. “Is Alex done?”
“Umm... yeah. Someone will call you in the next few days.”
“Great,” Mon turned and headed out the door. Alex glanced at the Joeys, then at Chandler. Their eyes met, Alex seemed to be asking him to go after Mon. When he made no move, she too turned and left.
A moment later everyone realized that they rest of the room was staring at them.
“Okay, why don’t we take the next person in.” Chandler said to the room, trying to compose himself.

When Alex finally caught up to her mom at the car, she realized her mom was crying.
Alex only remembered seeing her mom cry once before. That had been after her Aunt Rachel dropped by. Her mom had never told her what was wrong.
“Mom, are you okay?” Alex reached over and gave her mom a hug.
“Yeah, just some old memories.” Monica smiled slightly. “So, do you like your dad?”
“So, he is?”
“Yeah.”
“Wow, this is so cool! I’ve got to tell all my friends.”
“Wait a minute, we better talk to your dad about that first. He’s a pretty famous person now. He’ll have a better idea of what to do.”

The rest of the auditions hurried by. The Joeys could see that Chandler had already decided on the “perfect” kid, Alex.
“So Chandler, do you want us to phone her right away, or wait a few days?” Joey asked, turning to Chandler who was sitting in a nearby chair.
“Wait a few days. I need to decide what to say to Mon first.”
“So, what’s it like being a dad?” GJoey asked as she walked over to the other two.
“Hey, we don’t know that I’m the dad.” Chandler replied.
“Well, it makes sense. You haven’t seen or heard from Mon in eight years and her kid is eight. Her kids last name is Mon’s, which mean she’s not married.” GJoey said, running her hands through her hair annoyed.
“So, do you miss her?” Joey asked.
“Everyday. I’d always wondered why she left, and know that I know, I still don’t understand. Why didn’t she tell me?”
“I think I can answer that!” GJoey said. “Remember what you were like eight years ago? You were so afraid of commitment it was funny. She was probably afraid that you’d freak out and leave or something. She didn’t want to get hurt or to hurt you so she bailed. Then when you didn’t find her she was probably heart broken and thought you hadn’t even tried.”
“But I did!” Chandler protested.
“But she doesn’t know that.” GJoey replied sympathetically.
“Oh gosh what have I done?” Chandler muttered.

“Beep, you have two new messages. First message: Hi Chandler darling, I’m in town for a couple of days. I’ll phone again and we can arrange lunch or something. Love ya Mom. End of message, to erase this message press seven... BEEP... message erased. Next message: Hi Chandler umm... we need to talk. Alex wants to know if she can tell her friends you’re her dad and if you’re questioned, will you admit or deny. Thanks Monica. Oh, the phone numbers 555-4693.”
Chandler turned toward the answering machine as he heard Mon’s voice. Grabbing a piece of paper he scribbled down the number then grabbed a phone and dialled.
Ring! Ring!
“Hello?”
“Mon? It’s Chandler.”
“Hello Chandler. I see you got my message. So what do you say?”
“Dinner, tomorrow, at my place.”
“Oh... sure, I guess.”
“Bring Alex. I kinda want to get to know her better.”
“Sure. We’ll see you around six thirty.”

“I can’t believe I’m going to have dinner at my dad’s house. Chandler Bing, my DAD!”
“Well, before you get used to that, lets see what he has to say.” Mon glanced over at Alex. She sure hoped he didn’t disappoint her.
They pulled into Chandlers driveway and walked up to the front door where Chandler was waiting.
“Hello,” Mon smiled. Chandler hesitated then reached out and pulled Mon into a hug.
“Hey!” Alex shouted, laughing. It was neat to see her parents together.
“Sorry.” Mon laughed, and pulled Alex into the hug.
“So,” Alex started, breaking the silence that had fallen over them.
“So...?” Chandler questioned back.
“So, am I allowed to call you dad?”
“I don’t see why not.”
“Thanks... dad!”

Unknown to the three, a reporter had witnessed the whole exchange, and had gotten pictures. He didn’t HEAR what was going on though. If it hadn’t been for the “News Now” channel playing on his big screen tv, Chandler never would have noticed his face posted around the nation with Monica and Alex by his side. All this and two seconds since they had entered the house. Fortunately for him, Monica had stepped into the bathroom and Alex had run to Chandler’s N64 the moment she stepped in the door. The reporter on televison stared out to the nation and said, “Movie producer Chandler Bing dating a single mom? The cameras say so. Feast your eyes on this footage today at seven eastern.”
With that a collection of footage appeared on screen of Chandler hugging Monica, patting Alex and the three entering the house.
Chandler didn’t hear Alex come up behind him. His reaction to her voice was jumping and promptly turning off the tv.
“Hey, I’m on tv!!” Alex cried.
“Nope, nope, nope. That wasn’t you.”
“What do you mean? I saw myself there.”
“But... that’s not a tv. Its... a ... magical mirror. You see yourself. You see whoever you want. Subconsciously you were thinking of yourself, so you saw yourself.”
“Uh huh... okay. Try it now.”
Chandler gulped. THIS could be a problem.
The image that flashed across the screen before Chandler turned it off was himself.
“Oh my gosh. I didn’t believe you, but you’re right. I was thinking of you!”
“Uh huh, uh huh. See?”
“No, I’m still not sure. Do it again.”
And Chandler did. He muttered. “Please say you were thinking about Roy Dupuis.”
“Who is that?” Alex moaned. “He is ug-ly! And he’s not who I was thinking of. You liar!” With that she ran to her mommy who had just entered. Her mind occupied, she had forgotten about her appearance on tv. Chandler wiped the sweat from his brow, relieved. It meant the world to him to win Monica back. Once he saw her again, he knew living without her again would be unfeasible.

Later in the evening, after a quite, uneventful dinner (and only because he had taken the phone of the hook), the trio retired to the family room, where Alex started to play N64. The adults carried their wine and Alex was contented with her cranberry juice.
They sat in silence for a few minutes, until Chandler spoke up, asking Alex to run to the side door and fetch the evening newspaper. As soon as Alex disappeared, Chandler regretted those silence breaking words.
“Oh shoot!!!” he yelled, leaping from his seat and chasing after his daughter.
But he was too late, Alex had picked up the newspaper and was gazing at the picture of the three of them that was on the front page.
“Shoot!” he yelled again.
“What?!” Chandler spun around to see Monica. He hadn’t realized Mon had followed him.
“Mom, look. We’re in the newspaper.”
“What?”
“Look, we’re on the front page.” Alex held the newspaper up so her mom could see.
“Alex, why don’t you go and play the Nintendo. Your mom and I need to talk.” Chandler took the newspaper out of Alex’s hands and hurried her off to the other room, Monica following behind.

Chandler walked into the living room and sat down on the couch. Monica, following, joined him on the couch. They both stared at the picture for a few minutes in silence.
“Well, hey, we fooled the newspaper!” Chandler joked feebly.
“Yeah.” Mon paused. “This is what it’s going to be like isn’t it?”
“What do you mean?” Chandler asked, confused.
“If we started to date, or when ever we see each other, or you’re seen with Alex, its going to become public knowledge. You couldn’t take Alex to a movie without generating attention.” Monica blushed when she realized she had mentioned dating.
“Yeah, I guess. I never understand why people want to be famous. I didn’t, but when I decided that ...but when I decided to go into this business, I knew I was fair game for the media."
"Oh."
The two sat in silence for a few moments, each one pondering the prospect of dating, and praying the other couldn't read their mind. After a moment, Monica spoke.
"You do know, don't you?"
"What's that?" Chandler looked up.
"That...that Alex is your daughter."
Chandler stood abruptly. "Yes, I suppose I did. Why does it matter? Are we going to start dating again? Are we just automatically a family? I want to keep seeing you-I, I mean Alex. No. The truth is, I want to see both of you. And a lot more of both of you. I just want to know if that's an option." His voice was proud, but Monica saw his eyes pleading.
"Yes, I know you want to see Alex." She placed emphasis on Alex's name. "And I suppose we could work something out. After all, she is your daughter. But as far as 'us' goes, I'm not sure. It's been -how many- eight years? now, and, well, what if things didn't work out? Then what do we do? Alex would be hurt and...you know, I'm not sure why I even allowed her to go to that stupid audition."
Half-jokingly, Chandler replied: "You calling my audition 'stupid'?"
At that, Monica sighed and sank back.
"I'm sorry," Chandler said, repeating Monica's dismal actions.
"No, no, nothing against you Chandler. I just, I just am NOT sure why I let her go."
"I think I know," Chandler volunteered. "Could it possibly be, in the corner of your mind, you saw it as...a chance to see me again?"
Monica leaped from her position. "No! No! I don't know! I don't even like you! NOOOOOOO!!!"
"Yes, you do, Monica. You like me. We were in love once, and you MORE than liked me. Why did you run away? WHY did you run AWAY???"
"Because I didn't LIKE YOU!!!"
"Now you're just making excuses," Chandler laughed, having fun with Monica on a string. "You liked me. But I want to know why you ran away!!! Was it...because of Alex? Because if it was..."
"Yes! Yes it was. Just stop it, stop it!" With a sudden burst of passion, Monica burst into tears.
"No, no, Mon, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sure it was hard for you to make a decision like that. But, but..it's just that-it's like I can't believe I actually drove you to feeling like you couldn't trust me to stand by you or...or whatever it was you felt. You know I've never understood women, but this is like -woosh! Over the head, over the head!"
"Whoosh? Whoosh? You think I'm whoosh, over the head? What about you? I couldn't figure you out. You wanted a relationship with me, but you didn't want kids, or, or, or, marriage." Monica's voice was raised up high by now. "So when I found out about Alex, I had no idea what to do! I had no clue how you would react, or how anyone would react for that matter. To tell the complete truth, I wasn't even sure how to react! I panicked. I wasn't only afraid of your reaction, I was afraid of myself. What if I wasn't a good mother. Oh, I don't know! I just ran. Don't you run when you're scared?"
"Oh, when I'm scared, I don't run. I cover up me fear with a feeble joke."
"Maybe I'd better just go home for now. I'm really exhausted."
"Well spend the night!"
"No, no, I can't impose." Knowing Chandler would object, she raised her hand. "Not only that, but I just CAN'T. And neither can Alex. Alex can visit again tomorrow..."
"What about you?"
"I don't know. I've got to cater a big...a big wedding." Monica's eyes dropped. "We'd better get going. Bye, Chandler.”

Alex backs away from the door slowly. She’d been listening to her parents conversation, dying to know what was being said.
“Why can’t you be more relaxed for once!” She muttered out loud when she heard her mom refuse to stay the night.
“Oh well, looks like it’s going to be up to me to get them back together!” She paused. “Just like in the Parent Trap. That movie was sooo good!”
Hearing her mom start walking to the door, Alex quickly ran into the other room and continued to play Nintendo, waiting for her mom to come get her.

“Bye Dad!” Alex hugged Chandler. He gave her a hug back, before turning to Mon and giving her one as well.
“I’ll see  you tomorrow, okay? We’ll go do something fun.” Chandler told Alex, before she and Mon headed towards their car. Chandler waved as they drove off, then turned and went back into his house.

“Mom?”
“Yes Alex?”
“Do you still love Daddy?”
“Of course honey. He was my best friend for eight years, and Uncle Ross’s collage roommate.”
“Does he still love you?”
“I don’t know. We were in love at one point, but that was eight years ago. I, I don’t know if he still loves me, or just thinks of me as a friend.”
“Ohh... are you coming with me tomorrow?”
“To Chandler’s? I don’t know. I’ve got that big wedding to cater.”
“Oh.” Alex replied, disappointed.
“I’ll drop you off and maybe visit for a couple minutes. But I’ve got to make sure that Rachel and Denise can still waitress.”
“Who’s getting married?”
“I don’t know. No one famous.”

When they arrived home, Mon went into the kitchen to check the answering machine, while Alex went upstairs to get ready for bed.
“Holy cow!” Mon gasped. There were thirty something messages.
“First message: Hey Mon, its Ross. Why didn’t you tell me you and Chandler were dating AGAIN! End of message. Second message: Mon. I’m your best friend. I can’t believe you didn’t tell me. I had to find out in the news! Phone me when you get in, Rachel. End of message. Third message: Hey Alex. I can’t believe your mom’s dating Chandler Bing. This is huge! Call me, Sam.”
Monica turned off the machine, not wanting to here the rest of the messages. She should have known.
“Mom?” Alex shouted down the stairs.
“Yeah?”
“Good night!”
“Good night Alex. I’ll be up in a bit. Just need to make some phone calls.”
“‘Kay!”
With a sigh, Mon turned the answering machine back on and scanned the messages quickly. Then picking up her phone, she began to return some of them.
She called Ross first, Ben picked up. He’s now fourteen.
“Oh hi Aunt Monica. I saw you in the paper.”
“Umm, yeah, can I talk to Ross?” Monica replied.
“Just a second.”
There was a click and soon Ross’s voice came through.
“Did you tell him?” Ross shouted.
“Tell who what?” Monica replied innocently.
“Tell Chandler about Alex.” Ross screamed impatiently.
“Mon?” Rachel’s voice joined Ross on the phone.
“Hey, are you guys on speaker phone?”
“No, we’re on candid camera.” Rachel replied sarcastically. “Of course we’re on the speaker phone.”
“Back to Monica, Back to Monica,” Ross said hurriedly.
“What do you want to know? And I’m not promising to answer all the questions!” Mon said, falling into a nearby seat.
“Are you guys going out?” Rachel asked.
“No.”
“Does he know that Alex is his?” Ross joined in.
“Yes.”
“How did he react?” Rachel questioned.
“I think he’s fine, but it’s hard tell.” Monica says, while thinking, Like I’d ever tell you!
“Are you guys going to start dating?” Ben asked.
“I’m going to take the fifth amendment.”
“Why don’t you and Alex join us for dinner tomorrow?” Rachel asked.
“Can’t, I’m catering and you’re suppose to be waitressing.” Monica glared at the phone.
“Fine, Monday?”
“I don’t know. I’m probably busy.”
“No you’re not! You’re coming. Bye!” Ross hung up.
“Ahh!” Monica looked at the phone frustrated.
 

The next evening, Mon went over to Chandler’s house to pick up Alex. She wondered how their day had gone, hers had been hectic. First Rachel had dropped the wedding cake, then Denise didn’t show.
“Hey Mon,” Chandler greeted her at the door.
“Why are you whispering?” Mon asked.
“Alex fell asleep while watching a movie.”
“So you going to wake her up?”
“Let’s just let her sleep a little longer. She’s probably exhausted from all the excitement.”
“Kay. So how did your day go?”
“It was fun. We went to Central Park with a stop in Central Perk.”
“It’s still there?”
“Oh yeah. And now it’s even making a profit! Gunther has pictures of me up all over.”
“What happened to the pictures of Rachel?”
They both laughed, easing the tension that had built up around them.
“I better get Alex. She’s had a long day.”
“No, wait. We need to talk.”
“Fine, about what?”
“You, me, us, then. Joey said you probably are upset at me, thinking I didn’t come after you.”
“Since when do you listen to him?”
“Her.”
“Oh.”
“So, were you?”
“Was I what?”
“Upset at me.”
“Kind of. I figured you probably looked a bit, and I was sort of sad and mad when you didn’t find me.”
“Where were you?”
“Get this... At my parents house.”
“Oh. Well, I never thought you’d go there.”
“That’s why I went there.”
“But you wanted me to find you.”
“But if I made it too easy, then how would I know you really loved me?”
“Loved?”
“Yeah.”
“I still love you. I haven’t had a date in eight years. I’ve been waiting for you.”
“You hardly had a date in the thirty years before we went out as well!”
“Yeah, so. What’s your point?”
“I don’t know.”
“There you go!”
“There I go what?”
“I don’t know.”
“Well that makes two of us.”
“We never knew us two. It’s eleven. Do you want Alex to stay here?”
“I guess she could...”
“Great, do you want to stay as well?”

Gripping Alex’s hand tightly, Monica stepped out of the cab and onto the sidewalk in front of Ross and Rachel’s house. They walked quickly up to the front door and rang the door bell.
“Coming,” Ben shouted from inside. “Hey Aunt Monica, Alex.”
“Hey Ben. Sorry we’re late.” Monica apologized.
“Oh, you’re not late. We’re still waiting for one more.” Ben replied.
They followed Ben into the family room, where Ross and Rachel were sitting, along with Phoebe, Joey and GJoey.
“Oh my god! Pheebs. I haven’t seen you in what, eight years?” Monica cried out, as she and Phoebe hugged.
“So who’s this?” Phoebe asked, looking at Alex.
“This is Alex,” Monica replied. She turned to Ross and Rachel. “You didn’t tell her?”
“No,” Rachel replied. “We thought you should.”
“Phoebe, this is my kid. She’s eight,” Monica turned back to Pheebs.
“Oh, is it Chandler’s?”
“Yeah, and yes, he knows.”
“Yeah, only for 2 days now.” Joey added.
“Hey Joey and Joey.” Monica turned towards them. “I’m sorry for not saying hi before, but I didn’t even notice you.”
“Don’t worry about it.” GJoey replied.
“Oh hey, there’s the door bell. Back in a sec,” Ben shouted, leaving the room.
A few seconds later, foot steps could be heard.
“Hey, hey, the gangs all here!” Monica turned to see Chandler in the door way.
“Daddy,” Alex yelled, running over to Chandler, where he picked her up and swung her around in a hug.
“Hey Alex. Pheebs, long time no see,” Chandler put Alex down and hugged Phoebe.
“I know.”
“Ross, Rachel. Great to see you guys again,” Chandler gave them a hug.
“You to Chandler,” Ross replied.
 “Joey, Joey, can’t I ever get rid of you two?”
“You, what about us?” GJoey replied back laughing.
“Hey Mon,” Chandler turned to Monica.
“Hi.” Mon replied, very aware that everyone in the room was watching, wide eyed.

“So, what’s everyone been doing lately?” Ross asked, as they all sat down at the table. He was sitting at the end, with Rachel on one side and Ben on the other. Next to Ben sat Alex, then Chandler, Monica, Phoebe, Joey and GJoey.
“Well, I’ve been busy casting for my new movie. Joey and Joey are the stars.” Chandler answered. “We start filming in about a year.”
“Congratulation guys!” Everyone toasted.
“I got first in the science fair at school,” Ben added, and everyone toasted again.
“We’ve got news,” Joey spoke up.
“Yeah,” GJoey chimed in. “I’m ... pregnant!”
“Oh my god! Congratulations!” Rachel shouted.
“Congratulations man!” Chandler replied as well.
“Well, we better drink a toast to that,” Monica spoke up, everyone nodding in agreement.
“And Alex here,” Chandler nodded towards her, “has been cast to star as Joey’s kid in my new movie as well.”
“YESSS!!!” Alex shouted, causing everyone to break into laughter.
“Oh, that’s so great honey,” Monica got up and hugged her daughter, then turned to Chandler and hugged him as well. “Thanks Chandler.”
“Yeah, thanks dad!”

Later, after Ben and Alex had left to play a video game, the four girls stood in the kitchen, cleaning up while the guys watched a football game.
“So Mon, what’s up with you and Chandler?” GJoey asked.

“I don’t know. Nothing really. We’ve been seeing each other a lot, but that’s only because of Alex. There’s so much I still have to learn about her.” Chandler sighed, turning to the guys.
“Well, do you still love her?” Ross asked.

“Well, I do as a friend, but I’m not quite sure if I’m still IN love with him. I mean, I haven’t seen him for eight years,” Monica turned to her friends.
“Yeah well, you haven’t had a date in eight years either,” Rachel added.

“I’m not sure. I mean, I know I love her, but I’m not sure if it’s like, more than friend love,” Chandler paused, looking confused. “I think I do, but she doesn’t really seem to want to give that another try.”
“Did you ask her?”

“No.” Monica replied, hesitantly.
“Well, how’s he suppose to know that you do want to be with him?” Phoebe cried out.
“I don’t know. Besides I, I ...”

“... I don’t know if I want to get back together,” Chandler was almost in tears.
“I think deep down inside you do,” Ross replied, Joey nodding in agreement.
“Maybe, I don’t know,” Chandler stared at the ceiling, not really seeing anything, thinking.
“Hey, what are you guys doing?” The guys glanced up, to see the girls joining them.
Phoebe plopped down in a chair, while Rachel and GJoey joined Ross and Joey respectively. Monica, sighing, sat down in the only seat available, next to Chandler.
“Just watching football,” Ross covered.
“So Mon, hows the catering going?” Joey asked, causing Rachel to groan and Mon to laugh.
“Well, I was catering yesterday for a wedding, and Rachel here, dropped the cake.” Mon smiled at the memory.
“Well, it was heavy and he startled me.” Rachel protested.
“He was the groom.”
“Well, how was I suppose to know that the wedding was dress up and the groom had gone as Darth Vader?” Rachel questioned, causing everyone to burst into laughter.
“And now, more pictures of the hottest new couple, Chandler Bing and, according to our sources Monica Geller.” The TV blared out. Everyone’s heads snapped towards the TV. “Monica Geller, single mom of Alexis Geller, is a caterer. We have some new pictures, taken yesterday afternoon and evening. Looks like Chandler decided to spend some time with the kid.” The camera went on to show pictures of Chandler and Alex having fun and Chandler and Monica yesterday evening when Mon had come to pick Alex up. They then reshowed the picture of the three hugging.
“Oh shoot. Not again.” Monica groaned, getting up and heading outside on to the balcony. Everyone watched sympathetically as Chandler sighed, then standing up, went out to join Monica on the balcony.

“Mon?” Chandler questioned. She didn’t answer. He walked over and stood behind her, giving her a hug. “Mon, are you okay?” When she didn’t answer again, he turned her around, noticing for the first time that she was crying. “Oh Mon.” He rocked her back an forth.
“Why Chandler, why?” She sobbed into his shoulder. “Why does it matter so much?”
“I don’t know. I really don’t know,” Chandler replied softly.
“Does this mean that people are going to be following me? I’ve already seen people giving me weird looks, like they know they should be recognizing me, but aren’t quite sure who I am.”
“I know, I know. But just think, it’s only going to get worse before it gets better when they find out that Alex is cast as the daughter in my new movie and even worse when they find out she is my daughter,” Chandler said sympathetically.
“I know Alex is good, but did you cast her because she’s your daughter?” Monica asked, dreading the worst, the tears slowing to a stop.
Chandler backed away, shocked. How could Mon even think he’d do that? “Mon, I’d never do that. You, of all people should know that. Alex is very good. She’s perfect for the part.”
“I’m sorry, but we didn’t find out until after you knew she was your daughter.” Monica, broke down in to tears again. “I’m sorry.”
Chandler, feeling all his old feelings for Monica come rushing back as he watched her cry, once again stepped forwards and pulled her into a hug. Monica rested her head against his chest, sobbing uncontrollably. Chandler glanced up at the stars, making a wish, when he saw a flash of light that was clearly from a camera. “Shoot!” He muttered, hoping Monica didn’t here him. But he knew she’d find out anyway. It’s not like I can keep her away from newspapers, radios and TV’s, he thought, laughing slightly.
“What?” Monica raised her head.
“Nothing,” Chandler lied, he glanced over at the house, to see Alex watching them, eyes hopeful. He stretched out a hand, waving Alex over. Hesitantly she walked over and joined them in the hug.

As the evening finally drew to a close, the Joey’s decided to leave, as Joey was very tired and Joey suggested she get home to bed. Many congradulations were exchanged again as Chandler hugged his sister tight and all bade farewell.
Back in the family room, Chandler, Phoebe, Ross and Rachel were ready for a bit of poker, but Monica intensly felt the exhaustion from the wine and end of the day. “No, y’know I need to get Alex home for bed, and I need to be able to hail a cab. I think I’ll pass on poker,” something in her voice stressed not only sleepiness, but eagerness.
“Oh no, don’t worry about a cab Mon. I’ll drive you,” Chandler suggested. “It’s on the way and besides, I wan to be able to tuck Alex in.”
“Er, Chan,” Ross interjected, “Mon’s house is not on the way to yours.”
Chandler replied testily. “All right already! How was I suppose to know if I’ve never been there?”
“It would be nice,” Monica admitted, a little too readily. “And Alex would be thrilled.”
Rachel and Phoebe exchanged satisfied nods, as Ross bit his lip from saying something he would later regret. Just as everyone was getting up, Alex, raced into the room and leaped into her mothers arms.
“Mom, Mom! I beat Ben at every path we raced on! Oh mom, when can I get N64?”
Monica laughed. “Oh, well you obviously don’t need it if you’ve already passed all the games between Ben’s N64 and Jane’s N64.”
“Aww mom, Ben and Jane don’t have all the games...”
Rachel cut in, “Where is Ben anyway?”
“Oh, he’s erasing all the champion lists,” giggled Alex, “because I’m at the top of all of them.”
“You get ‘em, Alex,” Monica said, kissing the top of her head and placing her back on the floor. “We’re going now sweetie, Daddy’s going to drive us.”
Needless to say, Alex was jumping for joy as she received hugs from her Uncle Ross and Aunt Rachel. Once the trio was out the door, Rachel laughed with delight. “Daddy’s going to dive us!” She exclaimed happily.
“They’re lobsters,” Phoebe reminded her friends cheerfully.
“If only they’d get those darn claws out of the way,” Ross added.

When the BMW pulled up to Monica’s apartment building, Alex was fast asleep against her father’s shoulder.
“Well, that was fun,” Chandler said, turning off the car.
“Please tell me you’re kidding,” Monica replied dryly, stroking Alex’s hair.
“Yeah I am.”
“Alex had fun this morning. She loved those eggs you made. You’ve turned into a prety good cook over the years.”
“Oh, I don’t cook often. I have my own personal chef. I just thought it would be fun to cook breakfast like a normal... family.”
“Yeah, my family must not have been normal.”
“Me neither,” Chandler luaghed.
“Well thanks for letting us stay,” Monica said gratefully.
“After all it was late,” Chandler said.
“And I was tired,” Monica said.
“And it was late,” Chandler repeated.
“You already said that one,” Monica told him.
“I know.”
“So...”
“So...what?”
“We should probably take Alex in,” Monica nodded towards their daughter.
“Yeah, I guess,” Chandler stepped out of the car, then reached back in and picked up Alex. They headed up the stairs and inside.
“Oh great,” Monica said, “I forgot to do the breakfast dishes.”
“You forgot to do the dishes?” Chandler asked surprised.
“Yeah, had a lot on my mind. Here, this way,” Monica directed Chandler upstairs to Alex’s room. “Just give me a minute while I get her changed.”
Chandler nodded, embarressed and hurried out of the room.
“Mom,” Ales said sleepily, “Tomorrow in school I’m going to write my letter to Santa.”
“Right, sweetie. Now you get under the covers and daddy will come tuck you in.”
As her parents kissed her good night, Alex snuggled down under her quilt happily, thinking about what to put in her letter.

After saying good night, Monica and Chandler headed downstairs.
“Would you like some coffee or something?” Mon asked.
“No, that’s okay. I need to get home. It’s a big day for me tomorrow,” Chandler sighed.
“Meetings?”
“Yeah, tell Alex I’ll see her soon,” Chandler headed for the door. “Oh, and I’ll try to get the script to her so she can start memorizing. By the way, you might want to walk Alex to school and warn her there will be a lot of questions. Also, if she says I’m her dad, they probably won’t believe her.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Monica said. “She can handle it. Ignorant of her video-game skills, she is mature beyond her age.”
“I noticed that,” Chandler replied. “She is very mature.”
“Well, good night Chandler.
“Night Mon.”

The next day at school Alex was bouncing off the walls. It was the day they were to write their letters to Santa.
“What are you writing Alex?” Katie asked.
“Same as always,” Alex replied. “I’m wishing for a dad -“
“Not again!” Jane rolled her eyes, “You do that every year!”
“Yeah,” Sam agreed.
“Well, this year my wish will come true. It’ll be a lot easier for Santa, because I met my daddy. He just doesn’t live with us.”
“What about that guy your mom is dating?” asked Sam. “He could be your dad.”
“But not your real one,” Jen chimed in. “He would be your step-dad.”
“That’s who I’m talking about!” Alex exclaimed. “He is  my real dad, too! And my mom’s not daing him. I wish she were thought. That would be cool.”
“That big movie producer is not your dad.” Katie objected. “That’s Chandler Bing! He’s famous!”
“And dads aren’t famous,” Jane added.
“This one is,” Alex replied angry.

That aftrernoon, when Alex arrived home she slammed the apartment door behind her. “Mooommm!” She screamed. “No one believes me that he’s my dad!” She burst into tears.
“Oh, honey,” Monica pulled her into a hug “It will take awhile for your friends to understand. Do you want to talk to daddy?”
Alex nodded.
“I’ll get him on the phone.”
Monica retured a few moments later. “Turn on the television!”

Rosie O’Donnell smiled at the cameras. “Our next guest is cutie-patootie... Chandler Bing!” The audience cheered as Chandler walked out and gave Rosie a hug.
“So,” Rosie started as they sat down. “Who’s this new lady, Monica Geller, that you’re seeing?”
“Well, let’s see. HJow far back should I go?” Chandler laughed. “I first met Mon on thanksgiving. Her brother Ross and I were collage roommates and had invited me over. A few years later we became neighbours. I lived across the hall with, at first my roommate Kip, then Joey Tribianni. Mon lived with one of our good friends Phoebe, then her best friend from high school, Rachel. I was attracted to Mon from the start, but it took us about eight or more years before we went out. Then eight years ago, she disappeared, afraid to tell me that she was pregnant.”
“Does, does this make you a dad?” Rosie gasped.
“Yeah, and I’m going to assume that you’ve already seen Alex’s pictures. She’s been on the television a lot lately.” Chandler replied, with a smile, as a picture of the two came up briefly.
“How did you keep this a secret for so long?” Rosie questioned.
“Actually, I didn’t know until about 3 days ago, when Alex arrived to audition for my new movie.”
“Wow!”
“I know. I was shocked. So, I’ve been spending time with Alex, trying to get to know her better.”
“And you and Mon have gotten back together?”
“No, where did you hear that?”
“Oh, we just assumed when we saw this picture,” Rosie was startled and a picture of Mon and Chandler hugging last night on the balcony appeared.
“Oh no, Mon had just seen more about us on TV and was upset. She’s not use to being spyed upon. Thought I don’t think anyone gets use to it.”
“So, when’s the new movie going to start filming?” Rosie asked.

Monica clicked off the television. "Well that's that, I suppose. It's out to the world now, Al. Think your friends will believe you now?"
"I guess so. When can I talk to dad again? I miss him already!" Alex cried.
"I think he'll be ready to talk soon. I'll leave a message on his machine to come over after he gets home."
Alex cheered.
"Now you'd better get started on your homework."
"Okay." Alex replied as Monica smiled after her and went back to the phone.
A few minutes later, the doorbell rang. Monica started for the door, but Alex was there first.
"What are you doing here?" Monica gasped when she saw who was there.
“I left about an hour ago from the studio, and decided to come straight here," Chandler replied, picking up Alex and hugging her.
"Now hug mommy," Alex commanded.
Chandler laughed. "Okay."
Chandler leaned forward and hugged Monica. "I need to talk to you," he said quietly to her. Alex didn't notice.
Monica took Alex from Chandler's arms. "Honey, we need to talk."
"Ooh, okay," said Alex anxiously.
"No, no, your mother and I need to talk," Chandler explained.
"Awwww." Alex hopped to the floor. "Okay. I know when I'm not wanted." Secretly, Alex was pleased with herself, thinking it was her own work that made her parents want to "talk." It was what they WANTED to talk about that made Alex delirious with curiosity.
Alex ran up to her bedroom and Monica invited Chandler into the livingroom. "So what is it you wanted to talk about?" she asked quietly.
Alex crept to the top of the stairs so she could hear better.
"It's about-about-"
"Well?"
"It's just that...well, I've mentioned it before. You must know that I want to be with you and Alex all the time. And now that the whole world knows about our history, I mean...it just makes sense."
"I know where you're going with this, Chandler," Monica held up a hand. "I don't want to go anywhere with this for awhile. It's all a sudden, and I've lived eight years without you. I could live without you for another few years."
"Okay," Chandler stood abruptly. "But just think of this: can Alex?"
Alex knew the tension would soon grow and saw this as an opportunity to break in. "Daddddd!!!" she shouted. "Let's go out for dinner!!!"
"Okay!" Chandler laughed. "Where do you want to go, princess?"
"McDonald's, McDonald's! We never go there."
"Whatever you wish, madam," Chandler said, hugging his 'princess.'
"But the food is awful," Monica interjected.
"Who cares?" Chandler glared at her. Quietly to Monica he added, "You've already made a decision to ruin her life, let her go to dinner where she wants!”
Although her parents seemed a bit tense, Alex noticed that dinner went smoothly and even her mother ate some chicken nuggets.

“Hey guys!” Alex shouted, walking over to her friends the next day at school.
“Hey, Alex,” Sam yelled back.
“Saw your father on TV yesterday,” Jane added.
“Yeah, sorry we didn’t believe you before,” Jen apologized.
“That’s okay,” Alex smiled. “But you’ve got to help me get them back together. They use to be so in love, according to my cousin.”
“Hey, you should recreate their first date!” Sam decided.
“Yeah, like in the parent trap!” Jen smiled brightly.
“I guess I could do that...” Alex thought aloud.
“Class, would you please sit down at your desks and pull out your journals,” Alex teacher, Mrs. Rogers called out and everyone hurried to their desks. “Okay, I’m going to give you seven minutes to write. Don’t forget, no talking!”
Alex started writing quickly. There was so much to talk about. After writing for a frew minutes, there was a knock at the door. Alex glanced up and watched as her teacher walked over to the door.
“Oh,” her teacher gasped.
“Hi, I’m here to pick up Alex Geller,” Alex gasped as she heard her dad’s voice.
“Yes...sure...okay,” Mrs. Rogers stumbled over the words.
“Thanks,” Chandler replied, stepping into the room after her.
“Alex,” Mrs. Rogers called out. “You’re dad’s here.”
“Hey daddy!” Alex replied. “What are you doing here?”
“The whole cast has a meeting today, just to wrap up some details for the movie. We need you there and I had forgotten to tell your mom about it.”
“You’re going to be in a movie?” Sam asked, surprised Alex hadn’t told her.
“Oh, I’d forgotten about that,” Alex smiled sheepishly.
“Alex, we need to go!” Chandler interrupted.
“Coming,” Alex gathered up her stuff. “Bye!”
“Bye,” Chandler joined in, then with a wave, they left the class talking excitedly.
“Class. Class! Please!” Mrs Rogers tried to calm them down. In the halls people peaked out at Alex... oh no, they were peeking at Chandler. Even a secretary, Mrs. Marshall chased after the father and daughter.
Out of breath she gasped, “You dropped this,” handing Chandler a pen. “By the way, can I have your autograph?” Alex and Chandler laughed.
“Sure,” he replied. Mrs. Marshall even accepted Alex’s signature at Alex’s suggestion.

Alex looked around in shock, as she followed her dad into the room. In the middle, there was a large oval table, with people sitting around relaxing. To her disappointment, no one seemed to be close to her age, though she did recongize Joey and Joey.
“Alex, why don’t you go sit next to Joey,” Chandler directed her, as he headed over to his seat at one end. Alex nodded, then ran over to Joey and sat down, excited.
“Aren’t you lucky, getting to miss school,” GJoey smiled at Alex as she handed her a copy of the script.
“Yeah,” Alex agreed. “You should’ve seen the looks on everyone’s faces when my dad picked me up. Their mouths hit the floor, especially when they found out I was going to be in a movie.”
“That must of been funny,” GJoey laughed. “So, how’s your mom holding up?”
“What do you mean?”
“Wasn’t... didn’t Chandler ask your mom to go out?”
“I, I think so. I wasn’t suppose to be listening. My mom told him that she’s lived without him for eight years and can live without him for more.”
“Oh, that must be why he’s been so upset today.”
“He doesn’t look upset to me.”
“Someday you’ll learn about his childhood. He got very good at hiding his feelings as a kid. You need to look in his eyes to catch a glimpse of his pain.”
“Everyone,” Chandler spoke above the noise. Everyone quieted down immediatly. “I’m guessing you’re wondering why we’re having this meeting. Especially when we don’t start filming until next year.” Eveyone nodded. “Well, we’re just going to make sure everyone’s part fits them. Chemistry and all that, y’know.”
“What’s chemistry have to do with this? Isn’t that, like, mixing chemicals together and exploding things?” Alex asked GJoey, loud enough for everyone to hear, who all broke into laughter.
“If two people have chemistry, it means that they look believable as a couple,” Chandler replied.
“Oh, like what you and my mom had?” When Alex said this, she understood what GJoey had meant. She could see a small flicker of pain in her dad’s eyes.
“Not exactly, more like Joey and Joey here,” Chandler covered up his embarrassment.
“Oh,” Alex replied, disappointed.
“Just ignore him. He and Monica are meant for each other. When you learn about Shakespeare, you’ll learn about his famous saying, the course of true love never did run smooth.” GJoey reassured Alex.
“So, today we’re just going to have some people read their scenes. I need you to suggest any changes that you have, for the story or characters...”

"How was the conference?" Monica was dicing vegetables when Alex and Chandler arrived back at her apartment.
"It was great," Alex replied, hugging her mother and popping a piece of carrot into her mouth.
"Well that's good," Monica said, kissing Alex. "Now you go on and do your homework. It's bad enough that you had to miss school for that silly meeting. Skedaddle, Al."
Alex skedaddled, hoping this time leaving her parents alone together would not be a mistake.
"You let her audition for a movie and you're worried about her missing school for an afternoon? You need to get ahold of your priorities," Chandler said to Monica.
"I do, do I?" Monica said quietly, concentrating on her vegetables. "What about you?"
"Yeah, what about me?" Chandler shot back.
"Well, you.you try to tell me how to be Alex's mother. Well I've been her mother every single day of her life, if that isn't clear enough, Chandler, and we have done just fine. She's alive and breathing, isn't she?"
"Yes, exactly. She's alive and breathing. Thus, she doesn't need you breathing down her neck."
"Please, Chandler!" Monica nearly shouted. "Stop telling me what to do or what not to do! You think this is an easy time for me? Nooooooo. So stop it, just stop it!"
At that moment Alex ran in, purposely, to stop her parents from fighting. "Mom, Dad," she cried in mock anguish, which her parents did not notice. "I need your help!"
"Ohh, what is it sweetie?" Monica asked soothingly, picking Alex up in her arms and kissing her. "What can I help you with?"
"What can we help you with," Chandler corrected.
"Yes," Monica agreed angrily. "What can we help you with?"
"Well, part of my homework," Alex began, "which you so terribly wanted me to do, is to ask my parents about, you know, their first date, how they met, et cetera. Can you help me?"
Monica and Chandler stared at Alex for a bewildering moment.
"Well." Monica said slowly.
"I don't know." Chandler agreed slowly.
"You have to!" Alex cried. "Pleeeeeeeeease?"
"I suppose so," sighed Monica, pulling up a chair. "Well, it all started about nine years ago, when we went to Uncle Ross's wedding in London."
"Oh, cool! Uncle Ross and Aunt Rachel got married in London? That is the most romantic place ever!" Alex exclaimed.
"Um, not exactly." Monica replied slowly. "Ross was married to someone else besides Rachel. A girl named Emily. She lives in London, and that's where they got married."
"Yes, yes," Chandler put in hurriedly. "But that is not where it all started, Mon!"
"Well where would you say it started?" Monica exclaimed.
"Just a second," Alex interrupted. She took out a pad of paper and a pen. "Okay, continue, please."
"I say it all started back when we met. You so had a crush on me. Could I be any more crushed on?"
"Yeah right, Chandler! I so did not." Monica blushed.
"You so did," Chandler replied. "Rachel told me why you were acting so queerly that one Thanksgiving; where you cut my toe off! And I don't believe a word of it that you only wanted to  embarrass me!"
"Well, I, well I." Monica stuttered.
"Hold it, hold it!" Alex shouted. "You mean to tell me that when you first met Daddy, you cut off  his toe? That is not at all romantic! No no no, go back to London, back to London!"
"Wait," Chandler said, holding up a hand. "That's not all. And after we had been living across the hall from each other for about a year or two, we came so close to becoming 'more than friends,' if you will."
Monica sighed dreamily, and Chandler and Alex glanced at her, then quickly away. "I remember," she said. "I got them on sale."
"And they were 100% cotton!" added Chandler, laughing."What, what, what, now you've lost me," Alex cut in.
"Never mind," Chandler replied, staring at Monica's thoughtful face. "Well if it didn't start that
Thanksgiving, and it didn't start then either, when did it start?"
Monica seemed to snap out of her funny state. "Um.well the next time anything happened between us was that weekend at the beach."
"Yeah, but, unfortunately," Chandler added, "nothing happened between us that weekend at the beach."
"Can't you tell hard-to-get when you see it?" Monica pressed, giggling. "You, in fact, yourself, were very hard to get, if you know what I mean."
Alex nodded, satisfied, with an impish grin on her face. "Go on, go on," she prodded.
"Well, I suppose you're right, Mon, nothing happened between the beach and London, so. I suppose that is where stuff started to heat up."
"Is that good?" Alex asked.
"Yes, I would say so," Chandler replied.
Monica shrugged and nodded a bit, but looked like she was holding back.
"What happened in London?" asked Alex, writing furiously on her notepad.
"We fell in love," answered Chandler happily.
"Actually," Monica chimed in, "what really happened was we got really drunk and then fell in love."
"Actually," Chandler disagreed, "what really happened was we were in love before we even went to London but we never knew it. Being drunk just made us realize."
"I suppose so," agreed Monica slowly.
Alex asked, "Well what about your first date? Tell me about it."
"Um.date?" Chandler looked thoughtful. "We never really went on dates, persay, often. I guess our first date was that time we played tennis with my boss and his wife."
"And that wasn't even really a date," Monica added.
"Especially after what you did to my racket," Chandler agreed.
"Yeah...sorry 'bout that."
"It's alright."
"Well, how about the night before the day we played tennis? We went to some dinner that your office was holding."
"Oh, that. Nah, I don't think that's really a date either. Oh, oh, oh wait. I remember now. After we
decided to stay together back in New York, we did go for a weekend on our own. I remember, yes I remember!"
"Oh, you're right! But it didn't work out. We came back disgusted with each other, and I forgot my
eyelash curler. What a horrible weekend."
"Yeah."
"Oh, wow, what hotel was it?" Alex asked excitedly.
"Oh, I don't remember," Monica replied.
"Neither do I," agreed Chandler. "But it was a nice place."
"We had an ocean view." Monica remembered.
"Yup, we certainly did," agreed Chandler.
"Okay, thanks. Is that all you can tell me?" Alex said hurriedly.
"Um."
"Okay, thank you!" Alex skipped away and Monica and Chandler stared at each other.

“Hello?”
“Aunt Rachel? It’s Alex.”
“Oh, hey Alex. Is something wrong?”
“No, it’s just I need to talk to you?”
“About what?”
“My mom and dad.”
“Oh...”
“How come their not getting together. All they do is fight.”
“Umm... you know what Alex. Why don’t I come pick you up after school tomorrow? We can go shopping and look for Christmas presents. Then we can talk about this.”
“Okay, let me go ask my mom.” Alex covered up the phone. “MOM!!!”
“Yes Alex?”
“Can I go shopping with Aunt Rachel tomorrow?”
“Of course. Is she going to pick you up from school?”
“Yep.” Alex went back to the phone. “I can come!”
“Okay, see you tomorrow honey. Bye,” Rachel replied.

That afternoon, Rachel and Phoebe found themselves in a kid's paradise with Alex: FAO Shcwarz. But not even the mounds of toys and wonderful things made Alex glance up. She was too absorbed in the stories her aunts had to tell.
"Chandler and Monica kept their relationship a secret for as long as possible," Phoebe explained.
"Unfortunately for them, you could see into Monica's from Ross's apartment as clear as day...a sunny day, that is. I first found out about them when I was at Ross's and saw them...kissing."
"Oh, wow," Alex said with awe. "What happened then?"
"Then your Aunt Rachel and I did everything we could to keep them apart and aggravate them. It was really fun." Rachel snorted.
"And what about Aunt Joey? Did she know about them?"
"No, she had never even met your dad even though she was his half sister. By the time we all met her, everyone knew about your parents."
"Oh. Well what about me? When did I come into it?"
"Monica always said to me," Rachel explained, "that she found out about you right after they went to Las Vegas for their anniversary."
"So what exactly do you want to do?" Phoebe asked Alex.
Alex explained how she wanted to recreate their weekend together. "They argued the whole time. I'm hoping that this time they won't. Maybe they'll even fall in love."
"I hope so," Rachel sighed. "So what are the details, do you know? Phoebe and I didn't even know that Chandler and Monica were hooked up at that point, though I do recall Joey telling me about how he put two and two together and figured out that they were together."
Alex whipped out her notebook and handed it to Rachel. She quickly scanned the list of scribbles. "Eye lash curler...ocean view...I think we can arrange this." She grinned.
At that moment Alex spotted a display for Nintendo 64, and the matter was left in the hands of Rachel and Phoebe. (That, and they had to use a crowbar to pry Alex from the display...)

“Hey Chandler?” Ross turned towards his friend in the seat next to him as the taxi pulled to a stop in front of a hotel.
“Yeah?”
“Can you run up to room 341 for me please? My friend left a package for me up their and I need to talk to the manager at the desk quickly.”
“Sure.”
“Thanks,” when Chandler was gone, Ross chuckled to himself, he hoped the girls knew what they were doing.

“Hey Monica, can you do something for me?” Rachel leaned over Alex and asked Mon.
“Depends what?”
“Can you run up to room 341 here,” she started, as the taxi pulled up to the hotel. “One of my friends left me a package up their and I need to go talk to the manager here.”
“Sure, come on Alex.”
“No, Alex can come talk with me. Thanks!”
“Okay,” Monica headed over to the elevator. It arrived quickly and she punched the number three impatiently. Leaning against the wall, she sighed as the elevator sped  upwards.
“Okay, 341, 341 where are you?” Monica muttered, walking down the hall. “There’s 340, so it should be right... hey, why’s the door open?” Mon stepped into the room, brushing against the door, causing it to close.
“Is somebody in here?” Mon called out.
“Mon?”
“Chandler? What are you doing here?”
It took Monica and Chandler a few moments of staring, bewildered, at each other, before they realized what was happening.
"Chandler. Chandler. I just can't believe this," Monica cried, beginning to pace. "WHAT is going on here?"
"What do you mean,'what's going on here?'" Chandler replied. "I'm just getting a -package- for Ross. But...I can't find it."
"Oh my gosh," Monica whispered. "Well...well I'm here to get a package for...Rachel! What the -hell is going on here! This better not be some weird coincidence. I mean-I mean, it better be a weird coincidence! It better be!"
BTW, our guestbook and counter not workik"Well I don't know about you, Mon, but there's no reason to get upset," Chandler said rationally. "All we have to do is walk right out of here, and find out what Ross and Rachel are up to."
"You're right." Monica sucked in a breath of air and blew it out audibly. "You're right. Let's go."
Monica made a grab at the door handle. The door didn't budge. "What the..?"
Chandler shoved past her and grabbed the handle. He tried turning it either way, but didn't move. "It's locked!" he cried.

Later that evening, (stuck in the hotel room), Monica sat in the hot tub relaxing. She glanced around theroom. It really was a nice hotel room. There were two separate rooms, she was in one, Chandler in the other. Not only that, but there was a water bed...oh, she loved water beds. And the hot tub...but why would Chandler go to so much trouble to get them here, and lock them in...WITH NO FOOD IN THE ROOM??? Monica was starving; she hadn't eaten for hours.

Later that evening, Chandler stood by the picture window, gazing longingly out at the ocean.
Monica sure had taken special care to recreate their first weekend together-the beautiful hotel
room, the ocean view. But, he decided, one thing was at the height of confusion in his mind: To
go to all that trouble to actually lock him in the hotel room with her, and all for nothing. The two
had barely spoken. Monica had lay down on the waterbed and fallen asleep long ago, leaving a
lonely Chandler to wonder. The room had an elaborately stocked mini-refrigerator, but not full
enough to satisfy Chandler. He craved champagne, and reached for the phone, ordering some
from room service. The clerk told him he had specific orders not to unlock the door of room
341, and sent the champagne up via a dumbwaiter hidden in the closet.
`Strange,' Chandler thought.

`Champagne? thought Monica, popping open one eye. Boy, is Chandler going all out tonight.'
She wondered at his extravagance. Even the eyelash curler she had found in the bathroom was
an exact copy of the one she had lost nine years ago. `This is just too wild!' Monica said to
herself. `He thinks he can win me over by a nice hotel room and champagne! He must think-no,
no, no, Monica! He must, um, know, know that I don't love him! Oh, boy, who am I kidding? I
just want him to prove his love to me and Alex. And money isn't the way to do that.'

“I HATE technology!” Chandler sighed, as he and Monica stepped into a taxi the next afternoon.
“I know. I can’t believe they’d do that. Like that would make me want to get together with you.” Monica agreed.
“Okay, where too?” The taxi driver turned around and asked.
“First stop 31st  avenue and 10th street,” Monica replied.
“No, go to 41st avenue and 4th street,” Chandler interjected. On Monica’s look, “I need to pick something up.”
“Fine.”
They sat in silence for the rest of the ride, stopping breifly as Chandler ran in to grab his purchase, a large box.

“Are you going to come in?” Monica asked as the taxi pulled to a stop in front of her apartment.
“Sure, I’ve got to give this to Alex before I go anyway.” Chandler nodded to the box.
Monica nodded, then ran up the steps and into the apartment, glad to be home. “Alex?”
“Mom!” Alex ran into the room and jumped into her mom’s arms, Monica kissing the top of her head. “Hey Daddy! What’s in the box?”
“Hey guys!” Rachel walked into the room. “I’ve got to go, but I’ll phone you later Mon.”
“Bye,” Mon and Chandler replied, waving as Rachel left.
“Well,” Chandler took Alex from Mon and swung her around. “I got you a little gift.”
“Cool, what is it?”
“Open it and find out.”
“‘Kay!” Alex tore off the wrapping paper. “Oh my god! Nintendo 64! You’re the greatest! Thanks so much!”
“You’re welcome,” Chandler laughed, receiving another hug from Alex.
“Chandler,” Mon spoke softly and coldly. He turned towards her, his smile fading. “Chandler, you know I told Alex she couldn’t have one. Why did you get her one?”
“Because I wanted to give her something. Do you realize this is the first, the first gift I’ve ever given her, my daughter?”
“Yeah, well their lot’s of stuff you could’ve got. But you had to get N64! You knew I had told her she couldn’t have one!” Monica and Chandler’s voices started to rise.
“Yeah, well, she needs to do something like a kid. She’s already more grown up then I was at 25!”
“Yeah, well that’s because you never passed the mental age of 3!”
“MOM! DAD! STOP IT!” Alex screamed, but they didn’t hear her.
“Well, if I had known her growing up, she wouldn’t be like this.”
“Oh, are you saying I’m a bad parent?”
Chandler realized what he said, but couldn’t take it back. He watched effortlessly as Monica broke down into tears.
“Mom, Dad!” Alex shouted again, this time they turned towards her.
“Yes honey?” Mon asked, trying to dry her tears.
“Why can’t you guys just become friends. All you do is yell and scream and I hate feeling like I’m an elastic band, being stretched one way then another!” Alex screamed at them. “All I’ve ever wanted was for a dad and a mom so I could have a normal family. And when I finally get a dad, all you guys do is scream and get mad over stupid things. It’s not fair!”
With that, Alex turned and ran up the stairs to her room, tears streaming down her face. She quickly locked the door then climbed up onto her bed where she curled up into a tight ball and cried.

“Alex!” Monica chased her daughter up the stairs, Chandler following close behind.
“Alex, come on,” Chandler begged, trying the door handle, only to find it locked.
“Please Alex, we’re sorry,” Monica leaned against the door, sliding down until she was sitting on the floor.
“Alex, can I come in please,” Chandler tried again, but all they could hear from inside was Alex crying.
“Look what you did Chandler,” Monica turned to him and  said coldly.
“What I did? You’re just as much at fault here!” Chandler returned defensively.
“Alex!” Monica turned back towards the door. “Come on out Alex, please?”
“NO!” Alex screamed back, before dissolving into more tears.
“I think you should go home now,” Monica turned towards Chandler again.
“No, I’m going to stay here until she comes out.”
“Fine,” Monica was too tired to argue. She stood up and left him begging at the door.

Chandler and Monica both sat in front of the door all night, waiting for Alex to unlock it. One by one they eventually fell asleep, to be awaken the next morning by Alex coming out of her room. Alex was happy and surprised to see her parents leaning against each other, fast asleep. She felt bad waking them up. “Mom, dad!”
“What?” Chandler awoke with a start. “Oh hey Alex. You’ve decided to come out.”
“Yeah, well I decided to cos I’ve already missed enough school this week and I’m missing more right now!”
“Shoot!” Chandler glanced at his watch. It was then that he noticed that Mon was still asleep, leaning against him. “Alex, let me put your mom in her bedroom, then we’ll get you off to school.” He gently moved away from Mon and picked her up in his arms. He carried her into her bedroom, Alex following behind, and set her down on her bed. With Alex’s help, they pulled a cover up over her.
“Okay, can we get something to eat first?” Alex asked, as they headed downstairs.
“Sure, why don’t I write Mon a note and we can go out for breakfast and then you’ll have to go to school.”
“Okay.”
Chandler grabbed a pen and pad of paper and quickly jotted something down. “Okay, there we go. Sign it and we’ll leave.”
Alex scrawled her signature on the bottom, next to Chandler’s, then followed her dad out the door.

“Okay, have a good day at school Alex!” Chandler said to her as they left the office.
“Yep. I’ll see you later, right?”
“Of course. Maybe you can come over and we can watch a movie or something.”
“Okay. Can you go and tell mom that I’m sorry about last night?”
“I’ll go back and make sure she got our note. But don’t worry about last night Al, you had every reason in the world to be mad at us.”
“Bye!”
“Bye Al!” Chandler hugged his daughter then sent her off to class.

Chandler let himself into the apartment, surprised to find it quiet. He was sure that Mon would’ve woken up already. I guess she was more worn out then I thought, Chandler decided, when he checked Mon’s room and found her sleeping. He then went down stairs to wait for her to get up.
“Hi Chandler,” he glanced up to see Mon coming down the stairs.
“Hello Mon. I took Alex to school already, but I thought I better wait incase you freaked out.”
“Thanks,” Mon smiled slightly. “Just let me go get a Tylenol first. My head really hurts.” Monica soon came back, and sank into one of the chairs beside Chandler.
“You should go lie down, you look terrible,” Chandler told Mon.
“Just stress and a late night,” Mon sighed.
“Yeah, well Alex says she’s sorry, though I told her she didn’t need to apologize.”
“Thanks for doing this Chandler,” Mon turned to him gratefully.
“You’re welcome,” he paused. “I should probably go, I’ve got a couple of meetings this afternoon.”
“Yeah, go ahead. I’m sorry I’ve messed up your plans.”
“Hey, don’t worry about it. I hope you feel better. Tell Alex that I’ll phone her tonight, I think I need to go out of town for a few nights, but I’ll be back for thanksgiving, so maybe we can do something then.”
“Okay, see you.”
“Yeah, bye!”

“Hey Mom!” Alex said happily as she found her mom in the kitchen when she got home from school.
“Hey Alex, how was school? Did you miss a lot?”
“No, just half of first period. But it was fun, except we have a math test tomorrow.”
“Well, you better start studying.”
“I guess so,” Alex turned to leave. “Is dad coming over later?”
“No, your dad needs to go out of town for a few days on business.”
“Oh, he said we could get together and watch a movie.”
“Well, he should be back for thanksgiving, why don’t we have him over,” Monica suggested, thinking of Chandlers intense dislike for pilgrim holidays.
“Okay. Can I play the N64?”
“I suppose so. But go study first for awhile, then you can play.
“Cool! Bye!”

Ring, ring! Monica hurried over to the phone. “Hello?”
“Hey Mon. It’s Chandler. I just wanted to know if Alex was there. I felt bad leaving without saying good-bye.”
“Yeah, just wait a minute,” Mon replied. She covered up the end of the phone. “Alex! Your dad’s on the phone.”
“Coming!” Alex bounded down the stairs and grabbed the phone. “Hey daddy!”
“Hey Al,” Chandler laughed. “What’s new?”
“Oh nothing. Where are you?”
“I’m in LA, trying to work on some details for the movie.”
“Ohh.... Cool! When are you coming back?’
“I’ll be home on Saturday.”
“Then can you come for dinner on Sunday. It’s thanksgiving!”
“Umm,” Chandler didn’t know what to say. He hated thanksgiving, but for Alex... “Sure. I’ll see you Sunday then?”
“Yep! By the way, the N64 game is AWSOME!”
“Glad you liked it! Bye.”
“Bye!”
“Oh, tell your mom that I’d like the usual for thanksgiving, if that’s okay.”
“Okay. See ya!” Alex hung up the phone then danced into the kitchen. “Mom, daddy said to tell you that he can come for thanksgiving dinner, and he’d like the usual if that’s okay with you.”
“Okay,” Mon smiled at her daughter. How many thanksgiving dinners had she made Chandler his “usual.” “Can you please go check and see if we’ve got some mac and cheese?”
“Okay,” Alex ran away, only to come back a minute later. “We’ve got four boxes.”
“Great. Thanks.”

“Oh, hey Joey!” Monica answered the door, surprised to see Joey.
“Hey Mon.”
“What are you doing here?”
“Just thought I’d drop by and see what’s up. Also wanted to see Alex.”
“Okay,” Mon invited him in. “Alex, your Uncle Joey’s here!”
“Hey Uncle Joey,” Alex bounced over to them, excited. “What’s up?”
“Nothing much here,” Joey laughed as he gave her a hug.
“My dad’s in LA!” Alex told him proudly.
Joey looked surprised, “Alex, why don’t you go play some N64, I need to tell your mom something.”
“Okay!”
Joey watched as Alex left, then turned to Mon. “Mon, Chandler’s not in LA, he’s in Boston with his girlfriend.”
“What?” Monica was shocked. Chandler had a girlfriend? “Why would he lie to Alex?”
“I don’t know. But I need to go. I’ll see ya later, ‘kay?”
“Yeah, later,” Mon agreed absently. She was too busy thinking. Why had Chandler lied and why hadn’t he told her he had a girlfriend?

Everyone had already arrived when Chandler got to Monica's. He received joyous greetings from all his friends (but, he noted, Monica was nowhere to be found), and hugs from his sister, Rachel, and Phoebe (and a bear-hug from Alex). He was introduced to Phoebe's fiancee, Philip Lombard.
"Nice to meet you, sir," Philip said in an obedient way, shaking his hand.
"At ease, soldier," said Chandler, grinning at him. "Don't worry, I'm not a monster. Or...a general for that matter..."
"Your films are so great."
"Uh huh. Now how about some football!" he cried.
Ross, Joey, and GJoey showed them to the family room, cheering. The television was already sporting a football field. Monica was in the family room. "Hi," he said shyly.
Monica made a grunting sound, acknowledging his salutation, but kept her eyes on the television.
"Who's watching the grub?" Chandler asked. "If it's not you, I mean."
Monica didn't reply. "Ben's in the kitchen," Rachel offered. "He's turning into quite the little chef. He made breakfast the other day, and...well, quite frankly" she lowered her voice "we all turned a little green at the gills."
Although it had not been intended for her ears, Monica had heard the remark, and jumping up, she ran for the kitchen. "Ben! Ben!" she called anxiously.
Chandler took advantage of Monica's absence. "What's with her?"
"Who knows?" Ross replied. "She's been like that all morning, but not as badly as just now. She must be mad at you."
"You think?" Chandler shot sarcastically.
Joey looked up from the game. "Ah...I think I might know why she's upset."
"Well tell, tell!" Rachel encouraged.
"Um...Joey told Mon that you went to Boston to see your girlfriend."
"What?!" Chandler turned to GJoey.
"What?" GJoey repeated. "Joey's just playing innocent; he's the one that told her that! I would never do such a thing!"
"I wouldn't put it past you, but-" he turned and shouted, "Joey!"
"Sorry man," Joey apologised, and turned his attention back to the NFL.
Chandler groaned, realising that was all he would get out of Joey, and headed for the kitchen.
"Mon?" he said tentatively. "Monica?" He poked his head in. Ben was gone. Monica was basting the turkey. "Where's Ben?" He added to himself dryly, `I'd feel safer with someone else around...'
"Playing with Alex," she replied curtly, placing the turkey back in the oven.
"Oh...where?" Chandler winced at the stupid question.
"I don't know!" Monica sounded exasperated. "Don't bother me, look for him yourself!"
"Uh, actually..." Chandler took a step forward. "I wasn't looking for Ben. I was looking for you."
Monica didn't move. "I wanted to talk to you about where I went this week."
"It's no use fibbing, Chandler!" Monica burst. "I know where you really were! Joey told me the truth! Why, why didn't you tell me? Why?"
Chandler was quite taken aback at her outburst. "I...I..."
"Well?" Monica's eyes welled up with tears.
Chandler took a deep breath. "Christine and I had only been on three dates, and I hadn't seen her in two months. She was going back to university, at Harvard. That's why I hardly ever saw her...I went to see her because-"
"Chandler, I really don't care why." Monica's voice was coldly placid now, and she wiped away the tears with a tea towel, staring hard. "I just want to know...how you could lead me to believe that we were like a family, you, me and Alex if you were still in love with her? And what were you planning to do, keep seeing her on the sly without notifying either me or Alex?" She was shouting now.
"No," Chandler interrupted abruptly, just as angry as she. "I never plan to see her again. I went to break up with her." He turned to leave, ignoring Monica's awed look. "But just to let you know, I didn't break up with her because of you." His eyes met hers, then as he left, in a pathetic voice he admitted: "Her legs were too long."

Dinner that afternoon was fun for everyone, and even Chandler cracked a few of his jokes. Phoebe told the story of how Ben got his name.
"Y'know Susan?" she began.
"Yeah..." Ben said slowly. "I remember. She used to be my mom."
"Um, yeah...well, on the day you decided to come on out, Carol kicked Ross and Susan out of the hospital room because they were arguing about what your name should be. In the hallways, they argued even more, and I was disgusted, so I shoved them into a janitor's closet to give them a talking-to. Little did we know, the door locked when you shut it." Phoebe and Rachel exchanged looks, reminded of Alex's plan to get Monica and Chandler back together. "We were stuck in there for hours. Finally we decided that we should try and crawl out through the ceiling, or rather, I should crawl out through the ceiling and open the door for them. So I donned a pair of janitor's overalls (which, by the way, had the name Ben stitched on them), and was hoisted up to the ceiling. Well, at that moment a janitor walked in, and Susan and Ross dashed out. The good thing was, they were quick enough to see your birth-and they both agreed on the name Ben."
Alex clapped with delight.
"Cool, Ben said."
"Mom, what about me?" asked Alex. "How did you pick my name?"
"Well..." Monica glanced nervously around the table and put down her fork. "It's-it's a long story. Never mind."
"No, I wanna know!" Alex cried. The others nodded and agreed.
"Yeah, Mon, how did you pick her name?" Ross asked.
"Well..." She looked at Chandler. "You probably don't even remember," she said directly to him, "but once we were talking about what we would name our baby...if we ever had one, that is. Chandler was...a bit reluctant on the subject, and he didn't want to talk about it. But I wanted his input so much, because all of my ideas were so stupid. Or at least I thought so. I bugged him so much, as he was watching tv, and when Baywatch came on, he finally blurted out a name so that I would shut up. `Alex,' he said. `It works both ways, for either a boy or a girl. So there you go. Bye bye now.' After that, it was a content moment for me. He turned off the tv, and we both sat for hours together, just thinking. I'm...not sure what Chandler was thinking about, but I was thinking of Alex."
"But I was non-existent!" Alex exclaimed.
"Yes, but we were thinking of the sometime-to-be Alex," Chandler explained.
Monica stared at Chandler. After a few despondent moments, she nodded. "That's the story," she concluded. "I just called you Alexis because mom wouldn't let me name you Alexandra...some weird aunt or something that she didn't want to be reminded of."

All the talk at dinner made Monica remember. She pulled out her first letter to Chandler and read it over and over that night. She then pulled out the others and stayed awake until three reading them. This was the secret that Monica even kept from Alex: Every day for as long as she could remember she had written to Chandler, but kept the heartfelt letters unsent. Since she had met him again, however, the letters had ceased. Monica reread the letter she had written the night before their meeting.

 My dearest Chandler,
    I thought it of interest that this is my three-thousandth letter to you. While these letters will never be sent (the postage bill would kill me), I have willed that you know my feelings for you and that you will always be the one for me.
       All my love,
        Monica
        SWAK

Brief, but emotional. Monica decided it was time to start writing again, for the cease of writing was partly to blame for her recent denial and stress. She wrote for hours into the morning and sun rise. She wrote apologies, love filled passages, and just wrote so she couldn't even remember what she had written. At seven a.m., she folded the tear-stained pages, replaced them in their secret spot, and fell back against her pillow, dreaming of happier times.
 

“Is your mom picking you up today?” Sam asked Alex, as they grabbed their bags and headed towards the front door of the school.
“Yeah,” Alex replied. “What about you, are you on the bus again?”
“Nope!” Sam smiled. “My mom and I are going Christmas shopping!”
“Who’d you get in class?”
“James,” Sam grimaced.
“Haha!” Alex laughed.
“Who’d you get?”
“Oh, Denise,” Alex replied. “I’ll just get her a Nancy Drew or something.”
“Lucky!”
“Alex!” Alex glanced up as they headed out the front door to see her dad.
“Hey dad!” Alex ran over to him, Sam following behind.
“Hey Al. I told you’re mom that we’d go and get a Christmas tree today,” Chandler smiled at his daughter.
“Yea!” Alex grinned. “Dad, this is my best friend Sam.”
“Hello Sam,” Chandler smiled, almost laughing at the look on Sam’s face.
“Hello Mr. Bing,” Sam continued to look at him in awe.
“Oh, just call me Chandler. Mr. Bing is so formal!”
“Okay.”
“Sam, come on!” Sam’s mom walked over to the three.
“Dad, this is Sam’s mom, Mrs. Albright,” Alex introduced her dad.
“Hello Mr. Bing.”
“Chandler.”
“Come on Sam.” Mrs. Albright smiled at the two, as she dragged her daughter away.
“Email me!” Alex called after her.
“‘Kay!”
“Come on Alex,” Chandler guided her over to his BMW.

“So,” Alex turned to her dad, as they browsed the trees. “Who’s house is the tree for, your’s or mine?”
“Well, I thought today we’ll work on your house, then maybe next week you can help me decorate mine. Sound fair?”
“Yep!” Alex looked thoughtful. “Are we going to put up lights?”
“Of course,” Chandler turned to her. “Do we need to get some?”
“Well, we have some, but their really old and they don’t all work.”
“Then well quickly stop somewhere and pick some up, sound good?”
“Yeah. Are you going to come over for Christmas?”
“I don’t know Al, we’ll see. I’ve got to figure some stuff out first. But I’ll come see you on Christmas for sure.”
“Oh,” Alex was disappointed, she wanted to have her family together. “I think you should join us. Uncle Ross and Aunt Rachel always do, and Ben sometimes as well, if he’s at their house. I think Mom’s going to invite Phoebe, Uncle Joey and Aunt Joey this year as well.”
“Oh, well, if Mon invites me, then I’ll be sure to come,” Chandler turned to Alex. “Y’know what? I never realized that Joey and Joey would be your Aunt and Uncle. But then again, technically they aren’t, cos your mom and I aren’t married, but...”
“Well, mom said I could call them that. If they don’t mind that is.”
“Well, I don’t think they’d mind,” Chandler smiled, and ruffled Alex’s hair. “We all love you, y’know. Even if we’ve only known you for just over a week.”
“I know,” Alex sighed. “I just wish you and mom would get back together.”
“I do too, honey, I do too.”

“So where’s the tree?” Mon asked Alex when she came bounding in.
“Daddy’s bringing it up. We also got some new Christmas lights!” Alex shouted.
“Somebody, the door, please!” Chandler cried out.
“Oh, sorry,” Mon opened the door, and let Chandler in. “Here, want some help?” Mon grabbed the tree.
“Oh, I forgot you were freakishly strong,” Chandler laughed.
“Right,” Mon smiled. “It’s a nice tree. Thanks for going to get it with Alex. How much do I owe you?”
“Nothing, my treat,” Chandler replied with a smile. “Al’s a fun kid.”
“He can come for Christmas, right mom?” Alex asked.
“Of course honey,” Mon replied, turning to Chandler. “That’s if you want to.”
“Of course he does,” Alex replied for him.
“Right,” Chandler picked Alex up.
“Are we going to decorate now?”
“First we need to make the tree a stand and give it some water. Then we can decorate.” Mon told Alex, taking her from Chandler. “Why don’t you go and find the decorations.” She put Alex down and watched as she ran off.
“So, who’s going to be here for Christmas?” Chandler turned to Mon, after Alex had disappeared from sight.
“Why does it matter?”
“Just wanted to know who I need to bring presents for,” Chandler raised his hands in defence. “I didn’t mean anything.”
“Sorry, I’m just uptight,” Mon rolled her shoulders, trying to relax.
“Here,” Chandler lead Mon to the couch, and made her sit down. He then stood behind her and gave her a massage.”
“Thanks,” Mon smiled gratefully. “Ross, Rachel, Ben, Phoebe, Phillpe, you, me, Alex and the Joeys, if they want to. I haven’t had a chance to ask them yet.”
“Sounds like fun. What about New Year’s? Got anything planned?”
“Nope, not yet.”
“How would you like to come to a party that I’m hosting?”
“Since when do you like to host?”
“Who said I do? I still hate it, but I’m expected to do all these kind of things. Anyway, I was wondering if you and Alex would like to come. Sort of our first thing the public can see us at as a family. Not together, but a family nonetheless.”
“I guess we can go. Will there be other kids there?”
“A few, not many. But we’ll have a Nintendo and some other games set up for them. It’ll be at my house, so Alex can sleep over if she wants.”
“Sounds like fun.”
“Found them!” Alex ran into the room, arms full of boxes.

A few hours later, the tree was decorated, except for the star on top. Alex was holding it, but also looking at something else in the box. She put it in her pocket. Alex was going to use it, but not today, she needed one of her Aunts or Uncles help for it.
“Ready to put the star up?” Chandler asked Alex.
“Yep!” Alex ran over to him.
“Okay, here we go!” Chandler picked Alex up so she could reach the top of the tree.
“Perfect!” Monica said as Alex set it on top. Mon pulled out a camera and took a couple of pictures of Chandler and Alex. The first one’s she’d have, if you didn’t count the ones the reporters had taken.
“Let’s eat dinner in here, mom,” Alex suggested, as she stepped back and admired the tree.
“Why not,” Monica agreed. “Chandler, would you like to stay?”
“Sure, but then I’ve got to go.” Chandler glanced at his watch.
The three of them sat down to enjoy a meal in front of their Christmas tree, for the first time together. Alex glanced at her parents, glad to see them relaxed. This is what it should be like always, she decided. A determined look crossed her face. She would get them together if it was the last thing she did. They deserved happiness, and she’d never seen them happier then when they were together.

Alex creped into the study. It was late and she was suppose to be fast asleep, but she had started to wonder if her mom had any pictures of herself and Chandler from when they had gone out. She paused, listening for any movement, then when she was sure everything was quiet, she turned on the light.
There were a lot of photo albums. Her mom had always liked to take pictures, capturing every moment on film. Alex pulled out each album, glancing through them quickly. It was only after she had taken them all off the shelves that she noticed one that had been kept behind. She pulled it out.
On the front, written in calligraphy was: Monica, with all my love, Chandler! “This has got to be it,” Alex almost shouted out loud, catching herself at the last moment. She carefully opened it.
Inside the album were pictures of her mom and dad. They were hugging, kissing or just sitting together watching TV. There were pictures of the rest of the gang hanging out in Central Perk and in the apartments. There were pictures of what looked like a sleepover the gang had. They were all in sleeping bags, lying on the floor watching tv. Chandler and Monica sneaking a kiss in the background, while no one noticed. They were so in love, it hurt Alex. “They should still be together, and I’m going to make sure that happens!”
On the last page, was a piece of paper folded in half. When Alex opened it, she noticed that it was a letter her mom had started writing to Chandler, but had never mailed.

Dear Chandler,

I’m sure you’re wondering why I left without saying good bye. I’m going to say this, or rather write this quickly. I’m pregnant, and I’m not sure what to do. I’m going to my mom and dad’s for a while, to think.
I don’t know if I’m going to come back, so I want you to know that I love you Chandler. I really do, I love you.
I wish this hadn’t happened, but I don’t want to do anything about it. It’s what I’ve always wanted. So, in case I never see you again, thank you for the greatest gift you could ever give.
I’m going to name him/her Alex. Alexis if it’s a girl and Alexander if it’s a boy. I know you’ll know the significance of the name, so I’m not going to explain it.

Bye,
Love you forever
Monica Geller

Alex was almost in tears as she finished the letter. It was almost starting to feel like her fault that her parents weren’t together. But she knew she shouldn’t blame herself. Her mom and dad wouldn’t want that. Besides, her mom had said in the letter that she’d always wanted a kid and her dad had given her mom that.
She closed the album slowly, and stuck it on the shelf, keeping out the letter. She show it to her Aunts. Maybe they could help her decide what to do next.

“Hey Al,” Rachel called out to her niece, as she picked Alex up from her house. “Ready to go shopping?”
“Yep,” Alex replied, as she jumped into the taxi. “I don’t know what to get my dad though.”
“I’m sure we’ll think of something.”
“I thought that Aunt Joey and Phoebe were coming too?”
“Oh, they are. We’re going to meet them at Bloomingdale’s.”
“Great. I’ve something to show you guys.”
“Oh, what is it?”
“A surprise. I found it last night. I also have an idea of something to do on Christmas, but I’m going to need your help for it, cos I’m not tall enough.”
“Sure.”
 

“Hey guys!” GJoey shouted, waving her arms wildly as she saw Alex and Rachel walk into view.
“Aunt Joey,” Alex ran over to her. “Hi Phoebe.”
“Hey Al,” Phoebe smiled at her.
“Alex wants to show something to us, and needs our help doing something for her,” Rachel told her friends as she joined them.
“Yeah. You see, I was looking for some pictures of my mom and dad, cos I’d never seen any before, but their had been lots of the rest of you. Anyway, I found an album of pictures of mostly the two of them, as well as the rest of you. In the back there was a folded piece of paper,” Alex reached into her pocket and pulled out the letter. She handed it over to the others.
“I wonder why she never gave it to him?” Phoebe questioned after she read it.
“Who knows? Why did you want us to see this Al?” GJoey turned to Alex.
“I want to make two copies of it. I’m going to put the original back, but I was going to put a copy of it in their stockings at Christmas!”
“That might help...” Rachel admitted.
“What’s the other thing you wanted our help with?” Phoebe asked.
“Well,” Alex reached into her other pocket and pulled out a plastic plant. “I want your help with this.”
“Oh.... this is going to be so much fun,” Rachel smiled happily.
“Totally,” GJoey agreed.
“Then you’ll help me?” Alex asked.
“Of course,” Phoebe replied. “Now lets get some shopping done. What do you want, Alex?”
“Just my parents together.”
“Well, we’ll work on that, but what else?”
“Well... Nintendo games, computer games....” Alex started to recite her wish list.

“Hey daddy,” Alex greeted Chandler, walking out of her school.
“Hi Alex,” Chandler smiled at his daughter. He watched as she said bye to her friends.
“This isn’t the way home,” Alex commented, as they drove.
“I know. We’re having a short meeting for the cast again. The other kid in it, Darren, couldn’t make the first one.”
“Darren?” Alex questioned, a surprised look passing over her face. “Schiller? Darren Schiller?”
“You’ve heard of him?”
“Are you kidding? All the kids in my class are in love with him,” Alex paused. “Well, the girls are.”
Chandler laughed, shifting into another lane. “Well don’t act like that around him. He just wants to be a normal kid.”
“Okay. I don’t ‘love’ him anyway. Though he is a good actor.”
“That’s good. I think you’ll find you’ve got a lot in common. He’s supposedly a Nintendo freak too.”
“Awesome,” Alex hopped out of the car as they arrived. She took her dad’s hand and followed him inside.
“Alex,” Chandler introduced his daughter. “This is Darren. He’s going to be playing your best friend.”
“Hi,” Alex said shyly, not noticing her dad walk away.
“Hi,” Darren replied shortly before turning back to what he had been doing.
“What’s wrong with you?”
“Nothing. I just hate having girls drool all over me.”
“Hey! I’m not drooling. All I said was hi!”
“Yeah well, you’re probably just ‘in love’ with me like everyone else.”
“Man you’re egocentric. I was just trying to be friendly. I mean we’re the only kids in the film!”
“I’m sorry. It’s just that everyone I meet are always going on and on about everything. I can never tell if someone actually likes me as a friend or is just saying that.”
“I know what you mean, I’ve had all these kids I don’t know come up to me ever since they found out that Chandler’s my dad.”
“See!”
“Yeah. So I heard you really like Nintendo.”
“It’s the best. I’ve almost passed Donkey Kong.”
“I want that game. It looks so cool!”
“Darren! Alex!” they glanced up to see Chandler looking at them.
“What?” Alex asked innocently.
“We’re about to start!” Chandler replied, sighing comically.
“Sorry,” Darren replied as he and Alex headed over to the table and sat down.
“First things first,” Chandler started. “Next Monday Alex and Darren have got a press conference and then two weeks Tuesday Joey and Joey have one. This weekend we are all going to have a photo shoot...”

Stumbling and grasping bags and containers, Alex staggered into her classroom. It was the last school day before Christmas so her class was going to have a party.
“What’s with all the stuff?” Jane asked, hurrying over to help her.
“My mom decided to make a ‘few’ things for the party,” Alex shrugged as Jane grabbed a few bags and containers. “Wait! You can’t take those two,” Alex grabbed two bags back.
“Okay,” Jane backed away. “Sorry.”
“That’s okay,” Alex apologized. “It’s just something important, that’s all. Okay, where do I put all the food?”
Jane led her over to where their teacher was standing by a table. “Hello Jane, Alex,” their teacher greeted them. “What have you there Alex?”
“My mom felt like cooking,” Alex shrugged again. Her teacher laughed as she took the containers and bags and set them on the table.

A couple hours later Alex watched as her teacher announced that it was time to exchange secret Santa gifts. “Alex we’ll start with you, since you seem to have such a large bag.”
“Okay, I think you’ll like it Jane!”
“Oh,” Jane exclaimed. “Oh my gosh!” It was a signed poster of Darren. “Oh, I love it. Ohh, I love him! Thanks you Alex. How did you get it?”
“He plays my best friend in the movie. I met him last week.”
After all the gifs had been handed out and Alex giggled at the singing mug John gave her, she took out her second bag. “Wait. I have a gift for everyone. It’s a picture of the main cast of King of Hearts, the movie I’m going to be in. We all signed it too. See,” Alex held up a copy, “this is my Aunt and Uncle, my dad, me, Darren and Walter.”
The class chorused their surprise and thanked her.
“Another picture of Darren. Thanks Al,” Jane said.

“Okay, you guys ready?” Chandler asked Darren and Alex. They were about to have their press conference and had been sitting in a back room waiting. “You’re names are going to be called out and you just walk onto the stage and sit down in the two chairs in the middle. You’re moms and I will be sitting off to the side incase you need help, okay?”
“Yeah,” Darren replied, confident. He’d done these before and wasn’t nervous.
“Yeah,” Alex tried to sound confident, even though she felt like she was going to collapse.
“Don’t worry about it Al,” Chandler gave her a hug. “All you need to do is answer the questions. You can face Darren and pretend you’re only talking to him if you need to.”
“No,” Alex gained some strength. “I can do this!”
“Here’s Darren Schiller and Alex Geller,” they heard a voice say from behind a door. Chandler quickly hurried them over to it. They paused at the door and Darren gave Alex’s hand a quick squeeze. They then stepped through and walked over to the chairs and sat down.
“What do you guys think of the movie?” one reporter asked.
“I think it’s good,” Alex paused, then causing the reporters to break into laugher. “At least what I understand is good.”
“Yeah, it’s well written,” Darren added. “Just like all of Chandlers.”
“Who do you play?” another reporter asked.
“I’m playing Joey’s kid,” Alex started, forgetting that there were two Joeys. “Darren plays my best friend.”
“Which Joey?” the first reporter asked. All the reporters stopped from taking notes or filming and looked at them.
“My uncle,” Alex replied without hesitation.
“You’re uncle?” the second reporter questioned. All the reporters turned to each other confused.
“Yeah, Joey and Joey are my aunt and uncle,” Alex told them like it was no big deal.
“Okay... Darren what do you think of your character?” a third reporter called out.
“He’s pretty cool. I work with Alex’s character to help get Joey and Joey together,” Darren smiled. “We get a lot of cool scenes where we get to skate board or roller blade.”
“So what’s your relationship with each other?” someone called out from the back of the room. “Do you get along or hate each other’s guts?”
“We’re friends,” Darren replied, turning to Alex with a smile. She smiled back, nodding in agreement.
“What do your friends think about you being in a major movie Alex?” another reporter questioned.
“They were shocked at first cos I forgot to tell them. They had just found out that Chandler’s my dad and then he came to pick me up for a meeting and everyone was like, whoa!” Alex grinned. “But they think it’s really cool. Most of them are kind of jealous cos I got to meet Darren. I was laughing at them. My close friends are really cool with all the attention I’m getting. I don’t like everyone else much though. In school all these people I don’t know keep coming up to me pretending to be my best friend. I have to have a friend go to the bathroom with me cos other wise I’d never make it back to class. It’s kind of stressful, but my dad and mom are making sure I have fun.”
“Darren, you’re tutored, right? What do you think about the fact that Alex goes to a regular school?” the first reporter questioned, turning towards him.
“I think that she should enjoy it. She’s a really good actor which means she probably won’t be able to go for much longer. I wish I could still go. I hate being tutored. It’s much funner to learn in a classroom with friends,” Darren replied. “If I could go to a school like her’s I would. I’ve asked to before, but then I remember that I’d be mobbed by everyone. I mean, I can’t even go to a mall!”
“Well maybe someday you can come to my school with me!” Alex suggested to the amusement of the reporters. “My friends will gawk at first but they’d be okay after a while.”
“Alex,” a reporter questioned. “What do you think  about having Chandler as a dad?”
Alex turned in her chair and looked at her dad and mom. They were watching her, smiling. “I think it’s pretty cool. My friends didn’t believe me at first, but that was okay. My dad’s a pretty cool guy. He bought me a Nintendo even though my mom said I couldn’t have one. I only wish that he and my mom would see in each other what they must’ve seen before...”

“Hey Ben!” Alex opened the door and let Ben in. Like all the Christmas’s she remembered, everyone was arriving for the big ‘sleep over.’
“Hey Al, what’s up?” Ben replied, hugging his cousin.
“My dad got me a Nintendo 64!”
“I know, that’s so cool. You’re so lucky.”
“Hey Al,” Ross and Rachel greeted their niece as they passed by the two.
“Hello Aunt Rachel and Uncle Ross.”
“So, who else is here?” Ben asked.
“Umm, Phoebe and Philipe are here, their sleeping in my room. Joey and Joey are also here, and are taking over one guest room. You’re mom and dad are here, of course and are taking the other guest room. As normal we get the family room, my mom her room and my dad get’s the other room when he arrives.”
“Wow, a lot more people then usual.”
“Yeah, well it’s going to be funner this year.”
“Yeah, it should be cool. Uncle Chandler’s so cool.”
“I know, I wish I had met him sooner.”
“Well, I’ve known him my whole life, and I was never even told that he was your dad.”
“Oh well. It’s nice to have him now, though. And just having him here, is going to make Christmas extra special.”
“I guess. When’s he coming over?”
“He should be here any time now. Wanna play Nintendo?”
“Of course!”

“Hey Al,” Chandler watched his daughter and Ben play.
“Daddy!” Alex jumped up and ran over to him. “How come you’re so late?”
“Late, I’m not late,” Chandler teased her.
“Daaaddd!”
“Sorry. I was out buying Christmas presents.”
“So you still do your shopping on Christmas eve?” Monica asked, walking into the room, the other adults following behind.
“What’s that suppose to mean?” Chandler replied, defensive.
“Just remembering one Christmas. It was just after Phoebe had met her dad and you and Joey had gone with her for moral support...”
“OH!” Rachel gasped. “I remember that. That’s when they gave me windshield wipers and new car smell stuff.”
“I didn’t know you had a car?” Alex turned to her Aunt.
“I didn’t!”
“Oh, that Christmas,” Chandler chuckled. “Man, we gave you guys the weirdest presents.”
“Yeah, but that was fun,” Phoebe replied wistfully.
“It was, wasn’t it?” Rachel agreed.
“Those were the days,” Ross added, all the adults nodding.
“That was before everything became complicated,” Chandler said.
“Yeah, before I got pregnant,” Monica said.
“And I got famous,” Chandler added.
“And we became famous actors!” GJoey spoke up, pointing to Joey and herself.
“And Ross and I got married,” Rachel replied.
“Yeah, but that was given that it was going to happen,” Phoebe disagreed.
“Well it was obvious to us at least,” Joey laughed.
“We’ve all done something, haven’t we?” Ross analysed
“And learned something,” Chandler looked at Mon when he said this, but she didn’t notice.
“Oh great!” Ben exclaimed. “Now we’re going to get a speech on the ‘Good Old Days!’”
“Oh my gosh!” Mon said shocked, when she heard Ben. “Do you know what we’ve turned in to?” Without waiting for a reply, she continued. “We’re our parents!”
“Not possible,” Chandler said with a wave of his hand. “I don’t chase young men and write romance novels, or ... just chase young men!”
“Yeah, and I’m not having an affair!” Joey chimed in.
“Well I should hope not!” GJoey turned to Joey, grinning.
“But we are, we’re talking about what it was like to be young!”
“Well, I never thought I’d be one of these,” Chandler smiled.
“Well, we never thought you and Joey would be one of these. But hey, you’ve both proved us wrong. You’ve got an eight year old kid and Joey’s going to have a kid in less then nine months.” Ross patted his buddy on the back.
“Thanks for your vote of confidence,” Chandler replied sarcastically.
“He’s back!” Joey hugged his friend, everyone laughing.
“What do you mean?” Chandler asked.
“You’re sarcastic again!” Joey shouted.

“They’re coming!” Rachel hissed.
“Okay, get ready,” Phoebe replied in a low voice.
Monica and Chandler entered the kitchen.
“Stop!” Phoebe yelled.
They stopped dead in their tracks. “What is it?” Monica asked, raising her eyebrows.
“Oh, nothing,” Phoebe said carelessly. “I wasn’t talking to you.”
“Monica looked at Rachel and Rachel shrugged. “Oh!” Rachel exclaimed. “My goodness, well look where you’re standing!”
“Um... half in the kitchen and half in the hall?” Chandler guessed.
“No, look up. UP!”
They glanced up and their eyes widened. “Oh...”
Alex and Ben came in at that moment. “Oh hey, look where my mom and dad are standing,” Alex obsereved.
“We know,” Monica groaned.
“You know what happens when you’re standing under there...” Alex taunted.
“No... I don’t...” Chandler fibbed.
“Oh, come on dad, you can’t break tradition!”
Chandler stared at Alex for a moment. Then he looked at Monica. Monica shrugged. “To please Alex,” she whispered. They both slowly and reluctantly leaned in for a kiss. It ended with a small peck. Alex shook her head and closed her eyes in frustration.
Chandler grinned nervously and left the kitchen, embarressed.
“What was that?” Alex demanded.
“A... kiss.”
“Whatever!”

“Alex, Ben,” Monica yelled. “Dinner time!”
“Coming,” they yelled, bouncing down the stairs.
“Okay, where do we sit?” Rachel asked as they all entered the dinning rom.
“Chandler, you’re at this end with Ale on your right and Ross on your left. Rachel and one of the Joey’s next to Ross. Ben can sit next to Alex with Phoebe and Philip and the other Joey. I’ll take the end,” Monica listed off and everyone took their seats accordingly.
“What’s for dinner mom?” Alex asked eagerly.
“Just ham, potato’s, salad, corn and break.”
“Just?” Phoebe laughed.
“Well, wait til tomorrow!” Monica replied.
To Alex the dinner went smoothly. Everyone seemed relaxed and no one mentioned the kiss. Once she was sure that things were going smoothly, Alex began to eagerly wait for the end of dinner. As soon as everyone seemed to be finished, she spoke up. “Do we get our presents now?”
“Presents, before Christmas?” Chandler asked, not use to this custom.
“Yeah, we always get to open one on Christmas Eve, sort of to tie us over,” Alex explained.
“Oh...” Chandler replied, not sure what else to say.
“Okay. I’ve got them right here,” Monica walked over to a bag that was leaning against the wall.
“Me first,” Alex demanded/
“Okay,” Mon laughed. She reached into the bag and pulled out a present. “Here you go Ben.”
“Mom!” Alex protested.
“And Alex, here you go,” Mon reached back in and pulled out the second present.
“Who’s going to open first?” Rachel asked.
“Mee!!” Alex shouted.
“Go ahead,” Ben laughed at his little cousin
Alex tore off the wrapping paper and gasped in delight. The present was a new football. Her old one was falling apart at the seems.
“Thanks you!” Alex leaped out of her chair and gave her mom a hug.
“You’re welcome.”
“Ben, your turn!” Alex shouted.
Ben copied Alex, tearing off the paper. He too was happy with his present, a joke book.
“Hehe,” Ben laughed, reading a joke.
“What’s so funny?” Alex asked.
“One day a boy went out to play. He told his mom he was goingt o climb trees. His mom said, ‘If you break both legs, don’t come running to me.’” Ben read out, laughed. The adults all joined him, laughing a little.
“Man that’s cheesy!” Ross groaned.
“Yeah,” Mon laughed. “Sounds like Chandler.” This sent everyone into further laughter.
“I don’t get it!” Alex complained.
“Thanks okay honey. It was a stupid joke anyway,” Monica told her daughter.
“Oh,” Alex paused, then smiled. “Let’s play football.”
“Sure,” Chandler said slowly.
“Yes!” Alex and Ben cheered.
“Daddy’s on my team,” Alex shouted as Monica bundled her up.
“Go ahead!” The adults laughed, remembering a game they’d had before.
“Thanks for your support,” Chandler said sarcastically.
“Welcome,” Joey replied.
“Where are we going to play?” Phoebe asked.
“There’s a small park a couple blocks from here,” Monica answered.
“But there’s snow,” Rachel protested.
“So?” Alex asked. “Snow football is the best!”
“Yeah,” Ben agreed. “We play it all the time at school. It’s so fun to tackle, you just slide!”
“Great,” Phoebe groaned, Monica and Rachel nodding in agreement.

Once reaching the park the group split easily into two teams. When divided they quickly started to play, sliding across the field on the snow.
“I’ve got it!” Alex yelled, sliding over the touchdown line. “This is great!”
“Right, wonderful,” Monica agreed sarcastically, wiping snow off her clothes.
“Come on, it’s our turn to hut,” Alex shouted after Monica’s team lost possession of the ball.
“Yeah, come on!” Chandler chimed in.
“Okay, you do realize that you’re older than eight, right?” Monica asked, grinning.
“Ha ha,” Chandler replied.
“Hut!” GJoey shouted causing everyone to snap to attention.
“Chandler!”
Chandler turned his head, surprised to see the ball heading towards him. Reaching up he surprised himself even more by catching it. “Yes!”
“Watch out,” Philip shouted just as Chandler felt himself being knocked off his feet.
“Gotcha,” Monica said with glee as they fell into a snowdrift, disappearing from site.
Chandler glanced over at Mon, thinking. Then, making up his mind, he leaned over and kissed her passionately. When he pulled away their eyes met and held. Breaking away, Chandler began to get up, reaching out a hand, pulling Monica up beside him.
“I’m , I’m sorry,” Chandler apologized. Monica just looked at him speechless. She then turned to leave. “Wait! I, I love you!”

About an hour later, after things had settled down, Chandler slipped into Alex's room quietly and relaxed in the rocking chair beside her bed. He stared lovingly at the face that reminisced of his earlier days. The face that could also be traced on to Monica's features and match exactly. Chandler then realized that Alex made he and Monica one. She brought them together. "We are one," he murmured, tears coming to his eyes, but he smiled at the cheesiness of the phrase.
The bed began to shake, and Alex's eyes popped open. She laughed. "I was just thinking of that movie too, Daddy."
Chandler laughed and pulled Alex into his lap. "What movie is that?"
"The Lion King II. When I was little I always watched it at Ben's house, and it's my favorite movie (except the Parent Trap!) Simba always says to Kiara that 'they are one.'"
"I see. Now why are you still awake?"
Alex shrugged and Chandler began to tickle her.
"Aah!" she shriked. "Okay! Stop it! I'm waiting for Santa! Stop! Stop tickling!"
"Santa won't come unless you go to sleep," Chandler warned, standing Alex on her bed and looking her up and down. "But actually, I have another present for you."
"Ooh, goody!" Alex jumped into Chandler's arms. "What is it?"
Chandler removed something from his pocket and handed it to Alex. "It's a picture of me and Mommy before you were born."
"Wow." Alex gazed at it, entranced. "It's the best present anyone ever gave me. It is so beautiful. Whoa-what's wrong with Mom?"
"Hm, I don't know. What's wrong with her?"
"She's too skinny!" Alex wrinkled her nose.
"Well...I suppose she got bigger after you came along. but I sitll think she's perfect at any size."
"She is perfect." Alex buried her nose in Chandler's shoulder. Her breathing was even.

Upon entry back in the livingroom, Chandler asked to use the washroom. "Sure," Monica replied absentmindedly. "Second door on the left."
Rachel and Ross exchanged glances. They knew the bathroom was third door on the left, but Chandler was already gone.
'Second door on the left. Okay.' Chandler opened the shut door. 'Waitaminute.' This was Monica's room. Chandler was overcome with the scent of Monica. he couldn't move. This was Monica's room. This was Monica's room.
All at once Chandler realized he shouldn't be here. In his rush to escape, his shirt caught on the corner of Monica's bureau and down he went. A box and a few trinkets fell down with him. He reached for the fallen things and replaced them on the bureau. As he picked up the fallen box, it was inevitable that he saw what was inside. Inevitable not because of the papers within, but because he noticed his name on them. "These are ltters," he whispered. Letters all in order of dates, too, he noted with a grin. His grin faded and he tentatively removed a letter. He unfolded it slowly. It was dated November 28, 1999. And, of course, it was inevitable that he should read it.
"Dearest Chandler," it began. For the second time that Christmas Eve tears sprung to his eyes as his shaking hands smoothed the old and brittle paper.
"I know it is your least favorite day of the year, Thanksgiving, but today is very exciting for me. Early this morning I felt the baby kick. It is the sixth month. Three more to go. It seems like forever. Without you, an eternity. I wish I had never run away. I have bitter regrets now, but it is too late. I suppose I shall never see you again now, and Thanksgiving is seeming anything bu festive-and not just because I'm fat, sick, and the mashed potatoes have lumps-because it reminds me of you.
"Signed, Monica."
Chandler shakily pulled a pen from his pocket-'Lucky I stay prepared for everything,' he thought-and made a spontaneous decision to write back. He turned the letter over, and began to write.
"I'm glad you remembered me for something, anyway, Monica. I am sorry our first Thanksgiving together (in eight years) was so terrible. If I had flat out told you the truth of where I had gone and what I was to do, things may have worked out earlier. I just want to remind you that we love each other. I leave you with that.
"Love, from, Chandler.
"P.S. Sorry I went snooping in your things. It was an accident-really."
Chandler reread his work, and crumpled the letter in dismay. He stuffed it in his pocket and willed himself to forget. He had Alex, and if that would have to make up for Monica, it would.

It turned out Chandler did forget, especially in the excitement of Christmas morning. Alex pounced on him at five in the morning, shouting, "Santa came! Santa came!"
"I assumed he would," Chandler replied groggily, "because you're at the top of the nice list."
"Come see what he brought me!"
"Is Mommy up?"
"Not yet I don't think."
Monica appeared at the door. "Hi honey. I'm up," she said.
"'Morning," Chandler replied, smiling.
"Er...I was talking to Alex."
"I knew that."
"Mommy!" Alex flew into monica's arms.
"Merry Christmas sweetie!"
"Merry Christmas," Chandler replied, smiling again.
"Er...Alex again."
"Man!" Chandler snapped his fingers. "Eight years and it's still my nature to do that."
Monica rolled her eyes but smiled contentedly as she turned to leave.
"Come on Dad!" Alex cried as she ran out of the room.
In the livingroom, Ben was examining his gifts from Santa.
"What did you get?" Alex asked.
"N64 games, a new glove." Ben held up a new baseball glove. "Aw, I can't wait to break it in!"
"Look, Mom! Look Dad!" I got a silver slinky. Ooh! I was hoping for that. Those are so cool." Alex stooped down. "A Barney cd?"
"A Barney cd?" Monica repeated, her smile disappearing. She hissed to Chandler, "You got her a Barney cd?"
"I'm new at this stuff," Chandler said meekly.
Rachel and Ross entered tiredly.
"Merry Christmas!" Alex shouted.
"Merry Christmas," Rachel replied.
Ross sniffed the air. "Mm, breakfast smells great, Mon."
"Wait a minute. You've got breakfast going already?" Rachel raised her eyebrows.
"No! Of course not," Monica said quickly. She grinned sheepishly. "It's done."
At that moment Joey entered the room.
"I hope whatever breakfast is that it's got jam, Mon!"
"Well, I made banack and fruit salad and cinnamon buns, and I saved two jars of jam from my last catering for you, Joey. Strawberry and gooseberry."
"Yes! This is the best Christmas ever!"
"Where's Aunt Joey?" Alex asked. "I want to show her this game I got!"
"Hm. Candyland," Joey said thoughtfully. "I love that game! But Joey isn't feeling well. She's still sleeping."
"Not anymore." GJoey appeared in the doorway. "Merry Christmas everyone!"
"Feeling better?" Mon asked. GJoey nodded. "Cos I remember when I was pregnant with Alex that one time I-" Monica faultered all of a sudden. Everyone went quiet. "I-I-I just felt really sick in the first few months."
Ross laughed. "Maybe that's because you were living with mom and dad."
"Could be."
Alex looked at Monica. "I made you feel sick? I'm sorry." She gave her mom a big hug.
"No, don't worry, Al," Moncia said soothingly. "I made myself sick...I did things I shouldn't have. Besides, whatever I went through was worth it for you, honey."
"I know," Chandler replied, smiling AGAIN.
"I was talking to Alex!" Monica shouted, but grinned.
"You really did make yourself sick," Joey laughed. "Like when you had that drinking problem when you were dating Fun Bobby!"
"Um...Joey? I wasn't pregnant then!"
"Sure you were...oh wait. Nope. That was someone else." He gave Rachel a weird look.
Rachel backed away.
"What's up, people?" Phoebe asked as she entered on Philip's arm.
"It's Christmas!" Alex cried. "And now that everyone's here we can open our presents!"
"Yes!" Joey cried.
"After breakfast," Monica said, smiling.
"All right." Alex rolled her eyes as everyone followed Monica out of the livingroom.Joey hung back. A few seconds later Monica stuck her head in.
"Joey..." she warned.
"Coming!"

After everyone had all showered and dressed (and that took a while, there being only one shower in Monica's apartment), and the breakfast dishes were cleared away, everyone settled into their own spot in the livingroom. Chandler and Monica sat on opposite sides of the room.
"Who starts?" Ben asked.
"I know what we should do! We'll do what we did last year, Ben! We got a bottle and spun it to see who opened a present."
"So...kinda like Spin the Bottle?" Joey asked.
Monica explained. "You don't have to kiss the person who spun the bottle, but you should at least give them a hug after you open the present." She grinned. "I'll get the bottle."
Alex spun first, since she suggested it. It landed on Monica.
"Oh, goody, Mommy! You're going to love my present for you!"
Monica smiled as she took the present from Alex. It was superbly wrapped, but even the wrapping couldn't cover up what was inside. A mop.
"Not just any mop!" Monica exclaimed. "A Swiffer! Ohhh, I've been wanting one of these for a long time! Thank you so much, sweetheart." She kissed Alex on the cheek and Alex beamed.
Rachel whispered something to Ross and they blushed. Joey whispered something to GJoey and they blushed. Phoebe whispered something to Philip and they blushed.
"What's going on? A conspiracy or something?" Monica asked.
"Um...well, Ross and I got you a Swiffer too," Rachel said, embarrassed.
"Us too," Philip, Phoebe, Joey and GJoey chorused.
Monica laughed. "Well, thank you all! You all must have known that's what I wanted!"

The spinning of the bottle and opening of present went on for quite a while.
"There's still so many presents under the tree." GJoey looked at Monica was a confused gaze. "Who are they for?"
"Well..." Monica cleared her throat. "One more of those is for Alex from me, and" she cleared her throat again "three are for Chandler from me."
"Yeah," Chandler spoke up. "And four are from me for Mon, and two are for Alex."
"Aww, you guys!" Alex cried. "I already got so many presents!"
"Um, well actually, it turns out five are from me for Mon, and only one is for you," Chandler confessed, looking down at his feet.
"Oh..." Alex grinned and gave Chandler a satisfactory look with her eyes. "You spin, Mom."
"No need for that!" Phoebe pointed with a side smile to Alex.
"I guess you're right," Alex said.
"No, you're wrong! Wrong!" Monica cried. "I mean, I do have one for Alex. So I do have to spin."
Monica grabbed the bottle before anyone could say anything and spun. It landed on Alex.
"Here you go, honey." Alex took the package and ripped it apart excitedly.
"Ohh, a toy Dirt Devil."
"You tryin' to tell her something?" Joey teased.
"No, I like it!" Alex protested.
"I guess you're right," Ross admitted. "Like mother, like daughter!"
"And tomorrow, when we clean up the tree," Monica said enthusiastically, "you can help me vacuum up the pine needles, and-"
"Now let's not get carried away!" Alex cried. "Your turn to spin, Dad!"
Chandler took the bottle and spun. The room was so quiet as the bottle spun that you could hear a pin drop. The bottle ended up pointing at GJoey.
"But it's closest to Mommy!" Alex pointed out.
Chandler handed Monica the closest gift to him. It was small and heavy in Monica's hands.
"I wonder what it is," she said.
The small package produced a measuring tape.
"A measuring tape?" she said. "I-I like it."
Monica looked at Chandler. Chandler looked at Monica. All at once she remembered. She smiled. Chandler smiled. The others looked at each other and raised their eyebrows.
"O-kay, then." Alex gave her father a weird look before passing a gift to Monica to give to Chandler.
"Holy cow, this one is gigantic," Chandler commented, ripping off the paper. "A merge sign?"
"Yeah," Monica said. "You could, you could hang it over your bed..."
"Yeah, I guess I could do that," Chandler agreed. He didn't let on that he understood.
He handed Alex her present. It was a cd player.
"Oh, nice!" Alex cried. "Is this to go with my Barney cd?"
"That wasn't from me," Chandler said quickly. "Didn't Santa give you that?"
"Yeah," Alex admitted. "He also gave me a Barney cd when I was three, though."
The next few presents were exchanged between Monica and Chandler. Chandler also gave Monica a bottle of 1998 wine-hand picked from London, he said-, a video camera, and a coupon book for Kentucky Fried Chicken. Monica gave Chandler a new tennis racket and a watch.
Ben picked up the watch. "It's set for the wrong time."
"What time does it say, Ben?"
Ben told him.
"Hmm." Ross nodded. "Right now it's that time in London..."
"You know, Mom, that's not fair, because Daddy gave you four things and you only gave him three."
"Well, um, Chandler, you remember that chocolate bar you got in your stocking?"
"Yeah, Mr. Big, my favorite."
"Well, um, yeah, that was from me."
Rachel's hand flew to her mouth.
 

Ben took a liking to the video camera and taped the rest of the day's festivities. In all the excitement, Chandler completely forgot about the crumpled letter in his pocket.
After dinner that evening, Phoebe, Rachel, and Monica came in early from playing football outside.
"This is just like old times," Monica sighed.
"Yeah, only we never did join that National Football League," Phoebe said with a trace of disappointment in her voice.
"Yeah, and football is so fun," Rachel agreed.
"Um...guys? National Football League, is that what you said?"
"Yeah," Phoebe confirmed. "What about it?"
"The NFL is a bunch of guys that run around on an actual football field in an actual stadium and get paid millions of dollars."
Phoebe and Rachel stared at each other. "Ohhhhhh."
"This is just like old times," Monica laughed.
"Almost too much," Rachel agreed. "I wonder if Chandler has eaten that Mr. Big yet." She watched Monica's reaction.
"Hm I don't think so Rach if you want it just ask him I'm sure he'll give it to you." Monica spoke so quickly that her voice was very slurred.
"Yeah, and that 1998 wine?" Phoebe chimed in. "I'd sure like some of that."
"No!" Monica spoke harshly. "I mean, no. I want to save it for a special occasion."
"What's more special than Christmas?" By that time Phoebe and Rachel knew they had crossed the line, and grinned at each other.
"I don't know! Maybe I'll bring it out on New Year's or something! Now just stop bugging me!"
Phoebe and Rachel did stop bugging her, but were confident that this would probably be Monica and Chandler's last Christmas apart.

“Where are we going?” Monica turned to Chandler who was sitting beside her in the front of his car, driving.
“Somewhere,” Chandler turned to her and grinned.
“It’ll be fun, I promise,” Phoebe spoke up from the back where she and Philip were sitting.
Monica sighed and turned back to the window. Half an hour ago Chandler, Phoebe and Philip had shown up at her door with Ben. Ben was going to babysit Alex so the others could take her somewhere. It was the somewhere that had been bugging her for the half hour.
“Okay, here we are,” Chandler turned off the engine.
“And where exactly is here?” Monica glanced around.
“Patience is a virtue,” Chandler joked.  “You’ll see soon, promise!”
The four of them climbed out of the car and followed Chandler towards a small brick building. As they drew nearer they could here music coming from inside. Chandler lead them over to a small metal door, which he opened and went through.
“Chandler!” Monica heard someone yell out.
“Hey guys,” Chandler greeted everyone.
“Who’d you bring this time?” a small man walked over to the four.
“Henry, meet Monica, my kids mom, and our friends Phoebe and Philip.” Chandler and Henry patted each other on the back and shook hands.
“Oh, Monica. Yeah, we’ve heard a lot about you two in the news. When are you going to bring the kid around, what’s her name, Alex?”
“When I get a chance,” Chandler laughed.
“So, what do you want to sing tonight?” Henry asked, as Monica realized for the first time that it was a karioke bar.
“I haven’t decided. Why don’t you bring over a list for these three,” Chandler replied. “Oh, and can you bring some drinks.”
“Of course,” Henry whisked away.
“Come on guys!” Chandler lead them over to a table near the front.
“I thought you hated singing?” Monica whispered to Chandler.
“No. I was the lead singer of Ross’s band remember?”
“Right...” Monica thought for a moment. “You know, in all the years I’ve known you, I’ve never seen you sing cos you wanted to. I’ve seen you sing when Phoebe made you but otherwise...”
“Hey, there’s a first time for everything.”
“Do you come here a lot?”
“Just when I’ve got some time.”
“Here you guys go, and here’s the list of songs,’ Henry was back at the table.
“Thanks Henry,” Chandler took one of the lists. He skimmed it quickly before whispering a title into Henry’s ear.
“Sure. When do you want to go up?”
“A little later. Monica, Pheebs, Philip?”
“I don’t like singing,” Monica replied.
“We’ll go,” Phoebe replied. “Any suggestions people?”
“How ‘bout Happy Boys and Girls, by Aqua?” Monica suggested, chuckling to her self. Chandler met her eyes, and began to laugh. Philip and Phoebe just looked at them.
“That sounds okay. I like that song,” Philip agreed. “It’s so happy.”
Monica and Chandler looked at each other again and collapsed back into laughter.

Two hours later Chandler decided that it was time to do his “performance”. He lifted his hand and waved Henry over.
“Ready?” Henry questioned.
“Yes,” Chandler nodded.
“Okay,” Henry walked over to the machine where a couple was just finishing up. “Okay everybody, Chandlers agreed to sing for us tonight!” Everyone burst into applause, watching as an embarrassed Chandler walked up and joined Henry.
“Hey everyone!” Chandler shouted as everyone cheered. “Okay, this song is dedicated to someone special, who’s here today.” Chandler glanced over at Monica, who was watching intently. He looked back at the machine as the words started to play...

I think it’s getting to the point
Where I can be myself again
I think it’s getting to the point
Where we have almost made amends
I think it’s getting to the point
That is the hardest part

And if you call, I will answer
And if you fall, I’ll pick you up
And if you court this disaster
I’ll point you home

You think I only think about you
When we’re both in the same room
You think I’m only here to witness
The remains of love exhumed
You think we’re here to play
A game of who loves more than whom

And if you call, I will answer
And if you fall, I’ll pick you up
And if you court this disaster
I’ll point you home

You think it’s only fair to do what’s
Best for you and you alone
You think it’s only fair to do the same
To me when you’re not home
I think it’s time to make this something that is
More than only fair

So if you call, I will answer,
And if you fall, I’ll pick you up
And if you court this disaster
I’ll point you home

But I’m warning you, don’t ever do
Those crazy, messed up things that you do
If you ever do I promise you
I’ll be the first to crucify you
Now it’s time to prove that you’ve
Come back here to rebuild
(Call and Answer; Barenaked Ladies)

Chandler smiled as he set down the microphone and glanced over at Mon. She was staring at him, tears in her eyes. Turning back to the crowd, he smiled and bowed, before heading back to his seat, stopping along the way for autographs.
“Hey, you’ve got a great voice,” Philip congratulated him.
“Thanks,” Chandler replied modestly. “What did you think Monica?”
“It was... excellent!” Mon told him, smiling brightly, trying to hide the tears that had been in her eyes seconds before. “You truly have an excellent voice.”
“Well, it’s easier to sing when you’ve got real feelings about the lyrics,” Chandler looked Mon in the eyes. Phoebe and Philip watched with amusement, having known the main intention the whole time.
“Yeah... well,” Monica shrugged, turning away from Chandler. She didn’t notice as a disappointed look crossed his face.

“Mooomm, are you ready?” Alex walked into her mom’s bedroom. “We’re suppose to be there in half an hour.”
“I know, I know,” Monica rushed about the room.
“Are you nervous?”
“NO!... Yes! Everyone’s going to be famous. What if I’m not dressy enough, or they find me boring?”
“You’ll be fine. Daddy said it’s not dressy.”
“Okay, just give me five more minutes.”

Half an hour later, five minutes late, the two pulled up in front of Chandlers house. They were shocked to see all the cars and people.
“Hey look,” Alex shouted as they stepped out of the taxi. “Their’s daddy!”
Monica glanced over where Alex was pointing. Chandler was standing in the middle of a crowd, talking. When she glanced back at Alex, she saw her running towards her dad.
“Daddy,” Alex shouted. Chandler turned towards her, picking her up and giving her a hug.
“Hey Al. Where’s your mom?”
“Coming,” Alex pointed over to Mon. Monica waved, walking over to join them.
“You have a ‘picture perfect’ family,” laughed  Kevin Bacon, patting Chandler on the back.
“I love that movie!” cried Alex.
“You’ve seen that movie?” Monica cried out shocked.
“Yeah, at Susan’s birthday. Jennifer Aniston is the best in that. She looks a lot like Aunt Rachel.”
“Sorry for interrupting you,” Monica apologized as she noticed everyone else. She started to walk away, pulling Alex after her.
“No, no, stay, both of you. We want to meet the family,” Katie Holmes spoke up.
“Yeah,” the others chimed in.
“Okay, I guess,” Monica replied nervously, uncomfortable being around all the stars.
“While you guys are getting acquainted, I’m going to take Alex over to Darren.” Chandler decided, seeing that Alex was getting restless.
“Oh, okay,” Monica pleaded Chandler with her eyes to not go.
“Where is he?” Monica heard Alex asked as Chandler walked towards the house with her.
“So,” Monica turned back to the group.
“So how long have you know Chandler?” Meg Ryan asked.
“Well, I don’t know. Since I was in highschool. He was my brothers collage roommate.”
“Oh,” Matt Damon looked confused. “I thought you weren’t suppose to date your best friends sister.”
“Well, when Ross, my brother, found out he had just been going through a hard time at work. He didn’t think it was a big deal that we had hid it from him when we told him it was because we cared about him.”
“But you haven’t seen Chandler in eight years, right?” Robert DeNiro questioned.
“That’s right. You guys didn’t know him eight years ago. He was the most freaked out guy when it came to commitment. I didn’t know how to tell him that I was pregnant so I bailed. It wasn’t the smartest thing to do, but it’s all working out.”
“So, you guys are back together?” Neve Campbell asked/stated.
“Together?” Monica looked surprised. “No. Of course not. Why’d you think that?”
“Oh, well Chandler hasn’t hidden the fact that he wants to get back together with you. I just assumed you guys would be. I mean, there are thousands of women who would love to be in your shoes.”
“Yeah well...” Monica trailed off.

“Where is he?” Alex turned to her dad.
“In the family room. I think he’s playing Nintendo,” Chandler replied, turning a corner and entering the family room. “Hey Darren.”
“Hello Chandler,” Darren replied, looking up from the tv where he was playing a game.
“Hi Alex,” Darren turned to Alex.
“Hey, what game are you playing?” Alex sat down beside him on the floor.
“Golden eye, it’s my favourite,” Darren replied.
“Same. Guess what, I’ve beaten my cousin at every level of most of the racing games!”
“How old’s your cousin?”
“Fourteen.”
Chandler stood in the doorway, watching the two. Deciding that everything was alright, he decided that he better get back to Monica. She hadn’t seemed to want to stay there alone. He watched them for another minute, then slipped away quietly.

“So, what did I miss?” Chandler walked up to Monica and the others.
“Oh, nothing much,” Monica replied as everyone else laughed.
“Okay, what did you tell them?” Chandler turned to Mon, trying to look stern.
“Nothing, nothing at all,” Monica laughed before giving in. “Okay, yeah I told them some stories from when we had been going out and before.”
“I didn’t know you had belonged to a band,” Meg turned to Chandler. “And lead singer, wow!”
“You didn’t?” Chandler said, pretending to be angry. “I can’t believe you.”
“Well, who knows what you’ve been saying about me?”
“Nothing, nothing at all.”
“Now guys,” Monica turned to the rest. “Is that true?” Everyone shook their heads, trying hard not to laugh. “So you have been talking about me.”
“Yeah, so...” Chandler sighed, knowing he was beaten. “Well, before I start to really freak out, what did you tell them?”
“Hm... well about the band, your nightmares, your reasons for dumping women, fear of commitment and well... I was going to tell them about nubbin...”
“But you decided not to?” Chandler asked hopefully.
“Yeah,” Monica gave him a hug. “I wasn’t going to let that secret out. You can tell them yourselves.”
“No thanks!”
“Where’s Alex?”
“She’s playing Nintendo with Darren.”
“Okay, I’m just going to go check on her. Bye everyone!” Monica waved and headed over towards the house, everyone watching.
“So,” Robert started.
“So... what?” Chandler asked.
“How come you aren’t together yet?”
“I don’t know. I’ve told her I want to, Alex and I get along great and everything seems to be perfect.”
 “Well, she definitely wants to get together with you!” Neve replied. “I mean do you guys ever stop flirting?”
“Well we flirted for over five years before we went out!”
“Oh man you’ve got it bad,” Matt told him, then changing the subject. “So what’s everyone’s New Years resolution. Mines to not be so picky.”
Everyone listed them off and Chandler thought back to the last one he had when Monica was around. Ross had betted him $50 bucks that he couldn’t stop making fun of his friends.
“CHANDLER!” Chandler glanced up to see Katie waving a hand in front of his face.
“What?” he asked.
“What’s your resolution?” Katie replied.
“Oh, I guess to get Mon to go out with me.”

“Hey everyone, let’s play a game!” Drew Barrymore shouted, everyone cheered in agreement.
“What game?” Chandler replied uneasily.
“Spin the bottle,” Joey shouted. “Spin the bottle!”
“Oh, now that’s mature,” Susan Sarandon commented.
“Oh come on, it’ll be fun,” James Van Der Beek said and everyone shouted out their agreement. “Do you have a bottle Chandler?”
“Of course,” Chandler answered, acting like it would be weird if he didn’t. “Everyone into a circle.”
“Who’s going first?” Katie asked, as everyone sat down, pushing chairs out of the way.
“Joey should go first. It was after all his suggestion,” Monica pointed out.
“Fine, but let’s decide some rules first. No boy kiss boy, girl kiss girl,” Joey suggested, everyone nodding in agreement.
“Oh, oh,” James shouted. “You have to kiss for at least ten seconds and it has to be on the lips.”
“Good one,” Joey have him a high five. “Okay, where’s the bottle?”
“Right here Joe,” Chandler passed his friend a bottle he had grabbed. “Spin away.”
Joey went to the middle of the circle and spun the bottle around. They all watched with anticipation, waiting to find out who was the “lucky” girl.
“Katie, Katie,” everyone chanted, as the bottle stopped spinning.
“Looks like it’s you and me,” Joey grinned at Katie. She laughed and they kissed for the ten seconds, like the rules stated.
“Okay, who’s going to be my victim?” Katie smiled, laughing as she took the bottle and spun. “Chandler!” she pretended to grimace. “What’s with me and best friends?”
“Thanks,” Chandler acted like he was offended. He moved forward and kissed Katie, pulling away as quickly as was aloud. “Okay, now who gets the honour of kissing me next?” He spun the bottle and watched as it landed on GJoey. “You said no brothers/sisters right?” Everyone nodded and laughed, watching as he spun again.

“Mom... we’re bored,” Alex and Darren entered the room, interrupting the game a while later.
“You are bored with Nintendo? I never thought I’d see the day,” Monica laughed. “What do you want to do? Would you like to see a movie?”
“No... can we just stay in here for a while?” Darren asked.
“Of course,” Chandler replied, waving them to a seat. “Mon, your turn.”
“Right. Sorry,” Mon took the bottle and spun it with all her might, willing it to not end on Chandler. Unfortunately her prayers were unanswered, as the bottle spun to a stop in front of him. Joey and GJoey glanced at each other, wondering what the two would do. “Okay Chandler, pucker up,” Monica laughed good-naturally. She turned to face him and leaned forward. Chandler backed away, trying to avoid the kiss.
“Hey Dad, you can’t do that!” Alex complained.
“Yeah, come on Chandler,” Darren chimed in.
“Kiss her, Kiss him,” everyone started to chant, enjoying the effect it was having on the two. Chandler glanced at his audience, then leaned forward and pulled Mon into a passionate kiss. They stayed lip locked for almost a minute, each one wanting it, but not wanting the other to know.
Mon was the first to pull away. “Wow!” she whispered, unable to say anything else. They sat there, staring in each others eyes, oblivious to the cheering of the others.
“Yea mommy and daddy,” Alex shouted, breaking the two out of their little world. “Another game, another game!”
“Yeah,” Darren shouted in agreement.
“You know what Alex?” Chandler asked his daughter, standing up and walking over to her. “I just remembered that I’ve got something for you and Darren to do. The Nintendo company heard what a big fan the two of you were and asked me to have you guys demo one of their new games.”
“What’s it called?” Darren asked excitedly.
“Um... I think it was Smash Teens, or something like that,” Chandler shrugged, heading over to a cupboard and pulling out the game. “Here, have fun.” He handed it to them and shooed them out of the room. Sighing with relief as they left, he then turned back to the rest, thankful that they seemed to have forgotten what had happened.
“I agree with Alex,” Joey said.
“Oh, the kissing game wasn’t enough for you?” GJoey pouted, remembering Joey’s spontaneous kiss with Katy and her own reluctant kiss with Richard Branson.
“Honey, you should know you’re still my number one girl!”
GJoey leaned in to hug her husband. “How you doing’?” she giggled as Joey planted a kiss on her lips. “Now how about a non lip lock game this time though. Please?”
Joey kissed her again and stroked her hair. “Anything for you, Joey... strip poker!”
Most of the crown chorused in “no’s”, and Joey stepped back. “Alright already. Well what do you suggest then?”
GJoey spoke up and looked at Joey slyly. “Truth or dare. And I dare Joey to never again suggest strip poker.”
“Man! My whole belief system,” Joey joked. “Well, I don’t mind Truth or Dare, I guess. I have a good one for Chandler!”
“Wait a minute,” Leonardo DiCaprio piped up. “Do we all have to play? Cos I don’t really want to. I’ve had a bad experience with that game before...”
“I don’t want to play either,” Monica agreed. She and a few others strayed from the group.
“You and Chandler are so cute!” Leonardo grinned, pouring drinks for both he and Monica.
“We were the best together,” Monica reminisced, attempting to appear non chalant.
“Is something wrong?” Leonardo sipped his drink as his brow furrowed.
“Yes,” Monica admitted, tears coming to her eyes. “It’s you.”
“Me!?” he exclaimed, taken aback.
“Yeah.”
“Wanna tell me about it?”
“I suppose so. It all happened our first night together. We were both really drunk and felling down. (This was at my brother’s wedding, by the way.) And this intoxicated guy-”
“As intoxicated as you?” Leonardo questioned.
“More,” Monica confirmed. “Anyway, this intoxicated guy came up to me and said something along the lines of me being Ross’s mother.”
“Who’s Ross?”
“My brother. Anyway, I was really upset because I was upset with my parents and the fact that this guy thought I was Ross’s mom... and the fact that I was twenty-nine and very alone at the moment...”
“Got you swayed into Chandler’s arms?” he guessed.
“Er... not exactly. He was just as upset as me. We were two very depressed and very drunk people. Well, he tried to comfort me. First of all, he said that I definitely did not look like my mother, and, and, who wouldn’t want me or something, and,” a smile crossed Monica’s face. “Then he told me the same guy had come up to him earlier and congratulated Chandler on his very moving preformance in Titanic. So that’s why I’m upset to see you. You just reminded me of that night, that’s all...”
“Oh, I see. I’m sorry I’m such a depressing person,” he teased.
“You know it’s not that...yuck! Who catered this party anyway?” In the midst of her story Monica had picked up a torte and bit into it, but now she cast it into a paper napkin that said ‘Happy New Years’ on it.
“I don’t know.”
“Chandler should have gotten me to do it. I would have happily catered this thing, and for free too!”
“You cater?”
Monica nodded.
“Well, I should get you to cater my daughter’s party. It’s in April and-”

Chandler glanced over at Monica and Leonardo DiCaprio, who were deep in conversation. He wondered if Monica remembered their first night together when he was comforting her, and that joke about the moving performance in Titanic and-
“Snap out of it, bro!” GJoey clapped her hands in Chandler’s face. “We gave you a dare, you know.”
“What is it, what is it? Sorry.”
“Well,” Joey began. “You know who you got that ring for Mon? And how you were giong to propose in a few months. Well, I dare you to propose tonight, right here, right now.”
“Are you kidding?” Chandler glared at his friend. “You have no idea what it’s like.”
“I proposed to Joey,” Joey protested.
“You did not! I proposed to you, you big goof!” GJoey argued, laughing and slipping her arm through Joey’s.
“Oh, yeah...”
“Whatever,” Chandler intervened. “I’m gonna go to the washroom.” Chandler got up and stalked away, disgusted with his sister and Joey.
“But why am I disgusted?” he asked himself. “I wanted to propose, didn’t I? I have the ring right here, I mean, I could do it right now, get it over with.” Chandler glanced at his watch. 11:45. Almost midnight.
“I’ll do it at midnight,” Chandler promised. He reached into his pocked to get the ring box out. Ohhh, where was it? And what was this chunk of paper doing in his pocked? Chandler removed it from his pocket and chucked it on the floor.
“Man! Where is it?” With that, Chandler moved off to his bedroom to look for the ring.

“Well, It was nice talking to you,” Monica smiled as she placed Leonardo’s number in her purse. “I’ll give you a call around April first to start planning that catering.”
“That’ll be great,” he smiled back. “And good luck with Chandler.”
Monica smiled sadly as she walked away, towards the washroom. She shook her head as she noticed a chunk of crumpled paper on the floor. “What is the world coming to?” she grumbled, picking it up. “And it was right near a trash can too!”
She was about to toss it in the garbage when she spotted her very own writing on the page. “What?” She uncrumpled the piece of paper. This was... one of her letters to Chandler! “So that’s where it went to,” Monica had noticed a few days ago that her letters were out of chronological order, and putting them back into it, she realized one was gone. “But who took it?” Monica turned it over, seeing that there was writing on the back.
She scanned the note quickly at first, not thinking it of any importance. “Love from, Chandler,” the ending read. Monica nearly jumped. She read the letter over, then again and again. And she began to cry. This was it. This was the proof of his love that she needed.

Dick Clark’s face appeared on the television screen and the crowd gathered around.
“Here we go, folks. It’s the last minute of 2008, people! Let’s get ready for the ball to drop!”
A cheer riffled through the house as everyone began to chant, “Drop, drop, drop!”
Richard Branson walked over to where GJoey was standing. “How about another kiss for the new year?”
“I don’t think so,” GJoey replied, holding tight to Joey. Joey hugged her back, kissing her lightly on the cheek.
“Oh, well. Now where’d Drew Barrymore get to?” Richard disappeared into the crowd, looking around eagerly.
Chandler made his way over to where Monica was sitting on the leather couch and pulled her to her feet. “Come on! You can’t sit when the new year is about to hit!” he smiled at her, laughing lightly.
“Okay.” Monica smiled and took hold of Chandler’s arm. She turned towards him and smiled seriously. “Chandler, I found that letter you wrote to me.”
“Letter?” Chandler thought for a moment. “No! Where was it?” He looked around frantically, almost believing he’d see it lying around.
“On the floor near the bathroom. When did you write that Chandler?” Monica questioned him, glancing around.
“On Christmas Eve. I accidentally went into your bedroom instead of the bathroom and I tripped and some letters fell off of your bureau and then I read one and had a sudden impulse to write back to you, I mean if you wrote me all those letters then what else could I do, and now I have another impulse, actually not so sudden, but-“
Chandler pulled the ring box out of his pocket as all around them people back to shout: “Ten, nine, eight!”
“I would kneel down, but it was me that said we have to stand.”
“Seven, six, five, four!” everyone shouted as Alex and Darren ran into the room.
“We’re here!” Darren shouted.
“Yeah, Why didn’t you warn us?” Alex questioned, looking around for her mom and dad.
“Will you marry me, Monica?” Chandler asked, not even noticing the interruption of Alex and Darren.
"Oh, Chandler, I-I-" Monica stuttered, turning and rushing away.
"Mom, wait!" Alex shouted, chasing after her in vain, for a rather large actor blocked her way. She watched as her father's eyes dropped and her mother shut the door behind her.