What We Live For
McRaider
Summary: Six memorable moments in the three Bing Children's lives with their parents.
Jack Bing
Sick day with Mom

Monica was sound asleep, curled against the back of her husband of ten years; dreaming of her three beautiful children no doubt, when the door opened lightly, letting a small stream light into the room. Blue eyes peeked into the room, as the small boy slid forward, closing the door partially behind him.

Monica and Chandler had learned many things over the course of eight years with small children, and perhaps one of the most important things was having an open ear at all times. Chandler caught a glimpse of his son sneak into the room, but gave the child a moment to decide which parent he wanted tonight. Jack was going through the nightmare stage currently, one that Erica had experienced a year ago. However, both parents remained patient with the small boy.

"Mommy," came the quiet whimper.

Monica's blue eyes slid open and she gazed at her eldest son, "Hey buddy, what's wrong?" she asked as she reached out and helped him climb onto the bed, aware of the heat that seemed to simply radiate from the small form.

"I don't feel good," he whimpered.

"You can stay here with mommy and daddy," she pressed a kiss to the back of the child's head.

Chandler took the lead the next morning, allowing Monica to take care of Jack, while he hurried Erica and Little Daniel through the door and off to school. He gave his eldest son and wife a kiss before he headed out himself to drive his two children to the schools.

Monica smiled softly as she covered Jack up with the blankets, pressing a light kiss to his feverish forehead, "Still a little high, think you can hold any food down?" she questioned.

"Mommy—are you mad at me?"

Monica smiled, "Why would I be angry at you baby? You're sick, tell you what; I'll go make you some eggs with some orange juice, and we'll get out that chess board you and daddy love so much. Does that sound fun?"

The fevered blue eyes beamed as he nodded. Monica dropped one last kiss to his head before going to go make him some breakfast.

o0o

Chandler opened the door to their house at lunch, hoping that he wouldn't be waking Jack, "Mon?" he called softly. Looking around the downstairs house quickly, he headed upstairs to Jack's room, where he felt a grin cross his features.

Monica lay sprawled out in the bed, holding their napping son in his arms, as though he were just a baby again. Monica looked up and glanced at him, "He fell asleep half an hour ago, by the way your son beat me at chess."

Chandler chuckled as he moved over to his wife and son, he looked down at his little boy, "So handsome," Chandler couldn't remember ever being less afraid of fatherhood, he pressed a kiss to the pale forehead and smiled, "His fever seems to have come down a little."

"Yeah, I thought so too. Almost makes me want to have more," she smiled.

Chandler shook his head, "That's not what you said after Daniel was born. What did you two do this morning?"

"We bonded, I got closer to my little boy," she replied softly as she watched Jack's chest rise and fall.

"Good," Chandler replied.

And the Pitch!

"You can do it buddy, just one good toss!" Chandler cheered on as he stood ten feet from his son, his glove out and ready to catch the small ball they'd been throwing back and forth for the past two hours.

"Dad—"

"Yeah son?"

"Did you have a crush on mom? Or were you always in love with her?"

Chandler raised an eye brow at this, then smiled, "What's her name buddy?"

A blush filled the boy's cheeks as he looked down at the ground, "Jenny--."

"I had a crush on your mother from the moment I first met her son," He admitted, deciding to have pity on the poor child and not pick on him too much.

"When was that?"

"Well she was about seventeen or eighteen and I was---twenty something."

"Wow! You were older than her?"

Chandler tried hard not to laugh, "Still am kiddo, she was a senior in high school and I was a Freshman in college. Then we were best friends for the next—wow, uh ten years or so before we even started going out."

"So how long have you known mom?"

"About—twenty four years now," Chandler smiled, there were days he still couldn't believe that he'd fallen in love with his best friend and was now happily married to her.

"Did Mommy ever not like you?"

"Oh yeah, for a while there she would always say I wasn't dating material, but you know what kiddo, sometimes that's the girl's way of saying they like you but they're scared."

"How do you know girls so well," sighed the child.

Grinning his father reached out and swung him up into the air, bringing the boy back down, Chandler pressed a kiss to the child's cheek, "I will never, ever say that I know women kid. But I know your mom and I knew her for a long time. Why don't you try making friends with Jenny before completely writing her off."

Broken Hearts

He walked into the door late that evening, with every intention of collapsing into his bed and sleeping for the rest of the year. He was exhausted, and it shone through every pore as he closed the door and met his wife's eyes.

"You look terrible."

"Oh gee thanks baby, you look stunning yourself," he grumbled as he moved over to the couch.

"Nope," she suddenly stood up, and turned him towards the stair case, "Your son needs someone to talk to."

"Which son?" Chandler asked weakly.

"The sixteen year old, obviously," she replied, "He's locked himself in his room."

"And I can fix this because?"

"You're a man, you understand what heart break is…"

"Oh boy," Chandler nodded, setting his brief case down he handed his wife his dress coat and headed upstairs.

The twins had rooms directly across from each other, while Daniel's room was across from his parent's room. Chandler glanced into his daughter's room, and offered the beautiful girl a gentle smile. She lay on her bed, books strewn in front of her. Turning to face Jack's room, he knocked lightly and waited for a reply.

"Jack, it's dad, open up, please," he finished trying to make it sound less rude and more caring. The only reply was the click from the door, as it opened a crack. Chandler sent up a silent prayer that he and his son had a good solid bond. "Hey buddy, I hear you're not feeling so hot."

Jack lay on his bed, feet by his pillow, as the boy hung his head over the end of his bed, looking as tired as his father felt. Chandler could just make out the trail of tears from earlier. Unsure what else to do, Chandler sat down on the bed, and took up a similar position as his son. "I know you're going to hate to hear this, and I can't say my dad always said it—because well my dad was never there. But, I know how you feel."

"You do?" Jack asked skeptically as he glanced over at his father.

"Oh yeah, up until your mom and I started dating, I was dumped by practically every woman I went out with. Some were far more serious than others. If you're mother had dumped me, I don't know what I would have done. You're not alone Jack, I'm sorry you got my women trouble, but I promise you that one day you'll meet the girl of your dreams."

"How do you know?"

"I found your mom didn't I? So it took a while, you've got so many years ahead of you son. You're just beginning to have fun in life. Don't be in such a hurry to grow up."

"Dad—" the boy paused for a moment.

Smiling Chandler wrapped an arm around his son, "Me too son, me too."

My Little Boy

Monica had dreamed of this moment in all her life, but now she stood, fixing her son's tie as he prepared to graduate. "Mom, straighten it further and I'll suffocate before they even call me."

Monica grinned, so he had gotten his father's wit and sarcasm. She looked up into those eyes; he towered over her now, and his father. "I'm proud of you Jack, so is your father."

"Mom, I just wanted to thank you," he paused and smiled, "You and dad have been everything to me, you guys didn't have to adopt Erica and me…"

"Yes we did Jack, because I knew from the moment I met your mom that you two would be my babies. Mind you at the time I figured there was only one of them. You made all my dreams come true sweetheart."

He smiled and pulled his mother closer, "I couldn't wish for a better mother, and I love you. Dad is superman to me, but if you want to know a lot about a kid just look at his mother. You've made me who I am."

She felt tears welling in her eyes as she nodded. "Thank you Jack, thank you for being my little boy for so many years."

"Hey, are you two ready to go?" Erica asked as she came bounding into the room, decked completely out in her white graduation gown.

"Oh you're so beautiful!" cried Monica as she reached out and pulled her daughter in close. She looked over at Jack and suddenly pulled him in for a hug as well, "I am so proud of the both of you. So very proud of the adult you're becoming."

She's Perfect

Jack sat on the couch, seriousness written all over his face as he looked at his parents, "Mom, dad—I think I've found her."

"Son?" Chandler questioned, a word he could never get over, he had two sons, full grown and fine young men.

"You remember Jenny? From school?"

Monica grinned widely, "Yeah?"

Jack shrugged, "We ran into one another a couple months back, well apparently—I want to ask her to marry me."

"That's great!" cheered Chandler as he stood up and all but grabbed his son in a hug. "How long have you been considering this?"

"I don't know…since the day we met again, it's like you said about mom—you just knew she was the one from the moment you met her. We've been friends all through school dad, I just know she's the one I belong with. Why would she have come back into my life after all this trouble with Kelli."

Monica smiled, amazed at how similar her husband and eldest child were, "If you're sure then we'll completely back you up," replied Monica as she reached out to hug her eldest.

"She doesn't know yet—but I was thinking maybe having Ben and Danny being my best men. Since you guys had two…"

Chandler nodded, "You'll have to ask them, but I'm sure they'll appreciate that son."

O0o

"We'd like to call the mother of the groom, and father of the bride up at this time," the DJ spoke. Monica glanced around at her friends, people she hadn't seen in years. But the blue eyes of her husband stuck out the most as she stood and accepted her son's gentle hands.

Mother and son danced slowly as Monica held her grown man close. "Are you okay?" questioned Jack as he heard his mother begin to whimper.

"I'm just so happy," she cried, trying to control herself.

The laugh that followed was so familiar to her ears that she had to pull away and make sure she was really dancing with Jack. "Thanks mom," he pressed a kiss to his mother's head, the way she had for all those years and smiled, "I'm not leaving you guys mom, you'll always be my mom."

"I know sweetie, you've just grown so fast," Monica whimpered.

Hugging her tighter around the waist, Jack sighed, "I'm glad everyone could make it mom."

"Anything for you sweetheart."

"I have another surprise mom," the boy grinned at her, "You're going to have your first grand child in seven months."

"Are you serious?"

A grin spread across the boy's handsome features and he nodded, "Oh yeah, we found out a couple days ago. It was an accident, but a great one. She hasn't told her parents yet, however she felt you and dad should know."

Smiling, Monica caught her son's face between her hands and shook her head, "You've made me the happiest mother on this planet," she pressed a soft kiss to his forehead in return to his earlier kiss.

"I love you mom."

TBC