Sleeping Beauty

Chapter One

Ross watched her sleep. He could not believe all that had happened in the last four years. Just then he heard his son crying from across the hall, so he got out of bed and took one

last look at his wife before going in to see James. He walked into the nursery. "Hey buddy" he said as he picked up his two and half year old son.

"Daddy?" Murmured the sleepy two-year old, as Ross picked him up slowly.

"What's up, Jamie?" Ross asked as he gently rocked his son side to side. He was cold and tired in the early winter morning air, but he was secretly happy that his son needed his help.

"I had a nightmare; there was a monster in my cupboard." mumbled the still sleepy son to his daddy.

Ross smiled at the cliché dream, one he had experienced as a child. "I can assure you, there are no such things as monsters, and it's a scientific fact. There are legends of the, so called, Big Foot and Loch Ness Monster, but there is absolutely no proof that they exist, and even if there was, I doubt that they would be lurking in your cupboard."

Jamie took a while to take in all of this information. His father had a habit of talking too "grown up" for him to understand. "So, there's no monster?" said Jamie simply, trying to make sense of his father's science jargon.

"Exactly," his father smiled, glad that his son understood what he had being saying. Jamie was quite clever for his age; Rachel said that he took after Ross, but he kindly insisted that it was Rachel's kindness and gorgeous looks that he inherited, although he liked to think that what Rachel said was true. "So, are you going to go back to sleep for me now?"

"Okay," smiled Jamie as his father placed him back in his crib. He gave a big yawn and then lay back down.

"Goodnight Jamie." Ross tucked him in and kissed him goodnight.

He walked slowly back to his and Rachel's room, still slightly dazed over the fact that he was happily married with three wonderful children. He had never thought that it could actually happen. He had married Rachel only six months after they'd got back together, they didn't want to wait any longer than they had to. Jamie had been born a year later. Emma was now six and a half and Ben, who stayed at their house often, was thirteen and beginning to become a real "teenager". He spent more time with his friends than family and didn't think twice about answering back. Rachel, Carol and Susan both assured Ross that it was just his age and that it happened to every boy, but that

Didn't stop Ross worrying that it was somehow his fault. He wondered if he had pushed him too hard or expected too much, he just tried not to think about it and hoped that things turned out okay. Emma was doing well in first grade, she loved it draw and play, but she was defiantly Rachel's daughter, she had the same fashion taste as her mother. Her aunties, Monica and Phoebe, were sure she would follow in her mothers foot steps in the fashion world. Jamie was walking and talking and everything else a normal two year old should be doing, although his vocabulary was much more improved and he always seemed to understand things better.

Ross' mind then went back to work, as it often did. He was extremely busy; he had to go off to several archaeology conferences and digs each month, he treasured all the time he spent with his family. He was just glad that they had such a good nanny; Rachel now owned her own fashion line which also consumed a lot of time. However, they tried to fit as much family time in as possible.

Ross finally reached his and Rachel's room. When Rachel had been expecting Jamie they had decided that they should move out of the city. In the end they decided to move to Westchester, as Monica and Chandler had done. They actually lived right next door to them, the house that Janice hadn't bought because she thought the Chandler was in love with her! Ross smiled to himself as he remembered Chandler telling him. The house had trouble finding a buyer and in the end it was him and Rachel. Phoebe and Mike had moved onto that same street before them and set up a family themselves. In the past three years they'd had three sets of twins! Ross shook his head in disbelief as he climbed into bed. Frank and Felicity were the oldest at three years, then there was Lily and Ophelia, the two year olds and then the youngest, one year olds Mike Jr. and Phoebo, the two boys. Ross was amazed that the name Phoebo hadn't caused an argument between the two of them, if it had been Rachel suggesting the name Phoebo then all hell would have broke loose, but Mike just accepted it and moved on. The craziest thing was that Phoebe was pregnant again! However, it was just a single boy this time. Phoebe was six months pregnant and very excited, although they had decided not to have anymore. As Ross lay down he laughed quietly to himself, Phoebe had always said that she wanted her own family to be like the Von Trapp's, now she had her seven singers, although Ross wasn't sure how the children would feel about that! Then there was Joey, the biggest suprise of all! He was still living in the city with a fourteen year old daughter called Ruby Charlotte Anna Marie Tribianni! Ruby was the result of a one night stand. Her mother had died and she'd gone to find her father, Joey! They now lived in the same apartment that Chandler had shared with Joey four years ago. She took after Joey in most things but she had her mother's brains. Joey was coping quite well with parenthood, better than expected. Although it meant he couldn't go out on dates the same, but he was actually enjoying being a father. Ross could hardly believe that Joey had been the first of all the friends to be a parent.

"Hey Honey," smiled Rachel as she turned over to rest her head on Ross' chest, "What was up with Jamie?"

"Oh, monster's in his closet."

"Oh." Rachel laughed. "I hope there aren't any monsters in our closet because I was planning of us doing something that I wouldn't really want anyone to see."

Ross raised his eyebrows and smiled at her. "I think that's a pretty good idea." He began to kiss her, first the mouth, then her neck. Rachel moaned softly at the touch of his lips. They were so soft, she was glad now that he had insisted on using chap-sticks. "I love you Rachel."

"I love you too." They then gave into their passion and suddenly they were in their own world. A world where there was no work or stress, only them.

***

It was one month later and Rachel was visiting Monica on an early Saturday morning. They were drinking coffee and Rachel looked nervous.

"What's wrong, Rachel? You've barely drank anything." Monica saw that her friend was thinking about something.

"Erm, well, I think I have some news." Rachel confessed, finally putting her untouched coffee down; although making sure to put it on a coaster, she didn't want to anger Monica at eight o'clock on a Saturday morning.

"Go on."

"I think I'm pregnant again!"

"Oh my God, Rachel, that's great news! Have you done a test, have you had an ultrasound, do you know the sex?" Monica jumped up to hug her friend whilst asking all of these questions.

Rachel laughed. "Mon, I don't know anything yet. It could still be a false alarm; I don't want to get excited about anything yet before I know if it's really going to happen. You know what that's like." Rachel was referring to the time Monica thought that she may have been pregnant. She and Chandler had never given up hope that they may still have children of their own, even though they loved their adopted children so much.

"I know," said Monica sadly, "but Rach, just think, you may be having another child with Ross! Just think how amazing that would be!" Monica was so excited for her friend, but Rachel found it hard to be excited. All she could think was what if she wasn't really pregnant? She couldn't get her hopes up without knowing for definite.

"It wouldn't be amazing; it would be the best thing in the world that could happen right now! I'm just not going to get excited until I know for certain!"

"Well," grinned Monica, "why don't we find out?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I have a spare pregnancy test upstairs and I'm willing to let you have it."

Rachel stared at Monica, suddenly saddened by her friend's undying hope that someday she may still have a baby. "Mon, why do you have a pregnancy test?"

"Oh, that. I had another false alarm a while back but Aunt Flow came before I had the chance to use it." Monica smiled through her lies. She actually just kept a few, just in case. She just couldn't stop praying to one day have a child of her own.

"Okay." Replied Rachel. She wanted to believe her friend but she knew that if there had been another false alarm then Monica would have told her.

"So, will you take the test?" Monica asked.

"Fine, if it'll make you happy." Rachel laughed, but secretly she wanted to find out too.

***

Rachel and Monica sat in the bathroom waiting. "So, what do you want it to be? Boy or girl?"

"Oh, I don't know, I guess another girl would be nice. I feel like I have two sons already, Ben practically lives with us now that Carol and Susan have got the new baby."

Carol and Susan had adopted a baby girl together, her name was Helen. They had decided that they wanted a child of their own. However, Helen took up most of their time and so Ben stayed at Ross and Rachel's a lot.

"It's not right, you know, that Ben should be pushed out for the new baby. It's hard enough that his mums' are lesbians. He's at "that age" now, as well. He's bound to feel changes and maybe even jealousy and anger at his mums" Monica shook her head as she thought of poor Ben. His life seem rather odd compared to other children's. He often got bullied as well due to the fact that he had, "two mums".

"Yeah, I suppose..."

"Oh, Rachel! It's time!" Monica stared at her friend feeling both scared and excited for her. "Are you ready?"

"As I'll ever be." Rachel picked up the pregnancy test and looked at it silently whilst Monica watched in nervous anticipation. "I'm…"

TBC…..