Fake Plastic Trees: Chapter 7- I've Got You, Babe
Summary: and baby makes three...
Rating: PG-13
It started at around 9 am. She came out of the shower and told him she had been having stomach cramps all morning. Needless to say, there was that predictable, momentary "Ross panic". Before he had adequate time to flip out, she told him that it wasn't that bad and if they just left for the hospital then, they'd get there with plenty of time. Immediately, he mentally kicked himself in the ass for not holding himself together better. For the next few hour, he thought, he had to be the stable one. Usually, it was her who brought him back down to Earth. Now, it was his turn to repay her. Stay calm...
They had gotten to the hospital in just under 10 minutes ( of course, he had timed all of the possible routes weeks beforehand). Ross had called the others in the car, and they arrived only moments afterward. They didn't make it in time to see Rachel before she was taken to the private room, though, so Ross came out to greet them.
[Scene: Small waiting room in the hallway near Rachel's room. Chandler, Monica, Phoebe, and Joey are all waiting anxiously. Ross emerges from the room.]
Everyone: Hey! How's she doing? What's going on?
Ross: Hey, we just got here a few minutes ago. She's doing fine. I think it's still going to be a while.
Monica: Are we allowed to see her?
Ross: Yeah, sure. Only one at a time, though. The doctor said no more than two people were allowed in at a time.
Monica (jumps up): ME FIRST!
Chandler (surprised): Woah! Easy, Tiger. (To Ross) See what you've done, now? There are going to be expectations!
Ross (chuckles): Come on, you'll love it when it happens.
Joey: I know, man, I can't wait to have kids!
Ross and Chandler (staring at him): Really?
Joey: I don't know, it just seemed like the thing to say.
[Scene: Inside Rachel's private room. She looks pretty exhausted, now. Ross enters with a glass of water.]
Rachel: Hi, thanks.
Ross: Hey. How are you holding up?
Rachel (frustrated): Ugh, Ross, this sucks! How long has it been?
Ross (looks at watch): Three hours.
Rachel (outraged): What? That's all?
Ross: Yeah. I'm sorry, Sweety. You're doing such a great job, though.
Rachel: See, that's just something people say! What's "doing a good job"? What, just because I haven't passed out yet?
Ross (speechless): Uh...I love you?
Rachel (half smiles): Yeah, just stick to that.
[Scene: Ross is sitting in the waiting room with his head in his hands. He looks worn out and anxious. Chandler walks by and notices him sitting there.]
Chandler: Hey, man, you okay?
Ross (looks up): Huh? Oh, yeah, I guess.
Chandler: What're you doing out here?
Ross: The doctor's doing the internal exam. I have to leave for that.
Chandler: Have to?
Ross: Yeah, or, you know, I'd like to be able to look at my wife again without picturing THAT.
Chandler: There you go. (sits down) You sure everything's okay?
Ross (hesitates): Actually, um...(lowers voice)...I don't know.
Chandler (concerned): What do you mean?
Ross: Well, I was talking to the doctor earlier, and she said she thought there might be a problem.
Chandler: What? Is it something serious?
Ross (obviously upset, but still lowered voice): I don't know! I mean, she says she doesn't think it'll affect the baby, but it's looking like Rachel's pelvis is too small for the baby.
Chandler: Yeah, but doesn't that happen a lot? I mean, can't they just do a Cesarean?
Ross: I asked them that, and they said they didn't want to resort to one until they were sure, but that runs the risk of her losing a lot of blood. I know it's probably nothing, but it's freaking me out, man. I mean, she's so small...I don't know if her body will be able to cope with a lot of blood loss.
Chandler (pats him in the back): I know, man. I'm sure it'll be okay, though.
Ross: The doctor also mentioned something about the possibility of a "tearing"...
Chandler (removes his hand from Ross' back): ...and that's when we stop explaining.
Ross (runs hands through hair): Sorry, I just don't know what to do. I have to go back in there soon, but I don't want to tell her. I don't want to freak her out when it might be nothing.
Chandler: Yeah... (stops his thought)
Ross: What?
Chandler: You know, Monica's really better with this kind of stuff.
Ross (nods): Yeah, well, thanks anyway. I'm going to head back in.
[Scene: The doctor is sitting at Rachel's feet, doing...something. Ross is by her head, holding her hand.]
Rachel: God, Ross, I can't do this anymore!
Ross: Shh, yes you can. You're doing fine. Just keep it up.
Doctor: You're at about 9 centimeters, so it won't be much longer. I'll be back in a few minutes to check in.
Ross (kisses her hand): Come on, Sweety, you're almost there.
Rachel (throws her head back): God, this is too hard!
Ross: Nothing's too hard for you, Rach. You can do this, I know you can. It'll be over in just a few more minutes.
After about 15 more minutes, the doctor revealed that it was time to go to the delivery room. Ross held her hand the entire time. His ears were ringing from her screaming and he was fairly certain that he would be suffering from severe numbness and abrasions on his fingers for at least the next few days...but it was all worth it in that one moment. In that one, dreamlike moment, when the room around him was a haze and time steamed to stand still...he could not think of anything else but her face. She had the most beautiful baby blue eyes and golden brown hair that he had ever seen. For an instant, he almost forgot to breath. He had forgotten what this felt like. It had been eight years since Ben's birth, and though he loved his son more than life itself, those circumstances hadn't exactly been idea. This, on the other hand...he couldn't describe it in a million pages, in a million years. He had just had a baby, a beautiful baby girl, with the only women he had ever truly loved since he was 15. He looked down at Rachel, with tears streaming from her eyes, and it was only a matter of seconds before he could feel the warm wetness dripping down his own cheeks.
Ross: She's gorgeous.
Rachel: I know...God, I can't believe she's here.
Ross: I can.
She looked at him and smiled, placing a soft, lingering kiss on the lips. He had always believed in them. From the moment she ran into Central Perk, eight years ago, soaking wet and wearing a wedding dress from another man...he had known that this is where they would end up.
Doctor: Have you come up with a name yet?
Rachel:...Emma.
Ross (started): So you like Emma, after all?
Rachel (smiling) : Well, she's clearly an Emma.
Ross: Yeah...she is. Hello Emma.
[Scene: A different private room than before. Rachel's in the bed with Emma and Ross is standing next to them, stroking Emma's arm. The other four are existing from their visit.]
Rachel: I think she has your lips and nose.
Ross: My lips? I didn't know I had distinct lips.
Rachel: Oh, you definitely do, and she got them.
Ross: Well, maybe, but those are definitely you're eyes. I would recognize those anywhere.
Rachel looked up at him and smiled. He bent and kissed the top of her head and she scooted over to let him sit beside her. He wrapped an arm around her and absentmindedly rubbed her shoulder.
Rachel: How did you know, Ross?
Ross: How did I know what?
Rachel: That this is where we would end up. That this was what was right for us.
Ross (pauses):...because it's you and me.
End of Chapter 7. To Be Continued...
(Note: Don't you just love these precious little moments we have together at the end of each chapter? Yes, yes, you know. I hope you enjoyed this one. I actually had a lot of time tonight, so I made it a little longer than the usual chapter. I guess that was necessary to accommodate all of the elements I was trying to stuff into the birth. In case you were wondering, I didn't come back to the whole Cesarean thing again on purpose. I only put it in there as a little teaser...I know, I'm mean. Like I said, though, this story is pretty much intended to be angst-free. Only 1 chapter to go.)
Summary: and baby makes three...
Rating: PG-13
It started at around 9 am. She came out of the shower and told him she had been having stomach cramps all morning. Needless to say, there was that predictable, momentary "Ross panic". Before he had adequate time to flip out, she told him that it wasn't that bad and if they just left for the hospital then, they'd get there with plenty of time. Immediately, he mentally kicked himself in the ass for not holding himself together better. For the next few hour, he thought, he had to be the stable one. Usually, it was her who brought him back down to Earth. Now, it was his turn to repay her. Stay calm...
They had gotten to the hospital in just under 10 minutes ( of course, he had timed all of the possible routes weeks beforehand). Ross had called the others in the car, and they arrived only moments afterward. They didn't make it in time to see Rachel before she was taken to the private room, though, so Ross came out to greet them.
[Scene: Small waiting room in the hallway near Rachel's room. Chandler, Monica, Phoebe, and Joey are all waiting anxiously. Ross emerges from the room.]
Everyone: Hey! How's she doing? What's going on?
Ross: Hey, we just got here a few minutes ago. She's doing fine. I think it's still going to be a while.
Monica: Are we allowed to see her?
Ross: Yeah, sure. Only one at a time, though. The doctor said no more than two people were allowed in at a time.
Monica (jumps up): ME FIRST!
Chandler (surprised): Woah! Easy, Tiger. (To Ross) See what you've done, now? There are going to be expectations!
Ross (chuckles): Come on, you'll love it when it happens.
Joey: I know, man, I can't wait to have kids!
Ross and Chandler (staring at him): Really?
Joey: I don't know, it just seemed like the thing to say.
[Scene: Inside Rachel's private room. She looks pretty exhausted, now. Ross enters with a glass of water.]
Rachel: Hi, thanks.
Ross: Hey. How are you holding up?
Rachel (frustrated): Ugh, Ross, this sucks! How long has it been?
Ross (looks at watch): Three hours.
Rachel (outraged): What? That's all?
Ross: Yeah. I'm sorry, Sweety. You're doing such a great job, though.
Rachel: See, that's just something people say! What's "doing a good job"? What, just because I haven't passed out yet?
Ross (speechless): Uh...I love you?
Rachel (half smiles): Yeah, just stick to that.
[Scene: Ross is sitting in the waiting room with his head in his hands. He looks worn out and anxious. Chandler walks by and notices him sitting there.]
Chandler: Hey, man, you okay?
Ross (looks up): Huh? Oh, yeah, I guess.
Chandler: What're you doing out here?
Ross: The doctor's doing the internal exam. I have to leave for that.
Chandler: Have to?
Ross: Yeah, or, you know, I'd like to be able to look at my wife again without picturing THAT.
Chandler: There you go. (sits down) You sure everything's okay?
Ross (hesitates): Actually, um...(lowers voice)...I don't know.
Chandler (concerned): What do you mean?
Ross: Well, I was talking to the doctor earlier, and she said she thought there might be a problem.
Chandler: What? Is it something serious?
Ross (obviously upset, but still lowered voice): I don't know! I mean, she says she doesn't think it'll affect the baby, but it's looking like Rachel's pelvis is too small for the baby.
Chandler: Yeah, but doesn't that happen a lot? I mean, can't they just do a Cesarean?
Ross: I asked them that, and they said they didn't want to resort to one until they were sure, but that runs the risk of her losing a lot of blood. I know it's probably nothing, but it's freaking me out, man. I mean, she's so small...I don't know if her body will be able to cope with a lot of blood loss.
Chandler (pats him in the back): I know, man. I'm sure it'll be okay, though.
Ross: The doctor also mentioned something about the possibility of a "tearing"...
Chandler (removes his hand from Ross' back): ...and that's when we stop explaining.
Ross (runs hands through hair): Sorry, I just don't know what to do. I have to go back in there soon, but I don't want to tell her. I don't want to freak her out when it might be nothing.
Chandler: Yeah... (stops his thought)
Ross: What?
Chandler: You know, Monica's really better with this kind of stuff.
Ross (nods): Yeah, well, thanks anyway. I'm going to head back in.
[Scene: The doctor is sitting at Rachel's feet, doing...something. Ross is by her head, holding her hand.]
Rachel: God, Ross, I can't do this anymore!
Ross: Shh, yes you can. You're doing fine. Just keep it up.
Doctor: You're at about 9 centimeters, so it won't be much longer. I'll be back in a few minutes to check in.
Ross (kisses her hand): Come on, Sweety, you're almost there.
Rachel (throws her head back): God, this is too hard!
Ross: Nothing's too hard for you, Rach. You can do this, I know you can. It'll be over in just a few more minutes.
After about 15 more minutes, the doctor revealed that it was time to go to the delivery room. Ross held her hand the entire time. His ears were ringing from her screaming and he was fairly certain that he would be suffering from severe numbness and abrasions on his fingers for at least the next few days...but it was all worth it in that one moment. In that one, dreamlike moment, when the room around him was a haze and time steamed to stand still...he could not think of anything else but her face. She had the most beautiful baby blue eyes and golden brown hair that he had ever seen. For an instant, he almost forgot to breath. He had forgotten what this felt like. It had been eight years since Ben's birth, and though he loved his son more than life itself, those circumstances hadn't exactly been idea. This, on the other hand...he couldn't describe it in a million pages, in a million years. He had just had a baby, a beautiful baby girl, with the only women he had ever truly loved since he was 15. He looked down at Rachel, with tears streaming from her eyes, and it was only a matter of seconds before he could feel the warm wetness dripping down his own cheeks.
Ross: She's gorgeous.
Rachel: I know...God, I can't believe she's here.
Ross: I can.
She looked at him and smiled, placing a soft, lingering kiss on the lips. He had always believed in them. From the moment she ran into Central Perk, eight years ago, soaking wet and wearing a wedding dress from another man...he had known that this is where they would end up.
Doctor: Have you come up with a name yet?
Rachel:...Emma.
Ross (started): So you like Emma, after all?
Rachel (smiling) : Well, she's clearly an Emma.
Ross: Yeah...she is. Hello Emma.
[Scene: A different private room than before. Rachel's in the bed with Emma and Ross is standing next to them, stroking Emma's arm. The other four are existing from their visit.]
Rachel: I think she has your lips and nose.
Ross: My lips? I didn't know I had distinct lips.
Rachel: Oh, you definitely do, and she got them.
Ross: Well, maybe, but those are definitely you're eyes. I would recognize those anywhere.
Rachel looked up at him and smiled. He bent and kissed the top of her head and she scooted over to let him sit beside her. He wrapped an arm around her and absentmindedly rubbed her shoulder.
Rachel: How did you know, Ross?
Ross: How did I know what?
Rachel: That this is where we would end up. That this was what was right for us.
Ross (pauses):...because it's you and me.
End of Chapter 7. To Be Continued...
(Note: Don't you just love these precious little moments we have together at the end of each chapter? Yes, yes, you know. I hope you enjoyed this one. I actually had a lot of time tonight, so I made it a little longer than the usual chapter. I guess that was necessary to accommodate all of the elements I was trying to stuff into the birth. In case you were wondering, I didn't come back to the whole Cesarean thing again on purpose. I only put it in there as a little teaser...I know, I'm mean. Like I said, though, this story is pretty much intended to be angst-free. Only 1 chapter to go.)