:The title for this fanfic is taken from the episode of Ally McBeal that Matthew Perry starred in and I thought it was appropriate. That episode has absolutely NOTHING to with this, I just loved that title. (I don't own Ally McBeal by the way.) Anyway, this fanfic is set slightly in the future. Here's the background information – all the friends characters are in their mid to late 30's. When Monica was 23, she met Richard Burke. They rushed into a marriage when Monica got pregnant. When Monica's daughter, Jenny, was 2 years old she divorced Richard and moved back into her old apartment with Jenny. Jenny is now 12 years old. Rachel and Ross are now married and their daughter Emma, is now 4 years old. Ben, Ross' son, is 9 years old. Chandler and Joey still live across the hall from Monica and Jenny. Phoebe still lives on her own. This story is told in the perspective of Jenny. She is telling the reader how she sees her mother's and her mother's friends' lives. A bit like a diary of her feelings I guess. You'll get it as you go along I think. Lol The style is based on the book 'By The Shore' by Galaxy Craze. I do not own 'By The Shore.' Enjoy and please review!:

Love Is All Around Chapter 1 – The Holidays

I love the holidays. There is no need to do any homework until at least the final week before we go back to school. Funny… it gets boring sometimes, doesn't it?

Being a 12 year old in New York means I cannot walk the streets by myself. My mom warns me of people who just grab you and you're never to be seen again. Ok, so, that's not very nice, but do I really need to ask my babysitter to keep me company on a minute's walk to the coffee house?

That's what happened to me today on this cold, fall afternoon. Chandler Bing, my mom's best friend, insisted that I do not walk alone.

"I'm not a baby!" I said to him.

"No…no," he admitted, grinning at me, "but I'll come with you anyway!"

I like Chandler. He has a great sense of humour. He's my favourite babysitter and we have great fun together. Sometimes, he lets me go into work with him so I can play on his computer. My mom has never had a bad word to say about him. He's kind of like the father I never had and he never yells at me for being cheeky!

I haven't seen my father since I was two years old. I don't remember him much, apart from the little memories of his apartment that keep coming back to me. My mom doesn't like to talk about him much and I don't blame her. Ten of my birthdays have gone since we left, and not one present.

Chandler hates him! He can't believe that my dad has never called or wrote a letter. It makes him angry…it makes me angry. I remember the talk Chandler and my mom had a few weeks ago. I wasn't supposed to be listening, but just as long as they don't know I'm listening, I don't care.

"You realise it's Jenny's birthday next week?" Chandler had asked my mom.

"Yes of course I do," my mom had answered.

"Well, has Richard called?"

"No."

Then, through the gap of my almost closed bedroom door, I saw Chandler hold my mother as she cried.

****

I've noticed something about my mom and Chandler. Their friendship is so different to my mom's friendship with Phoebe Buffay and Joey Tribbiani. They seem happier when they're together than when they're apart.

Now as I walked with Chandler to Central Perk, that old coffee house I love, I asked him, "Do you like Mom?"

Chandler turned and smiled at me. "Of course I do," he replied in that soft tone he does whenever he speaks of my mom, "She's my best friend."

I nodded. I thought of my Uncle Ross, my mom's brother, and his wife Rachel. "Rachel and Ross are friends…and they're married." I pointed out.

Chandler chuckled, "After what they've been through over the years, I 'm just happy they're still talking…forget they're married!"

"How did they first get together?" I asked him. I have heard this story lots of times before, and in the later parts can remember seeing it happen, but it still makes me laugh. They're on…they're off…they're on…

"Well lets see…" and Chandler then goes on to tell me the story of the 'lobsters', as Phoebe still calls them.

*****

We arrived home hours after dinner. As usual, the whole group was there. Joey was talking to Phoebe; Ross and Rachel were talking to my mom; Emma, Ross and Rachel's 4-year-old daughter was watching a cartoon on TV.

"Hello children," Chandler greeted, settling down on the couch.

"Hey Chandler," Joey said, "Can I borrow five bucks?"

Chandler rolled his eyes and winked at me. I giggled. Joey was always borrowing money off Chandler and he never paid him back. I thought it was ironic whenever Joey said 'borrow.'

"So what have you two been up to?" My mom asked Chandler and I.

"We just went to the coffee house," Chandler answered, "I still couldn't believe Gunther still works there!"

Every time someone talks about Gunther, I want to laugh. None of this group seemed to realise that the only reason he still works at that place is so he can be close to his 'crush', Rachel. Poor Gunther.

Even though Ross and Rachel are married, and my mom has been through a marriage and divorce, this group still see each other everyday. We're like a family. I visit my Uncle Ross' 9-year-old son, Ben, all the time. We're cousins, but really we're like brother and sister. It's the same with Emma. I'm the oldest, so I get to boss everyone around. Joey and Phoebe are like another Uncle and Aunt.

"So Monica," Rachel turned to my mom with a cheeky smile, "Ross told me you have a date tomorrow."

"A date?" Chandler asked. I noticed the way he looked when he said that. His face was expressionless, but there was something in his eyes.

"Um…yes," my mom answered, looking down at her hands, "I do." She turned to me. "Are you ok with that?" she asked.

I shrugged my shoulders. My mom asked me that every time and I always said, "Yes." I don't know why she keeps asking me. It's not as if my opinion will make a difference anyway. Twelve year olds don't have an opinion. You just do as you're told and to hell with it.

"So who are you going out with?" Chandler asked my mom. Here we go…the questioning starts. It's like a ritual. It gets really boring.

"I'm off to bed," I announced. Anything to get away from that look on Chandler's face, it looked so sad.

I hugged my mom and went in my room. This room used to be Rachel's before she got pregnant and moved in with Ross. I wonder whether she ever missed living here with my mom. I don't miss her. When she lived here, I had to share in mom's bedroom. Now, I get my own space.

It's funny that as soon as I leave the room, the conversation that carries on becomes much more interesting…and different. I lay down on my bed and listened to what was going on.

"So, is he cute?" Rachel asked my mom.

"He's ok," my mom answered. I rolled my eyes. How original. Couldn't she have said, 'he's interesting' just for something different?

"Ok as in he's a geek or ok as in he is so cute?" Chandler quipped, causing Joey and Phoebe to start laughing.

I wasn't laughing. The joke was for the benefit of Uncle Ross, Rachel, Joey and Phoebe. For mom, it was just to show her that he didn't care whom she went out with. He did care… I know he did. Why couldn't anyone else see that? Unless I'm imagining stuff, after all I'm only 12.

END OF CHAPTER ONE

:I hope you like this style of writing. Sorry if it's a bit short, but this first part is really just an introduction. I promise it will get better if you don't like it!: