Reality Sets In.

Post-finale, Mondler, Chandler and Monica start to struggle financially with the unexpected twins.

Set 6 months after the finale.

Continued from Part 2…

Monica was changing the twins when she heard Joey yell out for her. She gently placed her babies back into their cribs then rushed into her and Chandler's bedroom. She found Joey standing next to Chandler, fear in his eyes and he was giving out their address to someone on the phone. When he hung up he turned to Monica.

"Mon I talked to the doctor, he told me to call an ambulance." Monica let out a cry and flew at Chandler. She cradled Chandler and sobbed.

And now the conclusion…

Monica held Chandler's hand all the way to the hospital, Joey stayed behind to look after the twins and wait for Phoebe then he was going to make his way to the hospital while Phoebe stayed with Jack and Erica.

Monica was crying in the waiting room when Ross and Rachel ran in.

"Oh Mon," Ross said engulfing her in a hug.

"I can't believe this is happening." Monica sobbed.

"Has the doctor talked to you yet?" Rachel asked while joining the hug.

Monica shook her head and ran her hands through her hair.

She sat down and whispered. "Please let him be ok."

They sat there in silence until finally a doctor came up to them.

"Mrs. Bing?" He asked.

"Yes that's me," she took a deep breath and ran her hands through her hair. "How's Chandler?"

The doctor paused. "Mr. Bing has a severe case of flu which has developed into bronchitis."

Monica's hands flew to her mouth and Ross put an arm around her shoulders in support. "Will he be okay?"

"He should make a full recovery, however I am concerned how badly this virus has affected Mr. Bing. From his medical records he appears to be a healthy 35 year old man. We've run tests and currently awaiting the results, have you noticed any decline in you husband's health?"

"Well he's been working very hard recently, lots of extra hours plus our children and I both had the flu. He was the last one to get it." Monica shook her head sadly, "He's been pushing himself too hard." She finished quietly.

The doctor sighed. "Sounds like he has." He paused. "He's sleeping now, he's temperature is still higher than normal but it's no longer dangerously high. We've incubated him to stop the chronic coughing and breathlessness. We've given him antibiotics and a sedative to help him sleep."

"Can we see him?" Monica asked.

"Of course, he's in room 291, down the hall and to the right," he pointed. "I'll come back when we get the results." He politely smiled and walked away.

When Monica entered Chandler's room her heart jumped, he looked so small and frail, engulfed in the large hospital bed. He had a tube down his throat which was attached to a respirator and lots of wires on his chest and arms, hooked up to other machines. He was very pale and had dark shadows under his eyes, every few seconds his body would slightly shake; he still had a slight fever. Monica walked over and sat down in the chair next to his bed. She leant forward and her left hand held his hand while her right hand caressed his face.

Ross and Rachel stood in the doorway and watched them, after a few minutes they heard Monica cry softly. Ross stepped forward but Rachel stopped him and nodded for them to leave. They closed the door behind them and sat in the corridor keeping an eye out for Joey.

Monica heard the door click behind her and was grateful that they had left her alone with Chandler. She sat there, stroking his face and whispering how much she loved him and wanted him to get better. Eventually Monica fell asleep with her head on Chandler's bed and her hand tightly wrapped around his.

What the…? Something was in his throat, Chandler panicked. His eyes flew open, his mind battling the black void that was trying to overtake him. White ceiling, he mused in between panicked thoughts, he clenched his hands. Monica, she rushed into his mind when he felt her delicate hand wrapped around his, he turned his head, which in turn stirred the sleeping Monica.

Monica woke when she felt his hand squeeze hers. She lifted her head and saw her husband's beautiful blue eyes stare into hers, she saw panic and confusion. Chandler's free hand had moved to his mouth in an attempt to remove the tube from his throat, Monica noticed and her free hand intercepted his.

"Its okay sweetie, you're in hospital. The tube is helping you breath."

Chandler was still panicking, he was trying to breath but he couldn't, the black void loomed closer, his eyes started to roll back in his head as he hit a full blown panic attack and his limbs started to shake.

"Chandler!" Monica yelled, "look at me, hey," she leant over and shook his shoulders. "Come on baby, calm down." She ended gently.

Chandler did his best to fight the panic; he relaxed a little and managed to meet Monica's eyes.

"That's it baby." Monica soothed Chandler.

Chandler didn't break eye contact until the void completely engulfed him.

Joey had arrived a few hours earlier and had staked outside Chandler's room with Ross and Rachel. Rachel had eventually fallen asleep on Ross and he rested his head on hers, then Ross fell asleep.

Joey couldn't sleep.

He sat there waiting for hours, every now and then popping his head into Chandler's room. Last time he checked they were both fast asleep. It was about 40 minutes after he checked on Chandler when he heard Monica yell out his name.

"Chandler! Look at me, hey!"

Joey didn't think he moved quicker in his life.

He rushed into Chandler's room to find him shaking on the bed with Monica leaning over trying to calm him down. Joey stood there silent and listened to Monica's soothing words which eventually sent Chandler to sleep.

Monica stepped back; Joey stepped forward and engulfed her in a supportive hug. She quietly cried for a few minutes then broke the embrace and ran her fingers through her hair.

"I'm gonna go and find Chandler's doctor, tell him about Chandler's panic attack. Will you stay here and watch over him?" Monica asked.

"Mon of course!"

"I'll be back soon," she said quietly and walked out the door. Joey sat down and looked at Chandler; he wished he could click his fingers and make his friend better.

After about 5 minutes Monica returned with Chandler's doctor. He walked over to Chandler and looked in his eyes with his penlight. Monica saw Chandler flinch and rushed to his side, gently taking his hand. Chandler gently opened his eyes again.

"Chandler can you hear me?" The doctor asked.

Chandler nodded every so slightly.

"I'm going to remove this tube okay, when I do I want you to take a deep breath in, okay Chandler?"

Chandler nodded again. The doctor pulled the tube out and Chandler started to cough, after a few seconds the coughing eased and he turned his head towards Monica, who had tears rolling down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry I made you cry baby." Chandler whispered.

"Chandler I was so scared." She said.

"Chandler you're wife has been telling me that you have been pushing yourself hard recently." The doctor interrupted.

"I know." Chandler said quietly.

"You need to take better care of yourself, not just for you but for your family." He paused "You are suffering with a severe case of bronchitis as well as the flu. Now if your fever goes all the way down I will consider releasing you the day after tomorrow. But I want you to fully recover; I'm going to sign you off work for a week."

"But!" Chandler started to protest.

"No buts, you need to make a full recovery." The doctor ended the conversation. "Now you must excuse me."

The doctor left the room. Monica sat on the edge of the bed and held Chandler's hand. "I want you to get better baby," Monica said gently, "I'll call Steve and explain." Chandler sighed and turned his head away.

"Hey," Monica said turned his head back with her hand, "what's wrong."

"It looks like I can't cut it." Chandler said sadly.

"What? Chandler what do you mean you can't cut it?"

"I'm so much older than the other people I'm competing with for this project, the fact that I ended up in hospital doesn't look good."

"Chandler that's plain stupid, we've all been sick, you couldn't help that, and the fact that you finished the project before the deadline whilst being sick shows how good you are!"

Since Monica and the doctor came back into Chandler's room Joey had moved to the back of the room and silently watched on, concerned for this best friend. He couldn't listen to this any longer; it hurt to watch his best friend worry, so he slipped out unnoticed.

Joey started to walk down the hospital corridor; he was so deep in thought that he didn't notice he was heading for someone until it was too late.

"Ouch," Joey said, "Oh I'm sorry… Oh hi!" Joey started apologising until he recognised the man.

"Hi, Joey is it?" Steve said. "I called Chandler at home but someone said that he was in here. Is he ok?"

"Oh yeah, well he's getting better, he's in room 291 if you want to see him." Joey paused. "You know he feels bad about getting sick when he had so much work. He worked really hard on this project, he wants it so bad." Joey said.

"I know." Steve said smiling, and then he walked past Joey to Chandler's room.

The door was ajar so he knocked on the door frame. They both turned their heads towards the door.

"Hi Steve." Chandler said nervously, "come in."

"Wow Chandler you look like hell. Nothing serious I hope?" Steve said concerned.

"No, just mostly flu, I'm afraid that the doctor wants to sign me off for the next week but I'll definitely be back for the project start date that is if you want me to be back."

Steve was confused. "I'm not here to fire you Chandler, or reprimand you for being sick. I'm here to congratulate you." Steve smiled.

"What?" Chandler was now confused.

"You got the promotion Chandler. That project proposal was excellent; the standard of it was first class."

Monica hugged Chandler, Chandler look shocked. "Serious?"

"Yes." Steve simply said.

"Oh my god!" Chandler said as loud as he could.

"Congratulations Chandler." Steve said holding out his hand. Chandler took it and gave a big smile.

"Thank you so much."

"You earned it. Now get better, we'll see you bright and early Monday-week."

Steve walked out closing the door behind him.

"I'm so proud of you." Monica whispered to Chandler.

Two days Chandler was released from the hospital, Joey drove him home so Monica could stay home with the twins. As Chandler walked up the pathway with Joey it hit him how much he missed his home after just 2 days. He put his key in the lock, turned and then pushed the door open.

He was greeted by the rest of the gang and loads of congratulations balloons and banners, Monica walked up to him and gave him a hug.

"Thanks you guys, I don't know what to say." Chandler said.

He got a round of you're welcomes and then he was lead to the couch by Monica. She pushed him down and then went to bring the twins; he gave Erica to Chandler whilst she held Jack. She sat down next to him and they cradled their children.

"Mon," Chandler started, "we've made it, our perfect family, we have a wonderful home, and we now have financial security for the foreseeable future. Everything's perfect." Chandler had tears in his eyes.

"I know." Monica replied and leant over and pecked him on the lips.

Reality had set in and they wouldn't change a thing.

Everything was perfect.