"Mommy, what's wrong?" Kayla asked, near tears. Monica was holding her
roughly, a savage look on her face as she gritted her teeth. Kayla didn't
understand why she'd grabbed Kayla and left immediately after her play that
her first grade class had put on.

"Nothing, sweetie," Monica assured Kayla, giving her a quick kiss on her
head. "We're going to go over to Aunt Rachel's house."

"I wanna go home," Kayla whined.

"Not just yet, honey," Monica said, her voice cold. She burst open to the
door to Rachel's apartment as they came upon it to find everybody crowded
around the living room, watching TV.

"Hey, Mon," Rachel greeted and everybody else nodded or waved as well.

Monica dropped Kayla to the floor and put her at the table with her two
favorite Barbie dolls. "He did it again!" Monica hissed to her friends as
she plopped down on the couch between her brother and Chandler.

"He didn't show?" Rachel asked sympathetically.

Joey started to get up but Monica stopped him. "Joey, I'm pissed at him too,
and just as fully capable to beat him up, so just leave it be."

"You need to leave him," Ross said for the thousandth time. "He's not worth
it."

Monica sighed, as she did in response to the thousands of times Ross started
this conversation. "But what would that do to Kayla?"

"I don't know . . . but it *might* put her in an environment where people
aren't fighting all the time," Chandler suggested.

Monica hit him on the leg and scowled. "I'm really not in the mood."

"Hey, if you say those words to Pete then maybe that's why he's such a jerk!"
Joey said.

Monica glared at him.

"For your information, Joey," Rachel spat out huffily, "Monica tries to get
*him* to do it but he declines!"

"Rachel!" Monica said shrilly.

Rachel got a guilty look on her face. "At least . . . that's what, um, I
think happens," she offered, looking sheepish.

"He's cheating on you," Joey said matter-of-factly.

"You think so?" Monica asked, defeated. She felt her eyes sheen wetness and
she rubbed at them quickly.

Joey realized what he'd done after a glare from the rest of the group. "I
mean, uh, well . . ."

"Mommy, I'm tired," Kayla declared, stamping her foot and putting her hands
at her waist.

"I'll put her in the spare bedroom," Chandler offered, jumping up and picking
up Kayla. "Looks like tonight you get to spend the night with Aunt Rachel!"

Kayla didn't look happy -- but she didn't protest either, so Chandler easily
got her tucked in the bedroom that used to be Monica's.

Chandler tucked a whisp of Kayla's blonde curls from her forehead to behind
her ear and smiled as Kayla groggily looked back at him. "If your dad only
knew what he was missing," Chandler whispered.

Kayla smiled, clearly not understanding but not wanting to seem stupid.

"You know, Kayla, if I were your daddy I'd be nicer to your mommy and
yourself," Chandler continued, kneeling down beside the bed.

"Daddy's nice," Kayla said. "He just doesn't talk to me. But I think he
makes Mommy cry."

"He probably does," Chandler said. "I'm gonna go in the other room with
everybody else -- will you be all right?"

"Uh-huh," Kayla said, closing her eyes.

Chandler kissed her forehead, thinking that if he were in Pete's shoes, he'd
be able to treat Monica and Kayla the way they deserved to be treated.

"Good night, Kay."

"Night, Uncle Chandler," Kayla returned sleepily.

* * * * *

The next morning, Chandler kept his eyes closed even though he was awake.
Everytime Monica and Kayla came over to Rachel's he felt his heart break
more. Monica had married Pete after only dating him for a month; they eloped,
Monica thinking it was romantic. Little did they know that after a few more
months they'd start to have trouble. But Monica found out she was pregnant
and that settled things down for the time being.

All of Kayla's life, Pete was always too busy to do anything with her.
Sometimes Chandler wondered if Kayla even knew what her dad looked like. Mon
and Kayla ended up spending more time sleeping in Monica's old bedroom than
at their own house; where Pete was usually away on business.

Chandler finally sighed and did the inevitable -- opened his eyes. He was
completely awake after sitting for a while, simply thinking, so he knew that
he couldn't be dreaming. But . . . he seemed to be in Monica's bedroom. Monica
and *Pete's* bedroom.

Chandler jumped out of bed and looked around crazily. Finally he opened the
door and found Pete and Monica's robat waitress bringing food towards him on
a tray.

"Here is your breakfast meal, Peter," the robot said in an animated voice.

Chandler ignored it and ran to Kayla's room to see if the little girl was
still sleeping. Maybe he'd forgotton . . . maybe last night Monica'd asked
him to come over and stay since she'd be lonely -- Pete not being there. It
wasn't that uncommon; not even waking up in her bed, since they usually fell
asleep watching a movie in her bedroom. But what was uncommon was the fact
that Monica was nowhere.

Chandler picked up the nearest phone, the only one in the house as a matter
of fact. Pete had high technology devices instead, but at Monica's request
he'd boughten a phone.

Chandler quickly dialed Rachel's apartment to find out exactly what had
happened the night before and if she'd heard from Monica.

"Hello, Rachel Green's," Monica's voice greeted into the phone.

"Monica?" Chandler asked. He made a choking sound when he realized his voice
sounded different, yet familiar all the same.

"Pete," Monica said coldly.

"Pete," Chandler repeated.

"Look, Pete, I'm not in the mood for your little games. You promised me you'd
make it to Kayla's play yesterday!" Monica snapped.

"I'm tired of this game too," Chandler said. "Look, Mon, something isn't
right."

"You're right!" Monica interrupted. "And that something is you! I go to all
of your banquets and you can't even make your own daughter's play!"

"I know he's wrong, but I'm not him," Chandler said impatiently.

Monica laughed harshly. "Wow. I cannot believe you're even trying this. Next
you're going to tell me you were abducted by aliens, am I right?"

"Well that might explain a lot," Chandler said sarcastically. "Look, Mon, why
don't you come over here. To, um . . . our house. We should talk."

"We should," Monica said, a little sadly.

"No, no!" Chandler said quickly. "Not that kind of talk! I meant, really
talk; spend time with each other."

"What, you mean you don't have to fly to London on some last minute important
business trip?" Monica asked, a little surprised.

"No, and even if I get a call similar to that I won't go," Chandler said.
"Just come here, Mon. Bring Kayla too."

"If I picked up some random girl in the street would you know it wasn't your
daughter?" Monica asked.

"*I* would. Though Pete wouldn't," Chandler said.

"You *are* Pete," Monica said. "And you're really freaking me out. First you
feed me the usual lies, then you act nice to me, then you request to see your
daughter? I'm just not buying it."

"Maybe I woke up this morning and realized what I've been missing," Chandler
suggested softly.

There was a long pause. "I'll come," Monica finally said, then hung up
quickly. She didn't want Pete to talk again and change her mind. She so
desperately wanted everything he'd said to be true.

Chandler had been thinking in the time from when he'd calmed down after
realizing he was in Pete's body and he realized that he must be dreaming.
But, he decided, he probably shouldn't wake himself up since it was such an
enjoyable dream so far.

Chandler walked slowly from the living room where the phone was located and
found one of Pete's . . . *his* . . . butlers standing on stand at the door
to the kitchen and an idea struck him.

"Tell the chef to make Monica's favorite dish, and I want an order of fresh
flowers sent immediately. As well as rose petals scattered on our bed, which
will be made up with white satin sheets, and champaign waiting. I want the
bedroom waiting by nine o'clock and the dinner ready at six. Do you need to
write this down?"

* * * * *

Monica held Kayla's hand as she walked into her house, almost as though she
wanted to protect Kayla. Monica half believed that she'd been hallucinating
when she'd gotten the phone call from Pete, but her attatchment to him, and
wanting Kayla to have the father she deserved, made her come.

"Monica," Pete said to her, a strange look in her eyes. He looked down at
Kayla and held out his arms for her to come and hug him. Kayla did as
expected and Pete kissed her on the forehead. "How's my favorite little
girl?"

Kayla smiled brightly. "I got to have pancakes for breakfast! Mommy's
pancakes," she informed Pete.

"Those are the best, huh?" Pete said. "Much better than the stiff ones our
chef makes."

Monica gaped at Pete, not seeming to comprehend anything that was happening.
Pete finally seemed to notice this and he set Kayla down, telling her to go
get dressed in her favorite outfit, then turned to Monica.

Monica simply stared, wide-eyed, not even trying to hide the shock she felt.

Pete coughed uncomfortably. "Um, I was planning on taking you and Kayla to
the New York Zoo . . . a family outing type of thing."

Monica smiled at him, a smile that completely took over her whole face and
showed the joy and hope she'd been feeling. "Kayla will love it."

"Will Monica love it?" Pete pressed, leaning forward on one leg. Monica felt
confused as sudden deja vu hit her. That leg tilting was familiar.

"Monica will love it," Monica assured him, pushing away the weird feeling
she'd had. She laughed a little. "Monica will love it almost as much as
Kayla will."

"Good," Pete said, sounding satisfied. "Just so long as my two favorite girls
are happy."

"You're two favorite girls?" Monica asked mockingly, patting his arm as she
retired to her bedroom to get dressed for the day Pete had promised her.

* * * * *

The whole day went better than expected. Monica felt unbelievable joy as she
realized that this was what she'd always wanted -- a family. Laughing and
spending time together . . . that was what a family was. She didn't know what
had changed in Pete, but she frankly didn't care.

It was long before the day was over, and they ate dinner at a tiny Italian
restaurant that had delectable food. Then they went back to the house to
watch a cartoon on the big screen until Kayla fell asleep.

When Monica came back into the living room after tucking Kayla in, she
finally gathered the courage to ask what she'd been contemplating all day.

"What changed?" Monica asked finally. "What made you become this way? I don't
know if I should expect it because it's so unlike you and I don't want to get
my hopes up, but--" Monica had been talking so fast and she was abruptly
stopped when Pete put his finger to her lips. She stared at him, feeling the
lust that she'd felt at the beginning of their relationship.

Pete was slow about it, he removed his finger slowly, then traced her facial
features, an intent look in his eyes. Then, finally, he leaned down and
captured her own lips with his own. Monica felt herself melt beneath the
touch of his lips and the feelings rushing through her body. It had been a
couple of months since their last time and she hadn't realized how much she
craved it.

Pete pulled away suddenly, breathing a little heavily. "Was that all right?"

"Why wouldn't it be?" Monica asked in a whisper. "Let's go to our bedroom,"
she suggested, taking his hand and leading the way.

At the door to the bedroom, she gasped, amazed at the sight before her.

"So, you like it?" Pete asked softly.

Monica didn't speak, she turned around and shut the door behind Pete. "I
don't know why you've changed but . . . oh, I love you so much," she said.
"I doubted -- I admit. I doubted my love for you, for a long time now. But
today . . . if I wasn't still in love with you I fell again."

Pete stared at her, as if those had been the very words he'd been searching
for, then finally kissed her again, deeply and powerfully. Like no other kiss
Pete had laid on her lips before.

Soon the two were lost in the pleasure of each other; touching and feeling
and letting themselves indulge themselves in each other. The night was
unforgettable. For both Chandler and Monica. It seemed to be the beginning,
even though Chandler was sure it was a dream, and Monica knew she'd been with
Pete for seven years.

* * * * *

Chandler awoke and felt saddened when he found himself in his own bed, and
after a quick check in the bathroom mirror, in his own body. So it had just
been a dream. He had been hoping otherwise, but that type of thing only
happens in books and movies . . . not in reality.

"Chandler," Monica's hoarse voice called out. Chandler came from the bathroom
to discover Monica had somehow come in without his knowing.

"What's wrong?" Chandler asked, feeling his own throat clench tighter and
dryer when he once again remembered it had only been a dream.

"It's Pete," Monica said, she went to Chandler's arms and buried her face in
his shoulder. "He-he was different. Yesterday. He-he . . . you won't believe
this, but he took Kayla and I to the zoo."

Chandler stiffened and Monica took it to mean something else and laughed
hollowly. "I know, unbelievable." She began to cry again. "We had the most
amazing night . . . better than any before. I even told him I re-loved him,
and everything was perfect."

"And you're upset why?" Chandler asked.

"He-he wasn't there this morning. And when I called his cell phone he
completely denied the whole thing," Monica burst out, crying harder and
clutching at Chandler. "I thought that maybe it was a dream, but Kayla
started talking about wanting to go back to the zoo tomorrow with Daddy. She
said Daddy was nicer than she thought when he spends time with her."

"Oh, Monica," Chandler said through his cracking throat, he pulled her as
tight as possible. "I thought it was a dream too."

"What?" Monica asked, not understanding.

"I thought it was a dream too," Chandler repeated. "But it wasn't. Monica, I
don't know how or why, but I was given a chance yesterday."

"What happened?" Monica asked, pulling back a little, sensing that what
Chandler was saying was serious.

"Monica, it wasn't Pete who was with you yesterday," Chandler said.

"What?" MOnica scoffed. "I saw him and touched him -- I assure you with my
*sane* mind that it was Pete."

"It was Pete's body," Chandler corrected himself quickly. "But it wasn't
Pete inside of it. It was me."

Monica raised her eyebrows. "Chandler, are you feeling all right? Or am I
still dreaming?"

"It's true, I don't know how--"

"Chandler, you're really starting to freak me out," Monica said, not looking
at his eyes. How intense they were was scaring her.

"This is freaking me out too! But I assure you that it was me yesterday. I'm
the one who put the rose petals on the bed, I'm the one who you said you fell
in love with," Chandler said.

Monica stared at him and suddenly everything came back to her. The one leg
forward thing, the sudden sarcasm, the touching way he was with Kayla, and
the thoughtfulness of him. Even his kisses had been different, making love
with him had been different. The better kind of different.

"Oh, my God," Monica breathed, sinking into the stool behind her.

"I know," Chandler said. He backed up and sat in the Barca Lounger, staring
intently at her. Finally he spoke up. "It was the best time I'd ever had. I
didn't know that I felt that way about you, but the look on your face when
you saw the bedroom . . ."

"Stop," Monica interrupted abruptly. "Please," she begged.

"It's true," Chandler insisted. "I don't know how or why, but all of that
happened for a reason."

"I'm sorry," Monica said softly. "This is just a little too much to handle
at the moment."

"What you said in the bedroom . . . where you saying that to Pete or to me?"
Chandler asked just as softly as she had said her statement.

"I don't know," Monica admitted. "I really and honestly don't know. I guess,
I guess maybe this isn't as shocking as it seems."

"What?" Chandler asked.

"I think . . . deep down, I knew that it was either a dream, Pete had a split
personality, or it wasn't really Pete," Monica said.

"Monica, I know now that I-I want we had yesterday. I want that closeness
we shared. The connection between you, me, and Kayla," Chandler said.

"You want a family," Monica said, her voice cracking. She stood up. "I've
wanted that for so long. The only thing keeping me from leaving him was that
I needed Kayla to have a father figure. I was in denial that Pete really
wasn't doing that for her."

"I could do that for her," Chandler said.

"I know," Monica replied. There was a long pause. "I want you to do that,
Chandler. I know you can."

Chandler stood and moved to Monica, then kissed her thoroughly, feeling her
for the first time with his own tongue, his own hands.

Monica moved her hands in his hair, the rush that she'd felt the night
before knocking her dizzy. This time more powerful since she knew it was
Chandler, and could feel his body, not Pete's.

"What you said," Chandler said after breaking away from the tender kiss.

"What I said, I meant," Monica said. "I just didn't know until now."

And they joined together for another kiss, filled with the love that Monica
had just admitted.