i'll be there - chandler bing (on hold)

the one with the birth

third person pov

the waiting room in the hospital was quiet, except for ross' restless pacing. 

"she's not here yet. she's not here. she's having my baby and she's not here!" he continues to pace, the rest of the group minus phoebe sinking into chairs. 

"i'm sure everything's fine. has her water broken yet?" monica tries to calm her brother down, sitting on the back of the sofa chair. 

"i don't know, but when i spoke to her, she said she had already passed the mucus plug." beside gianna and chandler, joey makes a sound of absolute disgust. 

"do we have to know about that?" he chokes, readjusting uncomfortably. 

"joey, what are you gonna do when you have a baby?" 

"i'm gonna be in the waitin' room, handing out cigars." he nods, sinking further into the chair. 

"yes, joey's made arrangements to have his baby in a movie from the 50's."  chandler jokes, the group laughing. gianna lets out a quiet giggle, sliding down to rest her head on chandler's shoulder. 

"god, i don't believe this. she could be giving birth in the cab!" ross exclaims, continuing to pace, despite his little sister's efforts to keep him calm. 

"oh, ross, relax, it's probably like two dollars for the first contraction, and then fifty cents for each additional contraction." rachel replies, chuckling to herself. however, the rest of the group looks at her apprehensively. "what, it's okay when chandler does it?" 

"you have to pick your moments." behind ross, phoebe runs in, guitar in hand. 

"did i miss it, did i miss it?" 

"she's not even here yet." ross replies glumly, glancing around again. 

"what's with the guitar?" 

"i just thought we might be here for a while. you know, things might get musical." phoebe answers, smiling gleefully as ross turns to the entrance. 

"where the hell have you been!" he exclaims, the group seeing carol and susan wander in. 

"we stopped at the gift shop." susan nods, wheeling carol in the wheelchair. 

"i was looking at stuffed animals, and susan wanted a chunky." carol explains, holding onto a stuffed penguin. 

"susan wanted a chunky. we're having a baby, ok, a baby, you don't stop for chunkys!" ross argues, following behind the women into the birthing suite. 

"i used to have that bumper sticker." the group laughs, amused by chandler's joke. "you see what i mean?" he continues, turning to an unamused rachel. 

*

whilst susan and ross argue over who is going to get ice chips for carol, rachel wanders in with a cup of ice chips, before meeting dr franzblau. in the waiting room, chandler and gianna have moved seats. she sat with her knees curled under her chin, magazine in hand. chandler had begun to fall asleep against her shoulder, muttering in coherently. 

"i want a baby." gianna whines, watching a nurse walk past with one. 

"mmm. not tonight, honey. i got an early day tomorrow." chandler mumbles, gianna swinging her arm back and hitting his chest. 

"get up. come on. let's get some coffee." 

"oh, ok. 'cause we never do that." chandler teases, following behind gianna like a lost puppy. 

*

a while later, joey had helped a lady named lydia into a birthing suite as he water broke. now outside carol's room, ross, chandler and gianna listen to phoebe perform.