―

―

At the hospital, Marty, Rachel, Chandler, Joey, Monica and a stressed out Ross were stood in the waiting room, Susan and a pregnant and in labour Carol nowhere to be seen.

"She's not here yet. She's not here. She's having my baby and she's not here." Ross freaked out.

"Breathe, Ross." Marty told the man, taking his hand in her own to try and comfort him, only for Ross to squeeze her hand tightly, making Marty wince in pain.

"I'm sure everything's fine," Monica told her brother, "Has her water broke yet?"

"I don't know, but when I spoke to her, she said she had already passed the mucus plug." Ross sighed, making Joey let out a sound of disgust.

"Do we have to know about that?" The Italian man complained.

"Joey, what are you gonna do when you have a baby?" Monica asked him.

"I'm gonna be in the waitin' room, handing out cigars." Joey shrugged.

"Yes, Joey's made arrangements to have his baby in a movie from the 50's." Chandler nodded sarcastically.

"God, I don't believe this," Ross groaned, squeezing Marty's hand tighter, making her eyes almost pop out of her head, "She could be giving birth in the cab."

"Oh, Ross, relax. It's probably like two dollars for the first contraction, and then fifty cents for each additional contraction," Rachel laughed at her attempt at a joke, only to gain blank stares from the others, "What, it's ok when Chandler does it?"

"You have to pick your moments." Chandler told the woman.

Phoebe then arrived, guitar in hand, "Did I miss it, did I miss it?" She worried.

"She's not even here yet." Ross sighed, making Marty rub his arm in comfort.

Monica nodded her head to the instrument in the blonde woman's hand, "What's with the guitar?"

"I just thought we might be here for awhile. You know, things might get musical." Phoebe shrugged with a grin.

Thankfully, Carol was then wheeled into the waiting room by a good-looking doctor, Susan with them, carrying bags.

Ross let go of Marty's hand, walking over to his ex-wife, making Marty sigh in relief, cradling her bruised hand close to her chest, "Where the hell have you been?"

"We stopped at the gift shop." Susan told him.

"I was looking at stuffed animals, and Susan wanted a Chunky," Carol smiled, "Oh, and Marty sweetie, for you." The woman said, passing a bag of fudge to redhead - who she had grown very close to in the months leading up to the birth.

"Ooh, thank you." Marty smiled, kissing Carol's cheek.

"Susan wanted a Chunky," Ross scoffed, We're having a baby, ok, a baby, you don't stop for Chunkys!" He cried, as they made their way to the delivery room, ready to give birth.

"I used to have that bumper sticker," Chandler pointed, making everyone amused. The man leaned over to Rachel, "You see what I mean."

―

Rachel and Marty entered Carol's hospital room, smiling at Ross and Carol as they fought, leaving the room.

"Hi!" Marty smiled at Carol, going over and kissing her forehead.

"We thought you might like some ice chips." Rachel told the woman.

"Thanks." Carol sighed in relief, reaching for them.

"And if you need anything else, I—" The brunette's thoughts went completely off track once she saw the good-looking doctor, going to go and flirt with him.

"Right." Marty muttered, taking the cup of ice chips from Rachel and giving them to Carol.

"Thank you." Carol said, the pair looking over at Rachel, chuckling at her ways.

―

A little while later, Rachel and the doctor had left the hospital room, leaving Carol and Marty- who was sat on the side of the bed, fiddling with Carol's blonde locks.

"So," Carol started, looking at the younger girl with a small smirk, "Do you ever think about it?"

Marty cocked her head to the side, "Think about what?"

Carol shrugged, "Children."

"Well, sure," Marty nodded, "I definitely want a family of my own."

Another smirk made its way onto Carol's lips, "With Scott?"

Marty flushed red, "Carol, we've only been dating for five months."

"So you do." Carol smirked.

"Yeah," Marty nodded with a sigh and a blush, "But not for a long while. I am only twenty-three."

"God, you make me feel old." Carol groaned, leaning her head back into the cushions, the two of them laughing.

―

An hour later, Carol was in immense pain, Marty, Rachel and Dr. Franzblau there to help her.

"Are they here yet?" Carol cried.

Marty frowned as she placed a cold towel on the pregnant woman's forehead, "Not yet, honey."

"But don't worry," Rachel added, "Because we are going to find them, and until we do, we are all here for you, okay?"

"Okay." Carol nodded, clutching Marty's hand.

"Okay?" Rachel nodded.

"Okay." Carol relaxed slightly.

Rachel then turned back to Dr. Franzblau, "Okay, so anyway, you were telling me about Paris, it sounds fascinating."

"It really was. There was this great little pastry shop right by my hotel," The man nodded, Marty staring at them incredulously, as Carol sat up in pain, only for Rachel and Dr. Franzblau to casually lie her back down, "There you go, dear."

"Alright," Marty snapped, "You two. Go and flirt elsewhere. I'll stay with Carol."

"But-"

"Out!" Marty yelled at them, making the pair shrug and leave.

"Thanks, Marty." Carol panted out.

"Of course, sweetie." Marty nodded, dabbing the towel on her head.

"You know, Ross, Susan and I wanted to ask you this together, but since they're not here I'm going to ask you now." Carol told her.

"Ask me what?" Marty wondered.

"We'd really like for you to be the Godmother." Carol said.

Marty stared at the older woman in shock, "R-Really."

"Yeah," Carol nodded with a smile, "It's the one thing that Ross and Susan agree on."

Marty grinned widely, "I would love to be the Godmother." The redhead smiled, hugging the pregnant woman in glee."

―

Carol was reaching her final contractions before she was fully dilated, everyone minus Phoebe, Ross and Rachel - who everyone had been looking for - were with Carol in the delivery room.

"Where are they?" Carol screamed out, leaning into Marty's side.

"I'm sure they'll be here soon." Monica told her.

"Yeah, honey, they wouldn't miss this." Rachel nodded.

"Relax," Joey said, "You're only at nine centimetres. And the baby's at zero station."

Chandler turned to Joey, "You are really frightening me."

Carol then suddenly screamed in pain, grabbing Chandler by the shirt.

"Somebody wanna help me, tryin' to rip out my heart," Chandler cried, his friends getting Carol to pull her hand off of him, "Uh, that's great," He sighed, looking around, "Anybody seen a nipple?"

Dr. Franzblau then checked how much Carol was dilated, "All right, ten centimetres, here we go."

"All right, honey, time to start pushing." The nurse told her.

"But they're not here yet!" Carol panicked.

Dr. Franzblau shrugged, "I'm sorry, I can't tell the baby to wait for them."

"Oh, god." Carol frowned, leaning back into Marty again.

―

Soon enough, Ross, Susan and Phoebe joyfully entered the room.

"We're here!" The nearly father cried.

"Where have you been?" Carol screamed at him, Marty having to hold the woman back.

"Long story, honey." Ross sighed.

Dr. Franzblau looked at the pregnant woman, "All right, Carol, I need you to keep pushing. I need—" He reached for an instrument, only for Rachel's hand to be on it, "Excuse me, could I have this?"

"All right, all right, there's a few too many people in this room, and there's about to be one more, so anybody who's not an ex-husband or a lesbian life partner, out you go!" The nurse demanded.

"Good luck!" The friends all wished the nearly parents.

"Marty!" Carol pouted as the younger girl let go of her hand.

"You'll be great." Marty whispered, kissing her cheek before making her way to the door.

Chandler turned to the nurse, "Let me ask you, do you have to be Carol's lesbian life partner?"

"Out!" The nurse yelled at the sarcastic man, making Marty grab his hand and gently lead him out of the room.

―

The gang all smiled as Ross ushered them into the delivery room, smiling at the new-born baby in Carol's arms.

Ross smiled, before saying quietly, "Everybody, there's someone I'd like you to meet. Yeah. This is Ben. Ben, this is everybody." He introduced.

"Oh, he's precious." Marty smiled down at her godson, Susan wrapping her arm around the girl.

"Susan, he looks just like you." Phoebe commented, making the woman laugh and share a smile with Marty.

"Thanks."

Rachel let out a small laugh, "Oh, god, I can't believe one of us actually has one of these."

"I know," Chandler nodded, "I still am one of these."

"Ross, can I?" Monica asked, gesturing to her nephew, before he was gently passed over to her.

"The head, the head." Ross helped her hold him correctly.

Monica started to get choked up, "Hi, Ben. Hi. I'm your Aunt Monica. Yes I am. I'm your Aunt Monica. I...I will always have gum," She nodded.

Marty looked over at Carol and lightly kissed her head, "I am so proud of you."

―

Marty smiled down at the infant in her arms, "Now, I know that Aunt Monica will always have gum, but I work in a candy store. I practically spit out fudge and rolos."

Carol, Ross and Susan smiled at Marty as they watched her interact with their baby.

"Yeah," Susan nodded, "We made the right choice."