Starting Over

Peace

Ava sprinted as fast as she could to her mother's blue BMW, she couldn't let her go, as she's been dreaming of this day for too long. 

"Mom!?" she wailed, as she ran faster, "Don't leave me again!" By now was sobbing, and it was as if the soul could bleed an ocean through her eyes, tears running down her tan face. 

Rachel slowly turned around and looked at her daughter. She had told herself that she wouldn't forgive Ava for embarrassing herself, and her like that, but after one look at the tears streaming down her face, she opened her arms and embraced her daughter. 

Ava had been hugged before, but never like this. There was something so warm, something that felt right, smelt right. She let her body sag, her muscles become loose. Her mother gave her the respect of an equal but cradled her like a cherished child. In that embrace, she felt her worries lose their keen sting and her optimism raise its head from the dirt. Perhaps the hope had been there all along, but without some love, it was trapped, like crystals in a stone. 

"I love you, mom." Ava cried, "So much... you're really back... I can't believe it.. you're back.."

"And I'm staying for good." Rachel whispered into her ear, "I'm running the store in New York."

Ava moved away from her, "Dad always told me I looked like you, he was right."

"I gotta say that you're much more pretty." Rachel smiled, "This face is getting too old."

Ava shook her head as she looked up to her, "Never"

They went into the car and drove the long way back. On the way, Ava had to ask: "Did you call me Avy when I was little?"

"Hmm, I was the only one though." Rachel gave her a quick glance, "Everybody else called you Av, I guess that one has stuck hasn't it?"

She laughed, "Hmm.... Can you tell us about my sisters?"

"And brother." Rachel smiled through the mirror in the car towards Jacob.

"Am I not the only guy?" Jacob said, smiling in relief.

"No, you have a brother named Caleb, he is 12 years old. You guys came with one year or so, right after each other. There was a time where I barely remembered how it was to not be pregnant."

Ava laughed, "What about my sisters?" She was practically jumping up and down on the seats from the excitement of having sisters. 

"Yeah, there's Emma, she's 6, your dad has never met her before today, I was pregnant with her when I left, and she's the only one of you kids who looks like Ross."

"Does she?" Jacob asked.

"Mhmm," Rachel nodded, "She's all him, nothing of me"

Rachel smiled, "And the most exciting for you Avy would be Livia.."

"Livia?"

"Yeah, she's your twin sister."

"I'm a twin?"

"Not just twins, honey," Rachel dreaded this, "But you guys are identical."

"What?" Ava said, "I don't believe that."

"Well, you will when you meet her. She's here at Monica and Chandler's," Rachel said as she pulled the car up to the outside of the apartment buildings. 

They went out of the car and buzzed the door. Rachel just realizing that they forgot to pick up the other kids. Aw, Phoebe and Monica would understand.

"Is that you mom?" Livia asked, "Isn't this exciting? Monica told me that I could answer this!"

"That's great Liv, honey, but I'm out here with Av and Jacob, so if you buzz us in you'll meet your sister and brother."

"All right mom, I'm also missing you already. Daddy is kind of boring, he's just talking to Em about dinosaurs. You told me he wouldn't do that all the time, but he's like.."

"That's great Livia, but the door..."

"Sorry, but this isn't over mom, you have to make him stop when you come, because..."

"The door, Livia!"

Finally, Livia pressed the bottom.

Rachel looked at the kids, "She's always like that. You'll get used to it. One of the reasons that I took her was because her and your father didn't have that much in common, she'd probably had killed herself if she'd been with him."

Ava laughed, "Later, then will you tell us why we got separated the way we did?"

"Of course, if you wanna know,"

They came to the door and Rachel opened up.

"Mommy!" Livia screamed, "Daddy is killing m.."

Livia trailed off when her eyes caught Ava, "Oh my God."

"The worst part," Rachel whispered to Jacob.

"Livia and Ava." Ross said, getting up, "Don't freak out now."

"I don't know about Avy," Rachel whispered, "But Livia won't."

"This is so cool!" Livia yelled.

"This is so creepy," Ava whispered, her face had gone pale white.

"Come here, sweetie." Rachel said, taking Ava's hand.

"That skirt..." Livia finally said, pointing to the skirt Ava was wearing.

"Yeah," Rachel admitted, "I kind of figured that Annabelle had to be friends with Avy, so that's why I gave it to her. Don't be mad at me anymore, Livia."

"I'm not, mom." Livia took Ava's hand, "So, we're twins, huh?"

Ava nodded, "This is gonna take some time to get used to."

"Well, alright." Joshua said from the couch, "How about the rest of us?"

"Where're my kids?" Monica finally yelled.

"We forgot them, Mon." Rachel smiled, "Sorry..."

"Mon, you understand, right?" Ross said, "And ehm, Jacob, Ava.. this is Emma and Caleb."

"I have a brother!" Jacob said, "This is great. Hi siblings!"

"Hi!" Emma said, "You have the same eyes as me, now I wont be totally alone and left out."

"No, you wont." Jacob said, "This is Livia right?"

"Hmm," Livia said, "You're not talking about dinosaurs are you?"

"No."

"Then you'll be a great brother."

Ava and Livia still stood in awe and looked at each other. They totally looked like, except for their hair. Livia's was a little longer.

Emma yawned, "Daddy, I'm tired, take me home."

"But honey." Ross said, "Your mother has an apartment, so you aren't going with me."

"They aren't coming with us?" Ava asked.

"No, Ava." Rachel sighed, "Monica has gotten us a place, I don't know where, but we have to go check it out. I think it'll be now, 'cause I'm getting tired."

"But we don't know anything yet!" Caleb screamed.

"Then how about this, Rach?" Ross tried, "You can all go with me. We have plenty of mattresses. Caleb can crash on one in Jacob's room and the girls can crash in Av's? I'll crash on the couch, you can get my bed?"

Rachel looked at the kids, they all seemed so happy about it so she agreed; "Okay.. Monica, you'll show me the place tomorrow, right?"

Monica smiled, "You're gonna love it."

They all hugged each other and the reunited family headed home to Ross' place. 

Hi guys I got logged out of my account for wayyy too long but I finally got back in!!!! Anyway, I'm excited to update this frequently again!! Also ik that this chapter was pretty short, the next ones will be longer.