"Schmidt? Schmidt. Honey wake up." Cece said, tapping Schmidt gently.

He turned toward her, his eyes still shut. "Whaa. . . huh?"

The alarm clock glared in bright red numbers. 3:20 A.M.

"Schmidt, my water broke." She murmured softly.

He sat up, his eyes wide open. "the baby? The baby is coming now?"

Cece nodded.

Schmidt bolted out of bed at lightning speed. He rummaged through his drawers. "Where is your bag? We've got to call the doctor. And the guys. And . . . this is a week early. . . This isn't part of the plan. . . "

"The doctor said around December 29th. A due date is just a guess. My bag is already by the door, Jess and Nick are already on their way to wake up Winston and Aly, and Dr. Mason is meeting us at the hospital."

Schmidt kissed Cece. "You're amazing."

He helped Cece into the car and loaded her bag into the car. As he put the car into reverse, he stopped and stared at the house. He put his hand on Cece's swollen stomach. "The next time we're in this drive way, we will be parents. We'll have a baby."

Cece gulped. She clenched her teeth and smiled. "Yeah."

Schmidt arched his eyebrow. "Is everything ok?'

Cece nodded. "Just a contraction. Everything is fine." In all actuality, everything was not fine. She was terrified. She was about to have a baby. A living, breathing, human being that depended on her for every little thing. She didn't have that natural motherly instinct that Jess had, or even the tender and gentle side that Winston used with Ferguson. She couldn't be a mom. What would a baby do to their marriage? Schmidt couldn't handle a speck of dirt on his outfit, how would he handle a messy, gross, infant? As Schmidt turned out of their neighborhood, they passed Palmwood Court, a street known for their outlandish holiday displays, with every house decked out in Christmas lights. "Wait, wait, wait!" Cece screeched.

Schmidt slammed on his brakes. "WHAT?"

"Can we go down Palmwood Court? I haven't seen the lights yet."

Schmidt sighed. "Cece you want to look at lights? We're on the way to the hospital because you're in LABOR!"

A contraction rippled through Cece. She sucked in her breath, and gripped the upholstered seat tight.

"Cece, this is ridiculous, we're going to the hospital."

Cece turned to him. "NO. I'm throwing the Mom card. I'm the one who gained 30 pounds. ."

Schmidt crinkled his nose. "I've gained 7! My Rag and Bone skinny jeans look absolutely absurd. . . I look like Scmidty from the block. . . "

Cece shot him an evil glare. "I'm the one who gained 30 pounds. I can only wear flip flops because my feet look like sausages, I can't shave my legs, My boobs are Humongous, and I've eaten more of Nick's homemade pasta sauce than I ever want to admit. My cervix is currently contracting to fit a Schmidt family sized head the size of a bowling ball through it, and if I want to see the Christmas lights, we're GOING TO SEE THE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS!"

Schmidt put the car into park. "Cece, what's really going on?"

She wiped away a tear. "Nothing. I just want to see Christmas lights."

He unbuckled and hugged her. "I know it's not 'nothing'. I know you better than anyone. Something is wrong."

"I'm scared." She murmured quietly.

"Oh Cece. Why? Everything will be just find. We don't have to follow the natural birth plan. We can get every drug the hospital has to offer. . "

"it's not the pain. It's the . . . it's. . . everything. Everything is changing. It's never just going to be Schmidt and Cece again. I'm going to be a horrible mother. I don't want to be like my mom! I'm not mom material, Somedays, I'm not sure I'm wife material! I can't do this!"

Schmidt rest his hands on her stomach. "Cecelia, you're not wife material. You are so much more than that. You're a goddess. You are this beautiful, intelligent, funny, charismatic woman, who for some crazy reason chose me to spend the rest of her life with. I wake up every day, and smile knowing it's not just a dream. I wish I could go back and tell obese 12-year-old Schmidt, how amazing his life turns out. You are going to be such a great mother. You're loving and sweet, but you know how to hold your ground. Not to mention that you'll be the hottest mom on the PTA. There's nothing to worry about. Yes, it will no long be just Cece and Schmidt, but it's going to be Cece, Schmidt and our baby. This perfect tiny creature that's half you and half me. Maybe you can't do this, but WE can do this. Cece, we're a team. We're in this for life. Through the ups and the downs, the spit up and the diapers, we are going to make it."

Cece kissed him. "Let's go have this baby."

He put a cd in, and "Silent Night" ,Cece's favorite Christmas song began to play. "No, let's enjoy our last 'Silent Night' for a long time." And he turned down Palmwood court.