I know I said the last chapter was the one before the epilogue, but wanted to add this part into it first.
Sorry have net been updating as fast as I was, work getting in the way :)
It took Jess a another week before she was allowed to leave the hospital. Nick continued to spend every day there during this time but Jess won her argument and made him go home at night. It was odd for him at first, but he knew she was right. There was no real need for him to be at the hospital as much, not now that she was awake.
The day that she got to go home came and she was so happy, even got up early to pack. Not being able to move very fast due to still having a fair amount of injuries, that and being 7 1/2 months pregnant wasn't helping. Despite that she managed to pack everything before Nick arrived. He laughed when he saw the room.
"Keen are we?"
"Absolutely! I can't wait to get out of this room. I am sick of the colour white." Jess looked around at the room as if blaming it for it's lack of colour.
"Still you should have waited still I got here, you are supposed to rest, remember?"
"And I will when I can be in our bed."
He went up to her and put his arms around her waist, the best he could.
"Not going to argue with that."
Just as he was about to lean in to give her a quick kiss the doctor walked in.
"Good morning Jessica, ready to leave I see." The doctor was followed in by a porter. "Now remember what we spoke about. You are on bed rest now and only to get up when you absolutely have to, and don't forget to make a follow up appointment with the Nurse at reception for next week."
Jess just nodded; she had been told this so many times. Ok maybe she had tried to haggle the terms a little at first... but still.
"I'll make sure of it." Nick confirmed beside her. This made Jess roll her eyes. Oh boy would he.
"I understand, but is that really necessary..?!" She was pointing in the direction of the wheelchair that came in with the porter.
Both Nick and the doctor just looked at her. "Alright I take it that it's necessary." She slowly made her way to the chair, Nick helping her into it. She winced slightly from the movement. She hoped the others hadn't heard, but one look at Nick told her otherwise.
Jess, together with all her belongings, made her way out of the hospital, saying her goodbyes and thank you's and promising to bring the baby in once she had it. She booked her follow up and headed towards the exit.
Once outside she was in a really happy mood. She loved being outside and it had been far to long.
"Where is Winston? I told him to wait here." Nick complained.
"What do you mean? Why would he wait here?" Jess was confused; couldn't he have come inside the hospital too?
"He waited with the car, I thought it would be easier if he drove." Nick wasn't paying too much attention to Jess, looking out for the car instead.
What he missed though was Jess loosing the colour from her face quicker that you could say passing out. "No! No! Not happening."
"Jess, what's the matter? Does something hurt?" Nick was bewildered, she was fine a minute ago, could something have gone wrong, she had only been in his care 3 minutes and he must have already done something wrong.
"Take me back Nick, take me back right now!" She started to get up from the chair.
"Ok ok Jess I will take you back." Agreeing before hurt did more damage, pushing her back into the hospital, leaving the bags behind. As soon as they were inside he could hear her start to breath a little easier. Putting the brake on the chair he knelt down in front of her "sweetheart what's the matter?" He brushed some hair away that was clinging to her sweaty face.
"I can't do it Nick. I'm sorry, I didn't think. It didn't hit me until you said it."
"What hit you Jess? Don't you want to go home?" He spoke so softly hoping at least to calm her down a little bit more. It wasn't good for her to be this stressed.
"The car Nick. I can't go in the car."
Nick closed his eyes. How could he be so stupid! Of course she was going to be afraid of getting back in a car.
At that point Winston walked in, not picking up on the mood fast enough. "Hey guys all ready and packed, sorry I wasn't here earlier - got moved on."
Nick stood up to talk to Winston. Jess grabbing his hand, which he gave what was hopefully a reassuring squeeze.
"Could you just give us a few minutes man?"
Winston caught up with the atmosphere between them. "Of course, I'll put the things in the trunk. Be ready whenever you are."
"Thanks Winston." He watched Winston leave before he knelt back down to Jess. "Jess.."
"I can't Nick. Please don't make me." She was crying now. The sight broke him.
"Baby, you know I would do anything for you, and if it was possible I would push this wheelchair all the way back home. But it's not, it would be far too dangerous. We have to go in the car. I am really sorry Jess."
"Please Nick." She sounded scared. Her voice so quiet.
"Please don't do this, we need to go in the car. I will be with you the entire way and promise not to let anything happen to you or the baby. I trust Winston's driving; he wouldn't be here otherwise. You have to try Jess. Please just try."
Jess' hands were on her stomach, she felt sick. Nick was right. There was no other way to get home so she gave a small dejected nod. Nick went to stand and once again she grabbed on to his arm. "Don't let go ok."
"Wouldn't dream of it." He kissed her head and started to move the wheelchair out of the hospital again.
Nick gave Winston a sharp nod to say they were ready. Nick helped Jess stand up whilst Winston opened the door; they got her in without causing too much pain. Nick went to shut the door. "Nick! Where are you going?!"
"I'll be right there Jess, just going to have a quick word with Winston, ok?"
Winston was by the trunk, he wasn't sure what was happening but waited patiently while Nick helped Jess. "What's wrong? Is Jess ok?"
"Not really; she is terrified of being in the car. Why didn't I think of that? I could have prepared her."
"Nick it's not your fault, Jess probably thought nothing of it until the time came. She will be ok once we are back home."
"Just drive carefully."
"Of course, This is going to be the smoothest car ride you have ever had."
"Thanks Winston."
Nick got into the car and sat in the middle seat so he could sit as close to Jess as possible, his arm around her and his other hand being crushed in hers. "I'm right here." He whispered into her ear.
When Winston started the car Jess jumped and held on to Nick's hand even tighter. He didn't say a word.
"Jess do you remember what you said to me when you told me you were pregnant?"
"No?"
"You said it's going to be fine... Just breath."
She smiled slightly, her face still laced with fear. "You were funny.. I thought you would never snap out of it."
Nick was just getting home from work. He found since the they had become a couple he had enjoyed coming home especially after they had married. Though the mood his wife had been in lately this may change. He walked in to find Jess pacing up and down in front of the door. This was odd behaviour but then again this was Jess. "Hi Jess."
This stopped her pacing, but the oddness didn't stop instead she stood there stock still staring at him. This started to worry him and his thoughts took immediately to the same place they always did... She was leaving him. After 4 weeks of marriage she has had enough.
"Thank god, I'd thought you would be home earlier." She grabbed his hand and pulled him to their bedroom.
A little while after they had become a couple Nick moved out of his room and into Jess' as she so rightly put it was the nice out the 2, he did miss his old room... just sometimes though.
As he was yanked into the room, his thoughts cheered up A LOT. Getting the wrong end of the stick. He started undressing.
"Err Nick. What ya doing?" She queried.
"Um I thought you know me.. You.. Bed." Nick raised his eyebrows in a suggestive manner, He was still hopeful that he was right.
"No, I just don't want Schmidt or Winston to walk in and hear what I am going to say."
Slightly crestfallen he sat on the bed. "What's up Jess? You look like you are about to say something I don't want to hear." He chuckled a little at his own joke.
"That might be the case." Her voice was laced with worry.
This in turn worried Nick, going back to that dark place where he was alone with no Jess, he didn't like that place. "Just say it." He closed his eyes and braces himself on the bed as if preparing for some kind of impact. "Go on then, say it quickly."
"Ok the thing is" she tried again ... "I kinda.." Nope not working. "When two people.."she couldn't get the words out she needed.
"Jess for god sake just say it."
"Fine... IthinkImaybepregnant." She said the words so fast Nick wasn't sure if he had heard correctly, of course he had misunderstood there was no way heard...what he heard.
"Sorry Jess I missed that completely there."
" . . ." She punctuated each word and syllable so there was no way Nick could miss it.
"Think?" The one word came out in a highly pitch squeak. He cleared his throat and tried to make his voice sound a bit more manly this time. "Think? What do you mean by think?"
"I haven't done the test yet, I was waiting for you."
"Jeez you couldn't have done the test first, might have save my heart attack." It be fine he thought, Jess was always overreacting. Through his inner monologue he had missed the death stare Jess was now shooting him, maybe that had been the wrong thing to say.
"Well thank you Nick, how silly of me that I thought my husband may want to be with me when I found out if we are having a child or not! Go on about the rest of you day, don't worry about me." She stormed out the room and for add effect slapped the door.
Yep definitely the wrong thing to say. Jumping up to chase after her, he caught her going into the bathroom, of which the that door got slammed into his face. "Jess please I'm sorry, that was a really stupid thing to say. I know that now. I want to be here for you."
No answer came from the door. "Please Jess."
She slowly opened the door, and he pulled her into a hug. "I'm sorry Jess."
"Me to I guess, I was not being fair, it's just I am so scared. Scared that it will be positive and you will run out of here because its too soon, but also I am scared that it will be negative."
Nick gulped loudly at Jess' confession, he would be there for her of course he would what kind of jackass wouldn't. But pregnant! His mind didn't want to cope with the possibility of that. "Take the test and we can figure the rest out after. Where is it?"
"In my bag on the dining room table."
"I'll go get it."
Nick walked over to the table. It seemed to moving further away as he was getting closure. But at the same time it was all to soon when he did reach it.
He hated going into Jess' bag in his opinion men should stay away from women's bag, you didn't know what you could find in there. He felt this time he had good reason as he pulled out the rectangle box. His head was so fuzzy he couldn't read the words on it. They were just a blur.
Jess was still rooted to her spot when he silently handed the box to her. The bathroom door shut again and he sank to the floor.
After what felt like an age he called out to her. "How's it going Jess."
"It's a little difficult to pee under this kind of pressure Miller, I can feel you out there. Wait in the bedroom will you."
Nick sighed, yep his wife was odd. Good job he knew that going into this.
He laid down on the bed staring up at the ceiling. This is a waste if time, she was on the pill. They were both getting worked up for nothing. He had convinced himself so much that he was now completely calm.
That was until Jess walked in. She wasn't looking at him but the stick in her hand. She sat at the end of the bed and he joined her "well?"
"It takes a few minutes Nick. Give it a chance."
The next few minutes seemed the longest if his life so far, he was sure the bedside alarm clock was broken.
Jess took a deep breath of surprise in. "Oh ...my... god" she looked at Nick, a smile slowly making its way on to her face and her eyes welling with tears.
Oh no. Was all the thought.
"It's positive." Jess sounded so happy, he didn't want to say anything to upset her so he went with saying nothing. He just sat there, his eyes fixed straight ahead. His thoughts were going at top speed, not being able to make any sense out of them. He froze.
"Nick. Say something please."
Still nothing.
"Look at me." She tried to move his head but it wasn't budging. "Nicholas Miller, you look at me right now."
Slowly he turned his head, his eyes full of panic. She was worried at first that he wasn't ready for this, hell neither of them probably weren't, but it was happening and he needed realize that. "It's ok going be fine... Just breath. We can get through this."
Nick looked a little sad but Jess couldn't work out why. "Talk to me."
"Jess what if I'm bad at this. What if I screw it up."
"You aren't going to screw this up, this baby will be so lucky to have so many people love it, especially his or her's father ."
Now it was Nicks turn to well up. He glance down at Jess's flat stomach. "Hi baby." His voice was gruff. But a smile was finally making its way on to his face. "We are having a baby." It said with utter wonderment. Still not quite believing the words coming out f his mouth.
"Yep we are." Jess wasn't worried anymore it may take him sometime but he would get there.
The whole way home Jess clung to Nick which he did not mind in the slightest, but was still very glad when Winston pulled up in front of the apartment block.
"See Jess it was fine. Your home now."
Jess had never been so dam please to see the building. Wanting to get out of the car as fast as possible. It seemed to take forever to get to the elevator, pressing the number 4 button then having to waiting for it to move.
Jess had always found the elevator calming, she would never forget the look on Nick's face when he stopped it that time, stopped her from going on that date. Smiling over at him and catching each they caught each others eyes they knew they were thinking the same thought. Jess was kind of sad that she was too big for him to pick her up again.
The door dinged open and they exited making their way to apartment 4D. "Welcome home Jess."
Inside were Cece and Schmidt who came running over to her. Both giving a massive hug. "It's so good to see you back here Jess." Schmidt for a rare moment was the old Schmidt. He was trying more these days, less of a douchbag.
"Guys Jess has to go to her room now." Nick was trying to shoo the others away.
"Nick I will be fine.." She stopped the sentence she was going with. "You right I am pretty tired anyway."
One more last hug from her two friends, and making their way to the bedroom. Just when Jess was going to enter. Nick stopped her.
"I want to show you something first."
Jess' eyes lit up. Was he about to show her the nursery! Not being able to see what he was doing had driven her crazy, but he had so wanted to do this so much for their daughter.
Nick stepped aside so she could open the door. Jess couldn't believe her eyes when she saw it. "You did this?"
"Yep, made sure it was finished the other day."
The room was a pale pink, with a rainbow and white clouds on the far wall, where Nick's bed use to be. What had replaced it was the cot they had brought to together. On the cot there was a mobile, looking closely at it the bits hanging from it looked rather different, not your usual mobile. It had symbols on it that looked handmade - a fish, beanie hat, wolf, badger, house covered with fairly lights on it and a baby wrapped in a blanket. Jess was speechless as she took in the rest of the room, the rocking chair, changing unit taking it all in.
It was a room that every little girl could imagine owning and the fact that Nick did this by himself it meant so much more to her. "Thank you Nick..it's .." She was trying to find the right words. "Perfect."
Nick was very pleased with himself. He had finally finished a project that he set out to do. "Come on you, let's h you to bed. I am sure we will spend enough time in here."
Jess took one last look at the the baby's nursery. Yes she might as well sleep when she can. It won't be much longer till the baby arrives then she has an excuse to be in this room all the time, she knew that Nick will be will her at every step.