So this is my first attempt at a Manifest fanfic. I'm a big Zekaela shipper, and this is just a little idea that came to mind after discovering more about Zeke's new ability. For the purposes of this story, he has a part-time job at the police station Michaela, Drea, and Jared work at. Enjoy and please review!
Zeke arrived at work early one morning. Michaela had gotten him a part-time civilian position at the precinct, so he spent most of his days pushing paperwork for all of the officers, and having various commands given to him, mostly by Mick, Drea, and Jared. That was when they weren't out following one of Michaela's callings. But as of right now, Drea was out investigating a burglary, and Mick was at home with Beverly and the home health aide. Zeke looked down at the mountain of forms on his desk to be scanned, saved, copied, and God knows what else. Anything to spend more time with the love of his life, right?
Zeke glanced over to the pictures on his desk, one of them being an official wedding portrait. There were also a few pictures of them with their families on that day, and one of just Zeke and Cal. He had believed that he would be dying soon after, but everything had worked out in his favor. He had successfully followed the callings, saved Cal's life, and lived. And now he got to spend the rest of his life with Mick.
A pain in his back that radiated to the front of his abdomen took him out of his daydream. He hissed a little at the suddenness of the cramp, but thankfully, it only lasted around thirty seconds or so. Just then, Jared walked over to his desk, "Landon, I have a bunch of police reports that need to be entered into the system." Jared placed a thick file on front of Zeke.
"One of the benefits of being a lieutenant is you can get other people to do all of your menial work for you, huh?"
"After I sign them, they're out of my sight," said Jared. Another wave of pain tore through Zeke, and he sucked in a sharp breath, "You all right?"
"My back just hurts a little. I must have pulled a muscle or something. Cal and I were playing basketball over the weekend, and I was also chasing Eden around the yard. I'm probably too old to keep up with them without consequences."
"Well, take it easy. I don't need you getting a paper cut on top of everything else." Jared went back to his desk.
Zeke chuckled at Jared's joke. He took a few Tylenol and swallowed them down with some water, hoping it would help with the sore muscles. Unfortunately, it didn't.
As the morning progressed, the back spasms and abdominal cramps worsened. Zeke wondered what in the world was going on. These spasms were much worse than a pulled muscle or stiffness from sleeping in the wrong position. It was only when his eyes landed on one more picture on his desk did Zeke realize what was happening: the picture of him and Mick from her maternity photo shoot.
Ever since Zeke had gained his new empath abilities, it had been a wild experience knowing what everyone around was feeling. But with Mick, these feelings were maximized. And journeying through pregnancy with Mick had been…interesting, to say the least. The fact that he had struggled with morning sickness, backaches, and food cravings had made him respect women so much more when it came to childbearing.
Zeke keeled over when a pain shot through his abdomen once again. Why wasn't Michaela calling him about being in labor? Zeke figured she was too stubborn to want to pull him away from work. Or she had a much higher pain tolerance than he did.
Zeke could also feel himself getting hot. So apparently, he'd be experiencing the sweating of labor along with the pain. Great, he thought to himself. He looked over toward the water cooler. If he could just make it over there without anyone noticing. Especially Jared, since it was right by him.
Zeke slowly walked over to the Deer Park dispenser and filled one of the pixie cups with the clear, cool liquid. But he dropped it almost as soon as he had filled it. Jared came rushing over and asked, "Landon, are you sure you're all right?"
"This is going to sound crazy…"
"Believe me, whatever you say won't sound crazy to me."
"I think Michaela's in labor."
"What? How do you know? Has she called you?"
"No, but…ever since I survived the death date, I can feel what other people are feeling." He murmured, "And with Mick, I can feel her physical pain as well."
"That explains your nausea and odd food combinations."
"The pickles dipped in peanut butter were the worst."
Zeke's office phone began to ring, so Jared went to answer it, "Lieutenant Vasquez."
"Jared?" It was Grace.
"Grace, let me guess? Mick is in labor. You're taking her to the hospital, and you need Zeke to meet you there."
"How did you know that?"
Jared looked over at Zeke, who was leaning on Jared's desk, panting through obvious pain. Jared didn't know whether Grace knew about Zeke's new ability or not, so he answered, "Just a feeling."
"Can you tell Zeke to meet us at Mount Sinai?"
"Sure thing, Grace. Bye." Jared hung up the phone and made his way back to his desk, "Would you like a ride to the hospital?"
"I can drive myself. I think."
Jared chuckled at Zeke's conundrum, despite himself, "Let me go tell the captain I have an errand to run."
"Jared…" Zeke called, but Jared ignored him. Zeke sat down in Jared's desk chair, attempting to employ some of the breathing techniques he and Mick had learned in childbirth classes. He wondered if they were actually working for her, because at this point, he felt like he needed an epidural.
Jared came of Captain Bowers's office and said, "Let's go."
Once they were both in Jared's car and on their way to Mount Sinai, Zeke asked Jared, "Hey man, do you know how to deal with labor pain?"
Jared briefly looked at Zeke and said, "Well, I'll admit, when I pictured Mick having a baby, I thought I would be the one coaching her through it, not you. But I can try. Just…breathe in and out until the pain subsides."
"I swear we're going to miss the birth. The contractions are coming every five minutes."
"Well, I know enough that we're only in trouble if they're less than two minutes apart."
Unfortunately, with New York City's traffic, it wasn't easy for Jared to get to the hospital quickly. When they arrived, they rushed to the labor and delivery ward, and Zeke went up to the receptionist, "Michaela Stone-Landon, where is she?"
"Sir, are you sure you're all right?" she asked. Zeke was sweating, panting, doubled over in pain, and it felt like his lower half was being ripped apart.
"I'm fine. My wife is about to give birth. Where is Michaela Stone-Landon?" Zeke asked through gritted teeth.
"Ma'am, I wouldn't mess with a nervous expectant father right now," said Jared stoically, leaving it at that.
The receptionist looked up the information and said, "She's in room 828."
"Thank you," said Zeke, free from agony for the moment, not even letting the room number register with him.
In the waiting room, Ben, Cal, Olive, and Eden were waiting, "Zeke, Jared," Ben called. They both walked over and Ben said, "Grace is with Michaela. The doctor says she's doing well. She's seven centimeters dilated."
"I figured," said Zeke, barging past Ben down the long corridor toward Michaela's hospital room. He finally found it: room 828. It was only now did he realize the symbolism behind it all. It was another calling. He and Mick were where they were supposed to be in life. They were being given a second chance. There was no turning back now.
Zeke entered the room, and the first thing he heard his wife say was, "You look like hell."
"Hey, this whole empathy thing isn't exactly easy right now. You can never say I don't know the pain of childbirth." Zeke went to Michaela's bedside and looked down at her. Beautiful Michaela: her blonde hair was coated with beads of sweat, her face was a little flushed, but she still looked as radiant as ever. And so…calm, "How are you so calm?"
"One of us has to be right now, and it's definitely not going to be you."
"Where's Grace?"
"She went to get me ice chips," answered Michaela and she smiled at Zeke, "I'm so glad you're here." She squeezed his hand when she felt a contraction building, though Zeke needed no indication from her about them.
Once it was finished, he pulled a chair over and said, "It will probably be better for the both of us if I support you while sitting down."
"This tops those pickles dipped in peanut butter, doesn't it?"
"I'd eat one hundred of them if I could pass over this part."
"We're in this together," said Michaela, "Pain and all."
Grace arrived and gave Michaela her ice chips, "Hi Zeke. I heard Jared had to coach you through childbirth on the way here."
"You told her?"
"I told them all," Michaela said, and then groaned, "Someone tell the doctor I need to push."
"That will be my job," said Grace, knowing Zeke was in no position to go anywhere right now.
The doctor arrived and she smiled, "Is it time to have a baby?"
"I think so," answered Michaela.
The doctor checked her dilation and said, "You're at ten centimeters. You can start pushing on your next contraction."
Zeke hesitantly stood and kissed the top of Mick's head, "I love you. Let's have a baby."
"You sure you'll be all right?" she whispered low enough so the doctor wouldn't hear her.
"I'll figure out a way."
Michaela began to push, grasping both Zeke's and Grace's hands. Zeke could feel Michaela's current torture, but he did everything he could to remain neutral in front of the doctor. He bit his lip so hard, he was certain there would be blood and he squeezed Mick's hand harder than she was squeezing it, "Keep going; you're doing great," he managed to squeak out. Thankfully, Grace offered phrases of encouragement in his place.
Before Zeke knew it, Michaela gave a final push, and the pain and pressure was gone. Instead, he heard the sound of an infant crying. "It's a boy," the doctor announced as she placed the baby on Michaela's chest.
"Oh my goodness," Michaela sobbed happily, and she looked down at her son, "We have a little baby boy, Zeke."
Zeke held back tears of his own as he kissed Michaela's temple, and then the baby's, "You did a great job, Mick. I love you so much."
"You didn't do half bad yourself, Daddy," she smiled and laughed.
"I'm going to go let the others know," said Grace. Zeke and Michaela nodded and Grace quietly left the room.
Soon, the other Stones and Jared arrived, "He's beautiful, Auntie Mick," said Cal.
"Thank you, Cal," said Michaela.
"He's a perfect mix of the two of you," said Olive. With a full head of brown hair, and ocean blue eyes, he had inherited features from both of his parents.
"Jared, thank you for getting a laboring Zeke to the hospital," said Michaela.
Jared chuckled at the joke, "You're welcome."
"So what's his name?" asked Ben.
Zeke and Mick smiled at each other and nodded, "Levi Gabriel Landon. Levi means joined in harmony and Gabriel means God is my strength."
"And Mick and I are definitely joined together," said Zeke amusingly.
Grace brought Eden over to Levi and said, "Eden, meet your new cousin. And welcome to the world, Levi Gabriel Landon."