March 9th 2023

2 weeks later

"Touch me." Joe says spooning Taylor in bed after his alarm went off for the second time.

"No you have to go to work." She reminds trying to stay asleep.

"I'll be quick." He claims and moves the hair off her neck so he can kiss it, which sends a chill down her back.

"Ha no babe, your alarm already went off twice." She says rolling away from him.

"Pleaseee" he begs making her laugh.

"Tonight we can."

"Ugh. Why is it always when I work early I want you so bad." He says with a sigh.

"Because I'm just that irresistible." She laughs.

"Yeah you are." He agrees.

"Do you think we could maybe start our next venture earlier then we originally said?" She wonders staring up at the ceiling now that she was awake.

"You mean trying for a baby? Now?" He guesses.

"Yeah…I just don't want to wait, especially after meeting Layla. You know?" She asked.

"I know, she's a doll. Tell ya what babe, let me get the paternity test results first, and then we'll talk."

"You should know today right?" She says.

"Yeah, it's been 2 weeks now." He reminds and gets up to get dressed and head to work.

"Hey, it's gonna be fine remember?" He said when she didn't say anything back.

"I know." She watches him get dressed, he kisses her goodbye and heads out of the room. Taylor's been very stressed about getting these results back. She's hoping it's not his baby, seeing him with a child that they don't share together is a little gut wrenching. And then throw the fact she isn't sure she'll be able to even carry a child of their own just adds to it.

Joe and Danny were interviewing a witness at an apartment building when they hear screaming kids at the apartment next door.

"I'll go." Joe says and leaves, he knocks on the door announcing he's the police, and a kid probably 8 years old answers.

"Is your mom or dad home?" He asks but the kids scream again in the background so Joe pushes through to see the problem hand on his gun ready to pull it because it sounds like someone's being murdered.

"Mommy's having a baby!" The kid says. He immediately sees a pregnant women on the floor surrounded by 4 younger kids who are screaming in fear, the mother is also yelling in pain.

"Where's your dad!?" Joe asks and goes over to her side.

"He's working." The kid says.

"Ma'am I'm a cop, what's going on? Talk to me?!" He tells the woman, his adrenaline started kicking in high gear.

"The baby, she's coming." She says catching her breath.

"Alright, um how long has this been going on?" He wonders pulling out his phone.

"Couple hours, it just got really bad I can't get up, I don't know where my phone is." She says frazzled and through her intense contractions.

"Okay, aright, 5-4 detective I need a bus at 725 south Gerard street apartment 15, I got a women in labor!" He radios. He tells the kids to back up and go sit down somewhere while he helps her to the bathroom. A few seconds later Danny comes in the apartment quickly.

"Joe?! What's going on? Where are you!?" He says making his way to the bathroom doorway.

"She's having a baby, I called a bus, but I don't know." He says panicked but trying to remain calm for her.

"Okay, you stay with her I'll stay with the kids while we wait for the bus." He says and leaves.

"Ma'am just try and relax okay?" Joe says hoping the emts are here soon because he doesn't like this at all.

"No, this is my 5th, she's coming now, I feel her!" The lady says reaching down and feeling herself.

"Okay okay, Danny!" Joes panicked, he does not have the confidence to deliver a baby, Danny at least as kids of his own. He can do it better then him he figured.

"What happened?" He asks coming to the doorway.

"She thinks it's coming." Joe says stressed.

"Can she walk? Let's get her out for them, I got all the kids out of the living room." He says. The women yells through more contractions.

"Um I think that's a no go." Joe says as the women is squeezing his arm as hard as she can.

"No she's coming now! Ah!" She lays back against the wall taking fast breaths.

"Holy-" Joe is astonished at the sight, he regrets looking immediately.

"Get towels!" Danny tells him and gets down on the ground to catch the baby, he sees it coming fast. Joe moves aside and opens the cabinet, throwing all the towels he can find on the floor for him.

"Owww!" She winces.

"Breathe through it, what's your name?" Danny asks.

"Natalie." She says breathing heavily.

"Okay Natalie, heads halfway out, you're doing great." He says.

"What else can I do?" Joe wonders just glad he's not in Danny's position.

"Hand, give me your hand." Natalie says reaching out. Joe listens and she grabs it and squeezes again as she pushes. He kneels beside her not needing to see the baby come out, he'll leave that to Danny.

"Good, heads out, one more push c'mon you got this momma." Danny says.

"Good job." Joe says trying to distract himself from the pain of his hand being smashed.

The emts arrive just as the baby comes out and take over, the women crying and laughing it's finally over. The newborn screams rattle the bathroom. Joe and Danny head out of the way and give them room to work.

"Holy shit." Joe says still in shock of everything he just witnessed, and he's sweating from the intensity of the situation.

"Yeah, I gotta wash my hands." Danny says and goes to the kitchen sink.

"We're gonna call a family member or something for you guys alright?" Joe tells the kids so they didn't worry.

"I got a hold of dad, he's headed to the hospital awhile." Danny says.

"How?" Joe asks.

"Phone numbers right here." Danny points to the paper on the fridge.

"Nice work detective." Joe says. They bring the mom out and take her. She tells them to call her mom for the kids.

Danny and Joe babysit until the grandma gets there to take over. The kids are all about 2 years apart, pretty well behaved, and adorable. The littlest one who's 2 has Joe on the floor playing with baby dolls and Danny has the other 3 playing go fish.

The grandmother shows up after 20 minutes and is the nicest woman, Joe and Danny wish her luck and they leave.

"Think we could call it a day?" Danny asks Joe.

"Shit yeah I could get on board with that."

"Let's finish up with the witness and go." Danny suggests and Joe is good with that.

——

Joe was home before Taylor and got the mail in hopes the results would be there and they were. He ripped them open, he was getting nervous, he was praying it wasn't his.

"Thank god." He sighed in relief when he read it wasn't a match. After he relaxed a little he pulled out his phone and called Taylor to tell her.

"Joe I can't talk are you okay?" She said answering quiet.

"It's not mine." He told her waiting for her sigh of relief too.

"Ugh good."

"That's all, I wanted to tell you right away." He said.

"Thank you. I've been thinking about it non stop. I have to go though." She says.

"Yup love you bye." He hangs up and then tries to decide how he's telling Kelsey. He decides to just send a picture, a phone call seemed to intimate and he didn't wanna give the wrong idea.

——

"So what did Kelsey say?" Taylor asked over dinner.

"Just that she knew it but glad it was definite."

"Oh okay." She was glad and relieved it was finally done with, no more dancing around the idea of being a step mom possibly.

"Yeah also, um when the time comes that it's you having our baby…I'm promising you right now I am not watching. Because there's just some things you can't unsee." He says taking the conversation a different way.

"What on earth happened to you today?" She laughed with curiosity.

"I assisted Danny with delivering a baby." He took another bite and chuckled to himself with a head shake.

"What!? Seriously!?" Taylor's eyes bugged out.

"Wish I was lying ha-ha."

"Joe that's insane!" She was weirdly fascinated by it though.

"You're telling me!" He laughed.

"Was that the first time you did that?"

"Um yeah. And I'm good with it being a once and done sorta thing." He said making her laugh.

——

All is well for the soon to be Mr. and Mrs. thank goodness. Joe and Danny delivering a baby would be so funny to see on the show I think, so I figured I'd write something up! Leave your thoughts as always and thanks for reading!