"Jess!" Nick called as he walked down the hall towards their bedroom. "You almost ready?" He asked walking in as she was working on her make up in the mirror on the dresser.
"I'm just finishing up." She said as her phone rang, making her turn to answer holding it between her head and shoulder as she finished getting ready. "Hey, Sadi!" She said with a smile listening. "What-wait-what-no-what?" She said before the phone dropped, making her juggle it before putting it back to her ear as Nick looked at her confused. "You're sure? Like really, really sure? Like super-right, okay, thanks." She said as she hung the phone up and just stood in place, her mind wandering off.
Nicked closer watching her. "Everything okay?" He asked and got no response. "Jess, what's wrong?" He asked, a little worried as her bright blue eyes turned to him and she tried to talk but couldn't.
"I… um…. Sadi said…." She paused, looking at him as he waited for her to continue. She took a breath and blurted it out. "I'm pregnant."
Nick looked at her, blinking as it sank in. "You're…. You mean….?" He stumbled for words as she nodded with a little smile. "Jess…." He was at a loss for words before he pulled her into a deep and loving kiss. They pulled away and smiled at each other. "Jess, this is… this is amazing!" He said picking her up, making her laugh. "We're going to have a kid."
"We are." She smiled, pulling him back into another kiss, the world melting away, their dinner plans forgotten.
The next morning Nick woke up looking at Jess still sleeping curled up beside him. His mind wandering to the night before, the news about the new life the two had created, a child. He looked down at her flat belly. Slowly he reached out laying his hand there. He couldn't believe it, they would be parents, he would be a father. He paused and looked back at Jess' face. His panic started to build at the thought of being a father.
Jess opened her eyes and found Nick staring at her. she stretched with a smile watching him. "Staring at me in my sleep, that's not creepy at all." She teased as he came back to reality, leaving his panicked thoughts. "You okay?" She asked seeing the look on his face.
Nick nodded. "Yeah, yeah, I'm great. I just… I still can't believe it." He said with a little smile watching her smile grow before she reached out touching his face.
"You sure you're okay?" She asked. "You got that crazy look going." She said watching him worried.
"I'm fine, come on, we should get some breakfast." He said as he turned and climbed from the bed, trying to cover his worry and fears. Jess watched him another minute before she started getting up and ready for the day.
Jess walked out and found Nick starting their breakfast. She watched him moving around, watching for the signs that something was wrong. She knew him, she could tell he was hiding something, and she was determined as always to get him to talk to her. "Nick." She said walking to the island and sitting at one of the stools. "Are you upset I'm pregnant?" She asked. He turned faster than she thought possible as he shook his head.
"No, no, absolutely not." He said.
"Then what's wrong? What are you upset about?" She asked.
He shrugged. "Nothing. Everything's fine."
"Everything's not fine. You know I know all your tales; I know something's wrong." She said as he looked at her for a moment.
"I think you mean tells and there's no tells to see. Everything's fine, I'm fine, I'm great." He said.
"Nick." She said getting up as he turned back to cooking. "Nick." She demanded answers with just his name.
"Jess, everything is fine. Stop worrying." He said with a little smile. "Come on, I made breakfast."
Jess tilted her head looking at him. "Nick. Please…" She said getting more worried that the pregnancy was a problem, that something was wrong because of it.
Nick looked at her letting out a breath as he leaned on the island, grabbing her hands. "It's nothing wrong. I love you; I love our kid…. I just…." He paused as she watched him, rubbing his hand.
"Nick, it's me, you can talk to me." She said softly as his brown eyes met bright blue.
He nodded. "I know, Jess, I just… it's…. What if I turn out like my dad?" He finally got out.
Jess furrowed her brow and shook her head. "You are not your dad. I met him, I know." She said making him give a little snot and nod looking at their hands. "I'm serious." She said making him look at her. "You're not your dad. Nick, you're so much more, so incredible as a friend and husband and…. I know you're going to be amazing as a dad too."
"You don't know that." He scoffed.
"Actually, I do." she said confidently. "You helped with Ruth and Moses and Dan Bill and Nolan. I know you'll be amazing." Nick just looked at her a minute before he smirked, he still after all these years had no idea how she did it. How she could take all his fears and just make them go away with a few words and the sight of those beautiful blue eyes.
He nodded again letting out a breath. "You know what. I know everything will work out fine. You know how I know that?" He asked as she shook her head. "Because I have you." Jess couldn't help the little smile as they kissed lovingly. The two spent the morning cuddled together on the couch as they talked about their future now with a child joining the plans.
Jess sighed as she got ready for their friends meet up. The others had gotten babysitters so they could be their stupid selves again. She turned, looking in the mirror as Nick walked in, stopping at the doorway, watching her as she looked at herself in the mirror, turning and laying her hands on her belly, looking for any sign of the little life growing in there.
"Checking yourself out?" Nick teased as he watched her.
"No, I just… we need to tell them before it becomes obvious and then Cece will never talk to me again because I never told her." She said getting panicked.
"Cece's not going to stop talking to you." He said pushing from the doorway and walking over to wrap her in his arms. "Don't worry too much. We'll talk to them tonight." He said kissing her head as she smiled at him in the mirror. "Come on, we better get going before we get the late lecture again." Jess laughed as they made their way out, heading to Cece and Schmidt's house.
Jess fidgeted as they reached the door, and it swung open quickly. "You're late." Schmidt scolded.
Nick rolled his eyes. "Oh no we're a minute late." He teased as they walked in to join the others.
"Jess!" Cece smiled running over to hug her. "You know we really need to make time between these things. I'm going crazy!" She half yelled.
"So, we are celebrating tonight." Aly said with a bright smile. Jess and Nick looked at each other. "Winston was promoted to Lieutenant." She said excitedly as Winston grinned proudly.
Nick and Jess paused before they smirked and smiled before they congratulated him. They walked to the kitchen to get drinks. "What now?" Jess asked glancing over as the attention was on Winston. "We can't take this away from him."
"Well, maybe you and Cece can meet up and you can tell her and then it'll spread." Nick shrugged as Jess looked at him. "What? I don't have an answer. He looks so happy but…we can't put this off forever." He said as Jess groaned.
"Come on, we're going to cheers for Winston." Cece smiled brightly pulling the two over as she poured the drinks and handed them out. Jess looked at Nick as they officially congratulated Winston. Nick paused before he downed his glass and switched with Jess before anyone could see.
"Nick." Jess said as he looked at her. "You can't do that all night." she whispered.
"well, you can't drink it and we can't take the night from Winston, so there's very little choice here." He said as the others laughed and talked.
"Nick." She said giving him a look.
"Jess." He said back looking back at her before she sighed and joined in the talks. Cece and the others continue to pour the drinks. Jess held her glass of wine, pretending to take a sip every once in a while. They tried to keep these friend dates every month, catch up on everything they missed as time became harder to manage and they all moved forward in their lives. As the night went on the group was starting to feel the alcohol laughing over memories of Winston's police career when he jumped up.
"I have the perfect idea." Winston said. "No kids, no work, just us…. True American!"
"Winston, no." Cece said.
"Dude, we haven't had nights like that in years, we're old now." Nick tried, knowing what it meant if they would have to play true American.
"What are you complaining about?" Schmidt scoffed. "It's not like you'll have to be up for days like us with the little hellions…. That we love so much." He said with a forced smile making the others laugh.
Nick looked at Jess hoping she had a plan as the others started moving furniture and pulling the alcohol out to start the game. "Jess…" He said as she looked at him. "We can't pretend you're drinking with this."
"I have a plan, just trust me." She said as he looked at her another minute and sighed in defeat.
"Alright let's go!" Aly smiled happily. "One, Two, Three, JFK!"
"FDR!" The others yelled and the game started. Nick watched Jess pretending to take a drink as she moved through the game until she reached a plant, dumping some of her beer. He smirked, leave it to her to find a way to fool everyone and keep their secret a little while longer. Jess looked over and gave him a smile as he smirked and gave a little nod. The game continued and Jess did her best to try to pour out the alcohol and pretend to play the game. Nick was trying to slow his drinking, not wanting to be too drunk at the end as he watched Jess jump around.
Nick stumbled but made it to the ottoman where Jess was standing. She caught him keeping him standing as he smirked, the two locking eyes. "Fancy meeting you here." He teased.
"Look at you, it's been a lifetime it seems like." She said as he smirked at her before the others yelled about continuing the game and stop making googly eyes at each other. Nick chuckled as they went back to the game, Nick watching Jess continuing to try to hide her sobriety.
The game was nearly complete when someone yelled. "Hey! You've got no reason to not be just as drunk as we will be, and we have to get up tomorrow!" Cece yelled, catching Jess as she poured some of her beer into the sink. "Drink!"
"Drink! Drink! Drink!" The rest cheered as Jess looked at Nick unsure what to do as he shrugged, no idea what to do. "Jess! Drink up!" Winston yelled with a grin.
"Oh, no, no, I'm good. You know, Nicks already had a bunch and I'll have to drive home, and you know I can't drink when I was drinking." She tried.
"You know Jess, she's always by the book." Nick added with a shrug.
"Nope, not buying it. Drink!" Schmidt yelled as he tossed her another beer.
Jess looked at them as they cheered and chanted for her to drink. She looked at Nick again. "I can't! I'm…" She yelled, making the chanting slow. "Pregnant?" She said softly looking around as the others looked at her in shock.
"You're pregnant?" Schmidt asked looking between her and Nick. "Are you serious?"
"Jess! You've been drinking all night, how could you…?" Aly said looking at the friend.
Jess shook her head. "Actually, I've been dumping some and Nick's been drinking the rest." Nick smirked, saluting as she shook her head.
"So, it's true, not just a way to not drink?" Cece asked looking at her oldest friend. Jess smiled at her and nodded. "Jess!" She called about to walk over before everyone yelled about the floor being lava making her stop.
"Why didn't you say anything before?" Winston asked looking between his two friends.
"We didn't want to take away from you being promoted." Nick said.
"This is amazing!" Cece yelled with a bright smile before they started the game again. Cece made her way tot eh kitchen pulling out soda and water and handing them to Jess with a smile. "I'm so happy for you." She said hugging her friend.
"Hey! The game's still going, none of that!" Nick called from his spot.
Cece and Jess looked at him and sighed. "At least you've got practice with a baby." Cece said shaking her head.
"You have no idea." Jess laughed watching as Nick and Schmidt started fighting over the spot.
Cece looked at Jess. "You're going to be an amazing mom." She said before they went back to the game, enjoying what was probably the last true American for a little while.