Author's Note: Fiiiiinally, Hank and Jenna get to share their baby news! I'm going to be honest, I don't love the way this chapter turned out, but it's necessary to drive the story along. I spent a great deal of my Thanksgiving holiday weekend writing and editing, and I can say with confidence and a little bit of sadness that chapter 50 will complete this story. If the last little bit goes according to plan, the final chapter will post right before Christmas!
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Chapter 43-A Baby?
The weekend after the wedding, Jenna and Hank decided to have the newlyweds and Jenna's son's family over for dinner to share their baby news with them. Jenna's daughter Paige, a bridesmaid in the wedding, spent the week with them and was leaving the next morning, and they wanted her to be a part of their announcement as well. As dinner progressed, Jenna couldn't decide if the sick feeling in her stomach was due to nerves about the announcement or the return of morning sickness.
"Calm down," Hank said softly, walking up behind her as they cleared the dinner table.
"I'm trying," Jenna said. "I'm just nervous about how they are going to take the news."
Hank put his arm around her waist, pulling her close. "It's going to be fine. We're happy, and when they see that, they'll be happy for us."
Just then, Erin walked into the kitchen, interrupting their moment. She crossed her arms in front of her. "Ok, I'm just going to say it. You two have been acting weird all night. What's going on?" Erin asked.
"I agree," Nick said, as he, Paige, and Jay joined them in the kitchen. "There's definitely something going on that you're not telling us," Nick said.
"Yeah, Jenna looks like she's going to vomit, and Sarge has been smiling way more than normal," Jay said, smirking.
"Funny, Halstead," Hank said. He looked over at Jenna. "Should we tell them?"
Jenna shrugged. "I guess we should, since they are all here."
"Oh my goodness, what's going on?" Paige asked.
Hank pulled Jenna closer against him, gently squeezing her hip. "Go ahead, babe."
Jenna took a deep breath, looking up at Hank, his eyes giving her strength. "Ok. Hank and I called you here because we have been keeping something from you, and we can't wait any longer to share some pretty life-changing news with you. By some crazy miracle…we…are having a baby."
Everyone stared at them, completely in shock.
After a few moments of processing, Erin broke the silence. "WHAT?!" she shrieked. "Are you serious?"
"We are," Jenna said, tears coming to her eyes as her hand drifted down to her baby bump.
"Oh my goodness!" Erin said, rushing over and throwing her arms around Jenna. "I'm so happy for you," she said as rivers of tears rolled down her face.
"Thank you Sweetie."
"MOM!" Paige screamed as she jumped into Jenna's arms. "This is crazy, but I'm so happy!"
"Congratulations Hank," Nick said, giving Hank a quick hug. "I didn't think this was possible for Mom again, so this is really great news. You've made her so happy."
"She's made me happy," Hank said. "I never imagined I could be this happy again. I never imagined another child either, so this...it's unbelievable."
"Very happy for you both, Sarge," Jay said as he shook Hank's hand. "This is…wow, this is unexpected. It's a good thing though."
"Thank you Jay."
Erin hugged Hank tight as she tearfully said, "This is incredible."
"Can you believe it?" he asked. "A baby? After all this time?"
"I know! You're so OLD!" she said, laughing through her tears of joy.
Hank chuckled. "I am. I'm old enough that I really never thought about this happening. But it's good, and we're so happy. Nervous, but happy."
"I'm happy for you two. This is the best news," she said, hugging him again.
"Thanks kiddo."
They all celebrated together for a few more minutes before moving to the living room to relax as they began firing more questions at Hank and Jenna.
"Ok, we need all of the details," Paige said.
"We are right at sixteen weeks," Jenna said.
"Sixteen weeks already? Why are we just now finding out about this?" Erin asked.
"We wanted to get as far along as we could, just to make sure everything was ok. We actually found out about the baby when I was at the hospital after my car accident. The baby still had a heartbeat then, but they warned us that because of the trauma of the accident, the baby might not make it. I have been checked every couple of weeks since then, just to make sure, and my doctor agreed that we were far enough past the accident that we should be good to go."
"Wow. This is really incredible Mom," Nick said.
"Thank you Nick," Jenna said. "It really is. It's been so hard to keep this secret, so I'm glad we can finally share it with everyone."
"Do you know yet? Boy or girl?" Jay asked.
"Not yet. We'll find out in a few weeks. Hank and I briefly considered having a delivery surprise, but we want everything to be in place before the baby gets here. I also really want to have a name finalized."
"Do you have a feeling about the gender? The "mother's intuition" thing?" Nick asked.
Jenna shook her head. "I really don't. I've always known right away before, but I guess I'm still wrapping my head around the idea of even having a baby at all. I never thought this would happen at this time of my life."
"Me neither," Hank said. "But this is the most wonderful surprise."
"So the baby really was a surprise?" Paige asked. "You weren't trying for a baby?"
"Oh it's definitely been a surprise," Jenna said. "We weren't planning for this at all, not even considering it, didn't think it was possible, but we're thrilled."
"Well we are all very happy for both of you," Erin said. "A baby will be such an incredible addition to this family."
"We think so too," Hank said, pulling Jenna close.
"Mom, do you have a bump yet?" Paige asked.
Jenna stood and pulled her top tight against her stomach so they could see. "There's a little one there. Just in the last week or so, I've really started to pop. I was afraid it was going to be super visible at the wedding, but we made it through."
Erin and Paige both rushed over and put their hands on Jenna's bump. "Hi sweet baby!" Erin said. "It's your big sister Erin! I can't wait to meet you."
"I'm your big sister Paige! We love you so much already!" Paige looked up at Jenna. "I can't believe this, Mom."
"I know, baby. It's hard for me too. But I'm really happy," she said, wiping her tears.
"The others are going to be so excited!"
Jenna sighed. "I sure hope so. I know that since the wedding, they have really come around and really accepted Hank as my husband, but I don't know how they are going to handle this kind of news."
Hank wrapped his arms around her waist, both hands on her bump. "They are going to be thrilled, just like everyone here. This baby is going to be so loved by so many people."
"He's right," Nick said. "This is incredible news."
They spent the rest of the evening talking, dreaming, and making plans for the baby's future. Paige and Erin were already making a list of baby names, and Jenna felt a part of the weight on her shoulders lift, now that at least a piece of their family knew about their baby.
She knew Hank was right. This baby was going to be so loved.
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When everyone was gone, with promises to keep the secret just for one more day, Hank and Jenna FaceTimed the rest of Jenna's children to let them in on their news.
Jenna's kids were extremely surprised, but they were thrilled. When she heard their excitement, she was immediately filled with relief. She and Hank had both been nervous about their reactions, but after their wedding, the relationships began to heal, and they were in a much better place than they had been previously. Jenna hoped that this baby would bring their family even closer together.
After hanging up with the kids, and after more excited screams and tears, Hank and Jenna curled up on their couch together.
"Feels good to have it out now, doesn't it?" Hank asked.
Jenna nodded against his chest. "Yeah, it does. It went over better with the kids than I thought it would."
"I admit I was a little nervous about telling everyone, but it seems like everyone is really happy for us. Surprised, but happy."
"Yeah. Erin's reaction was wonderful, and her excitement was pretty contagious."
"I know she's going to be great with this baby." Hank put his hand on Jenna's stomach. "I said it earlier, but I feel it even more after talking with your kids. This baby is going to be surrounded by so much love. It really is such a blessing." He kissed the side of her head. "I'm so happy, Jen. So happy."
"Me too," Jenna said, twisting around to face him. She moved to his lap, straddling his waist to be as close to him as her baby bump would allow her to be. As she slipped her arms around his neck, she couldn't help but giggle at the awkwardness of their position now that there was a baby sandwiched between them. "Well, this doesn't work quite like it used to."
Hank chuckled under his breath. "Probably not the last time our little one is going to be in the way." His hands gripped her waist as he leaned forward until their lips met. "I love you."
"I love you too."
They kissed for a little while longer, until Jenna felt like she needed to move. "Sorry babe," she said, moving off of his lap back into her place on the couch. Hank immediately pulled her against his side again.
After a few minutes, Jenna softly said, "We need to talk about names."
"Already?" Hank asked. "We don't even know gender yet."
"I know, but there's nothing wrong with talking about it now. I have a feeling this may be a hard one for us to agree on."
Hank shrugged his shoulders. "As long as it isn't anything too outrageous, I'm sure whatever you come up with will be fine."
"Just be thinking about it. We can't keep calling it little one indefinitely."
Hank laughed, kissing her head. "Ok, I'll think about it."
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The next morning, Erin rushed into Hank's office. "Hey!" she said excitedly.
"Yes, I'm telling everyone today," Hank said before she could ask her question.
"Great!" she said as hugged him. "I'm just so excited."
"I know. It's incredible."
Erin sat down in a chair across from his desk. "I just…can't believe this, the way your life has changed."
"Yeah, I know."
"When Camille died...I worried about you so much. You and Camille we're so connected, and she was the one person you could truly be yourself with, be vulnerable with."
"Erin," Hank said, holding up his hands to try to try to prevent Erin from bringing up memories he didn't want to dwell on.
Erin held her own hand up. "Let me say this. Losing that bond...I tried to be there for you, but I knew it couldn't be the same. I couldn't be what she was. And then prison...that was so awful. I thought things would turn around after you and Justin got out, but then we lost him...those days after, I didn't know how you were even breathing."
Hank nodded, briefly allowing himself to go back to that place. "Some days I didn't know if I could take another breath. Some days I didn't want to."
"I know," Erin said, tears forming in her eyes. "And then all of a sudden, out of the blue, here comes Jenna, the most incredible surprise."
"She sure has been. I'd given up. I wasn't looking for someone, at all. Then I met her, and I felt this immediate connection with her, and she changed everything. I was able to love in ways I thought weren't possible again. I started making...plans again, thinking about the future again."
"Now a baby."
Hank smiled. "Now a baby. It still doesn't feel real."
"You're going to have such a great life with them," Erin said.
"I am." He pulled out a framed ultrasound picture. "Jenna slipped this into my lunch bag this morning. Can you believe that's my baby?"
Erin wiped at a few tears. "That's so sweet of her. You're going to be such a great father to this baby. You were the best father for me, and this baby is really lucky to have you."
"Thanks kiddo. This baby is lucky to have a big sister like you too."
"I don't know if I've said this, but thank you for including me in all of this. I know I'm not really your daughter, but-"
"Erin. Stop right there. You became my daughter the day you moved into my house. When I looked at you and Justin together, I saw no difference, and when I look at a picture of this baby and then look at you, I see no difference. You're my daughter too, Erin. You always will be."
"Thank you," she said softly through her tears.
He stood up and hugged her. "I love you kiddo."
"I love you too."
Hank looked up over her shoulder and saw the rest of the team had arrived. "Everyone is here. Let's go tell them." He put his arm around her as they walked out of his office.
"Everything ok?" Jay asked, rushing over to them when he saw evidence of Erin's tears.
"Everything is great. We were just having a moment." He squeezed Erin close against him. "I have some news to share."
"Is something wrong Sarge?" Antonio asked.
Hank shook his head. "Everything is better than I could've imagined. By some actual miracle of God, Jenna and I are having a baby." The entire team looked at him, in total shock.
"What?" Al asked.
"Sarge, are you serious?" Kim asked.
"Completely serious."
"Is that even...how is that possible?" Adam asked.
"Ruzek," Hank said.
Adam laughed, looking around at the others. "I'm sorry Boss, but you're like...old."
"Adam, shut it," Hailey said. "Sarge, this is incredible news!" she said.
"It is. Congratulations," Kim said as she hugged him. The others all came over and congratulated him.
"How is Jenna? Is she doing ok?" Al asked.
"She's doing great. She's been a little sick, especially those first few weeks, but she's doing really good now. She had this tiny little baby bump that is about the cutest thing I've ever seen."
"How far along is she?" Hailey asked.
"She's sixteen weeks. We've known since her car accident. It was...the biggest shock, but we're so happy."
"Sarge, this is great, but how did this happen?" Adam asked.
Antonio put his arm around Adam. "Ruz, when a man and a woman really love each other..."
Adam shrugged Antonio's arm off of him. "Obviously I KNOW where babies come from."
"Do you?" Al asked.
"I do. I just mean that Sarge is REALLY old. Can that really still even happen?"
Hank glared at him for a moment. "For starters, yes Ruzek, it can still happen. Also, have you seen my wife?"
"Yeah, she's hot! So I'm not sure what she's doing with your elderly butt." Adam hugged Hank as he said, "All joking aside, I'm very happy for you, Boss. That's a lucky kid."
"Thank you Adam. Thank you all. It's unbelievable, but Jenna and I are very happy."
"I bet Jenna is over the moon," Kim said.
"She is. She's been...just so happy. She's shocked too. It's not something we ever had a conversation about, and...precautions were in place, but things happen the way they are supposed to, I guess."
"Way to go Sarge," Adam said, holding his hand out for a fist bump. Hank looked down at his hand and back up at Adam, shaking his head no.
"Any other questions?" Hank asked.
"I'm really happy for you Hank. A new baby...there's nothing like it. I know you know that, but...there's nothing like it," Antonio said.
"That's right. It's definitely going to be an adventure. Ok, let's get back to work."
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Four weeks later, Hank and Jenna were scheduled for a full anatomy scan of their baby, as well as to find out its gender. It was an appointment they'd been anxiously awaiting since they first found out they were pregnant. While they agreed that a delivery surprise would be exciting, they both knew they couldn't wait any longer to hear if they were expecting a boy or a girl.
As Jenna lay on the exam table, waiting for the ultrasound to start, Hank gently stroked her forehead. "How are you feeling?" he asked.
"Excited, nervous, lots of things. I can't wait to see the baby again, and I really hope we can find out gender. But I'm also really nervous that something could be wrong."
Hank shook his head. "Nothing is going to be wrong. The earlier blood tests showed everything was fine, and I refuse to even think that something will be found today. Stop worrying, Jen. Everything is going to be just perfect."
"I hope so," Jenna whispered as the doctor entered the room.
The doctor did all of the necessary checks and measurements, pointing out different parts of the baby, and letting them know along the way that everything appeared to be normal. When the checks were complete, the doctor asked, "Do you want to know gender, or are we having a delivery surprise?"
Jenna looked over at Hank and nodded. "We'd like you to write it down and put it in an envelope for us. We want to open it together later tonight."
"I can definitely do that." After printing pictures for them, the doctor handed them a sealed envelope containing the long-awaited answer to their question.
"Have fun, and relax. The baby is developing very well, perfectly on schedule, and it appears very healthy. Jenna, we'll see you again in four weeks."
"Thank you so much."
Hank and Jenna walked out of the doctor's office hand in hand, both lost in their thoughts, excited to open their envelope, and excited to celebrate their healthy baby.
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Later that evening, they settled on the couch together, ready to open their envelope and find out their baby's gender together. Jenna sat down between Hank's legs, leaning back against his chest as his arms encircled her waist, cradling her bump.
"Are you ready?" Jenna asked, looking up at him.
"I've been waiting for this since the day we found out you're pregnant."
Jenna took a deep breath. "Ok, let's do this."
Carefully, she opened the envelope and pulled out the piece of paper, slowly unfolding it.
Tears came to Jenna's eyes as she saw the word in big red letters. She looked up at Hank, covering her mouth with her hand as her tears fell. He pulled her closer, kissing her head as tears came to his own eyes. He took the piece of paper from her, running his fingers over the letters. It amazed him how one little word could change the course of their lives forever. He turned Jenna's face to meet his, kissing her deeply, holding her and their baby close. When the kiss broke, he moved out from behind her on the couch and knelt down on the floor in front of her, placing his hands on her bump again and leaning close.
"Hi baby. It's Daddy. Mommy and I love you so much, and now that we know who you are, we love you even more." He gently kissed Jenna's stomach several times before raising his eyes to meet hers. He reached up and gently stroked her face. "I love you so much, Jenna."
"I love you Hank," Jenna whispered through her tears.
Hank's hand returned to join his other hand resting on the baby.
"And I love our perfect baby girl."