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It had been a few years since the group of friends left loft 4D and started their own lives. Winston and Aly had so many beautiful children, Schmidt and Cece were loving life with their two small kids, Ruth and Moses. Nick and Jess had just celebrated their second wedding anniversary. Life was perfect, but something was missing. Nick had recently started writing romantic comedy novels, his writing had change since he and Jess had gotten married. He was so in love that he couldn't help but write about love stories. He was currently writing one about his own love story; two roommates who fell in love and got married. However, with writing a story the characters start to live their own life out of the author's control and when he suddenly wrote the word pregnancy, he felt everything change. He was finally ready to start his family. But he wasn't sure how to tell Jess.
"And that's how I ended up here," Nick responded to Schmidt's question as to why he was at his house at four in the morning. "I just-"
"Quiet," Schmidt whispered. Cece was walking down the hall and Schmidt knew if she heard what Nick was about to say, she would call Jess immediately. After she had gone back to bed, he looked at his best friend. "Continue."
Nick rolled his eyes before taking in a deep breath, extremely aware of what he was about to say next. "I'm ready to start our family, but I don't know how to tell Jess. I'm worried she isn't there yet."
"You've been married for two years now, Nick," Schmidt smiled. "I don't think anyone was expecting you to be where you are now."
"That's fair," Nick smiled. "The moment Jess walked through the door, I knew I loved her. The moment I saw her outside that window."
"I think you should just tell her. It's time, remember to be brave," Schmidt advised his friend.
"Be brave," Nick echoed.
***
Cece watched as Jess paced back and forth in the washroom of Jess and Nick's home. She had never seen her friend more nervous than the time Jess got her first job at a school. "No, no, no, no, no!" she had kept repeating to herself. On the top of the bathroom counter next to the ceramic sink was a little blue and white stick. A pregnancy test.
"It's been five minutes," Cece told her friend. "It's time to check it."
"I can't," Jess mumbled nervously.
"Come on, Jess, you've been waiting your whole life for this. A baby. If that stick is positive you will have everything you ever dreamed."
"I know, Ceec. But have you met my husband?" Jess pointed out.
"Sometimes I wish I hadn't," Cece joked but her friend was not laughing. "I'm kidding! You know I love Nick."
"Nick is gonna run for the hills when I tell him," Jess shook her head. "I almost lost him once, I can't go through that again."
Cece stood up, walking slowly towards the stick on the counter. "You need to do this, Jess. This isn't something you can avoid. Putting off your family will only make you hate the man you vowed to spend the rest of your life with and I'm not gonna allow that to happen." She picked up the stick and handed it to Jess. "Read it."
Jess hesitantly looked at the test and smiled instantaneously. "It's positive," the words dripping with joy. "I'm gonna be a mom." Jess could feel everything she was nervous about melt away. If she felt this happy over a plus sign, she could only imagine how the words "you're going to be a dad" would sound to her husband. It just felt right. She was having a baby with her best friend. Jess couldn't stop smiling at this. She was going to be a mom, Nick a dad. Their lives were about to change forever. Now she had to figure out how to tell him.
***
"Let's play True American!" Winston suggested. The group of friends were taking a much needed break from their kids and having a small get together at Schmidt and Cece's house. Cece and Jess shared a look, knowing that Jess wouldn't be able to play.
"Aren't we a little old for that game?" Cece countered.
"Too old? PLEASE!" Schmidt exaggerated. "You can never be too old for a drinking game!" Cece looked at Jess apologetically. Nick narrowed his eyes quizzically while Schmidt called her out. "What was that look?"
"What look?" Cece questioned her husband.
"The look you shared with Jess."
"That wasn't a look."
Jess rolled her eyes. She got up to get another glass of water before Winston shouted, "JESS IS PREGNANT!"
Everyone immediately looked at Winston. Jess prayed to herself that everyone would assume that Winston was once again coming to ridiculous conclusions as he always does. "I'm not pregnant," Jess lied, hoping to add fuel to the fire. "Why would you say that?" At that moment, Jess noticed the sadness reflect in Nick's eyes. Curious, she approached her husband, leaning down to whisper in his ear. "Kitchen," and with that, they both got up while everyone argued with Winston. The silence between the couple was deafening. She couldn't help but feel uneasy about this. She wasn't ready to tell Nick about the child growing inside her, but she also knew Nick wasn't the best at commitment. He would always find some way to runaway. He would convince himself that he wanted forever, but why did he always find a way to burn it down? "Nick? Are you okay?"
"No," the answer struck a cord in Jess' heart. She hated when he was upset. "I'm not okay, Jess. You seemed to shut down Winston quickly."
"Well, I'm not pregnant," Jess tried to convince him, still not wanting to tell him this way.
"Jess, come on, I know when you're lying. You were panicking and you didn't want to play True American? That's your favourite game. We had our first kiss because of it."
"We broke up because of it too," Jess pointed out.
"Yet here we are, married," Nick placed his hand on her shoulder. "I know you don't want to play cause you can't drink."
"Nick-"
"Jess, just tell me the truth," Nick pleaded as he slightly smiled. "If it helps, I'm ready for our family to grow. Mario needs a friend." His heart began to race, waiting to hear the words that would change his life forever. He was already wrapping his head around being a dad. A dad. Nick Miller as a dad. It sounded crazy but yet, perfect.
"Hold on," Jess said before walking back into the living room where all their friends were. "Cece!" she called out, "Grab the jersey from my bag." Everyone looked at Jess as Cece handed her the Chicago Cubs jersey. Perfect for a baby. It was the right size to fit a newborn, and it had Anthony Rizzo written on the back. She went back into the kitchen and handed it to Nick, who looked at it with confusion in his eyes. "Nick, I wasn't gonna tell you like this. I was gonna take you home to Chicago to see a Cubs game. I was gonna give you this the moment the game was over, but things didn't work out the way I'd hope. You figured it out. You know me too well. I got this jersey for our little guy the moment I found out we were expecting."
"I'm gonna be a dad? For real?" Nick whispered as it finally hit him.
Jess nodded as tears welled up in her eyes. "Yes, Nick."
"Oh my God. I'm gonna be a dad!" Nick cried as he hugged his wife. They shared one of their most passionate kisses before pulling away from her. "I love you."
"I love you, too, Nick."
It was silent for only a beat before Schmidt shouted "Nick Miller and Jessica Day are gonna be parents!" Everyone screamed with joy before hugging their two best friends. Jess knew right then and there that this was the perfect way to tell him. In front of their friends- no- their family.
***
Nine Months Later~
Jessica awoke from her slumber to a sharp pain in her abdomen. Contractions. She looked over at her husband, who was sleeping peacefully next to her. She envied him for never having to go through the pain she was feeling. Lucky bastard, she thought to herself. "Nick," She whispered as she tried to wake him. He was such a heavy sleeper. "Nick, babe?"
"Argh," he groaned. "Jess, go back to sleep."
"Go back to sleep," she mocked. "You seriously think those are wise words to tell the woman you knocked up? Who is nine months pregnant, I might add."
Nick sat up immediately. "I'm sorry, Jess. Are you okay?"
"I'm in labour, we need to go," She groaned as she felt another contraction come on.
Nick's eyes widen as he hurried to grab the overnight bag and rush his wife to the hospital. "Okay, okay, okay. You can do this, Nick."
"Are you giving yourself a pep talk?" Jess questioned him.
"Yes. I'm freaking out!" Nick panicked frantically.
"Says the one who doesn't have to push a baby our of her," Jess scoffed. They continued to bicker as Nick helped his wife out of the house and into her car. Nick cussed at fellow drivers on the road as his the pain of Jess' hand squeezing his increased. "Could you go any slower?"
Nick rolled his eyes. "Jess I'm literally going over eighty."
"I hate you so much for doing this to me!"
"You wanted the baby," Nick scoffed.
"Why don't you say that to me again?" Jess sneered. They finally arrived at the hospital, they were already met with their friends as Jess had called them on the way there. Cece was relaxing Jess as Nick began arguing to the receptionist who was on the phone. "Cece, how the fuck did you do this twice?"
"It'll be worth it once you see the little guy's face. Hang in there, Jess," Cece soothed as she let her friend squeezed her hand. Nick had finally got the attention of the woman at the front desk. Their friends stayed behind, except for Cece, in the waiting room. Once they were settled in the labour and delivery room, Nick and Cece began to calm Jess. "You are gonna be great," Cece smiled.
"Where the hell is that doctor?!" Nick shouted impatiently, "Hey! We are having a baby here!"
"Nick, you need to relax for Jess," Cece told him. "She needs a calm environment."
"I can't be calm when my wife is in pain, Cece!" Nick groaned. "Hurry up!"
Cece rolled her eyes, giving up on calming Nick down. He was just as much a nervous wreck as Jess was. "I can't do this, Cece," Jess cried as the doctor finally walked in.
"Yes you can," she smiled back at her friend. "You are the strongest person I know, Jessica."
The doctor smiled as he finished checking everything. "Well, it's time to push."
"Who is this?" Cece asked her friend, noticing it wasn't Jess' OB/GYN freind.
"Some emergency doctor," Jess groaned. "Dr. Reynolds"
"Alright, Jess, time to give me a big push," Reynolds said.
"Breath, Jess," Nick coached his wife while Cece made sure she stayed relaxed and calm.
***
The sounds of a baby's wailed echoed throughout the room. Nick and Jess stared at their little bundle of joy. Cece had left soon after their son was born to join their friends. All awaiting for Nick to share the news of the birth as Cece refused to say anything. "You should tell them he's here," Jess whispered as she watched her son coo.
"I just want to spend the whole day in here with him," Nick smiled, a tear visible on the side of his cheek.
"You have the rest of your life with him, babe. Go tell our friends," Jess leaned up and kissed her husband.
Soon after they pulled apart, Nick smiled at his wife. "Okay. I'll be right back, Jess."
The walk from their room to the waiting room felt like forever. He was a dad. He had a son. Wow. Nick Miller had a son. He couldn't wipe the grin off his face when he saw all his friends looking at him. Eagerly waiting for the news. "Well, guys, we made it. We are here on the day Nick Miller became a dad. Our son is seven pounds, eight ounces. His name is Nathan Winston Miller. Baby and mom are doing great!"
"You named him after Schmidt and I?" Winston asked his friend.
"Of course, you guys are the reason Nathan exists. Without any of you, Jess and I wouldn't be where we are today."
"I love you, man," Schmidt smiled.
"I love you, too. Come on, let's go meet my son," Nick gave Schmidt a hug before leading them to Jess' room. The light rap on the door let Jess know that her husband was back with their chosen family. "Hey, babe. They're ready to meet our little guy." Everyone rushed in after Nick to see Nathan. Jess and Nick couldn't stop smiling as their friends welcomed the newest member of their family.
"Jess," Cece whispered. "You are so incredibly lucky to have these two boys in your life."
Jess looked between her son and Nick before smiling back at her best friend. "I know."