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Tim doesn’t even know how it starts, one minute he’s asleep and the next Lucy is shaking him to get up.
“What?” He mumbles and maybe he should have been on higher alert. “What?”
“Tim?” Lucy asks and she sounds tired too but he knows for a fact that she hasn’t been sleeping as much. He supposes being 9 months pregnant, and due any day now would do that to you.
(He did have some anxiety from it as well.)
“Yes?”
“Can you go get me a snack? It’s only 9:30.” Lucy says. Tim groans and sits up to look at her, she is in fact not asleep and she looks like she has been awake for awhile.
“Only 9:30?” He asks. “Why does that matter?” Lucy sighs a little and leans across to look at him as far as she can go. Her belly was in the way these days.
“Because I know we don’t have the snack I want.” She says. “And—” She hesitates like she’s thinking.
(It really should have occurred to Tim but he was half asleep).
“What?”
“I think my water broke.” Lucy says casually. “When I went to go to the bathroom and—” It takes a few minutes for it to register in Tim’s head.
And then it does—
“I’m sorry.” He says and he’s already scrambling up. “Your water broke and you didn’t think to wake me up for that?”
“I want snacks.” She says shrugging. “That can actually happen. This baby thing could take forever.”
This baby thing.
Tim blinks at her, and it’s still not occurring to him to move faster. He is on the other side of the bed and pulling her up.
“We are going to the hospital.” He says firmly but he’s not sure if it works.
(It’s Lucy of course it doesn’t. He went soft awhile ago despite his argument that he didn’t and he fears with his daughter he will become even softer.)
“Can we stop to get snacks first?” She asks. “I’m not even having contractions so it’s fine.”
It’s not.
“We will see.” Tim says clenching his jaw. He doesn’t plan on stopping to get some damn snacks. He plans on going straight to the hospital to check Lucy out and hopefully into labor and delivery.
Hopefully.
Tim’s research said that when the water broke it was good to make their way to the hospital and they would check the mother.
His research also said that he needed to remain calm. (Okay that was more of his own conclusion).
He really didn’t know how he would react but this scenario wasn’t on his list of ideas.
He ushers Lucy out of the room, the hospital bags were by the door because anything could happen at anytime and apparently that was exactly what was happening.
When they get to the front door, he grabs all three bags. Lucy’s, his and the baby’s. And then he’s ushering her out the door.
When they reach the truck he opens the door and tosses the bags inside while Lucy gets inside the truck.
Once he’s inside, she turns to look at him. She has a look of pain on her face which tells him she is having contractions. “Can you stop by the gas station and get some snacks?” She asks.
Tim groans and starts the truck. “I think having a baby is more important than snacks babe.” He says.
Lucy reaches over and pinches his arm. “Please?” She asks. “I just want—” He knows what she wants, he tried to keep the refrigerator stocked for months. Apparently he failed because they were out.
“No Lucy.” He says firmly. “Hospital and then I will see about the snacks.” Lucy pouts, Tim starts driving down the street.
He can’t give in.
He can’t give in.
He turns into the gas station parking lot and turns to look at his wife who now has her eyes closed. “I will be right back.” He says. “Stay here.”
“I love you.” She says. Tim mumbles something under his breath and then makes his way to the gas station.
This is wrong.
Lucy was in labor and he was getting damn snacks.
He glances back at the truck, and then starts to gather all her snacks. When he gets up to the counter, he knows something is wrong. The clerk is slumped over and there’s a man next to him. He doesn’t notice Tim, and every bone in Tim’s body is telling him to run. To call for help from the truck.
To get Lucy to the damn hospital.
But of course—
“Tim.” A voice says. The man looks up looking startled. Tim winces as he looks over at Lucy. “What’s taking so long?”
“What are you doing?” The man asks pointing a gun at Tim. “Why are you here?”
“You have never been an expectant father have you?” Tim asks. The man turns the gun to Lucy and she freezes. Tim’s blood boils, he doesn’t mind having a gun pointed at him. It’s been done before and he’s sure it will be again. He doesn’t love it of course.
But—
A gun pointed at Lucy and their unborn daughter is a whole other story. That’s going too far.
“Listen,” Tim says. “My wife is in labor. We just stopped to get snacks. Just let us go. Or at least let her go so—”
“Oh hell no.” Lucy says and she walks over to him. “You are not missing the birth of our child.”
“Come on Luce.” He mutters. “Just work with me.”
“We went to birthing classes.” Lucy snaps at the man. “We have the nursery exactly how we want it. We have a plan.” She stops and closes her eyes, she dips her head down.
Fuck.
“Just let her go,” Tim says to the man desperately. He puts a hand on Lucy’s back. “Please unless you want to—what’s going on anyway?”
It doesn’t occur to Tim to pull out his badge or anything. His mind is on Lucy and making sure she doesn’t deliver in this gas station. It’s dirty, and there’s no way he’s letting a scumbag anywhere near her.
It was just going to be him and Lucy in the room. No one but the doctor and them—
“I thought coming in a robbing the store at night would be better.” The man says. Lucy groans next to him.
“You are an idiot.” She says. “Because of course you wouldn’t think two police sergeants would walk into the gas station.”
There’s silence, it’s deafening. He thinks he can hear a pin drop.
“What?” The man asks. Tim pulls out his badge, and the man’s face goes white. “You—”
“I’m not in the mood to get into specifics.” Tim says. “My wife is in labor and I’m calling backup.”
The man makes his way to jump over the counter but Lucy clearly isn’t in the mood either. She stops him, and then throws him to the ground on his stomach. She puts her foot on top of him and then turns to Tim.
“Well call.” She says. Tim is already on it, and five minutes later Miles, Celina and Nolan all show up.
“Oh wow.” Celina says. “Are you—” She is looking at Lucy in concern, but Tim just pulls her away.
“No time to talk.” He says. “Hospital now Lucy.” She follows him to the door, stops and then looks at the counter.
“My snacks.” She says. “Get them.” Tim feels like he’s in another universe, one where he is about to deliver his daughter in the truck in a gas station parking lot.
He doesn’t want to do it, because Lucy deserves comfort and their daughter deserves a pleasant entrance into this god forsaken world.
“Oh my god.”
(He goes and gets the snacks.)
***
Tim breaks about five hundred laws to get to the hospital. “Tim, driving fast isn’t going to—” Lucy starts. There’s a bright light behind them and then the unmistakeable sound of sirens.
“Great.” Tim moans. He pulls over and waits, looking at Lucy the entire time. “You know this could have been avoided.”
“Mmm.” Lucy says. “The snacks were worth it.” Tim rolls his eyes and turns away when there’s a knock on his window. He rolls the window down and sees Nolan, looking a little sheepish.
“Sergeant Bradford—Tim.” He says. “You were—”
“I know what I was doing.” Tim snaps. And unless Nolan wants to help deliver their child. “We need to get to the hospital.”
Nolan looks at Lucy, and she gives him a smile. “Unless you want to help deliver our daughter, I would let us go.” She says helpfully.
Nolan goes a little pale and then he avoids Tim’s eyes. “Well it’s nothing I haven’t seen before.” He stops and Lucy glares at him. The silence is once again deafening.
“I’m sorry?” Tim says. “What do you mean?” Lucy gives Nolan a warning look which Tim doesn’t like.. at all.
“We uh dated so—” Nolan says. Tim tenses and looks at Lucy who looks like she is in more pain than before and she looks annoyed.
“Now you want to have a conversation? This conversation?” Lucy asks. “Come on!” Tim takes a deep breath.
“We really need to get to the hospital Officer Nolan.” He says his jaw clenched. Nolan just nods, probably realizing it was easier to give in. He steps aside and Tim rolls up his window and drives off.
***
The ride to the hospital is quiet, and tense. Tim finally pulls into the parking lot and parks. He turns to look at her.
“I really don’t want to hear it Tim.” Lucy says gritting her teeth. “I really don’t.”
“You are lucky you are about to have our daughter.” Tim says. “If we had just stuck to the plan.”
“We didn’t have a damn plan Tim.” Lucy says. “We never do. Something always goes awry.” Tim hates to admit that she is right. But still, a lot of what happened tonight could have been avoided.
“So we almost got held up in a gas station robbery, a gun was turned on you. I find out you dated Nolan.” Tim says. “All because you wanted snacks.”
“Good rundown.” Lucy says. “Can we—” She gestures to the hospital. Tim sighs and gets out of the truck. He grabs the bags and then helps Lucy out.
“This isn’t over.” He says and then he leans in to kiss. It hasn’t hit him that they are about to have a baby.
Their daughter.
“I know.” Lucy says. “You can be annoyed at me later. Can we go have a baby now?”
(He’s been trying to do that all night—but he bites his tongue.)
“Yes,” he says. “Let’s go have a baby.”
***
Lucy isn’t that far along—or not as far along as she hoped. But they are checked in and once she is settled into the bed and has her epidural. He comes over and sits next to her, he has a lot of questions.
“Why didn’t you tell me your water broke right away?” He asks.
“Because I wanted snacks.”
“Lucy.” Tim says giving her a look. Lucy sighs and looks down at the blanket.
“I was scared.” She says. “I mean this is it. It’s not going to be the two of us anymore. We are having a baby.”
“I know.” Tim says and he’s scared too. This was a big thing. “But we can do it. Okay? We are in this together.”
“Right.”
“Which leads me to my next question.”
“Yes?” Lucy asks. “If it’s about Nolan…”
“Not yet.” Tim says wincing. “Why didn’t you stay in the truck?”
“I wanted my snacks.” Lucy says. “Duh.” Tim rolls his eyes, and takes a deep breath.
“Stupid question.” He says. “So you and Nolan….”
“We were dating and I use that word loosely.” Lucy says. She pauses. “When were rookies.”
“What?” Tim asks and his head is spinning a little. “How—”
“You were caught up in your own stuff and you barely knew or liked me.” Lucy says. “I thought—” She pauses for a few seconds.
“I just don’t understand how I didn’t—” Tim says. “And you have been keeping this from me?”
“It’s not something I’m just going to tell you Tim.” Lucy says. “But Nolan and his big mouth.”
“I really don’t want to picture you with Nolan.” Tim says. “Ever.”
“Then don’t. You are the one who knocked me up.” She says grinning at him. “And married me and—”
“I know.” Tim says and he will never regret it. Lucy was without a doubt the love of his life. He couldn’t believe this was his life sometimes but—
“Anything can happen right?” She asks nudging him.
“And it almost did.” Tim says. “You and your damn snacks.” Lucy lets out a laugh and Tim grabs her hand.
He never thought they would happen and it was turning out better than he could even imagined.
They were having a baby.
Soon.
Soon.
***
Their daughter is born six hours later. Tim can’t get enough of her, and Lucy is relieved she can finally eat.
(Real food not her snacks—those were packed away).
Although she did call Tim a baby hog, and demand he bring her over. “I did all the work and you are hogging her.” Lucy says.
“You stressed me out.” He shoots back. Lucy gives him a sharp look, and he looks down at his perfect daughter. He was biased but she was perfect. “Let’s go to your mommy.” He carries her over and puts her in Lucy’s arms.
“She’s perfect.” Lucy says. Tim sits on the edge of the bed and leans in to give her kiss. Lucy did so good and he was so proud of her. It might just be the high and adrenaline but he’s not sure how life could get better than this.
“I agree.” Tim says. “You did so good Luce.” Lucy looks up at him, her eyes sparkling.
“Thank you.” She says. He looks at their daughter again. Maybe everything didn’t go to plan but—
They got their daughter at the end of it all. They were in love and they were parents at last. It was chaos and they were a few close calls.
But it was worth it all.
Every single second.