Halcyon

Overdue

A couple of weeks later Nikki is now 3 days overdue and has been on maternity leave for two weeks. Jack, on the other hand, has continued to work until the baby is born. Although he is working Thomas has allowed Jack to leave at any point if Nikki does finally go into labour the only time Thomas hasn't allowed Jack to leave is if it happens when they're at a crime scene.

"Still no sign of baby arriving?" Clarissa smiles as she comes into the Lyell to begin her shift.
Jack looks up from his paperwork and shakes his head, "No, but there are signs it may be soon, for the past couple of months now Nikki has been having Braxton hicks, but last night she finally got the 'show' so the mucus plug" Jack says pulling a slight face.

Clarissa chuckles to herself at the sight of Jack's face, "Oh Jack, you work with dead bodies that can be somewhat gory and you're pulling a face at something natural for a pregnant woman in the later stages" She replies.

Jack continues to work on some footprint casts that he has taken the previous day from the crime scene, he sits at his apple mac computer and searches for matching shoe prints from top branded shoe companies.

His phone buzzes in his pocket while working but he ignores it as he must find a match to help Thomas and the police with their enquiry. Ten minutes later he comes and sits back down at his desk with the print out of possible matches to the shoe prints, he places the print out on the desk before pulling his phone out of his pocket and looking at the notification screen.
Jack smiles to himself and looks up across the office at Clarissa, "Just got a message from Nikki" He begins.

Clarissa looks up from her work on the computer and looks across at Jack, "Everything okay?" she responds.
"She's in early labour, she said not to worry and that she will call me if her waters break, she is having proper contractions every twenty-five minutes" Jack replies reading from his phone.

"That's brilliant news, better not stray too far from your desk just in case" she smiles happily at the fact Nikki may give birth soon, "So anyway who has Poppy?" She adds.

"My Dad at the moment, he's doing all the nursery runs and what have you with her," Jack replies as he texts Nikki back and places his phone down on the table.

Thomas walks into the room and before Jack can speak Clarissa has spoken up, "Nikki is in labour!" She beams happily, Thomas looks between the two and smiles.

"Is this correct?" Thomas replies.
"Yes" Jack smiles as he looks at his phone again, "She is now sat in the bath, aching apparently" Jack smirks before quickly texting Nikki back.

"You should go home, be with her... I'm sure we can manage here. Harry Cunningham is going to step into Nikki's position while she's on Maternity leave, and I am going to return back to my position as head pathologist" Thomas explains.

Jack smiles and glances at his phone, "She's told me I should stay at work, I'm only allowed to go home during work hours if her waters break" He replies once again looking at his phone and texting Nikki.

"Go home Jack, she seems to be texting you enough, you know what they say about the second one... it always comes faster than the first," Thomas replies placing his files down on what was Nikki's desk.

"Honestly if I go home now I will get dragged into washing baby clothes, gardening, and looking through many books for baby names that we've already done for the thousandth time this week" Jack replies.

Around five minutes later his phone buzzes again, this time it's a phone call, he turns the loud machine off and walks back through to the offices.
"Nik?" He speaks as he answers the call.
"Jack? thank god..."
"What is wrong, are you okay?" He asks quickly noticing the urgency in her voice straight away.
"Erm, I don't want to alarm you... but my waters have broken"

Jack remains silent for a moment trying to register what she has told him, "Okay? how long ago?"
"About five minutes ago, my contractions have gotten closer..."
He instantly can tell that she is struggling to cope with the sheer pain of the contractions, "Okay Nikki, I'm coming now, get yourself ready, the hospital bag is still by the front door right?" He questions.

"Mmmm, yes... I think s-s-so..."
"Contraction?" He questions.
"Yes!"
"Okay I shall be twenty minutes, call me if there is any change" Jack replies and ends the call.

Jack looks across the room at Clarissa, "Everything okay?" She questions noticing him slipping into his leather jacket.
"Nikki's waters have broken... baby is defiantly on its way," Jack smiles as he grabs his wallet, phone and car keys.
"Oh brilliant, good luck" Clarissa replies in a cheerful tone as Jack hurries out the Lyell and across the carpark.