Growing with J.A.C.I.E. (All Time Low Fanfiction | Jack Barakat)

Chapter 1

The cool gel hit my skin, making goosebumps shoot up all over my body. I had been warned, but that didn't stop the natural reflex. With the air conditioning trying to keep out the Los Angeles heat, the gel felt even chillier. I watched as the nurse lowered the ultrasound wand onto my abdomen and started to spread out the gel as she stared at the screen in front of her.

My gaze shifted to Jack, who was sitting on the chair next to the examination table I was on. He was already looking at me and gave me a small smile. Our hands were clasped together tightly, waiting for whatever the news was going to be.

We'd spent the entire morning excited yet also telling each other what we'd do if we found out now wasn't our time yet. It was hard to keep our expectations at bay, but we didn't want to get our hopes up too much either. And the last thing we wanted was another low point in our relationship.

The silence from the nurse was deafening. She was clicking buttons and typing things. Each second that passed by made my nerves get worse. All I wanted to hear was that everything was okay, but I also knew that reality wasn't always so fortunate. Jack was also nervously watching the nurse, biting at loose skin on his lips.

Eventually, she gently angled the screen towards us and smiled. "There they are."

Our eyes fell on the black and white image. Jack leaned in towards the screen, pure awe spread across his face. I gave his hand a triumphant squeeze, watching the black blob as well. That was actually a baby. Our baby.

"This over here is your baby's head," the nurse pointed at a part of the blob.

I couldn't really see much of the shape to be honest, but to just know that it's head was there thrilled me. There was life growing inside me and we were viewing it. We were literally one step further than last time.

"Is everything okay?" Jack asked, his voice a mix of excitement and concern.

The nurse continued to smile. "As far as I can tell, there are no abnormalities at this time. I can confirm that you're at twelve weeks, so your due date estimate is pretty accurate. We're looking at the fourth of March."

I look back at Jack with a big grin. We already knew that that was going to be horrible timing, but right at that moment it felt so exciting. In just a few more months, we'd be parents. Or, at least, we would be if everything went well...

"And what's the chance of things... going wrong... from now on?" I carefully asked, moving my gaze towards the nurse. Last time, I was estimated to be at twelve weeks when things went wrong.

"Well, the risk of miscarriage drops significantly after the first trimester, so you've reached a significant milestone," she told me with a friendly tone.

I nodded, but it didn't help my doubts. I already knew that. "Do you have actual numbers?"

The nurse glanced at me, understanding the weight behind my question. She took a deep breath before answering, "currently, at week twelve, the risks are relatively low, between one and two percent. At week sixteen, this already drops below one percent."

Jack squeezed my hand reassuringly, his eyes filled with both happiness and concern. The statistics brought a sense of relief, but the fear of history repeating itself lingered in the back of my mind. We were part of that one to two percent last time.

"So, how about we listen to that heartbeat?" the nurse offered, lightening up the mood.

I nodded eagerly, and Jack's eyes lit up. The nurse adjusted the ultrasound machine, and suddenly, the room was filled with a rhythmic thumping. I was absolutely astonished as I listened to the steady heartbeat. It was even more proof that things were okay. Jack's smile grew wider.

"That's our little one," he whispered, his voice filled with wonder.

The nurse continued the ultrasound, showing and explaining a few more things. We were told we'd get all the results the next day, but that everything seemed to be okay so far. Of course, she couldn't say that things definitely were in case one of the tests came back with bad news. But, for the first time since that pregnancy test came back positive, I wasn't in a constant state of worry.

Jack and I even immediately drove over to my dad's place to share the good news. We were anxiously waiting at the front door after ringing the doorbell. My dad was home, his car was in the driveway, but we were also definitely dropping by unannounced.

"Jacie, Jack?!" He looked extremely surprised when he opened the door to find us. "I wasn't expecting you, was I?"

I shook my head, unable to contain my excitement. "We'll be gone in five minutes if you want us to."

Before I could even get the words out, Jack had already pulled out a print of the ultrasound and held it up over my shoulder. My dad's gaze flickered towards the scan and then between me and Jack until landing on the paper again.

"What?!" he practically shouted in shock.

"Jacie's pregnant!" Jack beamed, practically buzzing behind me.

My dad's eyes widened, and then he broke into a grin that mirrored Jack's. "No way! Are you serious?"

I nodded vigorously, my own smile stretching from ear to ear. "We just had the 12-week scan."

My dad pulled both of us into a tight hug before beckoning for us to come in. We weren't intending to stay over for long, but Jack and I still kicked off our shoes just like we always did when we visited. We settled on the couch, and Jack eagerly handed over the ultrasound image. My dad looked at it in awe.

"You're the first to know," I told him. "We immediately came over here."

My dad looked up from the ultrasound and straight at Jack. "You haven't told your family yet?"

"No, not yet," Jack admitted as he shook his head. "I'll probably just text them in our group chat."

"Do you want me to take a picture?" my dad offered as he passed the scan back to us.

Jack and I shared a look and shrugged, leading to Jack pulling out his phone and handing it to my dad. We shuffled closer together as my dad tried to find the perfect angle. Jack held the ultrasound in front of us and we both acted like we were excitedly screaming. After a few shots, the phone was returned and all the notifications of the messages vibrated my phone as well.

Jack: Guess what

The photo was sent along with the message, everything in clear view. It wasn't long until reactions came rolling in.

May: What! No way! Are you kidding me?

Joe: Wow! Congratulations!

May: Is this why you weren't drinking at Jack's birthday, Jacie?

Me: Maybe...

May: You liar! You denied it!

Joyce: Another grandbaby? You guys are spoiling me! This is such exciting news!

May: Auntie May coming in hot

Jack: Due date's March 4th!