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

Chapter 14

Ever since Jack and I had gotten married, New Year's Eve had been synonymous with glittering lights, booming laughter, and the rhythmic beat of music that reverberated through the walls of our apartment. We threw a big party for all of our friends and provided a copious amount of alcohol. There wasn't a night that didn't end with Jack and I only going to bed in the early hours of the morning.

But this year was different.

This year we had Meerkat on the way. Our lives had officially changed. We weren't the couple that would go out partying all the time anymore. We had responsibilities and another life to look after. It wasn't a very sudden change. Before we started trying for a baby, things were already calming down drastically. We preferred hanging out and having drinks with friends over spending nights in crazy clubs. Meerkat was just our final push to really settle down.

This New Year's eve took on a quieter, more intimate tone. My dad and Ben had flown back home just two days earlier, leaving me and Jack alone in the warm cocoon of our apartment.

"Almost ready," Jack called from the kitchen, rushing around to transfer something from a pan to a plate.

I chuckled, watching him from our living room and reminiscing about the years we had already spent together. "Remember when you were terrified of cracking an egg? Look at you now."

"Hey, I was never terrified of cracking an egg," he shot back, pointing the spatula in my direction.

"Oh, really?" I teased with a grin. "I distinctly remember how I had to crack all but one egg for our homemade pasta."

Jack laughed, a warm and genuine sound that filled our home. "Okay, maybe I was a little cautious. But, I've taken huge steps since then."

I joined him in the kitchen, wrapping my arms around his waist as he plated up the food. The aroma of a home-cooked meal wafted through the air, a comforting contrast to the lively chaos of our past New Year's Eve parties.

"I have to admit," I said, resting my chin on his shoulder, "I'm loving this new culinary master."

He turned to face me and smiled. "Glad you're enjoying the upgrade."

"I enjoy all your upgrades," I smirked and leaned in to kiss him.

He kissed me back before suddenly breaking away. "Don't distract the culinary master."

Jack finished plating up and we carried the dishes to the dining table. The lights were turned down to a warm dim light, adding a touch of warmth to the entire room. The atmosphere was so serene compared to the past New Year's Eve celebrations we had. Not even the sounds of the city could penetrate the tranquillity in our apartment.

We settled into our seats, Jack with a glass of wine and I with a simple glass of iced water. Jack had made us some garlic parmesan pasta with spinach and mushrooms and I was more than excited to dig in. He was catering to my recent cravings of cheese and spinach, which luckily paired really well.

"You know," Jack began, his eyes meeting mine, "I never thought I'd be so excited about quiet nights in and homemade dinners."

I smiled, savouring the warmth of his gaze. "This is a different kind of joy, isn't it?"

He nodded, taking a sip of his wine. "I wouldn't trade it for anything. I get to see you smile like that every time I cook something you enjoy."

I chuckled, lifting a forkful of pasta to my mouth. "You've definitely mastered the art of making me smile."

As we continued to eat, we spoke about our past New Year's celebration memories. Our first one, when I caught Jack off guard by making out with Hazel. The second one, Liam stole our kiss by planting his lips on Jack's first. The year after, I was already a little under the weather and ended up throwing up a minute before midnight. And of course, last year's, when we snuck off in the middle of the party to have some frisky alone time.

After dinner, we put everything into the dishwasher and moved to the living room. We cuddled up together underneath a fuzzy blanket to have a movie marathon until it got close enough to midnight for us to switch to the TV. The twinkling lights from our Christmas tree cast a gentle glow, reminding us that it was a day to celebrate.

We had a whole range of movies to watch, but in reality, we probably wouldn't get much further than halfway through the third movie. The first one we watched was some comedy Jack could quote lines from. As the plot unravelled, we exchanged commentary, creating our own dialogue alongside the movie's script. Time slipped away easily – especiallysince I happened to fall asleep at some point, which I never did until I got pregnant.

Between the first and second movie, Jack decided to make a quick snack run to the kitchen. He popped some popcorn and found some other junk food by rummaging through the cupboards. But when he returned with a mischievous grin, I became very suspicious.

He pulled a wrapped box from behind his back and held it out. "For you."

I frowned, and carefully took it from him. "A New Year's gift? It was Christmas a week ago."

"Open it," he urged.

Carefully unwrapping the box, I discovered a beautiful photo frame. It was a picture of Jack and me in the early days of our relationship – a candid shot that captured our love and the journey we had shared. It was from before we got married, but after our month-long break up. My hair was longer back then, and Jack's hair was a shade lighter.

I traced the edges of the frame with my fingers, feeling tears bubbling up. A soft smile played at my lips as I looked at the photograph, lost in the memories it brought up. The Jacie back then hadn't even ever considered marriage, but she could never imagine what life would be like without Jack. She would be shocked to hear our story.

"I thought it would be nice to have a reminder of where we started," Jack explained, his eyes filled with a deep love. "With all the changes happening and Meerkat on the way, I wanted us to have something to remember those days by."

I felt a tender warmth in my chest, appreciating the thoughtful gesture. "It's perfect, Jack. Thank you."

He leaned in, gently kissing me. "Happy New Year, Jacie."

"Happy New Year, Jack," I echoed, savouring the sweetness of the moment.

As the night progressed, we continued our movie marathon, the flickering images keeping us awake as we yawned more and more frequently. With each passing minute, the world outside seemed to fade further away, leaving us in our comforting embrace.

At some point, the alarm to switch over to a live broadcast of the New Year's Eve countdown went off. The familiar sight of the glittering ball dropping in Times Square filled the screen, marking the final moments of the year. We counted down together in hushed whispers, the anticipation building with each passing second.

"Three... two... one..." The TV screen erupted in a dazzling display of fireworks.

We could hear the loud noise of other people in the city cheering, loud fireworks popping from every direction. Jack and I stayed on the couch, exchanging a tender kiss. He smiled into the kiss before breaking away and pressing a kiss to my abdomen as well.

"Happy New Year, Meerkat," he murmured.

"Happy New Year, Meerkat," I whispered, my hand instinctively resting on my belly.