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Sydney felt something pop, like a rubber band snapping, inside of her as she jerked awake. It was like something she never experienced before and since being pregnant, she thought she had felt just about everything. It didn't hurt. But then she felt a gush between her legs.
"Oh God," she gasped, doing her best to sit all the way up.
It felt like a small flood beneath her; her entire lower half was wet and uncomfortable. She turned to look over at Carmy's side, but he was gone. She grabbed the nightstand for support and got to her feet, practically shuffling towards the bathroom.
When she finally made it there, she didn't know what to do. Her eyes looked back and forth between the toilet and shower before she sat down on the toilet. She emptied her bladder and tried her best not to freak out. Would she feel contractions next? Was the baby coming?
"Please don't like fall out in the toilet," She whispered to her bump as she rubbed it.
When she finished, she considered taking a shower, but fear got the best of her. An imagine of an hourglass appeared in her head, its sand pouring down below. Telling her time was not a luxury here. She cleaned up at the sink. She brushed her teeth in a rush, running the brush quickly over her teeth before spitting and rinsing. Her braids were pulled back in a low ponytail. She waddled back to the bedroom to change. She threw a loose-fitting dress over her head because it was the easiest thing to get on by herself. She slipped her feet into a pair of sandals and grabbed her phone from the nightstand. She hovered over Carmy's name for a moment.
She didn't need to freak out and while she loved Carmy, she didn't want to calm him down in order for him to calm her down. Shaking her head at the thought, she scrolled down and pressed Natalie's name. She answered on the second rang.
"Hey Syd," Natalie greeted.
"Hi Nat," Sydney tried to keep her voice steady. She walked towards the living room, pressing a hand against the wall to give herself some stability.
"Um, are you near Carmy?"
"No," Natalie answered. "But do you need him? Did he not pick up or something?" She could picture the frown on Nat's face.
"No, no, I didn't try him. I called you first."
There wasn't a response right away. Sydney had finally reached the living room. She felt a wave of relief at the sight of her hospital bag on the coffee table, saving her the effort of looking for it. She took a seat on the sofa as she opened the app to call a ride.
"Syd, everything okay?" Natalie asked, voice laced with concern.
"Yeah, no... I might be in labor? I don't know. My water broke."
"WHAT?!"
"It's okay," Sydney lied, "I'm going to call a ride. Could you ask Carmy to meet me at the hospital? Don't tell him I said this but--
"No, we're coming to get you. I'll drive."
Before Sydney could argue against that, she heard keys dangling and then Natalie shouting for her younger brother.
"Bear!" Nat called from the other end of the phone.
Sydney could hear Richie's voice cut in, but it was clear Nat wasn't paying attention to what he was saying.
"Have you seen Carm?"
"Do I look like his babysitter?"
"Real fucking helpful. Neil, my love, have you seen Carm?" Natalie asked.
He told her that he last saw him in the walk in. Sydney pictured her walking back towards the kitchen, dead set on locating Carmy.
"Carm?"
"Yeah?" He shouted back, still inside the walk in. "What's up?" He sounded clearer then.
"Let T or Marcus take over. We gotta go, Bear." Natalie said, her tone hushed like she didn't want anyone overhearing.
"Go where, Sug?"
"Syd's having the baby. Congrats, you're about to be a dad. Now, let's go please."
"Actually, I'm not having the baby yet." Sydney said.
She played with the straps of the hospital bag. Wishing she called for a ride before dialing Nat.
"Syd?" Carmy called out after hearing her voice. "You didn't call me?" He asked, taking the phone from his sister.
"Um, I was going to. I didn't want you to worry."
"Sydney." He said, his voice strained with emotion. He never called her by her full name and it made her heart ache to think that she slighted him in some way.
"I'm sorry, Carmy."
"It's okay. I get it, I think."
"We're on the way!" Natalie said, taking her phone back. "Carm, you have the car seat in your car, right?"
He didn't answer and Sydney could hear a loud smack. "Carmen Berzatto, car seat. Is it in your car?!"
"Y--yeah," Carmy choked out.
Everything else was rush. They told T she was in charge and hurried outside. Sydney could hear car doors open and shut. The siblings talked. Well, Nat did. Sydney could picture Carmy. Just there, mind running a million thoughts with each passing second, like her own was.
"Syd, we're on the way. You okay? You feel any contractions?" Nat asked.
"No, not yet." Sydney answered.
And not a second after she spoke the words, she felt a jolt of pain. She screamed out, squeezing her eyes tight, palms pressing against her abdomen.
"Syd!" Carmy called out, sounding like he was holding the phone right in front of his mouth now. "Breathe, baby, just breathe. We're coming."
She sucked in some air through her nose, trying to block out the pain coursing through her body. She exhaled shakily. After a moment, she was granted a break from the contractions. That went on a few more times as she waited for them to get there. She wanted to curl into a ball every time the contractions hit, but somehow, she managed to stay upright. She had never been so relieved to see Carmy and Natalie when the door unlocked and he ran to her side.
"We're here," he said gently, reaching down to help her to her feet. Natalie grabbed the hospital bag from the table and walked ahead of the couple.
They made their way downstairs, pausing once when another wave of contractions hit. Carmy rubbed her back gently as they passed, whispering comforting words in her ear. Once they got in the car, he sat in the back with her, the car seat pushed off to the other side to make room. Natalie looked back to make sure they were buckled in before taking off, foot heavily pressing on the gas.
Sydney exhaled, one hand braced against the car door and the other squeezing Carmy's hand tightly. He took it. He didn't complain once. He just kept telling her she was doing a good job and that everything was going to be okay. Nat honked like a mad woman when someone tried to cut in front of them. She flipped her hand out of the window as she drove through the yellow light before it could change. Leaving the asshole stuck at the now red light behind them.
"Sorry," she apologized.
They managed to arrive in one piece. Carmy helped Sydney out of the car while Natalie went to park. One of the nurses grabbed a wheelchair for Sydney as they checked her in. The questions were only irritating her more and more. Carmy did his best to answer for her when another round of contractions hit. By the time Sydney was given a room and changed into a hospital gown, her nerves were on 1000.
"It's okay," Carmy said, brushing sweat from her forehead and pressing a kiss there. "You need anything?"
"Drugs," she huffed out. "And my dad. Did you call him?"
Carmy shook his head, pulling his phone from his back pocket. He dialed her dad and put the phone on speaker so Sydney could talk to him.
"Hello?"
"Dad," Sydney said breathlessly. "Are you at work?"
"No, baby. Is everything okay?"
"I'm having the baby, daddy. I need you here." She told him, feeling like a little kid all over again.
Having Carmy by her side was great. And she didn't want him to feel bad, but she desperately needed her father too.
"Really? Right now?" Emmanual said, a hint of panic in his voice. "I'm on my way, baby. Just hold on." He told them before hanging up.
"Thank you," she told Carmy.
"Of course, Syd."
He rubbed a hand over her stomach. Eyes leaving her face and falling on her bump. It didn't feel real; soon their kid would be on the outside with them.
"Are you going to call your mom?" Sydney asked.
He shook his head, not turning to meet her eyes, although he could feel her looking at him. She didn't press. She would leave him to deal with his mother on his own terms. She didn't have the energy to get into that in the moment. Natalie entered the room with a cup of ice in her hands. She passed it to Carmy and told him to rub it over Sydney to keep her cool, like their mother had done when she was in labor with Sophie.
He took out a cube and ran it over her forehead. The coolness granting her some relief from the burning under her skin, like a breeze on blistering summer day.
"Thank you," she said to both of them.
She thought she was used to the contractions now. They'd come and go, and she'd be okay, but now they were getting more intense. Like they were hitting her with a vengeance.
"I'll grab the doctor," Nat said, and left the room.
Carmy rubbed her arm soothingly, wishing he could do more to help her. He felt useless as he watched her body prepare to bring their child into the world.
"Breathe," He reminded her.
Emmanuel arrived during a break from the contractions. Sydney hugged her father tighter than she ever had before. But he couldn't stay long, the doctor came in to see how far Sydney was dilated so he stepped out. With teary eyes, he joined Natalie in the waiting room. To Sydney's disappointment, she was only 2 cm dilated.
When it was just the two of them again, Carmy returned to cooling her down with the ice.
"Are you mad I didn't call you first?" Sydney asked.
"Not mad." He replied, pouring some of the water from the cup into his hands and running his cold fingers over her face.
"But?"
"Just a little hurt. But I probably would have called Sugar too. It's okay, Syd."
She sighed, closing her eyes for a moment as his cold fingers now caressed her neck. "I just wanted calm." She explained, hoping he really got it.
"I know."
His words did little to erase her guilt. She felt like she had let him down somehow. He was her partner, the love of her life and the father of her child. She should have called him first.
"You're doing really great though," she told him, hoping it would ease the feeling gnawing at her.
He smiled, like a child being praised by their parent. He pressed a kiss against her temple.
"You are too." He replied. "I'm so proud of you."
He rubbed his thumb over her knuckles before lifting her hand to his mouth. Pressing light kisses over the back of her hand. She smiled as a tear rolled down her cheek.
"Are you ready for this?"
"Kinda too late now." He laughed. "I'm ready though. I want you to know you can lean on me."
He was more nervous than his mind would even admit about being a father. But he managed to keep those fears at bay, locked away in the deepest part of his mind.
"I know, Carmy," she told him earnestly, her brown eyes locking with his. "I'm so glad you're here with me."
"Like I'd be anywhere else right now."
A few more hours passed. More contractions hit Sydney, each stronger than the last. The closer they got, the more she felt like she couldn't take it. She opted for the epidural and although she was a nervous wreck about the needle, she told herself it was the lesser of two evils. Carmy had to leave the room when they gave it to her. She squeezed the pillow in her arms as a nurse stood in front of her, offering her words of encouragement as she got numbed. Afterwards, she didn't feel the following pokes as the epidural was administered.
Carmy returned, his eyes looking less worried when they fell on her. She wasn't completely pain free, but the pain was a lot more tolerable.
When it was time to push, Carmy offered his hand for her to squeeze, while the other helped to hold her leg. A nurse supported the other from the other side of the bed.
"Push," The doctor told her.
She inhaled as much as she could and pushed with everything she had as she exhaled.
"You're doing so good," Carmy told her.
When she was done, her head fell back against the pillow. She felt completely spent and exhausted. Just how long did it take for a baby to get out? she thought to herself.
"Okay," The doctor spoke again. "I can see the head. I need you to push again, Sydney."
She shook her head, feeling like she simply didn't have it in her.
"You got this, Syd." Carmy encouraged. "Just breathe and push."
He took a deep breath too, so she didn't feel alone. She mimicked his breathing and leaned forward, giving another push with the remaining strength she had.
The baby descended a little more but not enough.
"Okay, one more should do it." The doctor said from below.
"Fuck, can't you just pull?" she yelled.
"Just one more," He repeated like she hadn't said anything at all. He had heard much worse.
"One more," Carmy repeated. "You can do it, baby. I know you can."
She looked into his blue eyes, calming down slightly. She nodded and together they breathed again as she pushed for what she hoped was the final time.
Carmy could see as their child came into this world. Crying loudly, which he took as a good sign. Babies are supposed to cry when they come out right? He told himself.
"Want to cut the cord?" A nurse asked him. He looked at Syd and then nodded his head. Numbly accepting the scissors and snipping where she pointed.
"Congrats, you have a son." The doctor announced.
He chuckled like he couldn't believe what he had heard. They wiped off the baby's face and brought him towards Sydney, placing the infant directly on her chest. His head turned, facing his father with wide blue eyes, like he was taking in his new environment. He had curly dark hair, and his skin was slightly pink. She placed a hand on his small back. She hadn't realized she was shaking until Carmy placed a hand over hers and they locked eyes again.
"You did great." He told her.
She smiled as the tears now freely fell. She felt overwhelmed yet peaceful now that their baby was safe in her arms. Now that the hell of bed rest was over. She was so caught up in the infant lying against her, she was caught off guard by them telling her to push again. The baby was taken from her and while Carmy's eyes followed their child as they began to take his weight, he offered Sydney his hand again. She delivered her placenta, and they stitched her where she tore slightly.
When the baby was brought back, he was wrapped in a blanket and this time Carmy got to hold him son. He felt small yet solid in his arms. He yawned and opened his tiny mouth before closing it again. He placed a finger near the baby's hand, and he wrapped around it. His grip stronger than Carmy thought it would be.
"Do you have a name picked out?" One of the nurses asked.
He shook his head, not tearing his eyes away from the baby in his arms. He looked perfect.
"Any ideas?" He asked Sydney.
They hadn't discussed names much. Carmy only had one nonnegotiable; he didn't want a junior if they had a boy.
"I kinda like Manny. What do you think?" She offered.
"Like your dad?" He asked.
"If you don't like it-"
"Nah, it's perfect." Carmy replied. He couldn't think of anyone else he'd want their son named after.
"Manny Berzatto." Sydney said. "It does sound nice."
They were moved to the postpartum unit, and their loved ones joined them to see the new edition to the Berzatto family. Richie, Tina, Marcus, Luca and the rest of The Bear crew were still working and unable to leave, but Nat took a video and sent it to them. Emmanuel cried as he held his grandson. He cried even more when they told him his name. Natalie was in tears as she held her nephew next. She spoke to the sleeping infant in her arms, telling him that Sophie was going to be the best big cousin ever.
After taking more pictures of Manny and talking to the new parents, Emmanuel and Natalie left the family of three with promises of returning before they got discharged.
"He sleeps a lot." Carmy said softly as he watched the resting infant doing skin-to-skin with Sydney again.
"He's had quite a journey. I'm sure he'll be keeping us up soon though."
"You should get some sleep." Carmy told her.
She looked exhausted. Her eyes were tired. Her hair was curling slightly around her edges from the energy expelled while giving birth.
"I'm okay."
She didn't want to miss a moment. Now that he was actually here, she just wanted to soak him in. Although sleep was calling her name like a sweet lullaby. Carmy could use some rest too. All of the excitement of the day was wearing off, leaving tiredness in its wake. He rubbed her arm softly. Looking at the two people he loved the most in the world. His life was forever changed in the best way.
"You can go to sleep," she said to him.
"Only if you do."
She was about to protest but he gently lifted their baby from her. He placed him down in bed next to hers. There was another bed on the other side for him. He hated that it seemed so far away from her.
"Get some sleep. The nurses will be back to bug us before we know it." He told her.
She looked at the sleeping newborn next to her and nodded. She couldn't fight the sleep anymore if she wanted to.
"Are you going to sleep too?" She asked, closing her eyes and trying to get comfortable.
"Yeah," He looked over at his bed and kicked off his shoes before lying down.
Carmy laid there, eyes closed and ears listening to the soft snores from both Manny and Sydney. Eventually his mind quieted down. He told himself that everything was okay and he too gave in to the call of sleep.