Chapter Fourteen: We Belong Together

Author's Note: Hello everyone. So this is the final chapter of Can't Fight The Moonlight. It's been a lot of fun to write and I can't wait to write more fanfics for The Night Shift in the future. Just like the chapter where TC and Jordan found out about the baby, this chapter jumps around a lot. And fun fact, the diner that I reference in here is a real diner in the town that I go to school in and is surrounded by a tattoo parlor and a bar, just like I wrote in the story. Also, I know that Thad was buried in Texas (I'm assuming because it was easy for TC to visit Thad's grave in the show), but for the purposes of this story, I wanted him to be buried in Arlington National Cemetery. As always, I don't own The Night Shift or any of its characters. The chapter title comes from I'll Be by Edwin McCain.

September 2015

After six weeks of being in the hospital hooked up to the ventilator, Avery was finally able to breathe on her own and was getting discharged later that day.

"I'm so excited for our little girl." Jordan said from where she was sitting. She was holding Avery while TC was signing paperwork to get her discharged. "Who's excited to go home today?" she cooed to Avery, who looked up at her in wonder.

"Alright, it looks like Avery is good to go." The doctor smiled at them. "Congratulations to the both of you."

"Did you hear that, Avery Grace?" TC said, walking over to where Jordan and Avery were. "It's time for you to see your new home."

TC fished around in the diaper bag that Jordan brought and pulled out a video camera, making Jordan frown. "You've got to be kidding me. I thought you gave up videotaping every single thing that happened in your life."

"Well, this one isn't for me, it's for Avery." TC said, turning on the video camera. "Wave to the camera, Mommy." TC said, chuckling at the pissed look on Jordan's face. He turned the camera around so he was could talk face to face with the camera. "So, Avery Grace, this is one of the biggest days of your young life. Today, your mom and I are bringing you home from the hospital. I think you're really going to like it, even though your room is incredibly pink." TC turned to camera back to Jordan. "Anything you want to say to our daughter?"

"My sweet little Avery, I'm so glad today we finally get to take you home today. I can't wait for you to grow up with us here in San Antonio."

December 2015

"Merry Christmas!" Jordan said when they opened the door to Topher and Janet's house on Christmas morning. The two families decided to combine having Christmas together like they'd done the last couple of years, except they had all the more reason to celebrate this year. "How was your guy's Christmas this morning?"

"It was great. I got everything I wanted!" Lynn said with a smile on her face. "Aunt Jordan, do you want to see what I got?"

"Absolutely." Jordan said. She put the diaper bag on the floor and turned to face TC. "Will you keep an eye on Avery?"

"Why do you have to ask if I'd keep an eye on my own daughter?"

"Because whenever you and Topher hang out together when you're supposed to be watching Avery, it doesn't end well. I will be gone for five minutes. Please don't let anything happen to my daughter." She winked at him and started walking back to Lynn's room to see what all she got.

Topher came up behind TC and clapped him on the back. "You know, she does have a point. You do tend to forget about Avery when we're together."

"Are you really taking Jordan's side on this?" TC asked incredulously. "I'm a good father."

"No one's doubting that you're a good father, T." Janet said, peeking out from the kitchen. "You just…should be a little more careful."

TC looked down at Avery in his arms. "Well, little girl, I guess I have to step up my game." he whispered, leaning down to give her a kiss on the forehead.

Jordan came out from Lynn's room with Lynn by her side. "Looks like Santa knew you were such a good girl this year." she said, smiling down at Lynn. "I hope that Avery will be just like you when she gets older."

"Well, Christmas dinner is ready." Janet said, coming out from the kitchen. "You all can go into the dining room and I'll bring everything out to you."

"Janet, let me help." Jordan said, following her back into the kitchen. "So, I actually have a question to ask you." Jordan said quietly when they got in the kitchen.

"Ask away." Janet said, giving Jordan her full attention.

"I know it's short notice, but do you think you and Toph could watch Avery for New Year's Eve? TC got tickets to the show downtown and it's definitely not a prime spot for a five month old. If you can't, I totally understand since it's such short notice."

Janet gave Jordan a knowing smile. "It's not a problem. We'd love to have Avery over the night."

"Are you sure? Are you really willing to have three children under the age of two in your house?"

"Jordan, we can manage. My parents are coming and they can help with Maggie and Cassandra. Everything will be just fine. Enjoy your night with TC. You deserve it."

May 2016

"This is so exhausting." Jordan said when she was finished working one night. "I don't understand how people can work and take care of their children at the same time. When I'm here at the hospital, all I can think about is Avery, and when I have days off, I think about all the things I could be doing here. I just don't know what to do anymore."

TC looked over at his wife. He knew she was torn about staying at the hospital or becoming a full time stay at home mother. He wasn't envious of the situation she was in.

"And I don't want to hire a nanny because I actually want to spend time with my daughter when I get home from work." Jordan said, continuing to talk. "I just don't know what to do."

TC walked over to where Jordan was standing at her locker and wrapped his arms around her. "It's going to be okay, Jordan." He leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. "We'll figure something out."

"I know we'll figure something out, but I wish we already had a plan in place. This is what I should have been doing while I was on maternity leave."

"Jordan, come on." TC said, taking her hand. "You need to get out of the hospital for a little bit and you need to spend some time with Avery." TC started walking her out of the locker room and out to the car. "She'll be waking up when we get home."

"Yeah, and when we get home, I'm going to want to sleep." Jordan sighed. "I know what I have to do. I just don't want to do it."

"Jordan, whatever you decide to do, you know I'll support you one hundred percent."

Jordan looked up at him. "I know. Which is why I have to put in my two weeks. I want to focus on Avery. Maybe I'll be able to come back in a few years."

June 2016

"Hey, T." Jordan said, sleepily when TC got back from his first shift at the hospital without Jordan working alongside him. "How was the shift?"

TC pulled the sheets back from the other side of the bed and climbed in next to Jordan. He kissed her and laid flat on his back. "It was hectic. Ragosa's trying to find your replacement and it didn't help that there was a massive car accident on the highway." He wrapped his arms around Jordan's waist and pulled her closer to him. "How are my girls?"

Jordan smiled when she heard TC call her and Avery "his girls." It always made her heart swell with pride. "We're good. She should be waking up soon if you want to go see her."

As if on cue, TC and Jordan heard Avery starting to fuss from the baby monitor that was set up on the table beside them. "Want me to bring her in here?" TC said, turning to Jordan.

"It's up to you. But you should get some sleep." Jordan said, getting up from the bed. She stretched and rubbed her eyes. "So, what's it going to be, Callahan?"

"Bring her on in. I'll just get to spend some time with my two favorite Callahan girls."

-X-

September 2017

"Jordan, Avery? I'm back!" TC said, coming into the house when he got back from his man only camping trip with Topher.

"Dada!" Avery said, running out from her room to see TC. He crouched down on his knees and held out his arms for her to jump into. "I missed you." she said, giving TC the biggest kiss she could.

"I missed you too, Avery Grace. Where's your mom?"

Jordan walked out of their room with a soft smile on her face. "Welcome home, T." Jordan said, going over to kiss him. "I have a surprise for you." she whispered.

"A surprise? You do realize our two year old is wide awake, right Jordan?" TC said sarcastically.

Jordan gave him a slight shove. "Get your mind out of the gutter, Callahan." She gave him a knowing look. "It's in the bedroom."

He put Avery down on the floor and started walking back to their room. He saw a cardboard box sitting on the bed and he walked over to open it. Inside were four pregnancy tests. He raised an eyebrow and picked up the box to look at it closer.

They were all positive.

"Surprise." Jordan said, standing in the doorway.

TC turned around towards her with a shocked look on his face. "When did this happen?"

Jordan smiled and leaned against the doorway. "I don't know. I got a doctor's appointment scheduled for next week, and we'll be able to find out when it happened then." She walked into the room and wrapped her arms around TC. "It's sooner than I was expecting, but I'm excited for this baby."

TC kissed the top of Jordan's head. "I'm excited too, Jordan."

April 2018

"TC, I promise you nothing bad is going to happen. Go on the trip with Topher, Drew, and Kenny. Have your guys weekend. I will be fine. If anything bad happens, I'll call Janet or Landry or someone. I may even consider calling my mother." Jordan said, sitting on the front porch of the house, watching TC pack Kenny's truck for their fishing and camping trip they were supposed to be taking this weekend. "The four of you have been planning this trip for months."

"Yes, Jordan, I realize this. But you're due at any moment. I don't want to miss the birth, especially since we're having a boy."

This time around, Jordan caved in and said they could find out the sex of the baby. They found out they were having a boy, and TC couldn't be more thrilled. They'd decided to name him Nathan Thaddeus, after Jordan's father and Thad.

"TC, if Nate think he's coming this weekend, he's going to be wrong. I'm making sure you get in that truck and…oh…" Jordan said, her eyes widening.

"What's that? What's going on?" TC asked, his nerves about to get the best of him.

"My water just broke. Looks like Nate had other plans for your weekend."

TC snapped into decision making mode. "Okay, Jordan, go get in the car, you need to go to the hospital. I'll run inside and get your things and meet you out here. Drew, call the hospital and tell them we're on our way there. Kenny, call the campsite and tell them we're going to have to reschedule this for another weekend. And Toph, I need you to stay here and watch Avery. We'll call you when we know more." TC ran into the house to gather everything while Jordan stared at the three men who were just staring back at her.

"Will someone help me get up?" she asked, trying to get them to start moving. The three of them rushed towards her and grabbed her hands, pulling her up off the chair.

-X-

"Oh my God, T, I can't do this anymore." Jordan said, falling back against the pillow. "I just can't do it."

TC kneeled down next to her and looked in her eyes. "Jordan, you have to keep pushing. Avery is waiting in the room and she has the biggest smile on her face and is wearing her 'I'm a big sister' shirt. And I know you want to meet our son and I want to meet him too, and he wants to make his grand arrival. You don't have that much more to do. So you're going to squeeze my hand, no matter how much it hurts me, and you're going to give birth to our son. Got it?" TC asked, waiting for Jordan to nod her head.

She gave him a small nod and sat back up. "Okay, let's do this."

After a few more pushes and lots of screams from Jordan, the piercing cries of a baby filled the room. TC kissed Jordan and whispered to her, "You did it, Jordan. You did it."

August 2018

"Jordan, thank god you're awake." TC said, bursting into their room when he got back from a shift.

She groaned and sat up in bed. "Shhh. Nate finally fell asleep an hour ago and I don't want him to wake up again."

"Sorry." TC said, lowering his voice. "But you'll never guess what happened today."

"What happened?" Jordan asked.

"Remember good old Doctor Nichols from Johns Hopkins? The one I always complained about when I did my internship?" TC waited for recognition to appear on Jordan's face but she just shook her head. "He's the one that didn't like me and I didn't like him back? Well, anyway, he's retiring. You'll never guess who they want to replace him at their ER?"

"If this is a riddle, it's an incredibly cruel time to be doing it when I'm sleep deprived."

TC let out a small laugh and climbed into bed next to Jordan. "They want me to take Doctor Nichols' spot up at Johns Hopkins."

Jordan rolled onto her side and looked at him. "Really? T, that's great news. What did you say?"

"Well, I said I'd have to sleep on it. Literally. I mean, is it a smart idea to move when we have a newborn and a three year old?"

Jordan thought about it. "We never really talked about what would happen if either of us got job offers somewhere else."

"But think about it, Jordan. We could move back to Baltimore, you'd be closer to your mom, I'd be closer to my parents, and it's Johns Hopkins."

Jordan kissed TC. "I think you should take it. It'll be good for you to go back to your roots."

"You aren't mad are you?" TC asked.

Jordan raised an eyebrow. "T, why would I be mad?"

"Well, we always used to talk about working at Hopkins. I don't want you to resent me."

"That was my dream. And I'd be lying if I said I don't miss working at the hospital. But I get to stay home with two amazing kids. Maybe once Nate is older and I want to work in a hospital again, I'll start looking for a job. But don't you ever think I'll resent you for getting our dream job."

TC kissed Jordan. "How did I get so lucky to have you as my wife?"

"Pure luck." Jordan said.

October 2018

"Avery, wake up." Jordan said one autumn morning after they were all moved to Baltimore. She sat down on her daughter's bed and started rubbing her back. "Come on, sleepy head. We have things to do today." Avery rolled the other way and curled into a little ball. She was awake, and just like her mother when she was Avery's age, she didn't want to get up until she was ready. "Avery Grace Callahan, wake up now." Jordan stood up and took the blankets off the bed.

"Mommy!" Avery squealed, trying to get the blankets back. "Give them back."

"Sorry cuddle bug, but no can do." She sat back down on the bed and pushed her daughter's messy hair off her face. "Today's the big day when Daddy and I take you and Nate sightseeing in Baltimore." She kissed her daughter's forehead. "It's all you talked about last night."

Avery sat up and rubbed her eyes. "What are we doing, Mommy?"

"Well, we're going to show you some of our favorite spots here in Baltimore, then we're going to drive down to see someone. It's going to be a good day." She stood up from the bed again and held out a hand for Avery to take. "So come on, let's get you ready for the day."

Avery forwent her mother's hand and jumped off the bed and went to her closet. "Mommy, help me." Avery said, looking at the knobs on her closet.

Jordan smiled to herself and opened the closet door. "What do you want to wear today?" Jordan said, pulling something out of there. "I like this one."

Avery smiled at her. "I like it too Mommy."

Jordan smiled down at her mini-me. "Perfect. Will you get dressed while I get your brother ready to go?"

Avery looked up at Jordan and nodded. Jordan crouched down and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "By the way, good morning sunshine."

"Will I always be your sunshine, Mommy?" Avery asked, looking up at Jordan with wide eyes.

Jordan smiled back down at her daughter. "You will always be my sunshine."

-X-

"Alright, Avery Grace. Are you ready to see the place where Mommy and Daddy had their first real date?" TC said as they started walking around downtown Baltimore.

"You're not talking about the bar, right?" Jordan whispered, leaning in towards TC.

"Of course not I was going to show her the diner where we went after work one night. I figured that would be more appropriate than a bar where you drunkenly hooked up with me." TC said, waggling his eyebrows at her.

"Nice tact." Jordan said flatly. She considered running the stroller into the back of TC's ankles, but figured she was the grown up in the relationship and at least one of Avery and Nate's parents should set a good example for them.

"Here it is." Jordan said, stopping the stroller in front of a little hole in the wall diner sandwiched between a tattoo parlor and a bar. "I remember I got a huge bowl of chili and French fries, and you made fun of me for it. At least, until you tried it for yourself and realized you'd been missing out on life." Jordan smirked at him.

"What do you say we stop in there for lunch? See if it's as good as I used to think it was." TC said, going over to open the door.

Jordan pushed the stroller in the diner and felt as if she was going back in time to their first date. Nothing had changed about the interior of the diner. The pictures of the regulars were still tacked to the wall, the booth seats were still the red ripped up plastic, and the tables were still covered with headlines from when the diner first opened back in the 1950s.

"Welcome to The Corner Grill. Sit wherever you'd like."

"Thanks." TC said, leading them over to the same booth that TC and Jordan sat at on their first date.

Jordan stayed in the front entrance, taking in the diner scene around her. She then started looking at the pictures on the walls, clearly trying to find something. "Sweetheart, whatcha lookin' for?" one of the waitresses asked.

Jordan jumped slightly and turned towards the waitress. "Years ago my husband and I ate here on our first date and we took a picture. I just wanted to see if it was still here." She started walking to the spot where she remembered them hanging up the picture. "T, come here. Bring Avery and Nate." Jordan said, staring at a picture of them on the wall. They were slightly younger, didn't have as many cares in the world, and looked so happy in the picture.

TC bent down and lifted Nate out of the stroller and Jordan picked up Avery so she could see the picture. "Nate, do you know who that is?" TC asked, almost as if their six month old could understand what he was talking about. "It's Mommy and Daddy." TC looked down at Nate and kissed him on the cheek, making Nate start clapping.

"Do you see us?" Jordan asked Avery, pointing at the picture. Avery nodded and smiled at them.

-X-

A few hours later, TC pulled into the parking lot at Arlington and shut off the car. He sighed and looked over at Jordan. "I don't think I can do this."

"T, I believe in you." Jordan said. "I think it's important that since we live an hour away from where Thad is buried that we bring the kids to see the grave everyone once and awhile." She squeezed TC's hand. "Do you want to stay in the car and I'll take the kids?"

TC sighed and unbuckled his seatbelt. "No, I should do this. I should be there to tell the kids about their Uncle Thad." He opened the car door and got out. He walked over to where Nate was sitting and started to get his car seat out of the car.

"Mommy, what are we doing?" Avery asked from her car seat in the back.

Jordan turned around and smiled at her. "We're going to say hi to someone. Someone really important to Daddy." Jordan unbuckled her seatbelt and got out of the car. She went to the side of the car where Avery sat to get her out of her seat.

The four of them walked into the cemetery, TC, holding Nate's car carrier, leading with Jordan and Avery following him. "Do you remember where the grave is?" Jordan asked.

"Yeah, I think so." TC said as he led them through the cemetery.

After a short walk throughout the cemetery, they stopped in front of one of the graves. Jordan held one of Avery's hands and wrapped her other hand around TC's midsection. "It's gonna be okay, T." Jordan said, kissing his arm.

TC sighed. "Well, Thad, I finally did it. I married Jordan three years ago. I know you're probably pissed that I'm just now telling you, especially since…you know…it's been three years and I haven't visited you. But, I brought Jordan and I brought our kids to come see you. Yeah, I guess I should introduce them to you." TC looked at Nate in the carrier. "This is Nathan Thaddeus Callahan, and I'm sure you want to kill me for giving my son your name as his middle name, but Thad, you're the most important guy in my life. Just don't tell Toph I said that." Jordan started laughing as he moved to where Avery was standing. "And this little lady right here is our daughter, Avery Grace Callahan. She's three and she's exactly like Jordan, which you know, I like and I'm sure you would too if you were here." TC handed Nate to Jordan and crouched down next to Avery. "My sweet girl, this is where your uncle Thad is buried. Do you want to say hi to him?"

Avery looked towards the grave with somber eyes. "Hi Uncle Thad." she whispered.

Jordan knelt down next to her with Nate still in her arms. "We miss you every day, Thad." Just then, Nate started fussing and crying. Jordan looked down at him and frowned. "I think he's ready for his nap, T. I think it's time to head back home."

TC nodded, casting one last look at the grave. "I promise it won't be another three years before I come visit again, Thad." TC looked down at Avery. "Do you want to say goodbye to your uncle?"

Avery nodded and walked closer to the grave. "Bye Uncle Thad." She tried to wrap her arms all the way around the grave stone and gave it a kiss, causing both Jordan and TC's hearts to break.

-X-

That night, TC climbed into bed and wrapped his arms around Jordan, pulling her closer to him. "I think we needed to do that today." he whispered into her neck.

Jordan pressed a kiss to his temple. "I'm with you there, TC."

THE END

Thanks for reading everyone!