No Matter What

by Crimson Eyed Sakura

Single. Pregnant. Jobless. To Rory, things can't get much worse. But when Jess admits that they'd had a drunken encounter and the baby might be his, Rory is floored. She's just coming to terms with the fact that she still has feelings for him, and now this? No matter what, Rory is determined to do the best she can for her baby.

"Mom, I'm pregnant."

Lorelai stared at Rory, her heart seeming to freeze in her chest. "I'm sorry, I thought you just said you were pregnant."

Rory sighed and stared down at her lap. "I… I did."

"Rory, how did this happen?" Lorelai asked as she put her head in her hands.

"Logan came to town-"

"Logan! Of course! Every bad thing that has happened to you has begun with Logan Huntzberger."

"Mom, this isn't the end of the world!" Rory protested.

"How is it not, Rory? You have no job, no money. Hell, you still haven't found your underwear box!"

Rory blinked, reminded suddenly of her conversation with Jess. "I'll figure it out, Mom. I can do freelance work until I can find a more permanent job."

"Rory, what about Logan?"

"What about him?"

"What's he going to have to say about this? Is he going to leave his French floozy?"

"Mom, she's not a floozy. If anything, I'm the floozy. And...I wasn't going to tell him."

"Rory, no. You have to tell him."

"Why, Mom, so he can give up his future to be stuck, unhappy, with me and a kid he never wanted? Or so that he can turn his back on us and act like he never knew anything? I can't do that, to myself or to the baby." Rory sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "What am I going to do?" she whispered, leaning forward to rest her head on her knees.

Lorelai sighed and rubbed Rory's back, trying to comfort her. "We'll figure it out, Rory. It'll all be okay."

As the sun rose over Stars Hollow, the only sound in the square was the muffled sounds of Rory's sobs.

---

Jess Mariano was not one to pine, but Rory Gilmore had the tendency to bypass all of his defenses and bring about reactions and changes he'd never expected.

As it stood, he watched from across the town as she broke down - probably over that rich douchebag - on the gazebo beside Lorelai. Hands clenching at his sides, he wished he could be the one to comfort her again.

- hands clutching, wood creaking, breathy moans beside his ear -

Jess shook his head to clear it of the memories he couldn't forget. With a self-deprecating huff, he finished setting the chairs out and readied the diner for the day. He'd reassured Luke that he could open, let his uncle get some beauty sleep before the wedding.

Not that the wedding was truly necessary now, but Jess understood the concept. However, growing up with Liz Danes as a mother, with her multiple "true loves" and failed relationships, had jaded Jess to the idea of marriage.

He had to admit, though, it suited Luke and Lorelai. They'd pretty much been married for the past decade, but the prospect of that ring and those words seemed to have breathed new life into them. Luke was smiling , which was freaky on a good day.

And in a few hours, he would bet anything that Lorelai would look just as happy. Despite the fatherly affection he felt toward Luke, Jess wasn't entirely sure he'd go to the wedding. Maybe take over for Caesar and let the other man join in the festivities. After what had happened a few weeks ago, Jess wasn't ready to be around Rory.

- "Jess! Ahhh, oh yes. Jess, please, please!" -

A coffee cup fell to the floor and shattered, jolting Jess from his memories. With a muttered curse, he picked up the larger pieces and chunked them into the trash, grabbing a wet towel to get the smaller shards. As he knelt to wipe them up, the doorbell chimed.

"Just a second! Stay back, there's sharp glass," he called out.

"Is it too early for a cup of coffee?" came the soft question.

"Shit!" Jess cursed as his hand jerked, slicing his palm.

"Jess?! Are you okay?" Rory asked as she came closer, laying a hand on his shoulder.

Jerking away, Jess cradled his cut hand in the towel, uncaring of the small pinpricks of pain from the tiny pieces of glass that had been caught in the towel. Rory followed worriedly as he strode into the small kitchen to rinse his hand. Wishing that the universe would turn in his favor for once, Jess sighed and glanced over at Rory. "I'll get you that coffee, just give me a minute."

"Seriously, are you okay? That's bleeding pretty badly," Rory said as she stepped closer.

"I got it, Rory. Just...give me a minute," Jess said, his tone coming out pained.

"O...kay?"

A moment later, Jess heard her footsteps retreating back into the dining area. Head dropping down in defeat, he focused on his hand. A few minutes later, hand neatly wrapped and composed once more, he stepped back out front to put on a pot of coffee.

Rory sat at the counter, picking at her sweater. "Did I do something wrong?" she asked quietly.

"You forgot," Jess thought bitterly. "No, of course not," he said aloud. "I'm not the best patient when I'm hurt; didn't want to bite your head off."

"Right," Rory said, disbelief evident in her tone.

Jess sighed as he started the coffee machine. "I'm in a weird mood. Call it a leftover from my angsty youth."

Laughter echoed behind him, drawing a smile to his face. He'd always loved to hear her laugh.

"Angsty youth? That's one way to put it. You were a bad boy and a literati, all rolled into one."

"Hey, it worked for me. I rocked that leather jacket," he quipped.

"Ahh, I loved that jacket! It was always so warm," Rory said wistfully.

Silence reigned for long moments, the percolating coffee providing the background noise.

"Do you ever wonder what would have happened, if I had taken off with you that night at Yale?"

"Don't do that, Rory. Don't live in the past. If you're not happy with your life, that's fine, but don't try to what-if your way into feeling better." The words came out somewhat bitter, but Jess didn't acknowledge it, instead moving to pour a cup of coffee for what was possibly the love of his life.

Rory stared into the cup as if it held the answer to life. "I'm so lost, Jess. I don't know what to do."

"I told you. Write that book. You've written what, three chapters? And you seemed so excited about it! So stick with it, Gilmore."

Huffing a sharp laugh, Rory shook her head. She took a deep breath and looked up to meet his eyes. "Jess, I'm pregnant."

With three words, Jess' world came crashing down.

"What?" he asked softly.

"I'm...pregnant. That's why I don't know what I'm going to do. Do I try to do this by myself? Do I tell him and let things get more awkward than they already are?"

"Him?" Jess parroted, feeling struck dumb by the revelation.

"Logan," Rory explained. "It must have happened when we went to New Hampshire, but I can't imagine how. I've always been so careful!"

Jess choked, unable to believe his ears. "Whoa, can we not have that discussion?"

"God, I am so sorry. You probably don't want to hear about that. Shit. I'm a terrible friend."

Friend.

That one word sent shards into Jess' heart, shutting down whatever thoughts he'd been harboring about them.

Jess sighed, knowing that he could never hurt Rory with any of the sharp words clawing at his throat. "Whatever you decide to do, you'll be great as a mom. You're an amazing woman, Rory Gilmore. Any kid of yours is sure to follow in those footsteps."

"Hopefully not all of those footsteps," she said lightly, one hand waving toward her belly. "It hasn't really sunk in yet, you know? I just found out for sure yesterday."

Jess swallowed, trying not to imagine his own what-ifs . For a split second, he wondered if it might be his. The timing added up, but it also - apparently - added up to Logan as well. Either way, Rory didn't remember their one drunken night. Maybe it was just as well. If it did turn out to be Logan's, there was no need to add any more drama to an already dramatic situation.

"Yeah, it seems pretty surreal," he finally said.

"Can I ask a favor?"

"Any time."

"I want to pretend for a while. I want to just be Rory, not Lorelai the Second."

"Didn't you tell me that your great-grandma was a Lorelai?" Jess interrupted.

"That's beside the point. I just… I don't want people to look at me and see my mom. Unmarried, pregnant, no job. Can I trust you to treat me the same, even when I start looking like I swallowed a beach ball?"

Jess snorted at the mental image. "Sure, Gilmore."

They lapsed into silence once more. Rory drank deeply from her coffee before putting the cup down. "Would it be bad to ignore the no caffeine rule? I'm not sure I can go that long without it."

"Oh, shit. You're right," Jess admitted. He swooped in and grabbed the cup from under Rory's nose, setting it behind the counter.

"Jess! No! Give that back!" Rory pleaded. When he made no moves to do so, she came around the counter to get the cup back.

Jess laughed and bodily blocked the way. "Gotta go through me," he joked.

"I know your weakness, Mariano," she said with a grin. Small hands trailed up and down Jess' ribs, tickling with no mercy.

With his hands braced on each side of the counter, his sides were open to the attack. Peals of laughter came from him as his arms dropped to trap her hands. Jess' own hands came up to return the attack, following when Rory backed up to escape.

They bumped into the wall, jolting them back to seriousness. Jess stared down at Rory, and she stared back. He watched her lick her lips, pupils dilating and eyes becoming hooded. His breathing hitched at the look on her face, taking him back to the night that she didn't remember.

Remembering that night reminded Jess of her current state. Cursing his own foolishness, he stepped back slowly, his hand trailing down her arm until the distance became too great.

Rory ducked her head, avoiding looking at Jess. "I, uh… I should get home. Get some sleep before the wedding."

Jess cleared his throat and took another step back. "Yeah, right. I need to finish opening up here."

"I'll see you there, right?" she asked as she nervously tucked her hair behind her ear.

"Nah, I don't think so. Gonna take over for Caesar so he can go," Jess replied, back turned to Rory.

He missed the flash of disappointment that washed over her face.

"Oh, okay then. Well, I'll see you around, Jess."

"Yeah," he said softly as the door chimed, "see you around."

---

Rory wasn't sure, but she got the feeling that Jess still had feelings for her. It would be great if it were true, since she knew she still cared for the somewhat-surly man. She smiled to herself as she walked home, remembering how they'd almost kissed.

It had been a long time since she'd felt the butterflies of a burgeoning crush.

Then again, the butterflies could be due to the burgeoning life inside her.

Deciding to push that from her mind for now, Rory stepped a little quicker, ready to get inside to the warmth of home.

As she lay in bed, she closed her eyes and tried to sleep. Unfortunately, her mind continued to replay the scene from the diner, when Jess had nearly kissed her.

She really wished he had.

Some part of Rory felt guilty for wanting another man so soon after things had ended with Logan. But another part of her had been bracing for the inevitable, hardening herself to the fact that Logan wasn't hers to keep, not anymore.

Rolling onto her side, she let a hand slip down to gently press where a new life was growing inside her. While she regretted the timing and the circumstances, she couldn't find regret for the baby itself. As she finally drifted to sleep, she dreamt of a baby with blue eyes and dark hair.

Later, she was startled awake by a loud crash from the living room. Bolting upright with a gasp, Rory waited to listen for any more noises.

Muffled laughter reached her, and she recognized Lorelai's voice. She breathed a sigh of relief and collapsed back onto her bed. She lay there for a few moments before sighing and throwing back the covers, unable to fall back asleep.

As she meandered into the living room, she came upon Lorelai and Luke, staring down at Kirk. The man was still asleep on the floor in front of the couch, and the newlyweds were shaking their heads in fond exasperation.

Rory came up beside her mom and new stepdad and leaned against the doorway, arms crossed comfortably across her chest. "Do you think Lulu is worried? He's been here all night."

"Nah, I called her. She knows how he is," Luke reassured her.

Rory shook her head. "Stars Hollow wouldn't be the same without him."

"You got that right," Lorelai said with a smile, leaning her head down to rest on Luke's shoulder. She stayed there for a long moment before before she straightened and said, "Okay, this is getting weird. Who's hungry?"

"Oooh, got any toaster strudel?" Rory asked excitedly.

Lorelai made a scoffing noise and shot a look of disbelief at her child. "I cannot believe you had to ask that," she said as she opened the freezer door. She pulled out three boxes and grinned at Rory. "Chocolate, blueberry, or cream filled?"

"One of each, please," Rory said with a returned grin.

Luke looked on and shook his head in disgust. "The eating habits of the two of you astound me to this day. Move over, I'm making eggs."

The three went about their breakfasting, barely batting an eye when Kirk stumbled into the kitchen twenty minutes later. Lorelai slid a plate in front of him as he sat in Rory's vacated seat. After rinsing her plate, the journalist dried her hands and headed to her room to gather some clothes for the day.

As she stood in the shower, relishing the heat and wonderful water pressure, Rory made a checklist.

First thing to do was to gather her things. She still had boxes spread everywhere, and she needed to centralize to know what she had and what she needed.

Next, she needed a job - a paying job. There was no way she could ask her mom to support her again. She'd known freedom and independence. It was hard to go back from that.

Finally, she needed to make an appointment with Paris. She'd rather not hear the judgement and reproval when Paris found out that she was carrying Logan Huntzberger's illegitimate love child, but she also didn't want to hear the disappointment and reproval if she went to another facility and was seen by what Paris referred to most in her field as a hack.

Either way, Rory was in for a trying time with Paris. "As always," she thought with a smile. Her first few days at Chilton, she never would have believed that Paris would become her best friend. Now, she couldn't imagine her life without the very opinionated woman.

Dressed for the day and ready to get the wedding done and over with, Rory emerged from her room determined to make the most of what time she had left to herself.

She found a madhouse.

Luke was nowhere to be found, Lorelai was sitting on the couch, being berated by Miss Selene, and Kirk was hovering in the doorway with a worried look on his face.

"Kirk? What's going on?"

"She kicked Luke out, then started in on Lorelai about a groom seeing his bride before the wedding, bad luck for her to have another man sleeping under her roof the night before getting married, and how I'm lucky she's not of marriageable age herself. That woman terrifies me."

Rory laughed. "Me too, Kirk. Me too. Why don't you head on home, see if Lulu is awake yet. I'm sure she missed you last night."

"No, she's used to me being out at night. The night terrors, you know."

Rory nodded along as she ushered the odd but loveable man out the door. "Surely she'd like to know you're okay, though. Give her our love!" she called as she gently shut the door behind Kirk.

She headed back to the living room, where Lorelai still sat on the couch. Miss Selene was nowhere to be seen, so Rory plopped onto the couch beside her mother. "That Lulu is a hell of a woman for putting up with Kirk."

Lorelai snorted. "I think by this point she's just accepted it. It's inevitable. They'll get married and have dorky kids. It'll be cute."

"So, are you ready?" Rory asked, diverting the subject away from kids.

"Miss Selene is putting the finishing touches on the dress, Luke is getting ready at the diner, and Mom hasn't shown up yet. All signs are go, Captain."

"How long do we have?" Rory asked.

"Well, the festival starts at six, and we're the main attraction, so about three hours?"

"Okay. I think I'm going to make a few calls, try to get some things in order."

"Okay, hon. I'll be here if you need me."

"Thanks, Mom." Rory stood with a groan. "Isn't it too early to be feeling this tired all the time?"

"Just wait. You've got eighteen years and nine months to get used to it," Lorelai said with a small, bittersweet smile.

Rory took a few steps toward the door before she turned back. "Mom, you know I didn't plan for this to happen, right?"

"That's the thing, kid. This is something that isn't planned. You can't plan for an accidental pregnancy. You just do what you can to work with it. You got this. You're a Gilmore."

Rory smiled somewhat sadly. "Thanks, Mom." Heart lighter and yet heavier at the same time, she grabbed her cell phone from her room and headed out the door.

---

Luke watched Jess watch Rory from the second story of the diner. The longing on his nephew's face belied his denial the day before that he was over Rory. Luke sighed and ran a hand down his face, wishing that things could be different for them.

"You're not going to tell her, are you?" he asked Jess.

"'s no reason to. She doesn't remember, too hung up on pretty boy. No need to confuse her now," Jess said as he turned away from the window.

"Jess, you don't know that. It happened for a reason."

Jess snorted. "Don't," he said sharply. "Don't try to make me hope for things that are never gonna be. I'm doing that to myself well enough." Collapsing onto his bed, he threw an arm over his eyes. "Just let me work through it, Luke. Don't try to play matchmaker."

"I wouldn't!" Luke ignored Jess' disbelieving grunt. "I just...I think you guys would be great together. You've both come a long way. You'll never know if you don't give her the option to choose."

"Look, old man, she did choose. And it wasn't me," Jess said bitterly.

Luke let the matter drop, fully intending to speak to Lorelai later. After the wedding. Which Jess apparently had no intention of attending. "Are you sure you don't want to come to the wedding?" he asked. "For me, not for her."

"Nah, I'm good. Let Caesar have his moment."

"Yeah, alright," Luke said, not willing to start an argument on his wedding day. "I look okay, though?"

Jess lifted his head and took a long look at Luke. After a moment, he smirked and dropped back down. "You'll do. Won't embarrass her, anyhow."

"Well thank goodness for that," Luke snarked back.

"I am happy for you, you know."

"I know, Jess," came the soft reply.

Comfortable silence settled over them while Luke finished up with his wedding attire. Despite the hours left to go, Luke wanted everything on his end to be ready for the moment.

"Crap," he said suddenly.

"What, you realize you can't go through with it?"

"No, the rings!"

"What about them? You take them, you put them on, bam. Married."

"Jess, we're both wearing them. We got the reverend to marry us last night after bingo."

"I don't know whether to be more offended that you didn't invite me or that you went to bingo."

"The point is, someone has to go get Lorelai's ring!"

"I'm not doing it," Jess immediately denied.

"Well I can't. I've been kicked out once already. Look, she's not even there. Just run over there and get the ring and come straight back."

"Yeah, because nothing can go wrong with that well-thought-out plan."

"Jess, please. I'm begging you. I cannot mess this up."

"Fine," the younger man groaned. "But you owe me!"

"Yeah, of course, just go!"

---

Rory sighed at the voicemail recording she currently listened to. After trying Logan's cell multiple times, she accepted that he wasn't answering her call. "Well, that solves that problem."

Sinking onto the steps of the gazebo, Rory let her head rest on her knees as she tried to figure out what to do. Logan wasn't answering her calls, so she let that worry go for the moment. More pressing was the need for a job, and fast.

With another sigh, Rory sat up and steeled herself. Pressing dial on her phone, she tried Logan once more. When the voicemail recording reached her ears once again, she nodded her head.

If she was going to do this alone, she was going to this spectacularly.

With that thought in mind, she made a few calls to papers and journals she'd written for previously. Within five minutes, she had a handful of freelance articles lined up to write. Feeling some of the weight fall from her shoulders, Rory turned her face to the sky.

Footsteps through the leaves alerted her to someone walking by. Glancing around, she saw Jess, head down and looking determined.

Rory still wasn't sure how she felt about Jess. She had loved him, once upon a time. Probably would have gone anywhere with him before he'd up and left after she broke her arm.

Now, as an adult, she could appreciate how much he'd grown up - how much the both of them had. Still, she got that warm, fluttery feeling in her stomach when she saw him, when he smiled at her - a feeling that had nothing to do with the baby.

The almost-kiss that morning had confused her. She'd been reeling since breaking things off with Logan, but she hadn't had the urge to find a rebound. She'd been content to do her own thing, find herself once more.

She tried to convince herself that starting anything with Jess would simply complicate things, make things awkward between them. Especially as she was now carrying another man's child. Shaking her head, Rory decided to let things go where they may. She wasn't going to chase Jess, but she wouldn't rebuff him either. If he was willing to accept the baby, then she would accept him.

She didn't even notice the smile that crossed her face, or the hand that slowly drifted down to rub across her still-flat belly.

---

Jess noticed. Ring in hand and headed back to Luke's, he saw the phone call that seemed to lift the weight of the world from her shoulders, then the small smile that lit up her face. As her hand covered her stomach, he felt a shard of glass pierce his heart. Still, he knew he'd do anything to keep that smile on her face.

Jess had been in love with Rory Gilmore from the moment he'd first seen her. Every interaction they'd had since had seemed to cement that love. Even when she'd come to him to use him, to get one up on pretty boy, he'd loved her.

Their one night together, the one she didn't even remember, tortured him because of that love. He knew what it was like to be the one to dry her tears, to make her smile, to make her feel things she'd never felt before.

He knew what it was like to envy the hell out of a man, simply because he had something of Rory's that Jess would never have - her love.

Huffing at his maudlin thoughts, Jess hurried the rest of the way to the diner. Luke was suitably thankful, which helped Jess' feelings. With a last nod at Luke, he headed downstairs to let Caesar off so the other man could get ready.

Apron tied around his waist and pen tucked behind his ear, he readied himself for the next few hours. With the festival and the wedding, things were fairly slow. During the lulls, Jess took the opportunity to catch up on some pleasure-reading with a paperback he'd stored under the counter.

A loud cheer went up just after six, letting Jess know that they'd actually gone through with things. He smiled, wondering if it would be overkill to call the new Mrs. Danes 'Aunt Lorelai' for a few days. Before he could make up his mind about it, the doorbell jingled, heralding a new wave of customers.

Just before closing time, Jess was wiping down tables and flipping the chairs so he could mop. Just as he finished with the last table, the bell jingled again.

"We're just about to close," he said as he looked up. "Oh, Rory."

And there she stood. Wearing a stunning knee-length dress that made her eyes look even more blue, she hovered in the doorway.

"What's up?" he asked, leaning a hip against the counter.

Rory bit her lip, fiddling with the doorknob. "I, uh. I was wondering if you had some coffee left over?"

Jess snorted and turned away to walk behind the counter. He pulled a cup from under the register. "Decaf," he said as he held it out to her.

"Jess, you're the best!" she said happily as she stepped fully into the diner. A large bag bounced on her hip as she walked, drawing Jess' attention.

"You skipping town on your mom's wedding night?"

"No, just wanted to give them the house to themselves. I'm gonna crash at Lane's." she explained.

"You sure? Those kids are pretty wild. There's an extra bed upstairs if you want it," he offered, kicking himself mentally as the words left his mouth.

Rory looked surprised at the offer. "Oh, I couldn't. I don't want to impose on you," she said as she shook her head.

"In for a penny, in for a pound," Jess sighed to himself. "Rory, come on. You're not going to get any sleep at Lane's. Sleep is important for...a working girl." The argument came out stilted, Jess remembering at the last moment that she'd wanted to avoid pregnancy talk.

"And how do you know I'm a working girl?" Rory challenged, brow quirking at him.

"Girl like you? Overachiever? Gotta be working somewhere," he returned with a smirk. "Seriously, Luke's bed is never slept in. Or, I could take Luke's and you can have my bed. I'll even change the sheets for you."

"Oh, yeah?" Rory laughed. "Fine, I'll take you up on your gentlemanly offer. Let me call Lane and let her know."

"I'll finish up down here and go change those sheets."

Already pulling out her cell, Rory smiled and walked outside.

Jess rushed through the last of the shut-down, turning off burners and putting things away before running upstairs to change the sheets on both beds. When Rory walked back in a few minutes later, she was blushing. Deciding to give her a pass on it, Jess slipped by her and turned the sign on the door to Closed and locked the door.

Feeling unaccountably nervous, Rory followed Jess up the stairs and to the living area. She swallowed down her nerves, reminding herself that it was only Jess.

Only Jess, who she had once debated giving her virginity to. Only Jess who had been the first to treat her like an adult, like her own person. Only the man she near-desperately wanted to kiss.

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Rory stepped inside the apartment and looked at Jess. His hand was rubbing the back of his neck, and he looked as awkward as Rory felt.

"I changed both beds, so take your pick. My mattress is newer, but Luke's is more comfortable. Also bigger," he added.

Rory rolled her eyes and tossed her bag on Luke's bed. "I'm not going to take your bed. Though, maybe I should. Looks a bit short for you."

"It's a flat surface. Doesn't really matter if my feet hang off a bit."

"If you say so," she said. "I'm going to get a shower."

Jess watched her go, listened to the water start running a moment later. He asked himself again what the hell he thought he was doing. Unable to think of a good answer, he stood and reached for his duffel, pulling out some clothes for after his own shower before collapsing backwards onto his bed.

More tired than he'd realized, he was asleep before he knew it.

---

Rory stepped from the shower and began drying off, avoiding looking at her belly. She knew it was too early to see any outward evidence of the baby, but still. She knew it was there, as did Jess. So far, only he, Lorelai, and Lane knew. She hadn't called Paris yet, but that was a battle for another day.

Dressed and as ready to face the world as ever, she stepped out of the bathroom. The quiet of the apartment threw her off until she heard the soft snores coming from Jess' bed. As she padded quietly across the room and looked down at him, Rory felt something inside her heart shift.

She still didn't know what this feeling was, but she wanted more of it.

Reaching out a hand, Rory shook Jess' shoulder. "Jess, wake up. You're not going to thank yourself for sleeping like that in morning, believe me. Jess!"

"I'm up!" he shouted as he stood up. Wide eyes took in Rory as she stumbled backwards in surprise. Before she could lose her balance, Jess had an arm wrapped around her waist to steady her.

As she tried to calm her racing heart, Rory tried to make light of the situation. "Well, I know not to surprise you now."

Jess didn't answer, eyes still a bit too wide and far too focused on her. They flitted from her eyes to her lips, and she wasn't sure he was even aware of it. Recalling her earlier decision to see where he would take things, Rory sighed and tried to breathe normally.

Jess was at war with himself. On the one hand, he was so close to her. On the other, he knew she was pining for another man. But she wasn't pushing him away. She still clutched at his shoulders, didn't seem to want to leave his grasp.

When she sighed, her breath ghosted across his lips, sending heat through him. "Rory," he whispered.

"Yeah," she answer just as softly.

"I want to kiss you right now."

"I...kinda want that, too," she confessed, those big blue eyes staring up him.

Jess groaned and leaned forward, his arm drawing her closer while his free hand slid into her hair. Rory tilted her head to meet him, pushing up onto her toes to even out their heights.

They kissed for a long while, until Rory broke away with a gasp. "That was… Wow," she said tremulously.

"I'd say so," came Jess' not-quite-cocky response. He licked his lips as he stared down at her.

Rory smiled. "I think you should go shower. You smell like a french fry."

Jess sighed and nodded. "Yeah, I guess you're right." Before he could pull away from her, Rory surged back to plant a soft kiss on his lips.

"I'll see you when you get out."

Jess' heart thumped painfully in his chest, unsure of what she meant. He stepped into the bathroom and closed the door, leaning heavily against it for a moment. Finally getting himself together, Jess stripped and entered the shower, trying not to imagine Rory's naked form in the same shower not long before.

Before he could work himself up, Jess turned the knob to cold and tried not to yelp at the change in temperature. A few minutes later, he stepped back into living area. Rory was lying in Luke's bed with her back turned to the bathroom door. With a slightly disappointed sigh, Jess stepped quietly around the bed and headed back to his bed.

"Jess?" Rory asked, almost whispering.

"Yeah, Rory?"

"Would it be weird to ask you to sleep with me tonight?"

Jess felt the air leave his lungs, freezing for a moment before Rory continued.

"I know it's completely selfish and I have no right to ask it. I just feel so alone."

Hearing the thickness of her voice let Jess know, even in the dark, that Rory was close to tears. He pushed aside his selfish joy at her request and tossed his clothes toward his duffel before slipping into bed beside her. "You're never alone, Rory. Everyone loves you, would do anything for you."

Rory snuggled closer and rested her head on his shoulder. "I don't know many people who would do this," she said with a smile.

Jess tried and failed to resist the urge to press a kiss to the top of her head. "Well I guess I can volunteer. Anytime, okay?"

"Okay, Jess." Rory yawned widely and adjusted slightly. "Goodnight," she said sleepily.

"Goodnight," Jess returned.

Rory was asleep moments later. Jess stayed awake for a long while after, simply holding Rory and wishing that this wasn't just a one-time thing.

---

The next morning, Rory awoke without opening her eyes. In truth, she didn't want the peace to end. Before too long, however, her bladder drove her to open her eyes. She felt tears prick her eyes at what she found.

Sometime during their sleep, Jess had turned to face her. With one arm pillowing his head, the other was outstretched and his hand rested gently on her abdomen. Rory lay on her back with one hand over Jess', fingers intertwined over the new life growing inside her.

Before the hormone-driven waterworks could start up, Rory forced herself from the bed, carefully extricating herself from Jess' hold. In the bathroom, she told herself to get a grip, to stop wishing for things that could never be. By the time she made it back to the bedroom, the tears were thankfully gone without a trace.

Sliding back into bed with Jess felt almost scarily right. His hand came up as soon as she'd settled, covering her belly once again and gently pressing there before sliding to her side to pull her closer. Rory let out a laugh as he dragged her toward him, echoed by Jess' lips pulling up into a smile. Once in reach, he pressed kisses to her bare shoulder.

"Good morning," he said with a sleep-roughened voice.

"Good morning," Rory replied.

"How'd you sleep?" he asked as he finally blinked open his eyes to look over at her.

"Better than I expected. Thank you for staying with me," she said shyly.

"Like I said, anytime. I haven't slept that deeply in a long time," Jess admitted as he stretched out a little. His hand gravitated once more to her belly, seeming unable to leave it alone.

"Doesn't it bother you?" Rory asked suddenly.

"What?" he asked, confused. When Rory looked pointedly at where his hand was still resting on her, Jess swallowed and made to remove his hand.

Rory quickly placed her hand over his to keep it there. "I-I don't mind, I just figured you would."

"Why would I mind, Rory? Might not be mine, but it is yours ."

Tears once more gathered in Rory's eyes. "Stop being so nice," she said, choked with emotion.

"I'll stop when you stop being beautiful," Jess said playfully. "Come here." He tugged her until she came closer, close enough so he could kiss her.

"What are we doing, Jess?" Rory whispered when he pulled away once more.

"I don't know, but I like it. I like you ."

"I like you, too," Rory began, "but I have to be smart now. I have more than just myself to think about."

Jess turned more fully towards her. "Rory, I'm gonna be honest here - if we do this, I'm in it for good. I don't want a fling or a one-off. I want everything."

"I don't get you, Jess. How can you accept another man's child?"

Jess saw the fear in Rory's eyes and knew he had to come clean. Drawing in a deep breath, he turned his gaze to the bedspread to avoid looking at her. "Rory, the baby might be mine."

"What?" Rory asked faintly. "But...how?"

"After you broke it off with Logan, I found you at the paper, finishing off that bottle. I helped you finish it, and we both were pretty hammered. I kissed you, you kissed me back, and things happened."

"What things happened, Jess?"

"We had sex, Rory. Right there on your desk. After, you kissed me and said you'd see me later. You thanked me for making you feel better and then went home. The next day, you acted like nothing had happened, like everything was the same. It took a few days to realize you didn't remember. I wasn't going to tell you, but then you told me you were pregnant."

"I don't… I seriously do not remember that. Wow, that's really shitty."

Jess snorted. "Don't feel too bad. You were pretty drunk. So was I, but I'm not exactly a lightweight when it comes to drinking."

"I don't know how to feel right now. Should I be mad at you for not telling me, mad at myself for not remembering? Thankful that maybe Logan's not the father after all? No, that one I definitely feel."

Jess hesitantly pulled Rory closer, breathing a sigh of relief when she came willingly. "Can we just take a minute to lay here and not worry about all that?" he asked softly. "If it is mine, Rory, I will be there every step of the way. If it's not, if you'll have me, I'll still be there. I love you, Rory. I always have."

Rory felt tears gathering in her eyes. "Stop making me cry!" she protested.

"I'm just telling you the truth," Jess said with a smirk.

"Shut up for a minute, Jess. Just...let me think," Rory said quietly.

Jess dutifully shut up, pulling the love of his life closer as she thought. Finally, she spoke.

"I'll go see Paris as soon as I can get an appointment. I'd meant to soon anyways, but this just adds another reason to get it done. She's going to be unbearable," she groaned.

"Do you want me to come with you?" The query was hesitant, as if Jess weren't sure he should even ask.

"I'd really rather if you didn't this time. Paris can be verbally abusive when she's riled up. I don't want to subject you to that right off the bat. Maybe next time, though," she added as she took in the disappointment on Jess' face.

A smile slowly broke through the disappointment. "I'd like that."

Before Rory could reply, her phone began ringing. She flailed out an arm behind her, trying to dig the thing out from under her pillow. When she saw the caller ID, she made a disgusted face.

"Logan. Only a good twenty-four hours after I tried to reach him. Whatever. He can stew in it. I don't really want to talk to him anyways," Rory said with a smile as she tossed the phone away.

"Oh, yeah? And what would you rather do?"

"You, actually. I'd like to remember it this time." The words came out somewhat light, but the look on Rory's face told Jess that she was completely serious.

"I want you to be sure, Rory. I don't want to take advantage of you, or you do the same to me. I think we've both been used enough in our lives."

The seriousness of his tone had Rory sobering immediately. "Jess, I wouldn't joke like that. I'm not one to just jump into bed with someone. I'm thirty years old and have had a single one night stand in that entire span. And that was with a Wookiee!"

Her words startled a laugh from Jess. "A Wookiee? Now this I gotta hear."

"Jess. I am pregnant, I am horny, and I want you. Only you. Can you please take care of me?" Rory begged, desperation coloring her tone.

Suddenly on top of her, Jess stared down at Rory as heat flared in her eyes. "I've got you, baby. Just don't call me Chewie when you scream."

Before Rory could berate him, he had leaned down to claim her lips. As he smiled into the kiss, he decided that this was the best and only way to make her stop fussing.

---

A while later, Rory's phone went off again. A text from Lorelai - All clear! Luke's heading to the diner to check on things - had the new couple freaking out and scrambling to get dressed. Sure, they hadn't done anything wrong, but still. Neither wanted to be caught naked by a parental figure.

As they finished gathering their things, Jess pulled Rory close to steal another kiss. Rory smiled, feeling like the school girl she'd been when they first dated.

The distant tinkling of the doorbell downstairs finally drew them apart. They headed downstairs, parting with a secretive smile as Luke greeted Jess from the kitchen.

Jess watched Rory leave, heading across town to her house. Luke looked up from lighting the stove and saw the look on his face. "Okay, what happened?"

Jess immediately schooled his features, concentrating on filling the coffee machine. "Nothing," he denied.

Luke smirked. "You're still smiling, Jess. C'mon, tell me."

Heaving a beleaguered sigh, Jess let the smile tugging at his lips spread full-force across his face. "I told her about…you know."

Surprise evident on his face, Luke asked, "And how'd she take it?"

Jess finished with the coffee maker and turned to face the only steadfast father figure he'd ever had. "Luke, Rory's pregnant. It may be mine, may be Logan's. She's not sure. I told her that I'm here for her either way."

Luke, still stuck on Rory's pregnant , felt a rush of hurt. "Does Lorelai know?"

"I'd imagine. She didn't tell me so, but when have you ever known her not to tell her mom something big like that?"

"Lorelai never said anything about it," Luke said quietly, still battling the hurt.

"Whoa, Luke, Rory said she only found out like two days ago. Maybe Lorelai didn't want to overshadow your big day," Jess reasoned.

"Yeah, maybe," Luke replied, defeat in his voice.

"Luke, man, seriously. Don't read too much into it. Just ask her about it," Jess suggested.

Luke didn't reply, simply went about his usual routine.

Jess sighed, knowing he'd inadvertently caused the newlyweds trouble. He focused on doing his job, getting through the day. Maybe he could call Rory and warn her, let Lorelai know to be ready to explain. Or at least know what was eating at Luke.

The day passed slowly, even with the usual rush. Everyone was coming in and congratulating Luke, sending him into an even deeper funk. By the time Rory came around for lunch, Jess was begging for a break from his black mood.

"Hey!" Rory called out as she came through the door and caught his eye. She made her way through the crowd and hopped onto a barstool.

"Hey, yourself," Jess said with a smile as he leaned over the counter to press a kiss to her lips. A blush rose to both of their cheeks as the whole diner seemed to go silent.

Rory sank back onto the stool and ducked her head for a moment before straightening her spine and looking back at Jess with a smile on her face. "I have some news whenever you get a break," she said.

"I can take one now. Haven't taken one today. Be right back, Luke!" he called, taking Rory's hand and leading her around the counter and up the stairs.

They made their way up the stairs, grinning like idiots the whole time. When they made it up to the apartment, Jess tugged Rory inside and pressed her back up against the door, hips pressing into hers to hold her still as he slowly inched forward to kiss her. Rory rolled her eyes at his slowness and slid a hand from Jess' shoulder to the back of his neck, tugging him forward to press their lips together.

They kissed for long moments before Jess finally leaned back and rested his forehead on Rory's. "So," he said as he tried to regain his breath, "you said you had some news?"

"Yeah, um. Paris said she can squeeze me in tomorrow. I didn't want to ask her about DNA testing on the phone, didn't want to give her time to work up to an argument. I also wanted to tell you that I had a great time last night. I really needed it, and you were amazing."

Jess tried to fight the blush that threatened. "I didn't do anything," he denied, not feeling he had done anything worthy of the praise.

"You listened to me, you slept beside me, you made me feel... wanted . You have no idea how much I needed that."

"Rory," Jess said softly as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. "I will always want you. I always have, and I always will. I love you."

Feeling tears forming in her eyes, Rory sniffled as she leaned into Jess, clutching him tightly. "I don't…I don't want to say it back yet, Jess. I want to, but I want to be sure. I can't take anything for granted anymore."

Disappointed but understanding, Jess held her closer and made a noise of agreement. "I'm not gonna try to rush you. Just wanted to say it, let you know that I'm serious as hell about this."

Rory nodded and tried to catch her breath. "I know you are, Jess. I'm just...still freaked out about the whole being pregnant thing, let alone a new relationship. Not saying I don't want it! Just, give me some time to adjust."

"Eh, less a new relationship and more...a return to one. Jess and Rory, take two."

"I like that," Rory said with a smile. "Now, I need to go. I'm heading to Hartford to pick up some boxes from Grandma's."

"Let me know if you need any help," Jess said as he followed her down the stairs.

"I will," she reassured him, turning to kiss him once more before weaving through the diner to the exit.

Luke grinned at him, apparently out of his funk.

"Oh, come on!" Jess complained.

"Nothing, huh?" Luke teased.

Jess stepped close and said lowly, "Just remember, either way, kid's gonna be calling you grandpa." The younger man stepped back and smiled pleasantly at his next customer, sparing a glance at Luke which left him fighting back laughter.

Luke looked a little green around the gills, like he'd had the breath knocked out of him. A few moments of recovery time later, Luke speared Jess with a glare. "That's not funny, Jess!"

"Who said I was joking?"

---

Rory made the half hour drive to Hartford in silence, trying to sort out her head. By the time she pulled into the driveway at her grandmother's, she was no closer to organizing her thoughts.

Emily greeted her warmly, if a bit distantly. The distance seemed to be the norm these days, but Rory was less concerned than she had been. Emily seemed to have gained new life after deciding to sell the large, empty house.

As Rory sorted through her boxes upstairs, she found a memento that helped cement her thoughts and feelings. A poetry book, one she'd thought long lost to the ages. She smiled and tucked the book into her purse to be retrieved easily later. She finished sorting her things, paring down two boxes of extraneous things and ending up with five necessary ones.

She toted them one by one to her car, growing more out of breath with each trip. As she piled the last one in and leaned heavily against the car, Rory had to admit that things were definitely changing within her. Only a few weeks along and already her clothes were fitting more snugly, her endurance had zeroed - not that there was much to begin with - and her emotions were always out of whack.

Sighing, Rory stood to make her way inside to tell Emily goodbye. After five minutes of said goodbyes, Rory was back on the road and headed home. As she drove through town, she saw the lights still on at Luke's. Jess, wiping down tables, drew her like a magnet.

She parked her car and grabbed her purse before heading inside. Jess' face seemed to light up when he saw her, causing Rory's heart to skip a beat. "Hey," she said softly.

"Hey," Jess returned, leaning a hip on a table he'd just cleaned.

"So, I've been thinking," Rory began as she stepped closer.

"I'm listening," Jess encouraged, straightening somewhat at her approach.

"Keepsakes tell a lot about a person, right? What we decide to keep?"

Brows furrowed, Jess agreed slowly. "Okay?"

"What does it say about me that I've kept a certain book with certain handwritten margins for sixteen years?"

Jess felt hope swell in his heart, but stubbornly pushed it down. "I guess it depends on the book," he finally said.

Rory reached into her bag and pulled out a battered copy of the book he'd stolen from her and then returned with his own opinions written throughout. "I think...I think I've held onto this for a reason, Jess. I can't say that I'm one-hundred percent there yet, but I saw this book and I just felt everything come rushing back. I want to do this. I don't want to live with regret, knowing that I could have taken this step but was too afraid to get hurt."

Jess was afraid to move, afraid to speak, worried that this was a dream. Rory stepped forward again, one of her pale, petite hands coming up to rest on his chest.

"I think I've always loved you, Jess. You're always the one I can turn to when things go south. You always know just what to say to me to make me smile. I hated it when you fought with me about Logan because I knew you were right. I hope and pray that this baby is yours, Jess, because I want that with you. I want us ."

Jess absolutely denied the fact that tears were stinging his eyes, instead choosing to wrap Rory in his arms and pull her tight into him. "You won't ever regret this, Rory. I promise. I've lost you before - I don't ever want to lose you again."

"I don't want to lose you, either," she confessed. She drew back and looked him in the eye. "Jess, if the baby is Logan's… I don't expect you to raise another man's baby. I wouldn't blame you if you didn't want to."

Jess' hand over her mouth stopped Rory's rambling. "I don't care. I told you, it's part of you. How could I not love it, even if it is half of someone else?" A frown crossed his face. "I feel bad calling the baby 'it' all the time."

"Well until I'm far enough along to know a gender, 'it' it is."

Jess snorted at the lame attempt at a joke. He pulled her close to kiss her softly before letting her step back. "Well, unless you wanna be locked in with me, you better go."

"I'm very tempted," Rory said with a grin, "but I have to be up early to meet Paris. The only appointment she could squeeze in was before they even open."

"Let me know how it goes, or if you need me."

"I will. Goodnight, Jess."

"Night, Rory."

Jess watched her walk away, but felt lighter than he had in years. This was it, his chance to show her that he was gonna stick around this time. Even if he had to commute for his job. The guys would understand; they'd had to listen to his drunken ramblings about Rory enough times.

He had a good feeling about this.

---

"I have a bad feeling about this," Rory thought to herself. Staring at the outside of Paris' office building wasn't going to help matters, so she girded her loins and stepped inside.

Paris, apparently having been waiting to pounce, snatched her up and dragged her to an exam room. "Now, I know this is awkward due to our lengthy history as friends, but I need you to drop trou and get up on the table. Chop, chop, we only have thirty minutes before the clinic opens and they need this room."

Already feeling overwhelmed, Rory quickly did as she was told. She fidgeted until Paris glared at her.

Snapping on a pair of gloves, Paris wasted no time in getting to the nitty gritty. "So, it's Logan's, I assume?"

Rory rolled her eyes, unsure why she was surprised that Paris wanted to have this conversation when she was performing a physical exam. "I'm not sure," she admitted.

"I'm sorry, there's someone besides the indomitable Huntzberger heir that's fertilized your gardens?"

"God, Paris, ew! And yes."

"Are you going to make me drag it out of you? Who?!" Paris demanded as she prodded at Rory's insides.

"My ex, Jess. Apparently I got drunk after saying goodbye to Logan. Did the dirty right there on my desk. I actually really hope it's his."

Paris finished the exam and stood, peeling her gloves as she stepped away from the table. "I hope so, too. The co-parenting thing is no picnic, let me tell you. And besides, a Huntzberger? You would never see your own child."

"Thanks for the pep talk, Paris," the mother-to-be said dryly as she redressed.

"I'm just saying, it's better for everyone involved if Logan isn't the father. He can go on living the charmed life, and you can raise your kid with its doting dad and not worry about custody or visitations or child support. Despite what my words imply, I do want the best for you. You're my best friend," the force-of-nature blonde said sincerely.

"You're my best friend, too, Paris," Rory returned warmly. "So, how long do I need to wait before I can see whose baby I'm having?"

"We need to do an ultrasound first, try to place your gestation and due date. But it's usually around nine weeks."

"Well, the weekend with Logan was about six weeks ago, and the night I spent with Jess was right after that."

"I went ahead and scheduled you for the ultrasound, so you're the first patient of the day for the tech. Come by my office after and we can talk," Paris said as she led Rory to the ultrasound room. "Just have a seat right here and Marybeth will be with you as soon as she gets everything set up."

"Thanks, Paris," Rory said. Genuine thanks colored her tone.

Smirking, Paris called back over her shoulder, "Don't thank me until we know it's not Logan's!"

Rory closed her eyes and prayed Paris was right. Not just for the ease of things, not having to deal with Logan or the rest of his family for the rest of her life, but also because she truly believed that, if the baby were Jess', they could be a real, happy family.

When the tech finally showed Rory into the ultrasound room and explained the process, Rory felt as though her heart would come out of her chest. Up until now it had been abstract, this pregnancy. She knew she was pregnant, had accepted it, but it hadn't been tangible.

As cold gel was squirted onto her abdomen and the wand pressed against her, Rory realized just how real this all was. When a teeny, bean-sized lump was pointed out to her, tears burst from her.

"I'm sorry, I'm not sure why I'm crying!"

The tech smiled and patted Rory's leg with her free hand. "It's okay. I see it all the time. Is this the first visit?"

"Yeah. It didn't feel real before now, you know?"

"I completely understand. You'd be surprised how many moms I get who go through exactly this. Just take a minute and then we can get some pictures taken! That way you can share the happiness with your family."

Rory appreciated that the girl didn't mention the father. Either Paris had told her the situation or she was just that perceptive. "That'd be great," she finally said, still wiping at her eyes. Once composed, she sent a smile to the tech and glanced at the monitor as she was once more prodded with the wand.

She held still as Marybeth pressed buttons on her machine to take pictures, barely breathing as she kept up a running commentary about early pregnancy facts.

To be honest, Rory wasn't paying much attention to anything but the little blob on the screen.

Finally, Rory was free. She clutched at the little printouts she'd been given and blindly followed as she was shown to Paris' office.

"Thank you, Marybeth, that'll be all," Paris said as she lightly gripped Rory's arm and dragged her inside. Manhandling her into a chair, Paris slid a small plastic cup of water toward her friend.

"This is too crazy," Rory said, finally dragging her gaze from the ultrasound printout and looking to Paris.

"I know how you feel. It'll sink in, the panic will pass. You'll be a great mom, Rory," she said reassuringly. "Now, the ultrasound puts you, like you said, right at six weeks. Since there's such little time between the two encounters, that estimate isn't very helpful in determining the father. I know I said nine weeks for the test, but I'd like you to wait an extra week or so, since this is your first pregnancy."

Rory nodded. Four more weeks. She could wait that long. She glanced back down at the picture in her hands, a soft smile tugging at her lips.

"Well you're going to be useless for conversation. Go! Get out of here, go show off the bun and call me later," Paris said, a smirk on her face. "And Rory, congratulations."

"Thanks, Paris," Rory said distractedly. She gathered her things and headed home. As she sat in her car in the driveway, she shook her head and slid the glossy photo into her pocket. Exiting the car, she headed back into town. The walk did her good, letting her get a handle on her emotions and how she would explain everything to Jess.

When she stepped into the diner, Luke smiled at her. "Hey, Rory! Here for some lunch?"

"No, I was actually looking for Jess?"

"Oh, he's upstairs. Figured I couldn't abuse his help too much since he's not actually working here," he joked.

"Thanks, Luke!" she called as she headed upstairs.

Rory slid a hand into her pocket to make sure the roll of pictures was still there. She knocked on the door to the apartment with a shaky hand, unsure why she was so nervous.

At Jess' call to enter, she stepped inside and glanced around, her eyes coming to rest on Jess lounging on his bed with a book. After slipping her shoes and jacket off and retrieving the pictures, Rory joined him, resting her head on his chest.

"How did it go?" he asked once she was settled.

"It was okay. More emotional than I expected. Paris said it'll be four more weeks until I can do the test. But, uhm, they took these during the ultrasound," she said shyly, offering Jess the stills.

Jess felt his breath catch as he took in the small shape that looked like a bean. "Rory, this is amazing," he whispered, still feeling off-kilter.

"I think I want you to go with me next time, if that's okay," she said quietly, a questioning tone lilting the end of the sentence.

"Of course I'll go," Jess responded immediately. He pressed a kiss to Rory's head and held her closer with one arm while looking through the rest of the pictures. He smiled and felt a shifting in his chest, in his heart, at the thought that he could be looking at his own baby.

"Four more weeks," Jess thought to himself. "I can do this."

Blinking to rid his eyes of the tell-tale burning sensation, Jess laid the pictures down and slid farther down on the bed so he could hold Rory better. He couldn't help the smile that crossed his face when he saw that she was already asleep.

Using mostly his feet and stretching to reach it with his free hand, Jess pulled a blanket from the foot of the bed and draped it over himself and Rory before closing his eyes. He could definitely get used to this.

---

Hours later, Rory was woken by her phone going off. Without looking to see who was calling, she pulled the noisy device from her back pocket and answered it.

"Hello?" she asked sleepily, pushing herself up into a sitting position.

"Just now waking up, Ace? Not like you to sleep so late," came the cheerful voice on the other side of the line.

"Logan," she greeted dully, rolling her eyes as she came fully awake. "Why'd you call?" she asked, trying to get to the point.

"Ouch. No small talk for an old friend?"

"Old friends don't ignore phone calls. What's going on, Logan?" she asked again, now growing annoyed.

Jess, awake now, slid an arm behind his head and watched Rory's face as she spoke.

"Well, I tried to return those calls but you didn't answer. I just wanted to make sure you were okay," Logan replied, sounding sincere.

Rory sighed and looked to the metaphorical heavens for assistance. "I'm fine."

"Yeah, then why'd I have three missed calls from you, all within half an hour?"

He really wasn't going to make this easy. "Call it a moment of weakness that has now completely passed. Just...let it go. Please."

Rory heard Logan sigh before he replied. "Sure, Ace. Just...I'm still your friend, you know that, right?"

"I don't think we can be friends. Too much has happened between us. Let's just leave it at that, okay?"

"I don't think I can, Rory."

The simple statement carried a lot of weight, and Rory immediately felt anger seize her. "You were going to ask me to keep seeing you, weren't you? Even after you marry Odette." The accusation was ripped from her, a pain and anguish that Rory had thought long dealt with coming back to the fore.

"And what if I was?" Logan asked angrily, on the defensive just from her tone. "I don't love her, Rory, I love you!"

"You are the most selfish, low-down, despicable man I've ever known. And I've met your father! But I guess the apple didn't fall far from that tree, did it. I can't believe you, Logan! It was one thing when she was just a name on pieces of mail, someone who came by less often than I did. But to know that you were going to keep me as a mistress after you married her? I can't believe you!"

"I offered to leave her, Rory! You didn't want that," Logan bit out.

"No, I didn't. I still don't. Logan, you never really understood me. I've never fit the mold of me that you had in your head. But I've found myself, and I don't need your approval anymore. Honestly, sincerely, have a great life with Odette." When she ended the call, it took everything in her not to throw the phone across the room. Instead, she dropped it into her lap and buried her face in her hands.

Jess stayed silent, not wanting to say any of the rather harsh things that were coming to mind. His resolve wavered when Rory's shoulders began shaking in silent sobs. "Rory, hey, c'mon. You're okay," he said softly, tugging at her to lie back down.

"I wasted so much time on him, Jess. And if the baby is his, that's just more time and drama."

"Rory, that was your decision. And you can't change it now. All you can do - all we can do - is to move forward. I promise you, even if the baby it Logan's, I'll be by your side. Ten years ago, you chose him, but I chose you . It's always been you for me. I'm not gonna leave now when things are getting tough. Did that before and I lost you."

Rory squeezed her eyes shut, trying to stem the flow of tears. "What if I can't do this?" she whispered.

Jess snorted. "Please. You're the smartest, most stubborn person I've ever met. And you've got the support of the entire town. You've got this."

Rory sighed and buried her head into Jess' shoulder. "I'll just have to take your word for it."

"Exactly," he quipped, wrapping his arm around her tightly as her breathing calmed once more.

A moment later, the cell phone went off again. "Just a text," Rory said quietly. She reached for the phone, digging it from between them, and read the message. "Mom says she's dying to see the pictures and that I have five minutes to be home before I'm grounded. Really, Mom?"

Jess laughed and shook his head. "You heard the woman. Get going. Can't have you being grounded when I take you out next week."

Rory raised a brow. "Oh? Why is this the first I'm hearing about it?"

"Well, I've been meaning to talk to you, but things keep coming up. I have to head back to work in two days. I can't keep putting it off."

"Yeah?" Rory prompted.

"I just wanted to do something nice for you when I get a chance to come back."

"Jess, that's super sweet," came the hushed reply.

Jess looked up in a panic to see Rory blinking back tears. "No, no, no, don't cry!" He wrapped his arms around her smaller form and held her tightly.

Rory choked out a laugh. "Happy tears. And blame it on the baby. I'm not usually this emotional."

"I guess I'll take your word for it. Just stop me if I get close to putting my foot in my mouth," Jess said with a smile.

"You're doing great so far," Rory reassured him. "Now, I do have to go so I can show Mom her grandchild before she kills me."

Jess brushed a series of sweet, chaste kisses across Rory's lips before letting her go. "Text me later," he said, playfully swatting at her butt as she stood by the bed readjusting her clothes.

"I will. Bye!" she called, closing the door behind her.

Clattering down the stairs, Rory stopped at the entryway to call Luke over.

"Don't tell her you saw them before she did, because she'll kill us both," she whispered as she handed the roll of images to her stepfather.

A strange look came over Luke's face as he took in the small bean shape in the field of grey. His eyes misted over, which they both pretended to ignore, as a hand came up to rub over his mouth in his habitual display of speechlessness. "Rory, this is amazing," he said quietly. He pulled her in for a tight hug, trying to convey his deep caring and his overall pride in her.

He pulled away after a moment and sniffed, trying to get a hold of himself. "Better go before Lorelai storms in here and starts in on her woe is me schtick."

Rory laughed, nodding her head in understanding. "I'll see you later, Luke."

Though she still had doubts about the future, she was growing to learn that she really was surrounded by people who genuinely loved her and would support her. As she walked through the small town that had raised her, Rory was overcome by a sense of belonging . She'd been so resistant to it, but maybe she really was back for good. She could make a good life here with her baby, with her family around her and Jess by her side.

She bounded up the steps in good spirits, excited to show her mom the ultrasound pictures. "Mom!" she called as she came through the door. "I have the pictures for you!"

"In here, hon!" Lorelai yelled from the kitchen.

Shedding her jacket as she went, Rory made her way to the kitchen, where she proceeded to tear into a pack of Pop Tarts as she handed the pictures to her mom.

"Too small to really see anything," she mumbled around a mouthful of food, "but it's still cool."

Lorelai held a hand over her mouth as she studied the small speck of baby on the paper. "Hard to believe you were ever that small," she said quietly.

"Mom, I've been meaning to talk to you about something," Rory said as she tore the Pop Tart into small pieces.

"What's up?" Lorelai asked, dragging her gaze from her future grandchild to her child.

"I- The baby may not be Logan's."

Lorelai raised a brow and stayed silent, waiting for Rory to continue.

Sighing, Rory repeated the story she'd told Paris that morning. "So, I have to wait four weeks to see whose it is," she concluded.

"Well," said the older of the women, "I think it would have to be Jess'. If you were too drunk to remember the sex itself, I don't think it would be too far off the mark to say you'd be too wasted to think of protection."

"I really hope it's Jess', too, Mom. I can't imagine having a relationship with Logan like you've had with Dad."

"Oh, honey, I still care about your dad, just not the way I did when I got pregnant. I think that you've made your peace with Logan being out of your life and wouldn't want him to come back like sharing a kid would force him to."

"Yeah, you may be right," Rory agreed.

"I am the great Lorelai Danes! I'm always right!"

"God, it's weird hearing you say your name like that."

Lorelai smiled and glanced down at her ring. "Yeah, but it sounds nice."

---

The rest of the weekend was spent rearranging her things, sending back things of Logan's that had been mixed in, looking for a place to live, and trying to write on the freelance articles she'd begged for.

As she browsed through the newspaper classifieds for places to rent, Rory wondered if she was cut out for all this. Just as she was beginning to wonder if she should just give up for the night, her phone went off.

Smiling, she pulled the device from her pocket and quickly read the incoming text.

Hey, just got home. Haven't had a chance to say it since we've been busy all day, but I miss you. Can't wait to come back.

Rory felt her heart tug at Jess' heartfelt words and typed out a reply.

I miss you, too. I'm sort of freaking out about trying to find an apartment. I have no idea what would be safe for a baby and I'm already meeting with a realtor tomorrow.

Jess' reply came quickly.

Well, it's not really going to matter for the first year or so. Just find something you can live in for that long. It's going to be fine, Rory.

I wish I had your confidence. :/

Come on, you've got plenty of confidence. If you need a boost, just call Paris. I'm sure she can spare some.

Rory was startled into laughter by the unexpected joke.

Jess, that's not nice! That's just how Paris is. She's a force of nature. I'm not like that.

I dunno babe, you rocked me like a hurricane ;)

Ohmygosh! I'm blushing now, so thanks for that.

You're welcome. Now stop stressing about the apartment and go to bed. The both of you need sleep.

Fine, fine. I'll text you tomorrow. Goodnight, Jess

Goodnight, Rory. Sleep well.

Rory had to admit that Jess' confidence in her helped to bolster her own flagging confidence. With his words ringing in her head, she decisively closed her laptop and pulled on a pair of comfy pajamas before crawling into bed.

When the alarm woke her the next morning, she barely had time to stifle the sound before hurrying to the bathroom to vomit what little was in her belly. It was an unwelcome change, having only had rare bouts of morning sickness so far. She stayed perched beside the toilet for long moments before deciding she was safe to rise.

She stepped into the shower and rinsed her mouth out before carrying on with cleaning her hair and body. She padded barefoot and dressed in a robe to her bedroom, toweling her hair as she went. For the next hour, she carefully dried and straightened her hair, applying her makeup with a light and careful hand, before finally braving the kitchen for food.

With fifteen minutes to spare before she needed to leave to meet with the realtor, a bowl of cereal seemed the quickest and easiest route for breakfast. As she munched on the cereal, Rory mentally reviewed the things she thought would be important for a rented home.

As she walked out the door, her phone buzzed with a notification. A text from Jess.

Good luck today. I'm sure you'll find something great.

Rory smiled and shook her head. Oh, to have that man's confidence.

Thanks, Jess. I'll text you later!

Feeling somewhat juvenile, she added a lips emoji and rolled her eyes at herself. When Jess returned with a beating heart emoji, she couldn't help but feel better about her own emoji use.

Putting her phone away, she tugged on her tennis shoes and a jacket and headed out the door. The realtor's office, like most of the business in Stars Hollow, was only a short walk from the home she'd grown up in. Also like many of those businesses, the office employed Kirk.

Rory shook her head indulgently as she stepped into the small building and waved at the older man. "Hey, Kirk. Am I early?"

"Right on time, as usual. You definitely didn't inherit Lorelai's disregard for being on time."

Rory laughed in agreement before the two settled in to talk shop.

"So, what are you looking for?" Kirk asked as he turned to browse the files behind the desk.

"Oh, probably a one or two bedroom apartment. I don't do a whole lot of cooking, so I'm not picky about the kitchen, and laundry isn't a necessity since I can just take it over to Mom's if I have to."

Nodding, Kirk continued to browse for a moment before he pulled a folder from the stack. "I may have a few options, but this is probably going to be the best fit for you. It's a two bedroom just a few blocks from your current place of residence, but it's upstairs above a little old lady who complains about noise. But she can't hear well, so it's usually not actually anybody being noisy, just her thinking that they are. Do you want to go check it out?"

Taking a moment to absorb everything Kirk had just said, Rory nodded somewhat hesitantly. As they walked to the duplex, Rory was doubly glad she'd worn sneakers today.

An hour later, she was pleasantly surprised to realize that she'd loved the apartment. It was small, but Rory didn't have too much she'd be bringing with her. She'd use her bedroom furniture from home until she could afford to get a bigger bed, and she was sure that Mrs. Kim would have plenty to choose from for the rest of the space.

She left the office with a promise to Kirk to think about it and be in touch soon, knowing all the while that she was probably going to take it.

With that in mind, she drew her cellphone from her pocket and dialed Jess as she headed home.

"Hello?" came the voice she loved to hear.

"Hey," she returned. "I just got out of the meeting with Kirk."

"How did it go?" Jess asked.

"I think I may have found the perfect apartment!" she said excitedly.

"I knew you would! This is why you have to trust me, babe," came the smug reply.

"Yeah, yeah," she snarked. "Just hold that thought until I actually get the place. Thankfully I still have a pretty good nest egg saved up from my last big piece. But I still need to get to work on finding a real job."

"That's probably a good idea. But didn't you mention something about Chilton a few weeks ago?."

Rory sighed and said, "Yeah, but Headmaster Charleston mentioned that I'd need my Masters before I could look into that. I'm not sure how I can manage everything I have going on now, let alone trying to add Masters-level classes."

"Oh, okay. Well, I can always pitch in if you need me to," Jess offered.

"I don't want to take money from my mom, Jess, let alone you. I want to be able to do this myself, if only to say that I did it."

"That's the thing though, Rory. You don't have to. But I'm not going to push it, I promise. Just wanted to offer."

"I really do appreciate it, Jess. I just… I need to be able to do this for myself. If mom did it at seventeen, surely I can at thirty." As she spoke, Rory unlocked the door and stepped inside, shedding her shoes and jacket before heading to her room to strip out of the slightly-tight jeans she'd worn. "Geez, I can't believe I'm already struggling to fit into my clothes. By the time I go back to see Paris I feel like I'll be twice as big as now."

"I can't wait to see that!" Jess said excitedly.

"Jess, I think you're more excited about me being pregnant than I am," Rory laughed, only somewhat joking.

"Can you blame me? The woman I love, having a baby that I'm going to love just as much. I'm on cloud nine."

"Even if…" Rory whispered the words, unable to finish the thought.

"No matter what, Rory. I promise. Trust me."

"I do. I do trust you. I just don't trust that something this great will actually work out for me," she admitted with a grimace.

"It will." Jess' voice was full of the confidence that Rory loved about the man.

"Okay, mister, I need to go before I start crying. I'll text you later," she promised.

"Okay. Bye, babe."

Rory stood for a moment, gathering her composure once more, before she took in a deep breath and opened her eyes.

Looking around her cluttered living space, she sighed internally. "I really need to get my stuff in order." Rory pushed the phone she still clutched in her hand into the small back pocket of her pajama pants and looked around once more at the boxes surrounding her. "I need to make a list," she muttered.

Pulling out a stationery pad from her desk drawer, she began the list.

➺ Plastic totes
➺ Labels
➺ More underwear

Unable to think of more, she dropped the pen and leaned back in her chair, suddenly tired. Before she could talk herself out of it, she crawled into bed and fell asleep.

---

"This unplanned napping thing has got to stop," she thought groggily as she blearily blinked her eyes an hour later. Despite her grumbles, she did feel better. Yawning from post-nap drowsiness, she threw back the covers and stood to stretch before getting back to work with her things.

An hour later, she had sorted all she could without the totes and labels she needed. Sighing in dread of actually going to the store, she checked the time and sighed again as she pulled jeans and a shirt on. She shoved her feet into tennis shoes and grabbed her wallet, then headed for the door.

She finally returned home almost two hours later, car filled to the brim with supplies. As she got to work, Rory smiled as she thought of how much easier moving into the new apartment would be once she got her things organized.

Lorelai came home somewhere around the middle of Rory's endeavor, giving her a much-needed break as they called for Chinese takeout and debated on a movie to watch. Later, as they ate and watched a movie they'd both seen a million times, Rory brought up the apartment.

"Mom, I think I may be moving out soon."

Lorelai froze for a moment with a bite halfway to her mouth. She completed the motion and chewed slowly, giving herself time to think. Finally, unable to think of anything else to say, she murmured, "Oh, yeah?"

Rory sighed. "It's just a few blocks away, above old lady Sanders' apartment. I still have enough money saved up for the down payment, and with these freelance articles I can make enough to get set up for a few months until I find a more permanent job."

"Are you sure this is what you want to do?" Lorelai asked hesitantly.

Rory smiled at her mom. "I want to be as great a mom as you were. I can't do that if I rely on you and Luke or even Jess to tackle the hard stuff for me. I'm in my thirties! I can rent an apartment a few blocks away. Once the baby's born and starts to become more mobile, I may find something a little more baby-friendly."

Lorelai blinked quickly to rid herself of the wetness in her eyes. When she was sure the pesky tears were gone, she looked up at Rory. "Kid, you have done everything that you've ever put your mind to. I have no doubt that you'll be a phenomenal mom. I'm just having a little trouble letting go, I guess. I just got you back."

"Mom, it's like two blocks away. You can easily visit every day, just like I can come over here. But with you and Luke being married now and the baby on the way, I just want to have my own space."

A calculating look entered Lorelai's eyes. "And would Jess have anything to do with this turn of events?"

Rory blushed and looked down, then squared her shoulders and met her mother's gaze. "Not entirely, but yes. I like him, Mom. And I really hope the baby is his. If it is - and honestly, even if it's not - I want to give this a shot. We're adults now, and we've both grown a lot since I was seventeen."

"I just don't want you getting hurt again," Lorelai admitted.

"You can't keep protecting me, Mom. I want to at least say I tried, you know?"

Lorelai sighed and reached over to pat her daughter's knee. "You'll understand one day soon, Rory, that being mama bear doesn't stop when your kid isn't much of a kid anymore. I'll always want to protect you."

"Thanks, Mom," Rory said quietly, fighting back tears.

"Anytime, kid."

---

The weeks flew by, and before Rory knew it, it was time for the appointment with Paris. Jess had come into town the night before so that he could go with her to the appointment, and both adults were nervous about the results. They'd spent the night together at Rory's new apartment, just holding each other and trying not to worry too much about the future.

For Rory, the past few weeks had been almost eerily perfect. Jess had come back to Stars Hollow multiple times - as often as work would allow - to spend time with her and help her get settled into the new apartment. After her struggles with motivation and muse, she'd hammered out the six freelance articles in short order - some of her best work yet, according to the publishers. Things seemed to be falling into place.

Jess had been waiting for the other shoe to drop, just knowing that something had to go wrong when things were going so well. It was a definite worry that the other shoe was going to be the baby's paternity. And, while Jess had been truthful that he'd love the baby no matter what, he knew that he would be wholly disappointed if the baby turned out to be Logan's.

Resolving to push the matter out of mind until they actually knew something, Jess laced his fingers with Rory's and pulled her close before they left the apartment.

"We have to go, Jess. You don't want to find out what Paris is like when you're late," Rory warned, though she went along willingly.

"I just wanted to make sure you're okay," Jess said softly, one hand coming up to brush the hair behind her ear.

"I'm fine. I promise. I just want it to be over with already so we can find out," the expectant mother admitted.

Jess wrapped his arms around her and held her close. "Everything will be fine, Rory. No matter what."

"I really want to believe that, Jess. But I can't worry about it right now, because we have thirty seconds to leave before we're officially late."

Jess obligingly let go, following his lover out the door and down to his car.

When they arrived, Paris was waiting outside for them. Instead of anger, she had a look of glee on her face.

"Oh, no," Rory muttered. "I wonder what has her so happy."

"So I finally get to see the elusive Jess!" Paris said with a smile. She ushered the two inside and straight to her office.

Jess glanced at Rory with a confused look on his face. "I didn't think she'd be so...chipper," he admitted in a whisper.

Rory returned his look of confusion. "I have no idea what's going on." She dutifully followed Paris into her office, easing into one of the chairs in front of the large desk. Jess followed suit, glancing at Rory for guidance.

Before either could speak, Paris jumped in. "So, I wanted to explain the process a bit before we just hop to it. I also wanted a chance to get to know Jess again, since - apparently regardless of paternity - you're going to be around for a while. Rory, all we need is a few vials of blood. We have a wonderful phlebotomist on staff who honestly works magic." Turning to Jess, she said, "To make things a bit easier, we'll also get a cheek swab from you. No need to involve Trustfund until and unless necessary."

Jess nodded, brows drawing together at the mention of Logan.

Rory swallowed the sudden lump in her throat, feeling leery of the thought of needles near her.

Paris caught her expression and rolled her eyes. "Don't be such a baby. You won't even feel it."

Jess reached over and laid a hand on her knee, earning a soft smile from Paris as she looked on.

"We'll send the blood off to the lab and have results back in a week or so. Do you want to come back to the office to find out or send a letter?"

"Uhm…" Rory felt trapped and sick and overwhelmed. Thankfully, Jess took charge.

"It'll be quicker to just come here, right?" he asked.

"Right. A solid day or two quicker. And you can have one of the counseling rooms for privacy."

"I think it would be better to do that, then, don't you, Rory?" he asked gently, rubbing his hand gently over her knee to draw her back to the conversation.

"I… Yeah, I think that's good." The look on Jess' face helped ground Rory. She remembered that he had just as much vested in this as she did. Maybe more, considering he was potentially taking on being a father to a child that wasn't his.

Either way, she needed to get her head on straight and focus on what was happening now . She reached down to grasp Jess' hand and smiled at him, warmth blooming in her chest at the love she saw shining from Jess' eyes. Drawing on that knowledge, Rory sat straighter and nodded her head. "I'm ready, Paris."

Paris smiled warmly at her. "Excellent. Come on with me, and we'll get you to the blood draw room. Jess, you, too. We'll get that swab from you first since it's quicker."

Jess nodded and stood to draw Rory closer. "No matter what," he reminded her.

"No matter what," Rory echoed, closing her eyes and leaning into Jess for a moment. She pulled away when she heard Paris' shoe tapping, following the blonde into a small room with an odd-looking chair.

"Rory, this is April. She's going to be drawing your blood."

"Hi, there! Nice to meet you! If you will, have a seat in that chair, okay? I'll set everything up and we'll have you finished in no time."

"April, can we get a cheek swab on Jess here, as well?"

"Not a problem, boss! Let me just grab the kit."

Less than a minute later, Jess' sample was sealed and set on the counter. April turned to Rory and chirped, "Let's get started!"

Rory nodded and sat in the chair, seeing the backs of Jess' and Paris' heads as they left the room.

April lowered the arm rest that made the chair look so weird, and Rory saw that it formed a work area once flat. April pulled on a pair of gloves before setting out various instruments that Rory definitely didn't want to know about. She instead closed her eyes and thought of the look on Jess' face when she'd finally told him she loved him.

He'd surprised her by not telling her that he was heading into town, instead utilizing family connections to keep her occupied and out of the apartment.

Once he knew she was gone, he'd used Lorelai's spare key and went to work.

When Rory had returned home that night, Jess had supper cooked for her, as well as a surprise he wouldn't actually tell her about. After their meal, he'd taken her hand and pulled her to her feet, leading her to the spare bedroom that was going to be the baby's room - as soon as Rory got the money and time to buy baby furniture.

Jess had beaten her to it.

Rory looked on in shocked awe as he pointed out the crib, changing table, and rocking chair he'd picked up for her. He had even gotten his mom to make a beautiful crystal mobile to hang above the crib. The light from the window prismed through the crystals, casting a rainbow effect over the small bed.

"Do you like it?" he'd asked, suddenly worried he'd overstepped.

"Jess, I love it," Rory had said breathlessly. With tears running down her face, she had turned to him and said softly, "I love you ."

Now, Rory smiled at the memory, barely noticing when the needle entered her skin.

A few minutes later, April patted her arm and said, "All done!"

Rory blinked her eyes open and looked down at where she had been stuck. A piece of gauze was held in place by a bandaid, but she didn't feel any pain.

April led her back to Paris' office, and she entered to find Paris and Jess chatting amiably. She smiled at the sight, thankful that they were getting along. At the sound of the door opening, they both looked her way.

"That was easy," she said lightly as she sat down in the empty chair beside Jess.

"Told you," Paris said with a smirk. "So, like I said, we'll get the results back in a week or so. I'll call you when they come in."

"Thank you, Paris. You've been so great," Rory said sincerely.

"I know," Paris gloated. Her smug grin softened a moment later. "I'm happy for you, Gilmore."

Rory looked over at Jess, who was smiling back at her. An answering smile tugged at her lips. "I'm happy, too."

---

The week that followed was stressful. Rory waited anxiously to hear from Paris, growing more agitated with every day that passed. Jess ended up taking the week off work, using the time to distract Rory from the wait.

"Seriously, all this stress is bad for you and the baby," Jess argued as he stood in the doorway.

Rory glared at him, her arms crossed over her chest. "So I can't get to my laptop because…?"

Jess grinned. "Because I have a better idea." Without waiting for a reply, Jess scooped Rory up into his arms and carried her to the bedroom.

Rory shrieked in surprise before settling into Jess' arms, wrapping her own arms around his neck.

Jess gently plopped her onto the bed and proceeded to drive away every bit of stress and anxiety both of them had.

After, he propped on his side and rested his hand on Rory's gently-rounded belly. Leaning down to press his lips against the bump, he admitted, "I'm scared, too."

Tears flooded Rory's eyes at his words. "I feel like a terrible person because that makes me feel so much better."

"It's okay to be scared, baby. But no matter what that test comes back with, I'm not going anywhere."

As they lay there, holding each other and not knowing what to think or feel about the future, Rory suddenly smiled.

"Jess, will you ma-"

Jess' hand covered Rory's mouth as he glared at her. "Nope. You're not pulling a Lorelai. I'll ask that question when the time comes."

Rory rolled her eyes and licked Jess' palm to get him to remove the offending appendage.

"But," he said as he leaned closer, "the answer would be yes."

Their lips touched in a heartbreakingly tender kiss, which was interrupted by the phone ringing. Rory cursed the existence of the landline, but picked up the cordless phone beside the bed.

"Gilmore residence, Rory speaking."

Rory's eyes widened, her hand coming up to cover her mouth. "Can we come now?" she asked, voice trembling slightly. A moment later she nodded, saying, "We'll be there soon."

"Paris?" he asked, once she'd hung up the phone.

Rory nodded numbly. "Results are in."

Jess tugged Rory down to his level to press his lips to hers. "It's going to be okay."

Rory was smiling when she pulled away. "I know."

They hurried to dress, laughing at each misstep due to their haste. Jess drove, one hand on the wheel and his free hand clasped between both of Rory's hands.

When they pulled up in front of the clinic, he squeezed her hand. "So, I may or may not have asked Paris to add in a request for gender."

"I didn't know you could find that out with blood testing," Rory admitted.

Jess blushed and grinned bashfully. "I did a lot of googling when you said you were getting this done. So while you were getting the blood drawn, I asked Paris if we could find out the gender, too, while we were at it."

"I like that. All in one go."

They sat in silence for another long few minutes before Jess turned the ignition off and slipped his hand from hers. "We're not going to find anything out just sitting here. Let's go in, okay?"

Rory paled, but nodded and exited the car. She latched back to his hand once they'd rounded the hood of the car, holding tightly for an anchor as they walked up to the front door.

Once again, Paris was waiting for them. "Right this way, you guys. Results are in these envelopes, and you can use this counseling room for the next hour or so. I haven't peeked, though it was a struggle, so you'll have to come tell me after you find out and stop freaking out."

"Does it say which one is which?" Jess asked. "I don't know about Rory, but I'd like to know the gender first."

"Me, too," Rory agreed.

"Yep. They're marked with which is which. So, here we are. Take your time and, either way, congratulations." Paris smiled as she gestured into the empty counseling room. "See you guys soon."

Rory stepped into the room first, Jess' hand on her lower back a blazing reminding of his support. She collapsed into one of the chairs, staring down at the envelopes laying on the wooden desk. Her heart skipped a beat.

Jess sat beside her, a solid presence that helped ground her. "Gender first?"

"Gender first," Rory echoed, reaching for the envelope labelled Gender . Using the letter opener set to the side, Rory sliced the paper and held her breath. She unfolded the result and grinned. "It's a girl."

Jess' answering grin was instantaneous. "I guess there's no more calling her "it", huh?"

"I guess not. Now we just have to think of a name. Just under seven months to pick one out."

"Stop stalling," Jess said, nudging Rory with a knowing look in his eye. "No matter how long you wait, the answer will be the same."

Rory took in a deep breath and let it out, reaching for the remaining envelope and the letter opener. Her hand shook as she cut the envelope open and set the opener aside. Jess scooted her chair closer to wrap an arm around her shoulders.

She reached into the envelope and pulled the results out. "Here we go…"

---

Five years later

"Jess! You're going to miss out on dinner if you don't come on!" Rory yelled. She unstacked a few paper plates, setting them on the table. "Mommy's going to eat it all unless he hurries up," she murmured.

Jess stepped into the kitchen then, hearing her murmured words. He grinned and slid up behind her, winking at Luci as she giggled from the table a few feet away. He slipped his arms around Rory, amusement filling him as she jolted in surprise.

"Mommy needs to be eating healthy food," he says pointedly, hands resting on her largely-pregnant belly.

"Mommy is six months pregnant with your spawn and can eat whatever she wants. Hence, pizza for supper." Rory leaned back against Jess, reveling in his warm embrace.

He kissed her neck and slowly drew away, grabbing the plates and setting them around the table. "So, Luce, how was school today?"

"It was great, Daddy! I learned about penguins!"

"What?! That's amazing," Jess enthused. He never grew tired of hearing her call him Daddy . From the first time she'd babbled it, Jess had been wrapped around her little finger.

"Uh-huh. We get to go to the zoo next week!" Luci continued.

Jess smiled as he listened to her talk about the zoo trip.

Rory felt her heart melt as she watched the way they interacted. She slid heavily into her seat, grunting when the baby kicked a kidney. "Ouch," she said, grasping her side.

"Are you okay, Mommy?" Luci asked, blue eyes widening in alarm.

"I'm fine, baby. Tell Daddy about the movie you watched."

As the child launched into her synopsis of Happy Feet, Jess grinned and divvied the pizza between them, hanging onto every word.

After dinner, he washed Luci's hair and sat nearby, reading, while she bathed. He dressed her in her favorite pajamas and tucked her in, giving in quickly when she begged for one more story.

He read her favorite story and watched as her eyes drooped more and more until finally, she was asleep. He stood and tucked the book away on the bookshelf, reaching down to turn off her lamp.

"Love you, Daddy," she murmured, her eyes opening the tiniest bit.

Jess leaned down with a smile. "I love you, too," he whispered as he kissed the top of her blonde head.

---

A few notes that didn't fit the flow of the story:

- Yes, the baby was Logan's. No, I didn't feel like writing the drama between the time skip. lol.
- Rory goes back and gets her Masters and now teaches at Chilton
- She and Jess married a few months before the baby was born
- Luci is named for bestie
- Her name is Huntzberger-Mariano
- Logan has even less to do with her than Christopher had to do with Rory

Hope you enjoyed!