"Mom?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm pregnant."

The silence stretched on and Lorelai's open-mouthed look of shock didn't help to soothe Rory's nerves. Lorelai Gilmore did not do silence. Silence was worse than a full blown freak out, which was what Rory was about to have.

"Pregnant? Like really? Are you sure?"

"Well if the five postive pregnancy tests weren't enough to be sure, the doctor confirming it a few days ago certainly took away any doubt."

Lorelai paused for a moment. "Wow, am I old enough to be a grandma? What would I want to be called? Gigi, Grams Lor, Granny? No, not Granny,I am definitely not old enough to be granny. Wow. WOW!"

Rory swallowed, panic rising."I know it's a surprise mom. I was just as surprised. I don't know what I am going to do. I haven't even got a steady job,a steady home, or a steady anything really. I mean, I can't even take care of myself, how am I suppose to take care of someone else?"

"It's going to be okay, kid. You don't have to figure it all out in one day. You are in a much better position than I was and look how fantastic you turned out. Plus, you probably won't leave your kid in a bucket. And Rory-"

"Yeah mom?" Rory turned to look at her mother, tears in her big doe-like eyes.

"You will always have a home with Luke and I."

"Thanks Mom," Rory mumbled, barely intelligible now.

"So umm the father...you do know who it is right?"

"Jeez mom, way to ruin the vote of confidence from earlier. Of course I know who the father is!"

"Good, I thought maybe we were going to have a real life version of Bridget Jone's Baby on our hands," Lorelai said, attempting to throw humor in the mix to cut the tension.

"My life is not a C rated movie Mom!"

"I know. But wouldn't that be fun? Imagine if two incredible sexy men were fighting for you? And if you could skip ahead to the ending if you want?"

"I don't know, I guess. " Rory had a faint smile now.

"So...?"

"So what?"

"The father?"

Rory took a deep breath and looked to the ground, feeling guilty and lost, "Logan," she mumbled.

"Oh thank God. I was concerned my grandchild was going to be a furry little thing."

"What are you talking about Mom?"

"The Wookie."

"Oh, no definitely not," Rory said with a shake of her head,"But thanks for reminding me of just how much I slutted it up."

"There will be plenty of time for you to be hard on yourself later on. In fact, thats a quintesessential part of parenthood. Have you told the father to be yet?"

"No. I don't even know if I should, I mean he is about to marry another woman. The woman that his family approves of. Do I even have the right to disrupt his life? He wanted to give me a house to write in, I know he wanted to keep seeing each other but I just couldn't continue being 'the other woman'. Now that I ended that, how do I march back in to announce that I am having his baby?"

"You think you are going to keep this under wraps? Are you going to go into hiding all incognito in Mexico once you start showing? Even if you could keep this secret, would you really take his decision away from him? You saw how much Luke suffered missing the first thirteen years of his daughters life. As much as him and April have bonded, nobody can give him back all those moments he missed with his daughter. Holidays, Parent Teacher conferences, school plays, first steps, there are no second chances for those things. You need to tell him Rory, he deserves that much. It doesn't have to be this moment, hun, but it has to be soon."

"We better get you ready for your wedding before people get suspicious. They don't know you got hitched last night, so they might think you are running for the hills again."

"Okay Hun, I can take a hint."

"No you can't." Rory was laughing now. Leave it to her mother to make her laugh when she was feeling so anxious.

Two hours later, Rory stood in line at the hotdog cart. Yes, there was an actual hotdog cart, along with several different food trucks. The reception was beautiful, the whole town square looked downright gorgeous. She filed party décor under Kirks' talents. Amazing that a man who required a lullaby every night before bed could accomplish this. She was so happy for her mom and Luke that the tears were welling up once again.

"Damn hormones," Rory said as she dabbed at her eyes.

"What?"

Startled, Rory turned around to see Jess standing behind her.

"You okay?" Jess looked at Rory unsure.

"Oh fine. Just excited for my mom and Luke. And a bit sleep deprived from their impromtu wedding last night."

"Yeah, Luke told me that they couldn't wait. He was probably just scared she would pull another Wild and run off to climb some mountain. But I am glad that she's not leaving, Luke really loves her."

"Awe Jess, that almost sounded sweet and sincere."

"Yeah, don't tell anyone. Might ruin my rep as the town screw up," Jess said laughing.

Right then Rory caught a wiff of those hotdogs that she had been waiting for and she knew she was going to be sick. She ran towards the bushes and away from all the spectators. Once she got over there, the nausea actually subsided some. She took a seat on the grass, afraid to disturb the peace of her stomach. Rory was thankful for the cool November weather though because she was feeling overheated at the moment and the cool air seemed to be the only thing keeping the nausea at bay.

After a few minutes, Jess approached her, concern on his face. "What was that?," Jess asked. You bolted out of there faster than Paul Anka when he chases a squirrel."

Rory feigned great offense. " Did you just compare me to a dog? I'm alrig..." Rory couldn't finish because she had to turn around and vomit in the bushes; apparently the nausea was still there under the surface. Thank goodness that it was November and the weather was cool because she was already starting to fill over heated too.

"Well that was really cute. Okay, I will go get you a drink if you promise not to share your plague with me," Jess teased.

"oh, I doubt this is contagious," Rory said dryly.

"Oh yeah. Why's that, Dr. Gilmore?"

"I'm pregnant."

Jess stared at her;the shocked look seemed to be going around today. "Wow, I didn't think you were that serious about Paul."

"You remembered his name?"

"Well he may not be as memorable as some of the jackasses you have dated, but I don't have alzheimers or anything."

"Well no, I am not that serious about anybody in fact and this was definitely not a planned pregnancy," Rory said, hesitating a moment, "Paul is not the father."

"Well don't hold me in suspense, who is the father of the next Gilmore? You do know who the father is?"

"Gee, no I contacted the Murray Show about paternity testing for the seven or so possibilities. I haven't heard anything back yet so I am just waiting."

"Hormones setting in already?"

"Well, why does that seem to be what people feel the need to ask me? It's just I haven't told the father yet and I don't know when I am going to work up the nerve to do so;but I feel like I should tell him first. "

"Got it Rory. I am here if you need anything. I know we haven't kept in touch, but I still consider you family." A look of uncertainty passed on Jess's face but was gone in the same second.

"Aww, there you go being sweet and sincere again"

"Okay, that's my cue to get out of here."

"Bye Jess, and thanks," Rory said half-heartedly but only because she really didn't have much energy for doing anything other than concentrating on not vomiting again. As much as she was thrilled for her mother and her happy day, she couldn't wait to go lay down. She wondered just how long she needed to wait to make her exit. After a few minutes, Lorelai came over as if she could sense Rory's discomfort.

"Hey kid, you should go home and get some rest. It's been a long couple of days and Luke and I are headed out soon anyway. I think there is a container of Rocky Road left in the freezer, it's all yours."

"I don't know that I can even look at Rocky Road without getting sick right now," Rory mumbled.

"I remember those moments all too well. The nausea that some evil genius decided to call 'morning sickness' despite the fact that it happens all day. You would think this many decades later that they would rename that. Someone needs to get working on that. "

"Well if anyone can pressure them, whoever that might be in to renaming a symptom of pregnancy, I am sure it is Lorelai Gilmore and her persistant talking until they are worn down or just very confused."

"Don't you know it hun. That's how I do most my business deals," she said with a wink.

Rory did go back home, to Lorelai's place and made herself comfortable. She sat around and watched old movies while she pondered on her plan for telling Logan. Then she started considering all the other people she would have to tell, including her grandmother. Her mind started reeling with all the possible fallouts of these conversations. By the time she fell asleep, early in the morning, she was even more confused about her plan than she had been before.