Sorry for the delay! I've not been feeling very well so I didn't really feel up to writing. I still don't feel great but I thought you all deserved a chapter so here it is! :) Thank you so much for all your reviews so far! :)

Chapter 3

Katherine had wanted to tell the kids sooner rather than later. She had told Liz the day after she had told Luke and Lorelai and that was hard enough. She had worried that it would set Liz back but she had been very supportive. She had cried but she had vowed to be there for her. She knew if she waited too long to tell the kids, she wouldn't tell them at all and she knew they deserved to know. She, Luke and Lorelai had agreed it would be best to tell Rory and Jess first with her there and then Luke and Lorelai would tell Katie and would try and explain it to LJ as best as they could for such young ears. The three of them were gathered in the diner apartment after the two older kids had returned from school. Luke had Caesar covering the diner and Lorelai had Michel and Sookie at the inn. Katie and LJ were at Babette's.

"Is everything ok?" Rory asked as they sat down at the table.

"Yeah you sounded weird on the phone." Jess said glancing at Katherine.

"Your Grandma has something she needs to tell you." Luke said giving her mom a reassuring smile.

"Yeah...uh...this isn't easy for me but I know you deserve to know." Katherine said.

Rory and Jess exchanged glances.

Katherine took a deep breath. "I'm not very well..." She started.

Rory glanced at Jess, then at her mom and dad, and then back to her Grandma. "Ok...but you'll be ok right?" She asked. "You've been to the doctor's?"

"Yeah I've been to the doctor's." Katherine said. She looked up at Rory and Jess and fought back the tears in her eyes. She couldn't cry in front of them. "I've...uh...I've got cancer..." She said softly.

Rory gasped and Jess' heart dropped. "You're getting treatment though?" Jess asked.

"It's spread too far, sweetheart. The treatments they do just wouldn't work for me." She said.

"But you should try at least!" Jess exclaimed.

"Jess..." Luke said.

"No this is crap! How do you know it won't work if you don't try?" He exclaimed angrily. "Why are you just giving up?"

"I'm not giving up." Katherine said softly.

"Yes you are! Do you care so little about us that you just decide these things on your own?" He exclaimed.

"Jess!" Luke said louder.

"Forget it!" Jess snapped and left the apartment.

"Hon, you ok?" Lorelai asked her daughter who wasn't saying much.

"So you're saying you're going to die?"

"Yeah sweetheart, something like that." Katherine replied

"I just...I can't believe this is happening again." Rory sniffed. "I mean I know I was only young when Grandpa died but I still remember it. And now it's happening again. It just doesn't seem real." She said quietly. She got up and went round to Katherine and hugged her. "I'm so sorry, Grandma. Anything you need, I'm here."

"Thanks darling." Katherine said emotionally.

"I should go find Jess." Luke sighed.

"No, I'll go." Rory said quietly. She gave her Grandma a small smile. "He'll come round."

"Yeah, Luke, we should go talk to Katie and LJ." Lorelai said.

Luke sighed, dreading it, but nodded.


Rory found Jess sitting on the side of the bridge over the lake. She went up and sat down next to him. "Hey..." She said, noticing him quickly wipe his cheeks with the back of his sleeve. "You ok?"

Jess glanced at her. "How much of a selfish jerk was I in there?" He asked.

"You were upset." Rory said diplomatically.

Jess sighed. "She's one of the really good things in my life." He said quietly. "I know my mom's gotten better now but I lived with Grandma for years."

"I know." Rory said softly. She put a hand on his shoulder. "It's ok to be upset, you know. It doesn't make you uncool."

"I just...this isn't fair..."

"I know but Grandma needs our support. All our support." She said. "I'm sure she'd appreciate your company tonight."

"If she lets me back in." Jess said.

"She will." Rory smiled. "You know, I think the feeling's mutual."

"What do you mean?" Jess asked.

"How you feel about her. I think the feeling's mutual." She said softly.

Jess gave her a small smile. He then sighed. "I should get back."

"Yeah I should get home. Mom and Dad are telling Katie and LJ now… so I might be needed there." Rory said getting up.

Jess followed her. "Thanks." He said.

"For what?"

"For always knowing what to say." He said.

"That's what cousins are for." Rory smiled.

Jess smiled and they both headed back, Jess to the apartment and Rory back home.

Rory entered the house to find her parents sat on the couch with Katie and LJ. "Everything ok?" She asked.

Katie got up and ran to her hugging her. "Rory!"

"Whoa, hey sis." Rory said wrapping her arms round her younger sister.

"Grandma's sick." Katie sniffed.

Rory felt a lump in her throat. "I know..."

"Is she going to die?" She sniffed.

Rory glanced over at her parents and then down at her sister. "Come here." She said leading her to the couch. In all honesty, Rory hadn't even thought about how much longer their Grandma had left. She hadn't asked. She didn't even really want to know.

"We're all going to die one day Katie." Rory said softly. "Not for a long time yet, but it will eventually happen. When the time comes for Grandma, it will be upsetting. Really upsetting." She said as she glanced at her parents who gave her a slight nod. She could tell they were getting emotional as well.

"But I promise you, Grandma will be very happy. Because she will be with Grandpa. I know you never met him but he was an amazing Grandpa and he and Grandma loved each other so much. So she'll be happy because they'll be back together." She said. "So you don't need to worry. Let's enjoy the time we have left with her yeah?"

Katie sniffed but nodded.

"Why don't you go read LJ a bedtime story and then I'll come read you one?" Rory forced a smile out.

Katie nodded and took her brother upstairs.

Rory let out a breath and put her head in her hands. Lorelai put a hand on her back. "You ok?"

Rory just nodded, getting up. "I need to study." She said heading to her room.

"Rory..." Luke said.

"I'm fine." Rory said trying to remain numb.

"She's bottling it up." Lorelai said as they heard Rory's bedroom door shut.

"I know." Luke sighed. "Come on, let's go sort out the kids and then get to bed. I don't know about you but I'm exhausted."

"Yeah me too." Lorelai sighed following her husband upstairs.


During the week, Rory had tried to take her mind off her Grandma's cancer. She just couldn't think about what it meant so she focused her energy on the stupid bet she had made with Tristan about the test on the Friday. She would be damned if she let him win so she spent all her free time studying for it. When Friday came and the test was done, she was feeling pretty confident about it.

However, on Monday, when they all received their tests back in class she was devastated to find a big red D on her paper. When the bell rang signalling the end of the class, she made a hasty retreat not wanting to have to deal with Tristan right at that moment. He had been his usual cocky jerky self ever since the bet was made and she could do without seeing his smug face. Her hasty exit hadn't stopped him from following her though.

"Mary!" He called.

She could sense the smirk on his face so she started walking quicker.

"Mary, wait up!" Tristan said running to catch up with her.

"Go away Tristan. I'm not in the mood." She snapped.

"Aw Mary, I didn't think you'd be such a sore loser." He smirked.

"Leave me alone." Rory said.

"We made a bet. Just because you lost it doesn't mean you can go back on the deal." He said.

"I don't care about the stupid bet, Tristan! Just leave me alone! I'm not in the mood for this right now. With everything else going on..." She found herself saying without meaning to. She felt tears well up in her eyes and fought them back.

Tristan noticed them though and dropped his act immediately. "Ok, I'm sorry. I was just joking around. Is this because what Paris said? Because it's just one grade..."

"It's not just because of that." Rory said.

"Well is it the bet then? I thought you were up for it..."

"My Grandma has cancer!" Rory blurted out.

Tristan was shocked. "Wow...uh...I'm sorry..."

Rory couldn't stop the tears falling now and Tristan noticed they were starting to get an audience so he pulled her into one of the empty classrooms. He watched as Rory started to pace around. "My life's just crap at the moment. I found out last week that my Grandma has cancer and there's nothing that she can do about it. She's going to die just like my Grandpa did and my dad's going to lose both his parents and it's not fair! And then I worked my butt off for this test only to find I'm big fat failure and all you can go on about is the stupid bet!" She exclaimed. "So I'm sorry if I don't want to go get a coffee with you but I've got other people and things to think about right now!" She finished her rant. She wiped some tears off her face but they kept falling. She saw Tristan just watching her. "What?" She exclaimed.

"Come here." He said.

"What?" She said confused.

"Just come here." He said.

Rory walked towards him and was surprised when Tristan gave her a hug.

"I'm sorry about your Grandma. That sucks." He said.

Rory let out a breath and found herself accepting the hug. "I just...I have to be strong for her and for my sister and brother. I think this is the first time I've cried about it." She said quieter.

"Well it's good to let it out sometimes even if I'm the punching bag." He said.

Rory pulled away from him and smirked a little at that. "Sorry. I think it just all got on top of me." She admitted.

"It's fine. Forget about the bet. Focus on your family. And don't worry about the grade. You're new here. It was going to take time to catch up and you will, I'm sure." He said.

Rory was taken aback by the sincerity in his voice. "Wow I think I preferred the jerky version of you better. Nice Tristan is freaking me out a little." She joked.

He chuckled. "Sorry. I can be a jerk again if you like." He smirked.

Rory smiled. "No, it's nice to see another side to your bravado. Didn't know you had layers." She joked.

"Everyone has layers." He joked.

Rory smirked and wiped her eyes. "I better get home. I need to pick up my sister from school." She said, heading for the door.

"Ok. Just remember what I said. You're not a failure. You're one of the smartest people here. You'll catch up, don't worry. And I'm sorry. Again. About your Grandma." He said sincerely.

Rory looked back at him and gave him a small smile. "Thanks Tristan."

"See you tomorrow, Rory." He smiled.

She gasped and pointed accusingly at him. "You do know my name!"

Tristan smirked. "Never said I didn't know it."

"You're infuriating." Rory rolled her eyes.

"Well I guess that's better than cocky egomaniac." He smirked.

Rory just shook her head. "Bye Tristan." She said and then left, heading out of the school and towards the bus stop.


She collected Katie from school on the way home. LJ was at the inn that day with her mom so she was going to come home with her.

"Do we have anything to eat?" Katie asked as they entered the house.

"Go check the fridge and cupboards." Rory smiled. "We probably have something."

Katie headed for the kitchen while Rory sat down on the couch letting out a big sigh. Katie then came back in with a couple of pop tarts. "I'm going to go do some homework." She said.

"Ok. Don't get crumbs everywhere. You know what dad's like." Rory smirked.

"I won't!" Katie grinned, heading upstairs.

Rory stayed on the couch and leant her head back on it. That was where Luke found her when he got back from the diner.

"Hey." He said.

"Oh hey." Rory said.

"Where's Katie?"

"Where do you think?" Rory smirked. "Doing her homework."

"Hey don't knock it. You were just like her. Still are." Luke chuckled.

Rory laughed. "Yeah…" She said. She then went quiet for a moment.

Luke noticed and went to sit next to her. "Look, I know you've said you're fine, you know with everything that's happening with your Grandma, but…."

Rory turned to him feeling tears prick her eyes.

"Hey come here." He said pulling her into a hug.

"I'm sorry." She sniffed. "I just…I wanted to be strong for Katie and LJ, and for you and mom."

"You don't have to be. It's our job to be strong for you." He said softly.

"God I was a mess at school today. I completely broke down on Tristan." She said pulling away a bit and wiping her eyes.

"About what? About your Grandma?" Luke asked concerned.

"Yeah. I guess I was sort of bottling everything in about that but also this test I did on Friday and I worked really hard on, I got the results back today and I..uh..I got a D.." She admitted, sniffing slightly.

"A D?" Luke asked surprised.

"Yeah…" Rory said quietly. "It kind of made me feel like a failure."

"Hey, look at me." He said.

Rory looked up at him.

"You are not a failure. Don't ever think that ok? You've just started at that school. You're bound to be behind in some subjects. You'll catch up." He said softly.

Rory gave him a small smile. "You really think I can do it?"

"I know you can do it." He smiled.

"Thanks dad." She said quietly.

Luke pulled her into a hug. "You're an incredible kid, you know that? You are never going to be a failure to me. I'm so proud of you. I know things aren't exactly great at the moment but you don't need to hide how you're feeling from me or your mom. We're here for you ok? Always." He said kissing the top of her head.

"Thanks." Rory said. She then got up. "We've got another test on Friday so I think I'm going to study for a bit before dinner."

Luke nodded. "Sure. I know I'm not great at that stuff but if you need any help studying or need me to test you or something, I'm right here."

Rory smiled. "Ok thanks." She said before heading to her room.

"Rory?" Luke said.

"Yeah?" She said turning back.

"Who's Tristan?" He asked.

Hope you liked it! :) Please keep leaving reviews as I love hearing what you all think! :) Thanks!