Hey there people!

Sorry it's been so long since I've updated for this story. I just have not been having a whole lot of inspiration right now for this. But now I'm back and hopefully this story will start moving a bit faster. Lol.

Alright, big things happening in this chapter!!!!!! Read on, my friends, read on!

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btw: the title to this chapter does not appear in this chapter, however it just seemed appropriate. first person to tell me where it's from gets a special prize!


Chapter 4: Count Your Blessings Now

James,

Have some news. Would really like to discuss it with you. Meet me at Geraldine's at six tonight. Send your response as soon as possible.

Lorelai

James continued to stare at the note. It had arrived a few minutes ago, by means of Lorelai's little Scops owl, Cassiopeia, and ever since he had not taken his eyes off it.

Neither had Sirius and Scarlett—who'd been in the room during Cassiopeia's entrance and had unceremoniously read the note over James's shoulder—but to steal questioning glances at each other as to what this could mean.

Since James and Lorelai's one night stand at the beginning of May, their relationship had quickly bloomed into a strong friendship. James had never trusted anyone this quickly before, but every time he told himself to keep this in check, Lorelai's big brown eyes were just so honest and he couldn't help but spill his guts to her. They both still held fast in their pact not to make things romantic, and neither had really felt an urge to go against it.

But this note was really disconcerting. Normally, whenever Lorelai needed to say something or discuss something, there was no forewarning involved. She would simply show up. So a message saying that she needed to chat was a major red flag.

"She's giving us a warning?" Scarlett said, mildly surprised, apparently reading James's mind as she read the note over his shoulder. She emitted a high-pitched "Hm," and walked into the living room, settling onto the couch with her omnipresent cup of hazelnut coffee. "That must be a sign of the apocalypse…"

"It must be serious," James mumbled, not taking his eyes off the letter. "Whatever it is."

"Maybe it's a date," Scarlett suggested, twisting around on the couch to waggle her eyebrows at James teasingly.

"Scar…." James sighed impatiently, though he wasn't angry. He had written the words 'See you there' on a scrap of paper and was now tying it to the owl's leg. "Give it a rest."

"Fine," she said obediently, although she was still wearing that smirk of hers.

James shook his head, chuckling a bit as he sent Cassiopeia back through the kitchen window. Ever since Scarlett had caught him and Lorelai in bed, she had been on an ongoing vendetta to prod the two together, convinced that they were each other's key to happiness. James found it rather trying at times, but Lorelai seemed to find it rather amusing. Whenever she would witness one of Scarlett's little episodes of temporary insanity, she would simply go along with it, clinging to James like a cheap suit and giggling far too loudly and annoyingly to be mistaken as genuine, only to laugh her ass off about it once the two were alone.

"Must you encourage her?" James had asked her after her last little performance.

"Oh grow a sense of humor," she'd responded with a smile. "She means well."

That was how Lorelai was about most things: very 'c'est la vie', 'que sera, sera', and a bunch of other french phrases about going with the flow.

That's why this note made no sense.

James shrugged. He'd find out what this was about soon enough.

"Hey," Lorelai said with a smile, giving James a hug. "How are you?"

"Good, you?" he asked.

"Fine," she conceded, nodding her head. "Well we should probably sit."

"That would be the usual protocol," James said, sitting down.

Lorelai sat down as well, and immediately took a sip of her water. She didn't seem at all anxious to share why she'd called him here. For a minute, they simply sat there.

"So…" James asked, deciding to break the silence.

"So," Lorelai repeated, using the same tone as James. She kept trying to smile, only to have it quickly replaced by a nervous grimace a moment later.

"Is everything alright?" James asked cautiously.

"Uh…" she said, thinking about it intently for a few moments. "You know… I don't think so."

"What's wrong?" he asked, concerned. She immediately glanced down at her empty place setting.

"I…" she started off only to trail off an instant later. She shook her head and laughed a small, slightly bitter smile. "God, I'm stupid… it shouldn't be this hard…"

"You're not stupid," James said automatically. "C'mon, Lor, just tell me."

She simply stared right at him for a moment. Her face was fixed in an unemotional expression that seemed to be held together with duct tape and sheer luck, but her eyes looked so tired and sad. She seemed to be savoring the moment, absorbing this one final instant where he didn't know what she was about to say.

"I'm pregnant."

Shock hit James like a Bludger barreling at him at 100 mph. There were thoughts, so many thoughts… he couldn't keep the flood back. A baby… Lorelai… Mum and Dad…

Lily.

"You're… and I'm… I…" James sputtered. He wanted it all to stop, he wanted all these thoughts to stop bombarding him and let him just think for a moment. His heart was beating a million miles an hour and his stomach was churning and everything was swirling around him so fast and so loud and he just wanted it all to stop….

"James—" Lorelai reached across the table to grab his hand.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her detached façade shattering like glass. Her eyes were brimming with tears. "I'm so sorry…"

"Stop," James said. He could not stand to sit here and listen to her apologize, especially when it was not her fault.

And especially when her apology would do nothing to change anything.


Now review!

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