A/N A very very special to BookTease87 and LEJ418 and for helping with this chapter...and my Beta who knows she is the wind beneath my wings. I had a lot of fun writing this chapter...hope you enjoy it...I have really enjoyed everyone's reviews. Thank you so very much for your encouragement.
"Bah," said Scrooge, "Humbug."
― Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol
"It wasn't that bad," Rory said, trying to convince Jess as they walked into the diner. "She complimented your photo and wanted your autograph!"
Jess scowled and grumbled about a toxic waste dump and then went upstairs.
"Why's he so Grinch like?" Luke asked when he heard the door slam shut.
"Come on Luke, it's Jess. He makes Mr. Scrooge look warm and cuddly," Rory paused and smiled. "And we had to stop and get gas in New Jersey and someone recognized him and asked him to sign their copy of Philadelphia Magazine," Rory explained and Luke laughed.
"I'm all done here if you guys just want to meet me at Liz and TJ's. Your mom and April are already there," He said pouring her a cup of coffee.
"Thanks Luke, we will be there in a bit."
After Rory finished her coffee she walked upstairs to Jess.
"Hey," she said eyeing Jess at the table reading a manuscript. "Luke left. Everyone is at your mom's." She said rubbing his back and nuzzling into his shoulder.
He turned his head and kisses her. "Hi, " he says.
"Hi," she says and kisses him some more. "'How's it going?"
"It's going, just let me finish this chapter and then we'll go," he said kissing her cheek.
"Okay, but dinner is almost ready."
"Just this chapter. I promise," he said
"So, Matt was really that upset?" she asked grabbing his hand and kissing the bruise from when he punched the wall after their argument.
"Once they knew we were good again, they basically let me have it."
"You're in the dog house," she said in a sing-song voice.
"Matt might get me a leash," Jess deadpans.
"You should go and I'll follow."
"Okay, but cheer up a little. It's Christmas Eve." She kisses him. "Find some Christmas spirit between now and going to your mom's. Please."
"Bah! Humbug!"
"Okay so according to Martha we have to let the mixture cool…Jess!" Liz exclaimed seeing her son.
Jess walked into his mother's kitchen to find Rory and Doula reading a story, Luke finishing diner and April setting the table. At the sight of her brother, Doula jumped into his arms.
"JESS!" She yells leaping into his arms and climbing onto his shoulders.
"Hi," he says to his mother. "Cooking?" He asks with a raised eyebrow.
"It's not for dinner," Lorelai says looking a little green and snacking on an apple.
"Martha says these all natural Ginger Chews help with nausea. And I have never been banned…"
"Didn't say anything," He smirked while Doula sat atop his shoulders.
"Hey Jess," Luke says coming in from outside. "Stop for anymore autographs? Did a mob of girls chase you here?"
"Rory remind me to mock your boyfriend about that later when the little blueberry isn't making mommy so nauseous," Lorelai said weakly.
"Gladly!" Rory said, looking up for the story she was Doula. Jess rolls his eyes and says hi to April hoping to discuss anything else.
"Welcome home," He adds and she rolls her eyes and walks away.
"It must run in the family," Luke says nudging Jess.
"Whatever." He hears April say when she walks away.
As they all sat down for dinner, Doula didn't want to be away from her big brother and insisted he sit with her. April didn't say a word. Lorelai didn't touch her meal and could only eat apple slices and ginger tea.
The house was sparsely decorated with a small tree that had a single string of lights and a few store bought ornaments. No homemade decorations or ornaments. No smell of cookies. There were no outside lights or decorations, nothing like the warm home Lorelai had worked so hard to create for Rory at Christmas time.
There was one small tradition that seemed to be carried out. After dinner, Liz had everyone open their pajamas in birthday wrapping. Doula's pajamas were Disney Princess, while Rory and April's had cupcakes, while Jess received simple black fleece pajama bottoms.
"Doula its time to get ready for bed," Liz said after the gifts were opened.
"And Jess has to get ready to help Santa?" the little girl asked.
"Uh yea sure!" Jess said trying to hide a smirk. "The sooner you get to bed, the sooner Santa comes," he chokes out mockingly. Luckily, little girl didn't seem to know the difference.
"Aunt Lorelai does Santa's dry cleaning," Doula said.
"She does huh, so that's how he gets rid of all those cookie stains," Jess tried still hiding his smirk.
"Hurry up and I will read you a story." He told the little girl.
"And cookies, Santa needs cookies and milk," Doula said before running upstairs to her room.
"Didn't know you and Santa were so close," Rory teased when she was gone.
"Matt told her that ridiculous story last year when they spent Christmas in Philadelphia." Jess said.
The little girl bounded down the stairs with a book and plopped herself in his lap and demanded he read the "The night before Christmas" to her. Afterwards, Jess helped the little girl set Oreo's and milk out for Santa and Jess put her to bed.
"Such a good big brother you are," Rory said when he came downstairs from tucking the little girl in.
"Just making sure she doesn't figure the whole Santa thing out," he laughed.
"Oh come on, let's not start with this again, every year…" Liz said.
"I was four," Jess shot at his mother.
"You were not that young," Luke said defensively.
"Uh yea I was. Grandpa was there."
Rory looked at Jess confused.
"I walked into the living room and Luke and Grandpa were stuffing stockings and putting presents under the tree.,,"
"And then we told him that he missed Santa and we were just helping him out and to go back to bed," Liz cut in.
"Didn't buy it. The whole Santa thing seemed ridiculous anyway," Jess said flippantly.
"But you were four," Rory said. "I was jaded very young," Jess shrugged.
"You poor thing, no wonder you turn into Scrooge at Christmas time," Rory said.
"Just wait awhile before getting everything out," Jess said to his mom as they were getting ready to leave."
"You're not staying here?" Liz looked disappointed.
"I have to get some work done tonight. I will see you in the afternoon," Jess promised. "All my gifts are in the hall closet."
They said their good-byes and Jess walks back to Luke's alone. Rory goes back to her house. While Luke drives April to her mom's house, Rory snacks on some peppermint chocolate candy while Lorelai drinks her ginger tea.
"It's all day sickness, but today was a bad day. I caved and had coffee and Blueberry is making Mommy pay."
"Blueberry won't let you drink coffee?"
"Nope, Blueberry has declared no coffee for Mommy."
"Wow this is Luke's kid," Rory laughs.
"No kidding. Every time I drink coffee, the only thing I can eat is a ginger tea and apple slices."
"Well you have 18 years to make blueberry pay!"
"And pay he or she will," Lorelai said manically.
"Mom you're glowing."
"I feel glow-y…I wish I could drink coffee, but I'm happy right now."
"Do you remember the Christmas when Jess and I first started dating or the one before that?" Rory asked her mom changing the subject. "I don't remember him being so...I don't know the word for it…"
"Less than jolly," Lorelai supplied.
"That's a good way of putting it."
"As for when he was here before, I seem to remember Liz not wanting him to come home during his break from school."
"That's right," Rory said remembering the Bracebridge Dinner at the old Independence Inn.
"You know Luke was so happy when he found out you two were coming and staying for three days," Lorelai continued. "He told me this is the first year in a long time he has spent Christmas with Jess and Liz together."
"Didn't realize it had been that long."
"It's getting late Sweets. I think Blueberry and I are going to get nestled in our bed so the sugar plum fairies can dance."
"Night, Merry Christmas mom," she kisses her mom on the check. "Night little blueberry." She rubs her mom's stomach.
Rory looked around her house at the 7 trees and the decorations and can't help but think of Jess, four was certainly to young to already be jaded enough to not believe in Santa. She couldn't imagine Christmas without her mom. Rory let a slow smile spread across her face as she had an idea. She grabbed her keys and hoped that the 2 A.M. closing time included the Target in Woodbridge.
A/N I am almost finished with the next chapter and should have it up fairly quickly. This thing was getting long and had to cut it somewhere...sorry...
