Rory paced around the living room of Jess' apartment. She had been waiting to hear Jess say those three important little words to her, for years now. Ever since he told her back when they were younger and he took off on her. Ever since she had been reunited with him these last few weeks, she could see that he had changed. She felt the same about him, though she had yet to say anything. But after Lance, was she ready to take that jump? Jess was nothing like him, but to make a commitment like that now after everything, it scared her. Even though she knew Jess way better than she ever knew Lance to be, it was hard for her to take such a huge step forward. It wasn't like they were going to run off and get married in the next hour.
"Rory," Jess said, trying to get her attention once more. He had been trying for the last 10 minutes but she had been so deep into her thoughts he couldn't get through to her. He didn't care if she didn't tell him that she felt the same way. She had a lot to deal with and he got that things were harder for her then they were for him. In the end he only wanted her to be happy and if she didn't think that was with him, he would try to prove to her that she was wrong about that. He wasn't going to let himself give up when it came to her again. He had come to the conclusion that she was the love of his life months ago, he just couldn't do anything about that because of Lance, but now was his chance and he was going to take it. "Look you don't have to say anything, we can just talk about the kids and what's going to happen. We can figure us out later, okay?" He asked, seeing that she was staring at him.
"Jess," Rory sighed, turning to look out the window. This was her chance to get everything out there, to be totally honest with him. To clear the air, per say. "Lance, he took a lot from me, he left me broken physically and mentally. That's not your mess to fix," she told him, holding her hand up to stop him from speaking. "I know you want to do that and Jess I'm thankful for that, I really am..."
"But?" Jess asked, fearing the worst in this little speech that she was giving him.
"But, he took so much from me, I don't think I can love you nearly as much as you love me, I don't know if that's going to be possible, Jess."
"That's plain crazy, Rory," he told her, moving to take her hands in his. "You are capable of so much. Wait! You saying that you love me?" He asked, bending down to lock his brown eyes with her now crystal blue eyes, hopeful that she felt the same about him as he did her.
"I'm saying that I do love you Jess, I don't know if that love ever went anywhere or if it came back after this whole ordeal, but you showed me that it's okay to need you, that I couldn't have done this without you. I'm saying that I want this I do, but Jess, it's not going to be easy, not for me its not. You're gonna have to be patient with me, that is if you want this," she told him, laying it all out there. What happened in the past, that didn't matter any more. They didn't need to come to terms with any of that stuff, it really was history.
"I do," he told her, cupping her face, his lips moving upon hers in a gentle kiss, pouring all the love he felt for her into it. Only to receive the same love from her in the kiss. Breaking the kiss, Rory let her head rest against his chest the beating of his heart echoing in her ears.
They had moved to the couch, Rory had a cup of coffee in her hands and Jess had some tea sitting on the coffee table. "How do you want to tell the kids?" Rory asked, looking up at him. Jess smiled seeing that the sparkle she once had when they first met in her room was starting to shine through her eyes. Slowly he was getting his Rory back. The Rory that loved everything and everyone. Except for the time she had deviled egged his car. It wasn't that hard to really figure out, but he figured she had every right to be pissed at him, though these days he couldn't even remember why. Not that it mattered any longer.
"I think we should tell them together," he responded, reaching out for her. Rory rolled her eyes, moving into his embrace. The world seeming better being in his arms.
"Well, duh," she giggled. "How do you want to tell them? Do we go about making it a big deal? Or do we just do something low-key?" She asked.
"Your mom would have a party to inform them, but why don't I make the four of us dinner tonight and we can tell them then. That sound okay to you?" Jess asked, lacing his hand with hers, laying it on her stomach.
"Ya know the party doesn't sound like a bad idea," she smirked, looking up at him. He scowled down at her. "But dinner sounds wonderful. What time do you want us to come over?" Rory asked.
"Is 6 okay?" Jess asked, using his free hand to play with a strand of her hair. She nodded, cuddling into him. It had seemed like it had been forever since she was this comfortable and felt so safe in the arms of a man who she loved. Jess kissed the top of her head, relishing in the feeling of having Rory in his arms once again. She was going to be in his arms as much as he could possible have her there. He never wanted to let her go and he had no intentions of ever letting her go. She was his for life now, he was prepared to do everything in his power to keep it that way.
"But Mom, why do we have to go?" Whined Hadley.
"Yeah, why can't you just tell us now?" Kolby asked, looking up at his mother.
"Because I can't and I said we would be there. You both are going and both are going to be on your best behavior. I thought you guys liked Jess what happened?" Rory asked, looking between her oldest and youngest.
"Nothing happened, Mom," Kolby told her. "We still like him."
"It's just we see how you are around him. You like him a lot Mom and he's head over heels for you and it's kinda of gross to watch." Rory laughed on the inside about Hadley's words.
"I don't feel right not telling you guys this before, I make you go up there. Jess...I'm dating...we're dating," Rory final got out, afraid to see her kids reaction.
"We're happy for you Mom. We like him as long as he doesn't hurt you, then we don't have a problem with him, right Kob?" Hadley asked. Rory smiled at her kids, they had huge hearts like she had at their age.
"Yep," he agreed. "Can we go up and eat now?" Rory laughed at her youngest, leading the way to Jess' apartment.
Rory explained to Jess that she had already told the kids that they were already dating. Both kids had found the books that were scattered around his place. Both very involved in the books. Hadley more so then Kolby. Jess nodded kissing her. Rory smiled into the kiss.
She helped get the table set. Hadley pouted that she had to be pulled away from her book. She was loving Jess' comments in the margin. Jess had to laugh at that, daughter was just like her mother was. Talk over dinner was about school and work. Jess found that he was enjoying himself being a family man. It was a picture he never saw that would be complete, but now, it was a different story.
"What was it you had to talk to us about, here?" Hadley asked, picking at her half eaten piece of apple pie. Kolby looked up from his piece. Neither one had actually thought of how they were going to tell them the news. It had been running through their heads but now that they had to say it, it wasn't that easy.
"The tests you two had to take at the clinic a few weeks ago, the results came back," Rory started to tell them.
"Is Jess our father?" Kolby asked, getting right to the point for his mother.
"Yes, I am, buddy," Jess told him, taking Rory's hand under the table.
"Oh," Kolby responded. Hadley said nothing getting up and walking out the door, Kolby right behind his sister. Rory sighed.
"They need time," she said. She was assuring herself along with Jess that they only needed time to come to terms about this. "It's not easy on them."
"I can't imagine it is," he replied. "I just didn't think they were going to leave." Rory nodded at his words, watching the door, wishing her kids to come back through it. "Why don't we go for a walk and see if we can't find where our kids went," he suggested. Hearing him say that, this time for real, warmed her heart.
"I'd like that," she told him, quickly getting to her feet.
"I know we have a lot to talk about in terms of how things are going to change now, but as their father, I don't want your mother or you to be sneaking them coffee. I know you lived on that stuff growing up, but it's not good for them, Rory." She smiled, letting a small chuckle out. "What?" He asked.
"I forgot how much like Luke you can be," she grinned up at him. Jess chuckled, taking her hand leading her out to the streets. "I make no promises," she smirked. Jess shot her a serious look and let the comment go, for now.
Their walk around time was a silent one. They were basking in the happenings from the day. It seemed liked their lives had changed hugely in the last 12 hours of their life, but it changed in a wonderful way. They both smiled, seeing the kids sitting on the bridge. "It seems that they have discovered our hideout," Jess commented.
"We can share with them, for the most part," Rory smiled, walking to where the kids sat. Rory sat down by Hadley and Jess sat down next to Kolby. "You okay?" Rory asked, softly.
"It's nothing against you Jess, honestly, you're a good guy, one that anyone would be happy to call Dad," Hadley told him. "It's just a lot to handle. We thought our Dad was our dad, but he's not. How can you do something like that to him Mom?" Hadley asked, with tears in her eyes.
"It's complicated and one day you'll understand it all. I promise," Rory told her daughter. She wasn't looking forward to going into all the details with her kids, but at some point she was going to have no other choice but to tell them the truth.
"You're not going to leave us like our old Dad did, are you?" Kolby asked, with a wet face, from where his tears had stained his face.
"Never bud, you're gonna be stuck with me, no matter what happens with your Mother and I," Jess told him. "That's a promise."
They spent the next hour smoothing things over. When Hadley and Kolby were content with the answers given, Jess walked his family back to their temporary home above the diner. He was already thinking about the day he would be able to tuck them into bed at their house and see them first thing in the morning. He didn't know how to be a dad, but with kids like Kolby and Hadley, he was going to learn that it wasn't going to be that hard. They were his kids, he had to wonder if either of them were going to be like him when they got older. Stars Hollow did need a new hoodlum to wreck havoc on Taylor. He tucked both his kids into bed, kissing their heads, with whispered good nights. He turned the lights off, joining Rory down in the diner. He wasn't ready to leave his family, but he had to take things slow with Rory and he was finding that was going to be harder than he had expected. He had to keep reminding himself that it was one day at a time.