A/N: Hello, lovely people! Here comes another fairly long chapter for you, and the whole family is here - Rory, Jess, Lorelai, Luke, Emily, Richard, and your favourite and mine, Christopher (yeah, I know, that was sarcasm, okay? lol), as we present to you Friday Night Dinner! :)

(For disclaimer, etc. - see Prologue)

Chapter 36

If Rory had to choose which had been the most awkward moment since her father arrived in Stars Hollow for a visit, she would be hard pushed to pick just one, and so far he had only been here a few short hours! Having her dad meet her fiancé the way they had was pretty bad, with Jess pretty much telling Chris where to go before finding out his real identity. The fact he and Rory had been half way towards sex when her father started knocking on the door was also mortifying. Not that he knew exactly what he had interrupted, but Rory knew Christopher wasn't stupid - he had to have some idea. He also had to be well aware that his daughter was having sex. People didn't usually get pregnant without the process that leads to such a situation, but this was different, and so embarrassing.

So many more awkward moments had followed that first meeting between Chris and Jess. Rory had to leave them alone for a while, since she needed to get dressed and it took her way longer than it took Jess to be presentable. She never expected them to get along like best buds, not when Jess was the guy that got her pregnant, as well as the boy who crashed her car, broke her wrist, left her behind, broke her heart. Nobodies dad was ever going to massively impressed, but all this coupled with a bad first impression, Rory hated that things were icy between two of the most important men in her life before they ever really even had a conversation together.

They managed to talk like adults. To be fair, Christopher focused almost all his attention on Rory, checking on her condition, her health, her happiness. Then he had to go ahead and ask how Lorelai was doing. Telling her dad that her mom was happily dating somebody else felt very strange, especially when that man was Luke, and Jess' uncle.

"If she's happy then I'm happy for her," said Chris, though his tone betrayed him.

Jess bit his lip and said nothing. He supposed he couldn't really blame Christopher for not being Luke's biggest fan, and the reverse was also true for some pretty good reasons. No guy was going to like his ex's latest squeeze. No guy was going to be a fan of his almost-step-daughter's absentee biological father. Jess remembered some of his uncle's best anti-Chris rants and used to join in with them half the time. Anyone who let down Rory was pretty scummy as far as Jess was concerned, and he included himself on that list for a long time. At least he was trying to make amends, every single day. Christopher didn't exactly seem all that eager. Sure, he was here now, but he'd taken his sweet time. Plus he was only staying a couple of days, at least that's what he said. So much for caring.

"How's G.G.?" asked Rory when another akward silence desceneded.

"She's great, yeah," Chris nodded. "She's with my parents right now. I thought we should get the chance to talk without her running around," he explained, reaching into his pocket for his wallet.

He showed Rory a picture and she in turn showed Jess. Her fiancé smiled and nodded, though he could tell just from the snapshot what a brat the kid must be. That and the fact she was clearly spoiled from the way her father talked about her. It stung Rory to hear of all G.G.'s advantages, of all the time she and Chris supposedly spent together.

"It's tough on her since Sherry left," he sighed. "Only having one parent around, it's not fair."

Jess watched Rory flinch as if she'd been struck but her painted-on smile was back in a second. Christopher either didn't notice it was fake or just didn't care. Growing up with one parent was hard, Rory knew that better than anyone. Of course Jess pretty much grew up without a mother or a father. Jimmy was entirely absent, but Liz wasn't exactly the poster child for responsible parenting. Other things always got in the way of her being the model mom, stuff like men, booze, weed, and whatever latest project she decided was going to turn her life around. Jess shook his head, maybe at the memories of his own poor childhood, more so at Christopher's attitude when it came to his daughters.

"There's something to be said for growing up lacking in parenting," said Jess coolly, eyes fixed on Rory only even as he felt her father turn and glare at him again. "Makes you want to be the best you can be for your own kid," he said definitely. "At least, it should."

Rory smiled at that, as much gratitude as anything showing in the look she gave him. Jess understood, just like always. She didn't want to be hurt by her father's words. Christopher didn't mean to do it, to cause her pain, but he did it all the same, putting so much effort into G.G.'s upbringing though he barely ever kept a promise to Rory throughout her whole life. She never worried about Jess being absent or in any way negligent where their baby was concerned. He just wasn't that guy, and Rory believed he never would be.

Jess' watch beeping told him he had somewhere to be. His shift started at the diner in thirty minutes so he really had to get ready and go. Leaving Rory with her father was okay, he wouldn't harm her or anything, but still Jess wished he didn't have to. It wasn't as if he really believed Rory couldn't handle herself, or that she would listen to any bad-mouthing Christopher might decide to do behind his back. Jess would just rather throw the guy out right now and have done with it. To his mind, Lorelai's respect was worth the earning, just as Luke's had been. When it came to Chris, Jess couldn't care less.

Kissing Rory goodbye, Jess threw on his jacket and headed for the door. He physically jumped when he opened it and found a visitor on the porch, all ready to knock.

"Mrs R," he smiled at the sight of her. "I was headed to work..."

"I know this," she told him. "I thought perhaps Rory would like company while her man earns the crusts," she chuckled, slapping him on the shoulder.

"I'm sure she would, except her father is actually in there right now. Kinda turned up unannounced," he explained.

"Ah, that is nice," Mrs R said with a smile that wavered when she saw Jess' own expression. "It is not nice?" she checked.

"It's fine," he shrugged, zipping up his jacket against the cold. "Er, you want to head over to the diner with me instead? I can get you a free coffee now I own half the place," he told her, offering his arm which she gladly took.

"You are a good boy, Jess," she told him, something he didn't exactly hear a lot in his life and it made him feel as awkward as it did happy to have it said now.

Maybe Christopher wasn't Jess' biggest fan, but that ran both ways. At least Jess had Rory, Luke, Lorelai, and Mrs R in his corner. He was going to need them to be with Friday Night Dinner looming. Jess hoped Chris would be gone before then, and yet somehow he had a feeling that just wasn't going to be the case. If Emily and Richard got to hear about the great Christopher Hayden visiting, they would want him at dinner, Jess was sure on that.

"So, when do we go to see this new apartment that you and Rory are renting?" asked Mrs R as they stopped at the side of the road and checked for traffic before crossing.

"I don't know," admitted Jess, glad at least for the subject change that stopped him thinking about the blue bloods too much. "I've got plans to do a lot of the clean up and everything next weekend. Luke's going to help with any heavy lifting, Lorelai too. Rory wants to do as much as she can, but obviously in her condition, it's not so easy."

"Well, I am another pair of hands if you need me," Mrs Rossini promised him. "I have been cleaning my whole life, one way or another. A little more will not kill me off."

Jess thanked her but couldn't keep from laughing at the matter of fact way she spoke. He never had a grandmother in his life, but somehow he felt as if he did now, and to his mind, Mrs R was the coolest grandma anyone could ask for.

Jess wasn't sure how he was feeling about Friday Night Dinner. On the upside, after this, Christopher would finally leave. His couple of days had fast turned into five when the Gilmores got wind of his being in town and invited him to dinner, and though he had been civil to Jess and Luke both, he clearly didn't like either of them, and they had reasons enough to feel the same way about him. Five days was at least four too many to have Hayden around, and Jess said as much to Luke when they were alone in the diner. His uncle heartily agreed.

On the downside, Friday Night Dinner still meant an evening in the company of Richard and Emily. Though Rory's grandpa liked Jess well enough to talk about books and such, there was always the overpowering stench of disapproval in the room. Jess would always be the deadbeat that knocked up Richard's angelic grand-daughter, and that would forever mean uncomfortableness round the dinner table. As for Emily, she and Jess started badly from the get go, that first dinner almost two years ago now when he turned up late and cranky, complete with black eye, and left after a fight with Rory before the main course was even served. Once again, being the guy that got Rory unexpectedly pregnant at nineteen didn't exactly make him flavour of the month. Neither did standing up for his girlfriend/fiancé when she fought back against the grandparents herself. All in all, Jess knew he was walking into the lion's den going to this dinner, especially with the added acid of Christopher. It was going to be a long night.

"That'll be Dad," Rory smiled when a knock came on the door.

"Great," said Luke, rolling his eyes.

Lorelai swatted him in the chest.

"Play nice," she warned him, though a smile was trying to tug at her lips.

The truth was, she kind of liked that Luke and Chris were jealous of each other. A woman had to be flattered to have that kind of proof when it came to the guys in her life and their feelings for her. Of course, Lorelai was all for keeping the peace too. The last thing this dinner at her parents' house needed was an added fist fight.

"All ready to go?" asked Christopher as he came into the living room with Rory.

Lorelai looked around the room and literally counted the people out loud.

"One, two, three, four, five... and a half," she added with a grin as she got to Rory and her bump. "Yup, that's a complete set."

"I still think it's a shame Mrs Rossini wasn't feeling up to coming along," said Luke as he got up out of the armchair.

Lorelai gasped at his words.

"You would subject that nice lady to dinner with my parents?! For shame, Lucas Danes!"

Jess laughed at that, but soon stopped when Christopher looked oddly at him.

"Mrs Rossini looked fine when I saw her," he explained. "In fact she was headed out right when I was, on the arm of... er, Taylor Doose," he snapped his fingers as he remembered the name.

It was a tough call to choose who had the widest eyes at the sound of that news. Mrs R wasn't sick or even feeling tired. She had cried off on Friday Night dinner to go out with a guy, and not just any guy, but Taylor!

"Okay, I'm gonna need a minute to process," said Lorelai dramatically. "I know Mrs R made a couple of disturbing comments about Taylor's looks, I know they've had a couple of conversations at the market, but now they're... they..."

"They've gone on a date," said Jess flatly, his face screwing up with confusion and disgust both. "What the hell does she see in him?"

"People used to say that about me and you," said Rory matter of factly earning herself a scowl. "Well, they did!" she said, hands raised in mock-surrender.

"Takes all kinds to make the world go around, isn't that what they say?" said Luke with a shrug.

He didn't get it either, but hey, if Mrs Rossini was happy, surely that was all that mattered. Plus, if Taylor was distracted by a woman in his life, that might keep him off the back of Luke and his fellow business owners and the like. That could only be a good thing.

"I guess if Mrs R likes Taylor," said Lorelai thoughtfully, though she couldn't help the shudder that ran through her even as she spoke the words, "it would give her one more reason to stay here instead of going back to New York."

"It would be so great if she stayed in Stars Hollow," said Rory definitely.

"She'd be safer," agreed Jess. "And it's cool having her around."

"It really is."

There was no guarantee that Mrs Rossini would stay in the Hollow, or that things with her and Taylor would develop into anything more than friends. What was for certain was that if the Gilmore girls and their assorted menfolk didn't leave for dinner within the next five minutes they were going to be late.

"Nobody needs to be enduring any more Emily-type wrath than absolutely necessary tonight," said Lorelai definitely as she ushered everybody out of the door. "It'll be fine," she assured Rory, putting her arm around her shoulders.

They wandered out onto the porch behind the guys and Rory let her head drop onto her Mom's shoulder a moment.

"I know," she said with a brave smile.

"I'm still amazed by how big you've gotten, Rory," said Emily as they all sat around the dinner table, enjoying dessert. "And you glow. You look so beautiful."

"I don't feel beautiful most of the time," her granddaughter blushed. "But thank you."

"The baby is due in March?" Richard checked.

"March 14th, that's what the doctor said," said Rory, nodding her head. "And it won't be a day too soon for me."

"Me either," agreed Jess, smiling at her from across the table.

It irked him some that Christopher and shoved himself in between Rory and Lorelai, forcing himself and Luke to the other side. Of course the upside was he was across from his beautiful fiancé and shifting his chair a little put Luke opposite Lorelai, so it wasn't so bad. The real miracle was how nice the Gilmore elders were being, even going so far as to congratulate Rory and Jess and appear genuinely pleased when they announced they were engaged now.

It was true enough that Emily was still directing most of her focus to the more familial side of the table, but she was keeping her scowls and sour tones to a minimum and had even spoken quite nicely to Jess and Luke when she had to. It could've been a lot worse tonight.

"It still kind of freaks me out to know I'm going to be a grandfather," said Chris then. "I only just became a father again recently."

"Huh. I hadn't thought about that before," said Lorelai with a look of concentration. "So, Baby RJ is going to have an aunt that's only two years older than him."

"Baby RJ?" echoed Richard with a frown.

"Sure. Baby Rory-Jess," his daughter explained as if it were so obvious. "Since these two can't pick a frickin' name already, I have to have something to call the little guy, and so, he is Baby RJ until they come up with something definite."

"Says the woman who was so prepared for the arrival of her daughter that she resorted to naming me Lorelai," said Rory with a chuckle. "Not that I don't love my name, but you were so short of imagination you just gave me yours."

"Hey, don't look at me for support," said Luke as Lorelai did just that. "I wasn't there, I have no idea!"

"No, but maybe you could explain to me why my mother decided to start with the child cruelty from Day One," said Jess then, looking to his uncle for an explanation. "I mean, Jess? Really? None of the actual given names appealed to her?"

"Liz is... well, you know, she's your mother after all," Luke shrugged helplessly. "Be glad you weren't born a girl. Pretty sure she was thinking of Doula if you were female."

The look on Jess' face proved he was no more impressed by that than by his actual name.

"Speaking for myself, I've always favoured the use of family names for children," said Richard innocently, as if he wasn't implying one more time that his great-grandson should be named after himself. "Lorelai was named after my mother, you know, and I myself was named for my grandfather."

"It's something to think about," said Rory, shooting a look at Jess that begged him to let it go, please - thankfully he didn't say a word.

"Speaking of family, Richard and I actually have a little announcement to make of our own," said Emily, daintily wiping her mouth on her napkin and folding her hands. "As you all know, after some time apart, we have been reunited. As you may also know, it's our wedding anniversary quite soon, our fortieth in fact."

"And with that in mind," said Richard, taking over from his wife. "I asked Emily if she would like to marry me again," he explained. "We're going to have a vow renewal."

"Oh wow, that's cool," said Lorelai with genuine enthusiasm. "Am I invited?" she asked, bouncing in her seat.

Emily rolled her eyes.

"Well, of course you're invited, Lorelai!" she told her what she must already know. "In fact, I was wondering, if... well, if you would be my maid of honour?"

Lorelai was genuinely stunned and it showed on her face. It took Christopher elbowing her in the ribs to make her actually remember she needed to answer.

"Er, yeah, Mom," she said eventually. "I'd love to do that."

"Of course, I was hoping Rory would be a bridesmaid also, but I understand if it would be too much for you."

"I think I might be too much for a dressmaker," her grand-daughter smiled. "But if you can find a tent big enough, I'd love to do it."

"Of course, that leaves the issue of my best man," said Richard, clearing his throat. "Were circumstances different, there is every likelihood I would've been quite unconventional and given Rory that role, but as things are.. well, clearly that's not really possible," he explained it vague hand gestures and an awkward expression. "However, it occurs to me that there is another who might stand in her stead. Jess, you have been such a great pillar of strength for our Rory and have proved yourself quite the worthy young man. I understand that it might make you uncomfortable and you are quite at liberty to refuse, but if you would accept the job, I wonder if you might stand up with me?"

All eyes were on Jess and he had never been so uncomfortable in his whole life. He knew Richard liked him well enough, but to ask him to be best man at his do-over wedding, that was just too much to comprehend.

"Jess!" said Luke in a sharp whisper, prompting his nephew to give some answer after two long minutes of silence.

"Mork calling Orson! Come in Orson!" said Lorelai in a strange voice that Emily didn't understand and didn't care to.

Rory might've laughed if she wasn't feeling so stupidly emotional. Her grandpa had just done something so amazing, accepting Jess as part of the family in a way she never expected. It was for her, she was all aware of that. Now she just had to hope Jess accepted politely and didn't make a big deal.

"Look, Richard..." Christopher began, but Jess cut in fast as soon as he realised what was about to happen.

"Sure, I'll do it." he said definitely. "I mean, yeah, I'd... I'd be honoured."

That part was kind of a lie, but it seemed like the kind of words someone like Richard Gilmore would want to hear. Besides, it was worth it all when he looked at Christopher and saw him scowl, and then at Rory who was smiling brightly with happy tears sparkling in her eyes. Being part of the Gilmore clan felt like a nightmare sometimes, but it also had its perks, Jess knew. Maybe tonight hadn't turned out so bad after all.

To Be Continued...