"Pregnant? Again?" asks Lorelai stunned. She drops her purse in shock.

"I know it's crazy. I'm surprised. We both are. Me. And Jess. He's the father." Rory babbles, words falling out. "I won't screw up this time mom, I promise I won't, I'll do it right. Do it how you did it, you did it right. More than right, you did it perfect, pretty much perfect. It'll be different to Vic. Mom, I'm so sorry."

Lorelai shakes her head confused. "Why?"

"Sorry I disappointed you."

"Honey, you didn't disappoint me!"

"But you're crying!" cries Rory, almost weeping herself.

Lorelai touches her cheek. Damp. She hadn't even realised. She grabs Rory's shoulders quickly.

"Because I'm happy." she whispers, smiling.

"You are?"

"Are you kidding? You're my only kid, I thought I wasn't gonna get any more grandkids, I'm thrilled."

"You are?"

"Beyond thrilled."

"Me too."

"Strong heartbeat, normal length... everything looks perfect Miss Gilmore." A clean cut, professional looking nurse is taking care of them today. She's friendly in the slightly fake way that people who work in customer services usually are. She's gentle, though, handing Rory a tissue to wipe off the cold gel.

"So everything's... healthy?" says Jess, slightly incredulous. For some reason he had a feeling that things were going to be more complicated. Maybe because Rory was an older mother. Or because they hadn't planned this baby. As if that made any difference.

"Yes. Very." says the nurse, flashing them the same pristine smile she must give endless parents that come through here. "Was it this straightforward with your first?" she asks Jess, nodding to Victoria.

Victoria barely notices her mistake. She was given the ultrasound picture to hold when it was printed. It felt almost as important as being asked to hold a newborn baby. She strokes the tiny hands with her thumb. 'Hi baby' she whispers to herself.

"She's... uh... this one is my first." says Jess, laying his hand over Rory's stomach.

"Yes, this is my daughter, and no. Things were a little more complicated. She was always a little smaller than she was supposed to be. They were worried about her positioning too. And she was a dancer in there, I guess. Always moving and flipping too much, right up until delivery." Rory smiles, remembering the feeling of holding her baby, the soft blanket, the smell.

"I didn't know that." says Victoria, softly.

Rory smiles at her and then at the nurse. "Anything else we should know?"

"I'll just talk you through our pre-natal advice..."

Rory, Jess and Victoria stand outside the hospital in a slight trance. Besides the unusual sensation of seeing inside someone, it's also dawning on all of them how real this all is. Rory takes a deep breath.

"Vicky, could you wait in the car, babe?" she asks. Victoria nods and wanders out into the parking lot.

"That was... amazing. I can't believe there's a baby inside you. I can't believe we made that." Jess mumbles.

"I know." giggles Rory.

"Man, we are not good enough for that baby. Not even a little bit. Not even close."

"We're gonna have to learn to be."

"I guess."

"Baby hasn't got any other parents. She's stuck with us."

"She?"

"I think it's a girl."

Jess laughs "You do? See that's funny cus I know it's a boy."

"You know? Calm down there Mr Omniscient."

"I know." Jess laughs, he takes Rory's hands. "I know we're gonna do this together too. I know I love you still. I know you love me still."

Rory smiles and rolls her eyes at his cliché, cheesy line. But it touches her. "Guess you really are omniscient, huh?" she says, turning away from him and walking back to the car.

"Knock knock." calls Rory, leaning on the doorframe of Victoria's bedroom. "Can I come in?"

"You're halfway there already." says Victoria, with a wave of her arm that Rory takes as confirmation that it's alright to perch on the end of Vic's bed. Her bed.

"So listen, this baby... I guess it just moves up our timeframe a little."

"What do you mean?"

"Just that... we should be together. With Jess. In our own place so that we can... y'know... be a family." Rory stutters. "The three of us. Three and a half."

"So you and Jess are back together?" asks Victoria. Rory notices the confidence and smoothness in her tone. No stutters.

"We're getting there."

"You don't have to bring me with you." says Victoria, almost casually. That can't be genuine, can it? She's putting up a wall.

"Of course you're coming with me, you're my daughter."

"I can stay here with Luke and Lorelai. I'm sure they won't mind. I'll be quiet and I won't use too much water."

"Stop that!"

"Why? Why does matter where I am?"

"Because I'm not losing you again! I'm not doing that, I can't."

"That didn't matter the first time!" yells Victoria. Silence. Her words hang in the air.

Rory inhales sharply. "I told you, baby. The circumstances... the custody lawyers... we couldn't have..."

"But you didn't even try."

"I.."

"You didn't even try. You could've tried." Vic sinks into the bed and picks at the stitching on the bedspread.

"I could've, I didn't know it but I could've. I should've. If I could go back I would do it all different but I can't. I haven't got that chance. I've got this one. I've got you, my beautiful girl," Rory reaches out and strokes Victoria's cheek, who flinches. "I've got now. I've got this baby. And you're going to be with me. If you don't want to go to New York, we won't. We'll stay here as long as you need. Forever, if you say the word."

"What about Jess?"

Rory waves her hand dismissively. "For me to worry about, not you. Honey, I don't think I've done one thing right as a mother. But this is right, I feel it."

Thanks for reading, leave a review and let me know what you thought. I really love and appreciate any feedback.