It was funny how Odette's worry about what Henri would say or do at the notaries had switched to worry of something so simple as being able to keep her food down. The morning sickness hadn't been as terrible each day but still, slight waves of nausea swept over her several times a day. Thankfully, when they arrived at the majestic checkerboard marble floored waiting hall at the notary, it's halls echoing eerily in their emptiness, the coolness of the building calmed her significantly. Jess had wanted to be there this time, though willing to wait outside, but in case anything went wrong, he knew he needed to be close to Odette.

Natalie arrived a minute later, dressed in a black pencil dress, her brown hair cut jaw-length. Next to her, Odette seemed almost dressed too softly in a beige pleated skirt along with a simple white t-shirt and matching ¾ length sleeve suit over it - quite strategically, wanting Henri to underestimate her a little.

Odette introduced Jess to Natalie and whispered to her ear, letting her know she'd not been feeling too great these past few days, in case she did have to run for the nearest bathroom, charting her options as they spoke. They both knew that if possible, this information was better kept to themselves, Natalie making the logical conclusion without Odette having to spell it out for her.

It wasn't long until the four, Natalie's PA included, saw Henri along with his legal team approaching, choosing a stand 20 feet from them to continue whatever they were talking about.

"Monsieur et Madam Aubertin," the short round man in his 60's invited them to the conference room, holding the heavy double-doors open for them.

Odette squeezed Jess' hand assuringly, not really sure who of them needed to be assured more at this point, just before they entered, leaving Jess in the hall, waiting, walking back and forth his hands tucked into his pockets. He'd prepared himself for a lengthy wait, but was surprised when the heavy doors were heaved open only 15 minutes later, Natalie and Odette stepping over to Jess, inviting him along to one of the smaller conference rooms nearby, while Jess could see from the corner of his eye Henri speaking irritatedly to his two lawyers.

"What's going on?" he asked, confusedly, as the conference room door closed behind them. The room was grand, bordered with antique filing cabinets.

"He wasn't very happy with our counter agreements. His lawyers are looking them through as we speak. We're meeting them again in an hour," Odette explained, as Natalie began going through the non-disclosure agreement Henri's legal team had prepared. They'd proposed a non-disclosure agreement in regards to Odette's whereabouts, new name and any other related details. Additionally they'd made a proposal for a settlement, which would be applied into action in case Henri himself had any future claims to Odette, making him pay back the entire inheritage she was now prepared to donate. They were a little proud of themselves for thinking of that, but clearly that was not something Henri had appreciated, but they'd figured as much.

"Most likely he'll want to add something from his side, we'll just have to hope they can come up with their counter offer soon, not delay the process much longer," Odette added.

"His part of the contract looks fairly standard though - basically stating that you cannot use the family name anymore, not for yourself or your children, you are to deny any connection if say press were to approach you. You cannot publish any memoirs or anything of the kind," Natalie explained a moment later, continuing to list a few more details.

"So I guess I'll have to delete the draft I wrote, huh?" Jess chuckled, nervously.

"Well technically he doesn't mention anything about someone else writing anything, and if it is non-distinct as in doesn't mention any names, specific places or cannot be linked through confirmable situations, he'd only have a weak case, but I do recommend you refrain from playing with fire if possible. He's not the kind of guy you want to end up in a courtroom with - he's got money and time to delay it for a very long time," Natalie lectured.

"I get it," Jess nodded.

"And then he wants her to revoke her mother's inheritage as well," Natalie added.

"I suppose that's only smart, so I wouldn't have to go through this again," Odette noted, drinking a glass of water. She'd been very thirsty recently, which she'd also linked to be a prengnancy symptom.

"Have you thought about what else you are willing to do, if he makes any other claims? So I know how to react," Natalie asked.

"I'm not sure what else he could want? More money? Would he really?" Odette asked. Her brother hardly needed any more money, if he did request it, that was simply to intimidate her and make her life difficult.

"I wouldn't know. I suppose it's rather that than anything else," Natalie replied based on her experience.

The notaries assistant invited them back into the conference room after 45 minutes or so and Jess continued to wait now in the conference room, returning a call to Luke, who'd asked him to call back some minutes earlier. It was as good a distraction as any.

"Hi," Jess began, as Luke picked up.

"Jess, hi. I didn't expect to hear back from you this early," he stated surprisedly, sounding clearly busy with something.

"Oh, sorry, I hope I didn't wake you. I'm in a different time zone actually, I just didn't check the time there to be honest," he added apologetically, doing the math quickly in his head - it must've been just 6 AM there.

"I'm at work already, no worries. But where are you?" Luke asked, confusedly.

"Paris," he stated, glancing out the window out onto the busy street.

"Paris-Paris?" Luke inquired in disbelief. He would've never figured Jess as the type.

"It's nothing like that," Jess replied, reading him from his tone he was beginning to imagine him photographing the Eiffel Tower and having romantic candellight dinners by Seine. Well it wasn't a romantic get-away or anything like that technically, despite them having their less stereotypical moments.

"Este is finishing up some financial stuff with her family, I'm here for moral support," he added.

"Sounds serious," Luke commented, sounding a little concerned.

"Well that depends on how it goes, they're talking to the notary as we speak. It's all in French so I'm just waiting around uselessly," he added, honestly. He hated the powerlessness.

"I'm sure she appreciates you being there, nonetheless," Luke said.

"So what did you want to talk to me about?" Jess asked.

"Lorelai insists on coming to New York next weekend to go shopping with Rory, you know, baby stuff, and she's dragging me along naturally. I just wondered if you weren't up to much I'd perhaps hang around with you instead," Luke asked somewhat apologetically, as if feeling like he was intruding. But knowing him, wanting to escape from a shopping session with Lorelai was only logical.

"Sure," he replied, "that is, if I am back by then. I hope we are. And we're sort of temporarily living in Brooklyn at my rental and the place is full of boxes so we'll have to find some other place to go, I guess," Jess added, realizing the complex situation waiting back home.

"What happened to her place?" Luke asked.

"She's in the process of selling it," Jess explained. The realtor was indeed complying the contracts as they spoke to be signed once they returned.

"And what, she'll just move in with you?" Luke inquired, not quite following. Why would anyone give up their townhouse to live in a rental apartment?

"We're looking at places together, Park Slope or something equivalent, but we haven't had much time to do that yet. It's on the top of our list once we get back," Jess added. They'd already bookemarked 9 places that they wanted to see, only two of them actually in a price range Jess would've preferd. But he didn't blame her, she had a specific taste, and some difficulty imagining how simple some things were to fix themselves. In way he wanted to do some fixing up, as if to prove his worth, not that he needed it, but he wanted it - to put his own touch on the place.

"Right," Luke sighed. "Don't most people first get married and then think about BUYING real estate together?" Luke added, realizing that they really weren't doing anything in the traditional order, once he'd said it.

"And don't most people get married earlier than 10 years after getting together with their girlfriends?" Jess noted at Luke's own relationship.

"Yeah, I know.. Just make sure you have proper agreements made, how you'll split it in case… you know. I hate to say things like this, but just in case," Luke advised. He really didn't want to doubt what they had, but trutfully he hadn't seen much of their relationship first hand, so he had little to go on other than what Jess had said.

"I know," Jess assured him. Thankfully this was a matter in which he and Odette really saw eye-to-eye, thinking practically about the long term existence, even if they didn't work out in the most classical sense - neither of them wanted to be dysfunctional parents who fought over money.

"Well, alright, we'll talk later in the week, I suppose. I hope everything works out over there," Luke said.

"Thanks," he replied.

He browsed through his e-mails as he waited, replying to a few and considered briefly if he should give Rory a call, but he recalled them being in Vancouver this week and Rory was definitely not the one who appreciated an early morning wakeup call just so he could kill some time.

Natalie returned first, perhaps an half an hour later than they'd gone in, replying to Jess' questioning look, "she'll be right here, she just went to the bathroom."

"Anything serious?" he asked, wondering what had happened or if she hadn't been feeling well.

"She should tell you herself, you know... Attorney client privilege," she replied.

Jess knew this of course, and Odette had told Natalie it was fine to discuss her matters in his presence, alone on the other hand, would've needed authorizations which they hadn't considered vital.

"God, I hate him," Odette huffed as she returned a few minutes later, having clearly washed her face with some water in between, her hair slightly damp around the edges of her face.

"Are you feeling okay?" Jess asked, concernedly.

"Oh yeah, no nausea, just needed to cool down," she said.

"So what does he want?" Jess inquired, glancing between the two.

"My original trust fund - anything I've gotten from the family essentially. Apparently if I am not carrying out the family obligations I don't deserve any of the benefits either," she explained.

"And with that he'd sign everything you've proposed?" he asked.

"So he said," Natalie said.

"It's about the entire value of the house," Odette explained. "I'd survive, I wouldn't be bare, but it's quite a dent," she added, glancing at him a little worriedly. She trusted him, but she did worry if that sort of a dent changed anything for him. The life they would live would be significantly less lavish than it was now, involving more work, more worry about managing in turbulent times.

"Your money, your call. We'll be fine," he assured.

"I kind of feel like he's expecting me to refuse, like that'd be my last straw and I'd come running back to them," Odette contemplated.

"But I have a feeling you won't," Jess commented. In her state, with the new information, he knew that she wasn't willing to do it under any circumstances.

It still blew Odette's mind how Jess didn't even aske about what she'd be left with. And with his assurance, she'd never felt more secure in her life. They wouldn't be homeless, nor alone. They had their brains, their friends and their health. Was there really anything to consider at all?

"Okay, Natalie, I think we can go back in," she stated, and Natalie's PA went to deliver the message.

Jess wrapped his arms around her hugging her supportively, whispering, "I love you," to her ear.

"You have no idea," she replied quietly.