NOTE: I don't own these Gilmore Girls characters but I do love the show so much.
A/N: You guys are the best. I love how the reviews keep coming. It's making me get a warm and squishy feeling. I love that feeling. Keep it up, OK? Now on with the story.
CHAPTER 8
Jess practically marched through the hallways of the school the next day. He had been up for most of the day looking up phone books for Shane's number. When he had finally found it she had refused to pick up.
"God, come on, Shane," Jess urged as her phone continued to ring.
"Morning, Coach." Jess looked over and saw Rosa's teacher and quickly rushed up to her.
"Mrs. Taylor, hi," Jess greeted quickly. "I really need to see Rosa. Is she in your class?"
Mrs. Taylor turned to look at him. "Rosa didn't come to school today." Jess looked confused. "Her mother didn't call the school either."
"Great," Jess sighed annoyed. He headed for the front double doors of the school.
As he went out Shane walked in, both bumping into each other.
"Shane, finally," Jess said.
"I don't have time for you." Shane started to walk pass him. "My kid is missing."
Jess went to stand in front of her. "What do you mean? She's not here."
"What do you mean she's not here?"
"I mean unless Rosa has finally mastered the ultimate power of invincibility then she's not here."
"I do not believe this," Shane grumbled. "Damn it. She just took off."
"Good." Jess folded his arms. "Maybe then she'll get a break from your fists."
Shane looked at him incredulously. "What are you talking about?" she asked cooly.
"Don't play dumb," Jess said then shrugged. "But I guess in your case there's really no playing involved."
"I don't have time for this." Shane turned and exited the school.
Jess followed after her. "What's wrong, Shane? You can't handle the truth?"
"Just get away from me," Shane said all too calmly.
"You never seemed like an abuser when we were dating."
"You didn't know anything about me when we were dating."
"Is that why you didn't tell me about our daughter?" Shane suddenly stopped in her tracks and slowly turned and faced his brown eyes. "That's right. I know Rosa's mine, Shane."
"You don't anything," Shane said as she began to walk again.
Jess jogged up to her. "I know why you didn't tell me when you got a good look at me at the game. You were afraid I'd find out about those bruises."
"You suddenly care about me?" Shane kept marching. "You weren't anywhere to be seen when I was pregnant."
"You didn't think to tell me you were gonna have my child."
"I had to get away!" Shane suddenly exclaimed, turning around to face him. "People already thought I was a slut for dating you, especially your little girlfriend... Trory."
"Rory," Jess corrected firmly.
"I don't care! Just stay away from me and stay away from Rosa." Before Shane could walk again Jess grabbed her wrist.
"If you think I'm going to let you keep hurting her, you're in for a suprise, lady."
Shane just snatched away and stormed off.
Jess went back towards the school and climbed into his car, immediately driving off.
Jess drove up and down the streets of LA, thinking of places a child like Rosa would go. He went to every nearby book store and library that he spotted on the way. Jess's mind could not help but race. One moment he was Rosa's gym teacher and the next he's her... father. It just seemed impossible.
However impossible it seemed the pieces all seemed to fit together. Shane got pregnant right before Jess left and he had slept with her, mainly using her only for the physical. He hadn't cared for Shane, not the way he had for Rory.
Sure, it was possible that Jess hadn't been the only person Shane had slept with. That just wasn't the case, though. Rosa had Jess's eyes, his hair, plus she was smart, very much like Jess. There was no doubt in Jess's mind. He was her father; definitely.
After a couple hours of driving around, searching the area, Jess's mind could only focus on Rosa. They had only known each other a short time yet Jess felt closer to her than he did anyone on the team. Her imagination floated all through Jess's mind; Like when she had tried to trick him into taking her to McDonald's. A sudden light bulb went off on top of Jess's head. That McDonald's! She could have went there.
Jess quickly turned his car around and speeded towards the McDonald's Rosa had tricked him into taking her to.
Just as Jess had suspected Rosa sat at a double seat table in the McDonald's, reading the book Jess had gotten for her, lost in her own world. A passing janitor walked up to Rosa's table.
"Hey, little lady," he greeted with a smile. "Shouldn't you be at school?"
Rosa flashed her brown eyes up at him. "I don't go to school," she whispered.
"Oh, really?"
"Nope," Rosa shook her head. "I used to go to school then it blew up and all the kids went flying on bricks. I fell in front of the McDonald's."
The janitor nodded in amusement before going back to mopping.
When Rosa looked up from her book again she saw a police officer enter the restaurant and walked up to one employee who stood behind a cash register.
"Excuse me, Miss," the officer said, pulling a picture from his pocket. "This little girl was reported to be in this area. Have you seen her? Her name is Rosa Brookes." The woman behind the register examined the photo closely.
Rosa held her book tightly before getting down from where she sat and slipped towards the door. The officer glanced down at her then looked at the picture he held. He called after Rosa, "Hey," but the girl just raced out of the McDonald's.
Rosa ran and ran, looking back to see that the officer wasn't far behind. She speeded up as fast as she could before smack crashing into someone. Rosa, panicking, glanced up into Jess's brown eyes.
"Rosa," he sighed with relief. "There you are."
"Coach Jess!" Rosa suddenly exclaimed. "Come on. We gotta go." She tugged on his arm.
"Whoa. It's OK," Jess said, attempting to calm her. He wriggled his hands a little before finally lifting the small child up. "Come on."
Jess headed over to his car and sat Rosa in the back seat, the officer coming up too late to see that the child was Rosa. Jess went around to the front of the car and drove off. Rosa sighed with relief, seeing that the officer had no idea where she was.
Jess took them both back to his building and up to the apartment. Rosa sat on his couch, hugging her knees. She glanced down at the book that she had sat on the floor, as if it were her prized possession. Jess soon re-entered the room, carrying a tray.
"Hey." He caught Rosa's attention and she looked up at him. "I didn't know what you liked." Jess pulled over his coffee table and sat the tray down on it. "I don't exactly have much kid related food."
Rosa looked at the plate of cookies he had on the tray, next to a cup of chocolate milk. She slowly took one of the store bought cookies and bit into it then immediately devoured it.
Rosa smiled, "Chocolate and cinnamon. That's my favorite."
"Yeah, well, they were on sale," Jess shrugged. Rosa sipped at the chocolate milk. "Rosa, we gotta... talk."
Rosa sat down the glass of milk, a chocolate mustache on her upper lip. "What's wrong, Coach Jess?"
Jess sat his hand down on her left forearm as he said, "Well, it's just that—"
"Ouch," Rosa winced, taking her arm away.
"What is it?" Jess asked with concern.
"Nothing," Rosa replied quickly.
"No." Jess shook his head seriously. "Rosa, let me see."
Rosa sighed and slowly tugged her sleeve up, revealing a large bruise that was so dark it was nearly black. Jess's eyes widened; he could not believe it.
"It was my fault," Rosa explained abruptly. "I—"
"No," Jess interrupted her with a sudden snap. "Rosa, look, I know you like to make up stories and you're good at it but you have to tell me the truth."
"No!" Rosa shouted unexpectedly. "I don't have to tell you anything."
Jess could not believe her tone. "Yes, you do," he said amazingly firm.
"Why?" Rosa asked him.
Jess thought about it for a moment before finally replying, "Because I'm your father." Rosa looked at him in disbelief. "I'm your father, Rosa," Jess said again, unable to believe his own words.
Before Rosa could say anything Jess's front door burst open with a pair of police officers, Shane right behind them. She ran up to the couch where Jess and Rosa sat.
"There she is," Shane said. "That's my daughter."
"What's going on?" Jess questioned. "Shane?"
One officer said to Jess, "Sir, you're under arrest for kidnapping a minor."
A/N: I left it on a cliff hanger. That is wrong of me. Well, I'll update soon. Please review! Also I'm sorry if something in my last story was repeated. I'll try not to let that happen again.