DREAM COME TRUE

NOTE: I own Rosa and any other Gilmore Girls characters I make up. The rest belong to the wonderful WB.

A/N: I am a horrible person in every way. I haven't updated this story since, well, last year. I am very, very sorry about that. I'll make it up to you. Ice cream sounds good to everyone? Yeah? Great. Enjoy!

                                               CHAPTER 8

          The sound of the TV being on could be heard as Rory entered Jess' apartment, using her key. She looked around to see the living room empty. Rory picked up the remote and clicked off the TV.

          "Hello," she called. "Jess?" Rory peeked her head into Jess' bedroom door. Jess sat in a chair, looking out his window. "Hey."

          Jess looked over at her. "Rory," he acknowledged.

          "Is Rosa asleep?" Rory asked him, slipping off her coat.

          "Yeah," Jess sighed.

          "I guess she really freaked you out earlier," Rory said as she took a seat at the foot of the bed.

          "Understatement there." Jess sighed, looking at her. "Made me realize something." Rory looked closely at him. "Is it always gonna be this way? Me having to freak out over everything?"

          "I think this is just the tip of the freak-burg," Rory said. "She's going to start dating, driving, voting for people like George Bush."

          "Not a chance in hell," said Jess immediately.

          Rory smiled at him and said, "She's fine."

          "For a minute there, I thought she wasn't." Jess went over and joined Rory on the bed.

          Rory leaned in and gave him a light kiss on the lips. "Better?"

          "Very." Jess put a hand to the back of her head and kissed her back.

          They lay back on the bed, Jess on top of Rory, seriously sucking face.

          Rory suddenly broke off from the kiss. "No, no. We can't. Your daughter is in the next room."

          "She's not a month old, Rory. I'm thinking she can sleep through the night," Jess pointed out then went for another kiss.

          "No, I cannot spend the night here. It's just… wrong."

          "Rosa's six. We'll tell her we overstuffed on burgers and they caused us to sleep wrapped in each other's arms. Something tells me the kid wouldn't have trouble believing that."

          "Jess," Rory sighed. "No. I can't."

          "Fine," Jess also sighed.

          Rory stood and headed for the door then turned back. "One more for the road." She went up, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him closely.

          When Rory pulled back again Jess said, "It's a long road ahead."

          They began to kiss again and found themselves sitting on the bed. They lay back down again and soon became more involved in their kiss, losing the annoying thing known as time.

          Rory peeked open her eyes the following morning, yawning lightly. She glanced over at the alarm clock next to Jess' bed, which read seven o'clock. The brown haired young woman gasped a little then turned over to see Jess asleep next to her. Rory sat up, hugging the sheet against her bare upper body.

          "Jess," she whispered.

          He moaned a little and opened his eyes. "Hey."

          "Get up," Rory hissed. "It's seven in the morning and I have to get out of here before Rosa wakes up."

          "You would have been out of here last night," said Jess. "But you just had to keep goin' and goin' and—"

          Rory slapped his arm. "Shut up." She glanced around the bedroom. "Have you seen my clothes?"

          After they finally got dressed Jess and Rory headed out of the bedroom, only to see that Rosa was sitting at the kitchen's island, overflowing a bowl with cereal. As she picked up the milk, Rosa glanced back at them.

          "Morning," she said, her voice mouse soft.

          "Oh," Rory squeaked. "Hi, honey. We were just… we had a thing…" Rosa blinked her eyes in confusion. "Uh, never mind."

          "Hey, knock it off," Jess said, approaching the island. "You're spilling valuable Captain Crunch here." He reached for the cereal box, but Rosa jumped back. Both Rory and Jess looked at her in total confusion.

          "I'm sorry," Rosa apologized. "I won't do it again. I promise. I really, really, really, really promise."

          "I think I'll take your word on it," Jess said suspiciously.

          "Hey…" Rory came upon them. "What's going on?"

          Rosa just turned away and picked up the gallon of milk, pouring it over her large bowl of Captain Crunch.

          Rory turned to Jess for the answer. "It's nothing," he assured her.

          "Well, I have to get home," Rory said, deciding to let it go for now. "Get ready to go to work." She gave Jess a light peck on the cheek. "See you later. Bye, Rosa."

          "Bye," Rosa whispered.

          Rory stared at the girl as she went out the front door.

          Jess turned back to his daughter. "You OK?" he asked. Rosa nodded her head vigorously. "Look, Rosa, about last night… I—"

          "I won't be bad anymore." Rosa flashed her brown eyes at him. "I mean it."

          Jess was stunned. The last time he had seen fear in Rosa's eyes that was… when she was with Shane. It all hit Jess in an instant. All of those nightmares Rosa had been having, all of those God-awful memories, they were all rushing back. How could Jess have possibly been so stupid about it all?

          "Rosa, listen to me," Jess said gently. He reached out to touch her cheek affectionately, but the six-year-old jerked her head back.

          Jess stood shocked. "Rosa…"

          The tiny girl began to eat her cereal, which was turning soggy. Jess released a sigh then turned to pick his jacket up off the couch. Had he really blown it?

A/N: I know a lot of you are upset about Jess giving Rosa that smack on the rear. I want to make something clear, though. He did not hit her in the abusive sense. No way. I despise abuse and would never promote it for a character I love like Jess. I hope you guys understand what I mean by that. Please review!