Family Portrait

A/N: Once again thank you to everyone who reviewed. I'm not going to waste you time with my author's note so, on with the story. I'm sorry it took so long to post this chapter. I had other things on my mind but here it is.

Chapter 5: That's the Way it Goes

Rory blinked as her mind processed the information. Her knees began to tremble and she tried to will them not to give her away. Jess had a girlfriend. The sentence played over and over again in her head. Of course Jess had a girlfriend, it had been four years since she'd shut him out of her life. She hadn't expected him to be sulking around all this time waiting for her to run back into his arms. This was Jess. He didn't do that type of thing for anyone. She then became aware of how close the two of them were standing from each other. Rory could feel Jess' warm breath on her cheek. Quickly she took a step back shivering a bit on this oddly warm night in early October. "Oh...of course," she finally managed. She cursed her mind for not functioning properly around him.

"Do you want to go home now?" Jess wondered, "We could always talk more about Liza though."

"Well what would you like to know," Rory asked. She was still baffled but the shock was beginning to wear off and she pushed her feelings for Jess to the back of her mind, for now. It was better that way.

"Where'd the nickname Liza come from?" Jess wondered.

"I wanted something original," Rory explained, "So, we used her middle name. There can only be one Lorelai."

"You mother of course," Jess nodded as he took a seat on the bridge. Rory joined him. "It still can't really believe it," Jess confided, "I have a daughter."

"How'd you figure she was yours anyway?" that question had been gnawing at her mind since they left the house. She still couldn't understand how Jess had pieced it all together.

"It was the only thing that seemed to fit," Jess shrugged, "I figured there was another kid in the house when Lorelai and Luke started with 'she' and 'her' instead of 'he' and 'him'. Then when you walked through the door with the bear and the look on your face I knew she was your girl. The 'my kid' thing only kicked in when I saw her."

"Poor mom and Luke," Rory laughed, "They must've been stressed out." Rory had just realized the humour of the situation and seemed to forget about Jess' girlfriend for the moment.

"Must've," Jess nodded. The two locked eyes once again but this time Rory caught something behind the usual mysteriousness of Jess. It was something she couldn't quite identify but she was sure she'd seen it before this moment, she couldn't quite put her finger on it though. Rory shivered.

"Um...maybe we should get back," Rory broke into the silence after a few seconds, "Put my mom and Luke's minds to rest." Jess nodded and the two got up and began to walk towards the Gilmore-Danes home.

(At the Gilmore-Danes home.)

Lorelai, Luke, Lane, Paris, Jamie and Dave sat around in the living room all looking towards the front door waiting for it to open. Liza had long ago passed out next to Lucas who had woken up not long after Rory and Jess left. They both lay asleep on the ground next to Luke. They all wondered silently to themselves what Rory and Jess were doing. Lorelai was the first to voice her opinion. "I bet they're arguing," she stated.

"I bet they're making out," Lane said dreamily.

"Sorry to burst you bubble Lane," Dave began, "but Jess just found out he has a kid. I don't think he's all too happy."

"He loves Rory though," Luke put in.

"Or loved," Lorelai finished.

"Rory still loves him," Paris mentioned quietly, "I can tell." Jamie nodded in agreement.

"She always will," Lorelai muttered sadly. Luke reached over and pulled Lorelai close to him and she looked up and smiled.

"Maybe it'll be different for them," Jamie offered. Lorelai nodded hopefully. They all sighed hoping Jess and Rory would come through the front door and set their mind at ease. Liza groaned in her sleep kicking the air and holding Boo tightly. Lorelai looked at the little one and silently prayed that Jess would be around for to see Liza grow up now that he knew. That Jess could be counted on to show up whenever he said he would and be a part of his daughter's life. Be the father to Liza that Rory had never had. Lorelai got up and pulled out the box with all the Liza pictures from the closet before sitting down next to Luke again. Lane and Paris moved closer to see the pictures and they all smiled as each took one and placed them back on the mantle where they belonged.

(Just outside the Gilmore-Danes home.)

Jess and Rory trudged slowly and quietly on the lawn. They could see through the window that Paris, Jamie, Lane and Dave had decided not to go clubbing but to instead await their arrival from the walk. Rory ran to the house leaving a confused Jess out on the lawn watching after her.

Rory burst into the house; everyone froze and turned to look at the intruder. What they saw was a Rory that none of them had seen for a long time. Her hair was askew and she was emotionless. Then, she fell to the floor, buried her face in her hands and rocked back and forth. Lorelai and Lane were the first and only ones to really recognize what was going on and rushed to her side. Then, just as Jess entered the house, Lane and Lorelai had managed to get Rory to stand up and move over to the couch. As soon as Rory sat down and noticed Jess was standing in the house her sadness seemed to dissipate and she was again emotionless. Lane and Lorelai looked curiously between them as the other just watched, still remaining silent. "He has a girlfriend," Rory's words slurred together and only Lane and Paris were able to make out the words.

"Oh," Lane hugged Rory tightly. Paris stood up and went to the kitchen. After a few seconds Lorelai slipped in after her. The two came out and Lorelai picked Lucas up off the floor.

"Hey, Luke why don't you help me bring Liza up to bed?" Lorelai wondered. Luke nodded and picked up the sleeping girl.

"What are you feeding this girl Rory?" Luke asked, "She's getting heavier."

"Only what's good for her Luke," Rory managed a smile, "Only what's good for her."

"You know, I could take her," Jess put in. Lorelai and Luke paused and looked at each other and then Lorelai nodded silently. Luke slipped Jess' daughter into his arms and then Jess followed Lorelai up the stairs. One they were all the way up Luke turned to the others in the room.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"Jess has a girlfriend," Lane explained to everyone in the room who already didn't know. Rory took a deep breath and sat back in the couch. Luke awkwardly adjusted his baseball cap, Dave stuck his hands in his pockets and Jamie shifted from foot to foot. None of the three men knew what they could say to Rory. They didn't know if there was anything to say.

"I think I'll go stay at the Inn," Rory told Luke, "It'll be less trouble for you and my mom. I'll come pick Liza up in the morning." Luke nodded acknowledgement.

"Just wait to say goodbye to Lorelai alright?" Luke coughed. Rory just stared down at her feet. A minute later Lorelai followed by Jess came down the stairs. Rory, Lane, Paris and the boys got up.

"I'm going over to the Inn," Rory informer her mother in a near-whisper.

"Honey you know we have room here," Lorelai pointed out, "Luke can sleep on the couch."

"No," Rory shook her head, "I'll stop by the diner tomorrow to pick up Liza and some coffee. We're going into Hartford for lunch." Lorelai nodded in understanding and hugged her daughter.

"I'll call the Inn and get them to set up three rooms," Lorelai moved towards the phone, "Lane, Dave you two are going to stay there right?" Lane nodded and Lorelai dialled as the five of them exited the house.

(Rory's room at the Inn)

Rory slipped the key in the room and pushed open the door. She stood in the doorway a few seconds before stepping into the darkness and turning on the lights. Just as she slipped under the covers minutes later there was a knock at the door. Knowing immediately who was at the door Rory got up and opened it. Paris and Lane pushed past into the room and each took a seat on the bed. "What are you two doing?" Rory wondered.

"We need to talk," Lane stated.

"About Jess," Paris finished. Rory groaned. She had known this was coming.

"We're running interference," Lane added, "You've been all too quiet and I remember the last time you had that look on you face."

"When I chased Jess off," Rory said knowingly, "I had just realized that I was going to do this alone."

"You didn't do it alone," Lane reminded her, "We were all there for you. You're still not alone now."

"So what Jess has a girlfriend," Paris shrugged, "You've got Liza."

"And a wonderful life," Lane hugged her best friend, "More than anything Jess has."

"I love him," Rory confessed.

"We know," Lane nodded, "We know." Rory sobbed as Lane and Paris tried to console her.

(The Next morning at the Diner.)

"Coffee!" Lorelai cried out as she entered the diner. Liza was tugging at her arm whining and Lucas was crying about his knee that he had hurt running down the driveway. Jess chuckled as he saw Lorelai and the two kids. "Okay mister laugh all you want," Lorelai said as she sat the kids down at the counter, "But if you don't give me a cup of coffee there will be hell to pay."

"Sorry Lorelai," Jess shook his head, "Luke took the pot with him when he went in the back." Lorelai groaned and rested her head against the counter.

"Find me coffee," Lorelai begged, "I don't care if you have to steal it from Taylor just get me coffee."

"Are the kids that bad?" Jess asked.

"YES!" Lorelai exclaimed. Jess looked around to make sure that Luke was no where in sight before he slipped a cup in front of Lorelai. "You are a god!" Lorelai praised taking a sip from the cup.

"Luke's not going to be happy," Liza shook her head. She was sitting on her knees on the stool next to Lorelai."

"Luke's not going to be happy about what?" Luke boomed as he appeared. Both Jess and Lorelai gave Liza a look that she was not to give them away but the four year old just beamed.

"He," she pointed to Jess, "Gave Grams a secret cup of coffee."

"I expected this from Lorelai but you?" Luke shook his head, "Jess, she shouldn't be drinking caffeine while she's pregnant." Luke reached to take the cup from his wife but Lorelai jumped off her stool and walked far away from the counted.

"Can I have that donut now?" Liza asked Luke. Luke nodded and handed Liza a chocolate glazed donut. Lorelai gasped.

"You bribed her!" Lorelai accused.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Luke grunted.

"You knew Jess would give me coffee," Lorelai elaborated, "so you told her you'd give her a donut if she would tell you."

"I can't believe you don't trust me Uncle Luke," Jess put his hand to his chest and backed away from Luke.

"I did no such thing," Luke lied.

"Liza, honey did Luke promise you a donut if you told on her and Jess?" Lorelai inquired. Liza chewed her donut slowly and shrugged. Jess moved around the counter and sat in the stool Lorelai had occupied seconds ago.

"Let's make a deal," he leaned in close not noticing that Rory had just entered the diner, "If you tell us what Luke told you I'll give you another donut." Liza contemplated Jess' offer for a second.

"Nope," she declined, "Not good enough."

"How about..." Jess paused, "Ice cream in a cone with chocolate sauce and a cherry?"

"Hmm..." Liza furrowed her eyebrows and wrinkled her nose, "Luke said that if you gave Grams coffee, a horrible no good drink, I had to tell him and he would give me a donut."

"Traitor," Luke hissed. Rory laughed as Jess made Liza her ice cream.

"Well, aren't we lucky," Rory made her presence known.

"Hi mommy!" Liza called out and smiled with her ice cream covered face.

"Hey sweets," Rory hissed the top of her daughter's head, "Luke can I have some coffee?"

"Yuck, coffee!" Liza exclaimed.

"I never thought I'd hear a Gilmore say that," Jess muttered shaking his head.

"Luke, are you putting ideas in my daughter's head?" Rory interrogated. Luke said nothing instead he just slid a coffee in front of Rory. Rory wiped Liza's sticky face free of the ice cream and Lorelai helped cut up Lucas' breakfast. As all this went on the bells on the diner door chimed they all looked up expecting to see Lane, Paris, Jamie, and Dave. Instead they saw a girl with long, straight brown hair and green eyes. She was a little shorter than Rory and was carrying a backpack.

"Hello Jess!" She exclaimed with a huge smile on her face.

"Carrie," Jess muttered and he stood frozen in his spot behind the counter. Rory knew instantly who this girl was. Jess' girlfriend.