Disclaimer: I do not own anything to do with The Gilmore Girls; it is all the property of Amy Sherman-Palladino. I do own a few individual characters as well as the plot, but there's really no point in suing me because I don't own anything of value.

Author's Note: Thank you for all of the reviews so far, keep them coming as it will make my updates much more frequent. For those of you who think this fic sounds eerily familiar, I have posted it before but have since reworked it. The ending is definitely not the same; in fact, it's still a work in progress.

Chapter Two

That night, Jess dressed in a pair of loose jeans and his nicest sweater, a black one. As Lorelai's house was heated, he didn't bundle Anna up too much; instead, he dressed her in a checked pink dress with checked pants underneath. He put her pink booties on and wrapped her all up in a pink blanket.

Jess decided he would put Anna in her stroller and walk to Lorelai's. He hadn't seen the town in so long and wanted to show his daughter around. As it was Friday afternoon, most people were heading home with a smile on their face, glad that it was the weekend again.

As Jess exited Luke's he took in his surroundings. As usual, with just a week left to go, the town, dictated by Taylor, was setting up for their annual Christmas celebrations. When he had lived in Stars Hollow, Jess had hated every single town celebration (except for the picnic basket auction) or event ever held. However, now that he was looking at it from a father's perspective, he realised that for children, especially little girls, it could easily be viewed as fun and enjoyable.

As Jess walked by Kim's Antiques memories came flooding back. While they had never exactly been friends, Jess had always liked Lane, Rory's best friend. The house/store still looked the same as it always had. Jess could even seen a table through the window he knew had been there last time he was in Stars Hollow. Lane Kim, also twenty, was sitting on the porch reading a book and didn't see Jess pass by.

Wanting to talk to someone he knew he called out to her. She looked up and did a double take, realising whom it was and what he had with him. Discarding her book to the floor, Lane bounded off the old, worn porch and approached Jess. Without a word she opened the small gate, which creaked loudly and fastened the latch behind her.

"Jess Mariano," she said, circling him with her arms crossed, like a vulture and its prey.

"Lane Kim," Jess replied, trying to follow her with his eyes. "How are you?"

"Me? I'm brilliant," she said, dripping with sarcasm. "Please don't tell me there is a baby in that stroller and that this said baby belongs to you."

"Okay," Jess replied, smirking. "I won't."

'Ah!" she cried. "Still impossible I see. Whose baby is it?"

"Are you sure you want me to tell you?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow mockingly.

"Jess!"

"Yeah, she's mine. Do you wanna see her?"

Lane nodded eagerly. Jess lifted back the hood of the stroller and unstrapped Anna. He carefully lifted her out and handed her to Lane.

"Ohhh," Lane breathed.

Jess smiled. He'd noticed that almost everyone who held Anna was instantly captivated by her. She had the most piercing, bright blue eyes Jess had ever seen. It was the only thing she'd picked up from her mother, as well as her pale complexion, the rest she got from Jess. She had his dark brown hair and small ears. She was the most beautiful baby Jess had ever seen.

"She's gorgeous," Lane said, smiling at Jess.

"She's perfect," Jess replied, grinning back.

"Where are you headed?" Lane asked, not taking her eyes away from Anna.

"I'm going to Lorelai's for dinner. Want to walk with me? You can carry her."

"Sure," Lane replied.

The walked a few metres in contented silence when Lane suddenly gasped.

"What?"

"I can't believe it, I didn't even ask you her name!"

"It's Anna," Jess chuckled.

Lane had always been an easily excitable person and it seemed that much hadn't changed.

"So what do you do with yourself nowadays, Lane?" Jess asked, continuing to push the now empty stroller.

"Oh you know, the usual," Lane replied, still gazing at Anna. "Go to college, help Mama at the store, date Korean doctors, date normal people in secret."

"Yeah, the usual," Jess replied, smiling.

They continued to walk in silence; or almost silence. Occasionally Lane would whisper something to Anna but Jess couldn't hear what. They finally arrived at Lorelai's house and Lane, after a lot of convincing, handed Anna back to Jess.

They said goodbye and Jess quietly made his way to the Gilmore front door. He knocked lightly and waited for an answer.

"Hey Jess," Luke said gruffly, stepping out onto the porch and closing the door behind him.

"Ah uncle Luke," Jess said, "I think we're supposed to eat inside."

"I know, Jess," Luke replied, rolling his eyes. "I haven't told Lorelai about Anna, I thought you should. Take her out of the stroller and go in. I'll take the stroller round through the kitchen."

Jess rolled his eyes. From the day they'd met, Lorelai and Jess had never liked each other. Jess imagined that going into the house alone would make it very awkward for Lorelai but he shrugged it off, entering with Anna in his arms.

"Lorelai?" he called.

"Hi Je- Whoa!"

Jess turned around to see Lorelai exiting the kitchen, a stunned look on her face.

"Hi Lorelai, it's good to see you again," Jess said politely.

If at all possible, Lorelai looked even more stunned at Jess' politeness and still didn't say anything.

"I'm guessing Luke didn't tell you. I have a daughter. Lorelai Gilmore, I'd like you to meet Anna Elizabeth Mariano."

"You have a kid? A girl? Wow!"

Lorelai sat down on the couch without a word, still looking shocked. Jess sat down in the armchair, unwrapping Anna's blanket.

"Would you like to hold her?"

Before she could object, Jess placed his daughter into Lorelai's arms. She gasped and smiled down at baby Anna, much the same way Lane had done.

"Oh, Jess," she whispered. "She's beau-"

The front door opening suddenly cut Lorelai off.

"Mommy! I'm home!" came the gleeful call of Rory Gilmore, a voice Jess knew he would never forget.

"Rory!" Lorelai cried, looking nervously at Jess and then back down to Anna. "You weren't meant to be here until tomorrow."

"I decided to come early…"

Rory trailed off as her eyes darted from her mother, to the baby and then up to Jess. She gasped, slamming her hand over her mouth.

"Hi Rory," he said weakly.

Rory didn't reply, she stalked away into her room and slammed the door. Jess sighed. He took Anna from Lorelai who immediately followed her daughter, leaving Jess and Anna all alone.

A moment later, Luke came through the kitchen door with Anna's stroller. He entered the living room and looked around.

"Where did Lorelai go?"

"Rory's room."

"What's she doing in there?" he asked, clearly confused.

"Rory came home early," Jess said, walking over to Luke and handing Anna to him.

"What? Why? Where are you going?"

"I just want to give them a bit of space, I'll be at the bridge but it's too cold for Anna. Come get me when dinner's ready."

Jess kissed Anna on the forehead and, without a word to Luke, exited the house.

As he wandered over to the bridge, he shoved his hands into his pockets. As it was Christmas, he had of course expected Rory to return from Yale to Stars Hollow, however, he wasn't expecting such a sudden reappearance of his ex-girlfriend.

Jess sat down on the edge of the bridge, his shoes just touching the top of the water. The bridge had always been Jess' favourite place in Stars Hollow, mainly because he associated it with Rory. This was the place she'd finally admitted to him that she had feelings for him, an event that was still very clear in his mind.

Not a day had gone by since leaving Stars Hollow that Jess didn't think of Rory and feel guilty about how he'd left her. Without even a goodbye, Jess had skipped town for reasons he still wasn't sure of. His main reason had been fear, as was the reason in most of his problems. He'd been afraid that Rory would break up with him and he'd also been afraid that he was falling in love with her. Instead of sticking around and taking a chance, Jess decided to bail. It was hard enough for him to see Rory again; he couldn't imagine how hard it must be for her.

Jess was suddenly torn away from his thoughts at the sound of approaching footsteps. He didn't look up once he realised it wasn't Rory approaching. After listening to her walk toward him so often, he knew the sound of her footsteps. He guessed it was Luke, coming to tell him dinner was ready but he was wrong.

"She'll come round."

Jess turned suddenly to look at Lorelai. She was smiling slightly and, without waiting for Jess to speak, sat down next to him on the bridge.

"Anna's a beautiful girl, by the way."

"What? You're not going to say 'I told you so?' not going to tell me you were right, I really am a screw up?"

Jess hadn't meant for his words to sound so bitter. Since Anna, he'd been far more positive about his life but, seeing Rory again so happy, his mood had suddenly deflated.

"Hey," Lorelai said, "I had a baby at sixteen. I'm the last person who's going to criticise you."

Jess sighed. She was right of course. If there was once person he could even expect a little support from, it was Lorelai Gilmore.

"I actually wanted to compliment you."

"Huh."

"You seemed to have turned around. I mean, a kid will do that to you, it did it to me."

"Well, I can't just live for myself anymore, can I," Jess replied. "I've got her too."

"Dead right you do."

The two sat in silence, gazing out across the water.

"You know, if you need any advice or anything, you can come to me, I won't bite your head off or anything."

Jess chuckled and Lorelai looked at him, a mock hurt look on her face.

"What?" she asked, pouting.

"I never thought I'd ever hear you say those words to me."

Lorelai chuckled too and stood up.

"Come on, daddy, dinners ready."

Jess smiled and followed Lorelai back to the house. Upon entering, he saw Luke on the couch, cradling Anna. Rory was sitting in the armchair, looking at the baby awkwardly. They both looked up when Jess and Lorelai came in.

"Dinners ready, lets go."

The four (five including Anna) of them made their way to the kitchen. Jess took Anna from Luke and placed her in her stroller. He heated up one of her bottles and gave it to her; aware that Rory's eyes were following him the entire time.

"So, Jess," Lorelai said, taking her seat, "tell me about that beautiful girl over there."

"What do you want to know?"

The majority of the dinner was spent talking about Anna. Rory barely said a word and refused to look at Jess the entire time. He kept trying to catch her eye, failing each time. As Luke had said, Lorelai was absolutely smitten with Anna and, after dinner, took her to the living room to play with her.

"Hey Lorelai, you don't happen to still have Rory's basinet do you?" Jess asked, leaning on the rim of the kitchen door. "I didn't think to bring one with my from New York."

"I do actually."

Lorelai gave the key to the garage to Jess and sent him on his way. Luke offered to help but Jess refused. As he was unlocking the garage, he heard those unforgettable footsteps approaching.

"Tolstoy?"

Jess turned around to look at Rory. He gave her a quizzical look.

"Anna? Tolstoy? Any connection?"

Jess smiled. He had of course named his daughter after one of his favourite books, something only Rory would ever figure out.

"You know me too well," Jess said, turning around to enter the garage.

"I thought I did."

Jess stopped in his tracks, heaving a heavy sigh. He knew that this would come, Rory's questions and demands, wanting to know why he did it. He had no answers for her and had no desire to argue with her. However, he knew it was unavoidable.

"Why did you leave, Jess?" Rory asked, her voice cracking.

"I don't know, Rory," Jess sighed. "I know it's not a good answer, but I really don't know."

Rory didn't say anything so Jess made his way into the garage to find the basinet. When he came back out, she was gone.