Disclaimer: I own Rachel, I'm very happy about that. But as for the rest of it, no, I don't own it. If I did there would be a Literati storyline and Jess would be happy and with Rory, who would be ...good.

A/N: Wow!! I'm still blushing! I didn't expect to get such a great response! I swear, I'll be smiling for the next century or so. Hugs you all I love reviews! That's why I couldn't wait to update anymore! I had to do it right now! I was too excited!

Okay, now, I'm going to explain this Jess/child situation here, because it may come up in the story, but not in an orderly fashion, because since it's been seven whole years it's not so much of a shock. Jess had a girlfriend. Did I name her yet? No, okay, I'm naming her now. How does Olivia sound? Jess and Olivia were absolutely not planning to have a child, Rachel was a pleasant little surprise. Olivia stuck around for awhile, she thought it might be fun to play house. Then, after a year, she got tired of playing and she up and left. Now, there will be more on that in this chapter, because Jess and Rory only saw each other one time since Rachel was even born, when she was two. So I think there will be more Jess/Rory interaction in this chapter and I may head into that stuff.

Once again bows down to you Thank you for the reviews! You guys rock! Thanks for the feedback and tips.

- Kate

:)

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Rachel smoothed her bright green t-shirt and white pants and hopped up on the seat in Luke's.

"Where's Uncle Luke?" she asked Jess.

"He's probably in the back somewhere, he'll come out eventually," Jess said.

"I want to give him his picture."

"Could I see your picture?" Rory asked.

Rachel nodded and handed Rory the picture.

"Wow, that's very pretty. I still can't draw that good."

Rachel smiled. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Luke's going to love it."

"I hope so. I like when he hangs my pictures up," Rachel said.

When Luke popped out from the storeroom Rachel hopped down and went over to him, wrapping her arms around him and hugging him.

Rory smiled and Jess snickered. "Look how uncomfortable she makes him."

Rory laughed quietly. "It's cute," she said.

"It's funny."

"Hey, I'll ask you while she isn't over here. When we get done could you guys come over and watch a movie with us? I know she has a bedtime and everything but it is a special occasion. You only come to Stars Hollow about once every leap year."

"We could probably do that, but she'll probably fall asleep," he told her.

"Okay. I'll let her pick the movie."

"I already know what that's going to be," Jess said as Rachel came over to them.

"Hey, Rachel," Rory started.

"Yeah?"

"Do you want to come over and watch a movie with us? It'll get you out of bedtime." Rory smiled.

"Yeah! Can we watch Willy Wonka?"

Rory grinned. "She likes Willy Wonka?"

"She has an unhealthy obsession." Jess nodded.

"Yeah, Dad tried to turn me into the blueberry girl last week."

"She's being dramatic," Jess said dismissively.

"I was more blue when dinner was over," she insisted.

"Hypochondriac." Jess pointed to Rachel.

Rachel frowned. "What?"

Rory laughed softly as Jess just smirked at Rachel and leaned back in his chair.

"I hate when he uses words I don't know," Rachel told Rory. "I hate when you do that," she said to Jess.

"I know," he said, smirking.

She rolled her eyes. "I'm hungry."

"So you'll take ten of everything?" Jess assumed.

"No, I don't want anything with onions."

"You have to see her eat. It's a battle to get her to eat, but when she does, she rivals the Gilmores," Jess said.

Rory gasped. "No way!"

"Yep." He nodded. "It's scary."

"Dad, will Uncle Luke cut my grilled cheese in stars like you do?" Rachel asked as she looked at the menu.

"Of course he will, if he doesn't hug him some more, he'll cave."

Rory grinned. "You cut grilled cheese in stars?"

"Yes, it's one of my many collected talents." He nodded.

"He'll only do triangles if he's in a hurry," Rachel added.

"Aw, I want to see them," Rory said.

"You don't know what a star looks like?" Jess asked.

"I want to see your stars."

"He makes good ones," Rachel said, nodding.

"I'll bet." Rory nodded with a smile.

===

"Wow, she's a good eater," Rory told Jess as they walked back to the house.

"I don't know where she puts it all." He shook his head.

"In my tummy, Dad," Rachel said.

"But you have a little tummy," he said, leaning down to tickle her stomach.

She giggled and elbowed him. "Stop that."

He smiled and ruffled her hair.

"Dad!" she scolded him and reached up to smooth her hair down.

Rory laughed at the two and ruffled Jess' hair.

"Hey." He frowned.

"How do you like it?" she asked with a smile.

He smirked and messed up her hair.

"Jess Mariano, stop that." She smoothed her hair back down.

"We're even now," he said.

"Will you read me Ella Enchanted tonight?" Rachel asked.

"Did you bring it?" he asked.

"Yeah." She nodded.

"Then yes, I will read Ella Enchanted tonight."

"Promise?"

"When have I ever not read a book when I said I would?" he asked.

"Never."

"Well, I'm not going to start now."

"Okay." She grinned and wrapped her arm around his waist.

He smiled down at her and pulled her closer.

===

"What are we doing?" Lorelai asked, crouching down next to Rory.

"Mom! You scared me." Rory frowned at her mother.

"Sorry. Where's Jess? Where's Rachel? Did everyone leave me?"

"No, Jess just went to help her pick out her pajamas, although she was fighting him on it. But he said last time she dressed herself for bedtime she ended up in a skirt and necklace."

"He's good with her." Lorelai smiled.

"Yeah, he is. Very good with her," Rory said, smiling. "He just wants to make sure she's dressed and has her teeth brushed before the movie because he doesn't think she'll stay awake."

"Aw. She's cute."

"Very cute. She looks just like him."

Lorelai grinned a teasing grin. "Are you saying Jess is cute?"

Rory blushed. "Oh, mother," she said dismissively.

Lorelai giggled. "You think he's cute."

"I think you're 12," Rory said.

"Fine, I'm leaving. I'm going to bed, you have fun."

"We will. Good night, Mom."

"Good night, hon," Lorelai said, kissing Rory on the forehead.

Just then Jess and Rachel came back in.

"Give Aunt Lorelai a kiss good night," Lorelai said, opening her arms up.

Rachel ran over and hugged Lorelai, giving her a kiss. "Good night."

"Tomorrow you ride Thunderbolt," Lorelai reminded her.

"Yay! I can't wait to ride a horse," she said happily.

Lorelai smiled. "You won't have to wait much longer. Good night Jess," she said.

"Aw, no hug for me?"

"Do you really want one?"

"No, that was my sarcastic charm," he informed her.

"Thought so. 'Night all," she said before going upstairs.

"Ready to watch Willy Wonka?" Rory asked.

"Yeah!" Rachel said.

"You're not tired?"

She shook her head. "Not at all."

"Not even a little?" Jess asked.

"Nope, I could stay up all night," Rachel insisted.

===

When the movie credits finally started rolling Rachel was fast asleep curled up in Jess' arms and her feet were in Rory's lap.

"She could stay up all night," Rory said teasingly.

He smiled. "She always thinks that. Give me a minute to take her to bed." He stood up and shifted Rachel in his arms.

"Okay." Rory nodded.

Jess took Rachel in and tucked her into Rory's old bed. He kissed her on the forehead. "Good night, baby."

"Daddy?" she asked sleepily.

"Yep. You fell asleep."

"Oh... You didn't read to me."

"You still want me to read?"

"Uh huh." She nodded.

"Okay, I'll read you a few pages, then you have to go to sleep so you can ride the horse tomorrow."

"Okay." She nodded.

Jess took the book out of her bag and started reading. It didn't take very long for her to start falling asleep. Just when Jess thought she was asleep he put the book down and turned out the light, then he noticed a small smile form on her face.

"Are you asleep?"

"Yes," she replied.

He chuckled. "Then why are you talking?"

"Oops. Oh well, now that you know I'm awake I can tell you about my day at school."

"You told me about your day in the car."

"I know, but I left pieces out," she told him.

"Oh. Okay, well... how was your day?"

"Good. But remember that boy I kept telling you always chases me around the playground?"

"Yes." He nodded.

"Well, today he finally caught me, and guess what he asked me?"

"What did he ask you?"

"I said guess, silly."

"He asked you to be the queen of the world?"

"That was a silly guess."

"Yeah, well, I try. What did he ask?"

"He asked me to be his girlfriend."

Jess' heart stopped beating for a minute. "What?"

"Yeah. He asked me to be his girlfriend," Rachel said.

"And you said...?"

"I said the teacher was coming and I had to go."

"Oh. Okay."

"I figure he'll forget by Monday," she reasoned.

"Probably. He is young. Small attention span."

"Yeah. But he's kind of cute."

"What happened to boys having cooties? I thought boys had cooties in second grade," Jess said.

"No, that's first grade. Actually it's the same boy who used to say I had cooties in first grade. His name's Kenny."

"Kenny." He nodded. "Nice name."

"Yeah. I can handle him. He gave me a valentine card for Valentine's Day."

"Don't all the kids give valentines?"

"Yeah, but he gave me a really big one, it was actually a card. Everyone else got a Looney Tune character valentine, mine had pretty little hearts on it. I think his mom helped him design it."

"Huh."

"Yeah."

"Valentine's Day was awhile ago," Jess reviewed.

"Yeah," she said again.

"He still likes you."

"Yeah."

"You're so young," Jess said.

"Well, you're old."

"Be nice to me, Stuart Little, I control your bookshelf and I could easily take it out of your room."

She gasped. "You wouldn't!"

"Be nice and we won't have to find out."

"Okay, I'm ready to go to bed now."

He smiled. "I annoyed you now, huh?"

"I'm just sleepy," she said.

"Uh huh." He nodded, unconvinced. He leaned down and gave her a kiss. "Good night, honey."

"'Night, Daddy."

Jess closed her door most of the way and went back to the living room.

"She asleep?" Rory asked.

"Yeah." Jess nodded. "Or she will be in a few minutes."

"She's so adorable."

"You sound surprised. She is my daughter you know," he teased.

Rory laughed softly and elbowed him. "Step away from the ego."

He smiled and looked down. "Stepping away now. No, she really is a good girl most of the time."

"Only most of the time?"

"Well... she has her moments. She's always a good girl the first part of the year, but these past couple school years she's only been good until May."

"Why only until May?" Rory asked, confused.

"Well, when Mother's Day comes around she gets... she starts acting up. Her latest stunt was dumping paint on the teacher's dress. I thought it was just a phase she was going through last year, but then she did it again this year and I asked why, of course, because the teacher actually called me to talk about the 'situation' with Rachel. That's when she put together the Mother's Day piece of the puzzle."

"Aww," Rory said sadly.

"Yeah. She likes Father's Day though, so..."

"Don't you have anyone that she could..."

"What? Use as a mom? No. Unfortunately they haven't put a Mommies 'R' Us in New York yet," he said.

"Well, I know, but don't you have a girlfriend or friend or someone who could spend time with her?"

"Nope. I've had a couple dates, but nothing that was going to last, and besides, she doesn't want a 'lady friend', she wants a mom, and unfortunately I can't seem to pull one out of her ear."

"But I'll bet she's got a few quarters from you trying, right?" Rory said lightly.

He smiled slightly. "She's made a fortune off me."

"Whatever happened to her mom?" Rory asked.

"Well... she wasn't really in it for the long haul. She thought having a kid might be fun, and it was at first... after a few late night feedings she got annoyed, but she lived. She stuck around for awhile, but I think there were a couple factors in her leaving. One big one was me, she kept hinting around --or so my friend who was a girl and called me an ignorant jackass told me-- at getting married. I wasn't taking the hint. Well, I kind of was, she was pretty obvious, but I was ignoring it." He nodded. "Anyway, that was one of the reasons. She wanted to get married, I didn't. Then of course Rachel started teething and keeping her up late again, so it wasn't fun anymore. She finally got fed up with the fighting and not having any freedom to go out and do whatever she wanted to do whenever she wanted to do it and she just left. She left a note one night and left. That was it."

"Well, why didn't you just... get married? You two did have a baby together, you had been together for awhile."

"No." He shook his head. "We fought too much for one thing. When I was growing up my mom and her second husband fought all the time, I would just sit in my room and listen to them yelling at each other through the wall. I wasn't willing to put Rachel through that. God, who wants a female version of me running around? Plus, I mean, just because we had Rachel is not a good reason to get married. It would have just ended in divorce anyway, so I thought why start something you know you're not going to finish? It would just be too hard on Rachel. Besides, if the woman was that willing to abandon her child we're better off without her anyway," he said, more to assure himself than her.

Rory nodded supportively.

"I just wish Rachel would see it that way," he added.

"She's young, she wants to have a mom, of course she's not going to look at it that way," Rory reasoned.

"I know, but it just... I feel bad when she goes through this, because Olivia would have probably stuck around if I would have married her. Then Rachel wouldn't have to worry about Mother's Day."

"Did you like Mother's Day?"

"What? What does that have to do with anything?"

"Well, if Rachel would've just grown up like you did anyway..."

He glanced down. "I hated it."

She nodded. "So, it might be better that Rachel has just one parent who's reliable. If you would have married Olivia you'd probably both be miserable and then she wouldn't have any reliable parents. That would kind of defeat the purpose."

He nodded. "You're probably right."

"I always am," she said to lighten the mood.

He smiled and hit her with a pillow.

She gasped. "That's it, you asked for it Mr. Mariano." She grabbed a pillow and attacked him with it.

He laughed as they rolled off the couch and tried to quietly continue their pillow fight. For a few minutes, all was right in his world again.

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A/N: Okay, yes, the ending line was a little cheesy, but I was trying to figure out a parting line! That's all I could come up with! And cheese is good with wine!

Sorry. Anyway, tell me what you think! Good? Bad? Cheesy? Good? Oh wait, I said that. Well, you get hte point! I love your reviews! You're all heroic just for pushing that little button in the left hand corner. Honest. Hands over a trophy to anyone who reviews