A/N: Ok, so remember how I said I was going to start that chapter? I did. I got it half done, in fact. But then things happened, I didn't get around to finishing it... My computer, the diva, as I now call her, decided it wanted to crash. Apparently its version of a tantrum. All of my chapter went bye bye and now I have nothing. So that's part of my explanation for why this update took so long. That and I had to buy a new computer because it was too much to fix the other one. So, now I have a new computer, a moch nicer computer that isn't a diva, and I can write again! And Cursed is out! So my inspiration is back. I rented the unrated one and bought the rated one, though, because I'm a big baby. Milo says the f-word! It's so much fun! Well, for me.
Oh, and a gigantic thank you to all my reviewers! You guys rock! I'm sorry it took so long! (throws out some more Milo dolls)
Rory shifted in her sleep and her arm fell. She frowned but didn't open her eyes. Then her nose perked up and she started sniffing, frowning. Did someone break into her apartment and make breakfast? She smelled bacon... and coffee. She opened her eyes and realized she wasn't on her bed, but on a couch. Her eyes widened slightly and she sat up, looking around. She wasn't in her apartment. She turned around, rubbing her eyes sleepily and spotted Jess in the kitchen, holding a plate and whistling to himself. Rory covered her face with a pillow to stifle a giggle. Jess was a whistler. She turned around again and grinned, trying to catch what he was whistling.
Jess turned and looked at Rory, stopping his whistling and raising an eyebrow.
She grinned. "Do you sing in the shower, too?"
He smirked. "Come take one with me and you can find out."
She blushed and stuck her tongue out at him, standing up and stretching. "How come you didn't wake me up?"
"I tried. You sleep like a rock."
She nodded. "It's all the coffee."
He frowned. "Coffee makes you stay awake."
"Nope. It makes normal people stay awake. When you drink as much as I drink it puts all your senses to sleep and there's no way I could wake up, even if a bomb went off on the other side of my bed."
"Huh. And they say you're addicted."
She smiled. "The nerve."
He smirked and went back to his cooking.
Rory walked in closer and peeked over his shoulder. "What are you making?"
"Breakfast. Pancakes, bacon, potatoes, and biscuits."
She sighed happily. "Do you make the fluffy pancakes like Luke used to make?"
"They're pretty fluffy, yes."
"Oh, I love a man who can cook."
"Well, if the man can't cook you guys aren't going to eat," he pointed out.
"That's not true," she protested. "I made meatballs two months ago that were almost edible."
"Wow," he said mockingly.
She nodded. "I was quite proud of myself."
He smiled. "Have a seat, breakfast will be done in a minute."
"Want me to get Rachel's drink?" she asked.
He glanced over his shoulder. "If you want to."
"What does she like?"
"Milk with breakfast. It's a rule."
Rory smiled. "You have rules."
"Most parents have rules," he reminded her.
"I know, it's just funny to think of Jess Mariano setting house rules. And whistling," she added with a grin.
"Oh yeah, I'm a regular Ward Cleaver," he said sarcastically.
"You are," she said with a grin. "It's so cute."
He rolled his eyes. "Stop."
"What were you whistling?"
He raised his eyebrows and his spatula. "I will not feed you if you don't drop it right now."
She scowled and gave him a pout before turning around and getting the milk out.
Rachel came walking down the hall, rubbing her eyes. "Daddy, did you make breakfast?"
Jess looked over at her. "Yep. Pancakes."
"I like panca-" She stopped and her eyes widened when she saw Rory. "Rory. You're here."
"Yeah. I hope you don't mind," Rory said. "Your dad was going to let me have breakfast with you guys."
Rachel grinned. "Of course I don't mind." She looked over at Jess and grinned. "Good idea, Dad."
Jess smiled. "I thought you'd say that."
Rachel strutted over and plopped herself down in a seat, folding her hands together and smiling like a perfect little angel. Jess put the last pancake on the plate and brought the plates one by one over to the table while Rory got drinks. They both finished at about the same time, sittting down in their seats.
Rory smiled. "Do you pray before you eat?" she whispered to Jess.
He shot her a look. "Stop."
She giggled. "Sorry, I can't help it."
"This is nice," Rachel said.
Rory took a bite of her pancakes and sighed. "Heaven."
Jess smirked. "Good?"
She gave him a small rolling of her eyes and said, "Well, I guess it will have to do."
He raised an eyebrow and reached over, taking her plate and holding it away from her.
Rory gasped. "Food tease!"
"Well, if it isn't good enough for you..."
"It is good enough for me."
"How good?"
"Books will be dedicated to the food, shrines will be built, schools will be named after your pancakes."
He smirked and handed it back to her. "That's better."
She took the plate and gave him a dirty look before digging into her pancakes again.
"This is fun," Rachel remarked. "I like this."
"It's very good," Rory said.
Rachel just smiled and took a drink of her milk. "We should do this more. I like eating together. It's like we're a family."
Rory choked on her coffee and Jess' eyes widened.
"Oh, Dad, Lynne invited me over to her house for a sleepover party," Rachel said, as if she didn't understand why they were choking.
Jess took a drink of his milk and looked at Rachel pointedly.
She gave him her innocent look, that couldn't have been more fake had she batted her eyelashes and said, "What, Daddy dear?"
He just sighed and shook his head.
"Sleepovers are fun," Rory said, gathering her composure.
"Do you think so?" Rachel asked, smiling at Rory. "So do I. Maybe we could have a sleepover someday."
"Oh, yeah." Rory smiled at Rachel and took a bite of her pancake.
"Did you and Dad have a sleepover last night?"
"Rachel," Jess said, giving her a warning look.
"What? You should. They're fun."
Rory bit her lip, trying not to laugh. "Yeah, Jess, I've always heard sleepovers were very fun. Don't you like sleeping over with me?"
"If there was an actual bed involved it would probably be a more enjoyable event. As it was last night my neck is aching and my back hurts."
"Why didn't you move me?"
"You were sleeping."
"Why didn't you wake me up and make me go home?"
"I didn't want to disturb you, you looked comfortable."
Rory smiled. "Well, thank you, but I have a comfortable bed at home. I feel bad now, you shouldn't have let me make you get a backache."
"I'll live," he said with a shrug.
"Dad, the sleepover's next weekend. Do you think I could go?"
"Uh, yeah, probably." Jess nodded at Rachel.
"Oh! Daddy, I made you a necklace," Rachel told him.
Rory smiled. "And I made you a matching bracelet."
"Wow," he said flatly. "Um... honey, I'm a man."
"I know," Rachel said. "But you did let me do your hair that one time, and Rory said some men wear necklaces."
"Yes, some do," he admitted.
"It's a very pretty necklace, Dad," Rory told him. "Rory said so."
"I'm sure it's beautiful," he said, shooting a look at Rory, who just grinned.
"I think the colors will bring out your eyes," Rory said with a nod.
Jess just shook his head and went back to his food.
Rachel sat in the floor going through her birthday toys and setting them in different stacks. Rory took a sip of her coffee and walked into the livingroom where Jess was sitting on the couch and started massaging his neck, ironically causing him to stiffen.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"Relax, I'm not going to assasinate you, I just want to make up for the uncomfortable sleeping arrangements." He relaxed a little and she conitued. "So... how's work?"
"God."
"No, I'm Rory," she said as if correcting him.
He smiled slightly. "No, I know. It's just... this is a little bit weird," he said.
"What is?"
"All of this. The sleeping together- well, not sleeping together, but you know what I mean. Then breakfast and now you're rubbing my shoulders and asking how work was. It's... weird."
"I'm sorry, I'm not trying to make you feel weird. I can be quiet if you want."
"No, it's just... I'm not used to it, that's all."
"Um, how about something more... whatever. Rachel. We can talk about Rachel, right?"
He nodded, closing his eyes.
"Next weekend Rachel said there's a sleepover, didn't she?"
He gave an affirmative grunt.
She smiled. "Well, are you going to let her go?"
"I don't know. I have to call Lynne's mother first."
She nearly chuckled again. "It's so cute when you act like a daddy."
"I AM a daddy, genius."
"I know, but it's just cute."
"Hey Rory," Rachel said.
"Yes?"
"Should I put a heart or a star on the teapot?" she asked, holding a paintbrush in the air.
"If you're going to paint that thing you are not doing it without newspaper on the flloor," Jess stated.
"Where is the newspaper?" Rachel asked.
"There's some in the cabinet under the sink," Jess said.
Rachel got up and scampered off to the little kitchen area, Jess smiling slightly and then leaning his head back and letting Rory work her magic.
"You weren't a kid person, remember?" Rory remarked.
"It's different when it's yours," Jess said.
She nodded. "Yeah, I guess so." Rory glanced down at Jess' closed eyes and her eyes wandered down to his lips. Jess really had beautiful lips, the perfect size and shape. She loved how the left lower lip didn't move when he talked. She loved the way he looked, sleepy and relaxed. Without thought her hand wandered into that beautiful mass of dark hair and back down his neck, massaging his shoulders. Her gaze drifted down his neck to the base of his throat and her hands moved to that area, drifting a little bit more so that her fingers were lightly brushing his chest. Her gaze went back to his face and she saw him looking at her. She jerked her hands back and exclaimed, "God!"
"No, Jess," he replied, lightly mocking her.
Rory knew her face must be crimson, ironically making her blushe more. "Don't scare me like that."
"All I did was open my eyes," he told her.
"Well, warn me next time," she said, scowling at him.
"Sorry," he said innocently. "I wasn't aware I needed to warn you that I was opening my eyes.
Rory was flustered beyond repair at this point. What was she thinking? She was supposed to rub his neck in hopes that it wouldn't ache anymore, not take advantage of him while his eyes were closed. "I need to... I'll be back," Rory said, gesturing vaguely down the hall.
He nodded, watching her with the tiniest hint of a smirk. "You do that."
"I don't know why Kenny wants me to be his girlfriend," Rachel was saying as they walked out of the grocery store.
"He probably likes you because you're smart and pretty and funny," Rory said.
"I know," Rachel said with no pretense of being humble. "But still. I don't want him to be my boyfriend, I just want to be his friend."
"It must be tough," Rory said.
"It is," Rachel said with a nod, swinging her bag in the air. She smiled up at Rory. "I'm glad you don't have a boyfriend."
Rory chuckled. "Well, me too."
"Have you had a lot of boyfriends?" she asked.
"No, not a lot."
"Did you have any when you were my age?"
"No. I didn't have my first boyfriend until I was 16."
"What was his name?" Rachel asked.
"Dean."
Jess muttered something under his breath.
"How long were you two together?"
"Oh, a little while," Rory said uncomfortably. "So, did Kenny ask you to be his girlfriend again?"
"No, he just reminded me that I was supposed to be thinking about it. How long is a little while?"
"A couple years," Rory said.
"Wow, that's a long time. How come you guys didn't get married or something?"
"It didn't work out that way," Rory said.
"Okay Rachel," Jess intervened. "You've asked enough questions about Dean. My stomach can't handle anymore."
"Did you have a boyfriend after Dean?"
Jess groaned. "Rachel."
"What? I'm curious, I can't help it. Did you?" she asked, looking up at Rory.
"Um, yeah, of course I did."
"When?"
"Well, I had a boyfriend in college."
"Just one?"
"No, two actually."
"How long did you date them?"
"I believe one was about a year and one only lasted six months or so. Has Kenny had a girlfriend before?"
Rachel frowned. "I'm not sure. Some people said he was dating Mackenzie Morley, but I can't imagine why he would want to be her boyfriend."
"I didn't know people dated that young," Rory remarked.
Rachel nodded. "His mom took them to the movies. Someone said they kissed, too, but I don't think I believe that."
"You know, I thought you hated grocery shopping," Jess remarked.
"Well, I don't mind it when Rory's with us," Rachel said.
"I love how important I am. I raise you, feed you, clothe you, and Rory's your hero."
"Dad, you're not a girl."
"I'm aware of that," Jess informed her.
"Sometimes women need to be around other women." She patted Jess on the arm. "It's nothing personal, Dad, just woman stuff."
He smiled. "Woman stuff, huh?"
"Yep," she said with a nod.
He rolled his eyes and shook his head.
"Kenny's smart, too," Rachel told Rory.
"Oh, is he?"
"Yeah." Rachel gasped and looked up at Jess. "Oh, Daddy, could we take Rory to the zoo? Kenny's mom took him to the zoo and he said the animals were great. Rory would love to see the animals."
"Why don't we make plans to take Rory to the zoo some other time?" Jess suggested.
The excitement on Rachel's face turned into forlorn disappointment. "Oh. Okay, Dad," she said quietly.
"Daddy, Daddy, the seal," Rachel said, taking a bite of her soft pretzel and running to point to the seals.
Rory gave Jess an amused smile. "Does she always get her way?"
Jess nodded. "Yep. Half the time I don't even realize I've been dooped until hours later. I swear, someday she'll bring home an Oscar."
Rory grinned. "It's so funny. I've never known anyone but me to twist your arm like that."
"It must be you blue eyed, brown haired females."
"We can't help it if we're irresistable," Rory said with a shrug, walking up behind Rachel and looking in at the seals.
"Look, Dad, they're swimming around in circles," Rachel said.
He took a piece of her soft pretzel and ate it.
"Hey," she said, frowning at him.
"My money," he reminded her.
She gave him a half-hearted pout before turning to tug on Rory's shirt. "Do you like seals?"
"Yes, I do."
"I like zoo animals. One time when Daddy brought me here we were sitting on a bench and I was eating one of these," she said, gesturing to her soft pretzel, and a squirrel came right over and sat on the bench next to Dad. I wanted to get a picture, but he moved before I could."
Rory smiled. "Really?"
"Yep," Rachel said with a nod. "I love it here. We should ride one of the horse carriage thingies. Dad keeps telling me someday we'll take one but someday never comes."
"That does sound like fun, doesn't it?"
Rachel nodded enthusiastically. "I like them a lot. It makes me think of Cinderella except that it isn't closed in. One time it was though. Me and Dad were walking through the park and it started raining, and they pulled the thing up in the back and closed the people in. I want to ride one in the rain someday, too."
"I've seen that," Rory said with a nod.
"When we go on one someday will you ride with us?" Rachel asked, smiling up at Rory.
"Sure," Rory agreed with a smile.
"I don't like when it rains. Me and Dad get soaked," Rachel told her.
"I did that a couple times, then I started carrying an umbrella in my purse."
Rachel grinned and looked at Jess. "Isn't she smart?"
"Yes, Rachel, do you think we should keep her?" he asked mockingly.
Rachel just gave him a look and looked back over at Rory. "What were we talking about? Oh, that's right. And sometimes Dad brings me here and we just sit on the bench and read. That's fun, because you get to see all the people and hear the birds and stuff while you read."
"That is fun," Rory agreed with a nod.
"So, how many kids do you want?" Rachel asked.
Rory's eyes widened. "Kids?"
Jess just stared, momentarily without words.
"Yeah," Rachel said. "How many kids do you want? Do you want two or three? You should definitely have at least two, a boy and a girl. Maybe a girl and then have a boy and you're all done. Or more if you want."
"What if I just want one?"
"Oh, one isn't a good number. It's much better to have two," Rachel informed her. "And if you have a girl and she's older she could help you take care of a baby, like get diapers and stuff. Maybe a little brother," Rachel said with a nod.
"Rachel Catherine Mariano," Jess said.
Rachel winced at the use of her full name. "I can stop talking about kids if you want."
"That would be a good idea," Jess told her.
With a little pout and a little flounce -but not too much, as she didn't want to push him too far- Rachel made her way to the next part.
Jess just shook his head. "What am I going to do with that kid?"
Rory gave a sympathetic half-smile. "Find her a little brother."
Jess sighed and gave her a half smile. "Yeah, I'll just pick one up at Babies 'R' Us."
"Seriously, though," Rory said as they followed after Rachel. "Have you thought of dating? I mean, at all? I really don't think Rachel would be as opposed to it as you thought."
"I've thought about it, of course. But nothing sticks. Even if I go on a couple dates it seems like within a week or two it's over. And I don't want to do that to Rachel. When I was growing up my mother had a chain of boyfriends. You barely start to remember one's name and then the next one's coming in. I don't want Rachel to have that instability. I want her to have the kind of childhood I didn't have, and if that means I don't date it really isn't a big deal."
"I know, and I think that kind of dedication is great. But what about kids? Do you not want anymore? Are you going to wait until Rachel moves out to get married and have kids? Because I hate to point this out, but you won't exactly be that young, and everyone your age will probably be married, thus making it much harder to date."
"Are you seriously telling me to date someone just to do it?" He gestured to the left and in front of them. "She looks single, should I ask her to be Rachel's new mommy?"
Rory scowled. "No. Date someone you care about. I'm just saying you don't have to not date because you're a father. There are plenty of single and divorced fathers out there, and they're dating.Do you want more kids?" she asked.
"I don't know," he said. "I never really had time to make out a plan like that. Rachel was unexpected and seeing as I don't even have a mother for her I really wasn't that worried about another one."
"But say you met someone, and you fall in love with her and all the steps that come after that, but she wants a baby. I mean, she's crazy about Rachel," she said quickly. "But she wants another one, too. Would you want another one? Or no?"
"I don't know. I guess... maybe it would be nice to do it right. A mother and a father, baby shower, all that stuff."
She smiled and nodded. "Yeah."
He glanced over at her and some little devil inside prompted him to say, "There is this girl at work that has her eye on me..."
Rory's face fell a little bit, but she quickly tried to cover it, looking at Rachel and waving. "Yeah... See..."
Jess smirked a little at her tone. "Of course she's married," he drawled.
Rory looked over, startled at first, but at seeing him smirk she glared at him and elbowed him in the side. "You are not funny." Then, copying Rachel, she gave him a pout and flounced over to where Rachel was standing.
Jess shook his head and smiled to himself. Then he looked up and watched Rachel and Rory for a minute with a thoughtful look on his face. All day he had been stuck with that image of Rory's face when he opened his eyes, an odd look in her eye. He had felt her hands in his hair, that's what initially caused him to open his eyes, then he watched her further explore before she realized his eyes were open. There was definitely something there. And as he looked at Rory and Rachel, sharing the soft pretzel he bought and probably talking about stupid stuff, he realized that oddly the idea of doing the family thing right didn't sound half bad...
A/N: Ok, and there's chapter seven! Yay! I'll probably try to make it about ten chapters just so it's even, but I'm not sure. Please review and let me know what you think! Thanks!
-Kate