Disclaimer:.. seriously guys, I'm running out of ways to say I don't own them...

Chapter 19

"Hey Dad," Rory said, not knowing what else to say.

Christopher just kept grinning. "I see you and Dean are quite comfortable with each other," he said, maneuvering around the coffee table and taking a seat on the couch.

Rory nodded, "Yeah, we are."

"So what is it you wanted to talk about?"

Wow, was he jumping right into the conversation. Rory sighed, fiddling with her fingers as she took a seat on the opposite end of the couch. There was no easy way to make the actions of the past three months sound simple and justifiable. She had that feeling in her gut; that he would reject her just like Emily and Richard, because she knew how much he had liked Logan, and how similar they both were.

"Do you like Dean?" she asked suddenly. No reason why she couldn't just ease the news of her pregnancy to him without directly saying it.

"Sure," Christopher said with a nod, his smile broadening. "He seems to like you very much. He was your first boyfriend, wasn't he?"

"Yeah, he was."

Christopher's eyes darted toward the upstairs bedroom. "Amazing how the Gilmore Girls seem to attract their first loves back into their lives, isn't it?"

"What can I say; we have good taste in charming men."

Christopher brought his eyes back to Rory's and offered her another smile. He knew how nervous she was; about what, he didn't know. He did have a clue though. "You love Dean, don't you?"

Rory looked up, a little taken aback by the sudden question. She nodded slowly and replied quietly, "Yes, I do."

There was a solemn silence, where Rory's eyes darted back to her fidgeting hands and Christopher stared through her as though she was made of glass. The sudden drizzle of rain could be heard splashing quietly on the roof and front steps. Beyond that, Rory could make out the sounds of the last of the wedding patrons, scurrying home to avoid the water. She smiled slightly as she remembered the ceremony and after party.

The only thought in her head when she watched Lane walk down the aisle, and saw her mother and father whispering, was that she wanted to be the person walking down that aisle with all those smiling faces and the proud looks her parents displayed. And her gaze had locked onto Dean's as Lane and Zach made their vows, and her heart ached remembering watching him and Lindsay coming out of the church, kissing and laughing. She had wanted to be the one in a dress; to be the one who promised her life to him, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, for as long as they both shall live. And she remembered with a smile how she'd told her mother that he was her Dean, not Lindsay's.

"Rory?"

She was brought from her thoughts by her father, whose blue eyes were gazing at her in thorough concern.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I was just thinking about something, I'm sorry," Rory apologized, rubbing her face with the back of her sleeve as though it itched. "What were you saying?"

"I was wondering what it was you wanted to tell me."

"Oh, um…" Rory placed her hands firmly in her lap, holding them there and returning her look to her father. Tears started in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. There was still a chance that he'd accept the news happily.

"Rory, you can tell me anything, you know that," Chris said, reaching over to lay his hand on her arm and patting it comfortingly. "I won't get mad or upset. Scout's honor."

Rory let out a laugh seeing the goofy look on her father's face as he held up his free hand. She sighed and said quietly, "Dean and I love each other very much. We always have, it was just never the right time to be together, you know?"

Chris nodded.

"And we sort of ran into each other a couple months ago, and we got together," Rory paused, realizing how awkward this was getting for both her and Christopher. It was one thing to be open about her sexual explorations with her mother, but it was completely different to discuss them or even mention them to her father. "I'm sorry," she whispered, seeing the growing discomfort on his face.

"No, no, it's okay," he added quickly. He wanted Rory to come to him for advice and to be able to give him news, no matter what it concerned. He hadn't always been there for her - in fact, he'd been virtually non-existent for the first half of her life - and he wanted to be able to change that now.

"What I'm trying to say, is that, I'm, uh," she paused again, swiping at her eyes to keep the tears at bay, "pregnant."

It all became suddenly clear to Christopher. He's eyes darted back to Rory's bedroom where Dean had disappeared to. "Dean's the, uh, um…"

"Yes, Dean's the father," Rory mumbled with a nod. She looked up to see her father's expression, and by the pitied gaze he cast her, she added, "I love him and he loves me, Dad. It's not out of force or pity or anything. We're together because we want to be. Believe me, I wouldn't be with him if I didn't truly want to be."

"And you're sure that he feels the same way?"

"You don't know Dean, Dad. He loves me more than anyone I've ever known; he always has. No matter what, he was always there for me and willing to give us another chance. I broke his heart three times, Dad, and he's still able to forgive me for that. He even told his parents about me and him getting back together, not even about the baby, and they kicked him out, and Mom said he could stay here with us for a while."

"Rory, sweetie, you're rambling," Chris said with a chuckle, laying both of his hands on her shoulders.

"Sorry."

"Don't apologize," Chris replied. He let out a breath of air, wondering where to go from this shock of news. His eyes flipped to Rory's nervousness again - she was watching him as though she were a doe caught in headlights. He sent her a lopsided grin and replied, "Does he still have a motorcycle? Because I can always trade him the bike for you if he's that in love…"

"Dad!" Rory rolled her eyes and hit him playfully on the arm, laughing along with him.

When the laughter died down, Chris turned back to Rory. "Seriously, kiddo, if you love him and he loves you, I don't see a reason for you to be nervous telling me all this. Okay, so you're going to have a baby. Sure, that's a shock because it wasn't part of "The Plan," he emphasized the last two words. "But the best things in life are thrown at you with a curve ball. They're unexpected and mysterious, which makes them all the better than whatever plan you had to begin with."

Rory took those words to heart.

"I mean, look at your mother and I. We got a beautiful, sensible, intelligent, sweet little girl who grew up to be an amazing woman. We couldn't be prouder of you, Rory, if you were the spokesperson for the Oscar Meyer Weiner campaign."

Rory chuckled.

"And you're just like your mom, Rory. You'll be a great mom just like her."

Rory's smile grew brighter, and the tears pooled in her eyes for a second time that evening. This time it was out of happiness and pride.

"And if you and Dean can manage to find your way back to each other after - what? Four? Five years? - then someone up there is trying to make it painfully clear that you and he belong together."

Rory leaned forward to wrap her arms around Christopher. Boy, was she proud to call him her father in that moment.

"Thank you so much," Rory said once they pulled apart. "I was afraid you'd take all this news like Grandma and Grandpa."

"Emily and Richard?" Chris made a face. "Let me guess, they didn't approve?" Rory's silence answered the question itself. "Don't worry kiddo, there's bigger and brighter things ahead. Besides, you've got Dean, your mom, Luke, and me all on your side… right?"

Rory nodded.

"Then there you go! Pass the popcorn, stick in the movie, prop your feet up on the couch, lay back, and call it a day. I'm beat," he said with a smile, throwing his feet up on the coffee table and leaning back, TV remote in hand as he flipped the television on.

Rory just let out a laugh and stood from her spot, so her father could put his feet on the couch. "Are you staying the night? If so, I can get you some blankets and you can sleep on the couch."

"Sure, why not? It'll be a slumber party."

"I'll be right back," Rory said and headed toward her bedroom. She didn't know where her mother had put the extra blankets and pillows when she decided to redecorate the house. She didn't want to go and wake Lorelai up, and she knew she had an extra blanket in her closet.

Rory pushed open the door to her room, and made a beeline for the closet. She dug the blanket out of an unpacked box, and turned to find Dean asleep on her - their - bed. She grinned and made a mental note to clean out her room so they could buy at least a double bed for the two of them, since the twin wasn't big enough any longer. Of course, she liked having an excuse to sleep tightly in Dean's arms, and she was sure he liked having the same excuse to wrap his arms around her. However, Dean's long, slender body was now longer than the bed, and as content as his face was in his sleep, Rory knew he couldn't be that comfortable with his legs curled up in the awkward fashion.

She walked over to the bed and, putting the spare blanket she'd retrieved for her father down on the armchair in the corner of the room, she picked up the knitted blanket at the end of her bed and opened it, draping it across Dean's sleeping form. She leaned down and kissed him on the cheek.

He stirred slightly, letting out a yawn. "Rory?" he managed to mumble and his eyes fluttered in a sleepy haze.

"Shh," Rory said with a shush. She ran her fingers loving through his hair and whispered quietly, "Everything's okay now - Dad understands. Just go to sleep; I'll be right back, I promise." She kissed him once more, on the forehead this time, and when she pulled away, his eyes had closed and his breathing had deepened and steadied, signaling that he was fast asleep again. She smiled, brushing her hand through his hair once more before she tore herself away. She grabbed the blanket on the armchair and made her way out to her dad.

Christopher had fallen asleep, too. Quiet snores rippled out of him, and he'd stretched his legs out along the sofa. Rory placed the blanket across him and switched the television off. 'I suppose he and Dean have more in common than I thought,' Rory mused to herself.

AN: Okay, I know this isn't the morning like I promised, but it's still the day after so that's a record for me. Lol. I think Christopher was a little out of character, but oh well. And I was being a sap when I wrote the last part of the chapter, so I know it's a little bit fluff-y.

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