Disclaimer:...why do I get the feeling I'm repeating myself in every chapter?... oh, yeah, cause I am...

Author's Note: Thanks to all of you who reviewed! Wow, you guys really helped me a lot and I liked a lot of your suggestions!

Chapter 23

"Rory, we need to talk," Dean said quietly as he kneeled in front of her, breaking the brief silence that had settled after Lorelai had disappeared up the stairs.

Rory looked down at her hands, unsure of what to say.

"Rory…"

"I'm sorry, okay?" she finally said, looking up at him. She bit her upper lip and looked away a moment before turning red eyes on him again.

"You have nothing to be sorry about," Dean sighed and rested his hand on hers.

She, however, pulled her hand away.

Dean looked hurt by the sudden audacity, but said nothing of it. He shifted his position from kneeling on the floor to sitting on the edge of the coffee table. He hooked his hands together, letting his elbows rest on his knees. Millions of things flew through his head - what to say, how to say it; explanations and discussions - but nothing seemed right. He finally settled on the only truth he could swear to. "Rory, I do love you - "

" - but you don't want to marry me, right?" Rory cut in rather bitterly.

"Rory," Dean started, stopping to think through his words before he said them, "I love you like no one else. You have to understand that. You have been the person for me since the day I saw you walk into Stars Hollow High. I've never loved anyone the way I've loved you." He shook his head as a grim smile crept across his lips. "But I can't marry you. Not now."

"Why not? If you love me and the baby, why can't we just be a family?"

"You've always known I've loved you, Rory," Dean reasoned, and Rory's small nod confirmed it. "But for some reason, you've always found someone better… with Jess, with Logan. I can't trust an always-and-forever promise from you, Rory, because it's too risky. I can't get married again, just to turn around and get divorced a second time."

"But that's not fair," Rory argued. "I love you, and you know it. I've been nothing but faithful to you for the past eight months."

"Eight months is nothing compared to a life-time."

Rory shook her head, bringing her hands to her face to wipe the tears from her blurry vision. "I can't take back Jess or Logan, Dean. I can't change what I did back then, but this is here and now. How can you possibly live with me and even hope to raise a child with me if you can't trust me?" she asked, desperately pleading for an answer.

"Rory," Dean responded lowly, "I didn't mean it like that."

"Then what did you mean?" Rory asked, but refused to wait for an answer. "You know, the only time I ever had a problem being faithful was that first time with Jess. After that, I was faithful to you and faithful to Logan. You were the one that pushed me away! You broke up your own marriage, Dean, and then you slept with me again and caused this whole mess while you were dating another girl!"

"Rory…"

"No, Dean! I've had enough of this!" Rory cried. "I don't want to be a single mom like mine! I can't do that, I'm not strong enough! I want my child to have a mother and a father, and to grow up in a home where both are present, and both love each other! Is that too much to ask?"

Silence befell the room once more, lasting for only a moment this time, though it seemed much longer.

"Rory," Dean started, reaching over tentatively and touching her hand which lay on her stomach. The baby inside kicked in sudden recognition to the added weight. A smile twitched in the corners of Rory's mouth, but before forming fully, her eyes rested on Dean. He looked really apprehensive, and the happiness fell from Rory's face.

"I can't…" He paused, slightly shaking his head and turning wide, pleading eyes on Rory. "Can we please just wait for marriage? Please? I just… I need a little more time, Rory."

Rory reprimanded herself seeing the anxiously sad look on his face. If she'd known he'd felt this strongly about waiting, then she would've restrained herself from blowing up about it. She had no idea it had been this important to him, and now she felt ashamed for starting it.

"Okay," she replied quietly, giving a small nod.

Dean's expression twitched to one of confusion and he asked, "Really?"

Rory nodded again, and Dean's face fell to relief. He leaned over, moving his hand, and kissed her hand. He rested his forehead against it for a moment, taking in the effects of the conversation they'd just had.

"I'm tired," Rory cut into his thoughts, shifting and forcing him to get up. "Let's go to bed, huh?"

"Are you sure? After everything - "

"It was just a mood swing, I guess," Rory lied. "I'm sorry for all of that," she apologized as he helped her stand and guide her to their bedroom. "I really do love you, you know."

Dean looked at her in the doorway to their room. For a moment, his eyes bore into hers, as if looking for the truth they both knew had been there since the beginning - since Rory was 16 years old. He smiled and leaned down, kissing her softly. "I know," he said, pulling away, "And I really do love you, too."

"I know," she responded tiredly, stifling a yawn.

Dean chuckled and helped her back to bed. Once under the warm blankets, Dean draped his left arm over her belly, intertwininghis handwith hers. Their comfort position. Just before he fell back asleep, he heard Rory mumble quietly to the darkness, "See, good things happen when it snows, Lorelai says."

AN: Okay, shorter than usual, but I felt like this little freak-out deserved a chapter all its own. Heh. Well, I've decided on what the baby's going to be and what it's name is going to be. Thanks again to all of you who reviewed! Wow, this story is actually winding up to a close. There's only two more chapters left, I believe, and then an epilogue if you guys want one. Then I'll be able to focus on TIA, which I've been neglecting updating as I debated the whole baby issue in my head, lol.

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