Chapter 152

"We're back!" Rory announced as she and Paris walked through the doorway to the apartment. Jess turned around from the couch, where he'd been working on his laptop.

"How was the world's quickest trip to Stars Hollow?" Jess smiled, pulling in Rory for a kiss and giving Paris a friendly nod. Rory smiled at him.

"It's always good to see Mom," Rory said, "And she always loves seeing Paris."

Paris nodded. "It was really good to see her. Thanks for letting me impose here so long, Jess. I'm heading back to Boston tomorrow."

"You guys work things out?"

"Not yet. But I'm going to head back and figure it out there."

"You're always welcome here, Paris."

"Thanks, Jess," Paris replied, genuinely appreciative.

"Of course," Jess responded kindly. He turned to Rory.

"The guys were hoping to do pizza tonight. I think they're bringing Hannah and Jane. Are you up for that?"

"Paris, that work for you?"

"Sounds great. I can't wait to argue with them about the transcendentalists."

An hour later, Rory, Paris and Jess got out of Jess' car and started walking towards Chris' apartment.

"Have you been here since they moved in?" Paris asked.

"No, actually. This was just Hannah's place, and I've never been here before."

"Aren't you friends with her?"

"It's new," Rory noted. Paris nodded. Jess looked on with amusement.

"If you're finished analyzing the situation, can we go inside and eat now?"

"Fine, fine," Rory agreed, "But no making fun of anything!"

"…what do you mean?"

"Jess, he moved in with Hannah. The place is going to be girlier."

"I only mock him out of love."

"Yes, but can you try to tone it down? Let them live in their little blissful cloud of engagement, alright?"

"I'll try, but I make no promises." Jess walked up to the apartment door and rang the bell. A moment later, the door swung open.

"Jess! Rory! It's so good to see you," Hanna said, smiling widely. "And you must be Paris."

"Paris Geller," Paris introduced herself, reaching out to shake the pretty brunette's hand. The girl was dressed casually, in jeans and a grey cable-knit sweater, with a pair of boots. Her hair was up in a casual ponytail.

"My fiance told me all about you," Hanna continued, smiling good-naturedly.

"…all lies and slander."

"Well, what else would he tell?" Hannah replied. Paris gave her a genuine smile. "Now all of you, come in! Take off your coats and make yourselves at home. Chris and Matt are out grabbing the pizzas but should be back any minute."

Jess, Rory and Paris headed towards the coat rack, where they each took off their winter coats. Paris last, carefully hanging her navy wool peacoat to the side of Rory's red shearling jacket. Rory was, as per usual, wearing one of Jess' black tees, a pair of her own jeans, and minimal makeup. Paris had opted for something in between- one of her usual cashmere maternity crew necks that she'd become so fond of for daily wear in Boston. This one was navy, and worn with a pair of white jeans with a slim cut (that were also maternity, but you'd never know it unless you could see underneath her shirt), and a pair of leather loafers. This was casual for Paris, even pregnant. She'd worn her hair down, but straight, and felt slightly awkward in the room. Paris had never been as good with Rory's female friends, and just didn't always get along well with women naturally. She was hopeful that she'd get along with Rory's Philadelphia friends though. She liked visiting Rory and Jess, and knew that the more naturally she fit into their friend group, the more often she'd see them. It felt like things were off to a good start with Hannah.

"Is Jane here?" Rory asked, almost as if she were reading Paris' mind. Hannah sighed. "No, she has an early morning shift so she had to bow out."

"Bummer," Rory said, frowning, "Matt finally dates a girl we like and she's such a hard worker we barely see her."

"Thus is the job of being a nurse practitioner," Hannah shrugged.

"She works in medicine?"

"Paris is a surgeon," Rory explained. Hannah grinned.

"Wow, that's incredible! Did you always want to do that?"

"No. Actually, for a long time I couldn't make up my mind at all about what I wanted to do. I loved too many things," Paris explained. Hannah nodded.

"Yeah- I've met people like that. I'm not like that at all. I wonder if my life's a little more boring for it."

"What do you do?"

"I teach elementary school. I always knew I wanted to."

"Teach?"

"Teach first grade."

"You knew it down to the exact grade?"

"That's the best age," Hannah replied. Paris smiled. So far, she liked this girl. "By the way- Rory mentioned you were pregnant. If you don't mind my asking, when are you due?"

"…that's very kind of you to say, when I look like I've swallowed a watermelon," Paris joked. Rory laughed, and cautiously so did Hannah. She was clearly polite, but not so much that she wasn't fun. A huge improvement on Rory's non-Paris Yale friends. "I'm due in the beginning of March."

"That's so soon! Are you nervous?" Hannah asked. Paris smiled at her.

"Honestly, I'm not. I'm just excited to meet her."

"It's a girl?"

"Yeah, she is," Paris said, smiling. Rory looked at Paris with a little bit of wonder. She always seemed a little different when she was talking about the baby. Calmer, more at peace, more relaxed…it seemed clear that this was a positive influence on Paris regardless of the other things happening.

"Congratulations! Do you have a name?"

"We think so." Hannah smiled.

"Well, congratulations."

"Thanks!"

"Of course. And thanks for not asking how soon we're going to have kids," Hannah joked. Paris smirked.

"You're just now getting engaged, and you're constantly spending hours with young children. I think it's safe to give you a minute. If you even want them at all. Which you don't have to. It's not a rule that because you're a woman you have to."

"Feel like telling my mother that?"

"Don't offer, she'll go ahead and do it," Rory smiled, rolling her eyes good naturedly. Paris's eyes sparkled.

"I really, really will. It would be my pleasure." The three girls continued laughing as they heard the door open behind them.

"Jess! Want to help us with this?" Chris called. Jess got up from the couch, where he'd been responding to a text from this week's author, and went over to help them carry in some of the beer and soda that accompanied the pizza.

"We even got a case of nonalcoholic, in case Paris wants to join us," Chris offered. Paris smiled, touched.

"You guys didn't have to do that."

"And yet we did."

"We're heroes."

"Gods, really."

"Insufferable prats," Hannah joked, walking over and giving Chris a kiss on the cheek, as she took the pizzas from him to put on the counter. "Matt, beer can go in the fridge. It's through that way, I trust you remember."

"I'll always find my way to the fridge," Matt grinned winningly. He looked over at Paris.

"You must be the infamous Paris."

"And you're Thing 2."

"Ouch!"

"I can mock you, you're the only one without a significant other here to protect you."

"Bold of you to assume I can't protect myself."

"Well, can you?"

"No," Jess and Chris answered mockingly in unison, earning a glare from Matt

"Well, with my compatriots' betrayal, I suppose I don't have much of a leg to stand on. You've bested me already. Care for a refreshment to celebrate your victory?"

"An alcohol-free beer seems fitting, for a celebration of something that wasn't that hard." Paris didn't hear the meaning behind her words until she saw Matt's surprised smirk.

"Witty without a thought. The man who put you in this position must be something to behold."

"He's certainly…something," Jess trailed off, earning a glare from Rory and an eye roll from Paris.

"Well, here's your poison. Or, just…refreshment, I guess?"

"Thanks," Paris smiled, taking the nonalcoholic beer from Matt's hand and clinking her bottle to his at his clear invitation.

"Is the little one as aggressive as you are? You're at the point where they kick, right?"

"You're a regular Dr. Spock."

"Kids are great," Matt shrugged, "Even better when they're other peoples'."

"You and your girlfriend don't want them?"

"We've been dating two months, so it hasn't come up. Not everyone is like our Johnny and June over here," Matt said, gesturing at Rory and Jess with annoyance. Paris laughed.

"You don't have to tell me twice. I'm the private type myself. And hey, no reason for me to be asking questions the first time meeting you that you and your significant other haven't even broached."

"But you did."

"Yeah."

Matt studied Paris' face, and smiled.

"So?"

"Sometimes I feel like she's bruising my insides practicing the can can. So yeah, I'd call her pretty aggressive."

"Well then, God willing she'll stay that way."