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Chapter 14

It was a Saturday so Jess was working at the diner.

"You're quiet today." Luke commented as he passed Jess behind the counter.

"What? Oh I'm fine." Jess said.

"Really? Because both Taylor and Kirk came in today and you didn't make a sarcastic comment once." Luke said.

"Thought you wanted me to be more polite." Jess grumbled.

Luke looked at him. "You've been quiet since you went out to see that movie this week. What's wrong?" He asked.

"Nothing." Jess said.

Luke sighed. "Look, you can talk to me. I might be able to help." He said.

Jess glanced at him. "It's complicated."

"Ok..." He said.

Jess sighed. "You know Kate?"

"That girl who you went to the movie with. Are you guys dating or something?" He asked.

Jess shook his head. "No. I wanted to but it's...just complicated." He sighed.

"How?" Luke asked.

"She's pregnant." Jess said quietly.

"What?" Luke said shocked.

"And before you ask, it wasn't me." Jess said dryly.

"Ok so she's with someone else? Is this why you've been moping around?" He asked.

Jess shook his head. "Apparently the father bolted as soon as she told him. He said he didn't want to have anything to do with her or the baby. I mean what sort of jerk does that?! I mean, I know because Rory and I are a product of that sort of jerk. I still don't understand why someone would run from their child." He said angrily.

"Me neither." Luke said, thinking about how Jimmy and Christopher had affected Rory and Jess.

Jess sighed. "I want to be there for her but she's told me she doesn't want me caught up in all this."

"Wait, you want to help her with the baby?" Luke asked surprised.

Jess shrugged. "I don't know but it's not fair that she has to do it alone. I mean she said her parents are being supportive so that's good I guess but I don't know. She's my friend."

"Jess, this would be a huge change and responsibility." Luke said cautiously.

"You did it for Lorelai." Jess pointed out.

"Yeh but Rory was already 8 when we met. She was already, well, Rory." He said.

"What, so I'm just meant to leave her to do all this by herself?" Jess said angrily. "She's 16, Luke! She's the age Lorelai was when she had Rory. I can't just stand around and do nothing!" He exclaimed. "I really like her." He admitted.

Luke sighed. "I don't know how you turned out to be such a great kid considering what's happened in the past." He said.

Jess shrugged. "Learnt from the best."

"Who?" Luke asked.

"Uh the guy who's been there for me in the last 8 years." Jess said.

"Stop it..." Luke said brushing off his compliment.

"It's true. You're right. Considering who my parents were, I should be in a detention centre right now but you took me in. I learnt what it was like to grow up with a proper family." He said.

Luke gave him a small smile and put a hand on his shoulder. "So you've really been thinking about this then huh?"

Jess nodded. "I don't know if she'll accept my help though."

"Well it's a huge thing, Jess. She knows that. She probably doesn't want you to be dragged into it. She wants you to have your own life." Luke said.

"I can still do that." Jess said. He looked at his uncle. "That first day you met Lorelai, you knew right? You knew you wanted to be with her. That she was the one?"

Luke nodded. "Yeh.."

"Well it's the same for me. I've never met anyone like Kate before. I really like her Luke." Jess said.

Luke sighed. "Look, you know I'll support you in whatever you decide but please at least take the weekend to think about it. This could change your life. Kate comes as a package deal now with her baby. You need to know that her baby will be her number one priority." He said.

"I know." Jess nodded. "Is mom at home?" He asked.

"Yeh she's got the day off today." He said.

"Can I take my break? I want to talk to her." Jess said.

"Yeh ok." Luke nodded.

Jess went and grabbed his coat and then walked towards the door.

"Jess?" Luke said.

Jess looked back.

"I'm proud of you." Luke said.

Jess gave him a small smile and then left.

Jess entered the house to find Lorelai and Rory watching tv while Alice was playing with some of her toys. "Hey.." He said.

"Oh hey! I thought you were working today?" Lorelai said.

"Yeh I am. On my break." He said sitting down next to them.

Rory glanced at him. "Are you ok?" She asked. She had noticed his quiet behaviour the last few days.

Jess turned and looked at Lorelai. "When you were pregnant with Rory, if you had a good, solid friend, say if you knew Luke back then and he wanted to stand by you and help you with Rory, would you have let him?" He asked.

Lorelai was taken aback by the question. "Uh, I don't know. I guess if he was serious, it would have been easier yeh." She said. She looked at Jess. "Why?" She asked cautiously.

"Kate's pregnant." He said.

"What?" Lorelai said shocked. "Did you...are you...?"

Jess shook his head. "We haven't even gone out yet." He then sighed. "The father apparently bolted as soon as he heard and said he wanted nothing to do with them." He said quietly.

"God, poor Kate." Lorelai said quietly. "Is she..uh..keeping it?"

Jess nodded. "She's against abortions."

"Was that what you and her were talking about outside the movie theatre this week?" Rory asked.

Jess nodded. "I asked her out and she said no. I felt stupid and just thought she wasn't interested but then she told me. She said how she didn't want to drag me into it. That it wasn't fair on me."

Lorelai looked at him. "You want to stand by her and help her?" She asked.

Jess nodded. "I really like her. She shouldn't have to do it alone."

"Aw Jess, this is a big responsibility. It's a baby." She said softly.

"I know but Luke did the same for you and Rory." Jess pointed out.

"Yeh but he was much older than you are now when we started dating and he started looking out for Rory." Lorelai said.

Jess sighed. "I just feel useless. She's my friend and she has to do this alone. She must be scared. She's 16. She's the age you were when you had Rory. Weren't you scared? Wouldn't it have helped to have someone help you?" He asked.

Lorelai thought back to that time and she had to admit Jess was right. She was terrified and, apart from her parents, she had noone. She sighed. "Yeh it would have." She admitted. She looked at Jess. "You know when you decide this, there's not turning back right?"

He nodded.

"God you're a great kid." Lorelai said quietly.

"How do I get her to believe I want to be there for both of them?" He asked.

"Prove it to her. If she thinks you're going to get bored and change your mind, she will never give you the time of day. That baby will be her number one priority. She'll want to feel safe." Lorelai said. "Have you talked to Luke about this?" She asked.

Jess nodded. "Just. He said pretty much the same thing you did."

"I just want you to know what a big deal this is and how much this will change your life if you commit to this." Lorelai said.

"I know." Jess said. "I can't let her go though. I just can't."

"She's really made an impression on you, hasn't she?" Lorelai smiled a little.

"I really like her." He admitted.

"Just don't rush into to anything, ok? Promise me that." She said.

He nodded. "I promise."

They all started focussing on the tv. Rory leant her head on Jess' shoulder. "She'll be lucky to have you." She said quietly.

Jess gave her a small smile. "I just want to help."

"You will." Rory assured him.

On Monday, Rory and Jess walked over to their lockers and Jess immediately saw Kate at hers. Rory went over to Tristan to give Jess some time with Kate.

"Hey." Jess said.

Kate gave him a tired smile. "Hi."

"Are you ok? You look pale." He said concerned.

"Morning sickness. It's been really bad recently." She said.

"Oh. Sorry." Jess said.

"I better get to my class." She said, going to walk off.

"Wait please." He said.

Kate turned back.

"I want to help." He said.

"Jess..." Kate sighed.

"No. I've been reading all these baby books over the weekend and it's a lot of work. Even more if you're doing this alone. You shouldn't have to deal with this by yourself. I want to be there for you. I want to help. Please!" Jess said.

"You've been reading baby books?" She asked quietly, surprised.

"Well yeh.." Jess said embarrassed. "I wanted to be able to help you when you needed it and I thought the only way I could do that was to research it." He said.

"Jess..." Kate said softly.

"I know! I know you said you don't want me to have to deal with this because it's not fair on me but don't I have say? I like you, Kate. I really like you and I want to stand by you. I don't want you to have to do this alone. Please. Let me in?" He asked.

Kate smiled a little and then walked forward and kissed him. "Ok." She said.

"Ok?" Jess asked, pulling away from the kiss surprise.

Kate nodded. "You're right. I can't do this alone. I'm terrified as it is. But Jess, this isn't something you can walk away from. You walk away and I won't give you another chance." She said.

Jess nodded. "I know. I promise you I won't walk away."

Kate smiled. "You're one of the special ones, aren't you?" She said softly.

"Just like his uncle." Rory smiled coming up to them. She smiled at Kate. "You're lucky to have him."

"I think I'm coming to learn that." Kate smiled.

"Come on, we'll be late for class." Tristan said.

The four of them then headed off to class, Jess putting his arm around Kate as they walked.

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