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Chapter 15

Jess walked into school one day the following week. He smiled when he saw Kate over by the lockers. "Hey!" He said going over to her.

She turned round and he could tell she'd been crying.

"What's wrong?" He asked concerned.

"They know. Everyone knows." She said.

"Who knows what?" He asked.

"The school. My pregnancy. It's all round the school." She said.

"What, how?" Jess asked.

"Someone must have overheard us and spread it round the school. That's not all though..." Kate said quietly.

"You should be ashamed of yourselves!" Someone said passing them. "Not heard of protection?"

Jess looked at Kate. "They think I'm the father?"

"They've seen us hanging around together. They're all assuming you are." Kate said. "I'm so sorry, Jess. This is why I didn't want you getting involved." She said upset.

"You two should be kicked out!" Someone else shouted, passing them.

Kate tried to hold her tears back. "I'm so sorry, Jess. Apparently they're having a meeting after school with Headmaster Charleston. All the parents want me out."

"Why can't you just tell them who the real father is?" Jess asked.

"I can't." She said quietly. "I just...I can't."

"Why not?" Jess asked. "I could get kicked out for this! God Kate, I'm going to stand by you but I need my education as well. I can't get kicked out!"

"It was my brother's roommate." She said quietly.

Jess stopped. "Your brother?"

"He's at Yale. I went to visit him one weekend and well, it just happened." She said quietly.

"Your brother's roommate? How old is he?" Jess asked.

"21." She said.

"Ah geez, Kate..." Jess said. "Did he..uh...make you?" He asked cautiously.

"No." Kate shook her head.

"Kate..."

"I swear. It wasn't like that." Kate assured him. "We both consented. It was a stupid weekend."

Jess sighed. "Does your brother know?"

"No and he can't. He'd kill him!" Kate said. "Noone knows. Well apart from him and you. Please, you can't tell anyone! My parents would hate me!"

"I thought you said they were being supportive." He said.

"They are but that's because they think it was some random guy at school." She admitted. "If they knew about this, well it would get out and it would bring shame on the family. They can't know." She said. "My parents are coming to this meeting after school. I don't know what to do, Jess. If all the parents band together, we could be out! Even if I am family, Headmaster Charleston won't have a choice!"

"Wait, family?" Jess asked confused.

Kate sighed. "Headmaster Charleston's my grandfather." She admitted.

"Wow." Jess said. "Well then surely he won't kick you out?"

"He might not have a choice. God Jess I'm so sorry! I didn't want you getting involved in this and now you might get kicked out because of me! It's all my fault!" She cried, not being able to hold back her tears this time.

Jess sighed. "Come here." He said pulling her into a hug. "It's going to be ok. Look, they don't need to find out about the real father." He said.

Kate looked up. "What, how?"

"Well everyone already thinks it's me. We don't need to correct them." He shrugged.

"No. I can't do that. You could get kicked out of school." She said.

"I said we were in this together right? I said I'd be there for you. I don't go back on my promises." He said.

"Rory's right. You are one of the special ones." Kate said quietly.

"I'll ring my mom and Luke and see if they can come to the meeting. You wouldn't want to argue against Lorelai and Luke could out rant anyone." He said. "We may not be kicked out."

Kate wiped her tears away. "I'm so sorry you got dragged into this."

"It's ok." Jess said. "Come on, let's get to class. We can worry about the meeting later." He said.

Kate nodded and followed him to class.

After school, the meeting took place in the hall and there was a big turnout. Kate saw Jess come in with Lorelai and Luke and went over to them. She hugged Jess. "You came." She said.

"I said I would." He said. "Come on, it'll be ok."

"Yeh don't worry Kate. We'll make sure they don't kick you out of school. Either of you." Lorelai smiled warmly at her.

"Thanks." She said quietly.

Soon the meeting started and it did't take long for the lynch mob to gang up on Kate and Jess.

"They should both be expelled! You can't have this scandal being associated with the school! I don't want my daughter having them around as role models." A mother said.

"Yeh they should not be allowed to be here! After what they did, they don't deserve it!" Another parent said.

"Hang on a minute!" Lorelai interrupted. "Kate made a mistake but I don't know why that should cost them their education!"

"This is ridiculous! How do you expect her to find a job to support her child if she doesn't get a good education?" Luke shouted out.

"Well then she shouldn't have been so stupid as to get knocked up at 16 then, should she?" Another mother stood up.

"And what's wrong with that?" Lorelai said angrily.

"Oh yeh that's right. You're Lorelai Gilmore." The mother said haughtily.

"Danes." Lorelai said.

"You're the scandal girl! You got pregnant when you were 16 as well." The mother announced to the group.

"Yeh and you know what? It was the best thing that ever happened to me. Rory's amazing and I wouldn't have changed it for anything." Lorelai said angrily.

"Well you obviously weren't a good role model for your son! He seems to have followed in your footsteps." She exclaimed.

"Shut up!" Kate suddenly shouted. "Just shut up!"

"Kate..." Her mom tried to say.

"No, I can't take this anymore! If you want to expel me then fine! But this has nothing to do with Jess!" She exclaimed. "He's not the father so leave him out of it!"

Jess looked up. "Kate, it's fine." He tried to say.

"No it's not! I'm not going to be responsible for you getting kicked out of school when all you're responsible is being an amazing friend." Kate said. She glared at the mother who was insulting Lorelai. "You should get off your high horse because the real father was your son!" She blurted out.

Jess put his head in his hands.

"What?" She said shocked. "Ben?"

"No not your son who goes here. Your other son. The one who goes to Yale. My brother's so called best mate!" She shouted. "It was him. So maybe you should stop insulting others and look at your own family!" She exclaimed. She looked at her parents' shocked parents. "Mom, dad, I'm so sorry but I can't lie anymore." She said.

Kate sat back down and suddenly there was more outrage. Soon the meeting was over. Jess wanted Kate to come back with him but she insisted he go home so he reluctantly did.

They were all sat in the living room at home, watching tv. Luke, Lorelai and Jess were sat on the couch while Rory was studying at the kitchen table and Alice had gone to bed. Suddenly the doorbell rang. Jess got up to go answer it. He was surprised to see Kate standing there with a suitcase and a tearstained face. "Kate, what happened?"

"I have nothing!" She cried. "I've got no education and now no house! I didn't know what to do, where to go."

"What do you mean no house?"

"My parents kicked me out. They said I brought shame to their family after they learnt about what really happened. I didn't know where to go. My grandpa tried to calm the parents but he had no choice. I've got nothing." She cried.

"Hey, shh, come here." He said pulling her into a hug.

"I didn't know where to go." She said.

He led her into the living room. "You can stay here tonight and then we'll sort something out."

"Are you sure?" She asked.

Jess looked over at his mom and Luke. "Is that ok?" He asked.

"Of course. Stay as long as you like." Lorelai smiled sympathetically at her.

"Would you like some food? We've just finished dinner and we've got some left." Luke said.

Kate nodded. "Yes please. Thanks." She said quietly.

"Come and sit down." Lorelai smiled warmly at her.

Jess led her to the couch and sat down next to her. Luke then brought her some food. "Why are you being so nice to me?" Kate asked.

"Us teenage moms have to stick together." Lorelai smiled.

Kate smiled a little. "I had no idea you had Rory when you were 16." She said. "I'm sorry about what that mother said to you at the meeting."

"I've heard worse." Lorelai shrugged it off.

"I'm still sorry. For everything. For dragging you all into this." Kate said quietly. "I never meant to."

"Hey, you don't need to apologise. Any friend of Jess' is part of the family. You need any help, you ask us ok?" Luke said.

"Thanks." Kate smiled shyly.

Lorelai smiled up at her husband.

Later that evening, the doorbell rang again. "It's like piccadilly circus in here tonight!" Lorelai joked. She went to answer the door and found and older looking boy, with his hands in his pockets. "Can I help you?" She asked.

"Uh yeh, is Kate here?" He asked.

"Who's asking?" She asked cautiously.

"I'm Adam. I'm her brother." He said.

"Oh. She's had a long day. She doesn't need anymore trouble." Lorelai said.

"I'm not here to cause trouble. I just want to make sure she's ok. Please? She's my little sister." He said.

Lorelai could see his worry was genuine so let him in. "She's in there." She said pointing to the living room.

"Kate!" Adam said spotting her on the couch.

"Adam!" Kate said surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"Mom and dad called. They told me everything." He said.

Kate looked at her shoes. "Oh." She said quietly.

"I kicked Mike out of our dorm." He admitted.

"What?" Kate said surprised looking up.

"He admitted everything. He started insulting you so I kicked him out. Maybe before giving him a little right hook." He admitted.

Kate smiled a little. "You really kicked him out?"

"Yep." He said.

"I'm sorry." She said quietly.

"Look, I'm not here to call you out on what happened. I'm here because I'm your brother and I love you. I'd offer you somewhere to live but I can't really considering I'm at Yale." He said apologetically.

"I understand." She said.

"What does it take for your big brother to get a hug eh?" He smiled.

Kate smiled and rushed over to him and hugged him. "I'm so sorry." She said.

"We'll get through this ok? I promise. I'll always be here for you." He said.

"I love you." She said quietly.

"I love you too." He said. He then looked over at Jess. "Jess, right?"

Jess nodded standing up. Adam went over to him and held out his hand. "Thank you." He said.

"For what?" Jess asked shaking his hand.

"For looking out for my sister. I heard what you've done for her, how you've been there for her and I appreciate it." He smiled.

Jess nodded.

"Uh, Kate?" Luke awkwardly interrupted. "If you need somewhere to stay, the apartment above my diner's empty." He said. "Would be a waste to keep it empty. It's yours if you want it." He offered.

"Are you seriously?" Kate asked shocked. Her face then fell. "I can't afford rent though."

"Don't worry about that." He said. "You can work at the diner if you like. Earn some money there so you have some to support your kid when they arrive."

Kate couldn't believe it and before she knew what she was doing, she went over and hugged him. "Rory's right. You and Jess are amazing." She said quietly.

Luke awkwardly reciprocated the hug. He smiled. "Yeh well I wasn't there for someone who needed my help when she was growing up. She went down a wrong path and I regretted not being able to do something to help." He said glancing over at Jess who knew he was talking about Luke. "I'm not going to let that happen again. You need anything, an advance on your wages or anything, you come to me ok?" He said.

Kate nodded. "I don't know how to thank you. All of you." She said looking around at the family.

"You don't need to." Jess smiled

Kate couldn't believe how nice they were all being. She was so lucky to have found Jess and now his family. Maybe everything would be ok after all.

So what do you think? I know it's been sort of Kate/Jess focussed so far but I will have more of everyone else soon! Please review and let me know what you think! Thanks! :)