A/N: Thank you for all the reviews, peops. I was making future plans for this story over the weekend... I can see this fic going over 40 chapters to nearer the 50 mark, which would make it my longest fic ever. Kinda scary. Anywho, here's the next installment!

(For disclaimer, etc. - see prologue)

Chapter 29

"So apparently that's me done with eggs until at least after junior is born," Rory explained to Jess as she placed the clean laundry into the drawer and closet. "I know it's not a big deal, but kind of a pain. Of course, it was worth finding out because that led to Mom telling me about Sookie also being pregnant. I can't believe she wanted to keep it from me, I actually think it's great that we're pregnant together. It was a plan me and Lane had for a while, y'know, that we would both graduate, marry our boyfriends, and get pregnant together, so that our kids could grow up together just like we did. I know it's never going to happen, honestly, it was never likely to anyway. Given that Lane and Zach have been on exactly one date, there's no guarantees that'll even work out yet..."

She was rambling. Usually Jess found it adorable when Rory rambled, and he listened with rapt attention the whole way through, even when she was talking about stuff that wasn't entirely interesting. Today was different, because he had other things on his mind that were overshadowing everything else. His talk with Luke had just confirmed what Jess already knew, that he was wasting precious time not properly figuring out how he and Rory were going to cope after the baby came, even how the finances would look when she gave up her job in the bookstore, and that was going to have to happen sooner rather than later.

At twenty six weeks pregnant, Rory had a little over three months left before she would give birth. In that time, she and Jess had to know exactly how their immediate future was going to go, where they were going to live, how they were going to take care of their son, how much money they would have in their budget and where it was best used. So far they were way behind on making plans. It ought to seem weird, usually Rory loved her plans, but this was more than either of them had ever had to cope with before. Jess suspected she was putting it off for the same reason he was, fear of what they would discover when they looked seriously at their circumstances. That didn't change the fact that today was going to have to be the day that they talked about it. Jess just didn't know where to start.

Rory had started talking the moment he came in the door, and usually that would be fine. She only stopped long enough for him to go upstairs and shower. Once he came back to their room, she continued on with all she wanted to tell him, whilst she tidied things away, and Jess got dressed. He had now been stood by the window for fully ten minutes, staring out across the yard but probably not even seeing. Rory noticed, she couldn't not. When she asked him if he thought Marmaduke was a good name for the baby and he agreed whole-heartedly, she knew for sure he had zoned out on her.

"Hey," she said as she stepped up beside him, finally regaining his attention. "Jess? What's wrong?" she asked, genuinely concerned by the extremely serious look on his face.

Rory didn't want to panic. She knew she should trust Jess more than this, and yet the moment he got so serious on her, started clamming up again and not talking, she couldn't help it, she just thought the worst. All the what ifs came rushing in all at once - What if he changed his mind? What if he doesn't want this baby? What if he's leaving? What if he regrets the proposal? What if...?

"Rory, we have to talk about the future," he told her too seriously, allaying none of her worst fears yet.

"The future," she echoed. "Well, I thought that meant you, me, and our baby," she said shakily, one hand going instinctively to her bump.

Jess smiled a crooked half smile and nodded his head.

"It does," he promised her, his hand joining hers where their son was growing. "But so far all we keep doing is saying everything will be fine and it'll all work out. Now, I'm not saying it won't, because we're going to make sure it does, but... but we need solid plans," he tried to tell her.

It was awful, because he was so afraid of scaring her. Of course Rory wasn't stupid, she knew these things needed to be discussed and set in stone, but it might be when they came to the number crunching, things just weren't going to be as cut and dry as they originally planned. So far, Jess really wasn't sure how the money situation was going to go, or if Rory really would have the time and energy to go back to Yale as well as help raise their baby. Until they had this talk, they could keep on pretending, living on a daydream, but time was running out and they just couldn't afford to do it anymore.

"I know there's a lot to think about," he told her when she looked away. "But that's kind of the point. We have to have a plan, we have to decide if we're staying here or moving out. You have to figure out Yale, and I have to know if what I'm earning is going to be enough."

"I know," she nodded her head in agreement, though somehow she looked more guilty than upset.

That confused Jess to know end, at least until she slipped away from him and started digging into the back of her closet. Well, it was their closet these day but most of the clothes in it were still hers. Apparently it wasn't only sweaters and pants she was keeping in there either, he realised, as she came back to his side with a sheaf of papers in her hand.

"I'm sorry," she said guiltily as she passed them to him.

Jess didn't understand, at least not until he took the papers from her and flipped through their contents. Facts and figures, epic length pro-con lists, she had so much here it was insane. She had worked out rough budgets, listed options for where to live. Phone numbers for realtors and lists of items they needed for when the baby came covered each page. Jess had wide eyes and a blank unreadable expression when he looked at Rory then.

"You did all this, but you didn't tell me?"

"I know, that's why I'm sorry," she said sadly. "Jess, I didn't make any big decisions, I swear I didn't. I just knew that time was slipping away and all these thoughts were rushing around in my head, so I started to write things down and... and then every time I wanted to talk to you about it, I... I got scared."

"Scared? Of me?" he checked, looking understandably hurt.

"No," Rory insisted, moving closer, wrapping her arms around him as best she could with her ever-growing bump stuck out between them. "No, never scared of you, not even how you would react really, it's just you've been working so hard," she reminded him. "You're tired when you've done shifts at the diner and Walmart, and you do so much for me, getting up in the night when I feel bad, going out for the weird foods I've been craving. It felt wrong to put any more pressure on you."

"Rory," he sighed, putting the papers down on the desk behind them and holding her close as he could. "I'm supposed to have this pressure, we both are. We both got ourselves into this and we both have to deal, together," he reminded her. "I know I'm kind of a hypocrite for saying this, but when stuff is on your mind, you gotta tell me."

"I know, I should," she agreed, a smile curving her lips that she couldn't help then. "And yes, you are a hypocrite."

Jess smirked at her and then leaned in to kiss her lips.

"So we're both idiots that have been freaking out about this stuff and just not talking?" he realised aloud. "How very adult and sensible of us."

"Pretty sure it's the kind of thing Mom and Luke would do too," Rory considered. "So we're good," she joked. "But we really should start figuring this stuff out, I guess. Not long now until there will be three of us to think about" she said, looking down.

"Well, you made a good start by the looks of things," said Jess, eying her lists and such on the desk. "How about I cook dinner, and then we start making some serious plans for the future?" he suggested.

"Sounds good," Rory smiled, accepting one last kiss from Jess before he released her and headed for the kitchen.

She watched him go and then picked up her papers from the desk. The smile faded when she remembered the gaps in the budgets and holes in the plans that she couldn't figure out how to fix. Maybe Jess would have some ideas, maybe even a solution, but it was going to bother Rory until they figured out what to do. It was looking more and more like graduating Yale would have to be nothing more than a dream.

"Mmm, I am never going to get tired of your cooking," said Lorelai, happily digging into her second helping of apple pie.

She already tore through a double cheeseburger with everything, curly fries, and two coffees before she even got to dessert. Luke had to wonder how much of this was actual hunger and how much was nerves.

"That's comforting," he said leaning over on the counter. "At least if my looks go I've got something to fall back on," he joked.

"That's true," she answered seriously, as Lorelai was wont to do even when she knew something had been said in jest. "Ugh, I just wish I knew what was going on at home," she complained. "Don't get me wrong, you were right to encourage Jess to talk to Rory. I mean, we agreed it's a step forward they need to take and soon," she said, scooping up another forkful of pie. "But I guess I'm just waiting for something to go wrong. Those two are seeming so solid right now. Jess is determined to be everything Rory needs, and she is being so grown up too. I just hate to think that when they start having to make the rest of their big decisions it could all fall apart."

"It'll be fine" Luke assured her, pulling her forward and kissing her forehead. "They're good kids learning to be adults. They're serious about each other and about doing right by this baby," he reminded her. "And hey, if they mess up, we're here for them."

"Yes, we are," she smiled gratefully at her boyfriend. "You and all your right words at the right time," she sighed. "Why can't I be like that?"

"You are like that. Sometimes," he considered with a smirk that his nephew would have been proud of.

Lorelai stared for a second and then just laughed, picking up the abandoned dish towel from the counter and attempting to whip Luke across the ass with it as he walked away to the kitchen. She missed, but that was okay. He really was the best, and that wasn't just sometimes, it was all the time.

Lorelai waited until late before she even considered going home, then her nerve left her anyway and she asked Luke if he would mind her staying over. Of course he wasn't going to object to that, and so she called up the house and was glad when Rory answered with a tired but not so sad 'Hello?'

"Hey, sweets. So, Luke invited me to stay over at the diner tonight and you know I can't resist that diner man charm," she said with a smile even as she bent the truth just slightly.

"Oh, okay," her daughter agreed. "So, I guess we'll see you tomorrow. Although, don't you need to come home to get your toothbrush and stuff."

Lorelai squirmed a little, almost enough that Rory actually heard the awkward expression on her face.

"Um, no, I'm fine," she said eventually, before breaking entirely. "Okay, so I'm trying to give you and Jess some space. I had a feeling you guys were gonna be having a serious talk and plan making session tonight, and I just thought it was only right to give you privacy for that."

It all came out in a rush, as things usually did, regardless of which Gilmore was saying it. What she said was true enough but she was still worried she had done the wrong thing. Ever since Rory bolted for New York, only to return all full of pregnancy hormones, Lorelai had been a little wary of what she said to her daughter. The last thing she wanted was for her to be upset or feel she had to go away again. Thankfully, there was to be no such drama today.

"Thank you, Mom," said Rory with what sounded like a smile. "We appreciate it. We have been having a pretty serious planning session actually, and as much as I love knowing you and Luke are both here for us, always, I think it's better me and Jess do this stuff alone right now."

"Exactly what I was thinking, honey," her mother agreed easily. "So, I'll crash here with Luke, and see you first thing in the morning, but if you do need me at all for any reason, my cell is on, okay?"

"Okay, Mom, and thanks again."

"No problem, sweets."

The call ended and Rory put the phone back in the cradle. Her hand went to her back that ached from both the weight she was carrying and leaning over the kitchen table crunching numbers too long tonight. She returned to the bedroom where Jess was already in bed waiting for her. It was getting late and when Rory started yawning every thirty seconds, Jess had made the decision that they needed to stop with the planning for tonight. They had gotten just about as far as they could anyway for now, and he was happy to head straight to bed with his fiancee. He guessed the phone call that came a minute or two before they managed to put out the light would be Lorelai, and looked to Rory for confirmation her return.

"Mom is staying at the apartment with Luke," she confirmed, her smile fast fading to nothing as she climbed into bed beside him.

"You okay?" asked Jess, his arm around her shoulders as he hugged her close, kissing the top of her head.

Rory sighed.

"I am," she assured him. "Just tired. We did some good decision making tonight."

Her eyes went to the pile of papers on the night stand and Jess nodded his agreement.

"Yes, we did," he confirmed, picking up the top sheet and reading through the prioritised list they had made. "We start making appointments to see apartments between Stars Hollow and Yale tomorrow, baby shopping this weekend, and I'll see if I can squeeze any more shifts or even a raise out of either job," he sighed, knowing that last one wasn't going to be fun in any way at all. "With Richard covering the Yale costs still, and Luke and Lorelai willing to pitch in on babysitting duties, I think maybe we have this covered."

Rory smiled a little at that, though she was still concerned. Going back to Yale was what she wanted, and she was sure so long as she reduced her class load, she could cope with that and a baby. Ideally she would want to have a part time job too, but that might be pushing things. There were some plans that just couldn't be made until later and that was one of them.

"I still can't believe how great your mom has been about all of this," Jess sighed, placing the papers back on the night stand and flipping off the light. "I seriously thought she would want me dead when she found out you were pregnant."

Rory was listening and yet she didn't answer. Her mind was preoccupied as she thought of her own childhood as well as Jess' own. Their parents had coped in different ways, Lorelai's was to do whatever it took to raise Rory right, whilst Liz had turned to drugs, booze, and men, letting Jess suffer. Jimmy had been entirely absent until two Summers ago, but Christopher had at least been around sometimes. There was no way he could be described as the world's greatest dad, but he wasn't a monster or a completely absent father. Sure they had their ups and downs, both herself and Christopher, as well as her parents over the time, but Rory never doubted that her dad loved her and cared about what happened in her life, even after he was married and became a father for the second time.

"Rory?" whispered Jess, half convinced she had fallen asleep already and yet even at this angle in the dim light, he was sure her eyes were open. "You okay?" he asked again, pretty sure by now that something was wrong.

"There's one more thing that needs to go on the list," she said suddenly, tipping her head back to look up at him. "We have to tell my dad about the baby," she said definitely.

Jess hadn't quite been ready for that sudden decision.

"Huh."

To Be Continued...