Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls cause if I did the show would still be making new episodes.

A/N Special Thanks to Purpleribbons for getting me out of my funk.

Chapter 3: Family Bonding

"I could have been their Rory!" Jess bellowed terrifying the townspeople who had yet to find an enclosed space to hide in.

"And done what? Been their and held my hand or looked after Jesse as I fell into the abyss known as my subconscious. I COULDN'T DO ANYTHING!" Rory screamed the tears falling in waves now wiping all of the mascara she had on, drip dangerously to her mouth.

"It would have been nice to know that I had a daughter for the last FOUR YEARS! As you so eloquently put it, I would have been their as much as I could for you after Jenny died. I would have helped to raise Jesse and I would have tried everything possible, just to HELP YOU!"

"Just leave it be Jess, what's done is done and I just can't talk to you about this right now." Rory said calming herself as best she could and went in the direction of Luke's to go get Jesse before she could within two feet of the street Jess took firm hold on her upper arm and spinning her toward him.

"We're not finished Rory, I want a good solid reason as to WHY you didn't tell me the truth. We made love and it was the only time I had true feelings for someone and that night resulted in the girls even though Jenny didn't survive she was still ours." Jess pulled her to him so her would directly into her soft icy orbs.

The tears slid bye with painful slowness as she looked into his once fury filled eyes now soft chocolate pools and let out with a strangled voice "You were gone," she said falling to the ground her face now even with his knees. "You were gone and I couldn't do or say anything, I felt alone and I just couldn't really pull myself together long enough to even try. Then your mom when she showed up here I was so happy to have her here because she helped a lot after everything happened." Rory's tears were steadily slowing as she looked into the pained eyes of the man she had always loved and said "I'm sorry."

He could here her choked sobs turning into slight whimpers just before she passed out at my feet, on reflex by his guess she curls into a ball as the sleep takes over her. 'How can she sleep in the middle of the road?' He asked himself before he scooped the slumbering beauty into his arms and walked over to the dance studio where he had scene Lorelei and Luke take Jesse when the argument had gotten rather heated.


"It's not nice to leave in the middle of a conversation UNCLE Luke. She went along with not telling me because she was scared of being left alone when she already was." Jess said laying Rory on one of the loose mats that coated the studio giving it a bit of a homey feeling, "and Liz my dearest loving mother, that was low not calling me to tell me to come back but forget it I'm here now so…" Jess looked down at Jesse and bent down eye level with the small girl.

Jesse looked at Jess and at first was a little frightened and then she wrapped her arms around his neck for him to pick her up. Jess was slightly confused at first but understood completely after looking at Lorelei, he picked her up she rested her head on his muscular shoulder.

"Uh um, Jesse what in the world…"

"Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz" the little girl had fallen asleep on her father's shoulder and the entire studio turned into whispers of laughter.

"That's not something you see everyday handsome." Miss Patty walked up to Jess and looked at the slumbering girl in his arms.

"Jess I'm sorry I didn't call and tell you it's just that Rory didn't want me to and she was in so much pain that I couldn't do anything that would hurt her so…" Liz said from the corner looking at her son whom she knew was furious with her but was surprised to see his expression not of anger but of understanding.

"Forget it mom, I know you were what was best for me, Rory and Jesse at the time so, its fine I understand." Jess said shifting Jesse a little so his arms didn't fall asleep. "Luke I'm going back to the diner and you can tell Rory I'm with Jesse when she wakes up?" Jess asked looking at his uncle whom he was angry with but now understood everything.

"Sure, I'll tell her but be prepared for questions half the town is their right now." Luke said as Jess made his way out of the crowded studio with everyone else who had been jammed in their and went to the diner intent on laying HIS daughter down for nap and he could learn some of the stuff he had missed out on while her was gone.


"Are you ok, what are you doing with her, where are you going" the questions were flooding the minute he stepped in the door and he answered all of them with a glare.

He trudged up the stairs to the small apartment where he was staying ever since he got back with Jesse snug in his arms. She had buried her nose into his chest and this made him laugh and think 'like mother, like daughter' he remembered all the times Rory had done the same thing back when they were together.

He sat the four year old down on Luke's bed, and pulled out the photo album Luke had in his old dresser it was obvious he hid everything he treasured in it. While Jesse was calmly snoozing beside him he decided to take at the pictures that had been taken within the past four and a half years.

The first picture was exactly what Jess expected Lorelei, Luke and a pregnant Rory surrounded by the entire town. Everyone looked happy except for Rory who in the picture was fumbling with the long maternity t-shirt she had been wearing. While everyone else in the picture smiled, silent tears were leaving Rory's eyes and Jess saw the pain in how she was feeling.

The next picture was at Jess' guess just after Rory had the girls because they were all three of them their staring back at him Rory smiling at the camera the girls gurgling in response to the bright light. They did look exactly alike; Jenny and Jesse were identical right down to the fingers.

The rest of the photos included Luke and Lorelei's wedding, grandparent's day for the last four years and everything that would revolve around on Jesse. Then came the picture that caught Jess' attention the most. It was of Rory, Lorelei and Jesse holding up a big banner that said "Baby Danes Coming to a home near you." Jess couldn't help but laugh this was a recent picture he could tell because Jesse looked exactly as she did now in the picture. His Uncle was going to be a father with Lorelei none the less Jess smiled for them and decided to put the album away and go make some coffee.


The smell of the coffee woke the little girl quickly and she sleepily moved into the kitchen where Jess sat going over one of his manuscripts. She suppressed a giggle at the serious look glittering of his face.

"Elixir of Life," Jesse said going over to Jess and poking his shoulder which was now at her reach because he was sitting down.

The words caught the writer off guard but he knew the minute they were said that Jesse was her mother's daughter. Rory and Lorelei had always been coffee addicts since he had met them. Jess smiled his crooked smile down at her and pulled out a thermos with a sippy top to it and handed it to Jesse, smiling again at her happy expression after the warm bitter liquid passed her tiny lips. The content face in front of him made Jess wonder how much more Jesse was like Rory and how much of him was in the little girl.

"Jesse, do you read?" His question was answered quickly when she pointed to the loaded bookcase in the center of the room that was filled to the brim.

"Mommy reads them to me every night, she tries to read me Ayn Rand but I make her switch to Hemmingway and every time I do that she says that I'm just like you, or at least I think she means you because you're my daddy right?" Jess was on top of the world at that moment he wouldn't have to explain to the small child who he was.

"Yeah I am Jesse; apparently you're a lot like me just like you are your mother. I love Hemmingway too see," he said pulling the book out of his pocket the read A Farewell to Arms.

"Mommy hates that one but I think it's really good. I wish I had known you before daddy, because you could have read to me and you wouldn't have had to get mad with mommy when you met Jenny."


A/N

Ok so how do you all like it took me forever I know and I am sorry, thanks for the reviews and please add more so I can write more. Again Purpleribbons thanks for the help I just needed a boost.

Review Please…

Elizabeth