Amazing Journey

A/N- Thanks everyone for the reviews.

Chapter Four: Happy?

'You sound exactly like my mum!' Rory laughed loudly as her and Jess crossed over the street after dealing with Taylor, who'd been thoroughly disappointed that Jess had decided to return to Stars Hollow.

'Jeez.' Jess sighed, 'All I said was that I liked the snow.'

'Uh no, you said that the snow makes everything seem better.' Rory replied.

'Actually you said that, I simply agreed.' Jess rolled his eyes. 'You're the one who's like your mother.' Jess replied

'I suppose I do, but you know you're more like her than you think.' Rory smiled, then decided to drop the subject. 'So how about we go see your mum.'

'Why?'

'Because I promised I'd bring Anna round to meet Doula, and I'm sure she'll love to see you, does she even know you're here? How come you didn't go there instead of to Luke's, especially when Luke wasn't in.' Rory fired at him rapidly.

'Firstly I guess we can go round there if you really want, no she doesn't know I'm here, and finally because I've never had a home with my mother, I lived with her but it wasn't a home, we've been getting on better, she's really trying but I'll never feel at home there, plus TJ freaks me out.' Jess replied.

'Do you feel at home at Luke's?' Rory asked, looking over at him, he shrugged his shoulders, not wanting to answer the question, but her questioning gaze trailed over his face till he had no choice.

'Yeah, it's the first real home I ever had. I didn't feel at home with my mum and definitely not with Jimmy, but here, I can't believe I'm saying this because this town is nutty, but yeah I felt at home at Luke's.' Jess replied. 'I do in Philly as well, though…who knows.'

'You'll find another place, I know you Jess you can do it if you put your mind to it, you'll raise the money and build the business up again.' Rory reassured him. 'And as for feeling at home, I'm glad you see this place as a home, even if it's not with your mum. Do you see her much?'

'No, it's just…' Jess looked away not knowing how to word it. 'Do you want me to take her for a while?' Jess asked instead nodding to Anna.

'Sure.' Rory smiled, handing her over, her arm brushing against his as they moved Anna from her arms to his. 'Just what Jess?' She prompted once Anna was settled, a smile played on Jess' face again as he looked down at the baby girl in his arms.

'Ok, I don't want this to come out wrong because I love Doula, she's my sister and I really do care for her it's just hard, and I've never admitted this to anyone, but I never had a mother, when I grew up she was drunk all the time and I never had her as the loving stable mother, and now she's got the chance to do it all over and this time she's a mother. I know I shouldn't care but sometimes it's hard to see her like that because I wonder why I wasn't good enough to clean up her act for.' Jess replied sadly.

'I know how you feel.' Rory replied, Jess looked at her confused for a moment. 'My dad had another daughter, Gigi remember, and he's a real dad to her, he's there for it all and he never was for me.'

'We're both in the same boat then.' Jess replied. 'At least you had Lorelai.'

'And you had Luke.' Rory replied. 'Between us we had two pretty good parents.'

'Yeah and now they are together, funny how things work out.' Jess smiled.

'Yeah.' Rory said distractedly.

'What?'

'Nothing. I just, Anna's in the same boat as well, one parent. I wanted so much more, I'm not saying that I regret anything about the way I was brought up, I love my mum and we're best friends, so I know that it's not the worst thing to be a single mother, but…'

'It isn't what you planned.' Jess finished.

'Yeah.' Rory smiled. 'But I love this little girl.'

'Are you happy Rory?' Jess asked as they stopped on Liz's porch.

'I'm happy I have Anna, and I'm happy to be living here.' Rory replied.

'That was evasive.' Jess replied.

'I learned from the best.' Rory joked knocking the door.

'Rory?' He turned to her seriously. 'Are you happy?'

'Yeah I'm happy, maybe sometimes I get sad or angry because things seem so different to how I imagined, but I'm happy.' Rory answered, touched by his concern, she smiled at Anna who fussed a little in Jess' arms as the door swung open.

'My boy! Oh Jess I didn't know you were coming!' Liz's voice raised in excitement, as she saw her son on the doorstep, then a flicker on confusion settled as she saw the baby in his arms.

'She's not yours is she?' Liz asked. 'That's Anna right Rory?'

'Yeah it's Anna.' Rory laughed.

'I'm just holding her.' Jess smirked. 'Don't you think I would have told you if I was having a kid.'

'Sure I guess. Come in, come in. Doula will be happy to see you, and she's been looking forward to meeting Anna.' Liz ushered the pair inside.

'Ess! Ess!' Doula shouted, running towards Jess with open arms, she couldn't quite say his full name, so always shortened it to Ess. He smiled as she hugged his legs.

'Hey Doula.' Jess said cradling Anna in one arm and using his spare hand to ruffle her blonde curls. 'How old are you now?' he asked knowing she loved to answer that question, so he always asked when he spoke to her on the phone, she held up three fingers.

'This many.' She giggled.

'Wow getting big.' Jess replied. 'So do you want to meet Anna?'

'Baby?' Doula questioned.

'Yeah the baby.' Rory smiled, crouching down and picking the toddler up so she could see Anna.

'Pretty.' Doula smiled, putting her hand onto Anna's.

'Yeah she is.' Jess smiled down at the little girls. 'Like you.'

Doula giggled again, her curls bouncing on her head. Liz looked over affectionately at Jess, who seemed to be a natural around children.

'Hungry now.' Doula announced after Jess and Rory had sat and spoken to Liz for a while.

'Well then how about I take you to the diner for some breakfast?' Jess asked, glancing at his mum to make sure it was alright. She nodded her head and went to get Doula's coat and shoes.

'Luke!' Doula clapped her hands, realising she'd see Luke at the diner. She ran off after her mother to get her coat. Jess looked over at Rory who was smiling widely at him.

'What?' He asked raising his eyebrows.

'Well aren't you a natural with kids. I've never seen you like that, you're so good with Doula and with Anna. It's sweet.' Rory smiled.

'Just don't spread it round town, I have a reputation to protect.' Jess sighed.

'Ess! Rory coming?'

'Yes Rory's coming with us.' Jess replied.

'Baby?'

'Uh huh Anna's coming with us as well.' Rory laughed seeing the excitement on the little girls face.

'And dolly?' Doula asked clutching her doll in her arms.

'Sure, come on then.' Jess said handing Anna back to Rory carefully, now she was awake again they didn't want to upset her, which would cause her to cry again. Jess swooped down and picked Doula up, putting her on his shoulders as soon as they were outside.

'I'll drop her back later.' Jess said to Liz as Rory and Jess walked down the street with the two children.

They reached the diner quickly, Jess swung Doula down from his shoulders so she wouldn't hit her head when they went through the doors, instead carrying her in his arms, because she refused to be set down.

'Did the walk help hun?' Lorelai asked spinning round. 'Hey Doula.'

'Baby's here!' Doula said cheerfully as she bounced in her brothers arms. 'Ess here!'

'Ess? I like that we should all start calling him Ess.' Lorelai replied, catching the death glare Jess sent her. 'Or not..'

'I'm thinking not.' Jess replied setting Doula down on a chair and ordering food for himself, Rory and Doula. Just as Rory's cell phone rang loudly, she couldn't reach it from her pocket. Jess smiled as she struggled and stepped forward.

'I got her.' Jess said picking Anna up. Rory flashed him a bright smile and flipped her phone open.

'Hey Paris.' Rory said, seeing Luke point to the no cell phone sign she opened the door and walked outside.

Lorelai in the meantime was watching Jess carefully as he sat at the table, holding Anna carefully in one arm and arranging Doula's pancakes to make a smiley face with the other. As Anna started crying he focused his attention on her, swaying her back and forth. She soon settled again, Lorelai continued watching as he took care of both the children. A mix of surprise and concern.

A few minutes later Rory walked back into the diner and took a seat next to Jess.

'Paris is getting married!' Rory announced with a bright smile.

A/N- Please Review