Chapter Nine: The World Spins Madly On

Rory wakes up with a smile on her face, she'd slept the whole night through which didn't happen often with a six week old baby in the house, yet Anna had slept through the whole night, waking only once to be fed. Work on the book had been going well for the last few weeks, and Rory was seeing more and more of Jess, though she wasn't willing to admit it, he'd become a huge part of her support system, he was always there when she needed something. With another smile she stretched and got out of bed, checking on Anna who was still sleeping peacefully in her crib.

'Morning sleepy head.' Lorelai greeted Rory as she entered the kitchen. 'I didn't hear Anna last night.'

'No she pretty much slept through.' Rory replied. 'You mind keeping a listen out for her while I hop in the shower?'

'Course not.' Lorelai replied instantly. 'I have to be at work in about an hour, so as long as you're done by then.'

'I'm sure I will be.' Rory smiled.

'So what are your plans for the day?' Lorelai asks taking her coffee cup and refilling it.

'Anna's got a check-up at the clinic in Hartford.' Rory answers, grabbing a box of pop tarts and cooking two up.

'Oh right I forgot. Are you driving up? Wait isn't your car in the garage? How are you getting there?' Lorelai asked, 'You can take my car if you need to.'

'That's ok, Jess offered to drive us there.' Rory replied, sitting at the table with her food.

'Oh, Jess, again.' Lorelai sighed heavily.

'Mum don't, not again.' Rory looked down at the table.

'Rory honey I just want you to be careful, you and Jess are spending so much time together, you see each other everyday.' Lorelai pushed the subject.

'We work together!' Rory defended.

'I know you do, but he's here everyday, you guys talk on the phone every night for hours, he's taking you to doctors appointments, and he brings you shopping, or takes you out shopping.' Lorelai sighed again.

'He's my friend!' Rory replied getting annoyed.

'No Rory, Lane is a friend and you don't see her that much, you know I have never liked Jess that much and although he is more mature now I don't think he should have such a prominent role in your life, he'll be leaving soon, and you're relying on him too much.' Lorelai said firmly.

'I'm not going to fall apart when he leaves, I know he'll be leaving but that doesn't mean we can't be friends, I have friends who live all over the country and we still keep in contact. Me and Jess are just friends.' Rory raised her voice a little.

'No! It's like there's you, Jess and Anna and you're in your own little bubble while the rest of the world spins madly on.' Lorelai replied.

'I'm going to have a shower.' Rory walked out of the room unwilling to go over this again with her mother, because deep down in a place she wouldn't even acknowledge, she knew that when Jess left she would find it hard.

….

'Rory?' Jess' voice called through the house as he walked through the open back door. 'Rory?'

'Hey, Hi, sorry running a little behind schedule this morning, Anna was fussy so I had to calm her down before she'd eat her breakfast and then my hairdryer broke and I spent forever trying to fix it before I thought about using mum's, anyway we should be ready in a minute, I just have to get Anna dressed and then myself.' Rory said coming out of her room, her hair swinging round her shoulders, wearing a dressing gown and holding a half dressed Anna. Jess chuckled lightly.

'Here I'll get Anna ready, you focus on getting dressed yourself.' Jess took Anna from her arms.

'Really? Thanks Jess. I'll bring you her things.' Rory smiled gratefully, heading into her room, returning a minute later with Anna's clothes.

Jess sat down at the kitchen table, holding Anna carefully he began to finish getting her dressed and ready for the appointment. Twenty minutes later Rory came back into the kitchen and smiled at the scene before her, Jess sat with baby in arms, reading out loud to her.

'You trying to corrupt my kid with Hemmingway?' Rory asked sitting across from him.

'Nope, not yet at least.' He laughed. 'I was reading her Oliver Twist.'

'Ah good book.' Rory smiles at him and stands up, 'Ok we should get going if we're going to make it on time, have you put the car seat in your car?'

'Yeah I did that last night.' Jess nodded getting to his feet and handing Anna back to Rory.

'Let's go Dodger.' Rory smiles at him easily, he smirks back and follows her out of the house, his hand resting gently on the small of her back guiding her toward the car. Once they get to the car he opens the door for her and waits while she puts Anna in the car seat.

'You sitting up front with me or in the back with Anna?' Jess asks, Rory debates for a minute before motioning to the back seat.

'Ok, jump in then.' Jess replies, moving aside so she can get in and closing the door behind her before going to his own seat and starting the engine.

They arrive at the clinic a while later, just in time for the appointment.

'You want me to come in with you?' Jess asks looking over at Rory as they wait to be called through to see the doctor, he'd noticed her getting nervous.

'Would you mind? It's just I'm new to all this and it makes me nervous going to the doctors, I always fear the worst, even though this is just a routine appointment.' Rory shook her head. 'I know it doesn't make much sense.'

'No it does.' Jess reassured her, 'I'll come in with you.' He adds as they are called through, Jess and Rory both stand up and again he lets his hand fall to her back, his touch light as it gently lends support to her.

'Good afternoon Miss Gilmore, and Anna.' The doctor welcomes them. 'Ah and this must be Anna's father.'

'Oh um..' Rory stumbles looking toward Jess who's smiling slightly. 'This is Jess.' Rory adds not clarifying that he wasn't Anna's father.

'It's good to meet you Jess. I'm Dr Harrison.' She nods towards him, Jess sits down on one of the chairs, not correcting her assumption either, instead they both sit through the appointment. Leaving a while later after the appointment has ended and walk back towards the car.

'Should we have corrected her?' Rory asks as she sits in the car, this time sitting in the seat alongside Jess, she doesn't look at him as she speaks, keeping her gaze firmly ahead. Jess rests his hands on the steering wheel but doesn't start the car, his gaze is focused forwards as well.

'I don't know maybe.' Jess shrugs not really sure what to say, not really sure why neither of them did correct the doctor. 'Probably.'

'I'm sorry if it made you uncomfortable, I just…' Rory didn't know how to finish that sentence so she let it hang there.

'I wasn't uncomfortable.' Jess assured her, 'I didn't correct her either when I could have.'

'Yeah I guess not.' Rory shakes her head gently.

'Should I have said something?' Jess asks.

'No, I mean if anyone should have said anything it should have been me.' Rory replies. 'Unless, did you want to say something?'

'No.'

'Ok so we should just…' She trails off again.

'Forget about it.' He suggests. She smiles and nods, the slight uneasiness slipping away as she turns on the stereo and Jess pulls out of the parking space.

The whole ride back to Stars Hollow, the two of them kept sneaking glances at one another, neither noticing when the other was watching them, the atmosphere was light though and Rory felt disappointed when they arrived home so soon. She stayed in the car for a minute without moving.

'You ok there?' Jess asked turning toward her.

'Oh yeah, just thinking.' Rory replied earnestly, her eyes catching his gaze.

'About?'

'Nothing much.' Rory shook her head getting out of the car and going to get Anna out. 'It's nice today, I think spring if finally on it's way.'

'Tell you what, when we get the first warm day, and I don't mean a day when it's not snowing, I mean properly warm where you can leave the house without hat and scarf and a bunch of other stuff, I'll take you and Anna to the beach.' Jess offered.

'Sounds perfect.' Rory looked over at him, he was leaning against the car casually watching her as she got Anna out of the car. 'You want to come in?'

'Sorry, I'm meant to be calling Matt and Chris soon, we've got a bunch of things to talk over.' Jess answered.

'Oh ok, well I guess I'll see you tomorrow?' It wasn't a statement, rather she worded it as a question and looked up at him hopefully.

'Uh-huh, I'll call you tonight.' He smiled gently, coming forward and putting his finger in Anna's hand. 'See you tomorrow trouble.' He smiled warmly before backing off and getting back into his car. Waving as he pulled out of the drive. Rory waited till he was out of sight before heading up the path that was slushy with melted snow.

A/N- Please review.