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Chapter sixteen - There Goes the Fear

"Happy Moving to Philly Day!" Lydia cheered, holding three blue balloons and hopping from one foot to the next.

Rory and stepped out of the van she'd hired to transport her belongings in. "What is all this?"

"Your welcome wagon. Except we don't have a wagon. We're here to help you move in." Lydia grinned as Mathew got out of van and opened the trunk to lift a box.

"Well you can't carry anything." Rory rolled her eyes, indicating Lydia's bump.

"I'm in a supervisory role. This lot," she nodded at Jess, Lily and Chris, "are my happy little worker elves."

"Happy? I had a date." Lily rolled her eyes.

"So, Sam had plans with you? He could have helped?" Lydia smirked, as Jess lifted a box from the van labelled 'books'.

"Christ, Gilmore, you're gonna put someone's back out with this lot."

"And that's just the paperbacks. Think how heavy the rest are gonna be." Rory laughed grabbing a bright purple suitcase and following him upstairs.

"I'll watch the car!" Lydia called after them, climbing into the front seat and turning on the radio.

"Thanks again for letting me have the furniture." Rory told Lydia as she placed a photo of her mom and Luke on their wedding day on her dresser.

"It's fine. We were gonna leave it here anyway. Plus an excuse for me to buy new stuff for our house." Lydia smiled as she tucked in the corner of the sheet on the bed. "But the bed's new, I thought it would be weird leaving you our bed."

"Good to know." Rory laughed, and then bit down on her lower lip. "Lydia, can I ask you something? Do you think this could ruin everything?"

"Could what ruin everything?"

"Me, living here? I mean, you guys are all used to seeing me every other weekend."

"So, you think we'll get sick of you if we see you every day?" Lydia sat down on the bed.

"Yeah." Rory joined Lydia on the bed. "I'm being stupid, right?"

"A little." Lydia laughed. "You being in Philly is gonna save me a ton on my phone bill. I don't know if you've noticed that when you're not here, I call you all the time. And Jess loves having a literary debate with you, plus you're family. And Lil? The amount of times I've heard 'Oh my God, if only Rory was here, she'd understand!'; she's gonna love having you here. And Si and Chris think you're fab. And as for Math, the reason I think you're actually freaking out, I think that he was seriously thinking about moving to DC before you announced your job here. I've never seen him like this before. I've never seen him in love. None of us are getting sick of you. I can't say the same about you getting sick of us though."

"Not gonna happen." Rory laughed. "And you mean that about Mathew?"

"Oh yeah. That boy's a goner." Lydia grinned, nudging Rory with her elbow.

"Don't mean to break up the love fest in here," Lily appeared at the bedroom door, "but Jess told me to tell you the food's ready and I'm outta here. Going to the movies with Sam."

"Have fun and don't be late." Lydia called after her.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah!" Lily shouted before the door slammed closed.

"I feel the love. You ready to go break bread in your new home?"

"Definitely." Rory nodded, helping Lydia to her feet and they both walked back into the living room.

"So, you really live in Philadelphia now." Mathew placed a lazy kiss on Rory's shoulder when she climbed into bed beside him that night.

"Yeah, I really do. Scared?"

"Terrified." He smirked, tracing his hand along the hem of the tank top she wore.

"Hey, um, you know how my mom and Luke are coming on Saturday?"

"Yeah."

"My grandparents are coming too. And they wanna ee Truncheon."

"What? Why?"

"Because, I am their granddaughter, and if I move to a new city to be with a guy, then they are allowed to see how and where he makes a living."

"Oh, God." Mathew's head fell on his chest. "That's what your Grandma said, right?"

"Yeah." Rory nodded. "But, I know Grandpa will love the place. And if you guys tidy up and don't have a poet there, Grandma won't, you know, hate it."

"Fine." Mathew sighed. "You're lucky I love you."

"I know." Rory grinned, sitting up and pressing a kiss to the side of his mouth. "Now, can we stop talking about my grandparents. I wanna christen my new bed."

"As you wish." Mathew smiled, before kissing her.

"You know how you guys love me?" Lydia asked her husband and four friends the next evening, while they were having dinner in the Mariano house.

"What'd you want?" Jess raised an eyebrow at his wife.

"Who says I want anything?"

"You always say 'know how you love me' when you want something."

"No I don't." Lydia shook her head.

"Yes, you do." Jess replied, while Mathew and Chris nodded their heads in agreement.

"It's true, Red. You do." Simon told her.

"Okay, well, first, you know how I've been angling to made lead chaperon at senior prom ever since I started at Fort William? And how I never got it because I was the young teacher, and therefore the most irresponsible? Well, now I'm with child, I got it!"

"Congrats!" Jess smirked, "What's this got to do with us?"

"Well, see, ironic thing is, I got the gig 'cause I'm pregnant, but due to my pregnancy brain, I forgot I got the gig. Lead chaperon has to organise and recruit the other chaperons. Prom's just over a week away and I haven't got anyone, so I was hoping that you guys would maybe, you know, help a gal out?"

"No way." Jess shook his head, while the other four murmured 'no' at her.

"Come on! Please! How many people get to do Prom over again? I mean you two," she waved her hand at Jess and Rory, "didn't even go to prom. And Math, you hated your prom. I don't know how either of you felt about." She finished, looking at Chris and Simon.

"Worst night of my life." Chris nodded, as Simon said "I cried it was so terrible" at the same time.

"And here I am, giving you a second chance at prom."

"What was your prom like?" Simon asked, taking a sip of his wine.

"Oh." Lydia paused, pushing her hair behind her ear. "It was awful. Really, really bad. They poured pig's blood on my head."

"That's 'Carrie'." Rory laughed.

Lydia pouted, shaking her head. " No, I'm pretty sure that was me."

"Give it up, Lyds." Mathew rolled his eyes. "You may as well tell them you were Prom Queen."

"Okay, fine!" Lydia threw her hands up in frustration. "I was Queen, and it was the most amazing night ever. I just wanna show you guys that prom doesn't have to be a horrible experience." She gave them a large smile, but they didn't respond. "And I'll take you all out for an expensive meal, I'll pay for your suits, and your dress Rory, and I'll even let you sneak in a flask, if you pinkie swear not to spike the punch."

"Deal." Rory smirked and the four boys nodded in agreement.

"Thank you. Really, I love you lot." Lydia sighed. "Now, Rory, I was thinking we could go dress shopping Friday, after work? Si, you can come too, if you want? It would give these three time to clean Truncheon before the Gilmores arrive on Saturday."

"Excuse me? Clean?" Jess asked his wife.

"Well, yeah." Lydia nodded. "We have to make a good impression."

"Well, if 'we' have to make a good impression, how come you aren't cleaning?"

"It's not my business." Lydia shrugged, biting down onto a piece of asparagus.

"The coffee shop is." Chris pointed out.

"That's right," Jess pointed at her, "you own the coffee shop."

"I'm a silent partner."

Mathew scoffed. "Please, when have you ever been silent?

"Hey! You can't pick on the pregnant lady. That's like against every societal rule. I'm going to the papers. I know someone on the inside."

"Yeah, so do we." Jess gestured at Rory.

"But Rory's a girl. She'll take my side."

"Sorry." Rory smiled. "As a member of the independent press, I have to remain neutral."

"Well write an opinion piece. You can't be neutral in an opinion piece."

"I'm still staying out of it."

"Well, just wait until you're pregnant." Lydia warned.

"What?" Both Mathew and Rory snapped their heads up at the same time, an identical look of panic on their faces.

"I didn't mean that, I meant...umm...dessert?" Lydia smiled. "I bought peach crumble."

"Sure," Rory let out a sigh, "I'll help."

"Thanks." Lydia stood and walked to the kitchen, closely followed by Rory.

"You always break tension with dessert. You know that?" Rory grinned, lifting plates out of the cupboard.

"Yeah, it's what my Grandma used to do."

"Speaking of grandparents, are you sure about Saturday? Having dinner here?"

"Oh, yeah. Don't worry about it. That apartment isn't big enough to have ten people for dinner. I'm more than happy to have it here. Besides, Luke wants to check out Jess new digs." Lydia grinned.

"Well, if you're sure you're sure."

"Totally sure. Jess is making pot roast."

"I love pot roast." Rory laughed.

"I know."

"Just come out Red, I bet you look amazing." Simon sighed, looking through a rack of dress.

"I look fat." Lydia called back to him from the changing.

"Please you barely have a bump. Just get out here."

"Fine. But if you laugh, I swear to the high heavens, I'm sticking bamboo shoots under your fingernails."

"Noted. Now hurry up!"

Lydia pushed open the door of her cubicle and walked out, letting out a loud sigh. "It's horrible, right?" She said, flattening down the skirt of the navy blue dress she wore.

"No, are you kidding? You look fantastic. Jess is gonna die when he sees you in this!"

"Yeah, of embarrassment."

"I know I'm not supposed to hit a pregnant woman, but I am coming dangerously close to taking a swing at you." Simon chuckled, putting his hands on Lydia's shoulders. "You look amazing, get the dress."

"You're not lying?"

"I know better than to lie to you." He kissed her forehead.

"Okay." She smiled, looking around her. "Where's Rory?"

"She found the perfect dress a half hour ago. She went to get coffee."

"Oh. Sorry. I'll be quick." Lydia turned around to go change. "Oh, could you unzip me? Thanks."

"There, now go." Simon nudged her into the cubicle and closed the door. "You're so buying me an energy bar after this."

"Stop playing with my heart, finish what you start,
When you make my love come down.
If you want me let me know,
Baby, let it show,
Honey, don't you fool around." Lydia sang as she sat at the counter in the coffee shop on Saturday afternoon.

"Oh 'Glee'!" Lily grinned and then cleared her throat before singing along with Lydia.

"Don't try to resist me,
Open your heart to me, baby,
I hold the lock and you hold the key.
Open your heart to me, darlin',
I'll give you love if you, you turn the key."

"I love Madonna!" Lorelai called out as she walked into the shop, closely followed by Luke and her parents.

"Mom!" Rory yelled, and jumped off her seat to give Lorelai a hug.

"Hey kiddo." Lorelai smiled. "Nice pipes, Marianos." She grinned to Lydia and Lily.

"Thanks." Lydia stood up and hugged Lorelai, and then Luke.

"Hey Uncle Luke. How was the drive."

"Fine. And, seriously it's just Luke. And I'm never gonna win this, am I?"

"I'd say no." She smiled up at him. "Jess is in his office. I'll get him."

"Wait, first I have to ask. How are you? I'm on strict instructions from Liz."

"Oh." Lydia nodded. "Well, me and Peanut are fine. Everything's great, and healthy. We're cooking with gas."

"Good to know. I think."

"It's all good. I'll go get your nephew. Hey Mrs Gilmore. Mr Gilmore." She smiled before she knocked on Jess door. "They're here!" She singsonged to him.

"Thanks Carol Anne. I'll be out in a minute."

"Now. Come on, chop chop. We're making a good impression on the Gilmores, remember?"

"Yes." Jess sighed, saving the document he was working on, before standing up to join his wife. Though I'm sure, your singing Madonna didn't help!"

"Hey!" Lydia pouted, swatting his arm.

"This is a beautiful roast." Emily smiled at Lydia. They had given the Gilmores a tour of Truncheon, and Rory's apartment, before heading back to Jess and Lydia's for dinner.

"Thank you Emily." Lydia smiled. "As my Grandma always said, 'A compliment for my chef is a compliment for me'."

"Oh, you have a chef?" Emily enquired.

"Yeah. Jess." Lydia laughed.

"You cooked this?" Lorelai asked him.

"Yeah. I have to cook, otherwise we'd be eating take out ever night."

"There's nothing wrong with that. Look at how well Rory turned out." Lorelai grinned. "But this is seriously good. I guess cooking runs in your blood, huh?"

"I guess." Jess shrugged.

"As does the monosyllable." Lorelai joked. "So, Lydia, decorated the nursery yet?"

"No, not yet. Simon and I are buying paint next week."

"Simon is?" Emily looked up. "Shouldn't that be your job?" She asked Jess.

"Simon's an artist. He's gonna paint a mural on the wall." Lydia explained. "He just finished a great Audrey Hepburn painting in Lil's room."

"That sounds very nice." Emily cleared her throat. "It really is a wonderful meal."

"Smooth mom." Lorelai rolled her eyes. "So, is the paint gonna be pink or blue?"

"Don't even bother asking Lorelai." Mathew told her.

"They're not finding out." Rory added. "Doing it old school."

"Much to everyone's disappointment." Chris winked at Lydia.

"I'm not changing my mind!" Lydia laughed. "We will find out what this baby is when it arrives."

"So what colour are you painting the nursery?"

"A pale buttermilk yellow."

"Which sounds delightful." Chris said, pulling a face.

"Just cause you're gay, doesn't mean you have the Queer Eye my friend!" Lydia laughed. "The room will be beautiful."

"I know. You're just to easy to wind up these day. Hard to resist." Chris grinned at her.

"Hey Luke, wanna help me with dessert?" Jess asked, as he stood and started clearing plates.

"Sure. Back in a minute." He told the table, and followed Jess into the kitchen, carrying a handful of plates.

"Hey, Mr Gilmore. You okay?" Lydia sat down beside Richard, on the bench on the front porch. He had excused himself to get some air, while the rest of the dinner party were having coffee.

"I'm fine Lydia, and call me Richard."

"Okay." Lydia smiled and handed him a cup of tea. "Rory said you don't like drinking coffee in the evening, so I fixed you some tea."

"Thank you, but you didn't have to put yourself out."

"I didn't. Neither Luke nor I drink coffee, so the tea was getting made either way." Lydia patted his arm. "You sure you're okay. You were very quiet at dinner."

"Just observing." Richard nodded.

"Observing?"

"Yes. How happy Rory looks. She's very fortunate to have friends like you."

"That's nice. Though in all honesty, we feel like the lucky ones. And you know, Rory's very lucky to have a Grandpa like you."

"You're a sweet girl, Lydia. I'm glad she has you here."

"And I always will be." Lydia smiled. "Oh." Her smiled faltered, and she pressed a hand to her baby bump. "Baby's doing somersaults."

"I remember that." Richard chuckled. "Now, how about we re-join the others?"

"Sounds good. After you."

"Where did you two get to?" Emily asked as Richard and Lydia rejoined them.

"Oh, just getting some fresh air, Emily dear, nothing to worry about." Richard told his wife, as he sat beside her.

Lydia sat on the arm of Jess' chair, and nudged him slightly, nodding towards Luke.

"Now?" Jess whispered, and she nodded in response.

"Hey, Luke. Lyds has something she wants to ask you."

"What?" Luke looked over at the redhead.

"Well, I know you hate being called Uncle Luke, but I was wondering how you felt about Grandpa Luke?"

"What?"

"Well, it's either you or TJ, and Jess and I get the feeling that you won't leave the baby in a monkey enclosure at the zoo." Lydia smiled.

"But what about Liz and TJ? This is really gonna upset her Jess."

"Why? She and TJ are still this kid's grandparents." Jess shrugged.

"Yeah," Lydia continued, "We just want Peanut to have two sets of grandparents, and since there is no one on my side, you and Lorelai seemed like the obvious choice."

"You want me to be Grandma Lorelai?"

"If you want." Lydia nodded.

"I want, I want!" Lorelai laughed and stood up, heading to Lydia. "Hello, baby. I'm your Grandma Lorelai, and I'm gonna spoil you rotten." She said to the bump.

"So what'd you say, Luke?" Jess smirked at his uncle.

"That I'd be honoured." Luke grinned, pulling Jess into a hug.

"I'm home!" Lily called out from the front door. "Oh, hey, you all still here?"

"How was the movie, squirt?" Jess asked his sister.

"Terrible. Lots of blue people. No plot. But, I'm beat. I'm gonna take a shower, then hit the sack. Night!" She waved and headed upstairs.

"We should go too, if we wanna get home at a decent hour." Luke said, putting his arm around Lorelai's shoulder.

"Yeah. Okay, Mom, Dad, ready to go?"

"Yes, Lorelai." Richard helped Emily to her feet, as Lorelai pulled Rory into a hug.

"You seem happy here kid. I love your place. I love Mathew. I love everything here."

"I love you mom." Rory whispered.

"Back at you kid." Lorelai kissed Rory's head, and then they spilt, each going to say goodbye to everyone else.

When the last person had left, Jess shut the door and joined Lydia on their couch. "Why do we agree to host these dinners?"

"Biggest place? You like to show off your culinary skills?"

"No, you like to show off my culinary skills!" Jess corrected.

"Whatever. Bed, I'm exhausted. Don't wake me before noon."

"Ditto." Jess smirked, taking Lydia by the hand and leading her upstairs.

Hopefully, the next chapter won't take as long as this one did, but I still have a TON of work to do.

Remember to review! ^_^