Chapter 9

Jess was sitting at Luke's desk typing on his laptop when Luke came into the office.

"Hey", Luke said side stepping around Jess' things.

"Hey", Jess greeted never looking up from his computer screen.

"What are you doing", Luke asked folding his arms across his chest.

"Working", monosyllabic Jess had returned.

"Huh", Luke nodded his head.

Jess sighed closing his laptop. "Do you need something?"

"I need you to get dressed and ready for dinner."

"Excuse me", Jess said getting up from the chair.

"Loralai invited you to dinner and you're going", Luke said.

"No, I'm not."

"Jess", Luke said, "I don't ask you for anything and I never will. I just need this one thing. Have dinner at the house tonight. Lori is in California with Christopher so Rory will be there."

"I'm surprised they want me there."

"Why do you say that", Luke asked sitting down, "you and Rory seemed friendly the other day."

"That was before I met Lori's dad", Jess stated.

"Ok I'm not following", Luke smiled, "wait… you think…"

Jess gave Luke a look that said all he needed to know.

"They're not together Jess", Luke confessed, "Rory and Logan broke up the day of her graduation after he proposed. Then she found out she was pregnant and they're friendly for Lori's sake. Rory and Logan aren't getting back together."

Jess leaned against the desk. "I was such a jerk to her."

"Yeah well she knows how you are", Luke said, "Just apologize."

"Hey Luke", Jess called, "have you ever regretted something so bad that you wish you could go back in time and change everything?"

"Don't do this to yourself", Luke said leaning against his desk next to his nephew, "everything happens for a reason, including you leaving. Look at you now, a published author with a best seller. You own a publishing house… Jess you've accomplished what no one ever thought you would."

"Except her", Jess mumbled.

"Excuse me", Luke didn't understand him very well.

"No one", Jess sighed looking at his uncle, "except her."

Luke patted his nephew on the back.

"I always knew it too", he confessed.

---

The doorbell rang and Loralai ran down the stairs to open it.

"Luke! They're here!"

"I'm coming", Luke mumbled coming down the stairs.

Loralai opened the door to Rory and ushered her in.

"Hey sweets", she greeted.

"Hey mom", Rory hugged her mother and then Luke.

"I'm going to go and check on dinner", Luke excused himself.

Rory noticed her mother's smile and laughed. "You're awfully happy… did you and Luke you know…"

Loralai grinned.

"Gross mom", Rory made a face.

"I'm kidding", Loralai said, "he's been cooking."

"Okay", Rory said hanging her coat on the rack, "what are you so happy about?"

Loralai grabbed her daughter's hand and led her to the couch.

"I have some news", Loralai said, "and I was going to wait until dinner to tell everyone but I can't hold it in anymore."

"What is it", Rory asked.

"I have not even told Luke yet", Loralai said, "I wanted you to know first."

"Shoot mom", Rory smiled.

"I'm pregnant", Loralai whispered.

Rory was speechless. "Are… are you sure?"

"I took a test and it came out positive so I went to the doctor's office today and yes I am pregnant."

"Mom", Rory smiled, "that's amazing… Luke is going to be ecstatic."

"I know he is", Loralai smiled.

The doorbell rang again. Rory turned her head towards it but didn't move to answer it.

Loralai saw her daughter's expression and got up. "I'll get it sweets."

She opened the door to Jess.

"Hey Jess", she greeted smiling.

"Loralai", he nodded.

"Come in", she stepped aside and let him in, "can I take your coat?"

"Yeah sorry", he said shrugging of his coat.

"Don't be", she smiled, "come on. Dinner should be ready soon. We can wait in the living room."

She hung his coat on the rack and led him to the living room.

"Have a seat Jess", she offered.

He chose to sit on the love seat opposite from Rory.

"Hi Rory", he greeted.

"Hi Jess", she repeated.

"Well", Loralai said, "I better go and check to see what is taking Luke so long."

Loralai stood up and went into the kitchen.

"Hey", she crept up behind Luke, "we have to love scorned young adults in there. I need a buffer."

"What", Luke asked.

"Come on", Loralai took his hand and led him to the living room.

---

The four of them sat at the table silently eating. Loralai couldn't take it anymore. She was itching to announce her news and during dinner was as good at time as any.

"Everyone", she spoke loudly, "I have an announcement."

Three pairs of eyes stared at her.

She took a deep breath and, "Luke honey… I'm pregnant."

His eyes opened big. "What? You're what?"

"I'm pregnant."

"Oh my God! We're having a baby?"

"Yes…"

"Oh my God", he yelled again and kissed her.

"Congratulations", Rory and Jess said simultaneously and looked at each other.

"Thanks", Luke and Loralai said.

Rory and Loralai were talking a million miles a minute about baby clothes, baby names, baby showers, et cetera. Luke and Jess looked at each other. Jess smiled proudly at his uncle and Luke knew his nephew was happy for him so he nodded in return.

---

The end of the night came almost too soon. Rory and Jess hadn't said two things to each other the whole night.

Rory sat on the porch drinking a cup of coffee and she could hear Jess bidding good bye to her mom and Luke. She heard him be polite and thank them for the invite. Something she never thought she'd hear come out of Jess Mariano's mouth. When she heard the door open she froze. He walked down the steps, but instead of leaving sat down next to her.

"I'm sorry", he said softly.

Rory looked at him. Shock was obviously etched on her face and he smiled knowing he could still shock her at times.

"I was a jerk", he continued, "Can we start over."

"Start over to when", she asked, "Two days ago or ten years ago?"

"Two days ago is a start", he said.

"What are you doing Jess", she asked.

"I'm trying to apologize but it's not turning out how I thought."

"No I mean", she looked at him, "what are you doing back."

"I don't know…"

"You can't just wander into our lives again", she said, "not now."

"I'm just trying to make amends here…"

"Why", she asked, "it's been ten years… I never thought of you again… why are you back… it was so much easier…"

"You told me to stay…" he yelled at her.

"I think I had an aneurism!"

"Fine", he said getting up, "I'm leaving."

He started walking away towards the diner. Rory watched him leave. She got up and walked into the house.

"Honey", Loralai walked followed her to her room, "what's wrong?"

"I yelled at him", Rory said, "I yelled at him and told him to leave."

"Oh sweetheart", Loralai said sitting down next to her daughter and hugged her.

"The thing is", Rory said softly, "the whole time I was yelling at him, all I wanted to do was just kiss him. Why is he able to make me hate him and not hate him at the same time…?"

"I don't know hun", Loralai soothed her daughter, "I don't know…"

---

Jess made it back to the diner and threw all his things into his luggage. He was upset and pissed and confused. Why had he come back? Did he seriously think Rory would be waiting with open arms? She was a mom now, if he knew that he wouldn't have come. But was that the truth… would that piece of information stopped him. He sighed and sat on the fold out bed and dropped his head into his hands. He didn't hear Luke come in.

"Are you okay", he asked softly.

"What do you think", Jess muttered behind his hands.

"I think you're beating yourself up for something that's not your fault."

"You know a part of me actually wanted her to wait for me…"

"We both know Rory couldn't wait for you Jess", Luke sighed, "no matter how much you wanted her to…"

"I know…"

Jess started getting up to finish packing his things.

"So you're leaving…"

"She doesn't need me here", Jess said, "she's a mom now… I didn't know that or else I wouldn't have come back…"

"You don't believe that", Luke said, "and what if she had been your kid what then…"

"I don't know…" Jess said, "She's not my kid. Rory doesn't need or want me so I'm gone."

"That's it", Luke said, "You're just going to leave again."

Jess stared at the wall; he didn't want to answer his uncle.

"You know", Luke said harshly, "I can't believe I thought you changed. You're still the same to me. Make sure you lock up."

Luke walked out of the office angry. Jess knew he'd let him down. That's all he ever did. He had always been a disappointment. His mother knew it when she first sent him to Stars Hollow and his uncle knew it now. After finishing packing he gathered his luggage and walked out of Luke's Diner. He got in his car and drove out of town.

He was passing by the sign "You are now exiting Stars Hollow, Thank you for visiting and come back soon…"

He looked in his rearview mirror at the small town he had missed the last decade of his life. He closed his eyes briefly and looked straight ahead driving towards Philadelphia.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Don't hate me please…. Reviews are love!