Disclaimer- Gilmore Girls and the characters associated with the show are not mine.

Chapter Three- Family

Jessie's so good to me. A regular Suzie homemaker. While I was sleeping yesterday, okay, passed out- he cleaned up my vomit and somehow washed our clothes. I don't know what I'd do without him.

Jess hadn't run.

He'd gone outside to get some fresh air, feeling as if he couldn't draw a breath under the weight of Luke's grief. He was sitting on the rough porch steps, fighting to pull the freezing air into his lungs, when Rory came out with his coat. Wrapping it around his shoulders, she sat behind him, bracketing his still form with her body. Holding his legs with her own, pressed against him, in a full body hug.

Leaning against her, Jess accepted the warmth and comfort she offered, and pulled her arms tighter across his stomach. He wasn't thinking about Liz, and her death. Or even Doula, he'd slammed the lid down on all those thoughts in the house. No, he was thinking about the expression on Garret's face. Rory's eyes held sadness, and maybe a touch of pity, and he knew she could understand what he was feeling if he explained it to her. Garret already knew. He didn't need to explain anything to Garret, because Garret carried the same weight. The same barrel of monkeys on his back.

"I need to talk to Garret. Let him know I'm okay, he's worried about me," Jess said, watching the warmth of his words create little clouds as he spoke.

"He's going to stay with us while Luke and mom go to Colorado. They're packing now. It's okay to be sad. You were right, but it doesn't mean you can't be sad," Rory replied, burying her face in his neck, squeezing him tighter when he didn't reply. When the door opened, neither moved.

"Oh, you're still here. Good. Although you're probably popsicles by now. I think we're going to get snow before Thanksgiving this year. Do you think there's snow in Denver? It doesn't matter, I guess. We were headed to your place with Garret. We booked flights out of New York this morning to Denver, so we need to be going," Lorelai said, as she bustled back and forth to the car with suitcases. "I talked to Sookie, she's got the Inn, and I left a message on the school's answering machine excusing Garret for tomorrow, or actually, today. I also let them know he'd be staying with you next week. I don't know how long we'll be gone for sure. Caesar and Lane may need help in the diner, I'll let you guys work it out." When Luke came out, Jess moved to meet him. He pulled him into an awkward hug, letting go swiftly.

"I'm sorry about your sister Luke, and about how I feel. I know what family means to you, and if you really need to bring her here, for you, you can," Jess said. Luke adjusted his baseball cap, and shook his head.

"No, you're right. This is my home and your home. It was never hers, she couldn't wait to leave here, and never really liked it when she came back," Luke said, knowing he had to be strong for Jess. Knowing, despite his actions, Jess was hurting, and if not having his mother buried here would make it easier, then that's what needed to happen. Luke needed, was driven, to protect Jess. He couldn't protect Liz anymore, but he could try to protect Garret, April, Rory and Jess.

Garret came outside with his backpack and Paul Anka on a leash. He waited while Lorelai pulled Rory into her arms, and then Jess, crushing them with her hugs and whispering into each of their ears. Grabbing Garret, she pulled him tight against her, and he breathed in the scent of coffee and a sweetness he couldn't identify. It was her unique combination of smells, and he loved it. To him, it meant home.

"Don't worry mom, I'm here for Jess, you just take care of dad," he whispered. Lorelai sniffed back her tears, hugged Garret tighter and replied.

"I will, and you let Rory and Jess take care of you too, okay? Do your homework, and maybe, I don't know, keep a sketch journal of what's happening here, so I know how it went when we come home," not wanting to leave him, she clung tight till Luke began pulling her away. While he hugged Garret goodbye, she ruffled Paul Anka's fur before climbing into the passenger seat. Standing on the porch, all four watched the taillights disappear into the dark.

Taking a hold of Paul Anka's leash, Rory led the way to their house, letting Jess and Garret fall behind. She knew Jess wanted to talk to him, and if anyone could understand, it'd be Garret. It was part of "working her magic" as her mom put it when she whispered into Rory's ear.

"Jess's going to need you and Garret to get through this. And I think, I think Garret may- this is going to hit him eventually too. Do what you do best, kiddo, work your magic. Take care of my boys. I've got Luke."

And with Jess and Garret, a quiet presence was the fairy dust and silence worked as the magic word. It would take time, but Jess would open up in increments, puzzle pieces for her to put together. Starting with him trying to ally Garret's worry. Leaving the door open for the as yet silent pair, she let Paul Anka run up to the guest room to hide, and started hot water for drinks. Sleep wasn't happening for a while, no matter what the time. Jess followed her into the kitchen, pulling out his and Garret's favorite caffeine free teas, and grabbing a pack of hot chocolate mix for her.

"Library?" Rory asked, and Jess nodded his agreement, carrying the tray of drinks while Rory grabbed the plate of blueberry scones Sookie had dropped off the afternoon before. Stifling an inappropriate laugh at the idea of what the Queen would think of a four a.m. tea-time, Rory followed.

Taking their favorite positions, Jess and Rory next to each other on the couch, and Garret in the glider rocker, they sipped their drinks, nibbled their scones and waited. Eventually, someone would speak. In the meantime, they were content in each other's company. No one even grabbed a book, each lost in their own thoughts, staring into their cups.

"I'm okay, you know. This wasn't unexpected. Part of me has been waiting for this news since I was old enough to know about death," Jess said into the silence. Rory was startled, and almost spilt her drink. She thought she'd break first. It said quite a bit about his concern, and the connection he felt with Garret, for him speak so soon. To open up, just to make their little brother feel better. She set her hot chocolate down and leaned against him, listening to the steady thump of his heart, curling her body into his, half on his lap. Aware this could be gut wrenching for her to hear.

"I was always waiting too. For the next overdose, or crazy druggie to go berserk," Garret said. "She was a dealer, so we always had guns and, well, there was always the chance of something bad. Alex didn't cook meth though, not in our apartment anyway. She had a friend who cooked meth in hotel rooms, because the risks were so high. Alex would leave, for a buy, or to use with her scarier friends, and I'd imagine the police coming to tell me."

"Or Social Services," Jess added. "It's imagining the worst, picturing it, so if it does happen, you're prepared for it, not taken by surprise. Bad things are easier to deal with then." Rory sat up.

"It isn't just you two, you know. I did this too. After my grandfather had his first scare, his angina attack, I played through all of my family possibly dying. What I would do, how I'd react. I mentioned it to Logan, after Grandpa had his heart attack. He told me not to be morbid, and said it was wishing someone dead. But it's not. It's preparing yourself. Paris said it's giving your brain pathways to deal with the bad things. We talked about it after Professor Asher's death, because he was older, she had done it too. I did it with you, both times you disappeared," Rory admitted, allowing Jess to take her into his arms. He pushed her back down against his chest, forcing her to cuddle up, his warm breath ruffling her hair. Rory met Garret's smirk with one of her own, Jess would never admit he needed the comfort Rory provided with her touch, but they recognized it.

"Maybe a certain type of person, or intellect, does it. Runs through the bad scenarios as a coping mechanism, I did it with you when you were overseas. How I'd deal with it while trying to be there for Luke, so he could be there for your mom. The point is- I'm good. No worries here. Let's finish our drinks, and sleep for a while. We all have tomorrow off now, we should do something with it," Jess said. Garret nodded, but he knew, it wasn't going to be so simple.

A/N- Let me know what you think…. I love reviews.