A/N-Thank you for the reviews, they keep me writing. To answer a review- no, to my knowledge, the boy I based Garret on was not a victim of sexual abuse. However, looking back over my ten years in an elementary as secretary, I've seen it too many times. It seems to come to our attention at least once a year. And that doesn't count the kids who transfer in as fosters. If I have any hopes with the writing of these stories, it's that readers will become more aware of issues, needs, and charities. And that some readers may do their own research, talk about issues with others, or even jump in to make a difference.

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

Chapter Sixteen- Sun. 7:00 PM- Stars Hollow

Well that didn't fucking last long. He swore he'd stick by me. He'd be there for the baby. We'd be a family. It's all such bullshit. Everything is shit. Luke didn't want to tell me, and we pretended for hours, but I knew. I knew before Luke gave me the note, all apologetic- like it was his fault, Jimmy isn't coming back. The asshole went out for diapers and didn't come back. "We'll always be together baby, you and me, we're walking this path together." What a load of crap. So here we are, and once Luke leaves, I don't know what will happen. I wanted a family. I don't think I can do this alone. And I still don't have any fucking diapers.

When the church bells began to ring, the small group reading looked up from their books in surprise.

"Was there a town meeting tonight?" Garret asked closing his Social Studies book, and setting it on the table.

"Not that I'm aware of, but it's definitely the "call to meeting" bells, so we should go. If you're up for it. You could stay here," Rory said, as she looked up into Jess's closed off expression from her position reading with her head in his lap. He'd been quiet since sneaking back into bed, jolting her awake with his ice cold toes and hands. She'd held him tight as he shivered, and watched over him long after he'd drifted back to sleep. They'd spent the day relaxing together, teaching Garret the fine art of M&M poker, watching T.V., and reading in front of the fireplace. Jess appeared relaxed on the surface, but she knew underneath his quiet exterior, there was nothing calm. He was a mass of seething emotions. Putting his book aside, Jess sat her up, stood, stretched, and nodded.

"If we're going, we should get coats on, it's cold outside," he replied, as Rory and Garret scrambled to leave. Garret was only too happy to leave homework for later, but Jess could see the worry on his face, and frowned, knowing it was because of him. Rory handed Jess his coat and Garret his gloves as they headed out into the street with the rest of the townspeople.

"You going to be okay with this brother?" Garret asked. Jess shrugged and draped his arm across Rory's shoulders, pulling her in close, and dropping a kiss onto her temple. He was angry, especially at Taylor, but this was his home. He'd control his temper.

"You leave, I leave, Jess. We go together," Rory said. Garret patted Jess awkwardly on the back.

"Yeah, we go together. We're like the Musketeers. All for one and one for all," Garret said.

"As long as I'm not Porthos," Jess replied with a smirk.

"No, Rory's obviously Porthos. She's the only one who even cares about clothes and appearances," Garret replied. Rory laughed.

"I'm assuming we're talking the literary character as opposed to me looking like Oliver Platt or Ray Stevenson? So is Jess Athos or Aramis?" she asked Garret.

"Yeah, the reading list you gave me is going to come back to haunt you. Jess is Aramis, except his religion is literature. I'm Athos, or d'Artagnan. I can't decide."

"You can't decide whether you're interested in romance, or love, yet?" Jess asked with a side look. "Weren't you the one lusting after Logan's wife?" Garret turned beat red.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm a young boy, and still believe girls have cooties. Oh look, we're here," he said trying to change the subject, then regretting it at the sudden stiffness in Jess's shoulders. Rory slid her arm around Jess's waist, and Garret watched him relax into her touch.

"You keep telling yourself that, Garret. It won't be long before Luke, who is Athos by the way, and Lorelai have to hide the National Geographics. Wouldn't want you looking at the pictures of half naked women," Jess smirked.

"Please! Like my mother would have National Geographics lying around. Nope, Garret will get his knowledge about women from Cosmo," Rory replied.

"God help us. God help us all," Jess said, shaking his head.

"Isn't it the older brother's job to provide the 'proper' magazines?" Garret asked with a grin, causing Rory to glare at them both.

"Don't you dare, Jess!" Jess winked at Garret and placed a light kiss on Rory's lips.

"Of course I wouldn't. I'll just show him the movies behind the curtain. I'm sure there's something back there. What movie did you create the curtain with? Showgirls? Might be a little tame. Wonder what happened to the porn I put in Bambi and Dumbo?"

"Ewww! Again, don't you dare!" Rory said, laughing as they entered the building.

"Everyone, everyone! Sit down now please!" Taylor yelled from the podium. At the sound of his voice, Jess stiffened, his expressions fading, and a cold look taking the place of his smile. Sliding into three seats on the end of a middle row, Rory, Jess and Garret waited to hear why the emergency meeting was called.

Ten minutes into the meeting, Rory stood, and pulled a tense Jess with her.

"Come on, we're leaving now. Garret?"

"Yeah, let's go brother. We don't need to be here for this," Garret said, shooting the staring townspeople a glare. Jess nodded, numb, and let them pull him out of the silent building.

The trio resumed their positions in the library, reading. Pretending like the last hour hadn't happened. Not being able to wrap his head around it, Jess broke the silence.

"Did we go to a town meeting, or am I hallucinating?"

"No, we went," Garret replied.

"I'm not sure," Rory said. "It might have been a hallucination. In all my time in Stars Hollow, I don't think I've ever heard Taylor offer an apology. On his own, without being bullied into it, anyway."

"The public apology was-" Jess trailed off, shaking his head.

"Good?" Garret asked.

"Yeah. For him to stand up there and say they should never have hidden what happened, and apologize for his part in it, was good, I guess. Rory… thank you," Jess added, putting his book aside, and running his fingers through her hair, smoothing the silky strands away from her forehead.

"For what?" Rory asked.

"For knowing I couldn't sit there for the recounting of what happened. Knowing I couldn't listen to it again. When he started detailing it out…It's right the town knows the truth about the guy, his death, Liz, and the baby. I just didn't want to be there for the recap. Or the questions or sympathy afterward."

"It doesn't absolve Taylor of anything. Liz, or the way he treated you when you first came here… he has a lot to make up for. I feel like my Stars Hollow doesn't exist anymore. Like it's rotten underneath the surface," Rory said. Jess's hand stilled in her hair, and he shifted position, pulling her up out of his lap, and turning to sit toward her with his hands gripping her shoulders. Fighting himself to not shake her.

"Don't say that. Don't ever say that," he said, his jaw clenched. "This town is insane. A circus. A freakshow. And I hated it to begin with. But, there's something special here. Besides you, Luke, Garret or even Lorelai. And you love it here, I know you do. I don't want you to lose that love for your childhood home because of me. It's part of who you are."

"He's right, crazy as it is, this town is special. And Rory, it's a good one. It's good here. Really good compared to most other places," Garret said. "I wouldn't want to live anywhere else."

"You can't let this, what happened to Liz thirty some years ago, change you. Change us, or change our home. Think of the town as an entity, almost a person itself. A character. And yeah, it has a past, but just like a person, it has a full life, and a future. It can be a good one if we let it. Please don't let my past change our life," Jess said into Rory's hair as he held her close. Worried it would all go south.

"I won't, Jess. You're right, Stars Hollow is more than the individuals in it. And I do love it here. You and Garret mean so much to me. Do you think you'll be able to forgive Taylor, the Elders and Patty?"

"Forgive? I don't know. Live with? Yeah. Did you talk to your mom? Luke? I guess Luke should know, and with the town being told, it should probably come from us," Jess said.

"Rory should tell mom, and then let her tell dad. It'd be better that way than over the phone," Garret said. Jess nodded, and Rory stood.

"I'll do it now. You guys should pick a movie. Not Showgirls! But finish your homework first, Garret."