A/N: Thank you for the reviews, you're all so great.

A bit of everything

"How are you feeling, Rory?" Emily asked Friday evening, everyone gathered in Gilmore mansion's living room.

"Good. Trying not to freak out since I've officially hit the third trimester according to most books."

"There is nothing to freak out about."

"My brain doesn't think so." She laughed.

"Chest bursters?" Lorelai mouthed, looking at Jess and he confirmed with one quick nod.

"What was that, Lorelai?"

"Nothing, mom." She smiled sweetly, sipping from her Martini.

"Good evening, everyone." Richard called, walking in the room. "What did I miss?"

"Nothing, grandpa." Standing up, Rory hugged the man quickly. "Hey."

"Rory, you look wonderful."

"Thanks. I'd argue with you about that…"

"But it would be pointless." The man shook his head, smiling.

"Then I won't complain about being fat." She grinned, sitting back down next to Jess.

Trying to stop himself from groaning, Jess picked up his glass again, making Lorelai laugh when she saw his expression.

"What's so humorous, Lorelai?" Emily looked at her daughter again.

"Just…remembering something that happened at the inn today. Michel was being Michel, I won't bore you with it."

"That's a first." Shaking her head, the woman focused her attention on her granddaughter again. "About your baby shower."

"Yes, grandma."

"The planner…"

"Planner?" Rory groaned, rolling her eyes.

"Yes. Tweeny Halpurn tried to take over the planning so of course someone had to step in and hire a professional."

"Of course."

"Anyway, she needs your guest list by the end of the week." Emily continued, ignoring the sarcasm in the younger woman's voice.

"Guest list?"

"Do you want me to explain the concept to you?"

"No, grandma." She groaned again. "Just curios what you need from me. I thought this shower was for the DAR ladies."

"I assumed you'd want some of your friends there."

"I'm good." She reassured the woman. "As long as mom's there." She looked at her mother, a sweet smile on her lips and Lorelai glared back at her.

"Sure. 'Cause giving you life was not enough of a favor. Anything else you need?"

"I'll let you know." Rory laughed.

"Lorelai, if you're going to be there, you have to act your age. These women are my friends."

"You've been indoctrinating me with the rules of proper behavior since I was born. I think I can remember how to behave for an afternoon."

"Remember? Yes. Actually do it? That's a different question."

"Hey, is dinner going to be ready any time soon? 'Cause I'm starving!" Lorelai changed the subject quickly, trying to avoid the fight.

"Please don't make me go! Please, please, please!" Lorelai pouted later that night as the two women were sitting in the diner, cups of coffee in front of them. "What have I ever done to you?"

"Where do you want me to start?" Rory grinned, sipping from her mug. "I don't want to be alone with grandma and her friends. I need you."

"But you like them! You're in the DAR with them. They're all going to gang up on me again about joining."

"No one is going to do anything to you. You're only coming for moral support. And for the food, there's always good food at DAR things."

"Fancy good food. You should not have mushrooms at a baby shower. Or deviled eggs or mini quiches or any of that crap."

"Not unless you need something to throw at my car, right?" Jess chimed in, dropping two slices of pie on the table.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Lorelai feigned shock.

"Sure. You don't." Placing a small kiss on Rory's head, he smiled. "I'll be upstairs when you're done."

"Ok." She brushed her finger over his hand, smiling back at him.

"So we've agreed I can not go, right?"

"No. You can't miss my baby shower, it's against the rules. You'd have to hand in your best mother in the world card."

"It's ok, I have another kid now, you don't have to love any more." Lorelai joked, picking up her fork. "Plus, I'm not missing your other baby shower, so that's got to let me keep some points."

"Wait, other shower?"

"You didn't actually think the people in this town, the same people who organized you a going away party in less than a day were going to let this occasion pass without celebrating it, did you?"

"Oh, God." She mumbled, shaking her head. "You're serious?"

"There's been mumblings for quite some time but it was decided yesterday at the town meeting. I don't know anything more yet, other than it will be epic."

"Great." Rory replied sarcastically, taking a bit out her pie. "Do you know what date this is going to be?"

"Nope. I'll let you know as soon as I find out."

"Thanks."

"Aunt Rory! You're here!" The two young boys yelped the next afternoon, running to her at the same time and wrapping their hands around her.

"Of course I'm here, there's a party. I'm not going to miss a good party."

"It's my birthday today!" Steve announced, looking up at her.

"Hey, it's my birthday too!" Kwan stuck out his tongue at his twin brother.

"Oh, does this mean I was supposed to get you presents?" She teased the boys, ruffling their hair.

"We got presents already!" Kwan grinned, pointing at the pile of presents on a picnic table. "Mom and dad got us new clothes and mom even let me play on her drums…"

"Dad's gonna teach me how to play the guitar!" Steve interrupted, grinning as well.

"And grandma got us tickets to go to Bible camp this summer." Looking at Lane, who was watching the three, Rory saw her roll her eyes at the mention of Bible camp and tried to stifle her giggles.

"Do you two ever breathe?" Rory teased the boys, smiling.

"Yes!" They replied in unison, making her laugh.

"Is this making you wish you stayed far away from the thought of having kids of your own?" Lane chuckled, looking at Jess who was also watching the scene.

"This is." He tilted his head down, looking at his younger sister that had been hugging him since he'd stepped foot on the lawn.

"Hey, you two are popular."

"Yeah, I know." Putting on a fake smile, he detached Doula's hands from around him, leaning down to be at her eye level. "Why don't you go hug Rory as well?"

"Ok." The girl nodded before bouncing off. Letting out a relieved sigh, Jess straightened up again.

"You're so whipped." Lane laughed.

"Thanks for the input."

"Anytime."

"I've been taken hostage." Rory grinned a few seconds later, looking at the two girls that were holding her hands.

"Doula, Vivian, why don't you go grab something to eat before the boys finish everything?" Lane offered the girls and they nodded, letting go of Rory and skipping away.

"You're good."

"I wrangle the monkeys every day, I'm used to it by now."

"I can't believe they're six already!" Rory gushed, looking at Lane. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm good. Been better." Looking at her best friend, the young woman laughed. "I'm a wreck."

"Knew it!"

"My babies are so big! I'm not ready for this."

"You're doing a great job with them, Lane."

"Making it up as I go along." She laughed, wiping the corner of her eye quickly. Noticing Zack motioning for her, she smiled. "Sorry, I got to go see what's wrong."

"Go." Rory smiled at her best friend.

"Hey." Jess appeared at her side again, wrapping his arm around her and placing a quick kiss on her shoulder. "Any pain?"

"No. Stop worrying."

"Never." He smirked, running his knuckles down her bump.

"Hey, guys." Lorelai greeted, walking out of the house, holding Will in her arms. "When did you get here?"

"A few minutes ago. How's my baby brother?" She cooed over the baby, making a face at him, trying to get him to laugh.

"Getting too big. Soon he won't be my baby anymore either."

"Mom…"

"You have to keep having kids so I can have babies around without having to give birth to them!" Lorelai grinned, kissing her son's cheek at the same time.

"Sure. Just remember we'll need around twenty thousand dollars a year for each of them. I'll let you know how much college is when we get there. And private school. I may have to look into that."

"On second thought, how about you ignore me?"

"Sounds good." She smiled, rubbing her bump. Noticing Jess was gone, she looked around, finally spotting him on one of the chairs, a desperate look on his face as the kids were all talking at him at the same time.

"I'm going to have to go rescue my husband. Be back in a bit."

"Don't get captured too!" Lorelai laughed, hugging Will closer.

"Did you see my tooth?" Doula bounced up to Rory, opening her mouth and pointing at the gap in her teeth.

"Oh, wow! When did that happen?"

"Yesterday! And the Tooth Fairy came last night and left me a dollar!"

"What are you going to do with it?"

"Buy chocolate!"

"Good plan."

"How's the baby?" Doula looked at Rory's stomach. "Is she still in there?"

"Yes."

"When's she gonna be born?"

"July."

"Why does it take so long?"

"Because she's only about the size of a teddy bear right now, she has to get bigger before she can come outside. She'd be sick if she was born now."

"So this means that if she's in your tummy until next year, she'll be really, really big and healthy?"

Laughing, Rory shook her head. "No. She can only stay in there until July."

"Why?"

"Because if she stays in there too long, she won't be healthy any more. And I'll kick out, by force if I have to."

"Ok." The young girl nodded, smiling. "Can you play with us?"

"I'm a bit tired, I'll just it here and watch you, ok?"

"Ok!" She laughed, jumping off the bench and waving goodbye to Rory before she started running towards the other kids.

Crashing on the couch in the diner apartment later that afternoon, Rory and Jess looked at each other, exhausted looks on both their faces.

"So…we should have thought this kid thing through, shouldn't we?"

"I believe so." Jess smirked, nodding. "Can we lock Brett in her room so she never has any friends and we don't have to deal with birthday parties?"

"Yes, please." Rory leaned her head back, resting it against the couch. "You were so great with them, though." She twisted her head to the side, looking at him as she lifted her hand and ran her fingers down his cheek.

"Nah, I gave them each twenty dollars to act happy." He smirked, catching her hand and kissing her.

"You know that there are now pictures of you playing hide and seek, right?"

"I'm trying to forget."

"It's ok, I'll put them on the fridge as soon as Zack emails them."

"Great."

"Your dad still thinks sarcasm is attractive." She placed her hand on her bump, looking down at it.

"You love my sarcasm." He pointed out, leaning over and kissing her.

"I have the misfortune of loving everything about you." Rory teased back, running her fingers through his hair. "I'm still waiting for the day when I stop finding all your annoying habits cute."

"When am I ever annoying?"

"Never." She laughed, kissing him again.

"Good to know." Lifting his head he kissed her temple, smiling. "You should go to Lorelai's before she starts whining about not getting enough time with you."

"Probably. You'll be good?"

"Nah, I have a wild party planned in half hour. It's why I'm trying to get rid of you."

"Oh, ok, just call if you're going to be late, I don't want to have to worry about you." Rory laughed, kissing the corner of his mouth. "I love you."

"Love you too."

"Shower's on June 8th." Lorelai announced as Rory walked in her living room.

"Seriously? This town that debates for three months what shade of white they're going to paint the benches in the square made a decision in a day?"

"We act quick when it comes to important things."

"You act crazy. I don't need a baby shower." Rory tried to protest again, smiling. Suddenly grimacing, she placed her hand on her bump, closing her eyes.

"Cramp?" Lorelai asked, a worried edge in her voice and she nodded.

"Please be a good mother and tell me real labor isn't worse than this."

"While being honest?" The older woman laughed, rubbing Rory's arm. "It's ok. It's all worth it in the end."

"Yeah, I keep thinking of that. I just really wish someone had taken care of the whole pain issue by now." Rubbing her bump again, she smiled at it. "Calm down, baby, it's ok."

"Oh, can I play?"

"Sure." Rory grinned, taking Lorelai's hand and placing it on her stomach. "Say 'hi' to grandma, Brett."

"Hey, baby." Lorelai squeaked in a high-pitched voice before looking at her daughter. "What? I'm not interfering with her language development now or whatever, I can baby talk all I want."

"I do it constantly." She shrugged, laughing. "Mostly to drive Jess mad."

"How's he doing?"

"He's started calling or texting while I'm at work to make sure I drink enough water after I had a really bad contraction one night."

"And you melt every time he does it."

"Yes." She admitted, biting her lip as her mother moved her hand away, picking up her coffee cup. "It's ridiculous yet I can't help but love him even more for it."

"Oh, I'm so…"

"No. You may not mock him." She interrupted her mother, laughing. "Bad."

"But…"

"Bad!"

"Spoilsport." Lorelai pouted, picking up her coffee cup. "Ok, going back to the shower, do you have any requests?"

"Not really."

"You know saying that means you just gave us permission to go full on crazy with this, right? Taylor's thinking of getting a band."

"You're not…you are serious, aren't you?"

"Oh, yeah. I'll intervene before they proclaim it a local holiday though. Maybe."

"Mom…"

"Who am I to stand in the way of people deciding we can all not work for a day and just have a party instead?"

"No band!" Rory threatened, shaking her head while laughing. "I have to draw some lines."

"You really are a spoilsport." The older woman pouted, picking up the phone. "Al's?"

"Sure."

Walking into the diner, Jess picked up a couple of empty mugs from a table, dropping them on the counter.

"What's up?" Luke looked up from the receipts he was organizing next to the register.

"Nothing. Just got bored of watching TV and figured you could use some help closing up."

"Knock yourself out." Luke threw a rag at him before going back to his receipts. "How are you doing?" He asked after a few minutes of silence and Jess looked up from the table he was wiping.

"What?"

"With Rory and the baby and everything."

"All's good."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Just checking. Third trimester was about the time I started panicking when Lorelai was pregnant."

"You panicked? Is that even possible?" Jess smirked, looking at his uncle. "I always thought you only had two modes:calm and raging. The latter usually caused by Taylor."

"You're very good at making me angry too, don't sell yourself short." Luke chuckled. "So you're fine?"

"I'm fine." Jess confirmed, nodding.

"You sure?"

"Yes." He nodded again, trying to stop himself from laughing. "I'm not entirely calm, but I don't need a paper bag just yet."

"Ok. If you need someone to talk to…"

"Whatever." Jess smirked, shaking his head. "Last time I help close up the diner, if this is what I get for it."

"Smartass." Luke mumbled back, smiling.

"So…any advice?" Jess asked after a few minutes, his eyes focused on the table he was wiping.

"About?"

"Anything you can think of. It's not like I have any experience at being someone's father."

"Spend as much time with your kid as you can."

"Anything less obvious?"

"Not really."

"Thanks, that was a lot of help." Jess chuckled, shaking his head.

"You'll do fine, Jess. And I wouldn't be telling you that if I didn't believe it."

"Thanks." The younger man smiled, picking up a chair and flipping it over.