Thank you for your continued support! Here's the next chapter! :)

Chapter 25

Jess walked down the driveway of the Crap Shack. He stopped for a moment when he spotted TJ sat on the porch steps. He took a deep breath before walking towards him.

"Hey..." TJ said.

"Before you say anything, I'm sorry ok? I was out of order and I shouldn't have shouted at you both. I guess...well I guess the day just got on top of me..." Jess said.

TJ sighed. "No. You were right. We should have thought about what you wanted to do rather than just assuming." He said. He glanced at him. "So...you'd like to do a eulogy?" He asked cautiously.

Jess sighed and sat down next to him on the steps. "I don't know." He answered honestly. "I just...I don't know, maybe..."

TJ nodded slowly. "Well I'm sure we can arrange that if you really want to." He said.

Jess glanced at him. "Thanks." He said quietly. "How's Doula?" He asked after a moment.

"She's struggling. One moment we're laughing about happy memories of your mom, the next she's crying her eyes out about the fact she will never see her again." He sighed.

"It must be tough..." Jess said glancing at him.

"Yeah, she's finding it hard."

"I mean for you." Jess said.

"What do you mean?" TJ said confused.

"You've lost your wife but you feel like you have to stay strong for Doula. It must be hard..." He said quietly.

TJ shrugged. "It's what I have to do."

"Yeah...I get that." Jess sighed. He glanced at him. "You know...if you ever need to talk..." He said awkwardly.

TJ glanced at him and gave him a small smile. "I appreciate that. And likewise." He said. "Must be tough for you staying strong for Charlotte."

"It's what I have to do." He shrugged.

"I get that." TJ smiled softly. "I'm going to head back in there. You coming?"

"In a bit." Jess nodded.

"Ok. See you in there then."

Jess nodded and let out a breath as he sat on the steps for a moment longer. He suddenly heard the front door open and someone come and sit next to him.

"Are you ok?" Charlotte asked softly.

"I'm fine." Jess forced a smile.

"Jess..." She said softly.

He sighed. "I'm struggling." He finally admitted.

"Oh Jess, why didn't you say anything?" She said.

"Because...you're going through hell at the moment as well. I needed to be strong for you. I wanted to be strong for you." Jess sighed.

"Jess, you're only human. Yes, I've been struggling but that doesn't mean you can't either. Aren't husbands and wives meant to be there for each other not just husbands being there for their wives?" She said softly.

Jess shrugged. "I guess I just find it hard to talk about my emotions." He admitted.

"Yeah...I guess you've always been like that." Charlotte sighed, leaning her head on his shoulder. "But I want you to know. I've really appreciated how amazing you've been the last few days and how much you've been there for me but now it's my turn to be there for you. You can talk to me, you know that right?" She said softly.

Jess glanced at her and nodded. "Yeah I know." He said softly. "I'm sorry..."

"No, you have nothing to be sorry for. Come here." She said pulling him into a hug. "It's my turn to tell you we will get through this together. I promise you, we will."

"I miss her." Jess admitted tremulously.

"I know you do." Charlotte said softly. "I know you do."

The following week came quickly, too quickly in Jess' case, as he was dreading the day of the funeral. He and Charlotte had been visiting Lizzie in hospital every day. She had made some progress but she was still critical considering how premature she was. It was obviously taking its toll on them both but they had been talking more and they were getting through each day ones step at a time and they were getting through them together. Jess was stood in Charlotte's room at the Crap Shack, trying to adjust his tie using the mirror.

"Here. Let me help." Charlotte said softly, appearing beside him. She helped him fix it properly. "How are you doing?" She asked.

"I think I'll be relieved when today's over." He admitted.

"Jess, door for you!" Luke's voice called.

Jess frowned confused, not expecting anyone. TJ and Doula had arrived the evening before so they were already there. He went to the door with Charlotte and was surprised to see Lane, Zach, Brian and Gil dressed in black. "What are you doing here?" He asked.

"We thought you might like some support." Lane smiled softly. "I know you've got your family but..."

"Thank you." Jess said cutting her off, touched. "You didn't have to..."

"We wanted to dude." Zach said giving him a pat on the shoulder. "You've been there for us when we needed you. Now we're here for you."

Jess blinked back tears, embarrassed. "Thank you." He managed to get out.

"How are you both doing?" Lane asked, giving Charlotte a hug. "I'm sorry I haven't been round. I assumed you'd want some space and well...I assumed you'd be at the hospital most of the time..." She said.

"We're ok. Getting through each day together." Charlotte said accepting her friend's hug. "And don't worry about not coming round, we got your card and flowers."

"We better get going." Luke said placing a hand on Jess' shoulder.

"Yeah.." Jess said quietly.

"Hey...we'll get through today together ok?" Luke said softly.

Jess gave him a small smile and nodded. "Together." He said.

Jess sat on the front row as he watched and listened as Luke and TJ did their eulogies for Liz. He could feel himself getting even more nervous as he knew it was going to be his turn to stand infront of everyone very soon. He watched as Luke stepped down and he felt a hand squeeze his own. He glanced beside him to see Charlotte smiled supportively at him.

"You can do it." She said softly.

Jess took a deep breath before getting up and standing at the front, facing everyone. "So..uh..most of you know I didn't have the best start with my mom..." He said quietly. "I sometimes wished I could just escape and never see her again." He admitted nervously. He glanced up and caught Luke's eyes who gave him a supportive smile and nod. "But recently..." He continued. "We got past everything that had happened. It took many years but things were finally good between us. It sucks that just as things were finally good, she was taken away from us all." He said, blinking back some tears. He glanced at the coffin. "Mom, I make this promise now to you. I promise that I will look out for Doula and I will make sure TJ doesn't brainwash her with his love of tights..." He said with a smirk which elicited some chuckles from everyone. He glanced at TJ who, thankfully, was smirking as well. Jess took a final breath. "I know I didn't tell you this much but I love you mom." He said emotionally. "And I'm going to miss you. Rest in peace." He said before stepping down quickly and making his way back to the front row. He felt a pat on the shoulder from both Luke and TJ and he felt Charlotte squeeze his hand again. He exhaled a big breath, glad that it was over.

The funeral came to an end and everyone started filing out and started heading back to Stars Hollows. It was arranged to all gather in the diner for a small wake. Sookie had made some food for it.

"So how are you doing?" Lane asked as she sat next to Jess who was sat at a table with Charlotte, Rory and Sam.

"I'm ok." Jess said.

"Sorry, that was probably a stupid question." Lane said.

"Nah it's fine." Jess assured her. "I'm doing better. I am." He said.

"Good." Lane gave him a small smile.

"Your eulogy was lovely, Jess." Lorelai said coming to join them.

"Thanks." Jess said self consciously.

"Your mom would have been really proud." She smiled softly.

"Yeah she would have. You do her proud." Luke said joining them as well. "You doing ok?" He asked Jess.

"Yeah I'm ok." He nodded.

"Good." Luke nodded.

"You?" Jess glanced up at him.

"Getting there." Luke said.

Just then Charlotte's cell rang. "Sorry." She apologised getting it out. "It's the hospital..." She glanced at Jess, worried. "Hello?" She answered. "Uh...yeah, we can. Is everything ok? Ok...yeah, no we can come now. Ok, bye..." She said, hanging up. She looked at Jess. "They want us to go in now."

"Is Lizzie ok?" Jess said concerned.

"They wouldn't say anything, just that they wanted us to go in now. Surely if it was bad news, they'd say right?" Charlotte said worried.

"I don't know." Jess said just as worried. "Come on, we better go." He said getting up.

"We'll drive you." Luke said.

"Yeah, we'll come with you." Lorelai said. "Chris, can you watch the kids for a bit?"

"Of course. You go." Chris said without hesitation having overheard the conversation.

"Come on." Luke told them.

"I'm sure everything's fine." Lorelai tried to reassure them.

Charlotte and Jess rushed into the hospital, followed closely by Lorelai and Luke, to the special unit and found the nurse who was looking after Lizzie. "Is she ok?" Charlotte asked immediately.

"She's fine." The nurse smiled at them.

"But...you told us to come in straight away? We thought something was wrong!" Jess said.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to worry you. We just wanted it to be a surprise." The nurse said.

"Surprise?" Charlotte asked confused.

"How would you like to hold your daughter?" She smiled softly at them.

"What?" Charlotte said stunned. "You mean..."

"She's doing really well and we feel like it's time you get to hold your daughter for the first time." She said.

"She's...she's ready for that?" Jess asked.

"We wouldn't suggest it if she wasn't. Obviously we will still prep her so she's comfortable outside the incubator but she's ready. And I'm sure she wants to finally be in your arms." The nurse said. "So what do you say?"

Charlotte felt tears in her eyes. "Yes, we say yes." She said, not believing she was finally being able to hold their daughter.

"Ok, well you two scrub up as normal while we prep Lizzie and then you meet us in there." The nurse smiled.

Luke glanced across at Lorelai who was sniffing slightly as they watched Charlotte and Jess holding Lizzie for the first time through the window. "Hey, you ok?" He asked softly.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just...isn't it nice to have some good news for a change? I mean look at them..." Lorelai smiled tremulously. "I'm sorry, I'm just being silly. I just...it's so lovely to see them finally being able to hold her."

Luke smiled. "Yeah it is." He said softly, watching the genuine smiles on Charlotte and Jess' faces. He hadn't seen them for a while. "You're right. It's nice to have some good news for a change. And with Rory's wedding coming up, maybe things are finally starting to look up..." He said.

"I hope so." Lorelai said, leaning her head on his shoulder.

Luke put his arm round her. "Me too." He said softly. "Me too."

Meanwhile, inside the special unit, Charlotte was looking down at her daughter with so much love. "She's so beautiful." She said emotionally.

"Just like you." Jess said, smiling down at their daughter.

"I mean, I know she was beautiful. It's just...different being able to finally hold her in my arms. It feels...well it finally feels that things might just be ok..." She smiled tremulously at him.

"Yeah..." He said, blinking tears away. "Yeah, I think you might be right."

"Here..." Charlotte said holding Lizzie out to him.

"Oh no, it's ok." Jess said. "You hold her."

"Jess..." Charlotte said softly.

"She's so small." Jess said quietly.

"So was Jack." She pointed out.

"I know but this is different. I..." Jess sighed.

"Jess, hold your daughter." Charlotte said softly.

Jess took a deep breath before slowly taking Lizzie from Charlotte. He couldn't help but smile down at their daughter and this time, he couldn't stop the tears falling. "You're right..." He said emotionally.

"About what?"

"About how it's different actually being able to hold her." Jess said.

Charlotte smiled. She leant down and gave Lizzie a kiss on her very small forehead before giving Jess a kiss as well. "She just needs to get strong enough now and then we can bring her home and we can finally start being a proper family. Me, you, Jack and Lizzie." She said softly.

Jess smiled. "Sounds perfect." He said softly, glancing at her. "I love you." He said giving her another kiss.

"I love you too." Charlotte smiled.

So a bit of good news finally! Hope you liked it! :) Please keep the reviews coming as I really do love reading what you think! Your support means so much to me so thank you! :)