A/N: Thanks for all the reviews so far, peops. Now, this one was super-popular last year and therefore had to get a second go-round ;)

5. Who Do You Want For Christmas?

'Verse: AU, in which Rory & Jess never met before.
Timeline: post-revival - sequel to 'What Do You Want For Christmas?' (LAC'17 #16)
Date: December 2019

"You have no idea how much I need this!" said Rory, holding her coffee cup as if it were the holy grail. "My machine wasn't working this morning, and the diner I sometimes go to near home didn't open on time, and then... well, I really needed coffee," she ended, blushing some when she realised how she had been rambling.

"I'm getting that you really like your coffee," said Jess, trying not to be too amused and failing badly. "Today of all days I'm not sorry for the boost either. Talia is great and I love her to death but she is really, really into Christmas this year."

"Well, it is an amazing time of the year." Rory giggled into her cup.

"Seriously?" he checked, smirking more than smiling. "You have no shame."

Rory laughed all the more, waving to Talia as she ran circles around Will in the play area a few feet away. He seemed very amused by his new playmate.

"Looks like they're getting along," said Jess, watching the same scene. "I wasn't sure how Tal would be with a younger kid. She's not been around them much."

"You didn't want any more kids?"

"Uh, her mom died before Tal was a year old, so..."

"Oh, God. I'm so sorry," Rory apologised quickly. "I didn't... Wow, I am an idiot."

"It's fine." Jess shook his head. "You couldn't have known that, but before I put my foot in it the same way, Will's father?"

"Is alive, as far as I know, but he's not a part of our lives," she explained. "His choice, mostly, but I'm more than okay with it."

Jess nodded in understanding and sipped at his coffee. He looked up to check on the kids again and could hardly help but laugh as he realised Talia was trying to encourage Will to talk, and yes, it was 'amazing' she was trying to get him to say.

"I think that's what they call pay back," he said to Rory, pointing that way.

She laughed too and then shook her head.

"She has her work cut out. So far vocabulary is limited, though it has been pointed out to me and his grandma that maybe he doesn't talk much 'cause he can't get a word in edgeways with us around." She rolled her eyes. "I read to him a lot though. I'm hoping all those great words are sinking into his brain and one day they'll all just burst out. Hmm, that's not such a great way to phrase that. Kinda gory" she said, making a face.

"Little bit," Jess agreed. "So, you read a lot?"

"I do. I'm guessing either you or Talia's mom-"

"Me. I'm the reader, and the writer, actually," Jess admitted.

"You write books?" Rory checked, her eyes suddenly going wide. "No, hold on a second. Jess Mariano?" she gasped in sudden realisation. "You wrote The Subsect!"

"You read that?" he asked, looking as surprised as she was by the turn of events.

Rory leaned down to retrieve the book from one of her bags and then showed it to Jess. "Huh. Well, thanks, but don't get too excited until you actually read it."

"This is a Christmas gift for someone," Rory explained. "I already read it at least ten times. I love it, it's so unique. Actually, me and my mom were talking the other day, listing what we most wanted for Christmas, I actually said a sequel to The Subsect, even though one doesn't exist. Well, not yet. There is going to be one, right?"

Rory's eyes shifted to the play area as Will cried and she excused herself a moment to go to him, leaving her last question ringing in Jess' ears.

"A sequel?" he said softly, watching Rory still. "For you, I'll make it happen."