i'm sorry if you didn't like the last chapter, because we are still in CA with Jimmy in this one too...however i think there are elements of this chapter that everyone will love!
rated M scene ahead
enjoy xoxo
disclaimer: I own nothing
Rory twists against the fabric of the chair, trying to find a way to rest on her side for a nap. The chair is nice and comfortable, as Jimmy said, but doesn't offer a lot of room for the kind of movement her body requires these days. She's not allowed to sleep on her back, and even if she wanted to, the seat doesn't go back far enough. She looks down at Jess's vacated beach chair longingly, with its back adjusted all the way to the ground. But that's a problem too, it's so low to the ground it would take effort to get down there. She turns her sights on the sparkling ocean with a sigh, and a grin overcomes her as she sees Jess jumping waves in the freezing cold water. There's no one else out there with him, aside from some surfers farther out. She learned long ago, during a summer trip to Nantucket, that her moody city boy turns into a bright eyed sea animal at the beach. It seems to satisfy him in a childlike way, being in the water or reading in the sun, and she adores it. She wonders if that part of him comes from Jimmy too. She's grateful for it no matter what. Because even though she's become more of a water person than she used to be, she is not secure in her ability to teach their children anything related to swimming.
She pushes herself up to stand from the chair slowly, and treks through the warm sand where the ocean water laps and watches him. Her arms are crossed over her chest, because she's actually wearing a two piece bathing suit for once. It's a tankini, but it still leaves more of her body on display than she is typically comfortable with. However, the look on Jess's face when she changed into it earlier that day has mostly made her insecurities fade. She watches as he emerges from under the water, his dark hair and muscular shoulders the only parts of him visible. She stares until he sees her, and waves happily at him. He smiles before diving back into the water and rather skillfully swims to the shore. He steps out of the water, whole body dripping, and she has to cross her legs to give herself some pressure as her center throbs at the sight; he's a vision. If she weren't so tired at the moment, she thinks she would pull him back into the water and pounce on him there.
"Hi," he walks up to her with a smirk that shows he knows exactly what she's thinking, "you want to try underwater sex for the first time?"
She blushes and then gives him a devious look.
"How do you know I haven't done it before?"
He matches her look but doesn't respond with words. She sighs.
"Okay. I haven't. But, I'm too tired right now."
His smirk falls towards a frown, "okay, we can go back to the house or hotel and nap?"
She looks around and shakes her head.
"No, I think napping on the beach sounds perfect. I just can't get comfortable."
His lips perk up again as he realizes that she's asking him for help without asking. He walks up and places an arm around her shoulder, walking them back towards their beach setup. She shivers, an effect from both the cold pacific water and his skin on hers. He kisses her cheek and steps away from her, digging into a full bag that Jimmy had packed for them - with snacks, towels, and a big blanket. She watches with drowsy eyes as he pulls the blanket out and lies it across the sand, the corners sitting right at the edge of his chair. He pulls the chair forward a bit more, shoving it down in the sand so it's almost level with the blanket, and then turns back to her.
"Come here," he holds his hand out. She takes it and lets him help her down to the blanket. He takes a seat in the beach chair and urges her towards his lap. She looks back at him.
"Lie on your side and put your head in my lap," he explains, his face in full focus on getting her sorted, "and I'll straighten my legs so your body can rest against them. I know it's not the same as a pregnancy pillow, but hopefully it gives you enough support to sleep."
She gives him a loving look and follows his instructions; her head now rests on his lap, perfectly elevated, and her body caged between his legs.
"There you go," he says quietly like he's speaking to a child, "is that comfortable enough?"
Her eyes start to droop as she nods in confirmation, "thank you."
"Nothing to thank me for," he mumbles, his hand playing in her hair, "just taking care of my babies."
She smiles with her eyes closed, and it warms him more than the sun on his skin. He looks her over and realizes that she's cuddled up to him enough that he can reach her stomach. He first turns and takes a book he packed out of the bag, and then turns back and glides his hand softly from her head, down her face and her chest, and rests it on her roundness, thinking that maybe while she's sleeping he'll get to feel something for the first time. He takes a happy breath and opens the book in his other hand while she snoozes against him.
She wakes up to a chilly breeze on her heated skin sometime later. It tears her away from a hot dream, of her and Jess making love in the sand, without all of the annoying consequences of doing something like that. She blinks a few times and finds that the sun has started to dip; the sky tinted with growing purple and orange hues. She takes a deep breath and turns her head upwards. The sight that greets her has the already pulsating beat between her thighs doubling in time; his striking face is turned to the side, asleep like she just was. She follows the line of his jaw with her eyes until they land on his parted lips, resting open as he calmly snoozes in the waning light. His hair is a tousled dream, with wavy, salty strands sticking in different directions yet somehow looking perfectly placed. She has to take another breath, because the demand between her legs feels out of hand as her eyes rake over his upper body. His sun-soaked, sandy skin is giving him a golden glow that makes him look herculean to her; she feels the heat of it on her belly, where his hand still rests, and she wants to feel it everywhere. Her vision catches next on the definition of his strong shoulders, and she follows the lines down over the dips and bulges of his muscular arms, then over the sturdy panes of his chest. She moves to sit up, because she's practically salivating now and there's nothing she can do about it in this setting.
His eyes open as soon as she moves, the motion causing his hand to drop from her belly without warning. He looks down at where she now sits on the blanket, facing him with her legs pressed tightly together.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," she apologizes, and his eyes squint as he takes in the glowing blush in her cheeks along with her body language. She holds his eye contact, really wanting him to see what she doesn't know how to say out loud right now. And he can read it, in the size of her pupils and the dent in her bottom lip from where her teeth were no doubt biting down. His eyes fixate there for a moment, catching as she licks her mouth and swallows. He feels a pull in his abdomen, taking in this beautiful creature that is his fiancée and is holding their child; this being that is his Rory, that used to blush just from kissing. That is now sitting in front of him, no doubt fantasizing about taking their clothes off and doing it right there in public, as the firm clenching of her thighs together seems to signify.
"I'm so in love with you," his eyes move from her body and back to hers again as he mumbles this, "the hotel is a little far for us to go back to now. But…Jimmy won't be home for a while yet. And there's an enclosed outdoor shower in the backyard."
She stares back at him for just a moment, body further heated by his words. Then she is quickly pushing herself up. He stands first and holds his hand to her, helping her the rest of the way. They hastily pack up their belongings, and Rory leads them as quickly as she can off the beach.
"Slow down, don't hurt yourself. We have time," Jess mutters, walking beside her with one arm holding the beach chairs and the other on her back. She adjusts the beach bag on her shoulder and mumbles back, "tell that to my body."
He smirks as he looks her over, her hands looking antsy and her legs close together as she walks. The bottom of her baby bump peeks out adorably between her two piece bathing suit. He grins and reaches out to take her hand, forcing her to slow down a bit as they walk down the boardwalk and back towards Jimmy's house. She stays silent, unable to articulate anything at all with the sensual buzzing all over her body.
The longing between her legs made the walk feel like hours, but finally they're in front of the house. Jess leads her by the hand around it, and to a gate in the back. He takes the beach bag off her shoulder and drops it on the ground along with the chairs. She trembles with excitement as he then takes her to what looks like a shed attached to the house. He opens up the latched door and walks her inside of a walled in outdoor shower; though it is private, with only a sliver of an opening between its roof and the top of the wooden walls, she would not care at this point if the neighbors could see them.
As fast as he latches the door closed, her arms are around him and her mouth finds his. He kisses her back with equal excitement and moves them across the room without breaking apart to turn on the shower head. Her hands grab all over his body in the midst of their passionate kissing, Jess keeps a hand held under the shower water until it's the right temperature. Then he turns it on them, causing Rory to momentarily break away from their kiss.
"Take off your bathing suit," he says as he tugs his own shorts down, "just need to get the sand off. I don't want it to irritate you or get inside of you."
She quickly does as he says, stripping down completely and letting him hose her down. She whimpers when the pressure of the water hits a delicate spot. He smirks.
"I'll be right there, don't worry."
He returns the shower head and grabs a clean towel from a shelf. She watches somewhat impatiently as he spreads it over the damp, wooden bench that sits adjacent to the shower. He steps up to her and places his hands on her hips, leading her to sit on top of the towel.
"Scoot to the edge, baby," he murmurs, as he kneels down. She moves her bottom half forward.
"Your knees," she points to the hard floor. He ignores her words and positions his face between her legs.
"Jess," she moans as he sticks his tongue out to swirl against her swollen clit. Her whole body shakes at the feeling, her pleasure already having been built up high since she woke up from her nap. Her skin is paradoxical combination of hot, from the sexual excitement, and cold from the breezy air on her now wet skin - luckily it only seems to add another layer of pleasure.
She lifts her legs enough to rest her feet on his shoulders while he delicately glides his tongue between her extra sensitive lips. He circles his tongue in sweet swipes, and his hands reach up to play with her nipples. But her body is too on edge, too electric and hypersensitive; she can't handle the feeling and kindly pushes his hands away.
"You okay?" he mumbles against her, not moving his lips from hers because he can tell she's close to coming already.
"Yes, yes," she pants out, "everything is just…so sensitive."
His hands move down to her stomach, where he rubs a few loving circles, before following the path of her legs until his palms rest tenderly on top of her feet on his shoulders. She looks down, but her bump keeps her from being able to see exactly what his mouth is doing. And this somehow makes it feel more erotic as she sees the top of his head rotate in circles in time with his tongue against her clit. She whimpers his name, her legs shaking because even though he's still being gentle with his movements, every single lick of contact is overwhelming stimulation. She curses, feeling that burning pressure nearing explosion between her legs, as he closes his lips over her and twirls his tongue in delicious spirals. Needing to grab on to something other than the hard bench, she reaches out and buries her fingers in his messy hair. He moans his approval against her aching clit, and it sends her rocketing into pleasure like she's never felt before.
Between the feeling of his mouth on her, her inability to watch exactly what that mouth was doing, her extra sensitivity due both to her body and the buildup of excitement, as well as the sounds of the outdoors so close yet blocked off from them in this intimate space - she rolls through an unrelenting orgasm. Her eyes are closed as her whole body quivers and shakes, she feels Jess put his hands above her belly at her waist, trying to make sure she doesn't fall off the bench from her uncontrollable spasms.
She opens her eyes and finds him staring up at her, looking both pleased and a little surprised; a strong desire for more all over his face. She kicks her feet off his shoulders and through a labored breath she demands,
"I need you inside of me. Please."
The playful edges of his look drop into fully serious and wanting. He stands up immediately; his tongue rests between his teeth and lips as he strategizes the most comfortable position for her. After a beat, he holds his hands out to her and helps her stand. He walks her to stand with her back against the wall and stands in front of her.
"Put your hands around my neck and your foot up on the bench."
It takes her a second, in her delirious haze, to make sense of his instructions. But she does as he says, one leg still standing straight. He smirks at her being wide open to him, and then he steps a little closer and reaches his arm under her other leg. She squeaks as he lifts it up and presses his hips forward to enter her.
"Jesus," he groans at the feeling, then meets her eyes, "stay like that, okay? Don't push your body too hard into mine. We have to keep our precious cargo safe. I've got you. Both."
She nods with a smitten smile, but her mouth drops open as he thrusts deeper into her. His face is handsome with pleasure, crooked mouth perpetually parted as he releases expletives and labored breaths. She can feel he's hard as a rock inside of her, and wonders if his pleasure has been building since earlier this afternoon too.
He grunts as he pulls out almost all the way, and then to her surprise, takes his time to slowly enter her again. He looks almost devastated with rapture, as though what her body is doing to him leaves him eternally at her mercy. She carefully leans her head forward just enough without compromising her stomach to kiss his tantalizing lips. He continues to rock at a subdued speed with her mouth over his. When she pulls away, he immerses himself deeper inside. A tremoring, breathy moan escapes him, and she notices the look on his face is bordering on pained. She fingers strands of his hair where her hands rest on the back of his neck. She can't help but ask,
"Are you okay?"
He opens his eyes and meets hers with a couple of nods. She gazes over his features again.
"Are you sure? You look like you're hurting."
"No, no," he responds, still seated deeply in her, "I'm not in pain."
He notices the rise of her eyebrow in possible disbelief and attempts to explain.
"I'm not in pain. I, uh, don't know how else to say this," he grunts out as he finally resumes the movement of his hips, "but your…pregnancy pussy is insane. It feels so fucking good, and it keeps getting better the further along. You're all swollen and hot and wet and just…it's unreal, Rory."
She listens with a hot blush across her face, and a demanding pounding between her legs.
"And all of my intense feelings for you on top of that…" he continues between labored breaths, "I'm not in pain. I'm deeply affected. And trying to restrain myself."
"Don't," she answers rapidly, making his eyes shoot to hers, "don't restrain yourself."
"I don't want to hurt you," he mutters, "and I don't want it to end too fast."
"I want it, please. I feel like I'm on fire again. My hormones are just as crazy as how my body feels to you, I promise," she insists breathily, "and I'm feeling all those intense feelings too, Jess. I love you. So much. Please don't restrain yourself."
That reasoning sells him, and also makes him grin; he pushes forth and doesn't hold back anymore, still managing to keep her middle from pressing too hard against him. He thrusts in and out to the tune of her nonstop whimpering and moaning, sinking himself repeatedly inside her drenched tightness, until she comes apart again, and he follows with an orgasm similarly euphoric to hers.
He releases her leg back to the floor once his body is more settled, and he pulls out of her. She takes her foot off the bench to stand and wraps her arms tighter around his heated neck for an intense kiss. He puts his arms around her, holding her without pressure; trying to convey everything she just made him feel, and everything else that he always feels for her. She pulls her lips away to rest her head on his shoulder, not wanting to separate from him yet. As she turns her head to the side, she sees that the shower is still running and giggles quietly.
"I think it's illegal to run water for that long in California."
He laughs with his lips pressed against her head, "that was worth every dollar, whatever the fine is for that."
Rory smiles proudly at that and kisses him once more before stepping back into the flow of water. Rinsing off any possible remaining sand, and anything that might be between her legs now. Wanting to be actually helpful, and not just ogle her wet body, Jess picks up a bottle of body wash and squeezes some into his hands. He steps up to her with soapy hands and asks, "want some help? I don't see any washcloths in here."
"You didn't even look," she grins, "but yes, you can help."
He matches her grin, but his look quickly turns diligent as his hands work to clean as much of her skin as he can. He begins with her back and shoulders, hands gliding down the curves of her figure. She turns to rinse her hair, and he gets to work on her chest and arms. He watches closely as his fingers trail down over the slope of her stomach, covering the half-globe with delicate soapy strokes. As his eye catches something on her skin, he laughs, causing her to look down.
"What?"
He lightly places a finger on her belly, and she looks there to see that there's a tan line in the shape of his hand. She laughs too, "how did that happen?"
He places his hand on top of the print, remembering how he fell asleep earlier.
"I kept it there while you napped, in case I could feel something happening."
She meets his eyes, holding empathy for him because it is a sublime thing to experience, and she's been experiencing it for the last few weeks alone.
"Did you feel anything?"
His sullen hazels meet her compassionate blues, and he shakes his head in denial. She places her hand on top of his on her stomach and gives him an encouraging smile.
"You will."
"Hey guys, how was your beach day?" Jimmy asks when he returns home from work in the early evening, hands full with a few grocery bags, and a smile on his face that Rory can tell he is trying to curb in their presence. They stand in the kitchen in front of open cabinets, as she wanted a snack after their fulfilling but tiring escapade. She looks to Jess, checking to see if he cares who answers.
"It was great," he actually replies, throwing her a secret wink that makes her cheeks tint.
"Glad to hear that, you liked the chair Rory?"
He places the bags down on the table, and out of habit, Jess begins to help him unload them.
She closes the cabinet in front of her and watches father and son with a small smile and her arms crossed below her chest.
"Yes, it was nice. I took a great nap on that blanket, though."
"Oh yeah, that blanket has supported many beach naps," he chuckles, taking something out of the bag and stepping to the stove, "I'm sure you're both hungry. I'm making chicken alfredo for dinner."
"That sounds good," Rory licks her lips, and her stomach growls loudly, "sorry."
They laugh and Jimmy throws her a smile of understanding.
"I'm making you an appetizer right now. I know you can't have salsa, so I'm just going to make a plain cheese dip, and I got tortilla chips. Sound good?"
He looks to her for approval, and she can't help the warm smile on her face at his thoughtfulness, "that sounds so good. Thank you."
"Yeah," Jess adds on in a borderline friendly tone, "that sounds perfect for her. Thank you for doing that."
"It's no big deal, I'm a pro. I make it at the hot dog stand all the time," Jimmy turns back to the stove and gets to work. Jess places a hand on her back, and she turns to him.
"Want something to drink?"
She nods, "not water though. I'm bored of it."
He chuckles and opens the fridge, "orange juice, that will bother you. Beer, can't have that. Uh, ginger ale?"
He pokes his head out and she frowns.
"Too bubbly. Is there iced tea?"
Jess looks to Jimmy, who shakes his head.
"No, I'm sorry. I should have called while I was at the grocery store to see if you needed anything."
"It's okay," she shrugs, "I'll have water."
Jess closes the fridge and walks up to kiss her head.
"I'll go get you some. There's a convenience store nearby, I'm sure they have something."
"You don't have to."
"I want to," he kisses her again, "I'll be right back. Want anything else?"
She smiles, "no. Thank you."
He slips his shoes on and grabs his wallet and is out of the house quickly. He walks the couple of blocks, his thoughts on the afternoon, including Jimmy's presence. The whole reason that he decided to open the door to his absent father is because of what he's just done. He has shown that he cares now, and that he understands and cares about what means most to Jess as well - which is his life with Rory. He only had to tell him once that acidic foods do not agree with her right now, and he seems to have memorized it and been nothing but accommodating. It is the way, perhaps the only way, he can carve himself a space in Jess's life - and Jess is cautiously optimistic to see that he's serious about it.
He finds a small jug of decaf iced tea, and grabs her a king size Reese's as well, just in case his father doesn't have a plan for dessert. He checks out and strolls back to the house, feeling none of the tension and anxiety today that he did on the very first day they arrived in California. They have a few days left of their babymoon, and it's been a perfect combination of rest and alone time together, that isn't hindered by needing to give work or anything else equal attention. Oh, and plenty of intimacy too - in their hotel room mostly, but the thought of the intense love making they were in the midst of only an hour ago, has him walking back into the house with a smile on his face that shows he is fully engrossed in his memories.
He kicks his shoes off by the door and walks to the kitchen with his head still in the clouds. But when he enters, the scene in front of him jars him from his dreams and throws him into panic. Rory is crying in Jimmy's arms; her face buried in his shoulder and her arms wrapped around his neck. He has her encircled in his arms as well, in the most respectful way; hands light and hardly touching her body. When Jess walks in, his eyes snap to his immediately.
"What's going on?! What's wrong?" Jess drops the bag without care on the floor, and practically jumps over to them, "what happened?"
Rory tears herself from Jimmy then and holds on to Jess for dear life. He holds her to him and gives Jimmy a hard look.
"What the hell did you do?"
He opens his mouth to respond, not seeming offended by the accusation, but Rory's voice croaks near his ear.
"I choked," she sobs out, "he saved me."
Jess's face drops and he looks at Jimmy again over her shoulder.
"What? What do you mean you choked?"
But she doesn't respond, because she's still sobbing and shaking in his arms; clearly spooked by whatever happened.
Jimmy steps forward and says quietly to Jess.
"She choked on a chip. I was able to help her right away, she'll be okay."
His eyes widen, "what about-"
"I know," Jimmy nods in understanding with closed eyes. He opens them and says, "that's why I'm going to go start the car, and we will take her to the hospital. Just to make sure everything is okay."
Jess nods wordlessly in appreciation as Jimmy leaves the room.
"Oh Rory, I'm so glad you're okay," he mutters against her head, rubbing his hands on her back in calming circles, "does your throat feel okay? Do you want water or anything before we leave?"
He tries to keep his calm for her, feeling how unsettled she is in his arms. She only whimpers in response and holds him tighter. His heart aches at her fright.
"Baby," he murmurs tenderly, placing soft kisses to the side of her head, "that must have been so scary for you. I'm sorry I wasn't here."
He gives her another minute in his arms, but the fear that he's been suppressing can't be ignored any longer and he whispers in her ear,
"We need to go to the hospital now, okay?"
Her sobbing quiets with a few more tremulous breaths, and she nods against him, "okay."
"The baby has been moving since the car ride," Rory mumbles, "I think we're okay."
Jess looks her over as they sit in the waiting room, having just checked in at the desk. They left Jimmy to park the car, but he promised he would be inside soon.
"It doesn't hurt to make sure," he replies softly, placing his arm around her shoulders, "and we're already here."
She nods and looks down at her lap; he's not sure if she's still scared, embarrassed, or both, but he lets her be, understanding that this whole situation must be shocking. It's frightening enough for him, and he didn't even see it happen, let alone experience it himself.
"Lorelai Gilmore?"
They both look up at the nurse at the sound of her name, surprised to be called so soon.
"Right here," Jess responds, standing up and holding his hand out to Rory. She takes it, and they follow the nurse back to a small room. He helps her sit on the examination chair and stands close by with her hand still in his. He watches quietly, but with his thumb constantly soothing over her hand, as the nurse asks questions and takes her vitals.
"Your vitals are completely fine, Rory. We'll just take you back for some tests for the baby now, okay?" the nurse explains with a supportive smile, she then turns to Jess, "I'm sorry, but you will have to head back to the waiting room for this part."
His face hardens, the edges of a scowl start to form.
"Seriously? My pregnant fiancée just choked, and you want me to leave her side and sit doing absolutely nothing?"
"I know it's scary," the nurse responds kindly, "but I have to follow policy. We can't have anyone other than the patient present, unless they are a minor. I promise, someone will get you as soon as you're allowed back again."
The growing scowl falls when he feels Rory squeezing his hand. He meets her eyes, turning any feelings of frustration into tenderness for her.
"It's okay, Jess. I'm sure it will be fast."
He swallows, "not too fast, I hope. We want them to be thorough."
She doesn't reply but holds his gaze until he nods.
"Alright, I'll…be in the waiting room," he stands up, and brings her hand to his lips before releasing it, "I love you, and everything is going to be okay."
She nods and he reluctantly, and slowly, leaves the room.
When he returns to the waiting room, he finds Jimmy sitting amongst a row of empty chairs. He immediately catches his eye, and Jess walks over to join him. Once seated, he rests his elbows on his knees and holds his head in his hands. He hears Jimmy take a breath, but he doesn't speak. And Jess is grateful for that, as he needs a silent moment to gather his volleying thoughts and his uneasy feelings.
"She was really scared?" he finally asks, in a mumble against his hands. Jimmy clears his throat, and Jess releases his hands from his face to look at him. He nods once slowly.
"She was scared," he confirms gently, "more so after the fact. It all happened very quickly."
Jess gulps hard, and sits back in the chair, foot tapping nervously against the hospital floor.
"I have no idea how to help someone who's pregnant and choking. I hardly know how to help a regular person."
Jimmy shrugs one shoulder, giving Jess a gracious look.
"Only know because I have to. I'm in the food business," he waves his hand, "anyway, it's all in the chest. You don't have to go anywhere near the baby. Non-pregnant people you can do it that way too, by the way."
Jess's face turns disconcerted with worry, "babies are different though, right?"
"Babies are different," he nods, and then taps Jess kindly on the knee, "I know first aid for babies and toddlers, too. I can show you, if you want. Before you go home."
It might be the first thing his distant father has ever offered him, that he's truly grateful for. He sits with the weight of that for a moment, before finally saying the words that he's been trying to work up to,
"Thank you," he makes sure to meet Jimmy's eyes, to convey how deeply genuine he's being, "I don't know what would have happened if you weren't there."
"You would have figured it out," he says assuredly, "and it probably wouldn't have happened in the first place if I wasn't there, since I'm the one that made her the snack."
"No, it could happen any time. Especially with how she eats, and that's no judgment. She's…growing a person. She should eat as much as she wants but she gets so hungry, Jimmy. She just dives into every meal."
"Regardless, you would have figured it out. She is your world," he pauses before placing a hand on his shoulder and insists, "You would have figured it out, Jess."
The two Mariano men sit in silence after that. And it's unlike every other silence they've had between them; it's comfortable, the painful tension that has marked all previous conversations mostly dissipated into a whispering ghost in the background. And Jess would think more about that, dissect this shift a little more, if he weren't also anxiously awaiting information about his unborn child.
He watches what feels like a hundred nurses come in and out of that fateful door, calling the wrong names, until finally a nurse steps out and calls for Jess Mariano.
He stands straight up, and the nervousness must be visible all over him because the woman says with a smile,
"She's okay."
He nods, and he feels Jimmy's hand on his shoulder again.
"And what about the baby?" he asks cautiously, fingers tensed up in fists at his sides.
"Oh," the nurse looks confused, "that's what I meant. The baby. She's okay. Sorry, your wife is okay too, of course."
"Oh, thank god," he clasps his hands together, and then brings them to his face. He rubs them there as he takes a deep breath of calm air. But suddenly, it clicks, and he drops his hands. His eyes are big and a smile emerging as he questions, "She? She's a…she?"
"Oh shoot," the nurse gasps, looking remorseful, "you didn't want to know the gender? I'm so sorry."
Jess shakes his head, his excited smile fully formed now.
"It's okay, really. You couldn't have known, our regular doctor is all the way in New York," he reasons for her kindly finding the situation a happy accident.
Jimmy pats his shoulder again, and Jess looks briefly at him. He gives him a congratulatory look that Jess meets with a genuine grin. He turns back to the nurse then, excitement dwindling slightly as he asks,
"Um, do you know if someone happened to mention the gender to my fiancée though? She wanted to wait to find out."
"I'm not sure," she shakes her head, "I'm sorry. Do you want to come back and see her?"
"Of course," he answers immediately, and as he goes to follow the nurse he realizes that Jimmy isn't behind him. He turns back to see him still standing in the waiting room.
"Jimmy," he calls with a raised brow, "you don't want to see her?"
The man runs a hand through his hair and replies with a humble shrug.
"I don't want to intrude."
He blinks, "you saved her life. Both of them. Please come."
Jess turns around to follow the nurse, wanting him to join but not investing in it more than seeing Rory.
As they approach the room, he hears Jimmy walk in behind him. But his eyes are locked on Rory's, who is upright in a hospital bed with a machine of some sort that seems to be attached to her bump, based on the cords peeping out from the blankets. They look at each other and have a full conversation with their quirked lips and brows. And finally, Rory confirms it with glassy eyes and a smile as wide as the moon,
"We're having a daughter, Jess."
His lips snap up to a full grin, and he hastily closes the distance between the door and bed. Standing at her bedside, he takes her hand and kisses it all over, and then leans down to place kisses all over her face and mouth too.
"A Gilmore-Mariano girl. I can't believe it," he shakes his head in elated surprise, "Your mom was right."
Rory smirks, "she said at some point. Not now. Don't give her too much credit, you know how far she'll take that. She'll be telling our daughter for the rest of her life that they have a telepathic connection or something."
He chuckles and kisses her hand again. Rory shares another private look with him, and then cranes her neck to look around him.
"Come here so I can hug you," she orders him, and Jimmy only pauses a moment before he steps up to the other side of the bed.
"Thank you thank you thank you," she gushes, hugging him around the neck with one arm, "I can't believe how careless I was. I'm so grateful you were there to help us."
"You're not careless. You're pregnant and hungry," Jimmy replies, pulling back from their hug to face her, "do you know how many choking idiots I've had to give the Heimlich to over the years at the hot dog stand? Trust me, no one had as good of an excuse as you."
Rory smile softly and looks between the two men. She releases an embarrassed laugh and says,
"The doctor advised me to start counting while I chew."
Jess turns her hand in his to rub a thumb across her palm, "that's good advice. I'll start doing it too."
She gives him a somewhat guilty look,
"You don't have to pretend that this wasn't my own fault. I should have been more careful."
Jimmy steps back from the bed slightly, taking his phone out to fiddle with it, realizing that this part of the conversation is just for them. Jess shakes his head in response to her words, and holds her hand up to his chest in earnest as he says,
"It was an accident, Rory. It was no one's fault."
The embarrassed blush that has been splayed across her cheeks starts to calm; she stares into his eyes, making sure that it's really okay to believe that it wasn't something she did wrong. He gives her a little nod and moves her hand up to his mouth to press his lips against the back of it. Her mouth ticks upward into a small smile of acceptance. A loud growl is heard then, and her cheeks redden once more, hand shooting out to rest on her belly. Jess frowns.
"Shit. You haven't eaten in hours, have you? Let me go find a vending machine or cafeteria or something while we wait for the doctor to come back," Jess starts to drop her hand, but she holds onto it tighter.
"It's okay, the nurse is going to bring me food. They want me to stay for a few hours, to monitor things for a little longer."
His frown deepens, "that's a long time to subsist on only hospital food."
"She promised she would bring me two puddings," Rory shrugs. Jimmy clears his throat then and they both look over at him.
"I'll go out and get you something good, Rory."
"You don't have to do that. I'll be okay with whatever they give me. Seriously, I would be happy to eat even a plate of plain vegetables right now."
"You've been through enough tonight, you deserve to at least eat something tasty," he waves his hand as he takes his key from his pocket. He smiles at her then, "besides, Mark left me a voicemail that your signed Go-go's record is in. I'll run down and pick that up and get you something to eat and bring it back. Ice cream too."
Her smile brightens, "really? Wow I can't believe I finally get to give my mom a record signed by Belinda! Thank you so much. And ice cream would be amazing!"
"You got it," Jimmy nods, and gives her a small pat on the arm, "Jess, you want anything?"
Rory looks up at Jess then to see a look on his face that she can't interpret; not exactly a smile or a frown, with his eyes trained on his father. After a pause, he kisses Rory's hand again before placing it gently on the bed.
"I'll walk you out," he mumbles to Jimmy, nodding towards the door, "I'll be right back, Ror."
"Take your time. I'm not going anywhere."
He flashes an amused smile before turning and leading Jimmy out of the room. Once he steps into the hallway, he closes Rory's door behind him and finds a secluded corner nearby to talk. He turns to face him and finds an almost nervous look on Jimmy's face.
"Jimmy…" he starts but stops just as quickly. Eyes darting around as he thinks. He runs a hand through his hair and takes a deep breath. Then, he decides to simply say it exactly as it is on his mind.
"I don't think I will ever be able to see you or treat you as my father," he states, though his tone is not angry or off putting; it's soft, and he meets his eyes as he says, "But we can be friends."
Jimmy's eyes grow slightly, and the nervous lines on his face settle back into a calmer confusion.
"Friends?"
"Yes. Friends," Jess confirms with a nod, and then shrugs one shoulder up, "we talk regularly, check in on each other. Stuff like that. Without me giving you an attitude or anything, I mean."
His eyes stay narrowed in confusion but his mouth lifts into a small smile.
"Okay. Friends is more than fair."
Jess swallows, and the two men stand looking at each other; letting the implications of these words, of this day, of this whole trip settle between them. He opens his mouth, lips trying to form more words for a few moments, before he speaks again.
"I want to say I'm sorry that it took you saving Rory's life for me to drop the wall I kept between us, but…I don't know that it would have happened otherwise."
Jimmy meets his honest words with a look of comprehension.
"The wall between us wasn't built by you, Jess," he keeps his eyes locked on his son, wanting to be sure that he lets all responsibility rest in its rightful place, "don't feel bad about a damn thing."
Jess only nods in response, because there's more he wants to say; more that he has to work up the nerve to get out. Because it's implication does make him nervous, but he decides to trust his instinct and trust in the man that Jimmy has shown himself to be now. He drops the arms that he had crossed over his chest, standing firm in his decision as he offers something so significant in a soft, yet serious tone,
"Even though I can't act like you're my dad…I can see you as a grandfather to my daughter," though the conversation is heavy, he can't help the smile that grows on his face as he says those words. He adds, "And any other kids we have. If you want to be."
Jimmy's eyes crinkle caught off guard and suddenly burning with feeling. His mouth parts in a display of wonderful disbelief. He holds his hands in the air, as if he's physically accepting this gift that Jess has bestowed upon him.
"I would love that."
Jess looks him up and down, and even though he mostly trusts him, he still asserts,
"You have to be committed to it. Please. I never ever want to hear my children wondering if you know when their birthday is or why you never show up to Thanksgiving when we invite you."
He gulps, "you're going to invite me to Thanksgiving?"
Jess gives him a look, like that was to be understood.
"If you're going to be a proper grandparent, yes. Families have Thanksgiving together."
"I promise. I won't let you down this time."
He looks over him a little more and gives a half nod.
"Okay. I'm going to head back," he points down the hall towards Rory's room, "thank you for getting the record and food. Do you mind grabbing me something to eat? I don't care what. I'm not picky. And let me know what I owe you when you get back."
He brushes past Jimmy with a quick, friendly grasp of his shoulder, and just barely hears him mumble, "you owe me nothing."
He takes a deep breath, standing in front of the closed door to gather himself before joining Rory again. Then, he quietly opens the door and finds her sitting up in bed with two empty pudding containers, and currently working on a third. Her gown is up, and blanket pushed down to her hips, as though a nurse just checked up on her. She smiles happily at him around a spoonful of vanilla.
"She snuck me three instead! She said she would be back with pasta too."
He grins at her upbeat energy, as though she didn't have a brush with something close to death only a couple hours ago. He strides over to the bed, pulling a chair with him. He sets it up on the side and takes a seat next to her. Leaning forward, he places an elbow on the bed and rests his head on his fist; his other hand finds a bare spot on her growing belly and parks itself there as she eats. He watches attentively, gentle smile on his lips, as she scrapes her pudding empty.
"That should hold me over for at least twenty minutes," she jokes, placing down the plastic cup and spoon.
"Jimmy will be back with food too. Shouldn't be too long though traffic around her seems to rival New York."
She shrugs a shoulder, "I feel bad wasting his night."
"You're not," he promises, "he wanted to spend time with us, and feed us. He gets to do all those things."
"Sure, in the 'comfort' of a hospital instead of his home."
Jess smirks momentarily, but it drops as he shares with Rory,
"I told him he can be her grandfather, if he wants to."
Rory's smile grows, slowly and cautiously.
"I'm sure he was excited about that."
Jess nods once, "he is excited."
"I trust him," Rory whispers, trying to help Jess feel more secure in his decision. He smiles gratefully at her.
"Perhaps against my better judgment, I do too."
"I think it's a great idea, Jess," she maintains, moving a hand to rest on his on her stomach, "she deserves all the love."
All the features on one side of his face perk up in gentle agreement. He rubs his thumb over the skin of her belly. As she reaches for her cup of water, he feels something under his hand. His eyes snap to hers.
"Was that from you? From drinking water?"
The moony smile on her face, and the way she's putting more pressure on his hand to press against her already gives him the answer.
"No, Jess," she replies, "that was our daughter."
His face pulls back with surprised excitement, an infatuated look in his eyes as they move to stare at her belly.
"You've been feeling that for weeks?"
"Yes, it started as butterflies and now feels like that. Like she's kicking," she whispers, "isn't it amazing?"
He looks up at her and stands up momentarily to kiss her lips, then sits back down to be closer to their baby again.
"It's otherworldly," he mutters, "will she do it again?"
And just as he asks, he feels it under his hand again. Rory watches lovingly as a smile stretches completely across his face, and her heart pounds when he leans forward to place his lips lightly near where she kicked.
"Hi baby girl," he mumbles against her skin, "I don't know if you can hear me yet, but thank you for kicking hard enough that I can feel it."
Rory sniffles as her eyes water, "the doctor said she's about the size of a papaya right now."
He looks up at her and smiles, then turns back to her stomach to mumble, "Much stronger than a papaya. You are spectacular already."
She reaches out and weaves her fingers in Jess's hair. He pulls back from her to meet her eyes and softens at the wetness.
"I love you," she whispers with great emotion; then she clears her throat and says, "that's the hardest she's kicked so far."
"Really?" he asks, features raising in rapt interest. She nods a few times and tenderly scratches his head.
"Yes really," she swears, and then she moves the hand in his hair to cup his face and says, "I think she did it just for you. To let her daddy know that she's really okay."
He blinks a few times as his eyes start to water too. Then, he turns back to her stomach, presses his lips against it and murmurs,
"Thank you."
Rory takes a deep breath to calm her emotions, and in her hungry state her senses seem to be heightened as she catches a familiar scent in the air.
"You're wearing that cologne I got you, aren't you?" she asks, and he can feel her words vibrate on her stomach against his face. He sits back with a smile.
"I am," he makes a face of adorable curiosity; eyebrows furrowed slightly and lips up high on one side, "do you think she can smell it or something?"
"I don't know," Rory shrugs one shoulder with a grin, "but something is telling her that dad is here. Taking care of both of us."
He looks back at her steadily, "I'm not doing anything. I wish there was something I could do."
"You're loving and supporting us. That means so much," she insists, finding his hand to squeeze it, "we had quite a fright, you know."
"I know," he replies in a low, stark tone, "I don't want to think about all the ways that could have gone."
"You don't have to. Because we're totally okay," she promises, smoothing a hand over her stomach, "and hey I've been to California a few times now, and this is the first I've gotten to see a hospital! That's something."
He shakes his head but can't help but chuckle at her dark humor. With his own hand still splayed on her bump, not wanting to miss any of their daughter's movements, he asks,
"Speaking of, how is California looking to you now? Just as you were making amends this happens," he mumbles, half joking and half serious, "Is your reconciliation suffering?"
She sighs in thought, and gazes down at her stomach and all around the room.
"It certainly likes to take from me."
His face starts to fall, but her unexpected wide grin eases him. She rubs both hands over the taut skin of her stomach. She looks down at it with a loving smile, and then shines that smile on him.
"But it's finally giving a lot back to me too," she says in an emotional whisper, "we're having a daughter, Jess."
He scoots his chair up and brings a hand to her face, pushing her hair out of the way to give her an adoring look.
"You're giving us a daughter," he swallows, "a mini you."
"A mini us."
He presses his lips to hers for a tender kiss; he sits back, still holding his rough palm to her soft cheek. He looks between her eyes, and her heart practically leaps out of her chest as he says, with the kind of gentleness and love that she can't wait to see him share with their child,
"I'm going to cherish her every single day for the rest of my life, Rory. I love her so deeply already."
As they share a sentimental moment, she makes herself known again with another kick. Rory giggles and wipes tears from her eyes as she watches him look totally enamored with her stomach. She places her hand over his on her face, and replies softly,
"She loves you already too, Jess."
AN: i wanted to write a sexual scene where Rory is overwhelmed with her attraction to Jess, because I feel like I do it the other way around a lot. i hope that came through here. she's as obsessed with him as he is with her, is what i'm really trying to say ;)
anyway, I had this specific plot line in my head for a while. I always wanted Jess to make amends with Jimmy because he deserves more than Liz. from my own experience with absent parents, i knew it would take something so meaningful for him to overcome the hard feelings. dually, i wanted a creative way to reveal the gender. so i know this chapter is a little different, but i hope you liked it.
PS - happy holidays my loves! hope you get everything you want xoxo