Happily Ever After- Gilmore Girls sequel

Chapter 6

While Rory and Lorelai left for the house, there was a lull at the diner. Luke asks Cesar to take care of any customers that come in while Jess and Luke head upstairs.

"Hey, you want a beer?" Luke asks.

"I'm surprised you have some up here." Jess replies.

"I still use it from time to time. The fridge at least for when I have a break. How's Philadelphia?" Luke takes two beers out of the fridge and passes one to Jess as they sit on the table.

"The usual. I'm busy with Truncheon Books. Rory and I are just anticipating the baby's arrival." Jess opens his bottle and takes a sip.

"Are you ready to be a dad?" Luke asks.

"Well, I'm not the dad. Logan is."

"But you're with Rory. She chose you. Logan is married to another woman in a different country. So biologically, yes, you're not the father. But you're going to be a dad to that baby whether you're ready for it or not." Luke says.

"To this day, I don't know why she chose me. I don't see what she finds in me."

"That's your problem, Jess. You think so lowly of yourself. You always have, even as a teenager. Maybe it's partly my fault. Or your mom's. But you're a good guy. You're a smart guy. It doesn't matter if you see why she chose you over "blonde dick at Yale." It matters that she sees why."

Luke and Jess sit in silence sipping their beers.

"Luke, you want the truth." Jess puts down his bottle on the table and looks at his uncle straight in the eye. "I'm scared. What if I turn out like Jimmy? What if I walk out on my kid and Rory? What if I ruin his life?"

"I'm not worried."

"Why?"

"Because you just called that baby your kid even when technically he's not. Because you have me and Lorelai who will find you and drag your butt back to Philadelphia if you run. But more importantly, because you're not Jimmy." Luke reassures him.

"I have a history of running away,"

"True. But as of right now, you are still here." Luke says as he finishes his bottle.

*****

Later that evening, Jess and Luke finish up at the diner and head over to the Gilmore house.

"You know they probably ordered takeout and it is movie night, right?" Luke asks Jess.

Jess rolls his eyes and laugh. "I just hope we don't have to endure Pippi."

"It's so good though. I was surprised how much I like the story."

Jess gives an incredulous look to his uncle. "Gilmore women sure have a way of changing the Dane men."

When they enter the house, they are not surprised to see the coffee table laden with pizza, popcorn, and an assortment of candy.

Rory and Lorelai come out of the kitchen to hug and kiss their respective men. "So are you guys ready for movie night?" Lorelai asks.

"What are we watching?" Luke asks.

"Pippi Longstocking." Rory leads Jess to the couch. Jess looks to his uncle and rolls his eyes.

Rory and Jess sit on the couch with Lorelai and Luke. All four get plates and grab a slice of pizza before starting the movie.

Rory and Lorelai start singing the theme song

Freckles on her nose
Diddle diddle di
A girl came riding
Into town one day
Diddle diddle di
She was quite a sight

*****

A couple of hours later, Rory has fallen asleep on Jess's shoulder. Lorelai offers to let them sleep in Rory's room but Jess declines. He wakes up Rory to take her back to the diner.

When they got back to the apartment, Rory jumps in the shower while Jess gets ready for bed.

As Rory climbs into bed, Jess wraps his arms around her and asks something that has been nagging him.

"Rory, I'm scared that I'm not going to be a great dad. I don't exactly have a good example for one. Why do you trust me?"

Rory looks into Jess's eyes surprised that he has doubt. "Jess, where is this coming from?"

"Baby is coming soon. And I am worried. Jimmy left my mom when I was a baby. Left to get diapers and never came back. So that is in me. What if I do that?"

Rory stops Jess the only way she knew how, with a kiss. When she lets him go, she looks him straight in the eye and says "You're not Jimmy. The past five months, you have been there for me and Richard even though you know he's not yours. You could have run away and never came back when you found out I was pregnant. But instead, you bought him a startup collection for his library. You and I live together. You have baby proofed your house and put up all the baby decorations. And you did all that for a baby that's not yours. Those are not actions of a man running away. These are actions of a man who plans to stay."

"But what if-" Jess starts.

Rory kisses him some more. "If you leave, I will be fine. Richard will be fine. I will be heartbroken but we will be fine. Jess, I love you. And I'm not worried."

Jess kisses Rory on her forehead and whispers "I love you too."

*****

Author's note:

I know there are different versions of when Jimmy left in the original series. I chose this version cuz this is what Luke confronted Jimmy with. So I'm assuming it's the right one.