Just a dream ~ Jess Mariano

~chapter 2~

Jesse's POV

"Cute ain't she?" Emma piped up as I stared into Leah's bassinet,my plan was to escape through the window in the bookworms room Rory I think her name was(kind of a prude if it was my opinion) or I was going to grab a beer and see what happens from then on but I got caught up with lorelai putting leah to sleep that I had a abandoned all plans and even put the book I had planned to steal from said prude back and now I stood over the little girls cot thingy and luke and lorelai had retired to the front porch with coffee and the other 2 comicals went home and I couldn't help but not walk away from the little girl, worried that if i left she would be alone..and loneliness was something us Mariano's were quite use to and I would not have this little girl feel the same. Sure she had her mother? Who Was only upstairs but I've seen no father figure in sight..surely if there was a father he would have shown up at their coming home party but no one was here. I snapped out of my little facade and looked up to the girl in front who was smiling at me kindly.

"She is yeah.. she looks like you" I smiled finally finding my voice to talk all evening and boy I don't regret it.

"You think so? I think she looks like Daniel.."Emma whispered lightly, rubbing a finger over her daughter's cheek.

"Daniel?" I stuttered kicking myself from not restraining my ever quizzical brain from asking a question that had obviously hurt her because she had this look on her face that looked as if I ran over her metaphorical puppy.

"Yeah he was uh..Leah's dad." She stuttered out looking around the room quickly as if she was telling a secret and sat down promptly, her back straight as a stick. Her posture was almost swan-like, never wavering as she seemed to hold tightly onto the strings that were holding her together.

"Oh not a good guy?" I asked sitting on the other side of the couch so I could see not only her but Leah at the same time and I had the 2 on the front porch still in eye length.

"Oh gosh no..Daniel he is- was full of life,laughter he loved to joke no matter the situation he was crazy and adventurous and he would have loved leah.. every bit of her ..he does love her very much.." she whispered her eyes glazed over in silvery steel,her perfect posture never breaking as she stared straight ahead staring at the bassinet like she had an xray mom like vision.

"Oh..I'm sorry...uh I didn't mean to um pry If I knew I wouldn't have said anything-" I babbled on feeling terrible the soft spot her and that little girl had already created in my tough exterior floored me to no end and I barely only just met them but I couldn't help but want to scoop her up in my arms and take her away from this wisteria lane esque town.

"Oh no really it's fine..I'm getting better. My therapist tells me it's good to talk about people who have left the Physical world. There's no use to be holding on to ghosts." She said her tough exterior suddenly melted as she turned her head smiling at me the way her light brown eyes twinkled were enough to make thick stone crack.

"Well..uh if you ever need to talk I'm here or around the diner something like that '' I started to say making myself completely available to her,shocking not only myself but I'm sure shocking luke and lorelai who were listening through the door.

"Or on a bench nose in a book huh? Thank you jess.. we really appreciate it." What she said made me stumble. How had she known that's where I sat to read?

"I'm all knower of things J.. the mysterious,closed off person you are isn't hard to figure out. Plus writing is my hobby. I also hope to go for psychology in college. Ya just gotta know how to read people." She started putting her hand on my arm, her eyes looking into mine like she was reading a page in a book. Her eyes studied mine so intently. I've never felt this way with anyone, I wanted to tell her everything I wanted to squeeze her till the pain went away. I was never easy to read but Emma seemed to be able to read me like a book.