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Rory: The 20-week ultrasound is scheduled for February 27th. I'll know the sex of our baby afterwards – do you want to know? (unread)

Rory's shapely eyebrows puzzled together at the still unread text. She had sent it to Logan nearly a week ago, and his complete lack of response worried her. They had not spoken since she revealed the pregnancy, and though she knew he had a lot going on in his personal life – his separation from Odette was still widely plastered on the news and gossip blogs online – she was feeling frustrated at his silence. Rory gave the text one last cursory glance before tossing her phone on her bed. It was time to focus on more important things, like repacking all of her stuff into their boxes.

"I still am not fully grasping the details." Lorelai's voice called out from the living room. Rory had told her about the new job and the move to Philadelphia, steeling herself for the moment her mom made the connection between her new position and Jess. That was going to be an awkward conversation.

"I was searching for a new job. Something to help me become independent again, without overworking me to the point that it would impact fetus." Rory replied patiently, taking the Hershey's Hug that was offered.

Lorelai stood against her door frame, her long hair in a messy bun. Her intense blue eyes bored into her daughter as she nibbled on her own chocolate. "Yes, you have always been impatient to leave the nest. Also: still a freaky name, but I'll accept it purely because of the way it makes Luke turn that funny shade of green."

Rory grinned at the last part; the details of her pregnancy did have quite the effect on Luke, something that was amusing to no end. "I asked a few of my contacts if they knew of anything hiring. Someone… Jess got back to me. The position is mine." She shrugged, knowing that her mother's radar for hidden information was just as keen as her grandmother's. "It requires me to move to Philadelphia."

"Mm." Lorelai replied through her mouthful of chocolate. She swallowed and said casually, "So since it was Jess and the job is in Philadelphia that probably means it is at that publishing house… The Trunchbull?"

"The Truncheon." Rory corrected her, taping a box with the thick packing tape. "And yes. All of the above is correct."

Lorelai made a sound in her throat and grabbed a sharpie to label the box for Rory. "Anything else you want to tell me there, kid?"

Rory started to load up another box with her tap supplies, weighing the odds of confessing the kiss now, or waiting until it would potentially blow up in her face. She sighed, knowing that it would be childish to try and hide it. "Jess and I went on a date – well, stayed in for a date, and we kissed." It was like ripping a bandage off.

Lorelai blinked, not sure where to start picking apart that statement. "Date – stayed in – kiss? I'm more confused than before. When was this? Who asked who out? When did sparks start to fly again? Damn it, I go on one honeymoon and then the world goes topsy-turvy."

Rory took a deep breath and sat on the floor, leaning against her bed. She regarded her mom with serious eyes. "I asked him out. We grew closer when you and Luke were gone. He helped me through some stuff. I kissed him, which turned into him kissing me. That's all that happened though. I fell asleep on the couch after Chinese take-out."

Lorelai was silent. She drummed the Sharpie on the box once and said, "Clearly you got the whole romance thing from me. Chinese take-out and sleeping on a couch? Right from my playbook."

"Mom!" Rory laughed, relief washing through her. "You're sparing me the tirade of making out with a no-good punk who crashed my car and hurt Luke?"

Lorelai sat next to Rory, putting her arm around her daughter's side. "As tempting as that is, he has proven himself to be a good man. He's always there for Luke, for Doula, even for his mom and TJ. And, he seems to always be there to help motivate you. As much as I wish you weren't moving away from me, it was going to happen sooner or later. You're an adult, you can make your own choices about who you get involved with romantically without me ruling out who is good and who is bad for you."

Rory smiled mischievously and quipped, "I never said I wanted your blessing – after all, even if you did go on a tirade, I'd continue to keep seeing him."

"My daughter, the thirty-two year old rebel." Lorelai patted her daughter's hardened stomach softly before getting up to continue packing. "I have to say, I am a little surprised that you didn't whip out a pro and con list of moving to Philadelphia, or for a date with Jess."

Rory's lips twisted into an introspective frown for a moment. "I've been letting life happen to me lately, going along with the flow and not choosing what I want from it." Rory paused, hooking some loose tendrils of hair behind her ear. "I got tired of weighing everything out, and that turned into letting things happen. This is something I chose, something that I wanted. I wanted a date with him – and I want more. I wanted to kiss him. It felt right, and oddly enough, there is no following freak-out." Rory shrugged and said, "It still feels right. No rush of desperation to discuss what we are, no regret that it happened. I'm just… Happy."

"If you're happy, then I am happy." Lorelai said simply, wiping her brow with her forearm. "Whew. I'm exhausted boss. Snack break?"

"You just had a snack break, slacker!" Rory tossed a pillow at her mother, a playful mood taking hold. "How am I supposed to get anything done with you as my helper?"

"Who says I'm in it to help you? I'm here for all the breaks you're supposed to be supplying." Lorelai countered, sauntering out of her room.

Rory shook her head and stood, amusement playing over her lips. Some things never changed between them.

The last rays of sunshine were dimmed to a pinkish hue as the sky turned to dusk. Streetlamps winked on their cheery lights overhead while cars inched along the roads of Stars Hollow. The usual scores of pedestrians had trickled to a few stragglers, layered to the max to ward off the last of winter's bitter cold. The Gilmore Girls strolled down their town's brightly lit sidewalks, their arms linked with one another. They reached their destination and Lorelai opened the door for Rory, a familiar tinkling ringing out to announce their arrival.

"I'll be just a minute!" Luke's gruff voice hollered from the supply closet. It was clear by the spotless counters and empty diner that he was closing up for the night.

"Oh, but I just may perish of famine!" Lorelai's impersonation of a southern bell's voice answered as they seated themselves at the counter.

"It was a 50/50 chance it was either you or Kirk." Luke grumbled, appearing out of the doorway. "You do love to wait until everything is clean to come in and order."

Lorelai batted her lashes at him. "Such a handsome proprietor. Please tell me you have some fresh coffee available?"

"Always." Luke answered fondly, grabbing two large mugs without asking and pouring them both some coffee. "I'm going to go out on a limb and say that you two want some food."

"Such a smart man. I knew there was a reason I married you." Lorelai quipped, taking out two menus and handing one to Rory.

"He is the bringer of food." Rory added on, not bothering to open her menu. "All I want is a huge breakfast burrito, with a ton of salsa."

Luke paused at the unexpected order. Usually it was a burger and fries, or at the very least, pancakes.

"Fetus wants what it wants." Rory shrugged, passing the menu back to her mom.

Luke blanched at the name, unaware of the shared smile between the two Gilmore girls. "Is that really necessary? It sounds like something April would say."

"She and Rory do have a tendency to be ruled by logic." Lorelai said, her expression pensive. "Wait a minute – I know!"

The bell on the door jingled as it opened, a gust of chilly air interrupting Lorelai's following thought. Kirk's familiar face frowned as he registered their presence. He shut the door with unusual force and clomped over to the counter, dusting his hat on his jeans. He sat at the farthest end, hunching his wiry frame to lose himself in the menu.

Luke raised an eyebrow. "Everything okay, Kirk?"

"No Luke. Everything is not okay." Kirk growled, his usual dramatic flair in full force. "Lulu is the new Bernie Roundbottom and has a whole new life!"

A baffled expression crossed Luke's face. "You've already lost me."

"The Stars Hollow Gazette is taking up all of Lulu's time. She works late, she goes in early, she has no time for me anymore or my business ventures." Kirk complained bitterly. "Even Petal prefers to be at her office for dinner now. It's like I've been forgotten! I need her help now more than ever for my new business."

Rory shook her head, knowing the onslaught Lorelai and Luke were about to unleash on the unsuspecting Kirk.

"You have a problem with her working?" Lorelai asked in disbelief, her outraged eyes boring into Kirk's. "Are you kidding me? After all of your 'business plans' she has supported, YOU have a problem with HER working?"

Kirk's mouth worked as he struggled to form an answer. "Well… I…"

"Do you remember what I told you, years ago?" Luke asked, clasping Kirk's bony shoulder in his broad hand.

"That I should kiss the ground she walks upon?" Kirk ventured, trying to avoid Lorelai's irate gaze.

"Exactly. This is just a new step in your relationship. That woman has worked her tail off to support everything you do. Now it's her turn. Can you man up and support her, or is your ego going to ruin the best thing that ever happened to you?" Luke asked, his voice brisk.

"Well when you put it that way…" Kirk trailed off, squared his shoulders and nodded. "I'm going to take her dinner."

"There you go." Luke smiled, handing Kirk two muffins from the platter. "Take her these, tell her you're sorry, and be proud you have such a wonderful woman."

"Can I get a bag? The cold air makes them more dense, and there's nothing worse than a dense muffin." Kirk rambled, clearly trying to stave off Lorelai's death glare. "Thanks for your advice Luke. Man to man; please don't let your wife kill me." He slipped out the front door after that, clutching the brown bag to his skinny chest.

Luke watched him leave, locking the door of the diner as a precaution against his return. "Don't let him in if he tries to come back. He needs to sort this out. I'm going to go make your dinner," He looked meaningfully at Lorelai, "No bagel hockey."

"Of course not." Lorelai replied sweetly, smiling as Luke left to the kitchen. "I totally lost my train of thought. What were we talking about before Kirk came in?"

"I'm not sure." Rory tapped a slim finger to her lips then shrugged. "I just know I am starving. Hey, my 20-week appointment is coming up next week. It'll be an ultrasound to reveal the baby's sex. Do you want to come?"

"Is that really a question?" Lorelai laughed, her smile of delight huge. "You know I'll be there!"

Rory exhaled in relief and gave a half-hearted smile. "I know you're busy with opening The Dragonfly's spa location in town. Not to mention however much time you'll take off when fetus actually becomes baby… It's asking a lot."

"Hun, I became my own boss for a reason. Besides, with Sookie back and Michel handling his portion, they almost don't need me." Lorelai reassured her daughter, wondering at the tension in her posture. "Is Logan coming?"

Rory chewed her bottom lip and shook her head. "No, I don't believe so. I don't know what's going on with him. I let him know about it, but he hasn't even read my message."

"I'm sorry." Lorelai said quietly. "You'll have me. Luke also feels like this is his grandchild, and you know your grandmother is over the moon – in her own way. We have your back."

"I know." Rory's voice was steady; she refused to show the vulnerability that threatened to hit at the thought of Logan rejecting his child. Inwardly she scolded herself. She didn't know what was going on in Logan's life, but overthinking wasn't going to help anything. If need be, she would fly to London to get a direct answer from him.

Cheered by that thought, Rory gave her mom a smile. Luke came out from the kitchen, holding their plates in his hands. He placed each one in front of them and mock-bowed. "Your food. Now can I finish closing up in peace?"

Lorelai's mouth made a perfect O. "It seems he has finally picked up a sense of humor!"

"We have taught him well." Rory hummed, dumping salsa on her burrito. "This offering will please fetus."

"OOH, I remember!" Lorelai announced, her excitement visible.

"Remember what?" Luke asked, pausing in the doorway of the storeroom.

"New nickname for fetus: baby burrito." Lorelai nodded her head in satisfaction, her smile widening as Luke groaned and rolled his eyes. Time had strengthened their love for one another, but it hadn't taken away their unique way of flirting.

"This may be a bit cold." The ultrasound technician's brisk voice stated as she turned a monitor on. "Let me know when you're ready."

Rory gave her mother's hand a squeeze. She was laying on her back in a small room at the clinic, her shirt rolled up to expose her pale stomach. The barest beginning of a bulge hinted at the growing baby within. Lorelai sat next to her in a grey chair, sipping on some coffee from Luke's. Rory shifted on the chair, feeling uncomfortable. The ultrasound required her bladder to be full, making listening to the liquid swish around in her mother's cup a sort of torture.

"I'm ready." Rory said, her voice coming out softer than she had expected. The technician gave her a reassuring smile before taking out a bottle. She unscrewed the cap and squeezed clear gel into her hand, rubbing it on Rory's skin. Her warning proved to be right; the gel was ice cold.

"Alright, let's take a look inside of you!" The technician cheerfully said, taking out her device. "There will be some pressure, your baby is still small and may take a little time to find."

Lorelai wiggled her eyebrows at Rory and turned her eyes to the monitor. Grey and black blurs made up the screen as the technician, Carla, slowly moved the device through the gel coating Rory's stomach.

Rory felt a lump in her throat as adrenaline kicked through her veins. She stared intently at the monitor, ignoring the firm movements of the device. Inwardly she swore at herself for never paying more attention to Paris's line of work; perhaps then she would know what each indistinct blob was.

"Aha!" Carla exclaimed, pausing her movement. "There is your baby."

Tears threatened to block Rory's vision as she stared at the screen. She could make out the curve of the head, the slight bump of a nose, and even a tiny chin. It was the side profile of her baby. Her baby, wiggling furiously inside of her. She could make out little arms, sporadically moving and even the kicking of tiny legs.

"Oh." Lorelai sighed softly, her eyes just as watery as Rory's. "It has your nose. A little button nose. Oh Rory, you're going to have a baby."

Normally Rory would have had a witty comeback, but the actual sight of what she was growing inside of her had rendered her speechless. Rationally, she knew she was halfway through her pregnancy. She knew that she would be a mother. It was an incredibly different experience to visually see what she was growing in her womb. It made the pregnancy feel so much more real.

"Now that we found it, I'm just going to make sure it is developing normally." Carla interrupted their moment gently. "Don't worry, I've already printed photos of the side profile. Did you want to know your baby's sex?"

"Yes!" Rory answered quickly.

"Not going old-fashioned this time, then?" Lorelai raised an eyebrow at her daughter.

"This time? I thought this was your first pregnancy." Carla stated in confusion.

Rory glared at her mother. "This is my first pregnancy – she was referring to a family friend's pregnancy, where I took sides with the father to not know the baby's sex."

"Ohh." Carla exhaled, a small grin on her face. "My apologies." She began moving the device over Rory's stomach once more, occasionally stopped and clicking on her mouse that was linked to the monitor. Ten minutes passed before she spoke again.

"Everything looks great. I got some photos of the little one's feet to print. Now, let's find out the sex!" Carla grinned at Rory.

"Moment of truth… No pressure." Lorelai whispered dramatically.

Rory rolled her eyes. "You'll love it no matter what."

"Are you hoping for a girl or boy?" Carla asked curiously, her dark brown eyes focused on the monitor.

"She's joking – I can't take her anywhere." Rory answered, "I just want a healthy baby."

"Well, it looks like you have a healthy baby boy!" Carla clicked her mouse and an arrow popped on the screen. "He is definitely a boy."

Rory raised her head, staring at the arrow pointing to her baby's genitalia. "I'm having a little boy." She whispered, looking to her mother. "I'm going to have a son!"

Tears were openly rolling down Lorelai's cheeks and her lips were parted in a huge grin. "Look at that, kid. That's your baby boy!"

Carla put the device away and took out some wipes. "Go ahead and clean off your stomach, I'll go get your ultrasounds."

Rory scrubbed the thick gel off, glad to be able to pull her shirt back down. "As soon as we finish up, I need to find the bathroom. My bladder is going to explode."

"The bathroom is right down the hall on your first left." Carla said, handing Rory a small folder. "All of your ultrasounds, as well as your next appointment date on the card inside. Congratulations!" She flashed a smile at both of them and opened the door.

Rory and Lorelai thanked her and exited. After hitting the bathroom, they slowly strolled the clinic's winding hallways, studying the ultrasounds with a mixture of wonder and excitement. Finally, they reached the waiting room, just before the door leading outside. It was empty, except for a well-dressed blond man in the corner.

Rory tucked the ultrasounds back in their folder, not noticing that he had gotten up and was moving towards them. Her only warning was her mother's sudden grip on her arm. She looked up, straight into Logan's eyes.

"Hey Rory."

Author's Note: This took a bit to get out, but I promise the next chapter will be juicy. Even though it isn't as fun to have Jess in every chapter, I feel it is more true to how the show goes? School has gotten hectic, I am in the final two weeks of my English course, hence the delay. That's good news for all of you, as once it is over I will have SO MUCH MORE time to continue on with this story. I haven't deserted you, I promise! As always, I appreciate your feedback.