Rating:PG. Warning for FLUFF

Summary: "Dammit, Jess, I'm pregnant! Now hug the frickin' bear!"

For Arianna. Who loves Hephaestus

Huh

Chinese food was the order of the evening. Comfort food is what Rory had called it. And from the looks of her (to Jess's eyes, at least), she needed it. He'd never been all too adept at being sympathetic or comforting so the best he could do was bring home all of her favorite take-out dishes on his way from work.

"Home," he called, walking through the door, bag-o'-food in one hand, keys in the other.

She was sitting on the couch in their New York apartment, huddled up with Hephaestus the bear in her arms. Her long hair was put up in a messy ponytail and she wore loose sweatpants and one of his old t-shirts. Her skin looked pale as she stared off into space.

"Hey," he said softly as he sat next to her and put the bag and keys down. "Feeling any better?"

She shook her head, not bothering to look at him.

"You throw up again after I left?"

Again, she shook her head.

"Head spin around like The Exorcist chick's?"

She shook her head, but this time, offered him a small smile, finally looking at him.

"I brought Chinese," he told her. "You hungry?"

She nodded and hugged the bear tighter.

"What's with that?" he asked as he unpacked the food.

"He's very huggable," Rory replied.

Jess merely nodded.

She stared at him as he pulled out packets of soy sauce and hot mustard. He was calm, and seemed relaxed as he spread their dinner out on the coffee table.

He felt her eyes on him, but didn't look up. "What?"

"When was the last time you hugged him?" she asked.

He stopped his motions and turned to her. "I don't know," he replied. "Maybe when I was...nine?"

She nodded and held the little black stuffed animal out to him. "Here."

"No, thanks."

"Please?"

"What do you wanna eat first?"

"Hug the bear."

"I got crispy beef sezuan style... shrimp lomain... roast pork chowmein... orange chick-"

"Dammit, Jess, I'm pregnant! Now hug the frickin' bear!"

He stared blankly.

She still held Hephaestus out to him.

Jess slowly took it in his hands and stared down at it, silent.

"See? This wasn't how you were supposed to find out," Rory said quietly. "You were supposed to be holding the bear first."

"Well," he said, just as quietly. "It hasn't registered yet... I'm holding the bear now... start over."

"But you already know."

"Know what?"

"You're so difficult."

"And you married me."

She sighed, trying not to smile. "Okay... well, we're going to need that bear soon."

"We are?" he asked, still looking down at the toy.

She nodded. "I went to the doctor today while you were at work...I waited for about two hours before I finally got looked at, and I read this really weird magazine article about the house legislature and..." she stopped her ramble. "Uhm... so...the doctor took a couple of tests, and it turns out...I'm pregnant. We're having a baby."

He said nothing.

"Jess?"

He stayed silent for a moment before sitting back and inspecting the old teddy. "The left eye is loose," he commented. "And the right arm is falling off." He finally looked up at her. "Gonna have to get it fixed in the next nine months."

She smiled softly and nodded, lying back to rest her head on his shoulder.

"Maybe we should get the kid a new bear," Jess muttered, looking back down at Hephaestus.

Rory shook her head. "No way."

"He's old."

"We'll ask my mom to fix him."

He nodded and glanced down at her stomach. He slowly rested his hand where his eyes had wandered.

She smiled, closing her eyes. "Little soon to feel anything."

"Still in there."

She nodded. "Are you okay?"

"We're having a baby," he said matter-of-factly, taking his hand from her stomach and wrapped it around her shoulders. He held the bear in his other arm.

"We are."

He smirked and rested his chin on the top of her head. "Huh."