Disclaimer: I only own Rachel, Paige and Connor. Songs belong to their rightful owners.

Note: Ahh, another story of me. I feel some sort of writer's block for Moving On and started another story from scratch. This idea has been in my head for quite a while. I don't really know how it turns out in the end, if it will be happy ending for Rory and Jess or not. I'm kinda more of a JessOther shipper, but ah well, we'll see.

As long as I shall live

I'll hold you dear

And I will reminisce

Of our love

All through the years

Mariah Carey – Forever

6 years earlier.

It wasn't fair. It wasn't in the script. It wasn't what they had meant when they said through good and bad.

Jess Mariano hated life. Just a year ago, everything seemed perfect. He was engaged to a beautiful girl, Paige. They were even expecting a baby. But now, everything seemed to be taken away from him. Paige was supposed to give birth today. But instead, she was now in the OR. Doctors and nurses hurried in an out but nobody told Jess what was going on. Jess knew that Paige had both an abortion and a miscarriage before they got together but the doctor had assured them that were would be no complications.

Jess clenched his fists and smashed it into the wall. He had a hard time holding back his tears but he just wasn't the type to break down and cry in public. It wasn't fair. They were supposed to stay together, have a baby girl, move into their freshly renovated house and be happy.

"Jess!"

He spun around. His uncle Luke Danes hurried to him and shook his hand. "Did they tell you anything?"

Jess shook his head silently.

"I'm glad you called me."

"I know you're not. You hate hospitals," Jess joked only half hearted. But inside, he was relieved that Luke had rushed over to be with him. There was nobody else he trusted as much.

"So, how long is she in there?"

"I dunno. An hour or two?"

"Did they tell you what it is?"

Jess shook his head. "Nah. Some nurse just said she's had an allergic reaction to the medicine. But they don't keep you in there because of a rash." He clenched his fists again.

"She'll pull through. She's a fighter."

"She's had an abortion when she was sixteen. And a miscarriage a few years back. Did I ever tell you that?" Jess sounded bitter. "They said she was going to be fine. We would have never done this if there was any risk."

"Well, there is no risk. She probably just has a nasty rash somewhere and her and the baby will be fine."

Jess just shrugged. He had spent the last few hours thinking about every possible outcome of the situation. Of course, it could all end well. But he highly doubted that. He could either loose Paige or the baby. Or both.

Suddenly, a doctor pushed the doors of the OR open and approached Jess. He was pale and his white coat was stained with blood. "Mr. Mariano? We did everything we could, but-"

The doctor's voice suddenly lowered. Jess could barely hear what he said. All Jess could hear was a baby screaming in the background and the steady beep of a machine.

A single, silent tear ran down Jess' cheek as the nurse closed the door behind her. He was now all alone in a room, holding his daughter in his arms. She was so tiny, yet so beautiful. Her small fingers reached out to him from time to time, like she was trying to hold and hug him.

After the doctor had left, Luke had told him what happened. Apparently, Paige had a highly allergic reaction to the medicine they gave her to make her contractions more bearable. They had to perform a Cesarean delivery. During the operation, Paige's heart stopped. They tried. But it was too late.

Jess felt tears behind his eyes again but he fought them back. Now was not the time. He had to be strong now. Now and for the next eighteen years. This little girl in his arms put all of her hope into him.