A/N: Yes - it's me again! Yes - it's 'Secrets of the heart: The sequel.' It took me some time while I wrote the first chapter. I'm hoping that you're gonna love this sequel as well.

Grand rules:

Let's skip the misunderstanding: English is not my first language, but I'm really trying here. So, if you think that it's hard for you to read - just don't read it! The reason I'm in this alone it's because I have updates every day. I love my readers and I want to pleased them in that way. If you love my story - the first part - this would be a nice sequel for you. 'Nice' is not fluffy with me though. :P Expect lots of dramma here, but also - you know you can trust me. *love*

Now the plot: 'Secrets of the heart: The Sequel' take a place 5 years into the future. Rory is a writer and she is just about publishing her first book. Jess just published his sixth one and he just finished his tour around the country. Then one news shocked everyone.

Chapter 1 Crashing planes

Ayn Rand Mariano dropped her school bag onto the floor in the hallway. She walked into the living room of her house and leaned on the couch. She sighed and closed her eyes, thinking about her school and her family.

She was one ordinary twelve years old girl. Well, not so ordinary. Her parents were famous. Her father was Jess Mariano, the famous novelist. Her mother, Rory Gilmore Mariano, just had published her first book.

Ayn had two brothers and one sister. Jess Jr. and Jane were twins and just had turned six years old. Her smaller brother, Jake was only five years old. He was the miracle boy in this family. He had barely survived as a baby and now Ayn's parents watched at his every step. Jake was not a spoilt brat. He just needed more cares.

'No, Jess!' Ayn heard her mother coming down on the stairs. 'You promised!'

She frowned and sat on the couch. That was not the first time Jess and Rory had a heated conversation on the phone. Jess was in LA, promoting his new book. This was something he had discussed with his family and they all had agreed to him that he should do that. However, now Rory was yelling at him and Ayn did not like that. She crossed arms before his chest and watched her mother walked into the room.

'No! I wasn't!' Rory made short pause and pressed hand against her forehead. She closed her eyes for one moment, obviously listened to him. 'No… I just… Would you just listen?' Rory increased her voice again and stopped in one place. 'Jess! We agreed that… You better be here as you promised or you'll make me do something that I don't want to!' Rory snapped and hung up the phone.

'Hi, mom!' Ayn greeted her with frowned face. 'What was that?'

'It's nothing!' Rory frowned too. 'Your father just has to learn to keep his promises!'

'But he keeps them!' Ayn watched her mother disappeared into the kitchen and followed her. 'What's wrong?'

'It's nothing!' Rory grabbed the edge of the table and smiled bitterly. 'Your father just won't make it for your birthday! Another meeting made him missed his flight.'

'Stop arguing with him, mom!' Ayn snapped and Rory crooked her face. 'One birthday! It's a big deal, really!'

Ayn really meant it. She hated when her parents were fighting over something and now this happened more often than usual. The thing was that Ayn was scared. She still remembered how she had almost lost her father. She still had nightmares at night, but she did not want anyone to know. She was a big girl after all.

Yeah, Jess was a little surprised when she jumped on his lap early in the morning and told him that she loved him. It was because she really loved her daddy.

Her mother Rory on the other hand, was too busy with her firs published book and the cares around the little children. Especially, Jake. He had some crisis while Jess was not around and Ayn could understand her mother's frustration, but not every time.

'It's not a big deal!' Rory snapped and turned her back to her. 'And how many times I have to tell you about your bag?'

'Mom, really!' Ayn got off the couch and went to her bag. She grabbed it and draped it on her shoulder. 'It's not the bag! It's daddy, and please stop arguing with him!'

'Ayn!'

'Jeez!' The young girl exclaimed and ran upstairs.

Rory just followed her with tired eyes and covered her face with her hands. She felt exhausted. Rory slumped onto the couch and started crying. It was not supposed to happen in this way. It was not supposed to happen at all. Why they just could not speak normal?

She hated when she had to argue with Jess. However, he became his old self again. One monosyllabic person, difficult to understand. That scared her and made her shout at him. He never shouted at her. He just listened and then in most of the cases just leaved the room without a word. There were times when he happened to tell her something. It was something to prove him right and her wrong. Rory shouted again and he just left – again.

She always found him with the children. He laughed and played with them. Jess felt good there and they were his shelter. Then Rory felt sorry about her behavior and joined at the family. Jess never argued with her after that. She just sat beside him and they both forgot about that bad period… until the next time.

The phone rang and pulled her out of her thoughts.

'Hello!'

'Uh, someone is not in the mood here!' Her mother's voice was too cheery.

'Not now, mom!' Rory leaned back on the couch and closed her eyes.

'You were fighting again?' Lorelai made short pause. 'Rory come on!'

'Mom!'

'What is it this time?'

'He won't be home for Ayn's birthday!' Rory almost cried and bit her lower lip. 'Can you imagine? He promised and he won't be home!'

'Rory…'

'He said he have one very important interview! What is it more important than his daughter?'

'Rory, stop!' Lorelai tried to interrupt her.

'And Jake had new crisis again.' Rory sniffed in the phone.

'Rory calm down!' Lorelai tried to calm her. 'I'm sure that Jess would do anything to be at home tomorrow.'

'Yeah…' Rory sniffed again.

They talked few more minutes and Rory hung up the phone. She ran fingers though her messy hair and went into the kitchen. She had to do something else than thinking of Jess and his inability of coming home tomorrow.

'Mom!' Ayn yelled panicking from the upstairs and Rory ran out the kitchen. Ayn would never yell like that without a reason. She found her in Jake's room. She was looking at her baby brother and his struggles to breathe.

Rory sat down on Jake's bed and took him in her arms.

'Hey baby. Mommy is here now.' She spoke calmingly and rubbed his chest. 'Ayn give me his pills, honey.'

Ayn rushed into the bathroom and came back with Jake's medications. She handed one glass with water to her mother and Rory helped Jake to take his pills.

'Mommy.' He cried and wrapped little arms around her neck.

'Sh-sh… It's okay, it's okay… Mommy is here.' Rory sang rubbing his back and her head rested on his. She looked at her daughter and saw her pale face. 'He is okay, honey. Don't worry.'

'Okay.' Ayn answered, but just stood there.

Few minutes later, Jake was in his bed and sleeping. Ayn and Rory left the room, but Rory left the door open. However, she had to calm her daughter now.

'You know that Jake has to pass through this.' Rory tried to explain it to her.

'I know, but I got scared every time.' Ayn shrugged.

'I know.'

'Like I was scared when daddy was sick.' She said and bit her lower lip. Rory swallowed hard. She remembered that too.

'Your daddy is okay now, honey.' Rory tried to smile. 'You know that.'

'Yeah.' Ayn shrugged. 'But I'm still scared.'

Rory tried to smile encouraging and then she hugged her daughter. Ayn hesitated just for one moment. She felt her daughter's arms wrapped around her waist.

'I love you mom.' She said and Rory felt nice warmth in her heart.

'I love you too honey.' She kissed the top of her head and then watched her walked into her room. Ayn, their first child. Rory smiled. She was Jess' copy and it was not only her face. She had his temper too. When she loved, she gave all her heart. When she suffered, she preferred to do that alone. Rory knew about her nightmares. She knew why Ayn rushed into the kitchen every morning and sat on Jess' lap. She knew why her daughter hugged him so tightly and why she searched him every time she got back from school. She was afraid of losing him. Honestly, Rory was afraid of that too.

It was raining when she woke up on the next morning, but she felt someone tickling her on her feet. Rory smiled when she heard two childish voices and opened her eyes.

'Got'cha!' she screamed and the twins jumped on her bed, laughing.

'Mommy!' Jess Jr. threw himself in her arms.

'Wake up, mommy!' Jane placed head on her belly.

They both laughed and Rory could not stop laughing too. The three of them went downstairs and right into the kitchen. Rory made few sandwiches and soon she saw Ayn walking into the room with Jake in her arms. He rubbed his eyes sleepily.

'Morning.' Ayn smiled. She put Jake on his seat.

'Birthday sis!' Jess Jr and Jane squealed and Ayn pinched their noses with smile.

'Thanks, Huns!'

Rory went and hugged her daughter.

'Happy birthday, honey!' She kissed her temple and Ayn looked at her with glowing eyes.

'Thank you, mom.'

They spent the morning together and Rory could not stop the thought that only Jess was missing in this picture. She tried to call him, but his phone was out of area. That made her frowned. He never was out of area. Jess's phone had always switched on.

When the morning turned into afternoon, Rory put the small children to sleep. It was Saturday and Ayn had birthday. She had many things to do. Therefore, she left Ayn in the living room. Her daughter just had switched on the TV. It was her birthday after all. She could do whatever she wanted.

'NO! DADDY!' Rory heard her terrifying scream few minutes later and rushed out of the kitchen. Ayn stared at the screen and Rory followed her look. She was watching the news. They showed the picture of a plane crash in New York.

'Ayn?' Rory frowned. 'What...?'

'They said that there are few survivors.' Ayn babbled. Rory saw her crying. 'Maybe he is there. Maybe he is there, mom.'

'Ayn!' Rory shook her shoulders. 'What are you talking about?'

'Daddy was there!' Ayn cried. 'He was in that plane, mom!'

'No!' Rory shook her head. 'He said he won't be back…'

'He called me and asked me to keep secret. He said he loves me and he won't miss my birthday…' Ayn sobbed loudly. 'He said he wanted to surprise you…'

Rory covered her mouth with one hand and felt the fear building up in her. This was not possible. This was not possible, right? Jess was still there, in LA and he was not at that plane. He was not.

'Daddy…'

Ayn cried loudly and Rory wrapped arms around her sobbing body. She hoped that Jess was not there. She hoped for some kind of a miracle.

They called her one hour later. Jess was at that plane.

'Where is he?' Rory almost whispered.

'He is in the hospital, close to the airport, Mrs. Mariano.' The woman's voice answered her.

'Is he…' Rory swallowed hard, trying to suppress her tears.

'He is alive, but you have to come here.' The woman answered again. 'I can give you the address if you want.'

'Sure!' Rory scratched the address of the hospital and hung up the phone. She looked at her daughter, falling asleep in her lap. Then Rory dialed her mother.

Few hours later, she was on her way to New York.