Work Text:
December 2018
Jess wasn’t sure how this Christmas was going to go. It was his first with the new family set-up, since he deliberately avoided it last year. Come new year, it would be one whole year since he and Rory got back together, their final chance at making it work. Last Christmas, he had spent alone in Philly, feeling sorry for himself, imagining a scene much like the one he was part of now. A happily married Luke and Lorelai, a smiling Rory with a baby on her knee. Of course, he had imagined this set-up in the living room of the Crap Shack, not in a large house in Nantucket with Emily Gilmore standing by.
“So, how is the publishing business, Jess?” she asked over the rim of her martini glass.
“It’s fine, thanks,” he said, nodding once, moving a little closer to Rory and Jacob in the hopes of avoiding further questioning. “The latest book by a certain author is doing pretty well.”
“I like to think so,” said Rory, smiling widely. “Mommy didn’t know she had that book in her until Jess told her so,” she told Jake then, bouncing the little one on her knees.
“Wonderful,” said Emily, taking another sip of her drink. “Well, I must admit I don’t fully understanding airing one’s dirty laundry to the public in such a way, but if it makes you happy, I suppose that’s what counts.”
As she turned away, Jess shared a look with Rory who mouthed ‘sorry’ for maybe the fifth time that day. The first of four days to be spent here. Jess had a feeling he was going to be overjoyed when he could finally get out, but he would forebear.
“You’re doing great,” Rory whispered to him, as conversation started between Emily and Lorelai on the other side of the room.
“Thanks,” said Jess, smiling when Jake crawled from Rory’s lap to his own and hugged him, as if he knew he needed the support. “As painful as this is, I happen to think you’re worth it. Both of you,” he said, rubbing Jacob’s back.
“Santa!” he cried happily. “Santa, Santa, Santa!” he repeated, wiggling in a little baby dance.
“Yeah, Santa’s coming tonight!” Jess said happily, acting as excited about it as he was. “And since you’ve been the best kid ever this year, he’s going to bring you some really cool stuff.”
Rory watched the two of them together, and smiled the biggest smile. It didn’t matter that she could hear Grandma and Mom bickering in the background, or could see Luke sitting with his head in his hands out the corner of her eye. She was here with Jake and Jess, and the three of them were just perfect together. Christmas would be wonderful no matter what, and the future was looking incredibly bright. Rory couldn’t imagine what Santa was going to find to bring for her tonight. She already had everything she could ever want.