Until I Have To Go

“It’s so easy to make you happy”, Liam smiled. “I just need to put you in a place with books and you’re the happiest girl in the world.”

Jo grinned. “I guess you’re right.” She picked up a heavy edition that contained all Shakespeare plays. “Do you like Shakespeare?”

“Not really. I mean, the way he writes is very nice, but the subjects…way too much drama! He’s just a little too depressing for my taste.”

Jo giggled. “He wrote comedies too, you know that?”

“Yes, I know very well, because I read every Shakespeare play within a day”, Liam replied. “I was bored that day.”

“What?” Jo raised her eyebrows. She thought she was the only one that crazy, but apparently she wasn’t. “You’re perfect…”, she mumbled without thinking about what she was saying.

“Hm?” He looked up from a book.

“Nothing!” She blushed and went back to her book. She felt his eyes lying on her, but she didn’t look up.

“Why are you watching me?”, she asked without looking up.

“Because you look so pretty when you read.”

“And you’re distracting”, she said, giggling.

“Did you know that a male emperor moth can smell a female emperor moth up to 7 miles away?”

“What?” Jo looked at him and laughed. “You’re the cutest weirdo I’ve ever met, you know that?”

He shrugged his shoulders. “As long as I’m cute…”

She still laughed, sitting next to him and leaned her head against his shoulder. “There’s no chance we can stay here tonight, is there?”

Liam sighed. “Dick would kill me if I don’t come home at night. And you saw some of the weapons…I don’t really have the desire to make acquaintance with them.”

Jo nodded understanding him. She hadn’t told Liam yet that Dick was scaring her a little bit. Maybe she should tell him. He pulled her on her feet, helped her on her coat, gave her, her shoes and put an arm around her waist. She was warm, soft and smelled awesome as always, but she was shivering.
He first locked the door, pulled her close again and then asked. “Jo, are you okay?”

“Yes of course.” She wondered if she was as good in lying as Lorelai was.

“You don’t look like it, come on what’s going on.”

Apparently she wasn’t good in lying. She took a deep breath and forced herself to say. “I think… Dick really doesn’t like me… and he doesn’t want me to be your girlfriend… I’m scared of him.” It was just a whispered, and a part of her hoped that Liam didn’t hear what she just had said, because she did feel rather stupid.

Liam was not surprised that she thought Dick didn’t like her, but how could he make her understand that Dick was just not the type of guy who showed a lot of feelings, or any feelings for that matter. Jo probably never met someone like him, and now she didn’t know what to do and how to act around him.

“Seriously, Jo, relax. He’s a good guy, really. And he doesn’t have anything against you, he just doesn’t care.”

“What do you mean, ‘doesn’t care’?”

“He’s probably indifferent about you- which isn’t a bad thing, really. But I can assure you that he doesn’t have anything against you.”

“But he looked…kind of…”

“What?”

“As if he was angry with me.”

“He always looks that way”, Liam said. “And believe me, you don’t want to know how he looks like when he really is angry. Jo, just stop worrying about it and don’t try so hard.”

She sighed. “Okay.”

An hour later Liam finally managed to get her out of the library. It was almost midnight when the two arrived in the flat.

“Do we have to be quiet? Is Dick still asleep?”, Jo whispered when they opened the door.

Liam raised an eyebrow. “Dick? Asleep? At twelve?”

“Oh…okay.”

“Why don’t you go in my room, I’ll be right back”, he said, waiting until she went into the room, and then walked into the living room where Dick was flipping through a magazine about guns.

“I brought you something from the bakery”, Liam said, putting the paper bag down on the little table. “In case you’re hungry.” He watched the older man for a brief moment quietly.

“You’re done staring at me?”, Dick grumbled.

“Sorry…I just have a favour to ask you.”

Dick didn’t show much reaction.

“Could you maybe try not to scare my girlfriend so much?”

Dick looked up, still not saying anything.

“You know that you do that a lot…you know, scaring people and stuff. And I think Jo’s a bit intimidated by you.”

“What do you want me to do? Dress up in a bloody tutu or a clown’s costume?”

“No, of course not. Just try to…not scare her, okay?” Liam looked at him. “Please.”

Dick shrugged his shoulders, usually not a bad sign. At least he showed some reaction.

“Okay…” Liam nodded. “See you tomorrow.” He turned around and went into his room where Jo continued observing his drawings.

“What do you say we get some sleep, and I’ll show you more of London tomorrow?”

Jo nodded. “Sleep sounds good.”

Liam looked at his small bed. “You know I can sleep on the floor and you sleep in the bed.”

“Hold the horses right there, you want me to sleep here and not in a hotel, so you have to deal with less space to sleep in. It just means we have to snuggle up very close.” Jo’s eyes sparkled mischievous.

“Jo you heard the bed before it will squeak with every movement.”

“Yes I know I didn’t it like that. I just meant it in a very innocent way, no Idea what picture you had in your dirty mind.” She grinned. “May I use the bathroom to brush my teeth?”

“Yes of course.”

Jo went to the bathroom, got changed and brushed her teeth. On her way back she saw Dick sitting in the living room.

“Good night Mr Pound, and just so you know I am not planning on taking Liam away from you. If it looked like it I am sorry.” She said quietly, trying not to sound scared. She didn’t even know why she said this to Dick, but she had the urge to tell him. She was worried than when Dick wouldn’t like her and say this to Liam in his way that Liam would on the long run not want her.

When Jo came into his room, Liam already had his pyjamas on, this time nothing that said ‘Get lucky’ or ‘Kiss me’. Although he knew that Jo was no longer intimated by that stuff, quite the opposite, actually…

“Hey…” He smiled at her, giving her a kiss on the forehead. “Are you okay?”

Jo nodded. “Sure.” She lay down in the bed carefully, it still squeaked.
Liam quickly went to the bathroom to brush his teeth, came back and lay down next to him. The bed was really small, but neither one of them cared that they had to snuggle up together.

“Liam?”

“Hm?”

“Why are there brass knuckles in the shower?”

“Don’t ask me.” He grinned.

They got up early the next morning, and got some breakfast in one little bakery at the end of the alley. Liam insisted to take the subway, simply because the traffic in downtown London was really dangerous, and it was also easier to reach their destinations with the train. Jo was not used to take the train, so it was some sort of adventure for her. Liam watched her amused while she observed everyone in the train with interest.

“Where are we going? Are we going to see the Big Ben? And the Houses of Parliament? The Westminster Abbey? And the-“

Liam chucked. “You act like we have only one day left to do all those things. You will see everything at a time, but today we’re going to visit a few special places first.”

“Special places?”

“You’ll see.” They got out, walked up some stairs and turned into a street. “First stop on the list, 221b Baker Street. Welcome to the lovely suite of Holmes and Watson.”

Jo turned around and looked at him, her eyes sparkled. “We are actually going into a book?”

Liam laughed. “When you see it like this yes we are going to go into a book.”

Luckily Liam was taller than Jo otherwise he might have fallen when she more or less jumped into his arms. “That is so awesome I feel like Alice.”

His girlfriend was adorable when she was happy, took her hand and felt a little bit as if he walked with a little girl into a candy store for the very first time in her live. Jo was jumping up and down and very glad that her parents weren’t here. “This is the best trip I had in a very long time.”

“What about a few weeks ago when you visited Lorelai?” Liam grinned.

“Father and I drove to London together, lived in one suit together and took the train back together. And he would never ever let me take public transports not to mention alone, and I think not even with you.” Jo blushed. “Not that I think he is right. I don’t think there is a safer place than with you.”

Jo was wearing a simple summer dress, she looked so sweet and innocent, so adorable that Liam pulled her into a tight embrace and kissed her right in Sherlock Holmes living room.

It didn’t take them an hour to walk once through the house and the entire time they were laughing and giggling. Jo had just started reading Sherlock Holmes but she already liked it a lot. “Liam, do you know that you and Dick are like Sherlock Holmes? I think you are more like Watson and Dick is kind of like Holmes. All you need is a Bulldog now.” Jo was giggling when they walked back into the sunshine.

“Where are we going next? Can we take the underground? I never took it, Father was always worried it would collapse while we are down there. Oh look Liam a jewellery store.” Jo was pulling him to the window of the store, a pair of beautiful large diamond teardrop earrings caught her attraction. “Those are the most beautiful earrings I ever saw. I wish I would get those for my birthday they would fit perfectly to my diamond teardrop diadem I got for my sixteenth birthday.” Jo didn’t realise it but she looked expecting at Liam, just as if she hoped her would buy the earrings for her as a souvenir of this trip.

Liam touched his neck, uncomfortably looking at the prizes of the jewellery pieces displayed in the window of the store. Sure, he knew that the men always bought insanely expensive presents for their girls (he only knew that from movies, since he never experienced that himself…since he never had a girl himself!), but in the movies all the guys also seemed to be insanely rich. And he wasn’t. He knew how Jo was raised and brought up, but he actually didn’t expect her to be so interested in that sort of jewellery. She seemed more humble than that…or was he wrong? He obviously didn’t know her that well after all. Maybe she was not that different than all the other young, rich girls in the movies who wanted to be spoilt by a gentleman. The only problem was…he wasn’t a gentleman, and he most certainly didn’t have the pounds in his wallet.
She looked at him as if she really expected him to go into the store and buy her the earrings.
“What do you think?”, Jo asked.

“Hm?”

“The earrings. Would they look nice on me?”

“Probably.” He looked at his watch. Not a Rolex or a Cartier, of course, but one he built himself, with Mickey Mouse on the clock face. “I think we should be going, there are a couple of more places I want to show you today.”

“In a moment”, Jo mumbled, too distracted to pay much attention to him. “Oh my, those rings are gorgeous!”

He didn’t really care what she was looking at right now, but then he saw it… Not any rings, but engagement and wedding rings!

Liam couldn’t help it but feel incredibly nervous all of a sudden. Jo wasn’t seriously thinking about…that, was she?

He turned his back on her and watched some pigeons on the opposite side of the street.

The first image of a pigeon can be dated back to around 3000 BC.

Pigeon eggs need about 19 days to hatch.

In the 16th century, pigeon poop was one of the ingredients used for gunpowder…

“Liam?” Jo interrupted his thoughts. “Are you okay?”

“Yes.”

She studied his face carefully. “What were you thinking about?”

Pigeon poop.

“Ahem…nothing important.” He cleared his throat. “You want to see Kensington Gardens? That’s where Peter Pan got lost as a little boy. There’s a statue of him.”

“Oh, that sounds great!” Jo grinned and took his hand, but she felt like something was bothering him. Maybe he was just lost in his thoughts? Or maybe she just imagined it…

“Liam?”

“Yes?”

Jo wasn’t sure what she wanted to say. She didn’t mean to hurt Liam, but it looked like she did. “I don’t think those earrings were that pretty after all. I mean I would never wear them, they are a kind of pointless present anyway.”

“Mhmm. If you say so.”

“I don’t need expensive presents. I… all my presents were always extravagant and expensive, not that they didn’t come from heart but it is different to get a present which cost no money, but all your heart.”

“Yeah sure.” He was cold, trying not to show how much it hurt him that he would never be able to effort on his own any present Jo would truly like.
It hurt Jo so much. She would have to make sure that he didn’t felt the different worlds they came from. Because she didn’t care if he was rich like a king or poor like a bagger. She always felt like a queen with him.

“When your mother died what happened with you?”

Liam knew that at one point she would ask him about that…stuff, however, he had hoped it wouldn’t be for a while. They just reached the park and he watched a group of little school kids in uniforms walking past them.
“I went back to my grandparents in Ireland, that’s it”, he said, hoping she would get the message that he didn’t want to continue talking about it. There was one thing Liam really hated to talk about, and that was his family. Well, his parents, to be precise. He couldn’t care less about his weird catholic grandparents who didn’t speak anything but Irish and believed that the devil was waiting in every corner. But when it came to his mother he got really tense. He had learned that the best way to move on was to repress any sentimental memories, and that’s why he never talked about her. It sounded harsh, but he didn’t always want to be reminded of her.
Liam sat down on one of the benches, crossed his arms and watched the people who passed them. Jo sat down next to him, scrutinizing his profile. She didn’t know him well enough yet to know that she shouldn’t ask him about his mother.

“Okay, so you went back to Ireland and then…”

“Graduated from school, and right after that I met Dick.”

“And before you had to go back to Ireland, where did you live?”

“East coast of the States.” He still didn’t look at her. “Look, I-“

“Is your mother buried there?” Jo didn’t want to sound blunt, but she couldn’t hold back her curiosity either. She just wanted to know a little more about her boyfriend. It was weird to be with someone she didn’t actually know much about. “I’m sorry, was that too…ahem…”

“She’s not buried there”, he replied without any emotion.

“Oh…okay. Where is-“

“She’s not buried at all.”

Jo looked surprised. An awkward silence followed, and she started to think how she could put the next question without making it more uncomfortable, but he already gave her the answer before she could ask.

“She drowned, and they never found her body. She and the rest of the marine researchers who belonged to her crew got into a storm. I was in school that day, and we all had to go in the basement because it was some sort of hurricane that came unexpectedly.” Liam stared at his hands. “That’s it.”

Jo wanted to say something, but she didn’t find the right words.

“It’s okay.” Liam finally looked at her. “Really. You don’t have to ask me if I’m fine, because I am. It’s years ago, and even when she was alive I didn’t see much of her because she was so occupied with work.”

“But-“

He got up without looking at her. She followed him, obviously still not done with the subject yet.

“What about your father? You said you don’t know him, but don’t you ever…you know…want to-“

“Jo”, he interrupted her almost coldly. “Just leave it, okay?”

“But I-“

“Please!”

She nodded. She was clearly not done with that subject yet, however, she would wait a little until she would carefully ask him again. Liam either really didn’t care about his father or he just pretended not to care. She believed it was the last one. But she would have to find that out sometime later. She took his hand and was glad to see that he didn’t seem so tense anymore. She had never seen him getting so upset about something, so his parents seemed to be a sore subject…
She looked at him and wondered if the reason for him to be so attached to Dick simply came from the fact that he never had a father figure in his life.

“So, Wendy”, a smile appeared on his face. “Ready to see Peter Pan?”

She grinned. “I thought you are my Peter.”

“I am, but you haven’t seen the statue that they put up in my honour.” He stopped in front of the statue.

Jo chuckled. “Oh my, it looks like you’re only wearing a shirt.”

Liam raised his eyebrows. “Do I need to wear anything else?”

Jo grinned hungry. “I prefer you in nothing.”

“Are you sure your mother didn’t speak of you when she spoke about the lust driven soul?”

“Liam!” His girlfriend punched him lightly, it made him laugh. “You should learn how to protect you, it makes me nervous leaving you alone.”

Jo was laughing and playful until this. She turned around suddenly and looked scared. “What do you mean? Where are you going?”

He sighed, apparently she took this news as good as he hoped, not that he thought it were good news. “I got a call, from Lorelai this morning. She said it is most likely that we’ve got a new mission. The assembling is in two days. I don’t know how long I will be gone, or where I will be or what I will do. And you know Lorelai long enough to know that I can’t tell you anyway.”

Jo didn’t look at him, there wasn’t any sign that she had heard what Liam just had said. She looked at the statue. “I think I gonna try climb up to Peter.” She waited until they were alone climbed over the fence and up the statue. She managed fine hugged Peter and whispered. “Please Peter, you were always the watching over me please I’m begging you keep him safe.”

She kept hugging the statue a little moment longer, before she climbed down or more fell. Liam managed to catch her before she touched the ground hard.

“Shall we eat somewhere lunch?” She tried to sound light as if nothing happened, she hoped Liam didn’t feel that she was trembling.

Since Liam couldn’t afford to take her anywhere expensive like her parents probably would have done if they were in London with their daughter, he took her to a Fish and Chips stand close to the park, and she was perfectly happy with it. He realized that he had judged Jo too quickly in front of the jewellery store. He had to understand how she was raised and needed to accept the fact that she would always be used to luxury, but that didn’t mean that she wasn’t happy about anything less luxurious than the things her parents offered her.
Liam noticed that Jo seemed a little lost in thoughts, and everytime he looked at her she quickly put on a smile but it didn’t seem quite right.
While they were on their way to their next stop, the Planetarium, Liam asked her if she was okay.

“Sure, why wouldn’t I be?” Jo smiled again, but it didn’t seem honest.

“Because you look… well, actually you look kind of sad.”

“It’s just because you have to go…”

“I don’t like leaving you, but-“

“Then don’t.”

“Jo, I can’t just stop doing my job, and to be honest, I also don’t want to stop.”

“But can’t you do something that’s safer, like a librarian or teacher or…I don’t know…just something that’s not dangerous.”

Liam chuckled. “No way I’m going to be a librarian or a teacher.” He put his arm around her shoulder. “Just don’t worry about me, okay?”

“Easier said than done”, Jo mumbled.
After they entered the Planetarium Jo quickly forgot about her worries because Liam was so busy showing and explaining everything to her that she didn’t even have a second to worry about anything, except about the possibility that her head might explode from all the information he threw at her. She knew that astronomy was Liam’s favourite subject, but he still managed to surprise her. She was so fascinated how one person could know so much, it was almost scary, especially if one considered that he didn’t even go to university or had any teachings from well-known scientists. He just knew everything there was to know about astronomy, it really was freaky.
Afterwards they went to a supermarket to get dinner for later, and then headed home since it was getting dark and both started to feel really exhausted from hours and hours of walking. Dick was out again, and as usual, didn’t leave a note that said where he went.

“So I guess it’s only the two of us at the moment”, Liam said while flipping through the brochure he had taken with him from the Planetarium. “What do you want to do? Watch TV?” He was so focused on the brochure that he didn’t look up when she came into the living room.

“I actually thought of a better idea.”
“And what’s that?”

When he still didn’t look up she snatched the brochure away from him.

“Hey, I was still reading thi…oh Lord…” He stopped talking when she saw Jo dressed in nothing but his Mickey Mouse sweater that barely reached her knees. She smiled playfully at him.

“Any chance you can help me get out of this sweater?”

“Ahem…” He stared at her, then at the door, then at her again. “Yes…um, no. I mean, I would like to help you, but…”

“But what?” She came closer.

“Dick could get home any moment, so…” Liam sat down on the couch in the living room, crossing his arms so he wouldn’t look too inviting.

“Well, he’s not here yet.”

“I know he isn’t, but he could be any moment.”
Liam wanted to slap himself for being such a wuss. But he was. He literally was unable to do anything because he was too scared Dick would burst through the door. Liam quickly turned on the TV to get some distraction. He really had to force himself not to look at Jo. This sucked. This really sucked…

Jo couldn’t believe this, he knew that most likely he was leaving in two days and here he was seriously watching TV. She stood in front of him, first trying to seduce him, then crossing his arms and finally moaning and leaving him alone in the living room. “Fine, watch TV and wait for your darling Dick and afterwards tell me if he is as good as me.”

The door of his room was not closed, Liam could hear the bed squeak and then just the TV.

“Hey Liam just in case you care, I managed to take off the jumper. And guess what I wear now…”

Liam tried to concentrate on the TV and not picture his girlfriend, in his room, on his bed under the stars wearing….

“That’s right nothing, except the moonlight, I bet you can find the reflection of the stars on me.”

Liam jumped up, not really sure what to do now. “Jo what in Saint Patricks name do you think. What if Dick comes home, hears you or worse sees you?”

“Maybe he likes more what he sees than my boyfriend right now.” Jo snarled.

Liam sighed, working very hard just to look at her face. “Dick can come back very moment and…”

“Fine! Whatever! Who cares that you can die anytime on your missions, who care what I think right?” She put on the Mickey Mouse jumper again and went to bed, without another word, her back to Liam. She wasn’t really mad at him, she was worried and wanted to spend the next two days with Liam, but he made it awfully difficult. Or was she the one who made it difficult? She was acting like a stoic little spoilt girl and she hated herself for doing it.

I’m sorry, stupid and selfish.

She was holding the jumper tight, biting her lower lip and managed to hold back the tears for the moment.

Okay, that girl really knew how to make him feel bad. And really, really guilty. Liam didn’t realize that the moment he was back home he started to immediately get back into his old role and forgot about the fact that it wasn’t just him and Dick in the flat, but also a girl. There had never been a girl with them, not at home, and suddenly he had a girlfriend who felt left out because he seemed to be more concerned about what Dick thought than spending time with Jo.
He lay down next to her, ignored the annoying squeaky sound of the bed, and put his arm around her. He almost expected her to push him out of the bed, but she didn’t, she was too polite for that. But she did show him her could shoulder, she was really good in that.

“Jo?”

She didn’t respond.

“Yvaine?”

Still no response.

“I’m really, really sorry for being like that to you. That was insensitive and rude.” He paused for a moment and scanned the sky for star constellations. Of course, he spotted at least a dozen within three seconds. “Please don’t get the impression that I don’t care enough about you. It’s just…with Dick…I’m kind of in the middle between you two because I have to make sure that he’s alright but also that you’re not left out.”

“He’s a grown man, Liam, I think he knows how to take care of himself”, Jo mumbled, still her back turned on him.

“I know, that’s not what I mean.”
God, this was bloody hard to explain. And it was also hard to explain without sounding weird.
“You’re closer to your father than your mother, right?”

“Yes…”

“Do you know how when you’re younger you try to do everything to make him like you? Of course he likes you but you think you have to do more so that he has a high opinion of you…”

“Yes, I know what you mean”, she answered with a low voice.

“Well, I can’t really compare my situation to that, but I do care a lot about…ahem…what he thinks and stuff…” He hoped that didn’t sound too awkward.

A tiny smile appeared on Jo’s face. Liam didn’t see it because she still had her back turned on him.

“So please don’t be angry with me because I try to…because I care about…ahem…because…”

Jo chuckled.
“Well, great…This really is awkward…”, Liam mumbled. “Do you at least accept my apology?”

“You’re just very lucky that you’re damn cute when you’re embarrassed, so I have absolutely no chance to be angry with you.”

In the end Jo got what she hoped for. She watched Liam with Dick, and she might still not understand Dick, but seeing Liam trying so hard was with Dick made her understand. But all this didn’t matter she was sitting alone in their flat in London. Dick and Liam had to go right away on their mission.

Day one

Cuddled into blankets and pillows starring out the roof window, hoping it all was a joke and he would come back.

Day two

Jo was sitting huddled into the Mickey Mouse jumper and a blanket, a big book about astronomy on her lap. She sat catatonic starring at the TV.

Day three

Jo was curious wandering around in the flat, touching very carefully the things that were lying around.

Day four

The hunger won. She went to get some food and while she had a cheese and onion pie she suddenly had an idea.
She ran back to the flat and went to work, but after two hours of trying she sat down disappointed. She had no idea how she should manage this mess.

“Hello, Waterfall Downs Williams residence how may I help you?”

“May I speak with Anne, this is Miss Williams.”

“Miss Williams oh it is so good to hear from you, how is London?”

“Good, but Jacob please I really need to speak to Anne.” Jo said desperate.

“Yes of course, I apologize for holding you.”

The young girl heard mumbling and the phone handed to her nanny.

“Miss Josephine are you alright?” Anne sounded worried as usual.

“Yes I’m fine, Anne can you do me a favour? I want to surprise Liam and clean is apartment can you explain me how? I know you did when I was little.”

For a moment the phone went silent. “Miss Josephine what about I come to London and help you?”

Jo looked around. “Anne Liam and his flatmate live very uncommon and you might get worried about me.”

“I am always worried, it is a done decision I am coming to London, your parents left yesterday for Paris and I have nothing to do…”

A few hours later Jo let Anne in the apartment. “Oh my Josephine what is this place?”

“Anna you know what Lorelai is doing for a living, Liam and Dick are doing the same.”

Anne straighten her back, put her coat aside and together they went to work. The two were working for nearly eight days before Anne left Jo again. The flat was tidy all guns in boxes with labels including little drawings on them. Anne stayed for another few days doing sightseeing with Jo. But as soon her nanny left Jo was alone again. Of course she knew that Liam couldn’t call her from the missions, but she still was worried and wished he would contact her in any way. He was gone since nearly three weeks.

She was wondering around in Liam’s room to feel closer to him when she found a hidden box, she didn’t mean to go through Liam’s personal things but her curiosity won. She found baby pictures and a book ‘Catcher in the rye’, the picture that brought her to tears was tiny Liam with his mother. They looked so adorable together. This wasn’t fair why did he have to lose her?
The suddenly phone ringing scared her.

“Hello…. Liam?”

“No sweetie, it’s me Lorelai. Listen I want you to come to my London apartment, they will bring Charlie to it. I want you to let him sit and say ‘Er hat mich immer geliebt und wird es simmer tun!’, after you said this you can open the locket, take the ring and put it on, than come to the hospital and ask for Liam O’Doherty. They will tell you that just family member can see him, tell them you are his fiancé…”

“What???” Jo was shocked she had difficulties to keep standing.

“Jo listen to me I want that you get going, take the next train to London. And do what I told you. There is an envelope with money taped to the bottom of your couch, take it. Go sweetie, I’ll be waiting in the hospital, since John won’t let me go anywhere else for at least a week. Everything will be alright. And don’t forget that I love you!”

“Okay I’m on my way.” Jo hung up and got on her way. She reach Lorelai’s apartment in the evening unlocked it and got greeted by Charlie. She started crying again. “Charlie sit.” Charlie listened and sat down right away. He looked expecting at her. “Er hat mich immer geliebt und wird es simmer tun!“ Charlie came closer, sat down again and lifted his head that Jo could easily open the locket, she took the ring that was once on Lorelai’s hand petted Charlie and went to the hospital.
Her way was right to the reception. “Excuse me I am looking for Liam O’Doherty, he is a patient here.”

“Excuse me miss, but he is on the intensive care unit only family members are allowed to visit.”

“I am his… fiancé. He just asked before he had to go abroad for a job, we wanted to wait to tell everyone until he is back, but he had an…” Jo couldn’t hold her tears back. The nurse handed her a tissue and a note on what she had written down the floor and room number. Jo nodded and went to Liam’s room. Dick was waiting in front of it, she didn’t really say much to him or he to her. She just walked in. Liam was hooked up to many machines and tubes and things she didn’t understand.

“He fell through a window because he wanted to safe us. He pushed the bad guy with him. There are several rips broken, a concussion, his left arm is broken so his leg and he had internal bleedings but they are under control now, the only real problem is that he doesn’t seem to wake up.” Jo climbed carefully in Liam’s bed, she didn’t show any sign that she had heard John who had walked in Liam’s room behind her. “I’m here Liam, do you hear me? I’m here!” Jo snuggled gentle into Liam’s right shoulder. She had always a book in her bag and since Liam was gone she was carrying Lady Chatterley's Lover around, and she actually had read it many times by now. She pulled it out of her bag and started reading. She didn’t care if anyone one there she just read.

“Sweetie, you are here since three days, you have to eat something, sleep and take a shower. Come on, John will watch over Liam.” Lorelai spoke gentle and tried to lead Jo away.

“No, I’m not leaving his side. I’m fine. Just go okay. Please.” Lorelai shook her head, she knew that there was no way she would get through to Jo. “Liam, can you hear me? I’m here okay. I’m not going anywhere.”

After Lorelai left the room, Jo opened the book again to continue. She did blush a little bit when she read certain parts of the book that were, ahem, not quite appropriate for their age, but she continued reading as if this was the only way to make him wake up. Occasionally she paused for a moment and looked at him, thinking how incredibly young he looked when he was asleep. Even when he wasn’t asleep he looked younger than eighteen, but now he almost looked like a child.
After an hour of reading, a doctor came in to check if everything was okay. She stopped when he came in because she had just gotten to a really embarrassing part that she didn’t want to read aloud while Liam’s doctor was in the same room, but as soon as he was gone she continued reading, blushing with every word.
“You know, I feel really funny right now…”, Liam said with a weak voice, his head slowly turning to Jo who froze in shock. “If you continue reading this I really have to blush…” A smile appeared on his face, even if it was just a weak one.

“Oh God!” Jo dropped the book and threw her arms around him.

“You know, people have already died because they have been squeezed to death”, Liam joked.

“I don’t care!” Jo didn’t want to let go off him, not ever. Tears were running down her face, but this time they were good, happy ones.

The same moment the doctor came back him, relieved to see that Liam had woken up.
“You’re really lucky, Mr O’Doherty”, he said. “And I’m not only talking about your physical state.” He looked at Jo. “You have been here for three days and that young lady didn’t leave your side. Her cousin had to bring her food and something to drink to the room because she refused to leave you.” The doctor smiled. “You’re lucky to have someone so special in your life.”

“I know.” Liam smiled. “She’s my evening star.”

Jo blushed, but giggled. “I take that as a compliment.”

“From someone who is an astronomy-geek, it is the highest compliment”, Liam said, taking her hand. He noticed the ring she was wearing and freaked out for a moment, but it someone was nice on her. It just seemed right…

Two days later Liam was released from the hospital, and Lorelai drove them to his flat. Liam was still a little weak, but other than that he had recovered fast.
“Something is wrong here…” He looked around.

“What do you mean?”, Jo asked.

“It’s…clean.” He seemed confused. “That’s weird…but interesting. I’ve never seen the flat like this before.”

“Oh, I did that. When you two were gone I started cleaning everything up. Well, except Dick’s room, I was scared he would chase me with a rifle through the entire city if I just went into his room.”

Liam chuckled. “I think he actually would have done that, so it was very wise of not to go into his room and-“ Suddenly he stopped. The door to his room was open and he saw that all his papers and books were picked up from the floor. But that wasn’t the problem. He saw something else, something he hated to look at, and something he never wanted anybody else to look at.
He walked into the room and saw that the lid of the box was on the floor, and so was the book The Catcher in the Rye, and a couple of pictures. Pictures of him when he was little, his first day in kindergarten, his first day of school, and the only few pictures of his mother he had kept after she died. The book was in there because it was the last book she had given to him shortly before her death. This box contained the only memories he had left of her, and it was not meant for anybody else to see it. He even refused to look at it, he never touched it.

“I’m sorry I went through your things”, Jo said. “It happened while I was cleaning. I really didn’t mean to snoop around or anything, and I couldn’t put the box back because that moment I got the call from Lorelai that you’re in the hospital…”

Liam didn’t react. He just stared at the pictures as if he had never seen them before.

“You were by far the cutest little boy I’ve seen in my entire life”, Jo said, trying to smile but she knew she had done a mistake by looking at the box. “And your mum was really pretty, I can definitely see similarities between-“

“Don’t”, he interrupted her. Jo flinched by the coldness in his voice.

“I’m really sorry, I-“

“Don’t talk about my mother.”

“But-“

“Just…don’t.” He closed the box and was about to put it back under the bed when he realized that he didn’t want to sleep in the bed, knowing it was right underneath him. He put it in the wardrobe and threw some clothes on top of it. He didn’t want to be angry with Jo, he knew she didn’t do it on purpose. It was hard to explain, but he just felt like this box, those memories inside it, was the most precious thing he owned, and he didn’t want to share it with anyone, he didn’t want to share his mother with anyone.
When he turned around to Jo he saw that she looked hurt. It was impossible for him to find the suitable words right now. He wanted to say something to her, but he couldn’t.

“I’ll be back”, he said, turned away from Jo, left the room and took his jacket. Jo heard how the main door opened and closed, and she was left alone in the flat again. She wanted to run after him, but she was too scared that she had just messed everything up.

Jo tried to figure out what to do, but she couldn't remember a book in with the girlfriend was such a moron as she is. She called Lorelai.

"Lor? What do I do when Liam found out that I was snooping around?"

"Pray, apologize and give him time to cool off. I would suggests to cook for him but I don't want the poor boy die because he got poisened by you."

"Okay."

Jo hung up went in the living room and turned on the TV not caring what was running, just hoping Liam would forgive her. The sad thing was she understood him. She had very few memories with her aunt, Lorelai mother, and those few memories she is scared to share in case that would make her forget them. But even just mentioning this to Liam scared her.

After Liam walked around for about half an hour to get some air and tried to think how he could best approach Jo again. He knew that he sucked in finding suitable words at the right moment, he was usually very good in saying the wrong things at exactly the wrong time.
He stood in front of the store he went to the day before he had to leave for his job. He had ordered something and finally needed to pick it up. He hoped it was still there, after all, it was a present for Jo.
Almost an hour later Liam returned to the flat, hoping Jo was still there. She lay on the couch in front of the TV, asleep. Liam switched off the TV and stroked her hair softly.

“Hey…” He smiled at her.

“Liam, I’m really sorry…” She sat up. “I was just…”

“Don’t worry”, he said, getting something from his bag. “I have something for you. I meant to give it to you weeks ago, but the job came between, and I ended up in the hospital so there was obviously not time anymore…” He handed her the present.

Jo smiled when she opened the present, looking at a valuable, antique version of The Three Musketeers.

“I saw that this book is not in your collection of books, so I thought I have to change that”, Liam said. “Everybody who loves books should have at least one version of The Three Musketeers in their collection. This edition is from 1898, so it’s very special and you have to take good care of it. I know it’s not much, but-“ He didn’t have time to finish his sentence because Jo already hugged him.

“Thank you so much, it’s beautiful!” She touched the book so carefully as if she was scared to break it. “It smells so good, like an antique book is supposed to smell!” She looked at him. “Have you read it?”

“Yes, when I was younger. I always liked D’Artagnan because he is such a knucklehead, but a good one.”

“Oh, so like you, hm?” Jo winked at him and let her eyes wander over the old pages.

Liam got up. “I’ll be right back.”

“You’re not going away, are you?”

“No, just in my room to get something.”

“Good, because if you’re even heading close towards the door I’m going to grab your leg and you won’t get rid of me anymore, I swear!” Jo shot him a warning glance, then went back to her book.

When Liam came back she didn’t look up until he sat down next to her, the box on his lap. She looked surprised at him.
“Nobody is supposed to see this box, especially not people close to me, but on the other hand…” He opened the lid and put it aside. “There is not one person in the world I’d rather share my most valuable possession with than you.”

“Liam, are you sure? I completely understand if-“

“Yes, I’m sure.” He took out one of the pictures on top of the rest. “I hope you understand when I don’t talk much about my mother, but I don’t mind showing you the pictures.”

Jo smiled, looking at a cute picture of him and his mum. She had promised herself not to ask him too many question about her, she was already happy enough that he showed her the pictures.

“Oh God, that is so you!” She grinned when she took out another picture.

“Well, at least there are no embarrassing naked baby pictures”, he said.

“Aww, I bet that would be cute.” She winked at him. “Since you’re going to visit my parents more often now I’m afraid my father will show you all those very embarrassing pictures of me when I was little.”

“I can’t wait to see that”, he grinned.

They spend four more days in London, not really doing anything and Dick was gone for most of the time. Jo managed to hide that she felt rather weak, since Liam was still not fully recovered. She felt like the time when she was with her parents in France and ate bad mussels. She was not able to keep any food down. But not just food was a problem, she felt… icky. Something wasn’t right. She knew that it was not fair but she wanted to go home. It was a week since Liam got out of the hospital and they were cuddled on the couch together. They had a small dinner in a restaurant not far from Liam’s flat and Josephine hadn’t even manage to keep it down before they left the restaurant. The good think was Liam didn’t notice it. But now in the safety of his apartment she dared to ask.

“Liam? I know it is not fair but would you mind when we go back to Oxford? I don’t feel so well since a couple of days and I would feel better when I’m close to home.”

Liam pushed her up to have a look at her, she looked tired and pale. Why hadn’t he seen it before that she wasn’t feeling well? It was his job to take care of her and he failed.

“I can go back to Oxford alone if you want to stay here.” Jo was out of breath as if she had run up the stairs.

“No I’m coming with you. I’m sorry I didn’t see that you are not feeling well. Do you think it is a cold or something like that?”

Jo shook weak her head. “No doesn’t feel like a cold… I feel like I got food poison or something I can’t keep since days anything down and I can’t sleep.”

Liam pulled her back close to his chest. “We are leaving tomorrow right away. I know you just said you can’t sleep but try it okay? I’ll stay up and make sure you are okay.” Jo nodded snuggled closer to him and tried to fall asleep.

They were home since an hour, Liam was at the pharmacy to get some meds for Jo while she was trying to feel better. But nothing worked. She had taken a hot bath, a cold shower, ate some bread which choose the wrong way out again just as the tea, coffee and water, she sat on the couch, lay down on the couch and was now cuddled into all the blankets she had in the bed and she felt just as awful. It was so far that she was crying and sobbing because she felt so helpless. This was clearly not a cold, but what else could she have? And then out of nowhere it hit her. It was a few weeks ago since their adventure in Liam’s car and… did they use protection? She was sleeping with Liam since nearly two month now and she couldn’t say if they used protection each time, sometimes it was in a heat of a moment and they might…. have forgotten it.

“I am so stupid!” Jo jumped out of bed, or more fell she was tangled into all the blankets to find her little calendar but as usual she wasn’t very consistent in writing her days down. She moaned and took her diary hoped to find the days in there but of course not.

When was the last time? God dammit why can’t I remember?

When she would remember she would know that it was before her first time with Liam, but wasn’t even necessary to remember she knew what was going on with her and this knowledge forced every last bit of stomach contains out of her. She hurried to the bathroom and stayed there once in a while spitting and rinsing her mouth with water. Not long after Liam came back.

“Yvaine?” He calling her this calmed her down a little, but how could she tell Liam this? It would destroy everything. She didn’t need to tell him where he was her puking led him to the bathroom.

“Are you still feeling that awful?” One look at his girlfriend was enough, he saw the dried tears on her cheeks and without another word he was sitting next to her on the floor, holding her close. The young girl knew that there was no other chance than just telling him.

“Liam?” She whispered, her throat was sore and she felt stupid.

“Yes?” He whispered back.

“I didn’t plan this to happen…”

“You didn’t plan to get sick?” Liam interrupted her.

“No let me finish please. I’m late.”

Liam looked confused at her, sometimes he was so adorable stupid. She took a deep breath and said. As fast as possible so that she couldn’t stop herself.

“I think I am pregnant.” Jo looked miserable at her boyfriend.

A long, incredibly awkward silence followed. Liam just stared at her, unable to say anything. Unable to get the information in his head. This was the first time in his life that he didn’t get information in his head. It just didn’t work. It bloody didn’t work!

“Can you say something?”, Jo asked. “Please!”

“You’re…you’re…”

“Pregnant.”

“Pregnant?” He had a very hard time saying that word.

“Pregnant.”

“Pregnant?”

“Pregnant.”

“Pregnant???”

“God, how many times do you want me to repeat this?!” Jo almost yelled, less because she was angry but more because she was desperate and confused.

“You can’t be pregnant!”

“Obviously I can!”

“How?”

“Seriously?” Jo’s cheeks flushed. “Take a wild guess, Liam! You’re actually part of that big ‘how’!”

“No, I didn’t mean it like that…” He tried to find the right words. “I mean, how is it possible that…I mean, didn’t we, what was with…”

“Jesus, I don’t know what exactly went wrong!” Jo walked around the flat, feeling like she had been hit by a huge bus.

“Pregnant?” Liam stared helplessly at the wall as if he could find a solution for their problem written across the room. “Pregnant!”

“You’re not making this any better by repeating this goddamn word all the time!”, Jo snapped.

“Your parents are going to kill me! Kill me! Oh God, your dad…the bloody test that I failed!”

“Forget about the bloody test! Do you think my parents are going to welcome me with open arms when I tell them that their only daughter is pregnant- out of wedlock?!”

“They’re going to cut off my…” Liam didn’t finish the sentence. “They’ll kill me. I know it. They’ll kill me.”

Another awkward silence followed. A moment Liam ran to the door, but before he could leave the flat Jo grabbed his arm.

“You’re not going to run away and leave me alone with the baby!”

“I wasn’t going to-“

“Oh really? I’m pretty sure you were just about to flee and leave me alone with this bloody problem!” Jo couldn’t stop herself from yelling, she just couldn’t think reasonably anymore. Her greatest fear was that Liam would leave her, and she wouldn’t be able to bear that.

“I’m not my father, Jo! I’m not going to leave a pregnant woman alone, even if that means that I won’t be alive for much longer because your crazy parents are going to kill me!” Liam looked her right into her eyes. “Now let me go, please. I’ll be back later.”
He quickly opened the door and stormed out. The rain was pouring down, but he didn’t care. He just ran as fast as he could to get to the University Library. The librarian raised her eyebrows when the completely soaked and wet boy walked past her, and some of the students looked up from their books, but all those things didn’t matter to him anymore. He went straight to the biology section and grabbed a couple of huge books. He knew more than enough about the female anatomy, but he sure as hell knew nothing about pregnancy! He wasn’t ready. He so wasn’t ready for this!

Jo didn’t even bother to go anywhere more comfortable, she curled up right in the kitchen and let the tears run freely. Maybe she could hide the next nine month somewhere and later let Lor raise the child. As soon she would feel strong enough to get up and call, probably in a few days, she would ask her.
But right now she felt too awful, how could people think expecting a child was a wonderful miracle? She felt like shit, yes Liam might say he would not leave her, but he was still not here. Why didn’t he take her with him? Of course was he scared, but so was she. After all she was the one that had the chances. She was worried before that Liam would meet a prettier girl than her now she knew he would. And he would leave her. She would end up alone with nothing, because no matter how much her father loved her there was no solution for this problem. She drifted slowly to sleep, too exhausted from worrying and crying the past hours. The last thought before she was deep asleep was that she truly hoped that when she wakes up all this was just a nightmare.

It was dark when he came home, for a brief moment he was worried finding Jo at the exact same spot on the kitchen floor where he had left her. Luckily she was asleep, and he was strong enough to carry her into the bed. She was so exhausted that she didn’t wake up, she did though search him in her sleep. He kept reading the entire next day, when Jo hadn’t woken up the next evening he did consider calling a doctor, when the phone rang.

“Hey Fuechschen, how are things in Oxford?” said Lorelai’s happy voice.

He usually liked to hear the sound of Lorelai’s voice but this time he held his breath when he answered the phone. He desperately longed for help, this whole situation drove him crazy, but he was too scared to tell anyone about their little ‘problem’.

“Liam, are you all right?”, Lorelai asked after he didn’t respond.

“What? Yes. Sure. Of course. Yes…”

“That doesn’t sound very convincing.”

“Well…I was just…thinking…that’s all.”

Lorelai laughed. “That’s nothing new. I keep wondering if there’s ever a moment when you actually don’t think at all…”

Liam didn’t laugh. There actually had been a moment where he didn’t use his brain as much as he usually did, and now, a few weeks later, they faced the result. The big, fat ‘P-word’ that he didn’t dare to say anymore. He suddenly felt like it was the worst word in the English dictionary.

“Hey, what’s wrong?”, Lorelai asked. “I can tell that something is up.”

“No. Nothing at all.” He peeked into the bedroom, checking if Jo was still asleep, then lowered his voice. “There’s rain. Lots and lots of rain…”

“Okay, what are you not telling me, Liam? I’m serious! Tell me what’s going on. Is Jo okay?”

“Jo is fine.” He had an extremely hard time saying those three words.

“And you? Are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine too. We are all fine…just…fine…” Liam sighed. He couldn’t hold it back any longer. “I messed up Mina, really, really messed up! Now she is…and I am…and you know…? We can’t do it, Mina, we can’t! And she is…I don’t…see, I wasn’t…I didn’t want to…and then…”

“Liam, slow down!”, Lorelai interrupted him. “What did you mess up? And what is it that you can’t do?”

“I spent the entire day yesterday reading about this...stuff! It freaks me out, Mina, it bloody freaks me out. I can’t do it, I really can’t. And Jo is not talking to me, she’s just sleeping, and I don’t know how she feels and…and I keep on thinking about those disgusting things I read yesterday, I really can’t deal with that sort of stuff, it’s too much for me, I’m not-“

“What is too much for you?” Lorelai tried to calm him down, but it was hard.


“You know…stuff…”

A short silence followed.

“Oh no...” Lorelai mumbled. “Oh no!”

Liam didn’t dare to say anything.

“Don’t tell me…” She needed a moment to gather her thoughts. “Are you telling me my sixteen-year old cousin is pregnant?”

He wanted to say something, but he couldn’t.

“Liam, can you please say something!”

“Um…I…”

“Is she or is she not?”

“I didn’t…we didn’t…I don’t know how…I mean, well, you know…we didn’t…and I…and then…”

“That’s it!”, Lorelai said. “I’m coming over!” She hung up, and he just stared helplessly at the phone.

It took Lorelai less than three hours to arrive at Oxford, Jo didn’t wake up from the doorbell or when Lorelai marched into the flat or when she grabbed Liam’s arm and pulled him out of the flat.

“Tell me this was a really bad joke. A bad joke and Jo is not pregnant, she is my baby sister and can’t be pregnant.” Lorelai demanded rather rough from Liam.
Liam shook his head. “It all seems to be that she has many symptoms.”

Lorelai moaned. “Geez Liam, I let you two do it because I thought you are smart. How could this happen didn’t you use any protection?”

“We did, well I think most of the times.”

“Liam!”

“I know, I know it wasn’t very responsible.” Liam looked miserable, so miserable that Lorelai felt sorry. She pulled him into a tight hug.

“Listen Liam we sort this out okay. Whatever happens I am there for you two. I will help you in any way. I think it is best when you talk to her as soon she wakes up, but let her sleep for the moment. When she is really pregnant she will need the rest, since we don’t want her to lose the baby because of the stress. Do I assume right that you read a lot medical books about pregnancies?”

Liam nodded.

“Okay I know a couple of thinks that indicate a pregnancy…”

Lorelai went after a long talk to her hotel and Liam back to the flat. Jo was still deep asleep. It took nearly twenty-four hours until she woke up. She moaned and started crying again, because she thought she was still alone. Jo couldn’t remember going to bed but that didn’t worried her, she just assumed at some point she climbed exhausted into the bed. She didn’t know that Liam had carried her into the bed. He would never let her sleep on the kitchen floor. All this didn’t matter, Jo was pregnant, alone and really scared. A sudden wave of nausea made her run into the bathroom and empty her already empty stomach. She felt so awful and wished for Liam to be here with her.

Jo sat on the bathroom floor, her head leaned against the cold wall. She could barely breathe, and the room started to spin around her head. She had no idea what time and day it was, she didn’t care. She closed her eyes, hoping the dizziness would stop, but it didn’t. She felt someone touching her shoulder.

“Jo!” Liam sat down next to her. “Jo, can you hear me?”

She opened her eyes, not sure if her imagination fooled her. “Liam…?”

“Yes, I’m here. What is wrong?” He touched her forehead. “You’re extremely hot.”

“I feel so…so weak…” She could hardly finish the sentence because she needed to throw up again. He quickly got up, grabbed a towel, put it under cold water and wiped carefully over her face. She looked like she was about to faint any second, so he lifted her up and carried her back to the bed. Before he could lay her down she held on to his shirt.

“Don’t go away”, she whispered. “Please…”

“I’m not going anywhere, Jo. I’m staying right here.” Liam tucked her in and stroked her hair gently. She looked so vulnerable that he barely dared to look at her. He had not only promised her father but also himself to prevent her from getting hurt, and he failed. He was actually the reason why she was so miserable in the first place. She deserved someone better than him. She deserved the best. And he would never even be remotely close to that.
Liam got up to call Lorelai, they needed to get her to the hospital. As soon as he hung up he went back to sit next to Jo who looked almost lifeless. He had never seen her that pale. He knew there was a good chance she didn’t hear him right now, but that didn’t stop him from talking to her.

“You know, when this is over and you feel better again I will make sure that you will finally get what you deserve, and that’s not just something good…you deserve the best, Jo. The very best. So…that excludes me then…” He paused for a moment. “You will find someone like those lads you admire in the books. You’ll find a Mr Darcy who doesn’t fail in taking caring of you. And he better make you happy or-“
He stopped when he felt Jo’s cold hand reaching out for his. She was too weak to speak, but she gathered all her strength to touch his hand. Liam looked at her. Did she hear him?
That moment the doorbell rang, and he had to get up to let Lorelai in.

“How is she?”, she asked as she passed him and walked into the bedroom. “Oh Jo, honey…” She kissed her on the forehead. “We need to get her to the hospital immediately, she’s worryingly hot.”
Lorelai put the blanket aside.

“I’ll carry her”, Liam said, and without waiting for a reply he lifted Jo up carefully.

“Are you sure you can-“

“Yes, I’m sure.” He looked determined at Lorelai. “I will make it up to her, all of it. I promise.”
Even if that meant he had to let her go…

Jo’s small weak hand gripped his shirt with a strength that surprised him. Nearly as if she knew what he was thinking.
They were sitting in the taxi that she opened her eyes, even lifted her head and kissed him lightly. “I love you!” It was just a whispered but between each letter of those three words she said ‘And I won’t let you go. There is no one better than you! Ever!’
Liam smiled at her. He looked quickly at Lorelai in the front seat, she was busy talking to the driver. “Jo listen, I read in a book that the breast of a pregnant woman are firmer than to other times. And also… when was your last time? I read that sometimes young woman can be late because it is not regular every twenty-eight days. So maybe this is all a mix up?” Liam was blushing and it was awkward for him to ask her this.


“Liam! I… you are… not squeezing… I… I guess I am one of them but…” Jo was out of breath and it looked as if she had a stomach ache. She lost consciousness.

“Lorelai what’s going on?” Liam yelled.

“Stop shouting Liam that doesn’t help. Don’t worry we are at the hospital.”

The car stopped and nurses helped Liam to put Jo on a gurney, two nurses had to manhandle Liam away from it. So that they could push Jo into the ER. Lorelai was making sure Liam stayed out of the doctors way. “Miss Gruensee are you in the position to make medical decisions?”

“Yes I am the godmother of her.”

“Good. We have to decide quickly her life is depending on it. Miss Williams appendix is busted. We have to remove it right away.”

Lorelai looked in shock for a moment at the doctor but pulled herself together.

“Yes go ahead. And doctor would you mind finding out if she is pregnant?”

It took just one look of the doctor at Liam and who knew the whole problem.

“Off course I will.”

Lorelai turned to Liam, “See no need to worry I’m sure she is not pregnant. She will be fine.”

Josephine’s parents were called and they came right away and together with Liam and Lorelai they waited in the waiting room. Lorelai had her aunt forbidden to talk at least about Liam, while Colin stayed close to the boy.

“Liam did Jo ever tell you how Elizabeth and I got married? We thought she was pregnant and had a very small ceremony, later when she never showed any sign of being pregnant we had a second big official ceremony. You will never hear Elizabeth confirm this story, since she ignores the first month of our rushed marriage.”

Liam had a hard time hiding his surprise. Was Mr Williams actually telling him that he was in a similar situation when he was the same age? He had a very hard time believing that, especially after those talks about hellhounds, the devil and eternal damnation if he would get too close to Jo. Well, it was actually Mrs Williams who mentioned all those horrible things, Mr Williams only told him about that stupid test that he already failed before he even heard of it.
Wait a minute….why did Jo’s father tell him about the pregnancy scare and their rash wedding?
Liam suddenly realized what was going on. Colin Williams knew what was going on. He knew.
His eyes wandered to Lorelai who sat on the other side of the room, talking to Mrs William and Anne.
Did she tell him what happened?

“My niece didn’t tell me anything”, Mr Williams said with a calm voice.

Liam flinched. Gee, can he read minds?
“Ahem…I’m not sure what you mean…”

The older man smiled. “Josephine always thinks I don’t know much about her and her life, but she’s wrong. I’m taking great interest in her life, and I know more than she thinks I do.”

That’s…embarrassing.

Liam blushed. Talking with her father about the fact that he might got her pregnant was more than just awkward. At least Mr Williams reacted surprisingly well, which was a big relief for Liam. His wife would be a whole different problem though…

“Sir…” Liam stared uncomfortably at his hands. “I’m sure Jo wouldn’t agree with me, but I think…” He paused for a moment.

“You think what?”

“She might be better off with someone else.”

Mr Williams watched the young man intensely. “Someone else?”

“Yes, someone who can offer her a better life than I can…and actually knows how to take care of her.”

“And you think you’re not that someone?”

“I really want to be, but I don’t think I’m the right one.”

They were quiet for a moment. “I don’t think Josephine feels that way about you”, Mr Williams said. “Neither do I.”

“But sir…”
“I see the way my daughter looks at you”, he continued. “I’ve never seen her looking at anyone like that. You might not be a hero with superhuman powers that prevent her from getting hurt, but you’re most certainly the one she chose to be her personal hero, with or without any powers.”

Liam was shocked that Jo’s father thought that way about him. He obviously trusted him more than Liam did himself. “Ahem…thank y-“ He stopped immediately when he saw the doctor coming in, waving at him. Mr Williams nodded to signal Liam that he should go. Liam almost jumped up and followed the doctor outside.

“How is she?”

“Miss Williams is still weak, but she’s in a much better state now.”

Liam sighed. “Thank God…”

“I wanted to talk to you privately to let you know that the young lady is not pregnant.”

Silence.

“She is…she’s not…she…”

The doctor smiled. “No, she isn’t.”

Not pregnant. No baby.

“Thank you, man!”

“I didn’t do anything…”

“It doesn’t matter! She’s not pregnant! Mrs Williams is not going to murder me and ditch my corpse into a deep hole!”

The doctor seemed a little confused.

“Can I see her?”

“She’s sleeping right now, but I think it’s all right when you visit her. She’s in room 134 on the second floor. I’ll tell her parents that she’s fine, so that they know…” He didn’t have the time to finish his sentence because Liam already ran off.