𝐁𝐀𝐒𝐊𝐄𝐓 𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐄 ᵍⁱˡᵐᵒʳᵉ ᵍⁱʳˡˢ

sixty-four

"Thanks again for letting us have the party here." Ryan told Lorelai, watching as her employees decorated the dining hall with Blues Clues decorations. It had been Hazels favorite show and she loved everything to do with the blue cartoon dog.

"I told you, this is my pleasure. Hazels like.. my grand baby but I'm not old and my kids haven't had a teen pregnancy." Lorelai stated with a prominent smile, glancing over to the boy only to see his small frown. "You're doing amazing, Ryan." She assured him, patting his shoulder and he stiffled a laugh at her awkwardness.

"I owe most of it to you Gilmores." He responded, smiling to the woman he wished so badly he had as his own mother.

"Well, we're not going anywhere." Lorelai said, her brows furrowing and she sighed when she noticed her employees messing up the banner. "One moment." Lorelai huffed, making her way towards the two.

Ryan had meant what he said, a year ago he was lost, terrified and alone with Hazel and now she was the happiest and healthiest baby under his care. He only knew what to do with Lorelais help. He survived with Molly and his friends constantly offering to watch her.

Who knew where he would be without them.

Even now, while he and Lorelai tried to set up, Molly and Neveah were watching Hazel. He may not have had reliable biological family, but he had finally found a good makeshift one.

"You okay?" Rory asked, having been stuck under Lorelais watch—Molly had argued her way out of it today.

"Y'know, you're like the sister I never got." Ryan told her, his thoughts leaving his mouth and Rory's smile lifted.

"I always wanted a brother. Wyatt was always around but honestly, I prefer you." Rory said, a sheepish smile on her face and Ryan let out a laugh.

"You prefer Hazel, huh?" Ryan asked, raising a brow at the girl.

"She's definitely a big plus." Rory laughed out, letting herself sit back in one of the sofas in the lobby. "I can't believe she's a year. I saw her run from you at the diner the other day and I almost freaked out, I didn't realize she was able to do that." Rory said as he sat beside her, hiding his sadness with a laugh.

"She just started that. She started walking maybe a month ago and now every time I get home she's running to me." Ryan said, unable to fathom how much his daughter had grown in the last year. When he first held her she barely took over his forearm, and now he couldn't keep up with her.

"Soon enough I can give her coffee and—"

"No, I've already told your sister and your mother she will not be a coffee addict like you Gilmores." Ryan stopped her with a chuckle and she gave him a pout in return.

"You're no fun."

—

Watching as Hazel ran around the dining room, squealing with excitement to each decoration—Ryan's smile was larger than life. She and Neveah were hitting a balloon around the room, his two favorite girls were best of friends and he adored it so much.

While caught in his admiring daze, he felt a hand land on his shoulder, startling him with the firm grip. Assuming it was Wyatt, he shrugged them off, keeping his attention on the girls in front of him.

"Wow, I drive from Jersey for you not even to say hi?" As soon as he heard the voice, Ryan turned to hug the man beside him. He couldn't believe he'd come, after years of not seeing him.

"Uncle Seth! I can't believe you made it." Ryan exclaimed, holding tightly to the only reliable father figure he had growing up.

"And I can't believe how grown up you are." The older man responded, shocked at the several inches his nephew had grown since he'd last seen him.