Christmas was coming.  Things had settled a little bit.  Nick has once again in touch with everyone, him and AJ were only on speaking terms if it concerned business.  AJ had promised not to kill him but he didn't want to see Willa so Nick never brought her around.  Jess was getting more anxious to know what was going between her and Brian.  No one in her family knew about the two of them.  Well except Loren, but she was sworn to secrecy. 

She was out doing some shopping for Tristan at Toy R US.  She passed the baby section and looked at the little clothes.  She hadn't told anyone yet that she thought she was pregnant.  Jess was afraid of jinxing the whole thing.  She really wanted a baby, and Brians baby would be so beautiful.  Reece was already in the store and saw her.

Reece - "Hey Jess, whatcha doing?"

Jess - "Oh nothing just Christmas shopping."

Reece - "Me too. I swear my sister's kids are going to be able to open their own toy store after this Christmas. Oh this is so cute. What do you think?" Reece is about seven months pregnant. She lays the little green dress across her stomach.

Jess - "I thought you didn't know what it was."

Reece - "I don't, just wishful thinking. You should see Stephen he keeps buying basketballs and soccer balls and hockey sticks. He's convinced its a boy."

Jess - "If not girls can play hockey too."

Reece - "That's true. There were a few girls in the Mighty Ducks."  Jess laughs. "You hungry?"

Jess - "Yeah lets get out of here and get some lunch."

Toys R Us is in a strip mall so they just eat at the Chinese place next door.

Reece - "So who's this guy?"

Jess - "I don't know what you're talking about."

Reece - "Come on you have been walking on cloud nine for months now and I know its not cause of Lance. You too broke up back in September. Spill it."

Jess - "Okay. You remember my friend Brian."

Reece - "Oh yeah, nice butt, good voice. I thought he was seeing that Linda chick."

Jess - "Christine.  He still is. Everything just kind of complicated."  She becomes very interested in her food.

Reece - "You can't keep doing this."

Jess - "I know I'm going to talk to him after Christmas. I'm not going to ruin my day be him telling me its over and he wants to be with her."

Reece - "If he picks her over you he's just stupid and you don't need him anyway. Are you going to eat that?" She points at Jesss egg roll, she shakes her head no. "Don't worry everything will work out. You'll see. "

They finish their lunches and head home.  Jess walks in and sets her bags on the table.  She turns on the TV and sits on the couch going through her mail.  Brian sneaks out of the bedroom with a Halloween mask.  She didn't see him coming, he jumps over the couch and scares the hell out of her.  Jess screams and throws the mail at him and grabs the lamp off the table in .2 seconds.  He's laughing so hard he has trouble breathing through the mask so he takes it off.

Jess - "You scared the shit out of me."

Brian - "That was the point."  He's still laughing.

Jess - "Ha ha, very funny. Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

Brian - "Didn't know I was. We're doing a video over at Warners so I thought I stop by and see if you wanted to come along."

Jess - "Sure. I can check out the competition."

Jess didn't know how right she was. They had just started shooting Brian's hospital scene when Christine showed up.  AJ was standing next to her and heard her gasp. She hadn't seen Jess.

Jess - "AJ can you take me home?"

AJ - "yeah. Come on."  They leave quickly.  Jess is really quiet.  "It's going to be okay."

Jess - "No it's not. I can't do this anymore."

AJ - "He loves you Jessica."

Jess - "I know he does. That's not the problem he just loves her too."

AJ - "Would it help to know that I'm routing for you."

Jess - "yeah it does. I'm sorry I made you leave."

AJ - "Its okay they're not shooting me until tonight or tomorrow. Where's my turn?"

Jess - "left at the next light."

She directed him to her house.  He drops her off and heads back to the studio. The phone is ringing as she walks in. The caller ID says its Brian's cell Hello.

Brian - "I'm so sorry. I had no idea she was coming."

Jess - "Brian just don't okay.  I'll talk to you later."

Brian - "okay. I love you."

Jess - "I love you too."  After they hang up, Jess curls up on her bed and watches TV.  She must have fallen asleep sometime because she didn't hear Brian come in.  She had given him a key awhile ago.  He lies down next to her and snuggles closer. "You done already."

Brian - "Yeah, they're shooting everyone else's solo shots."

Jess - "Where's Christine?"

Brian - "She had to go back to her set. I'm sorry."  She doesn't say anything.  "Are you hungry?"

Jess - "No."

Brian - "Do you want to talk about it?"

Jess - "No. Christmas is next week and I won't get to see you again before so lets just celebrate that, okay."

Brian - "okay. I got you something."

Jess - "I got something for you too."

They exchange presents.  Jess got him a couple shirts and a beautiful guitar that has his name on the back.  He got her two beautiful jewel hair clips and big college frame with pictures of the two of them in it.  They were watching 'A Christmas Story' when he decided to go out for a pizza.  Loren called while he was gone.

Jess - "Hey whats up?"

Loren - "Nothing just bored. Tristen wore me out today."

Jess - "Hey I found that Star Wars thing you were looking for."

Loren - "really thank god. That stupid Santa at Macys promised him he'd get it."

Jess - "I'll bring it with me next week."

Loren - "Good, so what's up with you?"

Jess - "Not much Brian just ran out to get a pizza."

Loren - "Have you talked to him yet?"

Jess - "No I wanted to wait until after Christmas but I think I might have to before then."

Loren - "Why what happened?"

Jess - "He took me to their video shot and she showed up."

Loren - "Oh ouch. What did you do?"

Jess - "I got AJ to bring me home before she saw me."

Loren - "And Brian of course apologized."

Jess - "Loren please, this is hard on him too."

Loren - "I don't see how. He's got his cake and eating it too.  You've got to make him decide."

Jess - "I know, hey I think he's back I'll call you tomorrow okay."

Loren - "okay bye."  She hangs up and opens the door for him. He's got the pizza and an animal carrier.

Jess - "Whats that?"

Brian - "Your other present."

Jess - "What is it?"  She opens it up and there is a fuzzy brown and white kitten inside. "Oh its so cute."

Brian - "It's a he."  Jess picks him up and he starts purring.  "I was going to get you a puppy but then I remembered you're not a dog person."

Jess - "Hey buddy. No don't scratch. He's so cute. Thank you baby."  She gives him a kiss.

Brian - "So what are you going to name him?"

Jess - "Mud."

Brian - "Mud?"

Jess - "Yeah he looks like he just fell in a puddle of mud."

Brian - "He's got a litter box and food in the spare closet."

Jess - "you had this planned."

Brian - "yeah I had the guy at the pizza place keep him in the back and I stuck the other stuff in the closet because you never go in there."

Jess - "You are so sneaky."

Brian - "only when it comes to making you happy. Come here Mud." He takes the kitten and gets out all of his stuff and sets it up. Jess sits there and watches him. "What?"

Jess - "I love you."

Brian - "I love you too."

Jess - "Lets go to bed."

Brian - "What about the pizza?"

Jess - "Bring it with we can watch TV in there."

Brian - "Okay. Night guy." Mud starts wandering around the house checking things out.  They sit and watch Friends and eat pizza. Before long Mud climbs up the bedspread and steals Brians pepperoni.  Jess laughs as he runs off the bed with it.  They finish up and fall asleep watching TV.

Brians phone rings at two am

Brian - "Hello. Yeah okay I'll be right there. Shit I didn't mean to fall asleep."

Jess - "You're leaving?"

Brian - "Yeah they need me back on the set. I'll come by later."

Jess - "No. Can I talk to you quick?"

Brian - "Sure whats up?" He's tying his shoes.

Jess - "I can't do this anymore. I know I said that I wouldn't make you choose between us but its been over three months. You have to fix this. I've came up with a simple solution, I'll be here on New Years Eve. If you don't come I'll know you chose her."

Brian - "Jessica can we talk about this later."

Jess - "No we can't. I don't want to see you until you make a decision."

Brian - "I don't want to leave you like this but I have to go."

Jess - "I want you to go." He kisses her for a long time. "Please Brian just go."

Brian - "I love you."

Jess - "I know you do." He leaves.