Christmas comes and Jessica has been to the doctor to confirm her pregnancy.  She still hasn't told anyone about it.  She put on a good show for the family pretending everything was fine.  No one notices that she's holding on by a thin thread to her sanity. Reece, Loren and Jess were in the kitchen doing dishes from the meal they had just eaten.

Loren - "Reece, you can sit down we'll finish the rest."

Reece - "No, well I could use a break. So when you and Kevin eventually get married are you not going to be around for Christmas?"

Loren - "What makes you say that?"

Reece - "Well he's not here tonight, and his family is in Kentucky and it just seems like the wife makes the concession of giving up on her family's traditions. Luckily my family is too scattered to try to celebrate holidays together."

Loren - "I think we'll just cross that bridge when we get to it."

Reece - "How about you Jess? Where's your Brian at tonight?"  She drops the plate she was drying.  When she bends down to pick it up she cuts her finger and starts crying. "Oh geez I'm sorry are you okay?"

Jess - "I'm fine."  She sits in a chair and Loren gives her a towel for the cut. Shirley sticks her head in.  Loren jumps up in front of Jess so she can't see her crying.

Shirley - "Is everything okay I thought I heard a crash?"

Loren - "Yeah Jessica dropped a plate everything's fine. Tell everyone that we'll bring the pie out in ten minutes." She leaves again. "You want to talk about it?"

Jess hadn't told her about the ultimatum she gave Brian.  She proceeds to tell both of them.

Reece - "Oh honey, he'll be there I know he will."

Jess - "I hope so. But I have to prepare myself if he's not."  They are both silent.  "Come on its Christmas I'm not going to ruin everyone's joyful holiday. You guys take the pie out and I'll finish the dishes and start the dishwasher. Okay."

Reece - "All right but you don't have to be brave for us."

Jess - "I know. Go on."

She finishes up in the kitchen and then goes eats some pie.  She didn't stay in New York as long as Stephen and Reece.  The next morning Jess was on a flight back to LA. All she did for the next week was stay in her pajamas and jump every time the phone rang. Everyone seemed to be calling to invite her to parties but she kept saying, no that she already had plans. Finally New Years Eve came and she was so nervous.  She had went to the store and made a special dinner for Brian, then decorated the house with streamers and balloons.  Then she sat and waited.

While Jess waited she feel asleep

Brian came in carrying yellow roses. He was dressed in a suit. He
swept her off her feet and kissed her all over her face. "How could you
think I would ever choose her over you. I love you so much I want
you to marry me." She'd cry and say yes and then  tell him about
the baby. He would fall to his knees and touch her stomach and talk
to the baby inside. They would then make love until noon the next day and
fall asleep in each others arms.

When Jess woke up it was 11:57. Three minutes to midnight, Brian wasn't there. He wasn't coming; She turned off the lights and went to bed.  New Years was quickly becoming her least favorite holiday.  She couldn't even cry, something inside knew this was coming and she had turned off her feelings to protect herself. Year 2000 was suppose to be the start of every thing new for so many people. It felt that way to Jess too, it was the end of the old Jess who trusted people. No one was going to recognize the new Jess.

Two days into the New Year and she had begun to make some drastic changes.  Once again she started renting out the house until she could sell it.  Jess was not taking any calls.  She had gotten numerous e-mails from Nick, he was extremely angry.  She e-mailed him back telling him that if she wasn't angry he shouldn't be. Brian had made his choice and it wasn't her, he needed to get use to the fact and get use to Christine.  On the other hand Loren was not going to except that.  She had been at the New years eve party with Brian and Christine.  The sight of him with her was made her physically sick so she left early.  

Unfortunately she missed the show that Willa put on for everyone.  Nick had finally reach the breaking point with her and broke up with her.  She showed up at the New Year's Eve party with about three guys and proceeded to make quite a spectacle of herself hoping to make Nick jealous.  All he did was pity her and ask her to leave.

A few days before Nick's birthday Loren flew in to LA for a supposed audition and stayed with Jess at the hotel.

Loren - "So what are you going to do today?"

Jess - "Going house hunting, you?"

Loren - "I've got a meeting with Rod.  But that's not till this afternoon maybe I'll tag along with you."

Jess - "I really appreciate your concern but I'm going to be okay."

Loren - "It's okay if you're not."

Jess - "Would you feel better if I broke down and cried."

Loren - "I would feel better if you showed any emotion."

Jess - "Look I'm not going to let this break me okay.  He's not worth. I know you are having trouble understanding so I'll talk slow.  I.  Am.  Fine.  Okay."

Loren - "okay. I'll drop it."

Jess - "Thank you. You still going to come with me."

Loren - "Yeah I love house shopping."

Jess didn't find her house that day but they still had a good time.  Loren flew back to Orlando for Nick's birthday party, he was turning 20 a very big deal to him.