Soft Rains Will Fall

by Stew Pid

I said I wasn’t going to write during the school year and after this, I’m not, but it was really bothering me that I hadn’t hit lucky number seven and so I just had to write something, just a one chapter thing. A back to school sort of fic. Rating

By Stew Pid

Rating: Should be okay

Disclaimer: I only own the Stew Pid stuff

A/N: Well, I said I wasn't going to write during the school year and after this, I'm not, but it was really bothering me that I hadn't hit lucky number seven and so I just had to write something, just a brief one chapter thing. It's not so much a superstitious thing or anything. It just bothers me when I don't reach my goals and if I don't reach my summer goals, how am I going to reach my school year goals? So all of this was by way of telling you not to expect much of this (if you can expect much of any of my stories.) It's just sort of a place-holder thing.

A gentle drizzle began to fall on a cool and sleepy September afternoon. Rory had finished her first week of her senior year and while normally, after a week like the one that had just terminated, she would have collapsed by her mother's side at the diner and wished for summer again, she could not do so this time. She could not wish for another summer. She was glad that it was over and that she was back to the order of the chaotic school year. Too much had happened in one summer. It was too long. The sun was too hot. It scorched, it burned, and under its rays things grew that should not have and under its rays things that were already planted and grown, dried and withered. September was a new beginning. The autumn would kill off everything the summer had caused and she could start over again, sow and replant and harvest better things, hopefully by November.

Lorelai sat inside the diner at a table by the window. She was trying to figure out why the entering customers seemed damp when no rain was visible outside. The drizzle was more like small beads of condensation flowing in the air wherever the cool breeze carried them, sliding off lampposts, grazing people's shoulders, traveling down the lengths of their arms, flying then onto windows and slipping down from the ledges, down the outer walls onto inch-long strands of grass (for Taylor had his way). They were barely visible, especially not through thick glass windows not thoroughly washed (Jess was supposed to do the windows last). What was visible was Rory's form coming with every second in closer proximity to the diner, and with each new level of propinquity Lorelai noticed more and more what a dreadful week had elapsed, and she knew that Rory was undoubtedly still feeling the residue emotions of the summer.

Rory entered, and Lorelai greeted her with a commiserating half-smile.

"Hey," she said, casually, letting Rory choose the pace of the conversation.

"Hi," Rory responded, settling her book bag under the table and taking her seat. "How was your day?"

Lorelai understood that Rory wanted to keep the conversation simple.

"Not too bad. Michel slipped on the wet floor and twisted his ankle and wants to sue."

"Huh."

"But then when he realized if he sued he'd be unemployed, he changed his mind."

"Well that's good. How's his ankle?"

"He has to wear a cast. It's going to be a fun week chasing Michel on crutches."

"Be nice."

"Why? I'm not the one who's supposed to put up the wet floor sign."

"It's cruel."

"Well, you haven't heard it all just yet. Sookie and I had worked up this whole plan where she would call Michel to the kitchen and then I would call the Inn on my cell phone and we would do that all day to watch him hobble back and forth."

"See, I'd expect that from you. But Sookie?"

"I've lured her to the dark side."

"Well I'm telling you I don't think you should do it. It's hard enough when you're wearing a cast, and he's got crutches on top of that. It's not pleasant and why would you want to make it more unpleasant."

"You cast people always stick together."

"Well, we've started a union."

"Ugh. Don't you hate that fraternal vocabulary? Brothers and sisters of the Garbage Pickers of America."

"Michel's my brother now."

"That's too scary a thought."

"Yeah, I gave myself shivers."

"Let's talk about something less frightening, like…"

"Grandma and Grandpa."

"I said less frightening. Not just as."

"I forget why we're not having dinner with them tonight."

"You didn't forget."

"No. I really did."

"You couldn't have forgotten because I never told you."

"Oh. So are you going to tell me now?"

"I want to."

"Uh huh..."

"Okay."

Lorelai took a breath and looked at Rory. How could she tell her? What would be the right way? She froze.

"Uh, because they figured, it's your senior year. What the heck. They've seen enough of you these three years."

"I know that's not what it is. Wow. So this is big."

"It's big in the sense that it's really weird but it's not really big."

"Hmm."

"Okay. Here goes. See, I had to cancel dinner."

"Why?"

"Yeah, I'm getting to that."

"Okay."

"See, uh, the other day, uh, I was at the diner waiting for you, and you were, uh, somewhere else, and, uh, Luke and I were talking like we normally do, and, uh, I suddenly remembered I had a dentist appointment on Friday. So I canceled."

"Luke asked you out?"

"Uh, yeah. That too."

"And you said yes?"

"I think it may have slipped out eventually. I said a lot of stuff before that, I mean…"

"Well I think it's great."

"You do?"

"Yeah. I mean, you both have liked each other for a long time."

"Well, I tolerated him from time to time."

"Uh huh. Sure. Tolerate. That's the word. This is great. It explains everything."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, the other day I came in here and I asked him if he had seen you, and he just got all weird and said no that if he had seen you he would definitely want to tell me beforehand and all this stuff. I didn't get it."

"Yeah. He kept asking me if I had told you, but I just didn't know how after Max, and Chris, and I didn't want you thinking, if she gets involved with him and screws this up we won't be able to get coffee anymore."

"I don't think that."

"Good. Because it's nothing serious. It's just two friends on a casual date."

"Right."

"So our coffee is not in danger."

"Good."

Luke came in from the kitchen and walked over.

"You two want anything?"

"Um, I think I'll have the day's special," Rory said.

"Me too."

"You mean the Friday special?" Luke confirmed, looking sharply at Lorelai.

"Oh, is it Friday already?" Lorelai was going to make him suffer a bit.

"How do you forget what day it is?"

"I just didn't realize it. Wow, Friday. Ugh. That means dinner with my parents."

"You mean…" He looked at Rory. "Never mind."

"Luke, I know it's Friday and I already told Rory."

"What?"

The two Gilmores burst into laughter. Luke shook his head and walked away.

Jess came into the diner and threw his book bag over the counter. He took the coffee pot and refilled a few cups of coffee, then returned to his place and settled down to a book. Rory shifted nervously, trying not to look at him, but failed in the effort.

"Mom, I have to go. Ask Luke to pack my order."

"Rory…"

She didn't wait to hear Lorelai's objection, but grabbed her book bag and left. Rory wandered the Stars Hollow streets. She was finding that there were fewer and fewer places to go. She couldn't stay at Luke's with Jess there. She couldn't go to the market because she'd run into Dean. She couldn't go to the bookstore because Dean's girlfriend worked there. She couldn't go to the music store because she'd meet Lane and while she always enjoyed talking to Lane, she couldn't talk to her when she was feeling the way she did. The only place to go was home and she was getting tired of it. Still she went, walking through the dew drenched streets to her house, the left-over refuge.

Later.

"Rory. I need you."

Rory dragged herself to her mother's room, sneezing and coughing the entire way. Her eyes were teary and her nose was beat red.

"Uh huh."

Her head still in the closet, Lorelai's voice came out muffled.

"You know I need you to dress me."

"Oh. I forgot." Rory coughed again.

Lorelai emerged fully from the closet, alarmed at the sound of the cough.

"Hey. Are you sick?"

"No. Just a little cough."

"That was not a little cough."

Rory sneezed.

"That's because a sneeze was coming."

"Hmm. Cough and sneeze. You're sick."

"No. It's just from that drizzle. You have to be careful with those drizzles. They're devious. The drops are so small that they seep through your pores and get in your skin and they're so soft that you don't realize how wet you're getting."

"Yeah and then you get sick from them."

"Just a sneeze and a cough."

"Come here."

Rory walked carefully and humbly over to Lorelai who put the back of her hand against Rory's head.

"You've got a fever."

"My head is always warm. That's why I'm so hotheaded."

"Yeah. Whatever. Change your clothes and get in bed. I'll bring you some Tylenol and something for that cough."

"Mom. It's no big deal. I'll get it myself."

"Hey, who's the mother here?"

"Who needs who to dress her?"

"Not anymore. Now get to bed."

"Wait. Don't tell me you're canceling on Luke because I have a little cold."

"Okay. I won't tell you."

"Mom. This is ridiculous. It's just a cold. I'm fine."

"Mm hm."

"If you're using this as an excuse because you're afraid to go out with Luke…"

"You're right. I'm terribly afraid of him. Don't make me go. You have to protect me. Now go to your room. I'll be there in a second."

"Mom."

Lorelai directed Rory past the door and shuts it on her.

"That was rude," Rory protested.

"But necessary. Now go to your room, missy."

Lorelai grabbed the phone and called Luke.

"Luke here."

"Hey, it's me."

"For the last time, you can't wear flip flops to the place. And I can't believe you're making me say flip flops."

"Come on. You know you like saying it. Say it with me now."

"Lorelai, I'm hanging up now."

"Wait. It's not about the flip flops. I can't go."

"I see."

"Rory's sick."

"Oh. Is she gonna be all right?"

"Yeah. She's just got a cough and a little fever, but you know."

"Yeah. I understand."

"Thanks. And I'm really sorry."

"Don't be. We'll do it some other time."

"I'd like that. And Luke…"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks again."

"No problem."

Lorelai walked into Rory's room with Tylenol, cough syrup and a glass of water. Rory rested on her bed cuddling a box of Kleenex.

"Miss Gilmore. Dr. Crackinback prescribed these medications for you."

"Thank you, nurse. I'm sorry you had to cancel your date."

"Don't be. Take the Tylenol."

Rory took the medicine and settled back down in bed. She looks over to the window.

"Is it still raining?"

"You can't really tell from the inside."

"Couldn't we go to the living room and watch a movie or something? There's nothing to do in here."

"Sure. What do you want to watch?"

"A sick movie."

"Well, I try to keep those in a place where you can't get to them."

"Funny."

"Oh. You mean Kirk's movie."

"That's not what I had in mind but it's a good preamble. And next, When Harry Met Sally."

"Good selection."

They watched the movies, talking and laughing all the while. They decided to start a Meg Ryan Marathon but Rory fell asleep on Sleepless in Seattle. Lorelai got her up into enough of a semi conscious state for her to stand, and supported her frame on her return to her room. She sat by her bedside until her stomach called. She had only had Campbell's soup so as to maintain solidarity with Rory. She got up and walked quietly out of the room.

On arriving at the kitchen, she found Luke there setting up the table with paper plates and plastic forks and knives.

"Hey," he said.

"How'd you get in?"

"The turtle."

"Huh. So what's all this?"

"Food. You gotta eat. Where's Rory?"

"Asleep."

"So she's not gonna eat?"

"I don't think she was expecting you. No, she barely finished her soup."

"Oh." He clears up Rory's place setting.

"You didn't have to do this. And this isn't food from the diner."

"No. I got it from the restaurant. Figured that way you could eat the food in your flip flops. I have to stop saying that. Anyway, I had already told Jess to hold the fork at the diner tonight and he sort of owed me so I didn't want him to get off, you know."

"I see. Well, thanks. This looks great. Lots of stuff."

"Yeah, well. I know how you eat."

"Got any pecan pie?"

"What?"

"Sorry. Rory and I watched When Harry Met Sally."

"Well then, it's a good thing I didn't come sooner."

"Hey, pass the hot sauce."

"You don't ruin a baked potato with hot sauce."

"You don't ruin a potato by baking it."

"Here you go."

"Thank you."

"So how'd things go at the Inn today?"

"Well. First off…"

Rory had been up for fifteen minutes staring at the ceiling through watery eyes. She was surrounded by used Kleenex and she gathered them all and stretched for the garbage bin. Dumping them all, she relaxed once again on the bed. She knew she was too grown to expect or to even want her mother to stay by her bedside when she had a cold, so she wished instead at that moment that she had a dog or cat to stay by her. Loneliness is amplified by illness. She looked over to the window once again to check for the invisible drizzle and was startled by an outline tapping the glass. She sat up and looked, wondering if she might possibly be seeing things. The outline tapped harder which annoyed her. She threw off the sheets angrily and went to open the window.

"Hey," Jess said.

"What are you doing here?"

"Can I come in? I'm getting wet out here."

"Then why don't you go back home?"

"You know you're grouchy when you're sick."

"Come in."

She moved to give him climbing space, but gave him no help in entering.

"Gee, thanks," he said when he finally made it in.

"You're welcome. What are you doing here?"

"I heard you were sick."

"So?"

"So I thought you might want to read this."

He hands her a copy of Dostoevsky's The Idiot.

"They're always getting sick in that book."

"They're always getting sick in any Russian book."

"Well, it's cold there."

"Yeah. Thanks, but I have this one." She hands him back the book coldly.

"Oh…So…how's school?"

"Okay. How's your girlfriend?"

It seemed that along with her weakened immune system was a weakened inhibitory system.

"Wouldn't know. She's not my girlfriend anymore."

"Sorry to hear that," she said, still coldly.

"Rory, I…"

"I think you should go. My mom is going to be here any minute and if she saw you here…"

"Okay. I get it. Good night."

At another side of the house, Luke and Lorelai finished their conversation at the door.

"So after that I vowed that I would never take any child of mine to a dude ranch. It would just traumatize Rory for the rest of her life."

"The way it did you."

"Yes. The scars still burn every now and then."

"Well I'm sorry you had to go through that."

"Thank you."

"I didn't even like the petting zoo."

"What's your horror story?"

"Nothing like that. I just generally disliked it. I mean what's the point. You've got a bunch of dirty animals that don't want to be touched and you don't want to touch them either and some guy drags them over to you, while they're kicking and you're screaming and your mom grabs your hand and forces you to touch it. Just doesn't strike me as a worthwhile experience."

"Not the way you describe it, that's for sure…Well, I should go check on Rory."

"Yeah. I'd better go."

"Thanks for coming over. And for the food."

"No problem. I hope Rory feels better."

"Me too."

"And don't eat her food, will ya'?"

"I won't."

Luke turned to leave but hesitated. He turned back to Lorelai who still stood there. He moved in closer to her and kissed her gently, but strongly, heating up the cool, damp atmosphere. They parted and Lorelai smiled. Luke nodded and left.

Lorelai walked quietly to Rory's room to check on her, the smile still on her face. She peeped in and the smile immediately fled upon seeing Rory. Her eyes were more watery than before and it appeared as though they had not been merely tearing but crying.

"Rory, are you all right?"

"I'm fine," she faked a casual tone. "I'm starting to sound nasal."

"I'll get the drops."

"No, I have them. Where were you, by the way? I looked all over the house for you."

"Oh, I was outside. Luke came over."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"What'd you do?"

"We had our first date."

Rory smiled brightly and the smile returned once again to Lorelai's face.

The next day, the drizzle that had persisted throughout the night had ceased. There was a fresh, new look to Stars Hollow and the air seemed to promise a happy autumn and a good harvest. The Gilmores entered the diner. Lorelai and Luke immediately exchanged smiling glances. Jess walked over with Lorelai and Rory's coffees. His eyes and nose were red, and he walked away sneezing.

"Hey, don't sneeze on people's food," Luke reprimanded.

"I'm not even holding any plates," Jess said, then coughed.

"I'm just telling you beforehand. I don't want customers complaining."

"And I guess it'd make too much sense to let me off today."

"I already told you Caesar's not coming in. After the lunch rush you can go upstairs. Did you take the Tylenol this morning?"

"Yes, mommy."

"Walk at lest twenty feet away from me right now."

Jess sauntered languidly to the register.

"Order for me," Rory told Lorelai.

She walked over to the register.

"Hey."

"What?"

"I hear you're sick."

"So?"

"You should read Dostoevsky's The Idiot. They're always getting sick in that book."

"I don't think I have that one."

"I'll bring it over and read it to you."

"Okay. Sounds good."

"Good."

Rory walked back to her table, looking back at Jess as she took her seat. They exchanged smiling glances, and she and Lorelai settled down to breakfast.

A/N: Well, this wasn't as brief as I expected it to be, but whatever. It also wasn't as neatly tied up at the end and I said I would write a nicely wrapped up ending, but please forgive me. I don't have any finality of thought. You see my overuse of run-on sentences. In my head, no sentence ends in a period. Every question is open-ended and never answered. Welcome to my head. If I knew you were coming, I'd have baked a cake. =) Sorry.