Title: Goodbye and Hello
Summary: RJ. She leaves Logan and comes to Jess. Just one shot.
A/N: This is an edited and cut version of Lacy's (Pepsicola81) Takeoffs and Landings
Disclaimer: I own zip zero nadda (wish I did own Jess tho….)
He comes in and sets his briefcase down next to the door. He glances at his watch out of habit and realizes it's nearly two in the morning. He tries to be quiet, but it's quite hard for him. He walks into the kitchen to grab something to eat, but there are no leftovers in sight. Something which he finds extremely suspicious. He takes off his coat laying it on the couch. He walks into their bedroom and there she stands, not sleeping as he expected her.
"What the hell are you doing?" he yells at her.
She stands in front of him, packing up her clothes. She realizes for the first time she truly only has very few possessions at all.
"I'm leaving," she says quietly to him.
He stands there, fists clenched. His hair is in slight disarray, usually in such situations she would gently rub her hands through the blonde mess, but tonight she just stands in front of him. Leaving him almost speechless. Almost.
"Rory, you can't leave."
She doesn't react to this, she only keeps packing.
"I think it's best for both of us," she says.
He walks over to her, taking all of his strength not to reach out and shake her violently.
"Don't do this."
"I have to," is all she says.
He turns around to seat himself in a chair. He watches her closely. She's changed from when they first met. She's thinner now; he's noticed she doesn't eat as much as she usually did. Her hair is shorter too; it makes her look older, more mature. But they're only 23; they're not supposed to be that mature. Are they?
"I know about her," she says quietly, gathering a few more things from their dresser.
He just looks down, and his fists begin to unclench as he realizes she has a reason, a motive, and an excuse. His first instinct is to deny it, but he knows it'll only make him look like less of a man. He doesn't need any more of that.
"Look, Rory…"
She holds up a hand to stop him, and he does, because he respects her that much and really he doesn't even know how to formulate a correct sentence around her anymore.
"Really, you don't need to explain anything, it won't help," she tells him.
"I'm sorry," he says.
She just shakes her head.
"If you were really sorry and half a man, you would have told me and apologized. I had to find out on my own. You don't even remember anything do you?"
He doesn't know what she's going on about. He pushes back his hair and tries to make himself more confident around her, but she just pushes him down. Sometimes she's too overpowering. What was once a turn-on is now his own defeat.
"When I go into my drawer and find red silk panties. You were the one who told me I looked fat in them. Do you really think I wouldn't notice that they were used and I had never worn them? Really I never thought you would be one to insult my intelligence. Obviously I was wrong"
He puts his head into his hands.
"What am I going to tell everyone?" he shouts at her, anger rising in him.
"The truth," she says.
"Ok, so I should tell everyone you just one day decided to leave me."
She chuckles sarcastically at him. How could she ever have loved him, or even thought she loved him?
"Well if that's your version of the truth then sure."
For once she doesn't care about anything of that sort. She takes a step closer towards the door. He takes her hand and simultaneously she drops her suitcase.
"Rory," he says looking deeply into her eyes. "I need you."
She laughs again and shakes her hand free of his.
"Yes you do, you need me only because you're afraid of what people are going to think now. You damn selfish bastard, thinking you could cheat on me and get away with it. I'm sick of this. The divorce papers will be here Monday. Make sure to sign on the dotted line with pen," she says icily.
She takes the suitcase and lets herself out. She slams the door right in his face and suddenly she feels free. On the curb, she hears the soft hum of an engine. She sees the car, and her heart feels free and light for once. She takes a few steps down the walkway and around to the passenger side of the car. She puts her suitcase into the back of seat and climbs in next to him.
"Where to?" he asks her, eyes shining brightly, and proud at her.
"Anywhere," she tells him.
He grins at her, and reaches across to kiss her. She feels his words embrace her without him even having to speak. They pull away.
"Jess…," she starts but he just puts a finger to her lips and kisses her forehead. He grabs her hand and takes it in his.
He drives off and their life finally together, begins.
She finds his apartment is comfy and cozy, but she doesn't say anything because he might think she's just trying to be nice, but she's not. When she wakes up the morning after in bed next to him, she wonders why she didn't do this a long time ago.