Disclaimer: We own nothing, but Maggie wants to own Milo. No, Meg does! But Maggie saw him first. Ok, this could get ugly, we have to end this. But anyway, we're not ASP but we wish we were. Also, all familiar dialogue belongs to Dan Palladino.
A/N: This takes place right after Jess left the restaurant in Let Me Hear Your Balalaikas Ringing Out.
A/N 2: This is a re-post of a story that we started a year ago. It is now completely complete with full editing and a great epilogue. The full story will be posted in the next few days.
Coming Full Circle Chapter 1Jess ran out of the restaurant. He didn't think it was possible to hate Logan any more then he did at that moment. He walked as quickly as he could, but halted when he heard a voice call out his name.
"Jess, wait," Rory called after him.
"We shouldn't have done this."
"He's just in a bad way lately."
"He's a jerk! "
"He was. In there, definitely. I'm so sorry."
"I read that guy the second I saw him. I should have begged off."
"Well, I didn't want you to! "
"He'd better not come out here."
"Please, Jess. He had a lot to drink. He's tired from traveling. This isn't him. I swear."
"What the hell is going on?"
"I told you, he's tired! And his family's bugging him right now –"
"I mean, with you! What's going on with you?"
"What do you mean?" Rory asks, stunned.
"You know what I mean! I know you. I know you better than anyone! This isn't you."
"I don't know."
"What are you doing? Living at your grandparents' place? Being in the DAR? No Yale - why did you drop out of Yale?" Jess practically shouts the last part, incredulous as to where her life has gone.
"It's complicated!"
"It's not! It's not complicated!"
"You don't know!" she replies defensively.
"This isn't you! This! You going out with this jerk, with the Porsche! We made fun of guys like this!"
"You caught him on a bad night."
"This isn't about him! Okay? Screw him! What's going on with you? This isn't you, Rory. You know it isn't. What's going on?"
Rory is starting to get it. He looks at her, questioning.
"I don't know." She looks around, thinking. She wraps her coat tightly around her. "I don't know."
They look at each other for a moment.
Realizing how his words have affected her, he softens his approach. "Okay, uh. Maybe, maybe we'll catch up at a better time." He reaches out and rubs her elbow. He turns to leave. He stops at the gate and turns back. "Happy birthday, by the way. Wasn't that a couple weeks ago? Your birthday?"
Rory, still shocked, nods slightly. Jess smiles sadly and leaves. Rory watches him, but then suddenly calling out to him.
"Jess, wait!"
Hesitantly, he turns around and faces her once more, waiting for her to speak.
"Um, where are you staying?"
"Eh, just the Holiday Inn about two blocks from here."
"Oh, okay."
"Alright… Take care," he says with a nod before turning around and stalking into the night.
With that, Rory turns slowly on her heel and grudgingly proceeds back into the restaurant, where Logan is working on his 4th drink.
"He gone?" Logan asked, immediately upon her reentry.
"Yes. He's gone."
"Writers. They're so sensitive."
"You were a jerk, Logan."
"I was just challenging him, geez. Hey, if Hemingway could take it, so could he. Hey, if he wanted to, he could've taken a pop at me. Pugnacity. It's a vital component in literary life. Again, consult your Hemingway. Come on. Do not let this guy get to you."
"You're getting to me!"
"Me?"
"Yes. You were an ass!"
"Look. I'm sorry I came back early, I really messed things up here." He said, sarcastically.
"Jess wrote a book! He wrote a book, and you mocked him."
"I did not mock him."
"He's doing something!"
"Good, fine, he's doing something. Everybody in the world's doing something. More power to him."
"I'm not! I mean, what am I doing? I'm living with my grandparents."
"That's temporary. Have a drink."
"Temporary can turn into forever."
"You're not living with the Gilmores forever."
"I'm palling with my grandmother, I'm being waited on by a maid. I come home and my shoes are magically shined, my clothes are magically clean, ironed and laid out. My bed is magically turned down. I'm in the DAR? I'm going to meetings and teas and cocktail parties?"
"Again, temporary. Have a drink."
"I'm wasting my time partying and drinking, just hanging out, doing nothing!"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, don't pull me into this," He says threateningly, standing up.
"I didn't say anything about you."
"Yes you did. Don't make me feel guilty for your drinking and partying. That's your choice. I'm not forcing you when I ask you out, you can say no!"
"It's all we do."
"It's not all we do."
"Yes, it is! Oh, wait, I forgot! We also steal yachts!"
"Well, that's my prerogative. You know…?" He trails off, realizing what she just said. "And I'm going to pretend you didn't even mention that yacht."
"I never would have done that before I met you," She snaps.
"What are you saying, you wish you never met me?"
"No, not you. You're father, maybe, but not you."
"Oh, great, so now you're dragging my father into this."
"Well, he's the reason I don't know what I'm doing with my life!"
"I didn't tell you to quit Yale, and neither did he! You did that! I gave you one month, you went beyond the month and it had nothing to do with me! It was all you! Now, you want to change, change it. But don't blame me, don't you dare blame me! You know what, why don't you go off with John, Jack, whatever his name is!"
"Oh, I'm not going off with Jess!"
"Come on," He sighs, trying to shake things off.
"Where?"
"Let's go. I want to go. I don't want to be here."
"I don't want to go."
"Well, I drove you here and I want to go!"
"I don't want to go!" She says louder, and more stubbornly than before.
"Fine." He pulls some money out of his pocket. "That'll cover the bill, cab." He throws it on the table. "Do whatever you want. It's your choice." He leaves the restaurant in frustration.
Rory remains standing, too stunned to move. After a minute, she felt like the place was suffocating her. She took off walking, unaware of where she was until she saw the glowing sign of the Holiday Inn above her head. If she was in a better mood she would of laughed at the irony. Apparently she did know where she was going.