Title: Finding Family
Author: Sirius superpuppy88@aol.com
Rating: PG
Archived: July 31, 2002
Spoilers: None
Summary: Rory and Jess find that they are supposed to be together. Jess gets a visit from someone in New York, which leads to a very complicated week.
(Takes place after Season Two Finale)
[OPEN to RORY running the streets of Stars Hollow. It's nighttime and most of the shops are closed. RORY stops to sit on the bench near the gazebo. She brings her hand to her face to cover her eyes. She sits there and cries for a few minutes before a voice from behind her makes her start.]
JESS: Well now, what do we have here? (JESS smirks until he sees that she's crying and his face turns to concern.)
RORY: Oh my God. Jess, how long have you been there? (RORY hastily tries to wipe away her tears but to no avail.)
JESS: Not too long, but I think that I should have gotten here sooner. What's wrong? (His face still holds concern. He wants to go and sit by her on the bench, maybe put his arm around her, but he didn't want to make her uncomfortable. She looks sad enough as it is.)
RORY: Oh, it's nothing. (RORY fakes a smile.)
JESS: That doesn't look like nothing. Whatever it is, you can tell me ya know. I won't tell anyone. It might help to talk about it. We can figure it out together.
RORY: I can't talk to anyone about it. I'm stuck. I have no idea what to do.
JESS: You can tell me. Rory, whatever it is, you can tell me. (He gives in and sits next to her on the bench. He doesn't put his arm around her though. His face pleads with her to tell him.)
RORY: That's just it! That's exactly what's wrong! I can tell you anything. (Looks up at him and her eyes are still brimming with tears.) But Dean. I can't tell him everything. He just doesn't get it. He's my boyfriend I can't even talk to him. I don't know what to do. I love him, I know I do. But.you. You came here and you changed everything.
JESS: Sorry.I.
RORY: You are the only person here that I think I can relate to. My mom is my best friend. We get along great, but she doesn't get me the way that you do. Dean tries, I know he does, but he can't even compare to you. And then I kissed you. It was so different than when I had kissed Dean, even the first time I kissed him. It was.better. I don't know.I'm not making much sense.
JESS: (Smiles to himself but holds it back.) What do you want me to do?
RORY: I don't know. It seems like I'm lost or something.
JESS: I know the feeling. I got taken away from my friends and my life to come here where I knew no one. I spent a few days trying to sum up Stars Hollow. I looked the place up and down. The only thing good here was you.
RORY: (RORY smiled at this but quickly turned away.) See, there you go again. I can talk to you. I'm comfortable with you. I need to be doing something with Dean or else it gets weird.
(They both just sit there, letting it all sink in. A silence crawls in around them but it's a comfortable silence.)
JESS: And it doesn't get weird with me huh?
RORY: No, it doesn't. I could just sit with you all night, not talk at all, and it would be fine.
JESS: Hmm.
RORY: I have to do something about this. I have to break up with Dean. I can't be with someone I can't even talk to. (RORY gets up with a determined look on her face and begins to walk in the direction of DEAN's house.)
JESS: Wait, Rory! Hold up. (JESS runs to catch up with her. He grabs her hand to stop her and spins her around. Then, quickly realizing that holding RORY's hand sends sparks through his arm, he reluctantly lets go.) It's 11:30, isn't it a little late to go knocking on his door?
RORY: I have to do this. Now.
JESS: Come on. Come with me to Luke's. Have a cup of coffee with me or something. Wait till morning to do this. Sleep on it. Make sure its what you want before you go and do something you might regret.
RORY: Fine, but first thing in the morning, I'm gonna do it.
JESS: I don't doubt that.
(The two walk to Luke's and JESS opens the door with a key that he takes from his pocket. He holds the door for RORY to go in and then flips the light switch.)
JESS: Have a seat.
RORY: 'Kay.
JESS: (Starts a pot of coffee and then leans across the counter so he's facing RORY who is sitting on a barstool.) So, I say we get your mind off this. What book are you reading right now?
RORY: Tuck Everlasting. It's way easy I know, but it was one of my favorites in third grade and since it's summer and everything I figured I would re-read it. It'll only take me an hour or so.
JESS: Yeah, I liked that book. I thought it was funny how Jesse kept calling her Winnie Foster instead of just Winnie. I could imagine someone doing that.
RORY: Yeah! I never got why they did that. What are you reading?
JESS: Frankenstein. I've read it before too, but I wanted to re-read it. This time it's for school though. Summer Reading List.
RORY: Oh yeah, I think I've got one of those. I better get started on that.
(Pot of coffee beeps and JESS pulls out two mugs and fills them, then he hands one to RORY.)
RORY: Thanks.
JESS: (Nods.) Anytime. So.
RORY: So.
JESS: Ya wanna go for a walk? You can bring the coffee, I won't tell Luke.
RORY: Yeah, sure. (Hops off the barstool and follows JESS out the door.)
(The pair begin walking down the street. JESS seems to have a destination in mind, so RORY just follows quietly, sipping her coffee.)
JESS: Here we are. (Stops at the bridge in the lake and sits down draping his feet over the edge. RORY does the same.)
RORY: Oh, I love this place. Very good reading spot.
JESS: You come here to read? Me too, funny we haven't run into each other.
(They sit there for a few minutes, RORY leaning back and supporting herself on her hands and JESS hunched over looking at his knees. JESS looks up at RORY and sees that she is crying again. Not big sobs, just tears rolling down her face. He moves backward toward her and puts his arm around her. She lays her head on his shoulder and quietly continues to cry.)
RORY: Thanks, for everything. You're making this a lot easier.
JESS: How so?
RORY: For one thing, talking about it really helped, but for another, you make me even more clear in knowing what I want.
JESS: That being.
RORY: (Takes her head off JESS' shoulder and kisses him. The kiss wasn't short, but not overly long either. When they break apart RORY stands up.) Are you starting to understand what I want now? (She runs away, leaving her coffee mug on the bridge with JESS.)
JESS: (Whispers after her.) I sure know what I want. (He sighs and stands up to go back "home.")
Author: Sirius superpuppy88@aol.com
Rating: PG
Archived: July 31, 2002
Spoilers: None
Summary: Rory and Jess find that they are supposed to be together. Jess gets a visit from someone in New York, which leads to a very complicated week.
(Takes place after Season Two Finale)
[OPEN to RORY running the streets of Stars Hollow. It's nighttime and most of the shops are closed. RORY stops to sit on the bench near the gazebo. She brings her hand to her face to cover her eyes. She sits there and cries for a few minutes before a voice from behind her makes her start.]
JESS: Well now, what do we have here? (JESS smirks until he sees that she's crying and his face turns to concern.)
RORY: Oh my God. Jess, how long have you been there? (RORY hastily tries to wipe away her tears but to no avail.)
JESS: Not too long, but I think that I should have gotten here sooner. What's wrong? (His face still holds concern. He wants to go and sit by her on the bench, maybe put his arm around her, but he didn't want to make her uncomfortable. She looks sad enough as it is.)
RORY: Oh, it's nothing. (RORY fakes a smile.)
JESS: That doesn't look like nothing. Whatever it is, you can tell me ya know. I won't tell anyone. It might help to talk about it. We can figure it out together.
RORY: I can't talk to anyone about it. I'm stuck. I have no idea what to do.
JESS: You can tell me. Rory, whatever it is, you can tell me. (He gives in and sits next to her on the bench. He doesn't put his arm around her though. His face pleads with her to tell him.)
RORY: That's just it! That's exactly what's wrong! I can tell you anything. (Looks up at him and her eyes are still brimming with tears.) But Dean. I can't tell him everything. He just doesn't get it. He's my boyfriend I can't even talk to him. I don't know what to do. I love him, I know I do. But.you. You came here and you changed everything.
JESS: Sorry.I.
RORY: You are the only person here that I think I can relate to. My mom is my best friend. We get along great, but she doesn't get me the way that you do. Dean tries, I know he does, but he can't even compare to you. And then I kissed you. It was so different than when I had kissed Dean, even the first time I kissed him. It was.better. I don't know.I'm not making much sense.
JESS: (Smiles to himself but holds it back.) What do you want me to do?
RORY: I don't know. It seems like I'm lost or something.
JESS: I know the feeling. I got taken away from my friends and my life to come here where I knew no one. I spent a few days trying to sum up Stars Hollow. I looked the place up and down. The only thing good here was you.
RORY: (RORY smiled at this but quickly turned away.) See, there you go again. I can talk to you. I'm comfortable with you. I need to be doing something with Dean or else it gets weird.
(They both just sit there, letting it all sink in. A silence crawls in around them but it's a comfortable silence.)
JESS: And it doesn't get weird with me huh?
RORY: No, it doesn't. I could just sit with you all night, not talk at all, and it would be fine.
JESS: Hmm.
RORY: I have to do something about this. I have to break up with Dean. I can't be with someone I can't even talk to. (RORY gets up with a determined look on her face and begins to walk in the direction of DEAN's house.)
JESS: Wait, Rory! Hold up. (JESS runs to catch up with her. He grabs her hand to stop her and spins her around. Then, quickly realizing that holding RORY's hand sends sparks through his arm, he reluctantly lets go.) It's 11:30, isn't it a little late to go knocking on his door?
RORY: I have to do this. Now.
JESS: Come on. Come with me to Luke's. Have a cup of coffee with me or something. Wait till morning to do this. Sleep on it. Make sure its what you want before you go and do something you might regret.
RORY: Fine, but first thing in the morning, I'm gonna do it.
JESS: I don't doubt that.
(The two walk to Luke's and JESS opens the door with a key that he takes from his pocket. He holds the door for RORY to go in and then flips the light switch.)
JESS: Have a seat.
RORY: 'Kay.
JESS: (Starts a pot of coffee and then leans across the counter so he's facing RORY who is sitting on a barstool.) So, I say we get your mind off this. What book are you reading right now?
RORY: Tuck Everlasting. It's way easy I know, but it was one of my favorites in third grade and since it's summer and everything I figured I would re-read it. It'll only take me an hour or so.
JESS: Yeah, I liked that book. I thought it was funny how Jesse kept calling her Winnie Foster instead of just Winnie. I could imagine someone doing that.
RORY: Yeah! I never got why they did that. What are you reading?
JESS: Frankenstein. I've read it before too, but I wanted to re-read it. This time it's for school though. Summer Reading List.
RORY: Oh yeah, I think I've got one of those. I better get started on that.
(Pot of coffee beeps and JESS pulls out two mugs and fills them, then he hands one to RORY.)
RORY: Thanks.
JESS: (Nods.) Anytime. So.
RORY: So.
JESS: Ya wanna go for a walk? You can bring the coffee, I won't tell Luke.
RORY: Yeah, sure. (Hops off the barstool and follows JESS out the door.)
(The pair begin walking down the street. JESS seems to have a destination in mind, so RORY just follows quietly, sipping her coffee.)
JESS: Here we are. (Stops at the bridge in the lake and sits down draping his feet over the edge. RORY does the same.)
RORY: Oh, I love this place. Very good reading spot.
JESS: You come here to read? Me too, funny we haven't run into each other.
(They sit there for a few minutes, RORY leaning back and supporting herself on her hands and JESS hunched over looking at his knees. JESS looks up at RORY and sees that she is crying again. Not big sobs, just tears rolling down her face. He moves backward toward her and puts his arm around her. She lays her head on his shoulder and quietly continues to cry.)
RORY: Thanks, for everything. You're making this a lot easier.
JESS: How so?
RORY: For one thing, talking about it really helped, but for another, you make me even more clear in knowing what I want.
JESS: That being.
RORY: (Takes her head off JESS' shoulder and kisses him. The kiss wasn't short, but not overly long either. When they break apart RORY stands up.) Are you starting to understand what I want now? (She runs away, leaving her coffee mug on the bridge with JESS.)
JESS: (Whispers after her.) I sure know what I want. (He sighs and stands up to go back "home.")