AN: SO I am back! Yay, I have really wanted to update this, but I like knew I had to give it time to cool, and I know that I have to have a schedule. But I am back, almost one week later (I was gonna update tomorrow, but I love this story). Ok, I hope you enjoy, and hopefully this one clears up a few things.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Thirty days and thirty nights
Been putting up a real good fight
And there were times I thought you'd win
It's so easy to forget
The bitter taste the morning left
Swore I wouldn't go back there again
-"You and Tequila" Kenny Chesney
"I get to leave first!" Rory yelled as she bolted from the diner. Jess started after her, and she started running faster. "My town! I leave!" She yelled again as the people of the town watched the strange interaction from the former lovers. Rory completely forgot about her daughter for a few minutes as she ran through the streets, reminding her of the first time Jess had told her he loved her.
"Rory stop! People are staring!" He shouted to her, but she didn't stop running. Good lord, how did she not know he was back in town? Stars Hollow had the best gossip train, and the people would normally rush off to tell her that her former boyfriend was there. And he had met Lilly! She was screwed. So screwed.
Finally, because of her horrible eating and working out patterns, the brunette slowed her pace until she was officially at a stop. Bent over and panting, she tried her best to stay in that position as to not have to confront the man in front of her, and her past demons caused by said man. She looked up and was surprised to see concern written on his face, and worry in his eyes. The eyes that she could get lost in for years…
"Why are you here?" She questioned staring into his brown eyes. He gulped some air like she had done previously (he would never admit that he wasn't in the best shape, but it wasn't a lie) and looked around at the town he had once lived in before turning back to the woman he had once – no, still- loved.
"Well, we're expanding. Truncheon, expanding to Hartford. I came to see Luke…" He trailed off, and let her think for a moment. He had been so close to saying he was planned to see her too, but didn't. She had a kid for goodness sake's, and no doubt she probably married the blond dick from Yale. He was an idiot for going back. Nothing good ever happened when he went back to Stars Hollow. Why shouldn't it now?
"I can't believe you met my daughter." She exasperated, bringing him from his reverie. He looked towards her, and she turned her head.
"Why? The blond dick gonna be mad that I met his precious little girl?" He asked with scorn in his voice. Rory recoiled appropriately and looked at him again. He looked hurt, and she did too. They were a crappy pair.
"She's not Logan's." The woman whispered. Jess perked up a bit, his next retort locked and loaded.
"Oh, this is rich. I can't believe that you shacked up with bag boy. Wow, you know, that's just rich." He told her, this time with more venom in his voice. He watched as Rory's eyes filled with tears, and she shook her head again this time not able to even put him in his place.
"Oh my gosh. Is, is she…" He trailed, unable to finish the question. She looked up at him, and she so wanted to scream yes. That Lilly was his that they could finally be a family. He was there and it was the perfect opportunity, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. God, she was an idiot.
"No." She let out a shaky breath and let the lies come. "My friend from Yale, Marty. He and I, after Philadelphia. It's complicated." She tried to explain without giving herself away. She didn't know why she did it, but she did and now she was angry at herself, but couldn't go back on the lie. She looked towards Jess's face, and it kind of made her want to hug him and apologize. Good God, she was keeping his daughter from him, and she didn't know why.
"Ok." He said, and turned back towards the diner with Rory trailing behind. She let out a sigh of relief. She couldn't deal with him possibly leaving again, and refused to let Lilly go through that like she had so many times. She heard the giggles coming from her daughter and thought maybe it wasn't as bad as she thought.
"Ok, I'mma do the thing. You ready? Ok." Lilly exclaimed looking at her mom and Cat and Mark. Jess sat back down on the stool he had previously occupied, and tried to act like he was paying a lot of attention to his coffee but was really listen to Lilly babble. She pointed at Mark and started rambling.
"Marky-Mark is Mark Wahlberg. Mark Wahlberg was in Daddy's Home. Also starring Will Ferrell. Will Ferrell was in The Office season 8. The Office had Karen. Karen is also Ann Perkins. Ann Perkins was in a relationship with Chris Traeger. Chris Traeger was played by Rob Lowe. Rob Lowe was in the brat pack. The brat pack wasas in a bunch of '80s movies. John Hughes directed a bunch of '80s movies. John Hughes references were made often by Shawn Spencer. Shawn Spencer was the main character in Psych. I know you know, we are watching Psych tonight." She finished somehow with all of her breath. Rory clapped, and Cat giggled while nodding her head. Mark plopped down and grumbled.
"I told you never to call me Marky-Mark." Making Lilly laugh loudly, and earn a sweet hug from Cat.
"You're such a dork." Rory told her daughter. Lilly smirked and pulled her mother's coffee cup out of reach, and held the pot above her head. Said mother groaned, and tried to get back the beloved drink of the gods. "But you're my dork, with the coffee that I love!" She struggled out trying to reach across the counter. Lilly passed back her coffee and went back to her work.
Rory sent a look Jess's way, but he looked down to his food as soon as her head turned. He had heard all that Lilly had said, and he knew without a doubt that she was 100% Gilmore girl. Rory stood, and kissed her daughter's forehead as she was headed toward the door.
"Bye, Baby. Love you." And then she was gone, leaving Jess to breathe a bit easier. He wasn't sure but somehow after 20 years she still made his heart beat a little faster and the breath catch in his throat.
XXX
Throughout the week Jess and Lilly seemed to be getting along well. He spent most of his time at the diner where she also spent time since she was working so often. However, Friday rolled around and Lilly was nowhere to be seen, surprising and worrying Jess. He would never admit it, but she had started to grow on him since he had moved back.
He decided not to say anything, knowing it would probably give Luke a reason to tell him to stay away from the Gilmore girls, and he didn't really want to do that. Even though they had had a rocky start, Rory was surprisingly coming around to him again, and they had started to have the barest hint of a friendship. Like the absolute bare minimum, but he would take what he could get.
Though what surprised him the most, was the fact that he didn't see Lilly until 11 o'clock that evening. Jess had been peacefully watching a Fresh Prince rerun and going over some last minute plans for Truncheon II when he heard the bell to the diner ring and the loud chatter of teenagers. He could easily pick out Lilly's loud voice which she had obviously inherited from Lorelai, but he didn't know any of the other kids who had shown up with the 16 year old.
"Marky-Mark!" Lilly called. Now that was one kid that Jess did know, and if Mark was there that meant that Cat wasn't that far behind. But there were still a bunch unknown voices. He didn't really want to go down there and be exposed to the youth of Stars Hollow. He hadn't really like the youth of Stars Hollow when he was one, so why would he like them now?
"Lill, don't ya got that lock picking kit upstairs?" A new voice asked. Jess rolled his eyes, hoping that no one came to disturb him while working. But sadly he heard Lilly's response, and the padding of feet coming upstairs. He braced himself for whoever came up the stairs, whether it be Lilly or one of her friends.
"Hey, Jess." Lilly stated calmly while walking through the apartment. He grunted in response, and continued working, wanting to be involved as little as possible. Jess knew that if Rory caught wind that he had any knowledge, he would be in deeper than he already was. And he really wanted to be on Rory's good side.
Lilly grabbed what she needed, and headed back down the stairs, thankful that Jess didn't question what she was doing. She knew that he and her mom had a history, but the extent of that history she didn't know, so it was no doubt that he would probably tell her mom if she was up to no good. She really didn't want to lose her book privileges again.
"I got it! Let's get some ice cream!" Lilly yelled to her group of friends. Doula raised her arms and hollered, and Steve and Kwan whooped along with the blonde girl. Mark followed behind quietly, these antics that their friends did weren't really his and Cat's thing, but they loved their friends and in all seriousness they did end up enjoying the shenanigans.
"In cones!" Doula shouted after her cousin. Lilly nodded energetically and the six of them headed to the next door soda shoppe. They would obviously get in trouble the next day, but they threw down some of the candy barrels and spilled some milk by the door for good measure hoping to really annoy Taylor.
Since Jess hadn't heard the kids come back, he decided if he was going to be going down to the diner that was the best moment. He would quickly grab a snack and then leave in fear that the teenagers would return shortly. He really didn't like teenagers, except for his sister and Lilly. Unfortunately, he had timed it all wrong because just as he was finishing up his coffee, Lilly marched in with her band of followers.
He noticed Doula trailing in the group, and waited for her to notice him. However, he should have thought that through because knowing his mom, his sister would be a squealer too. "Big Brother!" She screamed and jumped at Jess who was prepared. "I didn't know you were in town!" She yelled again making all the others in the room flinch.
"Doula, I've been here for a week. How did you not know?" He questioned. Doula looked at the ground sheepishly, and looked to her friends who smirked. She couldn't hide much from her big brother.
"Well, Mom and Dad decided I go to one last summer camp before school started, but they got the dates mixed up so I was gone. It was really fun, and don't worry I had Lilly do my homework so I'm not behind." She jovially explained. Jess rolled his eyes. Of course Liz would take Doula out for a random last minute excursion, and of course Doula would get someone else to do her homework. It was a part of the flightiness that came with their family.
"Well, I have to go work." The adult told the kids. They nodded, and Doula hugged him once more before he trudged up the stairs. Finally, he could work knowing all was well. Besides whatever had happened at Taylor's shoppe, but thinking about the next generation keeping up the tradition of annoying Taylor Doose made him smile. Before he turned back to the TV, Jess grabbed his phone and dialed the one number he thought he wouldn't.
"Hello?" The person on the other line picked up. Jess smiled, and was taken back to a time when he wouldn't reply.
"Hey, just thought you should know that Lilly was here. And she and her friends most likely vandalized the Soda Shoppe. Also, did you know she has a lock picking kit?" He asked. Rory huffed on the other line, she most definitely was not expecting a call from Jess at midnight concerning her kid.
"Not surprised. Yeah well, that is their favorite Friday night activity. Thanks for telling me." And then she hung up. Jess sat there a bit stunned for a few minutes. He didn't expect Rory to gladly receive his call, but he had at least hoped that she would be a bit nicer when he showed concern for her daughter. He slumped back into the reclining chair that Luke never got rid of and flipped off the TV. He couldn't focus on even the most mindless of activities. His head was filled with her, and only her.
On the other side of Stars Hollow, Rory placed her phone down on the coffee table and tried to get her article done. She couldn't. She couldn't do anything as long as he was in town, and that wasn't an option. She had a daughter who needed her, a daughter who needed her father…
No, she couldn't afford to think that way. She had already told too many lies to back out now, and most of those lies had been told to said father. Rory dropped the pad of paper back onto the coffee table, knowing full well that she wouldn't get any more work done. Her mind was filled with him, only him.
