i will follow, if you lead
By Averie
Character and locations property of Amy and Daniel Palladino
If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there.-Lewis Carroll (Alice and Wonderland)
Written on January 29, 2005
HadLeeMay, Smile1 and Encarta: Thank you, very much, for your kind comments.
Slayer365: I would like to thank you for being so honest. I would also like to take this chance to say that I'm not trying to make Rory a badass, and I'm not saying she hates Lorelai. It's just, for my story, she's spent a few weeks every summer with Lorelai and now she's living with her because her dad died. Any teen would be a little… disrespectful in such a situation.
Gilmoreaddict: I like to think that the first chapter was misleading, but you could be right. In fact, you probably are.
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January 15, 2000
I'll be here a week tomorrow. I'm not used to being here and thinking that this is where I live. I'm still thinking I'll be back in California in a month and my entire routine will continue as per usual; I'll spend Saturday nights watching movies with Dan and Miranda, go to the same school I've been going to all year, and spend Wednesday taunting Chris on his mediocre arcade abilities. Okay, so I'm obviously still in the 'settling in' phase of the move, but I haven't hurt anyone like I did last time.
If you discount Kirk.
The town isn't really as bad as I like to make myself think; I get to see Luke, Lane and Andrew daily. My room, as I've forgotten many a time, has a huge bookcase. Even if it isn't as big as the one back in Cali.
I'm going to attend Stars Hollow High, starting Monday. I have three hours with Lane, luckily. On a less happy note, I also have three classes with Jess. His only good point is his love of books, and that's tainted by a Hemmingway fetish.
Must 'bond' with Lorelai,
RLH-G
(Yes, it's official, tell the world. Lorelai Leigh Hayden has been initiated as a Gilmore.)
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Stepping out of her room and into the kitchen, Rory ran straight into Lorelai. "Hey kiddo, careful." The eldest replied, cheekily, before heading to the sink to dump out a cup of her toxic coffee. Turning back to Rory, she flashed a smile. "So, what shall we do today? We could do a movie thing, or terrorize Kirk, or Taylor, or Luke, or we could solve the mystery of Pierpoint."
Raising an eyebrow, Rory questioned, "Pierpoint?"
"Babette's missing lawn gnome," Lorelai replied, pouring another cup of coffee and sipping it before dumping it down the drain. "He disappeared a few days ago."
Walking to the fridge, Rory pulled the bread down from it and started toast, "Gee, I wonder which townie could be as cold hearted as to steal a ceramic fairy tale creature."
"Are you insinuating it was one Jess Mariano?" It was an actual question, not a 'Duh' that Rory could snap at.
"That I am," was her short reply as her toast popped up. After listening to Lorelai talk as she slathered on jelly, she spoke again. "What's up with him, anyway?"
Lorelai tilted her head to the side, "And you mean what by that, my dear Watson?"
"I mean," Rory started, "what's his story. He's new."
"A-ha! So, you want to know the story of—" she stopped before finishing her sentence, her voice taking a menacing tone. "—Jess Mariano?"
Shaking her head, Rory replied, "Not if you're going to talk like that."
"Anyway," Lorelai started, sticking her tongue out at Rory. "I really don't know much. Luke's sister, Liz, sent Jess here after he did… something. No one knows what, but we're pretty sure it's bad. Jess' dad is a deadbeat who disappeared after Jess was born, and Liz is a whack job. Uhm, Mr. Mariano previously resided in NYC, City not Color." She paused, thinking, "He's somewhat of a bibliophile and he's already been through your Stars Hollow books and has six, or so, of them. List is on your dresser."
Eye's widening, Rory rushed back into her room and snatched the list off of her dresser before returning to the kitchen. Clearing her head, she read through the list; her expression relaxing. "You bought me more books while I was home."
"No I didn't," the elder insisted, dumping yet another cup of coffee, "Why would you think so?"
"I don't own…" she trailed off, looking at the list. "A Farewell to Arms, the Dante Club, or Antigone."
"Emily sent over a few books," she replied, truthfully. Giving up, she turned off the coffee pot, "I miss my coffee."
Rolling her eyes, Rory walked over and poured out the coffee, rinsing the carafe before replacing it. She emptied the brew funnel and returned it to its place before grabbing a bottle of vinegar out of the cabinet and pouring it into the reservoir before turning on the coffee maker.
"Are you going to make me drink hot vinegar?"
Looking back toward Lorelai, Rory grimaced. She turned back to the coffee maker and watched as the vinegar came out a brownish black. Moving to the side, she gestured for Lorelai to look, "Have you ever cleaned this thing?"
Her brow furrowing, the Innkeepers expression puzzled, "You're supposed to clean them?"
"I'm not having this conversation… again." She turned her attention back to the coffee maker and poured out the hot vinegar as it finished 'brewing'. Returning the carafe and refilling the reservoir with vinegar, she watched another brown cycle and another and another before finally giving up. "Ugh." She walked into the living room, "You need a new coffee maker."
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The Gilmore's entered Luke's a half hour later. Sitting at the counter, Rory ignored her mother and spoke to Luke. "The genius over here is upset."
Luke set down a coffee cup in front of Lorelai before filling it and turning his attention to Rory. "Why?"
"She needs a new coffee maker." At his questioning gaze, she sighed, "I ran vinegar through her coffee machine four times without any grounds and it all looked like coffee. Smelled it, too."
Downing her coffee, Lorelai looked at them cheekily, "Didn't taste like it."
"That breech's the confines of sanity." Luke replied before walking off to take someone else's order.
Lorelai turned to Rory, "He didn't take our orders."
As if on cue, Jess popped up in front of them, order pad in hand. "And you'll have?"
Lorelai smiled widely and raised her hand, "Ooh, ooh, me first! Me first!" Several patrons glared at her, Jess just nodded. "Chocolate chip pancakes with the chocolate syrup and whipped cream. Ooh, uhm, more coffee, and a donut!" She turned to Rory, "Speak, Miss tofu-roni and goat cheese."
Jotting down Lorelai's order, he nodded at Rory.
Once again ignoring her mother, Rory spoke, "Omelet and O.J."
Jess walked away and Lorelai started talking.
"You start school the day after tomorrow, how do you feel?"
Shrugging, Rory said nothing.
Lorelai's brow furrowed, "You must feel something."
Jess set Lorelai's donut in front of her before heading behind the curtain.
Ignoring her mother, as she so often did, Rory followed Jess up. She opened the door and stepped into the apartment, paying no heed to Lorelai's warnings. Looking around the apartment, she subconsciously realized she hadn't been there since she was ten. She noticed a curtain hung across the room, assuming it was Jess' area. Opening the curtain and stepping in, she raised an eyebrow.
Jess, looking up from his book, acknowledged her with a nod, "What?"
"Aren't we Mr. Social?" After a moment with no response, she continued, "I want my books."
"And you'll, what, glare at me until I give them to you?" He didn't move, instead turning his eyes back to the book.
Reading the title on the book, she realized it was the Dante Club…
…and he was writing in it.
"Get your lousy little pen off of my book."
And it stopped. His pen stopped moving, tip still resting on the page. He raised an eye too her, "You're really gonna freak when you see the rest of them."
"Do you actually live to annoy the hell out of me, or is it a perk?"
He ignored her for a moment as he finished his margin-note. "Honour."
Raised eyebrow, hands on hips, defensive stance.
"Honour bar. You have to pay for it, and it really isn't worth it in the long run, but it seems like a good idea at the time." He, once again, ignored her as he wrote in her book.
Taking a few steps forward, she ripped the book out of his hands. "I want my books, and I want them now!"
With an eye roll, he reached down and came back up with books, tossing them at her. "Chill."
He turned on the television, ignoring her.
She, on the other hand, sat her books on the kitchen table before walking over and sitting next to him.
Looking over at her, he sent a questioning glance before turning back to his program.
Not having missed the look, she replied, "Either I stay up here, or I go back downstairs and deal with Lorelai and the dupes."
"Wow, who'd've thought I'd ever be the lesser of two evils."
An hour and two programs later, she spoke. "So, what landed you here?"
He tilted his head in a position that looked extremely uncomfortable, "What makes you think it wasn't a choice?"
"Because, you hate it here as much as I do."
Raising an eyebrow, he retorted, "Doesn't seem to me like you hate this place."
"You're wrong. Now, don't change the subject. What landed you here? Stealing harmless lawn gnomes?" She smiled at him, but only a little. It was her first smile since she'd moved to Stars Hollow.
He shook his head, "You tell me yours, I'll tell you mine."
"Mine isn't really something I want to talk about."
He shrugged, "Neither is mine, but if you want to know…" He trailed off, the sentences intention clear.
"Okay." She stared at her hands, "My dad died. Murdered, actually. And, I saw it happen." She looked back at him, trying desperately not to cry. "Your turn." She failed miserably as the tears started streaming down her face. Her mind flashed vividly over the happenings of that night, watching, waiting.
"Oh, so your gonna be doing that—" he gestured to her face, the crying, "—for a while, then. Huh?"
Her voice was oddly steady as she spoke, "Probably." She rested her head back, willing the tears to stop.
Jess patted her shoulder, awkwardly, "Oh, okay. How about coffee? Did you inherit the caffeine addiction?"
Throwing her torso forward, her elbows landed on her knees and her chin in her hands.
Uncomfortable and awkwardly, Jess wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "You might not have guessed this, but comforting people? Not exactly my forte."
She tensed slightly as his arm rested over her shoulder, her internal monologue drowning out whatever he had said. She wiped the tears from her eyes and shrugged off his arm, standing up and grabbing her books off the table before exiting the apartment, and then the diner.
And Jess followed.
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He was afraid to ask where they were going, but after they'd sat on the bridge awhile, she'd stood and walked to the bus stop. He watched the stops and was only marginally surprised when she got off at the last stop in Hartford; the stop by the cemetery.
He hung back as he watched her approach a grave, less than two weeks old, that already had a visitor. He was more than surprised when she embraced the other person, placing a small kiss on his lips before pulling him down to sit beside her.
She set her books beside her father's grave before looking over at Jess and gesturing for him to approach.
He did as directed, walking toward the couple slowly. Rory looked between him and the other guy. "Logan, Jess is Luke's nephew. Jess, Logan is my boyfriend."
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Okay, so I'm convinced I was inebriated while writing this chapter. It was… quite odd when I read over it. Hmm… maybe I should get a beta.
Well, you know the drill, read and review.
P.S. I swear, chapter three is long and good. Well, all my test subjects said so…