Rory woke up the next morning to the loud sound of a vacuum. She rubbed her eyes and looked at her clock to see it was only 7am. Rolling on her back she stared at the ceiling before deciding to get out of bed.
"What are you doing?" she shouted at her mother.
"Did I wake you?"
"Don't act dumb with me." She shouted over the vacuum.
"Dumb?"
"We don't have carpet. Your not even using the vacuum your just letting it run while your reading a magazine." Rory pointed out as she turned it off.
"Oh that's what the noise is."
Rory sat down across from her mother and smiled. It was clear that the night before had gone well for her and Luke.
"Fixed?"
"Completely." Lorelai smiled.
"Good." She smiled.
Jess ran quickly down the stairs into the diner as he passed Luke he turned to eave good-bye and jetted out the door. He ran down the street till he finally reached his mother's house, hoping he wasn't late. Any job that TJ started was going to have to be fixed, and he hated to think he was the one to do it.
"Jessie." His mother shouted as he walked up on the porch.
"Has he started yet?"
"No, your just in time." She said as she opened the door and led the way to the room they were remodeling.
"So this will be the baby's room?" Jess said as he looked at the small room that looked like a walk in closet. "Are we widening it or what?"
"I told you to bring your uncle." Liz said ignoring his questions, "You guys make such a good team."
"In case you forgot, Uncle Luke hates fixing TJ's mistakes."
"He said no?"
"He said hell no." Jess smirked, "I'm here though, we can make this work."
A loud hammering noise came from the other side of the wall until finally a sledgehammer broke through. TJ's face was white with sheet rock as he stuck his head through the hole he just made.
"I guess we will be widening it." Jess sighed as his step dad peered though.
"I've tore down a few walls in my day." TJ informed them.
"And there was a crew of men rebuilding them I bet." Jess said as he rubbed his head.
After hours of work Jess walked back to the diner filthy as could be. As he entered Luke came running towards him waving his hand up and down and opening his mouth.
"What's that Lassie?" Jess said in a squeaky voice.
"You're a mess."
"Glad you noticed. I was just on my way up stairs to clean up." He said pushing his way around his uncle.
"Whoa."
"Now what?" Jess shouted as he lifted his arms up.
"Rory's up there."
"Well that's just great." Jess said shaking the sheet rock out of his hair on to the diner floor.
"Stop doing that." Luke said grabbing his arm, "Come with me."
Luke drug him up the stairs and into the apartment where a nervous Rory sat waiting. When the door opened she jumped up and nervously fixed her dress. She looked over to see a messy Jess.
"What happened?" she asked as she held back a laugh.
"I told you I'm helping my mom remodel."
"Oh."
"Jess is going to step into the shower. While you come down stairs." Luke informed her.
"OH, yeah. Of course."
Rory walked out of the apartment and down the stairs as Luke let go of Jess's arm. He pointed towards the bathroom and Jess began to walk towards it.
"Talk to her." Luke said before exiting.
'Talk to her?' Jess thought as he stood in the shower. How was he supposed to talk to her when she wouldn't listen? How was he supposed to talk to her when he hadn't a clue what to say? He stood in front of the mirror wishing he had never came to Stars Hollow. Not that he didn't deserve a vacation from Philly, it was just that Stars Hollow wasn't exactly a relaxing place to be. Nor was his situation.
Rory sat down stairs reading a book as she waited on Jess. She sipped her coffee and looked at the stairs every few minutes. She didn't think he would actually come down, he would just hide away upstairs until she was gone. Looking back down at her book she began to scan the book, once again her mind was else wear.
"You wanted to talk?" she heard him say as he looked at the cover of her book.
"Yeah."
"Well lets go." He said walking out the diner door.
She followed him to the bridge. It was no surprise he led her there. They sat down facing each other waiting for the other to speak. Finally Rory decided she had to speak. When her voice cracked the silence it made Jess flinch.
"I don't know what exactly to say. I know something needs to be said."
"You could start with an apology." He glared.
"I already told you sorry about what happen in Philly."
"Why are we here Rory?" he said staring into her eyes, "Why can't you just be honest with yourself."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Jess shook his head. It was no surprise to him that she was acting so innocent. He wondered why he let her play cat and mouse, then she touched his cheek. 'That's why.' Those words echoed though his mind as he let his head fall in her cupped hand. 'I miss those hands.' As he closed his eyes and let her caress numb his senses he almost felt like he was a teenager again.
"I'm sorry I hurt you." She whispered.
"Again and Again."
"You aren't so innocent."
Jess opened his eyes and tilted his head away from her hand. Leaning back on his hands he looked at her, why was she the key to his happiness? Why had he led himself to believe she could cure him of anything? 'Cause she had.' The answer rolled around in his head till finally he couldn't take it. He stood up and started walking away.
"Jess. Please." She cried still sitting down.
"What are we doing here Rory?" he shouted with his back towards her.
"Aren't we friends?"
"Friends?" he asked as he looked down at her, "Friends don't ache to touch each other."
She looked down at the bridge and started to cry. She wouldn't look at him, not now. He didn't need to see the tears he had brought to her eyes. She sat in silences as he finally sat down beside her, knowing she was crying he leaned her chin up and looked into her eyes.
"I am not in denial here Rory." He shook his head, "New guy, new life, but same damn game."
"What are you talking about?"
"You." He shouted. "I have never been good enough. You can't admit how you feel because you would have to do something about it. You haven't changed."
"I'm sorry." She cried now not hiding the tears, "I have gone over this and over this. I don't have an answer. You think I'm not hurting? I am."
"Rory." He shook his head. "You've done this to yourself. This time around it is all on you."
Jess stood up and walked away this time ignoring her pleas for him to stay. She sat alone on the bridge until finally her sadness had turned to anger. It was him that had left her so many years ago, if hadn't of left they would be together still. She knew it. She believed in the what if. She stood up and raced back to the diner. Storming into the diner she walked up to the counter where Jess was reading. She pulled the book out of his hand and slapped him then placed the book back in his hand. Jess threw the book down as she walked back outside. The rage in his eyes scared her. Maybe it was the towns people glued to the windows in anticipation or the surprised look on Luke's face as he walked back from Doosey's. They didn't know, but both of them started laughing. They laughed until finally Luke spoke.
"What on earth are you two doing? Why is your face red?" Luke questioned Jess.
"Catching up." Jess said smiling at a very shocked Rory.
"Catching up." Rory said smiling back.
"Back to your own lives." Luke said to the people inside the diner as he went in.
Rory and Jess stood staring at each other till finally Jess grabbed Rory's hand. She smiled and caressed his with her thumb. It was clear to both of them, that neither one knew what to do. Blaming each other just made matters worse.
"I made a pro con list." Rory informed him.
"What?"
"Logan is in London for a year."
"Wow. A year?"
"I made a pro's and con's list."
"How'd that go?"
"Depends on who you are." She smiled faintly.
"I guess so. It would seem that London would be a pretty big con."
"True." She smiled, "Friends?"
"Rory." He sighed, "Stop asking that. You don't like the answer."
"Are we?"
"No Rory. I can't be friends with you. It hurts too much. Don't you see that?"
"I understand."
"Look I just want to go rest. It's been a long day, working with TJ is nightmare."
"See ya around." She said as he walked in.
"Yeah."
Rory walked home to find her mother sitting in her bedroom reading her Pro's and Con's list. She sat down beside her on the bed and leaned her head onto her shoulder.
"Talk to him?"
"Yelled, laughed, cried, and yes talked."
"Wish I had the answer." She said playing with Rory's hair, "You got to do this on your own kid."
Rory pulled back and looked at her mom. It was true there was no easy way out of it, and it was all up to her. She could hope her feelings for Jess fade and move on with her life, no matter who she was with. Or she could just give into the fearful love she had for him.
"Is it possible to wallow when you don't even break up with someone?"
"I think in this case."
"He doesn't even want to be friends."
"He'll come around." Lorelai said as she looked at Rory.
"I don't blame him. I know he hurt me, but I keep repeating a pattern."
"Lets not think about the Jess issue for the rest of the day okay?"
"I'll try." Rory said pulling a book from her purse.
"You could start, by not reading his book. Again." Lorelai said taking the book from Rory.
"Okay."
"It's Friday." She reminded Rory.
"Friday night dinners are always a good way to forget your troubles." Rory sarcastically said.
"It'll be fun. You and me, invading the Gilmore mansion, just like old times." She smiled.
"This better be fun."
