name: Heather
email: heather@hella-good.org
spoilers: Anything in season 2, especially "A-Tisket, A-Tasket", "Teach Me Tonight", "Lorelai's Graduation Day" and "I Can't Get Started"
summary: Rory returns home from her summer away in D.C., both nervous and excited at the prospect of the year ahead.
rating: PG-13
pairing: Rory and Jess!
disclaimer: Absolutely nothing is mine. Everything in all it's Gilmore glory belong to Amy Sherman-Palladino and all that jazz. I don't even own the computer on which I type this ;)
a/n: This story was inspired by a challenge at The Chilton Library. First off, I'm a huge, huge Jory gal and secondly, this is the first fic I've written for GG and the first fic I've written in over four years, so be kind...but be honest. Thanks!
Part 3 - That's the Girl
"In exactly one week, you'll be going back to Dracula's castle, so what do you want to do today? I took the day off and thought we could do some good mother-daughter bonding," Lorelai said, setting down her coffee bowl.
"Well, I do need to get my school supplies..."
"No worries. I think your grandparents have a surprise for you on Friday. I told them it wouldn't be enough for the likes of you but they wouldn't have it. I think Richard even went back to Staples and bought the place out."
"Ooh, really?" Rory asked, not containing her excitement.
"That place is like the good crack-house of office supplies. You go in for one box of pens and suddenly you're buying ten, picking up Post-Its in every color, size, and shape, and don't forget that cool white-out tape they have now...that'll be the death of mankind."
"More coffee?" Luke asked.
"Why do you even ask?" Lorelai retorted.
"I have no idea. You'd think I'd realize that you are perfectly content to clog every artery you have."
Rory looked at her mother and Luke bickering and she secretly wished that the two of them would just stop being so stubborn and admit that they were crazy for one another. That didn't matter as much as the fact that they were on normal speaking terms again. Rory was thrilled that they had worked through their differences, worked through the horrible things that had been said the night of the accident. She still didn't know what exactly was said between them and she figured at this point, it didn't matter. All that mattered was that they were friends again and back to their way of being.
The door to the diner jingled and an attractive brunette walked in. She looked around and it was obvious she had never been to Stars Hollow, let alone Luke's, before.
"Can I help you?" Luke asked.
"I'm looking for Jess Mariano? He said he would be here."
"He's upstairs. I'll go get him." Luke turned to go and stopped, turning around again. "Is he in trouble? Did he steal a gnome from you or anything like that?"
"Uh, no, nothing like that," the woman said, chuckling.
"I wonder who she is," Lorelai whispered, raising her eyebrows.
"I don't know," Rory mumbled.
Luke was lecturing Jess as they walked into the diner. Jess saw the woman and smiled. Rory's heart dropped. She had become used to Jess not smiling at anyone but herself.
"Sarah? I thought you weren't coming," Jess said as the two hugged.
"Well, you called, I said I'd see, I saw, I'm here...Where is here by the way? This place is crazy. I've had about fifteen people say hi to me since I got out of my car, which is three feet from the door."
"People are friendly around here...Not to me, but they don't know you know me so you should be safe for a couple of hours," Jess said, still smiling.
"So, how long are you going to need me?"
"How long can you stay?"
Sarah rolled her eyes. "Always averting the subject. I would have thought you'd outgrown that by now."
"Never," Jess said and for the first time he noticed Rory staring at them. He lifted his hand in a small wave, which did not go unnoticed by Luke, Lorelai or Sarah.
"Okay, here's the deal, I need to find a place to rent, I have to set up some things, you're lucky I work from home and then we'll get to it. I haven't spent this much time knowing you to watch you let it all go to waste because you feel the need to be Dylan McKay." Jess gave her a look and she said, "Hey, he was the cool guy rebel when I was your age."
"School doesn't start 'til next week. There's plenty of time."
"Good and you are going to listen and obey me, right?" At that, Luke scoffed. Sarah looked over at him and continued, "I'm not here to put up with any of your crap, Jess. You do what I tell you, you do what I ask and you'll be graduating come June. But if you're just going to continue on this 'I'm useless, ain't I cool?' path that you're currently on, I'm walking. Got me?"
"Gotcha. Good to know some things don't change," Jess said, smirking.
"So, I can't wait to meet this girl that has made you re-evaluate everything," Sarah said, playfully punching him on the arm. Jess shifted uncomfortably and quickly glanced at Rory, who sat in her chair, pretending not to listen, but her beet red face from blushing gave her away. Sarah looked to where Jess looked, leaned over and whispered, "Oops."
"Yeah...thanks," Jess whispered back. "Oh, uh, this is my Uncle Luke, Uncle Luke, Sarah."
"Hi, nice to meet you. Heard lots of stories with sledgehammers and ponds in them," Sarah said, shaking Luke's hand.
"Yeah, I've heard...nothing about you," Luke said, a bit uncomfortable.
Sarah turned to Jess, her eyes narrowed, "Are you kidding me? You didn't tell your uncle I was coming?"
"I didn't know you were definitely coming."
"Don't I do what I can for you, kid?" Sarah asked, putting her hand on Jess's arm. Turning her attention to Luke, she said, "I was the only babysitter that didn't go screaming from the apartment when Liz came home."
"So he's always been a charmer...ow," Lorelai said, rubbing her shin where Rory had nudged her a bit too hard.
Sarah laughed. "No, not from Jess, from Liz. She wasn't the easiest person. Jess used to be a good kid when he was five."
"You are on a roll," Jess muttered.
"I've only just begun, Jessup."
"Luke, can we have the bill? We have bonding to do," Lorelai asked when there was a lull in the Sarah/Jess banter.
"You're actually going to pay for your meal?"
"Eh, what the hell? I'm feeling the need to give money today."
"Giving me money for the food I cooked? That's extremely charitable of you," Luke said, sarcastically.
Jess walked over to Rory, sneaking a look at Lorelai, who just watched him with her eagle eyes, and said, "Will you be here for a couple of minutes? I, uh, got something for you."
Rory glanced at her mother, who nodded her head. "Yeah, we'll be here for a couple of minutes."
"I'll be right back."
"He's buying you gifts?" Lorelai asked, a tone in her voice that Rory wasn't thrilled with.
"It's probably just a welcome home kind of thing."
"Uh-huh," Lorelai nodded, not believing any of it.
Jess came back with a book which he handed to Rory. It was a hardcover copy of Oliver Twist. It was a deep burgundy color, the leather covering was worn in most parts, the gold lettering was almost invisible and the pages were a dingy yellow color from years of use. Rory opened the book and there were names in the inside cover to those it had belonged to previously. The last name on the list was Dodger. Rory ran her fingers over the word and smiled.
"I found it at a book fair over the summer," Jess said.
"It's beautiful..." Rory let the word hang in the air as the three adults watched their interaction. Rory and Jess were completely oblivious to them watching. "It looks so old."
"Look at the edition."
"Jess, this is a second edition!" Rory squealed with unabashed happiness. "I can't wait to show my grandfather this."
Rory looked up at him, her smile so large that her eyes almost disappeared behind the rise of her cheeks. He nodded, tapped the table and went back upstairs.
"So, I guess that's the girl?" Sarah discreetly asked Luke.
"Yup, that's the girl."
