Fire and Ice – Chapter 3
Standard disclaimer applies – I don't own them and can't even remember who does. But it's not me. So there.
HUGE thank you to everyone who has been kind enough to leave me a review – I really appreciate all of them. I'm afraid I haven't got as far with this chapter as I would have liked to but I know that time is pressing on and I didn't want to leave it too long between updates. So, I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint some people and that you guys still enjoy it.
BTW, I've been looking on this site but can't seem to find a fan-fic group that is just for Jess and Luke stories – does anyone know if I've missed one like it? Hope this question isn't against the rules, by the way.
It was only the second crash of that morning, but already the diner's customers were starting to murmur amongst themselves and mutter behind thinly veiled hands and coffee cups. Caesar had been valiantly running around serving pancakes and waffles to the breakfast crowd for the last three hours and, Lorelai thought, been doing a pretty darned good job, too (his lack of cooking-skills not withstanding). She'd been helping out for a while but, though she usually thrived on the thrill of diner life, her heart that day was simply not in it.
And the clientele were not helping. "Is Luke still up there, darling?" came the long, deep drawl of Miss Patty, reclining languidly in her chair. She shot the portly lady an exasperated look.
"Jess only got back from the hospital a matter of hours ago, Patty. Give the man a break." The elder lady merely raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, of course, dearie. How is young Jess? Such a terrible accident," she sighed dramatically, shaking her head so that her jewellery shook and rattled. " I really am thinking of cancelling my Aerobics on Ice classes."
Lorelai bit her tongue and smiled as pleasantly as she could. Concern over Jess' welfare had been trickling in from around the town since the accident last night, most of it mere pleasantries, some of it given with the hope of a free cup of coffee in return but a few, more heartfelt.
Rory had even offered to stay home from school to help out in the diner and give Luke a break from looking after Jess' needs for a while but Lorelai had assured her daughter she would not be needed. Surprisingly, Lorelai considered, Patty was also probably one of the more heartfelt well-wishers, Jess having personally angered her less often than he did the others. Taylor's inquiry into Jess' health had been almost as frosty as the lake.
"He's doing well. He just needs to take it easy for a while." She glanced to ceiling above her. Luke hadn't made even one appearance downstairs to say hi, yet. She reasoned that he was busy and probably worn out himself but it still struck her as a little unusual. Perhaps she would go up and see him in a bit? Yes, Lorelai decided. She'd give her friend another half hour and then take some breakfast up to him, given he most likely didn't feel like cooking. Feeling a little less superfluous now and reassured that there was some new way she had to help him, Lorelai resumed her waiting on tables this time with more purpose.
"Twenty-four hours."
"It's not the New York Marathon."
"They said a day."
"It's just across the street, for God's sake!"
"I don't know what sixty lots of twenty-four are but I damned sure it isn't up yet."
"Has it escaped your notice that you're being insanely and preposterously over-protective right now? Stop freaking out! I'm fine."
"Jess!"
"What?!"
Luke paused, took a step back and inhaled and exhaled, slowly. Tensions had been running high all morning, Jess refusing both to adhere to the twenty-four hour bed-rest prescribed by the doctors and to take the medication that would effectively ensure he was down for the count. But, Luke knew, him losing his cool and snapping was not going to make anything easier. The guilt of the accident had caused him to end the grounding but he was beginning to wish he could reinstate it, just to give him another reason to keep Jess safely tucked away indoors for a while longer.
Realistically Luke knew it couldn't last forever but he was willing to give it a shot.
"One day is not the end of the world. Be reasonable. Your body needs to rest."
"Jesus!" Jess exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air. "It seems all my body needs to do these days is rest – I've practically spent the last month catatonic!"
"Oh, and you don't think you're exaggerating just a little?" Luke countered, folding his arms across his abdomen and levelling his nephew with a challenging glare.
Jess didn't so much as blink or miss a beat. "My muscles are gonna atrophy."
Luke sighed again, heavily and rubbed a tired hand over his face. Guilt began edging its way into Jess' conscience. His uncle was worn out and it was his fault. Luke was probably as sick of hospitals as he was and at least he had the small mercy of being unconscious for most of his visit.
Scowling heavily, Jess acquiesced. "Fine," he muttered stalking over to his bed and kicking off his shoes. "But for one hour only. I'm not staying here any longer than that."
"Fine," Luke agreed, knowing that once his nephew was asleep, he'd be out like a light, regardless.
A knock at the door drew their attention, suddenly. Jess glanced to Luke, clearly unwilling to answer it himself. His people skills had not improved lately nor was he willing to hone them now. Luke hesitated. Company from misguided do-gooders was the last thing they needed now.
"Luke?" they heard a familiar voice call out through the door. "It's just me."
Jess rolled his eyes and turned away to start getting ready for bed, presuming his uncle would let her in. As he pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it on a pile of clothes by his bed, he eventually heard Luke make his way over to the door and open it.
He opened the door to a smiling Lorelai Gilmore. Briefly, his eyes flicked down to the tray of breakfast goodies she was carrying and his stomach growled involuntarily. He'd forgotten how long ago it was since he had eaten but his treacherous stomach seemed intent on reminding him.
"I brought breakfast," she explained needlessly, pushing her way past him and in to his apartment.
"You've remembered I have a kitchen up here, right?" he asked her marginally annoyed she had detected a weakness before he was even aware of it. If she noticed the trace of irritation, she made no mention of it.
"Fear not – that had not escaped my notice. But I also know that you're probably too busy battling with your pig-headed nephew to remember to use it. So, the Meals on Wheels program comes to you." She paused and grinned. "Only, without the wheels part cos, trust me, you'd be eating this omelette off your shirt rather than off a plate."
She turned to the boy in the corner who had finally finished wrestling a fresh t-shirt over his head. Lorelai gave him a short wave.
"Hey Frosty. How's it going?"
Jess ignored the jibe and instead jabbed an accusatory finger at Luke. "He's making me lie down despite the fact that's all I've been doing since last night."
Lorelai glanced to Luke who had shaken his head and closed the apartment door. She tsked in mock disapproval. " Uh-huh. The man has no heart, I tell you. And it looked like such a comfortable, relaxing sleep at the hospital, too. What with all the wires and the monitors and the needles in your hands and stuff." She nodded, knowingly, causing Jess to just scowl and turn away, muttering under his breath.
Considering her work at teasing Jess to be temporarily over with, Lorelai walked over to the kitchen counter and deposited the tray. Luke watched her for a moment before moving in to action himself and rummaging around in drawers for cutlery. "Thanks." He nodded to the tray and the tempting meal it held. "You know," he added, "you don't have to do this – hang around, I mean; help out at the diner. It's good of you, but I'm sure Caesar can handle it if you want to go home."
She patted his shoulder, comfortingly. "Nonsense. What are friends for? I've called work – they can do without me for one day. Apparently the world will not descend into chaos without me there to keep it on the straight and narrow. Though," she added, almost as an afterthought, "I may come back to find Michel stuffed in a freezer somewhere."
They both sunk down onto the couch as Luke tucked in to the food. Presently, the couch lurched again and both adults looked across in surprise to see Jess sit down on the other side of Lorelai. Luke halted the fork as it made its way to his lips.
"I thought you were going to bed?"
Jess shrugged. "Now I'm hungry."
From where he sat on the other side of Lorelai, Luke waved the fork at him as he spoke. "Sleep first, then eat. Now up and into bed!"
"Whoa!" Jess exclaimed, raising his hands defensively as the pronged instrument was pointed his way. "Careful with that thing, Uncle Luke: you might accidentally burst the plastic bubble I'm wrapped in."
Luke narrowed his eyes as he spotted the elder Gilmore smother a chuckle. "I'll make you some relaxing tea," Luke compromised. Jess opened his mouth, a protest already forming on his lips. Luke, however, beat him to the punch. "And one more word out of you and I'll give you a glass of water, a clip round the ear and send you packing." Jess shut his mouth again.
As Luke set his plate down on the coffee table, Lorelai turned to look at Jess more carefully. He was looking much better she was relieved to see. There was some minor frostbite on his hands and face but other than that, he looked none the worse for wear. "So how're you feeling, really?" she pressed, quietly. At the counter, Luke was still hovering over the boiling kettle.
The kid shrugged. "Fine. Just want to get out of here. Luke's going insane though." She gave him a sympathetic smile.
"Give him time," she advised. "He's had a shock last night and he's just getting over it, that's all. It won't be long before things are back to normal." Jess narrowed his eyes and Lorelai began to recognise this as Jess' signal that he was mulling over what she had said.
"Anyone would think it was him in the lake, last night," he muttered, eying his uncle carefully as he poured the tea to make sure he was still out of earshot.
Lorelai gave a sad, whimsical smile. "Trust me: when you're a parent, it might as well be."
"Yeah but he's not…" But then Jess stopped suddenly and closed his mouth again. "Yeah well," he continued, almost under his breath. "I still say it's stupid."
"Can't argue with that," she agreed, secretly longing to share Jess' silent admission with her friend, knowing how much it would mean to the man. However, she also knew what a betrayal of a private conversation would mean to Jess and Lorelai was starting to appreciate being one of the few insiders to get to know the real Jess Mariano. It was getting difficult to decide which priority was higher on her list.
"So," Jess started abruptly, changing the topic. "Did Rory like the album?"
"Huh?" It was so odd to hear Jess actually initiate a conversation she was completely caught off-guard.
Jess shifted a little awkwardly on the couch, relieved suddenly when Luke returned to hand him his tea as if welcoming the distraction. "The pictures," he clarified. "Did you manage to get them back?"
"Oh those." Lorelai could suddenly feel Luke's eyes resting on her for a moment, before he looked away and moved his stare to rest on his plate, shovelling food into his mouth without bothering to savour the taste. She felt a touch uncomfortable. "Uh, yeah," she said, as casually as she could. "Funny thing really – a bunch of the townsfolk have been collecting them up at random and dropping them in at the diner or in my mailbox. I mean, I guess some of them are gone for good but a lot of them are cropping up all over town."
Jess glanced down at the mug of steaming tea in his hands. "Good," he admitted, very quietly. He took a sip of the soothing liquid, content to slip back into his own private thoughts.
"Yeah," Lorelai agreed, lightly, unaware her companion had already moved on from the topic in his own mind. "But you know, I guess they're only pictures. Silly really." Again, from beside her she imagined she could feel Luke tense and this time was sure she saw a scowl cross his features.
"Something wrong with the food?" she asked, concerned.
He shook his head. "It's fine."
"Is it cold? Because I can just pop it in the microwave for you if…"
"I said it's fine!"
The moment the snapped exclamation had passed his lips, Luke knew it was a mistake. Not only could he hear Lorelai cut herself off, sharply, mid-sentence then drift into uneasy silence, but he could also feel Jess' suspicious gaze turn to fix on him. When he dared look up, his eyes confirmed it.
Jess' expression was at once incredulous and guarded, making Luke suddenly feel like every low-life male scum who had sat on a similar couch and berated another woman in the kid's life. Not that Lorelai was technically a woman in the kid's life nor he as villainous as most of the men Jess had encountered, but still. The comparison did not sit well with him.
"I mean," he tried to explain. "I'm sorry. I'm just tired and cranky, I guess." From beside him, Lorelai gave him a small, hesitant smile.
"It's okay," she offered. "I understand." Alarmed, she noted the muscles, still tensed in Jess' arms, resting by the boy's side. A little awkwardly, she patted the boy's arm twice. "It's fine," she insisted, quietly.
Jess gave a small nod and turned slightly away from her, taking another sip of his tea.
For the longest of moments, the three occupants of the apartment sat in complete silence, side by side on the couch, none of them wanting to be the first to speak. Jess had given up on his tea and Luke had all but abandoned his breakfast and Lorelai wasn't sure whether she should stay or go.
Presently, Luke took the first step and broke the silence. "Jess," he said, gently but firmly. "I want you to go to bed now." And Jess didn't speak but instead leant forwards and placed the half empty mug on the table. Then he pushed himself up from the couch and shuffled over to the CD player. Selecting a Metallica CD, he slipped it in and pressed play. All the while, as Lorelai watched this in bafflement, Luke supplied the answer to the question on her lips.
"He needs music to sleep."
The opening chords of Enter the Sandman sprang to life across the room while Jess wriggled out of his jeans, seemingly uncaring that they had female company and slid into bed in his boxers and t-shirt.
"Ah, I see." Lorelai returned. She winced at the rising volume then leaned across to Luke. "I used the same trick with Rory when she was younger," she informed him, conspiratorially, tapping the side of her nose. "Course it was more Brahm's Lullaby but you know, whatever works for ya."
Luke smiled tightly, rising from the couch with plate in hand and muttering something barely recognisable as having to clean up the dishes.
Jess pulled the covers up and over his head, burying his face in the pillow. Lorelai watched him for a second before taking a deep breath and going to join Luke behind the kitchen counter. She grabbed a towel and started drying dishes without saying a word. He glanced across at her but also said nothing.
"So," she started. "What's next on your to-do list? Anything I can help you with?"
Luke snagged a worn looking jacket from a nearby chair and tossed it to Lorelai. She examined the threadbare thing closely. It looked familiar.
"It's his jacket," Luke explained. "Found it when I came back home to get him something clean and dry to wear back from the hospital. Quickly realised there'd be no point trying to dress him in that." She ran the thinning material through her fingers and nodded.
"I'm going to buy him a new one," he continued. "Soon as he's well enough to be out and about and choose one himself. You know what kids are like – you would think they invented the word fashion."
Lorelai chuckled. "Yeah and from the sounds of it, it's going to be a little while before that happens." Luke frowned, taking the jacket back from her.
"What does that mean?"
She looked up at him, her mouth opened in surprise. "Well, you know," she explained, keeping her voice low. "He was doing the usual teenage grumble earlier about how you were freaking out and wanting to be overprotective and everything so I figured it might be some time before you let him out of the apartment again."
"I'm not being overprotective!" Luke snapped, eyes narrowing.
"Hey, I'm not saying you are," she insisted. "I'm just saying that's what Jess thinks right now."
"And despite what he and everyone else around here thinks," Luke continued hotly, hands gesturing wildly, "I know what's best for that boy."
Lorelai took a step back, raising her hands in mock-surrender. "Don't be so defensive, Luke. No one's saying that, least of all me. I get it – you are alpha male. You decide when Jess is well enough to let him out of the house. I'm not disputing that."
"Damn straight, I am." Luke returned, causing Lorelai to bristle for the first time. He didn't seem to notice, however. "I'll decide when it's time to let him out and you know what else? I sure as hell wouldn't have let him…"
He stopped, pulling himself up short so suddenly it was like witnessing someone jolted forwards and backwards in a head-on collision. But it was too late. Her eyes darkened and her jaw squared. If there was one thing Gilmores didn't shy away from, it was head on confrontation.
"You're angry with me."
He shook his head, gruffly. "Don't be ridiculous."
"No," she pressed on, arms folded across her chest. "You're angry with me – you have been since the hospital and I just wish you would be man enough to come out and say it."
And so Luke stopped, took a moment to regard his friend carefully and then did just that, jabbing a finger in her face.
"I wouldn't have let him onto that ice."
She inhaled, sharply, her eyes widening. "So that's it. You think this is my fault?"
"Isn't it?"
Lorelai could have hit him – she really could have. The indignant anger was coursing through her. Two things held her back, however: her sadness at the accusation in her best friend's eyes and the very real guilt she had been feeling since Jess had disappeared through the ice. Luke was right, though she couldn't bring herself to admit it. But he was right: she never should have allowed it.
Glancing round to make sure the huddle under the blankets was still unmoving and the noise from the CD player was still blaring out, Lorelai hissed: "I would never do anything to hurt the kid! How can you even suggest that?"
"You didn't have to mean it but it wouldn't have happened in the first place if you'd just thought about it and had one grown-up moment of responsibility in your life and stopped him going out."
She stared at the man in open-mouthed astonishment. "Are you saying I'm not responsible?" she demanded.
"I'm saying," he returned, "that if it had been me and Rory, I never would have let her out there and you would have hung, drawn and quartered me if I had!"
Lorelai didn't answer. Her eyes were starting to brim with tears at the accusations her friend was throwing her way. Luke's voice was quieter as he continued.
"And do you know what makes it worse?" he asked. Wordlessly, numbly, she shook her head.
"It was all for some stupid photographs – pictures that even you admit are silly and pointless. So how is that supposed to make me feel? Jess could have died for something so stupid you don't even care about it."
Sadly, she shook her head. "I'm sorry," she admitted. The anger was still inside her but right then, she just wanted her friend to forgive her. She wanted to go back to the way things always were between them.
Guilt had been eating away at Luke since he'd seen the tears spring to his friend's eyes. He hadn't set out to upset her, he really hadn't. At the hospital, he had convinced himself that he wasn't even going to bring his misgivings up with her – that he didn't really mean them and once he had taken some time to get over it, he'd be able to let it go entirely. But he'd been wrong. It turned out his temper was on a shorter fuse than he'd like to admit.
But now, on hearing her broken admission, he suddenly felt very ashamed.
"Lorelai," he started, falteringly. "I…" He trailed off, helplessly.
"Oh for God's sake!" came a muffled voice. Jess threw the covers off his head and sat up.
He leant across and switched off the music, both adults watching him with a mixture of shock and embarrassment.
"Luke," he said, flatly, "you were being an ass. It wasn't her fault so if you want to be mad at someone, be mad at me. And before you get mad at me, just remember that you would have done exactly the same thing if you were there and that I probably got this misguided sense of heroics from you in the first place. So, you know what – be mad at yourself instead."
Before Luke could reply, however, Jess turned to an equally stunned and blushing Lorelai. "And Lorelai, just forgive him or hit him already and get it over with but both of you shut up, go away and let me sleep!"
And on saying that, Jess flicked the music back on and disappeared beneath the blankets again.
For a few seconds, they stood there, side-by-side, wearing identical expressions of surprise. After a moment however, Luke turned to Lorelai, smiled sheepishly, and offered her his arm, aware there were things to say but happy enough to let gestures speak for themselves.
"You heard the kid."
Carefully, she took his arm. "Sure did," she agreed, savouring the warmth his touch leant her.
"There's ice-cream downstairs," he suggested, nodding towards the door.
She laughed, lightly and squeezed his arm. "Lead the way." And so he did, leaving Jess sleeping soundly to the dulcet tones of Metallica.
OK, that's it for now. I know there wasn't much Jess in this one and I'm sorry about that but I promise lots and lots of him and of Luke next chapter. But please let me know what you thought of this one so that it better propels me into writing all those lovely Jess scenes next chapter!