The Distance Between
Chapter Four: We Meet Again
Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls, it would be nice, but I don't.
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Rory walked into her house, hair soaking wet and wearing Jess's clothes. They had gone back to Luke's to change and he offered her some things to wear, which she gladly accepted. She tried to tiptoe into her room to change before her Mom saw her and got the wrong impression. She was almost there when Lorelai came bounding down the stairs.
"Rory, I found the perfect dress for…" She stopped when she saw how Rory looked, "Wow that's not suspicious." She said, putting her hands to her hips.
"Mom, we got soaked when it rained. We were at the bridge and it just started pouring so we went to Luke's and he let me borrow some clothes."
"Oh, ok then. So, what was wrong with Jess anyway?" Lorelai said, making her way into the kitchen. Rory was shocked to see that her mother didn't care. She thought for sure Lorelai would at least make some sort of smart-ass comment, but she didn't.
But, nonetheless, Rory was happy to see that her Mom finally trusted her with Jess, or at least, that's how Rory interpreted her mother not chastising her for coming home wearing his clothes. She decided not to change and walked over to the kitchen table and sat down. God his shirt smelled good.
"He thinks he saw his Dad today at the diner."
"Oh wow, really? Did he talk to him?" She said sounding genuinely concerned. Luke had filled her in on the situation already, and she had felt a little sorry for Jess after hearing his story. That was, before he began dating her daughter. But Rory seemed to be wiping him into shape pretty well, and she hadn't done anything out of the ordinary that would suggest to Lorelai that he was a bad influence. Well, up until two seconds ago when she walked in wearing his clothes. But Lorelai trusted Rory, or at least she tried her hardest to.
"No he didn't recognize him until it was to late, and he had already split. Kinda sad actually, I think Jess really wants to see him again, I think he misses him. I mean it's hard not having a Dad around when you're a guy his age, but he's got Luke which is probably a better influence on him anyway."
Lorelai nodded and smiled, "Well, you think he'll stick around this time?"
"I don't know. I don't even know if Jess really wants him to. He's doing so good now I just… don't want his Dad to ruin what he's got."
"You don't think maybe his Dad came to fix things?"
"I have no idea, but either way, Jess is pretty shaken up by the whole idea of him coming back."
Lorelai didn't know what else to say and offered Rory her help if she needed it. Rory thanked her, and then went into her bedroom to change.
*~*
Jess kissed Rory goodbye and watched her walk away. 'Damn she looks good in my clothes,' he thought smiling. He turned around and made his way back upstairs before jumping into the shower and getting cleaned up. Luke had told Jess to close the diner when he got off at 1:30 because he wouldn't be back in Stars Hollow in time to take over when Jess's shift ended. He had happily obliged, he wanted time to think about what happened earlier in the day anyway.
He was so confused, he didn't know if he wanted Jimmy around or if he just wanted him to stay out of his life. He thought Stars Hollow was hell in a hand basket when he first arrived there, but the place grew on him. Then there was Rory, she was his blessing in disguise. He knew that if he didn't have her there, he would have probably imploded from boredom and lack of intelligent conversation by now. He never thought in his life he would be able to depend on someone so much, but she was just so easy to talk to, get along with, be around… God everything about her was just appealing to him. But he would never show that to her, or anyone. She knew how he felt and he didn't need to explain himself, which was one of Rory's best qualities. She could read him like nobody else - when he wanted her to.
Jess got out of the shower and got dressed, deciding that he wanted to take a walk and clear his head. He descended downstairs and into the diner, and then before he headed out he noticed someone standing at the door. Jess stepped back into the stairway to hide himself and watched the man, amused. He couldn't see the man's face, because he was looking at his feet - but then he looked up. Jess couldn't catch his breath and he almost stumbled backward, when he recognized the face - it was Jimmy. This time, he was sure it was him. But before he could run away, Jess hurried to the door and swung it open, finally coming face to face with his father for the first time in years. Jimmy stared at Jess for a few seconds before finally speaking.
"Jess," He breathed, staring at him with unsure eyes.
Jess stared at him as if he was a stranger; not being able to believe that his father was standing right in front of him. But he was, and he had no idea what to say. He had always imagined what he would say to his father if he one day showed up out of the blue, but it usually ended with Jess screaming at him, telling him that he was a coward and to never come back. But now, that he was really there, and it was really happening - Jess was speechless.
But Jess quickly put his guard up, using sarcasm to deflect his true feelings. "Jimmy Mariano makes an appearance," he coldly replied, sticking his hands in his pockets, hurrying past him. Jimmy quickly turned around and followed Jess to wherever he was planning to go.
Jimmy pleaded with him, begging for his time, "Jess, wait a second, don't walk away just give me five seconds Ok? Please?" But Jess wasn't having it. He quickened his pace, ignoring Jimmy but letting the anger build up inside.
"Jess! Seriously man, I'm sorry! C'mon we all make mistakes Jess, don't do this," Jimmy grabbed Jess's arm and forced him to stop and face him.
Jess threw his hands in the air and got closer to Jimmy, "What do you want from me?" He bellowed.
"I want to talk!" Jimmy yelled back.
"Oh right, Jimmy wants to talk so everyone needs to stop what their doing, and give him their undivided attention." Jess was trying to use his sarcasm to break Jimmy down, to get the upper hand and the authority in the situation. When he saw the submissive signs in Jimmy's demeanor, the way he seemed unsure and wouldn't look Jess in the eye; he knew he had it and bitterly continued, "Very selfish approach Jimmy, I can see you haven't changed at all."
He turned around and began walking again, this time unconsciously slower so Jimmy could keep up the pace and walk beside him.
"I just want to talk to you, give me five minutes Jess. Five minutes that's all I'm asking for."
Jess stopped, "For what? To explain why you deserted Mom and me? To explain why when things got to hard you just gave up and left, figuring you could just show up when I was older, and not so complicated and difficult to deal with?"
"Jess your Mom and I were never getting along! We were constantly arguing, and all we did was bring each other down. I just did what I thought was best for everyone… things could have been worse. Then after I left, I was a mess, I wanted to…" Jimmy paused, trying to find the right words, "to get better before you saw me again. I didn't want you have to see me so miserable!"
Jess kept his fast past and usual sarcasm, "Oh, but it was Ok for you make me miserable."
"It's not like that…"
"Guess what Jimmy? It is like that. I'm still complicated, I'm still difficult to deal with, and I'm trying to do you a favor right now by telling you to go back home and save yourself the trouble." Jess immediately regretted what he said; he didn't want Jimmy to leave at all. He wanted him to stay and prove that he really wanted Jess back in his life. He wanted Jimmy to in someway, show him that he was there not because of some spur of the moment idea, but because he had thought it through and really, truly wanted his son back.
"I'm not going anywhere Jess. This morning, I chickened out; I was scared and my heart was racing and I just had to go back to the hotel and think. But I'm back now, and my mind is made up. I want to be in your life again…" Jimmy stopped speaking and seemed to be thinking hard. Then he blurted out the finishing part to his speech, "I want you to move to Venice with me."
Jess stopped dead in his tracks, completely caught off guard, and looked at Jimmy as if he had eight heads. There's no way he could be serious, there's no way he could have just asked him to move to Venice.
"You… you want me to move to Venice. With you. Move to Venice with you." Jess realized he kept repeating himself and shut up, waiting and hoping for his fathers reassuring yes.
"Yea," he said confidently, "what do you say?"
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A/N - Ok, so do you guys like it? I really get inspired by reviews, so please even if it's short-quick-and to the point, let me know what you think! Thanks!!
Chapter Four: We Meet Again
Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls, it would be nice, but I don't.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
Rory walked into her house, hair soaking wet and wearing Jess's clothes. They had gone back to Luke's to change and he offered her some things to wear, which she gladly accepted. She tried to tiptoe into her room to change before her Mom saw her and got the wrong impression. She was almost there when Lorelai came bounding down the stairs.
"Rory, I found the perfect dress for…" She stopped when she saw how Rory looked, "Wow that's not suspicious." She said, putting her hands to her hips.
"Mom, we got soaked when it rained. We were at the bridge and it just started pouring so we went to Luke's and he let me borrow some clothes."
"Oh, ok then. So, what was wrong with Jess anyway?" Lorelai said, making her way into the kitchen. Rory was shocked to see that her mother didn't care. She thought for sure Lorelai would at least make some sort of smart-ass comment, but she didn't.
But, nonetheless, Rory was happy to see that her Mom finally trusted her with Jess, or at least, that's how Rory interpreted her mother not chastising her for coming home wearing his clothes. She decided not to change and walked over to the kitchen table and sat down. God his shirt smelled good.
"He thinks he saw his Dad today at the diner."
"Oh wow, really? Did he talk to him?" She said sounding genuinely concerned. Luke had filled her in on the situation already, and she had felt a little sorry for Jess after hearing his story. That was, before he began dating her daughter. But Rory seemed to be wiping him into shape pretty well, and she hadn't done anything out of the ordinary that would suggest to Lorelai that he was a bad influence. Well, up until two seconds ago when she walked in wearing his clothes. But Lorelai trusted Rory, or at least she tried her hardest to.
"No he didn't recognize him until it was to late, and he had already split. Kinda sad actually, I think Jess really wants to see him again, I think he misses him. I mean it's hard not having a Dad around when you're a guy his age, but he's got Luke which is probably a better influence on him anyway."
Lorelai nodded and smiled, "Well, you think he'll stick around this time?"
"I don't know. I don't even know if Jess really wants him to. He's doing so good now I just… don't want his Dad to ruin what he's got."
"You don't think maybe his Dad came to fix things?"
"I have no idea, but either way, Jess is pretty shaken up by the whole idea of him coming back."
Lorelai didn't know what else to say and offered Rory her help if she needed it. Rory thanked her, and then went into her bedroom to change.
*~*
Jess kissed Rory goodbye and watched her walk away. 'Damn she looks good in my clothes,' he thought smiling. He turned around and made his way back upstairs before jumping into the shower and getting cleaned up. Luke had told Jess to close the diner when he got off at 1:30 because he wouldn't be back in Stars Hollow in time to take over when Jess's shift ended. He had happily obliged, he wanted time to think about what happened earlier in the day anyway.
He was so confused, he didn't know if he wanted Jimmy around or if he just wanted him to stay out of his life. He thought Stars Hollow was hell in a hand basket when he first arrived there, but the place grew on him. Then there was Rory, she was his blessing in disguise. He knew that if he didn't have her there, he would have probably imploded from boredom and lack of intelligent conversation by now. He never thought in his life he would be able to depend on someone so much, but she was just so easy to talk to, get along with, be around… God everything about her was just appealing to him. But he would never show that to her, or anyone. She knew how he felt and he didn't need to explain himself, which was one of Rory's best qualities. She could read him like nobody else - when he wanted her to.
Jess got out of the shower and got dressed, deciding that he wanted to take a walk and clear his head. He descended downstairs and into the diner, and then before he headed out he noticed someone standing at the door. Jess stepped back into the stairway to hide himself and watched the man, amused. He couldn't see the man's face, because he was looking at his feet - but then he looked up. Jess couldn't catch his breath and he almost stumbled backward, when he recognized the face - it was Jimmy. This time, he was sure it was him. But before he could run away, Jess hurried to the door and swung it open, finally coming face to face with his father for the first time in years. Jimmy stared at Jess for a few seconds before finally speaking.
"Jess," He breathed, staring at him with unsure eyes.
Jess stared at him as if he was a stranger; not being able to believe that his father was standing right in front of him. But he was, and he had no idea what to say. He had always imagined what he would say to his father if he one day showed up out of the blue, but it usually ended with Jess screaming at him, telling him that he was a coward and to never come back. But now, that he was really there, and it was really happening - Jess was speechless.
But Jess quickly put his guard up, using sarcasm to deflect his true feelings. "Jimmy Mariano makes an appearance," he coldly replied, sticking his hands in his pockets, hurrying past him. Jimmy quickly turned around and followed Jess to wherever he was planning to go.
Jimmy pleaded with him, begging for his time, "Jess, wait a second, don't walk away just give me five seconds Ok? Please?" But Jess wasn't having it. He quickened his pace, ignoring Jimmy but letting the anger build up inside.
"Jess! Seriously man, I'm sorry! C'mon we all make mistakes Jess, don't do this," Jimmy grabbed Jess's arm and forced him to stop and face him.
Jess threw his hands in the air and got closer to Jimmy, "What do you want from me?" He bellowed.
"I want to talk!" Jimmy yelled back.
"Oh right, Jimmy wants to talk so everyone needs to stop what their doing, and give him their undivided attention." Jess was trying to use his sarcasm to break Jimmy down, to get the upper hand and the authority in the situation. When he saw the submissive signs in Jimmy's demeanor, the way he seemed unsure and wouldn't look Jess in the eye; he knew he had it and bitterly continued, "Very selfish approach Jimmy, I can see you haven't changed at all."
He turned around and began walking again, this time unconsciously slower so Jimmy could keep up the pace and walk beside him.
"I just want to talk to you, give me five minutes Jess. Five minutes that's all I'm asking for."
Jess stopped, "For what? To explain why you deserted Mom and me? To explain why when things got to hard you just gave up and left, figuring you could just show up when I was older, and not so complicated and difficult to deal with?"
"Jess your Mom and I were never getting along! We were constantly arguing, and all we did was bring each other down. I just did what I thought was best for everyone… things could have been worse. Then after I left, I was a mess, I wanted to…" Jimmy paused, trying to find the right words, "to get better before you saw me again. I didn't want you have to see me so miserable!"
Jess kept his fast past and usual sarcasm, "Oh, but it was Ok for you make me miserable."
"It's not like that…"
"Guess what Jimmy? It is like that. I'm still complicated, I'm still difficult to deal with, and I'm trying to do you a favor right now by telling you to go back home and save yourself the trouble." Jess immediately regretted what he said; he didn't want Jimmy to leave at all. He wanted him to stay and prove that he really wanted Jess back in his life. He wanted Jimmy to in someway, show him that he was there not because of some spur of the moment idea, but because he had thought it through and really, truly wanted his son back.
"I'm not going anywhere Jess. This morning, I chickened out; I was scared and my heart was racing and I just had to go back to the hotel and think. But I'm back now, and my mind is made up. I want to be in your life again…" Jimmy stopped speaking and seemed to be thinking hard. Then he blurted out the finishing part to his speech, "I want you to move to Venice with me."
Jess stopped dead in his tracks, completely caught off guard, and looked at Jimmy as if he had eight heads. There's no way he could be serious, there's no way he could have just asked him to move to Venice.
"You… you want me to move to Venice. With you. Move to Venice with you." Jess realized he kept repeating himself and shut up, waiting and hoping for his fathers reassuring yes.
"Yea," he said confidently, "what do you say?"
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A/N - Ok, so do you guys like it? I really get inspired by reviews, so please even if it's short-quick-and to the point, let me know what you think! Thanks!!
