It's alive…with the sound of music! Erm, sorry about that I felt the need to throw in 2 random movie references. Anyway, after a long, long wait chapter 4 is here. Thanks go to my lovely beta, live4ska, for the time and effort to read through my stuff. The next chapter should hopefully be up by the end of this week. Enjoy!
Late night - part 2
They walked to the dinner quietly, stealing glances at each other from time to time. Once they got there Jess picked up the key from the door frame and unlocked the door, holding it open long enough for Rory to walk in. When they were inside, he turned on the lights while she sat down on one of the stools at the counter. Jess stepped behind the counter and turned on the coffee machine, waiting for it to be done.
"So, tell me about your life now." Rory asked him from her seat.
"Nothing much to tell."
"I'm sure it's not that boring."
"Wake up, get dressed, walk downstairs, work, walk back upstairs, write or read, sleep. That's pretty much it. Maybe shower from time to time."
"No wild partying?"
"Oh, regularly. Our flat is like the Playboy mansion. Without the hot tub." He smirked and filled up two cups with coffee, pushing one towards her and keeping the other one. "You? How's your life?"
"I've already told you."
"No, you just told me it's exhausting and it makes you miss this town. I'm sure there's more to it then that."
"Not really. I love getting to see all those places, though. I will miss it when it's over. Not the bus, but everything else."
"How much longer are you going to be on the road for?"
"8 months is he doesn't win the nomination, a year and a bit if he does."
"Quite a while, then."
"Yeah. People are already leaving for other jobs. I guess it gets hard after a while. But for now, I'm happy where I am." She smiled and sipped her coffee.
"And how long are you town for?"
"Until Tuesday morning. You?"
"Leaving tomorrow."
"What time?"
"As early as I can."
"You should stay until tomorrow night. Apparently mom decided to throw me a birthday party."
"Huh."
"Was that a yes or a no?"
"That was an "And I'm invited?"."
"I'd love for you to be there." Rory looked into his eyes, trying to convince him to stay.
"I'll think about it. Where's this party going to be?"
"Our house."
"Will your grandmother be there? Because I can deal with Lorelai, but that woman still freaks me out."
Rory laughed and put her hand over his, reassuringly. "She has other plans. I'm seeing her tomorrow morning and we're having dinner on Monday night. Grandpa might be there, though."
"He doesn't know who I am, does he?"
She giggled again and picked up her coffee cup. "Nope. You'll be safe." She paused for a second before continuing. "Does this mean you're coming?"
"It means I might come."
"Playing hard to get? What if I promise cake?"
"Well, for cake..."
"So, you're coming?"
"Did you ever think I was going to say no?" He answered, his usual sarcastic smirk playing on his lips.
Rory yelped excitedly and leaned over the counter, wrapping her arms around him in a quick hug. "Thank you!" After she sat back down, she looked at him and saw him trying to stop himself from laughing.
"What?"
"Nothing. I'm just wondering why you're so excited about this. It's not like I said I'm getting you a present or anything."
"No present?" She started pouting, holding the cup of coffee in her hand.
"Unless you want a porcelain unicorn, I don't see what I could find in less then 24 hours for you in Stars Hollow."
"Oh, well, I'll live without a present then." She pushed her mug towards him. "Can I have some more coffee instead?"
"You don't plan on sleeping tonight?"
"Half a cup."
He cocked an eyebrow and looked at her, holding the pot in his hand. "I am not taking any blame if you stay up until 4 in the morning."
"Agreed."
Jess poured her some coffee then put the pot back, sliding the cup towards her. She grabbed the mug, holding it close to her. "Thank you."
"No problem."
They were quiet for a few moments, both looking at their cups. She was the first to say anything.
"Jess...can I ask you a serious question?"
"Why do I have a feeling I'm not going to like this?"
"I can just forget it."
"Ask." He said harshly, his earlier smirk long gone.
"You sure?"
"Just ask."
"Why are you being nice to me? You should hate me."
"Why?" Jess asked looking straight into her eyes, making her squirm in her chair.
"For..um...last time." She took a deep breath before finishing the sentence. "For Philadelphia."
"I don't hate you."
"You should."
"You said that before."
"Why don't you hate me? If anything, out of the two of us, you have more right to hate me."
"It was too long ago, Jess. And I never really hated you. Thought you could have handled things better? Sure. But hate you? Nope."
"So why should I hate you then?"
"Because what I did was unfair to you. I shouldn't have come, shouldn't have dragged you in my mess and..." Suddenly she looked up from her cup and into his eyes. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm sorry."
"It's ok. And, for what it's worth and way too many years too late, I'm sorry as well."
Rory smiled at him and he just smiled back. She finished her cup of coffee in one gulp and put it back down on the counter. Jess looked at the now empty mug.
"You're not getting any more."
"I think I should go get some sleep anyway."
"Good choice."
She got up and walked to the door, then turned around to face him.
"You're still coming tomorrow, right?"
"I'll be there."
She waved and smiled tiredly, opening the door.
"Good night, Jess."
"Night, Ror."
A few minutes later, Rory walked inside her mother's house, trying not to wake anyone up. Before she could get to her room, she saw her mother sitting at the kitchen table, drinking coffee and looking through a magazine. Lorelai heard her steps and looked up, pushing the magazine aside.
"This is way after your curfew, missy!" She threatened jokingly, motioning for Rory to come sit down. "Coffee?"
"I've had some."
"Orange juice then?"
"We have orange juice? Really? In this house?" She asked, skeptical.
"It's Luke's."
"Figures."
"Still, do you want some?"
"I'm ok. Why are you up? Did I wake you up when I left?"
"Paul Anka decided he had to sleep on me tonight. I think I miss him lining up the shoes. So do I have to guess where you went or are you going to tell me? Although I think I might have a pretty good guess as to who you were with."
"Are you mad?"
Lorelai looked at her, surprised by her question. "Mad? Why would I be mad?"
"You never liked him that much."
"Rory, you're both grown-ups. I don't have that much of say if you want to do anything. I couldn't stop you in high school, you don't honestly think I am going to lie to myself and assume I could stop you now?"
"Nothing that would require stopping happened. We talked. We're friends. I just made it not-weird." She used her mother's earlier phrase, getting a smile in return.
"Listening to what mommy says...Good girl!"
They both chuckled and Lorelai filled her cup again, waving the pot in front of her daughter. "You sure you don't want any? It's good."
"I'd like to get some sleep tonight. Be pretty for my party tomorrow."
"I can let you go to sleep if you want."
"I think it can wait a few more minutes."
"So...anything you'd like to tell me about tonight?"
"Nothing much to tell. We talked, had coffee, and that's it. Oh, by the way, I invited him to the party tomorrow. Is that ok?"
"And he's coming?" Lorelai asked, surprised. "He does realize other people will be there, right? The whole town, to be more precise."
"He said he'd come."
"Huh."
"What?"
"Nothing...I just never in a million years expected him to subject himself voluntarily to that kind of torture."
"He's changed."
"You keep telling me that, Luke keeps telling me that...I'm just waiting for proof."
"Like?"
"I don't know. But coming to the party is a good first step."
They were both quiet for a few minutes, lost in their own thoughts.
"Do you want to get back together with him?" Lorelai asked all of a sudden, looking at her daughter.
"Where did that come from?"
"Just wondering."
"I...don't know. And it's not like it's actually a real possibility anyway, so I'd rather not think about it. He has his life, I'm on the road constantly..."
"But, do you want to?"
"It just feels like there's some unfinished business between us right now. Do you know what I'm trying to say?"
Lorelai nodded, sighing. "He's your Christopher."
"What do you mean?"
"I love Luke. I loved him the first time we were together. It didn't stop just because we were apart. In any way I can think of, he is the one for me. But I've been thinking about this, and I'm not sorry I married your dad. He's just been this possibility for me, always, and I needed to know if there was any chance we could make it work. I'm not telling you this to push you to Jess, that's your choice to make and in no way do I mean you should go ahead and marry him." She said with a smile. "But I do think you need closure on that front if you want a really successful relationship with anyone else."
"And how exactly are we supposed to get closure?"
"Kid, if I knew that I wouldn't have wasted 23 years dragging this mess around with me."
"You've been thinking about this."
"You two just seem to gravitate towards each other. Maybe this weekend is fate's way of telling you something. What, I don't know. But ignoring fate leads to bad things. What if the price you'll have to pay is no more good hair days? Or worse yet, no more Sephoras?"
Rory giggled and then got up, kissing her mother's head.
"I'll see. Now it's time for both of us to go to bed. Busy day tomorrow."
"Yes, couldn't forget the lunch with Grump and Grumpier. I've already had dinner with them Friday, why do I have to go?"
"Because I will be there and you want to spend time with me?"
"I could just sequester you and not let you get back to your job."
"Ah, sure, the mature way. Not to mention completely illegal. Bed. Soon."
"Yes, mom." Lorelai grumbled, getting up as well and throwing her mug in the sink.
"If Paul Anka bother you again just send him to my room."
"Ok. Good night, sweetie." She gave her daughter a hug and then waited for her to walk in her bedroom, before heading back upstairs and, turning off the lights on her way out.