"Stay"

Chapter 7

"Luke wants to send Jess back to New York, and Jess really doesn't want to go back."

"But, that doesn't even make any sense!"

"What doesn't, going back to New York, or Jess not wanting to go back?"

"The 'going back to New York' idea. He's just going to get sent right back here!"

"I know. That's what Jess said."

"Well, when does he want you to go back?" Lorelai directed at Jess.

"Today. He wants me to pack my bags, and assist me to the bus station," Jess replied miserably.

"Ugh! He's just upset. He says such crazy, stupid things when he's mad. It annoys the hell out of me!"

"He sounded pretty dead-set in this decision. He wouldn't let me go to school this morning. And he's been all 'You have to graduate from high school while you're under my roof' since I got to town."

"Oh God!" Lorelai exclaimed in a frustrated tone.

"I know!" Rory and Jess said simultaneously.

"And I'm guessing you don't want to go back, right?" Lorelai asked Jess.

"Hell no! I never want to go back there again. I'd be perfectly content with my life if I never saw my mother again."

"Don't say that. Believe me, I went through that phase."

"Yeah, but your mom's got...money. My mom lives in a hole-in-the-wall apartment, has a different boyfriend every week, doesn't give a shit about me. It's just...not good over there."

"Does Luke know about that?"

"Yeah, but you know Luke. He refuses to believe anything until something or someone comes along and shoves proof in his face."

"Oh, I know how he can be," Lorelai replied casually.

Jess nodded. He was starting to get used to Lorelai. He liked how she listened, but was a part of the conversation at the same time. It felt comforting to him. He felt that he could really vent to these Gilmore girls; that they could help him and support him and really try their hardest to understand him.

"Hey, Jess?" Rory spoke up.

"What?" He looked over at her.

"Can I ask you something?" Her eyes were downcast. Jess very gently pulled her face upward so that she was looking at him.

'God, she has the most beautiful eyes in the world,' he thought to himself.

"Ask away."

"Did any of your mom's 'boyfriends' ever...hurt you?"

Lorelai sat up straighter at this. That thought hadn't even crossed her mind. She really felt for Jess. He had a good side once you got to know him, just like Rory had told her.

'The only reason he's been difficult to deal with was probably because of his upbringing. The kid's been through a hell of a lot for a 17 year old.' Lorelai thought to herself as she waited for Jess to answer.

Jess sighed, "Yeah. Some of them weren't that nice."

"What did they do to you?" Rory asked while gently stroking his hand with her thumb. He squeezed her hand in thanks.

"I don't know. Just...stuff. The ones that came home drunk were the worst. They would, you know, punch me or hit me. Give me a black eye or two. Put out a cigarette on my arm. It got worse as I got older. They'd taunt me, and I would try to fight back, but somehow they were always stronger. One of them broke my arm in 3 places once. That was a doozy. So, nothing really drastic. Just drastic enough. That's what it always was. Just drastic enough."

Rory was practically in tears. She couldn't even respond. So, Lorelai jumped in.

"Jess, I'm so sorry. I can't even imagine how awful that must have been for you. Did Liz ever do anything about it?"

"Nah, she was always too busy doing God knows what. I was surprised if she even dropped by the hospital to visit me whenever I was holed up there."

"That's so awful. So she neglected you?"

"Basically."

"And Luke wants to send you back to that?"

"Apparently. Look, if he finds out where I am, he's going to drag me to a bus station, and you know now how badly I don't want that to happen. So can you back me up if he starts to blow a gasket?"

"Of course. I'm not letting you go back there. You don't deserve that sort of treatment anymore. You never deserved it in the first place, but you know what I mean. Me and Rory are going to support you. We've always been able to change Luke's mind. Whatever happens, the end result is not going to be you going back to New York."

Jess could have hugged Lorelai right then, but he refrained. It honestly would've been a bit awkward, but he would've meant well.

Just then, a gruff knock came from the Gilmore's front door.

"Three guesses as to who that is," Jess said dreadfully.

"Don't worry. Just stay here with Rory. I'll get it," Lorelai replied.

She walked to the door, took a deep breath, and braced herself for the coming explosion.

**Thank you all so much for reading my story. And please continue to review.**