Things Could Be Different
Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls.
A/N- Thanks for all the great reviews so far, keep them coming J
Chapter Nine: For what it's worth
'I'm worried about her.' Lorelai said looking thoughtfully at her daughter who was sat at the table in the diner staring into space. 'She's not right, she hardly talks, she's sleeping all the time, barely eating. I could understand it if she was sad, angry or wallowing, but it's like she's shut herself off.'
'It's been a month, she'll be back at school soon, do you think she'll be feeling better by then?' Luke asked, he too had been concerned about how Jess leaving had effected her.
'I don't know. I've tried everything I can think of, Lane's tried and Paris has tried. I'm at a loss, she just seems so broken and I don't know how to fix it, I should know how, I'm her mother. I'm meant to stop her getting hurt.' Lorelai paused. 'I just never saw this coming, I didn't realise how much she loved Jess until he was gone, and now…what do I do? This is so much worse than last time he left, she was busy then we went to Europe, she started Yale, she was ok. Though now I'm thinking she was just pretending to be ok. The only thing I can get her to talk about is the wedding, but then every now and then this look comes across her face and I know she's thinking about seeing him there.' Lorelai sighed again.
'There are some things she's going to have to fix on her own.' Luke replied. 'You can't protect her from everything.'
'No, but I should be able to help a little. So now I'm going to ask you something and I want you to remember that you love me and it would be a terrible thing to lie to your wife-to-be.' Lorelai said seriously. 'Do you know where Jess is?'
Luke looked back at her with concern, before nodding his head slowly.
'I wasn't sure you'd want to hear about it.' Luke shrugged.
'I'm not sure I do either, but it wasn't him this time right, she pushed him away, told him that she didn't want to be with him, this isn't his fault but maybe he can fix it.' Lorelai replied.
'I don't know. Lorelai, Rory isn't the only one who got their heart broken in this. I've been spoken to Jess a couple of times since he left and he's not in good shape. He's working in a publishing house but there's something in his voice, and emptiness. He loves his work but I can tell that he still thinks of her. It might be hard at the moment but maybe it's better if they just both move on now.'
'What if they can't?' Lorelai asked. 'What if they could work it out, get back together, get closure, whatever. They either need to be together or say goodbye, Rory said that was the hardest part about last time, he just took off and they never really finished things, everything was left open. They need to say goodbye.'
'What do you really think?' Luke asked. Lorelai looked at her daughter thoughtfully, watching as she pushed her food around her plate.
'I think things could be different this time.' Lorelai replied.
'Ok then, I'll write down his address and what you do with it is up to you.' Luke replied, writing an address on a piece of paper from his order pad.
'Philly huh? And he's working you said.'
'Yeah, he's doing really good, making something of himself and pulling his life together. Aside from this thing with Rory that he can't seem to get past he's doing really good.' Luke replied slightly worried.
'This will be good for them Luke.' Lorelai reassured walking back to her table she sat opposite Rory and slid the paper in front of her. Rory's eyes focused on the paper and she looked at her mum questioningly.
'Jess' address.' Lorelai stated. Rory's eyes widened in surprise, her heart skipping a beat. She jumped to her feet and grabbed the paper running from the diner, as fast as she could until she reached her car, driving furiously until she pulled up in front of a building marked as Truncheon books. With her heart pounding she got out of the car, standing in the heavy summer unable to move. She didn't care that she was getting drenched, she just couldn't bring herself to go inside, afraid of what she might face. Instead she sunk to the ground leaning against the shop window and sobbed.
*
'It's good man, really good.' Matt said putting the finished book down on the counter and patting Jess on the back. 'We've put some up over there in the window.'
'Hey would you and Chris mind if I took a couple of days off, there's someone I'd love to show this too. I'm not sure she'll want to see me, but…' Jess trailed off not knowing how to explain, he wanted Rory to know he was better now, that he'd pulled himself together and could be relied upon. Unsure of if it would make a difference, willing to try.
'Course.' Matt nodded, him and Chris had heard very little about this mysterious Rory, but they both knew better than to ask, whoever it was obviously meant a lot to Jess, they were also very obviously the inspiration for the book. Anyone who read it could understand that.
'Hey guys have either of you noticed there's a crying girl leaning against the shop window.' Chris said coming down the stairs into the store. Both men's eyes turned to the figure huddled up in the dark.
'I'll go.' Jess offered, opening the door and walking out, he froze as a pair of blue eyes met his chocolate brown ones.
'Rory…?' His voice cracked on the name, she got to her feet and wiped at her tears.
'I wasn't sure you'd want to see me.' She said nervously.
'How long have you been here?' Jess asked pulling her inside out of the rain as she was shivering.
'Um not too long. Uh…my mum got your address from Luke, I uh came straight here…I just had to see you.' Rory replied, noticing the other two guys staring at them.
'Funny, I was planning on coming to see you.' Jess smirked lightly, though his mind was working a thousand miles a minute trying to figure out what she was doing here, she looked so small, so broken. A small spark of hope flickered. Both unable to tear their eyes away from one another. 'Uh there was something I wanted to show you…I didn't think you'd believe it unless I showed you in person.' Jess said going to pick up a copy of the book.
'Well colour me curious.' Rory said trying to lighten the mood. He handed her the book, both becoming more relaxed.
'A book?' She questioned. 'The subsect by….' Her eyes met his. 'Jess Mariano, you wrote a book!' She said a smile spreading across her face.
'I guess so.' He shrugged. Her eyes met his again and she moved forward quickly and kissed him, much like their first kiss at Sookie's wedding so long ago. Jess kissed her back holding onto her waist as if he was afraid she'd disappear. Rory pulled back a little and smiled at him.
'For what it's worth I always knew you could do it.' She smiled.
'Which is the only reason I ever did. If it weren't for you..' He said quietly, but she hushed him, pressing her lips gently to his.
'I love you.' She said her eyes filling with tears. 'I want this to work, I've tried being without you and it really doesn't work.'
'Oh yeah?' He questioned, a playful smirk on his face.
'Yeah.' She nodded.
'Then I guess we'll just have to make it work, because I love you too, and I'm not planning on losing you again.' He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her again.
'Next time I'm going to go out to the crying girl in the rain.' Matt commented, bringing Rory and Jess out of their trance to face the other two in the room.
'Somehow I don't think it would have had the same result.' Chris laughed.
'Uh guys, this is Rory, uh Rory that's Matt and that's Chris, we run Truncheon together.' Jess introduced them.
'It's nice to meet you both.' Rory said politely, standing at Jess' side, his arm round her waist, his free hand holding one of hers across their stomachs.
'So this is the girl you wrote the book about?' Chris said, already having guessed that it must be.
'You wrote it about me?' Rory asked, a smile on her face as she leaned up and kissed him. 'I want to read it.'
'Well I gave you a copy.' Jess smiled. 'Come on it's late, do you need to be back in Stars Hollow tonight?'
'I don't want to leave you again.' Rory said clinging to him.
'Then how about I come with you, I'll stay the weekend, figure out how this long distance thing will work.' Jess offered, Rory relaxed again and hugged him.
'You're wonderful.' She smiled. 'Ok, you drive. I want to read your book.'
*
Jess and Rory pulled up in front of the diner, Rory reluctantly putting down the book, taking Jess' hand to be led inside. The diner had closed long ago, but Lorelai still sat at the counter drinking coffee, looking worried. Luke at her side. They both swung round as they heard the bell above the door.
'You figured things out?' Lorelai asked.
'Yeah we did.' Rory smiled giddily hugging her mum. 'Thanks for getting me the address.'
'Aw no problem sweets.' Lorelai said pleased to see a smile on her daughters face.
'Uh Luke is it ok if I stay the weekend?' Jess asked.
'Of course, stay as long as you want.' Luke replied.
'Well I need to be back at work on Monday, so just the weekend will be great.' He said. The four of them sat talking for a while before all deciding it was late and they needed sleep. As the girls prepared to leave Jess pulled Rory aside.
'I'll come by tomorrow and we can talk over the distance.' Jess said kissing her.
'Ok.' She sighed happily.
'I love you.' He added quietly.
'I love you too.' She smiled.
A/N- Hope you like, there will be more soon. Please review.
