Chapter 10: George and the Uncomfortable Couch

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. They belong to Amy Sherman-Palladino.

The lounge of the Gilmore's house was dark apart from the glare for the television. Rory and Lorelai stared intently at it eating popcorn, a rug snuggling them together.

'Ah, George Clooney saving the world has to be one of the sexist things I have ever seen' Lorelai whispered.

'And Nicole Kidman isn't being all "Oh save me George"; she has a bit of kick ass attitude.' Rory whispered back.

'Well, she is the peacemaker. It would defeat the purpose if she didn't do her job well.' There was a snore from the chair next to them. 'Which reminds me, if he is asleep, why are we whispering?' Lorelai thought it was quite unfair.

Rory thought for a moment.

'If we talked to loud we might offend George, and we wouldn't won't to distract him while he tries to save the world.'

Lorelai concluded that this was a fair comment.

It had been a little over a month since Jess and Rory had decided to be friends. They hang out all the time when she was in town on weekends.

They read on the bridge, played music in Luke's apartment and even went to a couple of town meetings together (a big step up for Jess).

He had even driven out to Yale a couple of times and had lunch with Rory. They worked together; she would study while he worked on his novel.

Although he wouldn't tell her anything about it or let her read it, she still encouraged him. He often found himself just staring at her, whether they were alone or with other people. He wondered what had made him so scared last time that he couldn't bring himself to show her just how much he cared.

Lorelai and Rory had bumped into Jess a few Saturdays ago when they were at the video shop choosing a film. Lorelai had invited Jess to join them and it had become a bit of a tradition. Luke worked on Saturdays, so it was something just the three of them shared. Jess would bring pizza over and they would watch a film. He would often mutter over their choice of video, but he still came back, without fail, at 6 o'clock.

'Should we wake him?' Lorelai asked, standing over the sleeping Jess.

'It's not the comfiest couch we have.' Rory argued.

'But he looks so peaceful, don't you think Rory?' She knew her mother was teasing her, but Rory did find incredibly cute.

Jess woke with a start to find two women looking down at him.

He rubbed his eyes 'Okay, you guy should get a new couch!' He sat up, uncomfortably.

'Ah, Jess, you know the point of a film is to watch it.' Lorelai laughed as she began to clear the popcorn and chocolate. 'It moves quicker than a book pal, yet you stay awake for them.'

'When did you fall asleep?' Rory asked.

'Ah, it was somewhere between the tenth "George Clooney is so sexy" and fifth cheesiest line by that Kidman woman.' Jess answered, mocking thoughtfulness.

'Oh the one about "I'm afraid of a man who only wants one" nucleare war head thingy? I thought that was pretty good really.' Lorelai liked any woman who showed guts in a film.

'It certainly had Mr Clooney squirming' Rory answered, just as thoughtfully as her mother.

'Okay, well I am going to leave you two to…do whatever it is you usual do after your movie….'

'Eat more chocolate' Lorelai answered for him.

'Yeah, well, enjoy that! Night.' Jess gave Rory a smile that said everything his kiss would.

The door shut and Lorelai pounced on her daughter.

'So things are going pretty good between you two?'

'Well, yeah. We hang out ever day I am in town. Its nice, to have that.' Rory tried not to blush, but failed.

'How does he feel about you…being sick.'

'Well, we don't really talk about it.' Rory answered.

'Oh, okay.' Lorelai thought it was a bit strange. She has seen Rory and Jess talk about everything from the best book to an argument about whether coffee addiction can help stimulate the brain.

'I'm going to go to bed Mum. I got to get up and study tomorrow.' Rory was reluctant to go to bed. She only had a few days at home; she enjoyed spending a lot of that with her mother.

'Well, night Hun.' Lorelai frowned as her daughter walk off to bed. She wondered if it was possible that Rory hadn't even told Jess that she was sick. Surely not. Rory was the queen of honesty. Lorelai brushed the thought away as she turned off all the lights before she herself went to bed.

GG

Rory lay in bed looking at the ceiling. She didn't feel sleep coming anytime soon. She felt guilty. Guilty for lying to her mother and to Jess.

She had needed to be sure that Jess would stick around this time. That he had changed. And he had. He had got his life together. He was perfect. Everything she had always hoped he would be, he was. He never once tried to kiss her, although she could tell he thought about it. She did too, every time she saw him she wanted to kiss him. She knew it was different this time. Sure he was still moody and quick to talk back, but he was more open. He showed her mother respect and was good to Luke, grateful even.

But Rory still hadn't brought herself to tell Jess she was sick. And now she wondered if she had left it too late. How would he react when she told him? Deep down she was terrified. She was so scared that Jess would freak out and that he wouldn't stick around. That it would be all too much to handle.

Over the last of month she had come to reply on him. He was the only person who made her feel normal, because he didn't treat her like she was sick. And she needed to hold onto that more than ever. It was all so confusing for her. She felt her mind going round and round and the tears prickling. She rolled over, determined to find sleep instead of tears.