Author's Note– Special thanks to WonderTwinC on YouTube/KouenTaisa on twitter who beta-ed this chapter for me. :D Per usual if you see any mistakes and she and I both missed, feel free to let me know.
I wasn't going to annoy you with excuses & lies, since the simple truth was I just hadn't been writing much lately, I got inspired to write a few other oneshots and then I've been vidding (a LOT, if you haven't seen my newest Christopher/Lorelai vid and/or Rory/Jess vid, both are true-to-the-show and I'm proud of them and they're on my luvtheheavenAGAIN YouTube account), reading some fanfics, doing some beta-ing for people which is fun and essentially reading more fanfics, doing homework, and feeling bad about keeping you guys waiting. XD
Then in real life my Uncle Mike got a stroke... and the coincidence/irony was so awful, considering how I'd done all this research on strokes and stuff for this story, and was writing about it, and then it happened. I haven't been around in person or even talked to anyone in his immediate family firsthand since it happened, but my dad heard the whole story from my grandmother and conveyed it to me... and then again on Easter recently he saw my aunt (uncle's wife) & my cousins (uncle's daughters) and found out more and again relayed all the information to me.
It was so eerie, almost like I'd predicted it or caused it or something, even though I'm not the least bit superstitious and know that's not true, it still sorta feels like it. He had a headache for over a day before it and even had to skip work it was so bad, and if he/his family had talked to me I would have immediately thought that he might be at risk for exactly what Luke had in my story, and sure enough he was. But they didn't talk to me... and I didn't find out until days after his stroke had happened, and he was completely unable to speak and his whole side of his body was paralyzed and they weren't even sure if he'd survive. I just felt so uncomfortable writing about Luke being so much better off than my uncle and kept not getting up the nerve/motivation to finish this. Luckily my uncle does seem like he'll recover, it will just be a really slow, long, process of learning how to speak again (right now he can't really say anything except maybe "'Yes' and 'no'" despite being mentally there) and also lots of physical therapy to maybe restore some but probably not all of his physical capabilities. And on that (relatively) good note of him not being so brain damaged that there's no hope, but instead that he's actually able to react with a familiar facial expression to things like his 11-year-old daughter maybe getting a cell phone... and the fact that he recognizes his family and seems to have his memories, which they weren't sure he'd have... I felt okay writing this again, I guess. I think because it sounds like he will recover, I felt a bit more comfortable writing about Luke recovering. Still Luke is better off than my uncle. But that's the way I'd already written it, I can't change it now. Luke doesn't have his memories and can't move half of his body really, he isn't coming out of this fictional stroke unscathed either though.
So now, FINALLY, it's here! The second-to-last chapter. I had planned to write more than this but I couldn't really do it. So this is all it is. Please enjoy. The last chapter should be coming fairly soon too. ;) And it should be much longer and more satisfying, I think. XD
I feel awful about how ridiculously long you had to wait for just this short amount of story... because of the wait, you may need to backtrack to refresh your memories on what happened most recently lol. And again sorry I'm not the best writer. I'm still pretty new at this and just trying my best.
By the way the Chris with whom Jess is speaking when this chapter starts is the Chris of Matt & Chris at Truncheon books. And one of the guys whom I am assuming Jess meant when he told Luke in 6x18 "The Real Paul Anka" that he and a couple of guys were sharing an apartment upstairs. Also I get this from many, many, future Jess fanfics where that seems to be the case. XD I thought TV shows had a rule; never ever ever have 2 characters who have the same name, not even ridiculously common ones like mine & my somewhat usual beta's name (Emily) lmao... Gilmore Girls only had one Emily... and Lorelai and Rory obviously don't count... but Gilmore Girls did have two characters named Chris on the show haha. Although one (Rory's dad) is pretty much always called his full name "Christopher" and only Lorelai calls him Chris, just like he's the only one to call her "Lor", so I guess it's almost different... Anyway... so the Chris in the first line of this chapter is Jess's roommate in Philadelphia.
Chapter 11: Post-Hospital Planning
"Wow, Jess, that's intense," Chris replied to Jess over the phone. "I totally understand why you've been MIA now. So who's gonna take care of Luke when he is released from the hospital? You? Or... will he be staying with his sister? I hope it's not you Jess, we'll miss you down here!"
Jess could hear something that sounded like an affirmation from his other roommate Matt in the background.
"Oh jeez... I hadn't really thought about that. Luke's just been in the hospital this whole time... I wasn't thinking ahead. Maybe I should stay here in this ridiculous town... my mom has a new baby to deal with. As a matter of fact I still really don't know if I trust her enough to be able to handle that little girl, but I've been trying to convince myself she and her husband will do okay. Still, adding the huge responsibility of taking care of her brother... I don't even know if she'd agree to it!"
"Well Jess, do what you have to do, but... we won't be able to continue paying you for working if you really don't come back, and we'll actually have to hire someone new... and find a new roommate too. I wish it didn't have to be that way, but... we can't really afford... well... you know..." Chris drifted off, hoping Jess would understand.
"Oh yeah of course," Jess said. "I... don't give away my bed just yet, I need to figure a few things out... I'll let you know as soon as I know," he added, pausing for a moment while he thought. "But I think my uncle probably has some money saved up... and I can find a new job if I'm really going to be living here." Jess paused, thinking about how Luke almost definitely had some money saved somewhere, considering he was never one to waste money and owned and ran a whole diner. But Luke probably wouldn't be of much use in remembering where this money was nor would he remember how to access it, even if it did exist. Jess would figure something out though. Realizing Chris was still on the line, he continued, "And of course moving back into my uncle's place would be rent free; he owns it."
While Chris and Jess were finishing up their conversation, April was hugging Luke goodbye in the hospital.
"I don't know if I'll have any time to visit you here again," she told him regretfully. "My mom's taking me to New Mexico tomorrow night. I know you don't remember but we're... we're moving there." Luke looked at her, surprisingly saddened by the sudden news. He didn't remember anything about this girl prior to his aneurysm, but that didn't matter. He didn't remember much of anything from before being in this hospital bed, and still he quickly felt strong emotions of love for all five of his now frequent visitors: Jess, Liz, April, Lorelai, and Rory. "My grandma is really sick... and my mom wants to be with her. I don't want to go, you're sick too and I want to be with you," she said, starting to cry a little. She glanced away and tried in vain to regain her composure. She loved her grandmother too, but she'd always wanted a father and now when she finally had one... she just hated it.
"Aw, sweetie," he said, reaching up with his only good arm to wipe away her tears, "I hate to see you go too, but your grandma probably needs you guys more than I do." He knew what he was saying was true; he was successfully recovering, he had four other people who seemed to care a lot about him right here in Stars Hollow, and while he didn't know a single thing about Anna's mother's condition nor if the woman had anyone else to take care of her, he had a sneaking suspicion that she was elderly, lonely, and quite possibly dying. Otherwise, he figured, Anna wouldn't be moving across the country for her and stealing away his beautiful daughter.
Jess sat on the bed in the guest room of his mother's house, still feeling like he was... not unwelcome, his mother had been very welcoming, just... he felt very out of place. He didn't belong in this storybook house in the storybook town, as if he was member of this quirky Renaissance Fair family. He knew Luke's apartment was a much better fit for him, if he was going to be forced to live anywhere in Stars Hollow. He missed Philadelphia, he had been building such a good life for himself there, and he really did like living in cities. Still... even Philly didn't feel like the perfect fit for him. He was too much of a New Yorker at heart, and he always planned to go back there eventually. Preferably with Rory, but that appeared truly out of the question. She was still happily dating that jerk, apparently. Going to London, an expensive trip no doubt, at Christmas... that almost sounded more like a fairy tale than Stars Hollow, he realized. Well. Maybe not a fairy tale... but certainly it would be a scene out of some sweet, romantic, cliché novel of which Rory was probably a huge fan. She'd probably have the time of her life and even get engaged or something while on the trip. He realized he needed to know more about Logan. He was too curious now. Dean, he understood. He was all Rory knew at the time, and he was sweet to her. He was an idiot, but he gave her a bracelet he'd made himself, and took her to town events that she loved, and her mother was in love with him for being such a good boy. He understood what Rory saw in Dean, in fact Jess had completely understood that whole boring relationship from pretty much the first time he saw them together. But Logan... he was an asshole! What was Rory thinking? How could she have fallen for him, and what could she see in him? How were they happy? Was Rory actually in love with this guy this time and not just trying to convince herself like she was with Dean? He kind of believed her with the way she pulled away from their kiss at Truncheon Books, insisting she couldn't help it, she was in love with him. It really felt like she was telling the truth. When she was dating Dean but kissed him anyway at Sookie's wedding, she wasn't using Jess to get back at someone for cheating, nor did she leave saying she was still in love with her current boyfriend. That first kiss had a very different feel, but this last one... it'd been months and he still was trying to decipher what she said and if it all was true. Especially the whole "loving Logan" part.
He tried to distract himself from his thoughts by reading a new book he'd picked up at Andrew's. He'd actually paid for it and left the store this time, which he could tell made the bookstore owner happy. Still, he somehow couldn't focus for once. He decided to go ask Lorelai about Logan. Or well... surreptitiously try to get the information out of her without being too obvious. He knew she'd tell Rory, but he was too curious, and was feeling surprisingly brave. Or maybe his current state of boredom had actually driven him to insanity. He wasn't sure as he walked out of the room, past his sister who was taking her afternoon nap, and grabbed his coat and keys.
He was nearing the Gilmore driveway when he slowed down to a near stop, observing the scene outside the house from a distance. Rory appeared to be hugging her father goodbye while Lorelai put what was probably Christopher's last box into the trunk of his car. He didn't expect Rory to be there, or for Chris to still be in the process of moving out. He tried to back-up and turn around, hoping to disappear unnoticed by the clan.
Lorelai, however, spotted him immediately. She took a few moments staring at him, trying to recognize him from so far away in his unfamiliar car. Rory caught her mother's gaze, followed it to discover their new visitor as well, and then recognized Jess immediately but didn't say a word. Chris was distracted and didn't even notice anyone was there. Lorelai walked up to Jess's window with Rory following.
Jess took a deep breath, trying to come up with an excuse, a plan... something to say that would make sense and not in the slightest give away his true motivations for stopping by. He didn't want to appear rude, so he rolled down the window, still thinking frantically.
Lorelai's walk had quickened and when she reached his car she hurriedly asked if anything was wrong and if Luke was okay. Jess's eyes widened.
"Oh yeah everyone's fine, nothing's wrong. I didn't mean to scare you," Jess assured her, sorry he'd inadvertently caused so much fear and worry just by his presence. But Luke. Right. Lorelai had reminded him of the most recent issue that had arisen for Jess – what's going to happen once Luke is released from the hospital. Rory was by now caught up with Lorelai but purposefully lingering a few feet back.
Smoothly, without Lorelai nor her daughter realizing that Jess was making this up on the fly, Jess said, "Actually, I did come here to ask you a question about Luke though. He's going to be released from the hospital soon...and...well I was thinking of staying here in Stars Hollow to take care of him. And I thought maybe you'd know if he had any money saved up. I mean obviously I'll get my own new job around here..." Jess trailed off, hoping his question wasn't too presumptuous.
"Oh!" Lorelai said. "Wow. Um... yeah, Luke has saved up a lot of his money, in his bank account... but wait, you're going to be taking care of Luke here in Stars Hollow?" Her surprised tone shifted to a somewhat pitying one as she added, "Indefinitely?"
Jess shrugged his shoulders indifferently. "Yeah, I mean I guess so. It's fine. I can still write my sequel wherever I am, regardless of my day job." He smiled to reassure Lorelai that he was seriously okay with this arrangement. Really he was. What he said was true. And he cared too much about Luke, he couldn't abandon him at a time like this.
Rory asked, "What about the diner?" Lorelai turned around, she and Jess having forgotten she was standing there.
"Oh I don't know," Jess replied. "I don't really think I could run it myself, and I don't know when Luke would be ready to do it again either, probably not for... years," he said sadly. "I mean, I know it's Luke's... it's his diner..." he looked seriously at Rory, lost for words. He looked back to Lorelai and then stared at the ground for a moment, thinking. Glancing back up at both of them, he asked, "What do you think I should do?"