"Jess, Jess. It's me." Jess sat up to the pitch dark room with the exception of the moonlight. He whipped his head around to see her, still just laying there, chest slowly going up and down. He had been dreaming again. This killed him.
He went back to sleep and woke up the next morning to the TV on. He sat up, glaring at Luke and Lorelai on the other 10 inch bed.
"Someone's grumpy in the morning," Lorelai said.
"Someone's a little too chipper considering they were a hostage 48 hours ago."
The room when silent.
"Jess," Luke grumbles.
"Sorry Lorelai."
"It's fine Jess," she grumbles.
"Someone's grumpy in the morning," Jess says, grinning.
Lorelai gasps and smiles. "Did Jess just make a joke?"
"Knew it was a bad idea," Jess said, shaking his head.
"Be prepared to be severely mocked," Luke says, rubbing his facial hair that has formed since they've been here.
"And on that note, what do you guys want today?" Jess says, standing up.
"I don't know, we've had the ding dongs the past couple days," Luke says, looking at Lorelai.
"Yeah, let's go with Cheez-Itz today," Lorelai says, flipping channels.
"Got it," Jess says, going to retrieve the food.
He comes back and throws them their Cheez Itz, and opens his own Ding Dong.
They watch TV for about half an hour, before Jess looks around and observes what they've become.
"Why don't we do something today?" he says.
Luke and Lorelai look over at him at the same time, practically a married couple already.
"We're just kind of, in a rut," Jess says.
"Well, I guess it couldn't hurt," Lorelai says, looking at Luke. "Man, you need to shave. Let's go," she says, patting his leg and getting up.
Luke glares at Jess. "Wake up sunshine," he says sarcastically, a smirk on his face.
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"So," they all say, standing outside the hospital. "Where now?"
"I think I'll go on my own," Jess says.
"Hey now, what makes you think I'm going to let you go off on your own in New York City after what's happened?" Luke says, grabbing his shoulders.
"I really don't feel like being the 3rd wheel."
"Too bad. Let's go."
"Where?"
"Out to lunch!" Lorelai says.
Her and Luke start walking, hand in hand.
"Thank God. Real food," Jess whispers.
"I heard that," Lorelai yells.
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Luke and Lorelai are laughing, and Jess is trying as hard as he can to tune out the giddy couple.
He's staring around the room at all the people, in a daze, when he passes over someone he recognizes. He keeps looking around until his brain registers who it is and then he flips his head back around. It couldn't be. Heather?
She sees him and smiles.
"I'll be right back," Jess says, standing up.
"Hey, you better be," Luke says as he walks away.
"Took you long enough. Where have you been Mariano?" Heather says when he reaches the table.
"Ah, well, mom finally gave up on me. Shipped me to Stars Hollow."
"Stars Hollow. That sounds…….puke."
"That's how I'd describe it too."
"So, what you doing here?"
Jess sighs. He has tried to stop thinking about her, but he can't. "My girlfriend got in a plane crash and is here, at the hospital."
"Oh my God. I see you've still managed to rile things up."
"Apparently."
"Do you want to go to the park? You know, where we used to lay in the grass, eating hot dogs, you reading while I blasted music."
"Don't know if I can."
"Mariano, where's the rebel. Come on!"
"Hold on," Jess says, getting up.
Luke is watching him as he comes towards the table. "Whose that?"
"A girl I knew when I went to school here."
"Oh. Girlfriend?"
"Luke."
"Fine. What do you want?"
"Can I go to the park with her, catch up?"
"Technically he wouldn't be alone," Lorelai chimes in.
"Fine. Be back at the hospital by 6."
"Okay," Jess says, going back to Heather.
"Who are they?" she asks.
"Uncle, and my girlfriends mom."
"Scary. Is Stars Hollow so small that no one has anyone to date but eachother?"
Jess just looks at her.
"Sorry. Okay, I want to meet them. Let's go," she says, walking over to the table.
"Hello there," Lorelai says when she comes up.
She has chestnut hair, is on the short side, and a little perky for what she would think would be Jess's type.
"Hi. I'm Heather, Jess's old friend."
"Hi, Heather," Luke says.
"Hi," Heather says back. "You know, you guys seem way to happy for some people with a daughter in the hospital. Your probably trying to cover up and ignore your feelings with this little happy act."
There is an awkward moment before Jess grabs her by the arm.
"See ya," she says as they leave.
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"I didn't ask you to come," Jess says as he and Heather get on an elevator at the hospital.
"It's okay. I want to meet your new girlfriend. Check her out ."
Jess looks as her weird and she hits his arm. "Stop it!"
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"And thank God Emily and Richard come to visit while I was being held hostage. You know, it's funny that they didn't react much to that," Lorelai said as her and Luke walked back to the hospital.
"They were concerned, they just had a lack of showing it. I don't think they believed me."
"Yeah. I mean, their new nickname for you is the caveman, so, guess that's understandable."
"Hey, what about Christopher?"
"What about him?" this was a touchy subject.
"Shouldn't he know?'
"Uh, yeah. I think I called him, don't really remember."
"Call him."
"Are you sure?"
"Call him."
"Alright. I'll just be a minute," Lorelai says, standing outside the hospital.
Luke goes up to see Jess and Heather sitting on the bed. Another awkward situation. Especially considering there are wrappers all over.
"Hey guys."
"Sup," Heather says.
"What?" Luke asks.
"Nevermind," Heather says, smiling.
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Spinning. Spinning. Blurriness. Her eye lids feel like a hundred pounds each as she tries to open them. She tries to mumble a sound but her throat is as dry as a cactus. How about movement? Extreme pain. That's not the answer either. She hears faint voices. Where is she? This isn't what she pictured heaven to be like.
Then she hears one voice loud and clear, and her eyelids seem to open on her own. She sees her, the inspiration, the angel, the shoe addict. A small grin crawls across her face.
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Lorelai walks into the room, beat. Obviously Luke and Jess are too. They've fallen asleep watching VH1 again.
Her heart skips a beat. Is she imagining this, or is Rory moving.
She moves closer. "I love you kid," she says, observing closer.
Rory's eye lids flutter open and she sees the blue eyes she's been missing, the grin, the person, the best friend.
Lorelai smiles huge and goes to sit by Rory. She takes her hand.
"I love you kid. Never forget that."