Sorry for the delay! Been crazy busy at work so haven't had time to write. Hope you enjoy this chapter! :) Thank you so much for all your support so far!
Chapter 21
It had been a few days since the accident and Lorelai, Olivia and Jess had stayed vigil by Rory's bedside as she still hadn't woken up. Lorelai had been discharged the day after the accident. Luke opened the door to her room one morning and was met by two guilty faces.
"What are you doing here?" Jess asked.
"I could ask you both the same question." Luke said. "Aren't you two meant to be at school?"
"I can't concentrate." Olivia said quietly. "Everyone keeps asking me about Rory and I just don't know what to say anymore."
Luke sighed. "I get that you both want to be here. I understand that. But do you think your mom would be happy if she knew you were skipping school?" He said to Olivia.
"It's only been once. Give her a break." Jess said.
"It hasn't been once. You've been here since the accident." Luke pointed out. "I haven't said anything but I've seen you here."
"Are you going to tell mom?" Olivia asked.
He sighed. "No." He said. "She's got enough to worry about right now."
"Where is she?" She asked.
"I managed to persuade her to get some sleep back at home." Luke said.
Olivia nodded. "She's not been sleeping at night. I hear her walking about." She said quietly before sighing.
"Are you going to make us go to school?" Jess asked.
Luke sighed. "Think about Rory. Do you think she'd be happy if she knew she was the reason you were skipping school?" He said.
"No..." Jess had to admit.
"She'd kick our asses." Olivia said smiling slightly.
Luke chuckled slightly. "Exactly! Look, how about we do a deal? I won't tell Lorelai about you skipping school and you go back to school for this afternoon. Both of you." He said. "You've only got one week left anyway. And I promise, any time that Lorelai's not here or you two aren't here, I'll make sure I am. So she will never be alone." He said. "Deal?"
Olivia sighed and glanced at her sister who still had her eyes closed, before glancing at Jess who she could tell was thinking the same at her and then she glanced back at Luke and nodded. "Deal." She said.
"Good." He said. He glanced at Rory lying there. "So no change?" He asked.
"Nothing." Jess said quietly.
"And they don't seem to know when there might be." Olivia said. "I wish she would just wake up."
"She will." Luke assured her. "But in her own time."
"I miss her." Olivia said quietly. "It's weird not having her around."
"She'll be ok. She's tough." Luke assured her.
Olivia gave him a small smile. "Hey Luke?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks for not grassing us up to mom." She said.
"Hey, she's not the only one going through a rough time at the moment. I know how hard this is for you. I know how much Rory means to you. To both of you." Luke said softly. "We'll get through this together, yeah?"
"Yeah." Olivia said softly.
"Jess, wait up!" A familiar voice called as he was leaving school that afternoon.
"Hey." He nodded at Lane.
"Is there...?"
"No change yet." Jess said.
"I'm sorry." Lane said quietly. She glanced at him. "How are you doing?"
Jess just shrugged. "Will be better when I'm back at that hospital." He said.
"Oh yeah, of course. I'm sorry if I've kept you. I just...I..." Lane said her voice cracking slightly. "She and Olivia are my best friends...I...I'm sorry. I'll just lave you to it." She said starting to walk off.
"Lane, wait." Jess said.
"I'm sorry I've not come to visit her. I just...I didn't want to intrude. What you, Olivia and Lorelai must be going through, I can't even start to imagine." Lane said. "Just...can you let me know when she wakes up?"
"Why don't you come with me?" He said.
"What? Are you sure? I wouldn't want to intrude..." She said.
"You wouldn't. And I'm sure Liv would appreciate seeing you." Jess said. He glanced at her. "And I would appreciate it. You don't know how many people have been bugging me about Rory and what's going on. All jerks that believe they were her best friend when she used to go to this school and I know she couldn't stand any of them. But you...well, I know you were her best friend and you're the only person I wouldn't mind asking me about her but you're the only one who hasn't and well...I've appreciated it." He said. "But you have every right to know what's going on. You've been a good friend to her and Liv. And...well, to me." He said, giving her a small smile. "Who else would have kept me sane at this school when they left to Chilton, huh?"
Lane smiled softly. "Thanks Jess." She said. "And...I would love to come see Rory with you."
"Good." Jess nodded. He glanced at her. "Thanks." He said. "Hey, maybe your familiar voice will wake her up?"
Lane smiled sadly. "Let's hope so." She said, before linking arms with him and following him towards the diner.
"Hey." Ben smiled softly.
"Hey." Olivia smiled back as she got off the bus from Chilton.
"How are you holding up?" He asked giving her a hug.
"I'm holding." She nodded.
"And your mom?" He asked.
"The same."
"Must be hard." Ben said sympathetically. "It's the not knowing that sucks isn't it?" He said as they started walking down the street towards the diner.
Olivia glanced at him. "Was that the worst thing with your mom?" She asked. "Except for her...well, you know..."
"Dying?" He said.
Olivia cringed. "Sorry." She apologised. "That sounded extremely insensitive. It just...forget it." She said.
"No, ask me." Ben said. "It's ok." He assured her.
"Your mom was in a car accident right?" She asked hesitantly.
"Yeah." He said. "Drunk driver."
"I'm sorry." She said quietly. "She was alone in the car?"
"Yeah. She was on her way to pick me and Amy up from school. I remember dad rushing in about an hour later and I know I was only 10 but I knew something was wrong." Ben said as they sat down on a bench. "It was the waiting that killed. We just didn't know what was happening. We were sat at the hospital for hours before we found out that...that she died on the table." He said quietly.
Olivia reached over and took hold of his hand. "I'm so sorry. That's...that's awful."
Ben blinked back some tears. "It was a long time ago." He said.
"But she was still your mom. You must miss her." She said softly.
"Yeah. She was still my mom." Ben sighed. He glanced at her. "I get that the waiting sucks. And not knowing how Rory's going to be when she wakes up. But she'll be fine. And she will remember you. Who could ever forget you, eh?" He smiled softly.
Olivia blinked back some tears. "Yeah." She said softly. "Yeah you're right." She said. "And thanks..."
"For what?"
"For saying when she wakes up instead of if she wakes up." She said.
"She'll wake up." He smiled. "Trust me."
"I do." She smiled softly. "And thanks...for sharing what happened with your mom. I know you find it hard talking about her."
"I just want you to know I know what you're going through. And I'm here. Whenever you need me." Ben said.
"I know. Thanks." Olivia smiled softly before leaning in to kiss him. "Hey Ben?"
"Yeah?"
"Will you come with me to see Rory today?" She asked.
"Nowhere else I'd rather be." He smiled.
"Liv and Jess should be here right. She just messaged me saying they're on their way." Lorelai told Luke as they sat next to Rory's bed. "Lane and Ben are coming too."
"Ok." Luke said.
Lorelai sighed and looked at her daughter. "I wish that was me lying there." She said.
"What?" Luke said.
"If it was me lying there, then it wouldn't be Rory. Which would mean she would be ok." Lorelai said.
"But that would also mean you would be lying there and I don't know how I would cope with that." Luke said.
"Better me than Rory. She's got her whole life ahead of her yet." She said.
"So have you." Luke pointed out.
"Luke..." Lorelai said.
Luke sighed. "I know." He assured her. "Look, I would swap places with her right now if it meant both of you were ok. You know that right?" He said.
Lorelai blinked back tears and gave him a tremulous smile. "I know." She said. "I'm sorry I'm such a wreck. You've been amazing and...and..."
"Hey, come here." Luke said putting his arm round her. "It's ok." He assured her.
"I just want her back. I want my baby girl back." She said tremulously.
"I know." Luke said, comforting her. "I know."
"Mom?" Olivia said peeking her head in.
"Hey hon!" Lorelai said quickly wiping her tears away.
"Are you ok?" She asked.
"Of course." Lorelai forced a smile.
"Mom..." She said softly.
"I'm just going to get something to eat with Luke at the canteen. Will you guys be ok in here for a bit?" She said.
"Sure." Olivia said. "Are you sure you're ok?"
"She's just worried." Luke said softly. "We all are."
"She'll wake up, mom. I know she will. And she'll be fine." Olivia said softly. "Ben told me she would be. And I believe him."
Lorelai smiled genuinely at Ben. "I'm sure she will be. I'll see you in a bit."
"Yeah...see you in a bit." She sighed, watching her mom go. "It's breaking her." She told the others. "I don't know how much more waiting she can take."
"How about Lane and I go check on her and you two sit with Rory for a bit?" Ben suggested. "We'll bring you back some food."
"Ok." Olivia said quietly.
"Hey..." Ben said softly, bringing her in for a hug and giving her a quick kiss. "She'll wake up soon."
"Thanks." She said tremulously. She watched him and Lane leave the room and then she went to sit down next to Jess who had already taken his place next to Rory, holding her hand. "Hey sis..." She said quietly.
Jess glanced at her. "Ben's right. She will be ok. She has to be." He said gruffly.
Olivia blinked back tears. "But what if she's not?"
"Liv..."
"The doctors said there's a chance she won't be! We can't ignore that!" She said.
"I know. But we have to stay positive." Jess said.
"You're talking to me about being positive? You, Jess Mariano?" Olivia snorted. "Sure..."
"Hey, I have to keep telling myself that or else I'm going to have to face the fact that I might never be able to tell her that I love her!" Jess snapped.
"What?" Olivia said shocked.
Jess went quiet. "I'm sorry. You...you don't want to hear me say that."
Olivia sighed and took hold of his spare hand. "Yes I do." She said softly. "I'm sorry." She said softly. "I'm paying so much attention to how I feel that I forget that you're going through hell as well."
"Yeah...but she's your sister. She's family to you." Jess said.
"And she's your girlfriend." Olivia said softly. "Apparently the girl you love...?" She said cautiously.
Jess ducked his head slightly and then glanced at her. "Is...Is that ok?" He asked her.
Olivia smiled tremulously at her. "I think it's great." She said softly. "And you know what? I think Rory will be pumped to hear you tell her that when she wakes up..." She smiled, receiving a small smile back from him in return.
"Tell me what?" A hoarse voice said.
"Rory?" Olivia spun her head back to her sister to see her slowly opening her eyes.
"Ror?" Jess said softly.
"Je...Jess?" Rory said quietly.
Jess and Olivia exchanged relieved glances. "Yeah it's me." Jess said. "Oh geez, it's so good to hear your voice."
"We've been so worried! You have no idea." Olivia smiled through her tears.
Rory glanced at her and then back at Jess. "What's going on? Who...who is that? Should I know her?"
"What?" Olivia said feeling her heart stop.
Jess glanced at Olivia who had gone pale and then back at Rory. "Wait, Rory, you know who I am right?" He checked.
"You're Jess." Rory said.
"Yeah...and..uh..do you remember that we're..uh..." Jess said awkwardly.
"Dating?"
"Yeah..." He said letting out a breath.
"Of course. You're my boyfriend." She said confused. "You are right?"
"Yeah I am." Jess assured her quickly. "But...you don't know who Liv is?"
"Liv? Is that your name?" Rory asked, looking at Olivia. "I...I'm sorry. Should I know who you are? I...I'm confused. What's going on? What's happened? Why am I here?" She asked, tears welling up in her eyes.
"Oh god..." Olivia said quietly.
"Liv..." Jess said.
"I feel sick." Olivia said suddenly getting up and rushing out of the room.
I've thought long and hard about this outcome and was really nervous writing it but I hope you like it! Please keep the reviews coming and I really love reading what you think! :) Thanks again for all your support! I really do appreciate it. :)