With two weeks to go, and Rory starting her new job the whole household was torn from being excited for Rory and anxious for the results that were going to determine the rest of their lives. It Was hard to believe that she had only been home a week. It seemed so much longer than that. On the morning of Rory's first day they had all woken up early to have a family breakfast together which Luke had whipped up. Everyone was in good spirits giving Rory tips and presenting her with gifts for her first day. Lorelai and Luke had given her a new leather book bag, her grandparents had given her a new bracelet and in joint collaboration Luke had handed Rory a gift from both Zeik and April. They all laughed as she pulled out a handmade plaster with Zeik's hand prints, all over it painted in different colours, but the photo in the middle was what she loved the most. It was a photo of their whole family in the middle of the chaos. Sookie had taken it when they were all over insisting that they needed a family picture together. In the midst of getting ready, Sookie managed to take the perfect shot. Rory and April sat with Zeik in between looking to each other laughing as Zeik giggled. Luke and Lorelai were in the background on the couch with Richard and Emily. Lorelai and Emily were laughing animatedly about something while Richard and Luke had their arms draped around the shoulders of their significant others looking at each other knowingly. It captured such a great moment.
"Awww, I want a copy of that too." Lorelai exclaimed.
"April thought as much and made you and Emily the same frame with the same picture."
"Awww, I love that girl."
"Yeah, I wish she could have been here for my first day too." Rory said genuinely missing April's presence.
"Hand me the phone Hon?" Lorelai said to Luke with a nudge. Luke complied guessing what she was about to do.
"Hello" April said breathlessly as she dove for the phone in the kitchen.
"We miss you!" Lorelai complained with a pout. April laughed.
"I miss you guys too. Did you guys like the frames?"
"We love it. Thank you honey! Hang on, here's Rory she wants to talk to you. I'll call you later kiddo. Oh and the rest of the clan send their love. See you this weekend." Lorelai handed Rory the phone who grinned and took the call in the other room. Lorelai planted a kiss on Luke's head before picking up Zeik from his arms. Zeik giggled as she tickled his tummy and holding him close to her. They heard the door bell ring and assumed it was the mail and thought nothing of it. When Stella came in and advised that a package had arrived for her at the foyer Lorelai handed Zeik back to Luke and curiously made her way to the foyer. Within moments they heard her scream and they all scrambled to their feet in worry. They found Lorelai in the foyer with her arms tightly around Jess jumping up and down with the little energy she had to spare. They all sighed with relief and smiled as they saw Jess back from his book tour. Rory who had heard her Mother scream ran to the foyer April still on the phone.
"Oh my God!" she exclaimed.
"Yeah, sorry April. Everything's fine. Jess is here. Listen, I'll call you tonight okay. Have a great day at school. Bye!"
"Bye Rory. Say hi to Jess for me."
"Will do!" Rory made her way to Jess who kept and arm around Lorelai as he pulled Rory into a hug.
"Hey you, first day huh! I believe you owe me dinner!"
"I believe you're the one who just got back from a book tour on his second book, you owe me dinner first."
"Alright kids. Corners." Lorelai sai amused.
"I'm glad you're back Kid. We've all missed you." Zeik squirmed in Luke's arms and reached out to Jess.
"Apparently my son is a big fan of yours." Luke observed amused as he handed Zeik Jess who giggled and drooled grabbing Jess' cheeks.
"Hey little man, you've grown." Jess said giving Zeik a hug hello. Luke gave him a brief squeeze before he went to greet Emily and Richard.
Jess sat with them to breakfast, but it wasn't long after he sat down that Rory had to go.
"We'll catch up later Jess. I want to hear all about the tour."
"I want to hear about your first day! Enjoy!" Rory dropped a kiss on each cheek before running out the door. Luke watched the interaction between Lorelai and Jess, they had fallen into such an easy friendship that it was hard to believe they were once arch enemies. Luke also noted how at home Jess was in the Gilmore home, opening and closing cupboards and fridge doors.
"Jess, Luke temporarily resided in your room, but it's free again. Stella has prepared it for you." Luke raised an eyebrow not realizing that Jess had his own room in the Gilmore home. How times have changed. Luke had been staying in Lorelai's room since she was released from the hospital. His presence brought her comfort and nothing felt safer than being in his arms.
"I'm off to the diner. I might bring Zeik with me to give you and Jess some time to catch up. Richard why don't you tell Emily what you have planned as a surprise for her today?" Luke prodded gently. Richard had wanted to do something special for Emily knowing that taking care of Lorelai was emotionally taking it's toll on her.
"You my lady and I are taking in a matinee in New York, followed by a little shopping and dinner at your favourite restaurant."
"That sounds great Dad. Nicely planned, you guys deserve some alone time together. You've been taking care of me too much lately." Emily placed a hand over Lorelai's and gave it a squeeze.
"There's nothing we'd rather do." Lorelai smiled and nodded.
"Will Rory be upset that we'll miss her first day news?" Emily asked. Richard shook his head.
"I've spoken to her already. It was her idea to go tonight. She said she'll fill us in at breakfast tomorrow." Reluctantly Emily agreed and was excited to spend the day in New York with Richard.
It wasn't long after that Richard, Emily, Luke and Zeik departed leaving Lorelai and Jess to their own accord. Luke had discreetly left instructions with Jess in case anything major happened in their absence. Richard had taken the Jag leaving the BMW for his use should they need it.
"So how was the book tour?" Lorelai asked excitedly. Jess grinned at her enthusiasm, his initial concern for her put aside,
"It was daunting at first. You never know who's going to show up, if anyone's going to show up, and then I just got used to it. Sometimes there were lots of people, and sometimes not so much. Which funnily enough I preferred because it gave me the opportunity to meet with who was there one on one and actually get to know them better and vise versa. I mean, I want them to know me more than what they just see on the page, you know."
"I'm so proud of you Kid." She said leaning against the headboard of her bed where they sat side by side throwing cards into an empty bowl.
"Thanks! You may not know this, but that means a lot coming from you."
"We certainly have come a long way haven't we?" she observed wisely. Jess smirked and gave her shoulder a nudge.
"Sap!"
"Yeah well."
"Did I tell you I finished my third book?"
"Uh no! With what time?"
"Well I wrote the core of it mostly when I was staying with you guys, and I got to finish it off while I was on the book tour. My agent really likes it, and she's sent it off to the Publishers to be picked up on the next quarter."
"Jess that's great, can I read it?" Lorelai asked excitedly. Jess merely nodded, got up from his seat and pulled out his manuscript from his bag and handed it to her. Eagerly Lorelai began to flick through the pages and stopped at the first page, the dedication.
"To Lorelai Gilmore, for being an inspiration, to me, to all." She read out loud. She looked up at Jess with tears in her eyes.
'Aww, this is for Rory right?" she asked. Jess laughed.
"No, it's you. You're such a dope!" he said amused.
"I would have put Senior but I figured you'd throw it back at me!" he added.
"Damn right I would have. Thanks Jess."
"Yeah well, you think Rory will be mad that I dedicated a book to you before she got to?" he asked with a smile.
"It may give her that kick in the rear to start writing." Lorelai threw back.
They spent the rest of the afternoon catching up on the last few weeks. Lorelai filled him in on all the Luke updates.
"So where does that leave you guys?" he asked.
"I told him that as long as I am uncertain about my future, I don't want to start anything with him. I love him but this is difficult enough without making it more complicated."
"You don't really think that would make it easier?" he asked.
"It is and it isn't. As selfish as it sounds, I am scared to get what I want if I am going to have to let go anyway." Jess raised his eyebrows.
"What if I don't get better Jess?" she asked fearfully admitting for the first time her greatest fear.
"We're all trying to be so positive for each other, and I'm fighting as hard as I can, but what if that isn't enough. I'm scared Jess. I'm scared my hard enough isn't going to be enough." Jess draped an arm around her shoulder and gave her a firm squeeze.
"What can I do?" he asked
"Be the one person I can be honest with about how I really feel. The one person I feel I don't have to be strong for. I know it's a lot to ask, but I need a partner and I can't ask Luke because I know what this is already doing to him, and my Mom she's trying so hard, and Rory, I can't do it to her Jess. You and I, we've always been straight forward, no nonsense. I need that right now."
"Hey," he said interrupting her blubbering and forced her to look at him before replying,
"You got one."
"Thanks Kid. I'm so glad you're back." Lorelai said genuinely.
"Me too."