The Great De-Casting
"Holden, are you excited?" Rory asks her.
"I guess," Holden replies sitting down at the kitchen table.
"She is," LJ reassures him mom. "She just loves to act indifferent."
"Today's the day Ernie," Jess says excitedly coming into the kitchen.
"Today's the day I… graduate?" Holden asks him in mock confusion.
"Is she serious?" Jess asks Rory, he never could tell when his daughter was pulling his leg.
"No idea," Rory replies. "Ask LJ."
"She knows what today is," LJ tells him.
"Good because I didn't want to explain that one," Jess replies as he lets out a sigh of relief.
"You didn't want to tell me that my casts were coming off?" Holden asks him, pulling his leg again.
"No sweetie," Jess tells her. "That was a joke… just like yours."
"Huh," Holden replies.
"So are you excited?" Jess asks her already excited enough for both of them.
"Sure," Holden replies spearing a piece of blueberry pancake.
"You enthusiasm… shocks me," Rory says amused and they all look at her except Holden.
"What was that?" Jess asks her confused.
"Yeah mom?" LJ asks equally confused.
"Maybe if you stuck around Stars Hollow," Rory tells Jess pointedly. "Then you'd know what I was talking about."
"It's Rory's partner," Holden explains. "As in lesbian partner... Mrs. Van-Uppity, no? You're still confused?"
"How do you even know that?" Rory asks her confused.
"Stars Hollow Gazette," Holden replies. "Issue 32 of 2004, page 2."
"And you were reading back issues of the Gazette why?" LJ asks her confused.
"Because I knew that it would come in handy one day," Holden tells them. "Just like today."
"So you read everyone?" Rory asks her. "And remembered it all?"
"I only read from the year you and your mom first went into Luke's," Holden explains. "And yes I remembered it."
"How?" Rory asks her amazed.
"Explain it in the car," Jess tells them. "If we don't leave soon, we're going to be late."
"Fine," Rory huffs as they all make their way out to Jess SUV. "So?" Rory prompts Holden once they were on the highway.
"I don't know how or why," Holden tells her. "But I basically remember everything. My brain catalogues it and files it away until needed."
"Your head must be pretty full," LJ tells her. "You remember everything."
"Not everything," Holden replies. "If I meet someone or if I'm not paying attention then I don't remember. You could have a five minute conversation with me one day, then come back and do the same thing in a week. I'd remember the conversation, but not your face."
"You wouldn't remember me?" LJ asks in mock hurt.
"I was generalizing," Holden reassures him grabbing his hand.
"Why do you think that is?" Rory asks her.
"Should I pay you?" Holden asks Rory amused.
"What?" Rory asks confused.
"This is getting a little too close to therapy for my tastes," Holden tells her. "And to answer your question it's because I don't pay enough attention. If someone's worth remembering then they will pop up in my life again. You pop up enough times and I'm bound to remember you."
"Are you saying that you don't remember me?" Rory asks Holden matching her son's previous mocking tone.
"That's it," Jess tells them. "No talking in the car or no-ones getting ice cream."
"Dad?" All three of them plead.
"You heard me," Jess replies switching the radio on, blasting the car full of heavy metal music.
"Jess," Rory warns.
"Yeah dad," Holden agrees. "No one listens to this stuff anymore."
"You be quiet," Jess tells his daughter. "Or not only will I hold back your ice cream, but I'll tell the doctor to leave your casts on for longer."
That shut them up. The rest of the car ride was in silence. Rory was soundlessly trying to change the radio station, whilst Holden and LJ texted each other on their cells.
"We're here," Jess announced as he got out of the car. The other three followed him wordlessly into the hospital.
Jess went to the front desk whilst Rory, Holden and LJ sat in the waiting room. Jess returned and tried to strike up a conversation, but they all stayed quiet. Jess sighed at their immaturity and grabbed a magazine off the table, coincidentally the one his picture was plastered on.
"Oh," Jess says reading the magazine and letting out a little laugh. The three looked at him to see what he was reading, each itching to find out, but they stayed silent. "I don't have a dog… I could get a dog… maybe… do they? They should."
"They should what?" Rory asks him frantically.
"No ice cream for you," Jess tells her and she sighs.
"At least tell me what you're reading," Rory pleads him.
"This magazine," Jess tells her showing her the cover. "It says that we have a dog… also that we live in Woodbridge, oh no Taylor's not going to be pleased with that one."
"Stupid magazine," Rory says taking it off him. "It doesn't even mention that I'm pregnant… does anyone even know?"
"I'm sure someone knows," Jess tells her.
"Holden Mariano," The doctor calls.
They went in and Holden got her casts taken off. It was easy, painless… and silent. Both Holden and LJ had still chosen not to speak. But Rory on the other hand was sad, muttering about how she would miss the casts and that her mother wasn't insane to want to say goodbye to her own cast back in the day.
They went straight from the Doctors office to rehab. Holden had to be taught how to walk again… much to her protests.
"I know how to walk," Holden tells them for the hundredth time. "Get me out of this wheelchair and I'll show you."
"You must be Holden," A lady says shaking her hand. "I'm Dr. Moran, but you can call me Debra."
"Debra," Holden says. "I can walk."
"We'll see," She says leading them in the room. "Now Holden your legs aren't-"
"Going to break," Holden finishes off for her. "I know. I also know that the bones are now stronger than they were before."
"Oh, okay," Debra falters. "Let's give walking a go then."
Jess and LJ helped Holden up. She was shaky at first and they had to support her, but she soon got her balance and only rested her hand on LJ's shoulder for comfort.
"Now I'll get you to walk with the support of these beams," Debra told her and Holden grabbed onto the bars.
She took a step, it was shaky and she grabbed the bars tighter. She didn't give up though, she took another step and another. She made it all the way to the end and turned around and walked back.
"Good, good," Debra says.
"She's in pain," LJ tells Debra.
"Traitor," Holden hisses.
"It's alright," Debra replies. "There's bound to be some pain or discomfort, but that should fade. I'll get you to walk without the bars… if you're ready for it."
"I'm ready," Holden tells her as she lets go of the bars and stands by herself.
"Doesn't this usually take a while?" Rory asks Debra confused. "Aren't people usually in rehab for weeks?"
"Yeah," Debra replies watching Holden take a few shaky steps on her own. "A big part of rehab is getting over your fears. Fears that the bones will re-break things like that, but when you've got someone like Holden it's easy. Holden's brave, you can see that she's not afraid and therefore it's not going to take long. See most patients spend the first lesson just standing with the bars, afraid that their legs will collapse beneath them, but when you're not afraid you can move on quicker… your fears aren't holding you back."
"Makes sense," Rory replies.
"See I can walk," Holden tells them. Well it was more hobbling then walking.
"See how you're leaning when you walk?" Debra asks Holden and she nods her head. "You should try and correct that as soon as you can or it will become a habit and could lead to other medical problems."
"No problem," Holden replies slightly out of breath, holding onto LJ's shoulder for support. "Am I free to go?"
"Sure," Debra replies. "But schedule some more appointments before you leave, I want to see you walking normally and without any pain, okay?"
"Okay," Holden tells her.
"Also take it easy," Debra explains. "Your muscles have been dormant for a long time. Now you're going to have to build your muscles back up. Here's a sheet with exercises on it, do them at least three times a day, more if you feel capable… and I'll see you next week."
"Sure, bye," Holden tells her still holding onto LJ's shoulder. She smiled once she passed the wheelchair, she wouldn't be needing that again. Too bad that they had to take it back with them, it was Luke's after all, and now a constant reminder of what happened to Holden... Luke would hide it away though. Everyone needed to move on.
"Holden," Finn says opening her door and helping her out.
"Finn," Holden replies matching his excitement.
"How was the de-casting and rehab?" Finn asks her.
"Fine," Holden replies. "Why?"
"No reason," Finn tells her.
"What's going on?" Holden asks him. "It's like you're on meth."
"Who says I aren't," Finn retorts.
"Okay," Holden tells him limping away. "Have fun with that."
"Wait," Finn says grabbing her by the arm. "I have a present for you."
"A present for me?" Holden questions him warily.
"Well it's for you and LJ technically," Finn explains. "But you can tell LJ that it's yours, that way you get the most say over it."
"You're not very good at being cryptic," Holden tells him.
"What are you talking about," Jess says standing next to his daughter.
"I brought Holden a present," Finn tells Jess.
"Why?" Jess replies. "It's not her birthday."
"Relax mate," Finn tells him. "Bloody hell," He mutters under his breath. "This is the last time I do something thoughtful."
"What was that?" Jess asks him.
"Never mind," Finn answers. "So Holden, where's LJ?"
"Right here," Holden replies as LJ joins her side.
"So what did you get her?" Jess demands Finn. "If better not be expensive."
"It's not expensive," Finn reassures him. "It used to be mine… back in the good old days."
"Great," Holden mumbles. "You know, I don't really have a need for a record player."
"I'm not that old," Finn argues quickly. "Although your present is-"
"Is what?" Holden asks him.
"Look its LJ," Finn says turning his attention to LJ.
LJ grabs Holden's hand confused.
"What's going on?" LJ asks her.
"Finn's giving us a present," Holden tells him.
"Why?" LJ asks him confused.
"Can't you kids these days just accept a gift and say thank you?" Finn asks them.
"I'm not thanking you until I know what it is," LJ tells him.
"And like you were even polite back in you day Finn," Holden argues. "I've heard stories."
"Bloody hell, never again," Finn mutters and then turns to face the diner. "Okay Kirk," Finn yelled. "Pull off the sheet."
"Oh my-" LJ says in complete awe.
"God," Holden finishes off for him.
"No, no way," Jess protests. "You take that back right now Finn, I'm warning you, you take it back or else."