Chapter Fifty-Three
Jess waited until after breakfast to broach the subject of calling Lorelai, figuring it would be easier to have a real conversation about it after Rory was fed and caffeinated. His hopes were dashed, however, when Rory immediately told him that if he called her mother she would waste no time beating him with every single textbook she could find.
"Rory-"
"Jess, I'm not kidding!" She glared at him. "My mother has more than enough to deal with right now, I don't need her worrying that I'm about to be committed."
"She wouldn't, since you're not going to be," Jess argued.
"That's what it feels like!" Rory snapped. "So until I've got this under control, you tell her nothing. Understood?"
The look she was giving Jess told him that she was absolutely serious about this decision and there was no way he could convince her otherwise, so he nodded.
"And don't go telling Luke either," Rory added. "The man is physically incapable of hiding anything from her."
Jess nodded again, but apparently he was incapable of hiding anything too, because Rory's glare intensified.
"You already told him," she accused.
"I may have called him while you were sleeping," Jess evaded the question.
"Call him back and tell him I'm fine."
"But-"
"Jess, so help me!"
"Okay," he held up his hands in surrender. "I'll call him."
"Now," Rory passed him the phone.
"Now," he agreed.
Under Rory's annoyed and watchful eye, Jess called the diner and told Luke that everything was fine. He wasn't sure that his uncle believed him, but at least he'd tried.
"Happy?" He asked when he had finished the call.
"No, but it's better than nothing," Rory frowned. "I'm going to go shower."
While she was gone, Jess got a panicked call from Cynthia demanding to know what had happened.
"Why didn't you wake us up!?" She demanded.
"It was three in the morning. If I had woken you, you probably would have killed me."
"Not if it was for Rory!" Cynthia cried.
"Nice to know where your priorities are," Jess said sarcastically.
"Where is she?"
"She's in the shower."
"Is she okay? What's going on?" Cynthia demanded.
"She's okay," Jess assured her. "She's just been having a hard time."
"What do you mean she's having a hard time?" Cynthia asked. "What's wrong with her."
"I guess she's been having nightmares a lot, so she hasn't been sleeping and in the last day or two it's gotten worse and she's started having panic attacks."
"That doesn't sound okay," Cynthia frowned.
"I guess not," Jess admitted. "She insists she's fine, though."
"I am fine," Rory walked back into the room, a towel wrapped around herself, at the same time Cynthia said, "Because she's stubborn."
"Who are you talking too?" Rory asked, looking for some clothes.
"Cynthia," Jess held out the phone. "She wants to talk to you."
"Of course she does," Rory sighed and took the phone, dropping into her chair. "Cynthia, how are you?"
"You are an idiot!" Cynthia cried. "You know that, right? You are a stubborn, aggravating, headache causing idiot!"
"It's good to hear from you too," Rory ignored her accusations. "So, what's new?"
"I'm going to kill you the next time I see you. Are you listening to me?" Cynthia continued ranting. "Death, painful and bloody."
"Uh-huh," Rory rolled her eyes.
"I swear to God, Rory!"
"You're an atheist," Rory pointed out calmly, which only seemed to annoy Cynthia.
"Why wouldn't you tell us you needed help!? You're my best friend, I would have been there in a heartbeat."
"Because I'm fine."
"NO YOU'RE NOT!" Jess and Cynthia both yelled.
"Put Jess back on the phone," Cynthia huffed. "You're not listening to me."
"See you later," Rory smiled and passed the phone back to Jess, who was glaring at her.
"See what I mean?" He asked Cynthia.
"Bring her back here," Cynthia ordered.
"I'll try," Jess promised. "I was about to talk to her about that."
"Good. I'll talk to you later." Cynthia hung up abruptly, making Jess laugh. There were days when that woman could give even Paris a run for her money.
"So," Jess turned back to Rory, who had dropped her towel and was pulling on some clothes.
"Hmm?"
"You're not going to distract me," he smirked.
"I'm not trying to," Rory lied, not looking at him.
"Sure you're not," Jess snorted. "Why don't we go back to Philly for a few days."
"I have school."
"It's Saturday."
"But I have classes on Monday," Rory pointed out.
"Monday is two days away," Jess shook his head. "Don't you want to go home for a couple days."
"No."
"Liar," he accused. "Come on, just a couple days. Just to give yourself a break from the stress around here."
"I can't go to Philly, Jess," Rory frowned. "I can't be that far away."
"Ror, everything is fine here," Jess tried to reassure her. "Staying here is just making you more stressed. If anyone is going to get sick, it's going to be you."
She didn't seem very convinced, but Jess wasn't about to give up.
"If anything happens we can be back here in a matter of hours- not that there's going to be any need."
"Jess-"
"Rory," he got up and grabbed her shoulders, forcing her to look at him. "You're going to send yourself into some sort of breakdown if you don't take a step back from all this. Come home with me for a couple days, just a couple days. You need a break."
"It would be nice to sleep in our bed again," Rory sighed.
"Right?" Jess nodded encouragingly.
"Fine," she finally relented. "But only a couple days. I'm coming back Sunday night."
"Absolutely," Jess nodded.
Rory frowned at him for another second, then nodded.
"So, do you want to pack?" Jess prompted.
"I guess."
"This will be good for you," Jess smiled encouragingly. "Besides, Cynthia misses you and I'm pretty sure she's ready to drive down here and kidnap you if you don't come back soon."
Rory gave him a small smile and started throwing some clothes in a bag.
"Stop smirking like that," she scolded.
"You're not even looking at me," Jess scoffed. "How could you possibly know that I'm smirking."
"I know you," she turned and pursed her lips. "So wipe that stupid look off your face and go tell Paris that we're leaving."
"Yes, dear," Jess continued smirking, then ducked when Rory threw a copy of Swann's Way at his head.
"So I'm going to take Rory back to Philly for a couple days," Jess announced as he entered the living room.
"Good," Paris nodded. "A change of scenery will probably do her good."
"That's what I figured," Jess nodded.
"Here, take some of the sleeping pills I gave her," Paris got to her feet and headed for the kitchen. "Just in case."
"She really hates taking sleeping pills," Jess shook his head. "They mess with her head too much. I'm pretty sure the only reason she wasn't all loopy when she woke up earlier was because of the panic attacks."
"Are you sure?" Paris frowned. "What about some Atavan?"
"Geez, Paris!" Jess glanced over her shoulder into the cupboard. "How many pills do you need?"
"You never know what life is going to throw at you," she shrugged.
"Rory! You're aware that you live with a drug dealer, right?" Jess called to his girlfriend.
"If she was really a drug dealer we wouldn't live in such a crappy apartment," Rory pointed out, entering the kitchen and pouring herself a cup of coffee. "Stop trying to drug me, Paris."
"I'm just offering some help," her roommate said innocently. "What's wrong with that?"
"It's illegal," Jess offered.
"Oh please," Paris waved him off. "It's not like I'm some junkie off the street, I'm a medical student, I know what I'm talking about."
"You can't even read a chart," Rory pointed out.
"Charts and medications have nothing to do with each other," Paris argued. "I mean, it only takes like a year to become a pharmacist. A child could do it."
"Right," Rory nodded skeptically. "Either way, I'm not taking anything, so you can go back to hoarding your pills for your med school interviews."
"Fine," Paris shut the cupboard door. "But don't say I didn't offer."
"I won't," Rory promised. "Are you ready to go?"
"Sure," Jess nodded. "If you are."
"Have a good weekend," Paris pulled her friend into a hug. "Call if you need anything."
"I will," Rory smiled. "Thanks Paris. For everything."
"Any time. See you later, Kerouac."
"You'll see me Monday, Paris," Jess promised.
"No you won't," Rory shook her head.
"We're not arguing about this," Jess glared at his girlfriend. "I'm coming back with you and staying for a while. You don't get an opinion on the matter."
"Oh really?" Rory crossed her arms. "And how exactly do you expect to keep me from having an opinion? Are you planning a lobotomy? Or possibly some sort of neural toxin?"
"Science fiction doesn't suit you," Jess frowned. "Of course you have an opinion, I just don't care what it is, because I'm coming back."
"You can't come back if I don't let you in."
"Paris?" Jess turned to the roommate.
"I'll let you in," she promised, then turned to Rory and shrugged. "Sorry, but he's right."
"I hate you both," Rory huffed and stomped towards the door. "Are you coming or not?"
"See you Monday," Jess smiled and waved at Paris before grabbing his own bag and following Rory downstairs to his car.
