A/N: Thanks, folks, for all the fab feedback. Special shout-out to Cbird28 for not only the lovely feedback on this fic but also so many points of interest in the Runawaysverse while re-reading the saga ;)
(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)
Chapter 15
"I can't believe he's your nephew, I mean, how is that even possible?" Lorelai asked, shaking her head. "I mean, of course, I believe it, because he told me himself, and Rory - poor, sweet Rory - she was so bowled over, because she really had no idea, but that is nothing to the shock for poor Jess, and you, obviously. Wow, talk about a coincidence."
Luke sighed. "Yeah, it's gotta be pretty high up there in the table of long odds."
Lorelai really didn't know what else to say on the subject. She was in shock about the whole thing, but of course, it was much worse for everybody else involved. When she got home from the inn and found Rory and Jess on the couch, her looking weirdly guilty and sad, him looking even worse, she couldn't imagine what terrible thing had happened. Then came the strange and coincidental truth - Jess was Luke's nephew.
"So, my boyfriend and your boyfriend are related?" she had asked Rory, wishing the moment she said the words that she hadn't, because it only made everything even more awkward.
Nothing had really been anything but awkward ever since, especially when Lorelai got around to talking to Luke about it the next morning. Of all places, the majority of said conversation had ended up being in line to visit with Old Man Twickham who was on his death bed... again. There was really no part of this whole thing that wasn't weird and awkward!
"Jess just seems so mad at me." Luke sighed. "Did he say anything to you about that?"
"Not really." Lorelai shook her head. "I'm guessing he and Rory talked it out, but I was kind of wary about poking my nose into all of that," she admitted. "Besides, just when I thought maybe I could quiz my kid on what's going on, she had to head back to Yale and Jess went with her. I'm not even sure if they're coming back tonight or what. I mean, from what was said, Jess doesn't have anywhere else to go."
"Where was he up to now?" Luke frowned some. "I mean, I'm guessing with Joe, his step-father? Well, ex-step-father, but he was always good with Jess. Truth be told, he was pretty good for Liz too, until she got bored and left him for another real prize."
Lorelai felt so bad for Luke. He clearly had a lot of family drama over the years and his sister was at the root of most of it. Finding out Jess was in the area after not seeing him for so long had to have been a heck of a shock. Add to that the fact his nephew was dating Rory and the whole thing went up a whole bunch of notches on the crazy scale.
"Yeah, Rory did mention he was staying with a step-father at the Huntzberger place." Lorelai nodded, hardly daring to mention the rest of the tale, but aware she should probably just rip off the Band Aid. "Uh, you should probably also know that Rory met Jess via Logan, the heir apparent of the Huntzberger estate. I'm sure you remember him as the charming young man who we found with Rory at my parents wedding redux. They were kind of in flagrante or whatever that phrase is."
Luke's eyes went so wide, Lorelai was convinced they were about to roll out of his head entirely. It was actually a blessed relief to realise it was their turn to go into the house to see Old Man Twickham before he passed. Somehow, last goodbyes with a man who had been on his deathbed seventeen times in the past decade was still preferable to dealing with the drama of their own lives right now.
"Are you sure you wanna be here?" Rory asked Jess for what had to be the fourth time since they arrived on campus. "Because, you know, Mom said you could stay at our house a while longer, just hang out, spend a couple of nights until you find something more permanent."
"And I appreciate that," he assured her with his best attempt at a smile. "I may need a place to sleep, it depends what happens, but for right now, I need to be here," he said definitely, watching her fumble the key from her bag to let them into the dorm. "Rory, you know I have to talk to him."
She stopped with the door not quite open and turned to stare at him.
"Um, is that a good idea?" she checked, shaking her head as if she was already trying to tell him it wasn't. "I mean, it was only a couple of days ago, barely thirty-six hours actually, you know, since the whole incident with the yelling and the punching and the threats. I just don't want you guys fighting... over me," she said, wincing even as the words left her lips. "Oh, God, I can't believe I just said that, it sounds so conceited!" she complained, finally prising the door open and pushing forward into the dorm.
"It's not conceited if it's true," Jess told her, following behind. "The fact is, we were fighting over you, and as much as I don't regret anything that has happened with you and me so far, I just can't... I'm not comfortable leaving things the way they are with Logan."
He had to be crazy, Jess was well aware, but he meant what he said about wanting to fix things with Logan. It wasn't that they were ever super close. They weren't calling each other brother or anything, but they had known each other a really long time. Logan had been in Jess' life longer than he hadn't, albeit intermittently, and that was neither of their faults exactly. For two kids that came from very different backgrounds and didn't have a massive amount in common, especially as they got older, they always seemed to get along somehow. Not anymore, apparently, but still.
"If you're going to go and talk to him," said Rory then, dumping her bag onto the couch and turning to face Jess with a very serious expression, "please promise me you will be careful, that you will not get into a fist fight if you can possibly help it, and..."
"And?" he prompted when she fell silent, her eyes dipping quite definitely to the carpet. "Rory?"
Taking a deep breath, she seemed to steel herself then finally looked up again and met his eyes.
"And that you won't suddenly decide that your friendship with Logan is more important to you than what we have, because I don't think I'd handle that so well."
Jess hardly knew how to respond. The thought really never had crossed his mind to give up on Rory, not for Logan's sake or anyone else's either. As far as he was concerned, there was no choice for him when it came to Rory. He had to be with her, now more than ever, and was amazed she had any doubts at all about that.
"C'mere," he said, his hands at her face, guiding her closer to him. "I promise you that nothing and no-one is making me change my mind about you," he told her solemnly, gaze locked onto her own. "I don't know what you've done to me, Rory Gilmore, but I am hooked."
"Good to know," said Rory softly, finding him a half a smile, before he went ahead and kissed her.
It was a brief moment, a promise, a commitment, maybe even more so than what happened in her room back home yesterday. He needed her to know just how much she meant to him. Of course, Jess knew that if he was going to figure things out with Logan, or at least try to, he had to do it fast, not least because he was worried his nerve would go if he didn't. Not that he was admitting that to anyone, of course, not even Rory.
Since the diner traffic was currently in one of its usual lulls, Luke took the opportunity to collate a few receipts that he hadn't quite gotten squared away the night before. It didn't usually take too long and he was sure he would be finished long before the lunch rush hit. Besides, he wasn't so engrossed that he didn't hear the bell ring over the door or realise that someone had approached the counter close to where he was working.
"Take a seat, I'll be right with you," he said absently, circling the total on the last receipt and attaching it to the pile of completed paperwork.
"Nice to see you again, Luke. It's been a while."
When he heard that, Luke looked up very fast, knowing who he expected to see and yet still surprised when it actually was the man in question, smiling at him from across the counter.
"Joe," he said, shaking his head. "My God, it's been... Uh, what are you doing here?" he asked, somewhat bemused until finally his brain caught up with itself. "Is this about Jess?"
"Mostly," Joe agreed, nodding his head, "but in the meantime, I have to say, I'm very impressed with this place," he said, gesturing around the diner. "You always downplayed it. It's real nice."
"Thank you." Luke smiled slightly. "Wow, it is so weird seeing you here, after all this time," he admitted, still feeling strange about it.
"Not as weird as it was when you suddenly ran into Jess the other day, I'll bet," said Joe with a knowing look. "You know, if I'd known he was coming to Stars Hollow, that you two might just suddenly come face-to-face, I would've said something. As it was, the second I realised what must've happened, I came right on over."
"Hey, it's not your fault," Luke insisted. "It's not anybody's fault really. There is no fault, as far as I can tell. Just a weird coincidence. You know, with Jess dating Rory? You do know about Rory, right?"
"Yes, I know all about Rory," said Joe, smiling widely. "I have only met her the one time, just briefly, but from all that Jess tells me, she seems like something real special."
"Well, I won't argue with that. You know, her mom, Lorelai, she and I are together. We were friends first, for a long time. Rory has been in my life for years now and she is such a good kid. Good woman... person," he corrected, realising that at twenty years old, Rory really shouldn't be called kid anymore, especially to people outside of her family. "Rory and Lorelai are... well, two in a million, I guess."
"I certainly got that impression from Jess," Joe agreed. "What I didn't know about Miss Rory and her mother was where exactly they lived. I knew Rory attended Yale, but Jess never mentioned her hometown. It was only when I overheard some yelling back at the house... well, someone said Jess had gone with Rory to Stars Hollow and suddenly I realised..."
"That he would probably run across me while he was here." Luke nodded in understanding. "Well, he did, and I really don't think he was too happy about it."
It hurt to have to say that, because Luke really did hate that he might have upset his nephew at all, either recently or in years gone by. He was well aware that he should've been there for Jess if he was needed, but he had kind of assumed the kid would do okay without him. Rushing to help Liz up every time she stumbled, it had become far too painful in the end, something he found himself trying to explain to Joe in the moments that followed.
"Don't beat yourself up, Luke," he told him kindly when he was through. "As much as I loved Liz, and a part of me always will, she was never the easiest person to care for. Even Jess struggled with that. It's why they don't see each other much anymore."
Adjusting his hat, Luke then found himself leaning heavily on the counter, unsure what to say or do for the best. It was so strange seeing Joe again, talking about Liz and Jess, reconsidering life the way it used to be, long before he knew Lorelai or Rory. It all seemed so long ago, and yet, so close at hand since his chance meeting with Jess yesterday.
"So, mostly I came here to make sure we were both on the same page," said Joe then. "I know you want what's best for Jess, you always did, and that's all I'm looking for too. Right now, I can't help him with anything because I'm not even sure where he ended up."
"Oh, well, he's been staying at Rory's place, uh, her and Lorelai's house. I can give you the address and the number, they won't mind," Luke explained. "Of course, from what Lorelai said, Rory headed back into school today and Jess went with her, so they might be at the dorm over at Yale. I can write that information down too."
Grabbing his order pad, Luke started scribbling, and Joe thanked him for his trouble.
"Honestly, I just want to know that Jess is doing okay after everything, and I don't just mean seeing you again after all these years. The blow-out he had with Logan..."
"Yeah, what I know about Logan so far isn't exactly positive," said Luke with a look.
The expression on Joe's face suggested he maybe didn't think too highly of the kid himself. Still, he was unlikely to be too judgemental of his boss' son and Luke wasn't sure he could blame him. Joe was always a good guy. Of all Liz's husbands, Luke counted him as the only real success. It was shame that his sister hadn't liked the guy enough to stick with him, but at least Joe had always been there for Jess. It was good to know he was never completely alone.
Even as he stood in front of Logan's dorm room door with his fist raised ready to knock, Jess thought about what a bad idea it was. After all, the last time he saw the guy, he got a punch in the face for his trouble. If anybody should be apologising or trying to make the peace, it was definitely Logan, and yet, here was Jess, ready to do what was necessary to patch up a friendship that had been a part of his life for more years than it hadn't.
"Just do it," he told himself, finally rapping on the door, then stepping back to wait for a response.
It didn't take long for the door to open, and there was Logan, fire in his eyes when he saw who had come knocking.
"Hey," said Jess warily. "Can we talk?"
"Are you kidding me with this, Mariano?" Logan snapped at him. "I mean, seriously, are you showing up outside of my dorm, expecting a friendly chat after what you did?"
Jess rubbed at his forehead and tried to remain calm.
"Look, Logan, I know this whole thing is not ideal for anyone but-"
"Not ideal?" Logan echoed, cutting Jess off completely. "You're unbelievable you know that, man? I mean, have you really been waiting all these years just to get even on me? Is that what this is about?"
"Get even?" Jess echoed shaking his head, sure he looked as confused as he felt. "Even for what?"
"You know what I'm talking about!" his former friend snarled. "Poor little Jess, the valet's step-son. Living in the big house, but always had to know his place, right? I mean, I shared with you, I was a pretty decent friend, so I thought. You wanted to come back and stay, even after your mom split on Joe, nobody cared. My dad welcomed you back, I never treated you differently for not being one of us, but I guess that wasn't enough, was it? You were the hard done by kid, always dreaming of having what the privileged few were allowed, and your way of getting back at me for coming from the lavish, semi-stable home was to take away the one person that I..."
He stopped talking very suddenly, no doubt realising what he was about to say, or maybe just noticing the expression on Jess' face which he was certain showed no small amount of shock.
"Get out of here, Jess. Just go far away and don't ever come back."
Logan slammed the door then, the whole wall seeming to shake with the force. Jess just stood there for a full minute, trying to take in what he had heard, then he turned and trudged back to Rory's room, not knowing what else he could do in the circumstances.
To Be Continued...