* At Luke's Diner*
"Thanks Luke, I appreciate you letting me stay here all week."
"I'm glad to have you, in a weird way this place hasn't been the same with out you kid." The two men, not known for their intimacy, join in a short embrace almost immediately Luke goes back to his work behind the counter and Jess runs upstairs to the apartment that he once called home. As he entered the apartment Jess was amazed that nothing had changed, his bedroom was still painted dark blue and his old copy of "Wonder Boys" remained on his bed where he had last left it.
"It's good to be back," Jess said to himself before picking up his book and lying down on his bed. After an hours nap, Jess awakes to the sound of a familiar voice…
"Come on, just one more cup, I can't go to work with out my 4th cup of coffee you know that!" Jess watched silently as his uncle held the pot of coffee out giving in to his favorite customers demand.
"Some things never change" Lorelei looks up; taken back by the rugged good looks that now seem to fit Jess' frame perfectly.
"Hey there, Jess, it's nice to see you again."
"Thanks. Same to you."
"So, Luke tells me you've been working with kids in Boston…molding their minds so they may one day take over the world."
"Well, what good are kids if you can't corrupt them early on huh?"
"Ah, yes how true."
"Well, Lorelei, it was nice seeing you but I have to run. Uncle Luke, I'll se you around 9.Bye."
With that Jess walks out of the diner and begins to walk the streets of the small town that he once deemed Hell. An hour of walking leads Jess to the bench in the gazebo. Sitting there he watches the townspeople pass by. After a few minutes Jess does what he did after many conversations with rory; stretches out his legs and lies down on the bench. As if on cue, his memories of stars hollow come flooding back.
"Hey, mister, you're not allowed to sleep on the benches, Mr. Taylor says only hoodlums do that."
Startled by being approached by a young child, Jess sits up shakes his hair loose and looks at the child, She had a smile that was unmistakably the one of Sookie; Lorelei Gilmore's best friend.
"Uh thank you Ma'am." Jess gets up and heads towards the only place that ever felt like home to him...the old bridge."
As Jess approaches the bridge he sees the outline of person sitting Indian style throwing rocks into the lake, undaunted he continues forward and walks on to the bridge. Just as Jess reaches the middle of the bridge the person turns around and looks at him and for a split second Jess watched as the blue eyes of Rory Gilmore sparkled at him.
"I, I thought you'd come by here sometime, Lane said you got in last night."
"I, uh...Yea—unable to form a sentence Jess regretfully turns his back on Rory and walks towards the diner.
*Lane's House*
"So you just let him walk away?"
"Well, Lane, what was I supposed to do throw myself at his knees? I mean I haven't spoken to the guy in 6 years."
"I know but I don't see why you can't talk to him now, you said before that what happened in the past was done, so why are you worried about talking to him?"
"I don't know, and that's what bothers me, I mean 7 years ago when he cam here he made me question my loyalty to Dean, but our relationship never went any farther then that. Then he left. That was one of the hardest days of my life, Lane, He came over to say good-bye to us and had walked in on me making out with Dean. He took one long look at me and then turned away—just like he did today, do you know how much that hurt me?"
"I know, but he's in town for a whole week, it's your chance to make amends."
Rory looking out the window at the rainy afternoon replied solemnly "I guess."
*Luke's Diner *
Jess is alone in the diner Luke was called over to Lorelei's around 7 and never returned. When asked about his new development, Miss Patty simply said that they were old news.
Unable to sleep, Jess is lying in a booth in the dark, closed diner. He listens to the rain fall heavily on the streets. Cursing himself for his cowardliness, Jess gets up suddenly and opens the door to the diner. He locks the door behind him and starts running prolifically through the streets of Stars Hollow. He is soaked by the time he reaches his destination; he stands in front of the lowly apartment; two stories up with the yellow flowers sprawled carefully along the balcony. He sighs thinking of the life he could have had, he starts to turn again, losing his confidence as a hand brushes his shoulder. He looks over his shoulder and once again is amazed at the breathtaking beauty that is Rory Gilmore.
His words fumble but then he manages a simple sentence " Didn't anyone ever tell you to keep out of the rain."
"Sure, but dodger wouldn't like it if I listened to him, now would he?"
"No, I guess not. So what are you doing out here?"
"I don't know something told me to come out side."
"Very Serendipitous."
"Very." They look at each other for a few moments in silence they don't notice the rain anymore and after a few moments Rory speaks: "Jess, I'm sorry I was such a bad friend."
"Don't, you did what you had to do. I wasn't the right guy for you, not then."
"And what about now? Jess I don't want you to leave here hating me."
"Hate, Rory Gilmore, I don't think that's possible."
Rory's eyes sparkled at this statement *he doesn't hate me* her thoughts are broken by Jess' words—
"Feel like getting out of the rain? Come on I'll get you some coffee."
"Thanks." They begin to walk towards the diner Rory stops suddenly and turns towards jess. "You know I've thought about you so many times over the years, I just didn't know where to start, whether to write you a letter, call on the phone—
"Rory we're victims of time. I loved you when I was 17, you loved Dean, and I got tired of waiting around so I left. I took the coward's way out. If this is anybody's fault it's mine. I'm sorry I made you feel guilty Rory."
As they stood their opening up to each other for the first time in 6 years their kindred spirits intertwined once again and it was as if no time had passed between them.
"Thanks Luke, I appreciate you letting me stay here all week."
"I'm glad to have you, in a weird way this place hasn't been the same with out you kid." The two men, not known for their intimacy, join in a short embrace almost immediately Luke goes back to his work behind the counter and Jess runs upstairs to the apartment that he once called home. As he entered the apartment Jess was amazed that nothing had changed, his bedroom was still painted dark blue and his old copy of "Wonder Boys" remained on his bed where he had last left it.
"It's good to be back," Jess said to himself before picking up his book and lying down on his bed. After an hours nap, Jess awakes to the sound of a familiar voice…
"Come on, just one more cup, I can't go to work with out my 4th cup of coffee you know that!" Jess watched silently as his uncle held the pot of coffee out giving in to his favorite customers demand.
"Some things never change" Lorelei looks up; taken back by the rugged good looks that now seem to fit Jess' frame perfectly.
"Hey there, Jess, it's nice to see you again."
"Thanks. Same to you."
"So, Luke tells me you've been working with kids in Boston…molding their minds so they may one day take over the world."
"Well, what good are kids if you can't corrupt them early on huh?"
"Ah, yes how true."
"Well, Lorelei, it was nice seeing you but I have to run. Uncle Luke, I'll se you around 9.Bye."
With that Jess walks out of the diner and begins to walk the streets of the small town that he once deemed Hell. An hour of walking leads Jess to the bench in the gazebo. Sitting there he watches the townspeople pass by. After a few minutes Jess does what he did after many conversations with rory; stretches out his legs and lies down on the bench. As if on cue, his memories of stars hollow come flooding back.
"Hey, mister, you're not allowed to sleep on the benches, Mr. Taylor says only hoodlums do that."
Startled by being approached by a young child, Jess sits up shakes his hair loose and looks at the child, She had a smile that was unmistakably the one of Sookie; Lorelei Gilmore's best friend.
"Uh thank you Ma'am." Jess gets up and heads towards the only place that ever felt like home to him...the old bridge."
As Jess approaches the bridge he sees the outline of person sitting Indian style throwing rocks into the lake, undaunted he continues forward and walks on to the bridge. Just as Jess reaches the middle of the bridge the person turns around and looks at him and for a split second Jess watched as the blue eyes of Rory Gilmore sparkled at him.
"I, I thought you'd come by here sometime, Lane said you got in last night."
"I, uh...Yea—unable to form a sentence Jess regretfully turns his back on Rory and walks towards the diner.
*Lane's House*
"So you just let him walk away?"
"Well, Lane, what was I supposed to do throw myself at his knees? I mean I haven't spoken to the guy in 6 years."
"I know but I don't see why you can't talk to him now, you said before that what happened in the past was done, so why are you worried about talking to him?"
"I don't know, and that's what bothers me, I mean 7 years ago when he cam here he made me question my loyalty to Dean, but our relationship never went any farther then that. Then he left. That was one of the hardest days of my life, Lane, He came over to say good-bye to us and had walked in on me making out with Dean. He took one long look at me and then turned away—just like he did today, do you know how much that hurt me?"
"I know, but he's in town for a whole week, it's your chance to make amends."
Rory looking out the window at the rainy afternoon replied solemnly "I guess."
*Luke's Diner *
Jess is alone in the diner Luke was called over to Lorelei's around 7 and never returned. When asked about his new development, Miss Patty simply said that they were old news.
Unable to sleep, Jess is lying in a booth in the dark, closed diner. He listens to the rain fall heavily on the streets. Cursing himself for his cowardliness, Jess gets up suddenly and opens the door to the diner. He locks the door behind him and starts running prolifically through the streets of Stars Hollow. He is soaked by the time he reaches his destination; he stands in front of the lowly apartment; two stories up with the yellow flowers sprawled carefully along the balcony. He sighs thinking of the life he could have had, he starts to turn again, losing his confidence as a hand brushes his shoulder. He looks over his shoulder and once again is amazed at the breathtaking beauty that is Rory Gilmore.
His words fumble but then he manages a simple sentence " Didn't anyone ever tell you to keep out of the rain."
"Sure, but dodger wouldn't like it if I listened to him, now would he?"
"No, I guess not. So what are you doing out here?"
"I don't know something told me to come out side."
"Very Serendipitous."
"Very." They look at each other for a few moments in silence they don't notice the rain anymore and after a few moments Rory speaks: "Jess, I'm sorry I was such a bad friend."
"Don't, you did what you had to do. I wasn't the right guy for you, not then."
"And what about now? Jess I don't want you to leave here hating me."
"Hate, Rory Gilmore, I don't think that's possible."
Rory's eyes sparkled at this statement *he doesn't hate me* her thoughts are broken by Jess' words—
"Feel like getting out of the rain? Come on I'll get you some coffee."
"Thanks." They begin to walk towards the diner Rory stops suddenly and turns towards jess. "You know I've thought about you so many times over the years, I just didn't know where to start, whether to write you a letter, call on the phone—
"Rory we're victims of time. I loved you when I was 17, you loved Dean, and I got tired of waiting around so I left. I took the coward's way out. If this is anybody's fault it's mine. I'm sorry I made you feel guilty Rory."
As they stood their opening up to each other for the first time in 6 years their kindred spirits intertwined once again and it was as if no time had passed between them.