TITLE: What Happens Next?
AUTHOR: Melissa, aka TrueBlueHealer
CATEGORY: Rory/Jess, Lorelai/Luke
SPOILERS: Anything up until 'Teach Me Tonight' and through the season finale – if you don't wanna know what's gonna happen on the show, DO NOT READ. You've been warned.
RATING: PG 13 for now, cause I cuss once, I think. Might go up with the story.
SUMMARY: Rory follows Jess to NY after he flees Stars Hollow. I'm picking this up right after the end of 'Teach Me Tonight'.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hi guys. This is my first GG fic, so please be gentle here. I'm trying my best here to keep up with all the wonderful dialogue the shows does, so bare with me. I hope you like this. If so, please let me know – I'm a little iffy about posting this, so any kind of feedback would be great! Just please don't flame me :(
***
Pulling the cup of coffee away from her lips, Rory Gilmore sat it down on the counter, the slight clunk vibrating through the empty diner. Watching Luke Danes as he went about fixing himself a cup of tea, since he considered coffee to be basically evil, she contemplated asking the question that was on the tip of her tongue. Sitting in the darkened building, she wondered where he was at that moment. Was he home? Or could he be out somewhere with his old friends, Stars Hollow completely forgotten by now.
HER completely forgotten…
Tracing the rim of the mug, she let out a slight sigh and realized that Luke had stopped to turn her way, his eyes probing her.
"You ok?" he asked gruffly, though his expression showed more emotions than his voice let on.
Feeling slightly more courageous under the dim lights, Rory was tempted to tell him she was fine and deny anything else, but avoided his eyes and asked, "You're sending all his stuff?"
"Well, it is his stuff," Luke stated, like it was obvious.
"But, ALL his stuff?" Suddenly very shy, Rory blushed and nervously added, "I mean, what if he wanted to come back for a visit? It would be like he was never here and I'm sure you don't want him to feel that way and—"
"Rory," Luke said softly, walking over to stand on the other side of the counter in front of her. "I know you guys…" Faltering in his words, Luke huffed and told her finally, "come here – I wanna show you something."
Curious as he headed for the steps, Rory got up and followed him, heading up to the newly remolded apartment above the small diner. Stepping into the main room, she paused, looking around it.
"Wow, Luke…this looks great," she told him, smiling, seeing it for the first time.
"Yeah, well, it cost enough, so it better be great," he muttered off-hand. Motioning for her to continue following, he walked down a small hallway, stopping in front of a door with a huge sign on the front, warning anyone who knocked to stay out. Ignoring the poster, Luke swung open the door and moved out of the way, letting her enter first.
Entering the room, Rory was instantly filled with Jess's memory. The room's atmosphere just screamed his name. Bookshelves were built into the walls, poster after poster adored the rest of the wall space, not leaving one space of paint visible, and where there weren't books, his cd collection reigned.
But the books amazed her the most. Rory had thought she herself had one of the biggest collections around, but Jess's out numbered hers greatly. Books after books decorated his shelves, every size and color staring at her, most of the spines wrinkled from being read so much. Walking over to the closest set, she ran her finger down the spines gently, absorbed so much into her revelry that she didn't notice Luke until he had walked past her and headed for the bed.
"I didn't know Jess owned all these books," she commented, turning to gaze at some of the other shelves.
"Yeah, well, the boy liked to read," he told her.
Noticing the book he had picked up from the bed, Rory wondered why it was there and not on the shelf with the others. Luke seemed to keep turning it over in his hands, like he was debating something in his head.
Realizing her gaze, he stopped moving the book around and sighed. "Um, Jess, he uh, he left this here," he grunted out. "For you," he added as an after thought.
"For me?" Rory asked, coming over and sitting down on the bed beside him.
"Left it on the counter last week when he left – asked me to give it to ya," Luke explained. "With everything that happened with your mother…well, I didn't know if it was such a good idea."
Looking down when her mother was mentioned, Rory nodded. "Yeah…I figured something happened, but she hasn't said what." Looking back up at him, she added, "I'm sorry about it."
"You don't have nothing to be sorry about," he amended quickly. "This is between me and your mother."
"Well, for what it's worth, I think she's sorry about it."
Ending that part of the conversation, Luke thrust the book at her awkwardly. "Here."
"Thanks," Rory said automatically.
"Just don't tell your mom where you got it," he added.
Smiling, she turned the book over and stopped, reading the title.
'Oliver Twist'.
She already had a copy, but this one was newer, with a different cover and was hard back.
"I take it by your grin that I'm out of the loop, huh?"
Realizing that she grinning fully now, Rory nodded and tried to hide a blush. "Um, yeah."
"One of those 'ya had to be there' ones?"
Smiling fondly at the memory when Jess gave her back the book he 'borrowed' she nodded again. "Yeah…had to be there."
Standing up, Luke cleared his throat and Rory followed suit, standing in the room awkwardly.
"Um, I'll, I'll leave ya be for a few minutes. So you can say goodbye," he explained at her look.
"Oh…yeah, goodbye," she repeated softly.
Sensing what had suddenly upset her, Luke added hastily, "Jess wanted to see you, but after the wreck and—"
"And my mother," Rory tossed out, her voice laced with frustration and anger.
"She was upset."
"Why are you defending her?" she asked Luke. "I mean, whatever happened between you and mom is big, considering that it made you take a vacation."
"I left to go fishing on my own choice," he defended. When she just looked at him, Luke sighed. "And to avoid Lorelai. I'll leave ya be."
A second later she was alone and Rory sighed deeply, glancing around the bedroom, all of her senses being invaded by Jess. The room just screamed him and she smiled sadly, walking over to set back down on the bed. Leaning over and burring her head into his pillow, she breathed in deeply, inhaling the scent that solely belonged to him, and him alone.
Letting her head stay there for a few minutes, she finally pulled back and gently ran her hand over the quilt on the bed, absent-mindly wondering if Jess had brought it with him from NY, or if it was Luke's. Staring down at it, she suddenly wished it was Jess's from back home. It just made her feel closer to him somehow.
Remembering the book, Rory picked it back up and, like the quilt, she ran her fingers over the cover, as if she was trying to memorize it in her mind. Opening it up, she heard the slight creak and smiled. She loved that sound. It rang in her ears every time she opened a new book.
Seeing the hastily written note marring the inside cover, she looked closer, recognizing Jess's scribble. Settling back on the bed, she got comfortable and started to read.
'Rory,
I guess you're probably wondering why I'm giving you a book you already have, but I saw this in some bookstore and it reminded me of you. Besides, this copy's in better shape than your other one.
Look, I'm not good at all that goodbye crap, so I'm not doing it. Goodbye is just some lame way to make people get all sentimental, and we all know that's not my thing.
Luke said something about your wrist getting hurt because of the accident and, well, that sucks. I broke my ankle a few years back and the cast itched like a bitch.
Word of advice: don't try and stick a pencil down there – no good will come of this.
Anyway, I better stop rambling and let you get back to your perfect life now that the town screw-up is officially gone. I'm sure there was a block party, with Bean leading the parade down main-street.
Also, I guess I owe you a sorry for the whole car wreck thing. I just want you to know that I never wanted to hurt you, Rory. You were the one thing that made Stars Hollow livable, so I guess I should be thanking you too.
So, I'm sorry, and thank you.
Well, I better get going. My bus is leaving in a few. I'm guessing you're over at that film thingy they got set up across the street. I'd walk over and bid you well, but, like I said, I don't do goodbyes. So this isn't.
Later,
Dodger'
Rory sat back up and stared down at the book, her eyes slightly misty. To anyone who didn't know Jess, they'd think the letter was very informal and cold, but to someone who knew him, saw what he was really like, they could find all the emotion and feelings in the letter easily.
Laughing slightly at the mention of not using a pencil to scratch her wrist, Rory realized how alike Luke and Jess really were, even though they both denied it. Re-reading the part where he said she made Stars Hollow livable, she sighed deeply and closed the book gently, hugging it closely to her chest.
Looking around the room sadly, she stood up and headed for the door slowly, not wanting to leave just yet. Reaching for the door handle, she paused and turned around, saying out loud, "goodbye Jess," before leaving the room, the click of the door shutting the only other sound in the silent bedroom.
TBC
So…whatcha think?
AUTHOR: Melissa, aka TrueBlueHealer
CATEGORY: Rory/Jess, Lorelai/Luke
SPOILERS: Anything up until 'Teach Me Tonight' and through the season finale – if you don't wanna know what's gonna happen on the show, DO NOT READ. You've been warned.
RATING: PG 13 for now, cause I cuss once, I think. Might go up with the story.
SUMMARY: Rory follows Jess to NY after he flees Stars Hollow. I'm picking this up right after the end of 'Teach Me Tonight'.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hi guys. This is my first GG fic, so please be gentle here. I'm trying my best here to keep up with all the wonderful dialogue the shows does, so bare with me. I hope you like this. If so, please let me know – I'm a little iffy about posting this, so any kind of feedback would be great! Just please don't flame me :(
***
Pulling the cup of coffee away from her lips, Rory Gilmore sat it down on the counter, the slight clunk vibrating through the empty diner. Watching Luke Danes as he went about fixing himself a cup of tea, since he considered coffee to be basically evil, she contemplated asking the question that was on the tip of her tongue. Sitting in the darkened building, she wondered where he was at that moment. Was he home? Or could he be out somewhere with his old friends, Stars Hollow completely forgotten by now.
HER completely forgotten…
Tracing the rim of the mug, she let out a slight sigh and realized that Luke had stopped to turn her way, his eyes probing her.
"You ok?" he asked gruffly, though his expression showed more emotions than his voice let on.
Feeling slightly more courageous under the dim lights, Rory was tempted to tell him she was fine and deny anything else, but avoided his eyes and asked, "You're sending all his stuff?"
"Well, it is his stuff," Luke stated, like it was obvious.
"But, ALL his stuff?" Suddenly very shy, Rory blushed and nervously added, "I mean, what if he wanted to come back for a visit? It would be like he was never here and I'm sure you don't want him to feel that way and—"
"Rory," Luke said softly, walking over to stand on the other side of the counter in front of her. "I know you guys…" Faltering in his words, Luke huffed and told her finally, "come here – I wanna show you something."
Curious as he headed for the steps, Rory got up and followed him, heading up to the newly remolded apartment above the small diner. Stepping into the main room, she paused, looking around it.
"Wow, Luke…this looks great," she told him, smiling, seeing it for the first time.
"Yeah, well, it cost enough, so it better be great," he muttered off-hand. Motioning for her to continue following, he walked down a small hallway, stopping in front of a door with a huge sign on the front, warning anyone who knocked to stay out. Ignoring the poster, Luke swung open the door and moved out of the way, letting her enter first.
Entering the room, Rory was instantly filled with Jess's memory. The room's atmosphere just screamed his name. Bookshelves were built into the walls, poster after poster adored the rest of the wall space, not leaving one space of paint visible, and where there weren't books, his cd collection reigned.
But the books amazed her the most. Rory had thought she herself had one of the biggest collections around, but Jess's out numbered hers greatly. Books after books decorated his shelves, every size and color staring at her, most of the spines wrinkled from being read so much. Walking over to the closest set, she ran her finger down the spines gently, absorbed so much into her revelry that she didn't notice Luke until he had walked past her and headed for the bed.
"I didn't know Jess owned all these books," she commented, turning to gaze at some of the other shelves.
"Yeah, well, the boy liked to read," he told her.
Noticing the book he had picked up from the bed, Rory wondered why it was there and not on the shelf with the others. Luke seemed to keep turning it over in his hands, like he was debating something in his head.
Realizing her gaze, he stopped moving the book around and sighed. "Um, Jess, he uh, he left this here," he grunted out. "For you," he added as an after thought.
"For me?" Rory asked, coming over and sitting down on the bed beside him.
"Left it on the counter last week when he left – asked me to give it to ya," Luke explained. "With everything that happened with your mother…well, I didn't know if it was such a good idea."
Looking down when her mother was mentioned, Rory nodded. "Yeah…I figured something happened, but she hasn't said what." Looking back up at him, she added, "I'm sorry about it."
"You don't have nothing to be sorry about," he amended quickly. "This is between me and your mother."
"Well, for what it's worth, I think she's sorry about it."
Ending that part of the conversation, Luke thrust the book at her awkwardly. "Here."
"Thanks," Rory said automatically.
"Just don't tell your mom where you got it," he added.
Smiling, she turned the book over and stopped, reading the title.
'Oliver Twist'.
She already had a copy, but this one was newer, with a different cover and was hard back.
"I take it by your grin that I'm out of the loop, huh?"
Realizing that she grinning fully now, Rory nodded and tried to hide a blush. "Um, yeah."
"One of those 'ya had to be there' ones?"
Smiling fondly at the memory when Jess gave her back the book he 'borrowed' she nodded again. "Yeah…had to be there."
Standing up, Luke cleared his throat and Rory followed suit, standing in the room awkwardly.
"Um, I'll, I'll leave ya be for a few minutes. So you can say goodbye," he explained at her look.
"Oh…yeah, goodbye," she repeated softly.
Sensing what had suddenly upset her, Luke added hastily, "Jess wanted to see you, but after the wreck and—"
"And my mother," Rory tossed out, her voice laced with frustration and anger.
"She was upset."
"Why are you defending her?" she asked Luke. "I mean, whatever happened between you and mom is big, considering that it made you take a vacation."
"I left to go fishing on my own choice," he defended. When she just looked at him, Luke sighed. "And to avoid Lorelai. I'll leave ya be."
A second later she was alone and Rory sighed deeply, glancing around the bedroom, all of her senses being invaded by Jess. The room just screamed him and she smiled sadly, walking over to set back down on the bed. Leaning over and burring her head into his pillow, she breathed in deeply, inhaling the scent that solely belonged to him, and him alone.
Letting her head stay there for a few minutes, she finally pulled back and gently ran her hand over the quilt on the bed, absent-mindly wondering if Jess had brought it with him from NY, or if it was Luke's. Staring down at it, she suddenly wished it was Jess's from back home. It just made her feel closer to him somehow.
Remembering the book, Rory picked it back up and, like the quilt, she ran her fingers over the cover, as if she was trying to memorize it in her mind. Opening it up, she heard the slight creak and smiled. She loved that sound. It rang in her ears every time she opened a new book.
Seeing the hastily written note marring the inside cover, she looked closer, recognizing Jess's scribble. Settling back on the bed, she got comfortable and started to read.
'Rory,
I guess you're probably wondering why I'm giving you a book you already have, but I saw this in some bookstore and it reminded me of you. Besides, this copy's in better shape than your other one.
Look, I'm not good at all that goodbye crap, so I'm not doing it. Goodbye is just some lame way to make people get all sentimental, and we all know that's not my thing.
Luke said something about your wrist getting hurt because of the accident and, well, that sucks. I broke my ankle a few years back and the cast itched like a bitch.
Word of advice: don't try and stick a pencil down there – no good will come of this.
Anyway, I better stop rambling and let you get back to your perfect life now that the town screw-up is officially gone. I'm sure there was a block party, with Bean leading the parade down main-street.
Also, I guess I owe you a sorry for the whole car wreck thing. I just want you to know that I never wanted to hurt you, Rory. You were the one thing that made Stars Hollow livable, so I guess I should be thanking you too.
So, I'm sorry, and thank you.
Well, I better get going. My bus is leaving in a few. I'm guessing you're over at that film thingy they got set up across the street. I'd walk over and bid you well, but, like I said, I don't do goodbyes. So this isn't.
Later,
Dodger'
Rory sat back up and stared down at the book, her eyes slightly misty. To anyone who didn't know Jess, they'd think the letter was very informal and cold, but to someone who knew him, saw what he was really like, they could find all the emotion and feelings in the letter easily.
Laughing slightly at the mention of not using a pencil to scratch her wrist, Rory realized how alike Luke and Jess really were, even though they both denied it. Re-reading the part where he said she made Stars Hollow livable, she sighed deeply and closed the book gently, hugging it closely to her chest.
Looking around the room sadly, she stood up and headed for the door slowly, not wanting to leave just yet. Reaching for the door handle, she paused and turned around, saying out loud, "goodbye Jess," before leaving the room, the click of the door shutting the only other sound in the silent bedroom.
TBC
So…whatcha think?