*The next day—Jess is helping Luke untangle the millions of lights that
Lorelei insists on having hung on the tree. Lorelei and Sookie have gone
shopping. Jackson is in the kitchen making dinner, while Rory sits at the
table grading papers. Andy and Elliot have been outside playing for the
past hour.
"Hey, what time is it Rory?" Jackson asks.
"4:30."
"Can you round up the troops…it's going to take them twenty minutes to get cleaned up."
"Sure thing." Rory exits.
*Outside—Rory follows the sound of Andrew calling his sister.
"Elli! Come on, you win I give up."
"Hey Andy, what's up?" Rory says with concern.
"I can't find Elliot, we were playing hide and find and it was my turn to count."
"Oh, well I'll help you find her come on." Rory replies calmly.
*A 5-minute search of the perimeter is unsuccessful. Rory muscles tighten as begins to worry. Intent on concealing her fear from Andrew Rory takes him inside.
"Ok Andy, go into the bathroom and get cleaned up. I'll get Elli." As soon as the child is out of site, Rory rushes over to Luke and Jess. "L-Luke," she says silently.
Luke looks up from the floor, noticing the panic in her eyes he stands up nudging Jess. "Rory?"
"I can't find Elliot."
"What she's in the yard with And—
"No, I've checked it. "
Luke looks from Rory to the kitchen, "Jackson!" Jackson bounds cheerfully into the room. "Elli ran off." Jackson' eyes widen, the two men head out the door. "Rory, stay with Andrew. Come on Jess."
Jess gets up mechanically and follows his Uncle.
"Alright, maybe she just wondered down the street, you go that way, I'll go the other…Jess, keeping looking around here." Luke barks before heading right.
Jess does a 360-degree turn unsure of what to do. He proceeds to walk towards the back of the house; his thoughts taking over.
God! Why am I here? I'm no good at this. Shit! That kid better be ok.
Jess' train of thought is broken by a sudden clunk. Jess turns abruptly as a foot comes into view. Jess mumbles incoherently at the sight in front of him. 5 feet away stands a tall tree, the small 5 year old who yesterday was screaming the words to Frosty the snow man is now dangling from a high branch, crying for help. With out thought jess takes action.
"Elliot! Hold still! No, stop moving your legs I'm coming to get you."
"You can't help me, you're mean." Elliot yells down to him.
Jess is half way up the tree now, "Listen to me Elli, it'll be ok, just stay where you are."
Elliot softens at the use of her nickname, "B-But you'll drop me!."
"I'll try not to, you just have to trust me."
Elliot ponders his words, "O—
Her words are cut off as jess grabs a hold her legs. In moments they are both safely on the ground. Jess doesn't let go of Elliott but rather holds tightly on to her. She is still shaking in his arms when Jackson runs over.
"Thank God." He says defeated.
"No, thank Jess." Elliott proclaims.
Jess releases his grasp on Elliott, and hands her to Jackson.
*10 minutes later.
Jackson is in the bathroom getting Elliott cleaned up. Luke has returned to sorting the lights enlisting the help of small-fingered Andrew. Jess is still outside.
Rory walks up behind Jess gently touching his neck. "You ok?"
"Jess, looks at Rory her face is flushed. "I guess…." He trails off. "That was the scariest thing I've ever experienced."
"Really?" Rory questions with compassion in her voice.
Jess scoffs. "Yea…I mean there I was and this helpless kid is calling for help and it was up to me to get her down." Rory smiles a Jess. "…and I did it. I climbed a tree for you her—and I don't even like kids." Jess says breathlessly.
Rory gives Jess a stern but playful look, "Jess…"
"Ok, so maybe they're not so bad." Jess smirks at Rory. "Mm do I smell chicken?" Jess goes inside leaving Rory alone.
"I'm glad he finally came around." She remarks to herself.
"Rory?"
"Coming."
"Hey, what time is it Rory?" Jackson asks.
"4:30."
"Can you round up the troops…it's going to take them twenty minutes to get cleaned up."
"Sure thing." Rory exits.
*Outside—Rory follows the sound of Andrew calling his sister.
"Elli! Come on, you win I give up."
"Hey Andy, what's up?" Rory says with concern.
"I can't find Elliot, we were playing hide and find and it was my turn to count."
"Oh, well I'll help you find her come on." Rory replies calmly.
*A 5-minute search of the perimeter is unsuccessful. Rory muscles tighten as begins to worry. Intent on concealing her fear from Andrew Rory takes him inside.
"Ok Andy, go into the bathroom and get cleaned up. I'll get Elli." As soon as the child is out of site, Rory rushes over to Luke and Jess. "L-Luke," she says silently.
Luke looks up from the floor, noticing the panic in her eyes he stands up nudging Jess. "Rory?"
"I can't find Elliot."
"What she's in the yard with And—
"No, I've checked it. "
Luke looks from Rory to the kitchen, "Jackson!" Jackson bounds cheerfully into the room. "Elli ran off." Jackson' eyes widen, the two men head out the door. "Rory, stay with Andrew. Come on Jess."
Jess gets up mechanically and follows his Uncle.
"Alright, maybe she just wondered down the street, you go that way, I'll go the other…Jess, keeping looking around here." Luke barks before heading right.
Jess does a 360-degree turn unsure of what to do. He proceeds to walk towards the back of the house; his thoughts taking over.
God! Why am I here? I'm no good at this. Shit! That kid better be ok.
Jess' train of thought is broken by a sudden clunk. Jess turns abruptly as a foot comes into view. Jess mumbles incoherently at the sight in front of him. 5 feet away stands a tall tree, the small 5 year old who yesterday was screaming the words to Frosty the snow man is now dangling from a high branch, crying for help. With out thought jess takes action.
"Elliot! Hold still! No, stop moving your legs I'm coming to get you."
"You can't help me, you're mean." Elliot yells down to him.
Jess is half way up the tree now, "Listen to me Elli, it'll be ok, just stay where you are."
Elliot softens at the use of her nickname, "B-But you'll drop me!."
"I'll try not to, you just have to trust me."
Elliot ponders his words, "O—
Her words are cut off as jess grabs a hold her legs. In moments they are both safely on the ground. Jess doesn't let go of Elliott but rather holds tightly on to her. She is still shaking in his arms when Jackson runs over.
"Thank God." He says defeated.
"No, thank Jess." Elliott proclaims.
Jess releases his grasp on Elliott, and hands her to Jackson.
*10 minutes later.
Jackson is in the bathroom getting Elliott cleaned up. Luke has returned to sorting the lights enlisting the help of small-fingered Andrew. Jess is still outside.
Rory walks up behind Jess gently touching his neck. "You ok?"
"Jess, looks at Rory her face is flushed. "I guess…." He trails off. "That was the scariest thing I've ever experienced."
"Really?" Rory questions with compassion in her voice.
Jess scoffs. "Yea…I mean there I was and this helpless kid is calling for help and it was up to me to get her down." Rory smiles a Jess. "…and I did it. I climbed a tree for you her—and I don't even like kids." Jess says breathlessly.
Rory gives Jess a stern but playful look, "Jess…"
"Ok, so maybe they're not so bad." Jess smirks at Rory. "Mm do I smell chicken?" Jess goes inside leaving Rory alone.
"I'm glad he finally came around." She remarks to herself.
"Rory?"
"Coming."
