Rating: PG-13
Feedback: Greatly appreciated. I won't withhold writing for feedback, but it certainly makes it feel more worthwhile. I'll put each chapter up seperately, one day at a time to keep people interested. Anything you want to tell me, a line or scene you liked, would honestly make my day.
Music references: The la-las. (There's a bunch of variations. Imagine whichever one you want.) The Barenaked Ladies. Five for Fighting. Third Eye Blind. A theme I'm calling Townie Mischief. (See the scene in Christopher Returns, where Miss Patti spreads the word about Chris through town for an example of what I mean. It's sort of sneaky sounding.)
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. They, and some of the scenes in the previously on are not my own writing, they belong to Amy Sherman-Palladino and the other creators of the Gilmore Girls universe.
*
(LUKE and JESS are closing up the empty diner. As they talk, they move about the diner in an efficient, well-practiced routine.)
Luke: (chuckling) You're kidding. He actually threatened to arrest you?
Jess: Yup. (half his mouth quirks in a smile) I got him back, though.
Luke: (suspiciously) How?
Jess: Stole his badge. (He tosses it onto the counter as he walks past. LUKE picks it up.)
Luke: Stars Hollow morality patrol? That's it, we're moving.
Jess: (wiping off a table) Oh, come on, admit it. You love it here.
Luke: Do not.
Jess: Sure you do.
Luke: (defensively) If it weren't for the fact that your grandpa left me this store, I'd be outta here in a second.
Jess: (points his cleaning rag at LUKE) You couldn't go two days without serving coffee to Lorelai. (dodges the rag LUKE throws at him)
Luke: Shut up and take out the trash.
Jess: (smirks) Okie dokie. (grabs the trash and leaves, whistling)
(LUKE watches him go with a look of amused tolerance, shaking his head. Behind him, the woman from the bus pushes open the door and enters.)
Luke: (without turning around) We're closed.
Woman: The door was open. (LUKE stops cleaning, recognizing the voice.)
Luke: (turns around) Liz.
Liz: (puts down her bags) Hi.
Luke: What the hell are you doing here?
Liz: (embarrassed) What, no hug? (He stares at her.) I know it's been awhile, but—
Luke: (walks towards her) Liz, we've barely heard from you for a year and a half. No letters, no phonecalls—nothin'.
Liz: Work's crazy right now; I've been really busy.
Luke: So busy you couldn't talk to your own son?!
Liz: (protesting) You can't even begin to understand!
Luke: (opens his mouth, then stops himself, putting up a hand resignedly) Look, I don't want to get into this with you. Just tell me why you're here.
Liz: (shifts uncomfortably) I wanted to see Jess. (walks into the center of the diner, trailing her hand across several table tops) You said he's doing well in school?
Luke: (crosses his arms) Yeah, that's right.
Liz: (turns around) Can I see him?
Luke: (exploding) God, this is so like you!
Liz: What?!
Luke: Always running away from your problems! (storms behind the counter) Always wanting the benefits without doing the work!
Liz: (defending herself) I was scared! I fell apart after Gary walked out! I wasn't a good mother anymore! (LUKE shakes his head. She faces him across the counter.) What are you saying, Luke—I'm not allowed to try and fix things?!
Luke: Not when I've already fixed them for you! (frustrated) Look, Liz—
(Something catches his eye behind LIZ, and he stops abruptly. LIZ whirls around. JESS is standing in the doorway to the back room, twisting a rag between his hands.)
Jess: (coldly surprised) Mom.
Liz: (hopefully, warmly) Hi, sweetie. (She crosses to him and reaches out a hand to touch his cheek. Angrily, he swats her hand away and shoves past her, throwing the rag to the floor. LIZ looks slapped. The door slams as he leaves. LIZ and LUKE stare after him in silence.)
(RORY is reading a book of Emily Dickinson's poetry in bed. There's a rapping at her window. Surprised, she gets up and goes to the window to open it. JESS is outside, a hunted look on his face.)
Rory: Jess! (embarrassed and mistakenly a little flattered, thinking he's there for another reason) What are you doing here?
Jess: (dead serious) My mom's here.
Rory: (lost) What?
Jess: My mom's here. In Stars Hollow.
Rory: You're kidding! (concerned) Did you talk to her?
Jess: No. I left.
Rory: You left?
Jess: (intensely) Look, I can't be in the same place as her.
Rory: Why not?
Jess: (annoyed) I just can't, okay?! (He looks away, fighting back some stronger emotion.)
Rory: (bites her lip, then says suddenly) You want to stay here?
(JESS looks up, surprised.)
(Cut to RORY laying out a blanket and pillow on the couch. JESS stands awkwardly behind her.)
Rory: (patting down the blankets) There! (She turns triumphantly to face JESS. His face is unreadable. She touches his arm.) Are you okay?
Jess: I'm fine. (sits on the couch and says quietly) This is great. (looks up at her) Thanks.
(Sad la-las. She sits beside him, and he looks away. Gently, she turns his face towards hers and kisses him. It's an innocent kiss, with no other subtext except a sweet familiarity, a gesture of comfort. They separate, and lock eyes for a minute.)
Rory: (softly) Goodnight.
(He nods. She stands up, slowly trails her fingers up his face and through his hair, then exits the living room, pausing only to flick off the lights.)
(LORELAI is awakened by knocking on her bedroom door. Exhausted, she pulls herself from her bed and goes to open it. RORY's standing there in her pajamas, looking nervous.)
Lorelai: Hey, I thought I scheduled my wake-up call for a more reasonable hour than this.
Rory: I'm sorry.
Lorelai: No problem. (sighs) What's up?
Rory: Okay, you have to promise not to freak out.
Lorelai: Uh oh. What's going on?
Rory: (makes a wincing face) Jess is here.
Lorelai: At one in the morning? Huh. (crosses her arms) This sounds suspiciously like something that I should be freaking out about.
Rory: It's not, I promise. (quickly) His mom came home, he couldn't face her, and he didn't know where else to go, so I said he could sleep on the couch. (pause, then worriedly) Are you gonna kick him out?
(There's a tense moment, then LORELAI makes a relenting face and uncrosses her arms.)
Lorelai: (resigned) No. I'm not gonna kick him out. (She pushes her hair back and wraps her arms around herself for warmth. Her tone is different now, softer.) Liz is back? Are you sure?
Rory: That's what Jess said.
Lorelai: God. (pause) Luke must be upset.
Rory: Why?
Lorelai: Oh, you know. (RORY looks blank.) I don't think he has such a great relationship with her.
Rory: Does anyone?
Lorelai: Mm. Good point.
Rory: (smiles tentatively) Okay, I think I'm going to head back to bed now.
Lorelai: (suspiciously) Your bed?
Rory: My bed.
Lorelai: Alone?
Rory: Alone.
Lorelai: You'll go straight there?
Rory: (slightly exasperated) Yes.
Lorelai: Okay, then. Goodnight.
Rory: Night, Mom. (starts to leave)
Lorelai: (takes a step after her) Hey, Rory?
Rory: (stops and turns around) Yeah?
Lorelai: (gently) Thanks for coming and talking to me about this.
Rory: (smiles) No problem.
(LORELAI comes down the stairs in the morning, dressed for work and yawning. She stops upon seeing JESS asleep on the couch. Carefully, she reaches out to shake his shoulder, not gently, but not roughly either. He startles, opens his eyes, and half sits up.)
Lorelai: (dryly) Mornin,' sunshine.
Jess: Lorelai! Jesus, I— (throws off his blanket and starts looking for his shoes)
Lorelai: (puts a hand on his shoulder) Relax, Sleeping Beauty. Rory already told me you were here.
Jess: (perches on the edge of the couch, an animal ready to flee) She did?
Lorelai: Yeah.
Jess: (doubtfully) And you're not carrying a shotgun?
Lorelai: I don't know. Did you sleep here all night?
Jess: (meeting her eyes) Yes.
Lorelai: No scenes were reenacted from Eyes Wide Shut?
Jess: (sarcastically) I'm not sure, I've never seen it. Nicole Kidman doesn't really do it for me.
Lorelai: (annoyed) Hey, you are not in the best position to be a smart-ass right now!
Jess: (fed-up) Nothing happened, okay?! I went straight to sleep, and I didn't wake up until you came in.
Lorelai: (false smile) Good. (She exits, and leaves JESS sitting on the couch. He looks annoyed and returns to putting on his shoes.)
(LORELAI and RORY enter Luke's, with JESS behind them. LUKE spots them while pouring coffee for a customer, and walks over.)
Luke: Where the hell have you been? (JESS looks away in stony silence.) I was worried sick. Your mother—
Lorelai: Luke, relax. (takes his arm and leads him back towards the counter) He slept on my couch.
Luke: On your couch?
Lorelai: Yes. (She glances over to where RORY is talking to JESS, and says quietly.) Listen, I think you need to deal with him.
Luke: What, like punish him? He's eighteen, there's not much I can do.
Lorelai: No, like talk to him. I think he's pretty upset about his mom being here.
Luke: To tell you the truth, I'm not so happy with Liz myself.
Lorelai: (sympathetically) I'll bet.
(JESS walks behind the counter.)
Luke: (gently, to JESS) She's still asleep.
Jess: (nods) I'll go get my stuff. (exits up the stairs)
(RORY sits down beside LORELAI.)
Luke: You two want coffee?
Lorelai: (as if the answer's obvious) Uh, is Michael Vartan hot?
Luke: What?
Lorelai: Never mind. Just pour the coffee. (LUKE does so and walks off.)
Lorelai: (taking a sip of the coffee) Mm. Before I forget, can you work at the Dragonfly this afternoon? I have to supervise an anniversary party at the Independence.
Rory: (winces) Franklin meeting.
Lorelai: Oh, okay.
Rory: But I bet I can get Paris to let me out of it. She still owes me for taking over as president while she had mono.
Lorelai: No, no, don't do that. I'll figure something out.
Rory: Why can't Angela oversee this party?
Lorelai: The people with the anniversary are two of our best customers. All five of their kids were married at the inn, she recommends people to us all the time. And Angela can be a bit...
Rory: ...abrasive?
Lorelai: I applaud your tactful word choice! (pause) Maybe Sookie can hold down the fort in the afternoon, then I can leave the anniversary party early and get back before she has to make dinner.
Rory: Hey, what about our dinner tonight?
Lorelai: Oh. I canceled.
Rory: Grandma let you do that?
Lorelai: She and I talked over the weekend.
Rory: Really?
Lorelai: Yeah. It was actually a pretty good conversation. I didn't get off the phone with the intense need to add to my voodoo doll collection.
Rory: Wow. That's great.
Lorelai: I know. I explained how crazy things were with me running two inns, and she said we could postpone this week's dinner.
Rory: (takes a sip of coffee) That's so nice of her.
Lorelai: She also said she had a dinner party she was dying to attend tonight.
Rory: Oh. (looks out the window) Hey, that's my bus. Bye. (She jumps up and runs out.)
Lorelai: Bye.
(JESS comes down the stairs wearing clean clothes and carrying a notebook and a textbook. LUKE catches him between the counter and the door to the upstairs.)
Luke: Hey, can we talk for a second?
Jess: I'm gonna be late.
Luke: I'll write you a note.
Jess: (rolls his eyes) Fine.
Luke: Listen, I'll make this simple. You can't run off like that. You understand?
Jess: (studying the floor) I can't be here with her.
Luke: What?
Jess: (looks LUKE in the eye) Me or her. You choose. Otherwise, I'm outta here.
Luke: (placating him) Okay, I'll handle it. But you have to promise me that if you need to leave again, you'll at least call and tell me where you are, okay?
(LIZ comes down the stairs as JESS is about to answer. He sees her and closes his mouth. She's softer looking this morning, wearing a light green sweater and no make-up, her hair down.)
Liz: (eyes darting between her brother and son) Good morning.
Jess: I'm late. (He starts to leave. At the door, he turns back and catches LUKE's eye.)
Luke: (nods reassuringly) I'll handle it. (JESS nods and exits.)
Liz: (in a small voice) He wants me to leave, doesn't he?
(Sympathy dawns on LORELAI's face from where she sits at the counter.)
Luke: (trying to cover) No, he just...
Liz: It's okay, you don't have to lie. (stiffly) This obviously was a mistake. I'll get my things.
Luke: (gruffly, feeling guilty) You don't have to do that.
Liz: Well, I can't stay here.
Lorelai: (helpfully) We have some rooms open at the Dragonfly.
(LIZ turns to look at her. LUKE shoots LORELAI a look over LIZ's head that says what are you doing? She ignores him and smiles at LIZ as she stands up.)
Lorelai: (offering her hand) Lorelai Gilmore. I'm Rory's mom.
Liz: (takes the hand, smiling but confused) Who's Rory?
Lorelai: Oh. (smiles awkwardly) Rory is, um... (pushes her hair back) Rory is Jess's girlfriend.
Liz: Oh. (embarrassed) Oh, I had no idea.
Lorelai: Not a big deal.
Liz: (changing the subject) Um, you said you know an inn where I can stay?
Lorelai: I own an inn where you can stay. Hey, if you want, I can take you there.
Liz: Would you mind?
Lorelai: No, it's no problem. I'm on my way there right now.
Liz: Oh, thank you so much! I'll just run upstairs and grab my bag. I'll be back in two minutes.
Luke: (after LIZ leaves) What did you do that for?
Lorelai: Do what?
Luke: Convince her to stay.
Lorelai: Excuse me, there was no convincing!
Luke: She wasn't going to stay, now she's stayin'!
Lorelai: Look at it this way: you guys can finally get a chance to sort out some of your issues.
Luke: I don't want to. (slowly, getting an idea) Hey, maybe you can talk to her.
Lorelai: Me? I'm not sure that's such a good idea.
Luke: Sure it is. You're both single moms, your kids are together—you could bond. Maybe you'll rub off on her.
(LIZ reenters, carrying her bag.)
Liz: I'm all set.
Lorelai: (stands up) Great.
Liz: Luke, I'll come by later?
Luke: (not looking at her) Sure, Liz.
Lorelai: Come on, let's go.
(La-las. LORELAI puts a gentle hand on LIZ's shoulder and guides her out the door. LIZ casts a worried look back, but LUKE doesn't look up.)
(second commercial break)