Disclaimer first chapter.
Chapter Three Home Again
Landon was waiting for me at the bus stop. I slumped off the bus and Landon followed silently. We started back to the apartment building. Finally, he asked me who she was and what I had done. My whole story about Rory came pouring out. He listened to me patiently. He said these exact words, "You fell for her and you hurt her. You think she'll hate you, but somehow I doubt that. Call her." I didn't listen to him. I never listened to anyone. Except Rory. I opened the door and found one of Liz's parties blazing. I found Liz dancing with a tall guy. She glared at me and asked me what I had done to make Luke kick me out of Stars Hollow. I just left for my bedroom, not saying a word. I spent the next week reading in Washington Square Park. I finally decided to call her, I missed her voice. I dialed Rory's number and her voice rang over the other end with loud music blaring in the background. I almost didn't speak. I was afraid. But I spoke anyways. We talked momentarily and then an akward silence spread over us. Rory and I had never been akward in silence before. We hung up, but the good thing was she didn't seem mad.
Imagine my surprise when the next day, Rory showed up at the park in her school uniform. I didn't ask any of the questions that were running through my mind. I took her to eat and to a little music store. We spent all day skitting around the real reason she came to New York. She wasn't mad at me, she never was. She didn't blame me for the crash. Finally, at the end of the day, I took her to the bus stop. We nearly hugged, but we didn't. I think Rory was afraid of what might happen if she hugged me and I was afraid of well, scaring her. So she got on the bus and I finally asked her why she came. She looked at me steadily through the tinted glass and she told me she came because I didn't say goodbye. I think we both knew that she came for more than that, but she wasn't ready to admit it. And I was not going to push her. No way. And so I left, watching her on the bus, getting out one of her many bus books.
Life in Brooklyn was the same as when I left it. Liz hadn't changed a bit, neither had my friends. I, on the otherhand, had. Being in Stars Hollow, with Luke and Rory, had changed me. I had quit smoking, I didn't drink much, and I still didn't do drugs. I didn't even want to party much anymore. I still cut school, I never went back to Union High. Life in Brooklyn seemed different to me. I missed Stars Hollow, believe it or not. Rory's visit had filled me with a whole new longing. I wanted to be back in the sheltered, Richard Scary version town. I wanted to go back. My friends could tell I had changed, but avoided saying anything. Until Landon told me I should go back. I knew he was right. I just hoped Luke would take me back. He had no reason to allow me to live with him again. I had ruined his life, pulling pranks and cutting school. He and Lorelai had even gotten in several fights over me. So had Rory and Lorelai. But I knew I had to go home. So once again, I was on my way home. Home to Stars Hollow.
I snuck into the diner and waited for Luke to come up. Rory and Lorelai still hadn't even been in the diner. That was when I figured out that Lorelai and Luke had had one doozy of a fight. Rory had mentioned it when she came to New York, but she didn't really go into details. But evidentally, Lorelai and Luke had hardly spoken two words to each other. Lorelai apologized, but Luke wouldn't accept it. I didn't know what happened and Rory didn't either. I continued to wait for Luke and finally he came up the stairs. He was surprised to see me, to say the least. We made a deal on letting me stay. I had to swallow my pride. I promised I would stay out of trouble and for once I meant it. I nearly cried again, but I didn't. It was just like I had a whole new life now. Luke took me back in for no real reason at all. I really appreciated it. I started to leave, to go see Rory, of course, but he told me she wasn't home, she was at Sookie and Jackson's wedding. I began to wonder if I was really that transparant. He told me to leave her alone, but I never listened before, why should I start now. So I left the apartment and headed down to the lake.
I saw her in her blue bridesmaid dress, walking with her dad. He answered his cell phone and walked away from her. She looked over and saw me. She came running towards the lake. I told her I had moved back. And then she kissed me. I was so surprised, I nearly fell backwards. I put my hands in her silky hair and then started to wrap my arms around her tiny waist. She pulled away like she'd been burned. I knew she had just realized that she had kissed me, while she was still with Dean. And that just wasn't like Rory. But that was the best kiss I had ever experienced. Her lips were so soft, smooth, and they tasted like vanilla coffee. She started to panic and then she ran. I was dying to know what was going through her brain, but she wasn't ready to share those thoughts with me. She called back to me, "Welcome Home." She disappeared into the wedding. I walked back to the diner, in a stunned bliss. I could not stop touching my lips and licking them. They still tasted like her. My wish had come true. My life was actually looking up.
Shortly after the kiss, Rory came into the diner, tears running down her face. The wedding reception was in full swing and just about everyone in Stars Hollow except Luke and me were there. I guessed that Dean had found out about the kiss and had freaked out. I opened my arms for her. She came directly into them. Her wet teardrops soaked into my shirt. Luke came out and saw us. He glanced at me questioningly and I shrugged. I really had no idea what was wrong, I just had that hunch. She finally looked up at me, her blue eyes filled with liquid drops and I could feel her pain. Suddenly, I felt like it had to be more then Dean. I gently put her face in my hands and I kissed the tears off her cheeks. The droplets tasted so warm and salty inside my mouth. Luke was still watching us. Eventually, Rory sobbed out her story. Christopher and her mom were going to get back together, but then her dad's ex had called and told him she was pregnant. He just left her and Lorelai. Rory was so hurt and enraged. Why did her dad want to make things right with that baby? He never had with her. Luke was clinching his jaw as he poured her a cup of coffee. I knew Luke was mad at Christopher and he was worrying about the Gilmore girls. I began to wonder why she came to me instead of Dean, but I didn't ask. I continued to hold her tight, rocking her back and forth. Unfortunately, that's how Dean found us. He became so angry with Rory, his eyes were blazing. He was so sure Rory was cheating on him. He asked her all kinds of outrageous questions, like how long we had been dating and stuff like that. He never gave her a chance to explain before he broke up with her. Rory just looked at me like her whole world had just collapsed and I knew I was going to be the one that picked up the pieces of her crumbled life and slowly glue them back together. A whole new set of tears flowed from Rory's eyes. She slumped down onto a bar stool and downed her mug of coffee. I held her for what seemed like hours, kissing the top of her head, breathing in her comforting scent. Luke had disappeared and I figured he had left to find Lorelai. He reentered the diner, holding tightly to a heart- broken Lorelai. I guessed their fight was over. Lorelai stared at the two of us and murmured something like the hits just kept on coming. Rory whispered that she was leaving for a school thing in Washington, D.C. tomorrow for six weeks and that she would talk to me then. She and Lorelai left together, holding onto each other for comfort and support. Let me tell you, the next six weeks were the most difficult, longest weeks in my life.
Chapter Three Home Again
Landon was waiting for me at the bus stop. I slumped off the bus and Landon followed silently. We started back to the apartment building. Finally, he asked me who she was and what I had done. My whole story about Rory came pouring out. He listened to me patiently. He said these exact words, "You fell for her and you hurt her. You think she'll hate you, but somehow I doubt that. Call her." I didn't listen to him. I never listened to anyone. Except Rory. I opened the door and found one of Liz's parties blazing. I found Liz dancing with a tall guy. She glared at me and asked me what I had done to make Luke kick me out of Stars Hollow. I just left for my bedroom, not saying a word. I spent the next week reading in Washington Square Park. I finally decided to call her, I missed her voice. I dialed Rory's number and her voice rang over the other end with loud music blaring in the background. I almost didn't speak. I was afraid. But I spoke anyways. We talked momentarily and then an akward silence spread over us. Rory and I had never been akward in silence before. We hung up, but the good thing was she didn't seem mad.
Imagine my surprise when the next day, Rory showed up at the park in her school uniform. I didn't ask any of the questions that were running through my mind. I took her to eat and to a little music store. We spent all day skitting around the real reason she came to New York. She wasn't mad at me, she never was. She didn't blame me for the crash. Finally, at the end of the day, I took her to the bus stop. We nearly hugged, but we didn't. I think Rory was afraid of what might happen if she hugged me and I was afraid of well, scaring her. So she got on the bus and I finally asked her why she came. She looked at me steadily through the tinted glass and she told me she came because I didn't say goodbye. I think we both knew that she came for more than that, but she wasn't ready to admit it. And I was not going to push her. No way. And so I left, watching her on the bus, getting out one of her many bus books.
Life in Brooklyn was the same as when I left it. Liz hadn't changed a bit, neither had my friends. I, on the otherhand, had. Being in Stars Hollow, with Luke and Rory, had changed me. I had quit smoking, I didn't drink much, and I still didn't do drugs. I didn't even want to party much anymore. I still cut school, I never went back to Union High. Life in Brooklyn seemed different to me. I missed Stars Hollow, believe it or not. Rory's visit had filled me with a whole new longing. I wanted to be back in the sheltered, Richard Scary version town. I wanted to go back. My friends could tell I had changed, but avoided saying anything. Until Landon told me I should go back. I knew he was right. I just hoped Luke would take me back. He had no reason to allow me to live with him again. I had ruined his life, pulling pranks and cutting school. He and Lorelai had even gotten in several fights over me. So had Rory and Lorelai. But I knew I had to go home. So once again, I was on my way home. Home to Stars Hollow.
I snuck into the diner and waited for Luke to come up. Rory and Lorelai still hadn't even been in the diner. That was when I figured out that Lorelai and Luke had had one doozy of a fight. Rory had mentioned it when she came to New York, but she didn't really go into details. But evidentally, Lorelai and Luke had hardly spoken two words to each other. Lorelai apologized, but Luke wouldn't accept it. I didn't know what happened and Rory didn't either. I continued to wait for Luke and finally he came up the stairs. He was surprised to see me, to say the least. We made a deal on letting me stay. I had to swallow my pride. I promised I would stay out of trouble and for once I meant it. I nearly cried again, but I didn't. It was just like I had a whole new life now. Luke took me back in for no real reason at all. I really appreciated it. I started to leave, to go see Rory, of course, but he told me she wasn't home, she was at Sookie and Jackson's wedding. I began to wonder if I was really that transparant. He told me to leave her alone, but I never listened before, why should I start now. So I left the apartment and headed down to the lake.
I saw her in her blue bridesmaid dress, walking with her dad. He answered his cell phone and walked away from her. She looked over and saw me. She came running towards the lake. I told her I had moved back. And then she kissed me. I was so surprised, I nearly fell backwards. I put my hands in her silky hair and then started to wrap my arms around her tiny waist. She pulled away like she'd been burned. I knew she had just realized that she had kissed me, while she was still with Dean. And that just wasn't like Rory. But that was the best kiss I had ever experienced. Her lips were so soft, smooth, and they tasted like vanilla coffee. She started to panic and then she ran. I was dying to know what was going through her brain, but she wasn't ready to share those thoughts with me. She called back to me, "Welcome Home." She disappeared into the wedding. I walked back to the diner, in a stunned bliss. I could not stop touching my lips and licking them. They still tasted like her. My wish had come true. My life was actually looking up.
Shortly after the kiss, Rory came into the diner, tears running down her face. The wedding reception was in full swing and just about everyone in Stars Hollow except Luke and me were there. I guessed that Dean had found out about the kiss and had freaked out. I opened my arms for her. She came directly into them. Her wet teardrops soaked into my shirt. Luke came out and saw us. He glanced at me questioningly and I shrugged. I really had no idea what was wrong, I just had that hunch. She finally looked up at me, her blue eyes filled with liquid drops and I could feel her pain. Suddenly, I felt like it had to be more then Dean. I gently put her face in my hands and I kissed the tears off her cheeks. The droplets tasted so warm and salty inside my mouth. Luke was still watching us. Eventually, Rory sobbed out her story. Christopher and her mom were going to get back together, but then her dad's ex had called and told him she was pregnant. He just left her and Lorelai. Rory was so hurt and enraged. Why did her dad want to make things right with that baby? He never had with her. Luke was clinching his jaw as he poured her a cup of coffee. I knew Luke was mad at Christopher and he was worrying about the Gilmore girls. I began to wonder why she came to me instead of Dean, but I didn't ask. I continued to hold her tight, rocking her back and forth. Unfortunately, that's how Dean found us. He became so angry with Rory, his eyes were blazing. He was so sure Rory was cheating on him. He asked her all kinds of outrageous questions, like how long we had been dating and stuff like that. He never gave her a chance to explain before he broke up with her. Rory just looked at me like her whole world had just collapsed and I knew I was going to be the one that picked up the pieces of her crumbled life and slowly glue them back together. A whole new set of tears flowed from Rory's eyes. She slumped down onto a bar stool and downed her mug of coffee. I held her for what seemed like hours, kissing the top of her head, breathing in her comforting scent. Luke had disappeared and I figured he had left to find Lorelai. He reentered the diner, holding tightly to a heart- broken Lorelai. I guessed their fight was over. Lorelai stared at the two of us and murmured something like the hits just kept on coming. Rory whispered that she was leaving for a school thing in Washington, D.C. tomorrow for six weeks and that she would talk to me then. She and Lorelai left together, holding onto each other for comfort and support. Let me tell you, the next six weeks were the most difficult, longest weeks in my life.