Ch 25 What I Called Home
The five watched Jess climb up the tree. They looked at each other and then back up at the tree. Lane stepped forward and hoisted herself up onto the branch. By this time Jess had already broke into the apartment. When Lane reached the second branch she turned around and looked questionably at Rory. "You coming?" she asked. Rory nodded and followed Lane up the tree.
"We'll just take the stairs," Jamie put in as Paris cell phone began to ring.
"Hello?" Paris answered, "Lorelai you made it to Boston? Yeah, we're in New York, did you find Riz...Neither did we but we stopped off at this place for coffee when we got here and something strange happened with Jess...Well, Rory of busy right now...Bye."
"Come on already!" Jamie called out. Paris slipped her phone back into her pocket and follow Jamie and Dave into the apartment. The climbed up the stairs and when they reached the floor where the apartment was they were met by Lane, Jess and Rory in the hall.
"We're going up," Jess informed them.
"Why?" Rory was the first and the only one to speak.
"To see my mother," Jess responded.
"Why?" Rory repeated. Jess brushed past the three of them towards the stairs. Paris shared a look with Jamie before the two of them followed the others up the stairs. They didn't quite understand what there was up there, but they were about to find out.
Jess stood in the doorway, the others all behind him. Lane waited as he swung open the door to what used to be his home. Lane could not believe that she was about to meet Liz Luke's sister, Jess mother. She was about to learn more about Jess than she ever though she would. "Back again are we?" a woman appeared in their view.
"Hello Liz," Jess greeted sourly. Lane noticed Rory glancing between the two. This was something that Rory couldn't quite believe either. Rory was meeting her boyfriend's mother for the first time. Both girls knew how usually this is really important, but this was so unexpected especially since Jess rarely mentions Liz to anyone. Lane was glad that she was here for her best friend right now. Reaching out she placed a hand on Rory's shoulder while the other grasped onto Dave's hand. Rory turned and smiled slightly.
The silence seemed impenetrable. Liz and Jess stool silently staring at each other. Liz's glance faltered over to the group of them standing around Jess. She looked them over all one by one as if giving them their quick judgement.
"Jessie, aren't you going to introduce me to you friends?" Liz drawled.
"Fine," Jess grunted beginning to point them off, "Lane, Dave, Jamie, Paris and Rory." His voice softened at the mention of Rory.
"So, Luke did do you some good," Liz took a few steps closer to them, "At least they seem to be keeping you out of jail. Unlike those other sluts and idiots you used to bring home."
"I sure hope you are not talking about Riz," Jess growled.
"Jess, you naïve little brat of course it's Riz," Liz laughed hollowly; "Don't you think I know a bad apple when I see one?"
"Must be because you're one yourself," Jess spat.
"Best come back you can think of Jessie?" Liz grinned, "That little town has taken the New York in you and turned you into one of those Stars Hollow drones. Attend the little town meetings do you?"
"You know I find that stupid town crazy," Jess remained level-toned, "I'm only living there because you forced me to."
"Great Jess, that's just real great!" Rory exclaimed pushing past Lane, Dave, Paris and Jamie into the hall. Lane looked between the door and Jess. Jess bowed his head and Lane followed Rory out suggesting that the other three stay put.
"Oops, think you said something wrong," Liz cooed.
"Liz shut up!" Jess shouted, "I've just hurt the most important person in my life because of you and your stupid attempts to put me down because you made a mistake so long ago and am stuck with me. I just came here to find out about Riz and you pounce like you always do!"
"What's up with the slut now?" Liz wondered.
"You didn't hear anything I just said," Jess sighed, "You're ignorant Liz, ignorant. Why do you think I ended up in jail and you had to bail me out at one in the morning? I had this place to call home!"
"Sure, go ahead blame it on me," Liz shrugged, "I'm the drunken mother who doesn't care about her son. Ever think that maybe your father could be blamed too? He abandoned us and left me alone with you."
"What worse dad leaving us or you neglecting me?" Jess wondered, "Luke pays more attention to my life in the year I spent with him than the seventeen years I spent with you. What does that tell you? What does it tell you when I don't call you mom?"
"Jess?" Lane re-entered the apartment, "I think you better go talk to her." Jess nodded and moved to find Rory.
"Goodbye Liz," Jess saluted before exiting the apartment. Paris, Lane, Jamie and Dave remained in the apartment seconds longer before following.
Tears rolled down Rory's cheeks. Lane had just left her seconds earlier after trying to coax her into speaking to her. She couldn't take thinking that Jess still hated Stars Hollow and that the only reason her was there was because his mother had forced him too. Sure, Jess had told her he came back was because she was here. Maybe all he wanted was to get into her pants and move on. Jess emerged from the building and approached her. One glance at him and the sobbing Rory ran off in the other direction. New York or not she could take talking to Jess right now. His words seemed to sincere back in there with his mother and she didn't know what to think. "Rory," he called out grabbing her arm. Rory faced him tears continually rolling down her cheeks.
"Leave me alone," she sobbed, "Just go!"
"No, that's not what I meant in there," he tried to assure her, "We don't get along Liz and I. We never have and I just say things. When I came back to Stars Hollow and we kissed at the wedding. I was really there for you."
"Right," Rory nodded disbelieving. Jess pulled her close and kissed her. "You can't do that," Rory protested, "You can't get all sweet on me Jess. You can't make me forget that you hate the town and don't want to be there."
"I don't hate Stars Hollow," Jess sighed, "I just think the people are crazy."
"Including me?" Rory wondered.
"Yes, but that's just one of the reasons I fell for you," Jess whispered. Rory smiled slightly. "So, we're alright?"
"Yeah, we're alright," Rory nodded. Rory leaned her head against Jess' chest. "Wait a second. You were being kind and sincere. What happened to sarcastic Jess?"
"Took a break," Jess shrugged, "I didn't think sarcasm would help my situation."
"Let's just go back to the others," Rory sighed deep. She took his hand and led him back to the others who were waiting for them by the apartment.
"So, where should we go looking next?" Lane asked as the couple approached.
"Well, it's about supper time," Jess glanced at his watch, "So; if Riz is here she might be stopping off at the restaurant."
"Alright then," the others nodded, "Then to the restaurant we go."
Jess wrapped his arm around Rory as they walked. Rory leaned in close to him as they walked. There were so many different sides to Jess and some she had yet to uncover. Maybe, after this trip he would be a little less mysterious to her and to everyone.
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A/N: Alright, so the trip is going to drag on a little longer than planned. I'm not quite sure where Riz is going to be Boston, New York or either. So, if anyone of you can help me out by telling me where you think they should find her why don't you tell me. Who knows maybe it'll be exactly what I need to finish this trip off. Anyway, review and tell me what you think. Thanks.
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The five watched Jess climb up the tree. They looked at each other and then back up at the tree. Lane stepped forward and hoisted herself up onto the branch. By this time Jess had already broke into the apartment. When Lane reached the second branch she turned around and looked questionably at Rory. "You coming?" she asked. Rory nodded and followed Lane up the tree.
"We'll just take the stairs," Jamie put in as Paris cell phone began to ring.
"Hello?" Paris answered, "Lorelai you made it to Boston? Yeah, we're in New York, did you find Riz...Neither did we but we stopped off at this place for coffee when we got here and something strange happened with Jess...Well, Rory of busy right now...Bye."
"Come on already!" Jamie called out. Paris slipped her phone back into her pocket and follow Jamie and Dave into the apartment. The climbed up the stairs and when they reached the floor where the apartment was they were met by Lane, Jess and Rory in the hall.
"We're going up," Jess informed them.
"Why?" Rory was the first and the only one to speak.
"To see my mother," Jess responded.
"Why?" Rory repeated. Jess brushed past the three of them towards the stairs. Paris shared a look with Jamie before the two of them followed the others up the stairs. They didn't quite understand what there was up there, but they were about to find out.
Jess stood in the doorway, the others all behind him. Lane waited as he swung open the door to what used to be his home. Lane could not believe that she was about to meet Liz Luke's sister, Jess mother. She was about to learn more about Jess than she ever though she would. "Back again are we?" a woman appeared in their view.
"Hello Liz," Jess greeted sourly. Lane noticed Rory glancing between the two. This was something that Rory couldn't quite believe either. Rory was meeting her boyfriend's mother for the first time. Both girls knew how usually this is really important, but this was so unexpected especially since Jess rarely mentions Liz to anyone. Lane was glad that she was here for her best friend right now. Reaching out she placed a hand on Rory's shoulder while the other grasped onto Dave's hand. Rory turned and smiled slightly.
The silence seemed impenetrable. Liz and Jess stool silently staring at each other. Liz's glance faltered over to the group of them standing around Jess. She looked them over all one by one as if giving them their quick judgement.
"Jessie, aren't you going to introduce me to you friends?" Liz drawled.
"Fine," Jess grunted beginning to point them off, "Lane, Dave, Jamie, Paris and Rory." His voice softened at the mention of Rory.
"So, Luke did do you some good," Liz took a few steps closer to them, "At least they seem to be keeping you out of jail. Unlike those other sluts and idiots you used to bring home."
"I sure hope you are not talking about Riz," Jess growled.
"Jess, you naïve little brat of course it's Riz," Liz laughed hollowly; "Don't you think I know a bad apple when I see one?"
"Must be because you're one yourself," Jess spat.
"Best come back you can think of Jessie?" Liz grinned, "That little town has taken the New York in you and turned you into one of those Stars Hollow drones. Attend the little town meetings do you?"
"You know I find that stupid town crazy," Jess remained level-toned, "I'm only living there because you forced me to."
"Great Jess, that's just real great!" Rory exclaimed pushing past Lane, Dave, Paris and Jamie into the hall. Lane looked between the door and Jess. Jess bowed his head and Lane followed Rory out suggesting that the other three stay put.
"Oops, think you said something wrong," Liz cooed.
"Liz shut up!" Jess shouted, "I've just hurt the most important person in my life because of you and your stupid attempts to put me down because you made a mistake so long ago and am stuck with me. I just came here to find out about Riz and you pounce like you always do!"
"What's up with the slut now?" Liz wondered.
"You didn't hear anything I just said," Jess sighed, "You're ignorant Liz, ignorant. Why do you think I ended up in jail and you had to bail me out at one in the morning? I had this place to call home!"
"Sure, go ahead blame it on me," Liz shrugged, "I'm the drunken mother who doesn't care about her son. Ever think that maybe your father could be blamed too? He abandoned us and left me alone with you."
"What worse dad leaving us or you neglecting me?" Jess wondered, "Luke pays more attention to my life in the year I spent with him than the seventeen years I spent with you. What does that tell you? What does it tell you when I don't call you mom?"
"Jess?" Lane re-entered the apartment, "I think you better go talk to her." Jess nodded and moved to find Rory.
"Goodbye Liz," Jess saluted before exiting the apartment. Paris, Lane, Jamie and Dave remained in the apartment seconds longer before following.
Tears rolled down Rory's cheeks. Lane had just left her seconds earlier after trying to coax her into speaking to her. She couldn't take thinking that Jess still hated Stars Hollow and that the only reason her was there was because his mother had forced him too. Sure, Jess had told her he came back was because she was here. Maybe all he wanted was to get into her pants and move on. Jess emerged from the building and approached her. One glance at him and the sobbing Rory ran off in the other direction. New York or not she could take talking to Jess right now. His words seemed to sincere back in there with his mother and she didn't know what to think. "Rory," he called out grabbing her arm. Rory faced him tears continually rolling down her cheeks.
"Leave me alone," she sobbed, "Just go!"
"No, that's not what I meant in there," he tried to assure her, "We don't get along Liz and I. We never have and I just say things. When I came back to Stars Hollow and we kissed at the wedding. I was really there for you."
"Right," Rory nodded disbelieving. Jess pulled her close and kissed her. "You can't do that," Rory protested, "You can't get all sweet on me Jess. You can't make me forget that you hate the town and don't want to be there."
"I don't hate Stars Hollow," Jess sighed, "I just think the people are crazy."
"Including me?" Rory wondered.
"Yes, but that's just one of the reasons I fell for you," Jess whispered. Rory smiled slightly. "So, we're alright?"
"Yeah, we're alright," Rory nodded. Rory leaned her head against Jess' chest. "Wait a second. You were being kind and sincere. What happened to sarcastic Jess?"
"Took a break," Jess shrugged, "I didn't think sarcasm would help my situation."
"Let's just go back to the others," Rory sighed deep. She took his hand and led him back to the others who were waiting for them by the apartment.
"So, where should we go looking next?" Lane asked as the couple approached.
"Well, it's about supper time," Jess glanced at his watch, "So; if Riz is here she might be stopping off at the restaurant."
"Alright then," the others nodded, "Then to the restaurant we go."
Jess wrapped his arm around Rory as they walked. Rory leaned in close to him as they walked. There were so many different sides to Jess and some she had yet to uncover. Maybe, after this trip he would be a little less mysterious to her and to everyone.
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A/N: Alright, so the trip is going to drag on a little longer than planned. I'm not quite sure where Riz is going to be Boston, New York or either. So, if anyone of you can help me out by telling me where you think they should find her why don't you tell me. Who knows maybe it'll be exactly what I need to finish this trip off. Anyway, review and tell me what you think. Thanks.
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