Ch 26 You Can't Run Forever
Lorelai walked ahead of Luke through the campus. She couldn't look back at him; she didn't want to think about what would happen if she did. It was all so complicated. Yes, she had fallen for Luke, but this wasn't the time or place to be acting on those feelings. They had to focus on Riz and finding her. People rushed by her but Lorelai paid no attention. She couldn't. Her mind was so busy with other things.
Luke watched Lorelai quietly hoping for some sort of acknowledgement from her. He knew that she was confused with all that was going on, but he felt that the kiss just then had been something more than confusion. Or at least he hoped so. So many different explanations for what had happened flashed through his mind as he watched Lorelai walking a few feet ahead of him.
Then, on a bench not far ahead of her Lorelai's attention was pulled completely to one thing. The girl sitting on the bench head bent so that her hair fell forward and knees drawn up close with a book resting on her legs. Lorelai stopped and watched the girl from a distance as a single tear rolled down her cheek. Lorelai felt herself engulfed in even more sadness than before because she had grown fond of this strong-willed spunky girl who now seemed lost in her own world of despair. Finally, she looked back at Luke for a mere second before approaching the bench. The girl noticed nothing. Her focus seemed impenetrable. Lorelai sat next to her and sucked in her breath thinking of something to say.
They stood outside a rather small restaurant. The words 'Restaurant' flashed on the front in neon orange. It was shoved into a corner of New York that like most other places Jess went to no one really noticed it here. This place brought back memories to Jess of times before Stars Hollow and Rory. Times he didn't usually like to talk about. Taking in a deep breath Jess stepped in and looked at the two familiar faces behind the counter.
Rory looked at their surrounding. About twenty well-kept tables were placed about the restaurant. Behind the counter at the back stood a very plump woman who looked in her forties and equally big man with big glasses and snow white hair. Both looked of Spanish background and spoke the language that Paris and Rory were vaguely able to follow. Neither the man nor the woman seemed to notice that they were present. This place, Rory noticed, seemed very empty. She shrugged it off as her stomach grumbled.
Jess led the group to a large, round table where they all sat down and looked at the stained menus that sat on the table. Jess, did not pick up or even glance at the menu he just sat back in his seat. He stood upright though the door to the restaurant burst open. A girl with long, blond hair that curled at the tips stepped in. She was wearing clothes that resembled the style of Gwen Stefani of No Doubt. As she spotted Jess a huge grin spread across her face.
Finally, Lorelai could take no more. No more silence, no more thinking just no more. "Hey there little miss," she broke into the silence. This startled the girl, Riz, who turned abruptly on the bench to face Lorelai.
"Hi," she managed, apparently still stunned.
"So, what are you doing here?" Lorelai wondered.
"Well, I figured Jess would be in New York for the search," she shrugged, "The only other bus was to here and I thought 'hey, why not visit what could've been?' Plus, I didn't want to be found."
"Well you were," Lorelai pointed out, "Why didn't you tell me? I know what it's like."
"Your situation was different," Riz sighed, "Mine is complicated and full of trouble. That's another reason I'm not in New York. Trouble."
"Honey, I can help you," Lorelai told her, "I can give you a roof to live under and you can still go to school."
"You could work in the diner," Luke offered.
"Or the Inn," Lorelai added, "We all love you Riz. Jess, Rory, Lane, Dave and even Paris and Jamie are in New York looking for you. We all want to be here for you."
Rory looked at the girl, then Jess and back at the girl. Everyone else seemed to be doing the same thing. This was the second time something like this had happened. Sure, the incident with Julie, Carl and Camille had been slightly different. This seemed very close though. "Hey!" the girl finally yelled over to the people behind the counter, "Donda esta Maria?"
"Et qui," the man nodded towards a curtain behind him. The girl nodded and then approached them at their table.
"Jules told me you were back," she grinned, "I didn't quite believe her."
"Since when does Jules ever lie?" Jess questioned, "Especially when it comes to me."
"Right," she nodded, "Jess, you know Jules and I aren't on the best terms. So, when she called me early I was surprised to say the least."
"What's going on?" Jess asked.
"I only know bits and pieces," she shrugged, "Even though Jules and Carl are family they'd rather speak to each other."
"Or Camille or Maria," Jess finished.
"Which is why you should go out back and ask that exact question to Maria," the blond suggested.
"Right," Jess nodded and approached the back curtain but stopped and turned back to the group.
"Go," the girl motioned, "I'll take care of your friends here." Jess nodded and disappeared behind the curtain. "Well," she sat down in Jess' unoccupied chair, "I'm Kris."
"I'm Lane," Lane spoke up; it was time to give Rory a break, "That's Dave, Jamie, Paris and Rory."
"I take it you are from Stars Hollow?" Kris asked, "Jess came in here one night after his mom told him and bitched at us. God was he angry."
"You said Carl and Camille were family," Rory changed the subject. She had been pondering on that for since Kris had mentioned it.
"Jules is my twin sister," Kris explained, "Although since she died her hair flaming red you wouldn't be able to tell. Carl is our older brother as you must know. We're on the outs with each other. I'm just not like them. I sided with Jess and Riz during this one blow out and since then it's all bad."
"Blow out?" Paris inquired. All seemed curious about this girl and Jess' New York life.
"Yeah," Kris nodded, "Don't get the wrong idea that Jess and I have the type of relationship he and Riz have. We don't. It's just when the gang started rivalling about things and I agreed with Jess and Riz. Then, when Jess left I took it upon myself to keep an eye out for Riz."
Rory smiled at this girl. She seemed a lot different than the other friends of Jess' she had met more talkative and less sour. Rory wondered though about why she was opening up to them, they might be friends to Jess but to Kris they were strangers. Kris seemed to be reading Rory's mind her blue-green eyes sparkled with mischief. "Kris," Jess had re-appeared in the room, "What do you know?"
"About what?" Kris raised an eyebrow.
"Riz," was Jess' reply.
"Oh," Kris shrugged, "Before she left she didn't say much. Just that she needed to find you and get out of this city. Look, I don't know about why Jules is so sour about it."
"Well, for one thing Riz is pregnant," Jess told her. Kris shook her head, not in the least surprised by the news. The others could tell that this type of thing seemed to happen a lot in between their "gang" by their calm, collective reaction. "So also ran from Stars Hollow after telling me three months later."
"Hence why you're here," Kris nodded, following.
"Exactly," Jess responded.
Riz said nothing for second and Lorelai wondered what was going through her head. So many things seemed to have happened to this girl in her whole lifetime some that Lorelai didn't know and probably couldn't understand. She thought of Stars Hollow, maybe Riz didn't feel like it was home for her. Maybe that had been why she left. Lorelai brightened as the perfect idea popped into her head. "I'll be right back," she whispered to Riz as she pulled out her cell phone and dialled some numbers.
"Hello?" Sookie's voice filled the phone.
"Sook, I need a huge favour," Lorelai got right to the point, "You know my sewing room? I need you to make it into a bedroom. Get the town to donate some furniture or whatever and set it up. Can you manage that?"
"Sure honey, but what for?" Sookie asked.
"A room for Riz," Lorelai grinned at her idea, "Talk to you later. Bye." Lorelai hung up the phone after Sookie's goodbye and grinned once again. Maybe, this would convince Riz she belonged. Then, Lorelai pulled out Rory's phone and pressed speed-dial for Paris' number.
The blaring of a cell phone interrupted the group before Jess could delve further into what had happened with Riz in between the time he had left New York and she had made and appearance in Stars Hollow. Dave, Jamie and Paris all turned to their phones. Paris took one look and handed the cell to Rory. "I'm not calling you," Rory looked at the number and then realized it was her mother, "Hello?"
"Rory!" Lorelai exclaimed, "Wait, what are you answering Paris' phone?"
"Because she gave it to me," Rory replied, "What happened?"
"Hmm..." Lorelai pondered, "Well a lot but we found Riz."
"Really?" Rory asked, "Where was she?"
"Harvard," Lorelai murmured.
"Wow, who would've though?" Rory nodded impressed, "I'll talk to you later. Bye."
"So?" Lane asked after Rory had hung up. The rest of the table were watching Rory expectantly. Rory nodded and she could feel Jess beside her heaving a sigh of relief.
"Alright," Rory broke into the silence after a few seconds, "Maybe we should get on with the story." The others nodded in agreement.
"You might as well tell the whole story," Kris mentioned, "I think I know where this is going and it'll be easier to start at the beginning of this mess. So, I'll get us some drinks. I might as well help Jess out for some of it because it gets messier after he's gone."
"Alright," Jess nodded consenting to it all.
"Plus, your girlfriend might want a little less mystery," Kris smirked. All looked at her inquisitively, "I've got a knack for knowing all of you are dating one of the male specimens at this table. I also happen to know about Jess and Rory from Jules.
"Andalé, Andalé," Jess urged playfully. A small smile crossed Rory's face as she looked over at Jess. This trip was proving to be very productive in finding out more about his past.
Lorelai Gilmore returned to the bench that Luke now also occupied. He looked pretty uncomfortable trying to form words of compassion for this fifteen year old girl who couldn't care less for that. Lorelai shook her head. "Hey, let's get some food," she offered, "Then a nice room to sleep in because I don't want to sit on a bus tonight."
"Sure," Luke nodded getting up. Riz shrugged and slipped the small book into the back pocket of her jeans and followed.
"Besides, you can't run forever," Lorelai put in walking feet ahead of the two.
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A/N: Alright, this trip is going to be ending soon, I think. This chapter I tried to integrate as best as possible both places into this chapter. I hope it wasn't so confusing. Next chapter I think I'll put it into telling in detail and though about what happened between Jess, Riz, Carl, Camille, Kris and some other characters who serve only to tell the story of Jess' past and Riz's pregnancy. Also, I don't speak Spanish at all so if any of the words in Spanish are wrong I'm sorry. I just felt that Spanish worked better than Italian or English or French all of which I know. So, any way we'll see how that goes. Review and tell me what you think. Thanks.
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Lorelai walked ahead of Luke through the campus. She couldn't look back at him; she didn't want to think about what would happen if she did. It was all so complicated. Yes, she had fallen for Luke, but this wasn't the time or place to be acting on those feelings. They had to focus on Riz and finding her. People rushed by her but Lorelai paid no attention. She couldn't. Her mind was so busy with other things.
Luke watched Lorelai quietly hoping for some sort of acknowledgement from her. He knew that she was confused with all that was going on, but he felt that the kiss just then had been something more than confusion. Or at least he hoped so. So many different explanations for what had happened flashed through his mind as he watched Lorelai walking a few feet ahead of him.
Then, on a bench not far ahead of her Lorelai's attention was pulled completely to one thing. The girl sitting on the bench head bent so that her hair fell forward and knees drawn up close with a book resting on her legs. Lorelai stopped and watched the girl from a distance as a single tear rolled down her cheek. Lorelai felt herself engulfed in even more sadness than before because she had grown fond of this strong-willed spunky girl who now seemed lost in her own world of despair. Finally, she looked back at Luke for a mere second before approaching the bench. The girl noticed nothing. Her focus seemed impenetrable. Lorelai sat next to her and sucked in her breath thinking of something to say.
They stood outside a rather small restaurant. The words 'Restaurant' flashed on the front in neon orange. It was shoved into a corner of New York that like most other places Jess went to no one really noticed it here. This place brought back memories to Jess of times before Stars Hollow and Rory. Times he didn't usually like to talk about. Taking in a deep breath Jess stepped in and looked at the two familiar faces behind the counter.
Rory looked at their surrounding. About twenty well-kept tables were placed about the restaurant. Behind the counter at the back stood a very plump woman who looked in her forties and equally big man with big glasses and snow white hair. Both looked of Spanish background and spoke the language that Paris and Rory were vaguely able to follow. Neither the man nor the woman seemed to notice that they were present. This place, Rory noticed, seemed very empty. She shrugged it off as her stomach grumbled.
Jess led the group to a large, round table where they all sat down and looked at the stained menus that sat on the table. Jess, did not pick up or even glance at the menu he just sat back in his seat. He stood upright though the door to the restaurant burst open. A girl with long, blond hair that curled at the tips stepped in. She was wearing clothes that resembled the style of Gwen Stefani of No Doubt. As she spotted Jess a huge grin spread across her face.
Finally, Lorelai could take no more. No more silence, no more thinking just no more. "Hey there little miss," she broke into the silence. This startled the girl, Riz, who turned abruptly on the bench to face Lorelai.
"Hi," she managed, apparently still stunned.
"So, what are you doing here?" Lorelai wondered.
"Well, I figured Jess would be in New York for the search," she shrugged, "The only other bus was to here and I thought 'hey, why not visit what could've been?' Plus, I didn't want to be found."
"Well you were," Lorelai pointed out, "Why didn't you tell me? I know what it's like."
"Your situation was different," Riz sighed, "Mine is complicated and full of trouble. That's another reason I'm not in New York. Trouble."
"Honey, I can help you," Lorelai told her, "I can give you a roof to live under and you can still go to school."
"You could work in the diner," Luke offered.
"Or the Inn," Lorelai added, "We all love you Riz. Jess, Rory, Lane, Dave and even Paris and Jamie are in New York looking for you. We all want to be here for you."
Rory looked at the girl, then Jess and back at the girl. Everyone else seemed to be doing the same thing. This was the second time something like this had happened. Sure, the incident with Julie, Carl and Camille had been slightly different. This seemed very close though. "Hey!" the girl finally yelled over to the people behind the counter, "Donda esta Maria?"
"Et qui," the man nodded towards a curtain behind him. The girl nodded and then approached them at their table.
"Jules told me you were back," she grinned, "I didn't quite believe her."
"Since when does Jules ever lie?" Jess questioned, "Especially when it comes to me."
"Right," she nodded, "Jess, you know Jules and I aren't on the best terms. So, when she called me early I was surprised to say the least."
"What's going on?" Jess asked.
"I only know bits and pieces," she shrugged, "Even though Jules and Carl are family they'd rather speak to each other."
"Or Camille or Maria," Jess finished.
"Which is why you should go out back and ask that exact question to Maria," the blond suggested.
"Right," Jess nodded and approached the back curtain but stopped and turned back to the group.
"Go," the girl motioned, "I'll take care of your friends here." Jess nodded and disappeared behind the curtain. "Well," she sat down in Jess' unoccupied chair, "I'm Kris."
"I'm Lane," Lane spoke up; it was time to give Rory a break, "That's Dave, Jamie, Paris and Rory."
"I take it you are from Stars Hollow?" Kris asked, "Jess came in here one night after his mom told him and bitched at us. God was he angry."
"You said Carl and Camille were family," Rory changed the subject. She had been pondering on that for since Kris had mentioned it.
"Jules is my twin sister," Kris explained, "Although since she died her hair flaming red you wouldn't be able to tell. Carl is our older brother as you must know. We're on the outs with each other. I'm just not like them. I sided with Jess and Riz during this one blow out and since then it's all bad."
"Blow out?" Paris inquired. All seemed curious about this girl and Jess' New York life.
"Yeah," Kris nodded, "Don't get the wrong idea that Jess and I have the type of relationship he and Riz have. We don't. It's just when the gang started rivalling about things and I agreed with Jess and Riz. Then, when Jess left I took it upon myself to keep an eye out for Riz."
Rory smiled at this girl. She seemed a lot different than the other friends of Jess' she had met more talkative and less sour. Rory wondered though about why she was opening up to them, they might be friends to Jess but to Kris they were strangers. Kris seemed to be reading Rory's mind her blue-green eyes sparkled with mischief. "Kris," Jess had re-appeared in the room, "What do you know?"
"About what?" Kris raised an eyebrow.
"Riz," was Jess' reply.
"Oh," Kris shrugged, "Before she left she didn't say much. Just that she needed to find you and get out of this city. Look, I don't know about why Jules is so sour about it."
"Well, for one thing Riz is pregnant," Jess told her. Kris shook her head, not in the least surprised by the news. The others could tell that this type of thing seemed to happen a lot in between their "gang" by their calm, collective reaction. "So also ran from Stars Hollow after telling me three months later."
"Hence why you're here," Kris nodded, following.
"Exactly," Jess responded.
Riz said nothing for second and Lorelai wondered what was going through her head. So many things seemed to have happened to this girl in her whole lifetime some that Lorelai didn't know and probably couldn't understand. She thought of Stars Hollow, maybe Riz didn't feel like it was home for her. Maybe that had been why she left. Lorelai brightened as the perfect idea popped into her head. "I'll be right back," she whispered to Riz as she pulled out her cell phone and dialled some numbers.
"Hello?" Sookie's voice filled the phone.
"Sook, I need a huge favour," Lorelai got right to the point, "You know my sewing room? I need you to make it into a bedroom. Get the town to donate some furniture or whatever and set it up. Can you manage that?"
"Sure honey, but what for?" Sookie asked.
"A room for Riz," Lorelai grinned at her idea, "Talk to you later. Bye." Lorelai hung up the phone after Sookie's goodbye and grinned once again. Maybe, this would convince Riz she belonged. Then, Lorelai pulled out Rory's phone and pressed speed-dial for Paris' number.
The blaring of a cell phone interrupted the group before Jess could delve further into what had happened with Riz in between the time he had left New York and she had made and appearance in Stars Hollow. Dave, Jamie and Paris all turned to their phones. Paris took one look and handed the cell to Rory. "I'm not calling you," Rory looked at the number and then realized it was her mother, "Hello?"
"Rory!" Lorelai exclaimed, "Wait, what are you answering Paris' phone?"
"Because she gave it to me," Rory replied, "What happened?"
"Hmm..." Lorelai pondered, "Well a lot but we found Riz."
"Really?" Rory asked, "Where was she?"
"Harvard," Lorelai murmured.
"Wow, who would've though?" Rory nodded impressed, "I'll talk to you later. Bye."
"So?" Lane asked after Rory had hung up. The rest of the table were watching Rory expectantly. Rory nodded and she could feel Jess beside her heaving a sigh of relief.
"Alright," Rory broke into the silence after a few seconds, "Maybe we should get on with the story." The others nodded in agreement.
"You might as well tell the whole story," Kris mentioned, "I think I know where this is going and it'll be easier to start at the beginning of this mess. So, I'll get us some drinks. I might as well help Jess out for some of it because it gets messier after he's gone."
"Alright," Jess nodded consenting to it all.
"Plus, your girlfriend might want a little less mystery," Kris smirked. All looked at her inquisitively, "I've got a knack for knowing all of you are dating one of the male specimens at this table. I also happen to know about Jess and Rory from Jules.
"Andalé, Andalé," Jess urged playfully. A small smile crossed Rory's face as she looked over at Jess. This trip was proving to be very productive in finding out more about his past.
Lorelai Gilmore returned to the bench that Luke now also occupied. He looked pretty uncomfortable trying to form words of compassion for this fifteen year old girl who couldn't care less for that. Lorelai shook her head. "Hey, let's get some food," she offered, "Then a nice room to sleep in because I don't want to sit on a bus tonight."
"Sure," Luke nodded getting up. Riz shrugged and slipped the small book into the back pocket of her jeans and followed.
"Besides, you can't run forever," Lorelai put in walking feet ahead of the two.
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A/N: Alright, this trip is going to be ending soon, I think. This chapter I tried to integrate as best as possible both places into this chapter. I hope it wasn't so confusing. Next chapter I think I'll put it into telling in detail and though about what happened between Jess, Riz, Carl, Camille, Kris and some other characters who serve only to tell the story of Jess' past and Riz's pregnancy. Also, I don't speak Spanish at all so if any of the words in Spanish are wrong I'm sorry. I just felt that Spanish worked better than Italian or English or French all of which I know. So, any way we'll see how that goes. Review and tell me what you think. Thanks.
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