A/N – I just realized, after re-reading my plot outline of the REAL Chapter 11, that I can't write it yet. I have to do a Chapter 10.75. LOL. Too complicated, too many sub-plots! But…I don't think I can really leave it out. Hmm…:: scratches head in puzzlement:: I wonder if possibly I could include it in this chapter. I can't just leave it out, because I hinted at it in Chapter 10.5/11, whatever you want to call it, and leaving it out would be really out of character for one of the major characters. Okay, this is getting confusing.
On a different note, I'm going to respond to another review…Ally – Luke and Lorelai may be getting together; I'm not really sure yet. If they do, it'll happen sometime between Chapters 19 and 28. On re-reading my summaries for the next several chapters, I think that they do get together, because there is a sub-plot where Rory is suspicious that Lorelai is hiding something, and I don't really know what else it could be…On the other hand, I've never really liked the idea of Luke and Lorelai getting together, even though it's obvious that a) they're into each other, and b) they're perfect for each other. So, we'll see. Once everyone leaves for college, though, the story is going to focus on the kids at school, not the people at home. The story's already going to be split between 3 or 4 different cities – I don't think I can handle keeping 6 cities, and storylines, straight, so Hartford and Stars Hollow are most likely going to be left out. Luke and Lorelai may get together, but if they do, all that'll be in the story is them telling Rory and Jess that they're together. I may have to do a spin-off, telling this story from Luke/Lorelai's POV. Geez…it's getting too complicated again.
Also – firegoddess; The final project for my Civics class a couple of years ago was to change a school policy – my group wanted to have a salad bar a lunch, and we were the only group to actually achieve our goal. I think a petition might work, plus if you, me, and all of our friends, plus all of their friends, plus all of their friends, started calling up the station, we'd be able to get somewhere…the annoyance factor, if nothing else. I mean, it's worth a shot, right? So, everyone in St. Louis started calling up the WB, and telling them to at the very least re-broadcast Tuesday's episode, we might get somewhere; but we'd have to do it fast, considering it's already Monday.
Alrighty; here's what I'll do – if anyone would like to write a spin-off from L/L POV, let me know, and I'll send you what plot summaries I have, so that you can get started. If anyone wants the L/L POV spin-off, but doesn't want to write it, give me ideas on what to have happen, not involving anyone under the age of 20. (That stuff I can just get out of this story.) I'll see what I can do with it. At this point, I'm not promising anything more than the true Trory sequel, but I'll try for the Jess sequel, the Dean sequel, and the L/L POV spin-off.
Also, for those of you who wanted additional parts to my story The Gray, at about 5 this morning, I came up with at least the titles for both a prequel and a sequel, so I'm probably going to go ahead and write them, though I'm not necessarily going to post them.
Okay – I've kind've thought through the problem mentioned in the very first paragraph of my rambling author's note, so here goes the REAL Chapter 11. (Sort of.) For simplicity's sake, I'm calling it Chapter 12.
RECAP: Skips Chapters 1-8 and most of Chapter 9. The only part from Chapter 9 that's important to this chapter is the fact that Jess was accepted to NYU, but hasn't told Rory yet, because he doesn't know how he's going to pay for it. In Chapter 10, Rory 'fesses up to the grandparents and Lorelai that she's going to Yale, not Harvard. Lane calls, in tears, because while she's been accepted to the Juilliard, Mrs. Kim saw her in New York, and now won't let her go. Chapter 11 – Emily convinces Mrs. Kim to let Lane go to school in New York. Tristan calls Rory, and tells her that he was accepted to Harvard. (That was a very very minor part of Chapter 11, and kind've had to be inferred, but there's more of it in this chapter, I promise.) Lane tells Rory and Lorelai what Emily did. Rory and Lorelai discuss Rory's decision of Yale over Harvard.
This chapter picks up a few minutes after the last one left off – Rory and Lorelai have just arrived at Luke's. (Also, I'm fairly sure this is the last chapter to happen on the same day.)
YOU LEARN SOMETHING NEW EVERY DAY
Lorelai and Rory opened the door to the diner, and walked to their customary place at the counter. Lorelai began bickering with Luke over whether or not he was going to give her coffee, while Rory looked around for Jess.
"Hey, Luke, where's Jess?" She asked, interrupting the banter.
"Upstairs. Go on up."
She stood, and started towards the stairs, before Luke stopped her, and handed her a cup of coffee. "Here." He grunted.
"Hey, no fair! How come she gets coffee and I don't!" Lorelai whined.
Luke shot Rory a grin, before turning back to Lorelai.
Shaking her head, Rory ran up the stairs. She let herself into the apartment, and saw Jess sitting at the table with someone, drinking a soda.
"Tristan? What are you doing here?"
Tristan turned, and replied. "Oh hey, Rory. I was bored, so I went for a drive. Ended up here. Jess was just expressing his views on how the Two Towers wasn't any truer to the book than the Fellowship of the Ring was."
Rory laughed. "He'll go on for hours about that…I think he has a secret crush on Liv Tyler."
"No I don't! It's all about Galadriel." Jess protested.
"Riiight." Rory teased.
"I think both of you are crazy…Eowyn is definitely the hottest. She's the one who takes down Sauron in the end…sexy."
Rory and Jess stared at Tristan.
"You mean you've actually read the books?" Rory asked, surprised.
"Yeah." Tristan shrugged. "The Hobbit was required reading in junior high – after that, I kinda got hooked."
"You learn something new every day…" Rory joked. "Anyway, sorry I cut you off this morning; Lane was going through a crisis. So you got into Harvard?"
"Yeah. My dad really wanted me to go to Yale, but I got turned down. I'd rather go to Harvard, anyway."
"I'm going there. Yale, I mean…and somehow, I got myself roped into being roommates with Paris."
Jess sat back quietly, watching as the two continued discussing the merits of their Ivy League colleges. I think…that there may be something there. What is it about them? I mean, it's obvious why Tristan would be into Rory, and I guess I can kind of see why she would like him. But…do they really like each other? I can tell Tristan really wants a friend with a brain…not that I blame him; from what Rory's said of the Chiltonites, I'd be lonely, too. She said that he seems to have developed more substance since military school, too, so that's gotta make his life tough. I think that I'm just grateful he's going to Harvard, and she's going to Yale. They won't have a whole lot of opportunity to explore whether or not there's really something between them beyond friendship. But…I think…if Rory decides that she really wants to be with Tristan…well, I'm not going to give her up without a fight, but if she'd be happier with him than she is with me, I'm going to have to respect that. I'm not going to pull a Dean on her. With a start, he realized that both Tristan and Rory were looking at him curiously.
"Earth to Jess…" Tristan said, waving a hand in front of Jess's face.
"Sorry, man…not being Ivy League-bound, I spaced out for a few minutes."
"Jess…you could've gotten into a good school, if you had applied anywhere. Whatever you say, I know you don't want to spend the rest of your life in Stars Hollow, working at the diner."
Jess grinned. "Actually…I'm going back to New York. I was accepted to NYU."
"Really!?! That's great!" Rory squealed, launching herself at him, and engulfing him in a hug.
He hugged her back. "Yeah – I didn't tell you at first, because I wasn't sure how I was going to pay for it, but I got a few scholarships, and a couple of grants, and then, when Luke found out I was accepted, he took out a loan on the diner for the rest."
"Jess! I'm so happy for you!" She kissed him.
Tristan leaned back in his chair, watching the two. It'd be great to have a girl like Rory so excited for me. Who am I kidding? It'd be great to have Rory so excited for me. But…I know she cares about Jess a lot, and she's happy with him. Maybe my time will come, what with Jess in New York, me in Cambridge, and Rory in New Haven. I'll be a lot closer to her than he will be. At the very least, I'm going to have to keep an eye on her. I mean, he and I are becoming friends, so it's only right to look after his interests. I have no ulterior motive…I really don't.
Jess and Rory suddenly remembered that Tristan was still there, and broke apart.
"Hey, do you guys want to go see a movie, or something?" Rory asked.
"Sure."
"Why not?"
Rory waited as Jess and Tristan grabbed their coats, and the three teens ran downstairs.
After a cursory farewell to Lorelai and Luke, they were off.
Lorelai watched her daughter climb into Tristan's car, and sighed, before turning back to Luke.
"My mother convinced Mrs. Kim to let Lane go to the Juilliard in New York." She said softly.
"Really. That's good. Jess is going to school in New York, too."
"Jess is going to college?" Lorelai asked, surprised.
"Yeah. I think it had something to do with him not wanting to sit around here, waiting for Rory to come home on weekends."
"Wow…maybe you were right, and she is a good influence on him."
"He's a good kid. He's just had some problems."
"Yeah." Lorelai drained the last dregs of coffee from her cup. "Well, I should get going."
"Yeah."
"Bye."
"Bye."
Lorelai walked out of the diner, lost in thought. I wonder what possessed my mother to even attempt to convince Mrs. Kim to let Lane go? More than that, I wonder how she succeeded! Wow…Lane's going to New York, so is Jess. Rory's going to be in New Haven…this town is going to be so empty, without the kids. By now Lorelai was just wandering, and not really paying attention to where she was going, until she ran into Dean…literally.
"Oof. Oh, sorry, Lorelai, I didn't see you." Dean said, recovering quickly.
"Me too. I didn't see you, either, I mean. In fact, I haven't seen you in a long time. What've you been up to?"
"School, mainly."
"Oh. Are you going to college next year?"
"Yeah, I just found out yesterday. I was accepted to a tech school back in Chicago."
"That's cool…what are you going to study?"
"It's a work-study program; I'll be apprenticing with a mechanic in the afternoons and on weekends, and studying for my master mechanic's certificate in between. I should be able to open my own shop in a couple of years."
"Good for you, Dean."
"Thanks…I heard Rory's going to Yale."
"Yeah, she got a full scholarship. She's really excited."
"Well…tell her congratulations for me."
"Will do."
"See you later."
"Bye, Dean." Lorelai stared after him regretfully. Even Dean's leaving. This town's population is going to get a whole lot smaller. Taylor will have to post a new sign. Which means he'll want a fund-raiser. Which means a new festival, which means junk food. Junk food. Hmm…Rory's gone to a movie; that means if I eat quick, I can get some gummy bears! Hehehe. With that thought, Lorelai turned, and headed towards Doose's Market.
Later that evening, after the movie, Jess was walking Rory home.
"So…you're going back to New York, huh?" Rory finally broke the silence.
"Yep."
"Wow." She said, flatly.
Hearing her tone, Jess stopped, and turned to face Rory. "Hey…what's wrong?"
"I'm not sure…it's just…I kind've thought you'd be here, y'know? Like, we'd be able to see each other on weekends and stuff."
Jess looked at her thoughtfully. "Rory…I couldn't just sit around here, waiting for my Ivy League girlfriend to come home, while I was doing nothing with my life."
"I know…it's just…New York is so far away." Rory murmured, tears threatening in her eyes.
"Hey, c'mere." Jess replied softly, pulling her into a hug. "It'll be fine, I promise. Neither one of us is leaving for months. And, when we do leave, we can still talk to each other every day. Plus, I don't think there's a law that says I can't come home on weekends, too."
Rory pulled away from him slightly, staring into his eyes, a slight smile forming through her sadness. "It won't be the same."
Jess sighed, and stepped away from her completely. "It never is, Rory. Things, people, places…everything changes with time. But, growing up doesn't mean we'll grow apart."
Rory looked down at her shoes, before whispering, "I love you, Jess."
A smile broke out on Jess's face. "I love you, too, Ror…and I promise…we'll make it work."
When Rory didn't respond, Jess sighed, and started walking again. After a moment, Rory followed, and the two continued their journey in silence.
A/N – Okay, this chapter didn't end up really addressing what I was going to address, but I suppose that's okay. I think I'm just going to leave the sub-plot of Lorelai and Emily getting into a fight over Lane out, because it just won't write itself. The next chapter is going to be their graduation, so be forewarned; about 6 months are getting skipped. Question, though: Should Paris find out that Rory lied? I mean, I do have some conflict between the two coming up, but I could add that into it; would make things interesting. But, it would also run the risk of making the relationship between the two girls TOO volatile. Also, I know that there wasn't a whole lot of Troryness in this chapter, but I promise that there will be more, as soon as everyone gets off to college. (I mean, c'mon – He's going to be a lot closer distance-wise to Rory than Jess, and he promised himself he'd watch over her for Jess. Plus (hint, hint), he isn't going to have too great of a time at Harvard.) I know he seemed to drop off the planet, but…this story is really writing itself, and I'm only typing it, y'know? (The two chapters I forced, 7 and 8, are the two I don't like!) Even after I did the plot summaries, and even though I'm using them as a guideline, stuff just isn't happening the way I thought it would. Entire subplots are being left out, and new ones are adding themselves. But, I'm satisfied, because it is working. Also, expect an edited Chapter 10 in the near future – MaryATroryFan gave me a suggestion on how to get Lane to New York, and it was such a good suggestion, I literally smacked myself because I didn't think of it.
Another thing. Apologies for the constant Tolkien/Lord of the Rings references…I finally got my new DVD player to work, and so can watch Fellowship, I just went to see the Two Towers (I was very disappointed that Galadriel didn't give Sam the earth and seed – could mean that they're going to leave that part out of Return of the King, as well), my mom got the extended version DVD for her birthday (the 3rd), and I started re-reading the books. Obviously, I'm obsessing. Hehehe. Tolkien really IS the father of modern sci-fi and fantasy, though. References to his works are EVERYWHERE in those genres. (For example, anyone who saw the TNT series Babylon 5, did you guys notice that the home world of the Shadows was Zhaha Dum…seems a bit like Khazha Dum to me (spelling may be off)…where the shadow lives…gee, let me think, where'd J. Michael Strazinsky (creator of Babylon 5) get THAT one. I wonder. And there are thousands of references like that one! They're all over the place.) Anyone who hasn't read the Tolkien books, but only seen the movies, I HIGHLY recommend that you read them! The movies will make a lot more sense (considering they really aren't true to the books) if you do. The books are incredibly good, even if you're not ordinarily into fantasy. They're actually written as more of a history than a novel. And, to think, all Tolkien (a language professor) wanted to do was create a basis for his made-up languages! I wish I had that…talent, skill, luck, whatever you want to call it. Anyway, I'm going to stop rambling now, and actually post this chapter.