Disclaimer : Do I look like ASP to you? Didn't think so.
Feedback : Thank you, everyone. I appreciate ya.
Okay. This story is *finally* almost done. There's this chapter and probably two more, plus an epilogue, if, once we reach the last chapter, you all feel it needs it. Originally, I planned on going on with this for a while.. but I'll be honest, I just don't have it in me. This chapter is short but its transitional. I have already started chapter 27 and it should be up within the next week or so. For any of you who read my other stories, I need to know, either in a review or email, which story you'd like to be finished next so I can do that once this ones done.
Anyways, enough of that. Onto the story!
Don't Say You Love Me
Chapter 26
Rory sat beside Jess in the small taxi cab that was heading in the general direction of the airport, her smaller hand clasped in his larger one, in a supportive gesture. No words were exchanged, as Rory's line of vision was focused outside the vehicle, watching the other cars pass by and, she noted with a heavy heart, the dark line of clouds creep slowly over them. She just hoped they reached the airport and took off in time, before the storm reached them.
Though her eyes were focused outside and she was aware of her surroundings, Rory's mind was a muddled mess of worry, pain and regret. Jess still hadn't told her exactly what had happened, only that there had been an accident and Tristan wasn't in the best of shape. Had they not been thousands of miles away from home, she would have demanded to know all the details, but here, riding in this car through the german country-side, she didn't ask. If she asked and he told her, it would only increase her worry and she just couldn't take it right now.
Memories flashed through her mind, every minute that passed. The day they had been reunited, in that hotel conference room, the interview for the magazine. The 4th of July weekend they had spent together, with her mother and Luke up at her grandparents cabin. The day they sat, staring out over the lake, when they finally kissed and begun their relationship. The trip out to California, shortly after they had gotten together, for one of his cousins weddings. The night he had asked her to move in with him. The night she had agreed. The day spent on his fathers boat. All the evenings spent, doing nothing but lounging around the house, just enjoying each others company.
And then there was that day. The phone call that had changed everything. The fight they had had, the ultimatum he had given her. Her, just walking out of the house.
A lone tear escaped her eye, trickling down her cheek and she swiped at it angrily, upset with herself. What if the accident was worse then she thought? What if that day, that last day they had spent together, that had ended in their breakup.. what if that was the last time she saw him alive? The thought ripped through her and she bit her lip to keep the other tears at bay. He had to be okay. Had to.
******
Out of the corner of his eye, Jess watched as Rory battled with her inner turmoil. If there was one thing that bothered him, it was seeing her upset. But there was nothing he could do, nothing he could say that would make it any better. He couldn't reassure her that Tristan was going to be okay, couldn't promise that everything would be okay in the end. He wasn't about to make a promise he didn't know he couldn't keep.
Rory wiped the droplet of water that fell from her beautiful blue eyes with the back of her hand, her attention still turned to the rapidly darkening outside. Surpressing a sigh, he gave her hand a squeeze, causing her to turn to him. She offered him a small smile before turning back to the window.
The silence continued, but perhaps it was better that way. Silence meant he didn't have to worry about saying the wrong thing or making things worse. And in silence, though he in no way was a religious person, he could keep saying his prayers, hoping that Tristan would be okay, so he and Rory could repair what seemed so far lost.
******
The rain began just ten minutes before they reached the airport and an emotionally wracked Rory jumped out of the car, running towards the entrance even before the driver came to a complete stop. Jess paid the man, grabbed the few bags out of the trunk and took off after her. When he finally found her, she was already standing at the counter, arguing with the attendant. Gripping the bags, he made his way up to her, her agitation evident in her every move.
"What do you mean, there are no flights to Hartford?" Rory snarled, her eyes piercing.
The woman frowned slightly. "I am sorry, ma'am. But all flights out of the country have been canceled until this storm has passed."
"Storm? What storm?" Rory seethed, leaning further over the desk. "Its rain! Have you looked outside? Does that look anything like something resembling a storm?!"
At that moment, Jess cut in. "Um, Ror.." He said, pointing over to the window, where strong gusts of wind were currently blowing outside, howling, the heavy rain pelting the glass.
Her eyes followed to where he was pointing and her face fell. "How is that possible? It was only sprinkling a few minutes ago..."
Jess shrugged and stepped over to the desk. "Depending on the weather, when is your next flight to Connecticut?"
The woman turned to the computer and punched in a few things. "Thursday," she finally said.
"Thursday?" Rory exclaimed, the tears welling up in her eyes again. "I can't wait until Thursday! He could be dead by then!"
At those words, Jess turned to find Rory in complete hysterics and instinctively pulled her into an embrace. The sobs wracked her entire body and he whispered soothing words. "Shh. It's going to be okay. DuGrey's strong, you know that. Do you think he'd leave this world without at least saying goodbye?"
Rory pulled away sniffling, her gaze fixed on the floor. Jess sighed and went back to the ticket desk. "When's the next flight to New York City, then?"
Again, the lady typed in a few things. "We have a flight to New York leaving at six thirty tomorrow morning."
"Give me two coach tickets then," Jess said. Rory, at this time managed to pull herself together long enough to hand over her credit card, i.d and sign her name. The ticket attendant finally handed over the tickets and Jess took Rory's hand, pulling her across to the waiting area, where a large group of people were seated, many of them looking not too happy about the recent change of plans. Finding two empty chairs, they sat down, Rory's head on Jess' shoulder, his arm around her.
"He's going to be okay, isn't he?"
"I don't know, Ror."
"But he was alive when you left, right?"
"Yeah, he was."
"I feel like I'm stuck in some crazy soap opera or something."
Jess let out a slight laugh. "Tell me about it."
"I'm tired," Rory yawned.
"There's a hotel across the street. You wanna get a room?"
Rory shook her head. "No. I'm okay."
"You sure?"
"Yeah," Rory confirmed. Grabbing one of her bags, she opened it and pulled out two books. Taking one for herself, she handed the other, Kurt Vonnegut's "Slaughter House Five," to Jess. Glancing at the cover he rolled his eyes. She let out a light laugh. "Not your favorite, I know. But its better then staring at your shoes."
"Yeah, all right," Jess sighed, opening the book. Reading would take her mind off Tristan, and if all it took was for him to plow through the book in his hand, he would do it.
Rory watched him for a few minutes, the familiar stance of his stature, huddled over a book. Grinning, she opened her own and settled down.
******
Jess' watch, which he had set for six am, began beeping, it seemed, right after he had fallen asleep. Groaning, he sat up straight, stretching, his neck hurting from the uncomfortable position he had slept in. Rory was still sitting beside him, her head slumped over on their bags, which had been disposed of on the chair next to her. Her book, "Mansfield Park" laying haphazardly in her lap and her chocolate colored hair hung in her face. Leaning over, he picked the book up, marking her page and closing it, before shaking her form gently. She awoke with a start, her eyes wide and panicked.
"What?"
"Time to get up, Sleeping Beauty. Our flight leaves in a half hour."
It took a second for the words to register in her mind, but when they did, she nodded. Standing, she arched her back, to relieve it of some of the tension. Swerving to look at Jess, she frowned. "I need coffee."
A smirk spread across his face and he shook his head. Grabbing the bags, once again, they headed off towards the airport cafe, in search of the life giving elixir.
*******
Their plane had landed in New York just before six that evening, with both of them physically worn out. Jess had talked her into finding a decent hotel to stay the night in, both because he was exhausted beyond words, and because he knew she would be no good to Tristan, going without sleep and a decent cup of coffee. So they settled on a hotel, a few blocks from the bus station, which would take them the final distance home. It wasn't ten minutes after they had checked in, that both of them fell onto their respective beds, in a deep sleep. It was around 2 am that Rory awoke, physically feeling refreshed, but her emotions still out of whack. Glancing over at Jess' still sleeping figure, she got up and headed into the small bathroom. Poking around in her bag, she found some clean clothes, her brush and a toothbrush. She turned the shower on, got in, washed, brushed her hair and teeth and exited about an hour and a half later. Jess was still sleeping and quietly, she crawled back into her bed and went back to sleep.
It was around eight o'clock the next morning that they checked out, opting to save some money and walk the few blocks to the Greyhound station. They lucked out, arriving just fifteen minutes before the bus left for Hartford. Securing tickets, the boarded, both sighing in relief as the bus started and they were pointed in the direction of home.
Again, Rory's attention was focused on the outside world. Inside, though, she had one hand stuffed inside her jacket, her fingers idly playing with the bracelet she had found in the same pocket two years earlier, holding onto any ray of hope that Tristan was okay.
******
Umm.. right. Sorry no Trory action in this. Next chapter, I say. Til then *salute*
-- Shay
Feedback : Thank you, everyone. I appreciate ya.
Okay. This story is *finally* almost done. There's this chapter and probably two more, plus an epilogue, if, once we reach the last chapter, you all feel it needs it. Originally, I planned on going on with this for a while.. but I'll be honest, I just don't have it in me. This chapter is short but its transitional. I have already started chapter 27 and it should be up within the next week or so. For any of you who read my other stories, I need to know, either in a review or email, which story you'd like to be finished next so I can do that once this ones done.
Anyways, enough of that. Onto the story!
Chapter 26
Rory sat beside Jess in the small taxi cab that was heading in the general direction of the airport, her smaller hand clasped in his larger one, in a supportive gesture. No words were exchanged, as Rory's line of vision was focused outside the vehicle, watching the other cars pass by and, she noted with a heavy heart, the dark line of clouds creep slowly over them. She just hoped they reached the airport and took off in time, before the storm reached them.
Though her eyes were focused outside and she was aware of her surroundings, Rory's mind was a muddled mess of worry, pain and regret. Jess still hadn't told her exactly what had happened, only that there had been an accident and Tristan wasn't in the best of shape. Had they not been thousands of miles away from home, she would have demanded to know all the details, but here, riding in this car through the german country-side, she didn't ask. If she asked and he told her, it would only increase her worry and she just couldn't take it right now.
Memories flashed through her mind, every minute that passed. The day they had been reunited, in that hotel conference room, the interview for the magazine. The 4th of July weekend they had spent together, with her mother and Luke up at her grandparents cabin. The day they sat, staring out over the lake, when they finally kissed and begun their relationship. The trip out to California, shortly after they had gotten together, for one of his cousins weddings. The night he had asked her to move in with him. The night she had agreed. The day spent on his fathers boat. All the evenings spent, doing nothing but lounging around the house, just enjoying each others company.
And then there was that day. The phone call that had changed everything. The fight they had had, the ultimatum he had given her. Her, just walking out of the house.
A lone tear escaped her eye, trickling down her cheek and she swiped at it angrily, upset with herself. What if the accident was worse then she thought? What if that day, that last day they had spent together, that had ended in their breakup.. what if that was the last time she saw him alive? The thought ripped through her and she bit her lip to keep the other tears at bay. He had to be okay. Had to.
******
Out of the corner of his eye, Jess watched as Rory battled with her inner turmoil. If there was one thing that bothered him, it was seeing her upset. But there was nothing he could do, nothing he could say that would make it any better. He couldn't reassure her that Tristan was going to be okay, couldn't promise that everything would be okay in the end. He wasn't about to make a promise he didn't know he couldn't keep.
Rory wiped the droplet of water that fell from her beautiful blue eyes with the back of her hand, her attention still turned to the rapidly darkening outside. Surpressing a sigh, he gave her hand a squeeze, causing her to turn to him. She offered him a small smile before turning back to the window.
The silence continued, but perhaps it was better that way. Silence meant he didn't have to worry about saying the wrong thing or making things worse. And in silence, though he in no way was a religious person, he could keep saying his prayers, hoping that Tristan would be okay, so he and Rory could repair what seemed so far lost.
******
The rain began just ten minutes before they reached the airport and an emotionally wracked Rory jumped out of the car, running towards the entrance even before the driver came to a complete stop. Jess paid the man, grabbed the few bags out of the trunk and took off after her. When he finally found her, she was already standing at the counter, arguing with the attendant. Gripping the bags, he made his way up to her, her agitation evident in her every move.
"What do you mean, there are no flights to Hartford?" Rory snarled, her eyes piercing.
The woman frowned slightly. "I am sorry, ma'am. But all flights out of the country have been canceled until this storm has passed."
"Storm? What storm?" Rory seethed, leaning further over the desk. "Its rain! Have you looked outside? Does that look anything like something resembling a storm?!"
At that moment, Jess cut in. "Um, Ror.." He said, pointing over to the window, where strong gusts of wind were currently blowing outside, howling, the heavy rain pelting the glass.
Her eyes followed to where he was pointing and her face fell. "How is that possible? It was only sprinkling a few minutes ago..."
Jess shrugged and stepped over to the desk. "Depending on the weather, when is your next flight to Connecticut?"
The woman turned to the computer and punched in a few things. "Thursday," she finally said.
"Thursday?" Rory exclaimed, the tears welling up in her eyes again. "I can't wait until Thursday! He could be dead by then!"
At those words, Jess turned to find Rory in complete hysterics and instinctively pulled her into an embrace. The sobs wracked her entire body and he whispered soothing words. "Shh. It's going to be okay. DuGrey's strong, you know that. Do you think he'd leave this world without at least saying goodbye?"
Rory pulled away sniffling, her gaze fixed on the floor. Jess sighed and went back to the ticket desk. "When's the next flight to New York City, then?"
Again, the lady typed in a few things. "We have a flight to New York leaving at six thirty tomorrow morning."
"Give me two coach tickets then," Jess said. Rory, at this time managed to pull herself together long enough to hand over her credit card, i.d and sign her name. The ticket attendant finally handed over the tickets and Jess took Rory's hand, pulling her across to the waiting area, where a large group of people were seated, many of them looking not too happy about the recent change of plans. Finding two empty chairs, they sat down, Rory's head on Jess' shoulder, his arm around her.
"He's going to be okay, isn't he?"
"I don't know, Ror."
"But he was alive when you left, right?"
"Yeah, he was."
"I feel like I'm stuck in some crazy soap opera or something."
Jess let out a slight laugh. "Tell me about it."
"I'm tired," Rory yawned.
"There's a hotel across the street. You wanna get a room?"
Rory shook her head. "No. I'm okay."
"You sure?"
"Yeah," Rory confirmed. Grabbing one of her bags, she opened it and pulled out two books. Taking one for herself, she handed the other, Kurt Vonnegut's "Slaughter House Five," to Jess. Glancing at the cover he rolled his eyes. She let out a light laugh. "Not your favorite, I know. But its better then staring at your shoes."
"Yeah, all right," Jess sighed, opening the book. Reading would take her mind off Tristan, and if all it took was for him to plow through the book in his hand, he would do it.
Rory watched him for a few minutes, the familiar stance of his stature, huddled over a book. Grinning, she opened her own and settled down.
******
Jess' watch, which he had set for six am, began beeping, it seemed, right after he had fallen asleep. Groaning, he sat up straight, stretching, his neck hurting from the uncomfortable position he had slept in. Rory was still sitting beside him, her head slumped over on their bags, which had been disposed of on the chair next to her. Her book, "Mansfield Park" laying haphazardly in her lap and her chocolate colored hair hung in her face. Leaning over, he picked the book up, marking her page and closing it, before shaking her form gently. She awoke with a start, her eyes wide and panicked.
"What?"
"Time to get up, Sleeping Beauty. Our flight leaves in a half hour."
It took a second for the words to register in her mind, but when they did, she nodded. Standing, she arched her back, to relieve it of some of the tension. Swerving to look at Jess, she frowned. "I need coffee."
A smirk spread across his face and he shook his head. Grabbing the bags, once again, they headed off towards the airport cafe, in search of the life giving elixir.
*******
Their plane had landed in New York just before six that evening, with both of them physically worn out. Jess had talked her into finding a decent hotel to stay the night in, both because he was exhausted beyond words, and because he knew she would be no good to Tristan, going without sleep and a decent cup of coffee. So they settled on a hotel, a few blocks from the bus station, which would take them the final distance home. It wasn't ten minutes after they had checked in, that both of them fell onto their respective beds, in a deep sleep. It was around 2 am that Rory awoke, physically feeling refreshed, but her emotions still out of whack. Glancing over at Jess' still sleeping figure, she got up and headed into the small bathroom. Poking around in her bag, she found some clean clothes, her brush and a toothbrush. She turned the shower on, got in, washed, brushed her hair and teeth and exited about an hour and a half later. Jess was still sleeping and quietly, she crawled back into her bed and went back to sleep.
It was around eight o'clock the next morning that they checked out, opting to save some money and walk the few blocks to the Greyhound station. They lucked out, arriving just fifteen minutes before the bus left for Hartford. Securing tickets, the boarded, both sighing in relief as the bus started and they were pointed in the direction of home.
Again, Rory's attention was focused on the outside world. Inside, though, she had one hand stuffed inside her jacket, her fingers idly playing with the bracelet she had found in the same pocket two years earlier, holding onto any ray of hope that Tristan was okay.
******
Umm.. right. Sorry no Trory action in this. Next chapter, I say. Til then *salute*
-- Shay