DISCLAIMER: I am in no way shape or form affiliated with Warner Bros., Amy Sherman-Palladino, or their hit series "Gilmore girls." I do not own any of the following characters, or the settings in which they take place, or the scenarios.
SUMMARY: This chapter is based off the song "Nothing and Everything" by Evan and Jaron. I do not own the song, nor am I affiliated with the band. In this chapter, Rory and Lorelai go into town to get a coffee from Luke's, and Rory deals with an unexpected confrontation.
PAIRING: Eventually, R/J.
RATING: PG
In the Blue of the Morning
Nothing and Everything
Everyone was staring. When the car parked in front of Luke's, when Rory got out of the car. When they entered the diner, when they sat down at the counter.
Rory looked around her from side to side. "Do I have something on my face?" Rory whispered to Lorelai.
"Tons of stuff," she replied.
"What? Where?" Rory panicked.
"Tons of stuff. A nose ... two eyes ... a mouth ..." she smiled sarcastically at Rory.
"Real funny," Rory shot.
"If you can be evasive, I can pretend to be funny," Lorelai silenced her.
The two sat down at the counter, Rory becoming increasingly interested with her shoes, and Lorelai with the wall.
"Coffee?" Luke said, stepping up to the counter.
"Oh, uh ... yea," Lorelai said, awkwardly.
Rory lifted her head up to look at Luke. "I'll take one, too ... but, to-go."
"Rory! I hadn't even noticed ya. Welcome home. How was Washington?" Luke's gruff attitude suddenly melted.
"It was nice, thanks Luke," Rory said.
Luke grabbed her a to-go coffee cup, and filled it to the brim then snapped a lid on. "Here ya go, kid. On the house."
"Thanks," Rory said quietly, as she continued to notice the stares following her. She turned to head out the door, trying hard not to look anyone directly in the eyes.
"Hey, wait, where are you going?" Lorelai asked.
"For a walk," Rory looked at her, feeling her face flush red as everyone looked at her.
"Why? I've barely gotten to see you. You've been running off every time I get a chance," Lorelai complained.
"Because everyone is staring at me in here," Rory said in a hushed voice.
"Everyone will be staring at you outside," Lorelai joked.
"Yes, but at least then they aren't all in the same room," Rory whispered, and turned to leave, letting the door slam behind her as she made her way out.
She walked along the sidewalk slowly, scuffing her feet as she walked. She realized the truth of what her mother had been saying - everyone was staring. As she walked by the payphone, the woman on it stared. Ms. Patty passed her, and stared. As she walked by the window of Doose's, the cashiers turned to gawk at her. This only made her think more of Dean, and she felt even more awkward. She shoved her hands deep into her pocket, resolving to look at her feet as she walked.
It was turning out be a pretty good idea - until she ran into someone. The person caught her by the waist, supporting both their balance, and Rory looked up slowly, hoping beyond all hope that it was just a stranger.
But of course, it wasn't. She'd barely met his eyes when she knew who it was. She drew in a deep breath, and could smell the familiar scent of his cologne ... and she recognized the gentle, ginger way he touched her. Gathering courage from some place she looked into his eyes.
"Rory," Jess said, his tone short but soft.
"Oh, Jess," Rory said, quickly breaking free from his grasp by pushing his hands away gently. Her fingers burnt with the sensation of touching him. "I should really watch where I'm going ... you know ... not look at my feet so much ... then maybe I wouldn't run into things like garbage cans, and people. Yea, well, I should really get going. I need to uh ... get a paper. Yea ... I need to get a paper. Nothing like the Stars Hollow Gazette to catch me up the gossip I missed. Wow. Okay."
Rory took a step to the side, and walked past him hastily, trying to hold her chin high.
Jess wasn't sure what had just happened. Rory had bumped into him, and almost fell - but he'd caught her. She seemed contented enough in leaving ... but still disturbed. As he watched her hair fly behind her, he quickly winced for a second, but ran to catch up to her.
"Rory," Jess said more gentily and softly.
"What?" Rory said, not turning to look at him.
"... How are you?" Jess hesitated.
"Alive," Rory's tone of voice became increasingly blunt.
Jess drew in a breath, and dared to ask another question, "How was Washington?"
"Patriotic," Rory said with fire.
Jess's head cocked a little, then looked at he looked at her seriously. "So, this is how it's going to be now, huh?" he rivaled.
"Not that it matters to you, anyhow," Rory shot.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Jess questioned.
"You don't care," Rory said softly.
Jess reached for Rory's wrist, and turned her around. "I'm asking, aren't I?" he professed. Rory yanked away her wrist, clutching it in her hand, and rubbing it. "Why wouldn't it matter to me if you are blunt with me?" Jess said, searching her eyes.
"Who needs me to talk to when you can have a giant blonde leech attached to your face?" Rory fired. She looked at her shoes again.
"So this is about Shane?" he said, understanding.
"Oh, you do know her name!" Rory pretended to act surprised, putting her hand to her chest and dropping her jaw.
"I'm not that shallow, Rory," Jess defended himself.
"Coulda fooled me," Rory replied harshly. Rory turned and began walking towards Bootsy's again. She silently wished that the stand could appear in front of her so this walk would get easier.
"You know, I'm not Dean," Jess called after her.
Rory stopped in her tracks and doubled back, and stared him coolly in the eyes, "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Doesn't matter to you, anyways," Jess mocked.
"Don't play that card," Rory scolded.
"It means ... that I'm not going to sit around here, all summer and pine after you just because you kissed me. You can't expect that you could leave, for six weeks, not tell me anything, and think that if the opportunity came along, I wouldn't take it," Jess said, never raising his voice, but increasing with sternness and sharpness.
"Yea, well, I didn't expect that opportunity would just come knocking on your door with a bottle of blonde hair dye and a miniskirt," she guarded herself.
"You didn't let me know you were leaving. You had a week before you had to go. You didn't come into Luke's-" Jess began.
"I had finals that week. I was busy. Unlike some people, I choose to go to school, on a daily basis, and study and do well," Rory explained.
"Is that why your mom came in and got four cups of coffee every day? Now, I know she can drink anyone under the table when it comes to coffee, but I don't think she would just come in here, alone, and get that much coffee for herself, and none for you," Jess presented.
"It was a favor to me. I had been up late studying, and that way, I got an extra half an hour to sleep," Rory defended herself once more.
"I don't buy it," Jess shot.
"I didn't ask you to," Rory said, "and I don't understand why you continue to prod me about all this when you can tell I don't want to talk." She began to walk away again.
"Because I deserve to be talked to, and I deserve a few answers. You may not want confrontation, but even you, Rory Gilmore, can agree with me here ... you know I'm right," he said.
"What? What do you want me to answer for you?" Rory inquired impatiently.
"Why didn't you leave a note in the diner before you left? Why didn't you call? Why didn't you write a letter, or send a message through Lane or a carrier pigeon or something?" Jess asked gently, and genuinely.
"I don't know," Rory replied, and began to stare at her shoes once more, imagining to bore a hole through them.
"Did you at least think about calling? Or something? Or writing?" Jess asked even softer, trying to make contact with her eyes.
Rory sighed, "Yes. All the time."
"So why didn't you?" Jess was confused.
"Because ... I've never been in this situation before. I don't know what to do or even really how I feel," she began, "and the thing is that it doesn't seem like it would've mattered anyways. It obviously didn't mean as much to you as it did to me, or maybe we wouldn't be here. Or maybe I'm just a screw up when it comes to love, I don't know."
"It would've made a difference," Jess assured.
"I don't buy it," Rory mocked him.
"I didn't ask you to," Jess's voice got softer.
Rory drew in a breath, "You know, I hope you've had your fun, questioning me, because it really has sparked a few questions that I have for you."
"Shoot," Jess replied, trying to keep calm.
She sighed, and looked up into his dark brown eyes, and she began to shake. With one breath, she began rambling. "... Does she know who Bjork is? What do you two talk about anyways? Does she read at all? Is it a student-teacher thing?" Her voice began to rise, and grow with intensity, "Will you reread the Fountainhead over again for her, even though you hate it? Will she give the painful Ernest Hemingway another shot for you? Will you go to a town event, which you normally wouldn't go to, and bid ninety dollars on her picnic basket, full of stale, oddly concocted food? Will you buy her a pizza, and take her to the bookstore, and browse with her for hours? Does she even know where the bookstore is? Will you try to talk to her mother for her, even though she hates you? Will you clean out her rain gutters? When she comes home upset, can you read her face, and know that something is wrong ... will you tell her to 'talk?' Will you bring her a Shags CD, and notice that her hair is a little different? Will you jump in a sleigh to ride with her? Will you destroy her competition in the snowman building contest?" She took a deep breath, and dug in again, "Will you bring her a care package of food when her mother is out of town? Will you squirm when she confronts you about ... things? Will you comment to her about being bright-eyed and bushytailed? Will you switch the movies in Bambi and Dumbo cases at the movie store with X-rated movies, so her picture will end up off the display? Will you let her tutor you? Will you drive her car and take her to go get ice cream? Will you reassure her she'll achieve her dream of being a journalist, and promise she'll do it, and even offer to help her practice by driving straight at her and screaming in a foreign language? And when ... or if ... you swerve to miss hitting something furry, and total her car, will you make sure she's okay before you hightail it to the bridge? When you get sent back to New York, will you call her on a payphone, even though it's long distance? Will she skip school, and miss her mother's graduation so she can get on a train, to a place she's never been, just to see you, because you didn't say good-bye? And ... will you come home from New York ... the place you love, the place you call home ... and show up at her mother's best friend's wedding ... will she kiss you? Will she kiss you, even though she has a boyfriend, who she is supposed to love, because she is ... ecstatic to see you? If she goes away for the summer, will she fill a shoebox full of letters to you, and spend hours by the phone, debating whether or not she should call?"
Rory stopped and looked Jess in the eyes, hers welling up with tears, and Jess searching for an answer. It was minutes before Rory turned and began to leave, but Jess had to stop her one more time.
"Rory!" he called.
Rory turned, silently.
"Can I just ask, one more question? Just one more?" He was on the verge of pleading.
"Do I have a choice?" Rory spoke softly, but harshly and with discord.
"... Are you still together with Dean?" Jess asked.
Rory took a deep breath, and looked at her shoes.
"Rory?" Jess prodded.
"Yes," Rory sighed, quietly.
"Great. Just great," Jess said, sharply. And then he turned towards the bridge, and walked away, leaving Rory staring after him.
Minutes passed ... but she just stood there, watching him leave ... and staring in the place that he had stood.
SUMMARY: This chapter is based off the song "Nothing and Everything" by Evan and Jaron. I do not own the song, nor am I affiliated with the band. In this chapter, Rory and Lorelai go into town to get a coffee from Luke's, and Rory deals with an unexpected confrontation.
PAIRING: Eventually, R/J.
RATING: PG
In the Blue of the Morning
Nothing and Everything
Everyone was staring. When the car parked in front of Luke's, when Rory got out of the car. When they entered the diner, when they sat down at the counter.
Rory looked around her from side to side. "Do I have something on my face?" Rory whispered to Lorelai.
"Tons of stuff," she replied.
"What? Where?" Rory panicked.
"Tons of stuff. A nose ... two eyes ... a mouth ..." she smiled sarcastically at Rory.
"Real funny," Rory shot.
"If you can be evasive, I can pretend to be funny," Lorelai silenced her.
The two sat down at the counter, Rory becoming increasingly interested with her shoes, and Lorelai with the wall.
"Coffee?" Luke said, stepping up to the counter.
"Oh, uh ... yea," Lorelai said, awkwardly.
Rory lifted her head up to look at Luke. "I'll take one, too ... but, to-go."
"Rory! I hadn't even noticed ya. Welcome home. How was Washington?" Luke's gruff attitude suddenly melted.
"It was nice, thanks Luke," Rory said.
Luke grabbed her a to-go coffee cup, and filled it to the brim then snapped a lid on. "Here ya go, kid. On the house."
"Thanks," Rory said quietly, as she continued to notice the stares following her. She turned to head out the door, trying hard not to look anyone directly in the eyes.
"Hey, wait, where are you going?" Lorelai asked.
"For a walk," Rory looked at her, feeling her face flush red as everyone looked at her.
"Why? I've barely gotten to see you. You've been running off every time I get a chance," Lorelai complained.
"Because everyone is staring at me in here," Rory said in a hushed voice.
"Everyone will be staring at you outside," Lorelai joked.
"Yes, but at least then they aren't all in the same room," Rory whispered, and turned to leave, letting the door slam behind her as she made her way out.
She walked along the sidewalk slowly, scuffing her feet as she walked. She realized the truth of what her mother had been saying - everyone was staring. As she walked by the payphone, the woman on it stared. Ms. Patty passed her, and stared. As she walked by the window of Doose's, the cashiers turned to gawk at her. This only made her think more of Dean, and she felt even more awkward. She shoved her hands deep into her pocket, resolving to look at her feet as she walked.
It was turning out be a pretty good idea - until she ran into someone. The person caught her by the waist, supporting both their balance, and Rory looked up slowly, hoping beyond all hope that it was just a stranger.
But of course, it wasn't. She'd barely met his eyes when she knew who it was. She drew in a deep breath, and could smell the familiar scent of his cologne ... and she recognized the gentle, ginger way he touched her. Gathering courage from some place she looked into his eyes.
"Rory," Jess said, his tone short but soft.
"Oh, Jess," Rory said, quickly breaking free from his grasp by pushing his hands away gently. Her fingers burnt with the sensation of touching him. "I should really watch where I'm going ... you know ... not look at my feet so much ... then maybe I wouldn't run into things like garbage cans, and people. Yea, well, I should really get going. I need to uh ... get a paper. Yea ... I need to get a paper. Nothing like the Stars Hollow Gazette to catch me up the gossip I missed. Wow. Okay."
Rory took a step to the side, and walked past him hastily, trying to hold her chin high.
Jess wasn't sure what had just happened. Rory had bumped into him, and almost fell - but he'd caught her. She seemed contented enough in leaving ... but still disturbed. As he watched her hair fly behind her, he quickly winced for a second, but ran to catch up to her.
"Rory," Jess said more gentily and softly.
"What?" Rory said, not turning to look at him.
"... How are you?" Jess hesitated.
"Alive," Rory's tone of voice became increasingly blunt.
Jess drew in a breath, and dared to ask another question, "How was Washington?"
"Patriotic," Rory said with fire.
Jess's head cocked a little, then looked at he looked at her seriously. "So, this is how it's going to be now, huh?" he rivaled.
"Not that it matters to you, anyhow," Rory shot.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Jess questioned.
"You don't care," Rory said softly.
Jess reached for Rory's wrist, and turned her around. "I'm asking, aren't I?" he professed. Rory yanked away her wrist, clutching it in her hand, and rubbing it. "Why wouldn't it matter to me if you are blunt with me?" Jess said, searching her eyes.
"Who needs me to talk to when you can have a giant blonde leech attached to your face?" Rory fired. She looked at her shoes again.
"So this is about Shane?" he said, understanding.
"Oh, you do know her name!" Rory pretended to act surprised, putting her hand to her chest and dropping her jaw.
"I'm not that shallow, Rory," Jess defended himself.
"Coulda fooled me," Rory replied harshly. Rory turned and began walking towards Bootsy's again. She silently wished that the stand could appear in front of her so this walk would get easier.
"You know, I'm not Dean," Jess called after her.
Rory stopped in her tracks and doubled back, and stared him coolly in the eyes, "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Doesn't matter to you, anyways," Jess mocked.
"Don't play that card," Rory scolded.
"It means ... that I'm not going to sit around here, all summer and pine after you just because you kissed me. You can't expect that you could leave, for six weeks, not tell me anything, and think that if the opportunity came along, I wouldn't take it," Jess said, never raising his voice, but increasing with sternness and sharpness.
"Yea, well, I didn't expect that opportunity would just come knocking on your door with a bottle of blonde hair dye and a miniskirt," she guarded herself.
"You didn't let me know you were leaving. You had a week before you had to go. You didn't come into Luke's-" Jess began.
"I had finals that week. I was busy. Unlike some people, I choose to go to school, on a daily basis, and study and do well," Rory explained.
"Is that why your mom came in and got four cups of coffee every day? Now, I know she can drink anyone under the table when it comes to coffee, but I don't think she would just come in here, alone, and get that much coffee for herself, and none for you," Jess presented.
"It was a favor to me. I had been up late studying, and that way, I got an extra half an hour to sleep," Rory defended herself once more.
"I don't buy it," Jess shot.
"I didn't ask you to," Rory said, "and I don't understand why you continue to prod me about all this when you can tell I don't want to talk." She began to walk away again.
"Because I deserve to be talked to, and I deserve a few answers. You may not want confrontation, but even you, Rory Gilmore, can agree with me here ... you know I'm right," he said.
"What? What do you want me to answer for you?" Rory inquired impatiently.
"Why didn't you leave a note in the diner before you left? Why didn't you call? Why didn't you write a letter, or send a message through Lane or a carrier pigeon or something?" Jess asked gently, and genuinely.
"I don't know," Rory replied, and began to stare at her shoes once more, imagining to bore a hole through them.
"Did you at least think about calling? Or something? Or writing?" Jess asked even softer, trying to make contact with her eyes.
Rory sighed, "Yes. All the time."
"So why didn't you?" Jess was confused.
"Because ... I've never been in this situation before. I don't know what to do or even really how I feel," she began, "and the thing is that it doesn't seem like it would've mattered anyways. It obviously didn't mean as much to you as it did to me, or maybe we wouldn't be here. Or maybe I'm just a screw up when it comes to love, I don't know."
"It would've made a difference," Jess assured.
"I don't buy it," Rory mocked him.
"I didn't ask you to," Jess's voice got softer.
Rory drew in a breath, "You know, I hope you've had your fun, questioning me, because it really has sparked a few questions that I have for you."
"Shoot," Jess replied, trying to keep calm.
She sighed, and looked up into his dark brown eyes, and she began to shake. With one breath, she began rambling. "... Does she know who Bjork is? What do you two talk about anyways? Does she read at all? Is it a student-teacher thing?" Her voice began to rise, and grow with intensity, "Will you reread the Fountainhead over again for her, even though you hate it? Will she give the painful Ernest Hemingway another shot for you? Will you go to a town event, which you normally wouldn't go to, and bid ninety dollars on her picnic basket, full of stale, oddly concocted food? Will you buy her a pizza, and take her to the bookstore, and browse with her for hours? Does she even know where the bookstore is? Will you try to talk to her mother for her, even though she hates you? Will you clean out her rain gutters? When she comes home upset, can you read her face, and know that something is wrong ... will you tell her to 'talk?' Will you bring her a Shags CD, and notice that her hair is a little different? Will you jump in a sleigh to ride with her? Will you destroy her competition in the snowman building contest?" She took a deep breath, and dug in again, "Will you bring her a care package of food when her mother is out of town? Will you squirm when she confronts you about ... things? Will you comment to her about being bright-eyed and bushytailed? Will you switch the movies in Bambi and Dumbo cases at the movie store with X-rated movies, so her picture will end up off the display? Will you let her tutor you? Will you drive her car and take her to go get ice cream? Will you reassure her she'll achieve her dream of being a journalist, and promise she'll do it, and even offer to help her practice by driving straight at her and screaming in a foreign language? And when ... or if ... you swerve to miss hitting something furry, and total her car, will you make sure she's okay before you hightail it to the bridge? When you get sent back to New York, will you call her on a payphone, even though it's long distance? Will she skip school, and miss her mother's graduation so she can get on a train, to a place she's never been, just to see you, because you didn't say good-bye? And ... will you come home from New York ... the place you love, the place you call home ... and show up at her mother's best friend's wedding ... will she kiss you? Will she kiss you, even though she has a boyfriend, who she is supposed to love, because she is ... ecstatic to see you? If she goes away for the summer, will she fill a shoebox full of letters to you, and spend hours by the phone, debating whether or not she should call?"
Rory stopped and looked Jess in the eyes, hers welling up with tears, and Jess searching for an answer. It was minutes before Rory turned and began to leave, but Jess had to stop her one more time.
"Rory!" he called.
Rory turned, silently.
"Can I just ask, one more question? Just one more?" He was on the verge of pleading.
"Do I have a choice?" Rory spoke softly, but harshly and with discord.
"... Are you still together with Dean?" Jess asked.
Rory took a deep breath, and looked at her shoes.
"Rory?" Jess prodded.
"Yes," Rory sighed, quietly.
"Great. Just great," Jess said, sharply. And then he turned towards the bridge, and walked away, leaving Rory staring after him.
Minutes passed ... but she just stood there, watching him leave ... and staring in the place that he had stood.