PAIRING: R/J

SUMMARY: The story starts with the episode 'Help wanted'. The fight between Rory and Lorelai doesn't end well, Rory realises that she loves Jess etc.

SPOILERS: None that I know of

DISCLAIMERS: I don't own anything

RATING: R

A/N: This story will be followed by a sequel (although this story isn't over yet!), or actually this is a prequel to a story I'm already writing. Anyway, there'll be another story linking to this one…

Alexis Leigh Mariano: thanks for your review. You had a good point about reviews that everyone writing should keep in their minds. Write to write, I really couldn't have said it better myself..:) By the way, I read your story 'Live the Dream', I liked it, it was unlike anything I've ever read before!

So, thanks for the reviews, here comes a new chapter!

The Day After Tomorrow

Chapter Ten

*Tuesday, 4.45pm*

Rory had just got out of Luke's when she heard someone yelling her name. She looked around and saw Lane running toward her.

"Hey, I'm so glad I caught you!" she cried out when she reached Rory

"Is something wrong?" Rory looked worried, but Lane shook her head quickly.

"No, I just… I wanted to talk to you about something. Do you have a minute?"

"Yea, sure" Rory said and they headed for the gazebo. "So, are you sure nothing's wrong?" she asked again when Lane continued to have a strange look on her face.

They sat down and Lane looked at her palms a bit nervously.

"It's just something I heard… I saw your mom when I left Luke's earlier"

"Really? That's weird, she was supposed to be at the inn"

"Yea, well I don't know why she wasn't at work but the point is that she didn't see me and I heard her talking on the phone with someone. I think it was your grandma but I'm not sure"

"Yea?" Rory said and looked at Lane curiously. She really couldn't understand what her mom could have said that would interest Lane this much.

"She was talking about you and Jess" Lane said quietly.

Rory looked at her and nodded slowly. Okay, so this was probably not good. Or then again it might be. But if it was good, Lane wouldn't have a hard time telling her this.

"I didn't hear everything, but… I'm pretty sure I heard her say that they would get rid of him quickly because he was already having sex with you and… and he would get bored with you soon"

Lane had been speaking quietly, she hadn't been able to look at Rory. Rory didn't look at Lane either, she was staring at the floor of the gazebo. It took her some time to understand what she had just heard. Her mom had told someone, probably her grandma, that she was having sex with Jess and so he would be out of the picture soon. 

"I'm sorry, Rory, but I'm pretty sure that's what she said. I didn't hear anything else since I didn't want her to see me and she wasn't exactly talking loudly"

"Yea" Rory said practically inaudibly and looked at Lane.

"Yea"

"So, she really wants Jess out of my life. And she knows we've had sex…"

Lane nodded and tried to think of something useful to say to Rory. She couldn't come up with anything.

"And I thought things were getting better" Rory said and laughed rather ironically. "God, I feel like such an idiot"

"But you don't think Jess would actually do that, right?"

Rory looked at Lane for a minute and then she shook her head.

"I think I need to be alone for while" she said and got up.

"Call me, okay?"

Rory nodded and smiled weakly at her friend. Then she headed home, although she didn't know what she'd do when she'd see her mom.

*The Gilmore House, 7pm*

Rory was sitting on the porch. She saw the headlights of Lorelai's car and soon she parked on the driveway. Rory saw her wave, then she got out of the car and walked to the house.

"Hey there. Waiting for me?"

"Yea" Rory said and nodded slightly. "I was wondering, have you talked to grandma lately?" she asked when Lorelai sat down next to her.

"Yea, we just spoke on the phone today. Why?"

"What did you talk about?" Rory asked

"Nothing really. The usual stuff"

"So, you didn't tell her that Jess would probably be leaving me now that we've had sex?"

There was a silence. Rory hadn't looked at her mother when she'd said this and Lorelai didn't look at her either.

"Rory, I…" Lorelai started, but Rory who now turned to look at her determinately cut her off.

"So, you really think he doesn't care? You're counting the days to the one when he'll realise that I'm just so boring he needs to move on?"

"I don't want you to get hurt, Rory, but it seems inevitable now. You won't believe me, but I know guys like him. He wants sex, Rory. That's all he wants from you and once he's had enough, he'll leave you"

Rory got up and walked to the other end of the porch.

"You don't know him, mom" she said quietly

"I know guys like him, Rory!" Lorelai said impatiently.

"He's not like that. He loves me"

"And why do you think he's told you that?"

"He told me he loved me last night, he didn't tell me he loved me because he wanted me to have sex with him. And how do you know we've had sex anyway?"

For a minute Lorelai was silent, but then she said that she had gone through Rory's room and found a packet of condoms. Rory looked at her and she didn't know whether she should be just disappointed or furious.

"He makes me happy. Why can't you accept that?"

Lorelai walked to Rory and put a hand on her shoulder.

"I will never accept him, ever. And I don't need to because he won't be around for long. You can be sure about that"

Rory backed away from Lorelai and looked at her. She didn't know what to say, she felt she didn't even know the woman standing in front of her. Rory walked past her mom and headed for the driveway.

"Where are you going, Rory?" Lorelai yelled after her.

Rory stopped and turned to see her mother. For a minute she just stared at her, then she turned away again and kept on walking.

*Luke's 10pm*

Luke was just about to finish closing up when the phone rang. He picked it up absent-mindedly and was surprised to hear Lorelai's voice. 

"Luke, hey. I was wondering… Is Rory there?"

"Rory? No, I don't think so"

"Is Jess home?" Lorelai said and the tone of her voice sounded strange to Luke

"Yea, he's home. I can go up and check if he's heard from Rory"

"Yea, please" Lorelai said quietly and heard Luke put the phone down on the counter

Lorelai was sitting by the kitchen table. She had been waiting for Rory for what seemed to be an eternity. She was worried, she had never seen Rory so hurt in her life, and it was her fault. Although it really wasn't. It was all his fault, he had come into town and messed everything up completely. Lorelai wanted to protect her daughter, but it had been easy for her to see how devoted Rory was to Jess. So, she had no other option than to wait for Jess to hurt her. Then Rory would see that she had been right all along.

Luke put the phone on the counter and climbed upstairs. Lorelai's voice had sounded strained, Luke had a feeling that she and Rory had had a fight. He went into the apartment and saw Jess coming from the bathroom. He had just been in the shower.

"Hey Jess. Have you heard anything from Rory?"

Jess turned to see Luke and he shook his head.

"Why? Is something wrong?"

"No, just… Lorelai is on the phone asking for her"

"I haven't seen Rory after she left here earlier. You saw her leave, right?"

"Yea" Luke said thoughtfully. "Well, I'm gonna go down and tell Lorelai"

He went back downstairs and picked up the phone.

"Lorelai? Jess said he's not seen Rory after she left here earlier"

"Okay, thanks Luke"

"Did you have a fight?"

"How did you guess?" Lorelai and laughed dryly. "She left three hours ago and she didn't tell me where she was going"

"It's not like Rory" Luke said and at the same time he saw Jess come into the diner. He had quickly pulled on some jeans and a t-shirt. He had heard Luke's last words and looked worried.

"Yea, she was pretty upset when she left"

"I see" Luke said and his voice sounded a bit disappointed. He had been hoping that Lorelai had accepted or even started to accept Jess, but it seemed he had been too optimistic. "Look, I'll call you if we hear anything. And call me when she comes home"

"I will. Thanks Luke"

"No problem" he replied and put the phone down.

Jess looked at him and the serious look on Luke's face told him all he needed to know. 

"Lorelai said they had a fight and she left three hours ago"

"I'll go out" Jess said and headed for the door.

"Grab a jacket or something" Luke said after him. "In case you don't find her right away, it's getting colder out there"

Jess was heading for the bridge. That's the first place he had thought of, that was the place she loved. It wasn't long before he was there, but even though the night was dark, he could right away see she wasn't there. He was now more worried than before. Where would Rory go? She couldn't go to Lane… Why hadn't she come to him? She had fought with Lorelai about him, but she hadn't come to him. Jess was restless, for a minute he just stood there, finally gathering his thoughts and wondering where she might have gone.

Jess started to walk back into town. He looked around, trying to figure out where she spent her time. In the end, he found himself back at the town square and then he saw a figure at the gazebo. He took a deep breath and headed there quietly, not wanting to scare her. The closer he got, the better he could see her. She was sitting on the bench, her arms wrapped around her legs and her head resting on her knees.

"Rory" he whispered and she lifted her head hastily

"Hey" she replied just as quietly when she saw his dark figure standing a few feet away away.

"I was worried. Lorelai called Luke and said you'd been gone for hours"

Rory nodded and turned her gaze away from Jess. His voice sounded worried, and for some reason it made Rory feel even worse.

"We had a fight"

"Did you tell her about us?"

"She already knew. She had gone through my room and found the condoms"

"Oh" Jess said and cautiously he sat down on the other bench. "Do you wanna talk about it?"  

"I don't know" Rory sighed and looked at him again. "I just really need some time to think"

"You should go home. You shouldn't be out here on your own"

"This is Stars Hollow, Jess" Rory said and smiled slightly

"Still, you should go home"

Rory looked at him. She loved his face. It was perfect.

"Do you want me to walk you home?"

Rory shook his head, and continued to look at him. She had been walking around Stars Hollow for three hours, thinking about everything that had happened in the past weeks. The time she'd been with Jess had gone so quickly, but at the same time it felt like an eternity. She felt she had always been with Jess. Jess made her happy, no doubt about it. Jess made her feel incredible. And the previous weekend… Rory was amazed to realise that it had only been a few days ago that they had spent the weekend together, they had made love. He had told her that he loved her. It seemed it was a long time ago. Now everything was somehow different.

"I'm gonna go home now" she said and smiled reassuringly. "I'm sorry I had you so worried"

"It's okay" he said and smiled "Everything's gonna turn out fine"

"Yea" she said and got up.

Jess looked at her. She wasn't herself, he wished he knew more about the fight and what had in fact happened, but he didn't want to pressure her. It was tough for her to fight with her mom, he just didn't know what to do about it. He felt she was pulling away from him, she hadn't come to him, and it made him restless and worried. He stood up as well, and looked at her kindly. Then he stepped a bit closer and touched her cheek gently with his hand. 

"Good night, Rory"

"Good night, Jess" she whispered and without another word or gesture she left Jess standing at the gazebo.