Title: What Sam Says
Chapter 15: The Second Retelling
A/N: I am back!!
Like I've ever been gone.
Anyway, so, this is either the last chapter, or the second to last chapter, or the nowhere-near-last chapter…I'm not sure yet.
But don't worry, I'll keep going until the story's over. Or until people beg for the story to be over. Or until I get bored.
No, I'm just kidding.
Boy, I'm bored.
No, I'm kidding again.
Yes, I understand it's not funny. Leave me alone.
Yes, I know that the stupid chapter titles are getting stupider. I feel like I started something, and they all have to have a number in them.
That was dumb.
Oh, right, the story.
Wait, one more thing, and then you can read: my lucky numbers are five and seven. That's why the stars (below) are five, seven, and then five. Also, my mom says that three is a very lucky number—that's why there are three lines of stars. So, the gate number, flight number, and seat number are all variations of my lucky numbers/three. Oh, and this is also a lucky numbered chapter, cause it's got five in it and is divisible by three.
Okay, enough of numerology.
Oh, and don't pay attention to the stupid contrived way of injecting yet another known character into the story. It's stupid. But it was just hanging there, and I had to do it, you see. I had to.
Read.
*****
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"No, Mom, I really have to go now," Rory protested into the phone, standing at gate C5, waiting to board her non-stop plane to L.A.
"But, wait, you didn't say what you thought about the name—"
"This is the final boarding call for flight 557 nonstop to Los Angeles." A disembodied voice in the airport cut Lorelai off.
"Mom, seriously, that's my flight! The final boarding call! I love you, I'll call when we land, bye!"
"Love you, too, bye," Lorelai got out as Rory pressed the end button on her cell phone and showed her boarding pass and ID to the way-too-peppy stewardess, who just continued grinning and waved Rory on board.
Rory hurried down the boarding ramp and onto the plane. Another way-too-peppy—especially at six in the morning—stewardess waved Rory into the coach area, and she found her seat: 17A, a window seat. She scooted in and settled down, stuffing her one bag below the seat in front of her. She didn't think she was going to have a seat mate, but then a woman with long dirty blonde hair fell into the seat next to her, sighed happily, and gestured to Rory's bag.
"You need to put that bag in the overhead compartment. It doesn't comply with the rules of below the seat storage."
"Paris?" Rory asked, finally getting a good look at the woman when she recognized the voice.
"Yes?" Paris asked, looking up from where she was meticulously placing her below the seat bag below the seat in front of her. "Rory?"
"Wow." Rory shook her head. "This is too freaky."
"I agree. I…haven't heard from you in a very long time. You just disappeared one day."
"I know," Rory nodded, pulling a few books from her carry on bag.
"I took notes for your classes for about a week, but after that…I figured you were gone."
"Uh-huh," Rory nodded again, still not looking at Paris.
"Why'd you leave? I mean, your mom kept calling, and I didn't know what to tell her."
"It's a long story," Rory offered as a non-explanation for the second time.
"You've got an entire non-stop flight to L.A.," Paris said.
"Right. First, can you put this in the overhead compartment?" Rory handed her carry on bag to Paris, who got out of her seat and obliged, before sitting back down and staring at Rory.
"Talk."
"Okay. But it's long," Rory warned.
"You've said that already. I don't care. I was…worried about you." Paris shifted slightly with the all too revealing comment.
"That's really nice of you, Paris," Rory said softly.
"Uh-huh," Paris shifted again, looking only at the seat in front of her, her arms crossed over her chest.
"Okay. Since you asked. It all started on my mom's birthday…."
*****
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*****
"Wow," was the first word Paris muttered at the end of the story. "That's…quite a story."
Rory nodded and stuffed another pretzel in her mouth. "And the thing it's really taught me is to be independent, basically. Especially of men."
"I knew that Mark was bad news the second I met him."
"I should have paid more attention to you. And my mom, and Lane." Rory sighed. "I was such an idiot."
"I've seen it happen before. Girls always fall all over themselves whenever a cute guy's around."
"Yeah. But, you know, looking back, he wasn't that cute."
"Hindsight's 20/20," Paris offered, making Rory feel a little better.
"Thanks, Paris." Rory ate one last pretzel, and then looked sadly at the tiny empty bag. Without being asked, Paris handed over her two unopened bags of pretzels. "Thanks!" Rory exclaimed.
"I can't have too much salt, or I break out in hives," Paris offered as an explanation, and then glanced at Rory's stomach, as she had been doing regularly since Rory had told her about the doctor's appointment. "Besides, you're eating for two, now."
"Uh-huh," Rory agreed, finishing off the first bag of pretzels and ripping into the second one. "So, why are you flying to L.A.?" Rory had finished the story with her reasons for going to L.A.
"I live there," Paris offered. "I was in Hartford visiting my parents."
"Ah. So, what're you doing, now that you've actually graduated from college?"
"I'm a scientist. Cancer research."
"Oh, like you always wanted, right?"
"Yeah," Paris nodded, and then trailed off. "Uh, Rory?" she asked after a minute.
"Hmm?"
"Are you really going to L.A. to tell Jess you love him?"
"Well…yeah."
"After that whole story you just told me?"
"Well, Jess helped me get through everything, and he's been nothing but supportive ever since I told him I was pregnant."
"And you think he loves you?"
"Actually…I dunno. Mom seems to think he does, but Luke—his uncle—doesn't think so, even if Luke does think Jess used to love me." Rory sighed. "I don't think I've thought this whole thing through."
"Well, even if he doesn't love you love you, he certainly likes you a whole helluva lot."
"I know. Maybe I won't mention love. At least, not at first."
"That's probably a good idea," Paris nodded, and then turned to her laptop, to do a little work. Rory nodded, reassuring herself, before opening a book and beginning to read.
*****
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*****
"Well, this was actually a rather pleasant air travel experience," Paris remarked as she and Rory walked to the baggage claim in LAX.
"I agree," Rory said. "I've missed you."
"I…I've missed you, too." Paris admitted.
Rory grinned and hugged Paris. "I'll call you."
Paris awkwardly patted Rory's back. "And if you don't, I'll call your mother."
"Okay," Rory nodded, letting go of Paris, who sighed in relief. "Well, I don't actually have to claim anything, so I should get going."
"Sure. I'll…talk to you soon."
"Bye, Paris," Rory smiled, waved, and disappeared into the crowd. Paris half-smiled after her, glad to have her friend back.
Rory reached into her bag for the paper Luke had given her, with Jess' dad's address on it. She located the paper and reread the address for the thousandth time. Figuring it was farther west, near the beach, she headed to the car rental place to get a car.
