Title: Too Late to Forget
Author: coffeechick87, a.k.a. Jayde.
Disclaimer: I own nothing! Well, except Asia, who actually is my cat.
Pairing: Rory and Jess.
Rating: Pg-13 - to be safe.
Summary: AU. Raised in LA, 17 year old Rory Hayden runs away to Stars Hollow to find her mother. There, she meets the quirky townspeople, and finds herself drawn to one in particular.
A/N: Thank-you all sooo much for your fantastic reviews! I love them all! And Jesslover, It will be a happy R/J ending. eventually. I only write/knowingly read, happy ending fics. Keep the reviews comin', I live for them!
PS: And Aleah, all I can say about the squishy words in the posts. Use the 'enter' key a lot. Its' my new best friend. And as for the Chris/ Lorelai thing, I like him, I might write a different fic with them together, but. I love Luke, and Rory and Jess would only be step-cousins, right? Just my POV.
Thanx, Jayde
ATTN: Ok, within an hour and a half of me posting, a few people wanted to know if Rory, or Lorelai ran. I re-wrote the last sentence, so it's clear.
Too Late to Forget
Chapter 3:
Freezers, Meetings, and Revelations.
Recap:
"Is that your subtle way of saying that you guys need help in the diner?" Rory raised an eyebrow, and Jess grinned sheepishly. "I thought so. Just, can you keep all this quiet, please?"
"Of course." He nodded, and stood up, holding a hand out for her. Setting Asia on the bed, she took his hand, and got up as well. Casually draping his arm around her, he grinned, "And I also came to say hello to my new neighbor. I live in the apartment beside you with Luke, It's a bit bigger that this one."
"Well, hello then, neighbor boy." She grinned.
"Ya' know, I think you and Lor are gonna get along pretty good." He said as they went downstairs into the diner. "Pretty good, indeed."
*~**~*~**~*
"God, kill me now." Rory groaned as she sat down on a stool.
"Have fun, Ror'?" Jess chuckled as he gave a man a to-go coffee.
"Oh, yea, loads. I'll just throw-up all over your shoes to share the excitement." Rory rolled her eyes, and looked at her fresh pair of shoes that she had unearthed after a disastrous incident with a 5-year-old boy, and too much ice cream. "This job is definitely not for the squeamish."
"Well, at least it only hit your shoes, the first night I worked here, some lady was burping a baby. I swear, his puke was like a projectile, flying right for the back of my head." He shook his head as Rory laughed, "I washed my hair about 14 times that night."
"Poor Jess." She wiped a tear that leaked out as she laughed.
"Rory, can you grab more hamburger from the big freezer, please?" Luke stuck his head out from the kitchen. "And try not to fall in this time."
"Well, it was your fault, you're the one who asked me for the chicken hot- dogs. You knew that they were in the back, on the bottom too, I might add." She turned to Jess, mock saluted, rolled her eyes, and grinned. "If I'm not back in 5 minutes, send a search team."
"COFFEE!!!" Jess heard a distinct wail as the door opened. "Jess, I need coffee, I'll worship you forever if you give me coffee." Lorelai trailed off as Jess placed a steaming bowl of coffee in front of her. After the first revitalizing gulp, She turned to Jess, who was studying her with a guarded look. "So, I heard that you have a new worker, and tenant." She raised an inquisitive eyebrow.
That seemed to bring him out of studying mode, "Hmmm? Oh, right. Rory Hayworth. She's rented out the apartment upstairs, and is working in the diner now. How'd you hear about it?" He started to wipe down the counter.
"Patty came by the inn, apparently she heard it from Taylor. Well, you know how the gossip chain works." She looked around. "So, where is she?"
"Aha!!" A triumphant shout came from the area of the big freezer. Rory walked in, a rather large package in her hands, she looked at Jess and smirked triumphantly, "And I didn't even fall in." She saw Lorelai, and then shot a startled glance at Jess who slightly nodded. "Well, I'll be right back." She walked as calmly as she could into the kitchen.
"Excuse me a moment. " Jess put down the rag and followed Rory into the kitchen. She was pressed against the wall, her arms crossed against her stomach protectively.
"Hey," Jess lightly touched her shoulder. "You ok, Ror?"
"Oh, yea. I mean, she's just my mother, right? I should have been more prepared for this. I came here with her in mind, and the first time I see her, I scurry away like a timid mouse." She looked at Jess defiantly, "I'm Not a mouse!"
"No, you're definitely not a mouse. You're brave, you have guts. You have to have them to go across the country to find your mother. Now, I think it's only natural that you're nervous. You've wanted this for a long time, and now that you can actually get it, you're afraid of all the changes that are going to happen, right?" He put his thumb under her chin, and gently pushed her face up so their eyes could meet.
She simply nodded.
He smiled slightly, brushing at a piece of hair that had fallen out of her ponytail. "Well, go out there, and see what happens. No matter what, I'll be there to back you up, ok? She's your mother."
"She's my mother." Rory smiled. "'She is my mother!" She took a deep breath, and walked back into that main diner. Leaving Luke watching and wondering what the two teens were whispering about the whole time.
Lorelai waited for the teens to reappear, thinking that there was something familiar about the girl. Well, she'd think of it later. She smiled as Rory emerged from the kitchen, Jess behind her. "Hi, I'm Lorelai. You must be Rory. I'll be your best friend as long as you don't deny me coffee. Or doughnuts." She tipped her head, considering her words, then looked down at her coffee bowl. "Speaking of which, I'm running low." She looked at the pot in Jess' hand longingly. He grinned and poured her more.
"So you're the famous Lorelai Gilmore, founder of the Lorelai Bowls, huh?" Rory walked around the counter, and sat a stool away from Lorelai, and motioned Jess for a bowl of coffee. He smiled encouragingly as he poured her a coffee.
"Yes, one of my more brilliant ideas. Not that any of my ideas aren't brilliant, because they all are!" She hastily corrected herself.
"Just like all of mine, I'm never wrong." She grinned at her mother and took a sip of her coffee.
"Ohhh, I'm gonna' like this one Lukey!" She yelled into the kitchen.
"Well, we kind of like her too, please, try not to scar her for life." Came Luke's reply. "Anybody want anything to eat before I close the kitchen? Rory, you haven't had anything but coffee you need to eat!"
"Fine, I'll have a... Cheeseburger and fries, does that pass inspection, General?"
"Ohhh. General! Luke has a new nickname! General, make that two! This girls got good taste!"
As the week wore on, Rory and Lorelai became quite good friends. That Saturday, while in between movies at Lorelai's they got into the subject of families.
"My dad's re-marrying, She's a total manipulating bitch. Not that my father deserves anything better. He's a total ass most of the time, anyway. It's just that all she wants is money, and I don't think anyone should be married just for that. D'you know what I men, Lor?"
"Yea. I was actually supposed to be married to a guy years ago. I'm so glad that I wasn't, well I'm glad in a way."
"What do you men, 'in a way'?"
"Do you want to hear the life story of Lorelai Gilmore II? It's not all pretty, let me warn you."
Covering her excitement, as calmly as she could, Rory answered, "Sure, should I pop some popcorn?"
"Ah, it's not that entertaining.." Lorelai shook her head and began..
"Well, I was born into the Hartford Elite, if you could call it that. High Class snobs, really. My parents, Emily and Richard were always expecting me to be perfect, perfect manners, perfect clothes, never a spot of dirt on me. I was a kid for Gods sake! I was always doing the little things that drive them nuts, usually on purpose. I dated the most outrageous guys, One sticks in my memory, his name was Bernie, and he had straight blond hair. It wouldn't have been that bad, except that it was longer than mine. It was almost to his but. When my mother saw it, God, I think she swooned. I was hilarious.
"When I was 16, I met a guy, he was from the same social circle as my parents, but he was just so handsome, I think I fell in love with him the first time I saw him, of what any 16 year old thinks is love. He was 9 years older than me, just turned 24. Anyway, I thought he felt the same about me. Long story short, we slept together, and I got pregnant." Lorelai stopped talking and glanced at Rory. "I really don't know why I'm telling you all of this. I haven't told anyone before,"
"I'm easy to talk to, I guess." Rory was holding back her tears. "Keep going."
"Yea, You are easy to talk to, I guess that's it. Well, there I was, 16 and pregnant. I told my parents. God, that has to be the stupidest thing I ever did. They practically put me under lock and key, and demanded that I get rid of the child. I couldn't I wanted to keep it - her. Well, I had the baby, and I held her for just a few minutes, I was in love. I loved her so much. I named her Lorelai. I was sitting there in the hospital room thinking that people always name their sons after their fathers, so I decided to name her after myself. My little Lori." Tears were streaming down Lorelai's face, and a few had slipped free of Rory's barriers as well. Rory passed her mother a tissue, and then took one for herself.
"Then what happened?" She prompted.
"A day later, after I woke up from the drugs that I had gotten so I could sleep, I asked for her to be brought in to my room. God, the nurse shook her head and said that Lori was not there. That my parents had come in and taken her away. I called them, and they came in to my room and told me that they had arranged a private adoption for Lori. Apparently when I was drugged I had signed a paper stating that I was giving all responsibility to my parents. I remember signing something, but my doctor just said that it was some last minute insurance forms. God, I can't believe that I was so stupid." She took another handful of tissues, and blotted at her tears, and blew her nose.
"I took my parents to court, but unbeknownst to me they had some sway with the judge. The case was rejected, and I'm not able to try to get it overturned again. Needles to say, I haven't contacted my parents since then. I don't know anything about my child, is that right, Rory?! I don't know if she grew up happy, or if she's even alive now! That can't be right."
Rory pulled her mother to her, as she sobbed onto her shirt. After they both calmed down a bit, Rory took out her purse.
"Lorelai?"
"Yea?"
"I haven't been completely honest with you." Rory's stomach was twisting with nervousness, as she pulled out a piece of old id with her last name as Hayden on it.
"What d'you mean, Ror?" Lorelai looked at Rory inquiringly.
Rory was silent for a moment, then suddenly said the last thing that Lorelai expected,
"Christopher Hayden." At Lorelai's astonished glance, she hurriedly continued. "He was the father, right?" Lorelai nodded, dumbstruck. Rory pushed the id card at her, thrusting it into her hands. "Look at this."
"Lorelai Leigh Hayden." Lorelai's eyes shot up to Rory's as the pieces fell into place.
"I'm your daughter."
Rory stood, looked forlornly at her mother, and ran.
*~**~*~**~*
So?
Tell me what you think. Don't worry; The Rory and Jess action'll be coming soon. In the next chapter, maybe.
Please reply, Tell me you like it! If you don't, that's ok, truthfully, I don't either. Lol.
~Jayde
Author: coffeechick87, a.k.a. Jayde.
Disclaimer: I own nothing! Well, except Asia, who actually is my cat.
Pairing: Rory and Jess.
Rating: Pg-13 - to be safe.
Summary: AU. Raised in LA, 17 year old Rory Hayden runs away to Stars Hollow to find her mother. There, she meets the quirky townspeople, and finds herself drawn to one in particular.
A/N: Thank-you all sooo much for your fantastic reviews! I love them all! And Jesslover, It will be a happy R/J ending. eventually. I only write/knowingly read, happy ending fics. Keep the reviews comin', I live for them!
PS: And Aleah, all I can say about the squishy words in the posts. Use the 'enter' key a lot. Its' my new best friend. And as for the Chris/ Lorelai thing, I like him, I might write a different fic with them together, but. I love Luke, and Rory and Jess would only be step-cousins, right? Just my POV.
Thanx, Jayde
ATTN: Ok, within an hour and a half of me posting, a few people wanted to know if Rory, or Lorelai ran. I re-wrote the last sentence, so it's clear.
Too Late to Forget
Chapter 3:
Freezers, Meetings, and Revelations.
Recap:
"Is that your subtle way of saying that you guys need help in the diner?" Rory raised an eyebrow, and Jess grinned sheepishly. "I thought so. Just, can you keep all this quiet, please?"
"Of course." He nodded, and stood up, holding a hand out for her. Setting Asia on the bed, she took his hand, and got up as well. Casually draping his arm around her, he grinned, "And I also came to say hello to my new neighbor. I live in the apartment beside you with Luke, It's a bit bigger that this one."
"Well, hello then, neighbor boy." She grinned.
"Ya' know, I think you and Lor are gonna get along pretty good." He said as they went downstairs into the diner. "Pretty good, indeed."
*~**~*~**~*
"God, kill me now." Rory groaned as she sat down on a stool.
"Have fun, Ror'?" Jess chuckled as he gave a man a to-go coffee.
"Oh, yea, loads. I'll just throw-up all over your shoes to share the excitement." Rory rolled her eyes, and looked at her fresh pair of shoes that she had unearthed after a disastrous incident with a 5-year-old boy, and too much ice cream. "This job is definitely not for the squeamish."
"Well, at least it only hit your shoes, the first night I worked here, some lady was burping a baby. I swear, his puke was like a projectile, flying right for the back of my head." He shook his head as Rory laughed, "I washed my hair about 14 times that night."
"Poor Jess." She wiped a tear that leaked out as she laughed.
"Rory, can you grab more hamburger from the big freezer, please?" Luke stuck his head out from the kitchen. "And try not to fall in this time."
"Well, it was your fault, you're the one who asked me for the chicken hot- dogs. You knew that they were in the back, on the bottom too, I might add." She turned to Jess, mock saluted, rolled her eyes, and grinned. "If I'm not back in 5 minutes, send a search team."
"COFFEE!!!" Jess heard a distinct wail as the door opened. "Jess, I need coffee, I'll worship you forever if you give me coffee." Lorelai trailed off as Jess placed a steaming bowl of coffee in front of her. After the first revitalizing gulp, She turned to Jess, who was studying her with a guarded look. "So, I heard that you have a new worker, and tenant." She raised an inquisitive eyebrow.
That seemed to bring him out of studying mode, "Hmmm? Oh, right. Rory Hayworth. She's rented out the apartment upstairs, and is working in the diner now. How'd you hear about it?" He started to wipe down the counter.
"Patty came by the inn, apparently she heard it from Taylor. Well, you know how the gossip chain works." She looked around. "So, where is she?"
"Aha!!" A triumphant shout came from the area of the big freezer. Rory walked in, a rather large package in her hands, she looked at Jess and smirked triumphantly, "And I didn't even fall in." She saw Lorelai, and then shot a startled glance at Jess who slightly nodded. "Well, I'll be right back." She walked as calmly as she could into the kitchen.
"Excuse me a moment. " Jess put down the rag and followed Rory into the kitchen. She was pressed against the wall, her arms crossed against her stomach protectively.
"Hey," Jess lightly touched her shoulder. "You ok, Ror?"
"Oh, yea. I mean, she's just my mother, right? I should have been more prepared for this. I came here with her in mind, and the first time I see her, I scurry away like a timid mouse." She looked at Jess defiantly, "I'm Not a mouse!"
"No, you're definitely not a mouse. You're brave, you have guts. You have to have them to go across the country to find your mother. Now, I think it's only natural that you're nervous. You've wanted this for a long time, and now that you can actually get it, you're afraid of all the changes that are going to happen, right?" He put his thumb under her chin, and gently pushed her face up so their eyes could meet.
She simply nodded.
He smiled slightly, brushing at a piece of hair that had fallen out of her ponytail. "Well, go out there, and see what happens. No matter what, I'll be there to back you up, ok? She's your mother."
"She's my mother." Rory smiled. "'She is my mother!" She took a deep breath, and walked back into that main diner. Leaving Luke watching and wondering what the two teens were whispering about the whole time.
Lorelai waited for the teens to reappear, thinking that there was something familiar about the girl. Well, she'd think of it later. She smiled as Rory emerged from the kitchen, Jess behind her. "Hi, I'm Lorelai. You must be Rory. I'll be your best friend as long as you don't deny me coffee. Or doughnuts." She tipped her head, considering her words, then looked down at her coffee bowl. "Speaking of which, I'm running low." She looked at the pot in Jess' hand longingly. He grinned and poured her more.
"So you're the famous Lorelai Gilmore, founder of the Lorelai Bowls, huh?" Rory walked around the counter, and sat a stool away from Lorelai, and motioned Jess for a bowl of coffee. He smiled encouragingly as he poured her a coffee.
"Yes, one of my more brilliant ideas. Not that any of my ideas aren't brilliant, because they all are!" She hastily corrected herself.
"Just like all of mine, I'm never wrong." She grinned at her mother and took a sip of her coffee.
"Ohhh, I'm gonna' like this one Lukey!" She yelled into the kitchen.
"Well, we kind of like her too, please, try not to scar her for life." Came Luke's reply. "Anybody want anything to eat before I close the kitchen? Rory, you haven't had anything but coffee you need to eat!"
"Fine, I'll have a... Cheeseburger and fries, does that pass inspection, General?"
"Ohhh. General! Luke has a new nickname! General, make that two! This girls got good taste!"
As the week wore on, Rory and Lorelai became quite good friends. That Saturday, while in between movies at Lorelai's they got into the subject of families.
"My dad's re-marrying, She's a total manipulating bitch. Not that my father deserves anything better. He's a total ass most of the time, anyway. It's just that all she wants is money, and I don't think anyone should be married just for that. D'you know what I men, Lor?"
"Yea. I was actually supposed to be married to a guy years ago. I'm so glad that I wasn't, well I'm glad in a way."
"What do you men, 'in a way'?"
"Do you want to hear the life story of Lorelai Gilmore II? It's not all pretty, let me warn you."
Covering her excitement, as calmly as she could, Rory answered, "Sure, should I pop some popcorn?"
"Ah, it's not that entertaining.." Lorelai shook her head and began..
"Well, I was born into the Hartford Elite, if you could call it that. High Class snobs, really. My parents, Emily and Richard were always expecting me to be perfect, perfect manners, perfect clothes, never a spot of dirt on me. I was a kid for Gods sake! I was always doing the little things that drive them nuts, usually on purpose. I dated the most outrageous guys, One sticks in my memory, his name was Bernie, and he had straight blond hair. It wouldn't have been that bad, except that it was longer than mine. It was almost to his but. When my mother saw it, God, I think she swooned. I was hilarious.
"When I was 16, I met a guy, he was from the same social circle as my parents, but he was just so handsome, I think I fell in love with him the first time I saw him, of what any 16 year old thinks is love. He was 9 years older than me, just turned 24. Anyway, I thought he felt the same about me. Long story short, we slept together, and I got pregnant." Lorelai stopped talking and glanced at Rory. "I really don't know why I'm telling you all of this. I haven't told anyone before,"
"I'm easy to talk to, I guess." Rory was holding back her tears. "Keep going."
"Yea, You are easy to talk to, I guess that's it. Well, there I was, 16 and pregnant. I told my parents. God, that has to be the stupidest thing I ever did. They practically put me under lock and key, and demanded that I get rid of the child. I couldn't I wanted to keep it - her. Well, I had the baby, and I held her for just a few minutes, I was in love. I loved her so much. I named her Lorelai. I was sitting there in the hospital room thinking that people always name their sons after their fathers, so I decided to name her after myself. My little Lori." Tears were streaming down Lorelai's face, and a few had slipped free of Rory's barriers as well. Rory passed her mother a tissue, and then took one for herself.
"Then what happened?" She prompted.
"A day later, after I woke up from the drugs that I had gotten so I could sleep, I asked for her to be brought in to my room. God, the nurse shook her head and said that Lori was not there. That my parents had come in and taken her away. I called them, and they came in to my room and told me that they had arranged a private adoption for Lori. Apparently when I was drugged I had signed a paper stating that I was giving all responsibility to my parents. I remember signing something, but my doctor just said that it was some last minute insurance forms. God, I can't believe that I was so stupid." She took another handful of tissues, and blotted at her tears, and blew her nose.
"I took my parents to court, but unbeknownst to me they had some sway with the judge. The case was rejected, and I'm not able to try to get it overturned again. Needles to say, I haven't contacted my parents since then. I don't know anything about my child, is that right, Rory?! I don't know if she grew up happy, or if she's even alive now! That can't be right."
Rory pulled her mother to her, as she sobbed onto her shirt. After they both calmed down a bit, Rory took out her purse.
"Lorelai?"
"Yea?"
"I haven't been completely honest with you." Rory's stomach was twisting with nervousness, as she pulled out a piece of old id with her last name as Hayden on it.
"What d'you mean, Ror?" Lorelai looked at Rory inquiringly.
Rory was silent for a moment, then suddenly said the last thing that Lorelai expected,
"Christopher Hayden." At Lorelai's astonished glance, she hurriedly continued. "He was the father, right?" Lorelai nodded, dumbstruck. Rory pushed the id card at her, thrusting it into her hands. "Look at this."
"Lorelai Leigh Hayden." Lorelai's eyes shot up to Rory's as the pieces fell into place.
"I'm your daughter."
Rory stood, looked forlornly at her mother, and ran.
*~**~*~**~*
So?
Tell me what you think. Don't worry; The Rory and Jess action'll be coming soon. In the next chapter, maybe.
Please reply, Tell me you like it! If you don't, that's ok, truthfully, I don't either. Lol.
~Jayde