TITLE: "A Moment of Weakness"
DISCLAIMER/RATING/SUMMARY: Same as the first chapter
Chapter two: Rory confronts Dean. Luke shows up at the wedding reception looking for Jess (should he and Lorelai end their fight and mend their ways at the reception?) Do Luke and Lorelai find Jess and Rory in the hotel room in a compromising position?
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Chapter Two
Rory cautiously ran down the stairs to the lobby, making sure that no one saw where she had come from, especially her mom. Michel was watching the goings-on at the wedding and didn't even notice it when she walked by him. Whew.
She wound her way through the crowd in the ballroom until she finally spotted Dean, who was sitting at the table by himself watching the dancing. She took a deep breath, deciding that she needed to get him out of the room if she was really going to do this. He'd make a scene, she was pretty sure of it, especially after the freak out when he showed up at her 'alone night' and saw Paris and Jess there. She knew he was going to blame Jess for breaking up with him. But then again, Dean didn't know that Jess was back. No one knew, as far as she knew. Maybe Luke knew. He hadn't come to the wedding because he was still in a fight with Lorelai.
"Hey, um, Dean?" she asked timidly.
"Rory! Where have you been? I've been looking for you for the last half hour!" he said getting up, looking concerned.
"Oh, I've been, um, outside," she answered, her eyes barely able to meet his.
"Why?" he asked, now sounding more angry than concerned.
"Let's go talk out on the front porch, okay?" she asked and turned to head back out the door. She didn't look behind her, she just hoped that he was following behind. Michel watched as the couple flew past him. She stepped through the front door onto the porch and took a deep breath of the cool night air. Dean came up behind her and snaked his arms around her waist.
"This is definitely better," he said, snuggling up to her, kissing her neck. She awkwardly broke from his hold around her and turned to talk to him.
"Dean, I said I wanted to TALK," she said, emphasizing the word talk a little louder than she wanted to.
"Okay," he said uncertainly. "What do you want to TALK about?" Rory cringed a little at the harshness of the last word. She took another deep breath, thinking 'he is not going to make this easy.'
"I want to talk about us. I.just don't think things are working out with us. We want different things. I don't know, I just think that maybe."
"You want to break up with me?!" he shouted. Rory just cringed a little. "I can't frigging believe this! After all the bullshit I put up with. All that crap with Jess. And now you want to dump me? Why? What the hell did I do wrong? I've always been there for you, Rory, I can't believe you'd do this to me!" he shouted. He turned and leaned out over the rail of the porch. Rory stood there, her brow wrinkled, unsure of what to say, but not wanting to say anything that would set him off any more.
Startled by the loud voices he heard, Jess walked to the window and opened it. The room where he was hiding was directly over the spot on the porch where Dean was ranting.
"It's Jess, isn't it?" he said his name with a hiss. "It's all his fault, he ruined things between us."
"No, it's not Jess. He didn't do anything. It's me. It's us. It just isn't working, Dean, I'm sorry," she tried to say as quietly as possible.
"Bullshit! You listened to his lies and believed everything he told you, believed HIM but didn't believe me. I love you, Rory. He could never love you like I have. Anyway, he's gone. Why can't you just forget him?" he got quieter, but maintained his composure.
"Dean, I'm sorry. I don't love you anymore. Please, try to understand. I just can't be with you anymore," she said and choked down a sob.
"Whatever, Rory. Someday you'll realize what a big mistake you've made. But don't come crawling to me, because maybe, for once, I won't be there," he said in a huff, and stormed off the porch towards his car.
Rory just stood on the porch watching his retreating form. She suddenly didn't feel the need to cry anymore. His last comment was the most sexist, egotistical thing she had ever heard. God, even Tristan never spoke to her that way, and he was the most egotistical person she knew! She suddenly felt liberated, free. It felt great! She bolted back into the inn and headed for the kitchen. The crew was busily cleaning up and Rory sneaked over to the walk-in fridge and deftly grabbed a bottle of champagne, nimbly eluding the workers. She crept back up the stairs towards the room where Jess was waiting. Unfortunately, this time Michel was paying attention. He tilted his head in confusion as to what she was doing, then shook it off as probably a prank she and her mother were playing on someone. He went back to his paperwork on his desk.
She knocked quietly and he opened the door, still not wearing his shirt. "Happy independence day!" she said with a smile, producing the bottle of champagne.
"Independence Day?" he said with a smirk, going over to the mini bar to retrieve two glasses.
"Yup! I did it, I broke up with Dean!" she said triumphantly.
"I heard," he motioned to the open window.
"Oh," she said sheepishly.
Jess set the glasses down and took the bottle from Rory, opening it and pouring two glasses.
"So, to independence day?" he suggested, raising his glass.
"And to us," Rory added.
"And to us," Jess agreed and they clinked glasses and drank their champagne. They moved over to sit on the bed together and refilled each other's glasses until they had finished the bottle.
"Darn, I knew I should have gotten two bottles," Rory said a little sloppily.
Jess smiled. "No, I think you're plenty drunk with just one," he took her glass from her and set it on the night stand, along with his own.
"Jess, I'm so happy you're here," she said wrapping her arms around his neck. Jess put his arms around her waist to steady her a little.
"Are you okay, Rory?" Jess asked with some concern. He certainly didn't need her passing out or throwing up at this point.
"I'm fine, just a little tipsy, I guess," she said with a giggle. "No pink elephants, or spinning rooms yet," she confirmed.
"Good," he answered, leaning towards her until their lips met. Rory answered the kiss by pushing him back on the bed and partially climbing on top of him. They continued kissing, escalating the passion between them, Jess ran his hands up and down her back, and Rory tangled her hands in his hair. She swung one leg across his legs, balancing herself on his hip. Jess moaned to her bold action and she took the opportunity to kiss along his neck and shoulder.
Meanwhile, back in the ballroom..
"Lorelai!" Luke called out as he walked over to her as she was talking to Bootsy by the bar. Luke stood out in his flannel and jeans in the large group of people in suits and dresses.
"Luke?" Lorelai said incredulously. "What are you doing here?" She was actually more surprised that he was even speaking to her. He hadn't said anything nice to her in weeks.
"Listen, I need to talk to you. Where's Rory?" he asked, taking her by the arm and scanning the room.
"I don't know, I saw her walk out towards the lobby with Dean a while ago, why?" she said, suddenly feeling a little less drunk and a little more concerned.
He led her out through the kitchen to the back porch. 'What's going on?" she asked again.
"Jess came back. He's here in Stars Hollow. I thought you should know. I told him to stay away from Rory, but I'm pretty sure that's why he's back. He really likes her. I don't know where he went, I looked all over for him, everywhere he could have gone in town, but nothing. Lorelai, I don't know what to do, I need your help. Please." he ranted.
"Okay, um, let's calm down, first," she said, putting a reassuring hand on his arm. He sat back against the rail and let out a breath. "Are you sure you looked everywhere? Did you check the bookstore? The bridge? The gazebo? My house?" she ticked off places on her fingers and Luke shook his head no to each one. "Well, let's find Rory, then, maybe she'll know of someplace else he could be," she said, grabbing his hand to lead him back through the kitchen to the lobby.
"What are you doing?" Michel asked in surprise.
"What are you talking about?" Lorelai asked, confused. "I'm looking for Rory, if you have to know," she added, annoyed.
"Well, excuse me, but I thought you and here were scheming up some prank for someone," he huffed.
"What?" both Luke and Lorelai said at the same time.
"With the champagne. Up in the room upstairs," he said impatiently. "I saw Rory go up there a little while ago, I thought it was to play a joke on someone because she ran up the stairs to quickly," he stated.
"What room?" Lorelai asked, dropping Luke's hand and rushing around to the other side of the desk. Luke walked over and put his hands on the desk. Michel looked at the computer while Lorelai looked at the rooms keys hanging on hooks. "214? Michel, is someone in room 214?" Lorelai said in a panic, still sifting through keys.
"No, there is no one in that room," he answered, still scanning.
"Well, one of the keys are missing," she said quickly grabbing the second key. "Come on," she motioned to Luke and he followed her up the steps to the second floor. She really wasn't sure what she would find. She was pretty sure that Rory wouldn't have talked Dean into going to an empty room at the inn. That would be so unlike her. But then again, she had been acting strange all day. And she had been gone from the reception for a long time. Lorelai prepared for the worst when she put the key in the door and opened it.
Luke and Lorelai both gasped at what was in front of them.
End of chapter two.to be continued!
(A/N: Sorry folks, if that sounded like the scene in "The Mariano Effect". Believe me, it won't have the same ending!)
Chapter two: Rory confronts Dean. Luke shows up at the wedding reception looking for Jess (should he and Lorelai end their fight and mend their ways at the reception?) Do Luke and Lorelai find Jess and Rory in the hotel room in a compromising position?
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Chapter Two
Rory cautiously ran down the stairs to the lobby, making sure that no one saw where she had come from, especially her mom. Michel was watching the goings-on at the wedding and didn't even notice it when she walked by him. Whew.
She wound her way through the crowd in the ballroom until she finally spotted Dean, who was sitting at the table by himself watching the dancing. She took a deep breath, deciding that she needed to get him out of the room if she was really going to do this. He'd make a scene, she was pretty sure of it, especially after the freak out when he showed up at her 'alone night' and saw Paris and Jess there. She knew he was going to blame Jess for breaking up with him. But then again, Dean didn't know that Jess was back. No one knew, as far as she knew. Maybe Luke knew. He hadn't come to the wedding because he was still in a fight with Lorelai.
"Hey, um, Dean?" she asked timidly.
"Rory! Where have you been? I've been looking for you for the last half hour!" he said getting up, looking concerned.
"Oh, I've been, um, outside," she answered, her eyes barely able to meet his.
"Why?" he asked, now sounding more angry than concerned.
"Let's go talk out on the front porch, okay?" she asked and turned to head back out the door. She didn't look behind her, she just hoped that he was following behind. Michel watched as the couple flew past him. She stepped through the front door onto the porch and took a deep breath of the cool night air. Dean came up behind her and snaked his arms around her waist.
"This is definitely better," he said, snuggling up to her, kissing her neck. She awkwardly broke from his hold around her and turned to talk to him.
"Dean, I said I wanted to TALK," she said, emphasizing the word talk a little louder than she wanted to.
"Okay," he said uncertainly. "What do you want to TALK about?" Rory cringed a little at the harshness of the last word. She took another deep breath, thinking 'he is not going to make this easy.'
"I want to talk about us. I.just don't think things are working out with us. We want different things. I don't know, I just think that maybe."
"You want to break up with me?!" he shouted. Rory just cringed a little. "I can't frigging believe this! After all the bullshit I put up with. All that crap with Jess. And now you want to dump me? Why? What the hell did I do wrong? I've always been there for you, Rory, I can't believe you'd do this to me!" he shouted. He turned and leaned out over the rail of the porch. Rory stood there, her brow wrinkled, unsure of what to say, but not wanting to say anything that would set him off any more.
Startled by the loud voices he heard, Jess walked to the window and opened it. The room where he was hiding was directly over the spot on the porch where Dean was ranting.
"It's Jess, isn't it?" he said his name with a hiss. "It's all his fault, he ruined things between us."
"No, it's not Jess. He didn't do anything. It's me. It's us. It just isn't working, Dean, I'm sorry," she tried to say as quietly as possible.
"Bullshit! You listened to his lies and believed everything he told you, believed HIM but didn't believe me. I love you, Rory. He could never love you like I have. Anyway, he's gone. Why can't you just forget him?" he got quieter, but maintained his composure.
"Dean, I'm sorry. I don't love you anymore. Please, try to understand. I just can't be with you anymore," she said and choked down a sob.
"Whatever, Rory. Someday you'll realize what a big mistake you've made. But don't come crawling to me, because maybe, for once, I won't be there," he said in a huff, and stormed off the porch towards his car.
Rory just stood on the porch watching his retreating form. She suddenly didn't feel the need to cry anymore. His last comment was the most sexist, egotistical thing she had ever heard. God, even Tristan never spoke to her that way, and he was the most egotistical person she knew! She suddenly felt liberated, free. It felt great! She bolted back into the inn and headed for the kitchen. The crew was busily cleaning up and Rory sneaked over to the walk-in fridge and deftly grabbed a bottle of champagne, nimbly eluding the workers. She crept back up the stairs towards the room where Jess was waiting. Unfortunately, this time Michel was paying attention. He tilted his head in confusion as to what she was doing, then shook it off as probably a prank she and her mother were playing on someone. He went back to his paperwork on his desk.
She knocked quietly and he opened the door, still not wearing his shirt. "Happy independence day!" she said with a smile, producing the bottle of champagne.
"Independence Day?" he said with a smirk, going over to the mini bar to retrieve two glasses.
"Yup! I did it, I broke up with Dean!" she said triumphantly.
"I heard," he motioned to the open window.
"Oh," she said sheepishly.
Jess set the glasses down and took the bottle from Rory, opening it and pouring two glasses.
"So, to independence day?" he suggested, raising his glass.
"And to us," Rory added.
"And to us," Jess agreed and they clinked glasses and drank their champagne. They moved over to sit on the bed together and refilled each other's glasses until they had finished the bottle.
"Darn, I knew I should have gotten two bottles," Rory said a little sloppily.
Jess smiled. "No, I think you're plenty drunk with just one," he took her glass from her and set it on the night stand, along with his own.
"Jess, I'm so happy you're here," she said wrapping her arms around his neck. Jess put his arms around her waist to steady her a little.
"Are you okay, Rory?" Jess asked with some concern. He certainly didn't need her passing out or throwing up at this point.
"I'm fine, just a little tipsy, I guess," she said with a giggle. "No pink elephants, or spinning rooms yet," she confirmed.
"Good," he answered, leaning towards her until their lips met. Rory answered the kiss by pushing him back on the bed and partially climbing on top of him. They continued kissing, escalating the passion between them, Jess ran his hands up and down her back, and Rory tangled her hands in his hair. She swung one leg across his legs, balancing herself on his hip. Jess moaned to her bold action and she took the opportunity to kiss along his neck and shoulder.
Meanwhile, back in the ballroom..
"Lorelai!" Luke called out as he walked over to her as she was talking to Bootsy by the bar. Luke stood out in his flannel and jeans in the large group of people in suits and dresses.
"Luke?" Lorelai said incredulously. "What are you doing here?" She was actually more surprised that he was even speaking to her. He hadn't said anything nice to her in weeks.
"Listen, I need to talk to you. Where's Rory?" he asked, taking her by the arm and scanning the room.
"I don't know, I saw her walk out towards the lobby with Dean a while ago, why?" she said, suddenly feeling a little less drunk and a little more concerned.
He led her out through the kitchen to the back porch. 'What's going on?" she asked again.
"Jess came back. He's here in Stars Hollow. I thought you should know. I told him to stay away from Rory, but I'm pretty sure that's why he's back. He really likes her. I don't know where he went, I looked all over for him, everywhere he could have gone in town, but nothing. Lorelai, I don't know what to do, I need your help. Please." he ranted.
"Okay, um, let's calm down, first," she said, putting a reassuring hand on his arm. He sat back against the rail and let out a breath. "Are you sure you looked everywhere? Did you check the bookstore? The bridge? The gazebo? My house?" she ticked off places on her fingers and Luke shook his head no to each one. "Well, let's find Rory, then, maybe she'll know of someplace else he could be," she said, grabbing his hand to lead him back through the kitchen to the lobby.
"What are you doing?" Michel asked in surprise.
"What are you talking about?" Lorelai asked, confused. "I'm looking for Rory, if you have to know," she added, annoyed.
"Well, excuse me, but I thought you and here were scheming up some prank for someone," he huffed.
"What?" both Luke and Lorelai said at the same time.
"With the champagne. Up in the room upstairs," he said impatiently. "I saw Rory go up there a little while ago, I thought it was to play a joke on someone because she ran up the stairs to quickly," he stated.
"What room?" Lorelai asked, dropping Luke's hand and rushing around to the other side of the desk. Luke walked over and put his hands on the desk. Michel looked at the computer while Lorelai looked at the rooms keys hanging on hooks. "214? Michel, is someone in room 214?" Lorelai said in a panic, still sifting through keys.
"No, there is no one in that room," he answered, still scanning.
"Well, one of the keys are missing," she said quickly grabbing the second key. "Come on," she motioned to Luke and he followed her up the steps to the second floor. She really wasn't sure what she would find. She was pretty sure that Rory wouldn't have talked Dean into going to an empty room at the inn. That would be so unlike her. But then again, she had been acting strange all day. And she had been gone from the reception for a long time. Lorelai prepared for the worst when she put the key in the door and opened it.
Luke and Lorelai both gasped at what was in front of them.
End of chapter two.to be continued!
(A/N: Sorry folks, if that sounded like the scene in "The Mariano Effect". Believe me, it won't have the same ending!)