Disclaimer: Again, if only I owned it all.
A/N: It may be a little far-fetched, but hey it's my fic and I can write what I want! Anyway, it may be a little far-fetched but Luke and Lorelai, after much deliberation, agreed that Rory and Jess could live together in a TWO-bedroom apartment in Boston paid for by Richard and Emily.
Chapter 9
Departures
Time goes by… lots of it. In fact, if this were a movie, this would be the part where the camera pans to the sky and you watch the clouds go by really fast for a few seconds before the camera falls down on the new scene. With that said, I shall explain what you missed while you were watching the pretty clouds. Rory and Jess both graduated. I was going to write about the graduations but they've been done to death and I think they'd be very boring. They also spent the summer together- just hanging out in Star's Hollow. Luke and Lorelai haven't admitted they undying love to each other- they're both still single but really good friends. And now it's the night before Rory and Jess leave for Boston.
Gilmore House:
Lorelai is sitting on the couch with a huge tub of ice cream and a spoon, pouting as she eats it. Rory emerges from her room.
"Brain freeze?" Rory asked.
"You're leaving."
"I know."
"Tomorrow."
"Yeah."
"You're going far away and I'll never see you again!" Lorelai says, louder, dropping her spoon.
"Mom," Rory said, sitting on the couch next to her, "Boston isn't all that far away. And I'm going to come back."
"You say that now. But it's only a matter of time before Boston's home to you and Star's Hollow is left in the dust."
"Mom…"
"No Rory, you will! You'll find a new video store. The guy that owns it will annoy you even more than Taylor and you and Jess will make fun of him relentlessly. You'll find another bridge. Every Friday night you and Jess will go to dinner with Chris and Sherri and Eric. And then, you'll find a diner. And you will drink their coffee and eat their hamburgers and like them better than Luke's. And the guy that owns it won't wear flannel Rory. Or a backwards-baseball cap!"
Tears formed in Lorelai's eyes before she continued, "Reassure me Rory. Go!"
Rory smiled, "I guarantee there isn't a video store in Boston with a Rory Curtain. No one will ever annoy me more than Taylor. Jess and I won't find a new bridge- I promise. There will be no dinners at Dad's. And NO ONE could ever replace Luke or his coffee."
"Promise?"
"Yes."
Lorelai sighed, "Good." She bent over and picked the spoon off of the floor, putting it back into the ice cream, "You all packed?"
"Yep. I have some books and stuff at Jess's though."
"You wanna run and go get them?"
"You sure?"
"Yeah, I'm good here. I've got Ben and Jerry to keep my company."
Rory thought for a moment, "Okay. I'll be back soon okay?"
"Sure babe."
Rory left the house, grabbing a small stack of Jess's books on her way out.
Meanwhile, at the diner:
Jess and Amber are sitting on the floor of Jess's room, putting books into a cardboard box.
"So you ready?" Amber asked.
"To leave? Yeah." Jess smiled.
"You're excited aren't you?"
Jess just smirked, "Maybe a little."
Amber grew quiet, and kept putting books into the box.
"You going to be okay here?" Jess asked, looking thoughtfully at his sister.
"What? Yes, of course." Jess didn't look convinced, "I'll be fine Jess! Really, I mean I'll miss you but I've got Luke looking out for me."
"I know."
Just then the door flew open, and Rory bounded in carrying a half-dozen books.
"Hey Ror." Jess greeted.
"WE'RE GOING TO COLLEGE!" Rory squealed, sitting down in Jess's lap.
Jess laughed and kissed her, "Yeah I know."
Amber giggled at the sight. No one made Jess laugh- ever. Except for Rory. They really were good together.
"These are yours." Rory said handing Jess the books.
He took them and tossed them into the open box. "Yours are over there." He pointed to a tall stack against the wall.
Rory's eyes widened, "There's a lot."
"Yep."
"I don't have room for them all."
"So leave some home."
"Blasphemy!"
Jess shook his head, "What you want me to put them with my stuff?"
"Maybe…"
Jess sighed, "Fine."
"Yay!"
Just then, Luke bellowed up the stairs.
"JESS! I NEED SOME HELP DOWN HERE!"
Rory pouted and began to get off of Jess.
"Don't worry about it- I'll go." Amber suggested and left the apartment.
"How's your mom holding up?" Jess carefully asked.
"She'll be okay."
Jess nodded, then, seeing his copy of Oliver Twist, he picked it up. "Wanna go read some?"
Rory smiled and nodded. Jess stood and offered a hand to Rory, leading her to his bedroom. Jess sat on his bed, leaning against the headboard. Rory climbed up next to him and laid her head on his chest, and Jess began to read.
About an hour later, Jess paused and put the book down so he could wrap both arms around Rory. Rory sighed.
"Good sigh? Like I'm so happy to be here, or bad sigh? Like I wish we didn't have to leave."
"Both."
"Yeah."
"I should get going. My mom,"
"Of course. I'll walk you." Jess offered.
They went downstairs and greeted Luke.
"I'm going to walk Rory home okay?" Jess asked.
Luke nodded, "We all meeting here in the morning?"
"Where else would we get coffee?" Rory joked, "Yeah we'll be here."
Luke nodded again and went back to work. Jess took Rory home and then came back and went straight upstairs. He soon finished packing and went to bed.
The Next Morning:
Rory jumped out of bed and got dressed before running into Lorelai's room to wake her up.
"MOM!" she yelled jumping up and down on her bed, "Come on! I'm going to college today!"
"Just eighteen more years Rory… PLEASE??"
Rory laughed, "Come on Mom, I'm sure Luke's waiting very impatiently by now."
Lorelai grumbled.
"He's giving us coffee!"
Lorelai sat up looking at Rory, "Willingly?"
"Yes."
"IT'S THE GREATEST DAY OF MY LIFE!" Lorelai shouted, heading to her bathroom to change.
"Mine too…" Rory agreed.
Luke's:
"Where the hell are they? It's almost 9!" Luke growled.
"If you wanted them here by nine you should have said eight." Jess pointed out.
"Yeah, yeah."
"You got coffee ready?"
"Do I look stupid to you?"
"Well…"
"Stop."
"You sure you have enough made?"
"What are they going to need more than usual?"
"Ror's gonna want some for the road."
"Aw man! You're right." Luke went back to the kitchen to make more coffee. At that moment Lorelai and Rory came in.
"Coffee!" Lorelai begged pathetically.
Jess kissed Rory hello before retrieving a cup for Lorelai.
Luke came out with another pot in hand.
"Got all your stuff?" he asked Rory.
"Yep. In the Jeep."
"C'mon Jess, let's go get it into your car."
Jess groaned and followed Luke slowly. When he got to the door he turned back to Rory, "How many boxes?"
"I lost count?" Rory tried.
Jess sighed and went outside.
Later:
Jess, Rory, Luke, and Lorelai are standing outside by Jess's car. All of Rory and Jess's things are loaded into the trunk and backseat.
"So that's it huh?" Luke began.
"Yup. That's it." Jess replied.
Lorelai hugged Rory tightly, "Be careful babe. I'll miss you. I love you so much!"
"I love you too Mom."
"So, Jess. I guess that uhh," Luke started.
Jess, frustrated, gave in and hugged Luke.
"I'll see you for Thanksgiving?"
"Yeah." Luke nodded, "You already say goodbye to Amber?"
"Yeah last night."
Rory and Lorelai had finally broken apart and Rory went to Luke and hugged him, "Thanks for everything Luke." She whispered, holding back tears.
"Anytime Rory."
"Be good you guys. We'll miss you." Lorelai found the courage to say when the goodbyes were over, "Call if you need anything okay? Anything. Or just call anyways."
Rory smiled, "We will Mom." With that, Rory got into the car and Jess closed the door once she was safely inside.
"Be good to her huh?" Lorelai pleaded.
"I will Lorelai, don't worry."
"Don't you dare try anything." Luke demanded.
"I won't." Jess took a deep breath, "We should get going."
"Yeah." Luke and Lorelai said simultaneously.
Jess got into the car and started the engine. He and Rory both waved to Luke and Lorelai, and they drove off. Rory started to cry.
Outside of the diner, Luke and Lorelai watched the car until it disappeared. Lorelai, crying again, collapsed into Luke's open arms. He stroked her hair gently.
"Luke put a thermos of coffee in the back for you."
Rory smiled and retrieved it. She took a sip, but continued to cry.
Jess, a bit teary himself, took Rory's hand and held it until they passed the Boston city limits sign.
Rory and Jess got out of the car in front of a fairly high-scale apartment building (courtesy of Richard and Emily). Their eyes had been long dry.
"Ready?" Jess asked.
Rory beamed, "You bet!"
And hand-in-hand they went into the building.