Disclaimer: Still no ownership here….
A/N: Thanks to everyone that reviewed! In this chapter, we're skipping ahead a little bit! It's not a very eventful chapter, just a filler- I'm assuming you, as readers would rather have a few small jumps in time as opposed to one HUGE jump. Let me know if that's a false assumption though. Anyway, enjoy and please keep the reviews coming!
Chapter 12
Thanksgiving
Rory Gilmore had just finished her last class on the afternoon of the Monday before Thanksgiving. She didn't have any more classes until the following Monday. Feeling relieved, she stepped outside into the cool air outside of the Harvard campus.
"Hey Rory."
Rory turned, pulling on her jacket, to see Paris approaching. "Hey," she greeted.
"It's good to be on break huh?"
"No kidding!" Rory definitely agreed. The stress of school was driving her crazy, and she was looking forward to a few days off.
"You and Jess going back to Star's Hollow for Thanksgiving?"
Rory stopped. She hadn't even thought about Thanksgiving. Of course she and Jess should go home. Lorelai and Luke undoubtedly expected them.
"Yeah, I guess so. I hadn't really thought about it."
Just then Jess pulled up in his car to pick up Rory.
"Hey I've got to go. Have a good break Paris!" Rory said, walking towards the car. She got in and kissed Jess hello, but Jess could tell her mind was far away.
"So I thought we could sell this car, buy a van, pack all of our stuff into it and drive to Canada where we would proceed to join the local circus."
"Okay." Rory said, staring off out of her window.
"And then, we'd tour the U.S.- first stop of course Star's Hollow. And in the middle of the famous Rory and Jess juggling routine Taylor would get up and start rambling about one thing or another and Luke would get up and start fighting with him and then Lorelai would- "
"Wait, what?"
"Ah, she's come back to earth."
"What were you talking about?"
"Oh nothing… what are you thinking about?"
"Are we going home for Thanksgiving?"
Jess paused, "I hadn't thought about it."
"Me either. We should though shouldn't we?"
"Yeah I guess so."
Rory pulled out her cell phone and dialed the familiar number. It rang four times before someone answered.
Meanwhile At The Gilmore House:
Lorelai and Luke were sitting at the kitchen table. Lorelai was eating doughnuts Luke had brought from the diner.
"Mmmmm." She sighed.
"Oh stop it Lorelai- it's just food."
"But it's SO good!"
Luke shook his head, "What did you need me to fix?"
Lorelai had called him earlier with a plea for doughnuts and repair work. Luke, of course, had willingly obliged.
"Upstairs shower."
"You broke the shower?"
"No," she said defensively, "It just got tired of working."
Luke grunted and went upstairs to see what was wrong. As he ascended the stairs, the phone began to ring.
"Find and answer it Lukey!" Lorelai called from the kitchen.
Luke saw the cordless phone balancing ever so carefully on the banister. He picked it up, "Hello?"
Rory was confused, "Did I call the diner by mistake?"
"Rory, hi. No, you got it right. Your mother broke her shower- I'm just here to fix it."
"Oh, can you get her for me?"
"Yep, hang on." Luke turned and went back downstairs and into the kitchen. He gave the phone to Lorelai.
"Who is it?" she called after him, but he ignored her.
Lorelai put the phone to her ear, "I'm perfectly happy with my long-distance carrier, I am not interested in new health insurance or aluminum siding. I do not need movers or a faster internet connection. Your pest control services are of no use to me. If this is my mother, I'm not here…"
Rory giggled, "Hey Mom."
"RORY! What's up?"
"Thanksgiving is on Thursday." Rory announced.
"As it is every year."
"I just realized we never said for sure that we'd come home."
"Of course you're coming home."
"I know, I just wanted to be sure."
"Ooh! Better idea!"
"Uh oh." Rory braced herself. The chances of Lorelai's new idea being, in fact, 'better' were slim to none.
"Why don't we come visit you?"
"Huh?"
"Luke can cook dinner and we'll bring it with us. Oh Rory it'll be so much fun! I haven't seen the apartment yet!"
Rory smiled, "Yeah! Mom, that'd be great!"
"Really? Yay I'm excited! I'll tell Luke later."
"After he fixes the shower?"
"Of course, he might get mad and stop."
"Mom, if it's going to be a big deal we can just come home."
"No it'll be fine. He misses you guys."
"We miss him."
"Ahem!"
"And you!"
"Thank you."
"What about Amber?"
"She's with her new boyfriend and his family this week I think."
"Oh, okay. Listen Mom, I've gotta get going. I'll see you Thursday?"
"Make it Wednesday."
"Okay. Talk to you later."
"Bye!"
Rory hung up the phone.
"Well?" Jess asked.
"They want to come here."
"Really?"
"Yep."
"Am I cooking?" Jess became a little concerned.
"Nope, Mom's gonna make Luke cook it all and bring it with them."
"Amber?"
Rory sighed, "She's with the boyfriend."
"Oh."
"I'm sure he's a nice guy Jess."
"Yeah. I'm sure…" Jess paused for a moment, "Home?"
"Yeah."
Wednesday:
Jess and Rory were relaxing on the couch reading together when the intercom-doorbell rang. They looked at each other, neither wanting to get up to answer it. Rory put on her patented 'sad-face' and Jess sighed and stood.
"Hello?"
"Mr. Mariano?"
"Yeah."
"This is James with-"
"I know."
"You have visitors."
"Imagine that."
"Aw Jess shut up with the sarcasm, he's trying to do his job- be nice!" Rory said good-naturedly from across the room.
"A Mr. Luke Danes, and a Ms." James paused, "No, ma'am I don't believe your name is Pretty Pretty Princess…"
"James?"
"Yes sir."
"Send them up."
"But Mr. Mariano- you don't know who's here."
"Sure I do."
"If you're certain."
"I am."
"Good boy! I knew there was a reason we kept you!" Jess heard Lorelai shout in the background, followed by a gruff comment from Luke. Jess laughed and walked away from the intercom and back to Rory.
"I think they're here."
Rory was beaming. She really missed her mother and it was no secret. Soon, there was a knock on the door. Rory jumped up to answer it.
"MOM!!" she yelled, hugging Lorelai, "Look Jess! It's the Pretty Pretty Princess!"
Jess stood as well and went to greet Luke and Lorelai. Rory finally pulled herself from Lorelai's embrace and went to hug Luke. Then the two entered the apartment for the first time.
"Oooh, pretty!" Lorelai gushed.
"It's really nice guys." Luke said.
"You guys have food in the car we need to refrigerate or anything?" Jess asked, remembering what Lorelai had said.
"Nope, Lukey wanted to cook it here."
"It wouldn't stay fresh in the car and all of today until tomorrow!" Luke insisted.
"Whatever. We do need to go grocery shopping though." Lorelai responded.
"Okay. You want to go now?" Rory suggested, grabbing her coat.
"Sure."
"Are we all going?" Jess inquired.
"Of course."
Jess and Luke sighed, and then followed the Gilmore Girls out of the apartment and downstairs to the lobby.
"Bye James!" Lorelai called as they went out to the car.
"Oh, uh goodbye Ms. Umm, Princess."
Rory and Lorelai erupted in laughter, "Hear that Luke! I'm a princess!"
"Lorelai stop it. The man simply did not know what to call you."
Luke, Lorelai, Jess, and Rory all had a nice Thanksgiving and on Sunday morning, Luke and Lorelai left to go back home.
"You promise you'll come home for Christmas?" Lorelai asked as she said goodbye.
Jess nodded and Rory said, "Of course. We wouldn't miss it!"
Then, Luke and Lorelai hopped into the car and drove off. "I miss them." Rory confessed and she and Jess headed back upstairs.
"They just left!" Jess joked as he put an arm around Rory's waist. She gave him a weak smile. Jess stopped walking and pulled Rory into his arms.
"I miss them too." He admitted, whispering into her ear.
They arrived back at the apartment and Rory went to the calendar hanging on the wall in the kitchen.
"What're you doing?" Jess asked.
"Counting the days until Christmas."
Rory smiled and sat down with Jess on the sofa. Jess found a book and began to read it out loud. The two soon fell asleep.