Disclaimer: None of it's mine.

A/N: Thanks to everyone that's reviewed! You all are wonderful! This chapter takes place probably two months after the previous one. We'll say we're in early May, rapidly approaching Rory and Jess's June 15th wedding date. Rory's done all the planning- she bought her dress, she's got the dresses for her bridesmaids, the flowers arranged, Sookie's catering the reception, the Star's Hollow gazebo reserved through Taylor… everything is set- now they're just waiting. Anyways, here we go, a heart-wrenching chapter of Literati goodness! And remember, keep reviewing!

Chapter 19

You Can't Go Out In The Rain

Rory Gilmore sat on the oversized, plush sofa in the study of the apartment, reading an old, worn-out copy of Oliver Twist one April afternoon.  Rory allowed the methodic sounds of the heavy rain to engross her in the familiar pages and margin notes, she didn't hear Jess come in and sit beside her.

Jess slowly brought a hand to Rory's head and stroked her soft hair, bringing his fingers to her cheek briefly until she looked up at him.

"Hey," Rory smiled.

"Hi.  I'm going to run out to the store.  You want anything?"

Rory thought for a moment, "Nah, I'm good.  Be careful- it's raining pretty hard."

"I will," Jess said standing up, "I'll see you in a little while."

"I love you!" Rory called after him.

Jess smiled as he turned and went back to Rory, bending to kiss her, "I love you too."

Rory went back to her book when she heard Jess grab his keys and close the apartment door behind him.  An hour later she got a sudden, uncomfortable feeling.  She set down the book on the couch and went to the window, gazing out of it.

Rory had begun to wonder why she felt the sudden need to look outside.  She watched the rain pour out of the sky and fill the streets.  Shouldn't Jess be home by now?  Suddenly, the phone rang, and startled, Rory jumped.  Composing herself, she made her way to the kitchen where she found the phone, surprisingly, in its cradle- undoubtedly Jess's doing.

"Hello?"

"Yes, is this Ms. Lorelai Gilmore?"

"Yes, it is.  May I help you?"

"My name is Cindy Martin, Ms. Gilmore.  I work with the Boston 911 Rescue Service."

Rory began to shake, "Yes?"

"Ms. Gilmore, there's been an accident."

"No."

"Yes, I'm afraid so, you see-"

"No- not Jess." Rory stuttered, fighting back tears.

"Ma'am, they've taken a Mr. Jess Mariano to the emergency room."

"Is he okay?"

"I'm really not at liberty to discuss Mr. Mariano's condition with you at this time Ms. Gilmore."

"Please, just tell me if he's okay."

The woman sighed, "Ms. Gilmore, if I were you, I would come down to the hospital right away."

"Oh, God." Rory said, the tears not flowing freely down her face, "I'll be right there." She said quietly, hanging up the phone.  Rory grabbed her coat and sprinted out of the apartment, down the stairs and outside.  She called a cab, and quietly sobbed in the backseat.  It was the longest ten minute drive of her life.

"Jess Mariano!" Rory exclaimed, running up to the nurse's station.

"Please take a seat."

"No!  I need to see him!"

"Ma'am you are not permitted to visit him at this time."

"Is he okay?  Tell me he's okay!"

"I'm sorry I can't-"

"That's my fiancée in there!  Please, I just want to know if he's alright!"

"Ma'am, please sit down.  I'll page his doctor for you.  He'll come and tell you about your fiancée."

Rory unwillingly obliged and sat impatiently in one of the chairs nearby.  Two hours later, a middle-aged, balding man in a white coat approached Rory.

"Ms. Gilmore?" he asked.

Rory's head jerked up and she leaped from her seat. 

"Is he okay?"

"He just came out of surgery."

"But he'll be okay, right?"

"He's in a coma." The doctor said carefully, "We don't know that he will wake up at all."

"No… no it can't be…" Rory sank back down into her chair.

"You can go see him if you like.  I think that you being there might help him along." The doctor suggested.

Rory nodded and followed him past the nurse's station, through a set of double doors, and to a small room in the ICU.

Rory slowly opened the door, but remained in the doorway.  She brought a hand to her mouth to cover a gasp.  Jess was hooked up to countless machines and monitors.  His face was badly cut, his skin pale, and his hair disheveled.  Rory took a seat at the edge of his bed and held his hand.  She glanced at one of the monitors.  It showed his weak but steady heart rate.

"Jess," she whispered, "Come on baby you've got to wake up.  I can't do this without you.  You've got to wake up so we can get married and spend the rest of our lives together.  Please Dodger, just open your eyes."

Rory heard the beeping of his heart monitor speed up, then flatline.

"No! No, Jess!"

The doctor and a few nurses rushed into the room, and Rory backed away from Jess, watching in horror as they tried to revive him.

After a moment, the doctor sighed and wiped his brow.

"Call it."

One of the nurses announced, "Time of death, 7:56 p.m."

"NO!" Rory shouted, sobbing uncontrollably, "He can't!"

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Rory sat up in bed with a start.  She was violently shaking, tears streaming down her cheeks.  Panting, she whispered, "Jess."

Rory carefully got out of bed and ran to Jess's bedroom.  She opened the door to see his empty, unmade bed.

"No…"

She ran out of the room and saw a light on in the kitchen.  Arriving in the doorway, she began to cry harder when she saw Jess standing at the counter, having a glass of water.

Jess heard her crying and dropped the glass, ignoring the shards scattered about the floor.  He went to her and pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly.

"Oh God, Ror.  What's wrong?" he asked, smoothing her hair and rocking her back and forth.

"You- you're here!"

"Well of course I'm here baby.  Where would I go?"

"I'm so glad you're here." Rory gushed, bringing her arms around his neck and squeezing.

Still confused, Jess said, "You want to go lie down?"

Rory nodded, and Jess slowly led her to her room.  He helped her into bed and stood at her bedside.

"Lay with me?" she almost begged, tears still falling from her bright blue eyes.

Jess immediately obliged, climbing into bed with her and wrapping his arms around her.  He gently pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"It's okay Ror.  I'm here, it's all okay."

Rory soon stopped crying and rolled over onto her other side to face him.

"What happened?" Jess asked carefully.

"You can't ever go out in the rain." 

"What?"

"You can't.  Not when it's that bad."

"Angel, what are you talking about?"

"I had a dream…"

"And it was raining?" he guessed.

Rory nodded, "It was raining really bad.  And you went to the store. You were gone too long."

Jess brushed a remaining tear from Rory's cheek with his thumb, "Yeah?"

"Yeah.  And then the hospital called- cause you were in an accident.  And so I went to the hospital but they wouldn't let me see you.  You were in surgery.  But when you got out the doctor let me go see you even though you were in a coma.  And I was just talking to you, and- and then you went."

Rory started to cry again, remembering the horrifyingly real it seemed.  "I couldn't live without you Jess.  I just couldn't do it.  So you can't go out when it's raining that bad okay?  You just can't!"

Jess brushed Rory's hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear, "I promise baby, I won't.  Don't worry, it was just a dream.  I'm not going anywhere."

Jess wiped away her tears once again and placed a sweet kiss on her lips.

"I love you angel."

"I love you too."

Jess pulled Rory closer to him and she soon fell into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.

"I'm here Ror.  I'll always be right here." Jess whispered before kissing her hair and falling asleep himself.