Disclaimer: I continue my streak of the lack of ownership…
A/N: Sorry it's been so long since I've updated! I've been soo very busy! And then I wanted to write a really good chapter to compensate for the huge abyss of time between updates. I do want to thank my ever faithful reviewers- you all are wonderful! Keep up the reading and reviewing! It means a lot.
Okay so this one takes place a little bit into Rory and Jess's senior years at Harvard and Boston College respectively. Everybody's the same- relationships haven't really changed, except that Jess and Lorelai are quite a lot friendlier towards each other. And Jess is way less, uhh harsh I guess. Rory's softened him, and basically he's just so happy that he doesn't care who knows it.
And with all that said- ON WITH THE SHOW!
Chapter 21
Entertain Me
"It's just not fair Luke!" Lorelai Gilmore announced as she dramatically ran into the diner and plopped on a stool at the counter, her head collapsing into her folded arms.
"What now?" Luke grumbled, pouring her a cup of coffee.
"I'm bored!" she whined.
Luke rolled his eyes and started to retreat back into the kitchen.
"Lukey!! Entertain me!" Lorelai called after him, and then looking around, saw that all eyes were on her.
"Not like THAT!" she gasped, "Dirty minds!" and she took one last sip of her coffee and left.
//So so bored. What to do? Hmmm, oh right. Nothing. Well, I could… no. I couldn't. Luke'd get mad. There's always a movie night. Yeah! Movies! Oh. No can't do that either. Damn that Rory and her living in Boston! I can't have a movie night alone!//
At that moment, Lorelai decided to call her beloved daughter and inform her of how her own boredom was her fault. She pulled out her cell phone and hit the speed dial.
//One, two, three, four… God, how many times does it have to ring before she'll answer?//
"Hi! You've reached Rory and Jess!" Rory's cheerful voice came through the cell phone, "We can't come to the phone right now so leave us a message and we'll call you back soon!"
BEEP
Lorelai took no spare moments to organize her thoughts, "Lorelai Leigh Gilmore Mariano! Is that how I taught you to leave an outgoing message? I think not! No nonsense, movie references, crude humor, nothing! I mean really- have you learned none of my ways? Where are you anyways? School? No, it's too late. Partying? Hah, who am I kidding… Hmm, well are you really not there? No? Okay well I guess I'll just-"
"Lorelai?" a breathless Jess answered quickly.
"Ah, Jessie-poo! Why so slow to answer the phone? Did I, interrupt something?" Lorelai suggested giggling.
In Boston, Jess rolled his eyes, "It took me forever to find the phone. Rory still doesn't like to keep it in one place."
"Oh, where was it this time?"
"Under the bed in the guest room."
"Huh, that's a new one."
"Maybe she's surpassed the master."
"Blasphemy!"
Jess laughed, "So how's everything in Stars Hollow?"
"Oh you know. The same."
"Yeah. Luke?"
"He's good."
"Good. Listen, Rory's not home."
"Nooooooooo!" Lorelai wailed, causing Jess to momentarily pull the phone away from his ear.
"I can give her a message Lorelai. She'll call you back."
"Oh, okay. Just let her know that it's her fault I'm bored."
"What?"
"The only thing I could come up with to do was have a movie night and I can't have one by myself, and so it's her fault she's not here because she had to go and get into Harvard and move to Boston."
"Uh, okay… make Luke watch movies with you."
"I don't think he'll want to. I already was in there and told him I was bored and then he just walked away even after I yelled for him to entertain me…"
"You yelled for Luke to entertain you in the diner?"
"You should have seen the looks."
"I can imagine."
"Okay, anyways just tell Ror I called?"
"Will do."
"Okay, bye Jess."
"Bye."
Jess sat back down on the sofa and glared at the pile of laundry on the coffee table.
//Good one Mariano. Like staring at it's gonna make it fold itself.//
Jess sighed and began to fold the clean laundry and stack it on the floor in plies.
//bathroom… mine… mine… Rory's…//
Then, the door flew open and Jess looked up from his neat stacks to see his wife with her arms full and a frustrated look on her face.
//God, she's beautiful.//
"Hey angel, want a hand?"
"Oh no… I got it." Rory said, bringing her arms out straight and letting what looked to be a million books and bags fall to the floor. She smiled, and turned around to close the door being her before stepping over the pile and going over to Jess.
Rory kissed him hello.
"Mmm, I love you." Jess said quietly.
"I love you too." Rory smiled back.
"Got a lot to do tonight?" Jess motioned to the huge pile of books on the floor.
Rory turned to see the mess she'd made, "Oh, actually no. I got it all done at the library earlier.
"Good." Jess kisses Rory again.
After a moment, she pulled away, "Make me coffee?"
"Uhhh, no." Jess started to kiss her neck.
"Please?"
Jess finally stops, "Come on Rory, I'm doing some of my best work here, and you're talking right through it." [A/N: Sorry, I couldn't resist using that line. Disclaimer: I didn't write that myself.]
Rory, pouting, looked up at Jess with her ever-enticing baby-blues, "Please Jess?"
Jess sighed, and mumbling headed off to the kitchen.
Rory happily follows him, and upon reaching the kitchen she sees a blinking light on the answering machine and hits play.
"Lorelai Leigh Gilmore Mariano!
"Your mom called." Jess suddenly announced.
Is that how I taught you to leave an outgoing message? I think not! No nonsense, movie references, crude humor, nothing! I mean really- have you learned none of my ways? Where are you anyways? School? No, it's too late. Partying? Hah, who am I kidding… Hmm, well are you really not there? No? Okay well I guess I'll just-"
"Lorelai?"
"Ah, Jessie-poo! Why so slow to answer the phone? Did I, interrupt something?" Rory heard giggling.
"It took me forever to find the phone. Rory still doesn't like to keep it in one place."
"Oh, where was it this time?"
"Under the bed in the guest room."
"Huh, that's a new one."
"Maybe she's surpassed the master."
"Blasphemy!"
Rory laughed as the machine cut off her mother's babbling.
"What'd she want?"
"To let you know that her boredom was entirely your fault."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, that whole leaving her in a town full of crazies that won't watch movies with her."
"Aw, poor baby."
"Yeah."
"Do I need to call her back?"
"Yep."
Rory picked up the phone and sat down at the table as it rang.
"Luke, I swear I didn't mean to embarrass you! It was everybody else's fault- they're the ones that had such dirty minds!"
"Not Luke."
"Mini me!"
"Hey!"
"How are you?"
"I'm good. What did you do to Luke?"
"Oh, nothing…"
Jess interrupted at that moment, "She yelled for him to entertain her in the Diner"
Rory gasped, "Mom!"
"Hey, not fair. How did he know I didn't tell you?"
"I don't know."
"Psh!"
"I'm sorry you're bored."
"Oh that's okay, I know how you can make it up to me."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
"Coffee?"
"Yes. And…"
"And… my undying love?"
"Already got that."
"Oh… Uhhhh"
"You're coming to visit me."
"Am I?"
"This weekend."
"Mom, I don't know if I can-"
"Of course you can."
"But with school and everything…"
"Don't care."
"I know, but…"
"Shhh! Don't argue with Mommy! You and Jess will be at Luke's bright and early Friday morning and I'm not letting you go back to Boston until Monday."
"Okay."
"YAY! I'm gonna go tell Luke! Love you!"
"Me too."
"Hey Babette! Guess who's coming on-"
CLICK
Rory placed the phone on the table and saw Jess sitting across from her.
"Hi."
"Hey."
"You love me right?" Rory began carefully.
"More than anything. Why, what did Lorelai rope you into doing?"
"Not, me so much as us."
Jess smirked, "When are we leaving?"
"She wants us there bright and early Friday morning."
"Lorelai bright and early or Luke bright and early?"
"Probably somewhere in between."
"Okay."
"Yay!"
"Drink your coffee."
"Will do."
The two sat together, talking and drinking coffee for a while longer before Rory's eyes started to get heavy.
"Tired?"
Rory nodded sleepily, "I'm wiped out."
"Tough day?" Jess asked as they stood up from the table.
"Not particularly. I've just been really tired lately." Rory yawned as Jess slipped an arm around her waist and they began to walk towards their bedroom.
"I guess a few days in Stars Hollow will be a good break huh?"
"Yeah."
Rory fumbled with the buttons on her blouse before taking it off and changing into her trademark coffee cup pajama pants and t-shirt. She fell clumsily onto the bed, her arms and legs flailing, taking over the entire surface.
Jess watched her get comfortable, smiling to himself. He lifted a corner of the blankets, allowing her to crawl under them before he settled himself on the other side of the bed.
Rory curled into Jess's side and he wrapped his arms around her small frame tightly.
"Goodnight Angel." Jess whispered, kissing the top of her head.
"Night Dodger." Rory faintly replied, half asleep.
"LET'S GOOO!!!" Rory screamed excitedly across the apartment.
Jess groggily appeared, dragging a large suitcase behind him.
"How many books did you pack?"
"Just a few. Come on let's go!"
"Rory, you've got books at your mom's house."
"So?" she asked as they headed out the door.
"So you can't possibly need this many." Jess insisted as he locked the apartment.
"Did you pack books?"
"Are you kidding? I saw how many you packed and I put mine away."
"I didn't pack that many!" Rory argued good-naturedly as they stepped into the elevator.
"Yeah, almost as many books as sweaters."
"Hey!"
"You do know we'll only be there three days right?"
"You never know how many sweaters you'll need."
"You're crazy."
"But you love me anyways."
"Indeed." Jess pulled Rory into his arms and kissed her.
Rory smiled, "I only packed seven sweaters."
"Well in that case!"
Hours later, Rory and Jess pulled into a solitary parking space in front of Luke's.
"See? It's only just past nine- way early for Lorelai." Jess pointed out as they walked up the steps.
"Not when she's working."
"You think she was planning on working today?"
"Okay, maybe it is too early."
"Well Luke's up for sure."
They entered the practically empty Diner and Luke's head jerked up from behind the counter where he stood.
"Luke!" Rory greeted, "We missed you!"
Luke made his way around the counter to give Rory a hug, "We missed you too." Then turning to Jess, "Hey."
"Uncle Luke."
"Just Luke."
"Of course."
"Can I have coffee?" Rory pleaded.
"Yeah, go ahead and sit down." Luke motioned to an empty table nearby.
Rory and Jess sat and soon, Luke returned with two cups of coffee.
"There you go." Luke started to retreat back into the kitchen.
"Hey!" Rory called after him causing his head to turn. "Sit with us for a while!"
"I will once Lorelai gets here. She'll kill me if she found out that I didn't call her the second you kids got here." Luke promised as he went to use the phone.
Rory smiled at Jess. "You happy to be back?"
"Sure."
"I am."
"I know."
"Lorelai would you stop babbling! No, I will not. Listen, Rory and Jess are here. Not long. No, I said I'd call when they got in. Are you coming or not? Fine, yeah."
Luke shook his head as he hung up the phone and sat down with Rory and Jess, "She's on her way."
"We figured as much." Jess replied.
"So how have you been Luke? Anything new going on?" Rory asked, finishing off her coffee.
"Pretty good. Same old same old. You want a refill?"
"Oh, no thanks."
Luke and Jess both shot Rory shocked glances.
"Are you okay?" Luke questioned.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I just haven't been feeling all that good."
"Are you sick?"
"No, I'm fine. Really." Rory insisted.
"Here comes trouble!" Jess announced, seeing Lorelai sprinting towards the front door, and breathlessly entering the Diner.
"Mom!" Rory yelled, jumping up.
"Rory!" Lorelai wrapped Rory up in a big hug before they both sat down at the table.
"How ya doin' Jess?" Lorelai asked.
"I'm pretty good."
"Good." Lorelai thought for a moment, "I want a doughnut."
"No." Luke automatically replied.
"Aw come on!"
"No, Lorelai. You don't need it."
"Oh but I do!!"
Rory and Jess shared a look. They both smiled at the familiar banter.
"I'll get you one Mom." Rory offered.
"Ah, you're my favorite daughter!"
Rory laughed and stood up, but as she began to walk away she began to feel a little lightheaded. She brought a hand up to her head as the room began to spin.
"Jess?" she managed to get out before falling where she stood.
At the first sound of his name Jess noticed something was wrong and sprung to Rory's side, catching her just before she hit the ground. Lorelai and Luke leaped from their seats.
"Oh my God." Lorelai said, "Is she okay? Wake up Ror…"
Rory's eyes fluttered and opened and she looked around as Jess brought her to a sitting position on the floor.
"You okay Angel?"
"Yeah, I must have stood up too fast."
"Well come on," Jess said, helping her up and back to her chair, "You feeling okay?"
Rory nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine. I promise."
Lorelai breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank God. I wouldn't have asked for a doughnut if it was going to be such a problem."
"Yes you would have." Rory insisted.
Lorelai shrugged.
"Have you guys eaten yet?" Luke asked.
Jess shook his head, "It was too early when we left."
"I'll go make you something. Jess you wanna give me a hand for a second?"
"Sure."
KITCHEN
"Something's up with Rory." Luke pointed out.
"I noticed. She's probably coming down with something. That or she's worn out. She's been working nonstop."
"She getting enough sleep?"
"Probably not."
"Is she eating right? You're not succumbing to the Gilmore ways of eating are you?"
"Luke, calm down. I cook for her. I'm sure she's just stressed. Give her a weekend here to rest and have fun and I'm sure she'll be fine."
"Yeah, okay."
THAT EVENING, ELDER GILMORE HOUSE
"Why did you have to go ahead and tell your grandmother we'd come for a Friday night dinner?" Lorelai whined as she stood on the porch of her parents' house with Rory and Jess.
"Because I wanted to see them!"
"WHY?"
"I get along with them!"
Lorelai grumbled, "Fine, fine. But we're having a movie night when we get back."
"Deal."
"Do I have no say in the matter?" Jess wondered aloud.
"You," Lorelai pointed, "are a boy. You have no say in Gilmore traditions!"
"Yeah, yeah, but I still have to suffer through a Friday night dinner and a movie night?"
"Hey!" Rory smacked him playfully as the door opened.
"Rory!" Emily greeted, hugging her granddaughter, "How are you?"
"I'm good, Grandma. How are you?"
"I'm just lovely. Jess, Lorelai hello."
"Hi Mrs. Gilmore." Jess greeted politely.
"Well hey Mom, so good to know you noticed I was here."
"Come on in," Emily suggested, ignoring Lorelai as usual, "I'm sorry to say that Richard won't be joining us tonight. He's in Milan."
"Oh that's okay." Rory reassured her.
"What can I get everyone to drink?"
"Alcohol!" Lorelai yelled.
'This is going to be quite the evening' Jess thought to himself.
LATER, LORELAI'S HOUSE
Lorelai and Rory are sprawled out across the sofa, shoving mass amounts of candy into their mouths as Willy Wonka began.
"How many times do I have to see this movie?" Jess whined from his spot on the floor.
"You know you love it." Lorelai insisted.
"Nope."
"Shut up and eat candy Diner Boy."
Jess was too preoccupied to come up with a witty one-liner for Lorelai's unflattering nickname. Rory had suddenly stopped eating and her face had turned pale. Lorelai hadn't noticed.
"I'm getting more sodas." Lorelai announced as she headed to the kitchen.
Jess immediately took her place on the couch and took Rory's hand.
"Baby, are you okay? You don't look so good."
Rory leaned into Jess and scooted closer to him, "My tummy hurts."
"You think it's got anything to do with the fact that all you've eaten since we left your grandmother's was crap?"
Rory shrugged and pretended to tune into the movie.
"You really are sick aren't you?"
Rory's mouth opened as if she wanted to say something, but she quickly brought her hand to cover it as she bolted to the bathroom. Jess ran past Lorelai after her.
"Whoa! Where's the fire?"
"Go back to the movie… We'll be right there." Jess said, heading to the bathroom door.
"Okay, but no funny business." Lorelai responded, plopping down on the couch and tuning back into the movie.
Jess pulled the bathroom door closed behind him and sat on the floor next to Rory, whose head was over the toilet. He placed a hand on her back and rubbed it lightly, talking to her quietly.
After a few moments, Rory wiped her mouth with some tissues, flushed the toilet, and sat back, leaning against the wall. Jess put his arm around her and she cuddled into him immediately.
"I think I'm sick." Rory said weakly.
Jess shook his head, no.
"Huh? You don't think I'm sick?"
"No, I think-"
"I just tossed my cookies Jess! And my licorice, and my sour patch kids, and about a thousand sodas, and popcorn…. How could I not be sick?"
"I don't think that's it."
"Well what do you think it is then?"
Jess took a deep breath, "I think you're pregnant."
Rory's eyes widened in shock, but then quickly returned to their normal size.
"Maybe I am."
Jess just nodded. He didn't know what else to say.
"What if I am?"
"Then we have a baby Ror, that's how it works."
"No, I mean it. We're not ready for a baby. We're both still in school- we've got too much to do! There's not enough time."
"Whoa, okay hold on. Don't freak out. We're getting ahead of ourselves."
"Come on Jess, I hardly think we're 'getting ahead of ourselves'."
"We don't know for a fact that you're pregnant."
"So?"
"So there's no need to worry just yet."
Rory sighed, "So what do I do?"
"You go out into the living room and you tell your mother. And then I'll go to a drug store and buy you a test, and you'll take it. And then we'll know okay?"
Rory nodded slowly as she began to get up off of the floor and Jess stood with her, holding her hand.
"Come on you guys! You're missing it!" Lorelai called from the next room.
"Be right there!" Rory called back in return as she headed to the door.
"Hey." Jess said, taking her by the shoulders, "I love you. You know that right?"
"Of course."
"And if you aren't pregnant, then we'll look forward to you being so one day."
Rory smiled gently and nodded.
"But if you are, then we're going to have a baby Rory. Either way, I'm the happiest guy on earth." Jess spoke, in an unexpected moment of sincerity.
"I love you." Rory responded, giving Jess a kiss before they returned to the other room to join Lorelai.
"What were you guys doing in there?" Lorelai inquired as Rory turned off the TV, "Hey now, what's that for?"
"Mom, I need to talk to you."
Rory sat down on the sofa next to her mother and Jess stood behind her with his hands firmly placed on her shoulders.
"What is it?"
Rory took a deep breath, "I think I might be pregnant."