SPOILERS - None.
SUMMARY - Same as the other chapters
DISCLAIMER - The WB, Amy Sherman-Palladino, et al owns it all.
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Chapter Five
I showered and shaved and got ready for the bachelor party. When I came downstairs at 7:00, the diner was pretty busy. I instinctively grabbed the coffee pot and walked around, refilling cups. Luke walked into the diner dressed very similar to what I was wearing - a blue oxford shirt and khakis. He smirked when he saw me.
"What the hell are you doing?" he smiled. I looked down at my hand holding the pot of coffee. I laughed.
"Huh. I have NO idea, it just sorta happened," I smirked, shaking my head in disbelief at what I had done, and put the coffee pot back on the burner. Just then Jackson came into the diner.
"Hey guys, ready to go?" he said a little too enthusiastically.
"Whoa there, bucko, hold your horses, we're still waiting for Randy," Luke commented then turned to me. "This is the first time he's been out since the baby was born, so he's a little antsy," he smiled.
"Am not!" Jackson replied, but laughed because he knew it was true. Randy walked in just as Luke was going to rebut his comment.
"Dude!" Randy said with open arms and he and Luke bear-hugged. "It's great to see you!"
"Same here, Randy, it seems like it's been a really long time, I wish you didn't move to Maine!" Luke said, looking uncharacteristically happy. "Oh, Randy, this is my nephew Jess, and this is my friend Jackson," Luke said introducing us. We all did a round of hand-shaking. "Randy is my oldest friend, we ran track together at Stars Hollow High," he said proudly.
"Yeah, and we also got into plenty of trouble around here, too!" Randy said with a laugh.
"Really? I'd like to hear all about this, Randy," I said raising my eyebrow to Luke.
"He doesn't need to hear any of it," Luke said gruffly to Randy.
"Uh, oh, sore subject? Jess, I could tell you stories about this one," he patted Luke on the back as they all left the diner and headed for the rental car. Luke narrowed his eyes at him. "What's the matter, Luke? You don't want Jess to know that you were about as much of a troublemaker at 17 than he was?" he laughed.
"You did NOT hear that," Luke said sternly to Jess.
"Hear what, Uncle Luke? That I'm a chip off the old block?" I teased, starting the engine. "By the way, where the hell am I going to, anyway?"
"Just head towards Hartford," Luke laughed, punching Randy in the arm, and the two starting wrestling like little kids in the back seat.
"You two better calm down or I'll have to pull this car over!" I yelled, amused at Luke's behavior. I can't wait until these guys have some drinks, they are going to be a riot! Jackson turned around to face them.
"Listen to your father, boys, you don't want him to pull this car over, no do you?" Jackson said in a high-pitched feminine voice. Everyone cracked up laughing. It was nice to see Luke so relaxed for a change.
Jackson directed me where to go and we ended up at a place called the Sports Zone. Figures. The place was nice, with televisions all around the walls showing every imaginable sport. We got a booth and settled in with a pitcher of beer. I had decided on the ride there to just have one beer and then just watch the guys get drunk. Strange that I would end up being the designated driver, but someone had to do it, and these guys look like they need to let loose a little.
The waitresses were all wearing low cut half-shirt football jerseys and short-shorts, like they do at Hooters. This didn't go unnoticed by Jackson. "Jackson, you look like you've seen your first vegetable!" Luke laughed and everyone followed his eyes to the waitress he was watching.
"Hey, no picking on me! I've been trapped in my house for months! You can't blame a guy for looking!" he laughed.
We ordered a ton of food and it seemed like the pitchers of beer were emptying faster than the waitresses could fill them at our table. The place was really crowded for a Monday night, but hey, Monday night football, so go figure. We stayed there until 1:00 am. Poor Luke, he was trashed. I told him that I'd open the diner tomorrow so he could sleep it off, and he gladly accepted. The rowdiness subsided, as we got closer to Stars Hollow. I dropped Jackson off at his house, Randy at the Inn, then Luke at Lorelai's. Her jeep was in the driveway, so their night had probably already ended. The light in her bedroom was off, she's probably already sleeping. I wish I could see that. Luke gave me a drunken hug and staggered up the steps to the house. I shook my head and laughed at how funny he looked, so unlike him to be out of control. Maybe I should have offered to help him into the house. Then I could have peeked into her room to see her.
I parked the car on the side street along the diner and went in the back entrance to the dark apartment. I flicked the light on over the kitchen table and threw my keys on it. My journal was gone. How weird is that? I looked around quickly and spotted it on Luke's old bed. I don't remember carrying it over to Luke's bed. I had brought my book there earlier, but not the journal.
I walked over and looked at it, almost afraid to touch it. A pen was stuck in the book again. HER. She was here! I opened the book up to the page that was marked with the pen.
Hey Dodger -
I can't believe this journal is still empty! I was hoping to get a preview of another best-seller! So, out painting the town red with the boys tonight, huh? I hope you don't stay out too late. Get some rest. See you soon.
Love, Rory
I couldn't believe my eyes. She was up here. Looking around, nosing around in my stuff probably. 'See you soon,' she had said. Christ, I've been here for almost 2 days now and haven't seen her. She knew I was out, that's why she did it. But what if I decided not to go? I smiled at that thought. Maybe it would have been she and I in that bed and not just my journal. I set the book down and walked over to my old dresser. I opened the drawer and the Metallica t-shirt was gone. I smiled. She took it back. She wanted something of mine. Huh. I stripped down to my boxers and brushed my teeth and slipped into bed. I re-read her note one more time, relishing the thought that she was nearby. Part of me wanted to run to her house and tap on her window like I used to so long ago. Then I remembered that I promised to open the diner for Luke tomorrow. That means getting up at 4:45. I need the few hours sleep that I can manage to get, so I decided that seeing her would just have to wait another day. I laid back and closed my eyes and feel sound asleep until the alarm blared at me a few hours later.
I got up and showered, putting on a Henley shirt and a pair of jeans. I went downstairs and turned the lights on, unlocked the door, turned the sign over to open, then started the coffee and got the kitchen up and running. It was amazing that I was able to do it on autopilot, as if I had only done it yesterday or something. Around 6:30 I was finishing taking the chairs off the tables and setting them properly when John, Luke's new cook, came in and was startled to see me standing in the kitchen. "Hey, you must be John, I'm Jess - Luke's nephew. Luke had a bit of a rough night at his bachelor party so I offered to open for him, while he sleeps it off," I explained.
"Oh, okay, well nice to meet you Jess, I guess I'll just get started then," he said wrapping an apron around his waist and firing up the stove. He looked around. "You really know what you're doing around here, you're ahead of where Luke usually is in the set up process by now. So, you want something before the crowd starts coming in?" he added. Nice guy.
"Nah, I'll just make myself some toast," I said, leaving him to the kitchen duties. "Anyway, I think Luke's starting to slow down in his old age," I called out over my shoulder as I poured myself a cup of coffee. "Hey John, want some coffee?" I added.
"Sure," he answered. I poured him a cup and brought it into the kitchen. When I walked back out to the counter it hit me how at home I felt there. As if I had never left. Maybe there was a story in me about this experience. Huh.
"John, I'll be right back," I called to him and ran upstairs. I picked up the journal and pen and ran back downstairs. Of course, as soon as I had walked away, Kirk came into the diner and sat at the counter. He was just sitting there, twiddling his thumbs. "Hey, Kirk, coffee?" I asked as I set the journal down next to the register.
"Oh! Jess! Um, hello! Um, sure, coffee would be great. Where's Luke?" he stared at me intensely.
"Geez, Kirk, relax. I'm here for Luke's wedding this weekend. We had his bachelor party last night and he's sleeping it off, so I offered to help him out," I said pouring his coffee.
"You know, I've asked Luke a number of times if he would consider hiring me and he's turned me down every time. This would be an excellent example of a time when he could have taken advantage of my skills to his benefit," he rambled.
"But Kirk, I'm here. And I already know what to do," I said rolling my eyes, not wanting to continue this conversation for another second. He started to open his mouth in rebuttal.
"Kirk! Do you know what you want to eat?" I huffed. I sounded a little too much like Luke at that moment. Scary.
"Sausage and cheddar omelet, rye toast," he said quickly, sensing that I was getting annoyed with him. So much for him getting his life together. He was exactly the same as when I left. He may actually be even more pathetic than I had thought he would be at this point. I mean, he would actually WANT to work for Luke. Luke had no patience with that man.
The breakfast rush went by quickly. My head would snap up every time I heard that bell ring, but no Rory.
Luke staggered into the diner around 10:30, looking tired, but not as hung over as I had expected him to. "Jess, I can't thank you enough for opening for me," he said wearily as I finished bussing the last breakfast table. I went to the register, untying my apron as I got there and put the order slips in a pile as Luke put his apron on and grabbed a fresh order pack. "Consider yourself relieved," he said with a nod.
"Aye, aye, captain," I said with a salute. I grabbed my journal and headed out the door moving with alacrity straight to the bridge. Something told me that she'll be there this time. And this time I won't be asleep when she appears.
End of chapter five.
A/N: Thank you all for the terrific reviews - I'm glad you're enjoying my story! I'm on a roll with this one, I seem to have no problem cranking out the chapters. Let me know what you think should happen next!
Chapter Five
I showered and shaved and got ready for the bachelor party. When I came downstairs at 7:00, the diner was pretty busy. I instinctively grabbed the coffee pot and walked around, refilling cups. Luke walked into the diner dressed very similar to what I was wearing - a blue oxford shirt and khakis. He smirked when he saw me.
"What the hell are you doing?" he smiled. I looked down at my hand holding the pot of coffee. I laughed.
"Huh. I have NO idea, it just sorta happened," I smirked, shaking my head in disbelief at what I had done, and put the coffee pot back on the burner. Just then Jackson came into the diner.
"Hey guys, ready to go?" he said a little too enthusiastically.
"Whoa there, bucko, hold your horses, we're still waiting for Randy," Luke commented then turned to me. "This is the first time he's been out since the baby was born, so he's a little antsy," he smiled.
"Am not!" Jackson replied, but laughed because he knew it was true. Randy walked in just as Luke was going to rebut his comment.
"Dude!" Randy said with open arms and he and Luke bear-hugged. "It's great to see you!"
"Same here, Randy, it seems like it's been a really long time, I wish you didn't move to Maine!" Luke said, looking uncharacteristically happy. "Oh, Randy, this is my nephew Jess, and this is my friend Jackson," Luke said introducing us. We all did a round of hand-shaking. "Randy is my oldest friend, we ran track together at Stars Hollow High," he said proudly.
"Yeah, and we also got into plenty of trouble around here, too!" Randy said with a laugh.
"Really? I'd like to hear all about this, Randy," I said raising my eyebrow to Luke.
"He doesn't need to hear any of it," Luke said gruffly to Randy.
"Uh, oh, sore subject? Jess, I could tell you stories about this one," he patted Luke on the back as they all left the diner and headed for the rental car. Luke narrowed his eyes at him. "What's the matter, Luke? You don't want Jess to know that you were about as much of a troublemaker at 17 than he was?" he laughed.
"You did NOT hear that," Luke said sternly to Jess.
"Hear what, Uncle Luke? That I'm a chip off the old block?" I teased, starting the engine. "By the way, where the hell am I going to, anyway?"
"Just head towards Hartford," Luke laughed, punching Randy in the arm, and the two starting wrestling like little kids in the back seat.
"You two better calm down or I'll have to pull this car over!" I yelled, amused at Luke's behavior. I can't wait until these guys have some drinks, they are going to be a riot! Jackson turned around to face them.
"Listen to your father, boys, you don't want him to pull this car over, no do you?" Jackson said in a high-pitched feminine voice. Everyone cracked up laughing. It was nice to see Luke so relaxed for a change.
Jackson directed me where to go and we ended up at a place called the Sports Zone. Figures. The place was nice, with televisions all around the walls showing every imaginable sport. We got a booth and settled in with a pitcher of beer. I had decided on the ride there to just have one beer and then just watch the guys get drunk. Strange that I would end up being the designated driver, but someone had to do it, and these guys look like they need to let loose a little.
The waitresses were all wearing low cut half-shirt football jerseys and short-shorts, like they do at Hooters. This didn't go unnoticed by Jackson. "Jackson, you look like you've seen your first vegetable!" Luke laughed and everyone followed his eyes to the waitress he was watching.
"Hey, no picking on me! I've been trapped in my house for months! You can't blame a guy for looking!" he laughed.
We ordered a ton of food and it seemed like the pitchers of beer were emptying faster than the waitresses could fill them at our table. The place was really crowded for a Monday night, but hey, Monday night football, so go figure. We stayed there until 1:00 am. Poor Luke, he was trashed. I told him that I'd open the diner tomorrow so he could sleep it off, and he gladly accepted. The rowdiness subsided, as we got closer to Stars Hollow. I dropped Jackson off at his house, Randy at the Inn, then Luke at Lorelai's. Her jeep was in the driveway, so their night had probably already ended. The light in her bedroom was off, she's probably already sleeping. I wish I could see that. Luke gave me a drunken hug and staggered up the steps to the house. I shook my head and laughed at how funny he looked, so unlike him to be out of control. Maybe I should have offered to help him into the house. Then I could have peeked into her room to see her.
I parked the car on the side street along the diner and went in the back entrance to the dark apartment. I flicked the light on over the kitchen table and threw my keys on it. My journal was gone. How weird is that? I looked around quickly and spotted it on Luke's old bed. I don't remember carrying it over to Luke's bed. I had brought my book there earlier, but not the journal.
I walked over and looked at it, almost afraid to touch it. A pen was stuck in the book again. HER. She was here! I opened the book up to the page that was marked with the pen.
Hey Dodger -
I can't believe this journal is still empty! I was hoping to get a preview of another best-seller! So, out painting the town red with the boys tonight, huh? I hope you don't stay out too late. Get some rest. See you soon.
Love, Rory
I couldn't believe my eyes. She was up here. Looking around, nosing around in my stuff probably. 'See you soon,' she had said. Christ, I've been here for almost 2 days now and haven't seen her. She knew I was out, that's why she did it. But what if I decided not to go? I smiled at that thought. Maybe it would have been she and I in that bed and not just my journal. I set the book down and walked over to my old dresser. I opened the drawer and the Metallica t-shirt was gone. I smiled. She took it back. She wanted something of mine. Huh. I stripped down to my boxers and brushed my teeth and slipped into bed. I re-read her note one more time, relishing the thought that she was nearby. Part of me wanted to run to her house and tap on her window like I used to so long ago. Then I remembered that I promised to open the diner for Luke tomorrow. That means getting up at 4:45. I need the few hours sleep that I can manage to get, so I decided that seeing her would just have to wait another day. I laid back and closed my eyes and feel sound asleep until the alarm blared at me a few hours later.
I got up and showered, putting on a Henley shirt and a pair of jeans. I went downstairs and turned the lights on, unlocked the door, turned the sign over to open, then started the coffee and got the kitchen up and running. It was amazing that I was able to do it on autopilot, as if I had only done it yesterday or something. Around 6:30 I was finishing taking the chairs off the tables and setting them properly when John, Luke's new cook, came in and was startled to see me standing in the kitchen. "Hey, you must be John, I'm Jess - Luke's nephew. Luke had a bit of a rough night at his bachelor party so I offered to open for him, while he sleeps it off," I explained.
"Oh, okay, well nice to meet you Jess, I guess I'll just get started then," he said wrapping an apron around his waist and firing up the stove. He looked around. "You really know what you're doing around here, you're ahead of where Luke usually is in the set up process by now. So, you want something before the crowd starts coming in?" he added. Nice guy.
"Nah, I'll just make myself some toast," I said, leaving him to the kitchen duties. "Anyway, I think Luke's starting to slow down in his old age," I called out over my shoulder as I poured myself a cup of coffee. "Hey John, want some coffee?" I added.
"Sure," he answered. I poured him a cup and brought it into the kitchen. When I walked back out to the counter it hit me how at home I felt there. As if I had never left. Maybe there was a story in me about this experience. Huh.
"John, I'll be right back," I called to him and ran upstairs. I picked up the journal and pen and ran back downstairs. Of course, as soon as I had walked away, Kirk came into the diner and sat at the counter. He was just sitting there, twiddling his thumbs. "Hey, Kirk, coffee?" I asked as I set the journal down next to the register.
"Oh! Jess! Um, hello! Um, sure, coffee would be great. Where's Luke?" he stared at me intensely.
"Geez, Kirk, relax. I'm here for Luke's wedding this weekend. We had his bachelor party last night and he's sleeping it off, so I offered to help him out," I said pouring his coffee.
"You know, I've asked Luke a number of times if he would consider hiring me and he's turned me down every time. This would be an excellent example of a time when he could have taken advantage of my skills to his benefit," he rambled.
"But Kirk, I'm here. And I already know what to do," I said rolling my eyes, not wanting to continue this conversation for another second. He started to open his mouth in rebuttal.
"Kirk! Do you know what you want to eat?" I huffed. I sounded a little too much like Luke at that moment. Scary.
"Sausage and cheddar omelet, rye toast," he said quickly, sensing that I was getting annoyed with him. So much for him getting his life together. He was exactly the same as when I left. He may actually be even more pathetic than I had thought he would be at this point. I mean, he would actually WANT to work for Luke. Luke had no patience with that man.
The breakfast rush went by quickly. My head would snap up every time I heard that bell ring, but no Rory.
Luke staggered into the diner around 10:30, looking tired, but not as hung over as I had expected him to. "Jess, I can't thank you enough for opening for me," he said wearily as I finished bussing the last breakfast table. I went to the register, untying my apron as I got there and put the order slips in a pile as Luke put his apron on and grabbed a fresh order pack. "Consider yourself relieved," he said with a nod.
"Aye, aye, captain," I said with a salute. I grabbed my journal and headed out the door moving with alacrity straight to the bridge. Something told me that she'll be there this time. And this time I won't be asleep when she appears.
End of chapter five.
A/N: Thank you all for the terrific reviews - I'm glad you're enjoying my story! I'm on a roll with this one, I seem to have no problem cranking out the chapters. Let me know what you think should happen next!