Run to the Bridge

Chapter 3 – Yes, I want to be there

Disclaimer: I've written this so many times…I don't own GG, in fact, I don't own very much in this story. Just the idea, etc.

A/N: I'm SO sorry it's been so long! I keep thinking I should type, but I end up doing other things, like making banners…reading other fics…I'll try to update regularly, but I'm not sure with homework and everything. I'll update as quickly as I can…Oh jeez, it's really been a long time, I started typing this a couple weeks ago…hopefully they'll be a little quicker from now on. I'm way too good at procrastinating… Oh, if I'm getting too repetitive about anything in a story, please let me know! I kinda think I am, I'm not sure…please tell me what you think! I know this chapter isn't that great, but…there are a lot of limits in a R/J story that's just from Rory's perspective, so she has to be there a lot… Hope you like this! ~Arianna

Jess and I stayed at the bridge for a while. I could tell he didn't want to face the rest of the town yet, much less face his dad. And in Stars Hollow, this was sure to get around. Jess didn't act scared very often. I knew that in some ways he was tougher than I was. But in others…

I definitely didn't think any less of him. He was my best friend. I wasn't gonna tell anyone if he cried. But I also knew that he hated feeling like this. So I let him know I would be there, and for then, I left it at that.

But we had to go back eventually…I remembered what had happened the last time we both fell asleep on the bridge. So, still silently, we started walking back to the diner together.

I think Jess was concentrating on something else. He had the look on his face I know so well, the one where he's thinking hard and won't talk. But there was a different twist to it now, and I knew why. As we approached the diner, I saw that my mom was the only customer. And as we continually got closer, I heard her and Luke talking. Luke was storming around the diner, slamming various objects on tables.

"Luke, you look even worse today than you did this morning," Mom commented.

"Do I." It wasn't a question. He must be seriously annoyed, I thought.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

Luke shoved the coffee pot back on the stove. It spilled; the other burners started steaming. "Damn," he muttered. Looking up, he said, "Jimmy's here."

Mom seemed confused; so was I. And equally curious. "Jimmy?"

"Jess' father," he replied shortly.

"Oh my God…"

"Yeah. Runs off the day he's born, won't face his life or his family, goes off to have fun somewhere out West, comes back here on a whim…"

"Whoa. You hate him, huh?"

He started cleaning tables furiously. "You could say that."

"Do you know why he came back?" Mom asked softly.

"No…"

I didn't need to hear any more. I hadn't known Luke hated Jimmy so much…I hadn't known anything about Jess' dad until today. Jess and I had never discussed it; it hadn't seemed important, I guess.

I glanced at Jess, and I saw that he'd heard at least part of the conversation between my mom and Luke. He looked pretty angry. I caught his eye, and he looked at me, silently saying Please don't ask me if I'm okay… I didn't.

We entered the diner together. Mom and Luke both looked up. Luke looked back at the table when he saw Jess and I, as if he didn't want us to know what he was thinking.

"Hey," Mom called. I noticed her quick, worried glance at Jess, and hoped he hadn't seen it. But I didn't think he had. He looked at me for a minute and then headed toward Luke.

"Hey Mom," I replied, going over to her.

"I'm gonna go home now," she said to me. "Got work to do…ugh. Meet you there?"

"Okay." She left. "I'll have a burger, fries, and coffee," I said to no one in particular. "Luke?" He had disappeared into the kitchen.

"Coming," he told me. I went over to Jess, who was standing near the counter.

"Hey."

"Hey," he answered. "Rory…I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For…I know I've said about three words since this morning, and you've been with me all day, and…I just don't feel like talking. But—" he paused—"I'm glad you were there…"

I smiled at him, slightly. "Hey, I'm always there. I want to be."

"Good," he said quietly.

"Luke came out of the kitchen and gave me my burger and fries, and of course the coffee.

"Thanks," I said, putting it down on the nearest table. Luke still looked relatively annoyed.

"I can't believe I didn't see it!" Jess said angrily to Luke. Knowing there was gonna be an argument, I focused my attention on my burger. I would have left, but I was pretty sure they wouldn't mind me being there. Jess would eventually tell me everything later.

"See what?" Luke demanded.

"I've been working a lot," Jess said sarcastically, imitating Luke, following him into the supply room, refusing to let Luke ignore him. "'I was open late.' You knew he was here!"

"I—" Luke started to say.

"You knew who he was, he was right in front of my face, and you didn't tell me!"

"Jess, that's not—"

"Fine! You knew I had no idea who he was. Let me think my father was just some idiot in the diner, which he probably is anyway. Were too scared to admit your 'old enemy' was here—you couldn't take a minute to tell me—" Jess was furious, with himself as well as with everyone else, except possibly me, and he was taking it out on Luke.

"Jess, you're wrong—I didn't know until this afternoon—"

"No! I know your father died, okay? You knew him—you have his store! You have no idea what that was like!" Jess fell silent. I felt my heart wrenching for him, and suddenly I wasn't so hungry anymore.

Luke didn't answer; stared after Jess, shocked and probably hurt, as Jess stormed out of the supply room. Apologetically, I left my plate on the counter, half-finished.

Jess came over to me, really upset. I glanced at the door to see if Luke was still in the supply room; then I reached over and gave him a hug. He didn't protest, even though I half expected him to. He even hugged me back, sort of. God, why does his father have to do this?

I held him for a while, then finally let go.

"You okay?"

He nodded. "Yeah. Rory, I…"

"What are friends for?"

"Thanks anyway," he said. I smiled. "Meet me here tomorrow?"

" 'Course."

"See ya, Ror." Jess turned and slowly walked up the stairs to the apartment.

"See ya, Jess," I said softly.

I wished there were something more I could do…it wasn't fair. Not to me; definitely not to Jess. What was there? Except to be there for him, and hope it would all be okay.

But that just didn't seem like enough.