Here We Stand - Chapter 2

"What's The Problem?"

A/N - The kid's babies are 11 and 10 months old, Rory and Jess are 22 and 23, Lorelai and Luke are 38 and 39 - just to clear that up! Sorry for the confusion. And a h-u-g-e thanks to everyone who reviewed. I couldn't have imagined a better response! Now, on with the show…

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They had already missed their reservations, and Jess didn't seem to be answering his cell phone. Rory had called it over and over, and now she was beginning to worry. He knew how much this lunch meant to her, he knew how long she had been waiting to see her Mom and Luke. Surely he wouldn't do this on purpose, although, his track record lately could tell you something different.

"Did you try it again?" Lorelai gently asked, pushing some coffee across the kitchen table over Rory's way. She solemnly nodded and wrapped her hands around the warm coffee cup, never looking up.

"Maybe he just couldn't find another shirt or something." Luke added, trying to comfort Rory. He never was good at it, but he always gave it his best shot.

"This is the last time he does this…" Rory whispered to herself, not intending to be overheard. But she was, by Lorelai.

"What do you mean?" Lorelai asked, taking a seat beside her daughter. She knew Jess and Rory were having their problems, but lately they just seemed a little more on edge, a little more standoffish, and a little less happy.

Rory didn't want to bother Lorelai or Luke with any of her and Jess' problems, so she decided quickly to keep them to herself. She would deal with them, and him, later.

"Oh, nothing. I'm sorry about all this…" Rory apologized.

"Don't worry about it. We can do it next weekend, or whenever you guys want. Ok?" Lorelai tried to comfort Rory. She knew something was wrong, and that something deeper was going on than it actually seemed, but she pushed the feeling aside and put on a smile.

Rory took one last sip of her coffee before pushing back her chair and standing up, "I should probably get going, um, do you think could one of you guys give me a ride home?"

Lorelai nodded and smiled while Rory thanked her and went into the living room to grab Lorel and her things. Lorelai watched Rory turn the corner and smacked Luke.

"Ow!" He exclaimed, grabbing her arm and backing away from Lorelai, "What was that for?"

"Oh, uh, maybe he couldn't find another shirt," Lorelai mocked in caveman like tone.

"Hey it was the only thing I could think of. Maybe it's true!"

"What do you think is going on?" Lorelai questioned, periodically glancing over to make sure Rory wasn't coming.

"I don't know and I don't care. Neither should you, its there business."

Lorelai gawked at his non-interest and continued on with her thoughts, "You think they're fighting again? God, I really hoped they would be over with that phase by now."

"Fighting," Luke asked, stunned, "What fighting? They've been fighting?"

"Oh yea, not big blow ups but little, constant arguments apparently."

"Oh," Luke nodded his head and looked like he was in deep thought. Then he shook it quickly and looked at Lorelai, "What a second, why do I care? Again, it's none of our business. If they're having trouble and they want to come to us then I'm all over it. Besides, I'm sure everything is fine." Luke brushed off Lorelai's accusation and then left, picking up Mikey while saying goodbye to Rory then retreating upstairs.

"Ok Mom lets go!" Rory yelled from inside the living room. Lorelai walked to the door and opened it up for Rory, who walked past with Lorel in the stroller and a diaper bag around her shoulder.

"Thanks," she said while carefully going down the steps of the porch.

Lorelai helped Rory place Lorel in the back baby seat and buckle her in. There was only silence and glances exchanged between the two during the whole time, and both were obviously uncomfortable. Lorelai wanted to know what was going on, and Rory knew Lorelai wanted to know what was going on. Lorelai took it upon herself to speak first, since she learned in the past that when her gut told her something - she better listen.

"Ror, is everything Ok with you and Jess?" She asked while the two sat down in the front seats of the Jeep.

"What? Oh, yea of course. Were fine! Great actually, no worries." Rory giggled nervously and placed her hands in her lap, avoiding eye contact.

Lorelai knew this reaction, this look, this feeling. She knew it all to well. When Rory had kept the Brad secret hidden from her, she acted the same way. Lorelai shuddered at the thought.

Brad. At the simple mention of his name, her heart began to pace and her breathing became slightly heavier. 'No,' she thought, 'this is just newly wed, new parent arguments that she doesn't want to talk about. Not… Brad-like secrets.' Or at least she hoped what Rory was hiding wasn't a Brad-like secret.

"Rory… we can talk, about anything. You know that."

Rory nodded and smiled her best fake smile, "Of course I do. There really isn't anything wrong, you don't need to worry."

"But Rory, I…"

Rory cut her off, assuring her everything was fine, "I know Mom. But this time, you really don't have to worry. Ok?"

"Ok," Lorelai sighed, and with that, they were off to Rory's apartment. Silence dominated the whole way there, each Gilmore girl lost in her own thought.

Lorelai was terrified of the 'secret' she thought Rory was hiding, and flashbacks of the night they had found Rory in Luke's apartment ran through her head. As quickly as they came, she pushed them out. 'No!' She kept repeating, louder and louder in her thoughts, 'Jess would never do that to Rory. Everything is fine.' She glanced over at Rory, who was staring out the window towards the sky, and felt her heart drop. What was she hiding?

Rory had no idea what to tell her mother. Not that there was something to tell, which was in fact, the problem. She didn't know what was going on between her and Jess. It just seemed as though they had been arguing more than usual lately and that Rory was sick and tired of it. Something was up with him, and she still had no idea what. Rory felt bad, knowing that her mother was worried… but not being able to do anything about it since she herself didn't know what was going on. She stared off into sky out of her mothers Jeep's window and sighed. Why was he being so… different?

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Jess pulled into the driveway of he and Rory's home and turned off the ignition. He left without saying where he was going, and he didn't really care. He leaned his head back against the headrest and sighed, wondering why lately he had been feeling so, anxious, angry, and standoffish lately. He didn't mean to, it just came off that way and it seemed like he was only happy when he was alone with Lorel, playing a game or watching TV when all his worries and insecurities would float away. He closed his eyes and rubbed underneath his eyes, trying to think when the smell of puke hit his nose hard.

"Oh, damn that's gross!" He yelled, jumping out of the car and ripping off his shirt. In the process, he ended up getting throw up on his arm and a little in his hair as well.

"Oh, great. This is just friggin great," He growled while making his way inside, "Now I've gotta take a shower. God, Rory's going to kill me… just something else for her to put on my 'screw-up' list then point out later when we argue."

He trudged inside and went straight to the bathroom, and into the shower. The warm beads of water hit his back and instantly relaxed all of his muscles, making him sigh and tilt his head upwards. It felt good, it felt relaxing; it felt like he was finally someplace he wanted to be, doing something he wanted to do. He was just getting relaxed when he heard the phone ring; he moved to get out of the shower and get it but stopped just short of leaving the tub. He knew it would be Rory, and right now, he just wanted to relax. He placed himself underneath the water once more and closed his eyes. She could wait.

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Rory climbed out of the Jeep and pulled the seat back to gain access to Lorel.

"Thanks again, Mom." Rory said, unbuckling her daughter.

"Oh really sweets, its no problem. Do you, want me to come in with you or anything?" Lorelai offered, hoping Rory would accept and invite her in.

"No, no its fine. I'm just going to put Lorel down for a nap and then talk to Jess. I'll call you later though." Rory placed Lorel on her hip and with her free hand, then grabbed the diaper bag and stroller. Lorelai nodded and hugged the two goodbye.

"Don't forget!" Lorelai yelled while getting back into the Jeep.

"I won't!" Rory answered, halfway to her front door. Rory watched Lorelai leave and waved goodbye, trying to get Lorel to do the same.

"Say goodbye to Grandma baby, say goodbye!" Rory was waving Lorel's hand for her as she was giggling and kicking her feet. They watched Lorelai's jeep disappear down the road, and then turned around to head inside. 'Oh boy,' she thought, 'he better have one hell of an explanation this time.'

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A/N - Ok, I decided where I'm going with this now and I think you'll like it. Especially if you like the whole twist and turn plots :D Anyways, if you want more please R&R!