Chapter 11
"I'll leave you alone now," the girl states turning to leave.
Rory knows that she should offer her help to the younger girl but instead she nods and sits back into the pew, she also knows she should get back to her mother but right now she needed to be alone. The stress of the day catches up with Rory quickly and despite the uncomfortable pew she slips into a light sleep.
"Do you Lorelai Gilmore take him Jess Mariano to have and to hold, for better or worse, in sickness and in health 'til death do you part?"
"I do."
"And do you Jess Mariano take her Lorelai Gilmore to have and to hold, for better or worse, in sickness and in health 'til death do you part?"
"I do."
"Then I pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss the bride."
"Mommy! Mommy! Come look," a dark haired girl who Rory knows has to be her and Jess' daughter, "Daddy taught me how to hold my breath under water!"
Rory smiles at her daughter, who grabs her hand and drags her to their pool, "all right show me."
"All right Lorel jump in," Jess urges their daughter from inside the pool.
"Okay!" The youngest Lorelai plugs her nose and then jumps into her father's waiting arms. "Now watch Mommy!" Lorel makes a big show of taking a deep breath and then putting her face in the water, where she remains for several seconds before she lifts her head out of the water shaking her hair out of her face. "Did you see Mommy?"
"I saw." Rory grins, "good jump, you're going to be swimming by yourself in no time."
"I know," Lorel giggles, "that's what Daddy said!"
"Mom can you stop with the pictures?" 15-year-old Lorel Mariano requests her hands on her hips.
"I just want to get pictures of your first day at Chilton, I know you'll love it there." Rory states snapping more pictures, "besides some of these are for Grandma Gilmore."
"It's just my first day of high school, I don't know why it's such a big deal anyway." Lorel responds, "it's just school."
"I know," Rory sighs, "all right I'm done. Your Dad is going to take you to school, just today and then you can start taking the bus every other day, all right?"
"All right," Lorel nods, "I love you Mom."
Rory hugs her daughter tightly, "I love you too, have a good first day."
"Mom we have to leave, we're going to be late to our senior prom." Lorel clings tightly to her boyfriend James Gellar-Woodworth.
Rory is nearly on the verge of tears watching her daughter in the gorgeous dark blue gown Lorelai had made for her granddaughter for her senior prom, "I know, all right. Be safe, all right?"
"My Mom all ready gave us the safe sex and drinking and driving speech Lorelai," James laughs as he takes Lorel's hand.
"Besides, Paris is a lot more blunt about it then you are." Lorel smiles at her mother, "I'll be late you don't have to wait up!"
"Three o'clock curfew!" Jess calls after Lorel before slipping his arm around Rory's waist.
"All right! Bye!"
"Do I look all right?" Lorel faces her parents smoothing the gorgeous white dress down in front.
"You look gorgeous," Jess quickly assures, "there's never been a more beautiful bride, with the exception of your mother. I know James will think the same thing."
Rory carefully adjusts Lorel's hair and her veil, "you and James are going to be so happy."
"I know," Lore nods, "and you know how I know?"
"How?" Rory asks.
"I know because I've grown up with you and Dad and I know you guys had your arguments but you were happy most the time and you made my life happy and that's what I want to have with James.
Rory and Jess exchange glances, smiles and a kiss, Rory finally responds, "you will have what we have with James, I'm sure of it."
Jess stands before Rory his skin is flawless, as if he hadn't died in a fire, and he wears all white, a smile across his face as he holds a small baby in his arms, "Rory I'm okay, it's all right, I'm going to take care of our baby."
Rory feels the tears streaming down her cheeks, "no, I need you here with me. Please Jess, please just come back to me."
"Rory this is what is meant to be," Jess whispers, "you'll be all right I promise."
"You're wrong, I can't be all right without you before, I wasn't all right in New York no matter how much I faked it and I don't want to be all right without you."
"Rory, Rory wake up," Rory is shaken awake by Georgia.
Rory's eyes are nearly swollen shut by her tears but within a few seconds she is able to focus on the little girl standing in front of her holding a teddy bear, "how'd you get here?"
"Lane." Georgia whispers and Rory realizes that she is nervous. "I'm sorry about Jess," Georgia whispers offering Rory the teddy bear.
Instead of taking the present Rory lifts Georgia onto her lap and she wraps her arms tightly around the little girl, who clings to Rory as well, "I love you Georgia."
"I love you too Rory." Georgia whispers into Rory's hair.
Holding Georgia tightly Rory realizes that she has to stop falling apart, because she has to take care of Georgia and she can't do that if she couldn't hold herself together. So Rory makes a vow that she's not going to fall apart in front of Georgia, she is going to force herself to stay put together so long as Georgia is around. Rory clears her throat, "let's go find my mom all right?" Unwilling to let her sister go Rory carries her back to where she'd left Lorelai and she finds that Luke is with her. Luke's eyes are swollen with tears but he isn't crying and he is filling out Lorelai's release forms since she is unable to use her hand.
"Are we ready to go?" Rory asks hugging Georgia close to her.
Lorelai nods, "yes, Dean said he'd take us home. Luke's going to stay with us for awhile, all right?"
Rory nods, "of course." Georgia settles her head on Rory's shoulder, and the tears that now wet Rory's shoulder and the soft sniffles give away Georgia's own tears.
"I'll take her," Dean offers once they find him near the exit of the hospital.
Rory shakes her head, needing the comfort that holding the little girl lends her, "I'm fine, but thank you."
"Rory..."
"Dean, please, just don't say anything I couldn't handle it right now." Rory responds in a soft whisper shooting a look at her mother and Luke, they have their arms wrapped around each other and Rory can't tell who is holding who up.
Dean nods, "all right but if you need too..."
"I know," Rory whispers.
"Rory wait," they are in the parking lot Lane and Dean flank either side of Rory lending her their support when Kirk skids to a stop in front of them
"What is it Kirk?" Rory asks, "we are supposed to meet my mom and Luke at the car.
"I um," Kirk looks back and forth between Lorelai and Luke, "I need to, uh, talk to you, Rory."
"Kirk, can't it wait?" Rory asks shifting Georgia's weight.
"It's kind of important Rory." Kirk responds, "please."
"Fine," Rory moves Georgia, who had fallen asleep, to Dean's waiting arm and allows herself to be dragged back toward the hospital. "What is going on Kirk?"
"Just follow me." Kirk orders dragging Rory back toward the hospital.
"Kirk, please I'm not in the mood for whatever it is you are up to." Rory snaps.
"Rory for once just trust me," Kirk requests and Rory falls silent until they stop at a door. "Go in."
"Kirk I'm not here on some community service project. I just want to go home."
Kirk opens the door and forces Rory in, "just go."
Rory stands with her back to the door, her heart in her throat, 'no,' Rory thinks to herself, 'don't get your hopes up, this isn't Jess, the entire building collapsed on him, there's no way he is in that bed. But Kirk is insistent, just go see.' Walking over to the man Rory peers down, trying to see past the welts and the burned skin and when she realized who it was it was all she could do to keep from throwing her arms around him.
On the next Gilmore Girls:
"Rory," Jess croaks, "I tried to get to you."
Rory's lip trembles, "Jess?"
"He's suffering from severe trauma to his neck and spine."
"What does that mean, exactly?"
"It means, he may never be able to walk again."
"I'll leave you alone now," the girl states turning to leave.
Rory knows that she should offer her help to the younger girl but instead she nods and sits back into the pew, she also knows she should get back to her mother but right now she needed to be alone. The stress of the day catches up with Rory quickly and despite the uncomfortable pew she slips into a light sleep.
"Do you Lorelai Gilmore take him Jess Mariano to have and to hold, for better or worse, in sickness and in health 'til death do you part?"
"I do."
"And do you Jess Mariano take her Lorelai Gilmore to have and to hold, for better or worse, in sickness and in health 'til death do you part?"
"I do."
"Then I pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss the bride."
"Mommy! Mommy! Come look," a dark haired girl who Rory knows has to be her and Jess' daughter, "Daddy taught me how to hold my breath under water!"
Rory smiles at her daughter, who grabs her hand and drags her to their pool, "all right show me."
"All right Lorel jump in," Jess urges their daughter from inside the pool.
"Okay!" The youngest Lorelai plugs her nose and then jumps into her father's waiting arms. "Now watch Mommy!" Lorel makes a big show of taking a deep breath and then putting her face in the water, where she remains for several seconds before she lifts her head out of the water shaking her hair out of her face. "Did you see Mommy?"
"I saw." Rory grins, "good jump, you're going to be swimming by yourself in no time."
"I know," Lorel giggles, "that's what Daddy said!"
"Mom can you stop with the pictures?" 15-year-old Lorel Mariano requests her hands on her hips.
"I just want to get pictures of your first day at Chilton, I know you'll love it there." Rory states snapping more pictures, "besides some of these are for Grandma Gilmore."
"It's just my first day of high school, I don't know why it's such a big deal anyway." Lorel responds, "it's just school."
"I know," Rory sighs, "all right I'm done. Your Dad is going to take you to school, just today and then you can start taking the bus every other day, all right?"
"All right," Lorel nods, "I love you Mom."
Rory hugs her daughter tightly, "I love you too, have a good first day."
"Mom we have to leave, we're going to be late to our senior prom." Lorel clings tightly to her boyfriend James Gellar-Woodworth.
Rory is nearly on the verge of tears watching her daughter in the gorgeous dark blue gown Lorelai had made for her granddaughter for her senior prom, "I know, all right. Be safe, all right?"
"My Mom all ready gave us the safe sex and drinking and driving speech Lorelai," James laughs as he takes Lorel's hand.
"Besides, Paris is a lot more blunt about it then you are." Lorel smiles at her mother, "I'll be late you don't have to wait up!"
"Three o'clock curfew!" Jess calls after Lorel before slipping his arm around Rory's waist.
"All right! Bye!"
"Do I look all right?" Lorel faces her parents smoothing the gorgeous white dress down in front.
"You look gorgeous," Jess quickly assures, "there's never been a more beautiful bride, with the exception of your mother. I know James will think the same thing."
Rory carefully adjusts Lorel's hair and her veil, "you and James are going to be so happy."
"I know," Lore nods, "and you know how I know?"
"How?" Rory asks.
"I know because I've grown up with you and Dad and I know you guys had your arguments but you were happy most the time and you made my life happy and that's what I want to have with James.
Rory and Jess exchange glances, smiles and a kiss, Rory finally responds, "you will have what we have with James, I'm sure of it."
Jess stands before Rory his skin is flawless, as if he hadn't died in a fire, and he wears all white, a smile across his face as he holds a small baby in his arms, "Rory I'm okay, it's all right, I'm going to take care of our baby."
Rory feels the tears streaming down her cheeks, "no, I need you here with me. Please Jess, please just come back to me."
"Rory this is what is meant to be," Jess whispers, "you'll be all right I promise."
"You're wrong, I can't be all right without you before, I wasn't all right in New York no matter how much I faked it and I don't want to be all right without you."
"Rory, Rory wake up," Rory is shaken awake by Georgia.
Rory's eyes are nearly swollen shut by her tears but within a few seconds she is able to focus on the little girl standing in front of her holding a teddy bear, "how'd you get here?"
"Lane." Georgia whispers and Rory realizes that she is nervous. "I'm sorry about Jess," Georgia whispers offering Rory the teddy bear.
Instead of taking the present Rory lifts Georgia onto her lap and she wraps her arms tightly around the little girl, who clings to Rory as well, "I love you Georgia."
"I love you too Rory." Georgia whispers into Rory's hair.
Holding Georgia tightly Rory realizes that she has to stop falling apart, because she has to take care of Georgia and she can't do that if she couldn't hold herself together. So Rory makes a vow that she's not going to fall apart in front of Georgia, she is going to force herself to stay put together so long as Georgia is around. Rory clears her throat, "let's go find my mom all right?" Unwilling to let her sister go Rory carries her back to where she'd left Lorelai and she finds that Luke is with her. Luke's eyes are swollen with tears but he isn't crying and he is filling out Lorelai's release forms since she is unable to use her hand.
"Are we ready to go?" Rory asks hugging Georgia close to her.
Lorelai nods, "yes, Dean said he'd take us home. Luke's going to stay with us for awhile, all right?"
Rory nods, "of course." Georgia settles her head on Rory's shoulder, and the tears that now wet Rory's shoulder and the soft sniffles give away Georgia's own tears.
"I'll take her," Dean offers once they find him near the exit of the hospital.
Rory shakes her head, needing the comfort that holding the little girl lends her, "I'm fine, but thank you."
"Rory..."
"Dean, please, just don't say anything I couldn't handle it right now." Rory responds in a soft whisper shooting a look at her mother and Luke, they have their arms wrapped around each other and Rory can't tell who is holding who up.
Dean nods, "all right but if you need too..."
"I know," Rory whispers.
"Rory wait," they are in the parking lot Lane and Dean flank either side of Rory lending her their support when Kirk skids to a stop in front of them
"What is it Kirk?" Rory asks, "we are supposed to meet my mom and Luke at the car.
"I um," Kirk looks back and forth between Lorelai and Luke, "I need to, uh, talk to you, Rory."
"Kirk, can't it wait?" Rory asks shifting Georgia's weight.
"It's kind of important Rory." Kirk responds, "please."
"Fine," Rory moves Georgia, who had fallen asleep, to Dean's waiting arm and allows herself to be dragged back toward the hospital. "What is going on Kirk?"
"Just follow me." Kirk orders dragging Rory back toward the hospital.
"Kirk, please I'm not in the mood for whatever it is you are up to." Rory snaps.
"Rory for once just trust me," Kirk requests and Rory falls silent until they stop at a door. "Go in."
"Kirk I'm not here on some community service project. I just want to go home."
Kirk opens the door and forces Rory in, "just go."
Rory stands with her back to the door, her heart in her throat, 'no,' Rory thinks to herself, 'don't get your hopes up, this isn't Jess, the entire building collapsed on him, there's no way he is in that bed. But Kirk is insistent, just go see.' Walking over to the man Rory peers down, trying to see past the welts and the burned skin and when she realized who it was it was all she could do to keep from throwing her arms around him.
On the next Gilmore Girls:
"Rory," Jess croaks, "I tried to get to you."
Rory's lip trembles, "Jess?"
"He's suffering from severe trauma to his neck and spine."
"What does that mean, exactly?"
"It means, he may never be able to walk again."
