Chapter 15

"It wasn't really that bad was it?" Lane is asking into the phone as Rory sits in the kitchen explaining out Georgia's interview the day before had gone.

"It really was, she said she didn't want to go there but I never figured she would purposely make herself unacceptable." Georgia walks by then and she giggles and Rory can't help but laugh at her sister.

"So what time did you guys get home last night?" Lane asks.

"Not until late," Rory responds, "we stopped at our all time favorite diner in the city for dinner, it's nothing like Luke's but we ate there a lot when we were in the city."

"Tell Lane they have the best fried potatoes in the entire world!" Georgia exclaims enthusiastically.

Rory repeats the statement and Lane comments, "you sound like you miss the city all of a sudden."

"Yeah, I guess I do, I didn't realize it until I went back. I guess I do miss it, but it's so different from Stars Hollow, everything about it is different."

"So I'm guessing your rethinking staying."

"I don't know what I'm doing, and I wish I could just stop thinking about it but I can't because I have to figure these things out. But I do know that I don't want to talk about it anymore."

"Rory come on we have to go to the hospital." Lorelai rushes into the kitchen.

"Why? What's wrong?"

"Jess' doctor has some news, but Jess wants you to be there before the doctor gives him the news."

"All right," Rory speaks into the phone, "Lane I have to go, I'll call you later." Turning to her mother as she hurries out the door with Georgia at her heels she asks, "where's Luke?"

"He's at the hospital, he just called me on my cell phone." Lorelai responds.

45 minutes later everyone is seated in chairs around Jess' hospital room when his doctor comes in, "it's good to see all of you again," the doctor greets formally.

"What do the results say?" Luke asks immediately.

"The swelling around Jess' spinal cord has gone down so we did another MRI to see how things looked in his back and the results are hopeful."

"Hopeful?" Lorelai asks as Rory holds her breath, wanting to hear everything before getting her hopes up.

"The chances of Jess walking again are nearly 90% meaning with a lot of physical therapy Jess will be able to walk again without a problem, but it's a long hard road you have ahead of you Mr. Mariano."

Jess' face for the first time in days shows what he is truly feeling as relief washes over his features along with everyone else in the room. "I'm going to walk again?" Jess asks.

The doctor nods, "if you work at it."

Jess' gaze catches Rory's tear filled eyes, "don't worry about that." He assures everyone in the room and Rory's features seem to melt.

"Good," the doctor nods, "as soon as your energy is built back up we will get you started on a physical therapy regime. I have other patients I have attend to but I will be back later with a tentative schedule for you."

"Thank you doctor." Jess states as the busy doctor hurries out of the hospital room.

"Congratulations." Luke and Lorelai offer before they make a less than subtle exit from the hospital room, taking Georgia with them.

Rory quickly wipes at the, for the first time in days, happy tears streaming down her cheeks, "congratulations, you'll walk again, I knew you would."

Jess takes a deep breath, "with this news I think we need to talk about the future, about us."

"Jess..." It hadn't even been an hour ago that she had told Lane that she didn't know what she wanted to do and didn't want to discuss it and yet again someone wanted to talk about it.

"I've been thinking since you left the other day," Jess motions for Rory to sit on the bed next to him and she does, tentatively. "And maybe you're right, if you still want to stay in Stars Hollow I'm not going to fight you on it."

"You...you're not?" Rory asks.

"No. I was thinking we could do everything for the right reasons this time. Get married, we could have a huge wedding, invite the entire town. You'll make a beautiful bride and Georgia could be the flower girl..." Jess is getting carried away and Rory can't help but find it cute. "And we can have a another baby."

If it was physically possible Rory's heart would have stopped at his words and she shakes her head, "no."

Jess expression falls again and he sighs, "there's more, isn't there?"

Rory takes a deep breath, making herself promise that she won't cry, "a little bit."

Jess closes his eyes and Rory can see his chest rise and fall, the sound of their breathing the only sound in the room, leaving Rory unsure of whether she should or even wants to break the silence consuming the room and choking her. "I don't know if I can handle anymore Rory." Jess responds softly.

"I know, I'll go, we can talk later." Rory responds moving slowly off the bed and when Jess doesn't stop her she walks out of the hospital room.

"So this is good news then, huh hun?" Lorelai asks when Rory emerges from the hospital room.

Rory offers a forced smile, "great news. Can we go home...I have things..."

Lorelai looks concerned, "all right. Are you coming now Luke?"

"I think I'm going to stay here awhile longer," Luke responds, "I'll see you at home."

"All right," Lorelai kisses Luke and the woman head back towards the car.

"Mom do you mind dropping me off at the park?" Rory asks as they begin to approach it on their way home, "I need some quiet time."

"All right," Lorelai switches the appropriate lanes and pulls up to the curb, "we'll see you at home."

Rory steps out of the car and wanders the park her thoughts leaving her in her own little world, Jess had made her realize today that she had put to many secrets between them for them to be able to bounce back from that. She couldn't expect anything from their relationship because of their history, it was something that had taken her years to get over and she didn't doubt that Jess would have his own problems with the secrets to get around as well. There had just been too many obstacles in their relationship and Rory knew how to quit I while she was ahead and that was what she was going to do, because third time obviously wasn't the charm in their case and she was done trying to fight the inevitable. They just weren't meant to be together.

With that realization Rory walks back to her house finding her mother and sister sitting in front of the TV she declares, "we need to talk."

"Rory what's going on? Have you decided that we are gonna stay here?" Georgia asks.

Rory shakes her head, "we are going to go back to the city."

"But I wanna..."

"I know you want to stay here." Rory sighs, "but it just won't work. But if it's okay with my Mom you can stay for the rest of the summer while I get things set up in New York."

Georgia seems to think this over, deciding whether or not arguing would persuade Rory to stay, by the looks of it arguing wouldn't get her anywhere. So Georgia turns to Lorelai, "can I stay for the rest of the summer?"

Lorelai nods, "of course you can stay for the rest of the summer, you can stay here whenever Rory says you can."

"Can I stay here forever?" Georgia asks.

"Wouldn't you miss Rory?" Lorelai asks.

Georgia thinks this over for a minute, "yeah, I guess I would."

"You can come back right before school starts," Rory informs, "and you don't have to go to a private school."

"Really?" Georgia looks hopeful.

Rory nods, "we an use the money your mother left you to start a college fund, or maybe you can go to a private high school, but elementary school seems a little extreme."

"Yay!" Georgia claps her hands. "Thank you Rory. Can I call Donny and tell him?"

Rory nods, "his phone number at Dean's and his mother is by the phone in the living room."

"Why are you doing this Rory?" Lorelai asks. "I figured when you and Jess found out that he would be able to walk you would work out your problems and you'd never go back to the city."

"I thought you wanted me to go back to the city."

"I do, but I thought that you wanted to be with Jess."

"He practically proposed today." Rory sighs, "he wants to get married. He wants to get married and have another baby."

"I'm sorry sweetie," Lorelai responds softly, "how'd he take it?"

"He didn't, I didn't tell him."

"Rory..."

"He didn't want to hear it and I didn't want to say it."

"You have to tell him."

Rory nods, "I know, but I can't do it in person. I'm heading back to the city tomorrow, I'll crash with friends until I can get another apartment."

"So soon?" Lorelai asks.

Rory nods, "I have to get out of here."

Lorelai nods understanding, "all right, want me to drive you up?"

Rory shakes her head, "I want to take the train, I need some time alone."

"You, Teague and T.J. will come visit us in the city right?" Rory asks facing Lane.

Lane nods, "more often than before, I promise. It was nice having you home for the summer Rory."

Rory nods, "I know, I was glad to be home. And I'll be back, the longer I am away the harder it is for me to remember how much I love this place, Jess won't keep me away this time. Besides I think it's going to be a problem if a separate Donny and Georgia for long."

"She'll be fine here." Lane assures.

Rory nods, "I know."

"I love you baby." Lorelai hugs her daughter tightly followed by Luke who does the same.

"Have a safe trip." Luke urges.

"I will." Rory assures and then pulling something out of her pocket she hands it to Luke, "could you give that to Jess? It explains everything that neither once of us would have the emotional stability to do in person."

Luke nods taking the envelope, "I'll give it to him today when I go see him."

"Be good to my mom," Rory requests and then facing her mother she whispers to her, "and you be good to Luke, he's a softy at heart."

Lorelai grins at her daughter, "will do."

Rory kneels before her sister, "be good, all right. If you give anyone trouble you are coming right back to the city with me for the remainder of the summer."

Georgia nods, "I'll be good."

"All right," Rory straightens as the bus comes down the road.

"You're sure you don't want me to drive you to the train station?" Lorelai asks.

Rory nods, "I'll see you all in August."

On the next Gilmore Girls:

There's just to much going on in the concluding chapter to reveal here...all right not that thrilling but I'm not putting any teasers this time...But everything will be tied up in a nice little package...or will it?