Chapter 17: Walking Away
[Dean]
Dean walked into the Dragon Fly Inn the next day. Lorelai had called him in. They need me already? Dean thought. They must love me there. Lorelai was on the phone.
"Hi, Dean," Lorelai said, covering the mouthpiece. "One of the guests here broke their doors. Don't ask me how I know because I don't. I'm in the middle of an important phone call right now so give me a few minutes and I'll show you which room."
"Okay," Dean said.
Dean looked over on the desk and found the New York Times. The apartment listings section was wide open and one listing was circled in red. It was on Central Park Drive on the West Side. Lorelai hung up the phone.
"Who's is this?" Dean asked, pointing at the paper.
"Oh, um, it's Michel's," Lorelai said, a little too quickly.
"Really?" Dean asked. "I thought he hated the city."
"Oh, he changed his mind," Lorelai said, leading him upstairs. "Yeah, he wanted to be near Sarah Jessica Parker. He has this weird obsession with her. He bought all the Sex in the City DVDs-"
"He hates Sex in the City," Dean said. "Lorelai, is it really Michel's?"
Lorelai sighed. "It's Rory's," she said.
Dean was shocked. Rory wanted to move to the city again? She told him she decided against it.
"I thought she didn't want to go," Dean said.
"She bought the paper and saw the apartment listing," Lorelai said. "She went down with her realtor to the city today. Here's the door. Let me know when your done."
Lorelai left Dean alone. He started working on the door, but a million thoughts ran through his head. He didn't want Rory to leave. This was her town. She lived here first. She loved this town. Dean just came in his sophomore year in high school. He should be the one to leave. Not her.
I should move, Dean thought. Yes, he would move. He could move back to Chicago and see his old friends. At least there, people weren't talking about him behind his back. He was considering moving back there in the first place. So, it was decided. Dean was moving away from Stars Hollow.
[Rory]
Rory drove back home with her realtor, Leslie. She had gone to look at an apartment in the city. Now, she sat in the front seat while Leslie was on the phone with a client.
Yesterday, after her second "encounter" with Dean, she almost broke down in front of everyone. She couldn't handle everyone talking about her and Dean and she missed him a lot and just looking at him made her intensely guilty and heartbroken.
On her break, she bought a newspaper and had almost read the entire thing when she came back to the apartment listings. She found another ad for an apartment that was in the same building, but it seemed better.
Today she came down and looked at the apartment. It was a little better than the other one, but not so much. The bedroom still had no window and the bathroom was very small. The living room only had two windows. But, she wanted to get away from Stars Hollow and she'd live in a one-room apartment just as long as she could get away.
As much as she wanted to get away from Stars Hollow, she really didn't want to go. She loved Stars Hollow. It was a very entertaining town and even though it annoyed her, the whole town knew her and was always willing to help her whenever she needed them.
She couldn't leave Luke. He was the father figure in her life. She would be too far away from her grandparents, who she loved seeing. She promised Lane that she wouldn't leave Stars Hollow so she'd have "someone to come home too."
The two people Rory would miss the most were Dean and her mother. Dean. How could she leave him? The only thing worse than looking at him was not being near him at all. Not being able to see him every day. This would, however, probably make the pain of not being with him easier.
Her mother. Of all people (aside from Dean), how could she leave Lorelai? She was not only her mother, but also her best friend and business partner. Lorelai was her shoulder to lean on and vice-versa. Sure, she would visit her, but it wouldn't be the same as living with her, working with her, or just plain seeing her every day.
She wanted to stay in Stars Hollow and be a free-lance writer, but she could be a free-lance writer and live in the city.
"So, what did you think of the apartment?" Leslie asked, jerking her from her thoughts.
"I'll rent it," Rory said.
"Okay," Leslie said.
Rory decided on the bid and then Leslie talked on the phone for a few minutes. When she got off the phone, she said that after talking she got the landlord to rent Rory the apartment and she could move in whenever she wanted. Rory decided to move next Saturday. The sooner she could leave, the better.
Rory met her mother at home who was waiting for her on the couch with junk food, pizza, and a movie. They were having movie night.
"Hey," Lorelai said.
"Hey," Rory said.
"I got The Heathers," Lorelai said. "You know, if you have a kid named Lorelai then the three of us could be The Lorelais. They could make a movie about us."
"Yeah," Rory said, sitting down next to her. "People always want to watch a movie about a mother, a grandmother, and a daughter with the same name."
"What's your damage, Heather?" Lorelai asked. "Why so cranky?"
"I'm just tired," Rory said. "It was a long day."
"So," Lorelai said, encouraging her to tell her more.
"I got the apartment," Rory said.
"You did?" Lorelai's face was a cross between sadness and happiness for her kid. "That's great!"
Lorelai gave Rory a hug. Rory could tell that she didn't want her to go, but was trying to be happy with her.
"I'm moving next Saturday," Rory said.
"Oh," Lorelai seemed disappointed.
"Are you okay?" Rory asked.
"I'm fine," Lorelai said. "I'm just a little shocked, but whatever."
The sat in silence for a moment.
"Hey," Lorelai said, turning to her. "How about a little going away party Friday night? We could invite everyone in town and have it at the town square."
"Friday night is grandparents' night," Rory said.
"They're in Paris," Lorelai said.
"I have to do last minute packing," Rory said.
"Do it Friday morning," Lorelai said.
"I can't have a party. Half the town is mad at me."
"Rory, come on. They're not mad at you. They just don't like what you said. But, they will miss you and this would be your big 'good-bye.'"
Rory pondered this. She did want to say good-bye to everyone. This could be a good idea.
"Okay," Rory said.
"Great," Lorelai said.
Lorelai turned on the movie and the opening credits started rolling. Rory looked over at her mother who looked gloomy.
"You okay?" Rory asked.
"I'm really going to miss you," Lorelai said.
"I'm going to miss you, too," Rory said. "I'm going to miss everyone. But, I have to get away from the past events over the past four years and two months."
"I know," Lorelai said. "But you know what they say about leaving the past behind. That you can't."
"I think you can in this case," Rory said. "It's not like I'm never coming back or writing you out. I'm going to visit. At least I will next year."
The opening credits ended and the first scene started. Rory shifted towards her mother.
"Promise you'll come visit me every Saturday," Rory said.
"I'll visit you whenever you want me to," Lorelai said. "Or when I want to."
Rory watched the movie and put her head on her mother's shoulder like a five-year-old. She didn't want to go, but she had to. She couldn't stand living here while people were talking about her.
"I'm walking away from the troubles in my life
I'm walking away oh to find a better day
I'm walking away"- Craig David.
To Be Continued........
A/N: I know it's boring and dramatic and rushed, but I'm coming down to the last three chapters (four counting the epilogue) so, it might be a little short than most. Chapter 18 is coming soon.
[Dean]
Dean walked into the Dragon Fly Inn the next day. Lorelai had called him in. They need me already? Dean thought. They must love me there. Lorelai was on the phone.
"Hi, Dean," Lorelai said, covering the mouthpiece. "One of the guests here broke their doors. Don't ask me how I know because I don't. I'm in the middle of an important phone call right now so give me a few minutes and I'll show you which room."
"Okay," Dean said.
Dean looked over on the desk and found the New York Times. The apartment listings section was wide open and one listing was circled in red. It was on Central Park Drive on the West Side. Lorelai hung up the phone.
"Who's is this?" Dean asked, pointing at the paper.
"Oh, um, it's Michel's," Lorelai said, a little too quickly.
"Really?" Dean asked. "I thought he hated the city."
"Oh, he changed his mind," Lorelai said, leading him upstairs. "Yeah, he wanted to be near Sarah Jessica Parker. He has this weird obsession with her. He bought all the Sex in the City DVDs-"
"He hates Sex in the City," Dean said. "Lorelai, is it really Michel's?"
Lorelai sighed. "It's Rory's," she said.
Dean was shocked. Rory wanted to move to the city again? She told him she decided against it.
"I thought she didn't want to go," Dean said.
"She bought the paper and saw the apartment listing," Lorelai said. "She went down with her realtor to the city today. Here's the door. Let me know when your done."
Lorelai left Dean alone. He started working on the door, but a million thoughts ran through his head. He didn't want Rory to leave. This was her town. She lived here first. She loved this town. Dean just came in his sophomore year in high school. He should be the one to leave. Not her.
I should move, Dean thought. Yes, he would move. He could move back to Chicago and see his old friends. At least there, people weren't talking about him behind his back. He was considering moving back there in the first place. So, it was decided. Dean was moving away from Stars Hollow.
[Rory]
Rory drove back home with her realtor, Leslie. She had gone to look at an apartment in the city. Now, she sat in the front seat while Leslie was on the phone with a client.
Yesterday, after her second "encounter" with Dean, she almost broke down in front of everyone. She couldn't handle everyone talking about her and Dean and she missed him a lot and just looking at him made her intensely guilty and heartbroken.
On her break, she bought a newspaper and had almost read the entire thing when she came back to the apartment listings. She found another ad for an apartment that was in the same building, but it seemed better.
Today she came down and looked at the apartment. It was a little better than the other one, but not so much. The bedroom still had no window and the bathroom was very small. The living room only had two windows. But, she wanted to get away from Stars Hollow and she'd live in a one-room apartment just as long as she could get away.
As much as she wanted to get away from Stars Hollow, she really didn't want to go. She loved Stars Hollow. It was a very entertaining town and even though it annoyed her, the whole town knew her and was always willing to help her whenever she needed them.
She couldn't leave Luke. He was the father figure in her life. She would be too far away from her grandparents, who she loved seeing. She promised Lane that she wouldn't leave Stars Hollow so she'd have "someone to come home too."
The two people Rory would miss the most were Dean and her mother. Dean. How could she leave him? The only thing worse than looking at him was not being near him at all. Not being able to see him every day. This would, however, probably make the pain of not being with him easier.
Her mother. Of all people (aside from Dean), how could she leave Lorelai? She was not only her mother, but also her best friend and business partner. Lorelai was her shoulder to lean on and vice-versa. Sure, she would visit her, but it wouldn't be the same as living with her, working with her, or just plain seeing her every day.
She wanted to stay in Stars Hollow and be a free-lance writer, but she could be a free-lance writer and live in the city.
"So, what did you think of the apartment?" Leslie asked, jerking her from her thoughts.
"I'll rent it," Rory said.
"Okay," Leslie said.
Rory decided on the bid and then Leslie talked on the phone for a few minutes. When she got off the phone, she said that after talking she got the landlord to rent Rory the apartment and she could move in whenever she wanted. Rory decided to move next Saturday. The sooner she could leave, the better.
Rory met her mother at home who was waiting for her on the couch with junk food, pizza, and a movie. They were having movie night.
"Hey," Lorelai said.
"Hey," Rory said.
"I got The Heathers," Lorelai said. "You know, if you have a kid named Lorelai then the three of us could be The Lorelais. They could make a movie about us."
"Yeah," Rory said, sitting down next to her. "People always want to watch a movie about a mother, a grandmother, and a daughter with the same name."
"What's your damage, Heather?" Lorelai asked. "Why so cranky?"
"I'm just tired," Rory said. "It was a long day."
"So," Lorelai said, encouraging her to tell her more.
"I got the apartment," Rory said.
"You did?" Lorelai's face was a cross between sadness and happiness for her kid. "That's great!"
Lorelai gave Rory a hug. Rory could tell that she didn't want her to go, but was trying to be happy with her.
"I'm moving next Saturday," Rory said.
"Oh," Lorelai seemed disappointed.
"Are you okay?" Rory asked.
"I'm fine," Lorelai said. "I'm just a little shocked, but whatever."
The sat in silence for a moment.
"Hey," Lorelai said, turning to her. "How about a little going away party Friday night? We could invite everyone in town and have it at the town square."
"Friday night is grandparents' night," Rory said.
"They're in Paris," Lorelai said.
"I have to do last minute packing," Rory said.
"Do it Friday morning," Lorelai said.
"I can't have a party. Half the town is mad at me."
"Rory, come on. They're not mad at you. They just don't like what you said. But, they will miss you and this would be your big 'good-bye.'"
Rory pondered this. She did want to say good-bye to everyone. This could be a good idea.
"Okay," Rory said.
"Great," Lorelai said.
Lorelai turned on the movie and the opening credits started rolling. Rory looked over at her mother who looked gloomy.
"You okay?" Rory asked.
"I'm really going to miss you," Lorelai said.
"I'm going to miss you, too," Rory said. "I'm going to miss everyone. But, I have to get away from the past events over the past four years and two months."
"I know," Lorelai said. "But you know what they say about leaving the past behind. That you can't."
"I think you can in this case," Rory said. "It's not like I'm never coming back or writing you out. I'm going to visit. At least I will next year."
The opening credits ended and the first scene started. Rory shifted towards her mother.
"Promise you'll come visit me every Saturday," Rory said.
"I'll visit you whenever you want me to," Lorelai said. "Or when I want to."
Rory watched the movie and put her head on her mother's shoulder like a five-year-old. She didn't want to go, but she had to. She couldn't stand living here while people were talking about her.
"I'm walking away from the troubles in my life
I'm walking away oh to find a better day
I'm walking away"- Craig David.
To Be Continued........
A/N: I know it's boring and dramatic and rushed, but I'm coming down to the last three chapters (four counting the epilogue) so, it might be a little short than most. Chapter 18 is coming soon.