A/N: Hey! Thank you all for your reviews, they make me want to get this out
faster. Sorry if this seems rushed or short to anyone, but a friend's going
to fix my computer and I'll be without it for a few days. Oh and I'll let
you in on a little secret, I have absolutely no idea, well maybe I have and
inkling, of what will happen at Christmas. But I think i'm going to try and
find an ending to the story somewhere around there. Anyway I hope you
enjoy this chapter.
¤Kari¤
Chapter 30
**********
"Strange kid.", she murmured to herself as she emerged from the stairs. As much as she hated to admit it, she felt for the poor guy. That tiny little place above the diner was the closest he had to home, and not such a welcoming home at that. Hell the crap shack was better in comparison.
"Did you talk to him?", Luke asked absently.
"I got a few grunts and some sarcastic remarks from him, if that's considered talking."
"From him that's a big deal.", her replied in his usual gruff tone.
"Something's wrong with him.", Lorelai said matter-of-factly, biting into a stale muffin.
"He's fine.", he brushed her off, refilling someone's coffee.
"Mmm, yes Luke he's fine. Shows up for no reason, has the closest thing to a nervous break down he can come to which ends in him hiding out upstairs staring at a phone. Yea, he's fine."
"What do you want from me, he's a big boy, he can take care of himself."
"I still think you should talk to him. Either that or pray he's finally learned from his mistakes.", she countered significantly.
"If he wanted to tell us he would.", Luke persisted.
"He's running, I'll bet you a million he's running.", Lorelai grinned knowingly. Tough as Jess was, his fear of rejection constantly gave way against any reassurance you tried to give him. Lorelai had a feeling that's why he was there, to escape what he was afraid wouldn't chase him.
~*~
"Didn't someone say she was giving someone else a chance.", Travis whispered, having receiving the cold shoulder for most of the ride.
"Yes, but someone never agreed to be nice to that person.", Emma retorted quietly.
"I see, so this is just so I have to take your verbal abuse?", he smirked. If it wasn't for that smirk and that glint in his eye, Emma would have thought he sounded wounded.
Up in the front seat the Lana and Alex were pretending they weren't trying to hear what they were saying.
"Don't flatter yourself. If I wanted to insult you I wouldn't formulate some sort of plan, I'd just do it."
"You seem to have a great skill at that too."
"What can I say it comes naturally.", she smirked back sarcastically. Travis looked away from Emma and up to the front.
"Hey Em, speak a little louder Lana can't hear what you're fighting about.", Alex teased.
"We're not fighting.", Emma grumbled, wishing she had never bothered to call Lana.
"We were just having a colorful debate about why Emma does the things she does.", Travis added, maintaining fierce eye contact with Emma, addressing her more than Alex.
"Not even Emma knows that.", Lana joked, unknowingly speaking Emma's thoughts.
Within the next few moments the car stopped. Emma laughed at how absurd this place was. It looked like some had brought a Norman Rockwell painting to life, but, she reasoned, that was Stars Hollow in a nutshell.
"Why don't you guys go get some skates, we'll be there in a sec.", Lana excused herself and Emma.
"Ok Em, what's wrong?", she demanded.
"It's not something I want to talk about with Travis around... or Alex for that matter," Emma laughed, "Alex would think I was certifiable." Lana looked at her curiously.
"How 'bout this. After we get done here I'll stay over your house, you will tell me what has got you so out of it, and we'll pretend you're completely sane.", Lana proposed. She figured it would be better if she cleared out of her house. Lana didn't want to come home only to be scarred for life.
"Fine.", was all Emma could manage before Alex and Travis came back.
~*~
"I have to get that.", Tristan groaned as his phone rang.
"You have voice mail.", Rory protested. He grinned and kissed her briefly before picking up the phone.
* "Hello?"
" Hey Dad."
"Oh hi Lana. How ya doing?", Tristan sighed, relieved it wasn't work or something equally unbearable.
"Good, just wanted to you and mom, who I know is with you right now, that I'm staying over Emma's tonight. I'll be home sometime in the afternoon.", Lana insinuated. Tristan raised an eyebrow at his daughter's allusions.
"How thoughtful of you.", he laughed rolling his eyes at her innuendo.
"I got to go, just thought I'd let you know. Bye Dad."
"Bye Lan, have fun.", he shook his head and hung up the phone. *
"What was that about?"
"Our dear daughter let us have the house to ourselves.", Tristan smirked.
"Really?"
"And she says she won't be back till tomorrow afternoon."
"So no more three am dashes to Stars Hollow?", she replied in mock astonishment.
"I'm sure you won't miss it too much."
"Ugh... we better go we'll miss our reservations."
"I'm not that hungry anymore, are you?"
"Not particularly.", she said after pretending to think for a second.
"Well then why should we eat such a big meal at Angelos?"
"It's wasteful that's what it is.", she nodded in agreement, trying to check a smile.
"Their are much better ways to make use of our time, don't you think?", he asked, pulling her into a kiss.
"I can think of a few."
~*~
"Unbelievable.", Emma mumbled to herself as she watched all the people, Lana and Alex being her main object of cynicism.
"Why thank you.", Travis whispered into her ear, taking a seat next to her on the wooden bench.
"Don't screw it up Travis.", she warned.
"Mm, they are particularly nauseating tonight huh?"
"There is no way any two people could be so blissfully happy. It's unrealistic.", Emma shook her head, continuing to watch them skate around the little rink. It seemed like she was looking in on a snow globe.
"I know, like a B-grade romance movie." Emma looked over at him curiously.
"Hey girls have made me sit through quite a few chick flicks.", he replied indignantly. Emma laughed slightly.
"I know what you mean, this whole town seems like something out of Hollywood.", Emma rolled her eyes.
"I don't get why these people don't realize that none of this will last.", Travis scoffed, looking down the incline at the 'happy people'.
"Someone sounds bitter.", she teased, letting a little more of her guard down, only a little.
"Someone sounds jealous.", he countered with a smirk.
"No, I'm not jealous. I refuse to be jealous of something that I would hate to have."
"You trying to tell me that you haven't wished to be them, not even for one second.", he questioned, not buying it.
"I wouldn't be able to survive in that dynamic. It makes me want to puke.", she replied quickly. She had no idea why she was telling him all this. It was easy to talk to someone who wasn't completely idealistic, she told herself.
"Are you always this cynical?"
"Not around people."
"Thanks.", he replied sarcastically.
"You know what I mean. Don't want to upset 'Mother' and 'Father'. We have to 'keep up appearances'.", she sarcastically quoted her parents' constant rhetoric. Who the hell cares how many affairs they have as long as they 'keep up appearances.'
"Because God forbid you be the least bit rude to one person.", he returned her sarcasm, knowing exactly what she meant, although that desire had long past in his family.
"You know, your slightly tolerable when your not trying to piss me off."
"I'm guessing that was a compliment?", Travis gave her a half smile, tilting his head to the side in mock curiosity.
"Closest you're gonna get.", Emma rolled her eyes, willing herself not to smile at the face he was making. There was no need to encourage him.
~*~
It was ringing. Lord it was ringing. Too late to back out now.
"Hello?", a feminine voice answered.
"Hey... it's me J-", before Jess could even finish his sentence he heard a click, then a dial tone. She obviously knew who it was.
It's not like he blamed her. He'd hate him to, Hell he did hate him. Jess refused to give up so easily, though. One more time. He'd try one more time.
"Hi, I can't come to the phone right now, but if you leave a message after the beep, I'll get back to you as soon as I can."
The answering machine. Ah well, it was easier to talk to than her and she was most likely sitting there listening to it.
"I know you don't want to talk to me, I wouldn't want to talk to me. I screwed up, and I ran, I ran to a place were every single person reminds me of that. You can call me or not, I just wanted you to know I'm... sorry. I tend to live to regret most of what I do. Bye."
There. He did it, he called, he apoligized, and now it was out of his hands. Now maybe he could convince his conscience to lay off him a little.
¤Kari¤
Chapter 30
**********
"Strange kid.", she murmured to herself as she emerged from the stairs. As much as she hated to admit it, she felt for the poor guy. That tiny little place above the diner was the closest he had to home, and not such a welcoming home at that. Hell the crap shack was better in comparison.
"Did you talk to him?", Luke asked absently.
"I got a few grunts and some sarcastic remarks from him, if that's considered talking."
"From him that's a big deal.", her replied in his usual gruff tone.
"Something's wrong with him.", Lorelai said matter-of-factly, biting into a stale muffin.
"He's fine.", he brushed her off, refilling someone's coffee.
"Mmm, yes Luke he's fine. Shows up for no reason, has the closest thing to a nervous break down he can come to which ends in him hiding out upstairs staring at a phone. Yea, he's fine."
"What do you want from me, he's a big boy, he can take care of himself."
"I still think you should talk to him. Either that or pray he's finally learned from his mistakes.", she countered significantly.
"If he wanted to tell us he would.", Luke persisted.
"He's running, I'll bet you a million he's running.", Lorelai grinned knowingly. Tough as Jess was, his fear of rejection constantly gave way against any reassurance you tried to give him. Lorelai had a feeling that's why he was there, to escape what he was afraid wouldn't chase him.
~*~
"Didn't someone say she was giving someone else a chance.", Travis whispered, having receiving the cold shoulder for most of the ride.
"Yes, but someone never agreed to be nice to that person.", Emma retorted quietly.
"I see, so this is just so I have to take your verbal abuse?", he smirked. If it wasn't for that smirk and that glint in his eye, Emma would have thought he sounded wounded.
Up in the front seat the Lana and Alex were pretending they weren't trying to hear what they were saying.
"Don't flatter yourself. If I wanted to insult you I wouldn't formulate some sort of plan, I'd just do it."
"You seem to have a great skill at that too."
"What can I say it comes naturally.", she smirked back sarcastically. Travis looked away from Emma and up to the front.
"Hey Em, speak a little louder Lana can't hear what you're fighting about.", Alex teased.
"We're not fighting.", Emma grumbled, wishing she had never bothered to call Lana.
"We were just having a colorful debate about why Emma does the things she does.", Travis added, maintaining fierce eye contact with Emma, addressing her more than Alex.
"Not even Emma knows that.", Lana joked, unknowingly speaking Emma's thoughts.
Within the next few moments the car stopped. Emma laughed at how absurd this place was. It looked like some had brought a Norman Rockwell painting to life, but, she reasoned, that was Stars Hollow in a nutshell.
"Why don't you guys go get some skates, we'll be there in a sec.", Lana excused herself and Emma.
"Ok Em, what's wrong?", she demanded.
"It's not something I want to talk about with Travis around... or Alex for that matter," Emma laughed, "Alex would think I was certifiable." Lana looked at her curiously.
"How 'bout this. After we get done here I'll stay over your house, you will tell me what has got you so out of it, and we'll pretend you're completely sane.", Lana proposed. She figured it would be better if she cleared out of her house. Lana didn't want to come home only to be scarred for life.
"Fine.", was all Emma could manage before Alex and Travis came back.
~*~
"I have to get that.", Tristan groaned as his phone rang.
"You have voice mail.", Rory protested. He grinned and kissed her briefly before picking up the phone.
* "Hello?"
" Hey Dad."
"Oh hi Lana. How ya doing?", Tristan sighed, relieved it wasn't work or something equally unbearable.
"Good, just wanted to you and mom, who I know is with you right now, that I'm staying over Emma's tonight. I'll be home sometime in the afternoon.", Lana insinuated. Tristan raised an eyebrow at his daughter's allusions.
"How thoughtful of you.", he laughed rolling his eyes at her innuendo.
"I got to go, just thought I'd let you know. Bye Dad."
"Bye Lan, have fun.", he shook his head and hung up the phone. *
"What was that about?"
"Our dear daughter let us have the house to ourselves.", Tristan smirked.
"Really?"
"And she says she won't be back till tomorrow afternoon."
"So no more three am dashes to Stars Hollow?", she replied in mock astonishment.
"I'm sure you won't miss it too much."
"Ugh... we better go we'll miss our reservations."
"I'm not that hungry anymore, are you?"
"Not particularly.", she said after pretending to think for a second.
"Well then why should we eat such a big meal at Angelos?"
"It's wasteful that's what it is.", she nodded in agreement, trying to check a smile.
"Their are much better ways to make use of our time, don't you think?", he asked, pulling her into a kiss.
"I can think of a few."
~*~
"Unbelievable.", Emma mumbled to herself as she watched all the people, Lana and Alex being her main object of cynicism.
"Why thank you.", Travis whispered into her ear, taking a seat next to her on the wooden bench.
"Don't screw it up Travis.", she warned.
"Mm, they are particularly nauseating tonight huh?"
"There is no way any two people could be so blissfully happy. It's unrealistic.", Emma shook her head, continuing to watch them skate around the little rink. It seemed like she was looking in on a snow globe.
"I know, like a B-grade romance movie." Emma looked over at him curiously.
"Hey girls have made me sit through quite a few chick flicks.", he replied indignantly. Emma laughed slightly.
"I know what you mean, this whole town seems like something out of Hollywood.", Emma rolled her eyes.
"I don't get why these people don't realize that none of this will last.", Travis scoffed, looking down the incline at the 'happy people'.
"Someone sounds bitter.", she teased, letting a little more of her guard down, only a little.
"Someone sounds jealous.", he countered with a smirk.
"No, I'm not jealous. I refuse to be jealous of something that I would hate to have."
"You trying to tell me that you haven't wished to be them, not even for one second.", he questioned, not buying it.
"I wouldn't be able to survive in that dynamic. It makes me want to puke.", she replied quickly. She had no idea why she was telling him all this. It was easy to talk to someone who wasn't completely idealistic, she told herself.
"Are you always this cynical?"
"Not around people."
"Thanks.", he replied sarcastically.
"You know what I mean. Don't want to upset 'Mother' and 'Father'. We have to 'keep up appearances'.", she sarcastically quoted her parents' constant rhetoric. Who the hell cares how many affairs they have as long as they 'keep up appearances.'
"Because God forbid you be the least bit rude to one person.", he returned her sarcasm, knowing exactly what she meant, although that desire had long past in his family.
"You know, your slightly tolerable when your not trying to piss me off."
"I'm guessing that was a compliment?", Travis gave her a half smile, tilting his head to the side in mock curiosity.
"Closest you're gonna get.", Emma rolled her eyes, willing herself not to smile at the face he was making. There was no need to encourage him.
~*~
It was ringing. Lord it was ringing. Too late to back out now.
"Hello?", a feminine voice answered.
"Hey... it's me J-", before Jess could even finish his sentence he heard a click, then a dial tone. She obviously knew who it was.
It's not like he blamed her. He'd hate him to, Hell he did hate him. Jess refused to give up so easily, though. One more time. He'd try one more time.
"Hi, I can't come to the phone right now, but if you leave a message after the beep, I'll get back to you as soon as I can."
The answering machine. Ah well, it was easier to talk to than her and she was most likely sitting there listening to it.
"I know you don't want to talk to me, I wouldn't want to talk to me. I screwed up, and I ran, I ran to a place were every single person reminds me of that. You can call me or not, I just wanted you to know I'm... sorry. I tend to live to regret most of what I do. Bye."
There. He did it, he called, he apoligized, and now it was out of his hands. Now maybe he could convince his conscience to lay off him a little.