DISCLAIMER: I own neither the show nor the characters of the Gilmore Girls.
Just the messed up way in which I am portraying them.
Rory rolled over to glance at the alarm clock on Jess' bedside table. The table was covered in CD cases and books; they coated every available surface. She noted the time on the CD player/alarm clock read 4pm. She'd been there for hours, without realizing that Lorelai had been home alone, well, she hoped alone, for hours. Rolling back over to face Jess, she smiled at him hesitantly.
"Don't say it," he mumbled, pulling her back into him.
"I need to get home," she said, trying to pull herself from him without luck.
"Nuh-uh. I don't have to work today, you don't have to work today, there is no reason for you to leave this bed."
"Uh, well, Luke is a reason."
"He's not here."
"I know, and I feel bad. I'm keeping him from his home," Rory giggled.
"He'll get over it. When he's my age and wants to get some, he'll call and tell me how he understands," Jess laughed.
"Jess, come on," she whined, still trying to pry his arm away from her.
"Rory, relax."
"Alright, fine. I'll stay. If we talk about this."
She sat up a little, as he loosened his grip. He sat up straight against the headboard, enjoying the view as she sat up and blushed. She took the sheet and held it up against her.
"Jess, I'm serious."
"Ooh, serious face, fine. Let's talk."
"So, you and me," she led.
"We are having incredible sex," he smirked.
"We are having sex," she agreed.
"Incredible sex," he corrected.
She smiled for a moment, and then shook her head as if to shake it off her face.
"Jess, seriously. What are we doing here?"
"Why do I get the feeling you want me to tell you because you don't know?"
She chewed on the skin under her bottom lip, not wanting to meet his eyes. Her head leaned forward and a chunk of hair fell into her face. He might be right, but she didn't like how he put it so simply and succinctly.
"That's not it at all. I just wondered what it was to you."
"Rory, I've known you for years. If you're wondering if this is one of my one night stands, well, I don't think that's possible."
"Because of the town or because of me?" she met his eyes.
"Why do I care what the town thinks?"
"Jess, you know what I mean."
"Because of you. Of us."
"So, there's an us?"
"I thought that's what we were doing here."
"Will you be serious?"
"Rory, come on. Just ask me whatever it is that you're not getting the answer you want to," he asked seriously, pushing the lock of hair behind her ear as she continued to hold the sheet up against her with both hands.
She took a deep breath and looked back at him as if it were taking all the energy she had left in her. They had spent hours in his bed, not talking really, not thinking. But that wasn't her, she always thought and planned and felt secure in her decisions. He was making that all impossible by sitting next to her, the plain white sheet just strewn over his otherwise naked form.
"Is this is more than sex?"
Never had one question sounded more vulnerable to him. He gave her a smile, a rare and honest one, and nodded as he pulled her back closer to him.
"Yeah, it is."
She let him hold her for a while longer, neither of them speaking. She let her guard down again, allowing the sheet to fall as she pressed herself into him. She gave into the feeling of his arms holding her in place, feeling his strength across her back.
"Good," she whispered, pulling back finally. "I do need to get home."
Jess nodded. "Yeah, I guess you should check in at home."
"But I'll see you tomorrow."
"Can I take you out this week?"
She smiled. "Just let me know when, okay?"
He nodded again, watching as she gathered her clothes and headed into the bathroom to straighten up. Looking around, he too grabbed his clothes and slid into them. The past two days had been more than he'd ever hoped for. Never had he thought that he and Rory would be able to get to this point. She had been in his bed all afternoon, after him being in her bed all the previous night. And he hated to admit, she was right about his bed. Hers was much more preferable. He was still contemplating the last issue when she reemerged from the bathroom.
"What?" she laughed.
"We'll have to do this again, but in your bed," he said, pulling her back into him as she attempted to pull her shoes on.
"I told you your bed was too small," she laughed. Then that damn common sense came in to play. "But, uh, Jess," she started.
He didn't like her tone. "Rory?"
"Well, it's just—I need to talk to Lorelai. You know, make sure she's cool with you, uh, staying over," she stressed the last two words.
He nodded, understanding. This couldn't be just about him and Rory. Rory never just thought about herself, and she couldn't.
"Just, give me a call later," he requested.
She smiled, relieved. Of course he understood, he was Jess. He knew her as well as anyone ever had. "I will."
She took her time walking home, enjoying the snow. It was already dark, the sun a casualty of their location this time of year. She loved snow; it made the small town glow as if covered in fairy dust. She turned her key in the lock and opened the door only to hear noises that kicked her directly into mother mode.
Rushing into the living room, she saw Lorelai crying her eyes out, clutched onto Luke.
"Honey, what's wrong?" she was at Lorelai's side a second later, looking at Luke in curiosity.
"Mom?"
"I'm here, honey, what happened?"
"I—I broke up with Tristan," she choked out.
"I'm just going to go," Luke said, as Lorelai pried her arms from him and grabbed a pillow from the couch to clutch onto.
"Luke, thanks," she managed a weak smile.
He nodded, returning the smile. "No problem. Uh, Rory, do you know if Jess is around?"
"Um, yeah. He's in the apartment," she blushed a little.
"Thanks," he said as he pulled his jacket on and left the Gilmore house.
"Shh, honey. Do you want to talk about it?" Rory smoothed her hand over Lorelai's back.
"No, I just. Mom, I didn't even know I was going to do it. He came over here and all of a sudden, I was breaking up with him. He looked so mad, and I—Luke showed up and he was so nice. He watched sappy movies with me and ate crap, and I," she rambled, dissolving into tears again.
"Well, obviously you haven't had enough junk to eat. Oh, honey, break ups are the worst, and the first one is the worst of all," she explained, letting Lorelai slide her head into her lap.
"I just, I can't--," she started but didn't need to finish. Rory understood perfectly and just held her as she cried. She hit the pause button on the VCR and Terms of Endearment came on, halfway through the movie. She stroked her daughter's hair as they watched the rest of the sad movie.
Later that evening, Lorelai had decided to go to bed early, leaving Rory to work on some newspaper stuff in the living room. The phone rang, and Rory jumped to answer it, as to not disturb her finally peaceful daughter.
"Hello?"
"Uh, Rory?"
"Yes?"
"It's, Tristan. Is Lorelai there?"
"She's asleep."
"Well, could you wake her up?"
"I don't think that's a good idea. Why don't you just see her in school tomorrow?" Rory insisted.
"I don't know what she told you, but I'd really like to talk to her."
"She told me she broke up with you. You'll understand if I wasn't expecting to hear from you," Rory informed him.
"I just, wanted to know why, I guess."
"She didn't tell you why?"
"No, she didn't."
"Well, I'm sorry. You'll have to wait until tomorrow to talk to her," she said, feeling bad for the kid. Everyone deserves the truth, whatever it might be. She knew Lorelai had really liked Tristan, even though she was a little freaked out about how much she liked him. Rory hoped she wasn't just scared. Making a mental note to speak to Lorelai, she bid Tristan a goodnight and hung up.
She continued with her work, readjusting her glasses. She was trying to push Lorelai's situation out of her mind when the phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Hey, it's me."
"Hey, you."
"What are you up to?"
"Working. Lor's in bed already."
"Luke told me she had some sort of meltdown."
"Poor kid. Yeah, she and Tristan broke up."
"That's too bad. Did you, uh, talk to her?"
"Jess, she's heartbroken."
"So? You're not," he reminded her.
"I know, but you can't flaunt your happy boyfriend news in the face of someone who just broke up with their boyfriend. At least, not to someone you like."
"Rory, she needs to know."
"Give her one mopey night. I'll talk to her tomorrow. I promise."
"I told Luke."
"Really?" she asked, cringing.
"Yep, I told him what an amazing la-," he started.
"You are a horrible person and I'm hanging up now," she informed him.
"But I'm bored."
"Work."
"The store's closed."
"Inventory," she mentioned.
"Don't wanna."
"Work on your column."
"Done."
"Jess," she warned.
"What are you wearing?"
"Where is Luke?"
"That's not how you play this game."
"Where is he?"
"Out."
"It's like five degrees out."
"I didn't make the kid leave."
"Good night, Jess."
"Despot."
"Gee, I love you too," she sighed. Then silence. Her heart stopped a little bit too. She was a little dizzy and glad to be seated.
"Uh, Jess," she started, trying to rectify the should-have-been joke.
"I'll see you tomorrow, right?" His voice was even and calm. How did he do it?
"Right. Just like always."
"Night, Rory."
"Night, Jess."
She sat back and put her work done. It was clear that the universe was against her getting anything productive done tonight. She went in and checked on Lorelai, who was breathing evenly. Smiling that one of them was at peace; she turned and climbed up the stairs to her room to try to achieve the same state.
Rory rolled over to glance at the alarm clock on Jess' bedside table. The table was covered in CD cases and books; they coated every available surface. She noted the time on the CD player/alarm clock read 4pm. She'd been there for hours, without realizing that Lorelai had been home alone, well, she hoped alone, for hours. Rolling back over to face Jess, she smiled at him hesitantly.
"Don't say it," he mumbled, pulling her back into him.
"I need to get home," she said, trying to pull herself from him without luck.
"Nuh-uh. I don't have to work today, you don't have to work today, there is no reason for you to leave this bed."
"Uh, well, Luke is a reason."
"He's not here."
"I know, and I feel bad. I'm keeping him from his home," Rory giggled.
"He'll get over it. When he's my age and wants to get some, he'll call and tell me how he understands," Jess laughed.
"Jess, come on," she whined, still trying to pry his arm away from her.
"Rory, relax."
"Alright, fine. I'll stay. If we talk about this."
She sat up a little, as he loosened his grip. He sat up straight against the headboard, enjoying the view as she sat up and blushed. She took the sheet and held it up against her.
"Jess, I'm serious."
"Ooh, serious face, fine. Let's talk."
"So, you and me," she led.
"We are having incredible sex," he smirked.
"We are having sex," she agreed.
"Incredible sex," he corrected.
She smiled for a moment, and then shook her head as if to shake it off her face.
"Jess, seriously. What are we doing here?"
"Why do I get the feeling you want me to tell you because you don't know?"
She chewed on the skin under her bottom lip, not wanting to meet his eyes. Her head leaned forward and a chunk of hair fell into her face. He might be right, but she didn't like how he put it so simply and succinctly.
"That's not it at all. I just wondered what it was to you."
"Rory, I've known you for years. If you're wondering if this is one of my one night stands, well, I don't think that's possible."
"Because of the town or because of me?" she met his eyes.
"Why do I care what the town thinks?"
"Jess, you know what I mean."
"Because of you. Of us."
"So, there's an us?"
"I thought that's what we were doing here."
"Will you be serious?"
"Rory, come on. Just ask me whatever it is that you're not getting the answer you want to," he asked seriously, pushing the lock of hair behind her ear as she continued to hold the sheet up against her with both hands.
She took a deep breath and looked back at him as if it were taking all the energy she had left in her. They had spent hours in his bed, not talking really, not thinking. But that wasn't her, she always thought and planned and felt secure in her decisions. He was making that all impossible by sitting next to her, the plain white sheet just strewn over his otherwise naked form.
"Is this is more than sex?"
Never had one question sounded more vulnerable to him. He gave her a smile, a rare and honest one, and nodded as he pulled her back closer to him.
"Yeah, it is."
She let him hold her for a while longer, neither of them speaking. She let her guard down again, allowing the sheet to fall as she pressed herself into him. She gave into the feeling of his arms holding her in place, feeling his strength across her back.
"Good," she whispered, pulling back finally. "I do need to get home."
Jess nodded. "Yeah, I guess you should check in at home."
"But I'll see you tomorrow."
"Can I take you out this week?"
She smiled. "Just let me know when, okay?"
He nodded again, watching as she gathered her clothes and headed into the bathroom to straighten up. Looking around, he too grabbed his clothes and slid into them. The past two days had been more than he'd ever hoped for. Never had he thought that he and Rory would be able to get to this point. She had been in his bed all afternoon, after him being in her bed all the previous night. And he hated to admit, she was right about his bed. Hers was much more preferable. He was still contemplating the last issue when she reemerged from the bathroom.
"What?" she laughed.
"We'll have to do this again, but in your bed," he said, pulling her back into him as she attempted to pull her shoes on.
"I told you your bed was too small," she laughed. Then that damn common sense came in to play. "But, uh, Jess," she started.
He didn't like her tone. "Rory?"
"Well, it's just—I need to talk to Lorelai. You know, make sure she's cool with you, uh, staying over," she stressed the last two words.
He nodded, understanding. This couldn't be just about him and Rory. Rory never just thought about herself, and she couldn't.
"Just, give me a call later," he requested.
She smiled, relieved. Of course he understood, he was Jess. He knew her as well as anyone ever had. "I will."
She took her time walking home, enjoying the snow. It was already dark, the sun a casualty of their location this time of year. She loved snow; it made the small town glow as if covered in fairy dust. She turned her key in the lock and opened the door only to hear noises that kicked her directly into mother mode.
Rushing into the living room, she saw Lorelai crying her eyes out, clutched onto Luke.
"Honey, what's wrong?" she was at Lorelai's side a second later, looking at Luke in curiosity.
"Mom?"
"I'm here, honey, what happened?"
"I—I broke up with Tristan," she choked out.
"I'm just going to go," Luke said, as Lorelai pried her arms from him and grabbed a pillow from the couch to clutch onto.
"Luke, thanks," she managed a weak smile.
He nodded, returning the smile. "No problem. Uh, Rory, do you know if Jess is around?"
"Um, yeah. He's in the apartment," she blushed a little.
"Thanks," he said as he pulled his jacket on and left the Gilmore house.
"Shh, honey. Do you want to talk about it?" Rory smoothed her hand over Lorelai's back.
"No, I just. Mom, I didn't even know I was going to do it. He came over here and all of a sudden, I was breaking up with him. He looked so mad, and I—Luke showed up and he was so nice. He watched sappy movies with me and ate crap, and I," she rambled, dissolving into tears again.
"Well, obviously you haven't had enough junk to eat. Oh, honey, break ups are the worst, and the first one is the worst of all," she explained, letting Lorelai slide her head into her lap.
"I just, I can't--," she started but didn't need to finish. Rory understood perfectly and just held her as she cried. She hit the pause button on the VCR and Terms of Endearment came on, halfway through the movie. She stroked her daughter's hair as they watched the rest of the sad movie.
Later that evening, Lorelai had decided to go to bed early, leaving Rory to work on some newspaper stuff in the living room. The phone rang, and Rory jumped to answer it, as to not disturb her finally peaceful daughter.
"Hello?"
"Uh, Rory?"
"Yes?"
"It's, Tristan. Is Lorelai there?"
"She's asleep."
"Well, could you wake her up?"
"I don't think that's a good idea. Why don't you just see her in school tomorrow?" Rory insisted.
"I don't know what she told you, but I'd really like to talk to her."
"She told me she broke up with you. You'll understand if I wasn't expecting to hear from you," Rory informed him.
"I just, wanted to know why, I guess."
"She didn't tell you why?"
"No, she didn't."
"Well, I'm sorry. You'll have to wait until tomorrow to talk to her," she said, feeling bad for the kid. Everyone deserves the truth, whatever it might be. She knew Lorelai had really liked Tristan, even though she was a little freaked out about how much she liked him. Rory hoped she wasn't just scared. Making a mental note to speak to Lorelai, she bid Tristan a goodnight and hung up.
She continued with her work, readjusting her glasses. She was trying to push Lorelai's situation out of her mind when the phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Hey, it's me."
"Hey, you."
"What are you up to?"
"Working. Lor's in bed already."
"Luke told me she had some sort of meltdown."
"Poor kid. Yeah, she and Tristan broke up."
"That's too bad. Did you, uh, talk to her?"
"Jess, she's heartbroken."
"So? You're not," he reminded her.
"I know, but you can't flaunt your happy boyfriend news in the face of someone who just broke up with their boyfriend. At least, not to someone you like."
"Rory, she needs to know."
"Give her one mopey night. I'll talk to her tomorrow. I promise."
"I told Luke."
"Really?" she asked, cringing.
"Yep, I told him what an amazing la-," he started.
"You are a horrible person and I'm hanging up now," she informed him.
"But I'm bored."
"Work."
"The store's closed."
"Inventory," she mentioned.
"Don't wanna."
"Work on your column."
"Done."
"Jess," she warned.
"What are you wearing?"
"Where is Luke?"
"That's not how you play this game."
"Where is he?"
"Out."
"It's like five degrees out."
"I didn't make the kid leave."
"Good night, Jess."
"Despot."
"Gee, I love you too," she sighed. Then silence. Her heart stopped a little bit too. She was a little dizzy and glad to be seated.
"Uh, Jess," she started, trying to rectify the should-have-been joke.
"I'll see you tomorrow, right?" His voice was even and calm. How did he do it?
"Right. Just like always."
"Night, Rory."
"Night, Jess."
She sat back and put her work done. It was clear that the universe was against her getting anything productive done tonight. She went in and checked on Lorelai, who was breathing evenly. Smiling that one of them was at peace; she turned and climbed up the stairs to her room to try to achieve the same state.