Disclaimer: I don't own 'em, but I write it better than they do.
Author's Note: I know, it's sad. I don't know what I'm doing, but I'm trying really hard.
"Hi there!" Lorelai exclaimed as she smiled at the receptionist behind the desk at Hartford Memorial. "I'm looking for Jess Mariano's room. He was brought here a few days ago. A… car accident?" Rory's chin quivered, but Lorelai continued on as the woman typed his information into her computer.
"Jess… Mariano?" At Lorelai's nod, she continued. "I'm sorry dear, he's in Intensive Care. No visitors." Her smile was tight as she stared at them, waiting for them to leave. In return, Lorelai's smile was bright and shining, save for the vicious undertones. The very same one she used with Emily during their sparring matches.
"See," She leaned over the desk and glanced at the woman's name from her nametag. "Patricia, this boy is my daughter's," She pulled Rory closer to her, wrapping her arm around the girl's shaking shoulders. "ex boyfriend. And he might be dying." Rory stiffened at the words, but didn't say a word. "My daughter is only 19. She's never dealt with this kind of loss before, and he was her first love." She stopped for a moment, widening her eyes, milking the sympathy card for all it was worth. "If he dies? And she doesn't even get to see him before?" She paused, her eyes glittering; the next words her big finish. "We'll never forgive you." Rory made a choking noise, trying to keep back her laugh amidst her tears. The woman looked ruffled, and rightly so, but she nodded anyway and pursed her lips.
"I can give you five minutes," She whispered, typing something into the computer and nodding. "All of his doctors will be out of the room at 5:30. I can make it so that you can go in and out without detection. But five minutes is all." Lorelai nodded and smiled brilliantly.
"Thank you." The woman stood, and they discreetly followed her down the stark white highway.
"It's in here," She whispered inconspicuously, and blocked them as they slipped into the room. As Rory neared the bed, her breath caught. There he was. But this wasn't the Jess she had known. He was painfully thin, and white gauze covered his left eye. Tears pricked her eyes, and she immediately sat at the stool by his side, holding his lifeless hand in hers.
"Jess," She whispered, the tears streaming down her cheeks, barely able to see, pain surging through her. She kissed his fingers, squeezing them tightly praying for some sort of response. Lorelai lightly touched her shoulder, and motioned that she was going outside. Rory nodded once, barely turning around, Jess her only focus. She exhaled slowly, barely breathing, her heart thudding madly in her chest, feeling the years slip away, and her feelings for him come rushing back. "Jess," she repeated. "I can't believe you're in here." She paused to look around, wiping her eyes with her free hand. "You were always so strong, and so… distant." She couldn't help herself, and started shaking so hard that she couldn't stop herself. "I was so, so horrible to you. And now you're here, and I can't… I can't believe that I could have ever hurt you." She moved closer, rubbing his hand between hers, trying in some way to seep some warmth into him. "I know you can't hear me," she stopped, laughing through her tears. "And frankly, I don't think I'd want you to," she sighed again, and closed her eyes, not bearing the sight of him so defenseless. "I have to go soon," She whispered, looking down at her watch, her chest tightening. "But you're gonna make it," she couldn't breathe, couldn't finish, couldn't handle seeing him like this. "You- you're gonna be Ok." He didn't respond, she knew that he wouldn't. Knew that talking to him was futile, that he could die, and she would never see his smirk again. Never see his eyes light up. Never spend another night being in his arms. She shuddered and belatedly realized that her feelings for him had never left her. They had deflated, shoved under the rug, but she knew if he died, a part of her heart would die with him. He can't die. She felt a fresh wave of tears coming, and a knot formed in her stomach. "You can't die Jess. You can't die because….because I love you." The room was silent, and Rory sighed, any hope she'd had for a miracle disintegrated. She heard footsteps coming down the hallway, knew that they only had limited time together, and in that instant she was leaning over him, pressing her lips to his, trying with all her might to let him live. When he didn't respond, Rory's heart broke. Still holding his hand, she slid to the floor. She could feel him slipping away, and she couldn't bear it. After a moment she stood and forced herself to let go of his hand. "I love you, Jess." She whispered, leaning again, lightly brushing her lips against his. She was gone a moment later, and in that moment, Jess had whispered, "Rory."