Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't own it. The plot and any original characters belong to me, but everything else is stuff I only wish I could take credit for.
A/N: I've gotten a lot of reviews saying that they think Rory is being unreasonable. I completely agree, and in the next chapter that'll be elaborated on. For now, I bring you a tiny chapter that serves merely as a segway. Hopefully though, you'll enjoy it and the next chapter (the good one!) will be up next week sometime. Anyway, it wouldn't be an author's note if I didn't throw in Review Review Review!
Chapter 14: Destination Anywhere
A strong, steady pounding behind his eyes woke Jess up. He opened his eyes and squinted against the light coming in his window. "Oh, my God." He moaned.
"Well, it sounds like someone's awake." Claire called from the living room.
Jess gave a loud moan in response.
Claire walked into the room, carrying a glass of water and a bottle of Tylenol. "How do you feel?"
"Like a homeless bastard who got ran over by a truck." Jess said, sitting up in bed.
"You aren't homeless." Claire said, handing him the water. She opened the bottle and poured two into her hand. "And you know you shouldn't drink that much. You never could hold your liquor."
"Shut up." Jess said, taking the water. "I hold my liquor fine." He held out his other hand and Claire dropped the pills into Jess's palm.
"Sure you do, baby." Claire said with a patronizing smile. "That's why you puked your brains out on New Years."
Jess put the pills in his mouth and took a long gulp of water. "Not a conversation I want to have right now. And besides, I drank like four glasses of wine at your parents' house and followed it up with half a dozen shots at Tony's party. You'd get sick too."
Claire rolled her eyes. "Ok, conversation over. Do you want anything?"
Jess looked up at Claire pathetically. "How about a little advice?"
Claire sighed and sat down on the bed next to him. "I don't know how objective I can be. As someone who's played this game before and all."
Jess nodded. "Figured as much. If you were me though, Claire. What would you do if you were me?"
Claire looked at Jess. It was so rare for him to ask for advice. It was a little less rare lately, but still…it took a lot for Jess to ask for help or advice. That's why it broke Claire's heart to say no.
"I'm sorry, Jess. I can't give you advice on this one. I'm too emotionally involved to help you. You have to figure this one out on your own." Claire said, pushing herself off the bed.
"What?" Jess asked, confused. "You won't help me?"
Claire shook her head. "I can't do anything for you."
It was true. Claire couldn't help Jess at all because she knew exactly what Rory was trying to do to him. She gave him an impossible choice to make. If he chose to move out, he had no place to live and he would be alienating his best friend. If he chose to stay, he'd lose Rory.
Claire was absolutely amazed at how good Rory Gilmore was at this game. It was a game Claire knew well, because she had played it herself once upon a time. She could see exactly what Rory was doing, and she could see how it was tearing Jess apart inside.
"It seems so obvious." Jess said miserably. "I love her. I should be willing to do this for her."
Claire turned back to Jess with a sad smile. She sat back on the bed. "Talk it through, sweetie. Talk it through."
Jess sighed. "If I move out, then it proves I love her. But I also have no place to live. I could go back to Luke, but he's done so much for me already. I'd feel terrible. I could try to find another place here, but I wouldn't be able to go back to school like I wanted to. Plus, it'd kill me to leave you. Because I know that this would just be the first step to us parting ways, and I don't want to do that."
"Alright." Claire said, nodding. "Now think about what happens if you stay."
"If I stay," Jess began, "I lose Rory. Forever. No more chances. I'll have a roof over my head and my best friend at my side. But I won't have Rory."
Claire nodded. "You just have to decide which is more important to you."
Jess sighed. "And you can't tell me what to do?"
Claire smiled sadly. "Nope."
"I can't not be friends with you, Claire." Jess said. "I have one friend, and it's you."
Claire felt tears welling up. "Wow. Still don't know how to deal with you and your newfound emotions."
Jess just shrugged.
"You're going to do what you have to do." Claire said, patting his hand.
"Yeah, but no matter what, I have to pick between you and Rory." Jess said.
"You've done it before." Claire reminded him. "When you decided to move back to Stars Hollow."
"Very different." He said. "Choosing to move to Stars Hollow again didn't mean that I couldn't see you anymore."
"Well, this doesn't have to either." Claire said.
Jess stared at her skeptically. "Please, Claire. You know as well as I do that this is Rory's way of saying, "pick one.""
"Yeah." Claire said quietly. "I know."
Jess sighed. "This blows."
"It does indeed." Claire agreed. "Maybe she'll come around though."
Jess just stared at Claire skeptically.
Claire stood up and gave Jess a kiss on the head. "No matter what happens, I love you forever."
Jess smiled sadly at her. "I love you too. I don't think you hear this enough, Claire, but you're an amazing person."
Claire tossed her hair back. "Um, duh."
Jess laughed at his friend. "Thanks for everything Claire."
Claire smiled. "Don't thank me." Not yet, she thought. "I'm going to visit some friends in Pennsylvania tomorrow."
Jess nodded, knowing immediately whom she meant. "I wish you'd told me earlier. I'd have taken off work."
Claire smiled and shook her head. "It's all good, darling. You need the time alone."
Jess nodded. "Yeah."
"And I need the time too. I might stay overnight. I have the next few days off."
"Gonna talk to him this time?" Jess asked.
Claire smiled sadly and shook her head. "No."
The knock came at 11 in the morning. Rory looked up from her book at the sound. She wasn't expecting anybody. It was Saturday. There was no UPS delivery on weekends, and none of the workers were scheduled to come until Monday. The knock came again, and Rory stood on shaky legs, fearful that it was Jess with his decision.
Rory peered out the window, surprised and somewhat angry to see Claire standing at her door. She was standing and waiting patiently, wearing a green halter top and baggy jeans with paint splatters on them. Rory opened the door just wide enough to allow Claire to see her face. "Leave."
Claire smirked. "Can't do that, darling. I need you to come with me."
Rory was curious, and allowed the door to slide open a little more. "I'm not going anywhere with you." She said, snidely and harshly.
"That was pretty good. Now call me a home wrecker." Claire said, still smirking.
Rory gave into temptation and pushed the door open the rest of the way. "Well, now that you mention it…" She snapped.
"Please." Claire interjected. "I'm no home wrecker. But I know that I can't do anything to convince you that I don't want Jess."
"I'm glad you've realized that. Now if you'll excuse me." She began to shut the door, but Claire caught it with her tiny hand.
"That's why I want you to come with me." Claire said insistently.
"Why?" Rory asked suspiciously. "Why should I go anywhere with you?"
Claire bore her ice blue eyes into Rory's. "Because you owe it to that scruffy man I call my best friend. You know him as the boy who you're killing inside."
Rory still looked skeptical, but she just nodded. "Alright. I'll go with you."
Claire smiled. "I knew you would. Pack a small bag. We may stay overnight. And bring a book or something to do. It's gonna be a long ride to Pennsylvania."
