Family Portrait
Author's Note: Despite what it may seem in the last chapter, Rory still hasn't made her choice. I think I have though. I appreciate all of your reviews, and although they're not making my life any easier with finishing this story they're giving me the inspiration I need to continue. I hope despite what 'ship it ends up being you all will continue to read.
Chapter Twenty: Proposals
After two horrendous weeks spent in the hospital with doctors running tests on her and her unborn baby Rory Gilmore was finally let out. Needless to say, she was relieved. The last thing she had wanted was to spend another day away from Liza, away from school, and in the stupid hospital. She swore that if she never saw the white walls of the building again it would be too soon.
With one arm she carried some of the remaining balloons and gifts she had received from friends and family over her stay, her other arm occupied with the cast. Her mother and Lane were gladly helping her move out of the hospital and back into the Gilmore-Danes home for the weekend, afterwards she would be allowed to go home to New Haven and return to Yale. She had tried to convince them that she would be all right to head back right away, but no one would hear her argument.
"Okay, so I was thinking we can watch The Godfather tonight," Lorelai had been talking at Gilmore speed since she had arrived in the hospital. Truthfully, Rory hadn't been paying much attention to her mother's rambles. "We can have lots of chocolate and coffee, because Luke loves us too much to deprive us anymore, and then if you're tired we can call it an early night, or we could watched The Godfather 2. How's that sound?"
"Great," Rory nodded, distracted by her own thoughts.
"You're not listening!" Lorelai pouted.
"I'm listening," Rory assured her mother, "I'm just trying not to drop anything as I press the elevator door."
"Oh!" Lane jumped from where she's been quietly standing by the two Gilmore girls and pressed the button, "Sorry."
"It's okay," Rory shrugged, "Where've you been? Mom thinks I'm distracted but you're way out on Mars."
"Oh, it's just Dave and I set a date," Lane shrugged, trying to be nonchalant about it.
"Really?" Rory smiled, happy for her friend. For the first week of Lane's visits they had talked about how she was feeling, what she was going to do about Tristan and Jess, and about her and Dave's engagement and when they were planning on getting married.
"So, when is it?" Lorelai pressed, anxious to get underway with helping Lane to prepare for the ceremony.
"Well, we were thinking about a Spring Wedding," Lane began, "But then we thought about Rory and the fact that she's going to be seven or eight months pregnant by then."
"Lane, it doesn't matter," Rory pointed out, "I mean either way I'm going to be at the wedding."
"Yeah, but I want you to be maid of honor and I want you to feel pretty and not like an elephant or anything," Lane explained, and Rory was forced to remember how big she had been when pregnant with Liza at eight months.
"Point duly noted," Rory nodded.
"So, the pending date is September 28," her best friend announced, "I figured it's the perfect time, what with the leaves changing and everything."
"I think it's perfect," she smiled, not being able to look at Lane without being drawn into her excitement. The petite Korean girl was glowing with radiance at the mention of the wedding, and Rory felt giddy just thinking about it. This was the day Lane had been waiting for forever, even more so since she had started to date Dave. It surprised Rory had sure Lane had been that he was the one for her almost since the beginning.
The three women stepped into the elevator and Lane pressed the floor number. They stood in silent, each with their own things on their mind now. Thinking about Lane and Dave had allowed Rory's mind to wander back to Tristan and Jess and what she was going to do about them. She had told Tristan she loved him, and she did, but she wasn't sure what kind of love it was. What it meant.
Leaning back against the wall of the elevator, Rory shifted what little of the stuff her mother and Lane had allowed her to carry so that it wouldn't fall on the floor. Tristan had wanted to be there when she checked out of the hospital, but she had insisted that she go back to the school and that she'd see him on Friday. It was no use for him to miss more class than necessary only to have him need to make it up later on. He needed to graduate and he needed to be attending school in order to do so.
"Rory, sweetie, you're going to have to be a bit more talkative or we're going to have to march right up stairs again and check you back in!" Lorelai ordered her; "On the pretense that they switched you with some Rory-clone who is definitely not as good as my daughter!"
"Yeah, you were all talkative in the hospital," Lane admitted, "And now your back to somber broody Rory who reminds me a lot of Jess when he first came to Stars Hollow."
"Oh! Or Luke pre- um...well, Luke in general on most occasions," Lorelai chirped, "Especially when it has anything to do with Stars Hollow events."
"Or Paris!" Lane added, the two getting wrapped up in their game of naming different broody characters in which Rory is acting in a similar manner to.
"Ok, ok, got the point," Rory heaved, and the stepped out of the elevator pausing a moment as her mother and Lane caught up to her. Dave greeted them at the entrance to the hospital, who quickly grabbed anything that Rory had in her hand and shoved it into his car. "Thanks," Rory held back a laugh. Everyone was treating her as if she were made of glass.
"Alright, my car oh darling daughter," Lorelai commanded, leading Rory over to the updated Range Rover Lorelai and Luke had purchased two years ago, right before Lucas was born. Rory managed small wave of goodbye to Lane and Dave, although she would see them soon, before she was practically shoved into the car by her mother.
"Need I remind you a certain daughter of yours was in a car accident?" Rory said once her mother was seating in the driver's seat.
"Oh no!" the older woman exclaimed and then put her hand on her stomach and looked down at it, "Are you all right oh nameless child?"
"Funny mom," Rory rolled her eyes and then pulled her purse onto her lap, which she had managed to hold onto with Dave and her mother grabbing everything from her the minute she picked it up. "Speaking of the nameless twins," she pulled out the name book Tristan had given her, "Since me and Tristan already picked out the name for our daughter, I thought you and Luke could use this."
"Thank you honey," Lorelai smiled as she started the car and took the book from Rory. Flipping through all the pages and putting it on her lap. "I'll be sure to look through that with Luke," she assured her, "But hey, I was thinking…"
"Mom, you can't name either of them after the Beatles, or any other band or television characters," Rory sighed, "And last names are out too."
"You suck," Lorelai pouted as she pulled out onto the road.
"Wait! Go back!" Rory had suddenly remembered something very important she had planned on doing before leaving the hospital, something that even though she hated the idea of going back she had to do.
"Why?" her mother was clearly shocked by her daughter's request, she too had seen too much of the hospital in her lifetime.
"There was this nurse," she tried to explain, "And when you guys were all gone she came in to talk to me. I know she knew I was leaving, I just wanted to say goodbye and thank her."
"That's my girl," Lorelai chuckled, and then turned around to go back to the hospital. When they pulled up in front of the door, she raised a curious brow, "Want me to come in?"
"No," Rory shook her head; "I have to do this alone." Offering her mother a reassuring smile, she got out of the car and headed into the hospital.
(Inside the hospital.)
Getting out of the elevator on the floor she'd spent the majority of her time since she had woken up that fateful afternoon, she look around carefully. Surveying the waiting room, she saw no sign of the familiar nurse who had become a friend to Rory over the two weeks.
"Rory?" a voice that Rory had not heard since high school rang out through the hallway. Looking up, she saw Madeline Lynn standing there looking at Rory with a small, giddy smile. Vaguely, Rory remember Paris mentioning running into her old high school friends the day Rory had woken up.
"Madeline," a small, genuine smile appeared. Although Paris, Madeline, and Louise had made her life at Chilton a living hell for the first couple of years, Rory had always liked to girl who would forget to me mean and rude to Rory. She was a funny one.
"We heard you were in an accident," the raven-haired girl told Rory, stepping towards her as Louise appeared, stepping out from a room. The blonde observed Rory quietly as Madeline spoke. "Are you alright?" she questioned, "Paris said you were in a coma."
"We're fine," Rory said, without thinking she spoke of both herself and baby Haley, "The doctor's released me today."
"We're?" Louise, always the one to catch onto the little things raised a brow, "You and Liza right?"
"Actually, I'm pregnant again," she mentioned, she saw no reason to hide it from the girls. After all, if they looked closely enough they would be able to see the small lump that was her belly.
"Really?" Madeline seemed to take this as good new, "I'm engaged. That's why we're here, my fiancée came in for a check-up after his "accident"."
"Really?" Louise mimicked her best friend, "Is that hunk Jess the father again?"
"No," Rory shook her head; she wasn't quite prepared to tell these strangers of her past who was though. Afraid it might draw up some unwanted memories from High School. Memories that she didn't quite want to relive at the time being.
"Oh," Madeline seemed unrattled by the news, much like Rory had expected her too. Louise, on the other hand, regarded Rory with interest, as if she had just discovered something surprising in her. "Do you know the sex yet?"
"Yeah," the brunette nodded, "It's a girl." With a small smile, she said more to herself that to the two women in front of her, "Haley Juliet Mary DuGray Gilmore." No sooner than the name was out of her mouth, did she want to take back telling them.
Now, Louise's expression had changed to one of keen interest, a look that Rory had recognized from when the young blond had discovered a new piece of juicy gossip to spread around. Madeline, on the other hand, seemed to still be putting the pieces together.
"Mary and Juliet sound like something you and Tristan would name your kids if you ever had one," she mentioned. Then, realization dawned on her face, "Oh."
"She's still a tad slow," Louise mentioned. Looking between the two now, Rory couldn't help but be surprised that Louise wasn't engaged as well. "Guess we're going to have to dig out the old betting pool again," she sighed, flipping her hair over her shoulder, "Wonder who won."
"You had a pool?" Rory furrowed her eyebrows, confused and somewhat startled.
"Yeah, there was a pool going around to see how long it would take Tristan to finally bag you," Madeline explained, "Paris' idea. We put you don't for when hell freezes over. Which means you owe twenty. What was the exact day anyway?"
"Unbelievable!" Rory shook her head, walking away from the two of them. She knew it was just a juvenile game they had started in high school. Obviously, Madeline and Louise still thought in high school years, but Rory knew that Paris had matured past her hate Rory stage. Yet, she couldn't help but feel slightly angry about it.
(Back in Lorelai's car)
Rory slammed the door as she got into her mother's car. Lorelai watched her daughter carefully. Obviously confused as to what had made her daughter go from the good mood she had been in, to this dark one. Starting up the car, Lorelai pulled away from the hospital and onto the highway. Once they were well away on the highway did Lorelai finally speak up; "Did you find the nurse?"
"Yeah," Rory nodded distractedly, "She promised she'd make sure she was the nurse in charge when Haley was born."
"That's nice of her," her mother said. When Rory nodded, still not giving Lorelai any hint as to what was wrong, she figured there was nothing else to do but ask. "Did something happen in there?"
"I ran into Louise and Madeline," was her daughter's curt response. Lorelai didn't know what else to say to her daughter just then. She stole another glance at her. Rory had kept her hair short over the last three months, and in curls. It suited her well. Heaving a sigh, Lorelai decided she would just have to wait until Rory decided she wanted to talk about whatever it was. "They found out about Tristan and Haley. Then, they said something about a poll Paris started on how long it would take Tristan to get me in the sack," she admitted finally.
"Rory..." Lorelai said slowly. She didn't want to get her anymore upset than she seemed to be already. It surprised her though, that something like this would upset her.
"What?" Rory snapped, "It was just a stupid kid's game? Did you guys have a betting pool when Jess came to town and I was friends with him? How long until he breaks the perfect Stars Hollow couple up? Or how long until Jess leaves me brokenhearted? Did you mom?"
"No," Lorelai was taken aback by her daughter's accusations and anger. Had this been something building up for a while, this anger and resentment she seemed to have?
Finally, Rory took a deep breath and buried her face in her hands. After a moment, she looked back at her mother. "I'm sorry," she mumbled, "It's just…I was just…"
"I know," reaching over she put a hand on her daughter's shoulder, offering a smile before turning back to the icy January roads.
"Why didn't Jess come?" she wanted to know after a moment, "Did he go back to New York again and not tell me?"
"He was with Liza," Lorelai told her.
"Luke could've watched her," Rory pointed out, "I thought he would've taken a break, come and see me out. He said he would whenever he came to visit."
"Jess doesn't like hospitals." Rory frowned, it sounded as if her mother was covering for Jess for something or other. It wasn't like her mother to do that, especially not for Jess.
"So, Sookie having a big dinner tonight?" the younger Gilmore wondered, changing the subject.
"Yeah, she's over at the house cooking now, probably driving Luke insane too," at that Lorelai grinned.
"Sounds great," Rory grinned. Then, her attention shifted outside of the window of the car. The white covered fields, the icicles and harsh January wind. It occurred to her how immature it had been to freak out over the old betting pool, after all, she remember how things had been in high school between Paris and Tristan. They weren't always on the best of terms.
They had been teenagers, and teenagers who were in competition constantly at the prestigious private school that was Chilton. Paris felt her position in the school was threatened, Tristan had seen her as another piece of meat. So, it was obvious that there would be some sort of bet going on. She couldn't understand why it had affected her so much though.
Maybe she was trying too hard to make her teenage crush on Tristan turn into something more. To turn into a love that challenged hers for Jess because she was afraid to go back to him. It seemed that she was trying too hard to turn what she had once felt for Tristan in the past, to the kind of love that rivaled Lorelai and Luke's.
It was quite possible that Rory had been looking at the idea of her relationships with both men wrong all along. She had been comparing then to her mother's own, when really; they couldn't be compared at all. Her mother made choices in her life that got her to where she was today, and Rory would have to make her own. Neither of the men were her "Chris" or her "Luke" or even her "Jamie" or "Dave". When she finally figured out which one of the men she wanted to be with, they would be making their own path. She couldn't continue comparing because it got her nowhere.
(The Gilmore-Danes Residence)
Rory sat in her old room, on her laptop. She was finding it increasingly hard to do any work on her newly received assignment with one hand in her cast. Heaving a sigh, she continued to try and one hand type instead. She couldn't remember how she had managed with the bad sprain the first time around.
There was a knock on the front door and she could vaguely hear the commotion her mother and Luke were causing. Luke ordering Lorelai to stay seated, her mother complaining that she could answer the door. Sookie and Jackson were discussing the various foods that she was making, and Lane, Dave, Jamie, and Paris still had not arrived back at the house. Rory had a sneaking suspicion that Tristan would probably show up at the dinner tonight too.
Preparing to go off and join her welcome back home dinner party, Rory's eye caught sight of the date on the computer screen. A date that she tried to ignore thinking of every year, the day that she had broken Jess' heart and a piece of her own when she pushed Jess away. That was why he hadn't shown up at the hospital. He knew what day it was too.
"Rory, come on!" Lorelai shouted, opening the door.
"Coming," Rory mumbled. A horrid feeling in the pit of her stomach rose and she didn't know if she was really in the mood to celebrate anything on this day. Turning around, she saw Jess standing in the doorway. He had his old leather jacket on, but he still had the worn look in his eyes that Rory knew well, "Hey."
"Hey," he nodded. Walking into her room much like he had almost six years earlier. He looked over her books, picking up her Howl book, the one he had stolen and written in the margins of that first night they met.
"Wow, aren't we hooked on phonics."
He put it down, a small smile on his face. Then, he reached over and picked up her newest edition of The Fountainhead, shaking his head, as he looked it over. It was complete with new cover art.
"You should borrow it," Rory told him, "Give it another shot."
"Ayn Rand's always going to be a nut, no matter how many times they reprint the book," Jess shot back. They shared a look, and Jess' eyes wandered over to the window. Obviously replaying that first day they met, much like Rory was. She had a strange feeling of déjà vu in between all the tension. They both knew what day it was.
"You feeling okay?" he asked, breaking their reverie. Bringing them back to the present.
"Yeah," she nodded, "Getting used to the cast and one handed typing. I'm doing better though."
"Good," Jess nodded, glancing over his shoulder at Lorelai, Sookie and Jackson moving the feast into the dining room. Lane and Dave had arrived, Paris and Jamie right after, Liza with them.
"We should probably go," Rory pointed nervously out the door. Neither of them was willing to talk about what was on their minds at that moment, the fifth anniversary of their breakup. It was much like it had been that day before Christmas Eve when they had done everything to avoid each other.
"Right," he took a step back towards the door, "Wouldn't want to miss your welcome home dinner."
"You want something to drink?" Rory questioned.
"I'll get it," Jess told her, and she nodded. Grabbing her own soda, she headed into the dining room to find, as she suspected, Tristan walking in with her father and Georgia. Jess saw the man and grabbed a beer, following a trail he had taken six years ago, and went onto the back porch.
After a moment, he heard the door open. He sensed her presence behind him, and he knew that there was about to be another bout of déjà vu that night. It was odd how the anniversary of the night he had been forced out of Stars Hollow because the love of his life said she hadn't cared about him, he was reliving the night it had all started. The night he had first met Rory.
"God, I wish I could have that beer," Lorelai heaved a sigh, coming up beside Jess as he opened the bottle.
"Oh, for me, hey, thanks."
"Here to give me a lecture on how great Luke is?" Jess joked, glancing at Lorelai Gilmore. He had gotten off on the wrong foot with this woman, had ended up on her bad side not even a week after arriving in Stars Hollow.
"Well, I am sleeping with him," Lorelai smiled at him. This was the punk that had broken her daughter, and here she was reliving the night she had decided that she hated him with a passion. Except, it was five years later and she had let go of any of the hate she had towards him. In the past few months, Jess had showed her that he was really a good guy with the way he was with Liza. The way that he loved her daughter unconditionally. She saw it.
"Guess it's about time I apologize for that," he mentioned, and almost laughed when he saw the shock on Lorelai's face.
"It's in the past," she shrugged, "So, you coming to eat?"
"Is there grilled cheese?" Another smirk appeared on Jess' face and Lorelai shook her head.
"Come on kid," Lorelai patted Jess on the shoulder, "Let's go and grab some grub before they eat it all. I mean, have you seen the way Liza eats?" Then, the two former enemies left the porch and went into the kitchen for the meal that had been prepared for Rory's homecoming from the hospital.
(Front Porch of Gilmore-Danes home, and hour later)
Rory sat on the swing outside, Tristan beside her. Lorelai had banished Rory from the house when she had tried to help with the clearing up. Minutes later, Tristan had joined her under the pretense that there had been complaints that he had been getting in the way of the others.
They sat some space away from each other, Rory keeping her distance with all sorts of new thoughts flying through her head. Looking at Tristan she saw what she had seen when they had run into each other at the gas station, what she had seen when had had picked her up at the grocery store in Boston. A friend who would be there for her in her time of need, someone who she could count on always. He was her shoulder to cry on, her best friend.
She shared things with Tristan that she couldn't share with her mother anymore, with Lane or Paris. Things that she felt silly talking about with anyone else. There were no regrets anymore, as of that moment, of getting pregnant and having his kid. If she were to have a kid with anyone other than Jess, it would have to be Tristan. Only because she knew he would raise his daughter well. This was something that would keep them tied together always.
"Rory..." Tristan's voice broke through the silence they had been sitting in. One hand was reaching into the pocket of his jacket.
"Yeah?" her breath caught. She knew what he was doing. He was searching for his answer, the answer that Rory had come up with on her way home from the hospital. She was ready to follow her heart, and not her head.
"Will you marry me?" He had taken out the small, velvet box and opened to reveal a delicate diamond ring. Rory looked up at him, knowing that this night would hold another heartbreak than the one she had caused in the past. With tears in her eyes, she shook her head.
"No," the words came in a near whisper. Tristan nodded, hiding signs of disappointment.
"So, friends huh?" he smiled slightly, reassuring her that he would be all right. His heart would recover in time as it had before from the rejection of Rory Gilmore.
"Friend," she nodded, "I love you."
"Love you too Mary," Tristan leaned over, and wrapped his arm around her, drawing her into a hug. They sat there a moment, letting the finality of her choice settle in. Tristan DuGray had been a high school crush, a relationship that would never truly be explored to its greatest depth. Yet, their friendship would remain strong and affirmed as they raised they daughter Haley Juliet Mary DuGray Gilmore together.
"You should go find him," Tristan suggested, as he pulled away, "Tell him." Rory nodded and gave Tristan a light kiss on the cheek, before getting up and going into the house.
(On the Streets of Stars Hollow.)
Her mother had told her that Jess had snuck out the backdoor after Tristan had gone out to sit with her. Something about that didn't sit well with Rory. It was quite possible that maybe Jess was jumping to conclusions about them considering they day. With the odd sense of returning to her teenage years still upon Rory, she walked to where she had met Jess that night on the street.
"Goodnight Dodger."
She crossed the path where they had met coming from the store. Stood in the same spot she had stood watching him walk away. That night she had discovered someone who seemed to share the same flare for reading she had. He had written notes in the margins of her book.
"That's not a trick, it's a felony."
It surprised her that Jess hadn't pulled the same trick tonight as he had then, with all the oddities that had been going around lately. Since she had left the hospital, since she had first glanced at the calendar, it had been as if she was transported back in time to a day where things were just beginning to unravel. She had met the mysterious Jess and had felt immediately drawn to him. Some things had played out as they had years ago, and in a way it almost made Rory more certain of her choice.
Then, up ahead she caught sight of him in his leather jacket still, an unlit cigarette in his hand, and he was in the same pose as he had been that night at the beginning of their relationship. That night after the dance marathon when they had officially began their relationship. Rory smiled to herself, more sure than ever of what she was doing.
"You going to smoke that, or mind meld it?" she asked him, a glimmer of mischief in her eyes. She remembered clearly that that was what she had said to him, when she had caught him doing the very same thing five years ago.
"It depends," he shrugged, somewhat surprised to find her there.
"On what?" she raised a brow, one hand in the pocket of her jacket, while the arm with the cast lay at her side.
"What's going to happen next," was his reply, looking at her honestly, "You know what day it is?"
"The day I sent you away," Rory nodded, then she paused a second before continuing, "It was a mistake. I'm sorry that I ever did."
"I know," he nodded, and then shrugged, "It's done now." He fiddled with the cigarette a second longer, looking at it carefully before fixing his chocolate brown eyes on her blue ones once more, "Every year in New York on this day, I used to go that bench in the park and just sit there. It was the one-day of the year I allowed myself to think about you. Think about what I had done wrong to make you send me away back to New York when you had told me you loved me not long ago."
"I used to wonder if you would've left after time anyway," she told him, "Not that you would abandon Liza, but that you would grow restless of being in Stars Hollow. It's ultimately why I decided it was best to send you away."
"I thought you said it was because you didn't want Liza to go through the absent dad thing," Jess pointed out.
"It was that too," she admitted. There were so many reasons she had never admitted to anyone on why she had sent Jess away.
"Right."
"Jess, I'm glad you didn't smoke that cigarette," she whispered, and took a step foreword taking her hand out of her pocket. Jess furrowed his eyebrows a bit.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah," she nodded, as he leaned in and kissed her. They kissed deeply and passionately, Jess wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her in closer to his body. She could feel heat emanating from his body.
"You going to run off this time?" he wondered, leaning back against the gas pumps behind him. Rory shook her head, and he smiled. His hands still on her waist, he brought her closer to him and kissed her again.
Stepping back, Rory looked him over. This was the man she was going to spend the rest of her life with. For the first time in her life, she was surer of that than anything else. A small smile played on her lips and she stuck her hand into her pocket once again. Frowning slightly, she felt a cold metal object that hadn't been there before against her hand.
Glancing up at Jess, she saw that he was still watching her, his cigarette tucked safely back in his pocket again, still not smoked. Unsure of what it was she pulled it out of her pocket and found a silver quarter. Tilting her head, she held it up to Jess.
"You said any place that you wouldn't naturally find a coin," he smirked, and Rory shook her head. Remembering his coin disappearing act from that night on the street she had been recalling earlier.
"You're unbelievable," Rory laughed, "Going to show me that other little trick of yours, the one otherwise known as a felony?"
"Nah," Jess shook his head and reached out to take the coin out of her hand and then did an illusion with it so it disappeared. Unimpressed, Rory watched him. Then, when Jess held out his hand again, the coin was still no longer in sight, and instead there was a small, delicate diamond ring, "I'll leave you with this one instead."
"Jess…" her breath caught for the second time that night. The ring was less expensive, less extravagant than the one that Tristan had gotten her, but it didn't matter to her.
"Rory, will you marry me?" Jess proposed. Rory started at him, and then nodded. It was the second proposal that night, but it was the one that felt the most right to her.
"Yes," she laughed her eyes watery. A few tears escaping as Jess slid the ring on her finger. This was what Rory had wanted. What she had hoped for since Jess had shown up in Stars Hollow. Things had gotten in the way of this, but in the end they had still ended up together.
They kissed again, longer and more passionately than they had earlier. Closing her eyes tightly, Rory lost herself completely in the kiss. It was the most real and passionate kiss she had experienced since she and Jess had last been in a relationship together. A kiss filled with love, and caring. One that signified they were both ready to be in this for the long run.