Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
Author's Note: I feel bad, because I guess the story isn't clear. Lorelai isn't really sick, but she is pregnant. When Luke called Rory, he let her infer that her mother was sicker than she actually was in order for her to come home and deal with their problems. I hope that that clears things up.
"Rory?" His voice was coarse and rough in her ear, and Rory blinked the sleep from her eyes as she sat up.
"Jess?" She mumbled, looking up at him guilelessly, adorably rumpled, a few stray strands from her ponytail framing her face. "Where are we?" She licked her lips and he couldn't look away. She stretched her arms over her head, and he was mesmerized. "Jess?" She asked again, her voice more powerful now as she straightened and wiped her palms on her jeans. "I fell asleep?" She asked, looking around for her purse. "How long was I sleeping for?" She looked back at him, her eyes more focused and perfectly lucid. "Jess?" Her tone was almost impatient now, and he snapped to attention.
"Uh, just a little while. You must've been exhausted, so I just let you." Her color rose, and Jess realized that somehow he had made a mistake.
"Oh my god. Anyone from the town could've seen. That would've been something really great for mom to hear." She sighed as she stood, pulling down her paisley button down, and grabbing her duffel bags. She started to walk out of the gazebo, but his voice stopped her.
"Where are you gonna go?" His words were soft, gentle even, and they made Rory pause. She knew that she should just go home. See Lorelai, apologize, try and make things right. But she couldn't. Some unexplainable force was holding her back, whispering that maybe it was for the best that she stay away for awhile.
"Is the Dragonfly still the only inn in town?" She asked, slumping on the step and pushing her hair behind her ears.
"Yeah." Rory waited, almost expectantly for him to say more. To embellish, to make her feel more at home, but deep inside she knew he wouldn't. He looked at her for a long while, her posture perfect, the wisps of her hair falling down her back…
"So what do you think I should do?" She asked, turning halfway, and capturing his eyes with her own. "I would go out of town. I mean, I actually think going out of town would actually be better. I mean, once she finds out that I'm here. That way I won't be imposing, but I also won't be…far. But Logan took the car, so I really don't have anywhere else to go. I mean," her eyebrows furrowed. "I guess I could take the train everywhere, but that would just cost more money. And what if I need to rent a motel room…there's no way I'll have enough-"
"Rory."
"And what about food? I mean, I guess I just won't pig out anymore, but I'll have to eat at least sometimes, and there's is definitely no way that I'll be able to get a motel room and take the train every day, plus have enough for food and everything else that I'll need. I mean-"
"Rory!" The sharpness of his tone caused her to jump. Her rambling ceased, but her lips remained perfectly parted, as on the ready to form a word of protestation. "You won't need to get a motel room, or take the train." He couldn't help but notice when she dragged her bottom lip beneath her teeth, her forehead scrunching.
"How is that possible? I don't even have a car to sleep in." Her voice was overwrought with distress, and the tension squeezed at his heart.
"Stay with me."
