jessandrory4eva: Glad you're still liking the story, yeah dean just sucks doesn't he? It might be a little while before jess and rory get together though sorry!
literatiever: Thanx, I'm glad you agreed with Kym's assesment of Dean, that was the hardest thing about the last chapter to write.
four51: Sorry you didn't like the chapter, and they won't be together for a while yet.
rj: woo! Hehe, you got the cupid thing! Exactly how i imagined Kym to fit into the story! There aren't any rory/Jess incounters in this chapter but there will be in the next.
summer: Better than the show! Wow, thanx so much, I'm honoured! Thanx, go Kym, she rules!
smile1: hey! I appreciate what you said about Kym, that's her main character flaw at being very cocky and overconfident, can't be amazing all the time. But I'm glad you think she adds something extra to the story.
batman: My baby! Love ya hun, hehe review when you're ready, thanks for saying you'd collect my yearbook, hope you're having a great summer and we have to meet up soon. Hows u and Jasper? xxx
Kym begrudgingly awoke at half past seven the next morning, her alarm singing shrilly, breaking into her sleeping pattern.
'Shit,' she mumbled, getting out of bed and promptly becoming tangled up in the sheets. After muttering a stream of swear words she finally made it into the bathroom to shower and make herself look a little more like a human. It was her first day working with Gypsy and if it weren't for the early morning start she would have been excited. After all working on cars was one of the few things that she didn't suck at. That and sex.
'There you are!' Cried Gypsy as she spied Kym stumbling down the stairs and into the garage. 'I thought I'd have to come and drench you in cold water to get you downstairs!'
'I'm not even that late!' Kym protested, rubbing her eyes at the sunlight.
'Yeah yeah, now get to work, I don't pay you to just hang around.'
'You haven't paid me at all!' Kym shoved her hair back into a messy ponytail and started examining the first car, lifting up the hood. Ah busted oil tank. With a smile at being on familiar ground, Kym grabbed a rag and got to work.
'Stupid stupid car!'
'Mom?' Rory, dressed in teddy bear pajamas, stepped out onto the porch to see Loreali kicking the side of her car repeatedly with her new suede black boots. She turned to see Rory, sweeping her hair out of her eyes, a pout on her lips.
'The stupid car won't start and I'm going to be late for work! We've got a wedding party in today and Sukie's probably having a nervous breakdown and reaching for the LSD as we speak!'
'Call Gypsy,' suggested Rory as she stifled a yawn.
'I haven't got time! What I really need is Jesse Bradford and that fancy watch from Clockstoppers!'
'Overrated movie.'
'Completely but with the right gadgets!
'But then you'd still have to walk to the inn, and Michael and everyone would be frozen in time.'
'But then I could make him wear polyester!'
'Mom how is this solving the problem?' Loreali let out a dramatic moan.
'It's not!' Rory stepped forward and took her mother firmly by the shoulders.
'Ok here's what you are going to do; first you're going to stop kicking the car.'
'But it's therapeutic.'
'Secondly, you're going to walk to work.'
'But my boots don't like that idea.'
'Then change your shoes,' Rory shot Loreali a glance to silence her protests. 'Right thirdly, you're going to ignore Michael and stop Sukie from overdosing on the icing sugar. And while you're doing this, I'm going to call Gypsy and get the car fixed.'
'But,'
'No buts!' Loreali shuffled like a scolded teenager.
'You're doing the stern face.'
'Go!'
'Fine!' Relented Loreali and she kissed Rory on the forehead before grabbing her bag from the backseat of the car, delivering one last kick for good measure.
'Stupid car.'
Luke was in the process of avoiding serving Kirk, Jess could handle him when he finally dragged his ass out of bed, when he realised something was wrong. Well not wrong exactly, but unusual. Out of place. He stood still in the middle of the diner, rag in hand until it hit him like a giant anvil. The diner was…peaceful.
'Loreali's not here,' he said suddenly. Jess, who was emerging from the foot of the stairs, rolled his eyes.
'Yeah and that's a bad thing?' Luke turned to him, a weird gleam in his eyes.
'Loreali isn't here, neither is Rory. It's quiet, and I've only had to replace the coffee pot twice!' Jess looked suitably unimpressed.
'Is this like a wet dream of yours or something?' Luke was too busy enjoying the newfound peace and quiet that he luckily didn't hear his nephew. The bell on the door rang to signify a new customer and Luke's head whipped up to see if it was the elder Gilmore come to wreck his first relaxing morning in several months. He sighed in relief as Jess gulped. It was Shane, and she did not look happy.
'Jess!'
'Thanks for coming Gyp…Kym?' Rory stood at the doorway in confusion as Kym smiled at the other girl's puzzlement and awkwardness, toolbox in hand. Rory managed to recover from her initial shock enough to say,
'I thought Gypsy was coming over?' Kym hefted the box from one hand to the other.
'She's busy so she sent me,' she raised an eyebrow and almost laughed as Rory squirmed 'Why? Is that a problem?' Rory blinked and shook her head.
'No, sure go ahead.' She pointed to the car and Kym shot her a look that made her feel about two feet tall.
'Thanks.' She dumped the box and lifted the hood up, and in doing so a huge cloud of black smoke erupted from the various parts of the engine. Kym spluttered and waved her hands around to clear the air.
'What the hell has your mom done to this car?' Rory stepped forward, crossing her hands over her chest, a little embarrassed at still being in her pajamas compared to Kym's black crop top and jeans combo.
'She's a bit of a reckless driver; it's like the Wacky Races being in the passenger seat with her. She says if she were Dick Dastardly she'd always win hands down and would definitely have a much better sidekick than Muttley, maybe something like a bouncing ferret.' Rory realised she was babbling and promptly stopped, Kym giving her a bemused glance.
'Is that so?' Rory was silent so Kym added a 'nice pajamas' for good measure. Once the smoke had cleared she turned back to Rory.
'Could I have a glass of water? I have a feeling I'm gonna need to get down and dirty on this one.'
'Um, yeah, sure,' said Rory, blushing a little at Kym's sexual choice of words. As she retreated into the house she missed Kym's genuine appraising look and the thoughtful one that followed shortly after. Now, thought Kym as she turned to the task at hand, how was she going to bring Jess into the conversation?
'I'm really sorry Shane, I didn't think she was actually going to hit you!'
'But you still let her, didn't you?' Shane demanded, tossing her blonde hair over her shoulder, eyes shooting daggers at him. Jess was trying in vain to explain and diffuse the situation from the previous day, but it was proving to be much harder than he had anticipated.
'Look Kym's my friend.'
'And I'm your girlfriend!' Jess blinked; no way was she pulling that card.
'Oh yeah, so that's why you've been all over the new football player at school? I thought it was a bit suspicious when you offered to tutor him in algebra when you're flunking it!' Shane glowered, putting her hands on his shoulders and roughly pushing him backwards across Luke's apartment.
'You're the one who said no strings attached!' Jess hesitated; she had a point.
'Ok, fine, you're right!' He caved in exasperation.
'And I don't stop you from seeing other girls if you want, but if you even think about screwing that slut I'll…'
'Hey, Kym is NOT a slut!' Jess stared at her in an intimidating stance and she stared right back. 'Plus I don't think about her like that,' he added in an attempt to fully pacify her. Shane didn't mean anything special to him; she wasn't Rory. But she'd do for now, good-looking, a laugh and not constantly hounding him. So when she decided to play the part of jealous girlfriend it was unnerving to say the least. She relaxed and smiled up at him before bringing his head down for a kiss.
'That's all right then.'
'Not that I mind having an audience,' drawled Kym half an hour later. 'But are you just going to stand their all day?' Rory's head snapped up in surprise.
'Huh?' Kym smiled briefly and extended her hand.
'Make yourself useful, hand me that wrench.' Rory, visibly relieved, placed the tool in question in Kym's outstretched palm.
'Thanks.'
'So,' Rory searched for something to say.' You're not in school?'
'Nope,' was the jaunty reply. 'Flunked out. Auto shop was the only class I passed and got my first and only A plus.'
'Oh.' Kym glanced up.
'I'm not dumb; by the way, I wasn't in special Ed or anything. Just the studying thing? So not me! I didn't even bother to show up most days.'
'Like Jess then?' Rory classified. Kym hid a smirk; Rory had brought him up for her, handy.
'Yeah, pretty much,' she lowered the hood of the car and wiped her oil-stained hands on her now-filthy jeans. 'When we were together and bunked off he always wanted to go down Washington Park and read, and I always threw a hissy fit until he stopped and took me round all the record shops we could manage in one day. There's this one with this way-freaky guy who had any record of any punk band ever formed. Ever!'
'Yeah I think Jess took me there when I went to visit him,' said Rory enthusiastically.
'Really?' She said, although she'd already had Jess explain in full detail Rory's trip to the 'Big Apple.' Hell, she had sounded like such an out of towner!'
'Yeah I liked it,' Rory's face had adopted a nostalgic expression.
'The record shop or being with Jess?'
'Excuse me?' Kym couldn't stop herself from laughing; Rory looked like a rabbit full on ensconced in car headlights.
'You heard me.'
'I have a boyfriend.'
'Ah yes, Dean the all-American tall, strong, handsome, dull athlete and all round good guy.' Rory felt herself get defensive although Kym's perception seemed pretty much accurate.
'You don't even know him. I love him.'
'So you just make a habit of kissing other guys at weddings? Now that's true love if I ever saw it.' Rory was speechless so Kym continued. 'You can't pretend Jess means nothing to you, not now I'm here.' She returned her tools to her box and picked it up, wiping sweat from her brow.
'Tell your mom to go easy on the gas pedal for a couple of weeks and if there are any more problems bring it to Gypsy's. I'll send the bill. See ya Rory.' Before Rory could even form a response in her head the other girl was long gone.
