Where You Lead
Chapter 11 - So Little Time
For Jess.
Disclaimer: Thanks ASP and Arkarna.
Took a while to drag me out of bed,
Aim some coffee at my head,
Saw the clock I'm running late,
It's an ordinary day.
And I'm like a dog on heat,
Knock one out and then fall asleep,
It's sad but true,
I'd rather be with you.
Don't you forget about me,
When you're a celebrity,
It will be only you and me before too long.
So little time so much to do,
I'd rather spend my days with you.
So little time so much to do,
I'd like to spend one day with you.
And if that day is not enough,
Maybe we can stay in touch,
But I'm not making plans for tomorrow,
For tomorrow never comes.
Said I've been celibate for years,
Not out of choices there's no-one here,
See I can't get my end away,
Another ordinary day,
And I'd love to see a little more of you,
Your clothes would look better on my bedroom floor... My bedroom floor. My bedroom floor
Don't you forget about me,
When you're a celebrity,
I know you're busy,
But we all need somebody - before too long.
So little time so much to do,
I'd rather spend my days with you.
So little time so much to do,
I'd like to spend one day with you.
And if that day is not enough,
Maybe we can stay in touch,
But I'm not making plans for tomorrow,
For tomorrow never comes.
Walking with his head down, Jess remembered why he hated Stars Hollow. Straight out of some kids book. The fake smiles plastered on everyone's faces. The friendly banter. It made him sick. And then, right there. Walking across the park, hand in hand, Rory and Dean. Jess felt the urge to chunder, streak through him. To see his hands on her, to watch him kiss her… Jess's left hand curled into a fist, of it's own according. Slowly, Jess forced himself to look away and head in the opposite direction.
Heading to the only place he knew to be, Rory-free, Jess ended up at the bridge. Sitting on the edge, legs dangling above the water, he pulled out an unopened pack of cigarettes and removed the plastic covering. He'd only just made it out of the house, without Jimmy patting him down and searching his bags, so he was thankful to take refuge, in the comfort of this particular brand of cancer stick.
He didn't acknowledge Rory as she towered over him. "I don't love you." She breathed icily.
"I know." Was his only reply. Finally he conjured the courage to look up at her. Her eyes sparkled in the morning sun. Her hair was shorter, it glowed gold and orange, by the light that shone through the trees. As she turned to walk away, Jess couldn't let her leave.
"Can I talk to you?" She turned slowly, to meet his gaze.
"No. I'm sorry. It was really hard for me to come here and I just can't talk to you right now."
"Rory…" He spoke softly, before she had a chance to turn away again. Without speaking, she moved towards Jess and sat next to him. Both with their feet hanging over the water, and both staring straight ahead, but neither knew what to say now.
"I'm sorry."
"I would've waited for you. If you'd have told me where you were going and why… I'd have waited." Jess breathed in sharply. Thinking about what Rory would say to him, and actually hearing it, were miles apart. It hurt a thousand times more than he expected it to, but what he also didn't expect was for Rory to cry.
He reached a hand to her cheek, to wipe away the tear that was gliding down her face. She slapped it away, and hastily got to her feet. She brushed her face crudely to erase the tears, and let indifference take over her face.
"How dare you just come back here, no word, no nothing and expect me to forgive you!" As she ran past him, Jess too, got to his feet and ran after her.
"Rory wait." He'd spent too many months trying to put together a good enough apology, to let the moment slip away. Now an arms length away, Jess reached out and gently grabbed Rory's arm. Without thinking, he curled his fingers behind her head and pulled her to him. As their lips met, Rory struggled momentarily, then ran her tongue across Jess's lips, urging them apart.
Jess received the gesture thankfully. He groaned as she pulled away, only far enough to take a short breath. As if it were even possible, Jess wrapped his arms around Rory's waist in attempts to pull her closer still. She rose slightly on her toes, to give him better access to her mouth. Jess brought his hand back to Rory's face. He felt her skin flush as he continued to explore her tongue with his own. A taste he would never have enough of.
"You gotta be kidding me!" Jess and Rory shot away from each other.
"Dean…" Rory tried to ease the tension, while Jess backed away, leaving them to sort it out.
"So what am I, like your 'go-to' guy? Some guy to tide you over, until this jerk decides to surface again?" He yelled, gesturing in Jess's direction.
"It's not like that."
"Then what is it like Rory? Is one guy not enough for you? Or is it that I'm not enough for you?" Getting angrier as the seconds passed, Dean turned to Jess. "What is it that she sees in you? You treat her like crap, you leave without a word, then you come back to town for a couple of hours and she's all over you like a rash! What's with that?"
Jess had held off for as long as he could. He'd bit his tongue several times in the last few minutes, determined to let them work it out alone, but he'd finally had enough. He approached Dean casually, and as soon he was close enough, he took a swing. His fist colliding smoothly with Dean's jaw. Jess felt it crunch slightly beneath his knuckles. Before he had a chance to consider his next move, Dean's fist met his ribcage. He doubled over in pain. Dean took the opportunity to kick him while he was down. Literally. His steel-capped work boot, connected with Jess's ribcage again, a few inches above where he'd struck last time.
Still crippled in pain, Jess got to his feet and swung hard and fast, at Dean's face. Resulting in the constant stream of blood, pouring from Dean's nose. Jess could only faintly hear Rory's cries to stop. Dean made him angrier than anyone else ever had, and he had to make sure everyone knew it. Arm still held across his torso, clutching the quite possibly broken ribs, Jess paused to consider his next option. Before he could think, Dean's hand was once again slamming into his face, this time his jaw. He felt blood drip from his lip and slide down his chin.
Then readying himself for his next move, Jess found himself face to face with Amber. Before he could stop himself, he dropped to his knees. Amber knelt beside him. She dabbed at Jess's cut lip with the end of her sleeve, and surveyed the damage. Over Amber's shoulder, Jess could see Rory tending to Dean. All he wanted to do was go over and kick him, until he was unconscious, or dead, or both. He wanted Rory's hands off the giant. He averted his eyes back to Amber, who was talking into a cell phone.
"Luke will be here in a minute." Was all she said, as she started to help Jess to his feet. Groaning as his ribs shifted against Amber's side, Jess looked back at Rory once more. Dean was lying on the ground, with his head in her lap, trying to make the blood stop dripping from his nose.
The pain he felt on the outside was a pinprick, compared to what he felt when he saw Rory with Dean.