Growing Up Gilmore
By Regina Halliwell
Chapter 4: "I'm a Real Boy"
Chapter Summary: Graduation. Good-byes. Europe. Venice Beach. Some OOC-ness included.
Rating: PG-13 for mild profanity and adult situations
Pairings: Literati, Java Junkie, Lane/Dave and later Paris/Tristan
Disclaimer: Don't own it. Wish I did. Just don't take my own plot lines and characters. Again, credit goes to TWIZ TV for the portions of the show I took from their transcripts.
It was Sunday morning, the day after Prom. At the Gilmore home, clothes were strewn all over the floor in a trail leading upstairs into Lorelai's bedroom.
Wrapped up in the sheets lay Luke and Lorelai. Luke had not yet awoken, but Lorelai had spent the past ten minutes recalling what had happened the night before.
She didn't know what possessed her to make the call. They had decided that they would wait to sleep together. She had thrown that idea out the window with her booty call.
"Come on."
Those two words changed her life forever. She had practically dragged him up the stairs to her room. The door wasn't ever closed before she was unbuttoning his typical flannel shirt. Their mouths meshed and as soon as she pulled his tan tee shirt over his head her tongue was roaming the brawny expanse of his chest.
As her mouth reached his abdomen he pulled her back and held her slightly away from his body. "Lorelai, what are we doing here? I thought…we decided—"
"We decided to not screw this up. It's new, and it's special. But I'm not going to let this screw it up. I want this, Luke. Right now."
"How am I supposed to oppose that?" Luke asked, smiling but breathless from the heat in the room.
"You're not, that's the point. Now, are you going to take my shirt off or not!"
Almost reverently, Luke pulled up the hem of her shirt and drew it over her head. He stepped away to admire her but Lorelai grabbed his belt loops in her fingers and pulled him towards her, kissing him fervently.
As Lorelai remembered what had happened next, she felt Luke waking up next to her. His eyes fluttered open and as soon as he was cognitive, he pulled her closer.
He kissed the back of her head fondly. "That was amazing," he commented.
"It was perfect," Lorelai amended, and then pulled a bit out of his hold in order to turn towards him. On she faced him, she pressed her body against his, physically reminding him of what had happened the night before.
"Is that some way of telling me you want to… you know, again?"
"No," Lorelai answered, then added, "I mean, yes. I look forward to us engaging in that particular activity many times in the future, but right now isn't the time."
"What's going on right now?"
"Right now," she informed him, "It is the day after Prom. Or, for us mothers, the morning after Prom night. So I need to find Rory."
"Ah. Well, if you find Jess and Rory in a position similar to ours, don't kill him. That's my privilege as his uncle."
"I seriously doubt they had sex, but I still need to assure myself of that fact."
"Okay, well," Luke began as they separated and started dressing, "they're probably at the apartment, I'll drive us there."
"No, let's walk. It'll calm my nerves, and we can have some nice couple-y time."
"As if last night wasn't sufficient…"
"Oh, don't get all manly on me now. Last night was—incredible. Didn't we already go through this?"
"Let's just go, Lorelai."
"Don't rush me, I have to get pretty."
"You're beautiful as you are."
"Wow was that corny… but oh so true," she stated coyly, in a sing-song voice. She sauntered towards him and wrapped her arms around his slightly fleshy torso. He hugged her back, softly kissing her head as she held him.
After a few moments she pulled away to go into her bathroom and do her makeup. Luke went downstairs while she did this, and made a pot of coffee.
When Lorelai came downstairs, dressed and ready, she found a large travel mug waiting for her. Giddily, Lorelai approached Luke and kissed him thoroughly. "How sweet, you made me coffee!"
"Yeah, now let's get going."
"Ooh way to underplay the morning after sugariness."
"Lorelai, let's just go." He grumbled at her, but now she knew how lovable Luke was under all his exterior irritability.
Jess awoke the next morning with Rory's feminine form resting on top of him. Her head lay on his lean chest, her arm wrapped comfortably around his side. Her lower body, too, was entwined with his. Her left pant leg had ridden up in the night and was now situated mid-calf.
Jess's feet were cold; his comforter must have been pulled away as Rory shifted in sleep, and it no longer covered him past his ankles. Rory's delicate feet were tangled with his.
Her hair, taken down after the escapade in the rain following Prom, was draped naturally over his Sex Pistols tee shirt, and a few bangs fell into her face, hiding her eye from his gaze. She slept still, and showed no apparent signs of waking.
Jess noticed amusedly that she had drooled a bit onto his shirt. As Jess continued watching Rory, a need grew for him to visit the restroom. He didn't want to wake her, but Nature called. He tried to shift slowly, and in small increments so as to not disturb her.
When Jess had finally freed himself from her grasp, he wandered quietly into the bathroom. While he was in there, Rory noticed his gone and woke up.
She lifted herself up gingerly with her arms, glancing around Jess's room. Her dress, apparently dry, lay just outside his bedroom, and her shoes and purse were near the bed.
Rory rubbed her eyes and stretched. Her mouth was dry, her lips chapped. She strained to open wide her lips to find that when she opened them so wide, her bottom lip almost cracked. It was then she felt the drool, in the corner of her mouth. It was a small amount, but embarrassing nonetheless. Surely Jess had noticed.
Just as she wiped her mouth off, Jess returned to the room.
"Morning, sleepyhead."
"Morning. Sorry about the drool."
"Hey, I was fine with it… the Sex Pistols were somewhat offended, though," he stated playfully.
"Funny, Jess."
"I am known to be humorous at times." Jess smiled.
Rory tilted her head, and told him, "I'll be right back. I'm gonna rinse my face and brush my teeth."
"Do you need a toothbrush?"
"Nah. I've been camping. I can use my finger. Can I use some toothpaste, though?"
"Sure. I'll be right here. Do you want anything?" Rory shook her head and thanked him and entered the bathroom.
Jess ran his hands through his hair, thinking. I should tell her. It's not even a big deal. Why am I making such a big deal out of this? Jess, just tell her!
Obviously Jess's thought seemed to last longer than he thought, or maybe Rory was just very quick at getting ready in the morning. Either way, she had returned.
"So…"
"So…" replied Jess.
"Um, I wanted to tell you something."
"Okay. Should we sit?"
"Sure—I mean, it's not something that requires sitting, like 'I'm gay' or 'I've decided to join the Army," but for comfort reasons, sure we can sit." His nervousness shone through as he prattled on.
"Wow. Slow it down, Jess." They sat down on Jess's bed.
"I lied to you," he began. Rory's look was somewhat reprimanding, but he continued on, explaining himself. "It's stupid, really. I just, when I told you I got that black eye from a football, well, I was lying. I really got beaked."
Realizing this was Jess's big admission, Rory took a breath. "Okay."
"That's it. Just, 'okay'?"
"Yeah. It's okay, Jess. I just want you to know that stuff like this isn't important enough to lie about. Just fill me in once in a while on what's going on in your life, truthfully. That's all I want."
Jess cleared his throat. He scratched his chin, and then replied, "I'm trying, Rory."
"I know. It's great. It's great that you're sharing this with me, and I want you to continue, but I know it's hard for you."
"Do you?"
"Yeah, I get it."
"So…" There was a long silence. "The swan, huh?"
"Don't mock me! Rory!"
"Oh, calm down, I'm just kidding." She slapped his shoulder lightly. "C'mere," she beckoned.
She kissed him hard on the mouth, pulled away, then kissed him again--softer this time, and sweeter. He wrapped his arms around her back, pulling her flush against him. Her hands caressed his hair as his fingers moved in circles over the small of her back.
Mid-kiss, the apartment door opened up and Luke stepped inside followed by Lorelai.
Lorelai's heart fell into her stomach when she saw how Rory and Jess were dressed, and how comfortable they seemed with each other. Maybe they had slept together… Still, she had promised not to freak out when the time came for Rory and Jess to sleep together, and so she masked her distress and smiled instead.
"Mom alert! All naughtiness, cease before I'm blinded!"
"Mom!" Rory was so startled that she needed a moment to compose herself.
"Lorelai," Jess greeted as Rory got it together.
"Jess, how are you?"
"Um, I'm fine…"
Lorelai lost her serenity at that moment and flipped. "Did you sleep with my daughter!"
"Mom! I thought you were going to be okay with it! And no, he didn't. Well, not in the biblical sense, anyway."
"Oh."
"Yeah," Rory said, almost scolding.
"So, I just flipped out for no good reason whatsoever?"
"Uh huh."
"Okay, well Luke and I are gonna be leaving now," Lorelai stated hurriedly. She pulled Luke the door, shutting it loudly.
"Hmm. Well, that went well." Jess pulled Rory into his arms once again.
Even though Lorelai's fear had not come to pass, Jess felt the need to assure of their relationship's validity. "Rory," he began, "She's never going to be okay about her daughter having sex. Never."
"But look at how upset she got even when we didn't have sex!"
"I know, but she'll deal. When we finally…" he gestured and Rory caught his meaning, "she'll learn to accept it."
"I guess."
"Don't be like that. If you want to be with me, have conviction about it. Don't worry about your mother! She's an adult, she can deal."
Rory's emotions took a complete 180 from anxious to irritated. She turned on Jess, "You're being insensitive! My mother is the most important person in my life. Her opinion matters to me! If you can't accept that, then…"
"Then what? Are you saying what I think you're saying?"
The tension in the room rose incredibly, and Rory and Jess were shouting at each other. After a minute or so of silence, Rory replied, "I don't know what I'm saying. I think we just need to… think. Just—I'll talk to you later, okay. Mom and I are going shopping today, but we'll be by tomorrow like normal."
"Fine," Jess said noncommittally.
Rory gathered up her prom dress and then left without another word to Jess. She didn't even kiss him good-bye.
Though Rory did show up at Luke's the next day for breakfast, the interaction between her and Jess was less than couple-y. Jess politely took her and Lorelai's orders and then brought their food. They didn't talk besides that, and the whole diner noticed how tense things were between the two.
When Jess had left the table after giving them their food, Lorelai turned to her daughter. "Okay, what was that?"
"What was what," Rory asked.
"That. The whole politeness thing. You and your boyfriend not sucking face."
"Mom!"
"What? It's a valid question. Spill."
"It's not like all we do is kiss, mom."
"You haven't even made contact today, let alone kiss. Come on, kid, what's up?"
"We're… just… we're kinda fighting."
"About what?" Lorelai asked, blissfully unaware of the tense situation.
"Umm, well…"
"Rory, tell me hon."
"I don't want to talk about it here. He might hear us."
"Honey, I don't think it matters, and he's in the back right now anyway. Just tell me."
"Um, well it's about you."
"Me?"
"Yeah, see, when you freaked out yesterday, I kind of questioned our relationship because I want you to be okay with me and Jess, you know, being intimate. Then Jess got mad at me and I suggested that maybe we should break up if he couldn't handle you being such an important part of my life, having an effect on my decisions," Rory finished, and noticed that Jess had come out of the store room.
Jess was ringing up a customer's bill when he heard Lorelai's voice. "Rory, as much as I love that you make me so important in your life, and I want to continue to be important, you can't sacrifice a wonderful relationship with a guy you love just because I'm not okay with you having sex. I'll accept it, when it happens. You can't let me stand in the way of your relationship with Jess."
He gave the person his change and then leaned down to pick up a pen he had dropped. That was when he heard Rory's reply.
"But, mom, I'm not going to feel right being with him when you're dead set against it."
"I'm not dead set against it, I just, I don't want you to end up like me."
"Mom…"
"Rory, it doesn't matter. Look, Jess is back. Go talk to him. I'll see you after work. Make up, I hate seeing you like this." Without leaving Rory any time to argue, Lorelai kissed her daughter on the forehead and grabbed her purse before standing up and swiftly exiting the diner.
When Jess heard this, he busied himself with cleaning off the counter, even though he had cleaned it only minutes ago and it wasn't yet dirty. He saw Rory down the rest of her coffee, and she even whispered to herself, shaking her head. After a few seconds, Rory seized her backpack and carried it over to the counter, where she sat down.
Jess slowed his cleaning. He wiped the last part of the counter and then turned to put down the rag. He turned his gaze back to Rory. She was fiddling with the hem of her skirt. He coughed, and she looked up. Leaning forward, Jess began, "So…"
"Yeah."
Rory held her head in her hands for a moment, then looked up at Jess. She bit her lip softly, and then sighed. "I'm sorry."
"Me too," Jess replied.
"I don't want to break up," Rory continued, "Things just got out of hand. I shouldn't have said anything."
"No, I'm glad you said something… we should work this out before we even consider, you know…"
"Yeah, I guess you're right," Rory said.
"So, are we okay?" Jess asked.
Rory nodded, and reached for Jess's hand. Jess allowed her to clasp his hand, though he felt somewhat awkward in the middle of the diner. He cleared his throat once more, ran his free hand through his hair, and nodded at Caesar, who understood Jess's meaning.
Jess let go of Rory's hand for a moment and walked to the edge of the counter. Rory stood up, puzzled, and followed him. He took her hand once more and led her into the store room.
He sat down on a crate and pulled Rory onto his lap. Very uncharacteristically, Jess tenderly took her cheek with his hand and stroked the soft skin before lightly kissing it. She tried to kiss him on the mouth, but he placed a finger on her lips and instead kissed her nose… then her chin… then behind her ear… then her neck. All soft, light touches. After a few minutes, Rory breathed out Jess's name softly.
Finally, Jess took Rory's lips with his own, at first lightly kissing only her mouth. Then Rory somewhat forcefully placed her arms around his neck, kissing him deeply. For a few minutes they sat there, simply holding each other and kissing.
At last, Jess pulled away. "You should get to school. Finals week."
"You should too," Rory said, smiling.
Jess nodded, defeated. "Yeah, I guess I should."
Rory gently lifted herself off of Jess's lap. When he stood, she pulled him towards her abruptly, holding him by his shirt. She kissed him hard, and though it lasted mere seconds it was a strong kiss. Jess pulled back and asked her, "What was that for?"
"Good luck," she simply said.
"Who is it, Emily?"
"I don't know, Richard. My x-ray vision isn't working at the moment," Emily replied sardonically.
Richard gave her a look and explained, "I was wondering if you were expecting somebody."
"I wasn't expecting anybody," Emily responded shortly, before they both opened the door to find Rory there.
"Rory," Emily greeted, surprised.
"Hey Grandma, hey Grandpa."
"What brings you here on this busy day?" Richard asked.
"I have sort of a time-sensitive issue I need to talk to you about."
"Time sensitive. Well, come in, come in," Richard beckoned her into the living room.
"We were just getting ready for your ceremony," Emily stated as she sat down.
"And I was just retying my tie for the third time. No matter how many times I tie a tie, there's always room for error," Richard explained, chuckling.
"It's not an exact science, is it?" Rory asked.
"Nor an art form. It's pretty much nothing."
After Richard sat down, Emily asked, "All right. Should we be nervous?"
Rory, shaking her head, answered, "No, you shouldn't be. I am a little."
"Well, what is it?" Richard queried.
"I need money," Rory declared.
"You need money," repeated Richard.
"For Yale," Rory explained.
"You need money for Yale."
"Stop repeating everything she says," Emily berated her husband, annoyed.
"I'm sorry, I'm processing."
Rory took a breath and explained, "Look, it's a long story, but no other financing came through and all of the other options that Mom and I have are just. . .well, not good enough. So here's the offer - I would like for you to loan me the money for four years at Yale, and in return I will get a part time job and pay you in installments. I will continue this payment schedule after graduation increasing the payment amounts in proportion to my income. Plus, I will reinstate Friday night dinners with me. Every Friday night, I will be here, seven o'clock on the dot."
Smiling, Emily replied, "Well, how wonderful."
"We've missed you, Rory."
"I've missed you, too. So this should work out for everyone, right?"
"Absolutely. We're happy to do it."
"I don't want you to start to pay back the loan until five years after you graduate, though," Richard negotiated.
"I guess that's okay."
"Then we have a deal."
"Well, I should go," Rory said.
"Rory, does your mother know you're here?"
"No. This is my thing. I'll see you at the ceremony," Rory said before she left.
As Sookie and Lorelai walked to the seats, Sookie asked, "Where do you wanna sit?"
"Is there no special designated area for family and friends of the valedictorian?"
"Like a skybox or a velvet rope on one of the rows! Eh, oh well."
"Where are the boys?"
"Over there," Sookie pointed to Luke, Jess, and Jackson, who were standing by the Chilton building.
"Hey guys, get over here!" Lorelai called, loudly. "Here's a row. Let me see, how many seats do we need? Uh, you, me, Luke, Jackson, and Jess."
"That's five."
"Plus Picklepuss and Sauerkraut," Lorelai added.
"Your parents make seven," Sookie finished, giggling.
Jackson and Luke seemed to be off in their own little world, while Jess stood near them awkwardly.
"These stones have to be carved by hand," Jackson commented.
"Without the tools we have now. No electricity," Luke added, wonderingly.
"Just pulleys and fulcrums."
"Hey, Bob Vila, take a seat," Sookie asked her husband.
"Okay, we have to vow not to make fun of any of the kids because inevitably their family will be sitting right behind us just like at the play," Lorelai explained.
"Right. Ugh, the big-eared Romeo fiasco of '98. Gotcha."
As Luke and Jackson continued talking about the construction of the Chilton building, Lorelai's pager went off and she left to take care of it and see how Rory was doing.
Wandering through the Chilton halls, Lorelai found Rory standing near Paris and Co.
"Mom," Rory greeted.
"Uh, no, wait, go away. I wanna tell a bunch of other people that I'm the valedictorian's mom and I'm looking for you."
"Shh. I've got good news I wanna tell you real quick. Come here."
After pulling her mother into the hallway and away from all the chaos of the students preparing for graduation, Rory told her, "You're getting your inn."
"What?"
"Go put in the bid on the Dragonfly. You've got the money now, Grandpa's money."
"What are you talking about? How do I have money?"
"Grandma and Grandpa are paying for Yale."
"Now wait a minute."
Rory silenced her and continued, "I explained the situation, they totally understand, and they're loaning me the money for Yale. It's a done deal, so go make the call, put in the bid, before someone else does."
"Rory, honey, do you understand, the Gilmores do nothing altruistically. Strings are attached to everything."
"There are no strings."
"No strings?" Lorelai asked disbelievingly.
"No. I just have to pay them back starting five years after I graduate, and I have to start going back for Friday night dinners."
Lorelai shook her head, "Um, hello, Pinocchio, those are strings."
"Mom, don't you see? We're all getting exactly what we want. It's a win-win-win situation."
After a bit of arguing, Lorelai surrendered. "Okay, maybe, maybe it is. But just once, just once, I want you to get exactly what you want, and me to get exactly what I want, and them to get nothing."
"Well, we'll see if we can't arrange that sometime. But the ceremony's about to start, I better get back out there. And go buy that inn!"
"Uh, Mom, Dad, you've met everyone here. Sookie, Jackson, Luke."
"Hello. I don't know this young man, though."
"Oh, right. Well, Dad, this is Jess, Rory's boyfriend."
"Ah, so you're the boy my wife calls a scoundrel."
"That would be me," Jess replied.
"I'd like to get to know you a bit. Do you mind," Richard gestured at the empty chair next to Jess.
"Be my guest," Jess replied, and Richard sat down, Emily on his other side.
As soon as she saw that her parents had settled, Lorelai whispered to her friend, "Sookie, long story short, and a partially painful story at that, and hang onto your hat, but we can now put a bid in on the Dragonfly."
"What? Are you kidding? How? What happened?"
"I can't go into it now, but I'll tell you the whole story later."
"Okay, I've gotta tell you, even with the champagne and the Herb Albert, I've been depressed for days. I couldn't watch the Dating Game anymore."
"Well, that's all changed now."
"I'll go call the attorney. You sit back and relax and enjoy the graduation," Sookie said, grinning happily.
"Invited guests, fellow faculty, honored attendees and students, welcome to the Chilton Academy graduating class ceremony of 2003. This year's class is a distinguished assemblage, equal to or surpassing what has proceeded it. In its 200-year history, Chilton has not failed to produce a class that brings only honor to these grounds and to the academy's fine traditions. To begin, I would like to invite the student body president Paris Gellar to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Paris?"
Before going on stage, Paris whispered to Rory, "As his parting shot to me, Charleston never responded to the three aspects of the pledge that I had an objection to and considered rewriting. That's not going to stop me from using air quotes."
As the ceremony progressed, Brad was called on stage to speak. "Through good times and bad, Chilton formed us, brought us hope, honed our insight, gave us encouragement. Though my time here was briefly interrupted by my period spent on Broadway hanging out with Stephen Sondheim, I still consider Chilton the most rewarding experience of my young life. Now it had always been my plan in closing to recite a short poem I'd written," Brad said.
"But you reconsidered," Louise hoped from her seat.
Madeline agreed, "Come on, Brad. Go out a winner."
On stage, Brad continued, "But as I read it aloud, I realized the sentiments I wanted to share with my fellow students were better expressed in a favorite song of mine." At this point, Brad broke out song, "Cherish is the word I use to describe. . .bong, bong. Bong, bong."
"Oh, Brad," Rory grimaced.
"All the feelings that I have hiding here for you inside, bong, bong, bong. You don't know how many times I've wished that I had told you. . . " Brad continued on singing.
Later in the ceremony, Headmaster Charleston spoke again:"It's a distinct pleasure for me to introduce to you our valedictorian. This young lady was a second-year transfer from a modest school where she distinguished herself immeasurably. She is humble, hard working, competitive when need be, and unparalleled in her academic achievements. Ladies and Gentlemen, Rory Gilmore."
As Rory walked on stage, Sookie said, "Not crying, right?"
Lorelai replied, "Not crying. Keeping our cool so we don't miss anything."
"Tears get in your eyes."
"Then you miss things."
"So we're not crying."
"Not crying," Lorelai stated.
"Not crying," Sookie agreed even as they both started to cry.
Even Jackson broke in, "Not crying. Not crying."
"What?" Luke asked from his spot next to Lorelai.
"No crying," Lorelai told him.
"I'm not crying," Luke reassured her.
"Headmaster Charleston, faculty members, fellow students, family and friends, welcome. We never thought this day would come. We prayed for its quick delivery, crossed days off our calendars, counted hours, minutes, and seconds, and now that it's here, I'm sorry it is because it means leaving friends who inspire me and teachers who have been my mentors - so many people who have shaped my life and my fellow students' lives impermeably and forever. I live in two worlds. One is a world of books. I've been a resident of Faulkner's Yoknapatawpha County, hunted the white whale aboard the Pequod, fought alongside Napoleon, sailed a raft with Huck and Jim, committed absurdities with Ignatius J. Reilly, rode a sad train with Anna Karenina, and strolled down Swann's Way. It's a rewarding world, but my second one is by far superior. My second one is populated with characters slightly less eccentric but supremely real, made of flesh and bone, full of love, who are my ultimate inspiration for everything, and who get me through each day, giving me strength and support. Richard and Emily Gilmore are kind, decent, unfailingly generous people. They are my twin pillars without whom I could not stand. I am proud to be their grandchild. But my ultimate inspiration comes from my best friend, the dazzling woman from whom I received my name and my life's blood, Lorelai Gilmore," Rory addressed the audience.
"Uh oh."
"Hang in there," Lorelai said, tears in her eyes.
Rory continued, "My mother never gave me any idea that I couldn't do whatever I wanted to do or be whoever I wanted to be. She filled our house with love and fun and books and music, unflagging in her efforts to give me role models from Jane Austen to Eudora Welty to Patti Smith. As she guided me through these incredible eighteen years, I don't know if she ever realized that the person I most wanted to be was her."
"Not crying," Sookie repeated.
"Crying a little," Lorelai admitted.
"Crying a little, but not blubbering. That's what we meant when we said no crying, no blubbering."
"Thank you, Mom. You are my guidepost for everything," Rory stated from the podium.
"On the verge of blubbering here."
"Not doing too well myself."
"Not you, too," Lorelai sighed.
"I'm blubbering, you're freaks," Luke accused them.
But Rory was still speaking. "As we prepare ourselves today to leave. . ."
After Rory and Paris and the rest of the senior class had received their diplomas and the ceremony had ended, Rory ran to her mother and hugged her fiercely. Lorelai was crying even harder.
"Well, how was it?" Rory asked as she approached Jess.
"Do you mean your speech or my sitting next to your grandparents?"
"Both," Rory answered, holding him close.
"Well, the speech was amazing. I can see why they made you valedictorian. And, interestingly, your grandfather seems to like me. A lot. I have no idea why."
"Hmm, well I'll ask him in a minute how it went."
First, though, she went over and hugged Luke, thanked him for coming, and then did the same for Sookie and Jackson. After that, she approached her grandparents.
"Rory, that was lovely, what you said in your speech," thanked Emily.
"It was all true," Rory deflected.
"It was still wonderful of you," persisted Richard as he led her gently away from the group. Emily followed. They brought her to the parking lot where they presented her with her graduation gift: a new car which she was unable to see because almost every single other student had also received a car.
"Well, when I finally see it, I'm sure I'll love it. Thank you so much, Grandma and Grandpa."
"It was our pleasure, Rory. You certainly deserve it."
While Rory and Emily and Richard had been standing near the parking lot, Lorelai and the rest had noticed their disappearance. They finally caught up with them and Lorelai warned Jess lightly, "You better not crash this one too!"
Richard broke in and told Lorelai, "That's enough. The boy has been through a lot, and yet he is a remarkable young man. Let him be."
All were shocked to hear this defense of Jess's character, even when Lorelai had almost been joking. Almost.
The most surprised was Jess, who responded, "Um, thanks Mr. Gilmore, but she's right to say that, I'm not the most rel--"
"Nonsense, we all make mistakes. Let's not dwell on them, right Emily?"
"Right, Richard," Emily replied scathingly.
"And please, son, call me Richard."
Jess nodded, and that was the end of that. After a few minutes, Richard finally found the car. He gave Rory the keys, and she thanked him vehemently.
Only two days after Graduation, it was time for goodbye. Rory and Lorelai were leaving for Spain and Jimmy was bringing Jess back with him to Venice Beach. A whole summer apart. Rory and Jess weren't the only ones feeling the twinge of loss. Lorelai's evolving relationship with Luke would have to wait.
Letters, they said. And emails, too, when they had access to a computer.
Letters and emails would be all they would have for three months.
When all had been packed, and cars had been loaded, Luke and Lorelai diverted from the group of friends who had gathered to wish the Gilmore girls and the Mariano boys farewell.
"Don't meet any sensitive, romantic, European sophisticates while you're gone," Luke told Lorelai.
"Oh, I can't promise that, hon. Europe's chock full of their type. But, I can promise I won't abandon Rory and run away with Johnny Depp to live in France…"
"You'd give up Johnny Depp for me?"
"Well, you're worth it, aren't you Cool Hand?"
Luke held Lorelai tightly and then dipped her and kissed her deeply. "What do you think?"
"Oh yeah, you're worth it."
"Glad you think so."
"You should be. I mean, I could be living with Johnny Depp, so you better appreciate me."
"I do, believe me."
She looked into his eyes and saw all the love that he held for her within those sky blue depths.
"Oh, Luke…"
"I know. It'll be tough. Three months is a long time."
"But—"she broke in, before he continued on.
"Letters, I know. And emails."
"Okay."
For Jess and Rory, it was similarly difficult to say goodbye. But it had to be done. They strolled to their favorite spot, the bridge.
Sitting down with their feet hanging over the edge almost skimming the water, they held hands. Funny, Jess thought. A year ago, and I would never have believed I would be in a relationship like this. We hold hands. We talk. We kiss… a lot. I'm in a real relationship.
Before, it was all sex and drugs and fights. Life sucked. Now, I don't know. It's kind of… it's intellectual conversations and literary arguments and kissing and music and working and school. It's different. Not worse. Just different. Better.
Jess was torn from his thoughts by nudging him with their entwined hands. "Whatcha thinking about?"
"Us."
"Uh oh."
"No, it's nothing like that. I just, this is all new to me. I've never been in a real relationship before. There have been girls, but nothing like this."
"I figured."
"Yeah, so… I just… thanks."
"For what?"
"For making me into this semi-normal teenager. For taking me from my horrible life and making it beautiful."
"Aw, Jess. I didn't know you were so sensitive."
"Poetry is cool," he protested.
"Sure, Dodger. C'mon, let's get back to the group."
He stood and helped her up. There were no sweet, tear filled goodbyes. No proclamations of love. Just a quick kiss and an "I'll see you in August. Don't forget to write."
And then they were gone. Jess and Jimmy headed for California, Lorelai and Rory to Europe.
They would have their letters. And emails. And then after the three months were over they would be together again.
A/N: Yeah, I know it sucks. Review. I don't want to keep writing if you think that it's crap, so please tell me. Thanks. Happy New Year.