Trust Me

Chapter 5

Silence

He had arrived only an hour after her request. She figured he was too shocked to form any sort of sentence. She was hoping for more than the occasional grunt.

Sometimes silence is bad, giving the mind a spare moment to ponder on recent actions. It could give the mind enough time to insinuate an argument. Silence could only provide question, whether it be for yourself or for another mind, but never an answer. Albeit, nothing ever came complete.

Rory decided to break the silence. It was getting to her. "You know, you're starting to turn into a caveman, only with slightly better hair."

Jess just smirked, turning onto another street.

"So, where are you taking me?" Rory asked curiously. "It seems like your lost."

Jess looked at Rory briefly, eyebrows raised.

"Right, sorry," She mumbled, crossing her arms across her chest.

After a few more minutes of turning onto random roads, Jess finally decided to speak. "Why are you here?" He asked her.

Rory's eyes widened, then she sighed in frustration. "You don't want me here," She meant it more of a question, but it ended up coming out as a statement.

"I never said anything to that effect," He told her, stopping the car in an abandoned parking lot.

"Are we even supposed to be here?" Rory asked, motioning towards the empty, and dirty, parking lot.

"Rory," He stated. Commanded, more so.

She sighed. He needed to know; she couldn't come up unannounced and not explain to him why she was there. "I couldn't stand being that far apart, long distance isn't my forte."

"I figured that the minute I moved into Stars Hollow," He muttered. "You almost came last time. At least you made it a step further."

"Jess!" Rory stated angrily. "I came to see you. I came because when I saw you on that bus, I couldn't stand the thought of you leaving. I had so many questions, and you were leaving to California. I couldn't leave them unanswered."

"Ever the reporter," He sighed tiredly. This was getting hard; them, it was getting hard. Something always had to come up. He noticed now they could never be left at a happy time.

"Jess, this isn't what I came here for," Rory told him. "There are a few things we need to clear up."

"Really?" He turned to face her; glad he stopped in the parking lot. She was demanding his full attention.

"Jess, why were you leaving?" Rory asked finally, following the few seconds of awkward silence.

"I wasn't the only one planning on leaving," He gestured towards her and her suitcase in the back.

"Jess, you know what I mean," She sighed tiredly. She was too exhausted to play games with him. She'd have to match him with grunts. "Why?" That seemed fitting.

"Rory, not everything concerns you," He muttered.

"That's not going to work for me," said Rory, angry he was trying to evade the argument. "You bolted, Jess. The minute you found out about the prom tickets, you got scared. It was the first time that you couldn't please me, and it scared you. I know this, I'm a runner too," She finished softly, looking down at her hands placed in her lap.

Jess sat there, stunned. She had brushed up on her interviewing skills. He hadn't said one word before she analyzed everything into detail. He hoped this was off the record. "So I bolted, big deal."

"Big deal? Jess, it's a big deal to me, to Luke," said Rory in a desperate attempt "Luke, although he hates to admit it, was devastated. I was devastated. You really think I went to the airport just to watch the pretty little air planes take off?"

Jess sighed, shaking his head. He had failed her; maybe even Luke, though he wasn't going to admit it aloud. "Ok, it was a big deal. I get it, lecture over?"

"No," Rory snapped. "Jess, you were planning on leaving without saying goodbye. How would you feel if I left, with no word of where I was going or why?" Ah. The ever innocent 'How would you feel…?' Rory question. Accompanied with the Rory face and it worked wonders.

Jess sighed. "I would go after you. Stars Hollow would badger me everyday, I wouldn't be able to handle the pressure."

Stars Hollow. Pressure. "That's why you left."

He nodded, looking out his window awkwardly. "I couldn't handle it, that's the reason I left New York; I couldn't bring back memories."

"Memories? Jess, how about our memories," Rory fiddled with her hands. She didn't want to see his reaction to that. It just came out, really, she hadn't expected on saying that aloud. It was a random floating thought in her brain.

She heard him sigh. That's a good sign. He was at least thinking about it. "Rory, I just left. I was scared, and I just left."

"Scared of what?" Rory asked. This was getting frustrating. He wasn't giving her a straight answer, and it was hard following what he was trying to say.
"Just scared Rory," He muttered, turning to look out his window.

Rory rolled her eyes. "Jess, if you're not going to be straight with me, then we'll get no where."

"How would you feel if you weren't graduating?" Jess asked angrily, burying his face into his hands. This was getting tiring, the fighting. He couldn't stand it.

"What?" Rory looked up at him curiously.

"Yes, I'm not graduating. I couldn't get prom tickets because I'm not graduating," He spat. He had that bottled in for a long while. Too long, he could tell by the look on Rory's face. "I was scared of how you'd react to having your boyfriend be a failure. I couldn't stand to just wait for you to break up with me."

Jess tapped his fingers against the wheel.

"You should have told me," She stated quietly, looking down at her hands resting in her lap.

He shrugged, starting the engine. Rory looked up at him as she heard the engine running. "So you're afraid of me?"

Jess sighed, shaking his head. She really wanted an answer. "Afraid of not pleasing you," He muttered, backing out of the parking lot.

It was quiet, Rory's mind lost in her thoughts.

He cared. The silence, it showed he cared.

--

Rory grabbed her small yellow backpack as she followed Jess into his home. She hadn't really wanted to stay in Jimmy and Sasha's home; that would be a bit awkward for the two of them. She had insisted on staying in a nearby motel, but Jess didn't even acknowledge her. He just drove straight to the house, ignoring every word of protest that left her mouth.

Jess opened the door quietly, motioning for Rory to follow. "Jess, are they even home?"

He shrugged. "Barely ever are. Pathetic if you ask me."

Rory breathed a sigh of relief. She wouldn't have to see them as often. "You know, Jess, I could just stay somewhere else. I saw a nice little motel near here that would be just as-"

He stopped her. "You're staying in the guest bedroom. It's upstairs," He told her, marching up the wooden staircase.

Rory followed, now certain she wouldn't be able to stay anywhere else. "Sasha has a kid, right? I heard you mention it on the way here."
He nodded. "Lily."

She smiled at the name. A little girl, what fun. "Will I get to meet her?

Jess smirked. Leave it to Rory to worry about his stepsister. "Probably."

Rory seemed satisfied with the answer; she didn't say much else on their way to her room.

Jess stopped short of the door, turning to Rory. "This is your room," He gestured behind him. "Let me know if you need anything."

"Thank you," She mumbled, stepping into her room. She gave it a once over and turned around to towards the door. Jess was still standing there, smirking it her.

"Jess," Rory started, walking towards him. She stopped just in front of him, looking down at her feet. She leaned up quickly, brushing her lips against his. She stepped back.

Jess just stood there, still smirking. He raised his eyebrows at her as he disappeared down the hallway.

She smiled as she began to unpack. Imperfection just flew out the window.

--

Jess walked down the hallway towards Rory's room. It was nearing dinnertime, and he was sure Rory was starving. California was a few hours behind Stars Hollow because of the time zone, so it was even later for Rory's body.

He knocked on her door softly and got no reply. He opened it a crack and saw Rory sprawled over the guest bed. He smiled slightly, walking over to her. He sat down at the edge, shaking her softly. He got an incoherent reply. He shook her again, this time successfully waking her up.

"Jess?" She mumbled, turning over to look at him.

He smirked. "I was thinking maybe you wanted to go out to eat."

"Eat?" Rory asked. Her stomach thought otherwise.

"Yea, eat. I know a good pizza place nearby."

"And there's nothing to cook here?" Rory asked, desperately hoping to stay home rather than go out.

"Can you cook?"

Rory's eyes widened. "God, no. I'd burn the house down."

"Exactly. Come on, let's go," He stood and walked towards the door.

Rory groaned, sad to leave the bed. She grabbed a light jacket and slung it over her arm, following Jess through the door.

--

They reached the small pizzeria a few minutes later, taking a seat at a table near the window. Rory smiled as she saw all the young couples walking along the sidewalk, admiring the setting sun.

A waitress came up to them. "What'll it be?"

Jess looked to Rory. He gestured towards the waitress.

"Anything's fine," Rory mumbled, blushing.

"Come on, I know you love to indulge," He smirked.

"Pepperoni," She told the waitress. "Is that okay?" She asked Jess.

"Pepperoni," He agreed. The waitress left, smiling at the couple. "You're getting better at this ordering thing."

"I'm still getting the hang of it," She sighed. "Um, Jess, I thought of something on the walk here."

He looked hesitant for about a second and then nodded. "What?"

Rory surprised him by leaning in and kissing him tenderly on the lips. "I don't know how long I'm going to be here, but I just don't want the time that I'm here for to be awkward. So, I want us to pretend that nothing has happened. That we're on our own for now, and we have nothing standing in our way."

"You want to pretend that I never left and that I didn't fail?"

She narrowed her blue eyes on his brown eyes. "Please, Jess. Do this one thing for me. I don't want to let go just yet. I can't."

He ran a hand through his hair. "So, you're going to be able to let go in a few days?"

"I-I don't know. But, I just want to pretend for now. Or not pretend but pick up where we left off," She pursed her lips together. "Can we do that?"

"Rory, I'm the number one person who wants to have these last few days with you."

She smiled for the first time since they had gone out to dinner. "Then kiss me."

He leaned in slowly, brushing his lips against hers lightly. He placed his hand on her arm, pulling her closer to him. She smiled into the kiss, placing her arm on his neck. His tongue lightly touched her lips, running it along her top lip.

Rory heard someone cough awkwardly behind her and she snapped back to her seat, blushing a deep crimson.
The waitress placed a pepperoni pizza pie onto the middle of the table. "Enjoy," She said, winking at the couple.

Jess just smirked. "Help yourself."

--

Rory looked out onto the water as they both walked onto the pier. They had finished dinner a few minutes ago, and Jess had suggested walking to the shore to see the ocean. She sighed happily as she took in the setting sun and the small waves lapping onto the sand.

"So, you get to see this everyday?" Rory asked, turning her head to look at Jess.

He nodded, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Nothing special," He smirked.

Rory gasped. "How could this be nothing special? I'd kill to have scenery like this around the corner from my house. All I have is naked Kurk running around town."

"Some people would pay to see that," He laughed lightly.

"You should appreciate this better," Rory told him. "It's not everyday you get to live in California."

"It is for me," He replied.

"I still think you should," Rory sighed, looking at a family playing by the water. "Now that is ideal," Rory pointed towards the small family.

"If you want to be changing diapers all day, then yes," Jess grinned. "Not for me."

Rory smiled, turning to face him. "You'll change your mind. You still hate the world, remember?"

He just shrugged. "So you think you'll have time? What with your journalism dreams, I would think your completely booked."

She nodded in agreement. "I am completely booked. I don't plan on settling yet."

"How's the Yale thing going?" He asked, sitting down on one of the many benches lining the pier.

"I'd have to be back this weekend if I want the Yale thing to even happen," Rory trailed off softly, fidgeting with her coat sleeve. There was a small wind picking up since they were so far out.

He sighed. "So you're going through with it?"

"It's my dream," She sighed.

They were silent for a few minutes, each immersed in their own thoughts. Sometimes silence is good. It shows how much one has been through; our minds one hazy jumble. Silence could help, giving the mind a few rare moments to recollect itself before mounting the endless highway of a human's thoughts. Of course, help never gave answer.

Jess contemplated for a few moments before breaking the silence. "Tell me again, why did you come here?"

Rory shrugged. "I'm still pretending," She murmured as she leaned over and kissed him, indulging in her make believe.

May the good silence live on.

--

A/N: Hi ;

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I've had this one scene in my head for a while, and I'm glad I finally got to use it. Thank you all for your kind reviews, it really motivated me to finish this chapter. I expect the same treatment, if not better, for this one. You're all very kind, I'm flattered by your reviews. Keep them coming, I appreciate it!