A/N: Thank you for all the reviews! Here's the next chapter, kind of a parallel on, like the first one. I'm having an academically draining week, so it may be a little while before I update again. Of course if I received some more reviews, I may try to update this weekend. Let me know what you think! Thanks again!
Copyright: I do not own any these characters, I just obsess over them, do not sue me!
1Rory was driving to work when her cell phone rang. As she looked at the caller, a wide smile spread across her face.
"Hi Mom!" Rory answered.
"Hey kid. Happy Valentine's day!" Lorelai answered cheerfully.
"You sound happy, is Luke back from his trip?"
"Yeah, he's here right now, say hi to Rory!"
"Hey, Rory," Rory could hear Luke say in the background.
"Is he naked?" Rory asked.
"Do you really want to know?" Lorelai replied in a suggestive tone.
"No."
"I just love Valentine's Day, chocolate, and jewelry, more chocolate."
"Ugh," Rory groaned.
"
What the matter, Hon?"
"I don't know, I just think it's kind of stupid to celebrate this holiday that commemorates Valentine's unfair execution which now has been grossly demented and extorted by commercial companies who want to make a buck in the winter. Plus all the commercials everywhere are just a huge slap in the face meant to tell everyone 'hey if you aren't in a relationship, something is wrong with you."
"Breathe, kid."
"I don't know, I'm just not in the greatest mood."
"I'm worr... Oh my God, is that Eleanor Rigby?" Lorelai asked.
"Yeah, it just felt like an Eleanor Rigby day."
"How can it ever be a day for listening to the Beatles sing about this poor woman who died and nobody came to her funeral? Now I'm really worried about you hon."
"I just need a break."
"Hey I've got an idea, call April up and see if you can take a trip, and go look at colleges with her, I'm sure she'd love it. Or you could come and visit in Stars Hollow for a while."
"Maybe," Rory said, not committing to anything, "Hey, Mom, I've got to go, just pulled up to work. Love you."
"Love you too kid, see ya."
Rory stumbled into the office passing her colleagues decked in red and pink Valentine clothes. She reached her desk where she pulled up her email, getting started for another day working on the paper.
"Rory?" someone asked her.
"Yes?" Rory asked, looking up to see her editor, Keisha.
"I was wondering if we could talk in my office. Just for a few minutes."
Rory was puzzled. "Um, sure."
She followed wordlessly to Keisha's office, just a little bit away from her own cubicle.
"Rory. Some people have been worried about you, and I've been thinking about it and I have something I want to suggest," Keisha told her.
This cannot be happening, Rory thought.
"Wait a minute," Rory interjected. "I'm not getting fired or traded like baseball, am I?"
"Of course not!" Keisha looked astonished. "You're one of our best writers; I'm surprised you haven't swooped in and taken my job yet. No, it's just some of your friends here have noticed you've been in a bit of a funk. And when I got this in my mail, I thought, 'Hey this is perfect!' I think all you need is a little change of pace, a little break to feel better." Keisha pushed a manila envelope towards Rory.
Rory scanned the papers as Keisha kept talking.
"Basically it's this retreat for high school students recommended by their teachers who are interested in a career dealing with writing, whether movie scripts, or newspaper articles. They have authors, songwriters, journalists and a lot of other people coming. You would be teaching a class for about a week and a half, end of March, during their spring break. It would be great publicity for the paper, and I think it's something you'd really enjoy. I'm in no way forcing this on you, but I think it might help to take a break from the paper, and have a little fun.
"Think about it at least, make a pro and con list, OK? Just let me know by the end of the week."
Rory nodded, thinking just how right Keisha and everyone were. She needed a break, a change of pace. Maybe she would do this. It sure beat staying home sulking.
The phone rang. Jess was not in a talking mood, he looked at his caller id, groaned and picked up the phone.
"What?" he grunted
"And hello to you too!"
"What do you want Tyler?"
"Just to remind you about that pesky due date coming up. And make you a proposition," Tyler answered.
"What is it?" Jess asked; he was not in the mood for guessing games.
"Can you meet me for coffee in an hour and we can talk then?"
Jess looked at his watch. An hour would give him just enough time to finish up. He might as well get this out of the way.
"Yeah, sure, whatever," Jess agreed.
"Meet you at the usual. And bring that cheery attitude with you!"
"Yeah, sure Mom," Jess scoffed back. It seemed everyone in the world was out to get him today. Or maybe it was his too cheerful editor. How pathetic was he that he went out for coffee with his editor on Valentine's Day?
"I need a life," he mumbled, turning his attention back to his computer screen.
Exactly an hour and ten minutes later, Jess walked into the Coffee Bean and slid into the chair at the table where his editor had already laid out thousands of papers.
"Coffee?" Tyler offered him.
Jess nodded, and took a swig from the cup. "So what is all this crap about?" Jess gestured to the papers.
"Lately Jess, I don't mean to hurt you, the work you've been putting forth doesn't seem to have been your best. But I think I have a solution for you." He handed Jess the packet. Jess took a few minutes to scan it. "I believe you need a break, a period to rejuvenate, so you can get back in the game."
"And you want me to do this by teaching a bunch of high schoolers?" Jess asked, dropping the packet onto the table.
"Think of it as a time to get back all that energy you had when you were in high school. The aspirations and motivations."
"You obviously didn't know me back then," Jess muttered softly.
"Hmm?" Tyler inquired.
"Nothing. So it really hasn't been that good?" Jess asked, his thoughts lying on the manuscript he had shoved in his bag before he left.
"Let's just say I've seen better. Come on Jess, you seem like the kind of guy who could relate to teenagers. You sure act like one."
"Well…" Jess started.
"Don't finish that. Think it over. Call me about it. Oh and I got that number for the girl I thought you would like."
"Yeah, just what I need. Another one of those." A piece of paper with a phone number was shoved into his hand.
"I got to run. Happy Valentines Day!" Tyler went out the door.
Jess pulled out the packet and began to read.
Awhile away, someone else was doing exactly the same thing.
A/N: Thoughts? Please R&R!