Title: Take a Chance for me

Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls.

Tristan left the room and I stood, a bit panicked at the whole situation. I was in Tristan's house after running away from home. 'What the hell is wrong with me? Do I even like Tristan? There's no way I do.' I thought for a second. 'I love Jess…I love him more than anything. Why did I even double guess my feelings for Tristan? He is only my friend.'

I didn't put my things away. Instead I left my things packed and went down the hall to find Tristan. "Hey Tristan… um about me staying here."

He looked up from the stereo system he was messing with. "Yeah what about it?" Then his face fell. "You don't want to do you? You already want to go back."

"If I stayed then I might be leading you on into something I don't even want. I feel things for you, but only as a friend. Right now all I know is that this might have been fine if we had never kissed. But the thing is that we did kiss and I only want you as a friend. I realize now I am in love with only Jess." I took a breath. "And now I need to go back to Stars Hollow to tell him I'll go to California with him if my mom doesn't kill me first."

He looked obviously disappointed. "So you really do love Jess, huh?" He shifted on his feet, a little uncomfortable with the conversation I suppose. "I'm really sorry if I made it feel like you had to come here and stay. I'll drive you back to Stars Hollow."

Tristan drove me back and dropped me off at my house. My mother was on the porch pacing with the phone in her hand. She spotted the car and her expression was surprised and relieved at the same time. "Rory!" I stepped out of the car and she hugged me.

"I was gone for like…an hour and a half why did you worry?"

"Because you took your Oliver Twist book! If you were coming back you would have left it. And when I called Jess he told me about your fight and California."

"I'm so sorry mom. But now I need to go see Jess."

My mom looked at me with a weird face. "Oh sweets, Jess just left about half an hour ago."

I looked at Tristan who was standing by his car. I walked over to him and thought of what I could possibly say to make this better. "I know I did a lot wrong lately, but I hope you can forgive me enough to be my friend still."

"I'd rather just forget I ever met you. Not in a rude way or anything, but just so I can get over you. Maybe we'll be friends someday, but then again maybe not." He got into his car and drove away.

I turned back to my mother. "I need to be with Jess in California mom. He needs me right now and I already let him down."

"But California is so far away and I'll be all by myself here. Can't you just send him a postcard and say 'sorry I couldn't make it, my mom wants me to stay here.'"

"Mom let's be reasonable here. I love Jess and he loves me. He is going through something big now and I was stupid to not just say yes in the first place."

"Let me talk to Emily and I'll see about a plane ticket because you aren't going on train or whatever. But you so owe me for this." She gave me an evil grin. I knew my mother would get her pay back but Jess was so worth it.

---Hours Later---

"Well I just got off the phone with mom and she got you a ticket to California, but the plane doesn't leave until tomorrow morning."

I nodded. "Okay thank you."

It was a bit quiet and my mom stood looking at me. "What made you choose Tristan this morning? I don't get why you told Jess maybe and went to Tristan's house to runaway from Stars Hollow."

Now she had sat next to me and waited intensely for an answer of some sort. I knew exactly what to tell her and for some reason it was hard to say. "Yesterday morning before school started Tristan kissed me. And you know usually Tristan is just a friend and I wouldn't feel anything for him. But he was being so nice and it seemed as if cupid had come and molded him into perfect Tristan, not evil Tristan. And knowing he was nice I wanted to reward him by somehow making myself think I wanted him as well."

She looked thoroughly absorbed in all of this. "So that's what happened. One kiss and you run away with him?"

"I wasn't running away with him mom, I simply was going to stay at his house until I came to my conclusion about him and Jess."

"And you got your conclusion within the hour and a half that you were there?"

I knew she didn't fully understand my reasons but they made so much since in my head as I put them all together. "I couldn't even unpack my things into the drawers before I realized how much I needed Jess in my life. And how much I wanted to be there for him when he confronts his dad in California."

"I just hope you know that from now on you come to me first and then we will choose a place for you to run away to. Like maybe the Inn or Lane's house okay? Some place where I know you are safe."

---Next Morning---

My alarm clock went off and I could have thrown it across the room. It was like 6 in the morning and I had to go to the airport. There was a lovely smell coming from the kitchen. I took a quick five minutes to ready myself and sat down at the table to drink the fresh coffee. Mom was already sitting down and glaring at me. "You and your stupid California trip woke me up at the ungodly hour of 5:30!"

"Mom I didn't tell you to set your alarm. You chose to remember? You insisted on driving me to the airport and having a sappy goodbye when I won't even be gone for more than two weeks."

"Well either way, I'm tired and cranky and the coffee isn't from Luke's!"

After getting over her crankiness we loaded my things into the jeep and drove to the airport. She waited with me until they called my boarding number. "Now you have the address that Luke gave you right? And you packed enough stuff for two weeks?"

"Mom I have everything don't worry about me. I love you and I will see you in a couple weeks." I kissed her on the cheek and hugged her tight then waved from the gate.

Flying alone wasn't so bad. I had my music to entertain me and somewhat of a variety of movies to choose from. Sleep wasn't really an option for me. My mind was full of what will happen when Jess sees me in California.

So it seemed like forever had just passed as I exited the airport and found a cab. I read off the address to the driver and hoped for the best.

When we pulled in front of my destination I laughed out of pity for the small house in front of me. As I retrieved my things and stood on the dead lawn I studied every feature before entering. The house was maybe two bedrooms with one bathroom and a kitchenette. No dining room and probably half the size of my living room. But this was all of my own judgment, I hadn't actually seen inside yet. The wood paneling on the outside had a paint job from thirty years ago and the door was slightly crooked. Somehow it all seemed fitting for this to be Jess' dad's house.

I picked up my bags and headed for the door. As I lifted my hand to knock I stopped. There was a loud crash inside and then some yelling. I didn't mean to listen in but I had to.

"I didn't even want to have you here. So don't give me attitude while staying under my roof, you ungrateful little-"

"Just shut up! Don't you ever get tired of hearing your annoying words and complaints? Just shut up and I will leave okay?" That voice was Jess'. And the footsteps were getting close to the door. Before I could run away with my things he swung the door open and had the most shocked look on his face when he saw me.

But then his expression hardened and was cold. "You're too late Rory, I left yesterday."

"I'm sorry Jess."

"Where were you? Your mom called me asking where you were. I didn't know…so where did you go off to?" He was obviously angry.

"I went to Tristan's house…"

"Are you serious! You went to Tristan's house? Rory I was waiting for you to answer me and you went to some other guy's house? I don't believe you!" Now he was starting to walk away.

"Please wait Jess. I was confused. The day school ended Tristan was hanging out with me and he kissed me. So I don't know what got into me but he was different and nice."

"So you double guessed us? I thought you loved me!"

I felt so ashamed. We were standing in some dump arguing over some stupid mistake I made. All I wanted was to go over to Jess, wrap my arms around him and kiss him. So I did just that. He was certainly surprised, but didn't pull back. "I love you so much Jess, I couldn't even think about staying at Tristan's when I got there. When I was there I thought about how much I wanted to be here with you and help you get through this. Please say you'll forgive me."

"I can't do that Rory."

"Please…take this one chance for me...to love me and forgive me."

"I took a chance with you when I first said I loved you…and look where it got me today." He pulled out of my arms and walked away.

"It won't end here Jess!" I shouted back to him.

TBC

Chapter 10! Sorry for making you guys think it was a Trory. That was just a little tease while I thought of some new ideas for the upcoming chaps. Thanks for reviewing anyways though.