Missing The Bus
A long time before Jess was sent to live with Luke in S2/3, him and his mother moved in with Luke for a few months when Jess was 10, as she had just divorced yet another husband and wasn't coping. In this 'lil fic, Jess and Rory end up missing the bus together, causing Lorelai and Luke a lot of panic, and inadvertently landing the kids in New York. Rory/Lorelai, Rory/Jess, Lorelai/Luke.
Note: 7th Heaven fans may recognise the similarities to an old Ruthie/Peter storyline :)
I don't own Gilmore Girls, or anything even remotely valuable. I don't even own this computer.
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'Rory! You're going to miss the bus!' Lorelai checked her wrist - mockingly, since she'd lost her cereal box watch down the Inn's garbage disposal weeks ago, and was still mourning the loss.
Reluctantly, Rory said goodbye to her best friend, Lane, and traipsed along the sidewalk towards the school car park, where the awful yellow bus was waiting.
'It isn't fair.' Rory scuffed her feet as she followed her mother.
'What isn't?'
'If Lane was in the same class as me we'd be going on the field trip together, and then I wouldn't be so nervous.'
'Wait, hon, you're nervous? It's a field trip!'
'I know, but I don't have any friends in my class. I won't have anyone to talk to.' The pair were at the parking lot now, and Rory looked morosely at the kids being loaded onto the bus, followed by the handful of parents chaperoning the trip. 'I wish you were coming.'
Lorelai bit her lip, her guilt returning.
'I know baby. I wish I were coming, too. But you know I had all that time off when you had the Chicken Pox, I can't afford any more. I'm really, sorry, Rory.'
Rory looked at her Mom's pained face and instantly felt bad for having caused it. She hugged her mother tightly.
'It's okay, Mom. I't's just a dumb school trip. I'll survive.'
Lorelai planted a lingering kiss on her daughters forehead.
'Thats my little trouper.' She glanced over at Rory's teacher, ticking names off a list as the last of the kids boarded the bus. ' I think it's your final call, sweets.'
Rory readjusted her back pack and gave her mom a last quick hug.
'Bye mom.' She called as she headed reluctantly towards the school bus.
She boarded the bus and found one of the last empty window seats. The bus grumbled into life, and the teacher began a final roll call as the bus pulled out of the car park. Rory waved to her mom until the bus turned the corner, leaving her school and her two best friends behind.
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Rory turned the page of her book and tried to block out the various outbursts of her noisy classmates. The boy sitting next to her had his walkman on maximum volume, and the strains of a Beastie Boys tune filtered out through the headphones. Every time the bus turned, she found herself squashed against the window with the boy's oversized backpack the only thing preventing her being completely smothered by him. She continued with her story, but found she would read the same sentence two or three times before it actually registered in her head. She sighed. It was impossible to concentrate with all the shouting and laughing going on around her. They were on a field trip to the Zoo, for crying out loud. You'd think that by the 5th grade everyone had been to the Zoo at least once before. Rory didn't mind the animal part, but she much preferred the visits with her mom, who'd flirt with the keepers and every so often get themselves a close encounter or two. A trip to the Zoo with her class wasn't exactly on Rory's list of favorite things to do. 'It'll be fun.' Her mom had said. 'You like the animal part. And in the boring parts where the teacher tries to tell you stuff about Zebras that you've known since Kindergarten, then just resort to your book.' Rory planned to do just that.
Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye she saw, almost in slow motion, Walkman Boy lean over the aisle and send a spray of white mess flying down the aisle.
'Miss! Hey, Miss! Kyle puked!'
'Ew! It's got bits in it, Miss!'
The teacher looked back down the bus, and sized up the situation. She glanced at the sullen child sitting next to her, in the spot reserved for the 'bad' kids. 'Jess. Swap with Kyle. When we get to the Zoo, NOBODY moves until I've cleaned up.' Red faced, Kyle stumbled his way down the aisle. Jess made his way carefully past the splashes of sick, and sulkily took his seat next to Rory. She groaned inwardly. Jess Mariano was a pain. He'd only moved here a week or two ago, and already he'd caused more trouble than the regular 'naughty' kids put together. The Pain took a paperback from his back pocket and began to read. Glancing at the the title, Rory did a double take. She was reading the hardcover of the exact same novel! On impulse, she closed her own book, and showed the cover to Jess. He stared at it for a second, then rewarded her with a small smile. 'What page are you up to?'
Rory checked. '137.'
He smiled proudly. 'I've read it three times already. The end will get you every time.'
Rory nodded. 'I've read it twice.'
He smiled at her again.
'What did you think of Alec when he went on that huge Rooster hunt for Sophie?'
'Oh, now that was just plain weird. He didn't even seem to like her!'
'I know, strange right.'
Rory grinned to herself. Jess wasn't so bad. Maybe today wasn't going to be so boring after all.
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The next chapter is on it's way!
