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.

Thank you everyone for your reviews! Much appreciated that you clicked the little button :) Oh, and about the loo/notes thing, I'm from New Zealand :) What do you say instead of notes?

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The last kid jumped off the bus into the afternoon sun, his trainers sticking slightly to the warm asphalt.

'Wait.'

The chaperone leading the kids back into the school halted, and looked back towards the teacher, who had been counting heads as the kids left the bus.

'There's only 27. We left with 29.'

The chaperone pulled out a list of names and began to call the roll. Nobody answered to Rory Gilmore, or to Jess Mariano.

The teacher began to turn a pale shade of puce.

'Quick, Eliza, call the Zoo.'

She quickly handed the shocked chaperone a cellphone

'I'd better call the parents.'

Not looking entirely thrilled at the prospect at informing two small town mothers that the school had left their precious children behind, she hurried towards the administration building.

ooooooooooooo

On a windy road somewhere near the Connecticut state border, Rory leant against the grimy window and stared out it morosely.

'Jess, I don't recognize any of this. Are you absolutely sure we caught the right bus.'

Jess showed her the timetable.

'Look, Rory. It says Stars Hollows. Departs 3:05pm.'

Rory scrutinized the timetable.

'Jess! It says Number 55! This bus was number 205!'

Jess seemed unsure for a moment, but then shook his head.

'Nah, Rory, you're dreaming, It arrived right on time, 3:05, so it has to be the same bus. Don't have a cow.'

Rory scowled at him.

'For all I know, we could be heading up to Maine!'

She stood up and tried to push past Jess.

'Rory! Don't be stupid. What are you doing!' He hissed.

'I'm getting off this bus!' She replied defiantly.

He grabbed her elbow and yanked her back into her seat.

'Look. We're going to get back to Stars Hollow. Even if this bus doesn't take us there, we'll just get on another one that will!'

'We haven't got much money left, Jess. When we get off, let's just find a pay phone and call our moms.'

Jess turned away.

'We'll see.'

oooooooooooo

'Yup?'

Lorelai answered her cellphone, trying to juggle that and a dozen or so new highlighters that had just been shoved at her by the Inn's newest hire, a French guy named Michel.

'Lorelai, It's Babette.'

'Babette? Is everything okay?'

'I was just wondering... did Rory come to the Inn after school today?'

The Inn's phone began to ring and Lorelai glared at Michel when he didn't answer it.

'No...I thought she was coming to your place as usual.'

'Oh, well she probably is... she's just... running a little late I guess.'

'What? She's not there?' Lorelai turned to check the wall clock behind her, loosing her armful of highlighters in the process. 'It's after 4!'

'Sugar, I'm sure it's nothing.'

The phone continued to ring, and Michel continued to stare at it.

'MICHEL!' She pressed the cellphone against her ear. 'Babette, she was supposed to be home at 3:30 from a field trip. I'm going to call the school, incase there was some sort of hold up.'

'Okay, honey, but don't you worry yourself. I'll call you when she gets here, I'm sure she's just down the road.'

'Bye, Babette.' Lorelai turned to Michel, ready to give him a piece of her mind as she began to dial the school's number on her mobile. He glared daggers at her and held out the phone like it was a dirty nappy.

'It's for you.'

She snatched it off him, her worry growing and her patience wearing thin.

'Independence Inn, Lorelai speaking.'

The woman on the other end spoke in the calming manner hospital staff used when trying to calm a frantic relative.

'Miss Gilmore, this is Kayla Moretz from Stars Hollow Elementary. I'm sorry I didn't get hold of you sooner, I rung the number on your daughters file but it's not connected?'

Lorelai mentally kicked herself. They'd only moved in to their new house a couple of weeks ago, she'd sent Rory to school with the new number, but actually connecting the phone was just another thing on her enormous list of things to do.

'I was just about to call you actually. Has the class returned from the Zoo yet? I thought they would be back around 3:30.'

There was a heavy pause at the other end.

'Miss Gilmore, there's been a bit of an... unfortunate situation.'

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Next chapter: Lorelai and Luke begin a frantic search, and Rory and Jess find themselves far from home.