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.
nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
Rory's heart felt like it was about to burst out of her chest, but still she kept running. Dark was chasing them up the street, it's chill beginning to envelope them.
Suddenly, to her great relief, Jess came to a sudden halt, turning to stare warily up at a nondescript apartment building, indistinguishable from the others along the street unless you could read the various graffiti adorning each front.
'I think this is it.'
The pair climbed the concrete steps and slowly pushed open the door, it's peeling paint flaking to the floor by their feet. Jess motioned to Rory to follow, and she padded after him, up two flights of stairs, till he came to a stop on the landing and slowly made his way down towards the third door on the left. He fingered a crooked heart, etched in the door, and taking a deep breath, rapped his knuckles lightly on the door.
'Who is it?'
A woman's voice. Rory looked at Jess, panicked. Had his father moved on? Before she could open her mouth to voice her worry, he replied to the unknown occupant.
'It's... my name's Jess. I'm looking for Jimmy.'
Silence. After what seemed like hours, the door opened.
'Jess, huh. The Jess?' The woman inside was pretty, but looked like she'd just woken up.
Jess looked confused.
'Uh... sure.'
The woman seemed to consider this for a moment.
'So... um... is Jimmy... ah... home?'
The woman shook her head, and Rory's heart instantly dropped to her shoes. This was it. They were done for. She glanced up and down the hallway, judging wether anyone would notice if they just curled up in a corner. At least they'd be off the street.
'Oh.' Jess tried to keep a brave face, but even the woman could see he was close to tears.
'Aw, kid, you've got the right place. He's just still at work. Did he know you were coming? Where's your mom, anyhow. Aren't you, like, 8.'
Jess looked peeved. 'I'm 10.' He swallowed his pride, knowing he had to figure out something. He'd promised Rory.
'Do you think we could... uh... wait for him? I... I just came with a friend. It's kinda a funny situation, really.'
The woman looked bemused, but, to Rory's absolute euphoria, she nodded.
'Well, sure. Can't have Jimmy's kid running around the City streets at night like an orphan. Come in.'
Rory followed Jess into the tiny apartment, biting back tears of relief. The lady directed them over to the couch, but Rory stayed standing.
'Can I... may I please use your phone?'
The woman looked apologetic.
'Sorry, love. Phone was disconnected months ago. You could use Jimmy's cell though, when he gets back.'
Weak with disappointment Rory sank onto the couch, not knowing if she could wait much longer to talk to her mom.
'When will that be?' She asked soberly.
'Shouldn't be more than a couple of hours or so. He's working overtime, trying to get us out of this crusty apartment. ' She paused.
'I'm Star, by the way.'
Unseen by Star, Jess choked back a snort. Yesterday, Rory would have laughed with him. Now she felt as if nothing would ever be funny again.
'You guys wanna tell me what your doing in New York at 8 o clock at night?'
nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
Lorelai was silent on the drive to the station, and when Luke pulled up in the car park she climbed out without a word. He'd rung the police as soon as they had got back to the car, and had then driven to the nearest station to talk to the officers further. But he was worried about Lorelai. She was pale as a sheet and her hands shook so badly she hadn't argued when he had opened the passengers side door for her.
The somber pair entered the police station where Luke began to speak earnestly with the officer on duty. He began taking notes, and asked for a recent photo of the kids. Luke admitted despairingly that he didn't have one, and was reminded that now was probably a good time to ring the boy's mother. Lorelai reached into her wallet and pulled out a recent picture, in which Rory, grinning broadly, was being squeezed in a tight hug by her mother. Shakily, she handed over the photo, and promptly burst into tears.
'Ma'm, I know this is hard for you, but in order to get your daughter back as quickly as possible I need you to answer a few more questions.'
It took Lorelai a couple of minutes to calm herself down, during which time Luke returned from his phone call to Liz.
Lorelai took a shaky breath.
'How did she take it?'
He shrugged. 'I left a message with the front desk of the hotel. They said she was out, didn't know when she'd be back.'
He rubbed her shoulder comfortingly. 'You alright?'
She tried to smile at him through her tears.
'She's my only child, Luke. My baby, my everything. It's dark out, and it's cold, and she's just a little kid. I can't loose her Luke. I can't live without her.'
The officer clasped his hands patiently. 'I know this is difficult for you both, but we have officers leaving the precinct this minute to go and find your kids, and it will make the job a lot faster if you can help me out with some things.'
Lorelai nodded.
'We'll do anything.'
nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
Rory had sat on the couch for just over an hour now. They had told Star just how they had come to be standing at her door at 8 pm, and in turn had heard the story of how Star and Jimmy had met, their plans to remodel the apartment, buy a record store, and adopt a dog. They had been given mugs of hot cocoa which was kind of her but too sweet even for Rory's taste. Now that she was reasonably safe inside, her ache to be with her mom had grown so big it seemed to take up every inch of her, pining to hear her mothers voice and be safe in her arms.
Suddenly there came the sound of a key in the door and Rory and Jess looked expectantly towards it. The man who then appeared on the other side was not what she had expected. He was young, stubble covering an otherwise pale face, dressed almost like a teenager, or at least a guy who wished he was.
The man who Rory presumed to be Jimmy closed the door behind him, then caught sight of who was sitting on his couch.
'Jess?'
'Hi, dad.'
Star proceeded to recite to Jimmy the exact circumstances under which his son was now sitting on his couch.
Jimmy continued to stare, agape, at the kids sitting in his apartment, until Rory, unable to wait any longer, spoke up.
'Uh, Sir... could I please... uh. I'd really like to use your phone.'
nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
Stay tuned!
