The pair had sat there in silence, save for Rory's hyperventilating not long after she'd come to the conclusion that today wouldn't be her wedding day after all. Jess sporadically checks his watch, frowning every time.
The more time that passes, the more crap he figures the woman sniffling next to him will have to deal with when she makes her appearance at the Dragonfly.
He didn't know his role, other than supportive friend right now. He also didn't know what this meant for them, if there was to be a them. He scowls, frustrated with himself for even thinking about that.
He hadn't been pining over her, but now that she was in his arms again, the feelings he'd allowed to lay dormant somewhere came bubbling up. It was impossible to stop that once it started, he knows from past experiences. And given another opportunity, he might go for something. But this isn't the time or place, and certainly not for the first time since meeting her, he wishes these feelings would fall over a bridge and die.
Jess sighs, runs his free hand over his face, and gently nudges Rory with his shoulder. It falls on her shoulder blade and she looks up at him, pushing herself off of his chest. He looks at her sympathetically and she clears her throat, darting her eyes to anywhere but his face.
She busies herself with smoothing out her wedding dress, frowning at all of the wrinkles. Neither of the two were completely dry, especially not after being stuck to each other for the last twenty minutes. Rory sighs and rubs her shoulders absently, thinking about her next move.
It's from doing that that she realizes she's still wearing his jacket, still breathing in his scent that she can only think to describe as intoxicating, and she shifts, trying to wiggle the jacket off of her shoulders.
Jess's eyes soften and he chuckles, scooting up an inch to assist. Time seems to slow down as he gently pulls the jacket down her shoulders, revealing her slim, open back. His eyes darken as other thoughts swim into his mind and he shakes his head, willing them to disappear. As if he hadn't seen a girl's bare shoulders before.
Unfortunately, Rory feels it in the moment, too. She closes her eyes as he pulls the jacket slowly off her shoulders, shivering more from the way his fingers lightly brush her skin than the cold. It feels like a cool electricity shooting along her back, and she looks back at him over her shoulder.
They lock eyes, not dissimilar to how they had when they were teenagers, and the air feels heavy again. Jess knows he needs to be the sensible one here because Rory is vulnerable, and he hates all of this and regrets coming.
Who was he to crash her wedding, anyway? This was the audacity of seventeen year old Jess, who had taken a foot whenever she'd given him an inch in spite of having a boyfriend. It wasn't who he was now, and he never wanted to let himself be that guy again to her. It hadn't ended well the first time around.
You're the one who knows her best, his subconscious fires at him. Jess sighs. From dating to kicking her butt about Yale, he did feel he knew her in a way nobody else could. But that alone didn't give him any right to Rory, even if sometimes his mind told him otherwise.
"Do you need help down?" He forces himself to ask.
Rory shakes her head and smiles, thankful that he's taking control of things. It felt nice to not have to be the totally level-headed one. She scoots to the edge of the tree and clings to a branch as she brings herself down. Jess is immediately behind her, and he instinctively reaches an arm, grabbing Rory's shoulder to help steady her.
They're both painfully aware of what touching each other can elicit in both of them, but this is innocent, so Rory lets him assist her down and watches him slide down in front of her.
"So—you ready?" Jess asks gently, gesturing towards the town in the distance.
Rory takes a deep breath and nods, looking at him.
He looks at her almost sympathetically, but there's something else in his eyes. There's always something else there, she realizes, and this gives her some confidence. Something that she knows for certain.
"Did I ever tell you how I first got into Emily Dickinson?" Rory asks suddenly as they begin walking back.
Jess smiles at Rory's non-answer to his question.
"No, I don't think you have."
"Did she say where she was going?" Lane asks, huddled off to the side with Sookie and Lorelai.
Lorelai bites her lip, not really sure whether she should spill. She considered that Lane was Rory's best friend and knew more about the ins and outs of her relationship with Logan.
"Has Rory ever mentioned Jess?" Lorelai whispers, huddling closer to the two women.
Lane looks from Lorelai to Sookie with a perplexed look on her face.
"Not really? I mean, she mentioned him months ago when his second open house happened, and then again when he denied her invitation, but nothing newsworthy," Lane answers thoughtfully, furrowing her eyebrows in concentration.
Lane snaps her eyes up at Lorelai.
"Wait, why are you bringing up Jess?" She asks, her volume louder than it should be.
"Shh!" Lorelai hisses, looking over her shoulder to where Logan is pacing with his friends.
"I saw her run after him," Lorelai admits.
Lane makes a face.
"Wait, you saw her run after Jess? Jess is here? I didn't see Jess, how did you see Jess?" Lane asks rapid fire, hints of incredulous demand in her voice.
"You didn't see Jess? I thought that's why we broke out the show!"
"I saw a very freaked out Rory!"
"Yes, who was very freaked out because she saw Jess on top of her nerves," Lorelai admits, nodding.
"And here I just thought Rory needed a moment to think, not to run after Jess," Lane muses to herself. "I'm a terrible best friend! I had no idea she was hung up on Jess."
Lorelai winces at the suggestion, having few positive memories of the guy.
"Rory is hung up on Jess?" Sookie asks worriedly.
"Oh my gosh, Sookie, Lane! She isn't hung up on Jess," Lorelai sighs in exasperation. At least she hoped not. It had been years since Jess had been a hooligan hurting her daughter, but hating him had become a hobby. Old habits died hard.
Sookie looks between the two women and sighs.
"Well, what do we do now? She's been gone for a while," she says with worry, looking over to Logan, who had now turned his attention to their group huddle.
"10 o clock! 10 o clock!" Sookie hisses, shaking her hands to get their attention.
"What's that mean?" Lane gives Sookie a face. "Oh, crap," Lane mutters, eyes widening.
"What are you inpatients talking about?" Lorelai demands, before she hears a voice behind her.
"Lorelai?" Logan asks, tapping her shoulder.
Lorelai freezes and whips around, a sweet smile plastered on her face. Logan isn't buying the smile and gives her a look.
"Can we talk?" He asks, eyebrows furrowing. "Please?"
Lorelai inhales sharply and smiles, linking her arm with his to walk him away from the girls.
"Of course, future son-in-law," she says lightheartedly.
A pang of guilt rang through her. Rory didn't have to mention much, but if Lorelai knew anything, she knew coffee and her daughter. She had no great confidence in calling Logan her future son-in-law, she realized that as soon as the words were out of her mouth. But she also knew that this was Rory's moment to spoil, not hers. And for all she knew, Rory just wanted to talk things over with Jess. Maybe get some clarity.
Lorelai rolls her eyes at herself and it takes all she has not to scoff. Like that boy had ever done anything other than confuse her daughter.
They end up in the kitchen, away from the mass of people. Logan frowns as he looks at their wedding cake, tall and white against the backdrop of color in the Dragonfly.
He turns on his heel abruptly and stares at Lorelai, searching her face. Lorelai shifts uncomfortably, not feeling unlike a teenager again.
"Where is she, Lorelai?" Logan finally asks, leaning against the counter.
"Your guess is as good as mine," Lorelai shrugs, leaning against the island counter.
"Lorelai," Logan drags out her name. "You know Rory better than anyone I've ever met. You're freakishly connected. You know where she is or at least where she would have gone," he adds persistently.
Lorelai sighs and looks at this young man in front of her, desperate and confused.
"I might have an idea," she admits quietly.
"Well where?" He asks desperately. "Where is she?"
"Logan, hon, I really think you need to let her come to you," Lorelai insists, pulling the corsage off her wrist.
Logan stares at her, searching her face. Lorelai doesn't look away; her heart is breaking for these two kids who love each other. She knows Rory loves Logan, and she knows Logan is in love with Rory. But love and in love are two very different things, and she wishes her daughter had realized it sooner so that Logan wasn't standing before her like this.
He seems to find what he's looking for and he looks down, swallowing a lump threatening to lodge in his throat.
"She will come back, right?" He asks, eyes still on the floor. He looks up at her from his position and it looks familiar, this brokenness. She frowns; it reminds her of Jess.
Lorelai bites her lip and nods, forcing a smile. "Of comes she will. She lives here," she jokes, already knowing it will fall flat.
"Okay," he says slowly, shoving his hands in his pocket. "I'll be upstairs where you had me changing. Please, please tell her to come to me?"
Lorelai nods as he exits, leaving her to stand in the kitchen alone.
Lorelai sighs heavily and walks over to the window, crossing her arms against her chest.
"Where are you, kid?" She asks aloud to nobody in particular.
AN: I'm SO sorry this is so late. I was SO STUCK on how to continue this and I knew I needed to just get it up. That's why it's significanrly shorter than other chapters. I'm going to work my way through updating all the stories, but my newest will get the most attention to get it established. Pease check out Taming Hemingway and You Can't Protest Everything - my two newer fan fictions (YPCE is my newest) - and Overdose, a oneshot. :) Thanks in advance for any reviews!