Chapter 12: Goodbyes.

"Where the hell have you been?" was the greeting the smelly foursome received as the exited Luke's truck in front of the diner late Monday afternoon, "and what the fuck is that smell?"

"We were camping, Liz," Luke patiently answered his sister noting her twitch; she was clearly in want of some substance he'd rather not acknowledge.

"You took long enough; I've been here for half the f-ing day; Chalk and the band had to leave to get some supplies and probably won't be able to pick me up for a couple of days," Liz spit.

"Well were here now," Luke answered unlocking the diner's door for the five people uncomfortably standing on the sidewalk. Liz was the first in running to the bathroom. Jess and Rory quietly followed her in holding hands and starring at the their feet as they walked to their normal table. Lorelai was the last through the door Luke as holding open; she tried to study his face as she walked pass; however, it was fairly unreadable at this moment. She desperately wanted to give him a hug at this moment.

Luke walked pass the three and straight to the bathroom door. "Liz for the love of God don't smoke in there?" Luke yelled slowly reverting back to his teenage self.

"Fuck you Luke your not dad," came the answer from behind door.

"Right," Luke breathed out barely heard by anyone. He leaned against the wall, head hanging, pinching the bridge of his nose wondering how he found himself back in 1984.

"Uncle Luke?" Jess asked from the table, "Should we empty the truck?"

"That's a good idea," Luke tried to sound positive and moved from his spot of the wall. So Luke and Jess went outside to gather equipment from the truck, while Lorelai and Rory remained frozen in their chairs not sure where to go.

"So that's Jess's mom," Lorelai struggled to sound positive herself.

"She doesn't seem very nice," Rory, said very quietly a little nervous that she could still hear her.

"She might just be having a bad day," Lorelai tried again, "She has been waiting here for awhile."

"Mom?" Rory questioned her mom's defending this woman.

"Rory. She's Luke's sister, Jess's mom what to you want me to say?" Lorelai asked her daughter.

"I want you to tell the truth," Rory cried out on the verge of tears.

Luke and Jess walked in at just that moment. "Jess why don't you run these bags upstairs," Luke directed Jess. Then he turned to Lorelai, "Do you want a ride home?" he asked, not knowing how any of this looked to them.

"Yeah that might be good," Lorelai, answered looking at Rory struggle with her tears.

"Ok," Luke tried to smile at the girls and then turned attention to the bathroom door, "Liz, Jess and I are going to drive Lorelai and Rory home."

"Who?" Liz asked from behind the door.

"The two other people who were in my truck when we drove up," Luke tried explaining.

However Liz seemed to have already moved on to a different topic, "Where do you keep your hard liquor?"

"I don't have any hard liquor; you might find a beer or two upstairs in the refrigerator," Luke offered. "We'll see you later."

Jess came down the stairs for the tail end of the conversation.

"Alright let's go," Luke said to the somber group.

The ride back to inn was incredibly quiet; no one knew what to say to each other. When they finally arrived at the cottage door Rory gave Jess a giant hug not wanting to let go; she wanted to save him somehow. Lorelai offered Luke a kind smile and Jess a hug of her own. "So well see tomorrow?" Lorelai asked Luke as if looking for permission.

"Maybe you should call first; I don't know how the next couple days will go," Luke answered honestly placing their bags right inside their door.

"Ok," Lorelai replied feeling her own tears starting to form.

"Night," Luke simply stated guiding Jess back to the truck with a hand of his back.

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The next day Lorelai and Rory didn't even try calling the diner. Lorelai wanted to save her daughter the pain of watching Jess with his mom. However, she did have to promise Rory they would call tomorrow. The day seemed to drag on the both Lorelai and Rory.

The day was even more trying for Luke and Jess; Liz didn't get up until four o'clock in the afternoon. However when she did she dropped a bomb on both of them. She had sold all her and Jess's furniture and stuff in New York to pay for gas and food, she claimed, on the trip. So they didn't have an apartment to go home too, which wasn't so different except she didn't plan on them going back. She started going into this whole long explanation of Chalk's band and their dream of making it on the radio. "So Chalk and his band are moving to California and he asked me to go. Isn't that so romantic?" Liz finished telling Luke and Jess. She then left the diner before either of them had anytime to ask any questions. She took a cab to a bar in Woodberry and didn't come back until she knew they would both be asleep.

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The next morning Luke went about his normal summer routine, the one he had adopted the day Jess had moved in; he couldn't help but feel that this was more normal than his previous. He wasn't big fan of change; however, the one that happened this summer seemed right. He didn't have the greatest temper, tended to keep to himself, and never saw himself as a role model (father figure) for anyone. But on this day none of this seemed as important as the young boy that was sleeping on his floor. Luke quickly got out the shower suddenly struck by a new sense of purpose, he didn't know how it would go over with Liz but he had to try.

Luke started his day normal making coffee and breakfast for the citizens of Stars Hollow, but as soon as the breakfast rush was over he closed the diner. He woke Jess up made him get dressed and drove him to the inn. He found himself a little lost despite the fact he had been to the inn countless times this summer. "Jess do you know Lorelai's shift?"

"No," Jess looked at his uncle strangely wondering if anyone in his family went crazy at some point.

Just then Lorelai walked down the hall.

"Hey Lorelai," Luke called down the hall. Lorelai looked down the hall general surprised to see Luke. She knew they needed to talk but considering what had happen the night before last she didn't think that talk would be happening any time soon. "Could Jess stay with you this afternoon. I need to run to do something and Liz is well… Liz. So could you help me out?"

"No problem," Lorelai repeated the answer Luke had given so many times this summer.

"Thanks. I'll be back soon as I can," Luke told both of them before literal spiriting down the hall.

"You have any idea what that's was all about?" Lorelai asked Jess.

"No," Jess stated, "but I starting to think my families crazy."

"Your not the only one," Lorelai smiled, "Rory should be in the main office with Mia if you want to find her."

"Thanks," Jess offered before he went to find Rory.

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Luke went to Hartford for a couple of hours before he returned to the diner to do his best to sober Liz up before he presented his offer or request. "Liz wake up," he said a little gruffly.

"What do you want this early?" Liz moaned into his pillow.

"It's three-thirty, Liz," Luke barked, "UP"

"Fine," Liz groaned, "I hope you know you're a dick."

"Ok," Luke answered her handing her some very strong coffee, "I need to talk to you about something important and you need to be awake."

They sat at the table for about twenty minute while Liz drank coffee and ate a collection of donuts from downstairs before Luke attempted to have a conversion with her.

"Do you really think it's fair to make Jess move to California?"

"Ah geez," Liz groaned, "Is this the whole you should put your son first, get a steady job, a safe apartment, and stop dating jerks, because I'm pretty sure I know this one."

"Shut up Liz," Luke responded, "Why are you moving to California?"

"I don't have anything in New York and Chalk's band have prospects in California. He said if his band is on the radio by the end of the year we'll go to Vegas and get married. See big brother I have a plan," Liz explained as clearly as she could.

"Where is Jess in that plan?" Luke asked searching his sister's face for something more.

"I don't know; doing his school, and reading thing I guess," Liz coolly stated, "he's six he doesn't need much more than school and a place to sleep."

"He sounds like your pet," Luke blunt told his sister.

"Look Luke I haven't figured all this out yet. I'm not a planner like you. I'm still a little overwhelmed by this whole mom thing," Liz finally answered honestly.

"Liz, I need to ask you something important," Luke said calmly.

"Ok?" Liz answered a little confused about where her brother was going with this.

"I was wondering if maybe you'd consider letting Jess stay here for awhile longer?" Luke started to explain to his sister.

"You want to raise my kid?" Liz asked trying to put her finger on Luke's motive.

"Essentially yes," Luke answered.

Liz looked a little shocked by this answer, but started to cry after a minute, "Ok," she said in a very small voice. This was the first time she could put Jess's needs before her own. "What do we need to do?"

"It's not that bad. If you name me Jess's secondary guardian; then I can sign him up school, sign official papers, etc.," Luke started explaining.

"Let's go," Liz stood up.

"Hey, we can take another minute or two," Luke tried telling Liz.

"Look Luke I know this is the right thing to do. It's a gut thing," Liz quoted their dad, "But would you tell Jess after I go; I don't think I can watch what would happen either way. I'll call Chalk and tell him the new plans. California dreaming."

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That night Liz actual stayed sober enough to spend a fairly normal with her son. Jess tried to enjoy the evening with his mom, but he couldn't shake the feeling that her attention was for show. He didn't want to leave, but he didn't know how to tell either member of his family. "Well at least I had this summer," Jess tried telling himself, but some how that didn't make him feel any better.

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It was August 8 exactly twelve days before school started in Stars Hollow. This was normal Rory's favorite time of year; however, this year things were different through. This year was the first she every grieved the loss of summer, not the weather or free time, like other kids, but for the ending of an incredible friendship. She had become closer to Jess in the past two months than she was to anyone excluding Lorelai. Jess was like the brother she never knew she wanted and now couldn't imagine life without. She couldn't understand why he had to go to New York with his mom, who didn't even seem to care about him. "It's not fair," Rory cried into her pillow, "I care about him; I love him."

Lorelai watched her daughter grieve over the loss of her friend while stroking her hair. This had become a common occurrence since Jess's mom had shone up two days again; neither of them knew how much longer they had with the young boy. Lorelai wanted to promise her daughter she would see Jess again and they could write; this didn't have to be the end. However, she had heard enough about Liz's inconsistencies and misadventures from Luke to know this wasn't a safe promise to make. So she sat the stroking her daughter's hair trying to her best to help her grieve.

"Why does everyone leave me?" Rory squeaked out from her pillow.

"What?" Lorelai asked generally shocked by her daughter blunt question.

"Dad left and now Jess is leaving?" Rory said.

"Rory, baby look at me," Lorelai gently commanded her daughter, "You had absolutely nothing to do with your dad leaving; he just wasn't/isn't ready to do the family thing. And Jess is still a minor he has go where his mom says. If it makes you feel any better I'm sure if it was his choice he'd stay here with you too."

After that reassurance the girls sat in silence again for a time each alone with their own thoughts. This was the first time Lorelai stopped and thought about the fact that no more Jess meant a lot less Luke. She wouldn't really have an excuse to visit him nearly as much; of course, she could stop by for coffee now than, but that didn't seem nearly enough. Furthermore, if they didn't talk about that kiss they had shared soon it would become way to easy to pretend like it never happen. Lorelai didn't want that; it was the first kiss in a long time where she actual felt something, "It was a great kiss," she accidentally said out loud in her annoyance.

"What?" Rory whipped her head around to see what exactly her mother was talking about. "Who kissed you?"

"God?" Lorelai tried unconvincingly.

"Mom?" Rory said adopting for own no bullshit tone.

"Luke," Lorelai answered her daughter honestly; she wanted to have an honest relationship with her daughter where they could share things like this.

"What? When? Why? How?" Rory asked in quick succession.

Lorelai decided answer her question in the same order, "Luke kissed me, on our camping trip, hopefully because he want to, and I'll tell one how when you're a little older."

Rory had found herself thinking about the idea of her mom and Luke getting together every once and a while since Jess had mentioned the possibility at the beginning of the summer, so she wasn't as shocked as Lorelai would have expected. At first she wasn't sure she liked the idea of her mom dating clearly ending the possibility of her parents every being together. However, after spending the summer with Jess and Luke, Rory had a new dream of what she wanted her family to look like.

"Rory, you're a little quiet for mommy," Lorelai said hesitantly wondering what was going on in her daughter's head.

"I think it's great," Rory finally answered with a giant smile, "When you and Luke get married Jess and I will be cousins."

"What?" Lorelai squawked, "Oh baby, I think your getting a little ahead of well… the speed of light. We just kissed that's all."

"But you only kiss people you really like and in the movies the pretty girl always marries the nice guy," Rory explained to her mom.

"Let's just see what happens ok?" Lorelai tried bargaining with her daughter.

"Ok," Rory said a little deflated.

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Liz had slipped out late last night; Luke helped her load her stuff into the band's VW bus. "Thanks Luke," Liz hugged her selfless brother.

Later that morning, Luke sat Jess down at the kitchen table and started to explain why his mom's stuff was gone. However, he started in a very backwards way.

"You know that essentially you get a new body every seven years," Luke started his serious conversation with Jess, "All your cells have been replaced at least once."

"Ok?" Jess nodded a little unsure where his uncle was going with this point. Maybe he was promising him a visit in a few months when he turned seven.

Luke took a deep breath and continued his explanation, "I know you've spent almost seven years of your life with your mom in New York, and I'm not sure how you feel about moving to California with her and Chalk. There is another option if you want to; you could stay here for awhile longer… but only if you what to." Luke shrugged.

Before Luke could finish his offer Jess tackled his uncle in a hug but after a moment his past pessimism had him asking, "How long is a little while?"

"Well I thought we could try the next seven years and see what happens from there," Luke explained his plan to Jess.

"So a new beginning," Jess smiled.

"Right, a new beginning," Luke couldn't help but smile that his nephew had picked up on his point, "So are you in agreement?"

"On one condition," Jess said.

Luke just nodded his head hoping it was anything to expensive, gross, or hairy.

"You have to ask Lorelai out on a date," Jess answered.

"What?" Luke choked out quite surprised at what he had just heard his nephew say.

"You like her and she likes you. I think you should try; it might be really good," Jess couldn't help be more optimistic after this summer.

"So if I ask Lorelai on date and whether or not she says yes you'll move in me?" Luke answered a little perplex about how quickly he had gone from offering to bargaining.

"Yes," Jess nodded quite proud of his plan, "Do we have a deal?" he asked offering his arm.

"Fine," Luke agreed taking his nephew's hand and shook on it, "You can call Rory now."

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Jess truly took a page out of the Dane's book of short hand and only told Rory she needed to come over as soon as she could.

Lorelai and Rory rushed over as fast as they could. Both believed this would their only chance to say goodbye to Jess. Lorelai borrowed Mia car without her knowing it this time since she was in a business meeting at the time.

However as soon as they walk in the diner door, Jess yelled, "I'm not leaving." He then proceeded to tell Lorelai and Rory tell part of the story he knew.

After he was done, Rory threw her arms around Jess. "This is perfect," she exclaimed.

After that Lorelai couldn't take it any longer. Lorelai threw her arms around Luke and kissed him for all she was worth.

"So?" she asked after he had caught his breath.

"Good talk," Luke answered leaning in to kiss her again

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Peoples gather round I would like to tell you something… But first useless facts: Did you know that J.R.R. Tolkien didn't have a long-term plan when starting Lord of the Rings? And he got stuck at the end of first book (which is half through Fellowship) and didn't write anything for a year and a half. One more thing … background… I started this story fully believing that no one would read, so a plan was unnecessary; I'm quite pessimistic. About half way through when I realized a few people were actually reading my wanderings; I adopted a plan to end the story at summer's end: I still had no idea where the characters would be at the end or how long I would write; anyway you get the picture. Anyway... I hope it turned out okay!

(By the by… I kind of screwed up Jess's age he would not be seven yet when he first arrived in Stars Hollow, so I tried to quickly fix it in the chapter above. I got a little confused between ages, birthdays, and school years. I really didn't want to do that, anyway… I'm sorry if that really bothers anyone; I truly didn't mean too).

Thank you for reading and a huge thanks to those who have been reviewing faithfully. And now please pretty please review one last time!