Chapter fifteen

Disclaimer: I own nothing and I will shoot anyone who says otherwise because I'm in a bad mood. You've been warned. (Does anyone know where I can find a gun?)

Searching

The horrible sound of the alarm clock woke Rory up. She looked at it, decided she didn't have the energy to turn it off properly, and thrust it to the floor. The ringing ceased.

It was settled, dinner would be on Friday. Rory didn't really see why it was really necessary that she make an appearance, but Liz insisted she did and who was she to back out just because she didn't feel like making the effort. Because that was it, she was tired, she didn't want to make the effort, nothing to do with Jess at all.

Lorelai interrupted her thoughts, "Hun, can we go to Luke's? I'm experiencing severe caffeine deprivation."

"Okay, I'll stay here."

"Come on, you've got to help me annoy Luke. Plus, Luke junior gives you coffee when you come with no argument, so you can make him give me coffee, too."

"Really, I'd rather stay here."

"What's going on with you and Jess?"

"Nothing."

"It must be bad if you're passing up coffee."

"It's fine, I'm fine."

"Then come, you have to face him before the wedding or you'll feel weird walking down the aisle."

"I'd rather have the thirty seconds of weirdness."

"Too bad, because I'm going and," she grabbed Rory's blanket, "I have you comforter, so get up, get dressed, we're going to Luke's."

Rory glared at her mother's retreating back.

Ggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

"I'm really not hungry, I can just go wait by the gazebo, I'll-"

"You're coming in." Lorelai stated, firmly..

"You don't treat your other daughters like this."

"That's because they'd go to Luke's with me."

"Fine." Rory said, entering.

She scanned the room as discreetly as possible. She breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't there.

"Luke! I need coffee!"

"Yeah! What she said!" Rory added.

"You know, the place is packed, I don't have time to argue about this, here you go." He said, pouring out two cups of coffee.

"What? No argument? Rory, did you hear?"

"I heard."

"I don't know how to take this."

"Dramatically, naturally."

"I can't drink this!"

"There it is!"

"I didn't earn it!"

"Just drink it."

"But I need to make an effort!"

"Fine," Rory said, snatching Lorelai's mug and gulping down the untouched coffee, "it'll be real hard to drink it now."

"Hey! Luke I want another one!"

"What? You just had one!"

"Rory drank it."

"Rory?"

"I don't know what she's talking about." Rory piped in, smiling.

"No more coffee."

"But, but-"

"No more."

Lorelai waited until Luke was serving someone else to go behind the counter and pour herself a fresh cup. She took it back to the table and sipped it.

"Aah, a coffee well earned."

"You're crazy."

The bell rang, announcing the presence of Jess.

"What took you so long? This place is busy."

"Taylor kept harassing me."

"What now?"

"He wants you to put up decorations."

"Doesn't he ever give up?"

"I think he will once someone's actually gone and killed him."

"Luke! We need refills!" Lorelai interrupted.

"No more coffee."

"In fact, why don't you just leave the pot over here."

"Jess, deal with them."

Rory who'd been steadily sinking into her seat became very interested in the table.

"Refills?"

"Yes, for me and the shrinking person across from me." Lorelai answered, making Rory redden slightly.

He poured them out some more coffee, smirking as he did so.

Rory looked up and caught Jess' eye for a second, but then Luke called him over to another table and the contact was lost.

"See, that wasn't so bad, now you just need to re-master the ability of speech and you're golden."

Rory glared at her mom, "Shut up."

"Oh my God, that was quick, well done, you always were a fast learner."

"Shut up!"

"Okay, okay, but you are very mockable."

Rory fixed her mom with another glare.

"You know, your face can freeze like that."

"It was your idea to come here in the first place, I should just leave."

"Come on, Rory, I'm just teasing, don't you want pancakes?"

"I guess."

"Don't be so sulky, he'll probably be over here again soon, he keeps staring at you."

"What?"

"Fine, act innocent, but you're looking at him, too."

"I repeat, what?"

"I may be a bit vague in the morning, but I'm not blind."

"Luke! Can I get some pancakes please? And a sedative."

"Now, now, don't be mean."

"Pancakes coming up." Luke said, from behind the counter.

"And the sedative?"

"Is saved for Taylor."

"Ha!" Lorelai said, triumphantly.

"Rats."

Gggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

"She's coming to visit."

"So?"

"I blame you." Karen said, throwing the phone back at Logan.

"Pick something softer to throw at me next time."

"What, like a knife?"

"How about no throwing at all?"

"Come, now, Huntzberger, where's the fun in that?"

"Exactly."

"Meany. So, we need a plan."

"What? What plan?"

"I was thinking I could be I don't know hiding in the closet and you could tell them I was on a plane to um…Australia."

"Tell who?"

"My parents, of course."

"How'd I explain the move to Australia?"

"You don't, that's when the fake policeman comes in and arrests you for drinking and driving."

"Because that'd make a great first impression."

"Exactly."

"Or, you could not be a coward."

"But then I'd have to see my parents."

"And?"

"No."

"Then have fun in Australia."

"Have fun in jail."

"I thought it was going to be a fake policeman."

"Do you know anyone stupid enough to want to be a fake policeman?"

"As a matter of fact, I do, and he comes from Australia, so he can tell you what it's like there."

"Goody."

Gggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

She'd gone for a short walk. A short three hour walk. She'd found herself heading towards the gazebo, she wanted a place to read and she definitely didn't want to go to the bridge.

As she approached, she saw the familiar figure, book in hand. She considered turning back but she'd come too far now and he'd seen her.

"So, I guess both of us avoiding the bridge didn't really work."

"Huh."

"Can you find a different word to repeat? It can still be one syllable, but I'm getting very tired of 'huh'."

"Huh."

"You're a very frustrating person."

"Thanks for that."

"Well, at least that was an improvement."

"Huh."

"There you go, back to square one." A beat, "Are you ever going to talk to me properly? Okay, I messed up, but you've done your fair share of screwing up, too." Jess opened his mouth to speak but she cut him off, "And don't you dare say 'huh'!"

"Look, I'm sorry for snapping at you on the phone."

"Okay."

"So how long are you in town?"

"I'm here 'til Monday. You?"

"Until the wedding."

"Okay." She paused, "I gotta go." She said before leaving, quickly."

Jess sighed and drew a cigarette out of his pocket.