A/N: Okay, so before any story starts, I would like to say that my co-writer is better than yours no matter who yours is, mine is better. I love her to death, she worked so hard on this chapter as did I and she definitely helped me when I got stuck! So, this chapter is definitely dedicated to the lovely, talented purpleribbons.
Disclaimer: Don't own…
On with the story…
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Chapter 3: Convincing
Rory's POV
Convincing. Something I was never really good at. Sure, my dream was to be a foreign correspondent. You know, make the things happening around the world actually seem cool. My job would be to convince America that the war in Iraq was actually benefiting us. I've never been real good with verbal. That's my mother's spot. But then again, I can't have my mommy traipsing around Europe with me as my 'spokesperson'. I took a deep breath as I walked up the front porch. Jess had been right. I needed to convince my mother that no one had hurt me, I just tripped, but first I had to convince myself.
"Rory?" my mother whispered as she jumped off the couch at the sight of my cast arm.
"Hi!" I tried to exclaim cheerfully. I smiled and prayed she couldn't see the doubt in my eyes. I had never been very religious, but if this worked out I might let Mrs. Kim convince me to go.
"What happened babe?" she asked gesturing towards my limp arm hanging in a sling on my left side. I shrugged and handed her one of the coffees Luke gave me. She smiled ruefully and plopped on the couch. "Now, I love this coffee, but that's not going to get you off the hook," she said gulping to coffee, like a near drowning victim gulping air.
"I know," sighing I sat next to her. The OxyContin was starting to kick in. I felt drowsy.
"What happened? Did you fall?"
"Yeah, I tripped walking down the-um-the gazebo. I was showing Jess the great view of Luke's from there and stupid me, I misjudged the distance from where I was standing and the drop off," I said as the story unfolded on my lips without much warning. Lorelai stared at Rory with that motherly look.
"Awe, honey, you inherited your father's clumsiness," she started sympathetically and then laughed real loud as Rory let the breath she'd been holding. "One time he and I were on my balcony and…" I nodded and laughed as my mother started into a description of the night my dad had fallen off the balcony and broke his foot, "So, what's the diagnosis?"
"Well, I broke my wrist in two places and my radius in one. I dislocated my humerus and clavicle and chipped my elbow. I have to wear this sling for four days and this cast for as long as the orthopedic thinks. By the way, we have to schedule an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon because after my arm heals, I have to have surgery to remove the chips of bone floating around in my arm. I was also prescribed OxyContin for the pain because the bone chips hit nerves," I explained.
My mom gasped and lightly touched my uninjured arm, "Oh wow, we'll call around for an orthopedic tomorrow."
"Okay, good night mom," I said and went to my bedroom for some much needed rest.
I entered my room and carefully removed my arm from the sling. I changed into my most comfortable pajamas and snuggled into my bed under the covers. Thoughts of Dean and the past couple months consumed me as I stared at my alarm clock.
It had to be my fault. Why else would he hit me? He loves me. I love him. He's always been so nice. Until about a month ago. His father and mother had split. Dean's father, Greg, moved to Litchfield and hasn't even called Dean or his sister. That night I was trying to convince him that everything would be okay…
"Come on Dean, it'll be okay," I had said as tears poured down his cheeks. His sister had gone to stay with a friend. I had been there when the whole Forrester family had come crashing down on each other.
"No Rory, it won't," he had smacked my hand off his shoulder, and I had left. I figured he would get better if I left him alone for a while. But it didn't. He started getting really protective. I would have to ask him if I could talk to Kirk. Kirk!? Believe it!
I snuggled further into the pillow I was holding and tried to chase the thoughts away, but they persisted and took front and center in my mind. I tried to convince myself that everything was okay, that this was just a phase, but it was proving futile. Somewhere, deep down inside of me, I knew that Dean hitting me wasn't my fault. Somewhere, I knew that no matter how much he or I tried to convince me, my conscious would constantly be repeating the same mantra.
It's not my fault. It's not my fault. It's not my fault.
"It's not my fault," I whispered out loud. It finally clicked. No matter what Dean tried convincing me of, it was Dean's decision to hit me and no matter what I do, I don't deserve to be hit by my boyfriend.
I sat up in my bed, breathing heavily and being careful not to put pressure on my arm. My mind was racing with a million revelations about my situation.
There were a few things wrong with the picture. My boyfriend that supposedly loved me should not hit me under any circumstances. I shouldn't feel more comfortable under the touch of a boy I've just met as opposed to my boyfriend of months. I shouldn't have to lie to my mother, my best friend, about how I broke my arm in three different places, chipped my elbow, and dislocated two bones. This entire situation is ridiculous.
I was having trouble breathing and tried to take some deep breaths. I needed out of that room. It was suffocating me.
Running.
I jumped out of bed and rushed to find my sling to put back on. The OxyContin was wearing off, but I didn't care. I quickly wrote a note to my mother telling her not to worry if I wasn't home when she came to wake me. That I needed to get out and would be home in time for school. I rushed out the door clad in tight, white soffee shorts, a turquoise camisole and no shoes with my hair pulled into a messy bun that was falling sloppily to the side.
I ran through town, silently noting how eerie it was at night. I could feel tears pricking my eyes, but I refused to let them out which resulted in severe hiccups and more heavy breathing.
I ended up in front of Luke's and threw a couple rocks at what I thought would be the window closest to Jess.
"Rory?" He yelled down.
"Yeah, can you come down here?" I asked my voice raspy with unshed tears. I hoped that no one could hear us. If Dean heard me, he'd, well he wouldn't hold hands and skip with Jess.
"Sure," he said. I waited while he came running downstairs in sweats. Jess opened the door and I ran to him, collapsing in his arms. Sobs over took me as he pulled my weak, upset body into the still darkened diner being careful not to hurt my arm. I heard the door close behind us and noticed Jess didn't take the time to sit me in a chair. We slid to the floor, me cradled in his arm as he whispered reassuring nothings in my ear.
"I-I'm sorry," I choked out, "I'm sorry to bother you. I'll just go now," I tried to disentangle myself from his embrace, but he held firm and kissed the top of my head.
Jess' POV
"You're not going anywhere," I whispered in her ear, "You're safe," I promised.
She nodded against my chest and her breathing started to steady as her tears subsided. There I sat holding yet another broken girl in my arms as she cried. Un-freaking-believable. At least I actually felt bad for this girl. With my mom, it was like, didn't she get it? After so many times, shouldn't she have been able to distinguish between the good and bad guys? With Rory…she's so beautiful, so naïve…and innocent.
"Okay," she breathed out, burrowing herself deeper into my chest.
"Come on, let's get you upstairs and into some warmer clothes," I said to her and stood up slowly, lifting her with me.
We walked up the stairs to the apartment and as I opened the door, it creaked. I looked over to Luke's bed to see him stirring, his eyes fluttering, and finally his eyes opening.
"What's going on?" He asked.
I told Rory to go lay down on my bed and that I would find her sweats when I finished talking with Luke. She nodded and scurried over.
I walked over to Luke; "Rory's having some troubles right now. She needs to stay here tonight. Nothing's going to happen; we'll sleep on the couch."
"We?" Luke questioned.
I sighed, "She needs me right now Luke."
"You just met her."
"It's complicated," I was getting frustrated.
Luke must have noticed, "Okay," he sighed and turned over to go back to sleep.
I went over to my side of the room and pulled out a grey pair of sweatpants and a black hoodie. I helped Rory put them on and then grabbed a blanket and led Rory to the couch.
We had taken off her sling when she had changed, so I was careful not to touch it. I situated us so that she was laying with her back to the couch and me facing her, my arm wrapped protectively around her waist as she burrowed herself into me. Our legs tangled together as her arm became cradled between us. I pulled the blanket over us and kissed her hair.
I took in a deep breath, smelling Rory's lingering shampoo. I kissed her head again, "Have you ever read that book where the husband is abusing the wife, but she doesn't tell anyone? I always wished she had gotten help before she died. Such a sad book."
Rory's POV
My eyes shot open and my entire body stiffened. Jess simply tightened his grip on me and drifted off to sleep. I let a few tears slip down my face before burying my face in the spot between his neck and shoulder, drifting off to sleep in my own time.
He knew.
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I opened my eyes, but it was dark and I couldn't see anything. My heart started to pound, where am I? Then the events of last night started swirling in my head. Jess, cast, Jess, mom, Jess, sob, Jess held me, Jess. I lifted my head and saw Jess' serene face sleeping beside me. His arms were wrapped tightly around me and our legs were locked intimately together.
I smiled a sad smile as a tear rolled down my cheek. I skimmed my fingers over his cheek and he stirred slightly. I kissed his forehead, nose, cheeks, and chin until he woke up. His eyes fluttered open and our gazes locked. He lifted the hand that was resting on my hip and brought it up to tuck a stray piece of hair behind my ear. I leaned into his touch and let out a content sigh.
"I have to get home," I whispered, my eyes closed as he ran his fingers through my hair. I opened my eyes
He sighed and ran his eyes all over my face, "I know," he whispered back and cupped my face, "Everything's going to be okay."
I nodded, "I know," I copied his previous answer.
I took a deep breath as we both carefully got up from the couch. I walked over to Jess' bed, put my sling back on, and headed for the apartment door.
Jess followed me down the stairs. He filled two to-go cups of coffee and walked me to the door. I could feel all eyes on us in the diner, but Miss. Patty or Babette wasn't in there, so I thought we could count on Luke to make them keep quiet. Jess pulled me into a half hug quickly and kissed my temple.
"Everything is going to be okay, do you understand me?" He asked looking me straight in the eyes. I nodded and he gave me a half smirk, "Get out of here."
I laughed slightly and started power walking home. When I finally arrived home, my mom was sitting in the kitchen drinking coffee, staring at the entrance from the hallway.
I gave her a half smile before handing over a coffee and entering my room.
She followed me.
"Rory!" she said quite loudly as I heard her trip over something. I turned around and noticed my mother on the ground next to the cornstarch. The contents sifted out like my love for Dean was, slowly.
"Mom, are you sure you're not the one I inherited the clumsiness from?" I asked as she used my desk to help her stand.
"Oh be quiet. Get dressed, no showers today! Then we're going to Luke's," she smiled and I rolled my eyes at her crazy antics. It's not like I could take a shower with this monstrosity on my arm anyway. I slipped on my skirt, which was a job and a half, my shirt that was even harder to get on and finally my sweater and shoes. My shoes fought with me, but I won.
"Okay, ready," I said exasperatedly as we hopped in the Jeep and went to Luke's. I tried to act nonchalant, but seeing Jess made my heart soar. It shouldn't, I thought as I scolded myself when he brought our coffee, it shouldn't. But it did.
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A/N: FINALLY! You do not know how much purpleribbons and I worked on this. We finally finished and I think we're both happy with the end result. Big stuff happening in the next chapter so look out. It should be up by Thursday or late Friday. Reviews are love so press the pretty little button!
A/N: Just A Girl of the Hollow x3 said it! We worked exceptionally hard at this. God we did like five or more re-writes! Anyway hope you enjoyed it and Reviews make our hearts flutter! DEFINITELY look for the next chapter! Plus we are very happy with the end results!