Thanks for the great reviews…keep them coming! This story "Accidents Happen" is based on the wonderful "Gilmore Girls" television series and the amazing characters created by…not me!

Accidents Happen

Chapter Five The Awakening

"She's waking up," Lorelai said excitedly. "She responsive, she's talking to the doctor and nurses. She's waking up!"

"All that beeping was good?" Jess asked, stunned.

"The beeping was very good. Jess, you did this. Thank you. Thank you so much! I've got a lot of phone calls to make. I've got to tell everyone that Rory's going to be okay."

"I'm going to hang out here for a while," Jess said. He wanted to make sure Rory was okay with his own eyes. He needed to really see her and he needed her to see him. He had no idea if Rory would remember anything that he said to her and he wondered if she would be pleased to see him.

"You can go in and see her now," the nurse said with a smile. "She's been asking for you."

"She is?"

"Yes, Jess, she's asking for you. Go on in."

"Yeah, thanks." Jess paced around the hallway for a few minutes before he got up the courage to knock on the door.

"Come in," a familiar but weak voice called.

Rory's face lit up when she saw Jess peek around the door.

"Jess!" she exclaimed with obvious enthusiasm. "You're here!"

"Yeah, I'm here. I've been here for a couple of days. How are you doing? How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay, I guess. I feel out of it. I'm confused. I've missed a lot."

"You've missed a month. Rory, I'm so happy to see you – the real you. You're awake. You're talking. You're wonderful!"

"I thought I dreamed you."

"What?"

"You. While I was out of it, I heard you. I saw you, sort of. I tried to talk to you, but I don't think it worked. You couldn't hear me, so I thought I was dreaming you, but you're here. You're really here."

"Yeah, I'm really here."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why are you here, Jess?"

"Because Luke called me. You were asking for me, Rory, and Luke called and asked me to come and I did."

"I was asking for you? Jess, I've been out of it. I wasn't really in the frame of mind to ask for anything."

"You were asking for me, Rory. Nothing else seemed to work to wake you up, so Luke called me."

"Luke called you? And you came? Why?"

"I came, Rory, but a better question is why were you asking for me?"

"I've been thinking about you lately, Jess," Rory admitted quietly.

"Why?"

"Why? Why not? And you came just because Luke asked you to come? Since when did you start doing what was asked of you? That doesn't sound like the Jess Mariano I know."

"Look, Rory," Jess started, but he was interrupted by Lorelai and Luke as they burst into the room.

"Rory! Oh, Rory, baby, you're awake! Honey, I'm so happy that you're finally awake!" Lorelai sat on the bed beside Rory and hugged her tightly.

"Mom, I'm so happy that you're happy, but you're going to have to forgive me. I'm very confused about what's going on, but I'm awake now and happy that you're all here. So, fill me in: what have I missed?"

"Hon, we're going to take this one step at a time. A lot has happened, and I promise you'll be filled in on everything. But first, you need to talk to a police detective."

"The police? Why do I have to talk to the police?"

"Rory, sweetie, do you know why are you in the hospital?"

"I don't know. I don't really remember."

"No, sweetie. You were hit by a car."

"What? I was hit by a car? How? What happened?"

"We don't know, honey. You were by yourself. What do you remember?"

"I don't know. I don't think I remember anything."

"The police detective will help you remember, sweetie. Just think, okay."

"It's all so fuzzy," Rory said. "I don't think I remember anything. Wait a second. A dog. I remember a dog."

"Yeah, there was a dog."

"What dog? Paul Anka?"

"No, no, Paul Anka's fine. He misses you, but he's fine.

"Then what dog?"

"I don't know, hon. You called me and told me that there was a dog that had been hit by a car. You stopped to check on him and called me to get the phone number for a vet. I heard this horrible noise and you scream and then the phone went dead."

"Oh, my God! I was hit by a car?"

"Yeah, sweetie, you were."

"What car?"

"We don't know. It was a hit and run," Lorelai tried to explain. "Whoever hit you didn't stop. That's why the police want to talk to you. They want to see if you remember anything about the accident."

"But I don't remember anything!"

"Honey, that's okay. It'll all be okay." Lorelai hugged her daughter close to her and rocked her like she did when she was a little girl.

"Why don't we leave the girls alone," Luke suggested to Jess, practically reading his mind.

"You don't have to leave," Rory said. Her eyes pleaded with Jess to stay with her.

"We'll be back. Do you want anything? A newspaper? Ice cream?"

"Sure," Rory said, her smile weak. "So, I'll see you later?"

"Of course," Jess said, smiling. He ignored the fact that Lorelai and Luke were in there and he crossed the room and, without thinking, he kissed Rory softly on the lips. "Bye."

Luke stared at Lorelai in stunned silence before he followed Jess from the room.

"What the hell was that?" Lorelai asked Rory, who blushed slightly before an uncontrollable grin spread across her lips. She brought her fingertips to her lips and touched where Jess had just kissed her.

"Mom, I have no idea."