AN: Just a word of warning to you all, Rory's about to start spilling some secrets. There's nothing too awful, nothing graphic or… Let's just say that the police were never involved, well, before the library of course. But it's not all kittens and rainbows.
Jess opened the door to find Rory on the other side, grinning at him and holding his notebook, while two bags from Luke's sat at her feet. "Ok, you may now begin ego inflation," he told her as she came in and kissed him
"You know that you're amazing right?" she asked, moving further into the house and dropping the bags on the coffee table. "I mean, you have an amazing talent, tell me you're going to do something with this."
"That, exactly, or this supposed talent?" Jess checked as they sat on the couch.
"The talent. This, you can keep hidden and only show to me if you'd prefer, but the talent, it must, must, must be nurtured."
"I was thinking of joining the school paper when I get back next semester. But beyond that, there aren't too many plans. I'm sure you could think of a way to try and convince me to change my mind though," he told her and she raised her eyebrows at him. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize how stupid that sounded until after I said it, and-"
Rory shot forward and cut him off, covering his mouth with hers. "Didn't sound stupid at all," she told him before returning for another kiss. A few minutes later, she seemed to come to her senses and tried to push him away a little. "Jess, we need to… You…" he cut her off, but she had made up her mind already. "Stop!" she insisted, pushing against his chest a little more forcefully. "We need, I need to talk. And don't start freaking out on me about how that's the beginning sentence of the end of a relationship. That's not what this is."
"Good to know," Jess replied, sitting back.
"It's just that, after that," she pointed to the book on the coffee table next to the bags of untouched food. "I feel like we should discuss some things."
"I was really hoping we wouldn't have to do that."
"Well we do."
"It was just… thoughts Ror, it didn't-"
"Stop trying to pretend that it was nothing. I read it all, so I know that's not true. But actually, I wanted to talk about something else, I want to do most of the talking. I know that you don't know a whole lot about me, and that's my fault, because I've been less than forthcoming with my past. But now I need you to know. It doesn't seem fair that I know so much and you know so little."
"Ok," Rory didn't say anything for a moment while Jess sat studying her. "You change your mind already?"
"No. I just don't… I'm not sure where to start. Can you give me a jumping off point?"
"But I don't know anything, except Prince Charming and-"
"Just say a word, any word. And if I can find a way to relate it to my life, I'll tell you about it, ok?"
"Alright, how about… Dog?"
"We never had a dog. I always wanted one, but I remember we had a fish once and it died after like a day, so Mom said we couldn't have pets anymore. I guess, maybe there had been more instances before that, I don't know. But I never got the puppy. Not that we could have fit a dog into our apartment, any of them. They were always tiny little-"
"Crap piles?"
"Yeah," Rory smiled. "How'd you know?"
"You said that once. I won't repeat the rest of the things you said that night, because I have a feeling that even though you aren't too happy with your mom right now, you probably feel better about her than you did then, and bringing all of that up again isn't really the best way to fix things now."
"Hmm, you've probably got a point there," Rory reached into one of the bags and pulled out some fries, she handed them to Jess and then got more out for herself. "But I'm going to ignore your attempts at playing mediator. Ok, so… um, I used to cut school,"
"I remember." Jess replied, as Rory shifted and leaned in towards him, resting against his chest.
"I thought it was such a waste of time, you know. I was ahead of everyone and it was boring, so I didn't really see the point in showing up for most of my classes. But I was still on campus most of the time."
"How does that work, exactly? Because I always thought that, the fun part, if there was a fun part about cutting school, would be to leave the school. Especially in a place like New York,"
"Well, yeah, it probably would have been. But I didn't want to be like everyone else, riding the subway and hanging out at all the 'cool' places. What was the point in skipping class if you were just going to be with the same people? So, instead I usually ended up in this old storage room. The drama club used it to keep their costumes and props in and it smelt like mothballs which, was actually kind of annoying. But, um, still, I liked it in there. I was pretty good at working out when no one would be around so I got to have it all to myself."
"Playing dress-up?"
"Sometimes. Other times I'd just sit in there under a big skirt, or with some silly hat, circa nineteen hundreds on my head and think. Or not think if I was thinking too much in my life at the time. It was my secret hiding spot."
"Do you have another one? A Stars Hollow hiding spot?" Jess asked running his hand through her hair.
"Yeah, well, it's not a secret, and not that well hidden, but I have a spot that I like to go to." Jess knew what she meant right away. It was his hiding spot too.
"I'm glad."
"Pick something else." Rory prompted.
"Ok. Let's see… what did you dream about when you were a kid?"
"Well, mostly I would make up stories in my head, you know? Like when my mom would let the few tiny details about my dad slip, I'd spend hours; days' even imagining what he was like. And thinking up ways that he would come find me and he'd want to take me away from our horrible life and give me all the things I'd ever wanted and everything would be great. That bubble burst when I actually met him though. Even that short amount of time I spent thinking that Luke was my dad I thought that was great. I was pissed that he'd not been around, and I mean, I figured that I'd just have to get over the fact that I kind of liked you, but I didn't imagine that would be too hard. Then he swore it wasn't him and Chris showed up, so, I got to know all about the loser that sired me."
"You didn't think it would be all that hard to get over me?" Jess repeated. "What happened to inflating my ego? Isn't that why you came over? Because I've got to tell you-"
"Shush. We'll get to that later." Roy interrupted. "I didn't think it would be hard then, but I'm pretty sure there would be a lot more effort involved now. But you need to be quiet, I'm doing that thing, you know? Sharing, telling you all my secrets, baring my scars,"
"Will there be physical scars, or are they just mental ones?"
"There is one physical one." Rory replied, sitting up as Jess' hand fell away from stroking her hair. "You wanna hear about that one now or later?"
"I'm not so sure…"
"It's nothing serious. Just, I fell down when I was ice-skating one time when I was seven." Rory explained, rolling up her sleeve and turning around. "My elbow smashed into the ice and my arm got stuck at a funny angle. That's how I got this scar." She explained, showing him the red line on her elbow.
"Huh. Very nice,"
"You want see the tattoo I got when I was dating a Hell's Angel?" she joked.
"Oh ho, now we're talking." Jess replied, grinning.
"Actually, the two guys that I dated, they were… idiots. And I mean, we weren't really dating, really. It was just sort of, I guess that we'd gotten to that age, and our friends were all pairing off, so when Sam kissed me, I just sort of went with it. But then he moved away and Marcus… he was older, and he liked me and so it was exciting, you know? But, with him being older and everything, he… expected certain things."
"Mmm," Jess nodded, not looking at Rory and she realized that as soon as she started on this topic he'd been avoiding her gaze.
"I never… I'm still a virgin, though." She added hastily, Jess looked up. "Yep. I give off this attitude that I've… been around a bit. But, I just wasn't… I wasn't ready when he… so not only did he dump me, but he also told all his friends that I was an ice queen. Everyone took this perverse pleasure in making fun of me, even though, I'm sure that I wasn't the only one to feel that way."
"It probably wasn't you're intention, but I have to tell you that I feel a little better about... things now."
"No, that's good. I know that you not knowing anything about me was probably…"
"Extremely unsettling?" Jess suggested. "I mean it. I had this idea in my head that you'd been… I don't want to say-"
"Very friendly?" Rory supplied.
"Well, yeah, that works. I mean, this may seem incredibly stereotypical and the last thing I want is for you to take it the wrong way and add me to the list of idiot exes, but-"
"Just say it." Rory insisted and Jess nodded.
"You're from New York, and you have a criminal record and your mom wasn't exactly Martha Stewart. So, it just… in my head, it made sense that you were… experienced."
"I understand why you would have thought that stuff, and it's not like I'm Dakota Fanning or anything, I just haven't done… That."
"Well, I'd like to think I'm not… who would be the male equivalent of Dakota, do you think?"
"You so are." Rory shook her head. "Trust me, you're Snow White."
"Oh, that's nice. Thank you very much, but what makes you think you have the authority to just announce something like that? Turn me into a fictional character, a female, no less."
"The fact that I'm dating you gives me that power. You're pretty well behaved, even when we're alone in your house and your mother is out of town. And also, seeing as I just finished reading all of you inner most thoughts, I-"
"See, now, this, again is not what I was imagining when you suggested-"
"I like the fact that you're so pure and… good. It's nice, a nice change. Because every single guy I came into contact with before moving here was not. I mean, some of the guys that Mom dated weren't all bad, but then there were a few who…" Rory chewed her lip, trying to phrase her words correctly. "I don't want you to freak out, alright? I'm fine. They never did anything, just… there were a few comments and a look or two that I didn't like. But Mom always ended it, got us the hell out of dodge if I told her that I didn't feel comfortable or something. I know I've made out that she was hopeless and didn't pay any attention to me, and that's partially true, some days I thought she had no business being a parent. But she cares about me. I know that, and I knew it then too.
"I was actually the tiniest bit happy about moving here because I just knew that that was the end of it. I was leaving the city and the people and moving to Pleasantville. Which I thought would be sort of stupid, but then I started thinking it was good, because there would be no more occurrences like Buddy or Woody or… until Dean. But really, he was like a mosquito, just an annoyance. And since him there's been nothing. Because I have this amazing boyfriend," Rory explained, planting a kiss on one cheek. "Who is kind," and the other. "And sweet, and very talented," she added moving across the space between them and kissing him more intensely.
"That's more like it," Jess nodded and kissed her back.
"Don't make me start rethinking all that praise I just dished out." Rory warned him, breaking away from his lips.
"I wouldn't dare."
"Good." She reached into the bag and removed a burger, but after one bite, realized it was cold and grimaced. "How about we relocate so we can eat this stuff at a safe temperature?" She suggested, picking up the bags and walking into the kitchen. Jess stood up and followed.
"So is that? Are you done sharing?"
"For the moment,"
"Alright. Good, so- hang on, what about Dean?"
"What do you mean?" Rory asked, taking the plate he handed her and putting the food into the microwave.
"You said there were no more occurrences until Dean. What happened with him?"
"Oh, right. Um… well, he had some opinions to share with me. On how to make my time more enjoyable,"
"I'll kill him." Jess threatened.
"No. You won't, you'll just forget about it, like I'm doing."
"But he-"
"Is an insignificant bug, splattered on the windscreen of life,"
"That's very Zen of you."
"Yeah, well. I can be Zen."
"I'm sorry, but I have to ask, when did this happen?"
"The day that Lindsay broke up with him,"
"Just in time, before he became a true ignoramus."
"Actually, this happened before her spectacular dumping. She overheard him, we talked and then she did it."
"Well, in that case, I guess I owe you a thank you."
"What for?"
"If it weren't for you, Lindsay would probably still be dating him, but she's not and I have my friend back, all thanks to you."
"You're most welcome. I think you're caught up enough, now." Rory explained as Jess collected the food from the microwave. "But, later, I'm sure I'll be able to think up a few more small things to share. Right now though, I need food."
"As you wish," Jess nodded and they returned to the couch to eat in peace.
"Is she here?" Luke demanded as soon as Lorelai opened the door. She was half asleep and had been startled from Judy Garland's lament about the man that got away by an insistent pounding on the door.
"Is who here?" she asked, stifling a yawn.
"Rory, who else?"
"It's Tuesday, Tuesdays are one of your days. And she's mad at me again remember? Of course she isn't here."
"Well, she isn't in her room and Jess isn't in there either." Luke began as Lorelai stepped aside and he came in. "And Liz and TJ are out of town and it's after nine which means Lane can't come to the phone. So, I know that means that the next necessary step is to go over to the house and break up whatever they're doing, but I really don't want to be the one that does that, because I've got a pretty good idea of what they're probably doing and I don't want to see it."
"Luke, slow down, I don't understand."
"Weren't you listening?" he demanded, stomping back and forth across the floor. "Rory's not in her room and-"
"It's after nine, ok, yeah. I think I'm up to speed."
"So?" Luke pressed, looking very worried.
"So what?" Lorelai returned. "You don't trust them?"
"Of course not! They're teenagers, my nephew, your daughter,"
"Thanks for the genealogy lesson, but I'm pretty sure I knew that."
"This is serious! I'm not trying to be funny here, ok? I remember what I was thinking when I was his age, and if you throw in a girl that looks and talks the way you did, the way Rory does-"
"Are you saying that I corrupted you or something? That right now, Rory is doing unspeakable things to your poor, defenseless-"
"I just think that we should go over there, put a stop to something we don't want."
"You do?"
"Yes! They're sixteen. Sixteen year olds can not be trusted!"
"Told that to your sister lately? Geez, Luke, it's nice to finally hear after all these years what you really think of me."
"This is not about you! Would you stop it? I'm trying to have a serious conversation with you here."
"Ok, fine. You want me to go over to Liz's house, interrupt them, and make Rory hate me even more than she already does this week? Will that make you happy?"
"That's not my fault. I didn't want to talk to Rory about our conversation, but I never said you couldn't. She's your daughter you can tell her whatever you want. I don't care. Say whatever you need to get back into her good books, just help me out on this."
"Alright. Let's go," Lorelai put on a pair of shoes before walking out the door. Luke followed closely behind until they reached the house. Lorelai continued up the porch steps as Luke hung back behind her. "We know you're in there! Somebody forgot she had a curfew so you're both in trouble. Open up!" she boomed, knocking.
When no answer came, Lorelai turned and looked at Luke who just shrugged. She moved to knock on the door again, but as she did that, it opened a little and she walked inside.
"Would you look at that," she remarked to the man silently creeping in behind her. "They're asleep."
"Together." Luke replied, pointedly.
"Yes, together, but still, fully clothed, and asleep. And I can see, one… ok, so, only three hands, but I'm pretty certain that the fourth hand isn't doing anything it shouldn't be. Turns out they can be trusted. So put down your pitchforks and back off of my kid, alright? Let's get out of here, before we wake them up."
"I'm going to stay." Luke decided, shrugging off his jacket.
"You're what?"
"I'm going to spend the night here, right there-" he pointed to an arm chair and moved towards it, "actually.
"You can't be serious. They're asleep."
"In the event that they wake up, I want to be here to-"
"Prevent them from doing anything naughty. Yeah, I got it officer. Geez, I thought Jess was a good kid, doesn't everybody love and trust him with their lives?"
"He is a-"
"So in other words, what you're really doing is standing guard over Rory. Nice, really nice. When did you become your father?"
"Right around the time that he wasn't able to take care of the things, the people who needed to be taken care of. And there was nothing wrong with him being protective."
"That's not what you used to say when he… You know what? Never mind. I'm just going to go and let you… keep watch." Lorelai nodded and with one last look at the sleeping forms on the couch, began to back up. "There's no point in me being all hypocritical and lecturing Rory the second she wakes up, but would you just let her know I want to talk to her?"
"I'll do that." Luke nodded and Lorelai let herself out, heading for home. Luke put a blanket over the teens, resisting the urge to wake them up, and then returned to his chair to remove his shoes and pull a blanket over himself.
AN: I hope that was sufficiant Lit-ness. I'm sorry it's been so sparse lately, but that should change now. I realise I started out saying this was a Lit, and I've been neglecting them a lot, but I'm working on fixing that. So, I hope this was good, let me know, k?