A/N: GG IS STARTING TO SHOOT TOMORROW! I kind of got a little too excited with the news that I wore backward baseball cap, plaid shirt and a green coat today. Trying to go for the female version of Luke Danes, all grumpy and ranting about going to school.
There's going to be songs in some scenes, I recommend listening to them while reading or after reading. You will get the better picture :) Enjoy this chapter!
Chapter 19: Part 2
Jan 15th 1993 3:30pm
" Uncle Luke, I'm gonna go out for a while!" Jess shouted from the diner door, ready to dash off.
Luke immediately rushed out of the back and caught Jess's by the arm. " You done with your homework?"
" It'll just be about 5 minutes!" Jess pleaded.
Luke crossed his arms around his chest, " Where are you going?"
"I'm just gonna go out for about 5 minutes." Jess explained.
"Where are you going out for about 5 minutes?" Luke challenged, now blocking the door, leaving Jess standing back in the diner.
"Just somewhere for 5 minutes. Seriously 5 minutes, Uncle Luke." Jess pleaded again.
Luke grunted, " Jess, just tell me where you're going out for about 5 minutes!"
Jess sighed and gave in, "Just going to the park to tell Johnny I won't be able to hang out with him today because I haven't finished yesterday's homework. And if I don't hand it in tomorrow Mrs. Owen will make me stay afterschool again." Jess tried his best to make up an excuse to get out of the diner.
Luke opened the door and got out of the way with an approving nod, at least he confessed he didn't finish his homework last night Luke thought to himself. Luke stood outside of his diner, watched as Jess crossed the street and turned right, he shouted back, 'Hey! Park is the other way!' Luke just sighed and shook his head. He knew something was fishy, he could have ran after the boy, bring him back to the diner and lecture him about lying, but he decided to just let it go this time. Jess hadn't been out playing with his friends since Rory stopped talking, all he did everyday was calling Lorelai to check on Rory or reading that same book he torn and stuck it back over and over again.
Lorelai ran in Luke's diner and went pass Luke's counter and into the kitchen.
"Guess who I saw at Miss Patty's Studio?" Lorelai bombarded, standing behind a cooking Luke.
" Hey!" Luke yelled. "What did I say about the counter and the kitchen!"
" But I'm your girlfriend!" Lorelai pouted.
"Girlfriend or not, you have to get out!" Luke continued. " My insurance only covers myself and nobody else, so if the potatoes on the top shelf falls on your head, the insurance won't cover it!"
"Then stop putting potatoes on the top shelf! Jeez!" Lorelai complained while slowly walking back out and sat on one of the chairs by the counter.
Luke came out shortly and gave Lorelai a quick kiss on the lips, "so who did you see at Miss Patty's studio?"
" one more and I'll tell you who," Lorelai teased playfully, leaning her face closer to the counter where Luke was standing.
Luke rolled his eyes, and grunted under his breathe, " I'm working here." but gave her a longer, lingering kiss on her soft lips.
" Hmmm, that deserved more than the mystery shocking person at Miss Patty's, I now allow you to pour me a cup of coffee too." Lorelai smiled.
Luke returned her with a smirk while pouring her a cup of coffee, ' so who was it?'
' A somebody's name that rhyme with Tess.' Lorelai took a sip of her cup of coffee.
'Jess?!' Luke exclaimed.
' Yes, Lucas, Jess rhythms with Tess. 5 gold stars for you! Yes, Jess!" Lorelai replied sarcastically.
Luke frowned, ' What is he doing there?' Out of all the places Luke thought the boy ran away from him for 'about 5 minutes' would not be Miss Patty's studio. Jess was never fond of Miss Patty, in fact he was afraid of Miss Patty, for her tight tight hugs and unforgettable kisses on the cheeks.
Jan 15th 1993 3:45pm
Jess tiptoed and walked into Miss Patty's studio with hesitation, he peeked beside the door, he saw a line of people waiting in line to sign up for the dance marathon with Morey and Babette on the other side auditioning some musicians and singers.
" Oh my darling boy! What are you doing here outside the door! Come in!" Miss Patty grabbed Jess by his right hand and brought him inside the studio.
Miss Patty bent down so she was on the same eye level with little Jess, she put both of her hands on Jess's cheek, " aren't you just a gorgeous boy! We would love to have you dance in the marathon!" and then pulled Jess into a big, tight hug. Jess tried his best to hold his breathe from the strong perfume that Miss patty had and pulling himself from the hug as strong as he could.
After Jess escaped from the uncomfortable hug, he looked down at the floor and said it shyly, 'I'm not here to sign up for the dance marathon.."
" Oh sugah! I haven't seen you since forever!" Babette ran to the other side of the studio when she saw Jess and gave him another one of those breathless hugs. " Are you here to sign up for the dance! I would love to see you in a little Tux and swing on that dance floor!"
Jess again tried his hardest to pull out from the hug, he was feeling a little exhausted now from all these holding breathe moments he suffered, but he still tried to kept his manners just like Luke taught him to, 'no Babette, I'm not here to sign up for the marathon... I'm here... to.. to.."
Both Miss Patty and Babette were waiting for Jess to explain, Babette rushed, she was getting excitedly impatient, 'just spit it out sugah! You've got nothing to worry!'
Jess scratched his head, he was still having doubts about his decision but for that little somebody he was going to let it all go even if this meant a lifelong teasing and humiliation,
'I'm here to...to audition for singing...'
Jess was now standing beside Morley who was sitting on the chair playing the piano with Babette and Miss Patty standing next to Jess.
' Alright, honey, let us here your beautiful angelic voice.' Miss Patty encouraged Jess. Jess was just standing there looking at the floor, he was having the most nervous moment of his life. All the people in line waiting to sign up for the dance marathon and the musicians who were called to step aside for Jess to audition first were all staring at him, like he was really performing on stage.
Jess shook his head, 'Forget it! I can't do this!' He was about to run out of the studio before Morey caught him by his right arm.
' kid, give it your best shot, you've got nothing to lose.' Morey assured him, staring at Jess behind his black shades with a comforting smile. ' This is for Rory, right?'
The whole town knew about Jess and Rory the little eight year old lovers. Jess still looking at his shoes nodded. Miss Patty handed him a microphone, Jess whispered to Morey what song he was going to sing and Morey started playing the introduction to the song.
Jess took a deep breathe, still looking at his shoes, he didn't have the courage to look at the crowd,
' Just a small town girl, living in a lonely world..she took a midnight train going anywhere.'
Jess started to sing quietly, the crowd instantly were cheering after the first line. And Jess had a sigh of relief, he started to sing louder and with a little more confident.
'Just a city boy, born and raised in South Detroit, he took a midnight train going anywhere.'
Everyone was amazed and shocked by the little boy's voice, everyone was cheering and clapping. It was not bad at all, although Jess was still in his little kid voice, he had a little husky tone hidden in the bottom of his voice. Miss Patty and Babette were so delighted that they both couldn't stop hugging and kissing the boy's cheek after he finished singing the song.
Jan 15th 3:50pm
"You going to the dance marathon?" Luke asked Lorelai while pouring her more coffee.
" uh, yes of course! Four years! Luke! Four years of ALMOST winning! Last year, I swear to God, I was with.." Lorelai telling her dance marathon story for the billionth time.
Luke rolled his eyes, 'Please, I've heard that story before.'
'but, no you haven't heard of this part! So I was dancing with Henry Ho-Ho McAphie.."
'Heard that part.' Luke took a deep breathe.
'And Ho-Ho's fading, so I'm tryin' to buck him up and.. and' Lorelai tried to get out of her story as fast as she could.
Luke cut Lorelai off again, ' what about Rory? Is she going to the dance?'
' Where's your manners, young man, I'm telling a very very important story here.' Lorelai lectured, Luke just rolled his eyes. ' I asked her, and she said she would come with me and watch me dance.'
' That's nice.' Luke gave her a tiny smile.
'Yea, that's progress.' Lorelai returned him a bitter smile.
' So who's going to dance with you?' Luke asked, trying to change the topic a little.
' I think I'll try and ask Kirk this year, since we both are so kin on winning, we might as well be a team.' Lorelai joked, ' I mean Kirk is a great dancer, strong, non-clutzy, with lots of stamina..'
Luke looked at Lorelai with a 'are you kidding me' face, ' You know, I can dance, right? And obviously I'm all the above, strong, non-clutzy, with lots of stamina..'
Lorelai chuckled, ' you, Luke Danes, can dance?'
' I sure can!' Luke sounded offended, he really knew how to dance, if only Lorelai would give him a chance to show her.
Lorelai started to clap her hands, ' uh 1, uh 2, uh 3 and 4 go!'
'What are you doing?'
'Counting the beat for you, so you can show me you really know how to dance!'
' I'm not dancing in my diner and in front of my customers!' Luke replied with his frustrated monotone.
' Come on Luke! Just pretend you're at a bar or better yet, pretend you're a gigolo, I'm willing to pay 20 bucks! Uh 1, uh 2, uh 1,2,3,4!' Lorelai semi-dancing on her sit.
'Stop it will ya. And seriously, I'm worth way more than 20 bucks if I'm a gigolo.' Luke replied in a nearly whispering voice, ' but come over after I close up, I'll show you something.' and Luke gave Lorelai a flirty smirk and a secret wink and returned to the counter and brought out some plates for the other customers.
Jess peeped from the outside of the diner door, he knew he was over five minutes so he was trying to wait until Luke get into the kitchen before he entered and speed up the stairs and into the apartment before Luke gave him a long lecture.
Once Luke went into the kitchen to grab something, he quickly rushed in and tried to run upstairs before Lorelai was quick enough to grab his collar.
'Not so fast, speed racer.' Lorelai chuckled, ' I saw you at Miss Patty's! Now tell me, why were you there?'
'Can we talk about this later! I need to get upstairs before Luke sees me here!' Jess replied under his breathe, not wanting his uncle to hear his voice from the back.
' Too late.' Luke stood behind the boy, 'now why were you at Miss Patty's?'
' No I wasn't!' Jess replied, trying his luck.
' Now tell your uncle the truth.' Lorelai pretended to be all parental, she was just very curious about Jess going to Miss Patty's.
Jess looked at Lorelai with a 'I hate you' face, ' I thought you're always on my team, Lorelai!'
' I will be on your team after you tell us, are you going to the dance?' Lorelai asked excitedly.
Jess scoffed, 'No, Rory's not dancing...'
'Then?' Luke asked, now even more puzzled.
Suddenly Babette rushed in and tightly grabbed Luke's arms to catch her breathe from running.
'Slow down Babette. Slow down.' Luke comforted the older lady. Jess got horrified when he saw Babette, he was about the run again but Luke caught him and told him to sit down.
Babette was catching her breathe, ' Jess...Jess..that boy..that boy..'
' Jess! Did you deliberately kick Babette's gnome again!' Luke turned back and shot Jess an angry look.
Jess looked at him all innocent, 'No I didn't! I swear!'
'No, no no, Luke, Jess this boy can damn well sing!' Babette announced. Jess just hit his forehead on to the table, he was in all shades of embarrassment now.
Lorelai chimed in, ' You were auditioning for the singing part?!'
Luke chuckled a little, he was amused, he never really heard Jess sing before, ' you never told me you like singing!'
' I don't like singing. It's just for Rory, okay?' Jess replied frustratedly. Everyone who were hearing this loud conversation gave Jess an 'aw' face.
Jess sighed and shook his head, 'that's it, I'm going upstairs. Ground me whatever, I'm going upstairs.'
Luke and Lorelai were giggling over Jess's blushed face and uncomfortable look, Lorelai suggested while still laughing, 'you and Jess should put an act together, Jess sings and you dance.'
Luke immediately stopped laughing, 'ah, jeez.'
Jan 19th 5pm Dance Marathon Day
' When is the next break at? I'm SO tired, I need coffee.' Lorelai complained while laying her head and basically her whole exhausted body on to Luke's while they were dancing on the floor.
' Why did I even agree to this?' Luke sighed, then he started ranting, ' this is just a waste of time, energy and money. And Taylor with his non-stop yammering on that big ass microphone was not helping at all!'
'Keep ranting, it keeps me awake.' Lorelai said tiredly while laying her head on Luke's right shoulder.
On the other hand, Jess and Rory were sitting on the bench reading their own book and watching Luke and Lorelai dancing on the floor at the same time. It was the first time Jess had ever seen Rory since the day Rory was sick. Rory didn't know Jess was going to sing at one point of the event. Jess broke the ice.
' You look really nice today.' Jess trying to break in a conversation with Rory without upsetting her.
Rory gave him a tiny smile, ' you look nice too.' Jess was wearing a black trousers with a light blue shirt tucked in and a black suit jacket.
' Thanks.' Jess replied, he didn't know what else to say suddenly, he had planned all week of what to say to Rory but he had forgotten it all when he looked into Rory's crystal clear eyes.
' Jess! You wanna dance?' a girl from Jess's class walked up to Jess.
'No..I'm okay, Samantha.' Jess rejected her politely, the girl nodded with a little disappointment and walked away.
' Why are you dressing so nice, but you're not dancing?' Rory asked.
Jess thought of an excuse, 'well..uh.. Luke made me wear something nice, he wanted me to dress nice.'
'Oh.' Rory replied while reading her book, she felt a slight happiness that Jess wasn't actually dancing with other girls. She was so sure that Jess was going to dance at first.
The two returned back to silence and buried their head back to the book, Jess was getting more and more nervous as the time of him singing was approaching.
Luke and Lorelai were looking at Jess and Rory's interaction.
' What is Jess doing? He's been waiting to talk to Rory the whole week and here he barely speak to her.' Luke worried.
'Relax, they are probably just shy and nervous, it's been a whole week and before that they were in a 'not a friend' zone for a day or two.' Lorelai replied and laid her head back to Luke's right shoulder.
'Everybody! Attention, attention! This is the last song before we go for another 10 minutes break!' Taylor announced.
The band started to play the introduction to the next song. Guitar and Congos started first.
Lorelai was half asleep on Luke's shoulder. Luke shook Lorelai when he recognized the song, 'Lorelai! Get up! We have to dance along this song! It's one of my favourite!'
Lorelai immediately woke up, 'you have a favourite song?!' Luke nodded and started to dance spazzy along with the groove leading Lorelai.
Lorelai followed along and listened to the music with all her attention, 'hey this isn't Jimmy Buffett, I thought you only like Jimmy Buffett!'
Luke sighed, 'I've just been to a few shows.'
'Santana! Now I remember! I must be too sleepy! How could I not recognize this is Santana! You love Santana?!' Lorelai exclaimed trying hard not to laugh.
' Come on it's a nice song!' Luke defended himself.
The introduction of the song was about to end, and Luke knew the in to the first line,
' Got a black magic woman...got a black magic woman...' Luke lip-synced looking at Lorelai with a full pretend emotional singing face. Then spinned her around which caused her to giggle, she had never seen this side of Luke, dancing and singing like this, he continued,
' I've got a black magic woman, got me so blind eye i can't see...That she's a black magic woman, She's trying to make a devil out of me...' Luke gave Lorelai his charming smirk, pulled her in and kissed her lips before throwing her into another spin.
' I told you I can dance.' Luke whispered proudly with a smile to Lorelai's ears.
10 minutes over.
' Next up, we have us a talented young man to sing a song for us. Give it up to our own, Jess Mariano!' Morey who was playing guitar announced and Jess walked up to the stage. He was starting to get a little stage fright when he saw everyone looking at him, including his friends who were shocked to see him holding a mic and Rory as well. He closed his eyes and took a deep breathe.
' This song is for Rory.' He announced quietly, when the piano and violin started playing.
He looked down again and saw Luke and Lorelai smiling at him and giving him thumbs up. They had not heard of Jess sing before, they were as equally as excited.
Jess started off singing, gluing his eyes at his shoes.
' Oceans apart, day after day.
and I slowly go insane, I hear your voice, on the line, but it doesn't stop the pain
if I see you next to never, how can we say forever?
Where ever you go, whatever you do, I will be right here waiting for you,
whatever it takes, or how my heart breaks, I will be right here waiting for you.'
Jess looked up and was looking for Rory in the crowd while everyone was cheering. Rory was looking at her own shoes, she was happy inside but she was too shy to give into any emotion on her face as everyone was also looking at her to see her reaction.
Jess continued, he was now more confident because the crowd were cheering for him.
I took for granted, all the times
That I thought would last somehow, I hear the laughters, I taste the tears
But I can't get near you now, oh can't you see it baby, you've got me going crazy (Jess smiled and winked at a secretly smiling Rory who was looking at him finally)
Where ever you go, whatever you do, I will be right here waiting for you,
whatever it takes or how my heart breaks, I will be right here waiting for you.
' This kid is going somewhere when he grows up.' Lorelai smiled.
' Is Sookie helping us film this?' Luke replied with a chuckle, he was so proud of his boy, singing such song in front of a big crowd.
Lorelai replied, 'she better be! Can't wait till Jess turn 16 and we show him this video, you can blackmail him forever with it!'
Luke chuckled, 'definitely.'
The song ended and Rory quickly buried her face back to the book while Jess was still standing on the stage. He was about to get off stage but Morey called him back,
'Here sing this,' Morey placed a paper full of lyrics in front of Jess, ' Rory isn't impressed enough, sing this, take another shot!'
Jess took a glimpse at the lyrics, ' I'm not singing this! I don't even know who this Percy Sledge is! And my friends are going to laugh at me forever if I sing this song!'
' You know Michael Bolton right?' Jess nodded and Morey ushered him, 'Same song, let's go!' The band then started, Jess just stood there looking at the lyrics, he heard this song a thousand times over the radio but he wasn't prepared. But the music had started, he had to sing.
he was afraid that his friends were going to tease him forever. But then he looked at Rory, he found his courage again. He took a deep breathe, let his voice and emotion all out, loud and crispy.
'When a mannnnnn loves a wooooooman!'
Immediately after the first line, Luke and Lorelai burst out laughing, they tried to turn their back facing Jess so he won't see them laughing.
' Oh my god! This! Has got to be on tape and may be on AFV!' Lorelai laughed so hard, while Luke trying so hard to stop laughing.
' Can't keep his mind on nothing else. He'd trade the world for the good things he's found'
Rory looked at Jess trying hard not to laugh as well, this was her first time laughing, and being happy. Jess was the one who made her out of her sorrow and back to herself.
Jess gained so much more confident when he saw Rory starting to laugh. He didn't care she was actually laughing at him. He made his girl laugh, and that's all it matters.
Morey saw Rory and Jess's interaction, he signalled Jess to slowly walk down the stage and to Rory and sing in front of her. Jess while still singing, walked off stage.
If she's bad, he can't see it
She can do no wrong
Turn his back on his best friends
If he puts her down.
He passed through the dancers who all gave him cheers and patted his back and to Rory. He stood right in front of Rory, he smiled at her, and sang whole heartedly,
When a man loves a woman!
Spend his very last dime
Trying to hold on
to what he needs
he gives up all his comforts!
sleep out in the rain
if she said that's the way, it ought to be. (Jess held out his right hand, inviting Rory)
Rory and Jess was standing in the centre of the dance floor. Jess was leading Rory while still singing. Lorelai was surprised Jess also knew how to dance, but not Luke. Luke actually taught him how to dance for "Jess' Part 2 plan" the whole week.
'How did you learn how to dance like that?' Rory grinned.
Jess smirked, he softly kissed Rory on her right cheek, 'I've got my ways.'
When a man loves a woman...
A/N okay...woah that was a long chapter! Really had fun writing this chapter, there were so many songs that I wanted it to appear but I had to trim it down to these. These songs are probably the cheesiest of the cheesiest songs ;p I've listened to all these songs at least 30 times this week trying to imagine the scenes. You will get the better picture when you listen to the songs while reading, haha. I know this could have never happened to a GG tv show Jess, but this is 8 years old Jess, innocent and purely in love, I can't wait to write about this chapter of his life, haunting him when he grow older! Anyway, would love to hear from you guys about this chapter, hope it was fairly enjoyable reading it! Thank you for continuing reading this story! Till then...stay tuned.
DISCLAIMER: I WISH I OWN THE SONGS, BUT I DON'T.
Don't Stop Believin' Journey
Black Magic Woman Santana
Right Here Waiting Richard Marx
When a Man Loves a Woman Michael Bolton version
DC NIXON: Thank you for your review! Haha, sorry to disappoint you, I would love to read Lorelai and Jess dancing, that's hard to picture with their hatred relationship on the show. I also didn't feel too bad about myself killing off Christopher..just not a character that I'm fond of as well. Dean gay?! may be another story, this story will be going insane with drama if Dean also is gay in this story, lol. Hope you're feeling better now! Let me know what you think of this chapter!
junienmomo: Thank you for your review! Don't have kids, but a few of the younger cousins who used to sleep over and seriously, they are little warriors when they fell asleep. They kick you, swing their hands on to your face and getting all the blanket...my condolences to you, all the parents and Luke Danes! Definitely lots of growing up for Jess here, actually both uncle and nephew are learning a lot since the day Jess was dropped off in Stars Hollow. Nice idea on Rory acting out like Jess, I would wonder how Lorelai would handle it! Sorry I didn't put in too much on the Rory situation as I was so focused on the dance marathon scene. May be on another chapter! Let me know what you think of this chapter!
RhizOneill: Thank you for your review! Wow! I'm surprised you actually like Jess and Dean being friends, I was predicting that readers would have a problem with Jess and Dean being friends. But I mean, they are 8, kids get along with each other easily. Let me know what you think of this chapter!
Anon1: Thank you for your review! Thank you for the encouragement on studying! I started really sitting down and reading the book and notes on Sunday morning.. and having my mid term on monday afternoon. lol But I'm pretty confident about this one. Thank you! Yup she really is going through it, I didn't really talk a lot about Rory here cause I wanted to focus on the dance marathon, hope you liked it! Oh that sucks.. is there netflix in UK? (I feel like I'm asking a very dumb question... i should just search it on the internet)
Droolia: Thank you for your review! Glad you noticed the mashed potatoes! It must be really difficult for anybody, let alone this sweet little 8 year old, but I just really wanted to kill off Christopher, once and for all so I won't get so tempted to make him appear again to cause conflicts lol.. and there you go,Rory forgiving Jess! I mean, who could resist an apology that Jess passionately gave out like this! Teen years would be on top of my list after this one, had some ideas over it these two days :) but I'll try finishing this one first! Let me know what you think of this chapter!
niazn: Thank you for your review! Luke/Jess relationship might just be my fav when it comes down to choosing between Lorelai and Rory relationship or Luke and Jess. It's just a fun but loving dynamic! Let me know what you think of this chapter!