A/N Thanks to those who reviewed. I'm sorry it took so long to reply. I got busy, but fortunately I have a really boring class this semester and I get a lot of writing done in there. I swear this was started before I ever knew that Jess would get a black eye. And this is back before Rory and Paris started fighting. The next parts should be up rather quickly.
Disclaimer-I own nothing except the story.
Rory awoke with a start and scanned her room with bleary eyes looking for the offending noise that caused her sudden lack of slumber. Her eyes came to rest on her alarm clock and it took all her energy to reach over and turn it off. It should be against the law to have to wake up at 7:00am on a Saturday morning. Rory flopped back down on her bed and shut her eyes. Maybe is she called Paris and told her she was sick she wouldn't have to go. No, covering up a black eye would be the least of her worries after Paris got a hold of her if she didn't show up to the seminar.
Rory turned her head and opened her eyes to look at her clock. The bright red numbers reading 7:03 seemed to be mocking her because she had to get up early on a Saturday morning. Another two minutes passed before Rory finally sat up and forced herself out of bed.
Forty minutes later, Rory came downstairs wearing a robe after her shower to find her mother sitting at the kitchen table. Lorelai was intently watching the coffee maker as it percolated the heavenly dark liquid. She looked like Rory did before her shower, with wild seep hair and droopy eyes. Lorelai would no doubt be back in bed no more than a minute after Rory left.
"Watching the coffee maker isn't going to make it brew any faster," Rory commented.
"It's like watching the numbers in an elevator; it doesn't actually help."
"The coffee maker and I have been talking and it feels that I give you the majority of my attention and I don't want it to feel left out," was Lorelai's answer. "Go get dressed and then I'll help you cover up that eye and then I can go back to bed."
"Didn't I tell you, Mom? You're supposed to come to the seminar with me."
Lorelai turned her gaze away from the coffee maker and looked at Rory. Her shocked expression was met by the amused smile that played on her daughter's lips.
"Just kidding," Rory sing-songed.
"You're very funny this morning, aren't you? Just be careful what you say, Missy," Lorelai said standing up and shaking a fist at Rory. "You don't want to make me mad," she joked. She turned Rory around and gently pushed her towards her bedroom. "Now go get dressed."
Rory emerged from her room a little while later wearing a light blue dress with her hair down, but slightly curled. Lorelai's coffee watching had paid off and she was holding a cup of the steaming liquid. She held one out for Rory who gladly took it, inhaling the sweet smell.
Lorelai sat Rory down at the table and pulled a chair up in front of her. Rory took what she considered the best sip of coffee in a day; the first one in the morning.
"Ok Sweets, let's see what we can do about that eye," Lorelai said. She had brought some of her make-up down from her room to conceal her daughter's black eye. Rory nodded, putting her coffee down and moving her hair away from her face. Lorelai went to work, pausing to give an "I'm sorry," when Rory winced at the touch. The bruise was still tender to the touch.
After a few minutes of work, Lorelai sat back and examined her daughter's pretty face. The bruise was concealed as well as it was going to be.
"I think that'll do it," Lorelai said, holding up a hand held mirror for Rory to judge for herself. Rory gazed skeptically into the glass. There were small spots where she could still make out the purple of the bruise, but it would have to do. Hopefully no one would notice. Rory put the mirror down and pulled her hair forward so that it hung to the sides of her face. She hoped her hair would help distract away from looking at her eye.
"Thanks, Mom."
"It's the least I can do," Lorelai responded. She stood up, placing a kiss on her daughter's forehead as she did. "Here's the keys, and you have my phone. Call me if you need me." Rory nodded. "You know, if you need someone to come up there and-"
"Mom," Rory cut her off just as Lorelai raised her fists.
"Bye Honey," Lorelai said, giving Rory another kiss on the cheek. Rory grabbed her coat and left as Lorelai went upstairs so she could go back to sleep.
The drive to Chilton was less hectic than usual because of the lack of traffic going into Hartford on the early Saturday morning. Rory found a spot close to the building and wasn't surprised to see Paris' car already there. Paris had probably spent the night at the school in order to better prepare for the seminar.
Rory made her way down an empty hallway, her shoes clicking as she went, to the classroom where she was to meet the others. Sure enough Paris was there poring over her notes. Madeline and Louise sat a few desks away talking softly about the latest Chilton dating scandal. A few other student council members sat nearby yawning from the effects of the early weekend wake-up call.
"It's not like we don't have a very important seminar this morning that could use your attention. Please, don't let me distract you from the real issues we should be discussing," Paris said to her friends, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
"Relax," Louise said. "We've been over it plenty of times."
"Rory," Madeline greeted the newest arrival. Paris and Louise both looked over at Rory and offered hellos. Paris' was more a grumble about arriving early, but Rory was sure she heard a hello in there somewhere.
"Hi," Rory said. She took a seat a few desks away from everyone and took out her notes. It was a good way to keep her head down and not announce her black eye to the rest of the room. She was self-conscious about the whole thing and even though it had been covered up, she felt like the whole room was staring at her eye.
Louise ignored the fact that Rory was reading and came over and say beside her. "How's your boyfriend? We haven't met this one yet, have we?"
"Jess is fine," Rory said only glancing up slightly.
"Jess," Louise repeated like it was the first time she had ever heard that name.
"No, you haven't met him. I can't really picture him coming to anything at Chilton so I'm not sure when you'll get your chance."
"Tell us what he's like," Louise continued. "Since we won't get to meet him." Madeline had come over by this point. She was just as interested in Rory's new boy as Louise was. They had both been shocked when Dean broke up with Rory because all they saw was a cute couple. They didn't know about Rory and Jess and their friendship. Paris knew some, but it wasn't high on her list of things to worry about.
"He's like…Jess," Rory answered. She couldn't think of anything to say.
"Sounds intriguing," Paris took a breath to chime in from her studying.
Louise leaned in closer to Rory and was about to ask another question when she noticed the subtle hints of a bruise on the otherwise China Doll features.
"Are you all right?" she asked, a touch of true concern creeping into her voice.
"What?" Rory asked. "Oh. Yeah, I'm fine." She put her hand to her face and tried to casually hide her eye.
Madeline's attention was drawn to Rory's face and Paris even got up to come over and investigate. Louise reached up and moved Rory's hand away and the three girls took a close look. Rory tried to regain control of her hand and move away, but to no avail.
"Is that a black eye?" Paris asked softly, sitting down the nearby empty desk. All three girls waited with a mixture of anticipation and confusion for Rory's answer.
"Yes," Rory finally let out with a sigh. "Can you really see it that well?"
"You've got to really look, but it's there," Madeline answered.
"What happened to you?" Paris demanded to know. "It wasn't Dean or Jess or?" she stopped because she wasn't able to come up with another boy in Rory's life.
"No, geez. Why does everyone always assume the worst?" Rory asked.
"Because you have a black eye, that's why," Paris said. Her friendship defenses were starting to kick in. She and Rory sometimes didn't see eye to eye on things and sometimes they didn't even get along, but Paris considered Rory her friend and, as a friend, she was worried. Even more than worried, she was ready to take action if necessary. Madeline and Louise exchanged glances as then looked back to Rory expectantly awaiting an explanation.
Rory bit the bullet and started the story. "It was an accident. My mom was watching Rocky and she got a little carried away. I was standing behind her and she didn't know I was there. She threw a punch at what she thought would be an imaginary target and hit me instead. She tried to cover it up this morning and was able to conceal most of it."
Paris, Louise, and Madeline accepted the story and moved on to other questions. They had all met Lorelai and knew that something like Rory's scene was entirely possible. The four girls were so involved with their conversation that they didn't notice the other student council members that had started to make their way into the room.
"Did it hurt?" Madeline asked.
Rory nodded. "It still does a little bit."
"I don't think I would leave the house if I had a black eye," Louise offered to the conversation.
"I didn't want to. I even thought about calling Paris this morning and telling her I was sick," Rory replied. She saw the look that Paris shot her and said, "And that's why I didn't. You don't think anyone else will notice, do you? I'd rather the story of Rory's crazy mom giving her a black eye not be the latest thing going around school."
The other three nodded. "No one will be able to tell from a distance," Louise concluded.
"We'll be up on stage at a table," Paris said. "It'll be fine."
Rory smiled at her friends. It was really amazing how far they had come, especially her and Paris. She was thankful for their discretion and knew that no one else should find out.
"What's this I hear about a black eye?" a voice boomed behind them. All four girls turned around, startled expressions playing on their features, to find Headmaster Charleston standing behind Rory's desk. They had been so engrossed in their conversation that they didn't notice when he came in to tell the council that they were ready for them.
"Sir?" Rory asked, hoping to sound confused enough so he would let them go.
"I came in just in time to hear about Rory's mother giving her a black eye." Rory could tell he was studying her face, looking for traces of a bruise.
"Yes sir," Rory said. "But it's not what you think."
He held a hand up to cut her off. "Not now. The audience is ready for the student council to begin the seminar. Miss Gilmore, you and I will discuss this matter in my office after the conclusion of today's talk."
"Yes sir," Rory said, her head hung down like she was in trouble until he walked away. She then looked at the others and shook her head in frustration. Louise and Madeline tried to help by moving Rory's hair around in a way that they thought would help to hide her eye. Paris grabbed Rory's note cards and they headed for the door.
The seminar had gone off without a hitch and even Paris was pleased by everyone's effort. Rory collected her coat from the classroom where they had all met that morning and said her goodbyes to Paris, Madeline, and Louise. Now she had the fun task of explaining the whole situation to Headmaster Charleston. He couldn't have walked in just one minute later??
It was after 12:00 by the time Rory actually left the school. She had spent over half an hour talking and explaining to Headmaster Charleston about her eye. He finally accepted the fact that it was an accident and let Rory go. Rory understood the precautions he had to take and knew he had to take the situation seriously for the sake of a student who might not be as lucky as she was. She had thanked him for his concern on her way out and she would swear that he smiled her, just a little bit.
The drive home was quick and Rory was glad for it. She wanted to get out of the dress and especially the shoes and into some jeans. She would really like a nap too. And some lunch.
Rory entered the house to find her mom sitting in the living room watching Saturday morning cartoons that had crept into the afternoon hours. "Since when did you watch cartoons?" Rory asked.
"Hey kid," Lorelai said turning to look at her daughter. "How was it?"
"It went fine. Paris was pleased so all is well." Rory started towards her bedroom, calling over her shoulder as she went, "And don't be surprised if you get a call from Headmaster Charleston." She shut her door leaving a confused Lorelai sitting on the couch.
Rory had slipped on a pair of jeans and a shirt by the time Lorelai came into her room. She flopped back on her bed, and snuggled under the blankets of her unmade bed. She could have fallen asleep.
"Why?" Lorelai asked.
"Because the very observant eyes of Louise, Madeline, and Paris noticed my black eye. Headmaster Charleston overheard us talking and made me come to his office after the seminar and explain it all to him. He knew it was an accident, but I just have this feeling he'll call."
"Aww Honey. I'm sorry. I'll call him Monday morning and explain it all to him again." Lorelai sat down on the bed and patted Rory's leg.
"He's just doing his job," Rory said. He really is concerned about the students," Rory said in a way that made it seem as if she had come upon a new conclusion about the gruff headmaster.
Lorelai nodded and they sat in silence for a minute or so. Rory felt herself drifting off to sleep and Lorelai noticed it too.
"Oh no you don't," she said getting up and pulling the blankets off of Rory. "Up we go." Lorelai took Rory's arm and pulled her up out of bed as Rory moaned. "Let's go get some lunch."
End of part 3