Here We Stand

Chapter 11 - "One Thing Always Leads to Another"

Disclaimer: I own the story, but not the show.

A/N - I'm not exactly sure if they ask for I.D., but in my story they do. :)

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"Huh." Jess couldn't think of anything else to say, so he waited.

"That's all you have to say? 'Huh'?" Liz asked in disbelief, "This is your father for Christ's sake!"

Jess felt his heart begin to pick up speed, "Is he um, you know, his he dead?"

Jess shook awake courtesy of a violent shove from the cab driver. He stepped out of the yellow vehicle and onto the parking lot pavement, ducking back inside briefly to pay the man before sending him off. His heart pounded, his mind raced, and his hands shook as he quickly walked inside the hospital.

He rested his elbows on the receptionists desk, "Can you tell me what room number the last name 'Mariano' is in?"

"Are you a relative?"

"I'm her Dad," Jess answered, feeling guiltier by the second. 'Dad,' he thought, 'hardly.'

"Can I see some I.D.?"

Jess patted his front and back pockets, pausing for a moment before slamming his fists on the desk, "Shit!"

The receptionist leaned back a bit, "Sir-"

Jess bit his lower lip and closed his eyes, trying his best to hold in his temper and talk rationally, "Lady, my daughters in the hospital and to the best of my knowledge, she is very, very sick. I was on my way to California when I found this out. Long story short, I got back here as quick as I could, but I left all my things back at the airport except for my carry on, which had my license. That, now, is in the trunk of a cab that I used to get here. So if you could please cut me some slack, tell me where my kid is and point me in the direction to go and I would really, really, appreciate it."

The receptionist looked suspicious, her eyes shifting back and fourth between Jess and the computer screen. Glancing back at him, she sighed before asking his daughters name.

"Lorel, but its probably under Lorelai," he breathed, feeling the relief.

She tapped a few keys on her keyboard, then looked up at him. "She's in the ER. I can't tell you anything else because I have no proof you're who you say you are, and-"

"Fine," Jess spat, "Whatever. Where's that?"

"Down the hall, to your left, through the double doors."

Jess sprinted down the hallway without a thank you and shoved his way past the double doors, strategically dodging people and random objects along the way. He found himself inside another waiting room, and began walking toward a nurse when he felt a hand grab his arm.

"Hey!" Jess yelled, jerking his arm away and turning around in defense.

"Hey, calm down," Luke frowned, dropping his hand to his side, "It's just me."

"Where's Rory? Where's my daughter?"

Luke sighed and dropped his head, hearing Lorelai's voice ring in his ears.

Don't let him near her.

Jess asked again where his family was, and Luke could hear the frustration in his voice. He wondered what he would do if he were in Jess' position. What he would feel, how he would act, most importantly what he would do if someone told him Lorelai was in the hospital, but Emily wouldn't let him see her. Jess wanted to know where his family was, for God's sake. His family.

"Look, Jess,"

"Damn it Luke, you know I don't have time for this lecturing bullshit. Just tell me where they are!" Jess bellowed, taking a step forward. All he knew was that Lorel was somewhere in this hospital, and the only thing keeping him from her was Luke's sudden silence.

"She's in surgery."

Jess shook his head, "No, there's no way my daughter is in surgery. She was fine just a few days ago. I mean she just- God, where's Rory?"

"Look Jess, Lorelai isn't to happy with the way you left things. Actually, to be honest, she isn't exactly happy with the way you left Rory and Lorel. And neither am I. But she's, phew, you know how she gets."

"What's your point Luke? What does Lorelai have to do with this?"

"She doesn't want you to see Rory."

Jess frowned, "What? 'See' Rory? What the hell is going on?"

Luke sat down and nodded toward the seat next to him, "Look, it's a long story. Just sit down and I'll explain everything."

*~*

Rory slowly opened her eyes, feeling tired and confused. Glancing around, she began to panic as she took in her surroundings. Where was she? What was going on? Where was Lor-

"Oh my God, Lorel!" Rory threw her covers to the side and swung her feet to the floor. Lorelai, asleep at her side, jumped awake in time to grab her arm.

"Rory, baby, lay back down-"

"No! Where's Lorel? Is she ok? What happened?" Rory began to frantically search for her clothes while holding the back of her hospital gown closed. She needed to find Lorel, and she needed to find her now.

Lorelai desperately tried to stop her, "Rory, you need to stop, ok? Even if you do get up, you won't be able to see her."

Rory stopped searching, and faced Lorelai. Quietly, she continued, "They won't let you see her. She's in surgery."

Feeling dizzy and nauseous, Rory stopped and slowly let Lorelai guide her back to her bed.

"She's in surgery?"

Lorelai nodded, adjusting Rory's pillows. "After you fainted, they took her away."

Rory slid under her sheets and pulled the covers up to her chin. "How long has it been?"

"A couple hours."

"Hours? Do you know where she is? How she's doing?"

Lorelai frowned and gently tucked a strand of hair behind her daughters ear, "I'm sorry Ror, I don't know anything. The doctors said they would come and get me as soon as they were finished though, ok? I promise you'll be the first to know everything."

"Oh," Rory sighed, "Ok."

Lorelai sat back down in the chair beside her daughter, feeling relieved that she had finally woken up. It took more than Lorelai thought she had to repress the urge to take her fragile daughter away from everything, to take her home and tuck her into bed and keep her safe and distanced from all things harmful. And from the look in Rory's eyes, she could tell she was feeling the same way.

"How are you feeling, any better?"

Rory nodded, taking a sip of the water the nurse had left behind for her.

"That's good. You know, Rory-"

"Mom," Rory interrupted, "Where's Jess?"

Lorelai stopped and tensed, "Baby lets just, um, lets take things one at a time, okay?"

Rory sunk lower in her bed, feeling the last blow harder than she could have ever imagined. "So he must be gone for good then," she whispered.

The room filled with a disturbing silence, leaving each Gilmore's mind to run with worst-case scenario's and a feeling of helplessness. The only thing to do now was wait, and that was one game Rory was tired of playing.

Waiting until Lorelai had fallen back asleep, Rory quietly pushed aside her covers and snuck out of bed making every effort to be as quiet as possible. Grabbing her mothers coat, she slowly turned the doorknob and tip-toed out into the hallway.

*~*

"I can't believe this," Jess ran his hands through his hair and gripped it tight. His wife and his only child were both laying in hospital beds and there was nothing he could do.

Luke gently nudged him, "Keep a good thought."

"Keep a good - oh man Luke, you sure know how to make the worst of a bad situation."

"I'm just trying to help!"

Jess stood and began to pace, "You wanna help? Great. Then you find a way to get Lorelai out of that room so I can see my wife-"

"Jess."

"-No! I'm serious Luke, you get her out of there or I'm going in one way or another."

Luke rose from his seat and stared at Jess, who showed no signs of backing down. "Fine."

Jess stopped. "Fine?"

"Under one condition."

Jess rolled his eyes, "Oh great, here we go."

"No, Jess. This is not 'here we go', this is you sitting down and telling me why the hell you left that poor girl. This is you telling me why the hell you left your only daughter! That's my one condition. Because let me fill you in on something kid," Luke growled, "If you weren't such an important asset to Rory and Lorel's life, I would take you outside right now and kick your ass until there was nothing left of you."

"Oh pl-"

Luke grabbed Jess' shirt and pulled him towards him, "Lose the attitude tough guy, because I am not playing with you! Those girls mean the world to me, and to see them hurting like this? Because of you? It makes me sick, and it makes me angry. You've had your fair share of second chances, but not this time."

Luke pushed him out of his way and headed in the direction of Rory's room. "Now you think about what it is exactly that you want to do, and I'll be back in a few minutes. Don't let Lorelai see you."

Shocked, Jess watched Luke shove past the double doors and out of his sight. Crashing into the nearest seat, he let his face fall into his hands, and felt his breathing get heavy. A wave of emotions he had never felt before hit his body all at once, and he felt a droplet of water wet the palm of his hand. Lifting his head up, he noticed his reflection in a nearby window and paused to study it. There was something different about it, and as he rose to walk toward his mirrored image he gently touched the side of his face. He pulled it away to find tears.

"Jess?"

He turned sharply at the sound of her voice and quickly wiped his face. "Oh God."

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A/N - Hope you liked it : )