Title: What Now
Author: Katie
Story Summary: Starts at Teach Me tonight and goes from there
Spoilers: Up to and including "Teach Me Tonight"
Pairing: Rory and Jess
Authors Note: I've read lots of 'Teach Me Tonight' fics where Rory got really hurt, but I haven't seen any this way. Please review!!!
Feed Back: I LOVE feedback, PLEASE send a little my way!
Distribution: Please…if you want to put it somewhere do, all I ask is that you send me the URL to wherever you put it. Thanks :)
Disclaimer: I don't own anything Gilmore Girls…I wish I did though.
Chapter: One, Please Wake Up
It had been 4 hours since Rory and Jess had been brought to the Hartford Heart Hospital. The memories of what happened were still fresh in Rory's mind as she picked up the hospital's phone to call Luke and Loreali.
"Go right" Rory could hear herself say. She couldn't believe it. She was with Dean. She loved Dean…right?
"As you wish" was Jess's answer. Rory smiled to herself as she looked over at the boy she couldn't let herself believe she was falling for. She slowly glanced over at Jess.
It was that way for a while. Them going around in pointlessly endless circles, talking about nothing and everything all at the same time.
Then as they turned the familiar corner for the millionth time that night something small and furry ran out to the middle of the road. "Jess, watch out," Rory heard her own voice scream as Jess quickly pulled the car to the right and straight into a waiting telephone pole.
Rory shook her head slightly trying to get the horrible memory out of her mind. Rory slowly dialed the number to the diner and heard Luke's familiar voice on the other end. "Luke…its me…Rory" She answered his greeting in a small voice.
"Where are you, I just got back and the place was empty, are you okay?" Luke asked, his level of concern was rising.
"I'm fine…we went for ice cream…" Rory started her eyes filling with tears, "On the way back something jumped in front of the car. We swerved and hit a pole…" Rory trailed off her mind slowly going back to the accident…
Rory blinked her eyes a few times, "Jess…" She asked as she sat up. She had hit the dash and she could see bruises forming all ready. For the first time Rory's mind registered the noise coming from the seat next to her. Rory turned her head and saw Jess leaning against the steering wheel causing the horn to give a continuos beep. "Jess…please…" Rory begged but got no response. Rory quickly pulled her cell phone out of her purse and dialed 911.
"Rory…Rory?" Luke's voice pulled Rory back into reality.
"It's Jess…he's hurt Luke" She whispered holding back as many tears as she could.
"I'm on my way…I'll bring Loreali" Luke said into the phone. Luke didn't know what to say to Rory so he mumbled a quick good bye and hung up the phone.
Rory hung up the hospital phone and sighed softly before standing up and walking toward Jess's hospital room for the first time. Before she had called Luke the doctors had checked her out completely. They gave her a clean bill of health with the exception of a few bruises and scratches. Jess, on the other hand had been unconscious since the crash.
Rory made her way to Jess's hospital room and stopped short of going in. She stood with her hand on the doorknob trying to convince herself that she handle what ever she walked through the door to see.
Rory finally took in a deep breath and opened the door. She took in a gasp as she saw Jess laying on the hospital bed with cords and tubes every where she looked and monitors telling her information she didn't know how to read. Rory tentatively made her way over to the chair by Jess's bed "I'm sorry Jess…" Rory whispered, "This is all my fault, we never should have went for ice cream, we should have went straight back to Luke's, I shouldn't have screamed when the animal jumped into the road because that's probably why you swerved…" Rory trailed off. She moved her chair so that she was as close to Jess's bed as possible. Rory squeezed her eyes closed for a moment and opened them to find her self staring as Jess. She slowly reached out her hand to hold Jess's, lightly at first, as though she was scared she might hurt him.
"Rory…thank God you're okay…" Lorelai's voice broke the almost frightening silence. Rory gave Jess's hand a small squeeze , not unnoticed by Loreali or Luke, before standing to give her mom a hug.
"No change since the crash…" Rory said to Luke who was staring at his lifeless nephew.
"I should call Liz" Was Luke's only answer.
"I'm going to go with Luke, I'll bring back some coffee for you, okay baby?" Loreali asked giving a small smile to Rory who just nodded slightly in return. Luke and Loreali turned and left the hospital room and walked into the sterile, white hospital hallway.
Rory sat back down next to Jess and moved her hand so it was holding his again. "Jess…you've been asleep for the past 6 hours…" Rory trailed off "Please wake up now…" Rory finished in a small voice that you could clearly her tears breaking through. "You have to wake up…please…" Rory added trying so hard to hold back her tears.
Luke and Loreali walked back into the room and Loreali handed Rory a cup of coffee, which Rory gratefully accepted with her free hand. "They are going to kick you and I out in about 30 minutes, hon." Loreali said to Rory who's only response was a slight nod.
Rory took a long drink of her coffee before setting it on the small table next to Jess's bed.
Luke and Loreali both took seats in the room. Loreali watched her daughter as they were both hit hard with the realization of just how much Rory cared for Jess. Luke sat watching his nephew not knowing how this could have happened.
Rory leaned over slightly and kissed Jess's hand lightly. "Please wake up…" Rory pleaded as she laid her head down next to Jess and her hands.