a/n - all right, this is a sequel to my first story, "Special Occasions"
and i know it's going to be disappointing to some people b/c it's a R/T
(not R/J). but i just can't help it but wish that boy would come back to
the show :) anyways, i couldn't decide which boy i like better so i'm
writing an alternate sequel too where it's all about Jess. Hopefully
that'll get finished soon so i can start posting it. anyways... on with
the story.
Disclaimer- nothing belongs to me, (i just like to pretend that it does) :)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 1 - Running Away
"Just calm down Paris. We are not going to be late." Rory attempted to ease the nerves of her partner as they hurried through the airport.
"If it wasn't for you and your mother having to stop for coffee, twice, then we wouldn't even be in this predicament. I don't know what I was thinking, asking you for a ride to the airport. At least my parents would have had me here on time, probably early. A glutton for punishment, I am. Ugh! And what is your problem?" Paris had now rounded on the security guard pulling her aside for a closer metal detection test. "Just scan the stupid bag and let me through. We have a flight to catch."
Rory took the opportunity to exchange her final goodbyes with her mother, as she couldn't go past the metal detectors without a ticket.
"I cannot believe that you are leaving me for an entire summer! What am I supposed to do with myself? Movie night is not movie night when one is by themselves. Then it is mystically transformed into 'loser night', a night when losers with no friends sit around the house by themselves. And I am most definitely not a loser. The sparkling personality, the biting wit, the undeniable good looks, does that sound loserish to you? That's right, I - "
"Mom. Breathe. I am sure that you can have Sookie over for movie night, thereby eliminating the loser factor."
"Need I remind you that Sookie is a married woman? Not just a married woman, but a pregnant married woman? Jackson is not letting her out of that house for a second, at least not without some heavy duty convincing. Maybe a whip or a-."
"Fine. Invite Luke."
"Luke? Diner Luke? Coffee Luke? I'm not sure I know what he looks like outside of the diner. I'm don't know that I would recognize him."
"Sure you would. The flannel is a dead giveaway."
"You're right. That and the hat. How could I miss him?" Lorelai paused, looking down at her daughter with a weepy look on her face, "This is why I need you around. I would have never remembered that without you."
"Somehow I find that extremely hard to believe."
"I suppose you're right, this time. But I'm still going to miss you."
"I'll miss you too Mom. But I know where to find you, and expect a phone call every day."
"One every day?! I expect more than one, young lady. No, as your mother, I demand it. In fact, if I do not receive a minimum of three telephone interactions with you each and every day, I will start calling you and making Luke leave dirty messages on the answering machine. He'll pose as your older latin lover, Carlos..."
Rory just smiled at her mother's imagination. "That might be reason enough not to call. To see Luke posing as anyone's latin lover... I don't think even you could pull that one off."
"Maybe not, but I bet Jess would do it. And I wouldn't even have to offer him sexual favors." Lorelai wiggled her eyebrows suggestively at her pink- faced daughter.
"That is sooo not something I wanted a picture of."
"You don't want a picture of me Not offering Jess sexual favors? My kinky, kinky daughter..." She trailed off in laughter at the horror written all over Rory's face.
"Mom! Any sentence where you use the name of my semi-boyfriend and the words 'sexual favors' is one that needs to stay unspoken."
"Fine, fine, fine.. I will give in, for now young child, for I know that these are virgin ears I speak too...technically."
"MOM!" By now, Rory was looking around her, making sure no one else was in earshot of her mother's torturous behavior.
"Right, I forgot again. Anyways, child-o-mine, be sure to keep in touch and have as much fun as you can this summer." Lorelai was looking at Paris who was still arguing with the security personnel as she spoke.
Rory followed her mother's line of sight, smiling a little. Paris Gellar had to be one of the most dominating and outspoken people she'd ever known. Yet, the two of them had formed a tentative friendship over the last year at Chilton and were now going to be spending the summer together, as roommates no less. They had both been selected to participate in a summer program in Chicago, Illinois where they would be members of a committee formed to give outstanding young people from around the country experience in the real world. They were just two members of the experimental first year of the program at Nike Corporation. It was an incredible honor, seeing as though only one or two people were selected from each of the ten college preparatory institutions in New England. Rory was looking forward to being a part of it, but she was still extremely nervous as to how an entire summer with Paris would turn out. As if on cue, Rory saw her friend's face approaching from over her mother's shoulder.
"Don't look now, but I think ground control is on the way."
"Well, if the hugging is about at a close, it's about time for us to be on our way." Paris interrupted the long embrace Rory and Lorelai had been sharing.
"Yeah, I'm ready Paris. Bye Mom." Rory leaned over to pick up her carry- on luggage after passing through the detectors.
"Bye honey, and remember to have some fun while you're there!" Lorelai Gilmore shouted after the two retreating girls as they ran towards their gate. "Waste all your grandparents money, go to some wild parties! Just be sure not to do anything that I wouldn't!"
Paris only ran faster as the words echoed across the terminal, a blush spreading over her cheeks. "Your mother is really weird."
"Yeah, I know."
* * * * *
They had been on the plane for approximately ten minutes now, and Paris had gone to find the stewardess to complain about the "inadequate service" they were receiving. Rory sighed and reached into her bag for her book. The Fountainhead. She didn't know why she'd chosen that book. After all, she had dozens of untouched novels just begging to be read. But when she'd been packing the bag that morning, something had made her shove it into her suitcase at the last second.
The Fountainhead always made her think of Jess. God! She hadn't even been out of Star's Hollow for a day and she could already feel the ache in her stomach telling her how much she was going to miss hearing his voice and seeing that smile everyday. She wondered what he was doing right now. An image of him and Luke standing behind the counter arguing over who had to go bring Miss Patty her dinner made Rory smile. It almost made her want to get off the plane and go back. But she couldn't. Things were just too confusing back home right now. She needed some time away, to straighten things out. Figure out exactly how she felt about everything...everyone.
Jess was great. He was. He listened to her talk and could actually keep up with her rapid speed banter about literature, history, everything. And he was cute. Really cute. Plus he had the whole bad boy thing going for him, which was previously something Rory never thought she'd be attracted to. But here she was, looking forward to hearing the next story about the poor soul Jess was terrorizing. They were only practical jokes, mostly; it's not like he would ever really hurt anyone.... anyone besides Dean.
Dean. She and Dean were not a couple anymore. Rory had to keep reminding herself of that. It was still so strange. So many things reminded her of him, and how much they'd gone through together. How much she'd hurt him that night at the gazebo. More that night on the bridge. It wasn't like he'd seen them or anything, but after that kiss they'd shared on the bridge, Jess had walked her back into town, and they'd seen Dean still sitting in the gazebo, as if he hadn't moved in the last hour. And he had seen them. She knew he had. He'd been staring directly at them as Rory and Jess had emerged from the woods, and he'd stared unwaveringly at the pair as they made their way into Luke's.
It's not like he'd ever said anything, but his behavior towards Jess had become even more threatening than before. Luke had officially forbade Jess from entering Doose's Market, for fear that another fight would break out.
Another fight.
Rory grimaced at the memory of that day. That was the day Rory had decided she was taking this trip with Paris. She and Jess had been on their first official date about a week or so after she and Dean had broken up. They were just coming out of the movie theater when they'd spied Dean sitting on the bench outside the door. Apparently he'd been there a while, waiting for them to come out, and he had a few things he wanted to say.
There had been the usual slinging of insults: Dean implying Jess was no good, Jess implying Dean was a stupid country boy. Then it had happened. Jess had told him to go find someone more his caliber and placed his arm on the small of Rory's back, intending to leave Dean standing there. But Dean had punched him. So hard Rory had felt the impact through Jess's fingers on her back. And Jess had lost it. They had gone at it right there in the street, with the whole town standing witness. Horrified, Rory had run home and called Paris to let her know that she'd be going to Chicago for the summer.
And here she was, thinking about Star's Hollow. About Jess. About last night. He had come over to see her off, hurt that she decided to leave him. It wasn't like they were an official couple or anything, even though they might as well have been. It almost made Rory laugh how comfortable "things" had gotten with Jess in such a short time. She and Dean had been dating for over six months before he'd even attempted reaching under her shirt, and it had been eight before she'd let him, and only on a few select occasions. But that was about as far as he had ever gotten.
Jess, on the other hand... well Lorelai had been right in saying Rory's virginity was technical. Jess made her feel so alive. So tingly. And every time he touched her, she wanted more. The problem was that she wasn't sure it was real love or even real like. It was more like lust. An infatuation that was helping her move on. To get past the childlike relationship she'd had with Dean.
Unfortunately, she wasn't sure that Jess seen it that way. Rory had had a feeling that last night he'd intended to make things official between them. He'd wanted to square things away before she left him for the entire summer. But she hadn't been ready for that. Not so soon after ending things with Dean. So, she had watched the movie, joked over his lack of respect for Drew Barrymore as a 'serious actress' and then said goodnight. She hadn't mentioned the fact that she was leaving for two months in the morning. She had evaded all his advances towards the subject. The truth was that she wasn't ready for the words. It had only been a month since she and Dean had broken up, and she was confused. Fortunately, Jess seemed to understand this and he wasn't pushing the issue. He had just acted like they would see each other the next day. No "I'll miss you's." No promises to call and e-mail. She smiled as she thought of the sight of him smiling at her last night before disappearing out the door. He hadn't spoken a word, yet somehow they'd said goodbye. It was amazing how well they knew eachother.
"That cover got some sort of invisible ink on it, or did you just learn how to work your x-ray vision?" Paris' snide voice brought Rory out of her reverie.
"Yeah, I find it is especially handy with paperbacks. No bending the spines."
Paris rolled her eyes at her friend's sarcastic response. Rory had always been good with the come-backs. "Anyways, I got us both a coke. I hope you like it, because they were awfully stingy with them if you ask me. It's like they don't realize that those of us up here in first class have paid twice the price for twice the service. I think they should have special attendants for up here. That's a good idea, maybe I should find someone to talk to about that...."
Leaning back to stare out the window, Rory didn't hear anymore of Paris' tirade. Thoughts of Jess and Dean, back in Star's Hollow, once again consumed her head.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
a/n - okay, i have the next few chapters done as well, but i'm not going to post them unless you guys have some sort of interest in it. (good or bad) just review and let me know what you think.
Disclaimer- nothing belongs to me, (i just like to pretend that it does) :)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 1 - Running Away
"Just calm down Paris. We are not going to be late." Rory attempted to ease the nerves of her partner as they hurried through the airport.
"If it wasn't for you and your mother having to stop for coffee, twice, then we wouldn't even be in this predicament. I don't know what I was thinking, asking you for a ride to the airport. At least my parents would have had me here on time, probably early. A glutton for punishment, I am. Ugh! And what is your problem?" Paris had now rounded on the security guard pulling her aside for a closer metal detection test. "Just scan the stupid bag and let me through. We have a flight to catch."
Rory took the opportunity to exchange her final goodbyes with her mother, as she couldn't go past the metal detectors without a ticket.
"I cannot believe that you are leaving me for an entire summer! What am I supposed to do with myself? Movie night is not movie night when one is by themselves. Then it is mystically transformed into 'loser night', a night when losers with no friends sit around the house by themselves. And I am most definitely not a loser. The sparkling personality, the biting wit, the undeniable good looks, does that sound loserish to you? That's right, I - "
"Mom. Breathe. I am sure that you can have Sookie over for movie night, thereby eliminating the loser factor."
"Need I remind you that Sookie is a married woman? Not just a married woman, but a pregnant married woman? Jackson is not letting her out of that house for a second, at least not without some heavy duty convincing. Maybe a whip or a-."
"Fine. Invite Luke."
"Luke? Diner Luke? Coffee Luke? I'm not sure I know what he looks like outside of the diner. I'm don't know that I would recognize him."
"Sure you would. The flannel is a dead giveaway."
"You're right. That and the hat. How could I miss him?" Lorelai paused, looking down at her daughter with a weepy look on her face, "This is why I need you around. I would have never remembered that without you."
"Somehow I find that extremely hard to believe."
"I suppose you're right, this time. But I'm still going to miss you."
"I'll miss you too Mom. But I know where to find you, and expect a phone call every day."
"One every day?! I expect more than one, young lady. No, as your mother, I demand it. In fact, if I do not receive a minimum of three telephone interactions with you each and every day, I will start calling you and making Luke leave dirty messages on the answering machine. He'll pose as your older latin lover, Carlos..."
Rory just smiled at her mother's imagination. "That might be reason enough not to call. To see Luke posing as anyone's latin lover... I don't think even you could pull that one off."
"Maybe not, but I bet Jess would do it. And I wouldn't even have to offer him sexual favors." Lorelai wiggled her eyebrows suggestively at her pink- faced daughter.
"That is sooo not something I wanted a picture of."
"You don't want a picture of me Not offering Jess sexual favors? My kinky, kinky daughter..." She trailed off in laughter at the horror written all over Rory's face.
"Mom! Any sentence where you use the name of my semi-boyfriend and the words 'sexual favors' is one that needs to stay unspoken."
"Fine, fine, fine.. I will give in, for now young child, for I know that these are virgin ears I speak too...technically."
"MOM!" By now, Rory was looking around her, making sure no one else was in earshot of her mother's torturous behavior.
"Right, I forgot again. Anyways, child-o-mine, be sure to keep in touch and have as much fun as you can this summer." Lorelai was looking at Paris who was still arguing with the security personnel as she spoke.
Rory followed her mother's line of sight, smiling a little. Paris Gellar had to be one of the most dominating and outspoken people she'd ever known. Yet, the two of them had formed a tentative friendship over the last year at Chilton and were now going to be spending the summer together, as roommates no less. They had both been selected to participate in a summer program in Chicago, Illinois where they would be members of a committee formed to give outstanding young people from around the country experience in the real world. They were just two members of the experimental first year of the program at Nike Corporation. It was an incredible honor, seeing as though only one or two people were selected from each of the ten college preparatory institutions in New England. Rory was looking forward to being a part of it, but she was still extremely nervous as to how an entire summer with Paris would turn out. As if on cue, Rory saw her friend's face approaching from over her mother's shoulder.
"Don't look now, but I think ground control is on the way."
"Well, if the hugging is about at a close, it's about time for us to be on our way." Paris interrupted the long embrace Rory and Lorelai had been sharing.
"Yeah, I'm ready Paris. Bye Mom." Rory leaned over to pick up her carry- on luggage after passing through the detectors.
"Bye honey, and remember to have some fun while you're there!" Lorelai Gilmore shouted after the two retreating girls as they ran towards their gate. "Waste all your grandparents money, go to some wild parties! Just be sure not to do anything that I wouldn't!"
Paris only ran faster as the words echoed across the terminal, a blush spreading over her cheeks. "Your mother is really weird."
"Yeah, I know."
* * * * *
They had been on the plane for approximately ten minutes now, and Paris had gone to find the stewardess to complain about the "inadequate service" they were receiving. Rory sighed and reached into her bag for her book. The Fountainhead. She didn't know why she'd chosen that book. After all, she had dozens of untouched novels just begging to be read. But when she'd been packing the bag that morning, something had made her shove it into her suitcase at the last second.
The Fountainhead always made her think of Jess. God! She hadn't even been out of Star's Hollow for a day and she could already feel the ache in her stomach telling her how much she was going to miss hearing his voice and seeing that smile everyday. She wondered what he was doing right now. An image of him and Luke standing behind the counter arguing over who had to go bring Miss Patty her dinner made Rory smile. It almost made her want to get off the plane and go back. But she couldn't. Things were just too confusing back home right now. She needed some time away, to straighten things out. Figure out exactly how she felt about everything...everyone.
Jess was great. He was. He listened to her talk and could actually keep up with her rapid speed banter about literature, history, everything. And he was cute. Really cute. Plus he had the whole bad boy thing going for him, which was previously something Rory never thought she'd be attracted to. But here she was, looking forward to hearing the next story about the poor soul Jess was terrorizing. They were only practical jokes, mostly; it's not like he would ever really hurt anyone.... anyone besides Dean.
Dean. She and Dean were not a couple anymore. Rory had to keep reminding herself of that. It was still so strange. So many things reminded her of him, and how much they'd gone through together. How much she'd hurt him that night at the gazebo. More that night on the bridge. It wasn't like he'd seen them or anything, but after that kiss they'd shared on the bridge, Jess had walked her back into town, and they'd seen Dean still sitting in the gazebo, as if he hadn't moved in the last hour. And he had seen them. She knew he had. He'd been staring directly at them as Rory and Jess had emerged from the woods, and he'd stared unwaveringly at the pair as they made their way into Luke's.
It's not like he'd ever said anything, but his behavior towards Jess had become even more threatening than before. Luke had officially forbade Jess from entering Doose's Market, for fear that another fight would break out.
Another fight.
Rory grimaced at the memory of that day. That was the day Rory had decided she was taking this trip with Paris. She and Jess had been on their first official date about a week or so after she and Dean had broken up. They were just coming out of the movie theater when they'd spied Dean sitting on the bench outside the door. Apparently he'd been there a while, waiting for them to come out, and he had a few things he wanted to say.
There had been the usual slinging of insults: Dean implying Jess was no good, Jess implying Dean was a stupid country boy. Then it had happened. Jess had told him to go find someone more his caliber and placed his arm on the small of Rory's back, intending to leave Dean standing there. But Dean had punched him. So hard Rory had felt the impact through Jess's fingers on her back. And Jess had lost it. They had gone at it right there in the street, with the whole town standing witness. Horrified, Rory had run home and called Paris to let her know that she'd be going to Chicago for the summer.
And here she was, thinking about Star's Hollow. About Jess. About last night. He had come over to see her off, hurt that she decided to leave him. It wasn't like they were an official couple or anything, even though they might as well have been. It almost made Rory laugh how comfortable "things" had gotten with Jess in such a short time. She and Dean had been dating for over six months before he'd even attempted reaching under her shirt, and it had been eight before she'd let him, and only on a few select occasions. But that was about as far as he had ever gotten.
Jess, on the other hand... well Lorelai had been right in saying Rory's virginity was technical. Jess made her feel so alive. So tingly. And every time he touched her, she wanted more. The problem was that she wasn't sure it was real love or even real like. It was more like lust. An infatuation that was helping her move on. To get past the childlike relationship she'd had with Dean.
Unfortunately, she wasn't sure that Jess seen it that way. Rory had had a feeling that last night he'd intended to make things official between them. He'd wanted to square things away before she left him for the entire summer. But she hadn't been ready for that. Not so soon after ending things with Dean. So, she had watched the movie, joked over his lack of respect for Drew Barrymore as a 'serious actress' and then said goodnight. She hadn't mentioned the fact that she was leaving for two months in the morning. She had evaded all his advances towards the subject. The truth was that she wasn't ready for the words. It had only been a month since she and Dean had broken up, and she was confused. Fortunately, Jess seemed to understand this and he wasn't pushing the issue. He had just acted like they would see each other the next day. No "I'll miss you's." No promises to call and e-mail. She smiled as she thought of the sight of him smiling at her last night before disappearing out the door. He hadn't spoken a word, yet somehow they'd said goodbye. It was amazing how well they knew eachother.
"That cover got some sort of invisible ink on it, or did you just learn how to work your x-ray vision?" Paris' snide voice brought Rory out of her reverie.
"Yeah, I find it is especially handy with paperbacks. No bending the spines."
Paris rolled her eyes at her friend's sarcastic response. Rory had always been good with the come-backs. "Anyways, I got us both a coke. I hope you like it, because they were awfully stingy with them if you ask me. It's like they don't realize that those of us up here in first class have paid twice the price for twice the service. I think they should have special attendants for up here. That's a good idea, maybe I should find someone to talk to about that...."
Leaning back to stare out the window, Rory didn't hear anymore of Paris' tirade. Thoughts of Jess and Dean, back in Star's Hollow, once again consumed her head.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
a/n - okay, i have the next few chapters done as well, but i'm not going to post them unless you guys have some sort of interest in it. (good or bad) just review and let me know what you think.