Paved Paradise
#31

Sorry, das ich erst so spät wieder drauf aufmerksam geworden bin!

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Luke slipped out of bed at a little after five and quickly woke Rory.

“Come on, Kid,” he said. “We’ve got to get out of here before your Mom gets up.”

“There is coffee in this deal, right Luke?” Rory grumbled, rolling out of bed.

“I’m not stupid,” Luke replied. “I’d never wake up a Gilmore without providing coffee. Come on now.”

While Rory changed Luke went out to the living room to wake Jess. “Jess, Rory and I will be leaving soon. Are you sure you can do this?”

“No,” Jess admitted. “But I’m sure it’s the best chance we’ve got.”

“If you can’t handle it…”

“If I can’t handle it I’ll call you,” Jess assured him before Luke finished the thought.

Rory came out of her room dressed in jeans and a maroon sweater. Jess had just gotten up and moved to meet her halfway between the living room and the staircase.

“Good morning, Beautiful.” He greeted with a strong hug.

Jess raised a hand and stroked her hair, “It’s going to be all right. I promise.”

“I know, Jess. I trust you,” Rory said. “And I love you.”

“I love you too,” Jess told her. “Now get out of here before Lorelai wakes up.”

Luke and Rory left the house for the diner while Jess made himself some tea and waited for Lorelai to wake up. He was nervous about this. He wasn’t sure if he could really help Lorelai, but he was certain he had to try.

About eight o’clock it started. Jess could hear Lorelai murmuring in her sleep. Jess knew what was coming and he felt the tension mounting in the rooms his heart beating harder with anticipation and dread.

“Luke?” he heard the muffled name from Lorelai’s room. “Luke! Rory!”

“Show time,” Jess grumbled to himself and rose up off the couch.

Lorelai’s sobs were intensifying as Jess climbed the stairs and entered the room.

“Lorelai,” he said gently. “Lorelai wake up. It’s Jess.”

Lorelai sat up in bed with a start. “Jess?”

“Yeah, it’s me.” Jess replied sitting on the side of the bed.

“Where’s Luke and Rory? I need Luke, Jess,” Lorelai cried and looked scared.

“Luke’s at the diner, Lorelai. He’ll be back later,” Jess kept his voice matter of fact.

“No. No, he’s not. No, he’s not. He’s oh…Jess he’s Lorelai was starting to panic. She had the dream again about losing Luke. When she woke up from that dream to Luke’s soft voice, gentle touch and calm reassurances she could disspell her fears. He could always do that.

“Yes, he is, Lorelai,” Jess kept his voice firm. “He’s at the diner with Rory.”

“Don’t lie to me!” Lorelai cried. “I deserve the truth. I can take it.”

“That is the truth,” Jess countered. “Luke is at the diner, so is Rory. It was a dream about Luke, that’s all it was. You know that.”

“He’ll never know. No one will ever know now,” Lorelai cried. “I should have done…Luke,” she sobbed rolling under the sheets.

Jess resolved to try tenderness one more times, so he settled on the bed and stroked Lorelai’s hair. “Lorelai, Luke is not gone. He’s here at his diner waiting for you. He misses you. Rory misses you. They love you, Lorelai.

Lorelai ignored him until he spoke that last sentence. That sparked anger in her. How dare Jess claim Luke or Rory’s love when they would leave her all alone? “Oh they do?” Lorelai challenged. “Then where are they? Why did they leave me all alone? Why?” Lorelai curled under the covers.

At that action all of Jess’ restraint was washed away. He rose off the bed and pulled Lorelai’s cover off of her.

“Jess, give those back,” Lorelai said with more force than any words she’d spoken in days.

“Nope. Time to get up,” Jess said flatly. “No more games, it’s time to face reality again.”

“I don’t want to face it. I can’t face it,” Lorelai cried. “Not without Luke and Rory.” Tears threatened to spill over.

“You didn’t lose Luke and Rory, Lorelai,” Jess insisted. “You lost your parents. That’s a tough loss, and no one should have to face it, but everyone does, Lorelai. Everyone does,” Jess paused for breath. “You can deal with it in a couple of ways. You can lay down and let it kill you or you can deal with it and move on. You have to move on, Lorelai. You have to. You’re not the only one who lost someone. Rory lost them too, but it was worse for her, because she lost you too. And Luke, Luke can’t even stand to be near you anymore, it hurts him so badly to see you hurting like this. He can’t stand to watch it anymore.

“You haven’t lost Luke yet, but this,” Jess motioned to Lorelai’s disheveled bed and gaunt unkempt appearance, “is killing him. You’ve got to pull out of this Lorelai. Rory needs you to, Luke needs you too. Think about them, Lorelai. Think about what they need. You have to move on.”

Lorelai met Jess’ eyes, hers coherent and bright with tears, “I don’t know if I can,” she whispered.

“Of course you can,” Jess’ tone softened. “It’s what you’ve always done. You put Rory first, Luke first, you can go one from this. You can put the ahead again.” Jess moved closer and held Lorelai’s shoulders, his eyes meeting hers. “You raised a daughter, entirely on your own, and she’s terrific. She is the best woman, the woman I love, and she’s who she is because of what you taught her. You can do this, Lorelai, and you don’t have to do it alone. We’ll help you, we’ll be there for you, but you have to take that first step,” Jess encouraged feeling emotions and finding words he never knew he would be able to find. It was like it was someone else who was speaking.

Compelled by pure instinct, Jess held out his hand. “Come on, Lorelai. Take it, take that step. Lorelai, come on.”

“Why should I trust you?” Lorelai asked. “How do I know you aren’t a dream?”

“You don’t,” Jess replied. “But there’s only one way to find out. Take the step, Lorelai. Take the step and see for yourself.”

Lorelai contemplated Jess’ words again. There was only one way to find out, though, and something about the open vulnerable look in Jess’s eyes spoke to her. Jess was many things, but she sensed he wouldn’t like to her. Not about this.

Tentatively, Lorelai took the hand Jess offered and got out of bed. Awkwardly she hugged him, “I have some apologies to make don’t I?”

Jess shook his head. “It was understood, Lorelai. It was hard on them. They both love you so much.”

“And you love them, don’t you?” Lorelai asked.

“I do. I didn’t realize how much until it happened. It sucks, but it put things in perspective, doesn’t it?” Jess asked.

“Paved Paradise,” Lorelai mumbled. “You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone. I learned that the hard way.”

“Well, not everything you loved is gone. Two people who loved you very much are at the diner right now. Come on, go get dressed.”

Luke worried the entire morning. It was all read ten and Jess had not called nor had he and Lorelai arrived at the diner. What was going on back at the house?

Miss Patty and Babette were glad to see Luke back at the diner.

“Not that Jess wasn’t a darling, Luke,” Miss Patty assured him, “but seeing you here means Lorelai is feeling better.”

Luke frowned and Babette asked, “Well isn’t she, Sugar. Feeling better?”

“Mom’s not really feeling better, Babette,” Rory said. “Jess is trying a different approach.”

“She still won’t come out?” Taylor asked. “And you’re letting Jess stay with her?”

“What else do you want us to do?” Rory quickly countered. Luke hated personal probing questions.

No one said anything more about it, but Rory could see that everyone in their own way was worried about her Mom. They didn’t have the same faith in Jess she had. Rory knew this new Jess and trusted him completely. She just prayed Lorelai did.

Jess didn’t call Luke after he had convinced Lorelai to get up and out, instead he decided their mutual arrival at the diner wuld be a nice surprise.

Lorelai took her time in the shower, making sure she’d look her best for Luke. She had been crazy locking him out then forcefully keeping him in. She knew she’d owed him an apology or at least an explanation. It wouldn’t hurt to look her best while they struggled with that.

Jess and Lorelai walked to the diner together. She hadn’t been afraid to let Luke go out. Lorelai was a passionate person. She was usually strong, smart, ambitious and dedicated. When she did something, it was all or nothing. If she opened an Inn, it would be as she wanted or not at all. When she loved it was with her entire heart, or not at all. With her their was no halfway. That was extremely precious.

Jess thanked God for his good fortune and remembered something his Grandpa Mariano said to him, “Sometimes out of the saddest or darkest moment comes the most spectacular light.”

That was so true. Emily and Richard Gilmore’s sudden deaths were sad indeed, but what came out of them was so very rare and precious.

Jess lagged behind as he and Lorelai approached Luke’s Diner. This would be a moment to be remembered, Lorelai’s return to Luke’s side, no as the shell she’d been the last two weeks but as the woman he fell in love with or at least as someone very much like her.

Luke heard the bell over the door jingle and sucked in a breath. Every time that bell rang or the phone rang he’d jump, expecting it to be Jess calling him home, but praying it was Lorelai all the same.

Luke saw her, skin free of make up, hair scrubbed clean and pulled up the way he liked it. Her outfit was simple, another one of his favorites, blue jeans and a berry colored top with a jean jacket.

She stood just inside the door, Jess a few feet behind her. She looked a bit lost, uncertain, and Luke could see Patty and Babette were ready to descend on her.

“Lorelai,” he began and started for her. Before he could finish speaking Lorelai wrapped her arms around him and hung on. This time though it was not out of the fearful desperation as it had been was over the past few weeks, but truly out of love and affection. Luke returned her gesture fervently moving his hand up and down her back in a rare display of public affection.

“I’m sorry,” Lorelai whispered near his ear.

The apology confused Luke and he replied over the clapping and whistling of the diner’s patron, “Jess, help Rory.” He then led Lorelai upstairs.

Rory had been in the kitchen getting orders when Lorelai came in, and she was surprised to see Jess.

“Where’s my Mom? Is everything all right?” Rory finally let her worry surface.

Jess gave her a quick hug. “It’s all right. Your Mom’s upstairs with Luke. He told me to help you out.”

Rory smiled and handed him two tuna melts, “Table seven.”

When Luke got Lorelai upstairs, she immediately moved to hold him again. “I’m so sorry, Luke. Really,” she repeated.

“Sorry for what?” Luke asked confused.

“For everything,” Lorelai replied. “I’m sorry for being so crazy after the accident, for shutting you out and being mean to you. I’m sorry for losing it the way I did at the cemetery and afterwards. I’m so sorry for hurting you and suffocating you. Can you ever forgive me?” she finally asked, all the while staying in his arms.

Luke was silent then moved to sit on the edge of his bed. “I was hurt at first, Lorelai. I’ll admit that, but…I really did understand. We’ve had such an open relationship for so long, since you came to Stars Hollow, we’re comfortable with each other.” He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “You don’t have to be strong with me, in front of each other we both can let go and I guess, when I first happened you didn’t really feel you could.”

Lorelai nodded, “And when I finally could I knew you’d be there. I realized then how much I take for granted I never said or did some of the things I wanted to with my parents and when I thought about you, us…I didn’t want to repeat that mistake.” Her voice fell off and she moved to join Luke on the edge of the bed. He kissed her and pulled her into his lap.

“I know your feelings, Lorelai. I truly do,” Luke replied. “I know you love me or you’d never have agreed to marry me. You have nothing to worry about or be sorry for. I love you and I think you’re incredible.” Luke smiled and kissed her.

“Good,” Lorelai replied. “Because I need coffee.”

From that moment on things returned to normal around Stars Hollow. Lorelai was seen at Luke’s every day and the couple’s wedding plans began to take shape again. Lorelai still had times when she missed her parents and regretted not settling more with them before the accident happened, but all in all she was recovering well.

Rory returned to Yale right after Lorelai recovered from her intense but thank to Jess short lived depression. Jess transferred his credits to Southern Connecticut State and he and Rory saw each other every weekend and on Wednesday nights. Rory kept her journalism major, but added on some intense Literature classes. Jess majored in psychology realizing when he decided to be a nice guy, he really could help people. In that, it seemed Jess’ grandfather’s words were true. Out of Emily and Richard’s tragic deaths, came a beautiful light.



Before anyone realized it, five years had gone by.

Luke and Lorelai married in the spring after Emily and Richard’s death. Almost one year exactly from their first official kiss. Lorelai was happy that day, but felt a pang of regret that her parents were not there to share it with her.

Luke gently reminded her both sets of parents, his and hers were present in spirit and the couple agreed to set up photographs of their parents at the ceremony.

There wasn’t a dry eye in the house when Lorelai and Luke, Stars Hollow’s own “royal couple” said their vows and finally became sealed in matrimony.

Lorelai smiled at the raindrops that fell even so slightly a she and Luke danced, and Lane appropriately changed the music from Luke and Lorelai’s song, Reflecting Light to a sweet country turn, Holes in the Floor of Heaven.

Three years later, Lorelai still had the tune in memorized and she often hummed it to her baby boy Evan once he was born. Sometimes Luke would get his guitar out and pick along. Emily and Richard as well as Luke’s parents were very much apart of young Evan’s life. Lorelai wouldn’t have it any other way.

As for Rory and Jess, they were still pulling strong. Jess proposed not long after Evan was born but the couple decided on a long engagement. They were married in August after Rory and Jess graduated. Rory’s two year old brother serving as ring bearer. He nearly stole the show away from the happy couple.

Rory started working as a political correspondent for the Hartford Herald. It wasn’t her dream job, but it turned out to be because it let her be with Jess.

Jess graduated with honors from Southern Connecticut State with a psychology degree. He planned to get his Masters and turn Richard and Emily’s old house into the Gilmore Foundation Respite for Troubled Teens. The dream was a long way off, but it was within his reach.

It seemed they all got what the dreamt of. Luke got Lorelai, Lorelai got Luke and her inn, Rory got Jess and her job as a reporter and Jess got Rory and so much more.

Now as he stood beside Rory’s hospital bed and watched his wife nurse their new son, Lucas Richard Mariano he couldn’t help but send up a prayer of thanks to not only God but to Emily and Richard, for their passing made this all possible and Jess was sense wherever they were, they were glad their paved paradise yielded so much more than a parking lot.




Holes in the Floor of Heaven lyrics


One day shy of eight years old,
When grandma passed away.
I was a broken hearted little boy,
Blowing out that birthday cake.
How I cried when the sky let go,
With a cold lonesome rain.
My mom smiled, said: "Don't be sad child.
"Grandma's watching you today." "'Cos there's holes in the floor of Heaven,
"And her tears are pouring down.
"That's how you know she's watching,
"Wishing she could be here now.
"An' sometimes if you're lonely,
"Just remember she can see.
"There's holes in the floor of Heaven
"And she's watching over you and me." Seasons come and seasons go,
Nothing stays the same.
I grew up, fell in love,
Met a girl who took my name.
Year by year, we made a life,
In this sleepy little town.
I thought we'd grow old together,
Lord, I sure do miss her now. But there's holes in the floor of Heaven,
And her tears are pouring down.
That's how I know she's watching,
Wishing she could be here now.
An' sometimes when I'm lonely,
I remember she can see.
There's holes in the floor of Heaven,
And she's watching over you and me. Well my little girl is 23,
I walk her down the aisle.
It's a shame her Mom can't be here now,
To see her lovely smile.
They throw the rice, I catch her eye,
As the rain starts coming down.
She takes my hand; says: "Daddy don't be sad,
'Cos I know Mama's watching now." "And there's holes in the floor of Heaven
"And her tears are pouring down.
"That's how you know she's watching,
"Wishing she could be here now.
"An' sometimes when I'm lonely,
"I just remember she can see.
"Yes, there's holes in the floor of Heaven,
"And she's watching over you and me." Watching over you and me. Watching over you and me. Watching over you and me.

~*~ Lorelai Gilmore, disapointing mothers since 1968 ~*~
#32

sooo schön Wub am Ende wendet sich alles doch noch zum Guten... Wub Wub

Sometimes in life you find a special friend: someone who changes your life by being part of it Smile
Stolzes Mitglied der JavaJunkies ~ 'Cause There Was A Moment
Proud member of the "Rory und Jess - Never ending love" - Club!!! Big kisses to the others Wink
[Bild: clubbanner.jpg]
#33

Echt eine super Story. Wie heisst das Lied das am ende steht und von wem ist es?

EDIT: Ok sorry, hab nur mal wieder flüchtig drüber gelesen. Wär dann schon alles geklärt Smile

[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
Never give up on a miracle


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