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Paved Paradise: The Jess Solution

By: LadyCommish


Things went on that way for a week. Luke, by Wednesday, managed to coax Lorelai out of the bedroom, but he still couldn’t convince her to eat more than the smallest amount of food, and under no circumstances would she let him out of her sight for five minutes. She couldn’t go on like this, this path was too destructive, yet he didn’t know what he should do.

By Friday, Luke was fed up. He loved Lorelai and he was glad that she wanted him to support her and that she needed him to love her. He was glad that she loved him that much, and truth be told he’d be devastated if something happened to her, so he understood, that at this time in her life she needed to be assured that nothing would happen to him or to Rory.

Still, this path was dangerous and he had to do something to get her over it. He’d tried love, he’d tried coaxing, and he’d tried making deals, so far, nothing worked. It was time to call in the big guns. It was time to consult with Rory and Jess.

On Friday night, after a large pizza with everything for Lorelai, Rory, and Jess and a deluxe green salad for Luke, Lorelai went upstairs to take a shower. She was okay now when everyone was home. She could go to the next room without having a panic attack or breaking down in sobs, but she still couldn’t bear to have Luke or Rory out of her sight or at least her earshot.

Once Luke heard the shower in the upstairs bathroom turn on, he stopped doing the dishes and went into the kitchen to talk to Jess and Rory.

“Rory. Jess. I need to talk to you,” Luke said, his face serious.

Rory sat up a bit straighter and shook herself out of Jess’ embrace, “What up, Luke?”

“Rory, it’ll be a week tomorrow since…and you’re Mom isn’t getting any better. She’s getting worse actually. I just don’t know what to do anymore and I was wondering if you have any ideas?”

“Luke, I know taking care of Mom has been hard for you…”

“That’s not it Rory. I love your mother, I want to take care of her, but the woman up there in the shower is not the woman that I love,” Luke pointed out. “And she’s not the woman that raised you either.”

Rory felt her throat close up with emotion. The wounds of losing both her grandparents were still fresh and the stress of her mother, her rock solid mother, falling to pieces was getting to her. Jess sensed her sudden sadness and put his arm around her. “I know that,” Rory managed. “How do we get her back?”

“I don’t know, Kid. I’ve done everything I know to do. I’ve held her and reassured her but nothing seems to take. I’m at my wits end and I don’t know what to do anymore.”

Jess listened to Luke go through the litany of things that he had done to try and help Lorelai. He had played right into her delusions. If he stayed with her, there was no way he could prove to her with certainty that going out into the world was not any more dangerous than it had been before the accident. The accident had just made it hit closer to home. Jess knew of a way, he knew of a way that had once worked on his friends Martin’s mother when his father died. Tough love, no more of this gentle cuddling and coddling that Luke was doing.

“I think I have an idea,” Jess said quietly. “And I’m pretty sure it will work. I’m also pretty sure neither one of you is going to like it.”

Rory looked up at him, “Whatever it is it has to be better than going on like this.”

“What is it, Jess?” Luke asked, not surprised that he would have an idea. He’d seen a lot in New York.

“It’s going to be hard on you,” Jess told him. “It’s going to be hard on both of you. What you’re doing now, trying to accommodate Lorelai, trying to make her feel secure is nice and sweet, but obviously it’s not working.”

“What else do you want me to do? I can’t just leave her, I mean she…”

Jess cut Luke off. You have to leave her Luke. You have to leave her to me. She has to see that you can go out to the diner or to the store and come back fine. You too, Rory. This isn’t going to be easy on either of you. You both love her, and you’re both too close to do what she needs right now. You are going to have to trust me on this. I’ve seen it work.”

“What do you want us to do, Jess?” Luke asked.

“I want you, Uncle Luke, to go to the diner tomorrow to open up. Take Rory with you,” Jess instructed.

“No,” Luke shook his head to veto the idea. “I can’t do that to her. I can’t leave her here by herself. I don’t know what she’d do. Sometimes she wakes up and I swear Jess she doesn’t know if things were dreams or reality.”

“She won’t be alone, Luke. I’ll be here with her. You two are two close to this. What Lorelai needs is a swift kick in the ass and I’m just the person to give it to her,” Jess declared rising from his seat on the couch. “I know this is hurting you, Uncle Luke, and I know its murder on Rory. She’s hurting too and she needs her mother. Lorelai and I are not friends, but I think I can get her to listen to me. Just give me one chance. If it doesn’t work, we’ll think of something else.”

Luke thought for a minute. He read about what Jess was describing. Tough love, they called it. He only wondered how his nephew who less than a year ago couldn’t stand the sight of him came to know about such a thing and how he came to be so mature.

“How do you know about this Jess?” Luke asked.

“My friend Martin lost his Dad and his mom really flipped out,” Jess explained. “They had to do something to snap her out of it and the lovey crap was not working so they tried a sterner approach. Snapped her right out of it, let me tell you,” Jess declared.

Rory twirled her hair around on her finger, “I don’t know, Jess. I mean, what if it makes her even worse?”

“Did your way make her any better?” Jess countered. “Rory, you have to trust me on this. Please.”

Rory slowly nodded her head. She did trust Jess. She knew he’d never do anything to hurt her and to hurt Lorelai was by extension hurting her. “All right, Jess. It’s okay with me if it’s okay with Luke.”

“Uncle Luke?” Jess waited for Luke’s answer.

“How many self help books did you read in New York Jess?” Luke asked.

“Self help books?” Rory looked at him curiously. “Did you read self help books?”

“One self help book and I never live it down,” Jess rolled his eyes. “No, but I started school again and I talked to the counselor there. She really helped me see that all I had to do to get…” He paused and looked at Rory. “All I had to do to get what I wanted was to grow up and act like a person instead of an ass whole. Combine that with a bunch of entry level psych courses and here I am. When you called me, that’s when I saw a chance to put that into action. The book was me at your dorm that night; this…this is experience and maybe it’s just…this is our last shot.”

Luke sighed. He trusted Jess. The kid was nothing if not smart and nothing he’d tried had worked. Luke sighed. “All right. I suppose you can give it a try.”

It was decided that Jess would stay over the house that night on the couch. Luke would of course stay up with Lorelai in her room and Rory would stay in hers.

“Now, I’ll probably be awake around five a.m. I’ll wake you after I get done showering,” Luke told Rory and Jess.

“Won’t the shower wake Lorelai?” Jess asked.

“Nope,” said Rory. “A marching band running through here wouldn’t wake her up.”

“It’s settled then. No one says anything. Business as usual tonight,” Luke recapped.

“No,” Jess interjected. “When she wakes up tonight, comfort her, but don’t let her cling. Comfort her, reassure her, and tell her to go back to sleep. Don’t hang onto her and coddle her…”

“I always sleep with my arms around her,” Luke interjected.

“Way more information that I needed,” Jess replied. “Just don’t over kill it, okay.”

Luke nodded and heard Lorelai’s voice call from the bedroom. “Luke? Luke, where are you?”

“That’s me. I better get to bed. It’ll be an early day tomorrow,” Luke said taking his leave. “You both best get to bed too. Five will be here before you know it.”

Luke went upstairs to Lorelai and Rory could hear her mother crying softly. She knew that it would kill Luke to leave tomorrow and not know how she would take his absence. Rory did trust Jess though. She trusted him with her heart, her body, and she’d trust him with her mother. If he couldn’t help her, he would say so. But if he could, things could finally start to return to normal.

Rory and Jess watched TV for another hour, holding each other, before she went to bed. Jess kissed her on the lips gentle and whispered, “I love you,” before he sent her off to bed.

Upstairs, Luke lay awake with Lorelai in his arms. He didn’t mention the plan to Lorelai when they went to bed and only part of it was because Jess said he shouldn’t. The other part was because he knew that if Lorelai started to cry and asked him to stay with her; he wouldn’t be able to deny her.

Luke held Lorelai closer that night than he even had. He prayed to every being he’d ever heard of, God, Jesus, every Saint and every prophet that Jess’ plan worked. He also thanked every entity for the precious angel in his arms.

Luke could feel Lorelai stirring in her sleep. He knew what was coming. It had come every night, two or three times, since the day of her parents’ funerals. He hated seeing her like that. It had to end.

Luke smoothed Lorelai’s hair as she began to sob in her sleep. Soon she’d wake up screaming his name. It was usually his name anyway. Sometimes it was Rory, and even once, it was Jess, but usually it was his name she cried out. He tried to remember what Jess said. Tough love. No coddling or cradling, tough love.

Lorelai walked to the diner as she had done every day for nearly fifteen years. It was early yet, but Luke had promised to close up early and take her to Gerrino’s for dinner. It was their first anniversary and Luke had agreed to take her there to celebrate. He’d even agreed to wear a neck tie. That would be his gift to her. She only hoped he’d love her gift to him. She couldn’t keep from putting a hand on her stomach as she continued to the diner.


Lorelai could sense something was wrong before she even turned down the street. She could see a crowd of people around the front of the diner, police cars, a fire engine and an ambulance were all parked haphazardly around the street.


“Luke! No!” she cried as she broke into a run. She was too late. She saw the medics lifting the blood soaked sheet that was covering Luke’s broken body over his face. He was gone. She’d lost him. She had no one now.


“Luke! Luke!” Lorelai cried out sitting up in bed.

Luke sat up next to her and gently touched her shoulder. “I’m here, Lorelai. You’re okay.”

“OH, it was so real,” she sighed. “It was only a dream,” she said and looked to him for confirmation. “Or is this a dream?”

Luke gently kissed her forehead, “No, this is real, Lorelai. I’m here and you’re safe.”

Lorelai reached for him, “Let me…”

Luke let her hold him for a moment. She was crying and while her tears tore him up he tried to remember what Jess had said. “Comfort her, and then set her on her own. Set your limits and don’t blur the line.” Where had he heard that before? Lorelai. Lorelai on Jess.

Luke rubbed Lorelai’s back a minute then kissed her forehead and pulled away. “It’s okay. Lie back down.”

“Luke, I…” Lorelai began.

“Lorelai, it’s all right. Now lie down and go to sleep. I’m tired and I need to go to sleep.” Luke cut her off.

“I keep having such dreams,” Lorelai sighed obliging Luke by lying down. She burrowed close to his chest and he let her nuzzle. That always happened, even before so he allowed the gesture.

“Go to sleep,” Luke repeated before kissing her cheek and finally finding a fitful sleep for himself.