[Samah]

wann gehts weiter?

[ordinary]

weiter bitte... am besten gleich jetzt

der teil war so :heul: ....

hehe ich hab schon 3 weitere kapitel gelesen *gg*...

@liz wie viele kapitel der story hast du denn?
mehr als 10? wenn ja beeil dich mit em posten... das letzte kapitel das ich jetzt gelesen hab war "The Jess solution PtA"

[LizEvans]

@ordinary Mit The Jess Solution sind es doch erst 6 Kapitel, oder?


Paved Paradise: Aftermath


Disclaimer: I do not own.

Also, the Jess you see in the later parts of this story is a more mature Jess than we've seen on the show. Keep that in mind as you read. Please send feedback.

“Luke! Mom! I’m home!” Rory called, dropping her purse by the door.

“Ssh,” Luke put a finger to his lips. “Your Mom is still asleep.”

“Really?” She never sleeps in the middle of the day.” Rory said, taking off her shoes.

“Yeah, but I doubt she’s slept at all in the last few days. Where’s Jess?”

“Nice switch,” Rory smiled. “He went back to the diner. He said it stopped raining so you could walk back when you were ready.”

“Okay.” Luke sighed. “I really should go back. We’ve been open so irregularly and…” Luke shook his head, trailing off.

“Luke, practically all of Stars Hollow was at my grandparents’ funeral,” Rory pointed out. “By the way, you were great out there today, with my Mom.”

Luke shrugged, “She needed me. I was there.”

Rory leaned up and put her arms around Luke’s neck. That surprised him, she didn’t usually show him much affection, “You’re always there, Luke. Thank you.”

Luke put his arms around Rory and held her tightly, “Anything for you and your Mom, Rory. You know that.”

Their hug broke and Luke went to the kitchen, “Coffee?”

“Please,” Rory agreed getting cups while Luke started the coffee and heated the kettle for tea.

“So, um, how are you handling everything?” Like asked, dipping his tea bag up and down once the water had boiled.

“Pretty good, I think,” Rory replied. “Easier every day, and easier with Jess being back.”

“That’s part of what I meant,” Luke said. “How are you with Jess being here?”

“Considering I called him in New York and begged him to come home, leave his job, his apartment…”

“Whoa, whoa, Rory, I wasn’t questioning your decision to do that, but I was sort of wondering…”

“Why I did it?” Rory finished.

“Well, yeah,” Luke replied.

Rory stopped her pacing around the kitchen and sat down at the table. “I don’t know. I guess it started the day of Liz’s wedding. Jess showed up at my dorm and asked me to move away with him. Of course, I said no and I’m afraid I was rather mean to him. I think I really hurt him. Anyway, before I told him no, he told me I could count on him. For some reason, those words came back to me when,” she paused, “it happened.”

“Jess grew up in Venice Beach and he really grew up in New York,” Luke commented. “Where are you two…I mean is there a future?”

Rory shrugged, “I don’t know. I guess that’s up to Jess.”

The phone rang then and Rory made a dive for it so it wouldn’t wake Lorelai. “Hello,” she greeted. “Oh, hi Jess. Yeah, hold on, he’s right here.” With a small frown, Rory handed the phone to Luke.

“Hello,” he said, then listened. “How could we be out of bread? Just go to Doose’s and get some.” A pause. “Still?” Another pause. “Fine, I’ll be right there.”

Luke put the phone back in it’s cradle. “I have to go to the diner, we ran out of bread and Taylor won’t let Jess in the market when he’s there.”

“Still banned, huh?” Rory smiled a bit.

“Yep,” Luke sighed.

Rory could tell by the look on Luke’s face that there was nothing he wanted to do more than stay there and wait for Lorelai to wake up, but his business had to be his first priority. Rory tried to make it easier on him. “Don’t worry,” she told him. “I’ll take care of her.”

Luke gently ran a finger down Rory’s cheek. “I know you will. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

With that, Luke left Rory who headed to her room to change out of her funeral clothes and to retrieve a new book. She had a lot to consider and think about, however, so she got very little reading done.

Foremost, Jess was back in her life. Was that a permanent thing? Or now that the trauma passed, would he leave again? Did she want him to stay? Of course she did. They had said their “I love yous” and past mistakes were long forgiven. They had a life together now, they had a future. Rory was sure of that.

Rory sighed; glad her part of the decision was made. She’d talk it all over with Jess tomorrow. She would make sure he understood her feelings and would seek his intentions. He had been quiet on the drive home from Hartford when they had gone to get the truck. Rory feared he was misunderstanding her messages. She was afraid that he thought they were over again.

A blood curdling scream jolted Rory out of her musings. Startled, it took her a moment to realize it was Lorelai that was its source or that Luke’s name was the one she was crying out.

Rory jolted at her mother’s third cry and ran up to the bedroom. Lorelai was sitting up in bed, her head in her hands, and her elbows on her knees, sobbing hysterically.

“Mom,” Rory called encircling her mother in her arms, “Mom, its okay. It’s all right.”

“No,” she sobbed, “No, it’s not. It’ll never be all right again. He’s gone, he’s gone.”

Rory rubbed her mother’s back in soothing circles, “I know,” she consoled. She had felt that way too. “I know you’ll miss Grandma and Grandpa.”

“No, no, no…” Lorelai cried, “Not, not them. Luke. I’ll never see him again or hold…he’ll never know…”

Lorelai’s hysterics were scaring Rory. What on earth was she talking about? “Mom,” Rory said gently, “Luke’s fine. He’s just fine. He’s at the diner with Jess.”

Lorelai stopped her sobbing and pulled back from Rory’s embrace, anger in her blue eyes. “Don’t say that! Don’t lie to me like that, about that.”

“Mom, I’m not…It was a dream, just a dream…” Rory tried to pull Lorelai back into her arms. Lorelai resisted her comfort, rolled on her side, and sobbed into what had become Luke’s pillow uttering words Rory couldn’t make out.

“It was only a dream, Mom,” she tried again. “I’ll prove it.”

Quickly Rory dialed Luke’s number and prayed he would be able to come back.

Luke left Lorelai’s cursing Taylor. He should be at Lorelai’s ready to console her the minute she needed it, ready to get her coffee or make her pancakes, not on his way across town to deal with a stupid ornery old shopkeeper who had it in for his nephew. He promised her that he would be there and now he wasn’t going to be there.

On the way to the diner, Luke picked up some bread and rolls at the market, before proceeding to settle disturbed customers. When things did calm down Jess asked, “How’s Lorelai?”

“She’s still asleep. I just…she’s come undone before…” Luke paused. He wanted to say something to Jess. “Jess, I’m proud of you.”

Jess blushed. “You don’t have to…”

“Yes, I do,” Luke said in a whisper. “I am very proud of the mature way you’ve handled yourself. Rory really needed you.”

Jess nodded. “I told her she could count on me. And she can. Even after I go back to…”

The ringing of the telephone cut Jess off and kept Luke from really processing what Jess had said. “Luke’s,” he answered in his customary bark.

“Luke, its Rory. You have to come home.” She sounded frantic.

“Why? What happened?” Luke asked. He knew he shouldn’t have left Lorelai, he knew it.

“It’s Mom. She had some dream and she’s crying. I think the dream was about you. She just keeps saying your name over and over,” Rory blurted out. “I can’t make her stop. I…”

“I’m on my way,” Luke told Rory. “Everything is going to be fine.” Those words seemed to calm her. Once Rory started breathing more normally, Luke handed the phone to Jess as he left the diner without explaining to anyone.

“Hello, Rory,” Jess spoke evenly. “Luke just ran out of here. Are you okay?”

“My Mom’s really freaked out. She just wants Luke,” Rory told him.

“Does that upset you?” he asked, tucking the phone between his chin and his shoulder so he could refill some of the customers coffee cups.

“No. I mean, I know what it’s like. I only wanted you when I heard,” Rory replied.

Jess’ body ached with the question, “What about now?” He was afraid to bring that up right now though. Rory had more important things on her mind than that issue. They did however need to talk about some things, some things like Dean. He’d let it go, but it was time now to address it. He didn’t want that between them after he went back to New York. “Rory, um, I’m going to go. There’s so much to do here, but we really need to talk about some stuff. Can you meet me at the bridge tomorrow around two o’clock?”

“Sure,” Rory replied. “I’ll make us a basket.”

Remembering her last basket he smiled. “No thanks. I’ve got that covered.”

Rory was never so glad to see anyone as she was to see Luke. Lorelai’s sobs could be heard as soon as he walked in the house. Taking the steps two at a time, he went to her.

Lorelai felt the bed shift, but instead of looking up, she held Luke’s pillow closer.

“Lorelai,” Luke said softly, stroking her soft hair. “I’m here, Lor. I’m here.”

“No,” she sobbed into the pillow. “Luke, I’m so sorry.”

“Lorelai I’m…” Luke tried again, “look at me.” Gently, he touched her shoulder and forced her to turn around so her red, swollen eyes could meet his. If she could look into his eyes, she would see he was real, he was fine, and her fears were only in her dreams.

When they made eye contact, the wretched heartbroken sobs stopped and Lorelai sat up throwing her arms around Luke.

“Luke.” She began to cry again. “It’s really you. You’re alive, you’re fine…”

Luke held her close and rocked her back and forth in a soothing rhythm. “Of course it’s me. You think I wouldn’t’ be here for my girl?”

Lorelai sniffed, “It was so horrible, Luke.”

He ran his thumb across her cheek. “What was?”

“My dream,” she said. “I mean I guess it was a dream since you’re here, but it seemed so real.”

Luke kissed the top of her head, “Tell me.”

Lorelai took a deep breath and sniffed, “We were in the cemetery burying my parents and after the funeral we went back to the Inn and you went to the diner and…that’s when it got really horrible. Some…someone hhi..tt and you…” She held him so tight he couldn’t breathe, “I love you so much, Luke. I can’t lose you too.”

“I love you, too Baby,” he replied. “You’ll never lose me. I’ll always be with you, Lorelai.” Luke had been saying baby a lot lately. Lorelai hated it but when he held her like this, so small and vulnerable, it slipped off his tongue. What bothered him was she didn’t seem to notice.

“Don’t leave me alone again, Luke,” she begged. “Not ever. Promise me.”

He didn’t know what to say to that. Logically he’d have to leave her sight again, but for now he told her what she needed to hear, “I promise. Are you hungry?” Luke knew she hadn’t eaten at all that day.

She yawned, suddenly exhausted. “No.” It was small and far away sounding. “I want to lie down again.”

Luke gently helped her down and tucked her blankets around her shoulder, “You should eats soon. You want some coffee? A danish?”

Again, she shook her head. “No, I just…I just want you, Luke.”

“You’ve got me,” he replied. “But are you sure there’s nothing I can do for you?”

“Um, can you hold me?” she asked quietly, seeming unsure.

Luke slipped off his shoes and slid onto the bed. “As long as you need me too.”

Lorelai cuddled up next to Luke’s chest. Before she drifted off to sleep she softly whispered, “Forever then.”

Luke gently ran through her hair, soothing her as best he could with his touch. When she uttered those soft words, Luke sighed. His Lorelai was strong, capable, and incredibly independent. So much so that it sometimes hurt his feelings how little she needed him. The Lorelai he held now…he’d have to wait and see. Until then, until an answer came, he’d do as he was now. He’d hold her, love her, and if she needed him to, he’d shelter her. That after all, was what he did when he loved someone and he could never love anyone more than his Lorelai.


The next afternoon Rory waited at the bridge for Jess to arrive. It was all ready ten past two. He was late, but the diner was shorthanded so she wouldn’t worry. Anyway, the new Jess wasn’t the type to stand her up.

Jess had been helping out so much since here grandparents’ deaths. He took over at the diner when Luke was needed at home. He kept her up as best he could. He even got over his fear of speaking in front of crowds to read her grandfather’s eulogy when she was too overcome to finish the tribute. He was showing the world the man she always knew he was.

Rory sat lost in thoughts about Jess. He’d become such a wonderful, mature man in only a few short months. She loved him like that. Who was she kidding? She loved him period.

“Penny for them?” Jess greeted sitting down beside Rory. “You were a million miles away.”

“I’m sorry. I have a lot on my mind,” Rory said. “You’re late.”

“I know. I had to give Caesar and Lane breaks first,” Jess replied. “How’s your Mom?”

Rory shook her head. “Not good. I don’t think she let Luke out of her sight long enough to go to the bathroom last night.”

“Luke can handle it. He wants to help her,” Jess assured Rory. “But the diner…”

“Jess, I go back to school on Monday, but if you need help at the diner my classes are usually done by three o’clock. I could commute back here and help out for a few days. I was probably going to do that anyway,” Rory told him.

“I’ll see,” said Jess. “Maybe your Mom will be feeling better by then.”

“I hope so. It’s so…she’s not usually like that,” Rory said. “I mean yeah, she can definitely lose it, but they weren’t even that close.”

Jess sighed, ‘Maybe…never mind. You want to eat?”

“I never say no to a Jess burger,” Rory smiled.

Jess unpacked their lunch and he and Rory ate in silence. He wanted to address what he’d overheard the night of the wake, between her and Dean. She wanted to address her feelings for him and ensure he was here to stay.

Rory broke the silence. “Jess, I want you to know…to realize how much it meant to me to have you here during all of this.”

“I know, Rory,” Jess replied. “I told you that you could count on me now. You can, even after I got back to New York. I will be here for you.”

“New York? I thought…I should have realized. You hate Stars Hollow. You’d never want to stay here.” Rory tried to sound indifferent and fight her tears.

“Rory…”Jess began. “Don’t be upset. I know we shared a lot this week. I told you how I feel about you. I told you that I love you and that isn’t going to change. I’ve loved you since that day on the street when I returned the book that I “borrowed.” He made the quotes with his fingers.

“Then why? If you love me and I love you why are you leaving?” Rory asked, confused.

“Because…Rory, I know.” Jess said.

“You know?” She repeated, confused.

“I know. I heard you and Dean talking at the funeral home Thursday. I didn’t want to say anything then, but Rory,” Jess sighed. “I can’t do this again. I can’t compete with him and lose again. I can’t.”

“You don’t have to compete with him. It’s not him that I want and after that night, I knew that. I knew once and for all that after we… after he promised so many things and reneged on them, I knew that I could never love him the…I could never…” Rory stopped for breath.

“What, Rory? Spit it out, just say it,” Jess implored her.

“I knew that I could never love him the way that I love you. I knew what I did was so wrong, but…” Rory trailed off and studied the old wood of the bridge.

Jess reached out with a long finger and lifted her chin. “Rory, why didn’t you say anything to me about it? I mean, we’ve done so much talking this week, so much soul searching. Why did you leave that part out?”

It was true. They had done a lot of talking. They had talked about their lives as they were not. She had talked about Yale and Paris, about how it was to live with Luke, and about how much she regretted rejecting Jess that day. He had talked about his job as a messenger, what he was really using that money for, his life in the New York flat with seven other guys. He had told her about his life, his exploits, and the way he couldn’t touch or kiss another woman with uttering her name. So why had she left out the fact she slept with Dean. With Jess’ sordid past, he wouldn’t rebuke her for it.

Rory’s throat close and tears began to fall from her eyes, “Because I was ashamed,” she admitted. “I thought I really loved him. I thought he loved me and that he would do all the things he said he’d do. But he didn’t. I didn’t want you to know what an idiot I’d been or that I’d been with someone else’s husband.”

She said that last word on a sob and Jess pulled her into his arms. He sat with her face buried in his chest and rocked her back and forth. “Rory, you screwed up. It’s okay to screw up. I’m the king of doing that. You don’t have to feel bad about it or embarrassed by it. But you should have told me Rory; especially since we were telling each other so much.”

Rory pulled out of his embrace, “I’m sorry, Jess. I know that I…”

Rory never got to finish her sentence. Jess’ lips were on hers kissing her with passion, love, and forgiveness. “You know, they say you never forget the first time you have sex,” he told her.

“I know,” she whispered, leaning in for another kiss.

“You know what else I be we won’t forget?” Jess asked her, teasing her with little pecks between his words.

“What?” she asked, nearly breathless with the incredible feelings running through her.

“The first time we make love. I’ve been with women Rory, but I’ve never made love. I want to make love to you. I want the first time I give that much to someone…I want it to be you.” Jess had never said so much before. It was hard to imagine him romantic like that. But this was the way of their very special bond. He could always say what she needed to hear, even if he’d once thought words like that were stupid.

“Jess, I don’t know if I’m…”

Jess cut her off with a shake of his head. “Not now, Rory. Not for a long time maybe. When we’re ready, when we’re both ready, that’s when it will happen.”

Rory hugged Jess fiercely and kissed his on the mouth. “So you’re not going back to New York?” she asked.

Jess sighed. “I have to go back temporarily to see what credits I can transfer to Southern Connecticut State, but no, I want to be near you and if that means Stars Hollow…”

Rory shrieked with joy and hugged him again. After a minute, it dawned on her what he’d said about transferring credits. “Jess are you enrolled in college?”

Jess blushed and nodded, “Yep. I figured I had to do something with my life. I’m taking a bunch of psychology courses. I want to…I want to do what Uncle Luke did for me only without the water torture.”

Rory laughed, “So you’ll be Dr. Jess then huh?”

“Don’t mock it. Look at that Phil guy, and I think I’m much better looking.”

Rory laughed again and she and Jess finished their lunch and walked back to the diner. They were greeted by a frazzled Lane. “Thank God you’re back. I’m going crazy here. When’s Luke coming back?”

Rory sighed. That meant things weren’t better at home yet. “I better go check on my Mom. Come over later okay?” she asked Jess.

“Sure, I’m closing at eight. See you then.”

Rory left the diner and darted home as fast as possible. She walked in to find the the downstairs was still empty. Her mother had probably been in bed the entire day. She heard Luke’s voice, speaking gently to Lorelai. She couldn’t make out his words and she didn’t want to intrude. Luke was handling the situation nicely.

Truth be told, Luke wasn’t handling the situation at all. He couldn’t stand seeing Lorelai like this. And he had the diner to run. She was so crippled by her fears that he couldn’t leave her alone in the room with constantly talking to her so that she knew he was okay. If she didn’t snap out of this in a few days, he’d have to call the doctor.

“Lorelai,” Luke coaxed. “Come on, just eat a little bit of the muffin. It’s chocolate fudge. Your favorite.”

Lorelai didn’t respond to him, she just lay in the bed, covers to her chin. Luke kept trying.

“Lor, I know what you’re going through is really hard, but you can’t just lie down and die, Babe. You have to go on. You have to move on.”

“I can go on from this?” She says it like a question.

“Yeah, Lorelai. You can move on from anything. It’ll hurt, but I’ll be here and Rory.” He smoothed back her hair.

“What if something like…like my parents…happened to you. Could I move on then?” She asked looking him in the eye for the first time.

“Sure. It would take while, but sure you could.” Luke told her gently and prayed he’d said the right thing. “But nothing is going to happen to me Lorelai. Nothing at all.”

“Nothing,” she whispered into the blanket.

“That’s right,” Luke told her. “Nothing.”

Lorelai seemed to finally accept that assurance so Luke moved on to the next phase of his plan. Of course, this was a plan he was making up as he went along.

“So, do you think that tomorrow you could sleep in a bit while I go to the diner then…”

“No!” Lorelai’s reply was swift and sharp. “No, no, no…you promised not to leave me alone. You promised, Luke.”

Luke sighed and held her close as she started crying once again, “I know, Baby. I know.”

[Lillian]

meeeeeeeeeeehr, meeeeeeeeeeeehr! Ich kann den nächsten Teil schon gar nicht mehr abwarten abber: ...

[ordinary]

@liz
bei fanfiction.net sind ein paar der kapitel geteil z.b Aftermath A/Aftermath B, daher 10.

hoffentlich schreibt, die autorin *namegradnichteinfällt* bald weiter
die story ist echt so genial...


achso, für die von euch die gern J/R Storys lesen - lest auf fanfiction.net "Finding Home" von AirborneGirl, ebenfalls auf englisch aber auch super schön

[Josefine]

Hoffentlich gehts bald weiter die FF ist nämlich suuuper!!!

[LizEvans]

Wir sollten ihr ne Mail schicken und sie bitten mehr zu schreiben!!!



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.

[ordinary]

ich find den teil klasse


hmm ich hab bei ff.net ne review geschrieben, das dürfte genau so gut sein

[***Nati***]

wann gehts weiter? Finde diese FF einfach klasse *gggg*

[LizEvans]

Leider hab ich nicht mehr Teile vin der FF, aber vielleicht kann ich noch irgendwo welche auftreiben, wenn es sie schon gibt.