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Jess stood by the sink, drinking his glass of water and looking out into the night. It had been years since he'd lived in this apartment and a lot had changed. His old bed had belonged to his kid cousin longer than it was ever his, and his uncle seemed to have redecorated a bit so it wasn't so gloomy and brown in there anymore. Still, there was a strange nostalgia to be back in the apartment above his uncle's diner, even if it was because there was a family emergency.
His uncle's fiancée's father had had a heart attack. He'd had a few others over the years, but this one seemed to be especially bad, and all signs pointed towards the end being near. Jess had gotten a call from his Uncle Luke early that morning, asking him to drive to Stars Hollow and watch the diner for a few days while Luke stayed with Lorelai at the hospital in Hartford. Jess didn't even hesitate to agree and was on the road faster than he ever thought he could be. In three hours' time, he was back in the crazy town that had once felt like a prison sentence. Now, though, almost fifteen years later, it felt a little like coming home. Not that he would ever admit that out loud.
Jess was having trouble sleeping. Last he had heard, Richard Gilmore was in bad shape and surgery wasn't an option this time as his frail body wouldn't be able to handle the recovery. But that update was sent in a quick text almost twenty-four hours ago, and since then Jess's anxiety had continued to rise. He never expected to feel so concerned about Lorelai's father, but over the years he'd gotten to know him at family events and holidays. He was a decent man who cared deeply for his family, his work, and his literature. He was practically family at this point, though it was by a strange and long series of connections. Plus, Jess worried deeply what Richard's death would do – to both Lorelai, and…
Jess wandered aimlessly through the dark apartment, trying to find ways to either keep himself busy or to help him get some sleep. Between the worry and the weird nostalgia of being back, he was fighting a battle against insomnia and the insomnia was winning. He found himself at the window, just gazing at the town square and vaguely reminiscing. When he checked his phone, squinting at the bright screen, and saw that it was just after four in the morning and groaned inwardly, realizing he'd have to open the diner in less than two hours. Hoping some sleep was better than none, he decided to attempt some shuteye and, finishing the glass of water, turned away from the window to walk back towards his bed.
He turned back suddenly when a figure near the gazebo caught his eye.
He squinted into the dimly lit town square, trying to make out the shape of the person.
His stomach dropped as he recognized the forlorn-looking woman staring into the darkness with her arms folded across her chest.
If she was here, it could only mean one thing.
Jess abandoned his glass in the sink and quickly pulled on some sweatpants, a hoodie, and some sneakers. He practically ran down the steps and out into the town square before slowing his pace as he approached her.
He raised his hand to place it on her shoulder but hesitated, letting it hover a few inches away from her, for fear that sheer touch would lead her to break.
"Rory?"
She slowly turned and looked up at him unblinkingly. She had deep, dark circles under her eyes and her hair was pulled up in a careless ponytail, wisps falling down around her face. There was no thought behind her eyes and the lack of life in her deeply unnerved Jess, so used to seeing her full of joy and spark. That spark was gone.
"Are you…" he paused, trying to gauge her. "Are you okay?" he asked quietly.
She continued to stare at him with a glazed over expression, her face pale and eyes wide, before she blinked and squinted at him confusedly.
"Jess?" she said hoarsely.
"Yeah," Jess said, lacking any other words and feeling like an idiot. He had zero idea what to do in this situation and kicked himself for simply agreeing to his identity.
"What… what are you doing…" She looked around dazedly.
"I'm watching the diner for Luke," he said quietly. "Um…" he trailed off, running a hand through his hair and scratching the back of his neck as he glanced around, trying to figure out what to do. Rory was clearly not okay.
She tilted her head slowly. "Your hair's so long…" she said softly.
Jess let out a confused laugh. It was both amusing and concerning that that was what was going through her head at that moment. "Yeah, I guess," he said, fiddling with the hair that fell just above the base of his neck in a mess of waves.
Rory looked away again, seemingly searching for something in the darkness. Jess wracked his brain for ideas to help her.
"Hey," he said, getting her attention. "Why don't you come back to the diner with me? I'll make you some coffee."
Rory pondered that for a moment and then nodded almost imperceivably. She didn't move, so Jess gently placed his hand on her elbow and guided her towards the diner. It was almost as if she'd never been there before, so deep in thought or shock that it seemed she wasn't aware of her surroundings.
Jess led her inside and pulled a chair off of one of the tables, sitting her down in it. He walked behind the counter and started getting the coffee going, making it stronger than was typically necessary – just right for Rory her and inhuman caffeine tolerance. As the machine burbled and sputtered behind him, he stood with his hands on the counter, concernedly watching Rory stare at a spot on the floor with her arms wrapped tightly around her middle. When the coffee pot finished filling, he turned around to grab a couple of mugs. He might as well get started on the caffeine – there was no way he was going back to bed now.
He filled one mug and reached for the other, deep in thought, and misjudged the distance slightly. His hand bumped the object and sent it crashing to the ground where it broke loudly.
"Shit, sorry," he mumbled, crouching down and grabbing the pieces to throw them in the trash can nearby. When he stood up and brushed the hair out of his eyes, he saw Rory looking up at him, her eyes still wide but full of more clarity than he'd seen since he'd found her.
"Rory?" he asked quietly.
Her chin started to wobble as her eyes filled with tears.
His stomach twisted. "Oh, Rory…" He quickly walked around the counter and over to her, crouching in front of her and searching her eyes. "Hey, it's okay," he said quietly, trying to offer some sort of comfort, still mentally kicking himself. It was obviously very much not okay. But, what else do you say in that moment?
"He's…" she started before her voice broke. "Grandpa, he d-…" The tears started streaming down her cheeks before she could finish her word.
Jess's heart seized as his prediction was confirmed.
"Rory… I am so sorry," he said softly, his face twisted up in empathetic pain.
His words only seemed to make her cry harder, sobs wracking her body.
Jess sat frozen, eyes fixed on Rory, both unsure of what to do and just wanting to do anything to help. When Rory fell forward and her forehead landed against his shoulder, he hesitated briefly before haltingly wrapping his arms around her, stroking her back in what he hoped was a comforting way. They remained that way until his legs went numb from staying in the cramped position and his back hurt from being arched so awkwardly.
Once Rory's sobs calmed slightly, Jess shifted slightly to see what her reaction would be if he were to let go. She responded only by clinging on tighter, needing something to anchor her to the world, so Jess did the only thing he could think to do. He stood up stiffly, taking her with him as she held on tight around his neck. As soon as he regained the feeling in his legs, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her up to the apartment, where he sat on the couch with her practically in his lap until her breathing evened out, holding her tightly and trying to block out her painful reality. He looked down at her and found her asleep, her eyes puffy and her brow furrowed even in slumber. He gently brushed the loose hair out of her face and she stirred a little at his touch. He froze, not wanting to wake her, but she quickly settled back into him.
He sighed heavily. His entire being ached as he thought about her loss and what it would do to her. Rory's grandfather was probably one of her best friends, as strange as it may sound. Jess knew how vitally important Rory's relationship with Richard was, and now that he was gone, there would be a hole in her life forever.
Jess had originally told his business partners that he would return to Philadelphia within a few days, but now he made a mental note to contact them and let them know he'd be staying, possibly for a matter of weeks. If Rory needed him, he'd be there, no matter what.
It suddenly occurred to him that Rory had had none of her things with her when he found her alone in the square – no purse, no bags, no coat. He didn't even know if she had her phone. It dawned on him that Luke and Lorelai might not even know where she was or if she was safe. If Lorelai was anything close to how Rory was doing, they might not even be aware of Rory's absence.
Jess shifted slightly and lifted himself and Rory from the couch, carrying her to the bed and gently laying her down on the pillow. He tugged off her shoes and pulled the blankets up around her, stroking her hair once and resisting the urge to kiss her forehead, and then stepped out into the hall to make some calls. Firstly, he called Caesar to get him to come and open the diner – it took some bargaining, but eventually Jess convinced him. Next, he called Chris at Truncheon, explaining to his business partner that there'd been a death in the family, he needed to stay in Stars Hollow for a while, and that he had his laptop and would work remotely when he could. Finally, he called Luke, who answered in a mild panic.
"Jess? What's going on?"
"I just wanted to let you know Rory's here and that she's…"
Luke interrupted. "She's there?" he asked in a hushed voice before sighing in what sounded like relief. "Thank you, Jess. Jeez, she scared us... When she heard the news, she just… shut down. Then next thing I know I turn around and she's just gone. How'd you find her?"
"She was just standing in the middle of the town square. I happened to be awake and looking out the window at the right time," Jess explained.
"How is she?"
Jess sighed. "She's… I don't know, Luke. She's not good. But she's asleep right now, so…" Jess paused. "How's Lorelai?"
"She's in business mode. Helping Emily with the immediate necessities, refusing to sit still. I don't think it's really hit her yet. We're at the house in Hartford now, but we can come home before too long to take Rory off your hands."
Jess stopped him. "No, Luke. You take care of Lorelai, I've got Rory."
"What about work?"
"I already called Chris and let him know I'd be here for a while. I've got my computer, I can work from here if I need to. Seriously, Luke, it's the least I can do."
Luke hesitated. "Jess… If this is because you still…"
Jess closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance. "No. And that's the last time I'm gonna say that. There was a family emergency, it's all hands on deck. I'm here to help, with Rory and whatever else anyone might need. Got it?"
Luke sighed. "Fine."
"Good. I'm gonna go, let me know if there's anything I can do."
"Will do. Bye, Jess. And thank you."
"No problem. Give Lorelai my sympathy."
Jess pressed the 'end call' icon on his phone and sighed. He made his way back into the apartment as quietly as possible and found Rory still asleep. He smiled softly, thankful she was resting and savoring how peaceful she appeared in her sleep. Looking at the clock, he found it was just before seven in the morning. Yawning, he rubbed his eyes and decided to get the day started – as if the previous one had ever ended. He found some jeans and a button-down in his duffle bag and stepped into the bathroom to change and brush his teeth. He emerged a few minutes later and ventured downstairs to the now-open diner.
The usual breakfast crowd filled almost all of the empty seats, and Caesar gave a brief nod in greeting as Jess emerged from behind the curtain. His eyes fell on the stone cold mug of coffee he'd poured earlier, forgotten in Rory's emotional crisis. He moved to clean it up and pour himself a fresh one when he was verbally tackled by the woman across the counter.
"Jess, honey, any news on Lorelai's father?" Miss Patty asked eagerly.
Jess's shoulders slumped and he looked down before making eye contact. He shook his head silently, and thankfully Patty seemed to understand.
"Oh no…" she said quietly. "When?"
"Last night sometime, I'm not sure of the specifics or anything."
"Oh, poor Lorelai. Poor Rory. How are they doing?"
Jess shrugged. "About what you'd expect," he said, doing his best to remain vague to avoid people prying into their lives. "Uh, could you, um, do your thing and tell…" He trailed off, unsure of how to ask what he needed to ask.
"The town will know within the hour," Miss Patty said understandingly, patting Jess's hand and moving to leave the diner.
"Also," Jess said, stopping her in her tracks. "Could you tell people to just give them space? That's really all they need right now."
Patty smiled, albeit a little sadly. "I'll do my best – you know how they are."
Jess nodded. "Thanks, Patty."
"My pleasure, Sweetie. You're a good… friend, nephew... Whatever you are, you're good."
Jess smiled appreciatively and nodded once as Patty left the diner. As crazy as this town drove him, he had to admit that when they loved, they loved hard, and they always did their best to take care of their people. It was something he could appreciate.
Jess put himself to work, silently moving about the diner to clear plates, deliver orders, and pour coffee, successfully avoiding small talk as the news about Richard had yet to spread. After more than an hour, his lack of sleep and hunger caught up with him and he began to feel run down. It also occurred to him that he hadn't checked on Rory in a while, so he had Caesar make some food, grabbed two mugs of coffee, and made his way back upstairs, doing his best to not arouse suspicion or draw attention to the fact that he was one person carrying two meals. The last thing he needed was nosy neighbors.
He entered the apartment and put the food down on the kitchen table, his stomach growling at the smell of bacon and eggs. His back was to the double bed in which Rory was asleep when he heard stirring from behind him. His heart skipped a beat and he turned around, finding Rory sitting up in bed and looking around the apartment blearily.
"Jess?" she said hoarsely, rubbing her eyes.
"Hi," he said quietly, staying fixed to the floor, slightly afraid to move and just feeling about as awkward as possible. "How are you?"
"Um… I don't know… How'd I get here?"
"I found you in the square last night. You, uh…" He paused. He didn't know how much she remembered having clearly been in shock, and he didn't want to drop the bomb on her so soon after waking up. "You seemed a little out of it, and it was late, so I brought you inside."
Rory nodded slightly and turned away, facing the foot of the bed. Jess stood awkwardly, suddenly very aware of every movement he made with no idea how to control his limbs in a normal fashion. All he wanted was to fix her problem, heal her hurt, but obviously he couldn't, so he remained standing by the table. They remained in silence until Rory gasped slightly, a line forming between her eyebrows.
"Grandpa…" she said softly, her voice breaking.
Jess's heart broke. Rory looked so small and fragile, sitting with her knees curled to her chest and tears in her eyes.
"Yeah," Jess whispered, finally regaining control over his motor functions and walking over to sit on the edge of the bed next to Rory. "I'm so sorry, Rory."
Rory nodded and sniffed, apparently trying to keep the tears at bay.
"I'm here for you, whatever you need. I'm gonna be in town for awhile so I can help out with stuff."
"Thank you," Rory whispered.
"I brought some breakfast up if you're feeling up to some food."
Rory nodded and climbed out of the bed and padded over to the table, sitting down and taking a sip of coffee. She sighed heavily as she savored the flavor before taking a timid bite of eggs. Jess sat on the bed and watched her, taking in her beauty even in her grief. Eventually, he stood up and joined her at the table where they ate in silence.
Once Rory had eaten her fill, which wasn't much for a Gilmore, and had finished her coffee, she slouched back in her chair. Her eyes widened and she patted down her pockets, searching for her phone.
"Um, when you found me last night, did I have anything with me?"
Jess shook his head. "No, nothing."
Rory sighed in frustration.
"You can use my phone to call Luke, see if they had your stuff at the hospital," Jess offered gently.
Rory's jaw dropped in horror. "Oh my God, my mom!" she cried, standing up and pacing around the room, making Jess dizzy in the process. "I need to be there for her! Her dad died, I should be there to comfort her and take care of her and I haven't even spoken to her since the doctor came out into the waiting room to… Ugh, I'm selfish! I'm a horrible, selfish daughter!" she yelled, running around the room to try to find her shoes.
"Rory, stop," Jess said, standing up and catching Rory's wrist in his hand. "Just, slow down for a sec, okay?"
Rory halted her movements, even if reluctant to.
"Luke's got your mom. If you want to be with her because you feel like that's what you need right now, then that's fine, let's go. But you do not need to worry about her right now – and you are not a bad daughter. Rory…" he paused, softening his expression and placing his hands on her shoulders. "Yes, her dad died. But that also means that your grandpa died. Your grandpa that you love and care about and are close to. You're allowed to be selfish right now."
Rory's eyes had welled with tears as he was speaking and she looked away, blinking rapidly and folding her arms tightly around her middle.
"Okay?" Jess urged, ducking to meet her eyes.
Rory looked up at him. "Why are you doing this?" she asked in a shaky voice.
Jess inhaled sharply, unsure of the answer to the question himself. "You're family. It's what family does," he said quietly.
Rory nodded slightly and her shoulders relaxed a little. Jess was thankful she didn't question him further.
"Seriously, though, Rory. I'm here – for whatever you need for as long as you need. You need a friend? I'm here. You need someone to go find your purse and phone? I'll go. You need a ride to your mom? I've got a car. Whatever you need, you've got it."
Rory's chin began to tremble
"C'mere," Jess whispered, pulling Rory to him and wrapping his arms around her shaking shoulders.
"I miss him," Rory muttered through her tears.
"I know you do," Jess whispered into her hair.
Rory closed her eyes and cried as Jess held her, wishing he could take away her pain, even if for a second.