THANKSTAKING WITH IMPRESSIVE WINGSPANS

Chapter Four: Chicken wings (fly through the sky)

“okay, so are you going to leave me in the lurch, or what?” Abby said, as she sat down on the sofa.

Jess smirked and took a sip of his coffee,

She narrowed her eyes at him, “don’t ignore the question, mister – I know all your tactics!”

He set the coffee down on the table, then lay back against abby.

I really don’t know.

If I go back, I’d just be there for my own selfish needs – just scoping out what happened while I was gone…

But if I don’t, the family will be disappointed. Again.

That is, if they even miss me in the first place…

Abby played with his hair and said, very softly, “this is about Rory, isn’t it?”

He went to sit up, but didn’t have the energy.

Isn’t everything about rory?

My past, my present, my future…

Rory, rory, rory…

I’m sensing a pattern here.

He sighed and muttered, “How do you know about Rory?”

His roommate grinned micheiviously, “I’m a snoop, what do you reckon? I found all the pictures and the book markings and the notes and the letters and the keepsakes… need I go on? I’m not as air-headed as I look, mariano!”

He raised an eyebrow but just leaned into her more,

“you know, abs, if I didn’t know you better – I’d say you were stalking me!”

Abby shook her head,

“Nah, I’m just good naturedly nosy!”

ain’t that the half truth.

“So, how are things with you and pretty boy?”

He laughed as Abby blushed.

“He IS pretty, isn’t he?” she simpered, “hey! You dodged the question, AGAIN! Seriously, if I didn’t know better – I’d say you were the most annoying person in the world!”

nah… just a dodger…

“nah, I’m just good naturedly testing!”

He looked up to see a cushion thwack him in the face.

---flashback---

Jess pressed the doorbell.

ok, this is it. Just keep your cool.

She’s going to answer the door. True.

Or at least I hope so – luke said Lorelai was away…

She will no doubt be hungry and attempting cooking – the perfect alibi for turning up unannounced.

Ok. She will open the door, I will say something funny and clever, she will let me in, we will eat together.

Together being the operative part.

So then she –

The door swung open, showing rory gaping at him.

Quick. Insert. Clever. Line. Here.

Jess smirked, “Delivery.”

God damn it

Rory stared at him with wide eyes, “What are you doing here?”

Okay, on with the spiel…

He lifted up the box in his hands slightly, “Well, Luke figured since you’re along tonight that maybe you wouldn’t have any food in the house, so he sent over a care package.”

There. Good words, okay delivery… survey says…?

LOSER -- 78

And I agree…

Rory frowned and shook her head, “I don’t need a care package. I ordered food from Sandeep’s.”

Shit. Cover blown and no real reason for staying here….

 “Really? Planning on burning down the house afterwards?”

She looked disgruntled, “Jess.”

He shrugged, “The only way to kill the smell,”

Get in the house, get in the house.

He walked into the house confidently, “Where should I put this?”

Rory lingered at the door, still hesitant, “Well. . .”

She’s re-thinking, never a good sign.

Mariano, you’re running out of time… move move move!

“Kitchen?” he nodded towards the other room.

She started to move with him, “Um. . .sure.”

 Okay round one over, one step closer to dinner with rory…

She looked inside the box as jess unpacked, “God, how much food is in there? This could feed twelve!”

Hah

“Excuse me, I’ve seen you eat.”

“Fine, six.”

She’s suspicious… better revert back to the original plan.

“Yeah, well, he wanted you taken care of. He wasn’t sure how long your mom was gonna be gone for.”

smooth

rory looked pointedly at him, “Just tonight.”

“Oh, he didn’t know that.”

Oh I didn’t know that…

“Well, now you can tell him.”

“I will.”

The two teens stood awkwardly in silence until, “So how come Caesar didn’t bring this over?”

Ah, just like rory to investigate the situation. I should have known she’d be suspicious…  

“I volunteered.”

“Why?”

what, you don’t think I’ve asked myself that same question every step of the way here?

Why am I carrying food?

Why am going to the gilmores house?

Why do I want to see rory?

Why do I need to see rory?

Why do I even like rory?

Why do I even lov –

Okay, enough of that.

Wheres the magnificent bullshit artist in me that we all know and love???

“Just wanted to get out of the construction zone. There’s nothing but banging and yelling. That place gives me a headache.”

Man, I should throw myself a parade.

“Oh.”

May as well test the waters a bit…

“Why – did you think I wanted to come over here and see you?”

“No.”

why not?

“Just needed some quiet.”

“Fine.”

 “That is all.”

“Got it.”

“Clear my head.”

“I understand.”

Another tense silence filled the air.

She wants me to leave.

She’s uncomfortable.

I shouldn’t have come..

What was I thinking?????!!!

…oh yeah.

May as well stay then!

He touched the food box lightly, “So, aren’t you gonna eat?”

She still seemed uneasy, “Eventually.”

“It gets cold fast.”

“I can heat it up.”

“Reheated French fries really suck.”

“Hm, they do suck.”

Okay, all caution is now thrown to the wind. I’m going to do ANYTHING to stay here…

“Yeah, so, eat.”

“Okay, I will. You’re still standing there.”

“I know. You didn’t give me a tip.”

“You want money?”

“No, I’ll take a fry though.”

“Okay, yeah, have as much as you want.”

“Okay, great,” Jess took off his jacket and put it over a chair.

Rory stared at him, “What are you doing?”

Jess sat down and looked up at her, “Getting ready to eat.”

She shook her head, confused, “You’re staying?”

He smirked, “Didn’t you just invite me?”

Aaaaaaaaaaaaand I’m in.

---end flashback---

Sweat dripped from his forehead and jess gripped the armrest until his hands were white.

I hate to fly.

I hate it.

I not only hate it, I am freakin’ scared shitless of it.

I don’t want to die! Especially not in the most traumatic way of .. oh .. lets see..

PLUMMETING TO THE EARTH LIKE A FREAKIN’ DART!

Okay.. breathe… I can do this.

One…two…three…four…

He took a deep breath and looked around him.

Couples, families, business men, working women…people of all sorts surrounded him, most of them American.

Figures, an American airline on its way to America would contain American people.

Although it’s a hell of a lot easier than speaking French to everybody.

And I’d get to see her again…

… I wonder if she’s done what I’d hoped…

maybe… maybe…

mmmm speaking of her… I need coffee….

He looked up and down the aisle to see the air hostesses putting dinners onto their trolley.

Jess’ stomach lurched and he unbuckled his seatbelt.

Then again, maybe not.

He walked unsteadily down the narrow path and pushed past the girls, into the bathroom.

He collapsed against the door.

I hate to fly.

---flashback­---

Jess was sitting in his seat with the buckle done up so tight he couldn’t breathe.

I can’t breathe.

I can’t breathe.

I can’t breathe.

He looked to the girl sitting next to him, reading.

She can travel perfectly well, whereas I am here… a nervous wreck.

This bites.

“rory…”

She put her hand over his and stroked it lightly,

“jess, its only a two hour flight… breathe…”

he rolled his eyes,

I wish.

“you don’t understand rory…”

“we haven’t even taken off yet! But I DO understand.”

He shook his head at her, “no you don’t.”

“yes I do”

“don’t”

“do”

“don’t”

“don’t”

“do!” He slapped his hand against his forehead, “dammit!”

She smiled smugly and leaned back in her chair, strectching her arms, “oldest trick in the book!”

“yeah, I bet you learned it off your mother.”

She gave him a look and went back to her book.

Wah wah wah. Books books books.

Books suck.

Okay now I know I’m getting delirious.

“rory…”

she turned and grabbed his shoulders, mocking him – her eyes bugging out of her head.

“JESS!!!!! JESS!!!!!”

he smirked, “gee, ma’am if I had known that’s all I had to do to make you cry out my name, I would have gone flying with you earlier!”

she smacked him arm, “jess, don’t be chicken!”

he frowned, “I am not chicken.”

The plane rumbled, announcing its own take-off.

He jumped, “rory…”

She harrumphed in her seat, but turned to him again, “jess, I’m going to do something now that will totally make you forget that we’re about to leave the ground.”

He looked out the window and saw said ground rushing past the window, “I highly doubt that, rory.”

She took his face into her hands and kissed him passionately.

Plane?

What plane?

----end flashback----