Who's crazier?

Aftermath

Jess walked away from Olivia, his hands shoved in his pockets, "Wait, Jess please! I love you!" He heard her shout after him.

He wanted to turn back, to say it back. He wanted to walk up and kiss her, hug her, laugh with her. He was hurt. He wanted her to feel pain like him. He needed that. A lump formed in his throat, managing to say a simple, "Yeah," and walked away, getting in the car and driving to Luke's to pick up all of his stuff.

Luke was cleaning a table in the diner when Jess got there, and looked up when he came in, "hey Jess, you ok?"

"Peachy," Jess chuckled.

Luke set the cloth down and smiled at his nephew, "Have you talked to her?"

"Yeah," Jess sighed, "I'm going back to New York for a bit. I need space. Clear my head, you know?"

"Keep in touch yeah?" Luke said.

"Of course. I'm going up to get a few bits and then I'm gone," Jess said walking behind the counter.

"Ok, I'll leave the key here for you to lock up," Luke said.

"Ok," Jess said, walking up the stairs. He hesitated and turned back down the stairs, "thank you. For everything."

Luke smiled, waving his hand dismissively, and walking out of the diner.

Ten minutes later, Jess was driving down the road on his way to New York. As soon as he drove out of Stars Hollow, he felt like a weight had been lifted off his back. But he felt hollow (no pun intended) and like he should go back. Instead, he gritted his teeth and clenched his jaw, carrying on.

He got to New York a while after, fumbling in the dark to find his key. Before he could find it, his phone began to ring, Rory was calling him.

Declining the call, he managed to find his key and went into the apartment. He walked to the fireplace, looking at the pictures of him and Liv. Sighing, he collected them all up and shoved them into a spare drawer, dropping down onto the sofa, lying back and staring at the ceiling.

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"Why won't you pick up?" Rory cried at her phone.

"You tried leaving him a message?" Logan asked her.

"That would be a good idea," Rory sighed.

They were on their way to Hartford, where Liv had been taken. Logan was driving and Rory was sat next to him, one hand clutching her phone, the other nervously tapping the dashboard.

"What did your mom say?" Logan asked her. All Rory had told him was that Liv had been in an accident and that they had to go.

"It's bad Logan," Rory sighed.

"She'll be ok. She's tough, she'll get through it," Logan told her, putting one hand on her knee, "Babe, I've got you."

Rory covered his hand with hers, looking out of the window chewing her bottom lip.

When they got there, she went and found her mom and Luke, who were holding hands in the waiting room in silence.

"Mom," Rory choked out, walking to hug her.

Lorelai stood up and hugged her tightly, "they haven't told me anything yet. It's not good Ror. Have you spoken to Jess?"

"He won't answer me," Rory sighed, her voice muffled against her moms shoulder.

Lorelai let go of Rory and told Luke to call him. Luke nodded and walked down the stairs and out of the building, taking a sigh of both relief and anxiety. He hated hospitals.