This is story is very AU. Rory and Jess have been dating for awhile, and he never left for California with his Dad. He moved to New Haven with Rory while she went to college.

Summary: Everything is great in Rory's life. She has the perfect boyfriend who seems to have changed so much since she met him, and the perfect mom who has always been a friend. Everything is perfect;; but what happens when there is an accident that changes Rory's life forever? How does she deal with the loss? AU

Jess Mariano walked through Yale campus. A couple years ago, if you would have told him that he'd someday be walking on ivy-league grounds, he would have just scoffed. He stopped at the coffee cart and ordered a coffee. When the guy handed him the cup, he paid him and went on his way. When he got into Rory's dorm building, he saw Doyle running out angrily. Jess stopped him.

"Whoa, where are you going, bud?" He had always teased Doyle for multiple reasons. He called him 'bud' because it usually got on his nerves, but today he ignored it.

"Paris is crazy!" He yelled at Jess. Jess nodded. Of course Paris is crazy, he thought. He knew that from day one. He patted Doyle on the back.

"Yeah, but you make her happy, and when Paris is happy, the whole world is happy, when Paris is mad, the whole world is Deadwood." He shrugged and smiled. Doyle opened his mouth to say something, but Jess cut him off.

"Go cool off, but your ass better come back, because I can't deal with Paris." Jess laughed and continued to Rory's dorm room. He knocked on the door. Paris answered and let him in. She was particularly moody today. She merely pointed towards Rory's room. Jess nodded and walked quickly to her room. He opened the door, slipped in and swiftly closed it behind him.

"Hey you!" Rory was rummaging through her closet looking for shoes. Jess saw several pairs that would go perfectly fine with her outfit, but he kept his mouth shut.

"Hey, I got something for you." He said childishly. It was then that she looked up at him, when she saw the coffee, she practically ran over to him. Jess held the coffee up high so that she couldn't get it.

"Kiss first." He said simply. He smirked at her as she stood up on her tip-toes and kissed him, then she reached for the coffee again. He smiled and handed it to her. She took a sip and nodded approvingly.

"Wow. Almost perfect." she said smiling. Jess smiled back.

"Yeah, I just know how to order it, the guy looks at me like I'm crazy." He shrugged a little letting his 'don't car' attitude resurface.

Rory recognized his shrug and a soft smile came over her face. Jess would always be Jess. Sure, he was here, he hadn't bolted...He was even living close by, making daily visits to her, and working on writing something. He hadn't told her anything, but she always saw him typing away at his laptop late at night. But no matter what he was doing with his life, he'd always be Jess Mariano, the rebel of Stars Hollow that got on everyone's nerves, but won Rory's heart.

Jess locked eyes with her. Coffee brown met ice blue and every memory flooded back. He remembered Larson's Dock where everything had started for him. The ice broke between him and Luke when He shoved Jess into the lake, and of course, everything with Rory started there. He had brought her there for the bid-a-basket festival, and when Dean dumped her, he found her there at the bridge, and the two confused teenagers joined forces and became a couple. He smiled to himself.

"So, after Philosophy do you want to come to my place?" Jess smiled as he spoke the words. He was so comfortable with her.

"No, after Philosophy, I have Ethics..." Rory replied as she found the shoes she wanted to wear. She sat on the edge of her bed and slipped them on.

"Nope, Ethics was canceled this week." Jess said shaking his head. Rory stood up and cocked her head to the side in question.

"How would you know? You don't go here." Jess grinned.

"I don't go here?!" he said with false surprise and heavy sarcasm as he looked around Rory's room. "Huh." Rory laughed and shoved him playfully.

"You know what I mean!" Jess smiled and nodded.

"I ran into Glenn on the way here, he was mad because it was canceled." He read her facial expression and smiled. "You can go check if you want." He pointed in the general direction of the class. Rory shook her head and smiled.

"I'll take your word for it." She stood up and grabbed her bag, slinging it over her shoulder.

Jess smiled and he walked her out of her dorm building. They arrived at the coffee cart, where they usually went their separate ways. He took her hands in his and leaned in, giving her a soft, loving kiss. Rory kissed him back and smiled.

"I love you, you know that?" Rory said as a wide grin played on her face. Jess looked as if he had just fallen from heaven. He stood, being happy with all that he had. He nodded at her words.

"Go be smart, I'll see you after class." He gave her one more quick kiss before he turned to leave. As he walked to his car, he smiled in spite of himself. He had loved Rory from day one, but he couldn't have predicted them have three great years together. He was nearly finished with a book he was writing. He knew that Rory would like it more than anyone else, and that's all that mattered to him.

Rory watched him leave and as she walked to class, she couldn't shake the feeling that she had found "the one". She felt that Jess was her happily ever after. She could picture her with him forever. She was so in love with him and her life seemed to be getting better everyday.