A/N: No, you're not seeing things. I am breaking my own strike on because I miss the reviews. For now, this is the only story that will be uploaded here, the rest can be found on my website.
Reviews: Are greatly appreciated, even though no longer allows us to respond to them. Consider yourself thanked for each and every time you hit the 'review' button.
Onto the fic...
22.8
Years
Prologue
Jess was different when he came back.
Everyone noticed, especially Luke. The events of the last year seemed strange in retrospect, to say the least. Then, when Jess showed up on Luke's doorstep like that, his clothes ragged and dirty, looking like he hadn't slept in weeks, well, it really set the town's tongues a 'wagging.
"Jess?" Luke pulled open the door.
His gaze was met my bloodshot eyes. "You moved the spare key," Jess croaked, his voice low and raspy.
"Yeah."
Luke opened the door further and Jess silently slipped into the diner.
"Got anything to eat?"
Luke blinked. "Jess, this is a diner."
Jess lifted the lid off of a container on the counter and grabbed one of the previous morning's stale donuts, eating it practically in a single gulp.
"Hungry?" Luke raised an eyebrow.
"No."
Luke nodded slowly and walked towards him. There was a pause before he spoke. "What are you doing here, Jess?"
Jess shrugged and avoided looking at him.
"Are you staying?"
Jess raised his eyebrows and nodded slowly. He watched Luke's expression carefully as if waiting for permission.
Luke wasn't ready to let things be that simple. He hadn't lied when he said that he'd always be there for Jess, but something was wrong.
Very wrong.
"Why?"
"Excuse me?"
Luke cleared his throat. "Why do you want to stay here?"
"It won't cost you anything. I'll work in the diner, pay rent, whatever you want."
"You didn't answer my question."
"I," Jess paused, closing his eyes and rubbing the side of his forehead.
Luke gave him a strange look. "Are you okay?"
"Just a headache."
Luke nodded slightly.
"Can I stay?"
Luke nodded again. "Of course you can."
And that was how it came about that Jess Mariano, resident bad boy, came to be found back in Stars Hollow.
