Rory smiled to herself as she turned away from her once wayward father. She was used to being the grown up in that relationship so she knew he didn't take offense when she had asked him what his intentions were toward her mother. She thought that she was joking anyhow, mostly. The wedding was about to start and she knew she would be expected at any moment to start the ceremony out right. As she turned she noticed motion out of the corner of her eye and wondered if another wandering guest had witnessed the discussion she had just had with her dad. Maybe even her mother spying on the two of them. She wouldn't have put it past Lorelei, but when she looked toward the large pond that bordered the property it wasn't Lorelei standing there. It was Jess.
Her heart began pounding and her first instinct was to run away. It was the same reaction she almost always had toward him. He always looked a little dangerous and although she didn't make a habit of using the word, sexy. She if it applied to anyone he applied to him. He was beautiful, almost to the point where she wanted to look away because the feelings She had for him were so overwhelming she really didn't know what to do with them. Yet, she began to walk towards him because that is what he demanded of her. It was like Jess had some kind of magnet pull on her and she couldn't turn away.
Jess began to close the distance between them as well. He looked at the ground awkwardly for just a second, not sure how the conversation was going to follow. So much had happened between them, and in his mind, not enough. He couldn't have stayed away from Stars Hallow if he had wanted to, she was mesmerizing and he needed to be near her. He felt regret for everything that had happened, and everything he had put her through, but he just couldn't leave and let things sit as they were now.
When she reached him looking bewildered and nervous and just a little bit flustered she said exactly the thing he expected to come out of her mouth.
"What are you doing here?" Her eyes were so focused. He smiled at her.
"Hello to you too." she forged on, undaunted.
"Is everything ok?" She looked so genuinely worried that he couldn't help himself. He grinned at her.
"You look nice." She looked amazing.
"Thank you," she stammered looking away for a second. "What are you doing here?"
He shrugged and the words that were in his brain didn't want to come out of his mouth. Had he ever been this nervous before? Had she ever looked this beautiful?
"I moved back."
"What?" She knew what he'd said, of course, but she was surprised and she took a small step back away from him as if he'd said something disturbing instead of exactly what she wanted to hear.
"I moved back." He shrugged again repeating himself.
"What, why?" To Rory, his answer to this question suddenly became very important. She listened intently for a few seconds afterwards not breathing waiting for his answer.
"I just…wanted to." Jess wanted to tell her the truth. He wanted to tell her that he had come back for her, and her alone.
Rory stood there looking at him for seconds that seemed like hours and Jess looked back at her with a half grin on this face waiting for what was to come next. He thought that maybe she was going to chastise him for leaving, or make him feel more lousy than he already felt about her recently healed arm. What he didn't expect was for her do what she did. She quickly stepped up to him, and put her arms to his waist and kissed him square on the mouth.
The feelings surging through him were indescribable at that point. He wanted to freeze time and be with her like this forever. His arms involuntarily went around her and pulled her into him and he never wanted to let go. He took a step towards her and at that moment she pulled away.
"Oh my god," she turned away from him. "Oh my god." She began to walk away.
"Rory." He said, prepared to run after her if necessary, but she turned back toward him again. Her blue eyes were exactly the same color as her dress and he couldn't look away from them. She had a distressed look on her face and he wanted to kiss her all over again, yet he was terrified of what was about to come out of her mouth.
"Don't say a word." So he didn't. For once he was going to do exactly as she asked, as long as it meant he was going to get to keep her.
"Ok." He nodded in agreement.
She turned away again and shouted over her shoulder. "I have to go." She was suddenly back in reality. Sookie's wedding was about to start and Rory felt the need to put some distance between Jess and herself. The kiss had been amazing and exactly what she had wanted to do, but what did it mean? She ran off in the direction of the ceremony and turned back once more before she was out of site to wish him a quick welcome home. She truly was glad that he was. Jess stood there for a few seconds his mind whirling around what had just happened and he wasn't sure what the future held for the two of them but he realized that he was glad to be there again and when she was near him he truly did feel like he was home.
