Ch2 – New girlfriends and old boyfriends

"What are you doing?"

"Not much. Reading yet another 500 hundred plus pages long book, for my English class that you would find boring if nothing else, you?"

"Actually I'm reading too." Lorelai announced proudly. "Luke got these adorable new menus for the diner printed out today and they look so chic and professional. It almost makes it look like there is some actual fancy food available for order here."

"Oh how very studious of you." Rory commented unable to stop the smile from forming on her lips.

She was sitting on the couch in Paris's apartment studying. She didn't feel like being alone at her place so when Paris asked her to come and study together she promptly accepted earning a raised eyebrow from her friend. She never thought she'd volunteer to hang out with Paris but people change (for better or for worse). And she definitely did.

"Well, I guess I am your mother after all." Lorelai commented, flipping the menu.

"Glad we have that finally confirmed. I was starting to wonder about it." Rory said, playing along.

"It's good then that I was here to clear that up." Lorelai said with a laugh, unable to stay serious any longer. "Just don't get that head of yours buried in the books all the time, go out and grab some coffee and call that blonde boyfriend of yours."

"Has he-"

"No, but I know how you can be with your academics."

"It's not that, it's just that…he's busy lately with work and those new projects. And I'm busy with Yale and the newspapers, it's been really crazy, so we don't really have time to talk as much as we used to but we're managing."

"Ah these new generations with their ivy league pressures and jobs... I'm sure that book will still be there after your break and you'll work better after a healthy dose of caffeine and a couple of blueberry pancakes. Which reminds me-" Lorelai drifted of and Rory could hear some shuffling on the other side. A pancake order was being placed no doubt.

"I thought you've made peace with the fact your daughter is a geek when it comes to school mom. Sure I don't wear glasses anymore or get overly excited buying pretty colored sharpies but I'm still a nerd at heart." Rory said, only half joking.

"Well a mother can hope. And you still get all wide eyed every time we pass that row with office supplies, especially the part with pretty shiny pencils, don't think I haven't noticed Missy."

"I do not." Rory said unconvincingly before changing the subject to save herself from any further embarrassing discussions. "Anyway, how are things with Luke?"

"Oh he's just fine, but he strictly prohibited me from mentioning the word p-l-a-n-n-i-n-g or w-e-d-d-i-n-g when I'm with him."

"Why are you spelling?"

"Because Luke's here."

"Of course, that sounds reasonable. Though I am a little shocked you know how to spell." Rory said sarcastically.

"What can I say? I'm full of surprises."

"You sure are. After this largely enlightening conversation I now have to go and yell at the couple of my dear employees."

"The newspapers?"

"Yep."

"Can I come and do that for you? I'm so stressed out these days that I'd be more than happy to do that difficult job for you."

"Thanks for the offer but no. But I will see you this weekend so feel free to yell at me then." Rory said.

"Here I am offering my help to my dearest daughter and how does she repay me for all the trouble I go through-"

"Bye mom."

"I gave birth to you, you know? Hours and hours of painful labor and this are the thanks I get for-"

"Bye mom." Rory repeated removing the phone from her ear, not paying much attention to her mom's mumbling. She hung up with a smile. Her mom always had a way of cheering her up even on the worst days.

Paris walked in holding a cup of coffee in her hand.

"You done with your regular daily mom time?" she asked sitting down next to Rory.

"We haven't talked since Wednesday!" Rory said sounding offended.

"Yeah, God forbid you two don't exchange the latest gossip every five hours."

"We do no such thing."

"Whatever you say Gilmore." Paris said.

"Is it just me or are you crankier than usual today?"

"I'm not…Okay, maybe I am. It's just Yale and exams and…sorry for dropping it all on you. I know it hasn't been easy for you now that Logan's gone and all."

Rory looked at her without saying a word. Why did everyone have to feel sorry for her just because her boyfriend was in London? She did that enough alone, thank you very much.

"It's fine. Let's just get back to studying."

~lit~

The view from the 15th floor wasn't really all that impressive. It wasn't like he lived in a penthouse that provided the panoramic view of the city but it was his no matter how big it was and he was happy with it. He had a place of his own and he absolutely loved it. And he was back in New York. Not because someone forced him to be, like it happened most of the time, but because he wanted to.

He was born in this city and he lived there almost his entire life and though it didn't hold many happy memories it was still his city. His home. And he liked it all. The rush on the streets in the early morning. The choices he had. Dozens of restaurants, cafes, shops, bookstores. The mixture of so many different cultures and people. But the thing he loved the most was that no one judged him. No one blamed him for anything or made hushed comments about him because he wasn't the typical, stereotype boy next door. Here he could be himself.

He was sitting in front of his laptop placed by the window so he had a good view of the streets, a fresh cup of Dean & Deluca coffee placed by it (he picked it up ten minutes ago when he went to get a New York hot dog at a stand few minutes from his building) with a serious lack of inspiration for the continuation of his new book. He had no problems writing almost twelve pages last night but now he was dying to write a single word.

The thing that kept consuming his attention was the phone that was so conveniently placed on the counter few feet away. Yeah, that was one of the down sides of a small apartment. You could pretty much see everything, from one end of it to another, and though most of the time he found it quite practical, right now it was mostly annoying.

Something that happened couple of days ago was still bothering him. His dear mother, Liz called about a week ago to ask how things were and to say that she and TJ were doing good, and then ever so casually, she added something about Luke getting married soon and that he invited her and TJ to come. She sounded quite happy about it commenting for the next ten minutes how she knew from the beginning he and Lorelai would end up together or something, he didn't really pay much attention to her rant.

But now he was sitting here, starring at the phone, wondering if he should do something. Like, maybe call Luke and see how things are there or maybe just to congratulate him since he was cool enough to come and see him while he lived in Philadelphia a few months ago. And he did do a lot for him though he would never admit it. But he wasn't surprised that no one invited him; on the contrary, he was glad that was the case. Right now the last thing he needed was going back to Stars Hollow. And seeing her.

Because he was moving on. He wasn't in love with her any more. Really, he wasn't.

The noise from the hallway brings him back to reality, as he sits listening to the familiar cracking sound of his front door opening and the soft click of the heels on his bare wooden floorboards. Before he realizes it she comes up to him with a light smile on her face and kisses him before even saying hallo. He finds himself kissing her back, glad for any sort of distraction.

She steps away when the breathing becomes an issue and looks at him with those warm, deep brown eyes. Her perfectly straight light brown hair falls casually over her shoulders and he tucks a stray hair behind her ear looking her in the eyes. She looks nothing like her and he smiles back at her. He sometimes thinks that was one of the reasons they ended up together.

He met her one late night in a small bar, while he was downing his second (or was it third?) glass of Johnny Walker. Not a good place to meet a potential girlfriend, for sure, but she was in the same situation as he was. He couldn't help but notice the half empty glass of martini placed in front of her and he knew she was here for one thing. She was here to forget something. What, he didn't know yet.

They talked for a couple of hours and he found himself walking her home after. That's how it all began. Yeah, they were both hurt and disappointed then…not a good foundation to build a stable, long lasting relationship on. But they didn't want that anyway.

The relationship they were in wasn't serious, as they both said many, many times. After everything he wasn't sure he'd ever be ready to get into that sort of thing again. Not willingly anyway. And she just got out of a two year long relationship that ended just as badly as his did, so they both agreed they were fine with the way they were.

They were dating for a couple of months and they were at that point where they pretty much knew everything about one another. She knew almost everything about him except for the fact (that he desperately tried to ignore) that he still loved a certain girl with the blue eyes. And he did like her too, a lot actually, but he wasn't in love with her. And he was pretty sure she felt the same way about him. But why was love so important when it brought him nothing but misery? It was better like this.

"Hi there." She says with a smile.

"Just when I thought you forgot that ancient custom we have here known as greeting."

"I already did that when I came in…" She says, leaning in closer, hands wrapped around his shoulders, looking down at his lips and then back at his eyes "Only better."

"Can't object to that." He says with a smirk leaning in for a kiss.

"So what are you doing?" She asks just as he's about to close the distance between them.

"Writing." He says running a hand through his hair with a sigh.

"Moved from that 65th page already?"

"Nope."

"Bummer."

"Definitely." He says, amused by her comment.

"So, I know you have to work on the book but… since you obviously won't get far with it today how about you take a break and we go for some dinner at Al's and a movie tonight?" she asks casually.

"I don't know, Jen." he says, moving her hands from his shoulders.

"How about just movie and we'll eat here when we get back, or maybe even skip dinner if we get caught up?" she asks suggestively playing with his shirt.

"Fine." He agrees cursing her for manipulating him this easily.

"Okay, so I'm gonna go prepare myself something to eat. You want something?" she asks standing up obviously satisfied with herself, before kissing him quickly and going to the kitchen.

"Not hungry."

"Right. Well, I'm dying for a sandwich. Plus I have to get back to school soon because I have classes this afternoon so I guess I'll see you tonight."

"Of course." He says getting back to his laptop as she opens the fridge to take the ingredients for her quick launch.

~lit~

She sat on the couch in her living room, well it was more Logan's then hers but still she lived there for quite a long time now and she should feel like it was her own. But that didn't change the fact that she still felt like a stranger there. And she didn't even want to compare it with the living room in Stars Hallow because she was sure she'd feel even less favorable of this place than she already did.

She pretty much finished all her school assignments as soon as she came home, so now here she was, sitting on the couch, switching through the channels for the last hour, not really sure what to do. The only thing that made her company was the silence and although she was glad for that when she needed to study or prepare for some really important exam, right now it was unwelcome.

Late last night Logan called her just before she fell asleep, promising that he'll call her today after launch and so now she was helplessly starring at the phone hoping that it'll ring any minute now. But as minutes passed, turning into hours it became clear that she won't be hearing from him today. Maybe he was too busy to call or he simply forgot about his promise (he tended to do that a lot lately). Either way, she has just lost a whole afternoon on doing nothing, and the thing that surprised her was that she wasn't mad about it. Maybe a little disappointed but that was it.

When he first left for London, she called him practically every five minutes to tell him how much she missed him and how she is seconds away from calling the airport and booking herself a flight for London even though she had classes. And although he laughed at her at first, he admitted he was tempted to do the same. Hell, one afternoon, when she got back from her English literature class, she found twenty-nine messages on her cell phone. And they were all from him.

But today, she was sick of the sitting, and waiting, and being lonely. This was not the way they should've been. It wasn't the way she should spend her life. Alone. And miserable. And seeing her boyfriend barely once a month, twice at best.

She did love him. But she quit one relationship because she didn't want to feel the same way she did right now anymore. And she loved that guy too. No, she thought she loved him. But she didn't. She didn't just love him. She thought she would spend the rest of her life with him. And yet she broke it off.

She did love Jess then. But there was always that fear of him leaving her for God knows what time, and she couldn't deal with that. She needed someone who loved her enough to stay. And that someone was Logan. But now, sitting here alone, in an empty room, she couldn't not to wonder was it really so?

And that was the question she still didn't know the answer to. But she had to find out. And she had to find out fast.

Later, when she finally decides to go to bed, due to the fact that it was pretty late and that she had classes early in the morning, he calls. The phone rings once, twice, and she lets it ring a few more times before she picks it up, not wanting to sound like she just spent her entire afternoon sitting by the phone waiting for this particular call.

"Hi, Ace." He says simply as the answer to her sleepy hallo.

"Hi."

"You sound sleepy. Sorry if I woke you up." He says apologetically.

"No, I was just getting ready to go to bed. So no apologies are necessary. I'm just a little tired, that's all."

"Okay than I'm sorry for almost waking you up."

"It's alright." She says quietly "I'm glad you called." I miss you, she wants to add but isn't really sure that she did. Did he ever miss her?

"So… how are things there?"

"Good. It's all good. Paris and Doyle are same ol' though she said I visit way to much lately, which wouldn't be such a problem, but apparently her shrink said that they need more alone couply time, so I'm getting in the way or something. And mom's totally freaking out about the wedding as usual, so everything's pretty much the same. What about you?"

"Um, pretty much the same. Lotsa rain, though, even for London."

"Really?"

"Yep." He replies.

"You are coming to the wedding, right?"

"Yeah, absolutely. Wouldn't miss seeing my girl for anything in the world." He assures her quickly.

"Well, you better. I'll wear some really sexy dress, so if you don't come I may hook up with some hot Harvard student and maybe even marry him."

"Now I'm really worried. I may even come earlier to check up on you, stop that wedding of yours."

"I would not complain." She says honestly.

"I don't know about that. What are you gonna do with your Harvard boyfriend then?

"I'll think of something if you'll come early."

"Yeah. Well, I should go, let you get some sleep."

"Okay, talk to you soon."

"Yeah, definitely."

"So…I should probably hang up now."

"Goodnight Ace. Miss you." He admits, his voice a half-whisper.

"Yeah, you too." She tells him.

"Bye."

She hung up with a bitter taste in her mouth. It was good to hear his voice, to hear that he still missed her. She was happy he called. Pulling up the covers tight she looked at the other side of the bed, her smile fading away. It was neatly put together just the way he left it. She turned around putting one hand across the bed, his voice still echoing in her mind. The pillow still smelled like him, on that expensive cologne he liked so much.

Yeah, she was glad he called. But she couldn't help but wonder will those five minute long late night calls be all she will get? With that thought in her mind she closed her eyes, falling into the restless sleep.

"I can't believe you talked me into this."

"What? That was the saddest movie I saw in the last couple of years. Well, with the exception of Titanic, that should have its own category, so it's…"

"Two hours of my life that I'll never get back."

"C'mon it wasn't that bad! And I had to rent it because it's almost a classic. I mean I don't know anyone who hasn't seen it by now, at least once."

"You're saying that like you did me some favor or something."

"Well…" She said with a smile "And you gotta admit that, if nothing else, it had a decent storyline."

"The Love story?" he said giving her the look "I should've known."

She rolled her eyes "I am slightly surprised you haven't read a book."

"I have. Too cheesy for my taste. And that was also another hour of my life I'll never get back."

"Alright, I give up. I should've let you go out with the guys and watch the movie alone. At least I wouldn't have to listen to you bashing it for the whole two hours." She said, sounding pretty upset.

He wasn't ready to give up his opinion but he didn't want to fight with her. She always was so supportive of his habit of reading for hours and leaving her alone though she didn't understand it, so the least he could've done was watch the damn movie and stay quiet.

"Jen?" he said but she refused to look at him staring at the television screen "Sorry about that. But you gotta give me some credit. After all I did watch the damn thing. And believe me it wasn't cause I'm a die-hard fan of the cheesy chick flick movies."

"Guess you're right."

"And it wasn't that bad in the end. There were some good parts." He admitted turning to her "So we're okay?"

"I guess. Sorry for fighting with you over a movie."

"Love means never having to say you're sorry." He said looking at her.

She smiled hitting him with a pillow "So you did watch it after all."

"Maybe." He said with a smirk.

"Let's just finish this pizza. I'm so hungry I think I'll die. I couldn't eat during the movie because of those damn sad scenes, and the end just…urgh…" she glanced at the half eaten pizza "…but you, I see had no problems with that."

"Nope. I had to keep myself entertained somehow."

"Insensitive pig."

"Chick flick addict."

They both laughed as he reached out and kissed her.

"So you wanna stay here tonight?" he asked putting his second, now empty beer bottle down on the table.

"Can't. I have to get up early tomorrow."

"So you've said."

"But I can stay for a couple of more minutes." She said glancing at the clock.

"That'll do." He said grabbing her by the legs to pull her closer.

"It has to." She added laughing as he kissed her again, the thought how she tasted nothing like her stuck in his mind. He smiled, kissing her again, but this time more firmly as they both rolled of the couch and fell to the floor.