Chapter 2 is here, folks. Love it? Hate it? Let me know. I am writing instead of studying for my last exam; that should be worth a teeny-tiny review, shouldn't it? Thank you to all that reviewed so far. I can persuaded to post the next chapter sooner then planned. Care to guess how?

Ok, I'm just pathetic now. Hope you enjoy.

"You haven't changed, Jess."

"Did you expect me to?"

Rory looks at him and smiles softly.

"Not really."

Half an hour later they're in a small pub, sitting on the opposite ends of the table, ice melting in her drink. He picks up his glass and drinks from it, then puts it back down.

"So, tell me about your life."

"Nothing much to tell."

"How is life after college?"

"Tiring. I still can't find a job. I've applied to a hundred places and haven't gotten a single reply yet."

"You'll find one, don't worry."

"How can you be sure?"

"Any editor would be an idiot not to hire you."

"Could you please share that opinion with the guys at the New York Times? Because they seem not to know that and didn't give me an internship."

"They're complete cretins anyway. They didn't add my book to their list of 10 best book of 2006, either." He replies smirking and takes another drink.

"Maybe they just have something against us."

"That must be it. Bust being serious now for a second?"

She nods and waits to hear what he has to say.

"I still think they lost by not hiring you. And you will find a job soon."

"Yes, I heard the Stars Hollow radio station still needs someone to shoo the cows away from their antenna."

"A valid choice." She smiles and he puts his hand over hers on the table, smiling reassuringly at her.

Rory sips her drink, her right hand hidden under his and smiles as well.

"Thank you."

"Any time."

He gives her hand a last gentle squeeze then picks up his drink. He looks at her as her eyes go to his hand moving away and thinks he actually can spot a hint of regret in her look. It can't be there. His mind wants it to be there, so that's why he see is.

Everything is in the past now.

"So, your turn to tell me something about your life."

Her voice pulls him away from his thoughts and he focuses again on her, trying to stop his mind from building scenarios in his head. Useless and painful scenarios.

"Nothing much changed from the last time. Still work at Truncheon. I'm trying the whole responsible adult now. Moved out of the upstairs apartment, call Liz and Luke more often. Even talk to Jimmy once in a while."

"I didn't expect that."

"Yeah, things changed. We're trying to get over what happened in California."

He can clearly see a shadow of regret on her face now and kicks himself for bringing that up. But she quickly sips from her drink and puts on her regular smile.

"I'm happy to hear that. How is being a big brother?"

"I have no idea, I still haven't met the kid yet."

"How come?"

"I haven't been back to Stars Hollow and Liz doesn't have time to come this way, with her fair and all."

"Aren't you curious?"

"A bit. But it's not important."

"She's your half-sister, Jess. How can it not be important?"

"Rory..." He leaves the word hanging between them, and she knows that she shouldn't push it. Because he isn't used to opening up. Not even to her.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up."

"It's ok. I will meet her someday. And stop by the tower to see you moving the cows while I'm in town."

Rory laughs and sees him smirk from the other side of the table.

"So you were just lying earlier when you said you were sure I was going to find a job, huh?"

"Had to say something, didn't I?"

"Suppose so. Any way, you should hurry. I plan on being promoted to being the one that has to stand on top of the tower, keeping the birds away."

"Certainly a move up."

"Better then competing with Kirk for the real jobs in town."

"His mother would probably put you in your place if you decided to steal her baby's jobs."

"Oh, no, he's actually moved out."

"Huh...you don't say."

"Ah, yes. Has his own house and everything."

"Almost like a real grown-up."

"Of course, he still sleeps at his mother's house four times a week."

"It's disturbing how much you know about Kirk's sleeping patterns."

"He insists on keeping the town informed. And it's not like I have much else to do."

"How come you're spending so much time there?"

"School's over."

"I know that. But...never mind."

"Say it."

"It would be pointless."

"Say it anyway."

"How come you're not spending more time with your boyfriend? He didn't look like he would fit in Stars Hollow."

"Logan asked me to marry him." She jumps straight to it, ignoring the possibility of simply telling him it was over. Not because she wants pity. Because she wants him to understand.

"Huh." His jaw clenches and she can see his eyes become serious. Too serious. "I guess I should congratulate you then. So you're in town planning you're wedding? Something nice and small at the inn? He doesn't seem like the kind, but I'm sure you could have convinced him."

She takes a deep breath and then looks him straight in the eyes, stopping the tirade of his questions.

"I said no."

She tries to read his expression but she can't see anything on his face. His mouth open and she waits for what he has to say, expecting anything.

"Why?"

"It's complicated."

"Life tends to be."

"You really want to know?"

"I asked, didn't I?"

"I told him it was because I liked not knowing what was in the future. I lied. We were...not right for each other. Not right enough to last for a lifetime."

"I'm sorry." He whispers and she hears him but instead of acknowledging it, she just stares into space and continues her thought.

"I didn't love him enough. Couldn't love him enough."

She finishes her drink in one gulp and puts the glass back on the table. He signals the waitress for two more, while waiting for her to look back at him. When she finally does, he looks for regret in her eyes, but only finds an empty and sad smile.

The waitress puts the full glasses on the table and picks up the old ones, smiling politely as she walks away.

He picks up Rory's hand again, squeezing it softly and smiles at her, wanting to let her know that everything was going to be all right. She slowly focuses back on him and smiles as well, while his thumb is rubbing small circles on her hand.

"I'm fine."

"I know."

"Then why are you doing this?"

"Because even if you're fine, a friend is never unwelcome when he tells you he is here to listen, if you want him to."

"There's nothing more to be said. It's done. And, Jess...?"

"What?"

"Thank you. For wanting to listen. This can't be the easiest spot in the world for you to be in."

"It's been a long time, Ror."

She feels her heart sinking in her chest at the familiar nickname and more at the thought of him not caring anymore about her in that way. So she pulls her hand out of his and sips her drink again, looking at him coldly.

He sees the sudden change and promptly declares himself an idiot. But...did she actually expect everything to be the same?

"Why did you come here, Rory?"

"I told you...I was in the area."

"For?"

"A job interview."

"You're lying."

She backtracks a bit, biting her lower lip, while her mind is running, trying to find a lie he would believe. One he wouldn't see right through.

"Why did you come here?"

He asks again, and she looks at her hands, wringing her fingers furiously.

"Can we just pretend that it's because I wanted to catch up?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"I want to know the real reason."

"Why?"

"Does it matter? Just say it."

Because deep inside he still hopes she will say that it's because she changed her mind.

"I need closure."

He drinks from his glass, waiting for her to continue.

"We never ended, not properly. Last time...that wasn't fair. We need more. After the hell we've been through, just saying "goodbye" isn't enough. And maybe, because I am my mother's daughter. And if I hadn't done this, then I would have spent years thinking of you like my possibility. Just like dad always was to her. That one door that never fully closes. So yeah. There you have it. I wanted to wrap things up nicely. Close the door completely. And now if you'll excuse me, I think I've made a fool of myself long enough so I will just leave you alone."

She gets up and picks up her purse, looking sadly at him one last time.

"Maybe goodbye is all there is to it."

She walks away slowly from the table, waiting to get outside before she can release the tears collecting inside of her.