Second part of Rory and Jess story enjoy ;)

They both started at each other in silence after the laugh. For sure Luke was right, this really felt like dejá vu.

Jess was the one who broke the silence. After no one really noticed how long, Jess spoke and that make Rory shiver. "Do you want a cup of coffee?"

Still recovering from hearing his voice and from the effect that it had on her, she smiled and accepted. "Yes, that's a good idea. Maybe we should sit?"

"Ok far away from the window then. You know how Stars Hallow works..." Jess said with a smirk and headed to a table close to the corner that no one ever used.

Rory was still surprised with her reaction to him. She never thought that seeing him would have this effect on her. Once again he was the one who broke the silence. That was something that proved that Jess was really a different guy from the grumpy teenager all full of himself that he used to be. And that too made Rory want more of this Jess. She really wanted to get to know him again.

"So you're back then?" Jess asked. He was really curious about this change in her life. He kept up to date with her work and she was an excellent writer and he always liked what she wrote. Apparently she was doing a great job in DC. He really was surprised to see her here. But for sure it was a good surprise, the kind of surprise that put a stupid smile on his face and he couldn't it take it off as much as he tried. He was more than happy to see her and he didn't know that seeing her would make such an impression on him. For a moment he traveled back to their first meeting and that feeling of "I like this girl" that he felt the first time they saw each other and kept feeling for months until they finally hooked up.

Rory noticed Jess was analyzing her, trying to understand if this coming back thing was good or bad. "Yeah apparently I'm back."

"Are you on vacation?" Jess asked, already knowing that was not very accurate because if she was on vacation she would be at her mother's house. This seemed a lit bit more permanent.

"You could call it that. But I was forced into it." She added, smiling.

"Forced? How so?"

She kept her smile. She was not ready for this conversation at all. But he was here in front of her and he was not going to back off until she told him what happened. She knew him too well and for that too, it was hard to show him that she had failed. She knew that he would not judge her for sure but it was hard to admit your failures, especially to someone that always looked at her as a role model.

"Well, I'm without work for now. I got fired!" Rory concentrated on the coffee that Luke had brought right before she spoke. She didn't want to face him but she ended up checking his reaction. He looked shocked. She didn't understand if he was disappointed with her or not. But for sure he was surprised. But he didn't give his game away and calmly asked her, "What happened?"

"Budget issues. I was the youngest and they had to let go of someone so I was the one who had to leave."

"Oh that does not really seem fair on their part. You are a much better journalist than some of your older colleagues." He noticed her surprised look. "And yes I read almost everything you wrote and some of what your colleagues write too."

She gave a teasing smile.

"What? It's a good newspaper!" He added, smiling too and trying to not give to much meaning to his actions.

Rory knew he read her work, especially online, because of his comments from time to time. Not with his real name, but with his nickname. Just she could notice that Dodger was Jess Mariano, that was something between them. Dodger and Book Tease were their nicknames since the beginning and both of them never stopped using it online. It was their thing and neither her nor him thought about changing it. They fit perfectly.

They keep up the small talk for awhile. They shared mostly stuff from their professional life. Rory told him about how she felt when she realized that she was the one who was leaving. The struggle with the decisions ahead. The hard decision of coming back home, the job hunt and feeling like a loser when she entered her mother's house with all of her stuff again. He told her about the books and Truncheon and how he was struggling too to write the new book and the pressure that he still felt to be good after all this time. He confessed to her that he still felt like a loser sometimes too. He told her that he ended up finishing school and went to community college to get a degree, a revelation that made her jump from her chair and hug him. Because that was something that she always had wanted for him. She was surprised Luke didn't tell her that and Jess told her he asked Luke to not tell anyone. Not because it was a secret but just because he didn't want, as always, to make a big thing about it.

Time passed without them even noticing. Luke kept bringing them coffee and food from time to time and watched them with a big smile on his face from behind the counter. He was really happy to witness this encounter and seeing both so into each other made him thrilled inside. Secretly he had always wished that they ended up together. He never believed that it would really happen one day but seeing them today like this was really enjoyable.

When they finally notice that the time had passed they looked to the window that separated Taylor's crazy shop from Luke's and there they were. Kirk and Babbet sat on a chair watching them like they were watching some tv show. Rory and Jess broke out laughing.

How long have those two been standing there?" Jess asked Luke.

"I believe they have been watching you two for more than an hour. Taylor already brought them popcorn's and soda like in the movies," he said laughing and shaking his head while he cleaned the counter.

"Well now you know that this town is still the same. How come we decided that here was a good place to come back again?" Rory asked smiling.

After all this Jess encounter ended up being pretty natural. They kept talking like they had seen each other two weeks ago and that felt really good.

She felt relieved to talk all of her frustrations and insecurities out and he was just the listener that she needed. He always looked at her like she was way better than him and showing him how her career just went from ten to zero kind of let her breathe again. She could fail and could lose and he was the only one that looked at her totally knowing how a person could feel when she lost. He always thought that he was a failure and he was not good enough for her. She always showed him the contrary and it was her that made him believe that he could write. And he did and now he was an almost famous author. He had told her that himself, so sharing her defeat with him was a relief. She always felt a little uncomfortable with the expectations that he, and manly her mother and Luke, put on her. Now it was more like they were related because they had lived the same feeling of defeat that takes you down and rips your dreams apart. And now he, the one that already lived this, would help her raise her head up and get back in the fight again. It was great to meet him here after all. Now she finally felt that she had direction.

He looked at her smile and thought back to the day they meet at her house. The day, that for some reason he couldn't tell at the time, he knew that Stars Hallow could be a good place to be. She was the only thing that kept him from running from this town and the one who without saying a word dared him to give a new begging in his life a chance. He regretted a lot about that time, mostly things related to her. His failures had repercussions in their lives, in their life together. They had something good going on and he through it all away. But for her, he turned his life around and made himself a respectful man. He would not confess that she was the main reason, but he was pretty sure everybody knew that she was a major influence on him becoming a published author. He knew he had played an important role in her life too. He knew that their conversation about her dropping out of Yale triggered something in her that made her turn her life around.

He open a big smile and once again broke the silence between them. "So that means that you are living upstairs right?"

She turned her gaze from the window to look at him. Her eyes were still smiling but her face was more serious now. "I was unpacking when you arrived. But if you need the apartment for some reason I could leave. For real Jess, it's your uncle's house."

He smiled at her. The smile that was almost just a smirk, the smile that among many other things made her fall for him when they were young.

"No Rory. I will not do that to you. I, better that anyone else, knows how you must feel right now. But I was planning to staying the night and if you don't mind and if I remember right, there are two beds so we could both use the apartment... "

"Oh!" Her expression closed down a little. Clearly, she was not expecting this situation.

"… It's just for the night... and if that it's a problem with you I totally understand." The smirk was gone and he started rubbing his hands on his pants. Clearly, he had crossed some line here and maybe he should not have suggested this arrangement. "Look it's ok! I can manage myself."

"No... Jess! It's ok. Of course we could sleep one night in the same apartment. There are two beds and we are adults. It's ok really!" She said in a low tone and with a shy smile. And with that she got up. "And if we intent to sleep this night at all I need to finish unpacking and organize all that mess that I created upstairs."

Jess watched her leave and go straight to the door behind the counter. He stayed at the table for bit processing all that they had talked about. Today they would sleep in the same space. He had never been so close to her during the night. He never thought that this, her, seeing her again could affect him so much. The last time he saw her was that day she was in Philly for his book launch. He sent her an invitation to his other book launches but she was always working in places far from Philly. She always answered him and supported him but they ended up never meeting in person. They from time to time exchanged messages but not more than that, just keeping in touch.

"So what was the arrangement?" Luke asked taking Jess from his memories.

"What? Oh! Yeah, she... she said it was ok and I will use my old bed and she will use yours." Jess answered without looking at his uncle, focusing on the movement outside.

"And what do you think Amber will think about that?" Luke asked again.

"Oh, Amber... She probably doesn't mind because she left two months ago."

Luke stared at him surprised. This girl was his second real girlfriend that he knew of but Jess seemed very into to this relation. They had been living together for more than a year. "What happen?"

Jess smiled at his uncle. He really couldn't explain what had happened. They just apparently grew apart. "Well, you know... it just stopped making sense. She felt I was distant and I probably was. I liked her a lot but after a while, we stopped talking and for no reason we just started to be two separate people sharing an apartment and not a couple and one day she decided it was time to leave... and when I got home she was gone." He still focused his gaze outside.

"And did you talk after that?"

"Yes, I called her to try and understand what had happened. I probably should have put up a fight but I didn't. You know me... I... Well, there is no more Amber. I'm living solo again."

Luke smirked. "That's convenient!"

Jess looked at him. "Don't be like that. We are adults, not two horny teenagers anymore and a lot of things have happened since then. We are in a good place and I don't intent to ruin that."

Luke smiled to himself, turning his back on Jess and got back to his work mumbling, "ok."

Jess went back to the counter, picked his bag from where he had left it and asked Luke. "Do you think I should go upstairs and help her out?"

Luke made a face. "She made a mess upstairs. You know the Gilmore's and maybe you should give her some time to put her things in place... don't you think?"

Jess nodded. "You're right. I'm going to the bridge, maybe I can write a little." And with that Jess left without waiting for Luke's answer.

Rory checked the window and saw Jess heading down the sidewalk. For a beat she wondered where he could be going but she found out pretty quick when he turned in the direction of the river. He was heading to the bridge. Their bridge. Jess always liked that spot and he used to hide there a lot. If she made a bet he was probably going to write. Knowing all that without even asking him made her smile. She turned to her mess and hurried to arrange all her stuff. She didn't want him to see all her stuff laying around. They would be sharing the apartment and she wanted him to feel at home and not like he was a burden or an intruder in here.

As soon as Jess got to the bridge a bunch of memories came to him. Uncle Luke bringing him to the river, Rory's picnic basket, his lone walks to that place, Rory meeting him there when he disappeared. She always knew where he was when he vanished! And that was always one of the many things that made him love her. With a smile on his face, he pulled the tablet from his messenger bag and started writing. This place has a really good energy, he should come here more often, he thought to himself. He didn't notice the time passing and he just stopped writing because he noticed the light was fading. He decided to head back, Luke was probably worried about him at this time.

"He's probably at the bridge, Luke!" Rory said still arranging some space for her last bit of clothes in one of the drawers that Luke pointed out as free for her to use.

"He usually doesn't stay there for so long!" Luke said worriedly.

"He said he was struggling to write the next book, maybe the bridge did the trick for him!" Rory suggested.

"You think?" Luke asked while looking around at her progress. Luke had brought her another cup of coffee. Today she had lost count of the amount of coffee she had drank.

Lorelai had passed through the diner when she was on her way home, to check on her and give Luke a kiss. Rory promised her mother that she would have dinner with her and Lorelai left the diner straight to Doozies to pick some pop tarts.

Rory nor Luke told Lorelai about Jess and the apartment sharing arrangement. Neither one knew how she would react if she knew so even without talking about it they both omitted the subject of Jess and she didn't notice his truck outside so she didn't know that he was even in Stars Hallow. They almost bumped into each other but Lorelai was so distracted about what dinner she should order that she didn't even notice him coming from the bridge and entering the diner seconds after she left.

"Well finally!" Luke said relieved.

"Hey! I was on the bridge. Writing!"

"Yes, Rory suggested that," Luke informed him, smiling again. It was really not just a smile, it was more a smirk like a teasing smile.

Jess stayed quiet for a moment. Then smiled to himself and mumbled, "apparently she still knows my habits!"

Luke continued his cleaning process while Jess sat at the table he and Rory used before and started reading what he had written so far. It wasn't bad but he was not sure if that was what he wanted.

"Can I bring you something?" Luke asked.

Jess turned his attention from the tablet to focus on his uncle. "Do you think it's ok for me to go upstairs?"

Luke smiled at Jess' insecurities. In the end, he would always be his shy and insecure nephew. "I think it's not a problem, no."

"Maybe I should bring dinner, don't you think?"

Luke smiled again, he was very happy to assist with this reconnection. "That's an excellent idea. Do you want something in particular? Or burger and fries are enough for you?"

" Yes, that's good. And put cheddar on Rory's and a side of bacon. You know she loves bacon… And what pie do you have? Blueberry pie, do you have?" Jess asked in excitement.

Luke laughed at him. "Yes, I have blueberry pie and don't worry I still know how Rory likes her burger."

Jess cast his gaze down and smirked at himself, going back to his table and to his reading. "I will be waiting here."

Luke fixed their dinner and put on Jess' table a to go bag. "Here it is! Enjoy!"

Jess looked at him, smiled, put his tablet in his messenger bag, picked his duffel bag and the dinner up and headed straight for the stairs. Without looking at his uncle and in a low tone of voice Jess warned, "Uncle Luke please don't read too much into this. We are just good friends. "

Luke didn't answer him, just nodded his head in agreement with a satisfied look on his face.

Rory had almost everything in place. There were still two boxes of books that she really didn't know where to put so she decided that she could leave them in the boxes for awhile until she decided what to do with them. She was putting some clothes in the cabinet when she heard the knock.

"Yes? Come in!"

Jess entered with the "to go bag" with Luke's symbol on it which made Rory break into a big smile.

"Luke thought you could eat something." Jess said, putting the food on the table.

Rory looked at him and once again traveled back in time, to that one night when Jess appeared at her front porch, with one of those" to go bags" from Luke's with dinner for her and Paris claiming that it was Luke who had to sent him. The next day she found out that the food was all Jess' idea and not Luke's. Maybe she was wrong but this time it seemed the same. "So did you even tell Luke that you had brought this up here?"

He smiled but didn't face her. "He was the one who prepared the food."

"So you brought me dinner right?" She said, teasing him.

"You have to eat. I just brought the food up. Nothing much," he said still not facing her and organizing the table.

"You brought me dinner... Thank you!" She teased again.

"Oh come on is just food!" He finally looked at her. They both started at each other. "A little déjà vu again right?" He asked.

She nodded . "Yes and a good one."

"I was just a cocky kid at that time."

"Yes you were, but you always were good for me, and in the end your intentions were good."

"Too bad you and Luke were the only ones who noticed that." Jess said with some regret.

"You didn't make it easy for any one to like you, did you?"

"Yeah. Like I said, cocky kid!" Jess said picking up his burger. "Let's eat?"

"Oh yes! Let's eat. I'm starving!" Rory took a bite of her burger and rolled her eyes in pleasure. "God I missed Luke's food!"

Jess laughed at her reaction and kept eating. When he looked at her again she was making an awkward face, making him question the quality of the food, did he forget something that she didn't like. "What? Not good?"

"My mother!" She says in a worried tone.

Jess kept staring at her clueless about what she meant.

"I promised my mother that I'd have dinner with her. Bummer! She will get upset with me. She is pretty overprotective this days."

"I'm sure Luke will tell her something about this."

"But I have to caller anyway," she said trying to find her phone. She called her and waited for her to answer. "Mom? I'm sorry!"

"No problem kid, Luke told me about your unexpected visitor." Lorelai said.

But Rory noticed she was not so relaxed about it as she wanted to sound.

"Mom are you really ok with this?" Rory asked already knowing the answer.

"Yes, Rory it's ok. Just … Well, can we have dinner tomorrow instead?"

"Yes, mom of course." This was unexpected but good. "I promise that tomorrow we can dinner together. Bye, mom!"

"Bye sweetie!"

"Ok these days I think Luke understands my decisions and my position better than my mom. I don't get it how she doesn't see that I need my time to put my head together." Rory said, almost losing her breath.

"Luke is always ready to fight for a lost cause," Jess said smiling, already knowing she was going to fight with him about this.

"Hey, I'm not a lost cause." Rory said, pretending to pouted.

"No! I was and he believed that I could turn into something good as an adult. He get's you because he loves you like a daughter, but unlike your mother, he knows life can be a bitch sometimes. Lorelai is not used to seeing you fail so she really doesn't know what to do with that. Luke knows how to deal with failure." Jess was clearly talking about himself.

Luke was and always had been her father figure. Yes, Cristopher was her father but Luke was always the one who was around and she felt really comfortable debating her insecurities with him. Luke was a really good friend that was helping her right now more than she realized.

"No cream?" Rory asked when she realized the blueberry pie was without cream.

Jess reached into the bag and pulled out the cream with a smirk. "Do you really think I'd have forgotten about something so important like that?"

"You know what? I'm really glad that you still know me so well. It's really... comfortable I think." Rory said eating her pie with a look of lust on her face.

Jess got up from the table and started to snoop around her books. He found a box on the ground and peeked inside. He recognized the books that were on top. They were his books. The ones he had written. He looked at her. She was still almost flirting with the pie. Her look made him laugh. "Tell me something. Why do you have more than one copy of my books."

She looked at him surprised and blushed. "So you found the box... Ha... Well, the truth is when I find an edition that I like I buy it. I have three copies from the first and two from the second. Please don't laugh at me. I wrote in all the margins in the first one so I decided to buy a new one when I found it in some bookstore. And then it became a habit. When the margins are full I buy another edition."

Jess put on his sweetest smile. The smile that he usually saved for the people that really matter to him. "How many times did you read them?"

"I lost count," She said looking at the floor. She came close to him. He was sitting on the floor and she sat in front of him. She took the book from his hands. "I'm really proud of what you become Jess and I always believed that you could do magic tricks. Your books are like that, magic tricks."

He leaned close to her and she got close to him too. For a moment they locked their gaze on each other. The desire between them was almost palpable. He caressed her face and she let him do it, tilting her head to the side. Their faces were pretty close when someone knocked on the door interrupting their almost kiss, again.

Rory got up and opened the door. "Hi Luke, thank you for the food." She said smiling and letting him enter the room.

"It was Jess idea. No problem with your mother?" Luke asked.

"No! We talked, it's all ok, no worries." Rory informed him.

"Great. Look I just came to tell you guys I'm leaving home. Cesar will close up tonight, but if you two need something from downstairs feel free to pick it up."

"Ok Uncle Luke. Thank you! See you tomorrow." Jess, that was already close to them, added.

"Bye guys!"

"Goodnight Luke. And thank you for everything!" Rory said giving Luke a hug. Luke was not good with this kind of situation but it was Rory and he hugged her back. "Good night guys!"

"Ok, I'm tired! I think I have to sleep." Rory informed Jess and headed to the bathroom. When she got out she was wearing one of Luke's t-shirt and some gym shorts. Jess smiled at her figure. She laughed at him. "I didn't bring anything appropriate to sleep with company." She smiled shyly as she headed to bed.

It was Jess turn to use the bathroom and no more than two minutes later he was out with just his boxers on. "Sorry I don't really have nothing to sleep in and you used Luke's last shirt.

Rory didn't say a word, just smiled and got into her bed.

Jess did the same. "Good night Rory!"

"This is strange right?" Rory asked.

"It is but we will survive." Jess answered.

"Good night Dodger!" Rory whispered.

Jess laughed. "Goodnight Book tease!"

And thank you so much for reading!