"Jess..." Rory looked up at him, a worried look on her face.

"Rory?" Jess got a cute little panicked look on his face. "Are you ok? Did I - did I do something? I'm so sorry."

"No!" Rory laughed at Jess' wide eyes. "You're cute when you panic though."

"Thankyou. As you were saying?"

"You're totally ditching Shane out of nowhere. I was wondering... no, it's stupid."

"Keep talking. I'm listening."

"Okay, well... you're not going to leave me the way you left her, right? I mean, you don't seem to be famous for your commitment." She still had a slightly scared look on her face.

"No! No way, Rory. I'm not going to leave you the way I left Shane. In fact, it'll be hard o make me leave you at all. I plan on being with you for a while!" He smiled at her, trying to assure her that he would always be hers.

She ran her fingers through his hair. "You have such a cute face," she mused. "I'm very glad you don't let your hair fall over it."

Jess brushed her cheek. "You have a very pretty face," he replied, "I'm so happy your mine." This earned a smile from Rory, something he would never get tired of.

"I never had you pegged as a sweet talker," she giggled. "You have the skill down."

"Why thankyou," Jess said.

Rory checked her watch. "I have to go..." she said.

She made a move to get up, but Jess grabbed her arm. "Don't go," he begged. "I didn't leave when you told me to stay. You owe me, Gilmore." He kept holding her hand.

Rory sat back down. "I guess I do owe you."

She kissed him gently, then pulled back and looked into his eyes. He smiled at her. "I've been waiting for this, you know." He said. "I had to watch you be all in love with Dean. I had to watch that jerk break your heart. I had to watch you try so hard to end things, but you just felt so bad about it that you got stuck in that messy relationship. I've liked you since I came to this crazy town. On that night when we met, I didn't know how to act. You were just there, so cute and innocent. I wanted to stay, but I couldn't handle all the talk about how great Jackson's lemons were. I had to tell you that Luke sent you the care package. I bid on your basket. I came on your carriage at that ridiculous dinner your mom dragged the whole town to. Rory, I had to watch you hurt when I crashed your car. Most of all, I had to act like I didn't care about you, even though you were one of the only sane people in this town." Rory looked taken aback.

"Wow," she spoke slowly. "I never... thought you could talk about your feelings. I always thought it was a "cool" thing to act all mysterious."

Jess laughed. "Well, let me warn you not to get used to it."

"Well if I did, it just wouldn't be you." She crossed her legs. "So... have you tried the Fountainhead yet?"

"Tried? Yes. Completed? No chance in hell. Ayn Rand is completely nuts, I'm sorry."

"Well I'll have you know that I read some painful Hemingway. You have horrible taste, by the way."

"I appreciate it."

Rory was about to say something when Dean's little sister appeared in front of them, obviously travelling past. "You're cheating on my brother. You're mean. He'll hear about this, Girl Scout!" She ran off, leaving Rory feeling sick to the stomach.

"This is ridiculous," Jess yelled. "Can't he just give you a rest, rather than sending Clara to spy on us? What is wrong with that guy?"

"Jess," Rory said, holding him to the floor before he could hunt Dean down. "I don't... think she knows. About the breakup. I mean, it did only happen about an hour ago. Maybe he didn't want to talk about it."

"Whatever," Jess shrugged. "He's pathetic, you deserve better."

Rory kissed him before leaving to find her mom.