Late night-Part 1

After her mother had fallen asleep she got out of the house and walked slowly through the quiet town. Being back there was waking up many memories, as was seeing Jess. Soon, she found herself at the old wooden bridge, without even noticing that she was heading that way, and saw him sitting there.

"Hey, Jess."

He looked up and took a drag out of the cigarette in his hand. "How did you know I'd be here?"

She smiled and sat down next to him, dangling her feet over the edge of the bridge. "You're not seriously asking me that, are you? Is it ok that I'm here?"

"It's ok." He paused long enough to throw the cigarette butt in the water. "It's been a while."

"More then a while. How are you?"

"Ok. You?"

"Ok." She let out a small chuckle. "God, this is weird."

He smiled and looked at her, playing with the lighter in his hand. "Congratulations on graduating from Yale, by the way. I didn't get a chance to tell you that when it happened."

"Thanks. For this and for making me go back."

"You're overestimating my contribution."

"No, I'm not. I mean it, Jess…I don't think I would be here if it hadn't been for you." She said those words looking straight into his eyes.

"Call it even, then. How is being a real journalist?"

"Exhausting, but I love it. I'm still trying to get used to not being around this place. You? Still working at Truncheon?"

"Yep."

"Have you written anything new?"

"I'm halfway through something."

"Let me know when it comes out."

"It's still miles away from that point. If it will even be published."

"I hope it will be."

"Yeah…me too."

They let the words float around for a while, not bothering to fill the space they leave behind. The silence is comforting and familiar. She was the first one to break it.

"Have you seen the starts tonight?"

He looked up at the sky, then back down and saw her lying down on the bridge. "You'll catch a cold."

She grabbed his hand and tried to pull him down as well. "Come on, Jess, it's so pretty."

"Yes, I've heard pneumonia is beautiful."

Rory wrapped her other hand around his and looked him in the eyes. "Please." She held the last syllable of the word until he lied down next to her.

"If I die it will be your fault."

"I'm taking full responsibility."

They lied on the old bridge looking at the stars, again in silence, while her hand was still wrapped around his. This time, he was the first one that spoke.

"So how are things with the…" He paused looking for a word that wouldn't make her mad. "Guy at Yale."

"We broke up."

"Why?"

"He asked me to marry him. I said no."

"Why?"

"He wasn't it."

"It?"

"It. The one."

"Got it."

"I loved him but not like I…"

"Not like you what?"

She turned around and her eyes met his. "Not like I should have. Not enough to last forever."

"I'm sorry." Rory had expected to hear anything else from him, just not this. She wanted to say something but she didn't know how to reply so she just squeezed his hand, aware for the first time that she was still holding it.

"Thank you." She paused then looked back at the sky. "Are you seeing anyone?"

"No. There was someone for a while but it didn't work out." He got up before she had a chance to say anything else on the subject. "It's getting colder out here." Jess took his hand out of hers and stood up. "We should get inside."

Rory got up as well. "I don't want to go home yet. I'm not sleepy."

He smiled and picked a leaf of her sleeve.

"Then come by the diner. I'll make you some coffee."

Rory nodded and smiled softly at him. "Let's go."

Sorry, sorry, sorry. I wrote this and then my computer crashed and I got sick. Life gets in the way. I'm going way tomorrow so I'm not going to update for at least 10 days but I should have the next chapters up by the time I get back and post them as soon as I'm home(I also won't have an internet connection so I won't be able to reply to your reviews). Thank you for the reviews. The special thanks for this chapter goes to ohxrosie for making me think and rethink the direction I wanted to take with this chapter.