A/N: Sorry this took so long, unfortunate laptop malfunction. But here's the next chapter and it's long, so I hope it makes up for the long wait.
Disclaimer: Don't own.
"Mom, everything is ready, stop worrying! I promise you that the wedding is going to be perfect."
"How is it going to be perfect, hon? You're wearing a cast, that's for one. Two, we're still having trouble with Taylor. And three, I have a feeling that the dress is gonna split in the middle at some point. I've gained weight. I never gain weight, why now? Isn't the stress supposed to make you lose weight?"
Rory chose to ignore her mother's rambling. "You tried the dress on again," she rather stated than asked, with a big smile on her face.
"I have," Lorelai grinned. "I still love it."
"Well, you should because it's still perfect. Mom, I've been thinking. I've been here for almost a week and you now I love it here but would you forgive me if I went to Harvard to visit Paris? Just for a few days. Until Tuesday."
"You're willing to spent four days with Paris," the mother looked at the daughter as if she were crazy.
"I used to live with her. I'm suffering from the Paris Withdrawal Syndrome."
"You're too nice to people?"
"Exactly."
Lorelai sighed. "Go, have fun. Leave your mother alone on her last week of freedom. But be here on Tuesday because my full on freak out is set to start on Wednesday at noon."
"I'll be here," Rory kissed her mother on the cheek. "Call me if you need anything."
It was almost noon when Jess picked up the mail. An invoice from the printing house. Something from George the poet who refused to get a computer and send emails because it wouldn't agree with his image. Something for him, that appeared to be private, not to do with Truncheon. He opened it. Huh. He picked up his phone and dialled Rory's number. And made a mental note to finally change his cell phone deal because this was costing him a fortune.
"Mariano, you're getting needy," Rory joked as she picked up. She wasn't really complaining. "Didn't we just finish talking fifteen minutes ago?"
He ignored her comment. "I'm guessing you've got coffee in your hands right now, so put it away."
"Done. What is it?"
"I got an invitation."
"I'm very happy for you," she teased. "To what, if I may ask?"
"To Nora and Josh's engagement party."
"No!" Rory exclaimed, genuinely surprised.
"Yes."
"Wow. That was fast."
"I know. But keep the coffee away because there's more."
"Don't tell me it's a baby shower at the same time," she gasped.
Jess sneered. "Sorry, but no. Your name is on the invitation though."
"What?"
"It says 'Jess Mariano plus Rory-now-I-really-regret-not-asking-what-your-last-name-is.'"
She laughed. "It doesn't say that."
"Oh, it does, believe me, my fingers are all silver and sparkly because she used a glittery ball pen."
"I feel for you. When is it?"
"Next Friday."
"Twenty-first?"
"Yeah."
"I'll be there."
He raised his eyebrow even though she couldn't see it. "Oh yeah?"
"Why not. I'm not going back to work until the Tuesday after that. What does it say about the dress code?"
"Santa's workshop."
"Interesting theme for the middle of the summer," she mused.
"I'm kidding. It says 'dressy casual', whatever that means."
He heard loud banging of a door and some yelling on Rory's side of the line.
"What was that?" he asked with a frown.
"Paris. She just came home."
"You're at Harvard?"
"Yeah. But she looks mad, she might throw me out any second now."
"If she does you can call Harriet, she went there for some reunion thing this weekend."
"Really? Give me her number then."
"Who was that?" Paris asked as she walked into the room.
"Remember Jess?"
"Kerouac? The cute idiot that left you in the senior year and deprived you of the disastrous affair known as high school prom?"
"Yes, him" Rory nodded.
"And what exactly were you doing talking to him?"
"You've got your answer in your question, Paris. We're talking. Have been for months, actually."
"Interesting."
"Yes. Interesting," Rory nodded again, awkwardness clear in her voice. "You look mad, what happened?"
"Half of the doctors at the clinic are incompetent."
"I see."
"And Doyle and I had a fight last night because I fell asleep but he could hear you giggling on the phone apparently. He woke me up to tell me that and I had to tell him that it's not okay to go to you and tell you to be quiet because you're our guest. You weren't talking to him, were you?"
"No, that was my mom," Rory lied. "I'm sorry for causing a fight between you two."
"Forget about it. We need to fight sometimes. Keeps the relationship interesting."
"Hi," Rory said as she approached Harriet who already sat at a table in a campus café.
"Hi, nice to see you again, Rory," Harriet smiled. "Though I guess I shouldn't really be talking to you since you're a Yalie."
"A faithful follower of Handsome Dan. But my good friend is here in medical school so I'm trying to overcome the barriers. Am I sticking out?"
"With those eyes of yours you couldn't be mistaken for a Harvard student. Look around, we all have red. They deprive us of sleep to make our eyes Harvard crimson," Harriet said and they both laughed.
"Well, as long as my grandparent's don't know I'm here," Rory said.
"Yale family traditions?" Rory nodded. "I know your pain. I was almost exiled from the family for dating Matt because he went to University of Pennsylvania."
"What did you study?"
"Majored in music and then in English because my step-mother didn't realise I graduated so she paid for another year. Good old times."
"Sounds like it."
"So, do you want to get some coffee?"
"A Gilmore never ever says 'no' to coffee. Or cake."
Harriet looked at her as if she just remembered something. "I was meaning to ask. Are you by any chance related to Richard and Emily Gilmore?"
Now Rory looked at the other woman with surprise. "They are my grandparents."
"Don't tell me you're Lorelai's kid!" Harriet's exclaimed.
"I am, at least that's what I've been told since I can remember. In fact I'm a Lorelai Gilmore myself but I go by Rory because mom named me after herself but that would be too confusing. You know her?"
Harriet shook her head in amazement.
"That is one small world we live in. Of course I know Lorelai. Our families used to go to Martha's Vineyard together every year when we were kids."
"Wow."
"Wow, I know! I always looked up to her. She was six years older than me, I think, she wore Chuck Taylors with her summer dresses which was obviously astonishing and she used to sneak me out for ice cream when I was supposed to be in bed."
"That sounds like mom," Rory laughed.
"How is she now?"
"She's great. She's getting married in a week. To Luke, Jess's uncle, by the way."
"Oh yeah, I knew you were going to be cousins through marriage. This small world thing is kind of freaky though."
"Amazing, right?"
"Yeah."
"You know what?" Rory asked. "You should totally come to the wedding. With Matt."
Harriet chuckled devilishly. "Jess would love that."
"I'm serious. That would be a great surprise for mom. And you can help me convince Jess to dance."
"Tempting. And that wouldn't be any trouble?"
"Not at all, the whole town is going to be there anyway."
"Okay then. Besides, any excuse is good to buy new shoes," Harriet smiled.
Rory rummaged through her purse. "I should have some spare invitations in here. There you go," she found one and passed it to Harriet.
"Thanks. That will leave Chris alone with Mel, maybe they will start getting along."
"Matt's sister?"
"I see you're well updated," Harriet remarked with a smirk. "Yeah, one of the four. Sisters that is, then there is Matt and another brother."
"Wow."
"I know. Their parents are all proper and apparently they didn't know that the government's ban on birth control was lifted in 1965."
"Just slightly behind."
"I know. But they're great."
"How did you and Matt meet?"
"Jess didn't tell you the story?" Harriet asked and Rory answered by shaking her head. "Ask him for details," Harriet explained. "All I can tell you that me and Matt met through Jess... it was shortly after the time you first came to Truncheon and you two kissed. Sorry, I probably shouldn't have mentioned that, but yes, I know," she continued awkwardly. "Basically I met Jess at a bar, smacked him upside the head for letting himself be such a mess and went home with him." She suddenly jumped up, aware of how it sounded. "No, no, no, not like you think. I just went with him because he was completely wasted and you know, there's something about Jess that makes you want to take care of him."
"I know," Rory agreed with a sad smile, tears gathering in her eyes at the thought of that shameful day.
"And Matt was there, worried sick about Jess and it was the cutest thing I ever saw and we started talking and it all just somehow went from there."
"Thank you," Rory said, sniffling at this point, her mind still at Harriet's previous statement.
"No, Rory, it's not your-"
"It is, it is entirely my fault. I was so selfish. And stupid. And God, I'm freaking out now. But thank you for taking care of him."
Harriet looked at Rory emphatically and thought about how strange those two were. She never knew a couple of people who so obviously loved each other and were still desperately running away from being together.
"It's okay, Rory. Frankly, I have a reason to be glad that it all happened, otherwise I would have never gotten to Truncheon. There's something special about those three and I love them all to bits," she shrugged lightly. "How long are you planning to stay at Harvard?"
"I thought until Tuesday but Paris is already fed up with me."
"Wanna come to Philly with me? Just for a couple of days?"
"Boys! I'm back! With a surprise!" Harriet shouted as they climbed the stairs.
"Hey," Matt welcomed his girlfriend with a kiss. "Hi Rory."
"Hi," she smiled. She wasn't sure if she was getting the right feeling but out of the three of Jess's friends, Matt was definitely the least fond of her and somehow she wanted him to accept her.
"Harry, you're back!" Chris's voice came from a distance. "Finally! I haven't been hugged in days! Oh, Rory, hi! Score, double portion of hugs for me. Mel doesn't do hugs," he pouted. "And I'm not desperate enough to ask the guys."
"Reed, I'd be really worried if I found you hugging Matt. Come here you nut, I missed you," Harriet embraced Chris, then moved and he extended his arms to Rory, then examined her cast. She thought that she never hugged a boy in such a pure, friendly manner. Jess, maybe, but he was Jess, even if it was only friendly, it was different.
"Where's Jessica?" Harriet inquired.
"He's making coffee. Jess!" Matt shouted. "Come down here!"
He did. With coffee. Rory melted and took a mug from him even though it wasn't intended for her and kissed him on the cheek saying hi.
He could definitely do without his coffee.
In contrast to the three young brooding men who owned and occupied it, Truncheon was a very light place. There were large windows and high ceilings everywhere, it just made sense that the previous owner was a painter. But he went bankrupt and the boys were in luck, coming into possession of a very cheap, very well lit building. The only place that lacked that quality was the staircase leading from the office to the apartment. They stopped changing the light bulb after Matthew tried to replace it once and ended up falling from the ladder, twisting his ankle.
In that very place, fate or coincidence or whatever it was, pushed the descending Rory and the ascending Jess into each other, as the end of the business hours approached.
They both took a step back, Rory up a step, Jess down a step but neither of them broke the silence with the compulsory 'oops' or 'sorry'. Instead they stood still, examining each other's silhouettes in the dim light; their rational thought somewhere far away, because neither of them, if asked, would have been able to answer what or why they were doing.
It took a sound of breaking glass coming from upstairs to bring them back into the real world.
Rory shifted from one leg to another, as she pointed to the apartment door and spoke up, the shaking of her voice giving away the fact that she had been somewhere else entirely a few seconds earlier.
"Matt and Mel are arguing, I left them to it," she said.
"Sensible move," Jess answered, looking up at the door. "I'm kind of hiding," he added.
"From whom?"
"Remember, I told you about those two high-school girls who wanted an interview for some school magazine?"
"Aww, your fangirls," Rory smiled teasingly.
"Is that the word? 'Cause I've been referring to them as freaks."
"Now, Mr Mariano, I realize you are a published writer with stalkers now and you have the right to be all elevated, but it's still not a nice way to talk about people who adore your writing."
"Please," he scoffed.
"Please, what?"
"Asking about women in my life clearly indicates an interest in my writing."
Rory laughed. "What did you tell them?"
"Nothing."
"See, that's a completely wrong approach, they will keep coming back until they find out. And when they find out they will still keep coming back, hoping they you will choose one of them to fill this void in your love life."
"I guess I'll just have to spend the rest of my life hiding on this staircase," he said, leaning lazily on the wall behind him while Rory sat down on a step, so were finally on the same eye level.
"I suppose I can keep you company for a while before you become a hermit then."
"That's very nice of you."
"I know," she said lightly and they fell quiet for a moment, staring at their shoes, until Rory spoke up again. "Did I tell you yet that I love it here?"
"On the dark staircase?" He just couldn't help himself.
"No, you idiot, here at Truncheon!" But the dark staircase wasn't half bad either.
"Well, your eloquence prevented you from using these exact words before but I kind of got it," he replied with a smirk that she rather sensed in his voice than saw in the darkness.
"You've done so well for yourself, Jess. I'm really proud of you."
The comment made him feel uneasy so he tried to joke.
"Yeah, I should probably invite all of Stars Hollow, maybe their level of hatred towards me would go down a notch."
"As if it was so easy. Taylor would carry out an inspection to check for stolen things around here," Rory deadpanned.
"You're right," he sighed and ran his hand through his hair, sitting down one step lower than her. "I really was a pain to be around, wasn't I?" he asked and noticed that she tensed up.
"You're asking the wrong person," she said quietly. "It was… no, never mind."
"Say it," he pushed, looking at her intently, and she thought that this was more like the old Jess, pressing to get a sore subject out.
She breathed in and out before saying it. "Not having you around was harder. Back then," she added quickly.
"Oh… Ror?" he said, looking away.
"Yeah?"
"I'm sorry."
She dug her nails into the flesh of her palm, trying to stop the tears that gathered in her eyes at the sound of the words she waited years to hear. She forgave him, a long time ago, but hearing it made her feel calm. Except that she had to fight the growing urge to touch him. She only said, "I know."
In that moment, the magnetic force proved to be stronger than that of her will and her healthy arm moved a few inches until her fingers buried in his hair.
They froze instantly, like before, their minds lost somewhere, until she heard his tortured murmur.
"Rory…"
The rational thought caught up with them once again and she quickly withdrew her hand.
"Sorry," she said, getting up and fidgeting. He didn't respond but only looked at the wall next to him, as if the paint that was coming off was hugely fascinating. "It… seems like they stopped fighting," Rory motioned towards the apartment door.
"Okay."
"Okay?"
"Yeah, let's go up."
"Okay."
"Good."
And he followed her up the stairs.
If they were good at dancing around each other at the age of seventeen, now they were clearly entering the pro level. Only the bumps and bruises they got on the way stole the bravery and recklessness they had back then, and the dance was becoming more awkward than ever.
"Hello mother!" she said into the phone.
"Oh, er, Rory, hi, it's Luke."
"Oh. Hi Luke. Sorry, I didn't know you'd pick up."
"Yeah. You know, Lorelai uses me for that," Luke said uncomfortably.
"I should have figured. How are you, Luke?"
"Good. I'm good. How are you, Rory?"
"I'm good too. Actually, I'm visiting Jess in Philly right now."
"Oh. Good. Say hi from me. Your mom is here taking the phone from, so-"
"Hey sweets!"
"Hey mom!"
"How is Paris?"
"I bet less rainy than London."
"What about Paris the Neurotic-who-Michel-runs-away-from-every-time?"
"She's dealing with the incompetent doctors."
"Of course," Lorelai deadpanned.
"So what did I miss? Did you sort out the permit to play music after 11 pm?"
"Luke is dealing with it now. I gave it a try and Taylor threatened to take the lanterns down. He said that they are too bright. Too bright, imagine that? So guess what I told him?" Lorelai chuckled.
"What did you tell him?"
"I told him that he must be experiencing a clinical death after I stabbed him in the kidney with a stiletto, you know, Gladiator style, for being so annoying, but that bright light he's seeing cannot possibly be my lanterns."
"Poor old Taylor," Rory pouted.
"Offspring, I feel betrayed!"
"Couldn't you at least pull an Edward and use scissors? I think they might be easier to acquire than a stiletto."
"No, see, I always wanted a stiletto for this purpose. Maybe I can find something appropriate at Mrs Kim's."
"You realise if these calls were monitored we would be sitting in jail right now, mom?"
"I wonder if Luke would still visit me," Lorelai said and suddenly turned serious. "So kid, there's something you should know before you come back to town."
"What is it?"
"We got news from Woodbury today. Did you know that Dean lives there?"
"No, I didn't. I haven't heard from him at all since... you know," she trailed off.
"Okay. I hate to tell you this but you're going to find out sooner or later so I better do this now." She took a deep breath and Rory found herself doing the same. "He got married again, Rory."
"Oh."
"You're okay?"
"I... I will be."
"Can I tell you the weirder part?"
"Go on."
"He got married...wait for it... to a Linzi."
"He divorced her and married her again?" Rory asked with confusion.
"No, no, no. They weren't cool enough to repeat the Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton thing. Not Lindsey. It's a different girl, she's from Woodbury and she's called Linzi. L-i-n-z-i."
"Wow. That is weird."
"Creepy, I'd say."
"Oh shoot. Shoot, shoot, shoot. Mom, I still haven't told Jess about the thing with Dean."
"Why, do you feel like you should have?"
"Yes, I feel like I should have. We have been talking about the past a lot lately but this somehow hasn't come up yet. Did I mention that I'm in Philly?"
"What? How did you get to Philly?"
"Jess's friend was in Harvard for a reunion and I met her there for a coffee and came back with her because I was making Paris and Doyle fight."
"Rory, promise me something. Promise me you won't do anything stupid because you just found out about Dean and Jess is there, right next to you."
"I promise."
"Okay. Take care, hon. Look out for Will Smith while you're there and if you see him tell him that your grandmother loves him."
"Will do. Bye mom."
She turned her phone on silent and started walking down the street. She had to avoid doing anything stupid. Getting away from Jess should be a good idea until she was done processing the news and kicking herself for her affair with Dean once again.
At one point in her twenty three years long life, she had been the other women. She had ruined a marriage. She had lost her virginity to a married man. Whom she didn't even love. And wasn't in a relationship with when they did it.
She had lost her virginity to a married man who was her ex-boyfriend because she needed a rebound after her other ex-boyfriend came to her and asked her to leave school and run away with him.
Her head was spinning.
It was getting dark but she barely noticed that. She just walked on. Then she went into a random bar and ordered a random drink. And another one. She decided that it might be a good idea to do shots. They sure took her mind off Dean as the ceiling started reeling. She realised it was late so she got up to go back. A night bus didn't come so she walked again. She got lost. Then found her way by sheer accident. She got her cell phone out of her pocket when she stood in front of the door to Truncheon. Ooops. 12 missed calls from Jess. Or maybe that was 17. 6 from Chris. 2 from Harriet. She started a new message.
'Jess, are uyo awakd? Can youu let mein? R'
Less than twenty seconds later he appeared in the door, looking furious. She didn't like furious Jess.
"What the hell was that Rory?" he shouted in a whisper. She passed him in the door without a word. "You've been drinking. That's just very fucking peachy."
"Jess, stop, I'm old enough to drink. And I'm old enough to take a walk on my own."
"Rory, do you know what time it is? Well, let me tell you, it's twenty past three. And this is Philadelphia, not Stars Hollow. You can't do this!"
"Of course I can."
"No, you can't. You can't come to my house and then disappear without saying a word to anybody, not pick up your phone and then come back in the middle of the night! Drunk!"
"Jess, I need the bathroom," she rushed there and he followed her.
A yawning Chris with his hair all over the place appeared in the doorframe of his room but Jess only motioned to him that everything was under control and he should go back to sleep.
"Will you at least tell me what happened?" he spoke to Rory again.
"Leave me alone."
"I can't leave you alone, Rory. Talk." The fact that she was wasted didn't appear to him as an obstacle for talking. He had a number of great drunken conversations in his life.
"You are such a hypocrite," she slurred. "You always leave me alone. And you never talk."
"Huh, so what we've been doing on the phone and in person over the last half a year was stuffing plush rabbits."
"I don't need your sarcasm. I don't need you!" There it was again. 'No, no, no, no, no!' She could live without him. "Go away, Jess!"
"Fine. Have a great time throwing up."
He left the bathroom and disappeared behind closed doors of his bedroom.
"Harriet, can you stop fucking humming?" Jess said distractedly from his desk in the morning.
"Ouch. Someone's snappy," Chris commented.
Harriet looked at Jess with an expression that showed a mixture of surprise and worry. "Don't talk to me like that."
Jess leaned back in his chair. "Sorry. Sucky day."
"I can see that. You had a fight with Rory?"
"She came back drunk out of her head. It's a miracle she even found her way back here."
"And?"
"And nothing. She wouldn't tell me what happened."
"Jess. She was drunk, why wouldn't you wait till the morning?"
"She pissed me off."
"Did she? Or did she make you worried? Go to her. She's still sitting up there. Apologise, make up and stop being so snappy or we'll lock you up somewhere to spend the day on your own."
"No way. I'm not apologising for this. She was the one who behaved irrationally."
"Again, she was drunk," Harriet persuaded.
"Do you want me to check up on her? Or talk to her?" Chris offered.
"Don't you dare!"
Rory woke up around noon. Her head was killing her. She tried to listen if there was anyone in the apartment and when she decided it was clear she left Matt's old room to take a shower. She got herself some coffee from the kitchen and found aspirin in the middle of the counter. She smiled weakly and looked for something to eat but all she found was fruit. She took an apple with certain disgust and went to her hiding place again.
She thought she remembered what happened. But she still didn't feel responsible for fighting. Jess was getting over-protective. He didn't have the right. She was going through something and he didn't understand and he should have let her be.
She had to leave and go back to Stars Hollow. But she needed some more sleep beforehand.
"Boys, conference, now!" Harriet said to Chris and Matt, closing the door to the office behind her. "We need to get them to talk."
"What's your master plan?" Chris asked, already knowing she'd have one.
"It involves moving furniture around in the apartment upstairs."
"Interesting."
"It is. Listen..."
Rory went into the bathroom only to gather her stuff so she left the door half open. The circumstances were perfect so Harriet nodded, giving them a signal to start. Matt left the apartment.
"Jess! Come out of your cell and help us move the couch!"
He opened the door and sceptically looked at Chris and Harriet's efforts. "Where exactly do you want to move it?"
"I thought it would look good next to the window but it didn't fit so we're moving it back."
"O-kay. Though it looks like you were dragging it to the bathroom."
"Hello! Do you see who's helping me?" Harriet motioned towards Chris. "Just go there and try to push. Let me warn you though, this thing is heavy as hell."
Jess practically had to stand in the doorway of the bathroom. Then Chris pushed the couch so hard that it slipped and the next thing Jess knew, the door hit him, so he took a step back inside the bathroom. The two outside finished their job by pushing the piece of furniture further to block the door completely, trapping Jess and Rory inside. Matt's voice called to come immediately downstairs and the two on the outside ran.
Inside, Jess stood facing the door with an extremely confused expression gracing his features. Rory stood equally confused, staring at him. Then he turned around and finally noticed her.
"Oh for fuck's sake. I should have figured," he hissed.
"That was very... stealthy."
Jess didn't answer. He tried to push the door but the couch really was too heavy for one to move. He slid down to the floor and sat down against the door. Rory sat down too, against a wall where it was exposed. Her head was touching the washbasin and her knees drawn to her chest. They sat awkwardly, avoiding each other's eyes.
"I talked to Luke today. He says hi," Rory tried to make contact.
"Great. Anything else?" he asked in an angered tone, not wanting to hear anything.
"Dean got married," she answered quietly anyway, not really for him to hear.
But he did and he chuckled bitterly. "That must be really hard on you," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Yes, it is, actually. I don't usually get drunk out of my head for no reason."
"Why, Rory?"
"Why I don't get drunk or why it's hard?" He just gave her a meaningful look. "Because I helped to ruin his previous marriage." She stood up and started pacing around the small space. Jess pulled himself up to a vertical position as well and leaned against the door.
"What?"
"What you heard. First year of Yale. After you came to my dorm room and asked me to run away with you. I had an affair with Dean. I slept with him."
Jess laughed bitterly again. "And here I was, thinking that what I did was bad."
"After that?"
"No, after that I actually stopped deluding myself and started getting my life together. The time you came to Truncheon."
"What did you do, Jess?" She knew from what Harriet mentioned that he was a mess but she didn't say anything specific. And Rory was curious, however painful it was to get to know the truth.
"I spent two weeks being drunk out of my head and sleeping around," Jess admitted.
Oh yes, it hurt. "I can't believe you!" she went back to shouting.
"At least I didn't ruin any marriages!"
"How do you know, Jess, huh? Did you ever see those girls again? Worse even, how do you know there are no toddlers out there that have no one to call 'daddy'?"
"Shut the fuck up," he said through gritted teeth, shaking but trying to remain calm. "I didn't know you were so against one night stands anyway. Wasn't that what you came to the open house for?" he asked cynically.
Rory stopped her pacing right in front of him and slapped him before she could think about what she was doing.
"That's not fair, Jess! I came to see you, I wanted to see how you were doing!" she yelled.
"So using me to get back at your asshole of a boyfriend was just a perk? Two birds with one stone kind of thing?"
"Jess-" she started but he didn't let her finish.
"It hurt, Rory, it fucking hurt! But I guess that's your thing, when something goes wrong in your latest relationship, you go running to an ex, right? Well, let me just give you some advise here, if you desperately need a rebound, try to find a new guy, okay? Because those from your past happen to care about you and recycling them... us, is just cruel." He exhaled tiredly and then chuckled bitterly. "I can't believe I have so much in common with the Bag Boy."
"There's one crucial difference," Rory gathered the courage to say weakly.
"Oh yeah?"
"With you, I stopped, because I knew it wouldn't be casual. With Dean I went through with it."
It took him a moment for him to wrap his mind around what she just said. His eyes softened slightly.
"While we're getting things out then," he started. "Tell me why my sleeping around bothers you so much."
"I guess...because I've been through this with Logan and it scares me that you have the capacity to do that too. Plus the daddy issue. It hits too close to home, Jess. It should for you, too. And babies from drunken one night stands are not that rare, you know."
"I... I can't be a..."
"I hope you're not," she said quietly and fell silent for a moment. "Are we done fighting yet? I've had enough for one day."
"That depends," he said and exhaled heavily, letting his head fall on the door behind him. "You haven't slept with Kirk, have you?"
"Eww, you're disgusting!" she smacked his shoulder but smiled.
"Just trying to get a feel whether you have a thing for town idiots in aprons or what is it," he said, smirking himself.
"I'm sorry."
"Yeah, me too."
"How is your cheek?"
He laughed and touched it. "You're stronger than you look. Or you had tons of practice."
"All natural talent," she beamed.
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