A/N- Ok so...it's been a while. I cannot begin to say how sorry I am that it took me this long to update, but I lost the login for this account for a couple of years, which is crazy, but I've got it now and I hope to continue my stories. Please review and tell me what you think.

Chapter Twenty Five

'I didn't want to believe your mom when she called me.' Lane says quietly, leaning her back against the pillows alongside Rory on her bed as they listen to gloomy music.

'I'm sorry I didn't call you myself I was just...processing.' Rory replies, 'Still am I guess.'

'You don't have to apologize for that.' Lane sighs, 'How are you feeling today?'

'Tired, it's weird but no matter how much I sleep I just keep feeling so tired.'

'Do you need me to leave?' Lane asks.

'No I feel like I haven't seen you in forever.' Rory shakes her head, she'd gotten out of the hospital two days ago, and since then the only people she'd seen was her parents and Jess. 'I just really don't want to talk about my illness.'

'Perfectly understandable, so...how about we talk about Jess.'

'Jess?'

'Yeah you know your boyfriend.'

'I know who he is.' Rory rolls her eyes but smiles, 'What about him.'

'He really loves you huh?'

'Yeah.' She nods shyly.

'I never thought I'd say this because, and don't take this the wrong way, Jess doesn't make a great first impression, but I really think he's good for you.'

'He is.' Rory smiles, 'He's been so great recently. He's even dealing with my Grandparents and my dad, and Grandma is being especially hard on him.'

'I don't envy him, your Grandma is scary.'

'Yeah I'm starting to see that.' Rory smiles again, 'Jess hasn't complained though, he's been great.'

'Who's been great?' Jess asks walking into Rory's room carrying a tray of coffee's for the girls, and a bag filled with food that Luke had sent over.

'The guy bringing me food.' Rory smiles brightly.

'You're just saying that because of the food, if I'd come empty handed I wouldn't be welcome.' Jess smirks unloading the food onto the bed in front of the two girls, and then sitting at the foot of her bed.

'Very true, thankfully though you're smart enough to bring food.' She smiles. 'Is my mom here?'

'Lorelai had to run out to in inn for a while, she told me to tell you that she didn't want to go but she had to but she's going to see if she can get a few weeks off.' Jess replies.

'No! I don't want her taking time off because of me.'

'Rory,' Jess begins.

'No honestly Jess that's not what I want, I don't want everything to be different just because I'm sick. Besides I won't even be here for her to look after because I'm going back to school on Monday.' Rory replies, Jess and Lane exchange glances.

'Does your mom know about that?' Lane asks.

'We haven't discussed it, but by then I would have been out of the hospital for six days. I can manage school.'

'Rory this isn't something that you're going to get over in a week like a cold, it's serious.' Lane says carefully.

'I know it is but I can't stop everything just because I'm ill. What happens if I get better and I haven't been going to school, I'll never catch up and then I'll never get into Harvard. I can't just drop out. I'm well enough to go back to school.'

'Don't say if.' Jess says sternly, she catches his eyes and holds his gaze, 'When you get better.' He says taking her hand.

'Ok,' she smiles slightly, 'when I get better I need to be on track.'

'Can't you do the work at home?' Lane asks.

'I don't want to stop going to school, at least not yet. If things get worse then maybe...'

'Lorelai won't like it.' Jess warns.

'I know.'

'She won't let you take the bus.' He adds.

'Yeah probably not.'

'Or drive yourself in case you get dizzy.' Lane adds.

'Ok so...' Rory shrugs, 'I'll figure it out.'

'I can drive you.' Jess offers.

'Then you'd be late for school everyday.' Rory shakes her head.

'That doesn't matter.' Jess replies.

'Of course it matters.' Rory says quickly, 'They won't let you be late everyday.'

'So I won't ask permission.' Jess replies.

'I won't have you throw away your education for mine.' Rory says firmly.

'Fine then we'll just figure something else out.' Jess sighs.

'Hun I know how much school means to you but right now, with all of this going on, I don't think it's such a good idea.' Lorelai says that evening once Lane and Jess have heading back to their homes, leaving just Lorelai and Rory in the house.

'I don't want to give up on school at the moment mom, if I do then it'll all feel too...real.'

'Real?'

'I know that it is real, I know I have cancer and that it's serious and I need to take care of myself, but if I change everything in my life then it'll feel like I'm giving up, giving in. I can't do that.' Rory says tearfully. 'I'll be ok at school.'

'Ok,' Lorelai sighs, 'here's the deal, each morning I will drive you to school, you'll tell all of your teachers what's going on so that they can keep an eye on you, Paris already knows and I fully expect her to watch out for you as well. If you feel unwell in the morning and I feel like you need the day off, I won't let you go and you won't argue with me. If you start feeling unwell at school, call me and I'll come and get you,'

'You can't just drop everything at work to come and get me.' Rory protests.

'Fine,' Lorelai rolls her eyes, 'I will come and get you if it's possible to get away, if not I'll have your dad or Sookie, or Luke or Jess, or one of the other thousand people who love you come and collect you, and then they'll bring you home and stay with you until I can get away. Do we have a deal?'

'Yeah.' Rory nods, 'Deal.'

A/N- So there it is, the first chapter in a couple of years. I really hope you like it. Please review and let me know.