A/N I have returned! Okay, yes I left for a long time. However I have found this inner motivation and I suddenly couldn't remember why I wasn't writing anymore. So here is the long awaited 25th chapter. I hope you all enjoy, and leave a nice little review to let me know how much. Love to all!

A minute had gone by and his eyes were still locked with hers. His feet seemed to have gone numb as he stood there; staring at the person he loved the most. She was in no hurry to move either. Her feet were curled under her as she sat quietly with one hand still skimming the surface of the lake. At any other point in time he would ran over and just tackled her into the cool water, splashing and laughing as she feigned anger. He would give her one smirk and a mind-blowing kiss that would melt away all anger.

He finally noticed her stand up, shaky and timid as if she'd been more upset then angry. She sniffled quietly as her feet slowly propelled her towards him. He couldn't help but think that this was it, she was gonna yell and scream until she'd hurt him as much as he'd hurt her. She may even hit him; God knows he deserves it. His feet were still rooted as she finally stopped about a foot from him. He braced himself as she took in one final breath.

"I'm sorry," she whispered softly. Jess opened his eyes to see her close to tears, her sincere apology hanging in the tense air between them. She was nervously fiddling with her hands, and his heart broke a little more. He was the fuck up. He was the one who messed up. He was the one who got them into this situation. Him…not her.

And she was apologizing. She was nervously waiting for him to forgive her. He suddenly couldn't figure out why he had kept anything from her. He couldn't find one good reason for not telling her everything about him. He broke from his thoughts with a huge smile on his face. He needed her, he wanted her, and he wanted her in his arms.

With his arms opened wide he said, "Get over here."

She let out a strangled laugh as she leapt into his chest, wrapping her arms around his neck in a fierce hug. His eyes drifted shut as he reveled in the feeling of her body once again nestled perfectly into his. He brought one of his hands around to brush the hair back from her neck causing her to giggle, simultaneously breaking the silence.

"You tickled me," she defended when he gave her a raised eyebrow. He still looked at her, and she started shifting under his gaze. "What are you staring at?" He shook his head.

"I messed up, Rory. I completely and totally messed up everything between me and you and me and Troy and I just…I can't understand why you…why you would apologize to me. I can't seem to find anything that you need to apologize for." Rory smiled and gently ran her hand along his jaw until he was looking right at her again.

"Jess, I really did need to apologize. I should've helped you when you needed me…when Troy needed me. Instead of dealing with it I ran…from you. I was just so lost and scared and upset that I lashed out and left. At first I was so angry with you that I…I wanted to break up," She heard his breath hitch, and reached down to squeeze his hand, "I was just angry that you wouldn't talk to me, and that you felt like you couldn't tell me anything..."

"It wasn't that Rory, I swear. I could've told you the world and not thought a thing of it," Rory gave him a look. "Ok so maybe not the world, but in all seriousness I was afraid. I didn't want you to think less of the person I am now because of the person that I was before you knew me. I know that deep down you would never do that…but it's the surface thing. I'm not used to having someone as kind and loving as you are in my life, except for Liz."

"Which is why I needed to apologize. Just because we're together doesn't mean I need to know everything. I have some things that I would like to keep a secret as long as possible, and I forgot that you have those types of things too. I'm not gonna lie though, I really wish you would've told me about some of those things. But they're not mine to tell, they're yours."

"You really are the perfect girl," he said before pulling her closer by her waist. She smiled.

"And you're the perfect boy, for me," she winked. "And nothing you tell me is going to change that." He smiled before finally leaning down and capturing her lips in a slow, tentative kiss. She grinned into the kiss as she felt him slowly start to deepen it. She teased him playfully by keeping her lips together as he tried to gain access to her mouth. Just as she relented, he pulled away from her, earning him a groan of complaint.

"You're such a tease, Gilmore." He scolded lightly. She giggled before nuzzling his nose with her own.

"It happens," she whispered feebly. He laughed before pushing his forehead against hers.

"I love you, Rory," he said after a few minutes. She leaned in to kiss him again, this time eager to let him in as soon as he became persistent. After a few moments she pulled away, totally out of breath.

"I love you too." He smirked before wrapping his fingers around hers, and walking off the bridge, her right by his side.

Luke's head snapped up as he heard the bells crash against each other as Lorelai came bursting through, clearly distraught about her daughter's situation. Luke knew this wasn't a public matter so he ushered his weeping fiancé up the stairs while shouting for Lane to keep an eye on the place. As soon as he got her up stairs, she instantly threw herself unto his arms.

"Luke I'm so scared! I really think Rory might break up with Jess and I couldn't take it! I mean, he's not my favorite person in the world, but he's up there on the list! And them together? Perfection!" Luke listened to her rant a few more minutes before sitting her down on the couch.

"Lorelai, I really think you need to calm down. They're young, couples break up all the time during their teenage years."

"Not them Luke. I have this feeling! I know they belong together," she exaggerated. "Since day one, Rory has felt a whirlwind of emotions for that kid. Minus the first few weeks, I have never seen her so happy to be with any other boyfriend. Not Dean, not Tristan, just Jess."

"Well maybe they just aren't in love anymore. Teenagers rarely stay together forever Lorelai, you know that."

"So you think that if we got together when we were teenagers we wouldn't be here now?"

"Well we're different, we're meant to be, we…belong together." A light in Luke's head went off, and Lorelai grinned.

"See? Luke we have to keep them together. I think we need to divide and conquer! I'll take Rory of course, and you take Jess…"

"Woah, could we like slow down here. First of all, I barely know that kid. Second of all, why should we meddle in their lives!"

"Luke, you work with him everyday! He likes you, he'll listen to you. I don't want to see them make a mistake, that's why we need to fix this." She gave him a determined look.

"Alright, I guess I'll help you. No code names or outfits, got it?"

"Fine, now on with the plan. It's not enough to talk to them; they are the most stubborn people I know. I think that we should get them to the diner tonight, and lock them in the storeroom until they reconcile."

"I think you've seriously lost your mind. We can't lock two kids in my storeroom. Plus, Rory and Jess both have a temper. The last thing I need is to find them both dead due to blunt trauma with a jar of mayonnaise."

"I think you're being overdramatic. Luke, we really need to do this, for them. They'll thank us one day." Luke rolled his eyes, but finally relented. She gave him a hug and a kiss before promising to call later with details.

Later that night, Lorelai called Rory asking her to meet at Luke's.

"Mom, why do you want to meet at ten at night when I could just meet you there now? Plus, doesn't Luke close at nine?"

"I know but he promised that if we stayed later he'd let us have a fresh slice of his apple pie! You know how hard it is to get it fresh! Who else would I want to share this fabulous news with!" Rory grinned.

"Actually, I have some pretty fabulous news to share with you-"

"Ooh! Don't tell me now, tell me later over pie!" With that, Lorelai quickly hung up and marched proudly towards Luke's to wait for her daughter.

When she entered the diner, she was happy to see Luke on the phone with Jess. She quietly sat at the counter to listen.

"Listen, I don't want to be here that late either, but Lane was sick today and I need someone to help me stock….I know they only come on Wednesdays, but they decided to come earlier….okay…..okay…yes I will pay you extra…..bye." Luke ran a hand over his hat. "You owe me big time."

"Trust me, I promise to make it up to you in full," she purred. He simply rolled his eyes.

"I do believe that calls for a dirty,"

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Touché," he exclaimed before going back to the kitchen.

"Hey, could you bring me some pie while I wait, and maybe some whipped cream!" She heard Luke grumble before coming out of the kitchen with a plate of pie and a can of whipped cream. "So what time is Jess getting here?" she asked with a mouth full of pie followed by a squirt of whipped cream.

"Well I know you said ten, but I figured I would tell him a bit earlier so he can already be here. That way, she won't see him and figure out the plan." Lorelai looked impressed.

"I knew I loved you for more than your body," she joked. He simply snickered.

"Jess should be here any minute," he remarked, changing the subject. "Are you sure you want to be here?" Lorelai shrugged.

"I don't think it will make anything weird. I just want this whole thing to be over." Luke nodded in agreement before stacking the chairs, and grabbing a rag to clean down the tables.

Fifteen minutes later, Jess came in with a scowl on his face. Luke came out of the kitchen ready to fight him off.

"Luke, I really did have plans tonight with-"

"You could've had a date with the president and I still wouldn't care. Now come in the back to help me put the new shipment away," he ordered while Jess tried to talk his way out of it. Lorelai rolled her eyes as the two went off into the storeroom grumbling at one another.

"Luke, this can't be the whole shipment," Jess remarked as he stared at three boxes. "I can't believe you would ruin my plans for fifteen minutes of work."

"Relax, the delivery guys just forgot the other boxes so they went back to get them. I need you to be here when they come in an hour. Remember I'm paying extra." Jess rolled his eyes, but grabbed a box cutter to start working. Luke excused himself for a minute to go back out and check on Lorelai. When he went back out, he saw Rory and Lorelai talking. He suddenly became nervous.

"Luke Look! Rory is here!"

"Hey Luke," she greeted with a smile. Before Luke could even get a word out, Lorelai stood up and grabbed Rory's hand.

"Sweets, I have something I want to show you!"

"Well wait, I thought we were having pie. And I still have to tell you my good news!" Rory glanced from Luke to her mother.

"Right! Luke, go get the pie out while I show Rory that thing." As Luke pretended to go get the pie, Lorelai pulled a flustered and confused Rory towards the storeroom. "Here, take this piece of paper and go in there, I'll look out for Luke." Rory was thoroughly confused, but she went inside, and jumped when the door was suddenly shut behind her.

"Luke! They're in!" Luke came out from the kitchen.

"I can't wait for them to come out a couple again. This better work or I have to pay the little hoodlum for nothing." Lorelai swatted his chest before the two closed up and went up to the apartment.

Back in the storeroom, Rory was frantically trying to open the door. Why had her own mother locked her in the storeroom? She kept pulling at the doorknob, ignoring the sounds that were coming from behind her.

Jess smirked as he watched her struggle with the door before walking over and snaking his arms around her waist.

"You could pull a muscle doing that," he mumbled against her skin. She nearly blew her stack before realizing it was Jess.

"Jesus, you trying to give me a heart attack? What exactly is going on?"

"I'm here to restock, I don't know why you're here, but I like it." She smiled before remembering the note still clutched in her hand.

"Oh! My mom gave me this note…" she trailed off as she began to read. Jess watched her intently as her face turned from confusion to realization and finally to humor. As she began to laugh, he pulled the note from her hand.

Dear Darling Daughter and Hoodlum,

Luke and I have locked you two in this storeroom, way to fall for the trap. You guys seem like you have some issues to work through, so we put you in a situation where you have to work things out. Neither of us wants you to break up, so we're forcing you to reconcile. You will not leave the room until both of you are sickeningly cute again. Our phones are off, so don't even think of communicating with anyone but each other until tomorrow morning. Good luck, and have fun wink!

Respectfully,

Lorelai and Luke

Jess shook his head before sitting down next to Rory. "So I guess we're stuck in here until tomorrow," he exclaimed. Rory laughed again.

"I can't believe I'm in this situation. I tried to tell her we fixed everything but she just wouldn't hear it."

"Well this could be fun. It will be like reconciling all over again."

"But I don't want to do it again; I want to move on from the reconciling."

"Well what should we do while we're stuck in here for eight hours?" He wiggled his eyebrows, and she shoved him over.

"We can't have sex in Luke's storeroom! There's food in here!"

"Well I wasn't planning on doing it on top of the food, but if that's what turns you on…" He teased. She watched as he stretched out across the carpet on the floor. She gave about a seconds thought to the idea before she skillfully climbed on top of him, pinning him to the floor.

"Well well well, who's the sex fiend now?" She smiled but dropped her lips to his ear. She nibbled until she heard a low growl from his throat. Pressing her lips to his ear, she whispered, "Let's just snuggle tonight?" He laughed before rolling them over so they were side by side. He pulled her into him so she was right up against his front.

"I like snuggling," he murmured into her hair. She let out a sigh in response.

"I like that we fixed things," she said a few moments later. He tightened his grip on her.

"Me too. You know when you said before…how you thought about breaking up?" She nodded. "As soon as you said that, I had this moment where I realized how close I was to losing you. I can't imagine not having you in my life, it scares me. I never want to come that close to losing you again." She ran her hands through his hair.

"You won't, you'll always have me," she promised before drifting off to sleep. He kissed her cheek and smiled when he noticed that she had fallen asleep.

"I love you Rory, always will," he whispered before closing his eyes, and letting sleep take over his body.