A/N: I'm a Literati sucker, what I can say? Hehe. I hope you like this story. It's completely different from the other one. It's a little more drama and it's a little more complicated than the others. The characters are little more dramatic and not easy to write, but I loved them in this way. I put something very personal in this story. What Jess is going to live here, it was a state close to me before. The territory I'm about to enter hits close to home for me. But I think you're gonna like it despite the drama. I hope for your support as always and please review if you like what you read. That keeps my muse alive!

P.S. English is not my first language, but I'm really trying here. So, if you think that it's hard for you to read - just don't read it! The reason I'm in this alone it's because I have updates every day. I love my readers and I want to pleased them in that way.

Rating: T (maybe M for some chapters, but we'll see);

Story:

Rory comes back to Stars Hollow to try and pick up the pieces of her ruined life. But she is not the only one who want to do that. Jess is there too, but he is not the same.

WARNING!!!: This is were the M rated chapter hits. Well, maybe not M, maybe just hard R, but still - I'm nervous!

Chapter 26 Stop running

They spent the New Year together. Luke locked up the diner early and Lorelai joined at the celebrating as well. By this time, Rory had no problems with showing how important Jess was to her. He still looked too fragile in her eyes, but at least now, he looked better than before. He even smiled a little. Rory thought that as a victory.

"I think I'll go fishing tomorrow." Luke yawned and looked through the window. People were still on the street. There were some kind of festivity and the town choir sang at the square. "I have to get away from that madness!"

"Fishing?" Lorelai looked at him strangely. "By this time of the year?"

"Yup." Luke rose up his eyebrow. "I know a place near by."

"Luke…" Lorelai threw a look at Jess.

"I can stay with Jess." Rory suggested quickly and smiled at him. "We can stay here."

"Okay." Luke smiled as well. "There is enough food for two days. I think you two would survive without me."

"Sure." Rory nodded and looked at Jess again. He was strangely quiet all night. "Would you mind?" She asked him quietly.

"If that is what you want." Jess just shrugged and soon after that, he excused himself. Rory watched him as he hid upstairs. She sighed and looked back at Luke.

"What's wrong with him?"

"I thought that you'd find out while I'm gone." Luke frowned. "Jess doesn't confide in me, but I can see that something's changed."

"Okay." Rory nodded. "Let me talk with him." She looked at her mother. "Why don't you ask Luke for help now instead of me?"

"What help?" Luke frowned.

"Ah, nothing." Lorelai waved with her hand and got off her chair. "Rory promised to help me with the Inn tonight. I have to do few things before tomorrow."

"Now?" Luke's eyes widened. "It's New Year, Lorelai!"

"Yup, but I still have to do a few things." She batted her eyelashes. "Would you help me?"

"Lorelai…" Luke frowned.

"It won't hurt, I promise." Lorelai shone.

"Fine!" He sighed and took his coat. "What am I feeling that's gonna be a long night?"

"You are right, sniffy!" Lorelai smirked and grabbed his forearm. "Come on! Let's go!"

"But…" Luke dragged his feet. "But the diner…"

"Lock up hun!" Lorelai looked at her daughter. "Luke and I are going to spend the rest of the night together." She winked and opened the door.

"Why I'm feeling that includes a lot of work?" Luke murmured, but Lorelai already closed the door behind them. Rory just shook her head with a smile and went to lock up the diner. She sighed and watched the celebration outside for a while. The people looked so smiley. Taylor had prepared some fireworks as well. People looked happy.

Her smile faded. She wanted to feel some happiness as well, but this year was everything but good to her. Rory sighed and looked at the staircase. Well, there was only one good think until now. This year had brought her Jess back. But this was a painful return. Rory threw one final look outside and went upstairs.

Jess was standing with his back to the door. He looked through the window with his hands in his pockets. Rory sighed and closed the door behind her back. She walked to him and placed her hands on his waist. He trembled a bit, but he did not push her away. Rory leaned her forehead on his back.

"What's wrong, Jess?" She asked him quietly.

"The pills are over the cupboard." He murmured and her look fell on the small phial. Her heart skipped a beat. "Don't be so sloppy!"

"You didn't take them." Rory whispered.

"I looked at them and… I thought… I tried to find the reason not to!" Jess shook his head. "But it's like a thirst burning me up inside."

"Jess…"

"Then I thought… I thought that I want you more than I want the pills." He turned to her and Rory was able to see his face. He looked sad and she touched his face. "I don't have the right to want you, Rory!"

"You have every right to want me Jess." She whispered and he leaned on her hand. That brought her the memory of one bedroom and a heart pounded in her chest. She was scared then. She was too afraid in the moment he needed her the most. Now she was not. "I'm here." Rory murmured and slid her hands on his chest. Her fingers locked on the back of his neck.

"Rory… don't!" Jess hissed in the moment their lips locked.

Rory leaned her body on his and felt his hands on her hips. She could feel his internal struggle and will to protect her… from him. That made her to want him even more. She pressed her body to his and felt his hands locked on the small of her back and pulled her closer. He gave up with a final moan. She wanted to smile if she could, but she was too busy kissing him. His hands slid under her thin shirt and she felt nice chills ran dawn her spine. Rory moaned and pulled back to look at his eyes.

"I'm not afraid anymore." Her whisper made his eyes shone. She did not tell anything more, but she was sure that Jess knew what she meant. "Never… again." Rory touched his lips with hers again. Her tongue skimmed over his lower lip before it could meet his.

Jess groaned and she felt him shiver in her arms. She pushed him to her body and walked back until her legs did not hit the bed.

"No!" Jess made a final attempt to pull back, but she did not let him. Her hands grabbed his shoulders and pulled him closer. His elbows hit the bed at the both sides of her body. His breath hitched. "Rory…"

"I can't believe you're stopping me now." She murmured close to his lips.

"I don't want to hurt you." Jess breathed out and his nose rubbed hers. His lips found hers again.

"You can't hurt me." Rory whispered between the kisses. "You can't…"

"No." He whispered, but his hands lay at the both sides of her face. "Rory…"

"Shh-shh…" She pulled him closer again and his head lowered onto her neck. His lips slid behind her ear and stopped at her pulse point. Rory buried her hands in his hair and closed her eyes. She had won this battle and she knew that. A pleasurable smile appeared on her lips. There was no fear in her anymore. She got what she always wanted. She wanted him and his touch was all she needed now.

They did not talk more. It was just the feeling of them being together. Her hands trembled when her fingers touched his bare shoulders. He pulled back slightly and helped her to remove her clothes as well. Rory shivered when she saw the softness in his eyes when he leaned and touched the hollow between her breasts. His hands slid on her waist and moved down to touch her hips in slow caress. His thumbs drew small circles there until his lips placed butterfly kisses down to her belly.

Her back arched when he stopped there and looked at her. She just nodded at the question in his eyes. Jess was giving her an easy way out if she wanted to run again. But he did not know that she had stopped with the running. She was sure and when he kissed, she felt him slid into her. Her body arched and her nails dug in his back. It was even better than her dreams. She moaned and wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him deeper. His groan was like music to her ears and she felt complete right in this moment. His hands covered hers and he laced fingers with her. Jess pressed their laced hands at on the bed and buried his head at the crook of her neck. His moves increased and Rory could not think anymore. She could only feel him and suddenly that was enough.

She screamed when she reached the end. He followed soon after and she could feel his breathing over the bare skin on her neck. Rory kissed his shoulder.

"I love you." She whispered.