"Rory, we're cutting you off."

The usual silence of Friday night dinners was shattered by Emily dropping a bombshell that obliterated Rory's ability to think straight.

"What?"

"You heard me."

"Mom what are you talking about? Cutting her off?" Lorelia looked from her mother, who was focused on cutting her steak and appeared not to hear her, to her father who was looking sternly over his glasses at his only granddaughter, who was scowling down at the tablecloth.

"You heard your mother, Loerlia. Rory has decided to go down this path. We warned her and we cautioned her and she has refused to listen to reason. This was our last resort."

Rory slammed her silverware down and stormed out the room.

Two weeks earlier...

"Good morning, M'lady." Jess sidled over to sit next to Rory at the breakfast bar, ready with a sacrificial cup of coffee in hand. "Morning." Rory said groggily, gratefully accepting the cup.

"Someone was up late. What was it this time? Rager? Keg party? Oh wait no let me guess-" "German. German history, to be specifi-ic." Rory yawned. She had been cramming on German politics for her Global Politics class late into the night and It had been hard to keep her eyes open, let alone focus on which names were people and which were artillery rifles.

Jess laughed and put his arm around her, drawing her head to rest on his shoulder. People started to wander in the diner, ready to start the day with Luke's freshly cooked breakfast. The smell of grills full of bacon and eggs filled the air, mingling with the muffins and coffee. The whole atmosphere was comfortable and calming to Rory. She looked at Jess with a smile.

Things had been different between them since Jess had come back from California. There was a mysterious air around him that made her worry that he was going to take off again, bored with Stars Hollow...Bored with her.

It was the week before finals, then summer would come. She didn't know how much time they'd have together, between her finding an internship and her mother wanting to spend every other spare second with her. But she was sure it was more than they were spending now.

"Why do you have to go to New York?" Rory asked quietly. Jess exhaled, tightening his arm around her.

"I told you. My publisher wants me to be there. Some promotional meeting or something." Despite his irritated demeanor, Rory could see the curve of a smile over Jess' lips. He was so proud of his book, even though whenever anyone asked him about it all he did was a little nodding shrug before changing the subject. He was going to be gone for three weeks, but somehow she couldn't believe it was only that long.

"I wish I could come with you." She said, taking another sip of coffee. She couldn't see Jess' face light up.

"Why don't you? Come get a job in New York. We could stay up there for the summer, even! You and me. It'd be great." Jess sat up and started ticking things off on his fingers. "I could do all this marketing bullshit, spend time with you, get out of Luke's apartment...: You'd intern at the New York Times, obviously."

"Jess-" Rory interrupted, but Jess shook his head, grabbing both her hands in his.

"Rory. Look at me."

She looked him up at his dark eyes and felt those familiar butterflies, just like when they first met.

"It was so stupid of me to spend so much time away from you. I just want to try and get some of that time back."

Rory knew he was genuine, but the thought of up and moving to New York- no plan, no job? Just like that?

Even if it was with Jess...she wasn't ready. It wasn't like her at all.

"Jess I have to stay here. My mom-"

"Your mom has had her chance to live her life. Are you going to let her take yours too? It's an adventure! You and me." His grip on her hands tightened in his excitement, but when he could still see the hesitation on her face he backed off, but in no way gave up.

"Just think about it, okay? It could be fun." He kissed her on the top of her head and left Rory alone surrounded by people.

Back in her old bedroom, Rory was stooped over her desk, trying to remember what she was reading before her cell rang.

"What have you studied for finals already? I've mapped out our ideal study times and you and I are synched up. Which reminds me are you on the pill? We don't need any surprises right now."

"Paris what kind of question is that?" Rory propped her head on one hand, phone in the other.

"You're evading the question." Paris snapped back.

"You're evading reality. I started studying last night, I've also got a schedule and I'm ahead."

"Of course you are."

Paris abruptly hung up the phone in lieu of goodbye. Rory rolled her eyes and continued to look over her notes, but her mind was elsewhere. Specifically in New York with Jess. Her thoughts were filled with images of them in a little brownstone apartment, reading and drinking coffee as she steadily moved toward her degree, eventually becoming head editor at the New York Times, traveling the world in search of the perfect story….

He'd gotten in her head, but she didn't mind as she smiled dreamily, her mind wandering.

The pen in her hand had drifted from the analysis of Charles Dickens vs J.K Rowling's writing to doodling central park, trains, hot dog stands on the street corners.

"It could be fun," she whispered his words.

Rory was reading in the gazebo when Jess found her the next afternoon. Well, actually she was staring blankly at the pages of the book she was clutching for dear life, watching for him out the corner of her eye. Her stomach flipped when she saw him.

"What's wrong?" He asked as he sat down beside her. He was dressed in his usual black jeans and t-shirt. "Why do you ask if something's wrong?"

"You look tense." He raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not tense." she shut her book.

"You look tense."

"Well, I'm not!"

Both of them looked away from the other. Rory focused on the plane flying overhead. Taking a deep breath, she turned back to Jess.

"Fine, you were right, I am tens-" "I knew it." Jess leaned back on the bench, his arms crossed.

"You're worried about New York." Rory's stomach untwisted just long enough to sumersalt up to her throat.

"Okay. You're right. I'm worried about New York."

"Why? Don't you trust me?"

"What?" She backtracked. What were they talking about now? How did they get here?

Jess looked hurt and she couldn't tell why.

He ran his fingers through his hair, spiking it up on end.

"You're worried I'm going to do something to hurt you. Again." the words sounded almost painful. "Rory I promise-" Relief bubbled up Rory's throat. She smiled and leaned over, kissing Jess on the cheek. "That's not what I was talking about at all. Do we have to talk about that?" Jess relaxed and pulled her closer to him, kissing her. "We don't have to talk at all if you want." After a moment Rory pulled away, cheeks red.

"No I want to talk, we need to talk. I need to know something."

"What is it?"

"Is this the right bus?" Reaching into her pocket, Rory pulled out a long thin envelope- inside was a bus ticket to New York City.

One way.