Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Gilmore Girls or its characters – if I did, I'd be married to Tristan, I'd have Dean as my personal stock boy, and Jess would be the mailman!

A/N: Sorry for the delay in updating – I'm staying at a friend's place for the week, so any updates will take awhile to be posted. Mucho apologies for the inconvenience!

 

*

Cheers

Chapter 6: The Return

"Hey man, here's your stop."

The bearded driver turned to look at his passenger, who acknowledged him with a curt nod. He watched as the other man grabbed his things before throwing a smile in his direction.

"Thanks for the ride."

"No problem," the balding man responded, touching the tip of his cap with a smile. "See you around, stranger."

Climbing out, the young man stood by the side of the road, duffel bag at his feet, shading his eyes as he cast his gaze over his surroundings, paying no attention to the van pulling away from the curb just a few inches in front of him.

Home sweet home.

Hefting the bag onto his shoulder, he stepped forward, sure, steady. It was all exactly the way he remembered it – the people, the buildings, everything. Off in the corner stood the town gazebo, a little worn, but still standing erect, a testament of times gone by. Ahead of him, he spotted the rows of familiar shops lining the streets; he thought he recognized a few of the people walking to and fro on the sidewalk, the faces of folks he'd known as a youngster.

He sauntered down the street, unhurried, absorbing the sights, the sounds, all of it bringing forth hazy, long-forgotten recollections from deep within him.

Stars Hollow.

It was still every bit as picturesque as it had been all those years ago, as it had been when – in a moment of foolishness and stubborn pride – he'd packed up and left. Pausing, he smiled as Tristan's words floated back to him.

Blame it all on the follies of youth.

He kept walking, his mind focused on one thing, his sense of direction leading him to one destination. And there it was, just as it had always been, just as he knew it would always be. He stood there on the street, gripping the strap of his bag, his jaw set, his eyes contemplative as he stared at the sign hanging above the entryway. A smile quirked his lips.

It had never occurred to anyone to change the sign.

Squinting, he peered in through the glass windows. His eyes skimmed over the people seated inside, over the tall, burly man carrying plates of food as he weaved in and out of the tables. His search ended when he finally rested his gaze on the two figures at the counter, both so alike in appearance and temperament that they could have easily passed off as sisters. Except they weren't.

He kept his eyes on the younger of the two women, his heartbeat accelerating at a ridiculous pace. He hadn't seen her for what felt like a lifetime, and now he wanted to be able to study her without being noticed, from where she wouldn't be able to see him. So he did, taking in the sparkle of her deep blue eyes, the irresistible smile, the dimples in her cheeks. His smile softened.

Rory Gilmore.

Squaring his shoulders, he shifted his bag, steeling his resolve for what he was about to do next. And this time, he wouldn't turn back, wouldn't chicken out. Grimly, he stepped off the walkway and crossed the road, reaching out a hand to push the door of the diner open.

The bell on the inside of the door chimed cheerfully, announcing his arrival. He didn't miss the way everyone turned to look at him, didn't miss the way the smile on her face froze, the way her eyes widened with shock. Letting his bag fall to the floor with a dull thud, Jess felt the beginnings of a smirk creeping across his face.

"Hey everyone. I'm home."

*

To Be Continued…