The final chapter. I might take a bit of a break from fanfic writing for a while. I've lost most of my inspiration. My writing has been pretty weak lately. See you in a few days, I might try and TRORY JORY companion fic I'm not sure yet. Thanks for the encouragement.
He stared out the window Gratified when he saw the "Welcome to Stars Hollow" sign pass by so quickly he could barely read it. It made him smile something he didn't do often. It had been nine months, six days, two hours and twenty-one minutes since he'd left for Performing arts school, where he'd thrived. Acting was something he'd never thought of doing. She'd caught him doing it well and it had changed his life. She had changed his life. She was his first coach, first real friend, and first person he'd ever missed. She'd encouraged him and helped him. She gave him a chance to show everyone who he was. For that he was truly grateful. Whenever he was frustrated she could calm him down, whenever he was sad she could make him smile.
She wrote him frequently, letters beginning with how are you and ending with I miss you. So much had happened to him over the year he'd have given anything to have her share those experiences with him. The next best thing was committing those experiences to paper and sending them to her in hopes that she would receive them whole-heartedly and reply. He'd submitted to snail mail because it was so much easier than picking up the phone.
In the letters she wrote her entire year on those golden papers, mostly humorous events, like play by play bagel hockey games and Lorelei's antics involving a mouse that had taken up residence in her house. There had been a few somber letters, her grandfather passing away, Dean moving away, a fight with Lane. It was his reminder that life was still going on while his whirlwind of a year had occurred in a small inescapable bubble in New York City. There had been twenty-one letters, all that he kept and replied to by mail, unspokenly easier communication between them. She didn't know he was coming home.
Luke was the only one who knew.
As the bus drew to a stop he took a deep breath and stepped down onto the impeccably clean sidewalk that was Stars Hollow. He wanted to see her, badly but it was the afternoon and she was most likely taking a bunch of summer courses that wouldn't allow her to be home for at least two hours. Besides, he wanted her to see him first. It was part of the whole surprise thing; He hurried to the Diner and noticed that it was surprisingly empty.
"Hey," he greeted his uncle who was standing behind the counter. Luke's neck snapped up at the sound of his voice.
"Jess, hi." He grabbed one of his nephew's bags leading him up the stairs. "How was it?"
"Fine, I like it. I got my scholarship renewed so I'm going back in September."
"Sounds good." Luke replied placing his bag on the floor. "I've got your old bed set up Nothing else has changed."
"Thanks."
Later that night Jess went for a walk wandering around to all of his favorite places, the bridge, and the giant slinky. As he exited the bookstore and hit the sidewalk he felt something hit him on the back. He snapped his head around glancing at the projectile someone had hit him with. A worn copy of Oliver Twist.
"Dodger?" A quiet voice asked. He looked at the projectile and the pitcher standing in front of him. She threw her arms around his neck.
And he smiled.
The End