Here's the next chapter, and thanks to everyone who corrected me with my mistakes, I'm thinking about getting a beta-reader because I never seem to catch these things until my story is posted, if anyone wants to help me out let me know I'd appreciate it a lot. Anyway please R&R thanks!


Rory opens her locker Monday morning, grabs some books and slams her locker shut. She spies Jess down the hall, walking in the opposite direction. Rory takes a deep breath then goes after him. "Jess."

Jess turns quickly. "Hey Rory….."

"You said you were going to call." Rory states

"Yea, I just got back last night actually." Jess says scratching his head.

"Why aren't you wearing you're uniform?" Rory asks confused, looking at his jeans and t-shirt.

"I'm leaving, I just came to pick up some work. I should be back tonight." Jess looks around, as though looking for someone.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"So why are you leaving?"

"I have something to take care of." Jess replies abruptly

"Like what?"

"Like something personal." Jess says curtly

"Jess-"

"Jess, let's go." A voice says firmly behind them

Rory turns and sees the girl Jess had driven away with on Friday. She stands there dumbfounded, unable to speak.

"I'll see you." Jess says quietly and follows the girl out the door.

Rory watches shocked as Jess walks away. The girl is has straight raven color hair and dark brown eyes, she is about the same height as Jess, with a nice figure.

Rory turns around quickly, walking into someone. She mumbles a quick apology and hurries to class.

****************

That night Rory climbs up the steps to her house slowly. She had spent the day at Lane's house, listening to music and talking. Lorelai was going to be away until late the next afternoon. It was better this way, anyway Rory needed time to herself to think.

Rory frowns when her door is unlocked, but figures her mother forgot to lock it in her haste to get out of the house early this morning.

Rory hangs up her coat and bag. She walks into the kitchen and grabs a can of soda. Her bedroom door is open so she looks inside. "Jess?!" She jumps almost dropping her soda. "What are you doing…..here?"

"I came to see you." Jess replies almost sadly

"Is everything okay?" Rory asks nervously

"No, not really. I need to talk to you." Jess tells her seriously "It's important."

"What is it?" Rory's voice comes out in a whisper, she sits down on her bed next to him.

Jess gets up quickly and starts pacing. "Uh… I don't know exactly how to say this….but…"

"Is it that girl?" Rory interrupts

"What girl?" Jess asks stopping and looking at her confused.

"The girl you left with one Friday….the one that was in Chilton with you today." Rory looks at him closely.

Jess's eyes widen. "Her? Rory- damn, it's not what you think, I mean-"

"It's okay Jess, I get it. You moved on. You-"

"Rory that's my sister." Jess finally gets out.

"Your sister?" Rory repeats

"Yea, Claudia my older sister."

"You never said you had a sister." Rory frowns

"My family isn't my favorite conversation topic." Jess shrugs "She's 20, lives back in New York still. She came down to pick me up for the weekend. I had to go back today for a little while."

"For what?"

"That's what I've been trying to get to…." Jess trails off "My mom's sick."

"What do you mean sick?" Rory asks concerned

"I mean, she's got cancer."

"You just found out?"

"No, she's been in remission for two years. She just had a relapse." Jess says sadly

"How bad is it?" Rory looks closely at him.

"It's bad, worse than before." Jess stammers "She's in the hospital, I've been there this entire weekend. I would have told you sooner but Claudia called and told me we had to leave as soon as school let out."

"Don't worry about that." Rory assures him, she reaches for his hand "How are you?"

"Confused, angry…. I don't know."

"How's Luke?"

"About the same." Jess nods

Rory bites her lip "Is there anything I can do?"

"No. I just didn't want you to think…. I wanted you to know the truth." Jess tells her. He hits his fist into his palm. "There's so much I should have done differently."

"Like what?"

"Like not given my mom so much trouble, I didn't need to act like I did. I was angry and hurt I didn't know how to act. My mom was the only one who cared, but she was sick…..my stepfather and sister were just as upset. Our house was so cold, so empty…..that's why I, that's why I'm here, I'm home."

Rory reaches over and pulls Jess close to her and holds him. He lays down on her bed, his head in her lap. She stokes his hair and lets him stay there for a while.

"I know it's a lot to ask but do you think your mom would mind if I stayed the night?" Jess asks "Luke went to go see my mom and I don't want to stay at the diner by myself."

"Yea, don't worry about it."

"Your mom wont mind?" Jess asks again

"No, go to sleep." Rory looks at the clock, it was after nine. Jess was wiped and fell asleep within a few minutes.

Rory gets up slowly and covers Jess with a blanket. She grabs her blanket and a pillow and sits in the chair in her room with a book. Soon she is fast asleep.

***************

Rory wakes up early the next morning. "Jess." She wakes him up.

"Morning."

"Here." She hands him her car keys

"What's this?"

"Go home, get dressed and come back here to pick me up." Rory tells him.

"I'm not going to school Rory, I got to go see my-"

"I know, I'm going with you." Rory replies softly "Now go."

"Why are you doing this? You're going to get in trouble, your mom-"

"Isn't here, and will understand when I explain it all to her." Rory says "Jess, please go."

"Are you sure?" Jess asks sitting up.

"I'm positive." Rory nods

"Okay, I'll be back in a little bit." Jess smiles weakly and gives her a kiss.

Rory waits until she hears the door shut before getting up and taking a quick shower. She gets dressed quickly and brushes her hair. Rory goes into the kitchen to look for something to eat, but finds nothing.

"Rory?" Jess asks coming back inside about 20 minutes later. "You ready?"

"Yea, I was just looking for something to-"

"Eat?" Jess asks holding food containers "Compliments of Luke's."

Rory smiles "I'll go get my coat."

"Okay. I'll be in the car." Jess pauses "Rory?"

"Yea?" Rory faces him.

"Thank you."

Rory smiles "You're welcome."



More to come please R&R!!!