*2 months later.

Rory's Apartment

Paris walks in, a broad smile on her face. She sees Rory on the couch reading a book; her face turns solemn

Rory turns her head toward the door. "Oh, hey."

"Hi Rory, can I talk to you?"

"Sure." Rory puts her book down and pats the couch signaling Paris to sit down. "What's up?"

"Well, tonight at dinner…Sean asked me to marry him."

"Oh my God! That's great, congratulations." Rory says as she hugs her friend.

"Well, I told him I wasn't comfortable getting married, before we've lived together, for a few months."

"I see—

"I mean 50% of all marriages end in divorce, I don't want to rush into this."

"So, when are you moving in?"

Paris shifts her eyes back and forth. "Two weeks."

"Wow that's soon."

"Look, I know you can't hold the rent here by yourself, so I'm willing to pay my half for another two months while you looks for a new roommate."

"No, no Paris. It's fine really, I mean we're practically Harvard graduates; it's time for both of us to move on. I'll just find a new place."

"You sure?"

"Yea, it's time." Rory smiles at Paris and they hug again.

*Next morning.

Rory walks out of her room and calls to Paris. "Have you seen my book, I though I left it on my night stand."

"Paris left about an hour ago." Jess smiles, as Rory looks up jolted

"Sorry, I borrowed your book, I came over and Paris said you were still asleep, so I went in your to get you, but you looked so comfortable, I just couldn't wake you, so I took your book to read."

"Oh." Rory replies sleepily.

"Coffee?"

"Please." Rory replies sitting next to Jess.

"So what's going on, you never sleep past 7?"

"Nothing, I was just up late thinking about things."

"Yea, losing a roommate must be hard, I mean you've been used to it for so long."

"Talked to Sean?"

"Actually, no. When I came in here this morning that girl was jacked up on coffee, my coat wasn't even off before she started on about it."

Rory puts her head in her hands, half wiping away the fogginess left by sleep, half collapsing under the pressure of the situation. "Do you know how hard it's going to be to find a new place, especially one that's in my price range?"

"So, don't look for a new place."

"Ok, and what good will that do? I can't afford this place on my own and it's considered student housing, so once May comes, I'm out on the street anyway."

"So…come live with me."

"Ha, that's funny. Maybe I could rent like room downtown. Those big town houses are always—

"I wasn't joking." Jess raises his eyebrows towards Rory.

Rory stop dead in her tracks, "We can't do that."

"Why not?"

"Because…we've only been dating for 2 months."

"Come on, Rory. We love each other, it's not that big of a deal is it I mean we're together all the time."

"Jess, this is a big deal, my grandparents didn't live together until after they were married, and my mom has never lived with a man…ever. You've done this before, I haven't, and to be honest I don't know if I'm ready for that."

"I wouldn't call what I did with Becca, living together, more or less sharing space."

"Still…

"Ok, fine. I understand completely. Look I've got to get to work, but I'll see you at 8 ok?"

"Yea." Rory says detached.

"And tomorrow, we can start looking for a little place downtown for you."

"Thanks Jess."

"Anything for you." Jess says as he walks out the door.

2 hours later—Lane's apartment

"So, let me get this straight. He asked you to move in with him, but you said no."

"Well, yea. I'm not ready, Lane."

"Oh, come on Rory. Who are you kidding?"

"Excuse me?"

"You're just scared. But you have nothing to be afraid of, he's a good guy."

"Can we talk about something else, please?"

"Sure."

*The next day—downtown—Jess has taken the day off of work to go apartment searching with Rory.

"Ok, so here it is. It's very quaint, very private. Unfortunately it doesn't have a separate entrance from the rest of the house, but it does have it's own bathroom and kitchenette." The blonde presenter went on. "So I'll let you look around a bit, I'll be back in a few minutes." The women leave Jess and Rory alone in the small apartment.

"This place is kind of nice." Rory says faintly.

"It's a hell hole, Rory. Just like the other 8 places we've seen." Jess replies shortly.

"Well, I can't expect a whole lot with my income."

"I know that, but come on, this is unlivable. Stay with me, I'll take the stuff out of my office, we'll get you a bed and you can put your stuff in there—

"It's not about having separate beds Jess, why are you pushing this?"

Jess looks down at the floor; when he looks up again, his face is flushed. "It's funny, I didn't think I was pushing it. I thought I was making sure that my girlfriend had a decent place to stay, with someone she could trust…" Jess words trail off, as he becomes aware of Rory's true perspective. He snorts with anger. "That's it, isn't it? You don't trust me."

"I never said that." Rory moves towards Jess, noticing for the first time how much he'd grown."

"No, you haven't, but you said just about everything but that. Rory, I know that I haven't been the most reliable person in your life, but you have to believe that I'm done putzing around. The old Jess would have been long gone, this far into the relationship, but I'm still here."

"Jess, I don't know what to say. I just can't, I'm not ready to take that step."

"Why?"

"I don't know." Rory's eyes are now filled with tears as she backs out of the door and leaves."

"Damnit!" is all Jess can say. The presenter comes back into the room, her eyes fixated on Jess. "I'm sorry, this place just isn't right for my girlfriend. Thank you for your time." With that Jess follows suit and leaves.

Stars Hollow—2pm

Lorelei Gilmore answers the frantic knocks at the door.

"Hey, what's going on?"

Tears flood down Rory's face. "I've screwed everything up."

*2 hrs later.

"Sweetheart, look at me Jess understands believe me he does."

"How can you say that? Ever since he found out I needed a new place; he's been pushing me to move in with him. If he understood, he wouldn't have done that."

"Honey, just because he understands, that doesn't mean he accepts it. That boy loves, you, he's just doing what any person in this situation would do." Rory looks up at her mother, and Lorelei continues, "Rory, you guys have been inseparable for months. He really loves you, and I'm guessing that this whole sharing an apartment thing, was his way of showing you that he was ready to commit."

"I can't believe I'm hearing this. You're defending Jess, the only person who ever came between you and your daily coffee intake."

"Yea well, that was 5 years ago, people change Rory."

"But what do I do? I ran out, he must hate me right now."

"I doubt that, honey. Come on, go clean your face up, then we'll go to Luke's for some coffee. We'll get a movie and you can stay over. You'll drive home in the morning and talk to the boy."

"Thanks, Mom" Rory heads to the bathroom as the phone rings.

*5 minutes later.

"Ror, I have to stop by the inn for a minute. Go to Luke's I'll meet you down there."

"Ok." 5 minutes later Rory is sitting at the counter drinking her coffee.

"It's great to see you. Although I thought college would have taught you a thing or two about the dangers of caffeine." Look grumbles at Rory.

"Nope, sorry to say just about everyone in Harvard, including the professors are hooked."

"Here, let me refill that for you." Luke takes the cup from Rory. "Damnit, out of milk. Hold on I'll get some from the back." Luke heads towards the back as Rory takes out her book. In a moments time Luke returns with a fresh cup of coffee.

Rory puts her book down and looks up. "Thanks L-Jess?"

"Hi."

"What are you doing here?"

"I figured it was time that I followed the good things in my life, rather than run away from them."

"Jess, I should've been honest with you."

"It's ok, I shouldn't have pushed you so much."

"No, I was holding on to the past. I was just so afraid, you'd leave again."

"I could never. I love you."

"I know. Jess?"

"Yea?"

"I want to move in with you."

"You sure?"

"Yea." Rory replies as Jess hops over the counter. They kiss, as Luke reenters the diner.

"Can you take it some where else? You're making m customers nauseous."

"Sorry, Luke. We'll leave." Luke nods at his nephew, as they head to the door. "Oh, and Lorelei said to tell you dinners at 6."

"Ok. Now go." Luke answers pointing to the door.

"Wait, when did you talk to my mom?"

"About an hour after you walked out on me?" Jess raises his eyebrow towards Rory.

"Y-you called my mother?"

"I had feeling that that you'd come here. So I wanted to let her know you were coming."

"You must have done some job on her. She spent the last two hours defending your sorry butt."

Jess smirks. "You think my butt is sorry?" He playfully turns to look at his behind. "I always thought it was cute."

Rory laughs and then takes his hand. They walk quietly back to Lorelei's house.