Rory sat slumped against the front door, crying. This was the second time in a week that she had cried over Jess. Why was he stirring up so much emotion in her? A thumping on the door startled Rory. She picked herself up and answered it. It was Lane.

"Hey, how did it go-" but Lane stopped herself when she saw the look on Rory's face. "What happened?"

"I went over there and he was acting really weird. He wouldn't really talk to me or look me in the eye. I asked him what was wrong, and he said that he heard me say something that made him change how he felt about me or something." The tears that Rory had been able to contain began to flow again.

"I' so sorry, Rory," Lane said, hugging her friend. Suddenly, she pulled away with a sneaky look on her face. "I have to go."

*~*~*~*~*~*

Lane took a deep breath before entering Luke's diner. She had only spoken to Jess a couple of times at school. Usually he would just ask to borrow a pen or copy her homework. But Lane knew what she had to do. She had to find out what Jess thought Rory had said. It was just what friends did.

"Hey Luke. Is Jess here?"

Luke raised an eyebrow. He was obviously confused as to why Lane would want to see Jess. "He's upstairs. You can go on up."

Lane took another deep breath before knocking on the apartment door. She had the sudden urge to turn around and bolt, but Jess answered the door before she had the chance. There was no turning back now.

"Lane? What are you doing here?" Jess had the same look on his face that Luke had a minute before.

"I need to talk to you about Rory."

Jess turned around and walked back into the apartment, tacitly inviting Lane in.

"What about her?" he asked.

"She's really upset. She said you think she said something that hurt you. She honestly has no idea what she did. I think you should talk to her."

Jess sighed. He clearly didn't want to think about this incident anymore. Jess always seemed to have this wall around him that kept any feelings out. Lane figured that whatever Rory had said was getting in through that wall.

"I just can't be around Rory right now."

"Why not?"

"Because she said that she never cared about me and never could," he blurted out. His face showed that he instantly regretted it.

"Lane was thoroughly confused. Rory would never have said that. "When did she say this?"

"When you two were in the gazebo the other day," Jess said in a defeated tone. "I heard you."

Lane thought back over everything that was said that day. Suddenly, a light bulb went off. "No, she said 'I wish I could say that I never had feelings for Jess and never could. She likes you Jess. She really likes you." As much as Lane wanted to tell him that Rory loved him, she didn't. It just wasn't her place.

"Are you serious?" he asked, a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

"I swear."

An awkward silence fell. They had run out of things to say. Lane said goodbye, and left.

Next time: THE FINAL CHAPTER! Lane and Rory go to a party and an unexpected guest arrives.