By Stew Pid

Rating: Should be okay.

Disclaimer: I only own the Stew Pid stuff.

A/N: Okay. I'm experimenting with different forms of fic and this was a new idea I had. It's not really my style so I don't know if I pulled it off, but I hope you like it.

After the town meeting, Lorelai goes to taunt Luke about the Discovery and History Channels. Rory decides to take a walk, not realizing she already knows where she's going. Jess was already there. She approaches timidly, feeling an acute sense of irreverence in her intrusion, like reading someone else's journal or disrupting a man in prayer. This place was his sanctuary, she knew. She could sense his thoughts in the air, but she couldn't identify a single one. Does he already know? How does he feel? Maybe he needs time alone. She is about to turn back when the bridge creaks under her feet and he turns around.

"Sorry," she whispers nervously.

"Why are you whispering?"

"I don't want to disturb you."

"Oh. I thought maybe you didn't want to wake the dead."

He knew.

"So you heard."

"I think they heard in Hartford. Luke and Taylor really had it out."

"I hear it was even worse before we got there. We came after the vote. So you're okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be? It's not my bridge. Not like I'm losing money or anything."

"Yeah, but this is the only place in Stars Hollow you like. There're a lot of memories here."

"It's just a bridge. Here."

He hands her a book.

"The Iron Heel."

"If you want to read a nut, read that one. Not Ayn Rand."

She knew he was remembering. That was their first memory here. They had many. After her break up with Dean, they would spend many hours talking there together, or reading, or just sitting in silence, thinking together. She looks around the lake for the spot of their first and only kiss. She never liked to think about it, but today the memory came over her like a flood and spilled over into the lake and produced ripples in the water that pointed to the exact spot where it happened.

"Well, London is better than Hemingway, I guess," she teased purposefully. He smirks and kicked some water at her feet. She smiles and they return to contented silence, looking over the lake.

"Life can be so unpredictable," Rory muses.

"What are you talking about?"

"Well, just a few months ago, I thought the changes I'd be looking at right now would be going to Harvard, having to leave my mom, and Dean, and I guess Stars Hollow in general behind. But then, I thought, I'd come home and visit and everything here would be the same. Turns out I'm not making such a big move, but everything here is going to be different."

"Just the lake will be missing. What's the big deal?"

She's surprised at him, but recovers and continues.

"It is a big deal. Stars Hollow will look different. There'll be a lot of new people here. New things mark the end of old things. Everything changes."

"Or nothing changes."

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing changes. The town is what it is. And people are predictable. Everything's predictable. Pretty soon a routine starts up again and everything falls back into the flow and it all looks the same again. Nothing really changes."

"So you're telling me that a few months ago you knew you'd be where you're at this very moment?"

Jess looks at her for a long moment, and she lowers her head in discomfort. Realizing this, he looks out again over the lake.

"Yup."

"So I guess you have life, people, the world, metaphysics all figured out."

"Pretty much."

"Well, you're lucky then."

He looks at her again but she is looking down at her feet. Once again he returns his gaze to the lake.

"I'd better go. My mom is probably waiting for me. We're watching Singing in the Rain tonight."

"Have fun."

"Yeah. Bye."

She hurries away. Jess watches her go and looks forward again taking a deep breath. He senses in the air he breathes his thoughts, his memories, and the faint, dying scent of her presence. He looks over to the place beside him where just moments ago she was seated. The book is still there. Apparently, she had forgotten it. He picks it up, stands, and heads back to Luke's.