Title: It All Comes Down To You

Author: mocha_queen

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me. All of it belongs to those whose names appear on screen.

Spoilers: Season 2

Author Note(s): Feedback greatly appreciated. Not demanded (because I don't like that), but greatly appreciated. Helps the ego, helps the muses.

Summary: Rory returns from Washington. Who will she choose, Dean or Jess? But every choice has repercussions. R/J

~*~*~*~*~*~

Chapter 1: Welcome Home

~*~*~*~*~*~

Rory had just gotten back from six long weeks in Washington DC with Paris and was extremely happy to be back home with her mother, Lorelai Gilmore.

"Rory, you're awfully quiet tonight. No tales of how annoying Paris was, and no complaints of how bad the coffee was? You went six whole weeks with out the goodness that is Luke's coffee. You must be a strong girl to have gone through all of that," Lorelai talked to her daughter over dinner at Luke's.

"There's not much to tell, really. There were a lot of workshops, so Paris didn't have time to annoy me. And I did miss Luke's coffee, but now that I'm back and have Luke's coffee. I'm good," Rory explained. She didn't want her mother to worry. True, she was busy, but the only thing she thought about on the trip was the kiss she shared with Jess Mariano. She hadn't talked to him since Sookie's wedding.

"Sweets, are you okay?" Lorelai asked, just making sure her daughter wasn't sick.

"Yes, mom. I'm fine. Just tired from all the travelling. I had to get up at 5 am this morning," Rory replied politely. Then changed the subject. "I see you made up with Luke."

"Yes, I did. I didn't have you to talk to, and Sookie was on her honeymoon, Michel wasn't very interesting, and the fridge, coffee maker, microwave and toaster are all mad at me. So, I had no choice but to make up with Luke," she explained.

"And you wanted his coffee," Rory continued.

"Can't live with out it," Lorelai replied taking a huge sip of the dark liquid.

"Have you seen Jess around?" Rory asked.

"He's been working in the Diner quite a bit. I don't know why he moved back, it doesn't seem like there's anything here for him," Lorelai commented.

*I'm here for him.* Rory thought to herself. But instead, she said she was tired and all she wanted to do was go home.

"Alright, Rory. Just let me get some stuff first, k?" Lorelai got an evil look in her eye before heading to the counter. "Luke! Two coffee's to go!"

"No," Luke answered firmly.

"Please?" she pleaded and proceeded to pout.

"No," Luke said, calmly before filling in more orders.

Lorelai tried a different approach. "They're both for Rory. She's coffee deprived."

"One cup, for Rory, that's it," Luke said, pouring the coffee into a foam cup.

"Thanks, Lukey," Lorelai laughed, leaving with the coffee that was now hers.

Rory just rolled her eyes before getting into the Jeep.

The ride home was quiet. Rory didn't talk, but Lorelai continuously tried to make conversation.

"Mom, look, I'm tired. And all I really want to do at this point, is sleep. Tomorrow, I promise, I will tell you about my trip," Rory said.

"You promise?" Lorelai asked.

"Yes."

"And do you promise to watch Willy Wonka with me?"

"Fine."

"YAY!" Lorelai happily cried.

~*~*~*~*~*~

When Rory got into bed, she couldn't sleep. Being back in Stars Hollow brought back more memories of the wonderful kiss with Jess, and the horrible thought of breaking up with her first boyfriend, Dean.

After weighing out the good and bad for both Dean and Jess, she still couldn't come to a definite decision on which she wanted to be with. Finally, she gave up thinking. Looking at the clock, it told her it was 10:30. It wasn't early, but it wasn't too late to go for a quick walk to clear her head.

"Mom! I'm going for a walk," Rory called, grabbing a coat.

"I thought you were tired," Lorelai yelled back from her room.

"I just need some fresh air," Rory replied.

"Ok! Don't be too late," she hollered back before Rory walked out of the door.

Even with no real destination in mind, Rory's subconscious knew where she was going before she realized it.

The bridge.

When she got there, she found Jess sitting on the bridge, book in hand.

"Hey," Rory said, sitting down next to him.

"Hi," he replied, not looking up from his book. "Good trip?"

"It was OK, it's good to be back, though. I missed it here," Rory said. "Why did you come back?"

"Cause," was Jess's answer.

"That's it. Just cause?" Rory needed more of an answer than that. She wanted to know if it had anything to do with her.

"Yeah. That's it," Jess replied. He didn't want her to know that he did come back for her. Because that would make him seem like a pathetic weirdo.

The two sat side by side in silence. Neither could say anything that would fall under the category of appropriate.

"Good book?" Rory asked, breaking the silence.

"Maybe. It depends on how it ends. See, there's this girl, and this guy. They kiss, then the girl runs away, and the guy doesn't hear from her. Now he's very confused and doesn't know what to do next," Jess explained before turning back to his book.

"Jess, I'm sorry," Rory cried.

"For what? Kissing me? For not talking to me since? What, Rory?" Jess asked. Questions about that kiss had been on his mind all summer. It was driving him crazy, and if he didn't get answers soon, he might do something stupid to screw up what he had with Rory.

Rory didn't reply.

"I can't read minds," Jess said.

"Jess." Rory started before trailing off.

Jess just shook his head and ignored her, again.

"I'm sorry, Jess. I needed time to figure things out. I didn't know what to do," Rory said.

"Do you know now?" Jess asked, putting his book away and focusing his attention on her.

"I think I do," Rory said.

"And?" Jess inquired.

"And I need to see Dean first."

Jess got very frustrated at hearing that name. Dean. The stupid, tall, bag boy, moronic, jealous boyfriend of the girl that he wanted more than anything. "God, Rory! It shouldn't be this hard! You have feelings for both of us. You can only be with one of us. Choose!" Jess yelled.

"I love Dean, he was my first boyfriend, my first kiss, my first for a lot of things," Rory said. "Then there's you. You just come to Stars Hollow, no respect for anything. But you love to read, we have so much in common. And you crash the car my boyfriend made for me. And I don't hate you. I can't. I- You crashed my car. That Dean made for me. And I liked you even more," Rory cried.

"Funny, you didn't really focus on the Dean side," Jess smirked, in the usual Jess way.

"I don't know what to do," Rory sighed.

"It's easy, Rory," Jess said. Rory looked at him with a clueless look on her face and he continued. "Who do you want to be with? You do you want to see every night before you go to bed? Who do you want to see when you wake up?"

Rory knew the answer. She'd known it for a while. She was just too scared to admit it to herself.

"Need some help?" Jess asked, quietly. He was now standing inches in front of her.

Rory nodded her head.

Jess ducked his head down to hers and pulled her into a kiss. At first she was stunned but then she put her arms around her and kissed him harder.

Jess broke the kiss, and put his forehead up against hers. "Did that help?"

"More than you know," Rory said, pulling him into another kiss.

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Ror, is that you?" Lorelai asked, upon hearing the door open.

"Yes, but there are these little green alien guys escorting me in," Rory yelled up to her mom.

She heard the thumping of her mom's feet running to the stairs to see the little green alien guys.

"Lair!" she snarled, when she saw Rory at the door, alone.

Rory pretended to look hurt.

"See, liar," Lorelai joked, coming to sit on the couch, where Rory joined her. "How was the walk?"

"Amazing," Rory said, remembering the many kisses she and Jess had.

"Is there something you want to tell me?" Lorelai asked.

Rory sighed. Now was a good of time as any to tell her mom. "I'm going to break up with Dean."

"Rory! Why?!?!" Lorelai cried. In Lorelai's eyes Rory and Dean had the perfect relationship. He was good for her. Although, he was a little jealous at times, but he was still a good guy.

"Because he and I just don't have the same chemistry anymore. I don't jump for joy every time I see him. And the whole relationship is. Well.. boring. That. AndIkissedJess," Rory blurted out.

"You what?" Lorelai screamed. "Who, what, how, why, when?"

"Calm down, mom," Rory said. "I saw him at Sookie's wedding. And I was just so happy to see him, I kissed him, and he kissed me back. And then, when I went for a walk, I saw him, and he kissed me, and I kissed him back. Now, I don't want to be with Dean anymore. I want to be with Jess. And you missed where."

"Are you sure?" Lorelai asked. "Because Dean is very nice. He made you a car. Which, by the way, Jess crashed. And Dean doesn't steal. He does well in school. He's a good guy, Rory. He's the guy you should be with."

"Since when do I have to date who you want me to?" Rory wondered. "Because last time I checked, I could date who I wanted to."

"You can. They just have to be boys that you can take home to meet your mother."

"I can bring Jess her-" Rory was cut off.

"Bring home and not be killed by the mother."

"You just don't like Jess because swerved, and we got in an accident, and my wrist got fractured."

"And he's a bad kid, Rory. Don't you understand? I'm looking out for you. Jess is wrong for you. And Dean is perfect," Lorelai explained. Trying her best to show her daughter that all she was thinking about was her, and what was best for her.

"If Dean's so perfect, why don't you marry him?" Rory retorted. She knew it was a stupid thing to say, but she didn't care.

"Fine, maybe I will!" Lorelai shouted.

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!" Rory yelled, running into her room and slamming the door.

*Oh, dear* Lorelai thought, heading up to her own room.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Will get the next part up sooner or later, depending on when I get a chance to edit.