TITLE: Homesick

SUMMERY: Post kiss fic. The third season "my" way. You'll get Rory's return from D.C., her confrontation with her mom, Jess, Dean, and others, depending on where I go with the story. DEFINATELY a Literati. well, eventually

DISCLAIMER: Nope, don't own 'em. Wish I owned Milo, but then again, anyone in their right mind wished they owned Milo! The title comes from the song Homesick by Train. Nope, don't own any rights to that either. Man, finding a good quote for this chapter was hard, but I think the one I chose is good because it foreshadows something *hint hint*

SPOILERS: Anything and everything you've seen and read.

E-MAIL: *NEW EMAIL* someone18_13@yahoo.com

A/N: Alright, like I said last time, this chapter will have Rory and Jess' conversation; Lorelai at work and a call from Emily. Maybe more, hopefully more, but no less. Read on...



" If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something"

Rory and Jess enter the house and head for the kitchen. Rory gets two cones and hands one to Jess. They both sit, waiting for the other to break the silence. Jess began, sounding VERY scared.

"Rory, are there any other reasons why...I mean, did you...no, um, did anything else influence your decision to end it with bag-boy?" Jess asked nervously without making eye contact.

"Why do you ask?" *Maybe he does care. Or he's messing with me. I've never seen him so nervous, though* Rory looked him straight in the eyes. They held the intense gaze until Jess turned away.

"Its just that, today, you came to tell me about the break up when no one else knows yet. I was curious"

"How do you know that no one else knows?"

"Well, this is Stars Hollow. I think that if people knew, they would be talking about it and not that they'd volunteer the information to me, but I do work in a diner. I think I would've heard something."

"You're right. Besides my mom and Dean, and now you, no one else knows" Rory stared at her shoes, feeling like an idiot.

"I just thought I should tell you face-to-face" she continued.

"Why?"

"Its just, the kiss, before I left... I thought maybe it meant something to you. But, I mean, your with Shane, I guess."

"Ror, you left without even saying goodbye. You didn't call or write..."

"I tried to write to you. I couldn't mail any of them though"

"So the kiss did mean something to you" Jess said more as a statement than as a question.

"yea" Rory replied, so softly that Jess could barely hear it. She then looked at him hopefully. "Did it mean anything to you?"

"I guess" he said, again not making eye contact.

"Then why are you with Shane?"

"'Cause you were still with Dean. Shane was more like a way to get over you I guess"

"Oh"

"I didn't work by the way. I mean getting over you, it didn't work" Another deafening silence ensued.

"Why were you so mean this morning?"

"I didn't know what to say. I couldn't tell you how I felt"

"Ah, the whole bad boy, rebel without a cause, protective wall thing got in the way, huh?" Rory let out a small, mocking laugh.

"Hey, you're the only one here I've said more than five words to. I think that means the protective wall comes down a bit with you."

"Oh, I feel so priviledged."

"You should. Can ya just imagine Luke and I getting all sentimental and crap?" They were both genuinly smiling now, glad that the akward moments had passed.

"Actually..."

"Oh God"

"I can...you're sitting together in the apartment. The diner is closed, the place is cleaned up and you are watching a tear-jerker, um, A Walk to Remember. You sit on opposite sides of the couch, eyes transfixed on the screen, tears rolling down your cheeks. Luke passes you a Kleenex box and you gratefully grab a handful which you wipe your eyes with"

"Stop now"

"The credits begin to roll and you get up to turn off the TV. You grab more tissues as you sit back down on the couch. You turn to Luke and say, 'I can't believe she died' while fresh tears begin falling. Luke's voice cracks as he replies 'I know' before breaking down again as well."

"Jesus, that was brutal! Where do you come up with that stuff?"

"I didn't come up eith it. My mom and I have security cameras in your apartment. We watched the entire thing together. We laughed, we cried, we were stunned by your openness."

"I'd really like to see that tape"

"I'll get you a copy"

Jess smiled. "Well, I'd better go. Luke needs me at the diner." He stood and headed for the door.

"Jess, wait!" Rory called as he was about to leave. "How 'bout I go with you. I didn't get any coffee earlier."

"K"

They left the house together in silence. It was a comforting silence, one between the two that meant they had reached an understanding. A common ground. They knew what the other wanted. Now it was just a matter of acting upon this newfound knowledge. Rory cautiously looped her arm with Jess'. She was afraid he'd pull away or make some sarcsstic comment, but he only smiled and intertwined their fingers.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Michel!" Lorelai yelled shuffeling papers aroung frantically at the front desk. "MICHEL!"

"What is it?"

"Michel, where are the addresses and phones numbers for the different lots Sookie and I might use for the new inn?"

"I do not know. My job is to answer phones and attend to affairs that have to do with THIS inn, not your little imaginary place"

"Michel, they were right here. Did you move them?"

"I said I do not know. Are you implying that I am not telling the truth?"

"No Michel. I just meant that maybe you moved them by accident. Or maybe you didn't move them at all. Maybe the aliens came in and stole my papers, but you might have seen it and you could tell me which direction they went."

"I do not understand a word you say."

"Aha! I found 'em!" Lorelai exclaimed as she triumphantly held a bunch or bent papers in the air.

"Oh, goody" Michel replied as he picked up a clipboard and headed in the other direction. Lorelai stuck her tongue out at him as she turned to the kitchen.

"Hey Sook" Lorelai said as she entered the messy kitchen. "Woa, did a bomb go off in here or something?"

"Oh, hi honey. And no, its just a little...cluttered at the moment."

"Ah, cluttered. It looks like Anna Nicole just ordered a 12 course meal and this is the aftermath."

"Oh its not that bad. Is it?"

"Sookie, I can barely see you behind the mountains of pots and pans."

"I just have to finish this soup. Its perfect this time." Sookie said as she stirred vigerously. .

"This time?"

"Yea, I had to redo it about oh, seven times. But its perfect now. Here taste." Sookie replied as she handed lorelai a big spoon.

"Ooo, that is good. And it ONLY took you seven tries!"

"Well, maybe eight."

"Right. Okay, here are the different locations of the possible prospects for our inn." Lorelai cleared some space and put the papers down on the sticky counter top. Sookie glanced at them and looked at her watch.

"Oh, crud! I have to go help Jackson. He got some new produce in today. Can I take these with me, look them over and meet you at Luke's tonight to talk about it?"

"Perfect."

"Okey-Doky. See ya later."

"Bye sweetie"

"Lorelai" Michel entered the kitchen as Sookie left.

"Yes"

"Your mother is on the phone." He said as he held out the phone to her.

"Tell her I'm busy."

"Alright." Michel said then put the phone to his ear. "Mrs. Gilmore? Yes, she told me to tell you that she is busy, although at the moment she appears to be doing nothing..."

"Thanks Michel" Lorelai said sarcasticly as she took the phone. "Hi mom."

"Oh, well hello Lorelai."

"What do you need?"

"Why do you assume that I NEED something? Can't I just call my daughter to see how she is? Is that so wrong?"

"I'm fine mom. Now, what do ya need. 'Cause I'm pretty sure that you didn't just caal to chat."

"What makes you think that?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe because you never have before."

"Well, no need to get hostile. I was just wondering if we could move the dinner on Friday from 7 to 8."

"Yea, sure mom. No problem."

"Alright. I should let you get back to work. Send Rory our love. See you on Friday."

"Will do mom. bye."

"Goodbye."

"UGH!" Lorelai exclaimed as she banged her head on the counter.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

A/N: Well, whatcha think? I tried to make this one longer. Hope ya'all liked it. And if the dialogue sucked, please tell me. It's really hard to write Jess. I didn't want him to be too open with his feelings, but then again he's usually more open with Rory, so I don't know. Anyhoo, drop me a line!!!