A/N: Wow…that's a lot of reviews…I guess I'm going to have to continue…
Chapter twoThe young man in front of Rory turned away. "Jess? I know it's you, Jess. Why did you leave?" He still didn't answer. "Jess!" As he turned to face her Rory broke into tears.
"Don't cry, Rory. I'm not worth your tears." Jess pulled her into a hug. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
"Why'd you go?" He could barely hear her, her voice muffled by his thick sweater.
"I don't know. I was an idiot. I didn't think."
"People don't just leave for no reason, Jess," she said as she lifted her head. "You must have had some sort of reason."
"I…I lied to you, Ror, I'm not who you think I am." Rory gave him a confused look. "You would tell me you loved me and all I could think about was how I didn't deserve it. I'm not a good person. I grew up stealing things. Small things, yes, but still…I don't belong in Stars Hollow, I don't belong with you."
"But, Jess, don't you see? I mean, watch a movie, for God's sake. The people we love define the people that we are. I knew you didn't have the cleanest record when I started dating you. Why else would your mother have sent you to Stars Hollow? And if you don't think you belong here then why are you here right now?"
"I was delivering a letter for you. It's the only way to get it to you without a postmark."
"Jess…"
"Holden came back, right? He decided not to run?"
"Yeah."
"Well I wasn't that smart."
"Then maybe
you should have stuck with your tutor."
"I don't know. She never did teach me a foreign language."
"I love you, Jess. You know that, right?"
"Yeah."
***
12/25/03, 3:12 AM…
A young man slipped out from under the covers of a double bed. Kissing the woman next to him on the forehead he sighed and then pulled on a pair of jeans. "What am I doing?" The young woman stirred but did not wake as the man pulled a suitcase out from under the bed.
There was a Christmas tree a few feet away, and the man walked over to it, pulling a book and an envelope out of his pocket. Placing them under the tree he whispered a goodbye before walking out the door. He did not look back.
***
"Is that him?" Lorelai whispered to Luke as they watched the exchange from the front door of their house.
"Yeah, I think so…"
"Should we go see what's going on?"
"I think we should let them work it out for themselves."
"Okay." A few minutes later she spoke again. "Now can we go?"
"Lorelai…"
"Fine, fine."
Lane was watching from the window. She couldn't help but smile when she saw Rory reach up and pull Jess's head down to her own. They shared a short kiss and then they smiled at each other. Even from the house the three could see the couples breath swirling about them in a mist.
"Maybe I should take Rory her coat," Lorelai said.
"Fine, but I hope you aren't going out there just so you can whack him upside the head."
"And so what if I am?"
"No. I get first dibs."
Lorelai laughed as she grabbed the heavy pea coat as well as her own brown jacket. Strolling down the street she watched as Rory and Jess laughed at a private joke. By the time she'd reached them she didn't hate the boy quite as much. "Here sweetie. Don't catch pneumonia," she said with a smile. Then she turned to walk away. "Welcome back, Jess," she called over her shoulder.
"Wow, she didn't kill me."
"I guess you're lucky."
"Well, I do have my good luck charm back."
***
8/29/03
"What will I do without my good luck charm?" Jess asked Rory as they walked through Stars Hollow hand in hand. Rory would be leaving for Yale the next day.
"I guess you'll have to do without her for a few months."
"Maybe I'll go find myself a new one." Rory swatted him on the chest.
"You do that and I won't come home for Christmas."
"You better come home for Christmas. Lorelai's likely to drive out to New Haven and drag you back herself if you don't."
The two paused when the reached the bridge. "And what about you. Will you come and drag me back."
"Oh, we have a deal. I have to go and get you for Thanksgiving."
***
"I'm surprised you were so welcoming. I thought I'd come out of a future meeting with a black eye."
"What is love, but forgiveness for past mistakes."
"Did you write that?"
"I don't know. It's awfully poetic sounding, though, don't you think?"
Jess nodded. The two began to walk towards the house. "You're still wearing the ring," he said with a smile.
"I never took it off."
"Must be a pretty dirty ring."
"Well, I did wash it once or twice."
Once they reached the front door Rory paused. "Do you want to come in?"
"Depends. Is Luke going to beat me up?"
"Most likely. He once put Dean in a headlock for dumping me."
"Ah, yes, but I'm family."
"I don't think it'll make that much of a difference. But hey, I'll protect you."
"Well then sure, I'd love to come in." Rory pulled open the door and shivered at the change in temperature.
Walking inside she called out "we're back!"
"We as in plural or we as in Queen Victoria?" Lane asked as she walked into the main hall from the kitchen. "Hey, Jess."
"Lane. Where's Luke."
"Sharpening the knives." The three laughed as Luke and Lorelai came into the hall as well.
"Jess." Well, that was Luke. Short, to the point. No emotion.
"Uncle Luke." Clearly it ran in the family.
"Luke. No uncle."
"Sorry."
"So, hey, did we ever agree on a holiday movie?" Lorelai asked, trying to usher the tension out the door.
"No, I don't believe we did," Lane replied. "I'm still voting for It's a Wonderful Life, though."
"No way! Willy Wonka all the way!" Rory shouted.
"What does Willy Wonka have to do with the holidays?" Jess asked with a smile.
"Who cares? It's a movie about junk food. What else do we need?"
Lorelai seemed to agree, and since no one but Lane really wanted to watch It's a Wonderful Life the five soon found themselves listening to short purple men sing songs that would be sure to replay in their heads for the next month.
"Why do we always end up watching this on Christmas Eve?" Luke asked when the movie had ended.
"I don't know. Why don't you ever stop us?" Lorelai asked.
"I tr—never mind. It's pointless."
Everyone laughed. "Well, I'm ready for bed," said Lorelai. "Santa can't come unless everyone's asleep."
"I concur," said Rory. "I'm sleepy."
"Am I stuck with the sofa, then?" Lane asked.
"I…" Rory looked at Jess. To share a bed or not. It had been so long.
"I'll take the couch," Jess said.
"You don't have—"
"—it's fine, Lane." Everyone drifted off into their separate rooms except for Rory and Jess.
"You know. You could have slept with me," Rory said with a sigh.
"That's okay. It probably would have been pretty weird. It's been so long…"
"Yeah…"
"Maybe tomorrow."
"Maybe tomorrow. Now do I need to tie you to the couch so you don't leave?"
"I promise I'll be here in the morning, and if I'm not you can hire a detective to track me and a hit man to take me out."
Rory smiled. "I missed you."
"I missed you, too." Jess looked up and Rory followed his gaze. They were once again beneath a sprig of Mistletoe. "Lorelai certainly is good at choosing places for seasonal decorations."
"Yes. She most certainly is." Jess leaned down and his lips met Rory's in a sweet kiss.
When they pulled apart Jess whispered an "I love you" into Rory's ear.
"I love you too."
***
A/N: It's not over yet…