Title: Goodbye
Disclaimer: I own nothing!
A/N: The end to a tumultuous story. Enjoy!
** Darkness faded as the approaching dawn rose over the bright mountains. Jess inhaled in the fresh morning air. He dug his hands deep into the pockets of his blue jacket. Slowly, he walked down the main street towards Rory's house. The time for confrontation was now.
**
Rory awoke, she felt someone's arms wrapped around her. Jess. Then she remembered last night and how Tristan had come through her window. They had talked for hours and what seemed hours on end. He had told her that he was coming back to Chilton after a year away. His father felt that he'd been punished enough, to allow Tristan to finish his senior year at Chilton.
She slowly untangled her limbs from Tristan's, and climbed out of bed. It was early, the sun was just peeking over the mountains. She was sitting at her desk, contemplating the day ahead, when he came into view. Jess. He walked up to her, beckoned with his hand and walked away.
She hurriedly grabbed a pair of jeans and a shirt and ran to the bathroom to change.
**
Jess stood on the bridge staring at the water, trying to sort through his muddled feelings. It'd been two months, since they'd actually talked let alone touched.
Searching deep within himself, Jess found the courage to do what he had to do, he knew he had to let Rory go. Let her test the fragile wings of her youth, it was too soon to ask her to commit to him. Jess knew that Rory was the one for him, he would never love another, but he couldn't ask Rory to give up her freedom so soon. He had to let her go. If they were meant to be, they would find their way back together.
He had to leave Stars Hollow, and go somewhere where he could figure out his life. Who he was and what he was meant to be? He couldn't do that here or in New York!
**
Rory approached the bridge, a thousand things running through her mind. She was happy that Jess was alive and she couldn't wait to talk to him, and yet.
**
"Hey," they both said in unison.
"Where to start?" Rory asked. "I've missed you."
"And I you, but I need to tell you something," Jess said.
"Go ahead." Rory gestured.
"For the last two months, I was in a coma, and I just woke up the other day. Somehow I survived the crash, and I've decided to take this second chance and turn my life around, but not here, and not in New York."
"What does that mean?" Rory cried.
"I'm leaving Stars Hollow tonight and I'm not coming back," Jess stated.
Rory clutched her chest and felt an overwhelming thrust of pain. So this was what it felt like to have your heart broken. "Why are you leaving? What about us?"
"I can't ask you to give up your freedom and commit to me. You're too young and you still need to learn so much, you need to see the world, go to Harvard, and then become the greatest journalist this world has ever seen. I will always love you. If we're meant to be, then we will find our way back together." Jess turned and walked away, looking back once. That one glance nearly made him turn and run back and take Rory in his arms.
He had chosen his path and he would go down it, and nothing would deter him from it.
**
Rory walked into the house, clutching her chest. Her mother was sitting on the couch with Tristan, she opened her mouth to ask Rory where'd she been when she saw her daughter's face.
"Oh honey what happened?" she asked softly.
"Jess came back and then he broke my heart, and he left Stars Hollow forever, and he's never coming back." Rory got out, before she started crying.
Her whole body shook with the force of her pain.
Lorelai looked pole-axed. She didn't know what to say.
Tristan just sat there, not knowing what to do. He went over to Rory and put his arms around her and held her silently.
**
Jess walked down the stairs with his duffel bag. He was stopped by Luke, "where'd you think you're going?"
"Away and I am not coming back," Jess pushed past him and walked out the diner door not looking back.
He walked to the bus depot. He went up to the ticket booth, "One one- way ticket to L.A. please."
**
Rory stared out her bedroom window, who knew that such beauty hid such deception. Earlier she sat here contemplating what the day would bring her. It had brought her Jess and a broken heart. The wonders of deceptive beauty, she thought bitterly.
Across town, the bus bound for L.A. swiftly left the Stars Hollow town boundaries, until it had disappeared from the horizon, its presence a mere memory.
**
In regards to the rapid twist end of this story, I would appreciate reviews, I just thought this the best way to end the story. I may pick it up in a while. This story needed an ending. But I left it open, so it can be picked up and taken in any direction.
Disclaimer: I own nothing!
A/N: The end to a tumultuous story. Enjoy!
** Darkness faded as the approaching dawn rose over the bright mountains. Jess inhaled in the fresh morning air. He dug his hands deep into the pockets of his blue jacket. Slowly, he walked down the main street towards Rory's house. The time for confrontation was now.
**
Rory awoke, she felt someone's arms wrapped around her. Jess. Then she remembered last night and how Tristan had come through her window. They had talked for hours and what seemed hours on end. He had told her that he was coming back to Chilton after a year away. His father felt that he'd been punished enough, to allow Tristan to finish his senior year at Chilton.
She slowly untangled her limbs from Tristan's, and climbed out of bed. It was early, the sun was just peeking over the mountains. She was sitting at her desk, contemplating the day ahead, when he came into view. Jess. He walked up to her, beckoned with his hand and walked away.
She hurriedly grabbed a pair of jeans and a shirt and ran to the bathroom to change.
**
Jess stood on the bridge staring at the water, trying to sort through his muddled feelings. It'd been two months, since they'd actually talked let alone touched.
Searching deep within himself, Jess found the courage to do what he had to do, he knew he had to let Rory go. Let her test the fragile wings of her youth, it was too soon to ask her to commit to him. Jess knew that Rory was the one for him, he would never love another, but he couldn't ask Rory to give up her freedom so soon. He had to let her go. If they were meant to be, they would find their way back together.
He had to leave Stars Hollow, and go somewhere where he could figure out his life. Who he was and what he was meant to be? He couldn't do that here or in New York!
**
Rory approached the bridge, a thousand things running through her mind. She was happy that Jess was alive and she couldn't wait to talk to him, and yet.
**
"Hey," they both said in unison.
"Where to start?" Rory asked. "I've missed you."
"And I you, but I need to tell you something," Jess said.
"Go ahead." Rory gestured.
"For the last two months, I was in a coma, and I just woke up the other day. Somehow I survived the crash, and I've decided to take this second chance and turn my life around, but not here, and not in New York."
"What does that mean?" Rory cried.
"I'm leaving Stars Hollow tonight and I'm not coming back," Jess stated.
Rory clutched her chest and felt an overwhelming thrust of pain. So this was what it felt like to have your heart broken. "Why are you leaving? What about us?"
"I can't ask you to give up your freedom and commit to me. You're too young and you still need to learn so much, you need to see the world, go to Harvard, and then become the greatest journalist this world has ever seen. I will always love you. If we're meant to be, then we will find our way back together." Jess turned and walked away, looking back once. That one glance nearly made him turn and run back and take Rory in his arms.
He had chosen his path and he would go down it, and nothing would deter him from it.
**
Rory walked into the house, clutching her chest. Her mother was sitting on the couch with Tristan, she opened her mouth to ask Rory where'd she been when she saw her daughter's face.
"Oh honey what happened?" she asked softly.
"Jess came back and then he broke my heart, and he left Stars Hollow forever, and he's never coming back." Rory got out, before she started crying.
Her whole body shook with the force of her pain.
Lorelai looked pole-axed. She didn't know what to say.
Tristan just sat there, not knowing what to do. He went over to Rory and put his arms around her and held her silently.
**
Jess walked down the stairs with his duffel bag. He was stopped by Luke, "where'd you think you're going?"
"Away and I am not coming back," Jess pushed past him and walked out the diner door not looking back.
He walked to the bus depot. He went up to the ticket booth, "One one- way ticket to L.A. please."
**
Rory stared out her bedroom window, who knew that such beauty hid such deception. Earlier she sat here contemplating what the day would bring her. It had brought her Jess and a broken heart. The wonders of deceptive beauty, she thought bitterly.
Across town, the bus bound for L.A. swiftly left the Stars Hollow town boundaries, until it had disappeared from the horizon, its presence a mere memory.
**
In regards to the rapid twist end of this story, I would appreciate reviews, I just thought this the best way to end the story. I may pick it up in a while. This story needed an ending. But I left it open, so it can be picked up and taken in any direction.