A/N: So this is it, I'm actually a bit sad but hey all good things must
it had to end somewhere, I can't believe I actually finished it. Thanks
so much you guys! I know for sure that I wouldn't have been able to
carry on without you as motivation. I finally understand why other
writers sometimes beg for reviews. Dedicated Milo Ventimiglia and
Alexis Bledel because without them Jess and Rory wouldn't exist and to
all the loyal literati's!!!
If you have been so wonderful as to review my story please check the
author's note at the bottom.!!!
Chapter 22
Don't let go
~~~
Sunshine turns to grey
Whenever you're away
Minutes turn to hours without you
Please, please just let me get there before it's too late. Rory prayed, driving as fast as she could without exceeding the limit. The last thing she needed was to be delayed even further.
She couldn't believe she'd been so caught up in her wallowing, her very unnecessary wallowing that she hadn't seen what was in front of her all this time.
She guessed Dean had been right after all.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
She saw the tiredness in his shoulders, the pain etched in his eyes and inside she cried. Cried for lost opportunities, for unrequited love, for his anguish so intense it was almost palpable.
Words would seem so trivial at a moment like this so instead she wrapped her arms around him from behind, pressing her cheek against his back.
She knew he wouldn't turn to face her because despite their closeness he wouldn't want her to see him crying over Rory and she knew that he was.
But she understood and so she was happy just to hold him.
"I'm sorry." She whispered and he squeezed her arms in response.
She really thought that she had gotten through to Rory this afternoon, that she was the one for Jess. But it looked as though he had been right after all.
Somehow that just made Skye sadder.
She felt his tears abate and knew it was time.
"You ready?"
He turned to face her, the most sorrowful smile on his lips.
"As ready as I'll ever be."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jess threw his last bag in the trunk of the car, ready to leave behind a world of pain and regret over lost opportunities.
He felt numb and he was operating on automatic pilot. He looked across to the square one last time, remembering when he'd outbid Dean on Rory's basket. He'd had so much fun that day.
It was the start for them. And look how it had turned out.
Skye was sitting on the bonnet of the car giving him a few extra minutes to collect himself, gather his thoughts.
He knew he wouldn't have been able to get through this without her and he didn't for a moment blame her for the situation. He was just grateful that she'd come through, the way she always had. The way he knew she always would.
He turned to Luke and impulsively gave him a hug.
It was obvious he'd surprised his uncle but not so much so that the hug wasn't returned.
At least he'd forged a bond through it all.
"Goodbye Luke."
"Goodbye Jess."
"Tell them I said goodbye will you."
"Of course."
"Thanks."
He sighed and looked at the diner one last time before getting into the car, leaving his heart behind.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rory pulled up tires screeching and saw with a heavy heart that the diner was closed and that no lights were burning in the apartment.
Shock and desperation made her bang on the door until Luke came down to see what the commotion was about.
"Rory?"
"Please say he's still here. Please say I'm not too late!"
One look into his eyes told her though.
"Rory, honey I'm sorry." Luke said sadly.
"No! No he can't be. Why? Oh G-d please why?" Rory wailed, the heartache and regret rolling over her in waves.
She collapsed as the tears ran down her cheeks and Luke could only try to comfort her as best he could but the both knew it was Jess' arms she wanted around her instead.
***
Utterly spent from crying Rory decided to try and clear her mind with a walk.
Her mind was filled 'if only's' and 'what if's' as she found her way to the bridge.
Had it just been a few weeks ago that she'd been filled with anticipation of a future with Jess? It felt like a lifetime ago.
She hadn't felt so lost in her life, so incomplete. Not even when she and Dean had broken up the first time.
But Jess was not Dean.
And Dean would never be Jess.
She had no concept of time as the memories washed over her, filling her with such an intense range of emotions.
He really was gone.
Once again her eyes clouded over as she watched the moonlight skimming across the water's surface.
Eventually she wiped her tears away and turned to go home.
She stopped dead in her tracks though, her heart slamming against her chest.
He was there, a couple of feet away from her, watching her.
Jess.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Seeing her stand there crying hurt him more than anything.
And Jess had been hurt a lot in his life.
Her eyes widened in disbelief when she finally realised she wasn't alone. She looked as though she'd seen a ghost and so he took a tentative step towards her, letting her know he was indeed real.
"I thought you, I thought you were gone." She said softly.
"I was but I couldn't leave." He said equally softly.
"Why?" she asked taking a step forward.
Jess took his time answering.
"I couldn't leave without knowing."
"Knowing what?"
Another step.
"If it could've worked between us. If I wasn't the only one who felt the way I did."
He said cautiously, his blood thundering in his ears as he waited pensively for her to say something but she just stood there staring at him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Did?" Rory squawked.
Why the past tense? Was he saying it was over before it even really began?
"Excuse me?"
"You said 'did'."
"I said 'did' because I don't feel that way anymore." He said quietly, seriously as his eyes bored into hers.
Rory's heart sank. He really was only here to tell her it was history.
She looked at her feet, to her side, to the sky anywhere but at him.
"It's much stronger, deeper. I didn't think that was possible but apparently my heart has proved me wrong." Jess continued.
Her head jerked up gauging his sincerity but there wasn't a trace of mendacity on his face.
She could only stare at him dumbfounded.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jess' nerves were stretched to near breaking point.
"G-d Rory say something please!" he begged her to end his torture. If she didn't feel the same he could take it at lease then he'd know he'd taken the chance.
"Something like," she eventually broke the silence," when I thought you were gone my soul felt incomplete?" she asked taking another step towards him.
"Rory don't joke - " Jess warned, his heart almost in tatters.
"Something like seeing you here in front of me takes my breath away?" she continued.
Jess decided this was more torturous than her silence.
"Something like your smile warms me all over? Something like I can't live without you?" she added taking the final step that closed the gap between them.
"Something like - " but Jess didn't let her finish as he pulled her closer brushing his lips against hers, cupping her face gently in his hands as if she was an illusion which would fade away at any second.
But as she leaned into him deepening the kiss he knew it was for real and his heart soared.
He gently drew back, resting his forehead against hers, wrapping his arms around her waist.
"For a moment there I thought I'd been way off." He admitted.
"No," she shook her head, "right on target."
"Rory," he pulled back further to look into her beautiful eyes.
"Yes?"
"I was so afraid you'd push me away."
"I couldn't even if I tried." She confessed breathlessly.
"When we were apart," he started softly, "I felt my heart break a little more each day. I can't bear being away from you Rory. Does that scare you?"
"No, it exhilarates me." She said resolutely.
"Good," he smiled," I know we've got a lot to work on but I don't wanna risk us. I almost lost you once, I can't go through that again."
She stroked his face with her knuckles and Jess felt the warmth throughout his body.
"You won't have to. I promise."
He wanted to be completely honest with her but he didn't want to load too much on her too soon. Jess decided he would have to take the chance and trust that it would work out.
"I need you Rory, more than life. I love you."
He heard her sharp intake of breath and wandered if he'd perhaps taken it too far.
She looked at him earnestly, "I need you too. It took me awhile to accept it but I embrace it now and Jess I think I loved you the moment I first saw you outside my room, introducing yourself."
This time she pulled him in for a kiss and he was more than happy to oblige.
"I'm always gonna be a bit of trouble Rory," he told her truthfully, "but please don't let me go?"
"Never!" she vowed.
And so they had come full circle as their lips met again. It had all started on the bridge and now it ended with their love and happiness.
But in truth it was just the beginning.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And in the car on the way back to New York, amethyst eyes were smiling because everything was as it should be, as it was meant to be.
THE END.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR'S NOTE
I think I may have rushed it all a bit but please try to understand. I was responding to the flow of wonderful reviews for the last chapter and besides they were apart for long enough don't you think?
THANK YOU TO ALL MY LOYAL REVIEWERS!!!!!!!!!
Your input, advice and comments were greatly appreciated especially at times when I was a bit stuck.
To Chrys - thanks for letting me bounce my ideas off you, Luv ya stax!!
To TEMPTING FATE, EMMY AND SCREAMING TRUTH - WOW! You guys are amazing, a lot of me wanting to carry on is because of you.
To KATIE, SWIM 6516, JESSANDRORY, ORANGEFISH018, LUISA and LEILA18 - Thanks for the encouragement.
To LUKERULES - You definitely do rule!!
To DODGER- I really hope you enjoyed this and that you won't have to go 2 therapy!
To SMILE, GIVEMEYOURLOVE, LCI-02/03, MINI 767, ANGELLOVE, NAVEED, FOOTBALLCHICK65, Xx22dox4luvxX, KIEYRA, AOLANI and RGILMORE03
- A thousand thank you's are not enough!!!!
All of you got me through some tough parts and I really appreciate it. If you have any ideas or concepts of new stories for me let me know and I'll try to keep up the standard I've presented to you in the past.
KEEP SAFE AND GOD BLESS
XXX - ONE LOVE - XXX
Doms1luv
Chapter 22
Don't let go
~~~
Sunshine turns to grey
Whenever you're away
Minutes turn to hours without you
Please, please just let me get there before it's too late. Rory prayed, driving as fast as she could without exceeding the limit. The last thing she needed was to be delayed even further.
She couldn't believe she'd been so caught up in her wallowing, her very unnecessary wallowing that she hadn't seen what was in front of her all this time.
She guessed Dean had been right after all.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
She saw the tiredness in his shoulders, the pain etched in his eyes and inside she cried. Cried for lost opportunities, for unrequited love, for his anguish so intense it was almost palpable.
Words would seem so trivial at a moment like this so instead she wrapped her arms around him from behind, pressing her cheek against his back.
She knew he wouldn't turn to face her because despite their closeness he wouldn't want her to see him crying over Rory and she knew that he was.
But she understood and so she was happy just to hold him.
"I'm sorry." She whispered and he squeezed her arms in response.
She really thought that she had gotten through to Rory this afternoon, that she was the one for Jess. But it looked as though he had been right after all.
Somehow that just made Skye sadder.
She felt his tears abate and knew it was time.
"You ready?"
He turned to face her, the most sorrowful smile on his lips.
"As ready as I'll ever be."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jess threw his last bag in the trunk of the car, ready to leave behind a world of pain and regret over lost opportunities.
He felt numb and he was operating on automatic pilot. He looked across to the square one last time, remembering when he'd outbid Dean on Rory's basket. He'd had so much fun that day.
It was the start for them. And look how it had turned out.
Skye was sitting on the bonnet of the car giving him a few extra minutes to collect himself, gather his thoughts.
He knew he wouldn't have been able to get through this without her and he didn't for a moment blame her for the situation. He was just grateful that she'd come through, the way she always had. The way he knew she always would.
He turned to Luke and impulsively gave him a hug.
It was obvious he'd surprised his uncle but not so much so that the hug wasn't returned.
At least he'd forged a bond through it all.
"Goodbye Luke."
"Goodbye Jess."
"Tell them I said goodbye will you."
"Of course."
"Thanks."
He sighed and looked at the diner one last time before getting into the car, leaving his heart behind.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rory pulled up tires screeching and saw with a heavy heart that the diner was closed and that no lights were burning in the apartment.
Shock and desperation made her bang on the door until Luke came down to see what the commotion was about.
"Rory?"
"Please say he's still here. Please say I'm not too late!"
One look into his eyes told her though.
"Rory, honey I'm sorry." Luke said sadly.
"No! No he can't be. Why? Oh G-d please why?" Rory wailed, the heartache and regret rolling over her in waves.
She collapsed as the tears ran down her cheeks and Luke could only try to comfort her as best he could but the both knew it was Jess' arms she wanted around her instead.
***
Utterly spent from crying Rory decided to try and clear her mind with a walk.
Her mind was filled 'if only's' and 'what if's' as she found her way to the bridge.
Had it just been a few weeks ago that she'd been filled with anticipation of a future with Jess? It felt like a lifetime ago.
She hadn't felt so lost in her life, so incomplete. Not even when she and Dean had broken up the first time.
But Jess was not Dean.
And Dean would never be Jess.
She had no concept of time as the memories washed over her, filling her with such an intense range of emotions.
He really was gone.
Once again her eyes clouded over as she watched the moonlight skimming across the water's surface.
Eventually she wiped her tears away and turned to go home.
She stopped dead in her tracks though, her heart slamming against her chest.
He was there, a couple of feet away from her, watching her.
Jess.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Seeing her stand there crying hurt him more than anything.
And Jess had been hurt a lot in his life.
Her eyes widened in disbelief when she finally realised she wasn't alone. She looked as though she'd seen a ghost and so he took a tentative step towards her, letting her know he was indeed real.
"I thought you, I thought you were gone." She said softly.
"I was but I couldn't leave." He said equally softly.
"Why?" she asked taking a step forward.
Jess took his time answering.
"I couldn't leave without knowing."
"Knowing what?"
Another step.
"If it could've worked between us. If I wasn't the only one who felt the way I did."
He said cautiously, his blood thundering in his ears as he waited pensively for her to say something but she just stood there staring at him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Did?" Rory squawked.
Why the past tense? Was he saying it was over before it even really began?
"Excuse me?"
"You said 'did'."
"I said 'did' because I don't feel that way anymore." He said quietly, seriously as his eyes bored into hers.
Rory's heart sank. He really was only here to tell her it was history.
She looked at her feet, to her side, to the sky anywhere but at him.
"It's much stronger, deeper. I didn't think that was possible but apparently my heart has proved me wrong." Jess continued.
Her head jerked up gauging his sincerity but there wasn't a trace of mendacity on his face.
She could only stare at him dumbfounded.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jess' nerves were stretched to near breaking point.
"G-d Rory say something please!" he begged her to end his torture. If she didn't feel the same he could take it at lease then he'd know he'd taken the chance.
"Something like," she eventually broke the silence," when I thought you were gone my soul felt incomplete?" she asked taking another step towards him.
"Rory don't joke - " Jess warned, his heart almost in tatters.
"Something like seeing you here in front of me takes my breath away?" she continued.
Jess decided this was more torturous than her silence.
"Something like your smile warms me all over? Something like I can't live without you?" she added taking the final step that closed the gap between them.
"Something like - " but Jess didn't let her finish as he pulled her closer brushing his lips against hers, cupping her face gently in his hands as if she was an illusion which would fade away at any second.
But as she leaned into him deepening the kiss he knew it was for real and his heart soared.
He gently drew back, resting his forehead against hers, wrapping his arms around her waist.
"For a moment there I thought I'd been way off." He admitted.
"No," she shook her head, "right on target."
"Rory," he pulled back further to look into her beautiful eyes.
"Yes?"
"I was so afraid you'd push me away."
"I couldn't even if I tried." She confessed breathlessly.
"When we were apart," he started softly, "I felt my heart break a little more each day. I can't bear being away from you Rory. Does that scare you?"
"No, it exhilarates me." She said resolutely.
"Good," he smiled," I know we've got a lot to work on but I don't wanna risk us. I almost lost you once, I can't go through that again."
She stroked his face with her knuckles and Jess felt the warmth throughout his body.
"You won't have to. I promise."
He wanted to be completely honest with her but he didn't want to load too much on her too soon. Jess decided he would have to take the chance and trust that it would work out.
"I need you Rory, more than life. I love you."
He heard her sharp intake of breath and wandered if he'd perhaps taken it too far.
She looked at him earnestly, "I need you too. It took me awhile to accept it but I embrace it now and Jess I think I loved you the moment I first saw you outside my room, introducing yourself."
This time she pulled him in for a kiss and he was more than happy to oblige.
"I'm always gonna be a bit of trouble Rory," he told her truthfully, "but please don't let me go?"
"Never!" she vowed.
And so they had come full circle as their lips met again. It had all started on the bridge and now it ended with their love and happiness.
But in truth it was just the beginning.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And in the car on the way back to New York, amethyst eyes were smiling because everything was as it should be, as it was meant to be.
THE END.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR'S NOTE
I think I may have rushed it all a bit but please try to understand. I was responding to the flow of wonderful reviews for the last chapter and besides they were apart for long enough don't you think?
THANK YOU TO ALL MY LOYAL REVIEWERS!!!!!!!!!
Your input, advice and comments were greatly appreciated especially at times when I was a bit stuck.
To Chrys - thanks for letting me bounce my ideas off you, Luv ya stax!!
To TEMPTING FATE, EMMY AND SCREAMING TRUTH - WOW! You guys are amazing, a lot of me wanting to carry on is because of you.
To KATIE, SWIM 6516, JESSANDRORY, ORANGEFISH018, LUISA and LEILA18 - Thanks for the encouragement.
To LUKERULES - You definitely do rule!!
To DODGER- I really hope you enjoyed this and that you won't have to go 2 therapy!
To SMILE, GIVEMEYOURLOVE, LCI-02/03, MINI 767, ANGELLOVE, NAVEED, FOOTBALLCHICK65, Xx22dox4luvxX, KIEYRA, AOLANI and RGILMORE03
- A thousand thank you's are not enough!!!!
All of you got me through some tough parts and I really appreciate it. If you have any ideas or concepts of new stories for me let me know and I'll try to keep up the standard I've presented to you in the past.
KEEP SAFE AND GOD BLESS
XXX - ONE LOVE - XXX
Doms1luv
