Nothing but confusion - chapter 7 - "I'm sorry"

A/N - thank you for all of your fantastic reviews, much appreciated. Sorry for the delay in this chapter, but I hope it makes up for the wait. Keep on reading, and please review!

One last thing - usually I don't name chapters, but this one is special, it's dedicated to liz, my beta, and all I can say is - i'm sorry.

Now - on with the story.

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"Rory?"

Lane walked across the lawn towards the gazebo, where her friend was sitting.

"Rory?" Lane repeated, watching her friend who had a glazed look on her face.

Lane gently tapped her on the shoulder. Rory shook out of her temporary daze.

"Lane. Hi."

Lane took a seat next to her friend, swinging her arm around her best friend's shoulder.

"What's wrong?" Lane asked, with a concerned look on her face. "You seem a little of it, lately."

"Really?" Rory asked, surprised. Lane gave her a look of irritation.

"Okay," Rory relented, nodding slowly. "You're right.'

"So, what's wrong?" Lane asked, her concern growing for her friend. "Is it about Jess?"

"Jess," Rory echoed softly. "Jess."

Rory looked towards the diner, watching Jess serve customers through the window. He looked up, their eyes meeting briefly, but looked back down quickly, getting back to work.

"So, you want to tell me what's wrong?" Lane asked, noticing the silence from her friend.

~.~

Lorelai walked into the diner, and took a seat at the counter.

"Jess. Coffee."

Jess silently grabbed a cup, and filled it, before placing it on the counter. He grabbed his pad of paper, and went to take orders from the waiting customers.

"Not one for words today are you?" Lorelai commented, sipping her coffee.

Luke walked down the stairs, dressed in a black leather jacket, dark navy blue button up shirt, and black dress pants.

Lorelai let out a low whistle. Luke blushed furiously, and quickly quieted Lorelai with a kiss.

"Wow, a great dresser and an amazing kisser. Could a girl ask for more?" Lorelai smiled. "You look really good tonight."

"Yeah, could you ask for any more? Any more, and I'd puke," Jess snickered, walking by the pair.

"Jess, shut up. Aren't there customers that you're supposed to be serving?"

Jess grumbled something inaudible and grabbed the coffee pot.

"Hey, Jess, have you seen Rory?" Lorelai asked, draining the rest of her cup. Luke grabbed her jacket, and helped it on Lorelai.

"How am I supposed to know? You don't see her here, do you?" Jess replied, pouring a cup of coffee in a Styrofoam cup. "Here. This is for Rory," he said, handing it to her.

Lorelai, shocked, silently accepted the cup, and left the diner, in search of her daughter, deciding that it was time for a heart to heart for with her daughter.

~.~

Rory sat on the side of the bridge, her feet hanging off the side. She stared aimlessly across the lake, the warm summer breeze blowing in her face.

Rory's thoughts were interrupted by the soft footsteps on the bridge approaching her. She didn't even have to guess who it was, she knew it was Jess.

"Hey."

Rory sat silently, ignoring Jess as he sat down beside her.

"You don't mind if i sit, do you?" he asked, sensing the hostility and tension between the two. "If you want, I'll leave."

He sat their for a second, the silence loud and clear. He began to get up, but Rory spoke up.

"You don't have to leave," she whispered.

"Okay." Jess sat back down, nudging closer to her. Rory shifted away uncomfortably.

"We need to talk," Rory said softly, her heart fluttering more quickly.

"Yeah," Jess echoed quietly, "yeah."

"What's wrong with you?" Rory demanded, turning to face him. Jess lowered his head, not willing to let his eyes meet Rory's. "Look at me!"

Jess raised his eyes, his dark eyes filled with pain and sorrow. He looked at Rory, who's soft blue eyes were filling with tears, threatening to fall.

"What's wrong with you?" she repeated, extending her hand to softly touch his face. "You've been so angry lately, and you're not telling me what's wrong."

Jess immediately recoiled against her touch, knowing that what he was going to say next didn't deserve her touch or compassion.

"I care about you Jess." Rory said again, taking back her hand, and wrapping it around her now bended knees. She set her chin on her knees, and looked at the quiet figure sitting across from her.

"I don't think we should be together anymore."

Rory's face filled with shock and horror, the threatening tears beginning to fall in a slow steady stream.

"Jess," she began to say, her voice shaking.

"Don't make it harder that it really is," Jess interrupted, angrily. Rory chewed her lip nervously, tucking her hair behind her ear repeatedly.

"We can't do this anymore. You and me. It's just not going to work Ror."

"Why?"

"Why? Did you need me to paint a picture out for you Rory?" I thought getting into an Ivy League school would mean that you catch on to things a little quicker," Jess retorted, frustrated at seeing her tears falling down her cheeks. He fought every inch of himself to not reach out, and pull her into a hug, kissing her tears away, stroking her long brown hair, and comforting her. "You're going places, Rory Gilmore, it's simple. I don't want to be the one that holds you back, and I know you'll do anything for us to be together, but I can't let you sacrifice everything."

Jess stood up, crouching down and reaching her face. He tilted it up, and gave her a quick kiss on the lips.

"I love you, Rory Gilmore. That's why I have to do this. And I'm sorry. If that counts for anything, I really am truly sorry."

Jess walked away, leaving Rory huddled on the bridge, in a sobbing mess.

~.~

Lorelai sat at the counter, tapping her fingers slowly on the counter, staring off into space. Luke grabbed the coffee pot, and filled her cup generously, for the 5th time that day.

"You hungry?" he asked, as Lorelai was shook out of her daze by the fresh aroma of the coffee. He bent down and gave her a quick kiss.

Lorelai nodded quickly, giving Luke a shy smile. The smile was quickly replaced with concern, as she checked her watch.

"Rory's supposed to be here by now," she commented. Luke sat next down next to her, and rubbed her lower back, noticing her body all tense.

"She'll be here, don't worry," Luke reassured. "I'll get Caesar to make you the usual."

Luke stood up, and walked toward the kitchen.

"Hey Luke?" Lorelai called out. Luke stopped, and looked at her.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

Luke grinned sheepishly, and

disappeared behind the door.

~.~

Lorelai left the diner, holding a take out box from Luke, headed home to investigate where her daughter had disappeared to.

"Rory?" she called out, opening the front door.  "Mommy's home."

Lorelai shut the front door, listening for any movements in the house.

Rory let out a long sniff, as she heard her mother's voice ringing through the house.

Lorelai walked into the room, seeing her daughter huddled up on the couch, tissue boxes in hand. The TV screen was on, but Rory wasn't paying attention. Lorelai quickly set the diner box on the table, and flicked off the television, before enveloping her crying daughter in a hug.

"Oh baby, what happen?" she soothed, rubbing Rory's back softly. Rory burst out into another round of tears, wetting her mother's shirt.

"Shhhhh, sweetheart, shhhhh." Lorelai sat back, and held her daughter for the rest of the night.

~.~

Lorelai woke up as she felt a weight lifted from her lap. Rory had gotten up, and was picking the scattered tissues from the couch.

"Rory?"

Rory looked at her mom, her face filled with sadness, and her eyes rimmed with red. She blinked her eyes slowly, trying to keep her tears from falling again.

"Honey? What happened?"

"I gave him my heart, all of it, and he decided to be the victorious, noble one by dumping me, claiming it was for my own good." Rory replied bitterly, fresh tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Oh, honey, Rory, come here," Lorelai said, opening her arms and giving her weeping daughter a hug.  Rory hiccupped softly, as Lorelai smoothed her daughter's hair.

"I'm so sorry honey," she whispered softly. "I'm so sorry about Jess, sweetheart."

~.~

Lorelai walked into the diner, her hair pulled back into a simple ponytail. She took a seat at the counter, and waited patiently for Luke to bring her a cup of coffee.

"Quiet this morning?" Luke joked, as he poured her a cup of coffee. He took a look at Lorelai, and was startled at her appearance. Lorelai was up all night comforting her daughter, and got very little sleep.

"You okay?" he asked, concerned.

Lorelai nodded her head tentatively, and then abruptly shook her head, tears threatening to fall.

"No, not really," she admitted, as Luke came around the counter, and swept Lorelai into a giant hug, before she burst into tears.

"Rory and Jess broke up," she said softly, inhaling the soft scent of laundry detergent from Luke's plaid shirt. "She was up crying all night."

"I'm so sorry, Lorelai,"  Luke whispered into her ear, as he quickly moved Lorelai into the kitchen. "I'll talk to him when he gets up, all right?"

Lorelai shook her head.

"He's not here."

"What do you mean he's not here?"

Luke demanded, surprised at her comment.

"He got on a bus this morning. I saw him from afar."

Luke let go of Lorelai, and rushed up stairs, to find an empty bed, and Jess' clothes gone.  A white envelope on the disheveled bed caught his eye, and he picked it up.

Lorelai peered anxiously over Luke's shoulder and he nervously opened the envelope, his hands shaking as he tore the seal open.

Dear 'Uncle' Luke,

If you're reading this now, you've realized I'm gone, but i just wanted to say thanks for everything you've done for me, over the time I've spent here in Star's Hollow, but it seems that I've over stayed my welcome, and that I best be getting out of your way.

Take care of  Lorelai, she really loves you, more than you'll ever know, and take care of Rory too. I''ll miss her a lot, and you too.

I'm sorry it had to be this way, but it had to be. I'll keep in touch.

Jess

Luke looked up at Lorelai, who had started to cry again. Deep down in Luke's heart, it started to ache. Jess had a profound effect on everyone in Star's Hollow, positively or negatively. Damn, he was going to miss that kid.

Lorelai reached up, and stroked his face, gently caressing it in her hands.

"I'll miss him, just a bit," she said, whispering softly.

"Me too, me too."

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A/N: 1st off, i must apologize for not updating this sooner, I've had a huge writer's block, and got caught up in a whole bunch of other things... especially school.

Thank you for all who reviewed... an honorable mention goes to angel monroe - for a fantastic review, and i'm so sorry to all of you - if this didn't fulfill your expectations.

This is the final chapter of this story, I don't care to write any more about L/L because it's often quite over done, and it's nice to leave it to other authors and writers of the show to write how their relationship is. I may, one day write a sequel - focusing on the R/J aspect of things, more so a future fic because it opens a whole new realm of possibilities.

Once again, i thank you for all your kind reviews, and i can't mention all of you - but many thanks.

Take care, miss.pebbles.