Title: This Feeling That Remains.

Summary: In the aftermath of the car accident, the Gilmore Girls try to pick up the pieces and move on.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters of Gilmore Girls. This story idea is my own, although it does contain some scenes from the actual show in places. (mainly at the beginning)

Authors Note: This fic starts during the episode Teach Me Tonight, right after Lorelai leaves Rory at the hospital to go and find Jess. It's a Java/Lit fic.

I just wanted to say a quick 'I hate you!' to the WB for canceling Milo's spin-off. It was bad enough that he had to leave Gilmore Girls, worse that he left the way he did. There are no words for how much it sucks that his show fell through after all that. But GOOD LUCK to Milo in any project he pursues now. He is a wonderful actor and he deserves something great. If he doesn't return to Gilmore Girls, I know he, and the character of Jess Mariano, will be sorely missed.

Edited to add: You can read about the cancellation of the spin-off at zap2it.com. It's on the main page right now. (06/19/03)

Thanks to the usual suspects; Jayde, Arianna, blackrose, JCtigerwolf4e, Len, lilacmoon, Starrychick90, ILoveJess and Tye. Also thanks to Kayla, Coolio02, Samantha, lauren and s.

Well, this is the penultimate chapter of this fic. Hope you enjoy it...

*~*~*~*

The waiter set a delicate looking dessert down in front of Lorelai and she smiled up at him.

"Thank you, it looks wonderful."

The waiter responded with a sole nod and then walked away.

"Wow… it has a little chocolate nest thing over it." She chuckled, picking up the skillfully constructed cocoon and breaking a piece off.

"How does is taste?" Chris asked as Lorelai popped the chocolate into her mouth.

"Like heaven." She laughed softly. "Chocolate heaven. The best kind."

"Good. I'm glad you enjoyed tonight."

"Mm. Speaking of… what's the news?" She asked, moving her dessert aside and leaning forwards.

"News?"

"Yes. While tonight has been lovely, we are now onto dessert and you still haven't given me even the slightest hint about what it is you brought me here to tell me."

"It's just a very… sensitive subject." He cringed. "I don't want you to be upset."

"Chris, you're starting to worry me now, so just… say it." She pleaded, her concern evident in her features.

"Ok. Well… As you know, Sherry and I have been living together for a while now, a year almost. And I know you don't really like her much, and that you guys got off on the wrong foot. But… I'm really hoping that can change. Because we're having a baby." He looked at Lorelai hopefully, almost dreading her reaction.

"You're what?"

"Sherry's pregnant… we're gonna' have a baby." He laughed uncertainly.

"Wow." Lorelai took a deep breath and let out a laugh that was just as uncertain as Chris's.

"Are you ok?" He asked gently.

Lorelai looked up and him and then down and the tablecloth. She smiled softly and nodded, finally looking back up at him.

"I'm fine. Honestly."

"Honestly?"

"Completely fine, I swear." She nodded.

And it was true. Maybe, under any other circumstances, she would have been devastated. Her childhood sweetheart was having a baby with another woman. And where birth is usually a beginning, for them it would have meant an end.

"Good. Because I know that… things have always been on again off again between us, you know? Ever since Rory was a baby, we've never been a couple but we've never been completely 'over'. And… I don't want to hurt you, Lore." He said sincerely.

"I know." She reached across the table and held his hand. "But… really, I'm ok. Things have been changing over the last few months. And I'm in a good place right now." She smiled just thinking about it.

"I'm glad." He smiled back.

"Wow… this is so great Chris. You're going to be a daddy again!" She chuckled.

"I know. But… I swear that I'm not just going to forget you and Rory. There's no way I could."

"I know."

"Good. Because I love you guys, you're my family. You always have been. And it's not going to change, it's just going to…"

"Expand?" Lorelai offered.

"I hope."

Lorelai stood up and Chris followed her example. Ignoring the rest of the customers in the restaurant, the two hugged tightly.


* * * * *

Rory stared up at the fluffy white clouds in the blue sky over Stars Hollow, and smiled.

All around her the town was bustling with energy and activity, as everyone enjoyed the first annual 'Stars Hollow End of Summer Madness Festival'.

"Whatcha' looking at?"

Rory looked at the person who had sat down beside her on the bench, smiled and then returned her attention to the clouds.

"An ice cream Sundee." She grinned, pointing at one of the clouds.

"Huh." Jess tilted his head to the side. "What flavor?"

"It's a cloud!" Rory giggled. "How should I know what flavor it is?"

Jess looked at her and raised a questioning eyebrow. Rory blushed.

"Half Baked and Karamel Sutra."

"Sprinkles?"

"Rainbow. And whipped cream, and a cherry." She added with a nod of approval.

"Where's the cone?"

"What?"

"Ice cream sucks in a bowl. It has to be in a cone!" He reminded her.

"Ah, yes, but this is a sundee. They are too big for cones." She corrected him.

"So we'll split it. It's not too big for two cones." He smiled playfully.

"You want me to split my cloud sundee with you?"

"It's the decent thing to do. It's the only way to involve cones." He pointed out.

"How about we crumble the cones over the sundee? Would that count?" She asked hopefully.

"Can I share?"

"Yes."

"Then yes, that definitely counts."

They smiled at one another and simultaneously looked back up at the sky.

"What do you see?" Rory asked.

"Uh…" Jess pointed to a large fluffy cloud. "See that?"

"Hard to miss." Rory giggled.

"That… is a bear in a La-Z-Boy recliner."

Rory burst out laughing and Jess just smiled and continued his breakdown of the cloud.

"See… there's the ears… and the nose… and there are his feet on the little foot rest thing."

"I see it." She nodded. "That's freaky how much it actually looks like a bear in a recliner." She laughed.

They were so busy enjoying their uncomplicated conversation and the laughter brought about by it, that neither of them noticed they had company.

"Rory?"

Rory's laugher died down as she turned around and looked up at Dean, standing behind them.

"Dean!" She cried cheerfully through the remains of her amusement.

She jumped off of the bench and hugged him.

"Hey… I just got back." He said, forcing a smile, unable to ignore that fact that Jess was still sitting there.

"You're early. I thought you weren't going to be home until later this evening!" She frowned.

"Last minute change of plans." He said, kissing her gently.

Jess looked down at his hands and shook his head slightly before getting up to leave.

"I'll see you later maybe." He said nonchalantly to Rory.

"Oh… yeah. Maybe." She said, her smile fading when she saw the look on his face.

As Jess walked away towards the diner, Dean watched him. And Rory noticed the look of contempt in Dean's eyes.

"We were just talking." She stated quietly.

"Talking, laughing… flirting. Whatever." Dean shrugged, feigning disinterest.

"We weren't flirting."

"Fine, you weren't flirting. Let's just forget about it." He sighed.

"Dean, he's my friend…"

"God knows why."

"Dean…"

"Look… I haven't seen you in over a month and a half now. I come back and you and Jess are all chummy… forgive me if, after everything that's happened, that doesn't fill me with warm fuzzy feelings, Rory!"

"I'm sorry… but he is just a friend. Trust me." She pleaded.

"Ok."

"Ok?"

"Yeah… lets just enjoy the festival." He sighed, putting his arm around her.

Rory forced a smile and slipped her arm around Dean's waist as they wandered off into the crowds of Stars Hollow residents.


* * * * *

When Luke saw Lorelai walk into the diner he suddenly felt the urge to hide, or run away. He wasn't exactly sure why. But he had a feeling that nothing good could come from finally getting what he'd always wanted.

"Hey."

"Hey." He responded uncertainly.

There was still time to run. Of course, he'd look incredibly stupid pushing past Lorelai and darting out onto Main Street, but he thought he might look just as stupid when Lorelai told him it was all a big mistake and he dropped to his knees, begging her to take it back!

"I see Taylor's little festival has left you with a very empty diner." She observed.

"Yeah, well… you know Taylor, any opportunity to piss me off, and there he is. Grabbing it." Luke sighed.

"I'm actually glad there's no one around… I think we should talk…" She started gently.

"Oh, no. You know what? It's ok. I get it, and I'm totally fine with it."

"It? What is it?" She smiled.

"It… the whole 'you're a great guy, you're a great friend' thing that comes right before you tell me what a mistake certain things were… I get it." He explained with the help of a few hand gestures.

"Ok. But… I think we're talking about different 'it's here."

"No. I'm sure it's the same it. Maybe a little different in places, but basically, the same it."

"Luke…" She laughed softly.

"Lorelai, it's ok. Really. Go enjoy the stupid festival thing. I understand. Say no more. It's fine. We're fine." He nodded.

"That's good."

"Yep."

"But there's something else…"

"Yeah, I think I know what that is too… and I am totally fine with that. I don't have any bad feelings about anything and we're still friends."

"Luke… can I please just… say something?"

"Yes, but I think I know what you're going to say anyway…"

"Well, maybe I'll surprise you?"

"Maybe. But I doubt it." He sighed.

Lorelai walked over to the counter, and as she got closer Luke tensed up and started moving away.

"Luke?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you stay still…? You're making me dizzy." Lorelai chuckled.

"I think there's something over there I need to clean." He said, pointing to a table on the other side of the diner.

"Can it wait for a few minutes?" She asked.

"No… probably not." He said, never taking his eyes off of the table, refusing to look at Lorelai.

"Ok, well… if you absolutely have to clean it right now, I guess I'll just talk while you do it."

Luke sighed. He realized that no matter what he said or did he wasn't going to prevent Lorelai saying what she was going to say. So he may as well just stand there and take it like a man.

"Forget the table." He blurted out. "Say it… go on." Luke motioned for Lorelai to speak.

"Ok. Well… I thought we should probably talk about the…"

Before Lorelai could finish what she was saying, the diner door opened and Miss Patty and Babette walked in.

"Luke, Sweet heart, can you please get us a couple of iced teas? We're melting out there and Taylor is trying to charge us $4 a cup!" Miss Patty exclaimed.

"Coming right up!" Luke exclaimed in relief as he began to get their drinks ready.

Lorelai forced a smile and waved at Patty and Babette, willing them to leave so she could finally tell Luke what she had been thinking about since the previous night. When it looked like they weren't going to leave anytime soon, Lorelai took a deep breath and forced herself to take charge of the situation.

"Um, guys… could you give us a minute? I just need to ask Luke something and then you can come back. But it's kind of… um… personal."

At the word 'personal' Patty and Babette's eyes sparkled gleefully.

"Oh, of course honey. You take all the time you need." Patty smiled as they made their way to the door.

"No!" Luke called out. "Stay! Lorelai and I can talk later."

"Luke!" Lorelai stared at him in disbelief.

"The customer comes first Lorelai."

"Ok, you know what? Either they leave or I just say it with them sitting there."

Miss Patty and Babette watched, transfixed by the tension. Luke looked from Lorelai to Miss Patty and Babette and then back.

"Fine." He muttered. "Patty, Babette, we're gonna need that minute." He sighed.

Knowing they'd get the gossip one way or another, but slightly disappointed they wouldn't witness anything first hand, they left the diner and planted themselves outside in front of the main window.

"Now, can you please stop flitting about like a sparrow on speed, and let me talk?" Lorelai asked.

Luke nodded reluctantly and came to a standstill behind the counter.

"Ok."

Lorelai paused for a moment, expecting Luke to start babbling like an idiot. When he remained silent and still, she smiled and continued.

"Last night, I kissed you."

"Yes. I remember. I was there."

"I am not sure why I kissed you…"

"That's why I was trying to prevent us having this conversation. So that you wouldn't have to awkwardly tell me to forget it ever happened…" Luke stopped when he noticed Lorelai glaring at him playfully. "Sorry… you speak, I'll listen."

"Thank you." She chuckled. "Anyway, like I was saying… I don't know why I kissed you, and I don't know what you… I mean… I'm not sure how you felt about it. But as far as I'm concerned… it was something that had been building up for a long time."

"It was?" Luke frowned.

"I think so… don't you?"

"I… well… I… what I think really doesn't matter…."

"It does."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." Lorelai laughed softly.

"I think… I think that it was probably just one of those spur of the moment… coffee induced things."

"I hadn't had coffee." She smirked.

"But you were about to have some and just the promise of coffee is enough to make you do things you probably wouldn't…"

"Luke?" She cut him off.

"Yes?" He asked, trying to conceal the dread he was feeling.

"Would you like to go out, sometime? With me, I mean. On a date."

Luke stared at Lorelai in confusion. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. She was supposed to tell him how much she cared about him, but that she and Chris were going to get married and live happily ever after.

"A date? You and me… on a date?" He frowned.

"Yes."

"You and me on a date?"

"Um… yes."

"You, as is you and me, as in…"

"You." She smiled.

"Are you sure?"

"I think so." She laughed.

"This isn't exactly how I saw this conversation going." He admitted as a blush spread across his cheeks.

"Did it go better or worse than this?" She asked curiously.

"Oh… much worse." He chuckled softly. "But at least I came off a lot more dignified and a lot less moronic."

They smiled at one another in silence for a moment and then heard excited squealing coming from outside. When they turned around, they saw that half of the town had gathered and were watching eagerly.

"It's like living in a giant mental institution." Luke mumbled.

Lorelai waved at the crowd, who were all gazing hopefully at her, wondering if their most beloved non-couple had finally got it together enough to remove the 'non' part.

She nodded and gave Patty the thumbs up. Patty immediately started bouncing around excitedly, and was soon joined by Babette.

Luke and Lorelai looked at each other and gave into the laughter threatening to take over them both.