Title: Someday We'll Know (inspired by the New Radicals song of the same name)

Chapter: 4

Author: Kate, a.k.a. katem-23

Feedback: As always, it's thoroughly appreciated.

Rating: PG-13.hehehe. =)

Disclaimer: No, shockingly enough I do not own Gilmore Girls, or any of the characters on the show. It's just my take on what could, (and I say "could" not "will" or "I want") happen. Oh I also don't own the New Radicals song "someday We'll Know, and no I'm not smart enough to have come up with any of the brilliant quotes I use, although they'll probably get credited within the story so no worries about that. Oh, and I don't own the song "Goodbye to you" by Michelle Branch (who is the lit-song queen by the way).

Spoilers: Um, to be safe I'm saying everything up until the end of Season 2. After that it's all made up.

Author's Notes: I'm back! I'm sure this chapter was fairly long-awaited - bah, I wish! Lol. Sorry it took so long, I just hope it was worth the wait.I just want to let you know that you guys rock! I'm serious, you kick ass! I'm totally dedicating this chapter to all my reviewers. Yes, even you guys that are a pain in my ass always complaining about me. Lol. Ok, lets see if I can remember: Em, Alicia, Mijay, Kat, Hadar, Shiran, Stew Pid, mags, ahmee, and Christy - sorry if I forgot anyone!. Bah, this chapter isn't my best writing but I can't write well and accomplish stuff at the same time. This is basically an updating chapter, so you know what's been going on with them lately - in the past eight years -- I hope you enjoy.I just hope I don't screw up this story. Oh, and just to bring to the attention of the reader who was mildly offended by my crack at Canada - I'm canadian. It started out as a joke on FF and progressed from there. Sorry for anyone I may have offended.

Summary: Back to the present which is 9 years ahead of where the show is now. This chapter is basically an update on the two protagonists.

~*~*~*~

[Rory]

Looking back on it the last few years had seemed like a blur. A big messy blur mixed in with school, friends who were very often guys, yet seldom anything more than friends. My roommate thought that I was insane. I only lived on-campus for the first year. After that I just commuted from Stars Hollow.

I went to Yale. I don't really remember exactly how it happened, it's not like Harvard didn't accept me, I just.wanted to be closer to home. Closer to Lane, my mom, Luke, my grandparents.the people who loved me. Besides, Jess had made me doubt my reasons for wanting to go to Harvard. There was never a doubt in my mind before him. Some people think that it's a bad thing, but I don't think that could be further from the truth.

I don't think that I would have been happy at Harvard. I couldn't have a better time then I did when I went to Yale. It was amazing. And it looked really good on my résumé. So I guess that was one choice that turned out well.

I actually just got my first job offer. I'm going to be a reporter for the 'New York Times'. It wasn't exactly what I wanted in high school, but it's what I want now. I just can't see being an overseas correspondent fitting me anymore. But an in-depth reporting job I can definitely handle. As a starting position of course. Eventually I plan on expanding, having a higher rank, maybe being in charge. Which is something I never thought I'd want, but it's amazing how things turn out.

So, I obviously came home for a couple of weeks to see my mom, and Lane and Luke, and everyone else that I've missed so much, all those people who make small town life so enjoyable. I'm leaving tomorrow morning though. Work is calling me and I can't wait. I don't start for a week but I've got so many things still to do. Buy supplies, office clothes.finish fixing up my apartment.

I'm excited to leave, but for some reason there's something pulling at me, telling me to stay here. Too bad I can't.

~*~*~*~

[Jess]

It was fun I guess. Living out on the West Coast. Pepperdine was cool. Lots of parties, lots of drinking, lots of ways to drown your problems. It's not like I was an alcoholic, I might have been a little.out of control for a while. But I'm fine now. I Graduated from college and that is something. I'm not sure I would have made it through that first year without drinking. Knowing she was so far away, and having no control over what she was doing, and with who.

So I graduated an English Major from Pepperdine in 2007. Then I got offered jobs working on the 'LA Times' and the 'New Yorker', I was overwhelmed. I'd been living in California for four years and I was starting to get sick of the perky people so I decided to move home. New York City, there I went.

So I worked there for three years, it was just a small column. Nothing massive, I just gave some of my literary and musical views, basically I was a critic. I tried to open people's eyes so that they could see past their jaded views and see the raw talent and brilliance that lied beneath the surface of so many things.

I'm not sure anyone really ever comprehended what I was trying to say. I'm sure a few really understood what I was writing. But not many. For the last year and a half of working at the paper I had a side project. I was writing my own book. But it had to be perfect. So I kept the job until I could no longer stand people pretending that they knew what I was talking about. Sometimes I hate people.

So I quit after three years and spent the year and a half making it perfect. It took me another three months to find someone willing to publish it. I searched all over the city for the right place. I knew I had found it when I walked into the office and the secretary hung up on the person on the phone, grabbed the file I was holding and led the way to one of the executive's offices.

It was published with a dedication. And like the rest of the book, in my opinion, it was perfect.

"To the girl. I miss you."

I'm sure she's read the book. I know Lorelai has, and Luke and her both have copies, so it's not like it wasn't readily available. I hope she has. Maybe I don't. I'm not sure I want her to know how badly I miss her. How badly she hurt me. But I hurt her right back so it doesn't really matter.

~*~*~*~

She was amazed that her surroundings still blew her mind. She'd been here countless times before, yet every one was like its own experience. Looking around she continued her reminiscing until the distinct sound of a sheep interrupted her thoughts.

She was confused and then reaching into her pocket came to the conclusion that her mother had gotten a hold of her cell phone and decided that a normal ring just wasn't 'fun' enough. She laughed to herself thinking about her mom. She was going to miss her mom. She broke that train of thought and lifted the phone to her ear

"Hello?"

"Rory?"

"Yes?"

"It's Edward"

"Edward! Hi, how's it going? Ok, I'm coming to the city tomorrow sometime in the morning.I've got my apartment all ready, it's set up and everything I've just got to move the basics. And I'm assuming that the meeting is still on Wednesday?"

"That's what I'm calling you to talk about.there's been some mess-up with administration and they have to postpone your job. They very much still want you, they just need to sort out a problem first. So it looks like it'll be at least until September, but I'll keep you updated. I'm terribly sorry."

"It.it's ok."

"Look I know this sucks but I've worked out all the details and the newspaper is going to cover everything so don't worry. They'll pay for your apartment for the next two months, and you can even stay in Connecticut if you'd like.I'm sure you'd love to spend some more time with your mom."

"Yeah."

"So do it! Spend the summer there, get to know your mom inside and out again - like you used to - and have some fun!"

"Well.are you going to come visit?"

"The moment I have a chance."

"Okay then," a smile spread across her face "Then I'm staying. Call me and let me know when you're coming okay?"

"Okay, oh and Rory - find a man, you're 26 it's time to get over him."

"Whatever you say" she said shaking her head.

"Bye"

"bye"

She listened for the barely audible sound of a phone being turned off dozens of kilometers away and took a deep breath. 'I am over him.' then thinking about her earlier thoughts she laughed at herself and rethought the statement 'I'll never be over him'. She looked once more around the area and water surrounding the bridge and took in the beauty that was Stars Hollow, smiling because she was allowed to stay.

~*~*~*~

So here he was, in Stars Hollow, for an entire summer. 'What the hell am I going to do?' he asked himself.

Write

But what else? Writing didn't come easily anymore. There was a time when it had- a time when he let all of his pent-up feelings, frustrations, emotions and memories curse through his veins. Back when he had passion. Back before he ran out of emotion. The time when his thoughts flowed through him, out through his fingertips and onto the page. The words were sometimes typed out, sometimes blurred and written on napkins whenever a thought or memory surfaced to the edge of his mind. He would often be reading and have to search in desperation for the nearest thing because the words overflowed his mind. And then it stopped.

After the book was finished. Once it was compiled and edited and published and out on the shelves it just stopped. His mind no longer raced, his heart no longer felt. The book held every ounce of emotion that he had ever retained within his body. He barely felt and he couldn't write. It was just.gone.

The book wasn't autobiographical. On the surface it wasn't at least. It was classified somewhere between fiction and non-fiction and critics really didn't know what to say about it. The book would never have been published had Jess not been the person he was. He was patient while trying to find a publisher. He pushed his way into getting a meeting with one of the most important publishers in New York City and even after some of the biggest companies in the business turned him down on the spot, this one was different. He knew from the second he walked into James Copeland's office that he knew what he was talking about. He knew literature and he knew good writing. He looked Jess up and down and without speaking reached for the samples Jess was holding in his hands.

As he scanned the page his eyes focused and he motioned for Jess to sit. After ten minutes of silence he placed the folder on the desk and looked up at Jess.

"Is it done?" "Yes." "I want to read it - all of it. As soon as I can, is that ok?" ".I guess." "Good. Bring it in tomorrow okay?" "Sure." Jess got up and began to walk out of the office "Mr. Mariano?" Jess turned around "Call me Jess" "Sure, Jess, you're brilliant you know that right?" "I failed grade eleven English" "It doesn't surprise me." James laughed "I'll see you tomorrow" Jess nodded and then James added, "oh, by the way , congratulations, you're now a published writer"

It was because of James that Jess' book had been as successful as it had. He saw past the rugged exterior wall that Jess put up and saw the man that he was underneath. They still talked often, in fact it was James' idea that Jess came to Stars Hollow for the summer. He needed Jess to write more, he knew that as a friend he needed it, and that he needed to get out of NYC and figure himself out.

Jess looked around, losing his thought process. When he had first left the apartment for the night he had had no predetermined destination, he just followed his feet looking around at seemingly familiar surroundings. But now as he grew to recognize his surroundings he knew exactly where he was going. The bridge - their bridge.

He heard a voice in the distance; saw the silhouette of a woman talking on the phone on the bridge. He was about to turn when he realized who it was. Realizing that she was there, and that he could see her.

He stopped breathing.

The words of her conversation were meaningless and petty in the moment and he blocked them out as he looked on from the outside. Beauty was emanating off of her, she seemed so happy. Happy to be in Stars Hollow.

She closed her phone and put it back in her purse. He watched intently as her eyes meandered the vista. Jess couldn't decide between walking over to her or running away, so he just stood there - watching ; waiting. He couldn't decide if he wanted her to turn and see him or walk the other way.

He was scared and he wasn't ready. His eyes didn't leave her as he turned around, and it wasn't until he started walking that he finally averted them. He stopped. He willed himself to go on but he couldn't manage to do it. It was becoming a task to place one foot in front of the other. 'At least she can't see me anymore' he thought to himself as he hid in the shadows and continued to watch her.

~*~*~*~

He was there. She knew it. She could feel him looking at her.

She wasn't ready for this. Not yet at least, but she turned to face him anyway. He wasn't in her view and he was glad.

But he was still there. And his eyes were on nothing but her.

~*~*~*~

Lorelai checked the back deck of the inn. Still no sign of Rory, 'I wonder where she is', she sighed to herself. She was going to miss her - a lot. She had gotten used to having her around even though it had only been a short while. And New York was a lot further away than Yale. She was just going to have to learn to deal. She saw a shadow cross the lawn and up the steps. Rory had a look of concentration on her face and Lorelai was puzzled by it.

"Rory?"

Rory snapped out of her daze, "uh, yeah?"

"Something wrong?"

Rory hesitated before speaking up, "I saw him."

"Who?" Lorelai knew exactly who she meant but she needed the confirmation and she felt that this moment deserved added seriousness.

"Jess"

"I figured. I just hoped that you wouldn't run into him."

"You knew he was here?" Rory asked turning towards her mom

"mm-hm"

Rory skipped a beat and then decided to pry "How long is he staying?"

"uh." Lorelai didn't really want Rory to know that he was staying the entire summer, "just for the weekend."

"Oh." Rory's voice was drained of emotion, she didn't really know what to think, or how to act.

After a moments silence Lorelai spoke up "Did you talk?"

"No. I didn't actually see him.I just.felt him."

"You felt him?"

"His presence"

"Oh.like in one of those horror movies where the heroine can 'sense' the killer so she starts to run and then he pops out of nowhere and you're like 'whoa, how'd she know that?!'?"

".I guess.only to my knowledge Jess has never killed anyone."

"So.initial reaction?"

"I stopped breathing. My heart was beating so loud I swear I could hear it.it was.different than I expected."

"How did you expect it to be?"

"I don't really know.I mean." Lorelai waited for her to continue, "I know I missed him , it's just.wow.I never knew how much."

"So you wish you had talked to him?"

"What would I say? What could I say? I've been going over it for eight years and I've still come up with nothing. There's just so much."

"So much?"

"Pain, confusion, angst.regret"

"right."

".there were things I never told you" Lorelai waited for her to continue again, "actually there was a lot I never told you."

"Such as? You told me that you had a pseudo relationship behind the scenes that was based on more then a physical attraction. It was based on intellectual and emotional levels too. That's about all you ever shared with me.I mean god, what else could there possibly be?" Lorelai said sarcastically.

"We slept together."

Lorelai's jaw hit the floor and her eyes went so wide Rory was scared that they would never go back, "Sorry, say that again, mommy's hearing things."

Rory shifted uncomfortably, "We made love"

Lorelai looked at her daughter with disbelief, "when?" she said exasperated

"the night before he left."

"oh.wow.and then he.I'm going to kill him."

"no mom, don't. He did it for me, he left for me. I mean, he also did it for himself, to save himself from getting hurt, but mostly he did it for me. Trust me, there's no need to kill him."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying I've never once regretted having sex with Jess."

"Well.then I'm happy for you." They both smiled at each other before Rory spoke up again.

"So I guess I'll just avoid him or something for the weekend? Hide out here at the inn maybe? Or is this where he's staying?"

"What do you mean babe? You're leaving tomorrow."

"Oh, right! I forgot to tell you!"

".the paper that was to employ you went bankrupt after realizing that trees actually do produce oxygen?"

"No. but my job did get postponed."

"Until when?"

"September"

Lorelai's eyes widened, "so you're staying here?"

"Yeah, the paper actually offered to cover everything and then allowed for me to stay here. It's pretty crazy actually."

"Wow, hun, that's amazing. Uh.I have to go talk to Luke but I'll see you in a little while okay?"

"Definitely"

"Oh.and no, he's not staying here, so grab whatever room is free and feel free to raid the kitchen."

"Thanks mom."

"Not a problem." Lorelai smiled and took off leaving a slightly confused Rory behind to gather her thoughts, and devise a plan.

~*~*~*~

"Luke we have a problem" Lorelai had just torn through the main room of the inn looking for him and as soon as she spotted him made a mad dash in his direction.

"As long as it doesn't include Jess it's fine."

"Its not fine."

"What now? What happened?" Luke said finally turning his attention towards Lorelai

"Nothing much, just Rory is staying for the rest of the summer."

Luke processed the thought and his jaw dropped, "Rory.Jess.small town." Lorelai shook her head along with him as he continued to process the information. "Not good."

"No. Not good. Not good at all. This is going to be like an episode of 'Reunion' only worse, because there will be spectators all around, like Taylor and Miss Patty, and oy.and Kirk."

"I'll talk to Jess.I'll get him to leave or something."

"No, Luke, Jess shouldn't be the one to leave.but I couldn't stand letting Rory leave either.can't we have both of them?"

"How? I mean, I'd love it if they could just forget about the past, but there's too much history there for us to just pretend nothing ever happened."

"I know, well, we have the weekend to come up with a plan. Rory knows he's here but she thinks he leaves Monday morning."

"Huh. Okay, well I'll go talk to him. We'll figure something out, just keep her away from the diner and as much as possible the house. Okay?"

"Okay. I'll see you later?"

He smiled warmly and then leaned in to kiss her cheek, "count on it."

~*~*~*~

Jess was sitting on his laptop typing when Luke walked into the apartment.

"Thanks for knocking."

"Rent free for Two months is a pretty sweet deal Jess."

"Yeah.well."

"Something wrong?"

"I saw her."

"You what?"

"She didn't see me.I don't think she did at least. I'm pretty sure she knew I was there though. I didn't expect to see her tonight, I mean, you told me she'd be in Stars Hollow until tomorrow morning but."

"You have to leave"

"I'm sorry?"

Luke looked at the stunned expression on his nephew's face, then to the laptop sitting on the refinished desk and scanned the screen. Jess had written forty pages.

"You write all that tonight?"

"Oh.uh, yeah. Since I got back from my walk."

"Forget about what I said. You're staying here."

Luke left the apartment as quickly as he entered, leaving behind a confused Jess who shook his head and returned to the computer screen, typing as furiously as he had been for the past hour.

~*~*~*~

a/N 2: Sorry if it sucked. But I tried. =)