*Disclaimer: I don't own the series Gilmore Girls or the characters. All I own is my imagination and the plot.

*A/N: Hey!!! :-) I'm really happy, cause I think I did a pretty good job on this chapter. Yeah, I know, some of you might think it sucks or whatever, but I think this chapter is the best one of this story so far. Lots of descriptions, I know, but I just wanted to put it into the chapter. I mean, Rory could remember him vividly, but Billy.............I guess you guys have to read it. :-)

*~*~*:-)*~*~*Bye, smile :-)

Rory closed her phone and shoved the small, metallic square in her pocket, as she went back into the diner. While she was making her way over to Lane, she couldn't control her gaze, as it stayed fixed on the counter. She pictured Jess standing there, casually leaning on the counter with his elbows, while he was holding one of his many paperbacks. Rory sighed and obligated herself to look away. She dropped herself on the chair across from Lane and immediately reached for her coffee.

Lane: ''Look who found her way back.''

R: ''I smelled the coffee.''

Rory brought the cup to her mouth and started to gulp the coffee down, liking the way it tickled her throat on the inside.

Lane: ''Who was on the phone ?''

Rory finished the last of her coffee before she answered.

R: ''Billy.''

She spotted Luke across the diner and held up her cup, hoping that he would get the hint.

Lane: ''And ?''

Rory sighed and ran one of her hands through her hair.

R: ''He missed me and he wants to come by one if these days.''

Luke: ''You rang ?''

Rory could almost see the sarcasm dripping out of the corners of Luke's mouth. She smiled apologetically at him as he refilled her cup.

R: ''I'm sorry Luke, I didn't mean it like that.''

Luke nodded.

Luke: ''I make a joke and everyone thinks I'm serious.''

Lane: ''Good joke, very funny. I think I'll tell that one to my mom. You rang ? Think she'll get it ?''

R: ''I'll bring a bell next time. My mom would love that.''

Luke: ''Don't encourage her. Anything else ?''

R: ''Nope, just coffee.''

Luke: ''Hey, Rory, do you know where Jess went ?''

R: ''Uh......yeah. He went outside a couple of minutes ago. He's probably taking a break.''

Luke: ''He doesn't work for me.''

Rory looked up at Luke and he nodded.

Luke: ''Okay, so, I have to get back to work.''

Luke rested his gaze on Rory a little longer and went back to work.

Rory took a sip of her coffee and looked out the window, almost as if she could see Jess. He wasn't working for Luke, yet she had seen him take orders and stuff like that. It definitely surprised her. She could hear Lane sigh, but her gaze remained fixed on the bridge, that wasn't visible through the trees and small buildings.

Lane: ''Go.''

Rory turned her head and glanced in Lane's direction.

R: ''Huh ?''

Lane: ''God, you're even talking like him. Don't ever do that again, if you want to stay friends with me, that is.''

R: ''I do not talk like him.''

Rory didn't have to ask Lane who she was talking about, it was obvious. It always was. Lane coughed.

Lane: ''Queen of denial, part two.''

Rory smiled, wondering if it was true. Was she falling in love with Jess again ? No, she couldn't. She wouldn't let herself fall in love with him. They had tried that and it hadn't worked. There had been too many complications in their relationship. But then again that was what a relationship was all about. You had to 'discover' each other. And she was positive that she had him almost figured out. With every conversation they had, she felt closer to him. Rory got a gentle and content look on her face. Their relationship was definitely based on their conversations about literature. She remembered the sound of his voice almost perfectly. He had a boyish voice, not too deep and she remembered that it never once faltered. Not once. But he did stop every now and then, in mid-sentence, as if Jess was carefully picking out his words. And he would always talk to her in a soft and relaxing tone. And his voice was never husky, except after one of their kisses.

Why was she thinking about this ? This was all in the past. She lightly shook her head, barely noticeable to the others around her. No, that wasn't true. He was a part of her present, and possibly her future. And she had the pleasure of listening to his, carefully thought over, words as they escaped his beautifully shaped lips. His bottom lip always seemed to be in a slight curve. And his eyes.......so dark. Probably the deepest and darkest brown she had ever seen. And even though they were unreadable, most of the time, there was always a certain honesty in them. 'May the truth always be found in one's eyes. She didn't remember, if she had read it somewhere or not. But it seemed to fit him.

But that was only her visual, the image, she kept of him in her head. It didn't have anything to do with his character. But she knew that she was wrong again, consciously wrong. She started to think that maybe Lane was right, maybe she was in denial. His appearance reflected his character. His way of talking, showed that he put thought in to his words. And that he talked in a way, to people, he thought made them feel comfortable. Like the soft tone he used with her. And she had to admit, that it did make her feel special. As if he really enjoyed every second with her. Which she now knew, he did.

And the way his bottom lip slightly curved, reflected his sarcastic and amusing way, of looking at things and talking to people. What about his eyes ? Even they had something to tell about his individuality, as well as about his personality. His hard and indescribable eyes were that way, because they hid all the things he has seen from the rest of the world. And the honesty, that could always be found in his eyes, was the only emotion he dared to show. Because while he was growing up, he had learned to keep his word and never brake a promise. He was loyal to the ones he loved.

And how could she forget about his hair.........so restless and uncontrollable. It almost seemed like he didn't care, but he did. He stood in front of the mirror until his chaos was ordered the way he liked it. Yep, another characterization of his own personal charm. He always had a plan, a goal, though it was sometimes unclear to strangers.

Rory's expression suddenly saddened, the blue in her eyes tainted with confusion, hope and a certain surety. So she could describe Jess, big deal. She could do the same with Billy, if she wanted to. But not matter how many times she pictured Billy's image in her mind, it was never as clear as the one she had of Jess. Silently, she cursed herself for falling once again. It didn't matter, she would stop herself from falling. Jess wasn't going to be the one who caught her in the end, Billy was. Rory brought her eyes up, so she could meet Lane's. Lane sighed.

Lane: ''What makes Jess so special ?''

Rory smiled and answered without even thinking about it.

R: ''His sarcastic intelligence.''

Lane shot her a look of misunderstanding. And all Rory did was shrug. Maybe it didn't make sense to Lane, but to her........it was logical. Rory caught herself looking out the window again.

R: ''Can I..........?''

Lane: ''Like I said, go.''

R: ''Are you sure ?''

Lane: ''Irrefutably sure. We'll catch up whenever. We have the entire summer to polish our nails and shop.''

R: ''Lane Kim, don't you dare go all girly on me.''

Lane shrugged.

Lane: ''I play drums, so people see my hands all the time. And getting a bottle of black nail polish, means actually going to a store, which is definitely shopping in my eyes.''

R: ''That makes sense.''

Lane: ''Only in our little world.''

Rory smiled and took one more gulp of her coffee, before she got up.

R: ''So, I'll talk to you soon.''

Lane: ''Unless I'm busy.''

R: ''Bye.''

Lane: ''See ya. And throw a stone at Jess when you see him, kay ? Tell him Lane said hi.''

R: ''You mean die ?''

Lane: ''Exactly.''

Rory shook her head and left the diner, heading in the direction of their 'crossroad'.

*~*~*

Rory reached the bridge with a content smile on her face, it was almost childish. As if she had just seen her very best friend for the first time in years. And maybe that was the reason why she was smiling. She and Jess always had some sort of relationship. Even the first time she talked to him, she had know that they were alike in some ways. And for a long time, he had been a close friend to her. Not like Lane of course. But in a reassuring way he was always there. Just like he was now. She studied his figure. He was sitting on the bridge, in the brilliant light of the sun. And he was catching the rays with his book, so even more light fell upon the pages of his novels, complicated with political and economical problems. The first time she had seen him like this, she hadn't want to disturb him. But now she knew that she could never disturb him, he had told her that himself. Besides he already knew that she was there, looking at him. Rory put her hands in her back pockets and walked over to him.

R: ''So, I just heard an interesting, yet refreshing rumor.''

J: ''What ? You just found out that the world isn't flat ?''

He smirked and looked up at her. There was something playful about the way she was standing there, satisfied smile on her face and her hair up in a messy ponytail.

R: ''All this time I thought, that I would fall of the face of the earth if I kept walking in a straight line too long.''

She smiled and removed her hands from her pockets, before she sat down.

J: ''Tell me about this fascinating rumor.''

He glanced at Rory and went back to his book.

R: ''I just heard from Luke that you're not working at the diner, yet you took my order today. Care to explain ?''

Jess shrugged.

J: ''I owe Luke that, cause this is the third time he took me in.''

R: ''Ah, you grew a heart.''

Though it was a harsh comment, Jess wasn't offended. It was just Rory's way of telling him that he really did have a soft spot for Luke.

J: ''Just till the battery runs low.''

He continued to read, but didn't miss the smile that was starting to form on her face, out of the corner of his eye.

Rory smiled and reached for Jess' hand. She slowly laced her fingers with his, one by one. She figured that since she couldn't kiss or hug him, she could show her affection like this. Nothing romantic about the affection though. She just wanted to let him know, that she was glad that they were friend again.

Jess followed her movements, wondering if it was meant as a friendly gesture. That was probable and most likely it. As soon as their hands were clasped together, he could feel their blood running together. It was in different veins, yet it ran so close together. His heartbeat slightly quickened, but returned to normal, as he felt a certain calmness come over him. That always happened when she was around. His worries seemed to be forgotten in the back of his mind and all he could focus on was her. Her face, her sweet melodious voice, basically every single thing about her captivated him in a way. He knew that their relationship hadn't been fair. But even though they had complications, their relationship had been beautiful. Like a the web of a spider, beautifully complicated.

Suddenly he had the urge to be honest with her. She did deserve it after all. As he was forming the sentence in his mind, he unawarely started to rub the top of her hand with his thumb.

J: ''Ror, can I tell you something ?''

R: ''A secret ?''

Jess smirked at her childish behavior and shrugged.

J: ''Not really, but only Luke knows about this.''

Rory's expression became serious again and she looked at him.

R: ''I swear I won't tell the whole world, which means Mrs. Patty.''

J: ''Thank you.''

R: ''No prob.''

A faint smile appeared on her face.

R: ''Told you I'm a good searcher.''

Jess rolled his eyes.

J: ''You think a lot of yourself, don't you ?''

R: ''Yep, it's all about me. Other people ? Who cares ?! Surely not me.''

J: ''That must be why you always feel sorry for Kirk when his cat scratches him ?''

R: ''He should just give the cat to Babette, though I'm not sure she would want Cat Kirk.''

J: ''I have a feeling he would kill the other cats.''

R: ''Okay, that's probably one of the most horrible images anyone has ever put in my head. Fix it, give me another image.''

J: ''How about the time Taylor came walking into the diner wearing nothing but a...........''

R: ''I would like to hear your secret now please ?''

Jess smiled at her.

J: ''After summer break's over, I'm...........I'm going back to Stars Hollow High.''

R: ''Right, and I'm going to watch Lord of The Rings three times in a row.''

J: ''I'm serious.''

Rory turned her head and looked at him.

R: ''You are serious, aren't you ?''

Jess nodded.

J: ''As serious as you when you're studying for a test.''

R: ''That's great...........hey ! I just think it's important to study and get good grades, kay Einstein ?''

Jess smiled at her.

J: ''E=mc².''

R: ''Jerk.''

Jess softly laughed and watched her as she shyly lowered her eyes.

R: ''It is great you know, you going back to school. Why ?''

J: ''Cause I wanna be just as smart as you.''

R: ''Yeah, well, you have to pass for that.''

J: ''Huh, didn't know that.''

Suddenly they heard someone cough and they both looked up. Rory's eyes started to sparkle and a grin appeared on her face.

R: ''Dean !''

Rory let go of Jess' hand and ran over to Dean, so she could hug him.

R: ''What are you doing here ?''

D: ''Well, I wanted to talk. Is that possible or...........?''

R: ''Yeah, of course.''

Rory turned and smiled at Jess.

R: ''Is it okay if I.............?''

Jess nodded.

D: ''Hey Jess.''

J: ''Hey.''

He nodded and watched them walk away. The old jealousy was returning, but quickly faded. Dean and Rory had been over for a while now and Rory wasn't the kind of girl to go back to her ex-boyfriend. Jess shook his head as they disappeared. He didn't have a chance, not anymore............

*R*E*V*I*E*W*! Please ? :-) Three things I have to say. One, I'm really sorry about mixing Billy with Brian. It's just that they each have five lettres and begin with a b........sorry, I'll try not to let it happen again. Second, THANKS AGAIN FOR THE REVIEWS!!! And third, writing this chapter made me realize that Jess/Milo is even cuter than I thought he was. :-)