Author: Scarlettmarch

Title: A Realization

Disclaimer: I own neither Gilmore Girls, nor the chapter title, which is the name of a Cat Stevens song.

Wild World

Lane, oblivious to Rory's feelings about Jess, dragged Rory into the diner the next day to discuss a problem she was having with Dave, so trivial that it was practically a fight over which movie to rent on a Friday night. The type of insignificant troubles that Rory so desperately wanted to have with Jess.

Rory led Lane over to a table in the corner of the room, one where Jess would be less likely to spot her. Rory watched him carefully, studying his hands skillfully twirling the pen he took orders with. He was absentmindedly staring out the window, and Rory followed his line of vision until she spotted a girl who looked strikingly similar to Shane. However, she was making out against a tree with a tall blonde guy, one who was quite obviously not Jess.

Nudging Lane with her elbow, yet not tearing her eyes away from the sight, Rory whispered, "Isn't that Jess's girlfriend?"

Before Lane even had a chance to speak, a distinctly familiar voice responded to Rory's question.

"Was," Jess answered dryly, searching for a reaction in Rory's face. "And do you want to order anything, or are you just going to sit there?"

Rory turned a multitude of different shades of red before settling on one that resembled a ripe tomato. "Just coffee," she stammered out, and Jess walked away.

"Hey!" Lane screamed, seeing as how Jess hadn't taken her order, but he had already disappeared into the kitchen. She turned back to her friend, her head tilted quizzically.

"What was that all about?" Lane asked jokingly, knowing that the truth would come out soon enough, either from Rory's words or the easily readable signs on her face.

 "What was what all about?" Rory returned casually, a little too casually for Lane's tastes.

"Oh, nothing, just the questioning, the blushing, the stuttering, just that," Lane answered, a laugh stuck in her throat.

"Well, why didn't you tell me they had broken up?" Rory demanded.

Lane placed her words carefully. "Because I didn't know you would care."

"Well, of course I would care!" Rory whispered loudly.

"Why do you care? I thought you two were just friends, if even that," her friend inquired, adopting Rory's whisper.

Rory buried her head in her hands, and a few strangled words were to be heard.

"Huh?" Lane asked, waiting patiently. It would come in time, she knew.

"Well, as you so nicely put it, he thinks of us as just friends, if even that," she explained quickly, before sinking even lower into her seat.

Knowing that this was it, Lane asked the final question. "But how do you see him?"

Rory whispered violently at Lane, enunciating each and every word, hurtling them at her friend. They seemed to carry all the pain she herself had gone through.

"I'm in love with him, happy now? Yes, I am in love with Jess Mariano."

Lane let her head drop and smiled a little, pleased that her best friend had finally confessed whatever it was that had been plaguing her. She lifter her head a little, and suddenly, she blanched.

There, standing behind Rory, with his eyes as wide as the saucer he was carrying underneath the cup of coffee, was Jess. He seemed frozen to the spot, not a single muscle moved.

Lane's eyes quickly darted back to Rory, but realized, somewhat gratefully, that her head had been buried in her arms the entire time.

As Lane went to look at Jess again, she heard the tinkle of the bell above the front door of the Diner, and watched Jess as he ran in the direction of the bridge.

*Hey! Thanks for all the awesome reviews. I hoped you liked this chapter; please REVIEW! I'll try to get the next update up over the weekend, but if I have a snow day tomorrow (hopefully), I'll put up a new chapter.

Love,

Gabrielle