Moving On

A/N: Hi, thanks for the great reviews!

Disclaimer: Thanks Amy! And s'pose I should thank all the artists whose songs I've borrowed. Sister Hazel, Mariah Carey and Jessica Riddle. Thanks.

"Lane?" Rory called, letting herself into her best friends apartment.

"Yeah?" Lane called back, obviously not expecting it to be Rory.

"I'm back." Lane ran out of the bathroom, toothbrush still in hand, foam around her mouth.

"Oh my God! Hold on." She tried to say while struggling to contain the foaming mess in her mouth. She disappeared back into the bathroom and after a frenzy of spitting and running water she reappeared, no longer foaming at the mouth and ready to ask every question imaginable.

"So? What happened? What did you say to him? What did he tell you back? Does he look the same? Why isn't he with you? Okay… Stopping now, so you can answer." Lane zipped the imaginary zipper on her mouth and gestured for Rory to start.

"Okay. I went to New York. I told him I hadn't moved on. He told me to go away. Yes. He looks the same. And he's not here because he told me to go away." Rory answered each question in the order it had been asked.

"Really? He told you to go away? Start from the start."

"From the start? Okay, well it's really all your fault. And before you ask how, wait and I'll tell you. I was driving to New York and then you called me telling me that I was out of my mind. I kept driving regardless. Then Jess called me, right after you had called him and told me congratulations on the wedding. I then proceeded to ask him why he was calling and he said that he needed to know I had moved on before he could move on. He then went on to tell me that he was also calling to give me my long awaited goodbye. So that's it. He said goodbye and then hung up." Lane had to unzip the zipper.

"Really? He said goodbye?" Rory held a hand up that instantly silenced Lane and she continued.

"So, I turned around all prepared to come home. Then I was a few miles from Hartford and 'Guns of Brixton' started playing…" Lane had to interrupt again.

"Ooh, great song!" Rory again, held her hand up indicating that she still wasn't done.

"Anyway, 'Guns of Brixton' started playing and I on a whim, turned the car around and headed back towards New York. Then, just as I got there, Jess was leaving his apartment. I turned and chickened out. But, as luck would have it, he saw me, so I decided to confront him. I told him I hadn't moved on and he in reply told me that he didn't want to steal another guys fiancé and that I should go home and get married, because he himself is getting married in three months. So I left and here I am now, recounting the story to you." Rory took a deep breath.

"That doesn't sound like it was my fault. It sounds like you haven't moved on and wanted to steal back the guy you haven't moved on from." Lane was proud of the conclusion she'd come to.

"Well, that's just the thing. There's only so many times a girl can be told no, before she actually does move on, so that's just what I've done. I had a long trip back to gather my thoughts and I have moved on. So you're here and I'm here and we're going to celebrate my marriage to Ben.

"Are you sure you want to marry him?" Was the only question Lane had left.

"Yes. Definitely yes. Where else am I going to find a guy that loves me and cares about me as much as Ben does? No, marrying Ben is what I want." Rory answered without a trace of doubt in her voice.

"Okay, well just give me an apron and call me Shelley."

"Who?" Rory became confused.

"You know, the bar maid from Cheers?"

"I think that was the actresses name." Rory told her.

"Anyway… I heard you had a date with Jack tonight."

"With who?"

"Goes by the last name of Daniels." Lane hinted, hoping her friend would bet a clue. Suddenly clarity hitting her like a brick in the head, Rory clicked on.

"Ohh, Jack! Yes, I do and we're double dating with my good friend Shelley and her date Jim." She retorted, joining the game.

"Really? Beam? What sort of a last name is that?" Lane complained.

"Well you're the one who gave me Jack!"

The banter continued as Lane and Rory drank their bottles dry. But as they gave in to the temptations of sleep Rory's mind was anywhere but on the wedding the following day. In fact it was still on the floor of Jess's apartment corridor. It was hard to move on when a part of you belonged to someone else. But that's what she had to do. She'd have to learn to live without the part of her that Jess owned and do exactly what she set out to do in the first place. Move on.