AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thank you for all that reviewed, and everyone else that didn't feel free to do so this time around.

"You said that already," Jess said.

"I know. I am just shocked to see you." Rory smiled again. And Jess could tell it was out of nervousness. She looked around the room at her friends and brushed a strand of hair nervously behind her ear. Jess stood stoically as the scene unfolded before him. He felt that the less he said, the better.

"So you're surprised," Chris said looking at Rory.

"Very. I mean, it's been forever," she said incredulously looking at Jess. And he wondered what she saw. An older wiser Jess? A good looking Jess? A not so attractive ex-boyfriend? A mistake?

"Since high school," Jess said quickly holding Rory's gaze. The blue eyes still have their power, he thought.

When he had first told Chris that he knew Rory Gilmore, Jess didn't want to appear like some asshole bragging he fucked this girl once. He couldn't bring himself to tell Chris the truth. Instead he revealed the partial truth. The easier part. That Jess had lived in Stars Hollow, with his uncle Luke, and had briefly dated Rory.

"Yeah, since high school," Rory said looking at Jess. He saw the emotions running across Rory's face. There was a secret, a lie. Something to keep hidden. And it was theirs.

"Jess is like my best friend here," Chris said patting Jess on the back, who was uncomfortable with the gesture.

His eyes remained on Rory. She looked wonderful. He couldn't deny that. The green dress hung well on her small frame and was a good color on her. Her hair was long again. And Jess liked that. He could tell, the way she was standing, the way her arms were crossed, her shifting eyes, that she was uncomfortable. Because of him.

His eyes drifted to the light freckles on her shoulders. He remembered kissing those freckles over and over again and breathing in the skin.

"Really," Rory said shooting a look at Jess.

"The only decent person in this god forsaken place." Chris rolled his eyes.

"I thought you liked it here," Ethan said.

And Jess looked at him, fully regarding Ethan. His sandy well cut hair, white button down shirt, the nice suit. But Jess had seen images of Ethan long before that in magazines and papers, and once on television. Jess had read Ethan's book as well, twice. It was called Boy Wonder. Jess hated it.

"I do. I like the girls, but sometimes it's like talking to my six year old niece," Chris answered.

"That's dirty," Emily said smiling.

Jess looked at Emily who, he then realized, was smiling at him. He supposed that she was beautiful. Blonde hair, tan skin, big boobs. But since living in California he had fucked a dozen in that mold, more. And they all formed one blonde blur in his mind. He looked back to Rory looking at Ethan, and he hated that.

"Rory, Jess is a writer," Chris said.

"You are," Rory said softly. Jess raised his eye brows and tried to say something clever and witty that would stop her dead in her tracks. But he couldn't think of anything.

"He's pretty good too." Chris also looked at Ethan and Emily when he spoke. Jess knew that this was part of something, him being let into their silly group. He needed to play the role of the new guy.

"What have you written?" Rory asked Jess directly. For a second, his throat seemed to go dry. They hadn't spoken in so long. Just the idea of them having a normal conversation was strange, especially with her boyfriend standing right next to her.

"Some short stories." Jess tried to keep his voice casual and non-committal.

"And a novel. Gabe has read it and he's going to publish it," Chris interjected.

"Gabe's publishing it!" Rory exclaimed. Jess saw how shocked she was. He realized it must be a bit much for her. They hadn't seen each other in three years, and now her good friends were praising him and publishing his work.

Gabe Hernandez was the editor and publisher of all the "Fishermen's Club" novels. Gabe had not attended Yale with everyone, but was a cousin of Emily. The success of "Fishermen's Club" had made him quite a rich man, and a bit of a celebrity in the literary world. He was the one to discover the talents and he wielded some power over the group. Jess had met him once, and he could tell Gabe was someone who believed in good literature and money, and he was in the business of both.

"Our little group is growing, expanding, getting bigger," Ethan said.

"Wow. Congratulations, Jess," Rory said shaking her head, as if she couldn't quite believe it. Her shiny dark hair moved in soft waves. Jess noticed it was the first time she said his name. He loved the way it rolled off her tongue in that soft way. Almost as if she was sighing in bed or something.

"Thanks," was all he could reply.

FLASHBACK............................

Jess woke to an empty bed. He sat up and looked around the empty room. Her bags were still there. Her things, her clothes still on the floor and hung over the chair. Jess sighed in relief. Then he noticed the bathroom light coming from out of the cracks of the door.

Jess lied back down and waited. And waited. He strained his ears but couldn't hear anything. The clock read 3:26. At 3:40 he would get up and see if something was wrong. Jess tried to gather his thoughts and focus them elsewhere, but couldn't. The minutes went by agonizingly slow. He looked over again, for what seemed like the millionth time, and read 3:39. Close enough, he thought.

He got up and slid a pair of boxers on, and walked to the bathroom. Three light knocks.

"Rory?" Jess put the side of his head against the door.

"Yeah?" Her voice seemed casual.

"Are you okay?"

"Fine."

"Can I come in?"

"Sure." Jess opened the door and saw her lying in the bathtub, soaking in the water. She was completely exposed and made no effort to hide herself from him. Jess couldn't help but look her wet and shiny form over.

"What are you doing?" One of her legs was bent and sticking out of the soapy water, while the other laid flat in the bottom of the tub. Her hand rested on her thigh while the other was bent, Rory's elbow on the side of the tub.

"Solving the world's energy crisis."

"It's four o'clock in the morning."

"I couldn't sleep." She shrugged and Jess watched the shine on her skin shift with her movements.

"Do you do this often?"

"Bathe?"

"At this hour."

"Never."

"But when you do, do you usually lie just like this?" Jess stepped closer to the tub until he was right next to her. And he knelt to look at her face to face. He liked thinking of her like this. Of her lying so sweetly in the water waiting for him to open his eyes and come in.

"I guess." Her hair was also wet, and slicked back on her head some of it floating on the surface of the water around her shoulders.

"You know you are driving me crazy, don't you?" Jess lightly ran his hand up and down her wet arm, his eyes transfixed on his movements. He told himself to hold onto that moment, to remember Rory like she is now for ever. He tried to memorize the details.

"I know you're scared to admit you're crazy about me." Rory put her hand on top of Jess, her wet fingers mingling with his.

"I'm not scared. I have loved you since I was seventeen." Jess leaned forward and put his lips to Rory's. The kiss was soft and wet, like Rory, Jess thought. His tongue slid naturally into her mouth and met hers. Jess moved closer and closer and let go of Rory, except for his mouth, and put his hands on the edge of the tub. He smiled into the kiss, and stepped into the bathtub.

"You are crazy!" Rory squealed, delighted.

END OF FLASHBACK.............

"Small world, huh?" Chris took a bite out of the French toast he was eating. He sat on the opposite side of the plastic lime green booth from Jess. When the party was winding down Chris and Jess decided to get some real food and come there. They had, of course, invited everyone else to come but they had declined. Rory and Ethan were tired, so they said, and Emily wanted to write something down which was in her head.

Jess had not failed to notice how quickly Rory said "No, I am too tired." How quickly her polite smile vanished when she met Jess' eyes. He also noticed when they were sitting down, having decided to mingle one last time before leaving, how Ethan's hand rested naturally on Rory's thigh.

"Apparently so," Jess said before eating some of his scrambled eggs.

They were sitting in the diner they always went in after a night of partying of drinking. It was open 24 hours a day and served great burgers. Jess looked around and saw mostly other people his age, a few teenagers. All seemed drunk and laughing stupidly to him. It was all familiar territory for Jess, as well as Chris who sat across from him.

"So, what did you think of everyone?"

"They were cool."

"Good."

"Rory seemed surprised."

"Sorry about that." Chris looked back to Jess, away from the group of teenage girls who had just walked into the diner, giggling in very short skirts. Jess noticed that Chris was easily distracted.

"You said you told her I was going to be there."

"I almost did." Chris took a drink from his water before asking, "Was it weird for you?"

"As much as would be expected from seeing someone from high school." Jess down played the reunion.

"Good cause when you move to New York you will probably see a lot of her."

"I told you I hadn't decided on anything." Jess shook his head.

"If Gabe is publishing your book then you have to be there!" Chris rolled his eyes. This was a familiar argument.

"I don't have to do anything. It is not part of my contract that I take up residence across the country. Away from my friends, my family, my entire life." Jess was reluctant to move to New York. He had a lot of history there.

That, and he knew that some might see him as a stalker.

Her friend in her little group helped him publish his book by her publisher. And if he moved there, and saw her often, how could he keep his sanity? It was better to stay away. At least he had told him self that for so long.

"You don't really have any friends, not good ones anyway. You are not even close with your family and your life here is dead. Your new life is in New York." Jess knew that Chris really was motivated by good. He told himself that because he was getting incredibly irritated by him. Especially after the stunt with Rory.

"According to you."

"God, can't you just take my advice for once without the Jess Mariano commentary."

"Nope, it comes with the whole package."

"Listen, everything important to publishing your book is in New York. The parties, the press, the people. Don't you want it to sell?"

"That's the difference between me and your group you guys started," Jess leaned forward putting his elbows on the plastic table in between them. "I just want the thing to get good reviews. Not even a lot. Just one and I will be happy. I am perfectly content on not being the next John Grisham."

"I am not talking John Grisham, I am talking James Baldwin."

"No, you are talking Jonathan Frazen."

"Jess, just tell me that you will think about it."

"I'll think about it."

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is moving slowly. I know. I hate fics where it goes too fast, so you guys have the flashbacks to keep you satisfied. Also, this fic deals a lot with the literary world of writers, publishers, press, book readings and editing. I think a lot of fics have Jess as a writer but nothing of what it is actually like for a writer living in New York. Although my premise is a bit cliché, this is where I feel mine stands out. If you feel this works, or doesn't, review and tell me about it.