5 Whole Months

by: Alyson Tierney

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, Amy Sherman-Palladino does. So don't sue, because you won't get anything anyways.

Note: Wow, I really do a lot of short fics! This takes place right after the episode "Nag Hammadi is Where they Found the Gnostic Gospels" from season 4. This one is a slight Rory-Jess themed one, and very short. And no, I'm not going to continue it, sorry! Enjoy and please R&R!

He loves me.

He said it.

He said he loves me.

The words "I love you" just made it out of his mouth.

Rory stood there in shock. She couldn't move. Those were the words she'd wanted to hear from him the whole time they had been dating. He'd never said it, and she hadn't pushed. She wasn't even sure that he had ever loved her during the 5 months they had been a couple. 5 whole months, and she hadn't been sure. She felt tears fill her eyes as he drove away, not even looking at her.

"Rory! You're missing the bonfire!"

Rory barely heard her mother. He did love me. He loves me. Rory's vision became clouded as the tears came. She kept repeating the same three words over and over in her head. He loves me. He loves me.

"Rory, did you get the burgers? I'm hungry."

Lorelai was coming closer. She squeezed her eyes shut, the picture of Jess's face still in her mind. "I love you." He'd professed his love, and then driven away. Rory stifled a sob.

"Rory, sweetie, what happened?"

Lorelai was next to her, her right hand rubbing Rory's arm, her left hand reaching to stroke Rory's hair. Rory crumpled into her mother's arms, sobbing quietly. She could feel Lorelai's hands soothingly touching—one on her back and one rubbing her hair. She sobbed into Lorelai's black dress, getting the fabric all wet.

"Shh, sweetie, shh."

Lorelai's voice of comfort came through the darkness, and Rory clutched her mother tighter.

"He said he loves me." Rory managed to stutter out.

"Jess?" Lorelai asked.

"Jess." Rory confirmed. She felt Lorelai's grip tighten. Lorelai knew that he'd left, and hadn't even given Rory a chance to say anything.

"I'm here, sweetheart." Lorelai soothed. The crackling of the fire and the buzz of people around them couldn't disrupt the noises the Gilmore girls heard. All Lorelai heard was Rory's sobs, and Rory, all she could hear was Jess's voice. "I love you."