A/N: Don't know where the hell this came from. Just something that popped into my head and wouldn't go away. I realize it's been done to death, but let me know if you want me to go further with it. If I get enough feedback, there could be more.
"No, no, no, no, no!"
"No! Don't say no just to get me to shut up, or go away! Only say it if it's what you really mean."
"...No"
Jess had heard enough. He turned sharply and headed for the door, cursing his stupidity.
"Jess." He didn't acknowledge that he'd even heard her. "Jess! Wait." He paused by the door, her tone allowing some of his previous hope to come crawling back.
She slipped between him and the door, shutting it softly, and meeting his gaze. "Stay."
"I can't. You know I can't." Anguish was written all over his face.
"Sit." Her eyes begged him, and he found himself sitting without realizing how he got there. She stood, wringing her hands together.
"There are a million reasons Jess, that I can't come away with you. I know that you said you loved me..." She began, choosing her words carefully.
"I do." Jess interrupted.
"I'm not sure how I feel about you, mostly because I don't trust you." Jess moved to stand up. She put a hand on his shoulder, gently pushing him back down on the couch. "You left me, twice, and I need to know that's not going to happen again."
"It won't, Rory, I swear." Jess was trying to make sense of what she was telling him. Did she want him or not?
"Even if I did trust you enough to run off with you, I wouldn't." She looked at her hands. "I'd be leaving everything I love...my mother, friends, school. I'd end up hating you for making me choose you or them."
"I get it. I'll be on my way then, out of your life for good."
"Jess...I don't want to choose." Rory's tone once again stopped him at the door. "I'm selfish. I want both." He didn't move, afraid that if he did, he would find he had daydreamed her last sentence. She walked over to him for the second time that night, and touched him on the shoulder. He turned around and looked at her, their eyes locked with an intensity he'd only ever felt with her. It used to scare the living hell of him, but now, it was comforting.
"Stay."