Jess's mom and dad are sitting on the couch watching a game show. Rory and Jess walk past them and give them a half-hearted greeting, his parents say hello to him while still glued to the television, and Rory's not sure if they know she's there or not.

Jess leads her into his room. Rory inquires about his parents. He tells her that they don't understand him. She responds that her husband doesn't understand her either. He is surprised that she has a husband. She tells him that her husband doesn't think, and that she is sick of him.

Jess reveals that he went to college but had to drop out because of his drinking. Rory tells him that she had noticed him before they had met. She says she can tell that he hates the world from the look in his eyes. She understands; she hates it too. Rory stares in his eyes, and realizes how long she has been living in the dark. The thought of meeting someone she can relate to makes her almost giddy. She begins thinking unfamiliar thoughts about this boy known as Jess Mariano.

Is Rory going to take a chance, or is she going to the grave with an unlived life.

The next day at work, Jess limps over to Rory and asks for a ride home from work. He sprained his ankle. She tells him it's no problem.

Lisa doubts that he is telling the truth.

In the car, Rory is jealous that Jess has goals, goals of being a writer. She smiles when she talks about her time at Yale, and of the all the goals she had for herself, and of everything she hoped she could accomplish. She always thought that life would never be long enough to do everything she wanted. Now she doesn't even know what to imagine.

After her mother was killed during the first semester of her fourth year at Yale, she just couldn't go on. Her grandparents tried everything they could to get her to go back to school and really do something with her life. It was then that she really knew what her mother felt like living with them all through her childhood.

She cut them off completely. Dean tried as best as he could to comfort Rory and to do what he thought she needed, but at the end of the day, Dean could go home to his family and eat a home cooked meal and have a conversation with his sister and his parents.

For Rory, it was just she and her mom. Even her Dad showed up to talk to her after her mother's death, but she didn't need his pity. If he didn't want to know her while her mother was alive it is unlikely that he would really want to get to know her after her mother passed on. He just would have looked like a monster had he done nothing. He fulfilled his duty, and she pushed him away.

Since this event, Rory has been withdrawn from society and from relationships and everything.

She thought maybe if she could procreate she would be snapped back into reality and maybe find where all her love was stored to pass it onto her child, and then maybe she could give some of it to Dean. They have been trying to get pregnant for quite some time now, and they are under the Doctor's care. She was told she was fertile, so she doesn't know what the problem is, but she does know that this is something that makes Dean very upset. After all, women are around to cook, clean, and procreate.

Once they reach Jess's house, Jess places his hand on Rory's knee, and she closes her eyes unsure of what to do. He moves in closer and tries to kiss her. She pulls away and reminds him that she is married. He reminds her that she said he doesn't understand her, and he tries to kiss her again. She doesn't want to hurt anybody. He bolts out of the car and solemnly walks up to his parents' doorstep. He lets himself in.

Upon Rory's arrival home, Dean tells her that he has decided to go get his sperm checked by a Doctor. Rory informs him that she doesn't need a fucking baby, and that if he really wanted to make himself useful around the house, he could fix the television that has been getting fuzzier and fuzzier.

The next day, Lisa catches Rory on her way to her office and offers her a strawberry, she says she bought them from a man on the road before she came into work; she didn't have time for breakfast. She tells her they're very sweet. Rory declines.

Russ walks up to Rory and tells her Jess has the day off, but asked him to give this letter to Rory.

Rory goes into her office and shuts the door to read the letter in private.

Rory,

I will be quitting my job at the paper. These last two days have been the worst of my life. I haven't been able to stop thinking about you. Before I met you I had given up hope that another person would ever understand me. Now I know you; I have never wanted anything as bad as I do now. I'm sorry I can't see you anymore; forgive me for being so weak.

Goodbye,

Jess Mariano

PS. If for some reason, you decide you want to be with me, body and soul, completely, meet me in front of the Mexican restaurant at 5:00. I will be waiting for you. Otherwise, I cannot see you again.

Rory finishes the letter and goes into the bathroom to splash her face with some cold water. She looks at her watch. 9:30 am. She works the day away.

4:11 pm- All she can do is watch the clock change.

A/N: Thanks for reading, please review! Next chapter should be up soon.