Chapter 5: Closure

Rory and Jess sat in silence, their feet dangling over the glistening water.

"It's funny," Rory began, breaking the silence, "I imagined myself wanting to break you arm or rip out your hair the next time I saw you. But oddly enough, I'm willing to keep all of your limbs in tact. All I really want is to know why you did what you did." Jess signed heavily and turned to look at Rory.

"I was a loser Rory. I flunked out of school, got kicked out of Luke's. I had nothing, except you. And I knew how upset you would be with all my mistakes. I knew that you knew I could do better. I knew I could do better. I screwed up, big time. I thought I should get away. So I went to chase after another screw up; my father." Jess stopped and stared at Rory's hands. He remembered how he used to hold them. He remembered how that felt; not that it mattered anymore. Their lives were different now. She had moved on. And so had he. But he could not help himself. He reached forward and laid his hand on top of Rory's.

"Jess," Rory said warningly.

"Sorry, I… I just needed that. Just for that split second in time. I needed it. I was a wreck without you Rory; an absolute wreck. And even though I loved you, I knew in my heart that we would both be better off apart. You especially. But I didn't know how to say it to you. I didn't know how to be brave and just come out and say it. I cared too much and that's why I ran."

"But… that day on the bus… you could have…" Rory stopped short, puzzled and perplexed.

"But I couldn't Rory. I couldn't bring myself to hurt you like that."

"Don't you realize you hurt me even more by just disappearing? I didn't know where you, what you were up to, if you were lying in a ditch, abducted by Russian spies, or what. You could have been anywhere Jess. Don't you get that? How could have thought that by pulling an 'alakazam' you would make things easier?" Rory stared at Jess, her eyes squinted with criticism and her hands shaking ever so slightly. Jess stared out at the water and the two sat in silence for a good five minutes before he spoke again.

"I honestly don't know what I was thinking. All I knew was that I needed to get out, there and then. But you know what? I was so close to staying. I was so close to staying and it was all because of you. You were the only thing that kept me going. And I think it was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do in my life, Rory and I want you to know that. My intention wasn't to hurt you. My intention was to save you." Rory stared at his extremely sincere face, and knew he meant every single word he had just uttered. Their eyes locked, and before they knew it, the two were embracing. But it was the kind of embrace when you see an old friend for the first time in years. They embraced this way because that's what they had become during that one moment. Old friends.

"I'm glad you came back," Rory muttered, her voice muffled against his shoulder.

"Me too," replied Jess. Rory pulled away and smiled wide.

"I'm so glad. I really am Jess. We needed this. We needed some closure." Jess nodded in agreement and cracked a smile. "Hey, do you want to come back to the house? Logan is back there waiting for me, and I'd love for you two to meet."

"Are you sure?" asked Jess warily. Rory smiled and cocked her head to the side.

"Positive."


"Logan?" Rory called as she barged into the house and Jess entered timidly. As Rory walked into the living room to find Logan, Jess seemed hesitant to leave the foyer. He felt like he wasn't allowed to. Like he wasn't worthy.

Rory found Logan lying across the couch, watching some sort of unidentifiable music video. As Rory got closer, she saw Logan had fallen asleep. With a smile, Rory leaned down, tucked her hair behind her ear, and kissed her boyfriend on the forehead. He awoke with a smile and greeted Rory with a yawn.

"Hey," he said, sitting up and scratching his head, "was it awful?"

"No, not at all. Surprisingly enough, it turned out being good. Really good." Logan raised his eyebrow at Rory's positivism.

"Should I be worried?" he asked, slightly afraid of what had happened.

"No, not at all," Rory replied with a smile as she lowered herself into Logan's lap, "Actually, I want you two to meet."

"Ah, Rory I don't know. Wouldn't that be kind of awkward?"

"You really can't get out of it," Jess mumbled as he leaned against the doorframe. Logan turned around, looking startled by the addition of a third voice.

"Oh, hi… I… I didn't see you there." Logan looked extremely shocked to see the boy who had broken Rory's heart, the boy she had been screaming at just over an hour ago, standing in her home. Rory stood up and Logan followed. "Logan Huntzberger," he said, sticking out his hand. Damn those manners of his.

"Jess Mariano," Jess replied icily. The three stood around in an awkward silence, while Rory anxiously tapped her foot against the hard wood floor.

"So, how about a drink?" Rory said, trying to make things a little less strange. The boys nodded in agreement and the clan made their way into the kitchen.