She struggled with her keys in the door and thrust it open upon success. Her arms were full with grocery bags and she placed them on the island which sat in the middle of the petite kitchen. She also dropped her application to NYU which she'd picked up while she was out.

The apartment was still a work in progress. There were some lingering boxes, not everything was in the right place and there was furniture to be purchased. Massive amounts of furniture which needless to say, they didn't have the money for at the moment. As she began to put away the shopping, she thought again about what she was getting herself into. Basically she'd run away from her mother; the woman who had raised her even though she was an accident. She'd spit in her face, told her off, and ran away with the boyfriend she'd never approve of. What was happening to her?

This was a-typical behavior for her, but she'd changed a lot in the last year. College had showed her truly how naïve she was about the world and thoroughly disillusioned her. Life outside of Stars Hollow was rough and tumble and it took her a long time to realize that. So, she'd given in to her feelings in a possibly foolish decision, she'd agreed to move to New York with Jess. She'd completely uprooted her life to the dismay of her whole family, and now here she stood putting away cans of chili in a hole-in-the-wall apartment. Not exactly the image she'd had when she pictured moving to New York with her on-again, off-again boyfriend.

She'd made that decision and there wasn't really any way to go back. She picked up her NYU application again, scrounged around in a smaller box for a pen, pulled the clear covering of the cheap sofa they'd purchased with Jess's Wal-Mart money and began to fill it out. She almost wrote the wrong address when she got to that portion of the application, it was such a habit. She had at first thought that going to NYU would be a huge step down compared to Yale, but now she tried to look at it as a new experience at a more culturally diverse and interesting place. A step out of the ordinary, just like these past weeks had been.

The doorknob turned and Jess entered the room. After a long day at the construction site he wasn't in the best of moods and Rory knew that. She always tried to cheer him up. He'd taken the job because it was the best pay he could find. It was actually a decent amount and the hours weren't the worst they could have been. She'd taken a job at the closest bookstore. It was lower paying, but it was enough and she enjoyed it. She glanced at her watch, only six o'clock. Jess was early today.

"Hey, how was work?" She asked looking up at him.

"Not great but I'm glad to be home," He sat down on the couch next to her, still in awe that they were actually here, "You?" he asked.

"I did a lot of strenuous book lifting today. You wouldn't believe how much unabridged dictionaries weigh these days. Definitely not the way they used to make them." She smiled. Thankfully they still had humor. He smiled too and leaned over to kiss her.

"What the application for?" He asked getting up to check out the previously bare cupboards.

"NYU, I've decided that I'm gonna see about going part time. I'll take out a few loans, nothing major."

"Are we--ah--you, gonna be able to afford it?" He hesitated at calling them we as if they were married and financially dependent upon each other, even though in truth they kind of were.

"Yeah, it shouldn't be too big a deal. It's not that expensive for what I want and loans are not due till after I'm done for the most part. Plus I can still keep my job." She searched his face for approval as she approached him.

"Sounds great--so what's for supper, dear?" He asked hungrily.

"Spaghetti, made Mariano style, just the way you showed me." She replied pressing herself against him.

"That's good, because I'm hungry." He smiled and placed another kiss on her delicate lips. Then another, then another and yet another until they finally stopped in a fluster.

"Jess--do you really think this--" She stopped when she got the look.

"Rory, don't worry about it, okay? Just stop. Everything will be fine. Not everything has to be planned. Sometimes impulses and feelings turn out right. My life and the fact that I am here are walking testimonies to that fact. Don't overanalyze or you'll end up like your mother." He wasn't mad just annoyed at her asking that same question again. They'd been over it so many times. "It's not like me to be the sweet, protective, loving husband kind of guy, but I'm trying here. It's a departure for both of us."

"Husband?" She repeated.

"I said that KIND of guy." He restated.

"Well, I guess I should get dinner started." She sighed and began searching the kitchen for the various ingredients.

"Have I told you lately how much I am in love with you?" He asked.

"Yes, I believe a few times." She laughed.

"Even if you do worry too much, nothing has changed. I still want to be here with you." She blushed and a 100 % genuine smile spread across her face. She'd been down in the dumps lately and it felt good to seriously smile. From then on she resolved to not worry, and just let life go.

"Three years ago I thought you were a total screw up, the bad boy who'd never amount to anything. Now look where you are? I've trained you well, haven't I?" She smiled again at her own wit.

"What can I say, I fell victim to your feminine whiles." He joked actually smiling himself, something he rarely did. "Now, come on woman make me some spaghetti."

"One spaghetti Mariano, coming right up."