Disclaimer : I own nothing.
Author's Note: I would like to thank all of you who reviewed. I am glad everyone seems to like it. This next chapter is not outstanding but I just wanted to put it out there. I will probably revise a little. I didn't watch a lot after season 3 ended because I never had the time so the details about Rory at Yale may be wrong. Well here goes nothing.
"Okay, I ordered pizza and put on a pot of coffee and as soon as it gets here I will get it so we can save you from any more embarrassing moments." By the time he finished his sentence he was grinning ear to ear. Suddenly he was hit in the chest with a book.
"Shut up" Rory said sheepishly "I can't believe that actually happened….well at least it makes you look good to have a girl clad in just your t-shirt come out of your room, hair all dishevelled and run into your roommates whose jaws all but dropped when they saw me"
"I guess it does make me look good" he said "thanks Rory"
"You're welcome, just don't expect it to happen again" she stated
"Really" Jess said seductively while moving towards her
"Yes really" she said unconvincingly
He began nibbling on her ear and then kissing her neck. She grabbed his shirt so as to not let him get away and they started kissing furiously. Jess stopped and pulled away when he heard the buzzing noise announcing that the coffee was done.
"Jess, what was that; when did you become a tease" Rory said dejectedly
He held his hand to his heart in mock hurt. "Now you've hurt my feelings". He dropped himself onto his bed and started reading his book. "You're coffee is ready sweetie" he said without looking up.
Rory looked shocked. "Come on, you are not actually going to make me do it are you?"
"You have to choose" he said "what's more important, your pride or your coffee consumption; and before you think about it, no getting your clothes back on."
"Fine, I will just not have coffee then, but of you wake up with a corpse in your bed you'll know why."
"Fine by me"
She was sitting by him quietly for a few minutes until she couldn't stand it. "Jess, come on; I'll make it up to you" she smiled brightly, her blue eyes glistening.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah" she answered
"I'm gonna hold you to that."
They smiled at each other reliving the memory.
"Good, now can I have my coffee please?" she begged while sticking out her lower lip. Jess sighs and gets up to get the coffee "Manipulator"
"Thank you" she replied happily
He returned with the coffee and she jumped up to grab the cup inhaling its delicious scent before guzzling it down in three gulps.
"Thanks Jess, I really needed that."
"Anytime" he said sincerely
It was now time to ask for the favour she had just promised him. Although he didn't want to upset her, he really needed to know what had happened to make her give up all her dreams. During his internal debate on how he was going to bring it up a frown appeared on his face.
"Jess? What's wrong?"
"Oh nothing" he replied distracted, "I was just wondering how I was going to ask you why you aren't in school anymore."
Rory was rendered speechless; in all of the excitement of the previous day she had allowed herself to momentarily forget about her situation."
"If you don't want to tell me I understand, I'm just wondering I guess."
"No, I'll tell you but promise me that you will not be completely disappointed."
"Okay" he nodded
"Well…" she began tentatively "I guess it really started early last year, I was a little overwhelmed with the workload so I had to drop a class. I had to deal with the fact that I already had trouble handling the pressure. That year ended relatively well and I was feeling a little better. A little later I started dating Logan casually at first and then more seriously. He introduced me to his parents who hated me on sight; they thought I wasn't good enough for him. They treated me pretty badly throughout the dinner. In what I guess was an effort to make it up to me I got to be an intern for a newspaper owned by Logan's dad. I worked there for a little while and when he gave me his evaluation he told me that I didn't have what it took to be a journalist."
By this time she was crying, tears rolling freely down her cheeks. Jess wanted nothing more than to comfort her but decided that he should let her finish her story.
"So that basically made me crack; I know I am weak but it's like my entire life fell apart in that moment. I went to see Logan and all he could tell me was that maybe I should change my major. So I don't know, I guess I just decided that since these people thought I couldn't hack it that I had no future in that field. I needed some time off so I went home and didn't take my exams. Needless to say my mom couldn't understand why I would so easily give up my dream. Every time she looked at me I felt the disappointment she felt; so I left her a note saying I would be staying with my grandparents. I called Logan and decided that he wasn't worth my time anymore; I just couldn't stay in a meaningless relationship. After a few days of watching me mope around, my grandfather suggested I take a little trip to New York to take in the sights and clear my head…so here I am."
Rory couldn't believe that telling him had come so easily. She looked up at him and just said "Wow".
"Rory I'm so sorry" he whispered kissing her tear stained face. He pulled away from her and started speaking.
"Rory I'd like to think I know you and I know that you'd be great at anything you decide you want to do. If journalism isn't your dream anymore than that's okay, you can look into something else…dreams can change. But don't give up because 1 person tells you that you can't hack it; you'll regret it forever."
Rory walked over to him and pulled him into a hug. "When did you get so wise?" she asked him
He smirked at her. "Don't look so surprised…everyone told me that I could never have you, that I should just stop trying; but I never did and now you are standing next to me. All things worth having are worth waiting for."
"I just don't know anymore. I can't go back there right now.
"It's okay; you at the very least have the summer to think about what you want to do. I'm here if you need me."
"Thanks" she said before placing a soft kiss on his cheek. The bell rings and Jess goes to answer the door and comes back with pizza.
Roughly half an hour later, pizza box discarded, they just sat on the reclining chair Rory sitting on Jess' lap listening to him read Oliver Twist. She could listen to him read forever; his voice was so rich and warm and melodic. His voice was soothing her and as she began to relax she began feeling tired. Seeing her yawn Jess glanced over at the clock which read 12:30 am.
"I think it is past Rory's bedtime" he said sweetly
"Maybe I should go to bed" she said yawning again
He picked her up to lay her down on the bed and tucked her in. He then picked up his book bag and headed for the door.
"Where are you going?" she asked
"I have to go study" he replied, "I have my last final in a couple of days."
"Oh right….sorry" she said remembering "I could just go back to my hotel" she said realizing she might be in the way.
"No it's fine; I enjoy your company and I'm only studying while you're sleeping. Don't worry about it."
"I don't want to be the reason for you not to do as well as you've been doing in school. I could never forgive myself" she told him
"Rory, don't worry about it; I won't let that happen. If I have to study, I will. You can go shopping or hang out here if you want and then after my exams we can discuss our current situation."
"Okay….goodnight Jess."
"'Night" he said and closed the door.
It seemed as though their roles had been reversed. Jess was the one with the goals and she was the one who was lost and looking for guidance. Nevertheless, she was extremely proud of him and happy that he had found himself and as luck would have it…her.
A/N: Okay…I should probably have mentioned that she never slept with Dean and she never stole the boat with Logan or got arrested. I apologize for Jess being so OOC. He's very difficult to write and I admire all writers out there who make him really believable. Please review…let me know what you think.