They had successfully avoided one another for the remainder of the night. Rory stayed at Lane's, nothing like girls night to calm her nerves. Most of the night she talked about Jess and her confusion over him. She talked about Logan's calls and how she was through with him. They talked until early morning. As Rory drifted off she remembered the song Jess had referred to earlier. Trying to remember the words she fell asleep.

"Grab my hand." Jess said as he reached for her.

"Just let me fall." She was dangling off of the side of a cliff.

"Never." Jess then grabbed her arm and pulled her up.

Rain fell around them. They were now surrounded by water and they were on what seemed to be the bridge, except there was no land in site. They lay back on the bridge. The water rose around them. Rory became afraid and held on to Jess.

"Don't let me go. I don't want to drown." Rory cried into his chest.

"I've got you. You will be just fine. Lets talk about music." He started humming in her ear.

"What are you humming? It sounds familiar."

"Haunted by the Pogues. Have you heard it?"

"Yes. I have."

"It has always reminded me of you."

"Get up!" Rory said shaking him.

"Jess Get up!" Luke said holding Toby on one hip.

"I hear you. I am up. Jeez" Jess sat up in the bed and looked around.

"It is 8am don't you work on your article for the Magazine today?"

"Yes. Not at 8am, but yes I do." Jess got out of his bed and scratched his head.

"We are going to have a little talk. Come with me." Luke said exiting the room.

"We are going to have a little talk." Jess mocked Luke as he followed.

They walked to the kitchen and Jess sat down beside Luke. Toby was eating cereal.

"I have marshmallows daddy. See?" Toby held up a clover from his Lucky Charms.

"I want some marshmallows too." Jess said grabbing the box and eating some out it. "So what are we talking about? You probably already figured out. I know where babies come from." Jess smirked at Luke.

"Where do they come from daddy?" Toby said with wide eyes.

"I'll tell you when your older." He awkwardly answered.

"Lets go to the living room and leave Toby to his Lucky Charms." Luke said leading the way.

They sat on the couch and Luke sighed. Jess hated when Luke tried to have heart to hearts and this was looking like one of those talks. He slouched down on the couch as he waited for Luke to speak. A few minutes later Jess was dozing off and Luke finally spoke.

"I know that you and Rory are really confused. Being shoved together like this for the weekend doesn't help. Rory has requested that you go stay at the Inn. Lorelei has already got a room ready for you. Toby can stay here, we have his crib and stuff."

There was a long pause.

"It's a play pen not a crib." Jess replied.

"So are you ok with this?"

"I sort of have no choice. Toby will be coming with me. Thanks for the offer though."

"Sorry. You will be able to work tonight at the diner to close right?"

"I'll be there with bells on."

"Your sarcasm doesn't have to start up again just cause Rory is here. You are doing really good Jess. Don't go throw it all away on the past. Toby needs you." Luke patted Jess on the back and walked away.

Jess sat and thought to himself. 'Don't throw it all away on the past? Is that what I am doing? Damn it Rory.' He got up and walked to the kitchen. Toby had finished his cereal and was trying to shove the bowl in the dishwasher.

"Let me help you with that." Jess grabbed the bowl from his toddler's hands and put it in. "We are going to stay at Lorelei's Inn for a few days. It is going to be lots of fun. They have cable with lots of cartoons. Michel and Sookie will be there. I know how much you love the crazy French guy."

"Is Rory going to be there?" Toby said jumping up in his dads lap.

"We won't be seeing a lot of her. She is really busy while she is in town."

"Oh. I like her." Toby said jumping down. "Can I bring toys?"

"Yeah go get them. Pack them in your backpack. I will take care of your clothes."

Toby scurried off to collect his things. Jess sat in the kitchen thinking. 'Damn it Rory. The kid likes you and now you just bail. What was I thinking?' Jess walked into the bedroom to pack.

Rory had just woken up at Lane's. It seems Zach decided to play drums. Rory rolled over and covered her head. Lane was screaming at him to stop. Some rant about never touching her drums, the respect of a fellow musician. Rory giggled as she listened. She left shortly after waking up. Then she headed to her moms. She had asked the night before if her mom could arrange for Jess to stay at the Inn. She was feeling sort of bad about it now. She hoped he was gone by the time she got there. Pulling up she spotted his car and sighed.

She went in to the house and headed straight up the stairs to her mothers room.

"We are almost packed princess." Jess said to her as he walked into the living room.

"Jess don't be like this, I just thought it would be best."

"Ok. Well it was a lovely visit we had yesterday hope to do it again in the next 3 years."

"Jess I just can't get involved. Not with you. Not now."

"Who was asking you to get involved? We had a moment Rory it doesn't mean I want to get back together. I am sorry I brought up the song. I am sorry I said anything to upset you. Just stop trying to be Miss Innocent. You know it started with me running, now every time we meet it is the other way around." Jess stormed off to the bedroom with Rory following.

"We are still friends Jess. I just didn't think it was wise for us to be under the same roof. That is all."

"Shh." Jess put his finger to his mouth and glared, "I don't like to yell around Toby. It upsets him. Now please just let me go."

Toby came running out to greet them at the door. He hugged Rory and she smiled. He drug her into the room and pulled a picture out of a book. He handed her a picture. It was of her and Jess. She looked at it confused. It was from the wedding.

"Daddy said you were an angel. I asked who you were and he said an angel." The boy looked so proud that he figured out she was the same girl in the picture. "Give it back now." He took it and put it in a book on the bed.

"Howl? You found my copy and took it?" Rory laughed as she tried to change the subject off of what the little boy had just said.

Embarrassed Jess just nodded.

"Well I will let you get back to packing." She walked out of the room smiling about what the boy had just said and thinking of the night before in the rain. She remembered what Jess said as she walked away. A smile lit up her face and she turned to look at Jess.

"What are you staring at me like that for?"

"I heard you last night. When I was walking away."

"What are you talking about?" he said with a guilty face.

"I do too," she said walking away.

Jess smiled as she walked away. 'Why do we have to do this?' he thoughtto himself.

Later that evening Jess was at the Inn on his laptop finishing his article for A.P. magazine. He was lucky enough to score a job writing reviews on albums. There was a knock on the door and he looked over to make sure Toby was still asleep. He had just laid down for his nap. Before he could get to the door there was an envelope shoved under the door. Footsteps were heard walking away. He opened the door and no one was there. He bent down and looked at the envelope. He smiled and sat back down on the bed.

The envelope read:

To: Dodger

Fr: An old friend

He opened the envelope and pulled out the letter. Her handwriting was so delicate. He smiled and leaned back. The letter read:

Dodger,

I am sorry we have gotten off on the wrong foot. It seems we are always too stubborn to realize how much the other really cares. I would like to meet for dinner tonight. Mom said she would watch Toby. I do not want anything other than conversation and the company of an old friend. I will be at Luke's at 9pm. Luke said he would cook us a dinner then leave. I heard you were going to be there closing anyway.

Love Always,

Rory

P.S.

"You got a way of walking
You got a way of talking
And there's something about you
And now I know I never ever
Want to be without you" I do like that song.

Jess got up out of the bed and ran to find something to wear. Toby woke up as his father was in the bathroom fixing his hair. Toby walked in and looked up at his dad funny. Jess picked him up and sat him on the counter.

"Are you going to see the Angel?" Toby asked.

Jess looked at his son in disbelief, "Yes I am. What gave it away?"

"You look to pretty!" the child laughed.

"Thanks kiddo. Your going to Aunt Lorelei's and Uncle Luke's tonight."

"Can I go to the Diner? I want to see Kirk."

"Why?" Jess said with confusion.

"He owes me a dollar."

"What for?"

"He said he would give me one if you and Rory liked each other."

"Oh did he? How do you know you won?" Jess laughed

"Cause you smell funny and look pretty. Boys don't do that."

"This from a boy who wants to learn ballet."

Toby smiled and jumped down.

'This was going to be one hell of a night.' Jess thought to himself.