A/N: Three things: First is that this chapter continues with the theme of transition...Consider all of these chapters a subtle shifting towards fifth gear. I recognize this one isn't that impressive, but what about second gear is? Secondly, thank you, thank you, thank you to reviewers. I really appreciate that you take a few moments to do that for me. Finally, you have my permission to hate Laurence.

The wedding was a classic Stars Hollow event. Lorelei, naturally, had Sookie cater the event, and held it on the Inn grounds. All of the most colorful Stars Hollow characters were in attendance, in addition to the other Gilmores and Logan, who strolled in fashionably late with Rory on his arm.

He was lucky Patty knocked over the flowers about five minutes before the ceremony should have started.

Otherwise, the wedding was uneventful. Jess focused on the task at hand to maintain his composure, refusing to allow himself to be envious of his uncle, or dwell on Mena, or consider the fact that even when he did leave, he would have no real home to go to, or contemplate how he would manage Christmas three weeks from then back in this lunatic town, or think about the life he could have had if he hadn't written that stupid book, or question the motives of Rory's continued glance in his direction while she cuddled with Logan. No, he focused, and thought about none of this.

Needless to say, Jess was glad he packed before hand, and told his friend, Laurence, who would pick him up, to arrive half an hour early.

Jess said his goodbyes quickly after the ceremony was over. A congratulations to Luke and Lorelei, an awkward hug from his mother, a scowl for TJ and "see you around" to Lane rounded out his exit and he moved quickly toward the diner to grab his bags the second he spotted Laurence's beat up Accord.

Of course, he would not get away so easily. He recieved a final visitor while he shoved his duffle back into an already-full trunk.

"Leaving already? Aren't you going to stay for the reception?" It was Rory.

"No," Jess responded taciturnly, and made an effort to shove the trunk lid down. Failing for the fifth time, he swore at his friend in the drivers' seat. "Laurence! Is there a reason why, having seen me pack this bag to leave, you would have made sure there was room for it?" A half mumbled swear accompanied his scolding, but Laurence had little response other than an obviously unapologetic "Sorry, man."

Rory quietly listened, before responding herself with a quiet, "Oh. Well...will you be back for Christmas?"

"No."

Rory had her arms folded uncomfortably, slightly hunched over and watching the ground when Jess turned around after finally succeeding in slamming the trunk closed. She hadn't figured out what to say, yet.

"Goodbye, Rory," Jess offered stoically and then planted himself in the passenger seat. Laurence put the car in gear to drive it away when Rory knocked on the window, probably more frantic then she intended.

Jess grumbled for his friend to stop and rolled down the window. "Is there someplace I can reach you?" It was honest in intent and bare of excuses. If his morning had been any different, he might have been slightly impressed.

"Yea, hold on," he relented and dug a Wal-Mart receipt and a pen from in between the center console and the seat to write his mostly-permanent cell phone number on it. She recieved it with a half-smile, and a "Goodbye, Jess," of her own, and Jess finally made it out of town.

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It wasn't until they were stuck in grid-lock just outside of New York City that Laurence finally opened his mouth, and it was in his patented talking at rather than talking to tone that he did it in. "My roommate moved out yesterday. Mena moved all your stuff from the apartment into his room."

"Well isn't that fucking convenient," was all Jess had to say in response.

"She left you a note, too, but I'm not going to give it to you. All you need to know about it is what I just told you. You're moving in with me, and she conned the landlord out of half a month's rent, which I am keeping for all the gas it cost me to drive you from Stars Hollow and back."

"She came to visit me this morning; there's nothing I don't know. I would like to know, however, why she told you so much, instead of telling me?" There was more than a little annoyance in Jess' tone.

"No need to be hostile. I only found this crap out yesterday morning, when she dropped all the boxes off...She came to visit you, though? I didn't expect that."

"Her timing was impeccable." Jess tapped his fingers impatiently against the door handle, hoping the locquacious Laurence would finally gather the intelligence to shut up and stop trying to analyze what he hadn't had time to process.

"Mena always marched to the beat of her own drum. What can you do? Shit, if I were in her shoes, I'm not sure I wouldn't have done the same thing. She once told me that she never felt like you were all there, anyway." Laurence couldn't have said anything less conducive to his face, or the sanity of his friend.

"Thanks for the support. Now drive." Jess hoped his terse irritation would encourage his friend to close his mouth. Of course, he would have no such luck.

"That was her, wasn't it? The Stars Hollow chick? Not exactly your type."

"What the hell is going on with you? Why all this chatter? Don't you know better? I thought Mena didn't tell you that much?"

"What is much?" Laurence commented slyly, and the urge to break his face surged even more powerfully into Jess' fingers.

"Look, I don't really want to talk about it, so if you could just shut up and drive so that I can get back to sleep, I'd appreciate it enough not to break your nose."

"Duly noted," were the last two words out of Laurence's mouth for the rest of the day.