Where You Lead

Chapter 5

A/N: For McCartney coz she's the bestest!! Chev, coz I love her, and she's the most amazing beta eva!! And 'specially Jess, who collaborated with me on this chapter and makes me keep writing even when I don't wanna!! Bad!jess!

Pulling her jacket tighter around her Lane wondered if the chill she was feeling was because of the cool spring air or the fact that she was stuck waiting outside with Paris while Rory retreived her coat. The sounds of the party could still be heard from where they were waiting and Lane found herself wishing she was one of the lucky party goers, ignorant of the scandal unravelling around them. Paris had demanded that they leave not long after she found Lane and Jess. She'd claimed she was tired but she said it with a deadly glare that, for Paris wasn't unusual, but for Lane was scarier than ever.

"So… Enjoy the party?" Lane asked hesitently, trying to break the ice a little. If she could get Paris on her side, then perhaps Rory wouldn't have to find out about Jess before end of Spring Break.

"Oh yeah. It was just swell. It was hot, and sweaty, and the music sucked. Oh and and the best part... I found my roommate's best friend with her tongue down my roommate's ex-boyfriend's throat. It was a fantastic night, thanks for asking."

"Paris…"

"No. Don't Paris me, Lane! You're lucky I haven't told her myself! She does not deserve this! Don't you think her life has been complicated enough, without you adding to her dramas?"

"I'm not doing this to spite her!" Lane defended herself and her actions.

"Then why are you doing it? I know you don't actually like Jess! Nobody actually likes Jess!" Paris retaliated. All words left Lane's head. Did she like Jess? She'd never really thought about it. She'd never really had to. But if she was going to hurt her best friend, she needed to have a good reason. And the fact was… Yes. She did like Jess. He was smart, had good taste in music, so cute and challenged her on a level that no one else ever had. Even Dave couldn't compare. They were two completely different guys. At that moment Lane realised that she liked Jess, and she definitely wouldn't be able to end it with him without getting hurt herself. A look of disgust crept over Paris's face.

"Ugh! You do! You like him! What did Rory ever do to you?" She stomped off in search of better company. Lane had never been a crier, but she was tempted to start now. Guilt, but also anger surged through her, and before Paris was off too far, Lane ran after her and grabbed her arm, turning Paris around. Shocked, Paris just stared at her.

"Don't you think I also have the right to have someone?" Lane yelled.

"Think of Rory! How would she feel about it?" Paris yelled back.

"She's my friend too! You really think that I'd just forget her!" She really had thought about Rory. But Jess. She never felt about a guy, the way she was currently feeling about Jess.

"Yes!" Paris replied maliciously. A girl, the same age as them, approached them. Instead of asking what was up, or even settling the fight, she pushed Lane on Paris and started yelling.

"WE GOT A FIGHT! A CAT FIGHT!" People turned to see what was going on.

"FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!" Some drunk guys started cheering.

"Where's the mud when you need it!?" screamed another one.

"Push them into the lake!"

"Stop it, Paris!" Lane and Paris were now wrestling on the ground trying to strangle each other.

"Hey! Both of you stop!" Jess yelled as he pulled Lane away. They stopped on the bank of the lake. "What the hell was that about?"

"Jess…" Lane whined, trying to get back. "I was about to kick her ass!"

"Stop!"

"She's going to tell Rory and Rory's not supposed to find out and Rory will hate me!"

"Lane!" He took her by her shoulders and shook her gently. "You need to stop." He said firmly. His serious expression softened when he saw that her eyes glazing over.

"She'll hate me." Lane sobbed. "She'll hate me." Jess pulled her closer and just held her. After a few minutes Lane had calmed down a little. She pulled away just enough to look him in the eyes.

"Feeling better now?" She nodded, somewhat sheepishly.

"Thanks for pulling me off Paris." Jess smirked.

"Anytime."

"She was so going down."

"I saw. I'm impressed." Lane smiled. "You thinking about a career as pro wrestler?" Her smile grew wider.

"How about you spend the night at my place? You can calm down a bit more, Paris will also have time to calm down. We'll come up with a solution together tomorrow." Jess suggested. "And… we spend some time together without hiding from anybody."

"I can't. Rory will worry about where I am, and I want to tell her about us, myself. It's not fair for her to find out from Paris."

"I'll tell her." It was short, it was fast and so un-Jess, Lane thought she'd imagined it.

"You'll what?" She queried, hesitating slightly, before speaking.

"Let me tell her. I'll tell Rory tomorrow." Jess told Lane. "Until then, let her believe you went off with some stud." He smirked.

"Yeah… She'll never believe I settled for you instead!" Lane laughed.

"Come on." He looked down at his watch. "It's almost two." Lane had never been to his cabin. Was it even a cabin? Was he sleeping in a tent? He hadn't told her. They hadn't even really talked yet. Mostly they just made out. But Lane really liked his idea. Cuddling up to his side they walked along the bank to their destination.

Rory came out, to find Paris pacing around in rage.

"Paris!" The girl stopped.

"Hurry up. I want to go home." She started walking again. Rory came after her.

"Where's Lane?"

"Not here."

"Oh really? I didn't see. Where is she?"

"She met some guy and they're probably getting 'jiggy with it!'" Rory frowned.

"Lane? Lane just took off with some guy? My Lane?"

"Yes. Now let's go. I'm really tired." Rory figured she probably wouldn't get more out of Paris right now. She'd have to wait for Lane to explain.

The next morning Jess woke early, to find Lane sitting on the lake front, listening to a Discman. Not realising he was there, Lane jumped, in surprise.

"What're you listening to?" Jess asked her.

"I'm trying to figure out how Coldplay could be considered an alternative band. I mean, this guy is like… A young, straight, Elton John with a band."

"Huh." He sat beside her in silence.

The night before, they'd talked about everything. Music, books, movies, more music, New York, his current job – he was an acclaimed member of the waiting staff at some high class restaurant, and his living situation with his sophomore roommate Gavin. They even talked about Rory.

Now Lane knew the Jess, Rory knew, she didn't want to let him go. There was a whole other side to him once you got past the grunting and the attitude.

"Hey." Lane jumped again.

"God, Gavin!" She sighed. "Does everybody have to be so creepy?" The 20 year old, shrugged.

"So… Has anybody seen my keys? I'm still having problems seeing." Lane had met him at four in the morning when he was sneaking inside and she thought he was a burglar. She had dosed him with a large quantity of pepper spray before Jess could tell her that it was his friend.

"Yeah, well that's what you get when you skulk around in the middle of the night, and bump into Mama Kim's daughter!" Gavin shrugged again.

"Shit happens."

"They're probably in with that pile of laundry in your room." Jess suggested.

"Thanks." With that he left.

"It still amazes me that you two get on so well." Lane teased. Jess rolled his eyes.

"I already told you he needed a roommate and I needed to get out of that ten-guys-in-one-room-apartment."

After an hour or so of more talking and more kissing, Jess left Lane at his cabin, so he could do some Rory-control.

Approaching their cabin, he began to have second thoughts. Maybe he should have let Lane tell Rory. She was more likely to have taken it better from her anyway. But he was there now, he might as well get on with it.

Rory answered the door.

"Lane! Where-" A quizzical expression appeared on her face.

"Can I talk to you?" Was all Jess said. Closing the door behind her, Rory stepped out, onto the small porch.

"I… I'm really surprised you're here, but I actually wanted to talk to you too. I've been thinking about you. A lot actually, and I know that I made the right decision to send you away. It was the right decision at the time, but I've thinking about what you said, about us being meant to be together, and I think you were right. I know this is a lot to ask, but… Is there any way we could… Make it work, between us? I mean it's totally on the spot, but… I think we owe it to ourselves to give it another go. Right?" Jess just stood there, amazed. A year ago, he'd have scooped her off her feet and professed his love for her. But today… Before he got a chance to finish his thoughts, or compose a reply, Rory kissed him. On reflex, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer.

Please don't hate me. Don't burn my CD's. Don't have killed Jess. Lane thought to herself as she rounded the bend to her cabin. She'd taken it upon herself, to return in the middle of Jess's visit. That way he wouldn't have to do all the explaining on his own. That and Lane felt bad for letting him take the fall and possible decapitation for her. As she neared the porch, she glimpsed two figures, looking like they were having the reunion of the century. She didn't need to be any closer than she already was, to know who they were. Now she knew how it would have felt for Rory, to find out that her best friend was "with" her ex-boyfriend.

Jess tugged Rory away from him, mid-kiss.

"Wait… We… I… I'm kind of with someone."

"Oh." Rory looked away and rubbed the back of her neck. "Of course you are… I'm…"

"You left it too late. You told me to leave. Everything has changed now."

"Right, I'm sorry." Rory whispered feebly.

"Me too. I gotta go." Jess told her, backing away. Walking down the steps, he watched Lane run, up past the cabin and towards the convenience store.