Jess Mariano drummed his fingers on the side on the car, sighing as he glanced over at his uncle. His dark brown hair was styled messily in a way only Jess could; the only way he liked it. Attire consited of torn, faded jeans, and a rather attractive emerald green shirt. He growled something under his breath, taking a quick glance out the window, before snapping his gaze back to his uncle.

" Will you tell me where the hell we're going?" He hissed, eyes narrowing slightly.

" Nope." Luke Danes snapped from beside the teen, a rather triumpant smirk curling upon his features.

Brow furrowed in confusion, Jess sitting straighter as they drove into Star's Hollow. Jess looked up expectantly at his uncle, brow raising.

" Well...?"

" Well what?"

" What are we doing here?"

Luke parked beside his diner, glancing over at his nephew with a slightly embarressed expression.

" Erm...I brought you're here for a specific reason."

" ..And that is?"

" ..I need you to be the best man. In my…wedding."

Jess looked over at his uncle, brow raised suspiciously.

" You're getting married." He repeated slowly, propping his head on his hand, and staring out the window.

" And who is this unluckly woman?" Jess said sarcastically, with a smirk.

" Shut up."

" Well, who is it?"

"...Lorelai."

His brow instantly shot up. There was a long silence. Then Jess finally spoke, letting the words slowly slip off his tongue.

" …Lorelai? As in...Lorelai Gilmore?"
Silence.

" …Yes."
" That means…Rory's going to be there. ...Right?" Jess spoke her name softly, as if cherishing the word.

Luke didn't respond for a moment. " I think we should get out of the car now."

" You never answered my question."

" Come on." Luke pushed open his door, Jess trailing behind him. He opened his mouth to pose another question, just as Lorelai came up behind them.

" Luke!" She squealed, wrapping her arms around him, and kissing his cheek softly. Her eyes shot to Jess, pursing her lips at the sight of the familiar teen infront of her. " Jess?" A confused expression came over her face, which quickly changed to a rather angry look. " What the hell are you doing here?" She hissed, eyes narrowing slightly. "Here to break some more hearts?"
Jess narrowed his eyes. For a moment he was speechless, not knowing how to respond to the last part of her greeting. " Erm…" He paused, then smirked. " I'm glad my Uncle Luke told you the good news! I'm his best-"

" Best nephew!" Luke interjected quickly, giving a fake grin. " He's great.."

Lorelai raised a brow. " That explains…a lot." She muttered, tapping her foot slightly. " So, why is he really here."
Luke opened his mouth to speak, then quickly shut it with a sigh.
" Jess is…my best man." He muttered under his breath.

" Excuse me?"

" Jess in my best man."

" Still can't hear you.."
" Dammit, Lorelai! Jess is my best man!"

" ..For our wedding?"
Luke closed his eyes in frustration, lacing his fingers together, and sighing.

" Now, who else's wedding do you think he would be in, hmm?" He snapped, adjusting the blue baseball cap on his head.

Lorelai sighed.
" Why the hell did you want him to be your best man?"

" 'Cause I'm the best." Jess broke into their argument, smirking. " That's what Luke said, right?"

Just then, the sound of padding footsteps was heard behind them.

" Mom! Luke!" Rory came running to them, waving her hand with a broad grin. As she approached them, she messed with her plain blue t-shirt, straightened ot her jeans, before giving her mother a tight hug.

" Whoa, kid. What's with all this?"

" All what?"

" The beautiful clothes your wearing."

Rory rolled her eyes. " You told me to wear something simple, so I did."

" Wait, wait. I get no hello?"

Rory inhaled sharply, closing her eyes tightly, listening to the voice that echoed around in her head. The voice of the one that she so longed to forget, the one who's voice haunted her ever moment.

Jess.

- 15 minutes later-

" Rory?"

She felt arms grip around her waist.

" J-jess?"

" No, hun. It's me."

" Mom, is Jess…here?"

" You kind of…blacked out, kid."

" Erm..I blacked out?"

" Fainted. Yeah."

" Oh…"

Rory blinked open her eyes, seeing Luke and Lorelai hovering over her.

" Where…where's Jess?"
" Why do you even care where he is?" Lorelai replied bitterly, scrunching up her face in disgust.

" …Well, do you know where he is?" Rory asked against, propping herself up against the pillows.

" He's at Luke's." Lorelai replied, rolling here eyes slightly.

" Okay…thanks." Rory quickly got up, running her hands through her hair, and patting down her clothes. She quickly ran through the front door, looping around the corner, and running until she got to Luke's. She paused, panting lightly, before glancing through the window.

She felt her insides tighten, as she saw the boy inside staring at her. She bit her lip, and closed her eyes tightly as she blindly made her way into the empty diner.

" Rory?" She felt his arms strap around her waist, his hot breath beating down on her neck.

" J-Jess…Stop." She whispered, a shudder slinking down her back. He gently stroked her hair, kissing a trail up her neck.

" Jess, stop!" She exclaimed, pulling herself away, blushing profusely. She glared over at him.

" W-why did you have to come back?" She whispered, biting her bottom lip to keep from crying. " You've caused me enough pain already."

He shuffled his feet slightly, brushing the dirt from his faded jeans.

" I… I wasn't the one that wanted to come here in the first place-"

" So you didn't want to see me?"
" N-no, that's not what I meant..."
" Then what do you mean?"

" Dammit, Rory, I'm sorry!"

"...For what?"

" Everything! For walking out on you all those times, causing you all the pain I've caused…I'm sorry, Rory. I'm just…sorry."

She paused, looking away, and allowing the tears to fall gently from her bright blue eyes.

" How can I really believe that?" She spat bitterly. " You say you're sorry, every time, over and over. But you don't change. It's meaningless, Jess." She paused, not daring to look up. " You're just a painful memory to me now."

She began to cry harder, shaking to no end.

" Rory, don't cry…" He whispered, trying to grasp her in his arms, but she just pulled away. " I don't need you anymore, Jess. I hate you." She whimpered, throwing herself out the door, and running in the direction of her house. His gaze followed after her, as he sighed.

" She hates me. Great job, Mariano, you've done it again."