Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls so don't sue me.

A/N: Sorry it's taken so long to update. I've had a serious case of writer's block. This is actually the second version of Ch. 7 I've written and I'm still not sure how I feel about it.

-Chapter 7-

"You don't have to do this." Luke felt like he was repeating himself. He didn't realize it would hurt to see Jess leave, again.

Jess shoved a few remaining CD's into his duffel bag and zipped it up. "I know, I want to do this."

Luke nodded at his nephew. "As long as you're sure."

"I am."

"I'm here, if you ever need anything. Or if your dad isn't what you want him to be. Or if..."

Jess smirked slightly. "I get the picture."

"Ok, good." For a moment neither spoke. The silence finally getting to Luke, he took his baseball hat off and ran his hand through his hair. "We should probably get downstairs. Lorelei has probably passed out from a lack of caffeine."

Jess could almost picture it in his head. "Yeah, we should." He headed for the door, but Luke stopped him.

"Hey Jess?"

"Yeah?"

Luke stepped towards him. "I'll miss having you around."

"Aww, I knew you cared."

"I won't miss your smart mouth though."

Jess smiled, "I'll miss being around."

"So, um, do we..." His voice trailed off, but then he finished the sentence. "Hug or something?"

Jess rolled his eyes at his uncle. "We could."

"Have we ever done that before?"

"Nope. Not that I recall."

Luke nodded. "You were three."

"Huh?"

"The last time we hugged, you were three."

"Oh." He watched as Luke stepped forward and stuck his hand out. Jess took it and gave it a firm shake.

"Come here," Luke told him and pulled him into a quick hug. "You're family, Jess."

Jess pulled back and gave him an amused look. "So that's why there's the title Uncle before your name? I've always wondered about that."

Luke just shook his head. "Let's go."

`````

"There you are!" Lorelei exclaimed as the two men came downstairs. "We were starting to get impatient."

"You were starting to get impatient." Rory reminded her.

Lorelei shot a glare at her daughter. "Picky picky." She quickly turned her attention to Luke and put on her best puppy dog face. "Coffee?"

"Only because it's 7:30 in the morning and I fear for my safety if I don't give it to you." He told her, reaching behind to counter to pull out a freshly brewed pot.

"You, my friend, are a God."

Luke sighed, "Just what I always wanted to be. The Coffee God."

"It suits you."

Jess stepped closer to Rory and leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Can I talk to you upstairs for a minute?"

She could feel his warm breath on her ear and neck and for a moment her brain clouded over. "Uh, yeah, sure." She finally mumbled. "We'll be right back." She called to her mom and Luke before following Jess upstairs.

"She's going to miss him, as much as I hate to admit it, she will miss that boy." Lorelei observed with a sad smile.

Luke continued to look at the stairs they had disappeared up. "They were getting pretty close."

"Too close." She added remembering Rory telling her about the kiss they had shared.

Luke finally turned his gaze to Lorelei. "He would never hurt her."

"Not intentionally." She sighed. When the diner lapsed into silence she folded her arms on the counter and placed her head in them. "Night, Luke. Wake me when the bus gets here."

`````

Rory's eyes took in the apartment for what could have been the hundredth time since the "remodeling", but she didn't recognize it at all. The surfaces that once housed Jess' CD's and books were now bare, the bed was neatly made and no clothes cluttered his side of the room. "Wow, you're really leaving." She stated the obvious.

"Yeah, it looks that way."

Wrapping her arms around her midsection she appeared to be physically trying to hold herself together. "Star's Hollow will be less interesting without you."

"I'm sure I won't be missed too much."

A frown formed on her face. "By some people, you will."

"You're a rare one Rory Gilmore." He informed her.

Her eyes watered slightly and she sighed. "Don't be a stranger. If you don't come back and visit I'm going to have to follow you to California just like I did when you went to New York."

"Following me to California will be a lot more expensive."

"I have the money."

"The bus ride would be longer. Days longer."

"As long as I have a window seat, I'll survive."

"Los Angeles is a big city."

"I'll find you."

"The..."

With a shake of her head she cut him off. "Just shut-up and say you'll visit."

"Do both of those things at the same time?"

She laughed softly. "Smart-ass."

"Did Rory Gilmore, princess purity, just utter a curse word?" He asked, feigning shock.

"Yeah, she did. What are you going to do about?"

Taking a step forward, he lowered his face dangerously close to hers. "This." He whispered, his warm breath brushing against her lips, causing a shiver to run down her spine. Before she could utter a protest, his lips were on hers. They moved ever so gently against hers and her arms found their way around his neck, her hands tangling in his hair. She pulled him even closer until she pressed firmly against him. Both were breathless when they finally pulled apart. Rory sighed softly, her eyes still closed. Jess smiled down at her and brushed a strand of hair out of her face. "We should go downstairs."

Rory's eyes flew open as Jess' words broke through the haze that had descended on her as soon as their lips had met. "Yeah, I guess we should." She watched as he moved towards the door and swung it open.

"You coming?" He called over his shoulder.

She nodded and took a few steps to follow him, but then abruptly stopped. "Jess, I..." She trailed off and lowered her eyes to the floor."

"You what?" He asked curiously.

With a quick shake of her head she hurried to the doorway. "Never mind," she mumbled as she brushed past him and hurried down the stairs.

`````

"We thought you two were doing something dirty up there." Lorelei called out, much more cheerful than before.

"Mom, ewww." Rory laughed. "How many cups of coffee did he give you?" Her eyes slid over to Luke and then back to her mother.

Lorelei shrugged. "I lost count after the fifth one."

"The bus will be here soon." Luke informed them.

Jess nodded. "We should probably go outside and wait."

Lorelei stood up. "Probably." The four of them slowly exited the diner and found themselves standing quietly on the sidewalk. "I'm surprised Taylor isn't throwing a party or something." She commented.

"He's probably just waiting till after Jess leaves so he can at least appear to be polite."

"I bet that party would have a big turn-out." Jess added. Rory started to say something, but Jess cut her off. "It would. Taylor, obviously, Dean, Lane and Mrs. Kim, Babette, you." He finished his eyes trained on Lorelei.

Before Lorelei could defend herself, Rory burst out laughing. "Hun, you're suppose to be on my side here."

"No, no." Rory waved her hand in front of her face. "It's not that."

"Then what's with the laughing?"

Placing her hand on her stomach she tried to suppress the giggles that refused to quit. "I know someone who will be sorry to see Jess go."

"Who?" Luke asked with a frown.

"Miss Patty!" Rory exclaimed as a new fit of laughter overcame her. "She'll be sorry to see her eye candy go! You should here some of the things she says about you."

Thinking about a few conversations she had had with Miss Patty about Jess Lorelei start laughing as well. A smile formed on Luke's face as well. "That's just gross." Jess told them. Suddenly the bus pulled up to the curb and came to a stop.

"We leave in five minutes." The driver called out to him.

Jess nodded at him and then turned back to the three people who had come to see him off. "This is it."

Lorelei was the first to speak. "You were wrong. I wouldn't go to Taylor's party." She paused for a second. "Well, I would. But only for the food." She assured him. "Send me some California sand."

With a shake of his head, he agreed. "Will do." He promised and was caught of guard when she gave him an awkward embrace. "Never do that again."

"Never!" She smiled and stepped away so the others could say goodbye.

Luke went next. "We don't need another sappy goodbye, do we?"

"No, I can do without the mush." They shook hands. "I'll miss you Uncle Luke." It was the first time he had used he word Uncle in a non-sarcastic way.

"Aww, they're so cute together!" Lorelei exclaimed from behind them.

Luke stepped away from his nephew and glared at Lorelei. "Shut-up."

"But Lukey..." Lorelei whined and they began another one of their infamous quarrels.

Feeling her feet moving in Jess' direction, she blocked the two adults out and focused on the person in front of her. 'Don't cry,' she told herself firmly. "You'll visit?" She asked.

"Only because I don't want you to get lost wondering the streets of LA."

"I'd be fine. You saw how well I adapted to life in The Big Apple."

Jess smirked. "I thought I told you only tourists call it that."

"Right, right. I forgot."

"I'll call you?" It was more of a question, as if he were asking for her permission.

"I'd like that."

His eyes traveled to the apartment above Luke's. "Sorry about earlier." He wasn't, but he knew she thought it was a mistake. He figured he's apologize so he wouldn't have to hear it come from her. The last thing he wanted to hear before he left Star's Hollow for good was that their kiss had been a mistake, because she loved Dean.

"Don't be." Her words caught him off guard and he quickly brought his gaze to her face. "I'm not." She brought her arms around his neck and placed her head on his shoulder.

His arms automatically went around her waist, turning his head slightly he could smell her shampoo. Breathing her in, he memorized how it felt to hold her in his arms, knowing the opportunity would most likely never present itself again. Finally he pulled back to look at her, his hands still placed in her waist. "Good-bye Rory." A single tear escaped and he reached forward, brushing it away with the pad of his thumb. "Don't cry. I'm not worth it."

"Yes, you are. To me anyway." The bus driver called to Jess that it was time to load his stuff under the bus.

"I got it." Luke told him and grabbed the bags Jess was taking him with now.

Turning to board the bus, Jess stopped at the sound of calling his name. "Jess! Wait!" He saw Shane running towards him. Before he could process what was happening she had thrown herself into his arms. "I know we broke up when you told me you were leaving, but I don't wanna break up. I love you." She kissed him quickly and detangled herself from him. "Call me as soon as you get there."

Jess tried to find Rory's eyes, but she refused to look at him. "You coming or not, kid?" The driver asked.

Finally Jess got on the bus. "I'm coming." He replied as he passed and headed to an empty seat. Sitting, he gazed out the window at Luke, Lorelei, Rory and Shane and the bus slowly rolled away from Star's Hollow.