A/N- Blast from the past! I haven't updated this story in over two years! Don't ask me why I'm revisiting it now, I just have an itch. If you take a chance on reading this I promise to not go so long without an update, I actually have the nextfew chapters planned. This is kind of a filler chapter, I know, but I figured dealing with Dean would require a chapter all its own. Read and pretty please review!

Disclaimer: Broke college student! I own the bare necessities and that does not include a TV show.

-Chapter 8-

Rory shifted a little under a mound of blankets. With a sigh of sad content she decided she could definitely understand why some people chose to become hermits. Five hours. She glanced at her clock, Five hours and thirty-seven minutes she amended. Jess's lips against hers lofted into her mind and the smile that spread across her face was uncontrollable. For a second it overrode the fact that he was gone. The fact that Shane was in love with him. The fact that she couldn't have him. Dean had called. In true hermit fashion she had let the phone ring, barely looking in its direction. He could be so sweet sometimes, making sure to not call before noon on the weekends. Little did he know, she had been awake since seven-thirty. Little did he know, Jess had been on her mind since 7:30 and the way she felt about that fell just shy of guilty.

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Laying the open book across his knee, Jess turned his head to gaze out the window. The scenery that whizzed by barely registered in his head. Over and over he had to remind himself that leaving Star's Hollow was a good thing. Kissing Rory had been rash, it changed nothing. Sure, she said she wasn't sorry that the kiss had happened, but what did that mean? That she was willing to break up with her perfect bag boy boyfriend to be with him? He had no delusions that that would ever happen. He was the bad boy and every girl went through that phase, he was just glad that he had been there for Rory's. No other girl had been able to get into his head like she had and he knew full well if he stayed there any longer she would be in his heart, if she wasn't already.

As if Rory constantly entertaining his thoughts wasn't difficult enough to deal with, Shane's big announcement had certainly caught him guard. Love? He hadn't seen that one coming. To him their relationship had been about what happened when they were alone in her bedroom and he had honestly believed it was the same for her. Eventually he would have to call her, explain that he didn't feel the same way. Eventually.

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"Up!" Lorelei sang out in Rory's bedroom when she got home from work that night. "Geez, have you even moved since I left."

Under the blankets Rory shrugged. "I ate lunch." She paused as if deep in thought. "And I went to bathroom once or twice."

Lorelei nodded. "Just as I suspected. Up!" She called out again, reaching for the blankets that engulfed her daughter. "We're going to Luke's."

Once again the kiss they shared that morning flooded her mind with a vengeance. She was sure her cheeks turned red. "How about Al's?" She tried, plastering a 'please, for me' look on her face.

"How about Luke's?" Her mother's face mirrored her own.

She sighed heavily, "Fine." Throwing the covers back, she swung her legs over the side of her bed. "The things I do for you."

"You love Luke's." Came Lorelei's confused response as Rory left her room.

"You're food is in front of you. Not upstairs." Lorelei looked at her only child with an expression of worry. "Nothing, or should I say no one, is up there."

Her eyes remained rooted on the stairs for a moment longer. "I know."

"Sweetie," she now put her fork down and turned towards her daughter. Placing her hand gently on Rory's arm, the girl finally turned to look at her mother. "I know you and Jess were close, but babe…"

"I know, he's gone and I need to accept that. I shouldn't miss him, he's bad for me, we were just friends, yadda yadda yadda. I've told myself all of this. I'm fine, mom, really. He just left today, I just need a minute to adjust."

Lorelei put her arm around Rory and leaned in close, "Adjust fast, 'cause Dean just walked in."

Plastering a smile onto her face, Rory turned to greet her boyfriend as he leaned in to give her a chaste kiss. Her head didn't cloud and she didn't feel it in her toes. "Hey." She muttered when they pulled apart.

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"I'm glad you're finally here." Jimmy greeted his son as he stepped of the bus. Not sure what to say, Jess only nodded. The car ride to the house was silent. "Sasha and Lily are out right now. They went to the grocery store to get food for dinner. You're really going to like Lily. She's an interesting kid."

Jess was interested at the mention of Lily. "Is she yours?" He couldn't help his bluntness. A need to know if his dad had stuck around for a child that wasn't him burned within him.

"No, she's Sasha's. I only have one kid." He eyed his son once again. "I really am glad you're here Jess. I want to make up for all those years ago."

"I'm not sure you can." It was said without bitterness, only honesty.

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The phone glared at Jess from where it was perched next to the fold-out couch that would serve as a bed until they could transform Sasha's studio into a bedroom. Losing the battle inner battle he was enduring he picked up the phone and dialed collect. She picked up, he knew she would. "I'm glad you called. Even if it is the middle of the night."

His watch said it was almost ten, meaning it was in the early morning hours. "I thought about not calling. I wanted to not call." He answered not apologizing for the time.

The line was momentarily quiet and he knew his words had stung her. "I caught you off guard today, I know that. But Jess…I meant what I said. I love you." Shane confessed softly. "The whole plan was to not fall for you, to just have fun. And boy was it fun." He'd never heard her so serious.

"Shane, I don't…"

"Love me back? I know, but maybe one day…" She trailed off, her meaning hanging in the air. No, screamed in his head. Loving Shane? He couldn't even wrap his mind around it, but her voice was so small on the other end of the phone. "Just think about it. Maybe I could like come see you when school gets out?"

Leaning forward he placed his elbow on his knee and rubbed at his forehead. "I don't know about that Shane. I just got here myself. Give it some time and then maybe."

"Really?" She sounded excited that he was even considering the idea. "I'll wait as long as you want. Promise."

"Ok, look, I'm going to go. Sorry I called so late, I forgot about the time difference."

"It's ok. Talking to you was like so worth it." With seriousness gone from her voice and the reappearance of the words like and so, he remembered why he'd chosen her to keep his mind of Rory. All the perks of a girlfriend and none of the hassle. Boy had she thrown that idea out the window with just three little words.

"Night Shane."

"Good night, Jess. I love you!"

Without responding he hung up the phone. "Yeah, that went well." He muttered to himself.