Author's note:

Wow! People are still reading my story! People still like it.

Thanks to al of you who took time to review this story. Your encouragement makes me want to continue.

This will be the last update before my well-deserved (?) holiday, so I made it extra long for you to enjoy. Reviews welcome as usual!!!

Disclaimer: Nope...still own nothing.

When Kat had left, Rory put her head on her pillow and silently sobbed. When she had promised Jess over the phone that she wouldn't pine for him she hadn't been lying. At that moment, she had really believed she would simply learn to live without him. And she had. She was still alive and still without him. But that was all. Merely alive, merely existing. Going to classes, doing assignments, drinking her coffee and reading. The only pleasure she allowed herself was talking to her mom and Lane a few times in a week.

But somehow that didn't change the lack of lust for life in her. She simply missed the buzz Jess gave her life, she missed the fun and laughter they had shared, the bantering about books or movies. She missed those more than their frequent make-out sessions. And, worst of all, she regretted her missed chance at losing her virginity. It sounded trashy, but Rory knew she was ready to have sex. And now the only one she had ever wanted to share that experience with was gone.

She remembered vividly how her body had reacted at Kyle's party. The reason she had pushed Jess away had nothing to do with any lack of physical excitement. If it had been pure for that, she would have jumped him before he jumped her. She had pushed him away because she felt something was wrong; something he didn't want to tell her. Again. And she didn't want to have sex with someone who kept secrets from her. Again. But yes, she had wanted him, she knew sexual attraction even when the entire population of Stars Hollow was still convinced she wasn't even capable of thinking dirty thoughts, anything beyond the almost chaste kisses she had received from Dean.

So here she was, pining over him anyway. Wanting him still in every way possible. This morning he was in her head and heart as a fond yet painful memory. Now, with the arrival of Kat, he suddenly bounced back into her memory like an opportunity, a second chance. Was she a fool if she let it pass by? If she still did as she was expected to do? Just roam around her dorm until a new and decent student presented himself?

Suddenly, she sat straight up. Why did she have to think this over again and again? Why not be proactive, take a dare, take a plunge? Why not let everything and everyone be and just…run as fast as she could back into the arms of the one person she needed?

Maybe it was irrational, but Rory then and there stopped caring. With her overnight bag still unpacked, she was as ready to go as she would ever be. The only problem: how to tell her mom?

Only fifteen minutes after Lorelai had given Kat the key to her room, her daughter walked, or rather, ran in. "Mom, can you spare a minute?"

"For my young-un? Anytime."

"Can we talk somewhere, you know, in private?" Rory pointed to Michel, who didn't even try to pretend he was busy.

"Let's go to the kitchen. Sookie has just left and she made some yummy coffee just before." "Good, let's go."

Rory managed to stall the inevitable for a few more minutes, savoring her precious java. But when she found her mother looking at her intently, she snapped out of it. "Rory? Is there something you wanted to tell me?"

Okay, here goes nothing. "Mom, you remember Kat, right?"

"Girl about your age, staying here at the inn? I'm not senile yet, dear."

"You could fool me, but that's beside the point. Point is…she came here for a reason."

"Luke's coffee?"

"No, not really."

"Porcelain unicorn?"

"Nope."

"Well, then let's not make this into a guessing game. Why is she here?"

"To eh…talk to me."

"She doesn't even know you. Well, she does now, obviously, so what subject could you girls have in common?"

"Jess." Rory murmured his name quickly under her breath, but her mother heard it anyway.

"Jess?"

"That's what I said."

"Jess? Luke's nephew Jess? Rebel without a clue Jess? Gnome-stealing Jess? Prankster Jess? Leaving without telling his girlfriend Jess?"

"Yes, that Jess. How many of them do you know?"

Lorelai groaned. "Just that one, believe me, that's plenty."

"Mom, could you please skip the rant, or just postpone it till I'm done talking?"

"But after I can rant?"

"As much as you think is needed."

Sigh. "Alright, have it your way. No ranting until after the talk. But I want to know everything, okay?"

Rory nodded and hesitantly told her mother everything Kat had told her. About Jess's graduation and him attending UCLA, about his pining over her, and the worst (for her mom anyway), her need to go to California to see him. To face him and maybe to save what was left of their relationship.

Lorelai was dumbfounded. By the time Rory finished her plea, she had tears in her eyes. Motherly feelings and a deep understanding of the way love worked fought for control. Lorelai the mother did not want to loose her child to some boy she still didn't trust. But also had to acknowledge that she could not forbid her now grownup daughter to go. And that not trusting her, not standing by her whatever her decision would turn out to be would certainly mean losing her. Lorelai the best friend wanted Rory to be happy and was almost bouncing off the walls herself. Love was a strong thing. Whatever the outcome, love was always worth the amount of effort put into it. Her own experience had told her as much. And though it hadn't worked out for herself in the past, it had given her a precious gift anyway. Her only child. And now that only child was ready and willing to fight for her own love. So there was no stopping her anyhow.

Rory looked intently at her mother as she saw all emotions swipe across her face. There was anger, confusion and hurt, almost immediately being replaced by understanding and love. And determination as Lorelai suddenly jumped off her stool.

"Let's go."

"Go where?"

"Go get Kat and let's go to Luke's. I'm not letting you go without hearing more and without making a plan. The best place is where they serve the best coffee!"

Rory stood nailed to the floor for a moment before realization sunk in. Her mom would not throw a rant, would not stick her head into the oven and turn on the gas, her mom…her mom would let her go. She hugged the older Gilmore tightly.

"I love you mom."

"Same here."

"Thanks for understanding."

Lorelai shrugged. "I do understand. I've been there. And I'll die first before becoming Emily Gilmore on you. Just…just be careful, okay? Don't let him break your heart again."

Kat was delighted when she was asked to join the two Gilmores at Luke's. She knew she had just won a very big part of her quest. Now she and Rory could carefully plan out the next step.

Meanwhile, UCLA...

While Kat and Rory were discussing their plans, on the other side of the States, Jess was still completely oblivious. Right now, he found himself at a party he didn't want to be at and probably wasn't even invited to. He just tagged along with Jared, a guy he remotely knew from advanced literature class, who had invited him to crash a party with some other guys he didn't know or wanted to know.

Cradling a beer he took in his surroundings. It had been a long time since he had been in a place like this. Crashing parties had never been such a big deal back in New York, but right now it was like he was losing his touch. Back in New York, in a time before he was sent away to the place he tried to forget, he would have found himself a girl to amuse himself with for the duration of the night. Here, the girls were sexy and available, but he wasn't. Maybe he wasn't wasted enough yet, but even drinking had lost its appeal. This beer was only his second and it took a lot more than that for Jess Mariano to even feel the buzz of being drunk. Tonight, he didn't want to feel that buzz. Tonight, he knew he was trying too hard.

It had been a bad day. Filled with dreams and thoughts he couldn't escape from. Her eyes, her hair, even her scent seemed to surround him. Without Kat being there to cheer him up or to talk to, he had gladly accepted Jared's invitation. Just an attempt to forget. A mistake, he knew now. He should have known that even getting loaded, or even getting lucky with any or all available girls would only make him forget for a while. Just to haunt him later. Might as well leave the detour then and wallow now. It would spare him a hangover as a bonus.

He had asked himself several times how he would react if he would ever see her again. Not that he ever wood. But just if…what would he do? The answer to that was easy. He would hold her tiny beautiful body close to his and promise her heaven on earth if she would stay with him forever. And he would die if she would turn him down, which, if she was smart, she would do. And yes, Rory was smart. Didn't she tell him herself she wouldn't pine over him?

What would she be doing right now? Did she have a boyfriend? Was she happy? He certainly hoped so. Wait…no he didn't. He certainly didn't. The happy part he could live with. Of course he wanted the girl he loved to be happy. But the boyfriend part, no way! He was honest enough to admit to himself he would never be quite ready to think about the possibility of her moving on. Cause, in all honesty, if he couldn't, why would he want her to?

Jess finished his now disgusting stale beer and made a mad dash for the front door. He made a big mistake in coming here tonight.