Author's note: Hi all! Sooooo soooo soooorrrry for not updating for quite some time, but some of your reviews got me thinking and now I'm rewriting a lot of pieces. But don't worry, it'll all be okay in the end!

Also, in a while I'll start a new continuing future Literati, called "A Stuntman's heart". Won't tell you anything yet, except that I hope you'll recieve it with as much enthousiasm as you did my other stories.

Disclaimer: Do I really have to keep repeating myself? I do not own them!

Now, here's the next chapter! Especially for those of you who miss Kat!

He had no idea how he had gotten home after that. After he had delivered all the paperwork at the registration desk, he took a walk on campus just to acquaint himself to his new surroundings. He liked what he saw, he truly had to admit. He found out where Rory's dorm room was located. A shame he didn't steal her keys to take a peek inside. Well, he would see it later, he assumed, plenty of times probably. He also did the entire detour thingy through New Haven, which was every bit as boring as people claimed it was.

Soon enough he was driving his way home, registration papers in his bag, in a neat envelope with the Yale logo printed on it. For the first time he felt his nervousness slip away. Instead, he felt…proud. He did something to be proud of. He didn't let Luke down, didn't let Rory down, didn't let himself down. With a huge smile on his face he entered the diner, about to tell Luke his great news. But just before he wanted to barge into the kitchen, he held back. He had an idea. This was not something he wanted to tell in the middle of a crowded diner, even though the look of disbelieve on the residents' faces would surely be priceless. No, he needed to tell Luke, Rory and Lorelai in private. It meant he would have to wait a couple of more days. Until Christmas eve. It was the perfect moment.

So he didn't tell Luke, wiped the smile off his face and spent the rest of the day wiping down tables and taking orders, for once glad it was busy. When he felt like he would burst if he didn't tell anyone, he remembered he could. He yelled to Luke he would go upstairs and grabbed the phone and his notebook. The first phone number he called was Ms. McLean's office. It was probably too late in the evening for her to still be in her office, but he would leave her a message on her voice-mail.

That done, he dialed the next number on his list. After a few rings, Jimmy Mariano picked up the phone. Jess told him the news of his transfer to an Ivy League school in a matter-of-fact way and Jimmy reacted accordingly. Both knew that all they had to do was put in just a little more effort, but both were also sick and tired of trying. After wishing each other happy holidays, Jess was glad when he heard the dial tone. At least telling his family here the great news would be worthwhile.

His third phone call held just a little more promises. It could be fun.

She picked up after three rings, sounding cheerful.

"Happy holidays to anyone who's calling!"

"Same to you, Kat!"

"Jess! So great to hear from you! Please tell me you've broken up with Rory because now you realize I'm the love of your life!"

Jess grinned. That was Kat, alright.

"No can do, kitten, sorry 'bout that."

"Yeah, yeah, blah blah, you know you're forgiven. Just because you're so damn cute, mind you!"

"Honored, Kat!"

"So…how's life?"

Jess couldn't keep the smirk off his face.

"Life is great. No regrets about moving back so far. Luke seems to like having me back, Lorelai actually treats me like a human being and Rory…well, she's Rory."

"So you don't regret leaving me all alone here?"

The sound of something crashing and Kat yelping was clear to hear.

"Unless you developed telekinetic skills over the last few days, it doesn't sound like you're all alone out there."

"True, I'm having a little party, but it lacks something. Don't laugh at me, it does."

Jess sat down on the floor, the phone in his lap, trying not to laugh, but failing miserably.

"Do you have a punch bowl over there?"

"He's my special guest of honor."

"Than nothing seems to be lacking."

Kat relented. "Guess not. But…since you caught me before we exchange our vows and I become a happily intoxicated Mrs. Punch bowl…how's school hunting?"

"I think you should sit down."

"That kind of news? I need a glass of my fiancé. Hang on."

She let the phone slip and came back a minute later. Taking a large sip, she picked up again.

"Continue…"

"Well, I have two words for you. One of them is some kind of plant often used around Christmas."

"I hate riddles, Mariano, especially since my liquid lover here is not helping my brain to function."

"Think…wait, I'll give you a hint. It begins with an I"

"Mistletoe!"

"Kat, that doesn't start with an I"

"But it's a plant. And Christmassy too"

"Stop wining, Kat, think harder"

"Okay, hold your horses, I'm trying to think. Let's see…plant…some kind of plant…Christmas…I…Ivy…IVY…IVY LEAGUE! You got into Yale!"

"Ding ding ding, you just won first prize!"

"My god, that's…I'm so damn proud of you!"

"Thanks, I'm proud myself."

"You should be. How did Rory react?"

"She doesn't know yet. I haven't even told her I was applying. Didn't want to get her hopes up too high, in case they didn't want me."

"Of course they want you, stupid! When are you telling her?"

"I wanted to wait until Christmas eve, make it a surprise, for her and Luke."

"Do you think you can manage keeping your mouth shut for another 5 days?"

"I have to, I guess. It'll be difficult, but that's why I called you now. I had to tell someone, before I would burst."

"Well, thanks for thinking about me then. Please let me know how you're doing sometime. Look, I really gotta hang up now, my fiancé is being savagely attacked and quickly losing its lovely substance. He's counting on me to save him."

"I won't keep you from your noble quest then. Just do me a favor…practice safe sex with this guy, or you can call your kids Cirrhoses and Korsakov!"

"Very funny, Mariano! I'll send you a birth card. Hanging up now. Merry Christmas to you and your family. Say hi to Rory for me!"

"Will do and Merry Christmas to you too. Bye kitten!"

"Bye Jess!"

At very long last, December 24th came along. Jess found himself sitting on the floor of the apartment, surrounded by gifts and wrapping paper. This was most definitely not his favorite pastime but it had to be done. Setting his brain on automatic pilot he grabbed the first thing his hand found to start the ordeal. It was a blue woolen scarf he'd got Lorelai. Okay, wrap it, tape it, string it, label it. Done. Next.

His hand grabbed the next thing. An envelope. The envelope. How did that get between his Christmas presents? Just as he was about to set it aside, he changed his mind. He had enough colorful wrapping paper (courtesy of Lorelai)…he grinned. Wrap it, tape it, string it, label it. To Rory…no…even though she was his soul and even though she'd made him want to register for college in the first place, this was not a gift for her. He took out a new label and wrote "To Luke".

So, what's next?

A/N: What's next indeed. How will they react? You wanna know? Then make it worth it...you know how!