A/N – Hey guys! Thank you so much for the reviews! I was bouncing up and down in my seat for hours because of them! I'm sorry this took so long. I finished it last night, but the computer crashed, and I thought I had saved it, but there was an error with it. Le sigh. Needless to say, I had to re write it all today.

Disclaimer – Don't own it. (

- Chapter 2 -

- Cursed, or blessed? -

Luke was coming out from behind the counter in the diner to lock the front door, when the phone rang.

He sighed as he answered it, "Luke's, we're closed."

He was about to hang it up when a voice on the other end stopped him.

"Luke, its Lorelai, we need to have a talk about that nephew of yours."

"What has he done this time?" He asked calmly. There was almost nothing that could shock him when it came to Jess.

"Well, he saw Rory tonight when she was getting burgers, she saw him too then ran off, he followed her right through the town square, then she finally stopped, and he told her he loved her, then ran off to his car and left."

"He - he what?" This, however, was one of the few things that could shock him. "He actually said that he loves her? My nephew Jess?"

"No, Taylor's nephew Jess. Who do you think?"

"Taylor has a nephew called Jess?"

"LUKE!"

"Okay! So, what do you want me to do about this?"

"Where is he?"

"What?"

"Where is Jess? What's his phone number? Where can I find the little punk?"

"Lorelai, I'm not giving you his number."

"Well his address then?"

"You'd go to New York to see him?"

"New York! Ha! There's a start. Come on, spit out the rest of it."

"Lorelai! What makes you think I - Hold on a second."

The bell on the door had just rung. Luke turned around to see who had walked in. He almost dropped the phone.

"Jess?"

"Jess is there?" Said Lorelai.

"Hold on." Luke said into the phone. "Look, I'm gonna have to call you back. Don't come over. Please. I'm gonna have a talk to him."

"Fine. Bye."

"So Jess," Luke began as he hung up the phone. "What are you doing back so soon? Do you miss me sticking my nose in other peoples business and trying to help them already, or have you come to tell the rest of Stars Hollow you're in love with them?"

"So Lorelai told you." Replied Jess.

"Yeah, Lorelai told me. Are you here to do more damage or what? You must have upset her pretty bad for Lorelai to get so worked up about it."

"Yeah, well it was better than leaving it for eight years and not saying anything to her."

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

"You and Lorelai. The fact that you're head over heels for her, and have been forever. You just don't have the guts to tell her."

"That's not true!" cried Luke. "And don't bring me into this. This is your screw up!"

"Screw up? I told Rory that I love her. And now I just – I just need to know if.."

"If what Jess? If she's still pining over you?"

"No! I mean, maybe, I guess. No. No, I need to know if she loves me. If she ever loved me."

"Jess.."

"No, Luke, please, let me do this. I promise to get the hell out of here as soon as I know."

"And what if she still loves you?"

Jess took a deep breath in and stared at the ground.

Luke prompted him, "Well? You can't just take off again. You can't break her heart again Jess. Its really not fair on her!"

"Then I'll stick around, if she wants me to. And if you'll let me." Jess replied, eyes still downcast.

"So you want to come live here again, with me? After the way you've spoken to me?"

Jess looked up from the ground and straight at Luke. "Please Luke."

Luke sighed for the second time that night. "If you stay, and that's a huge if, you will live strictly by my rules, you will do exactly as I say. There will be no arguments whatsoever, because my word will be final, you hear me?"

"Well she hasn't said anything yet, has she? She will probably tell me to go away, and never come back."

"If she has any sense, then I imagine she will. Till then go put your stuff upstairs and try and get some sleep. You're helping me open in the morning."

"Aye, aye." Jess responded dully. He walked over to the stairs that lead to the apartment above. A small voice in his head was saying, 'Idiot, idiot, idiot. What have you just gotten yourself into? You know you're going to regret this.'

He sighed as he ascended the aforementioned staircase.

He knew he was probably making a big mistake, but it was too late to back out now.

He walked into the apartment, pulling a book out of his back pocket, heading towards the bed. He opened it as he lay down, and began to read.

xxx

Before he knew it he was asleep. Dreaming the same dream that had haunted him for the last year. He would find himself walking through nothingness, when suddenly, dead ahead of him a girl with shoulder length straight brown hair would materialise.

She always had her back to him. He knew it was her, but he also knew he could never reach her, and never get her to turn around.

The dream plagued him during his waking hours too. He would find himself walking down the street when he would see the back of a girl with hair the same as Rory's, and he would stop in his tracks and just stare. He knew it was stupid. But he couldn't help it.

He thought himself a man cursed. But he was also a man blessed. He just didn't know this yet.

A/N – So, you like? Tell me all about it. ;)