"No! I am totally winning. I definitely saw Nebraska first," Rory yelled to Jess, playing license plate bingo.
"Liar," Jess told her. "I said Nebraska at least five seconds before you did."
"I think this game is getting too competitive for people like us. We're both pretty stubborn," Rory pointed out.
"I guess. I think you're just backing down because you know that I said Nebraska before you did," Rory gave him a look. "I'll let it slide, and won't bring it up again." Jess stretched his arms from his seat in Rory's car. "So, I was thinking about your job. You know, when you move back to Stars Hollow. I think that you should work at a newspaper there. Not Stars Hollow, but I don't know, maybe in Hartford or Woodbridge. That way, it would be a lot closer than New York, easier to get there."
"Yeah, maybe. I was thinking about that too. If I do that, I'm leaning more towards Hartford than anything else. I agree that it'd be easier. Now I'm confused. I thought that you didn't even want to move back with me, and now you're convincing me to stay away from New York when I do move."
"I was thinking about your benefit. I'm fine about leaving New York. When you brought it up, I didn't want to think about it, but I knew that I'd lose something more important than a crappy job and an apartment. I guess it's the right thing to do. In New York, I still act like I'm twenty, and I'm not. I need to start thinking about my life. I mean, I'm twenty-five. I need to think about the future, despite how much I hate that word. 'The Future', it's holds too much meaning and risk."
"I think that we all need to think about the future now. Me, you, my mom and Luke, Dave, Sarah, Paris, Lane and Zach. Our lives are all changing and we have no way to stop it. We all have a future, and none of us know what will come of it."
"Yeah, I guess." They sat in silence for a little while. Absorbing the possibilities of their futures, and their friends futures, it was a lot to handle in a cramped car. Jess watched the cars buzz by them and smiled, he had no idea why he was smiling, but he couldn't help it. He stopped smiling when he saw a sign for New York, it turned into a smirk, and now Rory noticed it, looking at him quizzically. "We're almost there," he explained, simply.
"Yeah, we are," she agreed. He took his eyes off of the road and put his hand on her thigh. She smiled shyly. He leaned over to kiss her cheek. "Jess?"
"Yeah?" he asked when he sat comfortably in his seat again.
"I don't want to start anything, but I need to know something..." Rory said.
"OK, what's up?" Jess asked, a little confused, and nervous.
"I need to know that you definitely won't leave again. It scares me that I never know what you're thinking." Rory didn't want ruin the fun they were having, but also didn't want to lose Jess again.
"I don't plan on leaving again. I've told you that and I've told you that I didn't want to leave because of you. Like I said, I need you to count on me and to trust me. I'm not going anywhere, ever. This is what I want. Completely." Jess looked at Rory for a response, she nodded and smiled in his direction and put her hand over his. "Hey, so I have an idea."
"What's this idea you have?" Rory asked him.
"Tomorrow night, I say we go on an old fashioned date. I'll pick you up, bring you to a restaurant for dinner, maybe hit up the movies. What do you think? I mean, I won't be able to see you today once I'm at home or tomorrow during the day," Jess suggested,
"That sounds like fun. Tonight Paris, Sarah, and I are having a girl's night. I'm telling Sarah that I'm moving back home, so I wanted to do it under good circumstances. So, I think an old fashioned date with you tomorrow is a good way to start my week." Rory smiled at Jess and he smiled back. They read each other so well and they know each other better than anyone else, the only thing is Jess' fear of speaking out. He's not monosyllabic anymore, but that doesn't mean he says what's on his mind a lot.
As they pulled onto Jess' street, Jess started to pick up his stuff around Rory's car. They got out of her car and moved to the trunk that Rory had popped. "OK, here we are. New York New York," she said, obviously disappointed to be back and not in Stars Hollow.
"Yep. Don't worry, you'll make it for six more months." Jess kissed my forehead and grabbed his suitcase. They walked up to his apartment n a comfortable silence, his free hand on the small of her back. When they walked into the apartment it seemed empty. "Dave?" Jess called out, putting his bag on the floor.
"Guess he's not here," Rory said, putting her arms around his neck. He returned the gesture by putting his arms around her waist and pulling her into an intense kiss. "I have to go to work," Rory said, full of regret, when she pulled herself away from him. "I don't want to, but I have to."
"I know. Believe me, I don't want you too either. I have to go to work too." With that Rory gave him a quick peck on the lips and he kissed her forehead and she left, with a small wave.
Rory drove home so that she could get ready for work. When she walked into her apartment, she saw Dave and Sarah on the couch. Sarah jumped up when she saw Rory and smothered her into a hug. "We have so much to talk about tonight," Sarah whispered into her ear be fore pulling out of the embrace.
"Hi Dave," Rory said when she was free from Sarah's grasp.
"Hey Rory. Where is Jess? We have to work today," Dave said, standing up and grabbing his coat.
"I just dropped him off at your apartment. He said that he was going," Rory explained.
"Good," Dave said. He walked over to Sarah and kissed her passionately on the lips, she smiled. "Bye Sarah. Rory." Dave left the apartment, leaving Sarah and Rory alone in the living room.
"So, you and Jess," Sarah said, looking at Rory.
"Tonight," she promised as she smiled and left the apartment.