A/N: Thanks to the people who read and review this story! I really appreciate it! And for those who asked, Rory just imagined Jess, sorry!

3. Celia and Admissions

Jess was sitting in a bar in California, and had just ordered a beer. After the rather one-sided conversation he had have with Rory, he drunk a lot. It so wore him down that he had just left. He loved Rory, so much, and he just had left her. He wouldn't be surprised if she hated him by now, hell, he wasn't so fond of himself right now.

His life really went straight downhill.

He hadn't graduated, the he loved hated him, and he worked at his dad's snack stand, what you couldn't really call enjoyable. But it was good money after all.

„Hey! How are you? ", a girl who had suddenly appeared next to Jess, asked. It was a girl in his age, with long blond locks, brown eyes and a smile that could take your breath away.

"I've never seen you before in here, are you new in town? "

Jess wasn't really in the mood for a conversation, so his answer was very dry.

"Sure am."

But the girl didn't even think of giving up.

"I'm Celia. What's your name?"

"Jess"

"Ok, I get it, not in the mood. It was nice meeting you, or whatever. Bye"

"No, wait, sorry, I didn't mean it like that. " Somehow he felt sorry, the girl had nothing to do with his mood.

"I believe you, but I'll go anyway. Will I see you here more often from now on? Maybe we can talk some time, when you're not in such a bad temper." She fluttered her eyelashes and smiled at him again. Man, these teeth were white.
"Yeah, I think so." Jess smirked. This girl had an odd effect on him.

„Ok, see you then. Bye! "

Celia left the bar, but not without glancing at him over her shoulder.

Wow…

It was a long time ago that a girl had flirted with him so deliberately, and he had almost forgotten how it felt. But he noticed that he liked it, a lot. It almost made him forget Rory, but only almost.

Stars Hollow

Dean was in his room and looked at some photographs.

All of them showed Lindsay and him, together, happy.

Dean was so sad, he really had thought he had been happy again, after all this drama with Rory. He picked up all the photos and put them in a shoebox, together with all the other things that reminded him of Lindsay.

He wanted to put the box in his closet, at the top, in the hindmost corner, but there already was something. He put the Lindsay-box down and saw that it was another shoebox. Dean took it out of the closet, sat down on his bed and removed the cover.

And all of a sudden he remembered.

Rory looked up at him from the photos.

This was his Rory-box.

He took the photos out separately, and examined them with a pensive look. They really had been a great couple. And then this Jess had destroyed everything. Or wasn't it actually him, Dean, who destroyed everything? After all he was the one who broke up with Rory.

Dean went downstairs to get some water. He was getting a headache, it was all a little too much for him at the moment.
Then he saw the postcard. It just lay there, on the small table next to the front door. It was a picture of white beach, and wonderful blue sea.

Dean took the card in his hand and turned it around. He saw that it was for him, and after he was finished reading a small smile occurred on his face. He also had missed her. He had missed the talking, and even her pure presence. But soon she would be back, and they could be friends again, like they were before.

Diner

Luke had just thrown out the last customers and locked the door. He had just begun wiping the tables, when he heard a knock on the door. He looked up and saw Nicole standing outside the Diner. At first, he just wanted to ignore her, but then decided against it and unlocked the door.

"What do you want?" he asked gruffy.

„I want to apologize. I'm really sorry, I didn't want it to happen this way!" Nicole looked on the floor ashamed.

"Really? You didn't want it?" he asked sarcastic. "It looked a little different, when you were lying on top of this guy!" Luke became angry

"Luke, come on, our relationship was over! Admit it! Ok, maybe I made a mistake, I should have ended it, before dating someone else, but to be honest, I hadn't thought it would mean anything to you."

Luke was near to kicking Nicole out of the Diner, but he wanted to know one thing first. „Why that?"

Nicole looked at Luke, like he was a little child, who didn't understand the easiest things.

"Because you're in love with Lorelai. I know, you don't want to admit it, but it's true. I noticed how you look at her, and how you talk to her. I wanted to deny it, but somehow I already accepted it. But I couldn't take it anymore. You had always only loved her, not me, and…" she looked Luke in the eyes, "don't wait too long to tell her that."

Luke's jaw had dropped a while ago, and now he was just standing there, unable to say a word.

„Goodbye! And good luck! "Nicole finally said and left the diner.

This whole speech reminded Luke a lot of what Rachel told him before she had left. She too told him that he was in love with Lorelai and that he should tell her soon. He thought about it. What did he feel for Lorelai?

Did he love her?

Why did he try to fool himself? Of course he loved her, he loved her constant begging for coffee, he loved her smile, and he loved their little arguments and how she could always talk him into things.

Luke let out a loud sigh, turned off the light and went upstairs in the apartment. He just wanted to sleep now.