Aki- I can feel the love. Thank you all tons for the many and great reviews of last chapter. I am so glad for the support. As you can tell, last chapter was not the end of the story. There are a few more chapters left plus an epilogue. Hope you enjoy. Review I it fits your fancy.

Chapter 17

Jess woke the next morning groggy, tired, and having a more than a little need to go to the bathroom. He walked tiredly across the living room not seeing those who slept there nor the mess they had made.

Just as he reached for the doorknob of the bathroom door the door open seemingly all by itself and he bumped into Rory, dressed in fresh clothes, with damp hair, obviously just out of the shower.

"Sorry," said Jess, stepping back to let her pass.

"It's okay," Rory replied as they fumbled around each to her.

"Things go well last night?" questioned Jess

Rory grinned, "Things went great."

"Great."

They stood in silence for a moment before Rory commented, "I'm really ashamed of you."

"What?" asked Jess confused.

"You haven't taught Amber how to snack binge or party late. She's still sleeping it off."

"I'll have to rectify that then."

"You will."
The conversation lacked.

"I need to go to the bathroom."

"Yeah, I should check on Amber, and then I need to make a call."

They both went their different ways, wanting to get out of the awkwardness, but it was no longer the awkwardness of past and never closured lovers seeing each other after a multitude of years apart, nor that of being parents haunted by mistakes… It was an awkwardness of a different kind, maybe even a romantic kind…

Line

It was a few rings before Lorelai picked up.

"Hello."

"Hey, Mom. Things are going amazing here with A-,"

"Don't say their names!" interrupted Lorelai urgently.

"Whose?" asked Rory confused, "J-,"

Lorelai interrupted again, "Don't say it! Don't say you-know-whose names. The people you are with right now."

"Why?"

"The people in this town are dieing for information, Rory," answered Lorelai melodramatically, "They know something's going on and they want to know what. They, meaning Babette, Miss Patty, Taylor, and by extension everyone else in Starts Hollow, have drawn a connection from your post-holiday disappearance with," Lorelai's voice dropped to a deadly whisper, "the J-word's."

"Jess?"
"NO! You said it."

"What's the big deal with me saying their names?"

"I haven't told them anything. I fear they resorted to bugging my phone to get info."

"Wow, the good people of Stars Hollow have brought gossiping to a whole new level," Rory commented with a chuckle.

"This is not a laughing matter, Rory," deadpanned Lorelai

"It is slightly laughable."

"I think you said things were amazing up there."

"Yeah, me and," Rory paused, "The A-word finally hit it off yesterday. We got into some deep conversation later on. She doesn't hate me."

"Yea!"

"We're bonding."

"Yea!"

"The two of us still have a long way to go, but, I know we'll get their eventually."

"That's good, hon," Rory could almost hear the smile in her mother's tone.

There was a pause in the conversation. Rory took a deep breath. She had been apologizing a lot these last few days, but she was not done yet.

"Mom?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for hiding this and lying to you all these years. I'm sorry that I didn't trust you would support me then. I'm sorry for leaving you in Stars Hollow where you have to cover up for me. I'm sorry for all these stupid mistakes I've made and…"

"Rory," interrupted Lorelai yet again.

"Hmm?"

"I know." And that was the perfect reply.

"I love you, Mom."

"You have no idea, kid."

Later that day…

"So what are we going to do for New Year's Eve tonight?" asked Jess as the three lounged about the living room.

"Well, we had pizza yesterday, so we need something else for diner," Rory said.

"Like Chinese," suggested Amber.

"Or Thai," added Jess.

"Or Indian," continued Rory.

"Great, are we going to burn the apartment building down afterwards to get rid of the stench," smirked Jess sarcastically.

Rory sneered back and patted him on the arm roughly, "Some things never change, do they?"

"Nope."

"So you hate Indian, and as you might remember, I'm not too found of Thai, so that leaves…"

"Chinese!" exclaimed Amber.

"I can do Chinese," agreed Jess.

Jess got up and started filling through a phone book, "Hey, Amber. What is that new Chinese place just a few blocks away called?"

"Fun Wok."

"Ah, okay. So, how about I do the ordering and then pick it up because I know what everybody likes here. And Amber, you can take Rory down to our cool little movie place a few blocks away."

"We should go now, Mom, before it gets dark. Just let me get my coat." With that Amber exited to her room leaving Rory and Jess alone.

"Mom?" Jess questioned, eyebrow raised, "Things did go well last night."

"Told you so," smiled Rory.

"Come on," said Amber as she reentered the room, practically pulling Rory out of the apartment. "And the Chinese food better be here when I get back," she added to her father.

He gave a mock salute before the door slammed behind the two.

A little later…

Jess had barely returned and set out the Chinese food, which he picked up because delivery would have taken way too long, when the two girls reentered.

"That is a cool movie place," stated Rory matter-of –factly when they had throwen off their coats.

"I told you."

"I mean it had everything. Old stuff, new stuff, the classics, the ones only my mother and I have seen. I could have stayed in there for hours."

"But," took over Amber, "After much deliberation and arm-twisting we have returned with three, yes three, New Years Eve night movies and their watching order."

"First," said Rory, pulling a movie out of a bag, "Is The Outsiders, based off a brilliant book. A lot of drama, a lot of deep meanings, a lot of themes, plus practically every famous young actor of the eighties and nineties."

"Really?"

"Oh yeah, Patrick Swayze, Matt Dillion, Ralph Macchio-"

"The Karate Kid?"

"Rob Lowe, Tom Cruise, Emilio Estevez and more."

"Second," announced Amber, "Ten Things I Hate About You."

"Ah, jeez."

"Come on Jess. Drama, Romance, Comedy, Heath Ledger, all in one neat package."

"Thirdly, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory."

"The original," added Rory.

"Also based off a book," Jess added.

"Good point."

"We debated getting the one with Johnny Deep too so we could compare and contrast, but we thought that might be going a bit overboard," grinned Amber.

"Really," said Jess sarcastically.

Close to Midnight…

All three were stuffed tiredly on the couch as the last movie ended. Jess picked up the remote and flipped the television to a local station so they could see the countdown in Times Square.

"Crazy people," he muttered under his breath the hundreds of freaks whole started showing up as early as six, maybe even earlier, in the morning and stand out in the freezing cold all day, packed together with strangers just to enjoy the festivities when you could watch them in the comfort of your own home.

"Come on guys, only thirty seconds 'til the New Year," Jess roused the girls.

The two groaned but reluctantly got up, two late nights in a row not agreeing with them.

As the ten second mark hit they all began to count down in an excitement you can't help but get when one counts down.

"…five, four, three, two, one, happy New Year!"

Jubilation filled the air, in their apartment, the ones around and even on the TV screen.

Amber hugged her father, practically leaping into his arms. He swung her around once before setting her back down on the floor. Amber then gave Rory an exuberant hug. When they released the three stood there for a moment in silence listening the noise of other people celebrating outside.

"Well I'm pooped. Bed," said Amber, pointing over her shoulder with her thumb before heading to her room.

Rory shook her head, "That's one weird kid."

"What'chu expect? We, of all people, are her parents."

Rory just chuckled with a smile and looked up at Jess.

He didn't know why he did it, but just then took a step closer to Rory diminishing all definition or usage of the term personal space. They both stood in silence staring into each other's eyes.

Jess twirled a strand of her hair with his finger before leaning in and touching his lips to hers. It was a simple kiss, but one longer and deeper, though not to say more meaningful, than the one they shared on the bridge, which seemed to happen ages ago.

When Jess pulled back Rory looked into his eyes with questioning.

"New Year's kiss," he whispered before backing up, going into his room, and shutting the door behind him, leaving a very confused Rory out in the living room shocked.

Neither knew that Amber had watched them secretly through the crack in her unclosed door. All she could do was smile.