A/N: Thanks for the reviews people (the two of you…). I don't care if it was only two, I'm all excited to write more. I hope to start making the chapters longer. If anyone has ideas of what they'd like to happen, just tell me. I am very accommodating, cos I don't really know where this is going to end up.

Disclaimer: I live in a cardboard box on a street corner…in other words, I own nothing!

XXXXXXXXXX

Rory was taken aback by the serious tone. They were just joking about Nietzsche, and now he wants to talk. She knew it was coming, she just expected a bit of warning. "Now? Here?"

Jess looked at his watch and said, "Well, it's 7:20, you're gonna have to go to Logan's soon." He spat out Logan's name like it was poison.

"Jess," Rory said, leading him away from Nietzsche. They headed out of the library and back out into the cold. She couldn't say anything but his name. Rory felt shanghaied; he never said why he came back. She didn't know what he wanted.

They couldn't just stand outside; the Lorelai scarf was pretty but not very practical. Against her better judgment, Rory lead Jess back to her dorm room. "Take a seat," Rory said, motioning to the couch. "Coffee?"

"Thanks," Jess said, watching her in her daily routine. Her mom got her a travel cup coffee maker, and she waited the few minutes for the two coffees – her back turned to Jess. "You're gonna have to talk sometime," Jess commented, "It's getting closer and closer to eight."

"Why are you so focused on my plans tonight?" Rory spat as she spun around. She paused, regretting her tone. "I'm sorry…"

Jess shook his head and accepted his coffee. Rory sat down on the opposite side of the couch, putting feet in between them. He wanted to close the gap, but he didn't know how Rory would react; she is the one that decided to sit so far away. "I don't want you to be late for Logan."

Rory stopped staring at her cup and turned to Jess. "What is your problem with Logan? You've never even met him."

"Are you dating?"

"Well…yeah…"

"That's my problem," Jess admitted. Their eyes had been locked since she turned to face him. He tried to apologize through his eyes, knowing he just made a mistake.

It took only a few seconds for his statement to register with her, but it felt like an eternity. "You… you… I can't believe you!"

Rory was obviously upset and it seemed like the gap between them grew a few more feet. She shriveled up away from him. "Rory," Jess whispered and moved closer to her. She just tried to get farther away from him. "Rory, please, give me a chance."

"You left. You left without saying anything," Rory said, tears forming in her eyes. "You left me with a broken heart and now you come back and you have a problem with my boyfriend." The tears were flowing freely now, and it was breaking Jess's heart.

He wanted to remind her that she said no to him, but that would just go against him. He wanted Rory back in his life. He wanted things to be like they were before. He stood up and walked across the room. Jess sighed and slouched down to the floor.

Rory slowly got her crying under control, taking long deep breaths. "You should go."

"Rory," Jess said, pleading.

"I've got your number. Go," Rory said, wiping her eyes. "I can't take any more today. I'll call you, I swear."

Jess nodded, knowing she'd keep her promise. "Don't forget." He stood up and headed towards the door. He paused, and looked back at Rory, who had started crying again. He silently closed her door, leaving her sobbing on the couch. Jess looked at the whiteboard that held both his writing and the note that she'd be with Logan. He erased his old note and wrote another.

I'm sorry, 692-0064 – Dodger

XXXXXXXXXX

Rory woke up to her cell ringing. She had a crick in her neck and she felt dehydrated. She looked at the caller id before answering, "Logan." She sat up on the couch and massaged her neck, not really ignoring the phone but putting it off until she didn't feel like complete shit.

"Hi," she said when she finally flipped it open.

"Hey Ace, where are you?" Logan said impatiently. "It's almost nine. Didn't I tell you eight?"

She sighed. "Yes, you said eight. I fell asleep. It's been a very long day."

"Well come over, Finn can fix all that."

"No Logan, I'm not in the mood," Rory was getting pissed off. Logan never wanted to leave her alone anymore. Since they started actually dating, the boy felt she didn't need any alone time.

"Ok, what's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"I may not be as smart as you, but I'm not an idiot. What's wrong?"

"I'll talk to you later Logan," Rory's patience ran out and she hung up her cell. This has been the day from hell.

Rory went into the bathroom and stripped down. Leaving her clothes in a pile that would probably aggravate Paris, she stared in the mirror. I don't look the same. How is it possible to feel the same? After wrapping a towel around her, Rory went to her bedroom and got her iPod and portable speakers. She locked the main door to her dorm and went back to the bathroom. She put on some relaxing music and got in the tub to cry more.

XXXXXXXXXX

Jess didn't know what exactly he expected to happen when he came back for Rory. Ideally, she was supposed to immediately tell him that she loved him and they'd return to the relationship they once had. What happened was closer to the worst case scenario. He had so much to tell her, so much that he needed to get off his chest. He missed out on the last two years of her life, he needed to catch up.

His car idled in the parking lot of Rory's dorm for an hour, with him inside just thinking. Jess didn't know where to go. He hadn't called Luke, he didn't know anyone else in the entire state of Connecticut that didn't completely hate him. The one person he came back for wouldn't even let him explain himself.

Jess could see Rory crying still. He hated it when she cried. When he was gone, he blocked out the tears. He could only see her smile, hear her laugh. He remembered the books she read, he remembered everything about her. She saved his life, made him believe he could go on to do bigger and better things.

"Oh, screw it," Jess said aloud. "I hope he hasn't bought a gun in the last two years." He put his car into gear and headed on the very familiar road to Stars Hollow.

XXXXXXXXX

This didn't turn out as long as I had hoped, but please review! I thought it was a good end point, so here it is.