Rory cried and cried, making her hands exceptionally wet.

Jess rounded the corner to find the golden girl sitting on the pavement outside Luke's.

'Ror? What you doin'?' he asked sliding his arms round her shoulders.

'I didn't get the job. It's been months,' she said between gasps. Then she hiccuped and grimaced. 'I had a really good flow of tears going, and I had to-' she hiccuped again, 'start hiccuping!'

Jess grinned ruefully, 'great timing. You should become a comedian.' He rubbed her shoulder and pulled her in closer.

'What do you want Rory?' he asked. He bit his lip while she wiped her hands on her jeans.

'I want do something that matters. I don't even care how big it is anymore. Just something-' she broke off. 'I can't stand it here, this small town.'

Jess laughed a short laugh. 'I knew the day I met you you were made for greater things than Stars Hollow.'

Rory glared at him. 'Why didn't you tell me?!' she leapt up.

'Are you serious?' Jess said, smile still there under the layers of indignation.

Rory nodded and put her hands on her hips.

Inside the diner:

'Do you think we should tell them half the town in watching?' Luke said to Lorelai.

Lorelai grabbed Luke's hand stilling him. 'No, I want to see what happens next.'

'Damn right, Luke be quiet,' Babette said.

Luke sighed but leant against the counter ignoring an out of towner who wanted to order.

Back outside:

'You and your Mom worshiped this town, I couldn't even compete.' He said waving his arms at the diner, and then glaring when he saw the noses against the glass. He gesticulated at them as if that was proof. 'They ran me out of town!'

Rory gave them a warning look and various people turned away before swivelling back round.

'Jess, I was a kid,' she said.

'And now?' he asked.

'Now, I'm taller. And completely aimless,' she said spiralling again.

'You are NOT aimless!' he said. He advanced towards her till they were nearly nose and nose.

'Are you kidding me?' he pulled a book out of his back pocket. The gesture made Rory crack a small smile. 'I wrote a book.'

Rory snatched it out of his hands and opened it up.

The dedication read,

Dodger, you changed everything.

She just stared at it unblinking. Her mouth opened slowly until a perfect o was shaped.

'It's not about the book he said trying to take it back,' but she wouldn't let go. He moved his hands from the book to her wrists, causing her to look up at him.

'You have I'd wager at least three incredible books in you. You'd beat Harper Lee by one, easy. It's…it's, you inspired this in me.'

She pulled on her wrists but he didn't let go.

'I inspired you to write a book,' she said. Her brain couldn't wrap around it. The most she'd inspired in any other guy was the stealing of a boat. Her eyes suddenly cleared and she blinked. Twisting her hands free she reached for his face and stopped midair. But he sense what she'd been about to do and gently pulled her the rest of the way by the elbows.

'I knew you had it in you Mariano,' she said.

'And I know you have it in you,' he said. 'Come to Brooklyn, rent a closet and write.'

His eyes flicked back and forth trying to read her response.

'I need to break up with my not-quite-boyfriend,' she said.

He furrowed his brow and then realised she meant she'd come. He picked her up and spun her round. Putting her down he would have kissed her but Luke and Lorelai came dashing across the road eager to hear what the result of the argument had been. Rory enthused mildly that she was going to go to Brooklyn. Lorelai was not completely taken aback by this idea, Jess supposed she'd seen how aimless and sad Rory had been. Luke clapped him on the back and grinned over Rory's head. Luke had been team Jess and Rory since day one, and that excitement was alive and kicking.

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