A/N- This chapter is pretty damn important, and it has to come now, so here it is. Please let me know what you think by reading and reviewing, and if you don't like the way I'm doing something, feel free to tell me. This chapter is definitely not fluff or happy and isn't meant to be, but their relationship here is meant to be real. Authentic. This is in my opinion both. I do not own Gilmore Girls but I do own an apartment in a city close enough to a Starbucks that I managed to get my ass down there today and actually write for a few hours, therefore, a few chapters. So I'm kind of proud of that. Sorry for the lack of posting yesterday, it was actually written and on FF, but didn't post to the story because my internet is having a mental breakdown.


Chapter 91

"Jess!"

"Hmmmmffff."

"I have an interview!"

"What?" he sat up immediately, climbing out of bed and walking over to where Rory was excitedly trying not to bounce of the walls as she stared at her computer screen, "When? Where? How?"

"A good paper in a big city. The interview won't be for a few weeks but it would be for a features editor position. That's really only one step away from editor in chief! Their features editor is leaving for a position the Chicago Sun-Times, so they're beginning to interview in the next few weeks, and I'm the first one in line. Two and a half weeks from today. I can't believe it!"

"Did you have a connection or something? That was really fast, Rory. You've only been looking for a couple weeks," Jess smiled groggily. She grinned.

"Nope, absolutely nothing. I don't know a soul there. Which makes it so much better. They said that my reputation preceded me and that in spite of the 'unusual circumstances' under which I left my last job," Rory grimaced, "They were very excited to hear that I'm following a new path and very much look forward to meeting me."

"What about the…"

"No affiliation whatsoever. I checked. Actually, the group that this paper is a part of is in competition with those papers, or at least one could look at it that way."

"And do you?"

"Right now I'm just looking at it as I have a job! Or a possible job! And that they seem positive about it!" Rory laughed. Jess frowned slightly."

"Look, I'm really happy for you. Honestly, that's amazing. But are you that surprised? You have a name in the field."

"Well, not entirely. But it's still never certain."

"You just seem really, really excited for just hearing that you got an interview." Rory bit her lip and looked at Jess. He met her eyes and held her gaze.

"Rory," he said, his voice lowering slightly, "What's going on? What paper is it?"

"The Tribune," she answered, looking away from him. He stared at her in shock.

"Can I assume you aren't referring to the one in Chicago?"

"Jess…"

"Rory," Jess continued, his voice low, "Are you telling me you're interviewing to be a features editor at the Philadelphia Tribune?"

"Yes," Rory answered finally. quietly. They sat in silence for a minute. "Well, your opinion is obvious."

"And I'm sure you knew it was coming," Jess retorted, "What are you thinking? Rory, given what you did at Yale, as an editor you'd probably have a shot at just about any paper in the damn country. And of all places, you're limiting yourself to Philadelphia. Philadelphia! I know you haven't lived here long but I was pretty sure you were aware that we're not the journalistic capital of the nation."

"It's a reputable paper, with quality material," Rory crossed her arms, "I'd have more creative control than I would at a bigger paper."

"That's not why you're doing it."

"No, it's not."

"You can't do that!"

"Why?" Rory asked, her voice beginning to crack, "Is this just temporary? Are you gonna take off or want me to or are you secretly planning to relocate?"

"No, but even if any of that were true, it doesn't matter," Jess snapped, "This is your career. It is a hell of a lot more important than some relationship."

"Some relationship?" Rory echoed disbelieving, "You do not seriously think that's all this is. Just some relationship. Any old relationship."

"You know what I meant," Jess said darkly, "It doesn't matter how great this is going, your career should be your priority. You can't put everything on hold to be with me. I didn't ask you to do that! I don't want you to do that!"

"What if I want to do that?" Rory cried, tears finally starting to fall, "Why is it so wrong to think we have enough of a shot that I don't want to leave? That I'm happy enough right here that I don't feel the need to go be on the forefront of American journalism, rubbing noses at the Algonquin? Why is it okay for me not to want to be a reporter anymore, but not okay for me to want to factor you in?"

"I'm not worth that!" Jess exclaimed, "No one is! You have to live up to your full potential! You're going to limit yourself, hold yourself back, and for what? Some guy who runs a bookstore in Philadelphia that you started dating a week ago?"

"Don't you dare try to trivialize what we have," Rory cut him off, her voice low, "And I cannot believe that you, of all people, are telling me what I have to do with my life. You! You who said I could do anything, be anything I wanted. That I didn't have to listen to them, to what everyone expects!"

"It's not about what everyone else wants or what they expect," Jess replied, his voice in a full yell now, "It's about what you deserve. What you're capable of. It's about you. I want the best for you, I have to want that, you should want that! You're better than the fucking Tribune and you're better than Philadelphia and…"

"Better than you?" Rory cut in, her voice cracking as tears streamed down her face, "Yeah, Jess, I know that's where you're going. I know you well enough to know that's where you're going. But you have to stop. I don't want us to be having this argument for the rest of our lives. Why can't you just accept that I want to be with you and I want that enough to put it before a fancy office and a high-profile job?"

"You're better than becoming barefoot and pregnant in a guy's kitchen," Jess fought back, "If you really thought that was okay I don't know why you dumped your first boyfriend."

"You know perfectly well I'm not going to be that, that's not who I am," Rory argued, "But why do you get the right to decide what I should want, what I should deserve?"

"Because I love you more than anybody, Rory," Jess yelled, his voice booming off the walls, "And have since the second I met you. I know you more than anyone else can or will. And I'm not gonna let you throw away your life for me."

"What if I want you to be my life?" Rory replied, shaking with full sobs, "What if that's the life I want? What if I want to be with you, and I don't ever want to spend another night away from you?"

"Well then I guess you're out of luck," Jess snarled, "I'm going to Luke's. You need to figure out what you really deserve to get out of life, and I'm not gonna sit here and keep watching you throw it away to hang around in a room with me and read books."

"Jess!" Rory yelled, "You can't just leave."

"Watch me," he snapped, "You know, Rory, of all people I thought you'd get it. That you'd understand. I'm stopping you from making one of the most stupid decisions you could make in your entire life."

"When are you coming back?"

"Rory…"

"When are you coming back?" she demanded, "If you walk out of here without a word and without telling me when you're coming home, I swear to god, if you walk out and leave me, again…"

"I'm not leaving you!" he cried in exasperation, tears beginning to sting at the corners of his eyes. He quickly turned away. "I'm going to Luke's. I'll be back by Sunday, but I'll call you if that changes. Once you've had some time to think."

"I'm not going to change my mind," Rory said stubbornly, "So you might as well save your minutes."

"You're going to regret it if you do it."

"You're wrong."

"Rory…"

"Just go, Jess," she sighed, sitting down and wiping the tears from her cheeks.

"Rory…" he said, a bit more softly, looking at how much of a wreck she was.

"I'm fine!" she snapped, "Just go away, Jess. You don't want to be here and right now I really don't want you here anyway."

"Whatever," he scowled, grabbing his backpack from by the door, walking through the apartment and shoving a few things into it. He turned back to Rory. "Tell Matt and Chris I'll be back in a week."

"Fine," she said coldly, looking pointedly toward the door. "Drive safe."

Jess sighed and walked out the door, shutting it hard behind him. As soon as Rory heard his footsteps descending the stairs, she began to sob again and picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Mom?"

"Rory?"

"I need you."