By the time the Chinese food arrived Jess and Rory were talking about their lives over the last few years. Jess told Rory how he and Tom ran the bookstore, worked on a zine together, wrote reviews of local bands. Rory smiled as he talked. It was nice to hear someone enjoy his job so much. She did notice that he was very careful to leave Shelly out of any story or anecdote and wondered, but didn't ask him about it. In turn she told him how she had been married for 10 years, how she and her husband barely spoke anymore, how her friends were mostly brain dead, how she didn't like her job.

"What happened?" he asked her. "You had everything, you were going to do everything."

Rory gave him a wry smiled. "I got married." she said. But she found that she couldn't tell him everything she wanted to. She couldn't tell him just how stifling her marriage was. She couldn't explain how she felt overwhelmed by all the social responsibilities and how much she despised everyone around her.

But the night got better when they went to bed. Rory, exhausted, had turned out the lights, cuddling next to him when she felt his hand caressing her, moving across her body. She shuddered slightly, pressing against him until Jess rolled her over onto her back and lay on top of her, the weight of his body feeling close to crushing her, but it was a delicious feeling. His strong hands wandered over her, down to the area between her legs where she was already beginning to get wet.

Rory moaned a little as he touched her, pushed her hips up against him. When Jess entered her this time they worked together, mouths joined, hips thrusting in unison, instead of the near battle it had seemed like the first time.

When it ended Rory rolled over, cuddled against him and fell asleep, the best sleep she had had in a very long time.

Rory slept in the next day, the best sleep she had gotten in many years. She woke up so late that she and Jess barely had time for a quick breakfast before she had to leave. Rory had to hurry to the airport if she wanted to get home in time to meet Logan coming back from his business trip.

So Jess just gave her a long, passionate goodbye kiss and saw her on the plane, wondering the same things she was about the future of Jess and Rory.

While Rory was waiting in the airport she thought about the weekend and glowed. It had been perfect, fantastic, she didn't want to go back home ever. She picked up her phone and dialed her mom's number.

"Hello?" The familiar voice asked.

"Hey Mom, it's me."

"Hey kid, what's up?"

"I think my marriage is over..." Rory said.

Rory was sitting in her same old place when Logan got back, but she looked different. Her clothes and hair were the same but she had a glow about her, something he hadn't seen in a very long time. The sight of her, looking almost radiant stirred something in Logan that had been dormant for so long. So, almost unconsciously he went to her, sat on the couch. "Want to watch tv?" he asked.

Rory looked up at him with some surprise. She tried to read if this was another trick, if he wanted something. But he seemed genuine so she flipped on the tv, handing him the remote and gave him a small smile as he flipped through the channels. It was by far the most intimacy they had in years, and Rory felt a tingling of excitement inside. Yes, she should hate him, but she didn't. She shouldn't read to much into this tiny little act, but it was an act, a step, and effort that he never bothered to make anymore. And if he was capable of reviving some interest in her than he really couldn't hate her. Maybe their marriage had a chance after all.

They sat, side by side, for several hours that evening. Rarely speaking, but there was a new connection there between them, and Logan walked her to her room that night, looking close to giving her a kiss. But he pulled back, turned and walked to his own room.

It was the look he gave her just before leaving that stopped her from telling him everything she had intended to. She had meant to tell him it was over, she was leaving, she couldn't stand him, didn't want to be with him anymore. And then there he was, charming and beautiful and he looked at her, saw her, spoke to her. And that stopped her tongue. What if there was a chance for her marriage? What if Jess didn't really want a relationship with her? What if he was fine with just weekend visits, sporadic, passionate sexual encounters? She hadn't told her mom about Jess, or anything. Just that she wasn't sure her marriage was working out. It wasn't too late to go back, to re-evaluate the situation, to stick it out with Logan just a little longer. Maybe she wasn't missing some chance by not leaving him.

Rory visited Jess the next weekend again, and again they had an amazing time together. It was a weekend of sex and Thai food, movies and burritos. Rory had almost forgotten all the things she used to love and so it was like meeting herself all over again when she spent time with Jess. He still remembered everything she used to love and Rory was startled to realize that she still loved it too. The only thing she couldn't recapture the magic of was Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. It was too carefree, too whimsical and she couldn't understand it anymore. Jess had always laughed at her for liking it anyway.

Before she had to leave again Jess looked her straight in the face, serious for once.

"How are things at home?" he asked, in a hushed voice.

Rory knew what he was asking. He was asking if her marriage was over, if she was leaving Logan. She couldn't give him what he wanted, not right now. It was too much to ask to leave everything she had built for the last decade and throw it away for someone with a track record of being unreliable.

"Fine. I'll be able to come back next weekend." was all she said. She could see the hurt in Jess's eyes. He nodded, and in that gesture the mood of the weekend was ruined. She knew he wasn't going to talk about it but was sure he was hurt. He drove her to the airport in his old car, dropped her off with a perfunctory hug and a kiss.

"I'll see you soon?" She said, making it sound like a question.

He nodded again. "Next weekend." he said.

Then Rory walked into the airport and back into her old life.

Logan was home when she got back.

"Where were you?" he asked.

"Just out shopping." she said, noticing that his bags still stood in the hall. He must have just gotten home.

"Want to go out for dinner?" he asked.

Rory was amazed. They rarely did anything together that wasn't some social obligation.

"Sure. Let me shower and change and I'll be ready." she said, her eyes lighting up a little. Logan's recent kindness was confusing to her. She had always been able to count on him to be cold and indifferent but to take care of her. And now he was being at least a little attentive. He never asked where she went or what she did unless it directly involved him, and now he was showing concern, asking her out to eat. Could it possibly be just the two of them? Would they talk?

Logan flashed her a quick smile that still was capable of melting her heart. She felt a surge of attraction to him that had been absent for a long time. Her sex drive was reawakened and she had found a voracious desire for sex that had been suppressed for so long.

Their dinner was wonderful. In classic Logan style he took her out to somewhere extremely fancy but got them an outside table, in a corner, that was private and intimate. And they talked. And laughed. Logan asked her about her job, told her details about his life and work. It was the intimacy that had been missing for so long. Rory wondered what had possibly changed to make him treat her like this, not knowing that Jess had made her beautiful again. She sparkled and radiated. His love and attention had brought light back into her eyes, straightened her posture, made her walk with confidence. Her secret had put a small smile in the corner of her lips, and impish look to her face that made her look years younger.

Logan was fascinated by this change in her, not sure where it came from. He never doubted her constancy to him, but couldn't figure out how his frumpy Leigh had transformed into a girl again.

After dinner they walked, hand in hand, down the street, looking in shop windows and enjoying the evening.

That night Logan held his bedroom door open for her.

"Do you want to sleep in here Leigh?" he asked her.

Rory trembled a little, completely conflicted. If she said yes that could mean life for her marriage, it could save it. If she said no it could be over forever.

Finally, still unsure, she nodded and followed him inside.