DiScLaImEr: I dOn'T oWn GiLmOrE GiRls Or WelL aNyThInG

Rory woke up and looked at the clock. "Its noon already." So she got up, took a shower, and got ready. Her mom was already at work so she decided to go to Luke's for breakfast. "Its just breakfast she thought. I'm not going there to see Jess." She kept telling herself on the way to Luke's. She walked in and took a seat at a table near the door. Luke walked up to her and said, "Hey. What can I get you today?"

Rory: "A cheeseburger and fries."

Luke: "Alright I'll be back with your order."

Rory: "Thanks Luke."

Luke: "No problem." And he walked to the kitchen.

Rory pulled Jess' book out of her purse and began to read it again. Just then someone asked "Anyone sitting there?"

Rory looked up and saw Jess standing in front of her. "Oh no go ahead."

Jess sat down and said "good book huh?"

Rory: "Yeah it is." She smiled at him.

Jess: "So… I guess you saw the liner?"

Rory: "Yeah. No ones ever dedicated a book to me before"

Jess: "Yeah. I'm sure it won't be the last one."

Rory blushed. "So what are you up to today?"

Jess: "I don't know. What are going to do today?"

Rory: "I don't know either."

Jess: "You want to go on a little road trip?"

Rory: "Where?"

Jess: "New York."

Rory: "I don't know. My mom might wonder where I am."

Jess: "Come on it'll be fun."

Rory: "Well…Ok."

They got into Jess' car and they were off. He looked at her "Man she's still so beautiful." And looked back at the road. Rory thought "What am I doing? Going to New York with Jess. Am I crazy. Well he does want to be friends and he does seem to have changed. I guess I should give him the benefit of the doubt."

Jess: "What are you thinking?"

Rory: "What?"

Jess: "What are you thinking about?"

Rory: "I don't know. How weird this situation is."

Jess: "Why is it weird?"

Rory: "I don't know Jess. Maybe the fact that you keep leaving me out of nowhere and then showing up like nothing happened."

Jess: "I know and I'm really sorry. "

Rory: "I know. And I do kind of forgive you. It's just…"

Jess: "What?"

Rory: "How do I know you won't leave again?"

Jess: "I don't know. I mean I live in Philadelphia now and you're in Boston."

Rory: "I just don't want to get attached to you again and you leave." (Why am I telling him these things?)

Jess: "Well eventually you'll have to go back to Boston, but I'll go visit you and you can come to Philadelphia. I'll stay in touch I promise. I won't mess up this time."

Rory: "I believe you."

They sat in silence until they finally made it to New York. They decided to park their car and walk through New York. Jess asked, "So…Where to? "

Rory: "I don't know. This was kind of your idea."

Jess: "How about we go check out that record store I showed you when you first came to visit me? Then we could play it by ear."

Rory: "Sounds like a plan."

They walked toward the subway and boarded the subway car. Jess asked: "So how's Yale going?"

Rory: "Oh it's going ok. I'm going to start an internship at a newspaper next month."

Jess: "That's awesome. I'm happy for you. I'm glad schools going good for you."

Rory: "What about you? What have you been doing in Philadelphia?"

Jess: "A couple of friends and I opened up a bookstore called Truncheon Books. It's kind of also an art gallery and publishing house."

Rory: "Wow that's awesome. I'm glad you're doing so well."

Jess: "Yeah things are going really good right now. Even better now."

Rory smiles at him. "You know I'd really like to see your shop."

Jess: "You should stop by Philadelphia sometime. I'd love to show you around."

Rory: "I'd like that. You know I'm on a break right now. I have a couple of weeks off. I was just going to stay in Stars Hollow. Maybe I'll stop by."

Jess: "Yeah. I'm probably going to leave in a few days. You could come with me. I mean if you wanted."

Rory: "I don't know I'll have to think about it."

Jess: "Ok. Well this is our stop." And they get up to leave the subway car.

They walked a few blocks until they reached the record store. "You know what? Why don't we go check out this awesome book store I found the last time I was here. I'm sure you'd much rather go look at books than records right?"

Rory: "Yeah. Let's go."

As they walked to the bookstore Jess asked "So this Logan guy. Does he treat you good?"

Rory: "Uh…Yeah."

Jess: "Hmm… you don't seem so sure. Well what's he like?"

Rory: "Uh… Well he's really smart, fun to hang out well sometimes."

Jess: "Why only sometimes?"

Rory: "Well sometimes he and his friends get a little out of hand when they're drinking. But I mean they're just having fun. I guess I can be uptight sometimes."

Jess: "You're not uptight. Oh well we're here."

They walked into the bookstore. Jess walked up to the cashier and asked for the manager. He talked to him for a while and walked up to Rory looking pretty happy. "What's got you so happy?"

Jess: "Well the manager agreed to sell a couple of copies of my books here."

Rory: "Wow that's awesome."

Jess: "Yeah. Did you find anything?"

Rory: "Not yet. Well maybe."

Jess: "Well what is it?"

Rory: "You'll see." She walks up to the counter and buys a copy of his book.

Jess: "Hey what are you doing? I already gave you a copy."

Rory: "Well I wanted to contribute to your sales."

Jess: "You didn't have to do that. But thanks."

Rory: "No problem. Besides its really good."

Jess: "So now where to?"

Rory: "I don't know? You're the New York expert. What would be fun?"

Jess: "I don't know. We could catch a show at club or something. Or take a walk in the park and get something to eat."

Rory: "Yeah let's go to the park."

Jess: "ok the park it is." The walk towards Central Park.

Rory: "So…I'm really glad I came with you."

Jess: "Me too. I wasn't sure you would. I didn't think you'd even talk to me."

Rory: "I almost didn't"

Jess: "What changed your mind?"

Rory: "I don't know. Just being with you. I realized you had changed. You're not the guy that started fights, stole things, or just didn't care what people thought about him. You've changed for the better and I'm glad. I'm happy for you."

Jess: "Thanks. It took a lot of time and some soul searching but I finally realized I needed to change."

They walked and talked for a couple of hours. They talked about life, what's been going on since they last seen each other, pretty much everything. They finally stopped to eat at a pizza parlor. They ordered and grabbed a table.

Rory: "So…about the liner in your book? Was I really the first real love in your life?"

Jess gets flustered. "Well yeah you were well still are." Jess looks down at the table when he says this.

Rory: "What? You mean you still…."

Jess: "Yeah Rory I still love you."

Rory: "Wow…I…uh don't know what to say."

Jess: "You don't have to say anything. I mean I understand a lot has happened. I'm not expecting any-.." Is cut off by Rory's lips meeting his.

Rory: "Wow I can't believe I just did that."

Jess: "Me neither. So what does this mean?"

Rory: "I don't know. I'm just so confused."

Jess: "You don't regret it do you?"

Rory: "I…uh…" She thinks do I still care about him? I can't I'm with Logan. What should I do?

Jess: "Its ok I understand. Uh…Well let's just pay and head back to Stars Hollow." He turned and started to head for the door.

Rory: "Jess wait. I still love you too."

Jess turns around "Wait what did you say?"

Rory: "I said I still love you. I think that I always have."

Jess: "Really?"

Rory: "Yeah. There's one problem though."

Jess: "What?"

Rory: "Logan." Just as she said his name her phone rang and sure enough it was Logan. "Crap. It's him."

Jess: "Well what are you going to tell him?"

Rory: "I don't know. I mean I love him and he's done a lot for me. I'm so confused. Why does this always happen to me?"

Jess: "I'm sorry. I keep putting you in these situations but I can't help what I feel. Let's just head back to my car."

Rory: "We probably should. I'm really glad we did this."

Jess: "Me too. Well let's go." And they walked back to Jess' car.

Rory's cell starts to ring again. "I have to take this." Jess lowers the music in the car.

"Hello?"

Logan: "Hey Ace."

Rory: "Hey Logan. How's London?

Logan: "It's ok. I've pretty much just been going to meetings with my dad. Pretty boring stuff. I wish I was there with you. I miss you Ace."

Rory: "I...Uh…I miss you too"

Logan: "What's wrong?"

Rory: "Oh. Nothing I'm just kind of tired. I had a long day."

Logan: "Oh. What did you do?"

Rory: "I helped my mom at the Dragon Fly."

Logan: "Oh. Well maybe I should let you go to bed. I'll try to call you earlier tomorrow. Ok?"

Rory: "Ok. Bye."

Logan: "Bye." And they hang up. Jess looks over at Rory and shakes his head in disbelief.

Rory: 'What?"

Jess: "Nothing. It's nothing. We're almost there."

When they get to Stars Hollow he just drops her off. No good night, no bye, nothing. He drives back to Luke's, heads upstairs and goes to bed. He didn't want to deal with anyone.

Rory just stood there and watched Jess leave. She knew he was upset and why he was upset. She just couldn't tell Logan yet. She wasn't even sure if she wanted to be with Jess. Sure she loved him but she just didn't want to get hurt again. She needed to make a decision it wasn't fair to any of them. She walked inside and went to bed.