A/N: I'm sorry to say that this latest installment is not particularly long or impressive. My muse (who somehow simultaneously resembles Keanu Reeves, Jake Gyenhaal, Milo Ventimilia, and Ricky Ullman though one more than other depending on my mood) has been rather difficult lately. He's been completely unresponsive despite my bribes, and this poor chapter is the result. I couldn't even come up with a decent title, thus demonstrating just how problematic his indifference is! Anyway, enjoy as best you can!

Chapter 16 – Secrets Revealed

After a few hours of managing the Stars Hollow bookstore, Rory headed for the diner for food and a good place to continue working on her book review for WIT. The bookstore had been deathly quiet, so she'd just started writing the review there. It is a great atmosphere for writing, she decided, surrounded by all of those amazing authors. It made her feel inspired and the words had come easier than ever to her.

However, she still wanted to give it a few more once-overs before sending it off to her editor and the militant Paris, who had left a rather sharp message on her cell phone stating that the review would be due in three days.

After a great deal of thought, Rory had chosen Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. It was often considered a classic, just as Paris had requested, and written by a very reputable author among literature wrote it. Besides, she thought with a faint smile playing on her lips, it makes me think of Jess now. Somehow, starting with that novel just seemed appropriate on all accounts.

There was a slight bounce in her step as she walked towards the diner. She felt a little ridiculous, but the persistent smile on her face was genuine. Throughout the day, several people had commented on it, but Rory had dismissed it as happiness for being home and seeing her mother. Most people had bought the story, though Miss Patty and Babette had winked in response.

For the hundredth time today, she marveled at what was happening. Only almost two weeks ago, she'd determined that she needed to change her life. And she was actually doing it. Logan might have been the one who'd broken things off, but she was moving on. She had two great jobs that pertained to her interest and eventual career goals, she was residing in the town that she loved with the people she loved, and she was finally making things work with the only person who'd ever really inspired her.

A nagging voice wondered if she was moving too fast, but Rory wrote it off. She was happy and that was all the mattered. Well, mostly happy. Worries of pace aside, she was still concerned about the fact that Logan still hadn't called her back. In her arrogance she'd assumed he would call back immediately. And now that he'd not returned any of her several calls and messages, Rory wondered what was going on. She knew he had responsibilities in London, but that hadn't stopped him from making countless calls to her cell phone a day, had it?

Setting aside her worries, Rory increased her walk to the diner, imagining a passionate welcome kiss from Jess. That will certainly stir up some excitement in Stars Hollow, she thought amusedly.

Once in viewing range of the diner, Rory squinted in order to make out Jess's familiar form. He was standing behind the counter and appeared to be heatedly talking to someone. As she strained to make out the other person, her heart stopped when she made a positive identification. She'd recognize that blonde hair and face anywhere. Logan was in Stars Hollow.

As she stared through the diner window in horror, her cell phone began to ring. It startled her, but she began mechanically searching for it as she watched Jess and Logan trade words with somewhat similar scowls perched on their faces.

She sighed. In no way, shape, or form could this meeting between them be considered a good thing, especially given recent developments. Glancing at the cell phone screen, she answered, "Mom?"

"Hey babe. I have some bad news."

"I'm feeling psychic right now. You're going to say that Logan is in Stars Hollow," Rory answered dully, continuing to watch. Jess had moved away from the counter and was serving diner patrons, with an angry Logan trailing him.

"You've seen him already?"

"I'm watching him and Jess argue through the diner window."

"Oh sweetie. You better get in there… we'll have to start eating at Al's again if it gets wrecked."

Rory said goodbye, snapping the cell phone closed with a loud clap. She closely observed Logan and realized that his face was unnaturally flushed, indicating he'd had a few drinks. Not good, not good, Rory thought worriedly. Jess appeared to be keeping his cool, but Rory knew he could only handle so much before Logan finally said something that Jess couldn't ignore.

There was only one thing to do, and that was to break up the fight before it started. She willed her feet to enter the diner and put a stop to what could end up as a horrible repeat of Kyle's party—god, that night just keeps coming up, she mused—but watching Jess maintain his cool for so long was a strange act to witness. He acted though he was immune to Logan's words, which, judging by the looks on the other patrons' faces, were pretty terrible.

But then Logan said something, and Jess halted mid-step. All of the customers looked like they were gasping, and she tensed. She wasn't sure what Logan had said to make Jess's face look so angry, but she was almost positive it had something to do with her.

Color rushed into Jess's face and he roughly grabbed Logan by the arm and hauled him outside. "Go," he muttered curtly, moving to return to the diner. But he paused when he recognized her standing there, watching them intently.

Logan, on the other hand, had not seen her and continued to talk. "And here's the kicker, Jack. She lost her virginity to that floppy-haired freak after she refused to run away with you. Bet she never told you that!" Logan crowed triumphantly, swaying where he stood.

Frozen, Rory watched in horror as Jess turned his eyes toward her. She nodded miserably, and his face visibly hardened. But he said nothing to her. Instead, he glanced coldly at Logan and said, "Get out of here."

Logan ignored him, for he had finally noticed Rory standing close by. He stumbled towards her, crying her name. "Ace! I need to talk to you! Rory!"

She stared at him in disgust. How could she have ever found this man attractive? Sure, he was still as handsome as ever, but that was where it ended. She'd always thought they had so much in common, but it was clear that their interests were very different. Logan was always waiting for the next drink or party, she wanted to always be waiting for the next big story. She began to walk away, but stopped when he cried, "Ace, I love you!"

Only a week ago she'd thought those were the perfect words. She'd struggled for what to say as he departed for London, and he'd told her exactly what she'd wanted to hear. But now, hearing Logan issue those words felt fake and forced. He wasn't saying them because he truly loved her—though maybe he thought he did—he was saying them because he thought they would make her stay. And he didn't want her to go because he didn't want to be the one who lost. But it didn't matter what he wanted anymore, because this was something she had to do for herself. She finally knew what a genuine 'I love you' sounded and felt like, and there was no way she was going to back to the phony one.

"Go to a hotel, Logan. And sober up. We need to talk in the morning." She promptly turned around, leaving him standing in shock in front of the diner.

But his shock didn't last long, as she'd only gone a few feet before he shouted, "Why wait till morning? Why not dump me now, Ace? So you can finally run away with Josh?"

She faced him again, and her eyes were like ice. "Because I want you in a condition to actually understand just how over it is between us. And for the last time, his name is Jess, not Jack, Josh, or any other four-letter 'J' name you've come up with."

"It'll never be like it was with me!" Logan cried feebly.

Rory actually laughed; it was cruel, but she was so angry she could hardly see straight. "No, it won't. It'll be better."

She glanced at the diner, hoping to go in and talk to Jess about what had happened. But one look at his enormous scowl and rigid stance stopped her in her tracks. He was in no mood to talk to her or anyone else. She could only hope whatever damage Logan had done wasn't irreparable.

She began walking away, lost in her thoughts when she heard Logan's voice once more. "Rory? I don't know how to get back to my hotel." His voice reminded her of a child's and she sighed. At least this is the last time I have to deal with a drunken Logan, she thought grimly. He was slumped over on the ground and looked dangerously close to losing any food he had consumed in the last six hours.

Propping him up on her shoulder, Rory felt her knees buckle slightly under his weight. Logan made no effort to help her bolster him up, and she felt irritable about it until she noticed how surprisingly still he was. Glancing at his face, Rory scrunched her face in annoyance. He'd passed out.

She swung his other arm onto her other shoulder, but the motion almost caused her to fall over completely until a pair of strong hands pushed her upright. She looked into Jess's angry eyes, trying to silently communicate her thanks, but he ignored her. He placed his own shoulder under Logan's limp arm, propping him up easily. "Let's go," he muttered, avoiding her eyes.

It was by far the most awkward experience of her life, and she felt like she was qualified to judge. They moved in complete silence, dragging Logan's unconscious body to one of the local hotels. Jess wasn't particularly careful, letting Logan's feet hit several rocks and curbs on the way, but Rory knew it was pointless to say anything.

When they finally arrived at Logan's hotel room, Jess let Logan's body fall on the ground with a loud thump. She stifled her angry groan and began moving Logan to the bed, albeit slowly. As she did so, she could feel Jess's eyes drilling holes in the back of her head. Once Logan was finally loudly snoring in his bed with a large glass on water on the bedside, Rory turned around to face Jess. Except that he was gone.

"Jess! Jess!" Rory cried, chasing him out of the hotel. In the lobby, she saw Jess's disappearing back on the horizon. Mustering all of the energy she possessed, she sprinted toward him, crying his name. "Jess! Jess! Jess!"

He stopped, slowly wheeling around on his heels to face her. When she reached him, her lung felt like it was going to explode. She spent several minutes catching her breath, wheezing loudly while Jess stood in front of her with his hands jammed into his leather jacket pockets.

"Jess…" she finally panted out.

"Don't," he said coldly, and Rory resisted the instinct to shiver at his words. He walked away, and she forlornly wondered if there would ever be a time where the image of his retreating back wouldn't characterize their relationship.

---

Watching Breakfast at Tiffany's alone for the tenth time in the last six months, Lorelai vaguely wondered how the Jess and Logan situation had worked out. Her and Rory hadn't spent as much time together as she'd been hoping, but she didn't hold a grudge against Rory for finally making things work with someone she cared about. If Luke returned with a positive answer, she intended to spend every second of every single day making up for her mistake.

Snuggling into the couch, she watched Audrey Hepburn eat a pastry while gazing at the diamonds in the Tiffany's window. It made her stomach rumble, eve n though she'd just polished off an entire bag of popcorn, and she wondered if there were any good donuts left at the diner.

The ringing of the house line interrupted Lorelai's focus on the movie and she enthusiastically searched for it, hoping it was Rory with an update regarding the showdown between Logan and Jess.

"Yeah? Rory?"

"Do you always answer the phone with a guess?" a gruff voice asked, and Lorelai's heart leapt with joy. The sound of his low baritone sent shivers down her spine. If only he weren't a hundred miles away. And there wasn't a huge gaping hole in their relationship, caused by their combined errors in judgment.

"Luke?" she asked excitedly, jumping back onto the couch.

"You're a regular Miss Cleo."

"How are you? How's fishing? Catch any Jayne Mansfields?"

"Any what?" he asked confusedly.

"Never mind. How is fishing?"

"Quiet. Peaceful. I never remember how much I like to get away until I finally get away," he responded honestly, shifting on his feet as he stared at the starlit sky. The time away had given him clarity of mind, and while he was incredibly angry with her choice, he wanted to hear her voice, even if only for a little while.

"Yeah. So… why are you calling? Not to be rude or anything, you just don't usually call when you go on these trips."

"I just wanted you to know I was thinking about you," he replied quietly.

"In a good way?" she whispered softly.

"In a good way," he answered. "I have to go."

"Okay," she murmured, feeling lighter than she had hours before.

Settling back on the couch, she realized she'd sat down on the remote and fast-forwarded the movie. Hitting the play button, Holly Golightly declared, "Well, when I get it the only thing that does any good is to jump in a cab and go to Tiffany's. Calms me down right away. The quietness and the proud look of it; nothing very bad could happen to you there. If I could find a real-life place that'd make me feel like Tiffany's, then - then I'd buy some furniture and give the cat a name!"

Lorelai smiled. She'd found her Tiffany's. It was Luke's Diner and instead of jewelry, she had Luke. And no matter where he was now, eventually, he was coming home to her.

A/N: Yes, that's right. Rory and Jess are still not together. Originally, I planned on getting them together in this chapter but it didn't feel right (darn you, gorgeous muse!). At any rate, Rory and Jess's type of love is often typified by arguments and I want to stay true to that. In fact, their relationship often reminds me of the relationship shared by The Notebook's Allie and Noah. Hopefully Rory and Jess won't have to wait as long as they did though!