A/N: Wow, I can hardly believe what a great response I got from everyone. Thank you all so much for your reviews and encouragement!

Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls.

"What? Who is ..Jess? Is that you?" Rory was shocked. After their last meeting she never expected to hear from him again.

"Please Rory, just don't hang up." He sounded strange, desperate.

"You have thirty seconds to tell me why I shouldn't." She couldn't give in just because she was worried.

"Jimmy…um …Jimmy's uh… dead. Jimmy's dead." It was just as shocking to hear himself say as it had been to hear it from the cops.

"Oh god, Jess are you okay?" Hearing this news, Rory immediately gave in to her concern.

"I um, yeah. Well no. Rory please… get me out of here." His voice cracked as he said the last part. He hadn't planned on asking for her help, then again he hadn't originally planned on calling her at all.

Rory was quiet for a few moments. Glancing around the pool house, she decided she had to get out of there anyway.

"Ok Jess, where are you?"

When Rory arrived at the police station, Jess was nowhere to be found. The female cop sitting behind the front desk looked surprised to see her, "Can I help you miss?"

"Um, yeah I'm here to see Jess Mariano."

The lady's expression quickly turned sympathetic. "Sure I'll take you to him, poor kid."

Rory was then led to a small room where Jess sat at a table with two officers. He didn't notice as she walked in, giving her a chance to size up the situation. Jess looked as though he was in complete shock. His hair was disheveled and instead of his usual indifferent expression, he had a completely blank one. He looked almost as though he didn't understand anything that was going on around him.

Rory walked up to the table. "Hey Jess," she said gently.

He slowly turned his head to her and relief washed over his face. "Rory, you're here."

She smiled at him, "yeah Jess, I'm here."

After promising to come back the next day to finish the paperwork and make funeral arrangements, the police allowed Rory and Jess to leave. Neither of them spoke until they were in her car. "So, where to?"

Jess looked startled by her question. "I don't know, are you driving back home tonight?"

Home. She hadn't thought about it since she had come to get him. The last thing she wanted was to go back to the pool house tonight. "We could do something, you know maybe get your mind off of things?"

He looked at her somewhat surprised. "We could do something."

Rory smiled as she started her car. "I have an idea."

Moments later Rory pulled up to the first liquor store that she saw. For the first time, she was truly glad to have that id that Logan had gotten her.

As she disappeared into the store, Jess thought about how strange the night had been. Jimmy dying, Rory being there for him, Rory not running home and now Rory in a liquor store? It was all too much for him to think about. Luckily his thoughts were interrupted as Rory climbed back into the car. Taking the bottle out of the paper bag she handed it to him.

Jess raised an eyebrow upon receipt. "Grey Goose, you have expensive taste."

Rory smiled. "I think we're going to need the good stuff tonight."

Minutes later, they were parked in front of Washington Square Park. No words were said as the two walked into the park but they both went to where she had found him that day that seemed like it was centuries ago. Once they were there Jess opened the bottle and took a long sip. When he was done, Rory reached for it and did the same. Finally Jess spoke.

"Does Lorelai know you're here?"

Rory sighed. "A lot has been going on lately. It's a long story."

"I'll take that as a no."

"It's not that simple."

Taking another sip from the bottle Jess looked straight into her eyes, "I've got time if you want to talk."

She found it unnerving the feelings that surfaced when his eyes looked into hers so intensely and had to glance away.

After some time had past in comfortable silence, each trying to drink away their own personal demons, Rory asked, "how did he die?"

"A car crash. He was drunk, flipped over the divider. I still don't know what he was even doing here."

"I hadn't even thought of that. Didn't he live in California?"

"Yeah, last I heard he was still there. I meant to call his girlfriend at the police station. He lived with her and so I thought she'd know. I should have called her. I just picked up the phone and before I knew what I was doing I was talking to you."

"So why don't you call her? There's a time difference, it isn't as late there."

"Yeah, I'm just not sure what to say." Jess laughed bitterly, as the alcohol was beginning to have a slight effect on them. "I guess that's always been my problem, I never know the right thing to say."