A/N: I'm back people. But I'm sick, so I'm sorry if this sucks! I am so tired…Anyway, let's do this! I wrote that days ago. I am still tired and sick. And uh, I'm sorry if you like, hate me a little in the beginning of the chapter, or if I confuse you. But really, isn't that my job? I go to a knee specialist tomorrow. If you'd like to know what happens before we update again, tell me in your review and I'll keep you posted.

Disclaimer: Don't own…Nina, get a grip. We own Tabitha Gracie Delores! And Madison! Ha! You fell for my evil trap Ellie!

On with the story…

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Chapter 14: A Mess Was All They Had

Rory's POV

This time, when I woke up, I really woke up and inhaled my mother's scent. I smiled slightly and slowly rose from the bed. As I was descending the stairs, there was a knock at the door. I walked to the door, rubbing my eyes as I went, and opened the door to see Jess.

But before I could say, 'Hello,' he was kissing me.

Jess' POV

I rolled over, or, tried to roll over, but ran into another body. I jumped and almost fell off the bed before I remembered that Tabitha was here. I rubbed my eyes and pulled her close against my body.

I moved my hand up her side until I reached her cheek and then brushed it with my thumb. I knew she was awake, I could feel her scratching my back absentmindedly. She opened her eyes and I smiled down at her. She smiled back even wider as her eyes lit up. I dipped my head and captured her lips in a slow, sweet kiss. I situated us so that I was lying half on top of her, her arms came to encircle my neck as I placed both of mine on her hips. As I moved from her lips to her jawbone, an image of Rory popped into my head and I quickly lifted my lips from her skin.

"We can't do this," I told her regretfully, looking her in the eyes. We were still holding each other.

She smiled up at me sadly and nodded her head, her hair frizzy from her slumber, "I know," she whispered and pulled me down, my face in the crook of her neck, "I know."

I hugged her tight as we lay there, relishing in our old memories of feelings we'd never get back and of times where we could kiss freely and hold each other without worry.

"Go," she told me as I pulled away. I searched her eyes and then nodded.

"Okay," I replied and slowly got up from bed.

I quickly got dressed and rushed down the stairs and out the door, by the time I was out of the apartment door, Tabitha was already back asleep.

I walked briskly to the Gilmore residence and knocked on the front door. A sleepy Rory answered. She looked absolutely stunning in her bright green Soffe shorts and hot pink camisole. Her hair was everywhere and her eyes were half open from sleep. I couldn't help but pull her against me and roughly capture her lips with mine before she even got out an, 'Hello.'

Nobody's POV

With eyes still open wide with surprise, Rory slowly relaxed into Jess' hold. He had his arm wrapped tightly around her waist and was expertly moving his lips against hers. She encircled her arms around his neck and leant into his hold.

Jess began to move his hands up and down her back, one slipping inconspicuously up her shirt. Rory's back arched causing her chest and stomach to press tightly against Jess' as he deepened the kiss.

Rory had never been kissed like that before. It held so much emotion and passion that she had never known. She kissed back with equal passion, pouring everything into the kiss that she had. She ran her fingers through his already unruly hair and grasped it in her hands.

Finally, when air was a necessity, they slowly pulled out of the kiss. Jess left short, choppy kisses on her lips for a few moments before resting his forehead against hers. Both were panting heavily, chests heaving and hearts pounding.

Jess entwined their hands and squeezed Rory's fingers. She seemed to snap back into reality at the feeling and stumbled backwards from Jess in an instant. She regained her footing and stared wide-eyed at him, her fingers grazing over her mouth in disbelief.

Jess looked frightened and more vulnerable then he had been the whole time he'd been in Stars Hollow. Rory let one tear slip down her face as she shook her head and stumbled clumsily into her house without a word. She shut the door and ran into her room, grabbing the phone as she went.

--

Meanwhile, Jess stood dumbstruck on the porch. He stumbled down the stairs, almost falling on his ass and started walking towards the diner, getting angrier as he went. He stormed through the door and up the stairs, stomping his way as he went. He slammed open the door to find that Tabitha was on the phone. She snapped her head toward him and winced.

--

Rory dialed an all-too familiar number into the phone as soon as she plopped down on her bed. It took four rings before someone picked up.

"Hello?" A somewhat groggy voice answered on the other end.

"Tabitha! Oh my God! Jess just kissed me!" Rory screeched.

Tabitha pulled the phone away from her ear, "Rory settle down. So, he really kissed you?" Tabitha asked with a devious smile.

"Yes! What the hell? Since when does he go around kissing me! I don't get it! Why the sudden urge?" Rory ranted hastily, trying to rationalize the situation.

Tabitha chuckled quietly, "Rory, are you blind? He's head over heels for you sweetie!"

"No, no he's not. He's head over heels for you! Are you blind? Haven't you seen the way he looks at you?" Rory cried. She had accepted that Jess was still in love with Tabitha awhile ago, but what she didn't know, was that no part of that was true.

This was when Jess had entered the apartment. Tabitha's face softened when Rory had said that and then when Jess entered the apartment with such force, she could do nothing but flinch and brace herself for what was the storm of Jess.

Tabitha kept eye contact with Jess as she spoke to Rory, "Rory, Hunnie, you've got it all wrong. Jess and I…well, our romantic relationship died a long time ago. The way Jess looks at me now is no where near how he looks at you. Sweetie, open for your eyes, he's got a new girl in his life."

Without waiting for a reply from Rory, Tabitha hung up and ran out the door and past Jess before her tears could leak out. By then, Jess had seemingly calmed down. He was torn between staying mad at Tabitha and Rory or consoling them each. He was sure Tabitha was out aimlessly walking around as tears streamed down her face. She hadn't grabbed her jacket, so she was probably shivering in the crisp, Connecticut air. While he thought going after her was something he had to do, he knew that she needed her space right now. So, he decided to make his way back over to Rory's to explain himself and his actions.

This was his mess to clean.

--

Tabitha, as Jess had predicted, was walking aimlessly around town with silent tears falling from her emerald orbs. She saw a pay phone and dug around in her pocket for some change. She found just enough to make a phone call to the one person she knew she could count on, always: Madison.

She dialed her little sister's cell phone number and waited for her to pick up.

"Hello, Madison speaking, may I help you?" Madison answered cheerily.

"Madi?" Tabitha squeaked.

"Tabby?" Madison's voice had lowered a full octave and worry was ridden throughout her voice, "What's wrong?"

"N-Nothing, I just needed to hear my baby sister's voice," Tabitha choked through her tears.

"Tabitha Gracie Delores, tell me what is wrong RIGHT now!" Madison ordered sternly.

"It's nothing really, it's just that, well, I woke up this morning in Jess' arms and you know how I feel when in his arms. We kissed Madison. The first kiss we've shared since he left and it was slow and sweet and perfect until it ended and I knew we couldn't be anymore," she sniffled as she continued, "I sent him to his new girl," a sob tore through her chest and ripped through her throat, coming out as a hiccup, "He's got this amazing, sweet, beautiful girl down here Mads, she's everything he needs," tears kept pouring from her eyes as Madison listened silently, "I'm not his life, his everything anymore, but he's still mine. How does that work? I don't know what to do! I'm coming home Madi…I'm not needed here anymore…"

"Tabitha Gracie Delores," Madison started sternly, repeating her full name again, "You will not come home. You will stay in Stars Hollow until you are not needed."

"But—"

"No 'buts' missy, you know damn well that Jess Mariano needs you now more than ever and that even that abused girl needs your perspective. Don't give me your shit Gracie-Lou—"

"Oh, not the grandpa nickname!"

"Shut it. Go back to wherever you're staying, get a grip and wait for Jess to come home so you can apologize for whatever you did to piss him off," Madison ordered firmly.

"What? How'd you know he was pissed off at me?" Tabitha asked incredulously.

Madison's voice softened considerably, "You only get this upset when one Jess Mariano is upset with you."

Tabitha heaved a deep sigh before replying to her younger sister, "Yes ma'am."

"That's my Tabitha!" Madison squealed perkily, "Go get 'em!"

Tabitha chuckled slightly, "I love you, Mads."

"Love you, too, Tab," Madison returned and they hung up.

Tabitha leaned against the telephone booth and took a deep breath before navigating her way back to the diner for a long talk with Jess.

--

Meanwhile, Jess was on his way to the Gilmore residence for some much needed explaining. By this time it was around ten o'clock in the morning and Lorelai was up and to work. This left Rory in the house by herself.

Jess walked slowly to the door and rung the doorbell. He heard light footsteps that stopped once they reached the foyer.

"Rory? It's Jess. Please let me in so I can explain myself," he pleaded. Rory could hear him sigh from inside, "Just hear me out and I'll leave you alone."

At this remark Rory immediately opened the door and quickly pulled him into the house and into her arms in a fierce hug. Jess hugged her back and took in the scent of her apple shampoo. She had just gotten a shower.

"I'm sorry," Jess whispered into her hair.

Rory simply nodded and slowly released him. They pulled apart until they weren't touching at all.

Jess took a deep breath, "Let me explain…please?" He asked tentatively.

Rory simply nodded again and led them to the couch where they sat two feet apart.

"Okay," Jess began, "I woke this morning with Tabitha in my arms. I couldn't even begin to describe the feelings that evoked in me. My relationship with Tabitha before…was something that was so strong and so deep, that the familiarity of her just overwhelms me. I have no romantic feelings for Tabitha," Jess looked her right in the eye as he said this, "I was in love with her for a long time, but eventually, and very slowly, we fell out of love. Regardless of if I had moved here or not, we would have eventually broken up because we simply fell out of love. I still love her and she's still a huge part of my life because she wasn't just my girlfriend, she was my best friend and she always will be. We fight and we say things we don't mean, but friends do that.

"When I moved here, I saw you and thought to myself, I never want to get involved with her. I don't want anything to do with her," Rory looked hurt and Jess hurried to explain, "I thought this because the first time I saw you, you were leaving Dean's house, crying, with your head down and your arms wrapped around you. I knew right then and there that you were being abused. I had just left an abusive world and didn't want to get involved into another one, but you drew me in. I couldn't not help you; and the more I got to know you, the more I wanted to get to know you.

"So I woke this morning and just having Tabby in my arms brought back some great memories. I kissed her. No big, passionate kiss, but a kiss none the less. As the kiss continued, a picture of you popped in my head. I immediately pulled back and we both knew that that part of our relationship was over. She told me, 'Go,' and I came here. That's when I kissed you. I've been wanted to for as long as I've known you, which albeit isn't very long, but still…Anyway, what I'm trying to say, is that I like you Rory Gilmore and I'm ready to wait until you're ready for another relationship to show you that."

He smiled slightly and looked at her anxiously awaiting her reaction.

She smiled back brightly, crawled into his lap, and hugged him tightly around the neck. He wrapped his arms securely around her waist and back and held on tight.

It was all they had left.

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A/N: I know the whole Rory not talking thing was kind of weird, but my friend Bailey has laryngitis so she hasn't been talking and I think that's where it came from. Anyway, are my Lit fans at least a little happy? I hope so! Reviews are love so press the pretty little button!

A/N: B-E-A-U-tiful Nina. Tears were emitted, seriously!

Ellie