A/N: SORRY! I know this is late, but Ellie and I were really lazy. Plus, this is going to be a tough chapter to write. I get the beginning, Ellie gets the end…

SO SO SO SO SORRY! We were both a bit lazy, but also very busy, so forgive us and keep reviewing! We love you all dearly!

Disclaimer: We own Tabitha and Madison.

On with the story…

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Chapter 15: Time is Temporary

Rory's POV

As I sat there, hugging Jess, all my worries seemed to temporarily wash away. Finally, I pulled back and looked him in the eye. That vulnerability I had seen earlier, after he kissed me, was there again. I tried to reassure him with my eyes that everything was okay, but that look would just not leave his eyes.

"Jess," I started slowly. I saw him swallow, "It's okay. I'm not going to tear down your dreams or kill your hope," I assured him, chuckling, as I stroked his hair.

I saw him let out a breath he assumedly had been holding. I laughed a little and he joined in as I pulled him in for another hug, "Thank you. Thank you so much for being here right now. For even getting involved in the first place. I would be dead right now if it wasn't for you," I whispered this as he breathed in my scent.

"Thank you for letting me in. And there's no need to thank me—I wouldn't be here if I didn't want to be here," he replied as he pulled away and looked me dead-on.

I leant in and gave him a soft kiss. I cupped his cheek as we pulled apart, "I like you, too—a lot, probably more than I should right now and that scares me," I confessed quietly.

Nobody's POV

Jess nodded and Rory began to get off of his lap and stand up, "I know and I get it," Jess reassured her as he captured her forearms in his hands gently, "I'm going to head out to look for Tabitha—"

"OH MY GOSH! Is she okay? She kind of hung up the phone earlier before I could say anything back to her," Rory exclaimed, effectively cutting Jess off.

"Yeah, she'll be fine. I'm going to go find her and talk to her," Jess explained.

Rory let out a deep breath, "Good. I would have called back, but I was distraught myself and by the time I had calmed down, you were here and then we had to talk and I couldn't call her back and oh no I made her upset! I'm such a bad friend," Rory continued to rant.

"Rory!" Jess yelled and she jumped, "Settle down. Tabitha is fine. She probably just went to find a pay phone and call her sister. Don't worry okay? You didn't upset her. Tabitha and I have a past, a past that's going to be hard to hard to change you know? It's a big transition back to friends. We were romantically involved for so long Rory, you have to understand that."

Rory nodded slightly, "I know. I just don't want to step on anyone's toes."

"You're not, okay? Tabitha just has to get used to the fact that she's not the only girl in my life anymore, you know?" Jess tried his best to explain, but figured that there was no way she'd ever fully understand.

"Okay, well go find her! And tell her to call me please." She looked a tad scared as she said this, "The arraignment is the day after tomorrow, I need both of you or I won't make it."

Jess pulled her into a tight embrace as she tried her best to sniffle back her tears, "We'll be there," he told her firmly and kissed the top of her head. "I've got to…" Jess trailed and Rory nodded with a hint of a smile.

"I know, go," she said pushing him. Jess laughed and left.

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She was sitting on the bench, staring ahead at some unknown object. Jess sighed and walked towards her. She hadn't made it all the way back to the diner. She had stopped just short of the diner and sat on the bench across from Doose's.

Tabitha knew he was there. She could see him. But she didn't want to do this. It was too dramatic, so not her. He walked toward her and sat, silently. Tabitha drew in a breath as Jess spoke.

"We need to talk."

Tabitha shook her head and turned, "No we don't. You and Rory are together and we're not anymore," Tabitha said and stood. She crossed the street and was in the diner by the time Jess registered that she was upset. He stood, crossed the street and followed Tabitha up the stairs.

She was sitting on the couch. There were no tears, no crying. Love begins with a smile, grows with a kiss, but ends with a single tear; Jess thought and knew this was just the beginning. She didn't even lift her head when Jess slammed the door. He stood in front of her and took a deep breath. "Tabitha, the time we spent as a couple, it made both of us who we are, you know? We were completely perfect for each other. Everything just clicked. It just," Jess said running a hand through his hair "it wasn't the right time. If we had been twenty and finally found each other, then we would've been together for the rest of our lives, but being twelve, that wasn't the right time. See what I'm saying? Forget it, I'm rambling," he said ripping off his jacket and throwing it to a chair.

"Jesse," Tabitha whispered. Jess whipped around and saw a single tear trace its way to her breaking heart in hope of mending it. It was the nickname that only Tabitha had called him, only in the times of passion. She smiled slowly, "Thank you for the time we had."

"You're welcome," Jess said and Tabitha stood and walked to him, hugging him. It wasn't a sad hug, but a goodbye. Not that they wouldn't see each other in an hours time, but they wouldn't see each other like that ever again. Timehadn't been for them. Time, Tabitha thought as Jess kissed her forehead and turned to leave, was merely for him and Rory.

"By the way," he said turning. Tabitha lifted her head, breaking thought, "Rory wants to talk to you."

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"NO!!!" Lorelai's voice bellowed as Tabitha walked in the house. In the time she'd spent there, it'd become her second home. Lorelai was standing on the chair in the corner and Rory had the broom, she was holding it on the stairs.

"What's wrong?" Tabitha asked with suspicion in her eyes. Lorelai's eyes flickered between a spot on the floor by the stairs and Tabitha.

"There's a mouse over by the stairs," she said as her voice trembled with fear. Rory looked down, shaking slightly, at Tabitha. Tabitha smiled and saw the gray fur ball. She walked to it and snatched it in her hands.

"This guy?" Tabby asked and Lorelai nodded taking in a loud gulp.

"Yeah, mind getting rid of him?" Rory said from the stairs. Tabitha nodded and turned back to the front door. She crossed the street and watched the small gray ball run away across the pebbles an into the tree clump. Tabitha laughed and ran back to the house. Lorelai was still on the couch but Rory was putting the broom back on the steps where it had been.

"Is he gone?" Lorelai whispered and Tabitha nodded, slipping her hands in her front jean pockets.

"Yeah, he's great, fantastic and home," Tabitha said looking towards to Rory. Rory smiled and Lorelai jumped off the chair.

"Good," she breathed a sigh of relief and Tabitha turned her body to Rory.

"Can I talk to you?" Tabby asked, playing with her silver bangle bracelets. Rory nodded and smiled, looking at Tabby's busy shirt.

"Yeah, just let me change my shirt and we can walk," Rory said and ran off to her room. Tabby turned to Lorelai and smiled.

"Sweetie, I know the situation your in. You're falling out of love, and she's falling in love. You're doing a good thing Hun," Lorelai said not even turning her head from the TV.

Tabitha smiled and muttered, "God I hope so."

Rory came out in the same light jeans that Tabitha confirmed had fit her nicely. But she had changed her pajama top to a pink and brown shirt. She smiled and slipped on flip-flops. Tabitha followed her out the door as Rory yelled back, "I'll be back mom."

"Okay sweets, thanks Tabitha!"

"Welcome," Tabitha yelled back. Then Rory shut the door. Time to face the music. Rory walked down the stairs. They strode side by side aimlessly for three minutes before Rory stopped.

"I can't stand this," she said turning. Tabitha stopped. "When I'm with Jess I feel so guilty, because of you—"

"Me!?" Tabitha asked throwing a shocked hand to her chest.

"Yeah," Rory said in a voice that implied that Tabitha should've known that.

"Why?"

"Because you guys had this incredible and dependable love—"

"Time," Tabitha repeated aloud and Rory stopped.

"What?"

"That was years ago, babe. Oh honey, the heart was made to be broken—"

"Oscar Wilde," Rory said and Tabitha nodded.

"I'm sorry you feel guilty because of us. But babe, do you feel guilty that Lois and Clarke only had Sacajawea out west?" Tabitha asked.

"What?"

"Well, they may have very well fallen in love, but the point is that was history," Tabby said and Rory met her eyes, full on.

"Oh."

"Yeah," Tabby said pulling Rory in for a hug. They hugged and Tabitha laughed, "You know, my mother always said, don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened," Tabitha said laughing at her mother's words, how she found that they always fit.

"That's nice," Rory said and they pulled apart.

"So," Tabitha said linking arms with Rory, "What are we wearing tomorrow?" Rory giggled and they walked back to the Crapshack.

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Rory held tight to her mother's hand. Lorelai looked to her left and saw Rory. Rory had her hair down, and wore a black pencil skirt and a blazer that she and Tabitha had bought yesterday. Lorelai turned slightly in her seat to see Luke smile at her. Emily and Richard were behind her, then Luke next to them, and then finally Jess. They all were impeccably dressed. Lorelai looked down at her own pinstripe suit. She pulled at the hem and shifted in her seat when heels were heard clicking.

"Sorry," Tabitha whispered as Rory smiled back at her. She had gone full out; she had on a mini ruffle party skirt and white shirt with a stripped vest. Her heels were big and business like. Rory giggled as the bailiff brought in Dean. Her giggle died in her throat. He looked deathly and Rory felt a slight tremor of guilt and fear burry in her gut. He was shoved to his chair and they took the handcuffs off.

"Stand for Judge Franklin Ganders," a disembodied voice said and Rory looked for the source, for something to do.

"Does the defendant plead guilty or not guilty?"

"The defendant pleads not guilty." Lorelai gasped and clasped harder to Rory's hand. Rory bit her lip.

"And what does the prosecution request as bail?" The judge asked.

"Prosecution asks that the defendant be remanded," Rory's lawyer requested.

"OBJECTION!" Dean's lawyer bellowed and the judge banged his gavel, "Mr. Forrester has a clean record and is therefore no threat to society."

"Your honor, the defendant went after my client and her family the last time he was let out on bail, we feel my client would be safer with Mr. Forrester as far away as possible," Rory's lawyer explained her reasoning.

"Okay, well according to Dean Forrester's previous records, which are clean, and the extent of this crime, Mr. Forrester will be out on probation with an officer stationed outside of his house. I would also like to request that an officer stay with Miss. Gilmore until the date of the trial, May 15th, three weeks," the judge declared and banged the gavel.

Rory felt a small tear escape her left eye as everyone stood. Dean smiled and walked back into the door he came out of with an officer by his side. Rory just sat staring straight ahead. He was still there. For three weeks he was out, free.

"Rory," Jess said and Rory stood. She walked to him and he pulled her into a tight hug. He would protect her for as long as she needed it. It was their time, now and forever…

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A/N: I like this chapter.

Ellie!

A/N: And the trial begins…Reviews are love so press the pretty little button!