A/N: This chapter is not beta (I hope everything is okay my dear beta; I miss you). I spell checked, grammar checked, edited... and still I don't know if it's right. Oh well. Things are going to start heating up & quick so get ready. Read and review... its like air to me. : )

Disclaimer: I own nothing; everything belongs to ASP.

One of the hardest things that you have to do in life is admit your own faults. Being strong enough to admit that perhaps you were the one at fault and that you were in the wrong. That alone takes the strength and courage of ten men.

Why is it that we are tested throughout our lifetime?

Sometimes we are given the same test over and over again until we get it right. A do over. That's what this opportunity is... a redo. I got it incorrect every single time before but now I've been given the chance to rectify the entire situation. A chance that I never thought I would have again and am only now learning that if something goes wrong this time. I may be given another chance. But I don't want another chance... I want to get things right this time.

Why did I get it wrong so many times before? Why did we get it wrong so many times before?

I mean the entire situation was screwed up to begin with. I met him and all he was to me was Luke's nephew. That's it. The most I ever expected was friendship from him. Then I started to ask him if he could trust me and then he showed me his love for literature. A side of him I never expected to see. That alone should have been my first clue that I would be gone. The book thing was the hook, line, and sinker.

He was the ultimate bad boy... the rebel yet, he loved the world that each book created in his mind. There was just no going back after that point. I could talk to him about the concepts and views of Hemmingway, Fitzgerald, and Tolkin. I never met anyone that could go into the lengthy of a discussion about the naturalism that Steinbeck used in Cannery Row or the similarities of the characters in all of his novels.

That's when I started to trust him and around the same time I started to like him.

He seemed to always be there when I needed him. Like when I had to water the grass for the freaky new neighbor and I couldn't shut off the water. I was soaked running thru the streets and he helped me - even after I tried to push him in the other direction.

Then I started to count on him.

I was used to him being in my life. It was like I never knew a time when he wasn't a part of my day or made my life more exciting. That's what he did for me. That's what he always did for me. He always made my day, even when I was at my worst. He could make my day seem complete with one of his sarcastic, cynical, classic Jess lines.

I remember the night I was walking home after picking up some school supplies and he gave me back my copy of Howl... after he put notes in the margins. He stole my book and put notes in the margins. Who does that? Jess - that's who. It was one of the most thoughtful things any guy had ever done for me.

I was attracted to him.

Since the first time I saw him, I thought he was eye-catching but you know it didn't faze me. I had Dean. Dean was my boyfriend. Being attracted to someone else was completely normal because I knew... no I thought I knew... that the only thing that would ever exist between Jess and I was friendship. A solid friendship with the opposite sex that was completely innocent.

I couldn't have been more wrong.

I don't remember when I first realized it but somehow I knew that Jess was interested in more than a friendship. Maybe it was when he spent ninety dollars on my basket during the Bid-A-Basket Festival. That's probably when I first realized it. No. It was when he conveniently brought me a box of food from Luke's because my mom was out of town. He said it was from Luke but I found out it was him. He was worried I might starve. He wanted to make sure I had food. It was sweet.

God, I was head over heels for that man before I even knew it.

It's because of him that I'm doing this. I couldn't picture myself driving all the way to New York for anyone else but him. Is that weird? I think it maybe sort of weird. One thing is for sure: this is the most cliché my life has ever been. No contest.

It's all those movies mom made me watch. I blame her. She practically planted a crazy, romantic, cliché movie moment in my system. It's only right that she take part of the blame. Who am I kidding? I took part in those movies nights willingly. There were no guns or threats. I was an actively participating party. I take full responsibility for driving off in the middle of the night to tell the man I love that I do love him and I do want him in my life again.

God, Rory. When did your life turn into a cheap romantic comedy?

Too bad unlike a cheap romantic comedy I can't predict the ending. No matter how hard I try and trust me this is me trying. I've gone over every possible outcome of my declaration. Every time it's different. I can't expect a Bridget Jones' Diary movie moment where I'm running down the sidewalk in New York and run right into his arms.

It's not going to happen.

For all I know, I'd tell Jess that I loved him and wanted to be with him more than anything else. I'd tell him that I was sure this is what I wanted... that he was what I wanted. He'd look at me... tell me that it's too late and I'd have to leave never getting what I came for.

Sounds vaguely familiar doesn't it?

I wouldn't hold it against him if he gave me a reaction like that. After all, I just did the same thing to him. How could I expect him to want me after how I treated him? He loves me. He told me so. That's what I'm going on here. I hope that he loves me enough to realize that we both made mistakes and that it's going to take work to make us work again but I hope he realizes that it'll be worth it. I know it is.

Was it really worth committing a felony though?

Definitely.

Leaving her a note and taking her jeep... not the smartest idea I've ever had. She probably found the note by now and right about now is making her way to Luke's.... on foot. Luke better have a rich, steaming pot of coffee ready just for her. She's going to need it. And I bet after this morning, Luke may be downing a few cups himself.

It's going to be a long, stressful day in Stars Hallow.

I'm just hoping that Luke will ease her into the details of our conversation. Or maybe he could be dependable Luke and not get involved. Maybe he'll mind his own business. Not likely. Luke has a definite thing for my mother and if she's upset about my leaving... he's going to tell her what he knows... you know to reassure her that I'm thinking semi-clearly.

Well at least he could assure her that I wasn't high on any type of narcotic or drunk. I was a little withdrawn but I was thinking clearly. I had a plan... I have a plan... and I'm so sure of what I'm about to do.

She'll be fine with this... eventually. Who am I kidding? This is Lorelai Gilmore we are talking about. Her reaction will be the furthest thing form normal. No matter if she understood or not.

She probably won't understand. She never liked Jess much. She more or less disapproved of my dating him... despite her efforts to prove otherwise. She never forgave him for the car accident when I fractured my arm. She fought with Luke because she was so mad at Jess and Luke didn't have anything to do with it. I tried to make her forgive and forget... I had. Not her. It just reaffirmed her hate for Jess and I wasn't even dating him then.

God, I fell bad leaving Luke to deal with the ramifications of my choice but if anyone can handle my mother... its Luke Danes.

It's seven o'clock in the morning and I'm walking to Luke's in my brand new cream colored heels that I bought last week at the West Field Shopping Center. I can't remember the last time I walked to Luke's. Actually I can and it was with my rebel of a daughter who stole my jeep.

She took my jeep and went to see Jess. I

'm still trying really hard to convince myself this is real. Maybe it's a really bad dream. Yeah, one in which my daughter steals my car and goes on an impromptu road trip to make unrequited declarations of love to her ex-boyfriend.

She really took my jeep and went to see Jess.

I'm still trying to process.

"Good Morning Lorelai."

"Morning Kirk," I manage to say back. Where the hell did that come from? I'm still trying to process something unbelievable and yet I say good morning to Kirk... humm? Something is definitely off about today.

Maybe I'm in the Twilight Zone or everything is out of balance due to some bizarre cosmic alignment. I wonder what my horoscope says for today. Probably something along the lines of: Beware. Betrayal is a common theme today. Be cautious of the ones closest to you because they may take advantage of a bond. Be wary of those who annoy you... the may offer you solace in your time of need.

I need a strong cup of coffee right about now.

Finally I reach the front of the diner. I reach of the door and push it open in one swift motion. I don't see Luke. I slide into a stool at the counter and place my purse next to me. I still don't see Luke. It's time for a drastic approach.

"Luke!" I yell hoping he hears and comes running. I could hear him stumble down the last few steps. I'm pretty sure he may have fell. Yet he appears from behind the curtain unharmed. He shot me a look when he realized it was me that yelled.

"Lorelai, you couldn't wait five minutes for me to get back downstairs," he berates me as he walks behind the counter and stops in front of me.

"You don't get to yell at me today. I need a strong cup of coffee and your ear so you better be quick about the coffee situation." I demand in a sterner tone than usually. I wasn't about to be yelled at for getting his attention. He had no idea what my morning was like.

His eyes narrowed before he turned around to get me a mug and poured the smoldering liquid into it. He placed it in front of me. "What's up with you today?"

I don't answer him at first. I want Luke's coffee in my system before I even try to explain this. I lift the mug to my mouth and let the liquid slide smoothly down my throat. Heaven. "Where do you want me to start?"

"The beginning would be a nice change of pace."

I rolled my eyes as I took another sip of the addicting liquid. At least several more cups of this were in my future before ten o'clock. Too much? Excess? I think not. I deserve a nice coffee binge after what I woke up too.

She just took my jeep and went to New York to see Jess.

Why is this so hard for me to believe? Probably because my Rory is not spontaneous like this. Wow. That was more information than before. Maybe it's finally starting to seep deep into my brain so I can't forget.

"So I wake up to an alarm clock and I can't remember why I have it. Then I get to thinking and I recall Rory making me buy one. Then I start thinking of all the reasons why she would make me buy such an evil piece of technology..."

"I don't have all morning Lorelai."

"My daughter stole my jeep." I blurt out. Simple beginning. It's going to lead to him asking why and I get to tell him because his nephew placed crazy ideas into my daughter's head.

"I don't even think I have to ask the next question."

"She went to go see Jess." He doesn't look surprised. Why doesn't he look surprised? What the hell is going here? I tell Luke something that should send him into a tailspin and he doesn't look flabbergasted. What happened to the Luke that used to freak out about Rory and Jess going off to make out? Who is this standing in front of me?

"Oh." You have got to be kidding me. This is most definitely not Luke.

"Hold on a second. 'Oh'? That's all. I tell you that Rory stole my jeep and went to go see Jess and all you can manage to say is 'oh'." Something weird is definitely going on here and I get the feeling that he knows more than he's leading on.

"Was I supposed to have a different reaction?"

"What do you know Luke?"

"Nothing Lorelai. Nothing."

"You're lying. You have guilt face."

"Guilt face? Where do you get this stuff?" He says as he leaves his post from behind the counter and refills the coffee mugs of the few patrons that had made their way in before I did.

"See I know you know something. I can tell. You aren't being very Luke like."

"I haven't said anything to you that I wouldn't say on any other day." He insists as he goes back to his post and starts to jot a few things down on his notepad.

"You said 'oh'."

"I'm sorry," he says as he looks up from his paper, "I didn't know that I wasn't allowed to give one-word answers. I'll be sure to clear it with you next time."

"Don't you dare do that Luke. I know you. You know something."

"For the last time I don't know anything Lorelai."

"Why do you insist on lying to me? I tell you my kid just takes off without a word to go find your nephew, who nearly destroyed her life..."

"Don't go there, Lorelai."

"Don't go where Luke? You saw her everyday after Jess just took off and you have the nerve to tell me not to go there."

"I'm not doing this with you."

"You are so doing this with me."

"You're disturbing my customers."

"I haven't even begun to disturb them but keep avoiding my questions and you will see how disturbed they get." I yell as my voice reaches an unpleasant level. I've never been this loud in Luke's before but goddamn; I deserve to know what he knows.

He leans into me hard and in a low, heavy tone barks out a line of commands. "Keep your voice down."

"Fine," I bark back in apparent defeat but this round has only begun. Trust me I'll win. "Are you going to tell me what you know?"

"Give me a second." He said as he tossed down the rag that he had acquired at some point during the time he was refilling coffee mugs and all but yelled at me to keep my voice down. I watched him retreat back into the kitchen. One of three things was happening and I'm quite certain that it didn't involve Caesar and whip cream... at least not at this hour.

I sat there in silence and attempted to finish my coffee in peace while I waited for Luke to come back. So not happening. I could feel their stares piercing my flesh. I was starting to sweat. God, couldn't people find something better to do than stare at me and pick up the dialogue exchanged while Luke and I argued. There wasn't a doubt in my mind that by nine, Babette and Patty would be at the inn trying to console me after my blowout with Luke.

God it's going to be a long day.

I just finished my last sip of coffee when Luke decided to reappear. I watch, as he refills the cup, no questions asked. I like when we fight... I get refills without asking. Two points for me. "Thanks." I manage to spit out. I need to play nice now. Too many people staring. Not to mention I need to come here later and again tomorrow.

He just nodded his head... no verbal response. This was not necessarily a good sign. Then again this was Luke like. Under the circumstances though, I knew he was about to tell me something that would be equivalent to dropping an atomic bomb in my universe. "So what do you know that I don't?"

"What do you know?"

God, he's annoying. "Rory left me a note. She mentioned something about Jess coming to see her - some kind of declaration was made on his part I guess – and she rejected him. Now she changed her mind and wants to tell him to his face."

"And she took your jeep?"

"Yeah." I say as I go back to work on my coffee. I'm going to need lots and lots of caffeine. I know I'm going to. His face is full the what-I'm-about-to-tell-you-may-make-you-want-to-cause-me-bodily-harm look.

"I knew Rory was going to go see Jess."

"I figured that much out all by my lonesome."

"Rory was here a couple hours ago. We talked. I gave her Jess' address. She left."

"You gave her what?"

"I figured she was going with or without the address so giving it to her saved her from driving around the slums of New York by herself."

"And that makes me feel so much better."

"Lorelai."

"You should have stopped her or called me. You didn't have to encourage her to go after him."

"I did nothing that extreme. You know me... I don't do the emotional in-depth conversation pieces."

"That's exactly why you should have called me. Luke, I could have..."

"Stopped her?" He offered. "Not likely. She was going with or without your approval."

"You still shouldn't have let her go."

"What did you want me to do? Tie her up until you got here? Lorelai, she's nineteen years old."

"She's still my daughter. No one gave you parenting rights Luke. You aren't her father."

"I've been more of a father to that girl than Christopher has and you damn well know it." I rolled my eyes. Luke had a point. He's been there for Rory more times than I can count. He was like her stepfather except Luke and I never got married... hell we've never even dated. "I care about Rory and what happens to her. If she wants to go off to New York by herself to go find Jess and tell him whatever she has to tell him, then I say go ahead."

"That's not the point Luke."

"What is your point then? Because I sure as hell don't know."

The bell on the door to the diner rang. Great another customer to bare witness to my discussion with Luke about my rebelling daughter - this is fantastic. People need to find another diner in this town or better yet venture out of town. I hear Hartford has a lot of great breakfast diners... go there.

I was about to tell Luke my point when I noticed that his gaze was focused on the door. Please. Please let it be anyone but her. That would just be the icing on the cake of my morning if it was her.

I glanced over my shoulder to see who or what he was gawking at. I wanted to fall to the floor and die right then. Just strike me dead right now. I can't even form a single word. I keep opening and closing my mouth to say something –anything- nothing comes out. Not even the sound of me swallowing so hard I think I might throw up.

"Did I come at a bad time?"

Bad time? That was obvious as all hell. Yet I still felt the urge to ask. Was it appropriate? By the looks on their faces – hell no. They are just staring at me like I'm a zombie from the fucking Thriller video. What the fuck is going on?

I wanted to come, eat and leave. That's all I wanted. I wanted to be like one of those retarded animated grasshoppers in A Bug's Life. They come, they eat, they leave. I'll never forgive Rory for making me watch that stupid movie. It sucked so much that it left a permanent scar. So deep that I had to make a reference to it. That's it. I'm so sending her an angry letter that says how watching that cartoon destroyed my life. I'll put that on my list of things to do when I get my shit together.

Two cliché movie references in less than two minutes - I need to get out of this fucking town and fast.

"Listen, I just came to...."

"Why aren't you in New York?" Luke asked. What kind of question was that?

"Am I supposed to be in New York for some reason?"

"You're going back right? Just tell me you came here to get something from upstairs and then you're going back." Lorelai asked. What the hell is this? Now Lorelai cares about where I am. I get it.

"I didn't come here to see Rory alright?"

"Jess just please tell me you're going back to New York when you're done talking to Luke?" This is complete bullshit. I came here to tell Luke that I was leaving New York and going to find somewhere else to live for a while until I got my shit together and I get welcomed by Lorelai who already wants me half way to the fucking moon.

"No. I came here to tell Luke that I was leaving New York."

This is it. I made it here in one piece. A whole me is here. Two points for me. I'm nervous. Should I be nervous? I shouldn't right? This is just him. It's not like I'm getting ready to knock on Johnny Deep's front door. He's in no way even close to being the star of Edward Scissorhands – even though sometimes his hair reminds me of Johnny's in that movie – so not the point.

It's just him. Not a big deal. I've knocked on his door before. I've dragged him down stairs before. I've dragged him down and around streets before. Hell I even dragged him to my grandparent's house for a Friday night dinner. I could do this.

Oh god. I can't.

I'm not ready for this. I'm no where near ready for this. This is a big deal. This is Independence Day – Armageddon - end of the world big. I have to tell Jess – face to face – that I love him. That I want to be with him.

I don't think I can do it.

I lift my hand and make a fist. Before I knew it I banged slightly on the door. God Jess, please answer. I waited a few moments and was about to knock again when a guy that I didn't recognize came to the door.

"I'm sorry to bother you so early; I was just looking for Jess Mariano. His uncle told me this was his address."

"It was," the guy answered as he scratched the flesh underneath his chin leaving a red mark.

"Was?"

"Yeah up until a few hours ago. He just left."

What the hell? "Did he say where he was going?"

"Nope. Just that he would call when he got where he was going."

I wanted to slump down to the floor and cry. I poured my heart out to Luke, stole my mother's jeep, I left her a vague note, and I drove all the way here to tell Jess I love him – and he's not here.

Is this some kind of cruel joke?

If it is the universe officially sucks! I mean sucks beyond a point of no return. I thought Intolerable Cruelty was just a movie until this very moment.

"If you talk to him or see him or – you know what? Never mind. It's not important." Why should I let Jess know that I came? He's not around and who the hell knows when he will actually get the message that I came... so what was the point. "I'm sorry I bothered you." I say as I start to walk away.

"Wait," the man called to me and followed me down the hall to the elevator, "I know you from somewhere."

"I highly doubt that one." I say as I push the button for the elevator.

"No. I've seen you before. I know I have."

Thank god the elevator doors opened. "Why don't you keep racking your brain trying to figure it out and I'm going to leave." I stepped onto the elevator and turned to watch the doors close. They were taking way to long to close.

"That's it," he yelled as the doors continued to close the immense gap, "you're the girl from the picture." Picture? I've only been gone three hours and my picture is already on the news. Damn that woman works fast.

"The girl from Jess' wallet," he spit out just as the doors closed shut. That's when I heard him yell, "You're Rory."