Sorry for the long wait, I promise i haven't forgotten about this story, I've just been swamped like crazy! Just keep reading and let me know what you think!

Rory sat in the small coffee shop, twirling her hair slowly around her finger. The walls were painted a the same shade of pink as the Pepto-Bismol bottles. Up by the cash register, the owner of the shop had decorated the counter with little miniature cats and elves. The ceiling was decorated with pink flowers and green vines. The whole room was quickly giving Rory a headache. This was specifically why she had chosen this place to talk to Dean. It was a place neither of them ever frequented, so the bad memories that would soon be associated with the place wouldn't ruin their daily routines.

At the tinkling of the bell Rory looked up, and she was struck once again by how tall Dean was. He saw Rory and headed over to her table. He settled uncomfortably in the small rickety chair, and Rory feared it would crack under him. They sat there awkwardly; the memory of their last fight hung between them.

"Hey," Dean started, cracking through the silence. He reached his hand across the table, but Rory did not take it. His eyes narrowed. Rory took a deep breath.

"Dean, a lot of things have changed over the past few week," she began slowly. I've gone through a lot, and my life changed drastically. And I know that you tried to be there, but you weren't. I needed someone to understand that I was angry and hurt and disappointed, and you couldn't do that for me."

"Rory, I-" Rory cut him off.

"I'm not angry at you Dean," she assured him. "I just think that we've both become different people, and we've grown apart. I don't think we are the great couple that we used to be. " Dean blinked, drawing his hand back to his side.

"Are we breaking up?" he asked incredulously. Rory nodded slowly. "I don't believe this," he said angrily.

"I'm sorry." Dean shook his head.

"I should've figured when you told me to meet you in this gd forsaken place," he muttered. He stood up, and stormed out of the coffee house. Rory sat at her table for a little while longer, then stood up and went through the door.

Jess was waiting for her on the sidewalk. When she came out, they both fell into step, walking side by side.

"So, how did it go?"

Rory sighed. "It went great," she mocked sarcastically. "It was a breakup, it was horrible." Jess was silent. He slid his arm around her shoulder, but Rory shook him off. He stopped walking, and she looked back. The look on his face clearly indicated he was hurt. "I'm sorry," Rory apologized. "I'm just feeling a little guilty right now."

"Well this isn't going to work if every time you look at me you feel guilty."

"Come on Jess, you know that's not how I meant it," Rory protested, walking back to stand next to him. "Give me a break Jess. I just broke up with my boyfriend of four months. And I'm not blaming you for what I did either. It's just not so easy for me."

"I thought you would be happy about this," Jess grumbled.

"I am," Rory insisted. "Just not right this second."

"Okay, whatever," he shrugged, pushing the issue aside. He brushed a stray piece of hair away from her face, and they continued walking.

They parted somberly at the corner, the conflict not satisfactorily resolved.

Lorelai entered the room, carrying a pile of freshly laundered sheets. Turning on the radio, she pulled the sheets off the slept-in bed. She set the new sheets on the bed, swaying softly to the music, and began humming quietly. She threw the curtains open, flooding the room with light. Lorelai smiled as the warm sunlight hit her face. She turned back to the room and began tiding up, singing along with the music of the radio. A knock on the door startled her. She whipped around, there, backward baseball cap and all, stood Luke.

"Hi," he said, stepping into the room. He lugged a heavy toolbox in his arm. "Sookie asked me to come by. Something about crooked drawers."

Lorelai pointed towards the mentioned piece, which was leaning comically towards on side. Luke got one his knees, setting down his toolbox to examine it.

"I didn't know you were also the Inn's handyman," Lorelai said, dusting the top of the T.V cabinet.

"I just do a couple of favors every now and then," Luke explained, digging around for his tools. He looked up at Lorelai. "How're you doing with your new job?"

"It's hard work," she supplied, sitting on the corner of the freshly-made bed. "But it keeps me busy, and everyone here is so nice, and patient, and Sookie's always ready to answer whatever questions I have."

"That's good," Luke said, fiddling around with the leg.

"Yeah. I have a lot of questions about you, you know."

Luke stopped what he was doing and looked up at her form the floor.

"Do you?"

Lorelai nodded.

"I can't really figure it out. What would cause a man, who apparently I was not dating at the time, raise my daughter?"

"Rory's special," Luke answered.

"That's not an answer," Lorelai pointed out.

"It's the best one I've got," Luke grunted, tightening the leg of the drawers. Lorelai bit her lip.

"She is pretty amazing," Lorelai reflected once again. "I got lucky."

Luke finished twisting the last screw in place. He picked up his toolbox and lifted himself from the ground.

"No you didn't," he said, coming up to Lorelai and laying a rough hand on her shoulder. "You raised her to be that way. She got lucky."

Rory was lying on her back, staring up at the ceiling. She had school work calling her name but in a very uncharacteristic move she left it waiting in her bag. Her radio was playing, but she wasn't really listening to the music either. She just stared up at the ceiling, her thoughts taking her through bumps and loops.

There was a tapping at her window. She didn't have to turn her head to see who it was, but she did anyway. Jess stood there, his black coat neglected in favor of the slowly warming wheather.

She pulled herself out of her bed and opened the window. "If we keep doing this, then I'm going to have to change my name to Repunzul," she said.

"I wanted to see you," Jess shrugged.

"Well I don't think my hairs that strong, but come in if you want. My dad's not here." She stood back as Jess lifted himself over her windowsill.

"It makes life so much easier that your bedroom is on the ground floor," he pointed out.

"Just don't tell my dad that."

Jess grinned.

"Do you want food?" Rory offered. Jess shook his head.

"Look Rory, I was thinking about earlier today." He scratched his head. "And I realized I would be a pretty big idiot if I got annoyed at the fact that my girlfriend is sensitive and cares about other people, even if that includes her ex-boyfriend."

"Jess Mariano," Rory teased, "that almost sounded like an apology."

"Don't fool yourself," he warned.

Rory laughed. "That's the first time you called me your girlfriend," she pointed out. "I liked it."

Jess pulled her close to him.

"I liked it too," he agreed, running his hands through her soft hair. He leaned in and their lips met. Rory closed her eyes and put her arms around his neck, running her fingers through his soft hair. Jess held her head firm in his hands and leaned into her. All of a sudden they heard a noise in the front. The two of them paused, perking their ears. The sound came from a door opening.

"I thought Christopher wasn't home?" Jess whispered. Rory looked around in a panic.

"Well he wasn't. I don't know how he got home so fast!"

"Okay, then I guess it's back out the window for me." He leaned his hands on the sill, ready to lft himself over, but Rory put a hand out to stop him.

"No, he'll hear you!" she whispered frantically.

"So what do we do?"

"Rory?" Chris's voice was heard from the kitchen. Rory crossed her room and, before Jess could stop her, she had opened the door.

"I hope you like the CD," she said loudly. "Hi Dad." Her voice was totally normal. "Jess just came over to look at some music. You know how me and mom were on our "mission" to save the world from bad music."

Jess grinned at his girlfriend's genius. Chris was totally lost in her smile. Rory could tell him that she had committed murder and he would still think she's the most perfect little girl. Jess wasn't complaining as long as he was receiving the fringe benefits of having a girlfriend with very few rules. He had a feeling Lorelai would have been a little tougher, not so wrapped around her daughter's finger.

Chris reached out and shook Jess's hand.

"It's nice to meet you Jess," he smiled. Jess smiled back easily and turned to Rory.

"I'm going to get going," he said. "Um, thanks for the C-D." he patted his coat, pretending he had a disk in there. "Goodnight."

"So that was Jess?" Chris asked as the door snapped shut.

Rory nodded. "That was Jess."

"And Dean…?

"We broke up. I told you that already." She went to the cabinet and took out some paper plates.

"Aha," Christopher followed with the steaming fast food.

"So what did we get tonight?" Rory asked, setting the plates onto the table.

"Italian food."

"Yum."

"Hey kiddo," Chris hesitated but continued, "can I ask you something?"

Rory looked up from the silverware in her hand. "Sure."

"Would Lorelai have let you have Jess in your room?"

Rory paused for a long moment, thinking hard.

"No," she answered honestly. "She probably wouldn't."

"Ok." Chris said. He didn't feel anymore needed to be said. His point was made.

Lorelai opened the door to her small cottage and stepped inside. She opened the windows, put an old teapot on the stove, and headed into her bedroom. As she entered, she passed the mirror. She paused, and stood gazing at herself. She was dressed in her maid's uniform, her apron smooth around her small waist. Her hair was down, held away from her face by clips. Slowly she reached back and untied her apron. She hung it on the back of a chair. She took the clips out of her hair, and her hair fell over her shoulders. She turned away from the mirror and made her way to the bad. Then Lorelai sat down on the bed and cried.

Not my favorite chapter, but the next one is worth reading!

Review!!!!!!