ANNow, I could do something boring… but I think I have a few surprises somewhere in my bag of tricks.

"We need to talk"

Rory's words tore through Jess like a knife, she wasn't happy? Was she breaking up with him? He loved her more than anyone lese in his life, wasn't that enough? He had a million questions to ask her, a million things to say, a million causes to plea. But he could only come out with a sound, and that sound was

"Oh."

"Jess, I know you love me, I don't doubt it for a second… and I think I love you too. But, I'm beginning to feel like it's not enough. I don't know if I'm insane, too needy… or even still a little bit drunk, but I don't feel wanted." She took a step towards him, but he had started pacing the room.

"But I want you Rory; I want to be with you. I need to be with you. When I've had a rough day you're there for me, you get me, and I'm pretty sure I get you too."

"That's the thing Jess, I know that you will come pick me up, running late from something or other… and I'm pretty sure… well I think that you're sorry for keeping me up, but you never say it, then you'll kiss me, and I'm not complaining, but just once, I'd like you to ask me about my day, how I was feeling, what I want to do… but then it's all about you and your work and then I feel guilty for feeling this way. I want to feel the passion I felt for you before all this, when we were together the first time, when we first ran away, I want to feel like every second without you is a second wasted. Then when I don't feel like that, I feel like a horrible person… and I should make it up to you, but I can't because that is what makes me feel miserable… you need me, but I want you to want me… god now I'm repeating song lyrics-" Her rambling was interrupted.

"Rory!" Jess interrupted, "I can't understand a word you are saying. Please, tell me what you need and we'll fix this."

"I need," Rory hesitated, suddenly unsure of what she was expecting when she came here, she felt stupid for coming in the first place, "I need to stop feeling guilty Jess, stop feeling like I'm letting you down by not caring enough. I think we need to break up."

Those last five words sent shards of Jess' heart flying around the room, he felt faint, he wanted to cry, he wanted to kiss her. Then the anger took over.

"Get out Rory." His voice sounded so cold, so hurt yet so angry, it scared Rory immensely and she took haste in her exit.

As she walked back to her dorm she ran through all the people that she could talk to, she couldn't drive to Stars Hollow, so her mother and Lane were out of the picture, and Paris was too in love to play sensitive to Rory's emotions… she wasn't sure if she was comfortable going to Steph with her problems, but before she knew it she was knocking on Stephs door.

"Come in!" Steph called out from inside.

Rory opened the door to see Steph, Rosemary and Juliet sprawled across the couch with a bowl of chips between them.

"Hey Rory," Rosemary's voice cracked a bit, "we're wallowing."

"I've eaten two chips –now I'll never get married" Juliet sobbed.

"I'll order pizza." Rory said grumpily, closing the door behind her ready for a night of wallowing with her new friends.

"So I woke up, and Colin was next to me! I mean, it's not like it's the first time I've… you know… but I thought that maybe this time… he'd want something more. But no! 'Let's just wrap it up to a bad night' he says! Boys suck!" Stephanie sniffled and grabbed another slice of pizza off the now full coffee table.

"So, Stephs told us about Colin, Juliet has shared her experience with her possible future husband and I've told you all about Finn and his new red head… out with your perils Rory." Rosemary pulled a pillow into her stomach, her eyes puffy with previous tears, but filled with curiosity at the thought of new gossip.

"I dumped my boyfriend." All the girls chorused a sympathetic 'Aw' at this news. "I mean, he's nice, he loves me… and I think I love him, I'm just not in-love with him. I don't think I can be. He doesn't make me feel special… and is it really worth the time away from my school work if I'm miserable every time I'm around him? It was horrible… he was so hurt… then he yelled… but I don't miss him… I feel lighter… just… guilty." All three girls were nodding, they got her, well maybe not the school part per se, but they got her.

A knock at the door awoke the girls from their stupor, then an Australian accent called out.

"Which of you lovely ladies would like to be my escort for dissevering?" Laughter sounded from behind the door, obviously the three stooges. Rory looked at the time.

"Shoot! I have to go finish an article up for the Yale Daily News, I'll see you guys around?"

"Yeah, sure, and you'll be alright." Steph gave Rory a warm smile, "And piss off Finn we're busy!" She added as Rory walked over to the door.

Rory missed Logans concerned glances as she exited the building and made her way back to her dorm. Little did she know that he would ask the girls about her, that they would tell him the story, and that a little piece of him would be happy. All Rory could think of was her dorm, her article, and later her bed, where dreams of hurt faces would haunt her, and cute smirks would slip into her subconscious.

Rory Lay in bed on the verge of slumber when a loud banging on the door jerked her upright.

"No Doyle, it could be a robber," Paris called out, "No don't open the door it could be a murder- oh, don't worry it's only-"

"JESS!" Rory cried as he flung himself in into her room, "What are you doing here?"

"I thought about what you said, and how I can prove that I love you," Rory tried to cut him off, but there was no stoping you him, "There is nothing I want more than to spend my life with you, I need you Rory," Rory let out a quiet groan at this last bit, "Will you marry me?"

Rory took a couple of seconds to find her words, "WHAT?" she yelled at him, falling back on her bed in childish frustration.

"Will you make me the happiest man in the world?" She sat up, saw sincerity in his eyes.

"No Jess, I can't." She wanted to cry, but she needed him to feel the clarity and determination with which she spoke.

"Why not Rory, you said you loved me!" He was trying to pull all of her heart strings, yet she felt oddly numb to his persuasions. He hadn't listened, he didn't know her.

"I'm not in-love with you." Her voice was steady, if she had to look into those dark eyes of pain any longer her voice would waver and her cause would be lost.

With an incoherent grunt Jess stormed out of her dorm rooms, slamming the door of the common room after him. He pushed his way through the small group of girls who had been roused by the noise and was off into the night.

Rory had drifted through life that week, it seemed that classes were the only task she could set her mind around. She spent from the early morning to late night writing and revising, Before she knew it she was shifting her food around her plate at Friday night dinner.

"Rory, whatever is the matter, is school too hard? That… who is it, London girl giving you trouble… something to do with Jess?" Rory's head jerked up as her grandmother spat her ex-boyfriends name, she completely ignored Emily's forgetting of Paris' name.

"Jess and I, we, broke up." Rory stuttered out.

"Aw hun, I'm sorry." Lorelai said sincerely while Emily could barely contain her happiness for the rest of the evening.

Rory arrived back at her dorm to see Steph waiting for her in the common room, before she could utter a sound of surprise she was dragged into her room and an pre-prepared outfit was shoved into her hands. Rory was too dazed to object to the much too short skirt and much too exaggerated cleavage.

"Ok Ror, quit your moping, me and the girls are taking you out."

Cars and roads and corners became a blur before her eyes and before she knew it she was sitting at a table with Steph, Juliet, Colin, Rosemary, Finn and Logan.

"I thought you said the girls?" Rory directed her question at Steph, confused.

"Yeah, the three stooges count. I've got pictures of Finn in a skirt." Steph smiled.

"Hey!" Finn objected, "Those photo's are old! My legs are much nicer now." Everyone laughed, though Finns voice was slightly too sincere.

"Common Ace, you've been moping around for days now, have a drink on me. Now's the time to live it up!" Logan said with a boyish smirk.

"Sure," Rory replied, "One drink shouldn't hurt, besides, it's on you."

Half an hour and four drinks later, Rory was telling the group about her late night visit from Jess.

"Then, he barged through the door. I mean, the nerve, to come through that door and say to my face that she loved me. I mean, I broke up with him to his face, and now his face was telling my face to marry him? He was lucky that I didn't go kung-fu on his ass." Rory slurred as the others listened in a state of semi-drunken amusement.

"Common Ace, I think it's time to get you home." Logan stood her up and steered her out the door and towards his car.

"No, I don't want to go. I want to make friends with the drinks. I want to be numb Logan, just let me be numb." She didn't physically resist him as he helped her into the car and directed Frank to drive them back to Yale.

"You're cute Huntzberger, you know that. But you're a spoiled brat. If you weren't cute and smart and charming no one would like you." Rory poked him with her finger, but she couldn't make eye contact, her eyelids were drooping. Logan decided to take advantage of her drunken state and ask her a few questions.

"Do you like me Ace?" He asked, trying to keep her awake, there was no way she was remembering this the next day.

"Mmhm." She mumbled, her head was leaning against his chest. Logan couldn't help but smile to himself, it was nice having her there and he was just drunk enough to enjoy her there without the mental stress.

"What would you do if I asked you out Ace?" As he asked the question her head jerked up and she tried desperately to focus on him.

"Jess. No. Feel special. Like you." She muttered, before falling into a slumber.

AN: Thanks for reading and please tell me what you think. DUN-DUN-DUN-DUUNN! We are finally getting a little Rogan action! However, will Jess be back in the midst soon? Who knew a small town girl could have so much drama in her life, sigh. Well, thanks for reading. I'll update again soonish.