AN: Thanks for all the feedback, as always. You guys are great, as always. Read and review! Also, please read the AN at the end of this chapter. Thanks!

Rory groaned and buried her head deeper under the covers, trying to ignore the pressure on the side of the bed.

"Morning, hun," her mother's voice barely whispered, "Coffee?"

Rory groaned again, noted the severe pounding in her head, and reached out to push Lorelai away.

"You see," Lorelai continued, "The bad part about the whole drinking thing is the waking up on the morning with a huge hangover thing. Maybe you should've thought about that last night before you drove over to Finn's house, drank so much that Logan had to drive you back, and then Jess had to practically carry you into the house."

She popped up at the last part of her mother's rampage, "Jess was the reason for the whole thing in the first place. He gets no sympathy. Did you say coffee?"

"What do you mean Jess was the reason?"

"Less talky, more coffee."

"Fine. But you're talking in about five seconds, so drink fast."

Rory snatched the coffee cup out of her mom's hands and took a long gulp, ignoring the glaring, questioning gaze being sent her way. She needed at least a half a cup of coffee in her system before she started explaining last night to her mother.

"Patience is up. Start talking. What happened with you and Jess last night?"

"Can't I at least get up? Have a few more cups of coffee? Eat something?"

"You don't want to eat anything," Lorelai took a deep breath, "At least not until I go get you your first batch of real hangover food, which probably wouldn't be a good idea right now, because your father has more questions than I do and he's sitting in the kitchen. Now, go."

Rory opened her mouth to begin the story when the shrill ringing of her cellphone interrupted the conversation. Holding up a finger to her already impatient mother, she dug her cellphone out of her jacket pocket and pressed it to her ear.

"Yeah?"

"Well, good morning to you, too," Colin's voice greeted, "Sleep well?"

"Shut up."

"Ah, I see you're experiencing the pain of a true hangover."

"Again, shut up."

"Just making sure you got home okay."

"Nice recovery," she sighed, "Yes, Logan got me home fine."

"And Jess, too."

"Kind of."

"We'll get to that later," he paused, "So, are you feeling better? Emotionally, not the hangover part."

"I guess, but that might still be the alcohol talking."

"Fair enough. So, look, if you want to hang out today, me and Finn are hanging around with Logan. Although, you're probably going to be talking with Jess, right?"

"I haven't decided yet."

"Okay then. The offer stands. Call if you need us, okay?"

"You got it. Thanks."

"Anytime," he was silent for a second, "And Rory?"

"Hmm?"

"Tell your mother to get you some hangover food."

"Yeah, yeah. She's on it."

"Good. See ya."

"Bye."

Rory closed her phone and tossed it on her nightstand, avoiding eye contact with Lorelai as she downed several more gulps of coffee. Her head was pounding, and the idea of any type of movement at all made her physically ill. There were times when she had gotten drunk with Colin and Finn, but nowhere near this bad. Nothing topped this.

"Spill!" Lorelai demanded, "Now."

"Can't this wait until later?" Rory begged, "My head feels like it's getting shot out of a cannon."

"Either you get the drinking lecture now or you tell me the Jess story now. Pick one."

"You're mean."

"Would a mean mother be sitting on her underage daughter's bed handing her coffee to help with her hangover?" Lorelai corrected.

Rory relented, "Jess pulled a Dean last night."

"Jealously thing?"

"He asked me about the party and if I was with all guys. And then Colin called to invite me over and I said that I'd like to come, but I was with Jess. And then Jess went off on this big thing about how I'd rather be at the party than with him. He asked why I couldn't have normal friends, female friends, friends without drivers, etc. He apologized, but he left anyway."

"And then you went to Finn's."

"Yes," Rory sighed, took another sip, and continued, "Jess called me while I was there and said that of course I ran to my boys. And then he went on about how easily I could cheat on him and how is he supposed to know what's going on. Like I would actually cheat on him! He was acting like an ass."

"And then he showed up here last night? Did you talk at all?"

"I was not in the state, or mood, to talk. He helped me to bed and that was it."

"Mhmm."

"What mhmm?"

"Well, is that it?"

"What do you mean it?"

"Is that it for you and Jess?"

"I don't know. I hope not. But if he can't trust me, then I guess it has to be. It's not like I'm attracted to any of my friends."

"Not even Logan?"

Rory very nearly choked on her coffee, "Excuse me?"

"I said--"

"I heard what you said! And no! Not Logan," she paused, "No."

"Okay, fine. I'll go get you some food. Get up, get a shower, get changed, and call Logan and thank him or something. And then you have to meet Jess at Luke's."

"I have to what?"

"He called earlier."

"And you just agreed for me?"

"Funny what happens when you have a hangover, isn't it? Besides, you need to at least talk to him. Bye, sweets!"

"Urgh."

"Love you, too."

With a long gulp, Rory downed the rest of her coffee and forced herself to sit up in the bed. The room spun slightly, and her head and stomach protested the movement, but she finally pulled herself to her feet. It was going to be a long day. She wasn't looking forward to walking to the shower, or actually mustering up the energy and will to shower. And she really, really wasn't looking forward to talking, more likely arguing, with Jess.

Why couldn't she just pretend last night never existed?

- - - - - - - -

Six cups of coffee and two tacos later, Rory pushed her way out of her front door. She would be meeting Jess in a few minutes, and she didn't even know where to begin with him. It was never a secret that he didn't like her friends, and Rory knew it was perfectly natural for him to get jealous every once and awhile, but she always thought that he trusted her. But now with the phonecalls and the accusations, she didn't know what to think anymore.

She was always honest with him, always. And never in all their time together had there been any reason to doubt that her relationship with Colin and Finn, and even Logan, was anything less than platonic. So why was it so hard for Jess, and in the past Dean, to understand that she needed her friends? She needed people other than her boyfriend and her family to be around, and care about, and have care for her. It wasn't her fault that her best friends happened to be male and rich. It wasn't her fault they were the ones that pulled her in. How could she just leave them behind? She couldn't -- wouldn't.

But then there was the other side of Jess, the side that she was drawn to in the first place. He could be sweet, and he could always make her laugh. And sometimes it seemed like there wasn't anything he wouldn't do for her. And sometimes it seemed like he trusted her completely. That was the Jess she wanted to be around, the one she wanted to be with. She just wished he would stick around longer than the other one.

With a sigh, she pulled out her cellphone and selected Logan's number, knowing she should probably call and thank him before she got to Luke's. Talking to Logan in front of Jess would not be one of her brighter ideas.

"Hey, Ace," Logan's voice greeted, "How are you?"

"Been better."

"I can imagine. How's the hangover treating you?"

"Seven cups of coffee."

"You have a problem."

"So, I've been told," she paused, "So, listen..."

"What am I listening to?" he asked, a smile in his voice.

"I just wanted to thank you for taking me home last night and for everything else."

"You're welcome, Ace. Anytime."

"Well, my head hopes the occasion won't come up again."

He laughed, "You know what I mean. By the way, Finn's in the car and he wants me to remind you about his birthday party on Saturday."

"Remind me?"

Logan laughed again, "He must've forgotten to extend the invitation last night. He meant to, but you know, the beer."

"Believe me, I know Finn. I'll be there," she was silent as Luke's came into view, "Look, I have to go. I'll see you guys tomorrow."

"Later, Ace."

"Bye."

She closed her phone as she neared Luke's door, surprised to find Jess already leaning in the frame. He glanced up, his dark brown eyes taking in her overall appearance, and looking almost nervous as she came to a halt in front of him. She sort of shrugged. What now? What did she say now? What did she do now?

"Feeling better since the last time we met?" he inquired, his voice soft.

"Somewhat."

"Where do you want to go?"

She shrugged.

"I don't want to talk here in front of the whole town," he insisted.

"Fine. Then walk, I'll follow."

"Fine."

Jess stuffed his hands deep into his pockets and sulked off. Rory knew where they were going before he even turned in the general direction. They were going to the bridge. It was the only logical place for them to go.

"So," Jess started, motioning downwards as they stepped onto the bridge.

"So..."

Rory took a seat, letting her feet dangle over the edge. She wasn't going to start the conversation, that was up to him. It was up to him to fix this, afterall, he broke it. A feeling of dread overtook her as she wondered if it could be fixed. How could she be with someone who couldn't trust her? And what, if anything, could he do to make her believe that he actually did?

"You know I don't like the people you hang out with."

"Oh, good start," Rory all but snorted, "Really, you should write a book or something."

"Rory..."

"Sorry. Go ahead."

"And you have to understand that sometimes it's a hard thing to deal with: having a girlfriend whose friends are all guys."

"You knew who my friends were coming into this relationship!"

"I know that! I just didn't realize how -- close you are."

"How close we are? That better not have a double meaning because I swear to--"

"It doesn't. It just means that I didn't know they were your...your..."

"Best friends."

"Best friends," Jess repeated in almost a sigh, "Right. Best friends."

"See, that wasn't that hard, was it?"

"How would you feel if all my friends were girls?"

"Well," Rory smirked, "Let's see. If you went to a school where you could meet no other people that you'd like to hang out with and these girls accepted you for who you are and cared about you and were there for you and had no romantic interest in you whatsoever? I'd say go for it, Romeo."

"You would?"

"And I would trust you the whole time."

"Okay, okay," Jess held up his hands slightly, "I got it. You don't think I trust you."

"No. I know you don't trust me."

"I do, Rory. I do."

"So, the phone calls? And the accusations?"

"Accusations?"

"That I could cheat on you so easily? That you don't know what I could be doing? My boys?"

He winced, "Right -- those accusations. Listen, Rory..."

"No," she corrected, "You listen. I was friends with them long before you ever came along, and you knew damn well who they were before you ever asked me out. You knew why Dean broke up with me, you knew how much that hurt, you knew all of that. So don't you sit there and tell me how easily I could cheat on you! If I wanted any of them, I would've had them by now. Okay?"

"Okay."

She had angry tears burning in her eyes now, and as much as she fought to control them, they slipped down her cheeks anyway. Jess saw what Dean did to her, told her how stupid he was after he left her. And now he was pulling the same things.

"It's just that sometimes it seems like you need them more than you need me. I'm your boyfriend, Rory. I'm supposed to be the one you need."

"I do need you, Jess! But I need them, too. You're my boyfriend. They're my friends. There is a difference, okay? I need you to be my boyfriend. I've only got one, okay? Understand?"

"I understand."

"So, what now?"

"What do you mean?"

"Do you honestly think that's it?"

"No," Jess ran a hand over his face, "It's not it. I'm sorry I said what I said. I really am. I do trust you you. Believe me, I do. It's them I don't trust."

Rory rolled her eyes, "They would never try anything. Ever."

"Really? Not even the new one?"

"Logan? He's harmless."

"Why was he the one to drive you home last night?"

"Because everyone else was too drunk and he was nice enough to hold back so I'd have a ride home. I don't think that qualifies as him hitting on me."

"I never said it did."

"You didn't have to."

"Okay, Rory. Can we just stop?"

"No. I want to know where this is all coming from. What made you start saying stuff like this all of the sudden? I always knew you didn't like them, but you never even thought of accusing me of cheating on you before, right?"

He nodded, "Right."

"So, where is this coming from?"

"I love you, Rory."

And just like that, everything around her came to a screeching halt. She couldn't breath, she couldn't move, she couldn't even think straight. Did he just say that he loved her? They were in the middle of an argument and all of the sudden he just spits that out? Maybe it was something she wanted to here, maybe, just maybe, it was something she needed to hear. But only if he meant it.

"Jess--" she began, her voice cracking.

"I know it was sudden, but it's true. I love you. And that's why I've been acting so strange. I don't want to let you go."

She wanted so much to believe him, to kiss him, to tell him that everything was okay. But it just seemed so strange, so out of character, for him to just say something like that. Her head was spinning and everything in her was still trying to catch up. They were just arguing, she had just been angry, and now? What did she feel now? Happiness? Disbelief?

And if he meant it, really meant it, why was he saying it now? It seemed that maybe he was just using it to end their fight, or to get her to forgive him. That's not how she wanted to hear those words, that's not how she wanted to remember them. She wanted so badly to believe him, but something in her just wouldn't let the moment feel right.

"Jess, I--"

He cut her off again, "I know what you're thinking. You're thinking that I just said that spur of the moment, that I didn't mean it. But I do."

"Why now?"

"You asked me why I've been acting so strange, and that's why."

"You've had issues trusting me because you love me? Sorry if that doesn't make much sense."

"I realized it, and then I got so scared of losing you."

She stared at him, taking in his every word, trying to analyze, feel, remember, and believe all at the same time. She didn't know what to do. Did she say it back? Did she want to? Maybe she did, but not like this. Not now. Not when she was having so much trouble believing him in the first place. She needed to process and think, and replay this moment in her head. More than anything, she needed to figure out the horrible feeling hovering above her. Something was wrong. Something didn't fit. And something was terribly, terribly out of place.

"You don't have to answer me right now," he insisted, his voice coming more quickly now, "I just wanted you to know. And I'm not going to hold anything against you if you don't say it back now. I know you're probably cautious, and that's completely understandable. I mean, you were just yelling at me five seconds ago, right?"

She nodded, unable to speak.

"Okay."

She could feel his eyes on her from her head all the way down to her toes. She liked Jess -- she liked Jess a lot. And she felt like she was falling in love with him, she really did. So maybe she should just say it. Isn't it what she felt? Didn't that ship sail a long time ago for her?

But she couldn't say it, not now. She would. Sometime. Sometime soon, but not now. Not right after a fight, not when he was possibly saying it in desperation. She needed to wait, at least a day or two, to see if he really meant it. She deserved that much.

He reached out and touched her chin, turning her face towards him. She looked at him, and he smiled slightly, his brown eyes almost sparkling. And in that moment she wanted nothing more than to believe him. She wanted to believe that he trusted her, cared about her, loved her.

"I will try my hardest to be more accepting of your friends, I promise. I trust you. I do. And I'm sorry," he told her, his voice soft, gentle.

He leaned in and kissed her, and she gave in to his lips, gave in to what she wanted to believe. And she let her doubts drift away, because that was how she wanted to feel. She desperately wanted to forget that they had just fought and just believe that somebody loved her. Somebody loved her.

Her heart was suddenly souring. She pushed any bad feelings aside, and just let herself feel happy. She wanted this, right? This was what she wanted: a boyfriend who loved her, who was changing his tune for her. She pressed her lips against his harder, lacing her hands around his back.

"I love you, too," she whispered in his ear.

Then the horrible feeling came crashing back down again.

And she wondered what she had just given in to, exactly.

- - - - - - - -

AN CONTINUED: Don't hate me after this chapter! I promise, promise, promise it has a point, and a reason, and all that fun stuff. And I promise that point and reason is coming very soon. Have I ever given you reason to doubt me before? Haha. So, just stick around and hang in there. I promise the Lit will end soon, just stay with me, please!