Thanks for the feedback!

Over the next few weeks Rory settled into her job. After her initial uncertainty she soon relaxed and felt at ease. She loved the work and the paper and as she completed her pieces felt as confident as she had back in the newsroom at Yale. The people she worked with were pleasant and, although Rory hadn't made any steady friends, she enjoyed working with them and sharing ideas. In the evening Rory would go home, get dinner and crash on the couch, kicking off her sore office shoes. She talked to Lorelai nearly every night and Jess had come to stay the last two weekends. After the lovemaking and stroll around the city Jess would go back to Philadelphia and, as Rory waved goodbye, she felt as though she was watching a movie, the typical story of a young woman making it in New York.

Rory didn't feel that she was in a movie, at least not that kind. The women in films always seemed self-assured, knowing everything was going to work out. Rory was considerably more confident than in previous months but sometimes the enormity would hit her, at the strangest times, that she had taken a chance and moved to New York. Rory would be walking along or wake up in the night when anxiety would hit her and she would breathe deeply until she was calm again. She had a job, she was good at her job and she liked New York, but Rory would worry for a fleeting moment that someone would flick a switch, stop the projector and say it had been a mistake. She feared it had been a crazy dream and she would wake in Connecticut or worse, in California.

The start at Rory's new job had been particularly hot stretch of summer. This week had been unbearably warm and everyone had perspired miserably at their desks, the airconditioning feeble. On Friday afternoon there was a blessed breeze in the air and the manager said everyone should go a little early if they liked. The staff let out an exclamation of appreciation, switching off their computers and stretching their legs.

"Rory," one of the other new members of staff called as Rory got her purse. "We're going out for drinks. Want to come?"

Rory smiled awkwardly. The staff member smiled back, a young, blonde woman called Sandra and Rory said apologetically,

"I have plans. Sorry. Maybe next time?"

"Sure."

Sandra smiled and shrugged, to show no hard feelings, and turned back to the other young people who worked there. Rory felt a little guilty as she left the office but she felt like walking alone and was still shy during the lunch hour when they got coffee and talked about their lives before the job. Rory hurried down the steps, in case they asked again, and as she stepped away from the building Rory had the sudden anticipation she remembered feeling as a child. She walked slowly, puzzling over it, and then stopped, remembering. It was the feeling she got at the start of fall, just as their air began to change and school started. It was still midsummer but there was the same feeling to the air and Rory decided to get an icecream. She bought one from a vendor, smirking to herself as she imagined what Emily would say, and turned into a park.

Rory walked lazily along, licking at the cone, and stopped by a lake. She dropped a pebble into the water and as it rippled allowed her mind to wander. Rory gazed at the emerging circles and her thoughts meandered to her mother and friends. She imagined Lorelai, working at the inn, or maybe finished for the day and drinking on the porch with Sookie, Lane taking her kids to the lake and Paris...Paris was probably working in a lab, not knowing or caring about the beautiful weather outside. Rory smiled. She'd spoken to her friend once since the move and arranged for her to visit the following month. Paris had been blunt as usual, asked if she'd been mugged yet or got food poisoning. Rory had laughed, put down her takeout container and told her everything was fine and her friend had paused and said she was glad Rory was doing well. The words were brief but Rory knew it was a compliment from Paris and worth more than gushings of praise. Rory's mind swung back to the party at her house a month ago and sitting with her best friend and boyfriend on the porch, arguing as they had all those years ago over writing and literature. Rory felt a warmth spread through her as she thought of Jess.

Rory had spoken to Jess last night. He had come to stay just last weekend but Rory missed him. She closed her eyes, picturing him working in Philadelphia. She wondered if it was at hot there and Rory imagined Jess lifting boxes of books, surprising strength in his arms, or drinking a beer to relax. She felt a low warmth flicker between her legs as she pictured him and Rory opened her eyes, deciding to call him or maybe even drive to Philadelphia and surprise him. She knew Jess wouldn't mind. Rory licked the icecream which had dribbled onto her hand and turned away from the water. All the ripples had faded away.

Rory started to walk up the path and then froze. Ahead of her in the avenue of trees was walking a tall, blond-headed man. He was in shirt and dark pants, looking immaculate, and was whistling to himself. Rory stared and stared, her knees trembling. It couldn't be him, it couldn't be Logan. Logan was in California, three thousand miles away and he knew Rory had moved, she had told Honor and told her she could tell him, but there was no way he'd be here. There was no need for him to see her, no clue he'd be coming but then, Rory thought in cold horror, he liked to surprise her. He hadn't called when they were fighting and he'd shown to say he loved her, or to see her at Mia's wedding, he liked spontaneity. Maybe he thought he could get Rory back if he came to see her and now was here, walking through the park on the hot day after finding she'd left the office. Rory watched him walk along with an easy pace and finally ran up to face him, icecream dribbling behind her. She spun around, panting, and then stopped. The man in front of her was not Logan.

"Are you okay?" the man asked, his look of surprise replaced with concern. "Can I help you?"

Rory was flooded with embarrassment. She looked away, wishing he would just leave, but he pressed on,

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Rory finally mumbled. "I thought you were someone I knew. Sorry."

The man's frown turned to amusement. He nodded and finally carried on, leaving Rory with her humiliation. She dumped the cornet and what was left of the icecream in a trashcan. She wished she'd taken Sandra's offer of a drink. Uncomfortable socialising was preferable to accosting strangers who resembled her ex-husband and Rory walked slowly home. She changed, took a long drink of water and picked up her cellphone.

"Hey," Jess said, sounding pleased at her call. "How's it going?"

"I just did the dumbest thing ever."

"You tried to cook on your stove?"

Rory was still living on takeout and pasta. The stove was temperamental and Rory didn't trust cooking with more than one pan on it. She closed her eyes and shook her head.

"Worse."

She relayed the entire story and Jess, to his credit, didn't laugh once. Rory took a breath and said,

"What's wrong with me? How could I be so dumb?"

"Rory, it's a pretty common mistake."

"I know, it's just – I was so sure," she said bitterly. "And if it had been Logan, I don't know what I would have done. It felt like I couldn't breathe. I keep feeling like one day someone's going to wake me up and say the fun's over. Sometimes it doesn't feel like this is real. I know I'm good at my job but sometimes I feel like a fraud."

She closed her eyes unhappily and Jess said,

"Do you want me to come over?"

"Yes," Rory said simply. "Please come."

"Already on my way."

Jess was there in less than an hour. He came bearing bags of Chinese food and Rory laughed out loud.

"You're a vision!"

"I try."

Jess set the food on the table and took Rory in his arms. She relaxed against his chest and he kissed the side of her head, getting her cheek and some of her hair. He ran his hand through it and Rory closed her eyes, breathing in his scent. For a moment they stood like that and then Jess said,

"Hope I don't smell too bad. It's pretty hot out there."

"You smell like Jess."

"I hope he doesn't smell bad."

"He smells great."

Rory lifted her head and smiled. Jess kissed her and asked,

"Are you okay?"

"I'm better now you're here."

"Are you okay besides that?"

"No," Rory admitted. "I don't know. I don't want it to bother me so much. Even if it had been Logan, so what? He being here wouldn't change anything."

"You were married."

"It still wouldn't change anything," Rory said. "It shouldn't bother me."

"But it does," Jess said. "You can't help it."

"I don't want it to."

Rory sat down on a chair. Jess looked at her and after a moment said,

"Last year I was in Philadelphia, just walking along, when I saw this guy. It was Saturday morning and I'd just got coffee and a book and up ahead is this guy. He was a little older than me and he looked kind of scruffy and I – it felt like I'd just downed a quart of ice. I thought the Hot Dog King had come to Philly."

"Jimmy," Rory said quietly. "Oh, Jess."

"Yeah. He'd only come that one time to see me, back when we were in high school, but I thought...I figured maybe he'd seen about the book, knew I was here and wanted to see me. We hadn't seen each other since I went to stay with him. So I take off running, the bag hitting my leg, and I catch him up. I was totally winded but I said, Jimmy, what are you doing here? And Jimmy didn't say anything because it wasn't Jimmy. It was some other guy."

"Jess, I'm so sorry."

Jess made a motion with his arm, half-shrugging.

"I don't know what I'd have done if it was him," he said. "I don't talk to him now, he sends me a line maybe once a year, and it's fine. He's not like my dad and I don't need him to be. It meant more to be that Luke came to my open house than him."

Rory didn't know what to say. She waited, Jess exhaled and he said,

"But I still hoped, for half a second, that it was him. I wanted him to tell me he knew about the book, maybe even read it, and know I figured it out but at the same time I was happy it wasn't Jimmy because I'd screw up."

"I don't believe that."

"Maybe I wouldn't yell at him or say something stupid but I'd feel like hell, inside, and probably because I wouldn't yell, be mad at him. Either way I'd feel like I messed up. I'm glad it wasn't him but at the same time I was mad."

"Oh, Jess."

"What I'm saying is," he said eventually, "is people can screw us up and sometimes we'll always feel screwed up when we see them, or if we think we do. It's what it is."

Rory was silent, mulling the words over, and Jess got a book from his bag.

"What's this?"

"The book I bought. I've never read it. Can't even remember why I picked it out."

Rory picked it up and Jess added,

"You know, Jimmy's why I left."

Rory put the book back down and Jess said,

"Remember, when we were in high school – or when you were and I'd dropped out? Jimmy came to see me and it messed with my head. He was in the diner and I talked to him, I didn't even know it was him. He didn't say anything. Luke told him to leave and we got into this huge fight, him and me...I was mad he didn't tell me and he was mad because I'd been lying about school, and because I said I wouldn't go back...you know how that ended. I was so screwed up, Rory. I'm sorry I yelled. I'm sorry I didn't say goodbye."

Rory got up and cupped his cheek in her hand.

"You kept your promise," she said gently. "You called me."

"I tried."

"I tried to write and never finished the letter," Rory said. "When I went to Washington. I tried to write so many times."

She looked into his eyes and words died on her lips about how she could write about anything except, it seemed, communication. Jess kissed her hand, moving towards her, and kissed her lips. There was no need to say anything more.

Rory kissed him back and he placed his other hand on the small of her back, lightly running it up and down. The flicker of heat returned between Rory's legs, turning into a flame, and she kissed Jess more fiercely, moving her hand under his shirt so she could feel his skin. Jess helped her take it off and then her own tanktop which Rory had thrown on upon coming home. It slid off just as easily, as did Rory's cotton bra. Rory pressed her breasts onto Jess's warm chest, feeling the beat of his heart and he ran his hands over her back, skirting her hips. Rory forced herself away and they quickly moved into her bedroom, kissing hungrily again.

Jess was hard between her legs and Rory helped him take off his jeans. He quickly pulled off the skirt Rory had changed into and underwear, kissing the marks where the material had been. Rory gasped and closed her eyes as Jess kissed her there, slipping his fingers inside her, and felt her legs tremble. She lay down on the bed and Jess kissed her all over, slipping his fingers inside her and making her come. Rory lay back, parted her legs and as he slid inside her she moved Jess onto his back, arching her chest and closing her eyes. They moved and moved and Rory came again and then Jess did too. Rory lay on his chest and he played with her hair, absently kissing her forehead.

"I'm glad you came," Rory said, looking up and he smiled shyly at her.

"Me too."

They lay silently for a moment and Rory said eventually,

"Do you really think I can do this, Jess?"

"You're Rory Gilmore. Of course you can."

Rory smiled and closed her eyes.

The rest of the night passed pleasantly. They took a shower, dressed and watched the miniature television Rory had managed to find. They watched a B movie from their youth, sharing the Chinese food and went to bed after arguing over a subplot. Rory woke early the next morning. Jess was still asleep, frowning slightly in his dreams, and Rory smiled. She silently got up, made a pot of coffee and carried the cups into the bedroom, along with the book Jess had brought. She sipped her coffee and slowly Jess woke up.

"Hey," he said, his hair mussed. "What's this?"

"Coffee," Rory said, handing it to him. "Can I look at your book?"

"Okay."

Rory opened the book and started to read out loud and Jess stared.

"What are you doing?"

"Reminding you why you picked it out," Rory said. "If you want me to."

Jess's face turned into a smile and he sat up.

"Yes."

He put an arm around her, lay his head on his shoulder and the room was silent apart from Rory's slow, steady voice reading the forgotten page.