A/N: Last one for tonight, apologies again for the long break that is coming but I hope you've all enjoyed the chapters for today and as always, please review, I love to hear opinion.

"Right, I'm done waiting, we need to have this conversation." Jess surprised even himself by the outburst, the day had gotten increasingly awkward with him any Rory barely looking at each other, she hadn't brought up the conversation again so he had to in the end.

"I know, I've been trying to come up with something to say, a way to resolve anything, I haven't come up with anything though, have you?"

"What exactly needs resolving?"

"We do, I thought that was the point of the conversation?"

"Ok, so what have you been thinking?"

"That I don't know what I want from this, from us, what we can even have from this?"

"I don't suppose it can just be simple between us can it?"

"When has it ever been that?" Jess chuckled at that, she wasn't wrong, through all their past, it was certainly never simple.

"Alright, so no matter how complicated it may seem right now, what do you want?"

"I don't know, I'm literally just out of a relationship, I can't just jump into a new one."

"Ok, so we go slowly, tread carefully, nothing too serious too quickly. We carry on as we are, talking, calling, texting, and when you feel more ready we will start planning visits, seeing each other, and a relationship if that's what you want it to be."

"And until then, you just sit around and wait for me? I can't ask you to do that."

"Then don't, we are just friends, we are both open to date whoever we want in a meantime." He saw a flash something in her eyes before she hid it, he couldn't be sure of what it was but he thought he saw a touch of hurt. He took hold of her hands, he hated seeing even the smallest amount of hurt in her eyes. "However, I don't want anyone else, while I can't promise anything especially since there is no promise you'll want me in return, I can't see me finding someone who could make me willing to give this up."

Rory smiled at that, she understood why he said what he did, but part of her still didn't like the idea of him with someone else. She knew he always had girls, women flirting with him, it had always been that way with Jess but the look in his eyes told her he was being honest about the extent of his feeling for her.

It had once again got later than they had planned, after the conversation was done they settled into comfortable conversation about books and music, watched more movies and ordered a take-out for dinner. Jess had loved having her there and was glad they had found their way back to the old comfortable way they used to be, he was happy they had resolved what awkwardness there was between them, he couldn't say he was entirely happy with the outcome but he understood Rory's need to wait. He led her back out to her car, it was after 7 when both of them had to admit she needed to get on the road if she was going to make it back to Yale at a reasonable time.

"Call me when you get back?"

"Yeah of course."

"Hopefully you've missed most of the problematic traffic by now so shouldn't be back to late."

"I hope so, but I'll call you even if it's late, I promise."

"Good."

Jess leaned in and kissed her strongly, he knew they had agreed that nothing would happen yet but he couldn't let her go without the reminder that he was there and this was what he wanted, he was glad when she returned the kiss in force, reaching up to wrap her hand in his hair, to pull him closer. The kiss wasn't a long one but it left both of them breathless as they pulled away. Jess reached around and opened her door for her.

"Goodbye Rory. I'll talk to you soon."

"Goodbye Jess, as soon as I get home."

Rory got into her car and drove off, when she had been driving for about 10 minutes she dialled a number and put it on speaker. She was glad when her mum answered the phone.