Disclaimer I own nuthin
Summary: It's 10 Years after Jess left and he finds an old picture of Rory and begins to think about her again. Will his love make itself known again?
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"Ok! what about?" Her voice was chipper and so loving, making it about ten times worse. He couldn't believe he was doing this to her. She awaited an answer on the other end, patiently of course. "Honey? Honey, are you ok? Is something wrong?" She was so caring.
"Could you maybe meet me at the park?"
"Yeah! I'll meet you there in ten minutes ok?"
"Ok. Bye." He hung up the phone and looked around for his shoes. Finally finding them, he slipped them on and then slipped on his jacket. He picked up his keys out of the bowl that was by the door and slipped out of the apartment, locking the door behind him. Even though it was raining, he didn't feel the need to take his car, considering the park was only a block away. He saw her standing under one of the pavilions. He walked up to her. She turned and smiled at him. As soon as he reached the pavilion, she raced up to him and met him with a passionate kiss. She stopped when she noticed he wasn't kissing her back.
"Jess...what's wrong? You're not responding...." She looked at him with her big blue eyes, her brown hair covering one of them. A pout spreading on her face. This was when Jess noticed it. He hadn't really thought about Rory much because...Karen resembled her so much. The one difference was that Rory had an angelic glow about her, well at least in Jess' eyes and she had a good heart. Karen was sweet....but she was no angel. "Jess...are you going to talk or are we just going to stand here?" Karen was a patient woman, but she was getting a little annoyed that Jess kept spacing out like he was.
"Oh sorry..."He held both of her hands in his own. "Karen, I haven't been entirely honest with you...or myself for that matter." A wave of confusion washed over her face. "I thought I loved you, Karen. I really thought I did....but...I don't." She stepped out of his grasp, hurt written all over her face. "Listen, I fell in love with a girl named Rory Gilmore back when I was seventeen and I never stopped loving her. I kind of pushed her into the back of my mind when I met you, in hopes of forgetting her...but then when I was packing tonight, I found a box....and all the memories kind of came flooding back to me. Karen.." She kept backing away as if she was going to run at any second. "Karen, please don't hate me..."
"Does this mean the wedding's off?" Her voice was cold and hard. Jess had never heard her this way before.
"Yes." He stated simply.
"Can I ask you...why her?" Tears began to well up into her eyes as she said this.
"Because....you only fall in love once, Karen. Only once. You can say that you're in love with someone....but not be IN love. It's completely different. I fell IN love with Rory...and I just...loved you." She looked down at her feet and then slowly back up at him.
"Fine. I'll call everyone." She turned around and ran to her car and sped away. This was the last time he ever saw Karen. He felt horrible. He had hurt her...he never wanted to do that.... It was getting dark and it was raining. He walked home sullenly.
When he actually reached his apartment, it was 9:30. He couldn't remember how long he had been walking...he guessed for about an hour. He was drenched and cold. He walked into his house and dropped his keys in the bowl and left his coat on the coat rack. He walked into his room, and saw the pictures still lying on his bed. He picked up the one of Karen and himself and looked at it for a minute before dropping it in the trash can. He and Karen were dead.
He put on some dry clothes, packed a small bag and walked out to his car, got in and began driving.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
He finally reached Stars Hollow. He took in his surroundings, though it was dark, he could see pretty clearly. It wasn't raining here, thankfully. *Luke would still be at the diner.* he thought. He stumbled to the diner and through the door. Luke's back was turned when he heard the bell ring.
"We're closed, learn to read." He stated without turning around.
"Luke." Luke turned around at the sound of the familiar voice.
"Jess...what are you doing here?" Then something registered in Luke's mind. "You're suppose to be getting married in two days! Why are you here?!?"
"I came to see Rory." He stated bluntly.
"Rory? Jess...you're getting married."
"No." A confused expression washed over Luke's face. "No, I'm not getting married."
"Jess, what are you talking about! Of course you are!"
"There's not going to be any wedding Luke. I called it off." He said, his eyes never once leaving Luke's.
"Why?" Now Jess looked down.
"Well....the way I figure it, you only fall in love once...and I already did...before I met Karen." Luke started shaking his head.
"No, Jess. No. I will not let you do this."
"Luke, I'm twenty eight years old, you can't tell me what to do anymore." Jess stated.
"No, Jess, I don't think that you understand..." Luke tried to reason.
"Well then explain it to me, Luke! I love Rory! I can't help it!" He yelled.
"Jess! I know that ok!? But you can't just come back ten years later and expect her to take you back!" Jess looked down at his shoes and sighed.
"I know...I just..I want to see her, Luke. I want her to know that I love her." Luke could tell he was on the verge of tears and really didn't want to break the news to him.
"Jess....you're about two weeks too late." He looked up at his uncle, confused.
"What?"
"She got married two weeks ago...I...I didn't tell you because....well you hadn't mentioned her in awhile and figured it was best not to bring up past hurts and...I never told her you were getting married either..." Jess turned around and walked out of the diner, but before he could get out the door, Luke stopped him. "Where are you going?"
"I have to talk to her, Luke." Luke understood, but wasn't sure if it would be the best thing.
"Jess, she's got an apartment on peach...but I really don't think that you should go over there. I really don't." Jess nodded, but still tried to leave. Luke grabbed his arm firmly.
"She married Dean." Jess felt like an anvil had just been dropped on his heart, completely crushing it. He pulled away from Luke and stormed out of the diner, in search of Rory.
~*~*~*~*~*~
There she was....and there he was. They were sitting in the gazebo, holding hands and laughing. He started walking up to them, but then stopped. He couldn't do this. She looked so happy and him comming back would completely destroy her happiness....and that was the last thing he wanted. "Jess?" This was it. He couldn't turn back now. Her turned around and walked closer. "What..." Dean walked over to his wife.
"Hey." He shoved his hands deep into his pockets. Dean put an arm around her waist, making sure Jess knew that Rory belonged to him. "Jeez, we're not seventeen anymore, man! I know you two are married." Rory glared at Dean and he took his arm away. She walked closer to Jess.
"You...you came back....." He looked up into her eyes.
"I did...but it looks like I'm just a little too late..." Tears were fighting hard to reach his eyes, but he held them back with all the power he had within himself.
"Do you...want to take a walk?" Jess looked back at Dean, who was raging with jelousy, and looked back at Rory. Her eyes were so full of hope, that he just couldn't say no.
"Ok." They began walking, to the bridge of course." Why did you leave, Jess?" She wasn't going to take any small talk apparently.
"The truth?" He asked.
"That would be nice." He sighed and began telling her.
"Rory...I was never good enough for you....I know you never thought that but it's true...and I didn't want to be around for the day when you finally realized that and break my heart." She nodded.
"Jess I still don't think it's true." He looked at her. "I never thought that, even after you left."
"That's good to know." He replied looking into the water.
"So what brings you back to Stars Hollow?" She asked suddenly. He hated all this talking, it just wasn't his thing-but he knew that he owed her.
"The truth?" She smiled and nodded. "I came back because...because I want you to know that I love you." Her eyes grew big and filled with tears. "But I know I'm too late...see I was suppose to get married in two days....but when I started packing up all my stuff, I found this box."
"Jess...." She started crying. "Stop..."
"It was the one you sent to me eight years ago....I had never looked in it because when I got it, I was unpacking all my stuff and I must have just forgot about it...but when I looked through it tonight, I knew that I was still in love with you...and that I couldn't get married. So I called my fiancé and called off the wedding." She shook her head.
"Jess, I'm married."
"I noticed, but I can't ignore what I feel for you."
"I can't either." He looked at her in shock. What did she mean? "I'm still in love with you too, Jess. But you waited too long to come back....I closed the book on you a year ago. And once you close the book...it's over." Tears came to his eyes as well and began to spill over. "You were my true love, Jess...but I married the man I love second most....and you'll do the same when you find the right girl." He looked down and nodded, trying to hide the fact that he was crying.
"I just wanted you to know that I love you."
"I know..." She hugged him and held him in her arms and they both cried for everything that they had lost because of their stupidity and stubbornness. He knew he had to get back, so he finally pulled away from her. "Don't ever forget me, Jess."
"That would extremely hard." She kissed him on the cheek and he turned around and walked back to his car. He sat down and drove off, wiping tears from his eyes the whole way home.
6 WEEKS LATER......
He wouldn't call what he was doing: living, just merely existing. Knowing that one day he would move on was of no comfort to him whatsoever. He laid around all day, didn't go into work, didn't do anything. There was a knock on his door that he tried to block out, but it was rather insistent. He dragged himself off the couch and walked over to the door. He opened it and thought he had been dreaming. "Rory?" He managed to get out. Her mascara was runny because of her obvious crying. She practically fell into his arms. He closed the door and carried her over to the couch. Even though this woman had ripped his heart out, he still loved her and cared for her.
"He wants a divorce." She cried. "He doesn't think I love him...as much as I love you.." Jess sighed as he held her in his arms.
"He's crazy." He stated. She looked up at him, realization beaming into her eyes.
"No he's not." Jess's heart lifted a little. "I love you....you remember when I told you that you only fall in love once?" Jess nodded, remembering that he had told Karen and Luke that. "It's true." She looked at him and smiled through her tears.
"I love you too." Jess kissed her forehead and they both fell asleep. For the first time in ten years, they had a peaceful sleep.
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A/N: YAY! HAPPY ENDING!! I had you guys goin there for a little bit didn't I! Go on admit it! You thought he was going to spend the rest of eternity alone didn't you!! Oh well! I hope you liked this story!! I know it kind of got a little fast there at the end with the whole "I love you" thing, but they'd loved each other for ten years without really knowing it, but anyhoot! I got some of the ideas for this chapter from the movie "Win a Date with Tad Hamilton"-such a good movie, if you haven't seen it...GO SEE IT!-anyway! Do me a big ole favor and REVIEW!!!!
Summary: It's 10 Years after Jess left and he finds an old picture of Rory and begins to think about her again. Will his love make itself known again?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Ok! what about?" Her voice was chipper and so loving, making it about ten times worse. He couldn't believe he was doing this to her. She awaited an answer on the other end, patiently of course. "Honey? Honey, are you ok? Is something wrong?" She was so caring.
"Could you maybe meet me at the park?"
"Yeah! I'll meet you there in ten minutes ok?"
"Ok. Bye." He hung up the phone and looked around for his shoes. Finally finding them, he slipped them on and then slipped on his jacket. He picked up his keys out of the bowl that was by the door and slipped out of the apartment, locking the door behind him. Even though it was raining, he didn't feel the need to take his car, considering the park was only a block away. He saw her standing under one of the pavilions. He walked up to her. She turned and smiled at him. As soon as he reached the pavilion, she raced up to him and met him with a passionate kiss. She stopped when she noticed he wasn't kissing her back.
"Jess...what's wrong? You're not responding...." She looked at him with her big blue eyes, her brown hair covering one of them. A pout spreading on her face. This was when Jess noticed it. He hadn't really thought about Rory much because...Karen resembled her so much. The one difference was that Rory had an angelic glow about her, well at least in Jess' eyes and she had a good heart. Karen was sweet....but she was no angel. "Jess...are you going to talk or are we just going to stand here?" Karen was a patient woman, but she was getting a little annoyed that Jess kept spacing out like he was.
"Oh sorry..."He held both of her hands in his own. "Karen, I haven't been entirely honest with you...or myself for that matter." A wave of confusion washed over her face. "I thought I loved you, Karen. I really thought I did....but...I don't." She stepped out of his grasp, hurt written all over her face. "Listen, I fell in love with a girl named Rory Gilmore back when I was seventeen and I never stopped loving her. I kind of pushed her into the back of my mind when I met you, in hopes of forgetting her...but then when I was packing tonight, I found a box....and all the memories kind of came flooding back to me. Karen.." She kept backing away as if she was going to run at any second. "Karen, please don't hate me..."
"Does this mean the wedding's off?" Her voice was cold and hard. Jess had never heard her this way before.
"Yes." He stated simply.
"Can I ask you...why her?" Tears began to well up into her eyes as she said this.
"Because....you only fall in love once, Karen. Only once. You can say that you're in love with someone....but not be IN love. It's completely different. I fell IN love with Rory...and I just...loved you." She looked down at her feet and then slowly back up at him.
"Fine. I'll call everyone." She turned around and ran to her car and sped away. This was the last time he ever saw Karen. He felt horrible. He had hurt her...he never wanted to do that.... It was getting dark and it was raining. He walked home sullenly.
When he actually reached his apartment, it was 9:30. He couldn't remember how long he had been walking...he guessed for about an hour. He was drenched and cold. He walked into his house and dropped his keys in the bowl and left his coat on the coat rack. He walked into his room, and saw the pictures still lying on his bed. He picked up the one of Karen and himself and looked at it for a minute before dropping it in the trash can. He and Karen were dead.
He put on some dry clothes, packed a small bag and walked out to his car, got in and began driving.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
He finally reached Stars Hollow. He took in his surroundings, though it was dark, he could see pretty clearly. It wasn't raining here, thankfully. *Luke would still be at the diner.* he thought. He stumbled to the diner and through the door. Luke's back was turned when he heard the bell ring.
"We're closed, learn to read." He stated without turning around.
"Luke." Luke turned around at the sound of the familiar voice.
"Jess...what are you doing here?" Then something registered in Luke's mind. "You're suppose to be getting married in two days! Why are you here?!?"
"I came to see Rory." He stated bluntly.
"Rory? Jess...you're getting married."
"No." A confused expression washed over Luke's face. "No, I'm not getting married."
"Jess, what are you talking about! Of course you are!"
"There's not going to be any wedding Luke. I called it off." He said, his eyes never once leaving Luke's.
"Why?" Now Jess looked down.
"Well....the way I figure it, you only fall in love once...and I already did...before I met Karen." Luke started shaking his head.
"No, Jess. No. I will not let you do this."
"Luke, I'm twenty eight years old, you can't tell me what to do anymore." Jess stated.
"No, Jess, I don't think that you understand..." Luke tried to reason.
"Well then explain it to me, Luke! I love Rory! I can't help it!" He yelled.
"Jess! I know that ok!? But you can't just come back ten years later and expect her to take you back!" Jess looked down at his shoes and sighed.
"I know...I just..I want to see her, Luke. I want her to know that I love her." Luke could tell he was on the verge of tears and really didn't want to break the news to him.
"Jess....you're about two weeks too late." He looked up at his uncle, confused.
"What?"
"She got married two weeks ago...I...I didn't tell you because....well you hadn't mentioned her in awhile and figured it was best not to bring up past hurts and...I never told her you were getting married either..." Jess turned around and walked out of the diner, but before he could get out the door, Luke stopped him. "Where are you going?"
"I have to talk to her, Luke." Luke understood, but wasn't sure if it would be the best thing.
"Jess, she's got an apartment on peach...but I really don't think that you should go over there. I really don't." Jess nodded, but still tried to leave. Luke grabbed his arm firmly.
"She married Dean." Jess felt like an anvil had just been dropped on his heart, completely crushing it. He pulled away from Luke and stormed out of the diner, in search of Rory.
~*~*~*~*~*~
There she was....and there he was. They were sitting in the gazebo, holding hands and laughing. He started walking up to them, but then stopped. He couldn't do this. She looked so happy and him comming back would completely destroy her happiness....and that was the last thing he wanted. "Jess?" This was it. He couldn't turn back now. Her turned around and walked closer. "What..." Dean walked over to his wife.
"Hey." He shoved his hands deep into his pockets. Dean put an arm around her waist, making sure Jess knew that Rory belonged to him. "Jeez, we're not seventeen anymore, man! I know you two are married." Rory glared at Dean and he took his arm away. She walked closer to Jess.
"You...you came back....." He looked up into her eyes.
"I did...but it looks like I'm just a little too late..." Tears were fighting hard to reach his eyes, but he held them back with all the power he had within himself.
"Do you...want to take a walk?" Jess looked back at Dean, who was raging with jelousy, and looked back at Rory. Her eyes were so full of hope, that he just couldn't say no.
"Ok." They began walking, to the bridge of course." Why did you leave, Jess?" She wasn't going to take any small talk apparently.
"The truth?" He asked.
"That would be nice." He sighed and began telling her.
"Rory...I was never good enough for you....I know you never thought that but it's true...and I didn't want to be around for the day when you finally realized that and break my heart." She nodded.
"Jess I still don't think it's true." He looked at her. "I never thought that, even after you left."
"That's good to know." He replied looking into the water.
"So what brings you back to Stars Hollow?" She asked suddenly. He hated all this talking, it just wasn't his thing-but he knew that he owed her.
"The truth?" She smiled and nodded. "I came back because...because I want you to know that I love you." Her eyes grew big and filled with tears. "But I know I'm too late...see I was suppose to get married in two days....but when I started packing up all my stuff, I found this box."
"Jess...." She started crying. "Stop..."
"It was the one you sent to me eight years ago....I had never looked in it because when I got it, I was unpacking all my stuff and I must have just forgot about it...but when I looked through it tonight, I knew that I was still in love with you...and that I couldn't get married. So I called my fiancé and called off the wedding." She shook her head.
"Jess, I'm married."
"I noticed, but I can't ignore what I feel for you."
"I can't either." He looked at her in shock. What did she mean? "I'm still in love with you too, Jess. But you waited too long to come back....I closed the book on you a year ago. And once you close the book...it's over." Tears came to his eyes as well and began to spill over. "You were my true love, Jess...but I married the man I love second most....and you'll do the same when you find the right girl." He looked down and nodded, trying to hide the fact that he was crying.
"I just wanted you to know that I love you."
"I know..." She hugged him and held him in her arms and they both cried for everything that they had lost because of their stupidity and stubbornness. He knew he had to get back, so he finally pulled away from her. "Don't ever forget me, Jess."
"That would extremely hard." She kissed him on the cheek and he turned around and walked back to his car. He sat down and drove off, wiping tears from his eyes the whole way home.
6 WEEKS LATER......
He wouldn't call what he was doing: living, just merely existing. Knowing that one day he would move on was of no comfort to him whatsoever. He laid around all day, didn't go into work, didn't do anything. There was a knock on his door that he tried to block out, but it was rather insistent. He dragged himself off the couch and walked over to the door. He opened it and thought he had been dreaming. "Rory?" He managed to get out. Her mascara was runny because of her obvious crying. She practically fell into his arms. He closed the door and carried her over to the couch. Even though this woman had ripped his heart out, he still loved her and cared for her.
"He wants a divorce." She cried. "He doesn't think I love him...as much as I love you.." Jess sighed as he held her in his arms.
"He's crazy." He stated. She looked up at him, realization beaming into her eyes.
"No he's not." Jess's heart lifted a little. "I love you....you remember when I told you that you only fall in love once?" Jess nodded, remembering that he had told Karen and Luke that. "It's true." She looked at him and smiled through her tears.
"I love you too." Jess kissed her forehead and they both fell asleep. For the first time in ten years, they had a peaceful sleep.
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A/N: YAY! HAPPY ENDING!! I had you guys goin there for a little bit didn't I! Go on admit it! You thought he was going to spend the rest of eternity alone didn't you!! Oh well! I hope you liked this story!! I know it kind of got a little fast there at the end with the whole "I love you" thing, but they'd loved each other for ten years without really knowing it, but anyhoot! I got some of the ideas for this chapter from the movie "Win a Date with Tad Hamilton"-such a good movie, if you haven't seen it...GO SEE IT!-anyway! Do me a big ole favor and REVIEW!!!!