A/N: I've been meaning to finish this for a while now and figured that if I didn't do it before the new season drops, I wouldn't ever get around to it. I'm so excited for tomorrow!

Rory stifled a yawn with one hand as she cradled a cup of hot coffee in the other. Many things had changed in the five years since she had left Stars Hollow, but her nearly fanatical love of caffeine was not among them. If coffee were human, she would marry it without a second thought – so long as her mother didn't beat her to it.

As the heat seeped through the thin plastic, warming her chilled fingers, she scanned the busy bookshop. Tucked into an out-of-the-way side street and sporting a nondescript storefront, it was the kind of place that was easy to overlook but impossible to forget. Rory had stumbled upon it by accident two months prior, but the overflowing shelves and antique armchairs had quickly drawn her in. She had spent countless hours there, relishing its quiet ambiance and old-fashioned design.

Work had been hectic lately, so when Rory had heard that her favourite bookstore was hosting a poetry jam to showcase local talent, she had immediately decided to attend. It was the sort of thing she and Lane would have done back in high school, and now more than ever, she was missing those days.

Taking the job on Obama's campaign trail had been the best decision Rory had ever made. It had kick-started her career, giving her much more experience and exposure than she would have expected from her first postgraduate job. The world of journalism found her commentary insightful and her style fresh, and she had become renowned for her reliability and objectivity. All in all, the past few years had exceeded her wildest dreams.

But her success had been bittersweet. It gave her the opportunity to travel the country and get a front row view of the political scene, but it also meant that she couldn't make regular trips home to Stars Hollow. Rory missed everyone: her mother and grandparents, Luke, Lane and the twins, Sookie and Jackson, Babette and Mori, Michel, even Kirk and Taylor. As much as she was enjoying the allures of city life, she knew that she would always be a small-town girl at heart.

Part of her wished she could turn back time for a day to enjoy being eighteen again. Life had seemed simpler then, like all Rory had to do to achieve happiness was to continue walking forward. And she had taken it for granted, recognising that she was fortunate but never imagining that she might one day be without those blessings. But she had found herself at one fork after another, forced to make decisions that unlocked one future while shutting the door on the possibility of another. Overall, she was happy with where she was.

But that didn't mean she wouldn't go back.

Time disturbances and paradoxes and personality changes, though, her tired brain supplied, unable to formulate any proper counterarguments in its fatigued state. Instead of fighting what she knew would be a losing battle, she brought the cup up to her nose so she could take a deep whiff of its strong fragrance. Then, she downed the entire thing in a few short gulps. The liquid scalded her tongue on its way down, but she could already feel its magic start to invigorate her.

She knew that it wasn't really magic. It all came down to basic biology; the chemicals in the coffee gave her an energy boost while also preventing the adenosine in her brain from connecting to their receptors, thus simultaneously giving her more energy and making her think she had more energy. Nevertheless, its rejuvenating effects never failed to feel like some otherworldly force.

Rory was still contemplating the wonder that was coffee when she spotted a familiar face at the other side of the shop. The young man had curly hair, dark eyes, and a faint smile that she doubted she would ever forget.

Jess.

She froze, all too conscious of the way her heart raced in her chest like a marathon runner on the home sprint. Thoughts and memories that she had long since locked away rushed back. The last time she'd seen him, he had been newly published and eager to explore the world ahead of him, and she –

Her cheeks heated at the memory of how she had behaved. It hadn't exactly been her finest moment.

For a moment, Rory considered leaving. The event hadn't started yet, and she was sitting close to the exit; she could easily slip out without anyone noticing. It would be simpler that way. She could go on with her life, and he could go on with his, and he would never have to know how close they had come to meeting again. It would be a shame to miss the poetry jam, but she had plenty of other things she could do instead. She could handle it.

Couldn't she?

When it came to relationships, she had always been a runner. When the going got intimidating, Rory got out. Sometimes, it had been for the best. Other times, it had just caused more problems. She had been improving over recent years, but even now, she had to tamp down on that urge to flee. If she left without talking to Jess, she would be able to avoid the awkwardness of making nice while her mind drowned in regrets and what-ifs. But those thoughts would still be there – lingering in her mind, just waiting for an opportunity to breach her mental block and flood her out.

So, she stayed. She wasn't looking to invite conversation, but if it came her way, she could handle it.

She could.

-x-

Halfway through the performances, he caught her eye. She had been glancing over there enough that she supposed it had only been a matter of time. He smiled, and she waved, and he mouthed something that she couldn't quite make out and then mimed something that she could. It felt like her heart was being wrung out like a wet towel, but she nodded.

-x-

Silence covered Rory and Jess like a blanket as he drove them across town to the coffee shop that he had insisted served the best drinks he had ever tasted. Apart from exchanging vague pleasantries and agreeing to have lunch together, neither of them had spoken a word since leaving the bookstore. Once, back before they had hurt one another, the quiet would have been comfortable and warm. Now, its threads were frayed from the memory of mistakes made and injuries dealt, and it felt like she was suffocating under its stifling weight. She wanted to kick it off, but she was terrified of the frosty chill she might uncover if she did.

If only he hadn't remembered that the best way to get a Gilmore somewhere was to bribe her with caffeine.

Are we really that predictable? Rory wondered before realising that, at least in that respect, they really were.

Rory was beginning to fear that they would never overcome the silence when Jess finally spoke. But his voice was controlled and careful, and the fact that he felt like he had to be on his guard around her hurt even more than the question itself. "How's Logan?"

"I don't know," she admitted. "We haven't been on speaking terms for a few years now."

Jess hesitated, but she could see the curiosity burning in his eyes as he shot her a quick glance before focusing on the road once more. "What happened between the two of you?"

"He proposed. I said no."

"Oh."

"He asked me at my graduation party." Rory knew she didn't need to explain herself to him, but something urged her to be honest. If she and Jess had any chance of reconnecting in any capacity, he needed to accept that what she'd had with Logan had been real, even if it hadn't been right. "He gave me a choice: get married or break up. I loved him, but I wasn't ready for that."

Jess looked shocked – affronted, even. "Of course, you weren't. You were, what, twenty-two?"

"Something like that."

"And you were still trying to figure your life out."

She shrugged and fought the urge to fidget with her scarf. "I know. But honestly, even if he hadn't proposed, I don't think we would have lasted long distance. He was right about that part."

"That doesn't mean he should have forced you to make that choice."

Rory couldn't help but laugh. "Jess, you disliked Logan from the moment you met him. You aren't exactly unbiased when it comes to him."

His mouth quirked up. "Perhaps not," he conceded.

And just like that, the last corner of the blanket was gone. "By the way, I read the article the New York Times printed about you. Mum said Luke put it up in the diner."

"I know! They interviewed me and everything." Sheepishly, he added, "I keep thinking they must have read the wrong book."

Rory rolled her eyes. "Come on, Jess. Even Taylor admitted that you'd done well."

Jess shook his head in exasperation. "It's still just a little hard to believe."

She smiled at him fondly. "Not for me."

His gaze held hers, drawing her in. It felt just like it had when they were teenagers – like he understood her better than anyone else. Perhaps he did. Feeling her cheeks heat up, Rory hurriedly looked away.

"And you've published another book! I mean… You obviously already knew that. You would have known that first, right? Well, I guess the publisher would have known before you – and your agent, probably – but you still would have known before…" She trailed off. "Way to ramble on about the obvious, huh?"

"A little," he agreed, but, to her gratitude, he didn't linger. "Have you read it?"

"Not yet. Work has been so hectic lately that I haven't had the chance. It's at the top of my to-read pile, though, so I promise I'll get around to it soon."

"At the top? I'm flattered."

"You should be," she joked. "It's a very exclusive list nowadays. Sometimes, my grocery list doesn't even make it."

His eyes widened. "You shop for groceries now?"

"Does trying to remember to count?"

Jess laughed. "Don't let Luke hear you say that. He's already worried that you aren't feeding yourself properly."

She beamed at his words. "Has he spoken to you about the wedding?"

"Yeah. He asked me to be the best man – apparently, I'm the only person he spends much time with other than Lorelai."

His tone was dismissive, but Rory could see the genuine pride in his eyes. Luke and Jess might not have gotten off to a good start at first, but it was clear that Jess had developed genuine affection for his uncle. "Jess, that's great!"

His lips quirked up. "Yeah, I guess it is. Any advice, Master Jedi?"

Rory frowned for a moment. She was going to be the maid of honour, of course, but that hardly… "What – Oh, Luke told you about Grandma and Grandpa's vow renewal? That wasn't exactly a typical situation; they'd already been married for, like, forty years."

"Still."

She took a moment to consider her words. "Trials, there will be, but keep calm, you must."

Jess hummed. "You make a good Yoda."

"I went to the Lorelai Gilmore School of Raising Kids; impersonations come with the territory."

"You know, I had noticed that," he replied wryly.

Rory glanced down at her hands. She was glad to see Jess again, but the ease with which they were slipping back into their old banter terrified her. The memory of how things had been between them had shadowed her for the past few years. While she didn't think she had been wrong to send him away that day, she couldn't help but wonder what things would have been like had she chosen differently – especiallynow that he was right beside her again.

As he pulled into a parking space and cut off the engine, it was tempting to lean across the console and kiss him, just to see if that side of things was still there as well.

The only thing that kept her in place was the fear that she had used up all her second chances. After all they had been through together, she couldn't face the rejection. "So, what's next for you? Have you started writing another novel yet?"

He laughed, apparently oblivious to her change in mood. "Another one? More like another five. I have a lot of ideas I want to explore; I just need to work out which one I can actually turn into a book."

"Ooh, tell me about your current favourite."

Jess eyed her, his hand resting on the buckle of his seatbelt. "Are you sure? It's still early days, so it's probably kind of boring."

Rory snorted. "You have your faults, Jess Mariano, but being boring has never been one of them."

-x-

A few hours later, they left the shop – the coffee really had been excellent – and walked over to the park across the road. The sun was out in full force, bathing them both in vivid warmth. But Rory couldn't care less about the weather. Her eyes were shining with excitement as she propped her arms up on the picnic table. Jess had told her about two of his ideas, and while they were still far from fully developed, they fascinated her.

Truth be told, he fascinated her.

Still.

"So, are you seeing anyone?" he asked, turning back from the magpie he had been tossing bread to. "You told me about what happened with Logan, but not –"

She forced herself not to read too much into the question; really, it was the kind of thing Lane or Paris might ask her. "I haven't had the chance to date much, what with my job involving so much travel," she replied, trying to sound casual.

"Define much." He smirked at her, and it took her back to that year in an instant, only it was different this time, too –

And with that, any hope of nonchalance was obliterated. "I think I still love you."

Jess' head jerked back in surprise at her words. "What?"

Her courage fled. Grabbing her handbag and slinging it over her shoulder, she hurriedly stood up. "I – Um, I should go…"

"No. Rory, don't."

"I was thinking about writing about this morning for Paris' blog – she's trying to stay relevant, see, and she has me on as a guest writer sometimes – and she'll want to hear from me as soon as possible so she'll know when it'll be –"

"Rory." He rose to his feet and made his way around the table to her.

" – ready, which means – "

"I love you, too. You know I never stopped."

That floored her. She'd never really stopped loving him, either. Not when she'd fallen for Logan, nor when she'd gone on first dates in towns she'd just driven into and would be leaving again within the month. But she had long ago given up on the prospect of the stars aligning for the perfect timing they would need to give the thing between them another chance. Confronted by the weight of possibility, she froze like the proverbial deer caught in the headlights. Her words had come out, almost unbidden, at the allusion to moments shared and memories cherished, but his made the consequences of their reunion seem even more real.

His hands snaked around her waist, pulling her close to him before darting up to cup her face the way they always had. Jess, more than anyone, had always seemed to want to hold her when they kissed, as if cherishing her presence. "I mean it, Rory."

"So do I."

He leant in, and she felt like everything was balancing on a pin as she waited for him to disturb that equilibrium and send them spiralling down together. She fought the urge to close her eyes; she wanted to see him, to savour this moment. Just before his lips met hers, however, he hesitated, his face hovering mere inches away from hers.

She burrowed her hand into his hair – if he wasn't going to do it, she would – and tugged him towards her. Her lips found his, and he responded instantly, pressing closer against her as their mouths danced the foxtrot of fire and passion. He tasted sweet and smelt of old books.

And he felt like home.