Still not the last chapter- Lit fics never end, never, haha! Please do continue to tell me what you do and don't like-it helps construct my writing. Anyways, here we go, chapter three.

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Jess stood at the bus station as he had several years ago with Rory. Then he had watched her leave him empty, unsatisfied. But now, now there was no space between them. Today her arms were pressed along the line of his back, holding on to him comfortably. Her nose grazed his, as they stood-connected and complete. He felt a warm sensation as they exchanged little kisses on lips and cheeks. Her hands moved from his back to his hair, caressing it, playing with it in her hands. Jess felt as if they were in their own world, filled only with their bodies and their smiles, inches apart. The past few days were unable to be explained in words, too much emotion rose to his chest as he tried to illustrate it in language.

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The first days were simple bliss, with physical completion, conversations about novels and events, and walks to coffee stores and bookstores. On one of their silent reading sessions, they sat comfortably together, her legs intertwined with his, his hand playing with her soft brown hair. He looked at her as her brow furrowed in thought and contemplation, as her eyes moved along the printed words. Nothing had ever been this amazing to Jess, and he was afraid. When he was able to think about it, when his books could no longer hold his interest, he thought of her inevitable leave. No one could stay forever, not in the world of Jess Mariano.

"Ror," He almost whispered the word into her ear, but in their intimacy she heard him, turned her face to his, and smiled.

"Hi," She figured he was ready for a break, and she welcomed it. Rory put the book neatly away, nestled in with Jess, her head on his chest, arm resting lazily against his stomach. Jess kissed her softly on the forehead, careful not to disturb the moment.

"When are you leaving?"

Despite his efforts, the shift in mood was inevitable. Her body was suddenly stiff and he saw her face tense. "I don't know,"

His hopes dropped. In his heaven, she would have no reason to leave, she would stay here, and they would work together. It would be non-human; it would be impossible-but it would be perfection.

"Do you have to leave?" He breathed against her neck, his voice pleading with her, his hands clinging to her.

"I don't want to." She grabbed his hand on her waist with her left hand and intertwined their fingers.

"Then don't do it." He kissed the back of her neck, the back of her earlobe, he felt her tremble. Her right hand went to his head, his hair, pulling him towards her in lust. Jess moved to her cheek, then her mouth, soft but short kisses that left her hoping for more. "Don't leave," he said again as he pulled his mouth away, lightly resting his forehead against hers. Her eyes were closed and she swallowed, her hand still playing with his hair.

When she opened them, she said, "I have to. I have to go, I have school." The excuse felt final, and Jess's chest felt heavy and it hurt. He fell back onto ragged and lone couch in his apartment, positioning his body away from hers.

"Right. So, this was just a one time thing."

"Jess, no. Come on, you know that's not it."

"Then what is it Rory? You come here, and we spend all this time together like something is actually good, and now you're just leaving. Back to Hartford, away from New York. Boom, its over."

"Jess!" She seemed shocked by his sudden anger, but he did not care. He wanted her to hurt, to regret; he wanted her to stay.

"It was just some strange booty call. Or, does leaving after being with me for three days mean something else to you?"

"No, Jess, I-" She stopped for a moment, lowered her eyes, "I . . . I need to go back for a couple months, come back here when I can and," she shifted her head away from him, embarrassed, "When the semester was over, I was going to take a year off. And . . . travel. With you." She looked up, vulnerable and hopeful.

He tried to keep himself from screaming with joy; he tried to stay impenetrable, "Okay."

"Okay?"

He nodded, trying to stay nonchalant, but the small smile still snuck onto his face, "Okay."

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Now as he kissed her before she boarded the bus, it was not goodbye, it was a kiss, it was a 'See you when you get back'. He watched her retreat, and then come back again for another kiss, holding on to his face, eyes closed. She then pulled back, and smiled.

"I'll call you," He said quietly, trying not to break the delicacy of the moment.

Rory laughed, "I don't think so. I'll call you."

He smiled as she waved to him from her window, forehead pressed against the glass. Jess leaned against a pole, and watched her, knowing it wasn't over.

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As the bus drove away from New York, Rory would not let her confidence fade away with Jess. She knew there was a lot to face-boyfriends and mothers; friends and grandmothers-but this was right. It had to be right, if it felt this good, if she felt this complete. They had to know it was right.