**thank you so much for yr sweet and kind feedback! this is the last chapter of this story. but i will also be writing another literati fanfic..that takes place two weeks from this one. when jess comes back to meet rory in stars hollow. soon. i really really love writing them. i listened to "intuition" by feist a lot when i was writing this. the title is a lyric from that song. if you have that song...i think it goes well w/the end of this story. cue it up and enjoy. i like thinking abt rory saving jess from himself. a merciful save. i like thinking abt jess saving rory from herself. how they need each other. how they save each other. oh, i love this couple. thanks so much and cheers!**

::

They sleep for less than an hour.
Jess sets the alarm so they can see the sun come up.
He makes another pot of strong coffee, some cheesy eggs.
Rory stands against the counter and rubs her eyes.
They are both messy-haired and sleepy.
They are both stoned on kissing and staying up all night and being together again.

On Jess' front stop, wrapped in a blanket.
The both of them now, tucked together.
Waiting for breaking sunlight, bright and heavy, slicing the sky.
Cupped hands and coffee mugs and pajamas and barefeet.

"I don't wanna go," Rory says.
I know, right?
"I don't want you to go," Jess says.
"But I'll see you soon," she says.
I know, right?
"Yes. You will see me soon. And I'll see you soon. It won't be that long. It'll suck and it'll be weird...but once it's here we'll look back and say that it wasn't so bad," he says.
He's right.

"I feel like everyone in Stars Hollow thought we'd always be together-together," she says.
"I think you're right," he says.
I haven't wanted very many things in my life. Didn't think I deserved them. Didn't think I'd get them. But one thing I've always wanted is for you and me to always be together-together. All the time. Forever.

"We didn't have sex," Rory says.
"You're right. We didn't," Jess says.
"I want to," she says, "I mean, next time. I mean, I've thought about it a lot and I do want to."
"I fully intend to," he says, raising an eyebrow at her.
"Good," she says, "because that's what I want."
"Do I even need to say anything right here at this point?" he says, laughing.
"I guess not," she says.
"Two weeks," he says softly.
"Two weeks," she says.
"We can wait two weeks," he says.
Can I wait two weeks?
I can wait two weeks.
Right?
Yes.
I can wait two weeks.
"We can wait two weeks," she echoes.
They both nod. They both smile. They are both quiet.

They put their mugs down and their fingers are all laced and braided together and the sun comes up and the birds begin to sing a little more.
Now it's morning. Now it's when.

"You better pack up your stuff," Jess says.
"Yeah," she says.
I miss you already.
Ow.

Back inside, Rory takes a shower.
She uses his shampoo. So her hair will smell like him.

He writes something on a post-it and slides it into her bag.
Don't be a stranger.
I love you.
-Jess.

Her bag is packed and by the door.
Her hair is still wet.
"I smell like you," she says.
"You do," he says.
"You smell like me and you," he says.
"I smell like me and you," she says.
And they kiss like they're trying to get even with one another. For everything and for nothing.
They are both so wound up again. Like ticking clocks. Like things on fire. Like burning lights.
Like lightning.
The kissing feels like running. It feels like raining. It feels like flying.
Why did I ever doubt this?
This is enough.

They are hugging and they are quiet.
"I'll call you tonight," she says.
"Okay," he says.
"I love you," they say.
At the same time.
I love you.
See you soon.
Bye.
Hey.
I love you.

And then, she is gone.
She is walking.
She is back on the bus.
She remembers the part of his novel that he'd given her.
She pulls it out and opens it and leans her head against the cool window.

And then, she is gone.
He is inside of his apartment, alone.
He paces for a bit.
Turns some music on.
Turns the music off.
Makes something to eat, but doesn't eat it.
He washes his face.
Takes a shower.
Washes his face again.
He sits outside and smokes a cigarette slowly.
He goes in his top drawer for a pair of socks and sees a note from Rory.

Dear Jess,
I always wanted to write you letters. And really? I did. But I never sent them. And I guess I'm not sending this one. I'm leaving it for you to find. And what I want to say is that it was always you. It was. It is. And it will be.
My love,
Rory.

He sits on his bed with the letter in his hand.
He folds it and then tucks the letter underneath his shirt, against his bare skin.
His eyes are welling with tears again.
It feels good. It feels right.
Before he knows what's happening, he is falling and falling.
Diving into the choppy-black waters of sleep.
And when he gets there, he dreams of Rory with the wind in her hair.
The wind, ribbons.
And the softest light.

On the bus, Rory finds the post-it from Jess and she tucks it into her front pocket.
She opens the bit of his novel and reads the first lines.

I let a girl have me once. I let her have me before I even knew how to be had. And until I loved her, I didn't know I had a heart. Now there is a pumping beating loving heart where there was once stone and dust and grey. She found my heart for me. She found my heart for me and she pulled it out and gave it back to me. And made me real. And made me a believer. And this story is for her.

Rory's eyes are brimming with tears and she puts the papers back into her bag.
She closes her eyes and leans against the cool window.
And when she sleeps she dreams of Jess.
His hair, like blackbird feathers.
And the softest light.