"Are you sure we need a Christmas tree?" Jess asked me again as we lugged a fairly small Christmas tree up the stairs to our new apartment.

I let out a heavy breath as we finally reached our door. "Of course we do!" I tell Jess as he unlocks the door. "How else are we gonna get presents? Plus, it's our first night in the apartment and it just so happens to be on Christmas Eve, we have to do it right."

"And, your family is coming over for Christmas tomorrow." He reminded me somewhat begrudgingly. My mum, Luke and the two Gilmores decided that they wanted a New York Christmas this year. So naturally, my mum made us give up our place for them to have a Christmas lunch.

We both carried the tree inside the small door frame and set it down in the centre of the room. The place wasn't big but it wasn't small either. When you walked thought the door you were immediately in the living room.

It was probably my favourite part of the whole apartment. Mainly because of the giant floor to ceiling bookcase. Sadly, they didn't make big or long bookcases, just really tall ones. So we had to get two. After quite a good amount of pestering, Jess had agreed to let me arrange the books by colour, so it made it a sight that pleased the eyes.

Next to the two tall bookcases, there was a slightly smaller shelf that held a stereo and all of our cds. The whole thing was filled up save for the space by the stereo. So when a person came into the apartment, they'd knew what our top priorities were.

There was a couch that sat between two large windows that showed us the view of the snow covered street below. Jess had said one couch wasn't enough for one apartment so we added a single sad armchair a few feet away from it. Both of the furniture facing where the tv would go. We'd have to pick it up tomorrow.

However, on the left side of the room was the joint kitchen. It wasn't anything fancy, just some tiled walls along with the necessary utilities. Although we were missing a pan, we'd have to grab that tomorrow along with the tv. In front of the kitchen was a seat seater table that was covered in a red table cloth, ready for tomorrow's lunch.

All that was left was the bathroom that went between the two bedrooms. The bigger one obviously went to Jess and I, the other would be a guest room or an extra space to keep our books when the space on the shelf was used up.

I go into the kitchen and grab some water for the two of us. "It's not only my family," I corrected Jess as he moved the tree into a suitable corner. "Your mum is coming too."

Over the years Jess and I had known each other, I still haven't met his mum yet. So I thought this would be a good time to invite her over. Again, after a lot of persuading, he agreed.

"She probably won't show up," he told me confidently. I handed him a glass of water and we both sat down on the couch.

I look up at him and smile. His once long hair had been cut into a shorter look that still went well with his face. "But you still asked her right?"

"Yes," he sighed out, "I did ask her."

We both turn toward the empty space where the tv would go. Sitting in silence, we just stared at the space as if there were an imaginary tv there.

"We should really get one soon," I told him as he nodded in agreement beside me.

He nudged my shoulder lightly with his to grab my attention. "Wait here," he told me before getting up and heading into our shared room. I furrow my eyebrows in confusion, not knowing what he was doing.

After a few minutes of me thinking what he could possible be doing, Jess came back with his hands behind his back. "Do you have the Sigur Rós album I've been looking for?" I raise an eyebrow at him.

Jess sits back down next to me and shakes his head, his hands still behind him. "No, but I'm glad you lost it. I cant take another minute of Jónsi's Icelandic singing."

"You're mean," I said playfully as I crossed my arms over my chest.

"But I also have a present for you," Jess said and I immediately retracted my frown and smiled up at him.

"And," I began as I cozied up to his side." I love you very much."

Shaking his head, Jess took out what was behind his back and handed it to me. I inspected the book in my hand as he spoke. "It's an early Christmas present, I just thought it'd be better if I gave it to you now rather than tomorrow when everyone was there."

"It's your book," I stated once I saw the words Jess Mariano printed underneath the title that read 'The Subsect'. "You finished it," I looked at the paperback book in my hand in awe. Turning it over in my hand I read every word that was printed on the back. I ran my fingers along the ends of the pages.

"Yeah," he spoke up sheepishly making me look up at him. "I mean, you don't have to read it, I just thought I'd let you know that it was completed and published."

"You wrote this," I said with a proud smile on my face. "Of course I'm gonna read it! I'm gonna finish it tonight!" I'm so proud of you!" I exclaimed all at once I I pulled him I in for a long hug.

"It's nothing," Jess said once we pulled apart.

"It's nothing?" I repeated his words in disbelief. "Jess, you wrote a book. You did it." I kiss him on the lips softly. "Congratulations," I blurted out, not knowing what else to say as I just stared at the book in my hand with a wide grin on my face.

Later that night as I sat in bed with the night light on, I read through the book. Jess slept beside me on his side, snoring lightly. He said he needed to get some sleep if he wanted to have enough social energy for the next day.

The book was going by much faster than I wanted too but I couldn't blame myself. It was a really good book. It was a somewhat biography of his life with just the names changed.

What made me tear up slightly -which I would never admit to anyone- was the fact that I was in it. And I was included quite a lot. Not by my actual name of course, I was Cherry. And I couldn't think of a better name.

As I read on, I got a look into life through Jess' or J as he's called himself in the book. How he thought and how he analysed every little thing. One thing I also got, was how much he loved me. Well maybe I was being just a tad bit self-centred but I couldn't help but feel so loved by him every time he mentioned me.

How in the chapter where he first left to New York, there was a full three pages of what reminded him of me. To the smell of apples to the way they arranged the records in the store. It also gave me an insight to what happened while he was away in California. How he stayed with his dad and how he read by the beach nearly every morning.

One part that I almost didn't read was the chapter where J got on a fight with his uncle, resulting in him having to leave and give Cherry a letter. Looking back on it now, the whole letter ordeal made a good part in the book, very Victorian era kinda stuff.

The book ended with J knocking on Cherry's door. That was it. They didn't show what happened after. Which I'm sure Jess left out for a reason. Probably thought that it was going to be out little secret.

I closed the carefully book and put it on the bedside table. It was an amazing book, better than I had even thought it would be.

Turning to face Jess, I shake him awake softly. I knew I probably shouldn't have, he needed the sleep after all, but I just wanted to tell him something. "Jess," I whispered as he stirred awake.

He turned on his side and rubbed at his eyes. "What?" He asked startled. "You okay?"

I smiled softly at his words as I lie down next to him. "I love you," I told him softly as I kissed his cheek.

He hummed in response, "Cherry." He started in a groggy voice that made me feel some kind of way. "I love you too but it's in the middle of the night. Can we go back to sleep?"

"Sure," I agreed as I feel asleep with his arms around me.

~~~

"We need a Christmas song!" Lorelai exclaimed from her seat at the table. Before her sat a half eaten plate of chicken and mashed potatoes, courtesy of Luke. Despite the lunch being held at Jess and I'd place, we had asked that they bring the food since they two of us were horrible cooks.

"No," Luke immediately said in protest from his seat beside Lorelai. "I've heard you sing Mariah Carey enough for a life time."

Lorelai kissed Luke on the cheek as she smiled happily. "Oh, you know you like it."

That was another thing that had happened while I was in New York. Luke and Lorelai had gotten together after what felt like years of watching them pine for each other, finally, am I right.

"Don't let her," my mum said form across me. "It's a terrible sound."

"It's true," Rory agreed as she shoved a forkful of chicken into her mouth. "It's like listening to a dying whale."

As Lorelai and the rest continued on with their banter, Jess came back from the bathroom and took his seat next to me.

"I'm sorry she's late," he apologised for the absence of his mother as he pulled my chair closer to him. "You get used to it after a while."

I shake my head at him, "It's fine, don't worry about it."

We were all midway through deserts when Jess' mum arrived. Liz Danes was a small blonde woman who reminded me a lot of Phoebe Buffay. In a way that they both had a fair amount of jewellery on them and what looked like almost the same kind bag.

She walked in and immediately made a beeline toward her son. Who hugged her back somewhat reluctantly. Once they had pulled away, she said her hellos to the Luke and the Girlmore girls.

When she saw me standing behind the bunch, as if waiting for my turn, she smiled widely at me. "Ah! You must be Cassie!" She exclaimed happily. I stuck out a hand for her to shake but she pushed it away and hugged me tightly. She smelled faintly of grass and essential oils. But I decided not to comment on it.

As Liz hugged me tightly, Jess stood behind her with a grimace on his face. Despite how many times he told me that it didn't matter what his mother thought of me, I wanted to make a good impression.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," I told her politely as everyone else took their seats. Jess had gone of to the kitchen to get a clean plate for Liz.

She waved her hand at my words, "Oh, hush you." Liz told me just as Jess came up behind her with a plate. "I've been waiting to see who my boy has fallen for," as she spoke she grasped Jess hand in her tightly.

It was amusing for all of us to see Liz treat Jess like a little kid. I could see Lorleai and Luke trying to hold back their laughs as Liz tried to fix her sons hair.

When Jess had finally managed to wrangle himself out of his mother's grip, he sat back down in his seat. The two of us watched and smiled politely when needed throughout their conversation.

"Cassie," Rory whispered at me from across the table. I gave her a questioning look to which she only responded to with a tilt of her head in the direction of the guest bedroom. In my head I was thinking of something else that I'm pretty sure that Rory was not implying.

Hesitantly, I followed her lead with a shrug of a shoulder to Jess' confused look. Everyone else at the table was preoccupied with the conversation to even noticed that we had slipped away.

"What's going on?" I asked Rory as she closed the door behind her. The guest bedroom was still empty except for a bed frame and a lamp.
"I feel like we're twelve again and exchanging secrets."

"It's something like that," Rory laughed lightly as she wrung her hands out nervously. "Um, I don't know how to say this so I'm just gonna go for it," at the encouraging nod of the head I had given her, she continued. "I slept with Dean."

"Huh," was all I said as I stared at her in shock. I blinked once, then twice as I leaned against the wall.

I made no move to say anything else so Rory spoke, "Well, say something," she blurted out as I ran a hand over my face.

"Isn't he married?" I asked her, hoping that I was wrong, as I thought of what to say.

"Yes, but-" my eyes widened at her answer. She slept with a married man. Wow, okay.

I thought of how to respond to that without sounding mean and decided that there was no way not to. "Rory, you're the other woman!" I exclaimed in horror as she shushed me.

"Not so loud," she quieted me. "My mum might hear you, it's Chrismas and I don't wanna ruin it."

"She doesn't know?" I ran a hand through my hair stressfully. "Of course she doesn't know, if she did you wouldn't be standing here," I answered my own question.

"Rory! You slept with a married man!" I exclaimed again. "You're supposed to be the responsible one!"

"I know," she sighed out in disappointment as she sat on the edge of the bed with her head in her hands.

"I never slept with a married man, so that means I'm the responsible one now!" I was ranting as I tried to avoid what Rory had done. "I don't wanna be the responsible one! That's too much pressure! I'm the Chandler Bing and you're supposed to be Ross!"

"Can we get back on track please?" Rory said with her head still in her hands.

I throw my hands up in the air, not knowing what to do. "Okay, fine." I began, as I paced around the room. "Why don't we go back to the start of the track where you slept with a married man!"

"Can you stop saying that," Rory groaned out. "Dean, I slept with Dean."

"Yeah," I agree as I shake my head at her. "And Dean is married! That's wrong! What the hell, Rory! What were you thinking?" I tried to keep my voice low.

"I don't know- I just-" Rory seemed like she couldn't find the words. "Please don't be mad,"

"I can't believe I'm saying this," I mutter to myself. "I'm not mad, I'm disappointed." Gosh I sounded like my mum. But I guess in this moment, it was called for.

After a very detailed explanation to Rory on why what she did was wrong. And how I told her she should tell her mum, we made out was back outside. As if I hands just watched the person I knew my whole life suddenly turn into someone else. This wasn't the Rory I knew, and I think she knew it too.

"What was that?" Jess asked as he grabbed my hand underneath the table. "Everything okay?"

I leaned closer to him. "Rory slept with Dean," I whispered quietly, making sure no one over heard us. Right now, I didn't really care if Rory didn't want Jess to know. I just needed someone to freak out about how wrong that was.

"Wow," Jess said under his breath. "She has my condolences."