A/N: Hey, lovelies! Guess who got back into her old account! And, for this little happy day, I decided that I'm going to start yet another fic. I have actually written quite a bit for this one and I hope that it keeps going. I'm going to try to update my other ones as well since life hasn't been as busy lately. As you can see from the summary, this takes place during the revival and what I hope to happen! Please comment, favorite, and follow if you like it!
The snow looked different in Stars Hollow than it did in New York City. This was the first thing Rory noted as soon as her cab rolled into town. It was like something out of a fairytale, looking like snow globe. Something that she had never noticed when she actually lived there, but every winter she came back, she seemed to love it more. She finally understood why Lorelai was so crazy about the white flecks that fell from the sky. It was different in the city. There is was always mush, turning dark colors from the taxis and cars that rolled through non-stop. Sure, it was pretty when you looked up, but when you inevitably stepped in the pile of black and brown slush, you realize that there's no place like home. She tells the driver to pull over at one of her most frequented spots in town before heading home first and smiles upon stepping out of the backseat. Even the air was different; crisper, less polluted. She stared up for a movement, taking it all in, before looking across the small town square and noting the townsfolk rolling in the snow, making snowmen aplenty and having snowball fights. What made it homier was Taylor chasing Kirk. "Home sweet home," she chuckles to herself as she pays the cabbie and removes her suitcase from the trunk. It was then that she got to turn around and look straight into the windows of Luke's Diner. Her mother was at the counter, obviously bickering with her fiancé as she gripped her coffee mug tight. Whatever they were going on about, Lorelai was truly giving it her all, going on and on, making Luke grown more irritated by the second. This was an all too familiar sight, but nothing screamed home like seeing her mother being her over dramatic self. Instead of making up scenarios on what they could be talking about, the young woman turned the corner and walked in. Even hearing the familiar sound of the bell above her surrounded her in warmth.
"Lucy, I'm home!" she said as she stood near the doorway, smiling brightly for when her mother finally turned around. And when she did, Lorelai was quick to stand up and run over to her only child, almost tripping and falling on her face in the process. "I've missed you so much," Rory tells her as they hold onto each other tight, neither wanting to let go just yet.
"Oh, you have no idea, baby." Lorelai wants to stay attached so badly, but she can tell that she's almost suffocating her only offspring. "You're not leaving my side this week, ya hear me?" She finally lets go, pointing at Rory before going in for one more hug. "I'm sorry, it just feels like I haven't seen you in forever."
"I was home for thanksgiving," Rory reminds her, rolling her eyes, but still giving into the second hug.
"Twice in a month isn't enough." Lorelai turns around, her eyes finding Luke. "Tell her, Luke. Tell her she needs to stay so mommy can take care of her like the good old days."
"She can take care of herself like the grown up she is," Luke reminds her before headed towards the pair with a fresh cup of coffee in his hand that he passes to Rory. She gratefully accepts and sniffs it before taking a sip. "It is good to have you home, Rory. We've missed you."
"And I've missed your coffee," she chuckles.
"And what, no one has missed me?"
That voice made Rory almost drop the mug as her head shot up. She didn't even need to second-guess. It was that voice. The one that she had fallen in love with. Almost instantly, she smiles softly as her brows knit together. It had been a couple years since their last encounter and she wasn't exactly sure when they're meet again. Rory pushed her way through the happy couple after setting her coffee down and made her way over the the man. "Jess," she breathes, almost unable to believe his presence. "Where'd you come from?" Her blue eyes are still wide as she looks him over, top to bottom. She didn't exactly mean to, but she had to make sure that he wasn't some delusion that came from being back in Stars Hollow.
"Upstairs," he says simply, giving her a crooked smile.
Rory rolls her eyes before cautiously going in for a hug. To her surprise, his arms embraced her without a second thought and she felt his head rest against hers as he softly pressed a kiss on her head. It wasn't always like that of course, but since they had grown up, a lot has changed. Even the friendliness between them. Although, both of them could still spot Lorelai across the diner, looking on with a cautious eye as they stood still. In an attempt to keep her mother happy, Rory pulls back, creating a small distance between them, but still keeps her hands on his forearms. "It is so good to see you." She almost wants to cry as she looks at him. It's like stepping in a time machine to where they were at seventeen. It didn't matter that they were both well off now, it still felt more familiar than any relationship Rory held in the past.
"You too." He's quick to look anywhere but her as he shoves his hands in his pockets in a shy fashion. They always seemed to be nervous after not seeing one another for quite awhile. She remembered the first time, when they were upstairs in Luke's apartment, when they were both teenagers with nervous hands and racing hearts. The anxiety from that moment seemed to seep into who they were now after every time they met up, but nowadays it was familiar, something that was worth it. It showed that they were still who they were. "How long are you here?"
"New Years day," she nods, "you?"
His eyebrows rise at the answer. "Huh. Me too."
From that alone, she could tell that he just thought about the duration of his stay. Being an author wasn't exactly a full time job that kept you in the office all day like it did her. Luckily, she was able to work from home during the holiday and send in her column early in the morning before the Times went to print.
"Is that so?" she chuckles.
"It is now," he shrugs.
They stay lost in each others gaze for what seems like a few minutes, but they're torn away by none other than Lorelai herself. "Did I not just say that you're not leaving my side this week?"
Rory glances over at her mother and shakes her head. "You know, other people do exist," she jokes.
Lorelai's eyes grow wide. "Yes, but I'm the one that matters, remember?"
"I guess I'll talk to you tomorrow, if she ever lets go of me." Rory tells him.
"That is if I don't glue you to me while you sleep."
Jess can hardly hold back a very rare chuckle. She was always going to be the same old Lorelai. He looks from the mother to her daughter and turns his head towards the door. "Beat it."
