Make a Plan to Love Me
Chapter One: When the Curious Girl Realizes She is Under Glass

This is a Rory/Jess story, so if you do not like Rory/Jess, don't say I didn't warn you! Logan is also in this story. It takes place right after Logan's accident in Season 6. Rory's left the hospital, but she's still not sure she wants to take Logan back.

Enjoy, and as always, r/r!

xXx

"You okay, kid?" Lorelai asked as she and Rory sat at Luke's. They'd ordered a load of food as always, but Lorelai noticed Rory had barely touched her pancakes, let alone her coffee.

"Yeah," Rory insisted, pushing a mushy lump of pancake around her plate with her fork.

"Hun, you've got to talk to me here," Lorelai pleaded, pushing Rory's fork down. "You've hardly said a word since you got here, and not that I wasn't thrilled to have you for the weekend, but hun, what's going on?"

Rory sighed, leaning back into her chair. "I just have a lot on my mind."

Lorelai nodded. "Logan?"

Rory shook her head. "I don't even want to talk about him. I mean, Jess was so right. Logan treats me like dirt, which is ironic, because Dean used to think Jess treated me like dirt, but he was wrong and Jess is right, and I just let him." She paused to inhale. "I mean, Logan got hurt and I was all emotional, but it was Logan's own stupid fault. He does these things and he doesn't think, and I can't handle all of that information about the bridesmaids. I mean, what, every time we fight, I'm supposed to assume it's okay that he sleeps with three girls? I cannot handle that!" Rory insisted firmly. "It's not right, and well, Jess is right."

Lorelai blinked. "Okay, see, I knew about the Logan stuff, and I agree with everything you just said, but uh, I am completely stumped when it comes to the Jess stuff."

Rory shrugged. "I figured Luke told you," she insisted.

"Yeah, he told me he went to see Jess in Philadelphia," Lorelai replied. "He said he was doing really well."

"Oh," Rory remarked. She should have known Luke wouldn't reveal her visiting Jess. Luke wasn't exactly the town blabbermouth. "Well," she began. "Jess's publishing house was having this thing, so I went to visit him and Luke, as you know, was there." She shrugged. "It was stupid and I shouldn't have even gone, but I did, and Jess and I..." She bit her lip.

"Oh," Lorelai remarked, eyes wide. "You and he...uhh..."

"No, no," Rory insisted shaking her head. "We just kissed, barely. I mean, I went there with the intention of something happening, but then I couldn't go through with it."

"Because you were still with Logan?"

"Yeah," Rory replied. "It was such a terrible thing to do..."

"Well, hun, Logan wasn't exactly the greatest example of..."

"No, not to Logan, to Jess," Rory insisted.

"Okay, hun, maybe I'm missing a crucial piece to this puzzle, but I'm not seeing how Jess really factors into any of this," Lorelai insisted. "I mean, when did Jess jump back into the picture?"

Rory sighed. "Jess came to visit me when I was still living with grandma," she replied. "I though Luke might have told you that, too."

Luke picked that moment to swing by and refill their coffee. He looked at Rory's untouched plate. "Feeling okay?" he asked. Rory nodded.

"Uh, apparently you've been withholding crucial information," Lorelai pouted, shooting Luke an agitated face.

Luke turned to Rory. "What did I do?"

Rory smiled. "You were doing what you thought was best," she insisted, ushering him away. "Don't worry, I'll warm mom back up to you."

Luke ambled away reluctantly, throwing confused looks towards Lorelai. She signaled with her hand for him to turn around. She turned back to Rory. "Continue."

"Well, Luke told Jess where I was staying, rather reluctantly, I might add, and I didn't tell you, because we still weren't speaking," Rory explained. "Anyway, Jess came over to show me that he had written a book..."

"Jess wrote a book?" Lorelai remarked. "Wow."

"I know," Rory said, nodding. "I mean, I always knew he could, but the fact that he did...well, anyway, he was going around to independently owned book stores, trying to convince them to buy some of his books, and he was in the area, so he stopped by..."

"And the last time you saw him was..."

"After his mom's wedding," Rory filled her in. "When he came to my dorm and Dean was there..."

Lorelai looked confused.

"I didn't tell you that either?!" Rory remarked. "God, I must have this filter still where I avoid all Jess topics with you."

Lorelai nodded. "So, backing up to after Liz's wedding...?"

Rory exhaled loudly. "Okay, so Dean picked me up from that really bad date grandma initiated."

"Right," Lorelai nodded. "You mentioned that."

"So, he was walking me to my dorm, and then Jess showed up out of the blue," Rory remarked.

"Wow," Lorelai replied. "I cannot believe you didn't tell me this."

"I know," Rory said, shaking her head. "Last I had seen of him was when he told me he loved me and ran off."

"That one you mentioned."

Rory grinned. "So, I made Dean leave and Jess started rambling on about how sorry he was for the past and how he knew we were supposed to be together and that he wanted me to run away with him to New York or something..."

"Heavy," Lorelai nodded.

"Yeah, real heavy," Rory replied. "Anyway, this was right around the time that Dean and I..."

Lorelai nodded. "Your Hester Prynne impression. I do recall it well."

Rory rolled her eyes. "So, I didn't really listen to him and kept telling him to leave, and then he pretty much asked me if I still cared about him, and I said no, and he left."

"Harsh," Lorelai commented.

Rory shrugged. "He hurt me," she said simply. "For all I knew, by the time I got to the car, he'd have changed his mind."

"Still kind of romantic though," Lorelai insisted. "Who knew Jess had it in him?"

Rory grinned. "Well, he grew up a lot, and I knew he was sorry, but, I don't know. I just wasn't ready for Jess again."

"Understandable."

"So, then he shows up at grandma's house, and Logan was away, and so he gave me a copy of his book, and then we made plans to have dinner the next night, and you know, catch up."

"Dirty," Lorelai grinned.

"No!" Rory insisted, flinging a chunk of pancake at her mom. "I was with Logan, so catch up still just meant, catch up."

"Uh huh," Lorelai groaned, pretending to be bored. "Continue."

"So, then, Jess showed up and just as we're getting ready to leave, Logan shows up."

"The love triangle continues," Lorelai sang.

"Shut up," Rory remarked. "So we end up all going out to dinner and Logan was a complete jerk and Jess finally had enough and left."

"Big surprise..."

"Mom," Rory remarked. "Let me finish." Lorelai mimed zipping her mouth closed. Rory went on. "So, I went after Jess and he starting yelling at me, asking me what I was doing with a jerk like Logan, and yelling at me about dropping out of school, and not talking to you, and living with grandma, and working at the DAR."

"I'm beginning to like this Jess guy," Lorelai remarked, then frantically clamped her hand over her mouth.

Rory rolled her eyes. "So, anyway, he was right, and I knew it, and he's the reason why I went back to school and finally stopped going through whatever weird phase I was going through. And then, this invitation to his publishing house's party came, and Logan and I were fighting because of the bridesmaids, and well, I just went."

Lorelai raised her hand. Rory sighed. "You can talk now," she insisted.

"So, uh, wow," Lorelai started off. "You could totally write a book with all of the information you just disclosed there."

Rory nodded.

"So, uh, Jess is back in the picture?" Lorelai asked.

"No...um, well, I don't know," Rory replied. "Maybe, if Logan's definitely out of the picture."

"Well, hun, what are you going to do about Logan?"

Rory shrugged. "That's my dilemma. When he's happy, he's great, but when he's well Logan, he's just unbearable."

"Did you move back in with him?"

Rory shook her head. "I was going to, but I changed my mind. Until I know what I want, I thought I better stay with Paris, as horrible as that thought sounds."

"Is it safe yet?" Luke asked, returning to retrieve Lorelai's dirty dishes.

Lorelai narrowed her eyes. "Secrets, and books deals, and Jess, oh my!" she shouted.

xXx

"Oh, please Matthew, I'd be terrified to read any book idea you'd come up with," Chris remarked slyly.

"Oh, now, play nice," Jess remarked, rolling his eyes.

"Not as terrified as I was when you had dreadlocks but in your hair," Matthew remarked.

Jess almost spit out his drink. "Chris had dreads?" He eyed his fair-haired friend. "You so do not have the face for it."

Matthew smirked, playing with one of his stray dreads. "Some things only a brother can do," he teased.

"Here we go," Jess remarked, turning to the waitress. "Another pitcher?" he asked, handing her a five. She smiled and sauntered off.

"Oh shit," Chris remarked, changing the subject. "Here come Valerie. Any chance she hasn't spotted me?"

"No," Matt and Jess replied simultaneously.

"Hey, Val!" Jess remarked, grinning to eagerly. The brunette by the door waved at Jess and scampered over to them.

"Dude, not cool," Chris hissed, shooting Jess daggers. Jess grinned at Matt who was trying to sustain his laughter since Valerie could now see his face.

"Hey guys," she replied, sliding next to Chris without asking. "How's it going?"

"The eternal question," Matthew joked philosophically.

"Oh my god, that reminds me," Valerie began, wide eyed. "My philosophy professor was totally hitting on me today..."

Jess rolled his eyes for the third time that night. Some professor was always hitting on her in every story he told. He tilted his head towards Matt, signaling they should leave.

"Guys, enjoy our beer," Matt remarked as the waitress brought over a full pitcher.

"Where are you going?" Chris asked desperately as Val linked arms with him. Jess could barely contain his laughter.

"Oh, you know, just over to the bar," Matt replied. He winked at Chris. "It's time we get Jess laid."

"Funny!" Jess remarked, pulling Matt over to the bar. The guys always made cracks about Jess not dating, and he had to admit, it was time to move on. He'd spent most of his time in Philadelphia finishing his book, hoping for the chance to prove to Rory that he had changed and matured. He thought the book would be enough to convince Rory that he was ready for a relationship, that he could finally commit himself to her, but she was stuck on Logan. Just the very mention of the guy's name was enough to disgust him. But, it had been almost a month since he'd last seen Rory and she'd made it perfectly clear that she was in love with Logan and not with him.

He chugged a Heineken as he and Matt went upstairs to the second floor of the bar. Yes, it was time to move past Rory Gilmore. The prospect of dating someone else made him uneasy, but he knew he had to move on. She had, and he wasn't going to pine in self pity. It was time.

xXx

Her name was Randy Manning. Her actual name was Miranda, which she let slip after singing a round of kareoke at Paddy Wacks, the guys' favorite bar. She made Jess promise several times not to ever call her by her full name, twisting his pinkie around hers every time, a practice he would normally mock and scoff at. But with Randy's punk lock and hardened personality, he found the act oddly endearing.

She was gorgeous, that much went unsaid, but it wasn't her looks that hooked him. She had long blonde ringlets, which contrasted greatly with her sarcastic, smooth-talking persona. Randy was by all means one of the guys, just in heels. Her passion for music was what really first drew him to her. She was into most of the same bands he liked, The Clash, The Doors, Bowie, Metallica, and she was in college as a music major, learning how to work behind the scenes, as well as develop her vocals skills. She played acoustic guitar and frequently played around Philly, mainly for free on kareoke nights. Jess loved her voice, and he had to admit he was very critical of most female songwriters, but Randy was different. The second he laid eyes on her, he knew she was special, just as he knew Rory was. He clung to the idea that Randy might be the one to help him finally move past Rory.

Chris and Matthew adored her, but it was pretty impossible not to. It was nice to have the guys no longer harping on him about women, and he genuinely loved spending time with her. They were just friends for the moment, but he figured it was only a matter of time before one of them decided to take their relationship to the next level. He wasn't certain what it was he was waiting for, but he couldn't seem to bring himself to make the first move. He was content with the idea of Randy, but not so sure about the actuality of a relationship.

xXx

"Hey, Jess!" Randy called, rushing up the steps inside of Truncheon Books. "Jess!" her voice echoed all down the hallway upstairs where Matt and Chris lived. She bustled up the second set of stairs that led to Jess's third floor bedroom. "Coming in!" she announced loudly, before pushing open the heavy wooden door.

Randy squinted through the darkness, flicking on the main light switch. She rolled her eyes at Jess, covered in a mountain of blankets. "You are not still sleeping," she remarked, grinning. She opened the blinds that were holding back the sunlight. "It's three p.m.," she remarked, bouncing over to his bed.

Jess yawned widely, hugging the pillow next to him. "Got in late," he mumbled, rolling over. "Too bright."

Randy hopped onto his bed, sitting inches away from him. "Up!" she insisted, wrestling the blankets from off of him.

Jess fought bitterly at first, but finally succumbed to Randy's protests. He was already awake, there was no point in fighting that fact. He turned to face her. "I hate you," he muttered, hitting her with a pillow.

"So dramatic," she remarked, throwing the pillow back onto the bed.

"A little privacy?" Jess asked, sliding out of bed.

Randy stifled a grin but she didn't blush. She turned around. "Not looking," she promised, crossing two fingers in the air. "Although, really Jess, this modesty thing is a bit overplayed. I have seen naked guys before."

"You know, you shouldn't run around advertising that information," Jess insisted, pulling on a pair of boxer briefs and jeans. He grinned, walking around to her side of the bed. "Someone might think you're easy," he teased, grabbing her by the waist and wrestling her onto the bed.

"Stop! Stop!" Randy remarked, tears coming out of her eyes from laughing so hard. "Stop! It tickles!"

"Duh, it's supposed to," Jess insisted, getting up and leaving her to compose herself. He grabbed his White Stripes shirt from his closet and tossed it on, walking back over to Randy who was still sprawled out across his bed. He smiled at her. She looked adorable in her black band tee and jeans, looking up at him curiously. He grinned reaching his hand out to help her out.

"No, come down here," she whined, pulling him down on top of her. "It's much more fun down here."

Jess grinned, his hand full of her soft curls. "Then why'd you get me out of bed?"

Randy shrugged. "Dunno," she replied, her breath warm on his lips. "Wanted to see if it would work?"

"Oh yeah?" he remarked. "And now what?"

Randy slowed her breathing, eyes darting all over Jess. She brought her gaze back up to his face. "Well, in my humble experience, we have two options."

"Option one?"

"We get up and go have lunch," Randy replied.

"Option two?"

Randy paused, smiling. "We do this," she replied, her mouth reaching towards his.

Jess allowed himself to be drawn in by her, allowed her lips to ignite his. He kissed her back greedily. He couldn't remember the last time he kissed someone who wasn't intoxicated. Her mouth was strange and new, but everything felt so familiar.

He pulled back after a few minutes, smiling at her. "So much for the first option," he joked, rolling over to lie next to her.

"Yeah, well, the first option seemed kind of lame," she insisted. She turned to Jess. "So now that I have you attention..." she started, grinning manically.

"No!" Jess insisted, flipping her back over so that he was on top of her. "Absolutely not, and you cannot bribe me."

Randy pouted. "Oh, come on. You're being too judgmental. You'll love it inside, I swear."

Jess shook his head. "I should have known this was all a trick."

Randy gasped. "It was not a trick," she insisted, smiling. "I just realized that since I now had some leverage, that I might as well attempt to use it."

"No," he insisted, bending down and kissing her forehead. "Make Chris go."

"Oh?" Randy began, a coy grin creeping across her face. "Do you want me to bribe him like I allegedly bribed you?"

Jess laughed. He'd been beat. A smug smirk crossed Randy's face. "Fine," he remarked. "I'll go. But I'm not going to that weird concert with you."

Randy sighed. "Okay, you might not love Saves the Day, but you would love Say Anything. I swear."

Jess rolled his eyes. "I'll think about it," he replied, getting up.

Randy sat up grinning. "Wow, you're easy," she teased, climbing to her feet.

Jess fished in his closet for a button down shirt and quickly slipped it on over his tee shirt. He turned back to Randy. "So even though we opted out of option one, can we still get food?"

Randy nodded vehemently. "We have to go out though, because Chris broke the stove again, and Matt was reheating that gross indian food in the microwave." She scrunched her nose in disgust. "The smell is everywhere."

Jess rolled his eyes. He'd only met one person in his life who could tolerate indian food. He turned back to Randy. "Okay, but can we not go to that lame health food place you and Anna took us to yesterday?"

Randy laughed. "Anna's a health nut. I'm not." She linked arms with him. "You know that."

"Lorenzo's?" he suggested as they exited the room.

"Greasy, super-sized pizza slices for under a dollar?" Randy grinned. "God, Jess, you sure know how to treat a lady."

"Huh," he remarked, leading her down the stairs. "Funny. Last time I looked I didn't see any ladies in sight."

Randy pursed her lips and Jess knew he'd pay for that remark later. He'd probably have to go in that weird record store Randy always talked about. He took in the sight of her as they slumped down the steps. It'd be worth it, he concluded. Besides, he'd learned from his last relationship that he needed to stop being so narrow-minded and open up. Apparently, Randy was up to the tough task of breaking him down.

xXx

That's it for this chapter! R/R for more!