Title: Comfortably Close
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters you recognize, they belong to...someone at the CW, maybe? I dunno. I do own the new characters, whether they're new for this story or for the first one.
Summary: Sequel to Too Close For Comfort. Jess and Rory haven't had sex in six months, and the reason is sleeping in a tiny bed in Luke's apartment. Or sometimes a tiny bed in Lorelai's house. Or sometimes even in a full size bed with Jess and Rory. Jess sets out to rectify the situation.
A/N: This is a sequel to Too Close For Comfort. This means if you have not read that story, you will not know what I'm talking about half the time. TC4C is good enough to introduce you to the Leeopolis family, Iliana and Zano and their son Miles. It will also introduce you to one of our three main characters, Jessi Gilmore. This story takes place three and a half years after that story ended--namely, spring 2007. Davey and Martha were born when they were born, Lane and Dave got back together (in the last story), Luke and Lorelai are on-again, off-again, on-again. In this story, there is no such thing as April. Of course, in my world, April stopped existing for me the moment her mother was the same actress as Sasha. Anyway. Reviews are appreciated.

Prologue

Rory managed to slip away from the diner while her daughter was preoccupied in teaching Jess how to color. Three-year-old Jessica didn't even notice her mother was gone until she was halfway to New Haven.

"Daddy, where's Mommy?" the little girl asked, a worried look on her face.

"Oh, baby, Mommy's fine. She just had to go to school." Jess ran a hand over Jessi's shiny brown hair and smiled, hoping to placate her. It worked, and she nodded and returned to her coloring.

It wasn't until over three hours later Rory returned to the diner. She let herself in with her key and made her way up the stairs to the apartment. There Jess was, sprawled out on his bed with Jessi curled up under one arm. Rory crept over, shedding her shoes, purse, and jacket. She slipped under the covers and curled up on Jess's other side. Jess groaned, and opened an eye.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey." She smiled and reached up to kiss him.

"How was class?" he asked, wrapping his arm around her.

She sighed and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Long. How was bedtime?" she asked, looking up at him.

"Successful," he said after a minute. Rory laughed quietly and tightened her arms around him. She was about to drift off when she heard the first rumble of thunder.

"Oh, no," she murmured, not bothering to open her eyes.

"Hmm?" Jess asked, not moving.

"Thunder," she sighed, tucking herself in closer around him. "Means rain. Means wetness on the way home."

"Stay."

"Oh, I can't stay, I've gotta take Jessi home."

"She is home, Rory. Come on, stay. Luke's at your mom's. It's nice right here."

Rory, who hadn't moved despite her protests, nodded slightly. "Okay," she said.

Jess closed his eyes, and tried to drift off to sleep, but having both of his arms stretched out, with a toddler on one arm and a twenty-something on the other, was very uncomfortable. He tried to slide his arm from under Rory, but she groaned.

"What're ya doin'? Stop."

"I need to move my arm to put Jessi in bed."

"No," Rory muttered, but she allowed Jess to disentangle himself and carry his daughter to her own bed. Jessi murmured and curled around a pillow, her face an exact image of her mother's. Jess kissed her softly on the forehead before sliding back into his own bed. He slid his arms around Rory's waist and kissed her neck.

"What're ya doin' now?" Rory asked, groaning.

"I believe it's called foreplay," Jess said, kissing his way to her mouth.

Rory kissed him back, and groaned as his lips left hers. "Jess, I'm tired," she said, watching as he made his way down her neck.

He sighed and stopped, resting his head on her chest. "Rory, we haven't had sex in six months. I really, reallymiss sex."

"Jessi's right there," Rory half-heartedly protested, but Jess was unbuttoning her shirt and it was getting harder to concentrate.

"She's asleep."

"What if she wakes up?"

"She won't."

Rory was quiet for a moment, trying to gather her thoughts, and eventually pushed him away gently. "Jess...I'm not comfortable."

Jess sighed again, this time rolling off of her. "Rory, this is getting old."

"I know, I know, I just...can't with her right there. But hey, next week we can get a room at the Dragonfly for a night." She pecked his lips. "Okay?"

"Rory, I don't want to do this anymore. You live there, I live here, Jessi goes back and forth. And she's forced to sleep in this tiny bed in each of our rooms, and she doesn't have a place of her own, and she's getting older and she needs a place of her own." Jess exhaled. Rory stroked his hair over his forehead. Jess reached up and grabbed her hand. He rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand and kissed her, slowly.

"Rory?" he asked, pulling away.

"Mm-hmm?"

"I think we should get married."

A smile slowly spread across her face. She glanced at Jessi sleeping peacefully and then leaned forward and kissed Jess.

"Okay," she said simply.

"Okay," he whispered.