AU. Jess wants to take Rory for a walk around NY.
Covered in the Rain
You pause the movie you're watching and pad across your apartment to answer the door.
"Jess?" You're shocked to find your boyfriend of two months outside your door. He had told you he was out of town for the weekend, visiting his uncle in Connecticut.
You'd met him three days after starting your job at The New York Times. He worked in your department and had asked you out repeatedly for two weeks.
You finally caved and he took you to a dive bar to play pool and listen to classic rock songs blasting from a juke box in the corner.
It was the best date you'd ever had. Better than Dean's dates in high school. Or any that Logan had taken you on when you were in Stanford. You had told your mom that New York boys, or men, you'd corrected yourself, were of much higher calibre than the ones back home in California.
She laughed, and warned you to watch your heart. She'd lost hers to an east coast boy and had never gotten it back. You had laughed, knowing that Lorelai really did love Christopher, and never once regretted marrying him when she found out she was pregnant.
"What are you doing here?" You glance down, suddenly embarrassed, as you remember what outfit you have on. A pair of blue pyjama bottoms and a large grey hooded sweatshirt. His sweatshirt.
"Is that mine?" He smirks pointing to the offending garment.
"It might have been." You shrug, "But once you leave anything here, it automatically becomes mine. So what are you doing here?"
"Thought you might want to come for a walk with me?"
"Jess, it's raining." You state the obvious. His hair is soaking wet, droplets of water running down his temple.
"So?" He shrugs, "You've never been for a walk in the rain?"
"No." You shake your head and finally retreat back into your apartment. You hear him close the door and you turn to face him. "When it rains in California, the whole state comes to a standstill."
"Well nothing stops in New York. Grab your coat." He inclines his head in the direction of your room, but you sit back down on your couch.
"No." You shake your head. "I'm at a standstill. Coffee, pyjamas and Marlon Brando. You wanna watch? He hasn't even screamed 'Stella!' yet."
He doesn't answer you verbally, simply raises one eyebrow.
"I don't have an umbrella." You're clutching at straws and you know it.
He smirks and pulls something out of his back pocket and hands it to you. "A rain hat." He smirks as you stare at the bright blue hat in your hands.
"I've no appropriate footwear. And I can't get the flu. I hate getting sick."
"Good thing I got these too." He walks back to you door and picks up a box sitting on the floor.
"How'd I miss that?" You laugh as he sets the box in your lap. You open it and bit down on your lower lip, trying to hide your smile.
"Wellingtons?"
"Yeah." He nods.
"They match the hat, and they have rainbows on them." You state. "You really want me to take this walk, don't you?"
"Yeah." He repeats, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Shall we?" He inclines his head back towards the door.
You sigh and glance towards the frozen picture of Stanley Kowalski on your TV screen. "Wait here, I'll go get changed. But, you're buying me the largest bucket of coffee we can find. And you're coming back here to watch the end of 'Streetcar' with me."
"Deal." He rolls his eyes, and you head to your room, bringing your hat and boots with you.
"Admit it, you're having fun?" He grins and squeezes on your hand.
"Never." You laugh, but it had been. Walking around Washington Square Park, hand in hand, jumping in puddles like you were five had been fun.
You jump up on the ledge of the central fountain and begin to walk around it, gripping Jess' hand for support.
You suddenly lose your balance, and you feel him pull you towards him, wrapping his free arm around your waist.
"Thanks." You smile up at him from under the brim of your hat. "For saving me and for today."
"I knew you'd enjoy it, Cali Girl." He smirks and then looks at you seriously. He sighs loudly. "I love you Rory."
You look at him in shock, and slowly you feel yourself smiling. "I love you too Jess."
He bends his head and kisses you.
And there, standing between the arch and the fountain in Washington Square Park, the city, the state, the country, the world comes to a standstill in the rain.
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