A/N: So, this is a continuation of a multi-fandom/multi-pairing series I started in 2008, with each story being a one-shot in a different fandom, with some of my fave ships partaking in 'Secret Santa' type activities. I have different sandboxes to play in these days, and so there is more. Hope you enjoy! Merry Christmas / Happy Holidays to all :)

Disclaimer: All recognisable characters belong to people that aren't me!

The Secret Santa Series, Part VIII : Rory & Jess

Rory liked to watch it snow. Since she was little she always liked it and was pretty sure she always would. Of course, right now, the snow just reminded her that the snowman (or more accurately the Bjork-inspired snowwoman) that she and her Mom built was never going to win the competition in the town square, until the obvious winner was somehow destroyed. A smile came to her lips as she recalled the discovery and how the winners had been announced as 'Lorelai and Rory'. It was a proud moment for the Gilmore girls, even if they were both pretty sure there had been some sabotage involved.

"Hey, we cannot feel bad about that," Lorelai had insisted when they arrived home. "First off, we didn't destroy the fancy schmancy snowman," she counted on her fingers. "And second, it was an illegal ringer snowman anyway, so it actually deserved the wanton destruction brought down upon its head."

Rory knew she had a point, and tried not to feel bad. Mostly she just had to wonder who would've done such a thing. A part of her would like to think it was Dean, but if she were honest, Rory didn't think he had it in him to be so bold or so bad.

"I mean, somebody must've done it on purpose," she told her mother that night. "I know it wasn't you, and it definitely wasn't me so..."

She left the sentence hanging there, just waiting for her mother to fill in the blanks. The truth was, Rory had one definite suspicion, she just didn't want to voice it. When her Mom looked at her and then looked away, asking how she was supposed to know, Rory almost suspected she did. She had to at least suspect. Who was the local bad boy who seemed to have decided to make Rory his special friend? That would be one Jess Mariano. It was almost sweet, in a hoodlum sort of a way, Rory thought. It made her smile a little too much considering she had a boyfriend and all. Not that thinking nice thoughts about another guy was grounds for a break-up or anything, but Rory still felt weird about it. The only man on her mind should be Dean. Should be, but wasn't.

Taking herself off to bed, Rory settled down under the covers, practically repeating Deans name over and over to herself to ensure he was the only one filing her head. It didn't work, of course. Her subconscious brought forth scenes from the day and from time before. All the moments she and Jess had shared and a few more she seemed to have invented. Things she actually did with Dean got mixed up with the picture of Jess' face in her mind's eyes.

Barely an inch from a very special kiss with what was essentially the wrong guy, Rory woke up with a start. All she knew for sure was that she was cold, inspite of the fact a dream like that ought to have been closer to hot!

Sitting up and looking over to the window, Rory found it was open. Not wide open, but just an inch or two out of place. She frowned, knowing she never would've left it that way, but she was definitely still alone in the room with the door closed, as putting on the lamp proved.

Scrambling out from under the covers, Rory's main thought was to close the window and stop the cold draft from getting to her. The window came down with a bump, but her hands stayed in place, something on her desk catching her eye. A gift, wrapped in brown paper stuck down with Scotch tape, it was hardly the fanciest of Christmas presents, but Rory couldn't imagine what else it would be. Dean could be sweet enough to do this, she told herself, even as she picked up the parcel and turned it over in her hands with a smile. It was a book, she was certain, and immediately her mind betrayed her, conjuring up an image of Jess forcing open her window and slipping the gift into her room. She ought to think such a romantic gesture could only be from her boyfriend, and though Dean didn't read as much as Rory herself, he could still pick out a book for her... maybe. Of course, Rory couldn't shake the feeling that this was the kind of thind Jess would do. After all, this window was the very one he suggested they bail out of the first day they met, and he did love books as much as she did. A shiver ran through Rory that she chose to attribute to the cold, even if she didn't really believe it. She rushed back to her bed and bundled under the covers, still looking intently at the brown paper wrapping on her gift.

There was no way to know who it was from since there was no tag or note. Maybe if she opened it and saw what it was, or perhaps there was a message inside the wrapping. Rory looked towards the door and then back. She tore into the gift then, casting the plain paper aside. The book had a leather-effect hard cover, and gold coloured embossed lettering when she turned it over. The grin that took over Rory's face was enormous when she realised the title - Oliver Twist.

It had to be from Jess. It all made perfect sense now that she saw the book. Sure, Dean could've bought her a Dickens classic, since he knew she enjoyed them, but this had real significance. Jess stole a book from her room that first day, and after they talked later she called him Dodger, telling him to figure out what she meant by it. All of a few seconds and he had the answer.

Rory ran her hand over the cover of the book, then opened it up. There in the front was a message written with a pencil and in handwriting she recognised instantly from the notes in the margins of the one Jess borrowed before. Her smile grew as she read what it said.

To The Defender of Stars Hollow and its crazy ways,

Merry Christmas or whatever you want,

Jack Dawkins.

If she hadn't have known the writing was Jess' own, what he wrote gave him away. Jack Dawkins was the Artful Dodger's real name, after all, and he did seem to think it was pretty quirky how Rory would defend her town no matter what. It was just such a thoughtful gift, she could hardly believe it. Reaching for the phone, she wasn't even thinking about the late hour. If she had, Rory might have realised Luke could answer the phone and be mad about the interruption. The way Jess answered after barely one ring, well, that almost suggested he was expecting her to call.

"Jess? Why did you do this?" she asked immediately and without introduction.

"Rory?" he checked, as if he didn't know. "I'm sorry, what are you accusing me of now?"

"Yes, it's me," she clarified, "and I wasn't accusing, I... I just wanted to say thank you for my Christmas gift."

"Really? You think I got you a Christmas gift?" he asked her, and there was a smirk on his face, Rory just knew it. "Now why would the town pariah be so kind and jolly in this festive season?"

"Because he's not as bad as he wants everyone to think," she smirked right back, hoping he could hear her expression the way she could hear his, however impossible it ought to be. "I haven't yet figured out why I'm the only one you seem to want to be nice to though."

"Really? You haven't?" he checked, and Rory's breath caught in her throat when she tried to reply to that.

She had an idea as to why, of course she did. Jess liked her, that had to be it, even if she would prefer he didn't in many ways. Maybe if he had come to town before she and Dean started dating then she wouldn't feel so confused and overwhelmed by him.

"Rory?" he prompted when she was quiet too long. "You still there?"

"Yeah. Yes, I'm still here," she confirmed. "I, er... So, yeah, thank you for my gift," she smiled just because she couldn't help it. "I wish I'd thought to buy something for you."

"I don't need anything," he assured her immediately. "That's not why I gave you the book anyway."

"I know," she nodded, even though he couldn't see her.

Another silence was about to stretch out between them, and Rory didn't want that. It was uncomfortable and weird. She had called and said her thank you, she should really hang up and go back to sleep now. After all, it was stupid o'clock in the morning and if her mother heard her on the phone she would have a lot of 'splainin' to do!

"Goodnight, Jess," she said, hugging her book to her chest with her free hand.

"Goodnight, Rory," he replied.

A moment later they had both hung up from their call. Rory put her book onto the night-stad, flipped off the light, and settled down to sleep. She lasted all of two minutes before she sat up again, put the lamp back on and got comfortable enough to begin reading. Just a chapter or two wouldn't hurt, she decided with a smile.

Rory would be half way through her Dickens classic, picturing a young Jess Mariano in the role of the Artful Dodger, before she finally fell asleep with the book on her chest, and a smile on her lips.

The End