From the Beginning

A/N- I decided to write something which follows the series from the time Jess arrived, though each chapter will go differently than the episode did. Starting at the beginning with Nick and Nora, Sid and Nancy. Enjoy, and please review.

'Rory they'll be here any minute.' Lorelai called from the kitchen through to her daughter who was still studying.

'I'll be out in a minute, I just need to get this done.' Rory replied tapping incessantly on the keys of her laptop. A few seconds later Rory heard the knock at the door, peeking out her window she saw Luke standing on the porch, with a dark haired boy who looked like he'd rather be anywhere else. She quickly went back to her work, saving the document and checking through it before planning to head out to join the others. More voices joined the conversation in the kitchen, most familiar to her, and they the occasional word from Jess. A minute later she felt his gaze on her, turning round she smiled up at him, his eyes settled on her face and stared unflinchingly, causing Rory's pulse to quicken a little.

'Hey, I'm Rory.'

'Yeah I figured.' He nodded, turning to her bookcase, Rory was both relieved and disappointed that his gaze had moved. Still she closed the laptop and stood up, calling to her mum that they'd join everyone in the lounge in a moment.

'Wow, aren't we hooked on phonics.' Jess commented, idly flicking through a copy of howl. Rory blushed a little.

'I read a lot.' Rory answered. 'Do you read much?'

'I guess.' Jess shrugged, scanning the familiar words of the book. Rory's face brightened up, stepping a little closer.

'What are you reading at the moment?' Rory asked.

'Anna Karenina.'

'Really? I love that book, it's one of my all time favourites.' Rory said picking up her copy. 'See it's basically falling apart.'

'So I see.' He smirked again at her clear love of literature.

'You could borrow that if you like.' Rory said seeing he was still holding Howl. He placed it on the side.

'No thanks.' He turned his attention to the window, as a loud burst of laughter came from the lounge. 'Those open?' He asked nodding toward the window.

'Yeah, you just have to unlatch them and push hard.' Rory replied, slightly confused.

'Shall we?'

'Shall we what?'

'Bail.'

'What? No! this is Stars Hollow, there's nowhere to bail to, the 24 hour market just closed.' Rory said to emphasis her point.

'So we'll walk around, sit on a bench and stare at our shoes.' Jess suggested. Rory laughed despite herself, but still shook her head.

'Look, Sookie's made a tonne of great food and I'm starving. It may not seem like it, but it'll be good, trust me.' Rory smiled.

'I don't even know you.'

'Well, don't I look trustworthy?' She asked smiling sweetly trying to convince him. He smirked at her, the corner of his mouth twitching into a smile.

'Maybe…' He still sounded unsure.

'Listen I'll make you a deal, you come out and have some dinner, if you really hate it, then just turn to me and say something like, "So Rory is there anything to do around here?" and I will totally make up an excuse and we can bail.' Rory suggested. Jess thought it over for a second.

'Yeah go on then.' Jess said despite everything that was telling him to just leave, he went into the kitchen with her.

'You want a soda.'

'I'd prefer a beer.' He said seriously.

'Soda it is.' Rory handed him one, he smirked and followed her into the lounge.

'There you are, I thought you two had gotten lost or something.' Lorelai joked.

'No just talking.' Rory replied taking her seat and piling her plate high with food. Jess raised his eyebrow at the amount of food on her plate, the girls he'd known in New York were all airhead Barbie types who ate half a salad then complained about how fat they were. Rory caught his gaze and blushed.

'This is quite bad isn't it.' She stated, indicating her plate.

'No.' Jess replied taking some food of his own. Rory just smiled at him. The conversation moved at a quick pace, and Jess began feeling more and more uncomfortable, answering any question that was directed at him with a one word answer or a tic comment. After an hour of this nearly everyone at the table had taken a disliking to him, none more so than Lorelai. As another question was directed to him, he answered evasively and turned to Rory.

'So Rory what is there to do for fun in this town?' He asked, catching her eye, she knew this was his signal and put her fork down.

'Why don't I show you round.' Rory said standing up, 'That ok mum?'

'Uh…sure honey, just don't be long, it's a school night.' Lorelai said a little worried.

'Ok sure.' Rory said, pulling Jess out by the edge of his sleeve, into the cool night air.

'Thanks.' Jess said as they walked away from the house, he lit up a cigarette offering one to her.

'No thanks, and you're welcome.' She replied, 'You know smoking kills right.'

'Maybe I have a death wish.' Jess shrugged following her towards the town square.

'Hmm,' She looked at him through her eyelashes, he seemed so sad. 'You didn't want to be here did you.'

'Did have a choice.' Jess shrugged. 'My mum told me I was moving, Luke didn't bother checking in…that's life right.'

'It's not so bad, it'll take some getting used to but this place is kind of great.' Rory replied, 'The schools great and the people there, my best friend Lane goes there, it's great..' Rory said, but was cut off by Jess who was smirking.

'Says the girl who transferred schools.' Jess said, Rory blushed.

'That's just so I can get into Harvard.' Rory said. 'It's just more challenging.'

'Yeah, I can see how that would be appealing.' Jess shrugged, dropping the cigarette to the floor and putting it out.

'You know Taylor would lock you up for that.' Rory raised her eyebrows at him, but continued walking.

'Let him try.' Jess shrugged.

'You really don't care what people think do you.' Rory asked, not judgementally, just curious.

'People think what they like, doesn't matter what I do their opinions are already set, why should I bother trying to change it. It's hard to erase a first impression.' Jess replied.

'Yeah I guess it is.' Rory replied. 'So what's your first impression of me?' She asked with a smile.

'Oh I'm so not going there.'

'Go on! Tell me, if you do I'll tell you mine of you.' Rory promised, he looked at her for a moment. Giving in.

'Fine, when I first saw you I thought you were the typical good girl, school addict who'd be quite dull, and then…well then I saw your books and you grew more interesting. I guess I think you're unique.' He said looking away from her. She smiled up at him.

'When I first saw you I thought you looked like a bad boy from the city who wouldn't care about anything.'

'Looks like you got it right.' Jess smirked.

'No I think I got it all wrong.' Rory said smiling again. 'You're hard to work out, at first you seem so distant and angry, you don't talk much around the others, then you talk to me, and you read Tolstoy, but you hate school, you're a mystery.' Rory shrugged.

'I guess we both have more to us that we show at first.' Jess replied.

'Yeah. So basically we've walked round the whole town. I should probably be getting back, everyone will be gone by now.' Rory replied. 'I'll see you round.'

'Yeah.' Jess called after her, once she was out of sight he pulled out her copy of Howl from his pocket, taking the pencil from behind his ear, he headed to the bridge and began marking some notes down.

'Hey hun, good walk?' Lorelai asked, as she was clearing away plates. Rory was right, everyone had left and she was slightly relieved.

'Yeah.'

'I'm shocked, did you manage to get more than three words out of him?' Lorelai rolled her eyes.

'I did, we were talking the whole time.' Rory answered, she could tell that her mum didn't like Jess.

'That kid has some serious attitude. Oh and I heard him asking for a beer while the two of you were in the kitchen.' Lorelai said, duping the dirty dishes in the sink, and returning to the lounge, sitting on the couch.

'I think he was kidding.'

'Yeah right, you know Luke said he was sent here because he was getting into trouble in New York, though he wasn't sure what kind.'

'Why are you telling me all this again, you already told me when you said he was moving here.' Rory asked, standing up from her seat.

'I just want you to be careful, you two seemed to hit it off, I just don't think you should spend to much time with him.' Lorelai said.

'Don't you think you should give him a chance?'

'I will.' Lorelai said though she didn't sound too convincing.

'Mum!'

'I will.'

'Good, now I'm going to head to bed, I have a pop quiz tomorrow.'

'Aren't those supposed to be you know a surprise.' Lorelai asked.

'Yes, but Paris found out about it three days ago.' Rory laughed. 'Night Mum.'

'Night babe.'

Rory walked into her room and changed for bed, picking up her book and reading a little before falling asleep. Pleased she'd met someone who she could talk to about books.

A/N- Let me know what you think. Worth continuing?