A/N it will help if you have read Just like Luke and Lorelai. However, this chapter should be give a good overview.

1/13/2016 I'm on chapter 30 and something about this first chapter always bugged me. I finally fixed it.

"Perhaps, after all, romance did not come into one's life with pomp and blare, like a gay knight riding down; perhaps it crept to one's side like an old friend through quiet ways; perhaps it revealed itself in seeming prose, until some sudden shaft of illumination flung athwart its pages betrayed the rhythm and the music, perhaps . . . perhaps . . . love unfolded naturally out of a beautiful friendship, as a golden-hearted rose slipping from its green sheath." ― L.M. Montgomery

For two years Rory Gilmore wrote him a love letter only he would understand if he had bothered to look hard enough. The Rory Gilmore, the girl of his dreams. The one he had fallen for at seventeen when he was shipped off to Stars Hollow. Her 25th birthday was coming in a few days. He wanted his first act of them being an undefined something to put a smile on her face. There were many ways this thing could end in flames, but he didn't want the first spark of failure to be over her birthday.

The Monday after their "first date", Rory looked at her phone and smiled.

Morning beautiful. Call me when you get a minute. Xoxo

She quickly called him. "I didn't mean right this minute," his voice came over the receiver.

"Well I had a minute," She said. "And I wanted to hear your voice."

"So do you have plans for your birthday?"

"Mom and I are going to do something the following weekend."

"Can I take you to dinner?"

"I think you better."

"I think I have no choice," He said playfully. "I will be at your apartment at 7."

"I'll be ready."

"Can't wait," he said softly.

"Me either," she echoed.

She used the name Emily Hayden and her articles were multi-layered, under the surface was a beautiful love letter meant just for him. When it finally clicked at the release of his novel that Rory was the mysterious Emily Hayden, they shared a kiss and a promise that this was the beginning of a new start for them.

They both were just out of a relationship. Ian was perfect on paper, just not in real life when he chose his career over her happiness. They created a life Rory had never imagined herself living in rural Maryland. She wanted more, both from her love life and her career. She had just recently moved to Baltimore and started working at the Baltimore Sun as a senior reporter.

Jess' breakup was a little messier. He met Amber, a dark haired, blue eyed, freckle faced beauty when she needed to borrow a pen in the English lit class he was taking at the community college. He fell for her quickly. She was the first girl since Rory he cared about.

For nearly three years they were together. Amber knew about Rory and Jess' past and up until the day she met Lorelai at Jess' graduation party his mother put on for him, she paid no attention. After finding out that Jess would be around Rory for his uncle's marriage to Rory's mother, she became jealous of the woman Jess thought of as his first love. They argued until the Jess no longer had the energy to pretend he didn't love Rory any more and they broke up.

One night after moving to Baltimore Rory called Jess to help her get moved in. They ended up sleeping together. It was dumb and self-destructive and they both knew it. It took both Luke and Lorelai calling them out to realize there was more there and they vowed to make it work this time around.

She wanted a date and he was happy to give it to her. As a teenager, he never felt the need to impress her once he actually had her. This time around had to be different and the night was just as she described. He picked her up at her apartment. He took her to a place that required a reservation. He wore a tie. She was a vision in a dress that made his stomach do flips. They talked as no time passed. Jess watched her as she twirled the pasta on her fork and could not believe the ravishing creature sitting in front of him. Afterwards, he asked her to dance on the dance floor at the restaurant. They were two kids in love again as they swayed to the music in the early October air.

He asked that they not put a label on whatever this was. She asked if he was seeing anyone else. They agreed they should go slowly and not to see other people. There was still a lot to work out between them and a few well-worded, hidden love letters didn't make the past go away. Being back in each other's lives with a commitment to one another would have to suffice for the moment. They still had to climb a few mountains before a real relationship could take form, even if the connection shared between them was real and tangible. The relationship would take form under no frame and under its own conditions. For the moment they both were apprehensively, cautiously crazy about each other.

He still had nothing to give her the night of their dinner. An idea had taken form during the day and instead of writing something original, he printed off an old term paper for what he hoped would be her amusement.

"Happy Birthday," he said when he picked her up. He handed her a thermos of coffee.

"Thank you!" she smiled at him.

"So I'm impressed with two dates and both places with reservations. I remember the guy that didn't live by a schedule," she said when they were at their table.

"I have no choice these days. I live and die by it."

"Time's have changed!" she laughed.

"So I have something for you. I thought this being your birthday you would appreciate this," he said handing her a small stack papers.

"Is this a term paper?" she asked as Jess smirked a little. "You wrote a term paper on "The Fountainhead". She laughed. Rory was silent as she read. "You still don't like the book. I see you and Howard Roark found a few things in common after all."

"I certainly understand her notion that the first person you should create something for is for yourself. I'm still holding hope that you'll one day realize Ernest has some valid points too."

"That's not likely. This is really good though, this had to have been an A paper."

"B+. Professor said my "Ideas were not fully formed" and then he said I should have picked something I actually liked."

"Ouch."

"He was a tough professor though. A B+ in his class is like an A++ any where else in the sane world," he handed her another package. "This too."

"Oh, thank you," she said opening a book. " I haven't heard of this one. Is it any good?"

"You shouldn't have, its not coming out for another month." He said pointing out the publisher on the spine of the book.

"Wow advanced copies of books. I feel so special," she leaned over and kissed him. "My mom said you graduated," she changed the subject.

"Yea this past May."

"AA degree?

"Bachelors."

"You're kidding? That means you actually attended class."

"On a regular basis."

"And finished high school."

"I have my GED, but yea, I finished."

He could tell she was thinking something more and held his breath at her next comment.

"On our first date we agreed on no labels to this…to us. But I think we need to make an other agreement," she said growing seriously.

"What's that?" he said softly.

"No running from each other," she said looking him right in the eye. "And we get to be brutally honest with each other."

"Fair," he agreed.

At the end of the night, he walked her home and they stood at her front door.

"Thank you for dinner," she said. "It was good."

"Happy Birthday," he said and embraced her, interlocking their hands together as his lips met hers.

"Come inside," she said when they were back to her apartment. "You can stay if you want."

"What about…" he stopped mid-kiss.

"That still stands," she said. "I have an extra bed room."

They settled onto the couch, snuggled under a blanked resting against his chest. She was looking through the book he gave her.

"Did you edit this?" She asked.

"I not only edited it, I signed the author,"

"Impressive," she paused and mentally reflected on the evening they just shared. "You brought me books and coffee. Is that your version of flowers and candy?"

He laughed, "Only if you want it to be." He leaned down and kissed her lips. "Happy Birthday."