A/N- This is just something I thought of after watching the episode 'Bracebridge Dinner.' I loved the way they got together and wouldn't change it. Just fun to think about…….probably will be one of those few chapter things, then over.

Jess's POV

Jess laid in bed that night, not able to sleep. For multiple reasons, he figured. One, the image of people running around in tights like idiots floating around in his head. Two, Luke was snoring so loud he was pretty sure no one in the building would be able to sleep. Three, Rory. She was still with Dean and it killed him. Even when he was fighting with Dean, it upset her. 'This is stupid' he thought grabbing his jacket and slipping on shoes before heading out for a walk.

Rory's POV

"Grandma you can't leave it's too late," Rory said, running after Emily.

"Grandma, try to be reasonable!" Rory yelled after her as she left, as she wondered to herself why she was so upset. Probably because they had just gotten things good again between them and it was all falling apart.

"Oh hun, it's okay. It'll pass. Come to bed, we can watch some TV," Lorelai said, trying to comfort Rory.

"No, I can't sleep. Can't sit. I'm going for a walk," Rory said grabbing her coat.

"It's icy out honey. I'll come with you," Lorelai said, getting up.

"No, I'll be fine. I just need to think."

Lorelai sighed. "Okay. Be careful."

"Yeah," was all Rory could say before leaving the room.

Rory walked out of the Inn, the frigid cold of the air taking her breath away. She began walking, where she didn't know, when a figure appeared next to her. It was none other than Jess, walking beside her. For some reason, she wasn't disappointed.

"Jeez. Could you be anymore creepy tonight?" she said, observing him.

"Oh yes, you could. I never pictured you as a plaid pajama kind of guy," she responded before he could say anything.

"What are you doing out here?" he said, putting his hands behind his back as they continued to walk.

"I could ask you the same thing. But chances are your just on your smoke break. Got any of those things?"

Jess was surprised. She must be upset. "You don't want to be like me. Besides, they're bad for you."

"Exactly, which is why tomorrow your going to start a program to help you quit."

"And who is going to help me do this?"

"I am!"

Jess grinned. "Okay. I don't know how your gonna, but, okay."

They were approaching the snowmen. "Hey, Mr. Fancy Pants is going down," Rory said, veering towards the snowmen her and Jess had been talking about only a few hours ago.

Jess reached out his hand and stopped her. "Rory, what's going on?"

"What do you mean? I want to take down the snowman."

"No, what's wrong?"

"The snowman is on my nerves," she said, continuing to walk towards the snowman.

"Rory……" Jess said, standing in front of the snowman.

"It's just, why?"

"Why what?" Jess asked as Rory sat down on the bench and started to weep.

"How come every time things get good, they plunge down immediately afterwards, like someone jumping off the top of a mountain?"

"It's just, the way of the world I guess."

Rory grinned through her tears. "There's got to be a more encouraging answer than that." And with that she laid her head on his shoulder. He froze, not knowing what to do. He slowly lifted his arm and put it around her shoulder, his heart beating a billion miles per hour.

"Um, well." Say something more than that you idiot! "I guess it's the little quirks you know. Like, smelling flowers. Though I don't find it all that fascinating. Having the people you can always count on, that solid ground to walk on, even when times are rough." Had he really just said that?

"You old softie."

"I guess my reputation is out the door."

Rory grinned. "Jess?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you have anyone you can, you know, count on?"

"Honestly, not entirely."

"Well, I want you to know, you have me."

Jess grinned to himself, trying not to let his happiness show. "Good to know."

"And, I don't think your half as bad as everyone portrays you to be."

"You old softie."

"Like a pretzel."

"Okay….."

"Sorry, just kind of hungry."

"Maybe we should go back in then."

"No, just a few more minutes."

She wanted to spend a few more minutes out here, in the freezing cold, with him? She readjusted her head on his shoulder, and closed her eyes. He got a shiver up his spine, but not from the cold. He looked over at her, looking like an angel, sleeping, and grinned, thinking how glad he was that no one could read what he was thinking. They sat for about 5 minutes, before Jess had to say something about his fingers freezing off.

"Rory?"

"Yeah?"

"Not to be a bother or anything, but my fingers, they're about to freeze off."

"Okay, just one more thing," she said, standing up, him following her.

"Yes?"

They were standing by the snowman. "I was serious about Mr. Fancy Pants going down."

"Okay. Sorry Mr. Fancy Pants," Jess said as Rory punched the head off.

"Oh. Now I feel bad."

"You can't just do the head."

"Will you finish it for me?" she said, giving him the Rory face.

"But my fingers, they're practically ice. Could be crushed and used for snow cones," Jess said, holding up his hands to show her. But she just kept giving him the Rory face, a pleading look in her eyes. "Fine," he said, knocking off what was the rest of the snowman.

"Oh my God I love you!" Rory said, giving him a quick, awkward hug, both of them a little freaked out by what she had said, even if she was joking. Though she wasn't so sure she was.

"Time for bed?" Jess asked.

"Yes grandpa," Rory said, trying to lighten the mood as they started walking back towards the Inn. "And thanks, for doing this," she said, grabbing his ice cold fingers. He was taken aback, that was obvious, but he didn't resist. "Just trying to thaw your ice fingers," she said, him looking away.

"Yeah, well you'll pay me back tomorrow, when we start lessons."

"Yeah, I guess I will," Rory said as a bright light spread out and the door right in front of them opened to reveal Dean.