Disclaimer: I do not own anything of Gilmore Girls.
Literati.This story takes place after the dance where Dean and Rory broke up in Season three. I borrowed some dialogue from episode 3.08 by the way, please don't sue me.
The door of Doose's banged shut as Rory left the market. Pulling her coat tight around her she struggled to keep the two bulging bags in her arms as she crossed the road to the Gazebo where Kirk was sitting behind a booth with a dodgy looking curtained cubicle behind him. Rory sighed and, hating exercise so therefore not willing to make a detour, walked towards him.
"Hey, Kirk!" she said, stopping to peer into the booth. "What's your business of the week?"
Kirk smirked, a proud look on his face.
"Funny you should ask, Ms…?"
"You know me, Kirk, I'm Rory Gilmore."
"Ms Gilmore. As it happens I, Kirk Gleason, am, as of today, proud owner and sole employee of Stars Hollow Tattoo Company."
Rory flinched. "Wow Kirk, what can I say?"
Kirk stood up and Rory took in his orange corduroy trousers with torn hems, bare chest with a navy blue short sleeved jacket buttoned up to about halfway, spiky hair and black marker pen tattoos all the way up his left arm.
"Well, Kirk, I'd love to stop and chat but…" she trailed off.
Kirk looked offended. "What, you don't want a tattoo?" he asked, opening up a box of marker pens. "It's 20 but as you're the first customer you can have one for 19.50."
Rory looked over at Lane's house, rolling her eyes.
"Sorry Kirk, maybe next time. Bye now." She escaped in the direction of Kim's Antiques, ignoring Kirk's pleas of her arm that followed her across the town square.
"Lane?" she called, edging past a large wooden table and taking great care not to drop the bags full of junk food in her arms. Suddenly Mrs Kim appeared out of the darkness.
"Lane is at Bible Study" she said haughtily. "She will not be back for another half an hour."
"Oh right. Well, goodbye Mrs Kim!" Rory backed out of the shop, wondering whether Lane was at band practice or the music shop, buying more CDs. She decided the first was more likely.
She headed over to Luke's, where she'd agreed to meet Lorelai and Sookie for a coffee before retreating back home for a girls' movie night and to eat the large quantities of junk food that Rory was clutching.
Suddenly she stumbled and fell into something warm and solid but soft as well. The bags fell to the floor and the contents spilled out onto the ground, revealing just how much Rory believed she, Lorelai and Sookie could eat.
"Shoot!" gasped Rory, looking at the candy all over the path. She looked at the thing she'd bumped into. It was Jess.
"You need some help?" he asked, looking into her eyes.
Rory blushed. "Uh, sure. Thanks." But neither of them made a move to pick up the food.
"I guess we should…" said Jess a few moments later. At the same time Rory spoke up "Well, you see…"
Avoiding his gaze Rory bent down and began to pick up the candy. Jess followed suit.
They refilled the two bags then stood up. Jess handed his bag to Rory. She looked around, checking to see if Dean was anywhere about. She couldn't see him. Thank goodness, she thought, it's awkward enough already.
Jess stole a quick look around too, trying to gauge how many people were about. He stepped towards her and put his hand under her chin, lifting her face up at his. She looked at him.
"Please Jess, not now. I need time to think."
He held her gaze for a moment.
"Okay, whatever you want."
They looked at each other for a moment more. She gave him the Rory smile.
"See you tomorrow?" she said in her cute voice. Jess nodded. "Sure."
He walked away, hands in his pockets and Rory crossed the road and entered Luke's. She sat down at her mother and Sookie's table, a warm feeling inside her.
"Hey hun, you got the crap?" asked Lorelai.
Sookie giggled. "Now, we girls are going to have fun tonight!"
Rory smiled at her mom's best friend. "I know Sookie. But where's Jackson?"
As Sookie launched into a speech about how Jackson had gone to Nebraska on a search for a super type of maize Luke came over to pour Rory's coffee. She took it from him, watching as he smiled at Lorelai.
Rory wished he'd get around to asking her out. Her mother needed someone like him, especially after what had happened with Christopher. And everyone knew that she and Luke were crazy about each other. It was common knowledge.
She sipped her coffee thoughtfully. It had only been a week since she and Dean had broken up and it still hurt. But whenever she saw Jess all the hurt seemed to disappear and she was filled with and urge to hug him, kiss him, just to let him know how she felt. And she was pretty sure he felt the same way about her.
Rory, Lorelai and Sookie were about half an hour into Casablanca when Lorelai put her hand into the popcorn bowl and felt hard china. She pouted.
"No fair Sharon and Kelly, you guys have been eating my popcorn."
Rory looked into the bowl herself.
"I have not, Imelda, you've been eating my popcorn."
They both looked at Sookie who had fallen asleep.
"A mystery!" said Lorelai in her Halloween voice. Rory stood up.
"I'll run out and get some more" she said, shrugging on her coat. "Doose's doesn't close for another 20 minutes."
"'Kay, be careful, love you hun!" Lorelai called as Rory hurried out into the cold fall night.
Letting the door of Doose's slam shut for the second time that day she thanked God inwardly that Dean didn't work there on Sundays. She didn't feel quite ready to face him yet.
She crossed the road and, looking over to Luke's to see if she could spot Jess there, she collided with the object of her thoughts.
The packet of popcorn fell to the ground. She looked at Jess and smiled.
"De-ja vu!" she said, locking eyes with him. He looked back, his tousled hair blowing in the wind of the dark night.
"Are you going to pick that up?" he asked.
Rory grinned. "Depends on what might happen if I don't!"
"Like…?" Jess asked.
"Like this!" she said and stepped forward, her lips meeting his. He kissed her back softly until they pulled apart.
"I'm glad you didn't pick it up!" he said.
He kissed her again and she responded happily, parting his lips with her tongue. When the kiss was over, Jess bent down to pick the popcorn up. He handed it to her and she took it slowly, watching his every move, with the Rory smile on her face.
"I should get back" she said. "Mom will get impatient if she's left without sugar for too long."
"Okay" he said. "I guess I'll see you in the diner tomorrow morning."
"I guess you will!" she said.
They kissed one more time before Jess turned to go.
"Bye Jess!" Rory took pleasure in saying his name. She'd wanted to do that ever since Sookie's wedding, before she went away for the summer. She sighed happily and made her way home to a sleeping Sookie, pouting Lorelai and a frozen version of Casablanca.
Rory and Lorelai entered Luke's and walked over to the counter. Rory, looking cute in her Chilton outfit, immediately looked around for Jess. Lorelai was a bit pre-occupied looking at the coffee.
The Jess came out from the back. "Hi!" he said.
Rory answered. "Hi!" she said, smiling.
"Hi!" he said again.
Lorelai looked confused and a little amused. "Hi."
"Hi!" Jess looked at Luke this time.
"Hi!" he said back.
Rory looked embarrassed. "I have to get to school."
Jess nodded. "Yeah, me too."
"Bye!" Rory started it this time.
"Bye!" Jess echoed. "Bye!" he said again.
"Bye…" Lorelai had an evil glint in her eye.
Rory said it to Lorelai. "Bye!"
"Bye?" she said back to her daughter.
"Bye," confirmed Rory, looking at Luke.
A bewildered Luke nodded. "Bye."
Then Jess disappeared behind the curtain again. Rory kissed her mom then turned and walked out of the door.
Rory jumped off the bus in the middle of the town. It had been an awful day at school – Paris had been sharing all the details of her and Jamie's relationship, asking Rory for opinions and advice until she'd driven her crazy. Then Rory had had a meeting of the Franklin where Franzi had attacked her, as usual, and she a huge load of homework, including studying for a History test the next day. All in all she was stressed.
She looked around the town square, taking in the townspeople, shops and a customer hurrying out of Luke's with the proprietor hot on his heels, bellowing "I want the 50 cents you owe me!"
By the gazebo Kirk had persuaded Babette and Miss Patty to have tattoos done and he was blushing fervently as Miss Patty held her top up, letting Kirk trace lines on her lower back. It was a true Stars Hollow afternoon.
Rory's eyes flittered towards Stars Hollow High School, looking for Jess. It had been extremely awkward that morning and she hoped to make things right between them. But her eyes couldn't find him and instead they settled on Lane, looking glum and trudging along towards home. Rory hurried over.
"Lane!"
"Rory. What's up?"
"I had a sucky day at school. Paris is still off the planet over Jamie and everything else seems to be conspiring against me. And I saw Jess this morning. It was really awkward."
"In what way? Oh my God, he totally likes you! He asked you out, didn't he?!"
Rory smiled at her best friend's excitement and decided to tell her everything.
After hearing all about it Lane was all sympathetic.
"Hey, it'll work out. You'll see him and everything will be okay. Unlike me and Dave." She sighed. "My mom's hired him to work – play the guitar – at Thanksgiving. Chance to suck up to her, I suppose."
They reached the corner of the square and parted, Rory on her way to conquering her homework. She reached her house and let herself in.
"Mom?" she called.
"In here, doll" came her mother's voice from the kitchen.
Rory went through and, dumping her bag on the floor by her door, gave her mom a kiss on the cheek.
"Had a good day?" asked Lorelai. Then she saw the look on Rory's face. "Guess not then."
"Urgh. Don't even ask." Rory took a couple of Pop tarts and took them into her room along with her rucksack. She opened it up and slowly emptied the contents, sighing in relief when she realised that it actually probably wouldn't take her more than about three hours if she worked hard. Sighing resignedly she sat down at her desk, munching on a Pop tart. She opened her books and began to work.
At about quarter past six Lorelai and Rory left for Luke's, where they were going for dinner before attending the town meeting. It was cold and they pulled their coats around them, moaning of the cold.
When they got to Luke's it was empty except for Kirk, Babette and Morey, Andrew and a girl in her twenties and a couple of other people from the town. Luke came over to greet them.
"Hey, you two" he said, looking at Lorelai.
"Hey" she said, "anywhere?"
"Sure, anywhere's fine" said Luke.
Rory looked around for Jess. He was nowhere to be seen and she assumed he was upstairs in the apartment.
"What do you want?" Luke asked, coming over to their table with his notepad and pencil.
Lorelai thought for a moment. "World peace, my mother to stop meddling in my life and a stripper with a six pack and pink boxers." At this last request she looked at Luke meaningfully and he blushed.
"I meant on the menu."
Lorelai grinned. She'd succeeded. "Uh, pancakes with extra cheese, burger and fries and lots of coffee."
"You'll die" said Luke. Then he turned to Rory. "Rory? What do you want?"
Rory snapped out of her trance where she'd been staring over at the stairs, trying to pluck up the courage to go and see Jess. When Luke addressed her she decided against it.
"Sorry?"
"You want food?" he said again, smiling at his virtual daughter.
She gave him the Rory smile. "Just a burger and coffee please, Luke."
"Be right back."
Their food arrived and they tucked in eagerly. Lorelai had consumed six cups of coffee before it was time to go to the town meeting.
"You and Jess coming?" Lorelai asked, wrapping a scarf around her neck.
Luke looked sceptic. "To a town meeting? You know Taylor will be there, right?"
"I know but it's funny to see you two argue. Come on, you can share our candy."
"Okay I'll come, but I am NOT eating that crap. If you want to kill yourselves, fine, but don't drag me into it."
"Where's Jess?" Rory asked.
Luke was glad she'd asked. She seemed quite keen on his nephew. "He's studying so he can't come with us." He looked at her for a second, trying to gauge her reaction. Lorelai distracted him though.
"Go go go!" she cried, pushing Rory out of the door. Luke followed her, banging the door behind him.
"So, permission to close down Stars Hollow Tattoo Booth?" Taylor's gruff voice rang out. Everyone except Kirk, Babette and Miss Patty raised their hands. Taylor banged his gavel. "Meeting adjourned."
"Well, that was an interesting meeting!" Lorelai said, getting up. "But I need coffee. I'm going home."
"Shoot!" Rory exclaimed. When Luke, Sookie and her mom looked at her she filled her them in. "I left my purse in the diner."
"You go on in, it's unlocked" said Luke. "I need to see Kirk about something. See you later."
They all left the hall, Lorelai, Luke and Sookie heading over to the square. Rory walked over to the diner. She smiled to herself when she saw a tall, dark haired guy sitting at the counter.
"Hey!" she said, picking up her purse.
"Hey" he answered. He stood up and she walked over to him and kissed him full on the mouth. He responded eagerly, running his hands up and down her spine. She shivered with pleasure.
When they'd separated Rory smiled at him. "Bye!" she said, leaving the diner.
"Hey!" he called, hurrying after her. He caught her up and put an arm around her.
"So, you wanna hang out on Friday?" he asked.
Rory grinned up at him. "Sure" she said.
They passed the dance studio and Luke and Lorelai were nowhere to be seen. Jess squeezed Rory's shoulders.
"I'll walk you home" he said.
They walked in silence for a few minutes until Rory looked up at him. "You're not going to leave again, are you?" she asked.
Jess sighed. "No."
"You sure?"
"I'm sure, okay? But the question is how much can I see you? You just about live at that posh school of yours."
"You'll see me," she said. "You'll see me a lot."
"Good," he said.
They reached the end of Rory's drive.
"Call me?" asked Rory, turning to face him.
Jess nodded and stepped in to kiss her. After a few moments he pulled away and looked at her. Her eyes said all her emotions.
They kissed again and Rory didn't think she could ever part with him, even for a night. He would protect her.
But eventually she would have to go inside.
Jess kissed her tenderly once more. Then he hugged her then turned and walked down the drive.
"See you tomorrow! Bye Jess!" Rory called after him.
He turned and blew her a kiss. Then he was gone.
Rory slowly made her way inside and went to bed. She couldn't help the smile had spread itself over her face. She was in love with Jess Mariano.