Pale Yellow and Light Pink

Disclaimer: I do not own anything involving Gilmore Girls… except some Milo posters, some books, the soundtrack, and my pre-ordered Season 1 DVD.  :-D

A/N: This is another mini Rory and Jess story.  I'm starting a series, all named with colors as the titles.  Jess has been living with Luke since he was a baby.  Jess and Rory are growing up together and are currently in first grade.

This story turned out completely different from how I thought it would.  I'm not sure how it is.  If you have anything to say, I would love to hear it.

Enjoy!

"Jess, you always get to be Leonardo!"  Rory whines.

"Because he's the best and so am I.  You can be Donatello."

"But you have a sword, and I have a stick.  I want a sword!"

"I know I would win a fight, but you're a girl.  You get to be purple and you can defend yourself with your stick."

"My favorite color is blue!"

"Aww, poor baby! Let me find a phone and call the wah-mbulance!"

"Be quiet, Jess."

"I'll be quiet when you stop being a baby."

"Fine, let's just play." Rory gives in.

Jess's friend Brian walks over to the where Rory and Jess are on the playground, and asks Jess, "What are you playing?"

"Ninja turtles," Jess answers.

"Oh boy! Can I play?"  Brian requests.

Rory is sure she is going to be left out of this game.  She figures Jess won't even notice if she leaves.  She feels like she is always the nice one and giving into what he wants to do and what he wants to play and he never lets her make any decisions. 

"I'm Donatello!"  Brian yells. 

'Great,' Rory thinks, 'there goes my part too.'

"You can't be him, pick someone else."  Jess informs his friend and gives Rory a look that says, 'see, other people like Donatello.'

"Ok, I'll be Leonardo," Brian states.

"I'm Leonardo."

"Why can't I be Donatello?"

Rory perks up when she hears her name.

"Rory is Donatello."

"You're playing with a girl?!"

"Yeah," Jess responds hesitantly.

"Girls are dumb.  They don't know anything about Ninja Turtles!  Especially Rory."

Jess is upset hearing someone single Rory out and talk about her negatively.

"Rory is my friend! I bet she knows more about Ninja Turtles than you do!"

"Whatever," Brian responds as he walks away to find something else to do.  Rory and Jess look at each other and have both lost the drive to play a game of ninja turtles.

"Thanks Jess.  Do you want to go sit down?"

"Alright."

They walk to a bench, side by side, and sit down.

"Are you excited about Easter?" Rory asks Jess.

"No."

"You're coming to Saturday dinner, right?"

"Do I have to come?"

"Of course you do."  A moment of silence passes.  "You're coming, aren't you?"

"No."  He simply states.  Rory pouts.  The bell rings and they both run back to their class.

After school, Lorelai stops by and walks Rory and Jess to the diner. 

When they walk into the diner, Rory begins, "Mom! Jess says he isn't coming to dinner!"

Luke walks over, "he'll be there," and walks away to deliver some food.

Lorelai sets them up at a table, kisses Rory and waves goodbye to Luke who needs to watch them now.  Lorelai heads back to the Inn. 

Rory focuses on Jess, "can I wake you up early on Easter?"

"No," Jess responds.

"Why not? I don't want to wait for you."

"I don't even want to go, I don't like egg hunts."

"It'll be no fun without you!"  Rory whines to Jess.

"Sure it will.  All the more eggs for you."

"Fine, then you don't get any of my candy!"  Rory tries to trick him into wanting to come.

"I don't want it."

"Whatever, my mom will hunt for eggs with me."

"She can't," Jess tells her.

"Yes she can."

"No she can't."

"Why not?"

"Because she knows where they are."

"She doesn't cheat!"

"I know she doesn't cheat, but she hid them."

Rory looks confused and arrogantly informs Jess, "My mom is not the Easter Bunny!"

Jess laughs at Rory's naivety. 

"Rory, you can't possibly believe in that!"

"Jess."

"Droopy drawers."

"Don't call me that!"

Jess just smiles at her, "I might hunt."

"Early?" Rory's eyes light up.

"Nope."

"You have to hunt when I do."

"You can hunt by yourself, or you can wait for me."

Rory rolls her eyes and puts her hand up as if to suggest, 'talk to the hand.'

"Oh geez."

Luke brings them each a grilled cheese sandwich, Rory thanks Luke and both kids pick up one of their halves and take a large bite of sandwich.

When they are done, Luke clears their table.

"Come on kids, do you want to go watch a movie?"

"Yeah!" Luke leads the kids upstairs and gets them settled watching The Wizard of Oz until Lorelai comes and picks Rory up.

Jess pokes Rory, "hey, your mom's here."

Rory opens her eyes, and looks around and sees Lorelai, "I know.  Hi mom!"

"How could you have known she was here? You were sleeping."  Jess says to Rory.

"I wasn't sleeping."

"Yes you were.  You fell asleep like you do every time we watch anything longer than a half hour TV show."

"I never fall asleep!"

"I see you!"

"That's creepy.  If you see my sleeping, wake me up!"

"Next time I will."

"There won't be a next time. I don't fall asleep."

"Come on Ror, bye Jess, see you Saturday!" Lorelai interrupts the kids.

"Yeah, I guess."  Jess agrees begrudgingly.

"Bye Jess! See you this weekend! Come on Mom!"  Rory pulls her mom out of the door and looks back and grins at Jess.

Saturday afternoon, after Rory's nap, Lorelai bounces into Rory's room, "Happy Early Easter!"

Rory lays in her bed with her face buried in her pillow and hearing her mom enter her room, a smile creeps onto her face and when she is fully awake, she throws off her covers and stands up out of bed.

She peeks out of her room and sees Lorelai in the kitchen with the hot curlers set up and a small selection of make-up out.  Rory's eyes light up.  When Rory was a toddler and was learning to talk and getting into everything, Lorelai used to put make-up on her almost every day because it made Rory happy and then wash it off before they went anywhere.  Rory doesn't get to wear make-up all the time anymore. Only special days, like Easter weekend, so Lorelai has transformed into Rory's own personal stylist.

"Hi Mommy," Rory greets her mother.

"Hey sweetie! Come on over here."  Lorelai waits for Rory to make her way over to her and scoops her up and puts her on her lap.  "Do you want curls today?"

Rory smiles and nods at Lorelai.

Lorelai sets Rory's hair up in curlers and puts a little eye shadow, blush and lipstick on Rory.  They sit on the couch for a little bit until it is time to take the curlers out.

Lorelai gently and carefully removes each curler and sprays her whole head with hairspray to hold it in.  Lorelai grabs Rory's outfit.  First they put on her tights and then put on her beautiful dress.  It is pale yellow and light pink with a sheer top layer with real dried flowers that could be seen through the material. 

Richard and Emily had told them to go to the mall and each buy an Easter outfit and to charge it onto the credit card that they paid for, but only approved purchases.  Rory puts on her white Mary-Jane's and looks like a beautiful porcelain doll.  If Lorelai had ever doubted her decision to have and raise this child, this moment would have erased it.

Lorelai quickly changes into her spaghetti strap pastel dress with yellow and pink flowers covering it.  She puts on a white sweater and white sandals.  She takes Rory's hand and they walk over to the mirror and admire themselves and each other.  Lorelai leans down and kisses Rory's head, "I love you babe." 

"Love you, Mom." 

The doorbell rings, and they walk hand-in-hand to go answer it.  They know who is going to be there.  Lorelai opens the door and Jess and Luke are standing next to each other looking awkward.  Luke is in nice slacks, a dress shirt, a tie, and no hat. 

Jess is matching Luke, except for he has suspenders on and a little bowtie with some gel in his mess of curls. 

Rory sees Jess, runs forward and gives him a hug.  She puts her arms around his neck and holds him tightly.  He pats her back.  Rory releases him from her grasp, but not completely, she keeps her hand around his waist and leads him inside.  "Thanks for coming, Jess."

"Anytime Rory."

"Did Luke have to force you to come?"

"Nope, I got ready after Luke told me once."

"Uh huh."

"Believe what you want."

"I believe you."

"Good."

"Kids, sit down on the couch for a sec while Luke sets up all the food he brought.  We'll call you when it's ready."

Luke sets up the feast he has brought and they all enjoy the food and conversation. 

After the food, Rory and Jess change out of their fancy clothes and into their pajamas.  Jess is wearing his Batman pajamas, and Rory is wearing the Robin pajamas that Jess gave to her and that she pretends to hate when Jess is over, but wears every night to bed.

After the movie, Rory and Jess are laying in Rory's room on her bed looking up at her ceiling before they fall asleep.  They are having a sleepover tonight so they can egg hunt tomorrow in the Gilmore's house.

"Why did we do celebrate Easter on Saturday?"  Rory asks Jess.

"Luke's giving Caesar Easter off, so he has to work tomorrow.  Luke took today off and we're all a day early."

"Oh, that's ok.  When do we look for eggs?"

"Tomorrow morning before Luke goes to work," Jess explains.

"I love egg hunts," a huge smile appears on Rory's face thinking about it.

"Why?" 

"What do you mean, 'why?'"

"You hunt for eggs, left by a bunny.  A bunny leaving eggs.  Why isn't it the Easter chick? Or the Easter turtle?  Half our class thought bunnies laid eggs.  Who comes up with this stuff?"

Rory smiles.  It really doesn't make much sense.  "I guess.  But I still like doing it.  It's tradition and it's fun."

"Alright, if you like it, I like it.  Remember though not to take it all too seriously and to remember what we're celebrating."

"I know.  It's when our Savior, Jesus, rose from the dead."

"I know that you know what it is.  But… we need to really remember and not get too caught up in everything."

Rory takes this in and chooses not to respond to the statement.  This is something that's individual.  "Goodnight Jess."

"Goodnight Rory."  Little did they both know that after they said goodnight, they both began praying to their God above.

In the morning, Jess wakes up first and lies in bed for a minute and quietly gets out of bed and opens the door.  After a minute of adjustment to the morning, Jess wants to wake Rory up and show her that he was up early and that he does care what she likes to do.  He wants to hunt for eggs with her to make this a special Easter and actually do something nice.  When he opens the door, he sees Luke and Lorelai hiding eggs quickly and quietly, looks as if they tried to wait until it was late to hide the eggs, but they fell asleep so they have to do it now.  Luke and Lorelai did not see the little eyes confirming his disbelief in most everything adults tell him without proof.  He quickly shuts the door and gets back in bed. 

"Jess?"  Rory asks excitedly.

He pretends to be asleep.

"Jess!" Rory says again.

"huh?"

"Lets go!"

"I don't want to, go back to sleep."

"Come on, we're both up! It'll be fun!"

"I'm only up because you yelled.  I'm still tired."

"No fair."

"Rory, I'll tell you when I'm ready to go.  Then we'll leave."  Jess snaps at Rory.

Rory just rolls her eyes, she is used to Jess only thinking about himself and not ever thinking about what she likes or what she wants.  Once again, they'll do what he wants.  She is just going to have to live with the give and take relationship she and Jess have.  She gives and he takes.  She is, however, slightly disappointed.  She really thought their relationship was changing for the better, more compromise and more and more in common every day they spend together.  Apparently she was wrong.

Jess feels bad for snapping at Rory, but only does it because he is disappointed that he can't show her that he cares.  He could have followed through with his original plan and destroyed Rory's innocence and trusting nature.  Instead he kept her in her room and if she is mad at him for a while, it is worth it for him to keep Rory as lovely and pure as she should be. 

When Jess is sure everything is in place in the house, he will stand up and take Rory's hand and open the door into her house and her hunt and everything she has been dreaming about.  Rory will see this gesture as just an apology for snapping at her, when in reality, this is the way Jess wanted their morning to be in the first place, but it's not his fault he has to protect Rory; that was not part of the plan.  Someday Jess will be able to show Rory that he cares and have her actually take notice.  Someday he will.

-.End.-

Thanks for reading my story!