Disclaimer: Same old story that everybody knows.
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: R/J
Author's Note: I know this chapter took a little longer than usual, for those of you who read this story regularly, but I was trying to read some other fics for a change. Thanks, as usual, for the feedback! :-) Keep it coming. No prob, TheBestDeceptions...I owed it to you ;-)
It took all of Rory's will power to be able to sit through an entire round of coffee with her mother after her disastrous apology to Jess without breaking into tears. She heard Jess's voice echoing in her mind: "Right, because I'm so interested." She could still hear the sarcasm in his voice. She knew this was all a mistake. This was what she had been afraid of in the first place. Lorelai babbled with Luke for a while, and then noticed Rory's crestfallen expression.
"Coffee's that bad, huh?"
"What? Oh...I'm fine."
"Huh." Lorelai stared at her daughter's face again, and decided to let it rest. She would talk to her about it later.
Rory stirred her coffee, and drank the last of the liquid in her mug. "I'll see you later mom." She mumbled. Lorelai was about to make a joke, but decided against it.
"Yup. Bye hon. Love ya."
Rory walked out into an unusually cold day for the end of August. The clouds blocked the sun, chilling the air even more and adding a darkness to the air around her.
***
Jess watched from the window as Rory walked slowly down the street. He wasn't usually the type to feel guilty, but watching her and knowing he caused the new sadness written on her face made him feel like a terrible person. He knew he had really messed this one up. He blanched as he remembered the sarcasm in his comments, when all she was trying to do was be sincere.
At the same time, he felt angry because he felt like he had been rejected by her. And for Bag Boy, nonetheless. He remembered the attraction between them, that look in her eyes before they almost kissed... but then he remembered the immediate sting he felt when she left him sitting there again. "Too bad they aren't joking when they say 'History Repeats Itself'" he mumbled. He couldn't figure out what he meant to her, and the more he tried, the more confused he became.
Through it all, Rory remained the one person who he knew he cared about, and who he wasn't sure he could be without. The thing was, he knew if he didn't fix this, chances were, they might not ever speak again. The scariest thing to Jess was that he didn't know how.
***
Rory sat in the gazebo with a stack of books just before twilight. She liked this time of day best. She had decided to avoid the bridge for the night. She didn't want to think about the fact that she thought she'd lost two guys over a 24-hour-period, and going to the bridge would only bring up memories of the notes, and Jess, and the kiss she wished had materialized, and Dean running away. She simply wanted to sit in the peace of semi- darkness, and read until she could no longer see the words on the page.
As she sprawled on the bench and opened the top book on the stack, she realized all her favorite books she had brought were somehow connected with Jess. She fidgeted a bit and tried to look past this detail, but everytime she read a paragraph, something in it reminded her of the entire dilemma she had gotten herself into. Then she realized, having a thought only a Gilmore would have, that there was one thing that might help her forget. Coffee. Leaving the open book's pages to flutter in the slightly chilly breeze of dusk, she walked methodically to Luke's, one foot in front of the other. What she didn't admit to herself, was that it wasn't coffee she needed.
***
Jess saw her walking through the door, in sort of a trance. Thoughts swirled around in his brain, intertwining and linked to each other. He remembered almost kissing her, until the moment slipped through his fingers. She was running for Dean. Their argument that morning, that still made him cringe inwardly. And then he remembered how it all used to be. He watched her walk toward him, carrying the same innocence she always did. He tried to wipe away the thought in his mind, and he resumed his usual expression.
***
"Coffee?" she asked him. He simply nodded, turned to get the pot, and poured her a cup. Neither of them really knew what to say. Rory held the cup in trembling hands. Jess tried not to look at her, for fear that he might lose control and either kiss her, grab her and hug her, or yell at her for leaving him standing alone, on the bridge and at the wedding both. Rory noticed he was trying to avoid her gaze, and took this to mean he was angry with her. He pulled out a rag and grabbed a plate that was on the counter next to her, dipping close to her as he did so. He turned and looked at her as if he was about to say something, and then closed his mouth again.
Silence hung in the air like a dense fog, hanging over their heads. 'I'm sorry' was on the very tip of both their tongues, but neither knew if it was the right thing to say, or if it was really them that should be apologizing first. Rory sipped her coffee slowly. Jess wiped down the counter in a daze. And as awkward as the silence between them was, it was almost comfortable.
Sighing, Rory finished her coffee and rose slowly from her stool. She didn't know why, but neither of them could say what they felt, and now she realized there was no point in staying. She stared at his back one last time, admiring his broad shoulders, and his strong but lean shape under his shirt as he worked. Something familiar coursed through her veins. She stopped for a minute, staring. Jess turned and noticed.
"That was un-Rory-like." He mumbled with a half smile.
"Huh?" she asked, snapping out of her daze. He didn't answer. He shuffled his feet a little and went back to working.
"I'm sorry," he mumbled, so quietly, Rory thought she imagined it.
"Me too." She said. And that was all. No explanation. They didn't need it, really.
"Now, what was un-Rory-like?"
"You were staring."
"Was not."
"I think so."
"You're imagining."
"If you say so," he said with a smirk.
Rory wandered behind the counter. "Maybe a little." She whispered. Jess grinned, a genuine smile. "That's nothing new." He told her cockily. She ignored this comment and grabbed a rag. "Need help?" She asked. She began to scrub the counter, afraid if she looked at him, she would lose herself all over again. She was blushing. When she was around him, it was becoming routine. She rubbed at a non-existent coffee stain on the counter. Jess simply watched. Rory stood up, tired of scrubbing, and backed directly into him.
"Sorry." She whispered, and turned so she was facing him. She forced herself to look into his eyes. She smelled the now familiar smell, a woodsy, sweet scent, and was all too aware of his hands sliding to her hips. She felt so hot, she thought she might faint. As she looked into his eyes, she felt herself melt. Jess looked down at her, his gaze unusually gentle. Jess needed her. He didn't know if he could control himself, being so close to her. Jess brought his hand up to her cheek, and trailed it down to her neck. Rory's skin burned from where he touched her. Finally, Jess cupped her chin with his rough fingers, giving her time to pull away. "This is a test," he told himself. "I can finally figure out how she feels. If she pulls away again, I'll leave it alone." But Rory just looked deep into his eyes. He guided her mouth to his.
Rory kissed him softly, her hands rubbing his back and neck, Jess's sliding over her hips. Jess's lips were soft and slightly salty. Jess gently guided her jaw to open it, tracing her teeth with his tongue. Rory concentrated on the feeling of her mouth on his, and the heat in her body. Jess pulled her closer. He felt their bodies touch completely, and he had to keep himself from pressing her even closer. As they kissed, Jess realized how she felt. And Rory had one last thought before she totally gave herself over to the moment. That coffee wasn't what she came for after all.
***
The end...until next chapter ;-)
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: R/J
Author's Note: I know this chapter took a little longer than usual, for those of you who read this story regularly, but I was trying to read some other fics for a change. Thanks, as usual, for the feedback! :-) Keep it coming. No prob, TheBestDeceptions...I owed it to you ;-)
It took all of Rory's will power to be able to sit through an entire round of coffee with her mother after her disastrous apology to Jess without breaking into tears. She heard Jess's voice echoing in her mind: "Right, because I'm so interested." She could still hear the sarcasm in his voice. She knew this was all a mistake. This was what she had been afraid of in the first place. Lorelai babbled with Luke for a while, and then noticed Rory's crestfallen expression.
"Coffee's that bad, huh?"
"What? Oh...I'm fine."
"Huh." Lorelai stared at her daughter's face again, and decided to let it rest. She would talk to her about it later.
Rory stirred her coffee, and drank the last of the liquid in her mug. "I'll see you later mom." She mumbled. Lorelai was about to make a joke, but decided against it.
"Yup. Bye hon. Love ya."
Rory walked out into an unusually cold day for the end of August. The clouds blocked the sun, chilling the air even more and adding a darkness to the air around her.
***
Jess watched from the window as Rory walked slowly down the street. He wasn't usually the type to feel guilty, but watching her and knowing he caused the new sadness written on her face made him feel like a terrible person. He knew he had really messed this one up. He blanched as he remembered the sarcasm in his comments, when all she was trying to do was be sincere.
At the same time, he felt angry because he felt like he had been rejected by her. And for Bag Boy, nonetheless. He remembered the attraction between them, that look in her eyes before they almost kissed... but then he remembered the immediate sting he felt when she left him sitting there again. "Too bad they aren't joking when they say 'History Repeats Itself'" he mumbled. He couldn't figure out what he meant to her, and the more he tried, the more confused he became.
Through it all, Rory remained the one person who he knew he cared about, and who he wasn't sure he could be without. The thing was, he knew if he didn't fix this, chances were, they might not ever speak again. The scariest thing to Jess was that he didn't know how.
***
Rory sat in the gazebo with a stack of books just before twilight. She liked this time of day best. She had decided to avoid the bridge for the night. She didn't want to think about the fact that she thought she'd lost two guys over a 24-hour-period, and going to the bridge would only bring up memories of the notes, and Jess, and the kiss she wished had materialized, and Dean running away. She simply wanted to sit in the peace of semi- darkness, and read until she could no longer see the words on the page.
As she sprawled on the bench and opened the top book on the stack, she realized all her favorite books she had brought were somehow connected with Jess. She fidgeted a bit and tried to look past this detail, but everytime she read a paragraph, something in it reminded her of the entire dilemma she had gotten herself into. Then she realized, having a thought only a Gilmore would have, that there was one thing that might help her forget. Coffee. Leaving the open book's pages to flutter in the slightly chilly breeze of dusk, she walked methodically to Luke's, one foot in front of the other. What she didn't admit to herself, was that it wasn't coffee she needed.
***
Jess saw her walking through the door, in sort of a trance. Thoughts swirled around in his brain, intertwining and linked to each other. He remembered almost kissing her, until the moment slipped through his fingers. She was running for Dean. Their argument that morning, that still made him cringe inwardly. And then he remembered how it all used to be. He watched her walk toward him, carrying the same innocence she always did. He tried to wipe away the thought in his mind, and he resumed his usual expression.
***
"Coffee?" she asked him. He simply nodded, turned to get the pot, and poured her a cup. Neither of them really knew what to say. Rory held the cup in trembling hands. Jess tried not to look at her, for fear that he might lose control and either kiss her, grab her and hug her, or yell at her for leaving him standing alone, on the bridge and at the wedding both. Rory noticed he was trying to avoid her gaze, and took this to mean he was angry with her. He pulled out a rag and grabbed a plate that was on the counter next to her, dipping close to her as he did so. He turned and looked at her as if he was about to say something, and then closed his mouth again.
Silence hung in the air like a dense fog, hanging over their heads. 'I'm sorry' was on the very tip of both their tongues, but neither knew if it was the right thing to say, or if it was really them that should be apologizing first. Rory sipped her coffee slowly. Jess wiped down the counter in a daze. And as awkward as the silence between them was, it was almost comfortable.
Sighing, Rory finished her coffee and rose slowly from her stool. She didn't know why, but neither of them could say what they felt, and now she realized there was no point in staying. She stared at his back one last time, admiring his broad shoulders, and his strong but lean shape under his shirt as he worked. Something familiar coursed through her veins. She stopped for a minute, staring. Jess turned and noticed.
"That was un-Rory-like." He mumbled with a half smile.
"Huh?" she asked, snapping out of her daze. He didn't answer. He shuffled his feet a little and went back to working.
"I'm sorry," he mumbled, so quietly, Rory thought she imagined it.
"Me too." She said. And that was all. No explanation. They didn't need it, really.
"Now, what was un-Rory-like?"
"You were staring."
"Was not."
"I think so."
"You're imagining."
"If you say so," he said with a smirk.
Rory wandered behind the counter. "Maybe a little." She whispered. Jess grinned, a genuine smile. "That's nothing new." He told her cockily. She ignored this comment and grabbed a rag. "Need help?" She asked. She began to scrub the counter, afraid if she looked at him, she would lose herself all over again. She was blushing. When she was around him, it was becoming routine. She rubbed at a non-existent coffee stain on the counter. Jess simply watched. Rory stood up, tired of scrubbing, and backed directly into him.
"Sorry." She whispered, and turned so she was facing him. She forced herself to look into his eyes. She smelled the now familiar smell, a woodsy, sweet scent, and was all too aware of his hands sliding to her hips. She felt so hot, she thought she might faint. As she looked into his eyes, she felt herself melt. Jess looked down at her, his gaze unusually gentle. Jess needed her. He didn't know if he could control himself, being so close to her. Jess brought his hand up to her cheek, and trailed it down to her neck. Rory's skin burned from where he touched her. Finally, Jess cupped her chin with his rough fingers, giving her time to pull away. "This is a test," he told himself. "I can finally figure out how she feels. If she pulls away again, I'll leave it alone." But Rory just looked deep into his eyes. He guided her mouth to his.
Rory kissed him softly, her hands rubbing his back and neck, Jess's sliding over her hips. Jess's lips were soft and slightly salty. Jess gently guided her jaw to open it, tracing her teeth with his tongue. Rory concentrated on the feeling of her mouth on his, and the heat in her body. Jess pulled her closer. He felt their bodies touch completely, and he had to keep himself from pressing her even closer. As they kissed, Jess realized how she felt. And Rory had one last thought before she totally gave herself over to the moment. That coffee wasn't what she came for after all.
***
The end...until next chapter ;-)