A/N: Well, it's over, Christmas, the New Year celebration. And every other holiday celebrated during the wonderful month of December. It's okay though cause now, there will be more updates and more delightful chapter written by yours truly. Well anyways, enough of my babbling, here is chapter 9. Please R&R.

Disclaimer: Yea and I'm king of the world too.

Chapter 9

"I can't believe it's been 5 and a half weeks since you've been gone. I'm so bored! I want you to come home, mommy misses you and your stupid rants." Lorelai whined into the receiver.

"I'm coming home in 3 days mom, if you've managed to wait for that long 3 days will go by fast."

"Well your boyfriend's been getting antsy."

"Mom, I talk to Dean every other day, he's surviving without me."

"Yea I guess."

"Mom, it's almost seven we've been talking for a long time, I'll call you tomorrow at five?"

"That was the plan."

"And we're sticking with it."

"I know."

"Ok mom, bye."

"Bye sweets, love ya."

"I know I love you to."

"Bye Hun."

"Bye."

"Bye."

"Bye."

"Bye-bye."

"BYE!"

"Au revoir. Ciao. Aloha Cherie."

"OK, mom enough, I have to go. See you soon." Rory said and hung up without letting her mother respond.

"I knew you and your mother were close, but that was outrageous." Paris stated.

"What do you mean?"

"Your using your cell phone, oh and by the way, your mother's voice could be heard from here, and let me tell you she sure is energetic."

"We've never been away from each other for more then 3 days Paris."

"Really? My mother and I haven't spoken for at least 2 weeks now. My nanny and I are close though."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, she's always been there for me. I guess it's like that for you and Lorelai." Paris said, not sounding like Paris at the moment though.

Rory nodded smiling. "Yes, she's always there, even when I don't want her there."

Paris chuckled. "Well Gilmore, I've got to be honest, spending the summer with you was not half bad, it's was actually sort of good."

"Thank you. You too. It was kind of fun."

"Yea, your pushing it." Rory smiled but didn't answer. Suddenly Paris' phone began to ring. She pulled it out of her jean pocket and smiled at the number. She looked at Rory, her eyes glowing. "It's Jamie."

"Jamie?" Rory asked hopefully.

"Why would he want to call me?"

"He likes you."

"He does?" Paris' smile grew.

"Yea and you like him to."

"Is it that obvious?"

"Your blushing." Rory teased.

"Shut up Gilmore!"

"Paris, will you quit the act and pick up the phone?"

"Don't make a sound, I don't want him to think I'm spending my last few days alone with you." Rory looked at Paris sternly, but Paris only ignored it and picked up the phone. "Hello? …Hi…yeah, I'm free Friday…yes…I don't know anywhere…why? …You like my eyes? …Stop it, your embarrassing me…yes…I can't wait…president… Friday it is…yes, I know, I don't want it to end…Saturday morning is our flight…ok…Friday night it is…bye Jamie." Paris hung up and looked art Rory.

"So?" Rory asked hopefully.

"He's taking me out Friday!" Paris said, a grin spreading upon her features.

"Oh, Paris I'm so happy for you!"

"Yea, he likes my eyes."

"I know, I heard. How'd he humiliate you?"

"He…well…he said…"

"Come on."

"You know what, this is my personal life, so I would rather not share."

"Why not? Come on Paris."

"No, I have drawn a line."

Rory sighed, and shook her head. "Whatever you say."

"Good, now if you'll excuse me, I'll be getting to bed."

"Paris it's barely past seven." Rory pointed out.

"Sooooo?"

"So, it's still early."

"So what? We have a long day tomorrow."

"I guess so."

"Goodnight." Paris said then headed into her bedroom.

Rory watched until the door shut, then she settled herself, in a laying position, on the couch. "I'm just gonna watch some more TV before going to bed!" Rory called after her, but Paris didn't acknowledge. "Ok good." Rory mumbled, then started flipping through some channels.

……………………

Five hours later, Rory found herself stirring in an awkward position on the couch. She hadn't noticed she had fallen asleep there, but she didn't mind it, it was actually the first time she hadn't been woken up by Paris' sleep talking in 5 weeks. She sat up, no longer feeling the need to sleep, except the urge to pick up the phone and call somebody, anybody.

She wondered whom she would call at 12 midnight. Of course there was a slight time difference, but still, it was late. Rory sighed as memories from the past two months resumed in her head.

Then, the memory of Sookie's wedding came to her, which led to a kiss shared with a certain hoodlum, which only could lead to the thought of Jess and of everything he had made…makes her feel. She bit her lip in confusion wondering if she should.

She picked up the phone, and stared at it for a while. She finally gave in and pushed the 'power' button. She heard the dial tone and dialed the ever so familiar number she had so long ago memorized.

She prayed Luke wouldn't answer, because that would only be awkward, and for her to ask for Jess would completely startle Luke.

6 rings later: "Why the hell are you calling at midnight?" A gruff male voice answered obviously annoyed from being awakened from his slumber.

Rory's eyes grew as she immediately hung up. She looked at the number's on the phone and stared them down, like if she hadn't they would disappear. Although something similar did happen, they started to blur together until they didn't look at all like numbers anymore.

Rory blinked a few times and finally gave in and dialed the number again, promising herself not to hang up this time.

4 wrings later someone finally picked up. "Is this some kind of joke you enjoy playing?" the gruff voice retorted, he didn't seem annoyed but angry. "Hello? I swear I will hang up if I don't get any type of response!"

Rory took a deep breath. "Hi. Jess? It's me Rory." She said quietly.

Jess' voice immediately softened. "Rory?"

"Hi."

"Hey?"

"I couldn't sleep, so I decided to call, sorry I woke you." Rory explained.

"Nah, it's fine."

"So? How are you?"

"I'm doing good, how's Washington?"

"It's Washington, nothing special." Rory said (ironically) serious.

"Oh."

"Well it has nice…houses." Rory finished lamely.

"Always good to know." Jess said sarcastically, but you could almost hear him smirk.

"Actually, it had this big WHITE house."

"Really?"

"It is being occupied by the president at the moment."

"I would have never guessed."

"Well it is nice."

"Huh. Did I mention your mother has been here everyday?"

"Really?"

"Yeah, longer then usual."

"She's bored without me, Stars Hollow isn't anything without me."

"Yeah, your right, it isn't." Jess said intending it to be a joke, but somehow they both knew it had a secondary meaning.

"I'm so sorry." Rory randomly blurted out.

"What for?"

"I kissed you and I ran away from you. I'm so so sorry."

"Forget it."

"That's just it I can't, I just can't."

"Because you regret it?" He asked, trying not to sound to disappointed. Rory remained silent for a moment. "You still there?"

"Yes."

"Yes for what?"

"Yes I'm still here and…no, I…I do not regret it, not even a little. The only thing I regret is leaving Dean hanging like that and completely forgetting him while I was with you."

"Huh."

"Here we go again." Rory sighed.

"It's half hour past midnight."

"I know I should hang up."

"You should, but you don't want to."

"I should hang up." Rory repeated.

"When do you get back?"

"I leave Saturday morning, so I'll be home in the afternoon."

"Good, that's good."

"It is."

"Well see you Je—"

"Why'd you call, for real?"

"I told you, I couldn't sleep."

"That's all?"

"I guess, well, I hadn't talked to you in so long, and I missed you…err…missed talking to you."

Jess grinned on the other line, thankful that Rory couldn't see it. "Okay, well I hope this satisfied you, you've talked to me."

"Yes, I have."

"Goodnight Rory. See you soon."

"Goodnight Jess." Rory said, smiling like an idiot on the other line, while hanging up. She lay back down on the sofa, then relaxed herself, closed her eyes and before she knew, she drifted off to sleep, her smile never leaving her features.

…………………………

Back in Stars Hollow, Jess smirked, and sat up in his bed. He wasn't tired anymore, and Rory returned in his thoughts and flooded his mind again. He leaned to his left and grabbed his book off his nightstand and began reading.

…………………………

Friday came by quickly. Paris and Rory attended a few meetings, had lunch with some people whom they had never met, had a very recent debate, of which they won, and toured Washington a bit. The day passed by within minutes in Rory's mind. It wasn't amusing and she was completely bored all day, plastering some fake smiles on her face, and meeting some strange people who would look good on her college application.

Rory sat in the bus with her other classmates and a few other people from Chilton, on their way back to the apartments, they had rented out for the groups. They arrived shortly after boarding the bus.

Rory was practically the first out, followed by Paris, who could hardly wait for her date to begin. Paris ran up the stairs, not even bothering to take the elevator. She stuck the key into the keyhole and ran to her closet. She opened it with a large swing and started searching through it.

Rory entered the apartment a few minutes after, because she had actually decided to wait for the elevator, seeing as her friend didn't have to patience to do so.

"Hey, Paris, your going crazy. I never pictured you as the type to obsess over stuff like this."

"Shut up Gilmore and come help me."

"Paris, let's just settle for simple okay?"

"No, not okay! I need more then simple, Jamie likes more then simple."

"Fine, how about your nice pinkish dress? The one you brought with you?"

"I know which one!" Paris exclaimed.

"Whoa. Where is this coming from? I was just trying to help, but seeing as you don't need it, I will just go and mind my own business." Rory said, turning around.

"No! Wait!" Paris called; she was desperate.

"Yes Paris?" Rory turned around and looked at her.

"I…I'm sorry" she mumbled. "I need your help, I have never done this before."

"Well, that's a good start, better then the one before."

Paris glared. "Will you help me now?"

"Wow. You almost sounded sincere, but with that last comment, I suppose I was wrong."

"If your just going to stand there and annoy me with your stupid comments, then I don't need your help."

"Sorry, let's start over. So how about that dress?"

"I like it, but what do I wear over it, it isn't exactly warm out."

"Your black sweater, the one with the beaded design."

"You do this often?"

"No, but every Friday night my grandmother makes us attend Friday night dinners."

"Right, you told me about that."

"Okay, enough about that, let's work on your hair."

"All right."

"Sit here." Paris obeyed and sat down. Rory grabbed the brush and began brushing Paris' hair. "You like him a lot Paris."

"Yeah, I do, but he's almost here, I'm not dressed, my makeup's not done, and I haven't gone through the Zagat yet to pick out a restaurant." She complained.

"Why don't you just let him pick out the restaurant?" Rory asked, not really knowing why she was obsessing over it this much, but then again it was her first…

"What if he doesn't have a Zagat?"

" Well, then he'll wing it."

"Wing it? How come other girls get planned out dinners? Flowers, candy, rose petals thrown on the floors – and I get wing it?" …But there was always a limit.

" Well, you don't know that you've got wing it." Rory tried her best to reassure her everything was going to be fine, but Paris was well Paris.

"No, I do. I've got wing it. I can't do this."

"What?"

"Date. I can't date. I'm not genetically set up for it."

"Not true." Rory countered.

"I get no pleasure out of the prospect or the preparation. I'm covered in hives, I've showered four times, and for what? Some guy who doesn't even have the brains to buy a Zagat so we don't wind up in a restaurant that's really just a front for a cocaine laundering ring?"

"Look, he's a great guy, and I'm sure he has a Zagat. Now let's drop this."

"Fine." Paris huffed.

"Geez, he really means a lot."

"He does Rory. I wish I knew if he was right for me, thoughDo you think he will be so I don't have to put myself through all of this for nothing? I mean, women fall for men who are wrong for them all of the time, and then they get sidetracked from their goals. They give up careers and become alcoholics and, if you're Sunny von Bülow, wind up in a coma completely incapable of stopping Glenn Close from playing you in a movie."

"Then you'll find someone else."

"But what if there is no one else?"

"Then you'll buy some cats. By the way I think you should wear your hair down.

"How do you know if a guy is right for you?" Paris asked tilting her head upwards and starring at Rory.

"You just have to feel it."

"All I feel is my back breaking out."

"You'll know, okay? You just have to let it happen. And then, probably when you're not looking, you'll find someone who compliments you."

"Meaning?"

"Someone who likes what you like, someone who reads the same books or listens to the same music or likes to trash the same movies. Someone compatible."

"Okay."

"But not so compatible that they're boring."

"Someone who's compatible but not compatible."

"Yeah, kind of. I mean, you respect each other's opinions and you can laugh at the same jokes, but I don't know – there's just something about not quite knowing what the other person's gonna do at all times that's just really exciting. Look, just have a good time, you'll figure it out."

"Is this how you felt with your boyfriend?"

"Yeah, Dean is something special."

"I was talking about that guy who came to your house that night I slept over."

"Jess?"

"Yeah. I liked him. He had good arguments about books. I enjoyed it."

"He isn't my boyfriend Paris."

"I can't believe you haven't made a move yet. You told me you liked him."

"I know I told you, and really no one else either. But honestly—" the wringing of Rory's cell phone cut her off, as 'Fur Elise' began to play. "I'll go get that and be right back. I'm sorry, hold on." She flipped open her phone. "Hello?"

"Come home. I miss you."

"Hi Dean."

"When do you come back?"

"Saturday morning, but my plane gets in at about three."

"That's great! But I have a basketball game that ends at six." He said, his voice becoming sad as he neared an end to his response. "I wish I could have gone to the airport."

"Black, black, black – where the hell is it?" Paris called after Rory. "Where did my black sweater go? I just had it! Rory!" She yelled.

"That gives me three hours to look presentable. Hmm, perhaps I'll go blonde." She pondered out loud.

"I strongly request that you don't." He warned.

"Afraid of change?"

"No, I just like what I have."

"I like a man who settles." Rory said.

"I miss you." He repeated.

"I miss you, too."

"Hey, hey, stop being cute. I need help here." Paris just wouldn't give in.

"I have to go. Paris is melting down."

"Why?"

"She has a date tonight."

"Really?" He was stunned.

"Don't sound so surprised." Paris called over to Dean, loud enough so he would hear it over the receiver.

"How do you know he sounded surprised?" Rory asked, she sounded surprised.

"Because I'm a genius, Rory. I have deep and powerful clairvoyant abilities." Paris cooed.

"Oh boy."

"For example, I can instantly deduce that when someone hears the name Paris in the same sentence with the word date, jaws will drop, confused looks will cover faces, words like 'how' and 'why' and 'Quick, Bob, get the children in the minivan because the world is obviously coming to an end!' will immediately fly out of people's mouths." She elaborated.

"I really have to go." She said to Dean.

"Are you sure it's safe?" He kidded, although half serious.

"I'll be fine. I'll see you Saturday."

"See you then. I love you."

"That's it, I'm shaving my head!" Paris screamed.

"Gotta go." Rory said and hung up. "Okay, Paris, you have got to calm down."

"I just had that damn sweater, and how it's disappeared!" she exclaimed.

"Not only now, but it general, you have to calm down, we'll find it."

"Okay, look he'll be here any minute, and I have barely gotten myself ready!"

Rory ignored her and noticed the sweater hanging from the back of the chair Paris had been sitting on. "It's on the chair Paris. And your almost ready, your hair is done, we just have to add a little lip gloss, and you have to put on the dress."

"What about shoes?"

"Black sandals."

Paris looked at Rory, as if thinking about her response. "I suppose it works."

"It does, now…" Rory pointed to the bedroom.

"I'm going."

……………………………

"Oh my God he's here!" Paris yelled as she heard the doorbell.

"You look great Paris!"

"Thank you, now get in the closet."

"Excuse me?"

"I don't want him to think I was spending this time with you."

"Well, I'm flattered."

"Hurry!" she ordered, putting on a scowl.

"Fine, fine." Rory grabbed a book and a flashlight and entered the tiny closet.

Paris opened the door and smiled. "Hi."

"Hey."

"Have you anything planned?"

"Well, according to the Zagat, we'll be going to this really fancy place."

"Your perfect." Paris said, linking her arm into his.

……………………………

"I can't believe we land in ten minutes." Rory exclaimed.

"You have to relax Gilmore."

"I can't wait to see my mother Paris, excuse me if being thrilled to actually see her is a crime."

Paris just scoffed.

"Hey, how about your nanny, I'm sure she's baking up a storm because you'll be home."

Paris' face softened. "Yeah, honestly, I miss her cooking and I'm happy to see her. I'm looking forward to it. A lot."

"I knew you would." Rory smiled.

……………………………

Rory stood there watching everybody hugging and reuniting with their families, but Lorelai was nowhere to be seen. Suddenly she felt a little tap on her shoulder and turned around.

She turned around and stared at the person standing now in front of her.

She let a small, (minuscule) smile appear. "What are you doing here?"

"I convinced your mother to let me come and get you instead."

"How'd you do that?"

"I told her that you came and visited me when I left, so why not let me do the same?"

"She hates you, and she was practically begging me to come home sooner."

"Fine, I told her I'd take away her coffee."

"I knew there was a catch." Rory let her smile extend. "This is not what I expected."

"So, I shouldn't have come?"

"No, no, Jess, this is great. Who would have thought you had a soft side?"

"Shh, don't ruin my reputation."

"You know no one here."

"Let's just get going."

"I'm loving this!"

Jess shook his head. He grabbed her bag and led her to Luke's truck.

……………………………

Jess parked the car in front of the diner, and before he could actually stop it, Rory jumped out and ran into the diner.

The bell above the door rang causing Lorelai and Luke to look back, they had been doing it since Jess left, each one having their regrets, wondering if they would actually make it.

"MOMMY!!!" Rory ran up to her mother.

"OFFSPRING!!!" They hugged for so long, that Lorelai's newly filled cup of coffee became cold.

"I missed you so much mom. I can't believe I haven't seen you for over 6 weeks."

"I missed you more Hun."

"I'm sorry you left, your mother had been here everyday ever since you've been gone." Luke said, trying his best way to welcome her back.

"I missed you to Luke." Rory walked behind the counter and gave Luke an awkward hug.

"I didn't know we were getting so touchy feely." Jess made his presence known.

"Oh shush." Lorelai ordered. "I'm still having a hard time believing she made it here alive."

Jess rolled his eyes, and picked up a note pad and open and went to take some orders.

"Home sweet home."

A/N: it's shorter then usual, and a lot of dialogue, but that's all I could come with. Hopefully next chapter will be more Rory/Jess. I'm going to make her realize that she doesn't want Dean anymore. So you guys have something to look forward to. Leave a review.

-Chrissy