Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)

Also, I'd like to thank Courtney for her help in editing this chapter.

As Rory left the fifth store empty handed, she realized that she needed help. She picked up her phone and dialed the number from memory.

"Jake, I need your help." Rory said the minute that Jake answered his phone.

"Sure, beautiful. What can I do for you?" He was waiting for this call.

"I'm at the mall and I need a new dress. Shoes! I need shoes too." She let out an exasperated sigh. "I don't know where to start, and I'm already freaking out." Rory said. "I've already walked past most of the stores here, and I have absolutely no idea what to buy. It shouldn't be too hard to find a dress, right? So, why can't I do it right now?"

Wow, Jake thought. A Gilmore Girl rant and a freak-out, all in the same call. I've been waiting for this to happen since Tristan answered her phone the other morning.

When Rory called Jake on Monday to tell him all about how she ran into Tristan in the middle of her first assignment, he knew that something was about to happen. He just didn't think it would get serious so fast. So, when he called her that morning, and Tristan answered her phone, Jake had been startled. Rory was not the type to move so fast, let alone fall so fast. That was when he knew that there was more to Tristan than the stories Rory told him. Jake just wished that Tristan was the guy for her because Rory deserved to be happy. Happier than Jake was able to make her.

"Shouldn't you be calling your mom for that, beautiful? In case you haven't noticed, I'm not a girl, and I have no need for dresses, so I don't really know much about them. Now, if you needed a new gorgeous suit... " He started but never got to finish the sentence because Rory was already talking.

"I have a date."

Jake started to smile. 'I'm not following you, hun." This is going to be fun.

"I have a date." Rory paused, trying to keep calm. "With Tristan. A real date."

"I'm still not following you. Didn't we already have this conversation? I'm pretty sure that I called your house a couple of days ago to ask you some questions about your old editor back in Stanford before going to work, and I had a really awkward conversation with Tristan when he answered your phone. I distinctly remember you telling me that you were sure it wasn't a date when you invited him over to your house." Jake teased.

"Now if that wasn't a real date, then I really don't want to find out what you do on a real date." He continued, teasing her mercilessly. "I feel cheated already. It took me forever to get you to go out with me..."

"Jake, I'm serious. Tristan and I talked, and we're together. For real together. He said he wants to take me on a real date. He even made reservations for crying out loud, and I don't know what to wear. Can you hold off on the teasing for now and help me!" Rory pleaded with him.

"I can't believe I finally get to see Rory Gilmore freak out over a boy. I thought your mom was kidding when she talked about it." Jake continued, finding it vastly amusing. "You didn't get this nervous when I asked you out, did you?"

"Jake! I'm begging you. I. Need. Help. I'm freaking out. Can you leave the teasing to another phone call, one where I'm not about to pass out because I can't seem to breathe?" Rory tried one last time, and this time Jake noticed how short of breath she was.

"Wow, sure, that's okay. I'm here, hun, it's all right. Right now, you're going to do me a favor, okay? You're going to find a bench, sit down, and calm yourself, okay? Are you sitting down?"

Rory looked around and spotted an open bench a few stores down. She walked over, "Okay, I'm sitting down."

"Okay beautiful. Now take a deep breath... That's right. Now let it out, real slow. One more time, in and out. In and out." Jake waited a moment.

"Are you still freaking out? " He asked.

"No. I think I'm okay. Thanks Jake. But I still have no idea what to buy, and I have less than two hours before the mall closes." She said. She was calmer, but she was sure he could still hear the nervousness in her voice.

"Well, let's think about it then. You said he made reservations. What kind of place? Upscale?" Jake started, all business now.

"No, I don't think so." Rory said, feeling better already. She leaned back against the bench. "He's different here, more laid back. I'm guessing a small place."

"Okay, well then you're going to look for a cute little dress. One with enough cleavage to make him drool all over you, but not something that will make you feel uncomfortable. Something in a dark blue. And a soft fabric."

"Why do I need a soft fabric?" Rory asked, not really getting what Jake was doing. She really was naive sometimes.

"Because it needs to be something soft to the touch. If he's a smart kind of guy, and we both know that he is, he's going to be all over you. That will make him want to keep touching you." Jake smirked.

"You were right. I so should have called mom for advice." Rory said, and blushed just thinking about Tristan's hands all over her body. Starting at the hem of her dress, and slowly sneaking up her leg...

"Yeah, you should have but you didn't. You called me. Am I making you uncomfortable?" Jake smiled. He knew that they really were better suited as friends than as boyfriend and girlfriend. But he really, genuinely loved Rory, and making her uncomfortable over sex and dates was always fun, even when they were together. He was not going to stop now that they were only friends.

"Shut up, Jake." Rory snapped as she tried to get over her embarrassment. "I'm not going to think about... about that. So, dark blue dress, soft fabric..." Rory repeated.

"Enough cleavage, stopping right on the knees. Ooh, and some light blue lingerie. Lacy lingerie. And high heels." Jake finished, teasing her some more.

"Jake! I'm not discussing my choice of lingerie with you" Rory said in a warning tone.

"But you are going to buy new sexy, lacy, lingerie, right?" Jake continued, knowing that he was right, and knowing that any minute now Rory was going to hang up the phone. It was just too easy to tease her. He would have to tell Lorelai about the wardrobe freakout. And about the date. If there was something that he and Lorelai had in common was a knack for getting under Rory's skin. They both could spend the day teasing her about something.

"Bye Jake" Rory said, hanging up the phone. But he was right. She was going to buy new, sexy lingerie just for Tristan. And with a small smile she got up and went to the Victoria's Secret Store that was just around the corner. She knew exactly what she was going to buy.