A/N: For Yota.

If Lorelai had any further comments about Rory and Jess, she gave no sign of it. Rory waited all night for it. She watched Monty Python and the Holy Grail with baited breath. She dug into the bowl of popcorn and ate a half a bag of red vines in anticipation. Nothing happened.

After she had went to her room for the night, she called Jess. They talked about Lorelai's non-existant reaction after she went to the diner. He told her how Luke asked him about Rory and how Lane had ran up to him and yelled, "I knew you knew!" Then ran away.

There was whispered "I love you's" as they hung up and Rory smiled to herself as she went to sleep. It finally felt like things were right. She wasn't denying her feelings anymore. She wasn't hiding in a casual arrangement she didn't belong in in the first place. Her heart was in the right place and it was a good feeling.

When she woke up the next morning, she quickly showered and got dressed. Lorelai sat in the kitchen and obviously waited for her. "Luke's?"

"Yeah," she couldn't help the smile that appeared on her face.

"You know, if you keep smiling like that, everyone's gonna know you're getting some," Lorelai pointed out.

Rory's eyes widened and her mother laughed. She shook her head. "I can't help it."

"I know, sweets," she said as she wrapped an arm around her daughter. "I get the same way about Luke. Trust me, you're not the only one."

Rory nodded in agreement as they made their walk to the center of town and to the diner. Lorelai's arm dropped from around the younger Gilmore and she looked over at her in wonderment.

As the diner approached, it became more obvious how happy she was. Lorelai had to admit she had never seen this before in Rory, not even with Dean. The bell chimed as always when they finally walked in and all patrons looked over to see them.

Luke stopped mid-pour and a small smile tugged at his lips as he saw Lorelai. She smiled back as Rory looked around for Jess. Babette and Miss Patty, seated together and staring, obviously had been here for just that.

"Coffee," Luke stated as he walked to them.

Lorelai kissed him quickly in greeting. "I love a man who knows he doesn't need to ask."

"Jess is upstairs," Luke told Rory when he noticed her searching expression.

She smiled thankfully at him. "I'm just - can I -"

"Yeah, go ahead," he told her, knowing what she had wanted to ask.

She nodded and headed for the curtain. Lorelai watched as she left. She hoped this weekend would be them, getting quality time they seemed to be lacking while she was busy with Yale. She walked with Luke to the counter seat she'd always occupied as he slid a full cup towards her. She smiled and took a sip.

Rory rapped lightly on the apartment door. There was no response so quietly, she pushed the door open. The first place her eyes landed was Jess' side of the room. He was asleep, she noticed. He looked so peaceful and she was almost afraid to wake him up. Yet she also wanted to try something.

Slowly, she tiptoed towards his bed. When she reached him, she got a better look at her boyfriend. He laid on his back, eyes closed, one arm underneath his pillow and the other hung off the side of the bed. Rory smiled to herself.

Even slower than her walk, she put one leg over his body and crawled on top. She didn't sit, not yet. As soon as he felt her weight on him, the surprise was ruined. Hopefully, he didn't feel the bed move and was in a deep sleep. She hoped.

Rory leaned forward and kissed the side of his face lightly. One, two, three. More soft kisses on his cheek. Jess moved his face slightly, obviously feeling her lips on him. She smiled and hid a silent giggle as she kissed him again. This time she sat on him, straddling him.

He definitely knew she was there now. Jess opened his eyes and this action did not cause Rory to stop or greet him. Instead, she moved her lips down to his neck. Jess made a sound and she smiled against his skin. He liked this way of waking up.

She finally leaned up again, taking the chance to look at his sleep ridden face. "Hi."

"Hi," he said back. "That's definitely a good morning hello."

She flushed. "I missed you."

"I missed you, too," he said.

Jess' hands moved up her arms and to her shoulders. He pushed her hair behind her ear and she leaned into his touch. "I wasn't sure if you were working this morning."

"Not this one," Jess shook his head. "Uncle Luke gave me the day off."

"Oh?" She said, trying to hide her excitement.

He nodded in return. "Which brings me yo my next topic. How would you like to go on a date with me?"

"A date?" She smiled.

"Yes, a date," he agreed.

"Like a real date?" She asked as her grin grew.

"I was playing on a fake date but maybe we could do a real one," he smirked.

Rory didn't give him a chance for reaction as she squealed, leaning forward. Her lips crashed to his happily and immediately they were overcome to more than a kiss. The fire inside scorched and he was kissing her back with everything he had.

Rory's hands grasped at his neck as his wrapped around her back, pulling her closer. She sank into him, causing another groan from him. Their joined mouths erased the sound of her moan as she felt him against her but it caused her to grip him tighter.

Neither stopped it or questioned it. It was barely even a thought that it was morning and a diner full of patrons was below them. The kiss erupted and before either could register what was happening, they were pulling his shirt over his head and hers followed. Jess' fingers played with her bra strap as she just kissed him harder.

It was that moment when the door opened and a scream was heard. "My eyes! My eyes!"

Rory quickly grabbed her shirt and pulled it over her head as she handed Jess his own. She climbed off of him and turned around to see her mother faced the door as if ready to leave and not that she had just walked in. When she looked over at her boyfriend again, he had his shirt on.

"It's safe to turn around now," Rory told her.

Lorelai slowly turned, hesitantly. When she saw they were dressed, she sighed in relief. "Did you get right to the action as soon as you came up here because you weren't even gone that long?"

Jess smirked and sat up in the bed and Rory stood there awkwardly, fixing her hair. She was trying not to think of what her mom might have walked in on had it been seconds later. "No, no -"

"She just found me irresistible, I guess," Jess interjected.

She looked behind her at him and gave him a ssh look. He just laughed.

Lorelai watched them. She wasn't sure she had ever seen Jess smile like that before. It both thrilled and scared her.

"Mom, was there something you or Luke needed?" Rory asked nervously.

"No," she smiled. "I just wondered if you wanted coffee too or if you planned on hanging out with Jess but I guess my own question was answered by what I walked in on, huh?"

"I want coffee," she replied. "That - that wasn't planned."

She heard Jess scoff playfully behind her but didn't turn. Lorelai kept her eyes on her daughter. She obviously was waiting for some blowout reaction from her.

"Do you want me to order you one now?" She asked. "Or do you want to, you know, stay here with Jess a little bit?"

"Order me one now," Rory answered. "And breakfast, too. I'll be down in a minute, I swear."

"All right," Lorelai replied skeptically.

"Really!" Rory replied to which Lorelai just rose her eyebrow. "Two minutes, tops."

"All right," she seemed more confident in her daughter's promise this time.

Lorelai headed out the door this time and as soon as she was gone, she heard laughter. With a quick turn, she looked over at Jess. "It's not that funny!"

"It's a little funny," he told her.

"You're not at all embarrassed that my mother walked in on us like that?" She put her hands on her hips.

He shrugged. "Not really, no."

She made a face. "It's nice to know you're okay with it. Me, I'm a little mortified."

Jess got out of the bed and laughed lightly as he walked to her. "There's nothing to be embarrassed about, Rory. She knows we're together."

"Knowing is a little different than seeing, isn't it?" She tried to joke.

"True," he smiled. "Look, don't worry about it. I'm sure there will be much more embarrassing moments for you in the future."

"Gee, thanks," Rory replied.

He kissed her forehead and she relaxed. "Go downstairs, drink your coffee, eat your breakfast. This will seem like a blimp on the day."

"And tonight is our date?" she asked.

"Eager, are we?" He teased. "Tonight."

"Okay," she smiled. "I'm gonna go. Are you coming down?"

"In a bit," he replied. "I think I'm gonna take a shower first."

"You know, I don't think anyone will catch us in there," she teased.

Jess found it hard to swallow. "What?"

Rory laughed. "God, you're easy."

"That's how you first got me," he joked and kissed her quickly.

"Okay I gotta go for real now," she kissed him again and backed away. "I'll see you, I guess."

"See you," he smirked.

Rory waved and headed out the door. She closed it behind her and took a few breaths. She was so in far in it with Jess, she couldn't believe it. She counted her breaths and when they finally came out normally, she walked down the stairs.

The looks she was given said a lot. People obviously made guesses on what Lorelai had been screaming about when she went up there. It was up in the air who guessed the winning answer.

With her head held high, Rory joined her mother and Luke poured her a cup of coffee. Of course he waited. Lorelai must have told him she might not return too soon. "Thanks."

Luke gave Rory a smile and a few minutes later, both the Gilmore girls had their food. Rory dove in, trying to avoid the looks she was being given. Lorelai looked over at her occasionally but said nothing.

"Rory, doll?" Babette called to her. She turned around to see her better from her stool. "You went up there to see that nephew of Luke's?"

"Uh, yeah," she said. "I did."

"And?" She urged.

"And he's awake," she added.

"And?"

"And what?"

"What did Lorelai walk in on?" Miss Patty leaned closer.

"Oh," Rory faltered. "Um…"

"It was stupid," Lorelai waved off. "I must have sprayed something in my eyes and they started burning really bad. Jess raced to get me water because I kept rubbing them but that just made it burn more -"

Luke stared at her curiously. Rory tried to hide her expression of thankfulness at trying to cover for her, even if it was a bad cover. "That's why you screamed?"

She nodded to Babette. "I really should have just stopped rubbing them. But let me tell you, I've learned my lesson."

Neither Babette or Miss Patty seemed to believe her. No one was surprised at that but no one pushed further either. When Jess walked down fifteen minutes later, all eyes were on him and what he did next.

The first thing he wanted to do when he walked down those stairs was kiss his girlfriend. Jess wasn't sure how open she was willing to be so instead he opted for sitting beside her. Rory smiled as he sat down and he smiled softly in return. The exchange took notice with the gossips in town but they said nothing this time.

The morning followed as this - Lorelai and Rory talked, Jess occasionally added something in. Luke poured them two more cups of coffee and when he wasn't busy working, he came over and added his own comments in. At one point, Jess put his arm around Rory as he leaned closer to her for a whisper. She whispered something back and almost immediately he moved his arm.

Everyone thought how the two of them looked quite cozy.

"I have to get to the inn," Lorelai said and broke the calm of the morning.

Rory turned to her with a frown. "But I thought you said Michel could take care of everything today."

"Ah, alas, my child, you cannot simply tell Michel to do something on short notice," she replied.

Jess watched her curiously. Rory opened her mouth then shut it. She knew Lorelai was right. "Okay. I'll see you later?"

"Of course," she said, only leaving out the duh. She kissed her daughter quickly on the cheek. "Bye."

"Bye, Mom," she said sadly.

"Bye, Luke!" Lorelai shouted and he came out of his kitchen to see her off. He kissed her goodbye and then she was out the door.

Jess turned to Rory mischievously. "So it looks like you're free today."

"It does seem so," she agreed.

"Maybe you'll consider spending the day with a certain person," he said casually. "A male someone. Dark hair. Reads."

Rory smiled. "I was thinking maybe I'd go see Lane, actually."

"Oh."

"It's just, we have tonight," she explained. "And I really want to see Lane."

"Nah, don't worry about it," he leaned away. "I understand."

"You do?" She worried and he nodded. "Thank you."

"But tonight you're all mine," he whispered as low as he could. She shivered.

"Deal," she agreed. She finished the last of her coffee and was ready to stand up. "I should go. Early might be better especially if I need time to get ready for tonight."

Jess smirked. "Okay. How about I walk you out?"

Rory glanced quickly behind her but especially to the table full of gossips. "I'm not sure that's a good idea. Not after what happened with Mom especially."

"That's fine," he shrugged. "But you know, it might throw them off if I kiss you goodbye anyway so."

"Oh," she said, realizing he just wanted a normal relationship goodbye. "I mean, I guess, if you want to, you can walk me there."

"Sounds good," he replied indifferently but she saw the end of his lip curve up in a small smile.

"Luke, thank you for breakfast," she called to him.

He came out of the kitchen and stood across from her at the counter. "You leaving?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "I'm gonna go see Lane."

She stood up and Jess stood with her. Luke questioned, "And you're going to go see Lane too?"

"No, I'm just walking her out," he said and put his hand on the small of Rory's back as she paid and they headed out the door.

"Something is definitely happening between them," Miss Patty commented when they left.

…...

Once out of the diner's vision, Rory put her arm in between Jess' arm and his body, linking them together. He smiled softly at her and kissed her hair. She snuggled closer as they walked in step together to Lane's house.

"I like this," she commented.

"Me, too," he said.

"I wish every moment was like this," Rory continued. "That we could just be me and you and not worry about anyone else."

"Is that why we're not telling the gossip train back at the diner?" He asked with a smirk but obviously he meant it seriously.

Rory laughed. "If they know, they're gonna watch onto it and never leave us alone."

"What would be wrong with that?" He asked curiously. "We could walk like this anywhere, I could kiss you goodbye. It wouldn't be that bad, would it?"

"No," she said sadly.

"Then what's wrong?" He nudged. "You want this, right?"

"Of course I do," Rory was surprised he would even have to wonder that.

Jess shook his head then turned to look at her. They stopped walking and her arm slid from his. "Then what is it? Tell me. I just want to know."

Rory sighed. "This town, these people, they're protective of me. They watched me with my first boyfriend and they watched me after we broke up. They told me I'd do better than him despite that they liked him."

"I'm still not seeing the problem," he frowned.

"I don't want them do that to you," she replied. "I don't want them look at you and think I can do better. I know what I can do and I love you. I don't want to do better than you."

Jess smiled down at her. "I can handle it. Trust me and besides, so what anyway? Let them think what they want. I don't care."

"Really?" She gave a small smile in return at his words.

"Really," he answered. "I love you, Rory and I don't give a shit what they or anyone else thinks. I don't wanna hide this."

"Me, either," her smile grew.

"So what are we doing then?" Jess snaked his arms around her waist.

Rory pretended to think as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "We're not hiding."

He didn't need any further comments. Jess leaned down towards his girlfriend and captured her lips with his. His teeth took in her bottom lip and she almost cried with anticipation.

The two of them melted into each other. It was if they became one and neither cared where they were. They still had a little bit to walk to Lane's house and an audience could easily see them. It suddenly didn't matter if anyone saw.

Rory pulled away first, eyes closed and a smile playing on her lips. "I like this goodbye much better."

"It's a good thing I came then, isn't it?" He smirked back.

"Very," she nodded. "Come on. Let's go."

"Yes, ma'am," he laughed as she placed her arm beside his again and they walked together towards their destination.

…..

Lane must have seen Rory coming. She opened the door widely and instantly took note of their coupley stance. She squealed in delight.

"I knew it!" She yelled happily.

Rory laughed and ducked her head down. Jess watched her out of the corner of his eye, a smile tugging his lips again. He loved how shy she got.

"I guess you know then?" Rory asked.

"Please," she scoffed. "Jess here wouldn't tell me a thing but I was suspicious of him. And you two aren't exactly hiding it all joined together like that."

"Good," Jess said.

"We're trying not to hide it," she said then turned to her boyfriend. "Not anymore."

Lane squealed again. "I need details! Tell me everything."

"I think this is the part where I leave," Jess told the girls.

Rory pouted. "You sure?"

"Yeah, you do whatever you two are gonna do," he untangled himself from her. "I'm gonna maybe see if Luke needs any extra help."

"Okay," she frowned. "But tonight right?"

"Tonight," he agreed and kisses her quickly goodbye. Lane's expression turned happy fangirl when she saw.

Jess began to walk away but Rory called out after him. "Wait! What do I wear?"

"Just dress casual," he shrugged.

"Casual?" Another frown. "I hate that word."

He smirked. "Just dress as you, all right?"

Rory nodded but wasn't finished. "I love you."

"I know," he said, which made her laugh at the Han Solo side of him. "See you later."

Jess officially turned around and headed back to the diner. Rory turned to Lane who had a thousand questions on her face. "What?"

"As much as I want to start with the I love you being so casually said," Lane replied. "I feel like I need to know when exactly this happened."

"How much time you got?" Rory grinned as her friend let her inside the house and she began to tell the story of the past week.