I was done with this chapter pretty quickly with the exception of one part. I'm trying to get stories written and posted even though I'm balancing seven college courses and my responsibility of secretary in the historical association. This chapter gets a little nostalgic, which is always good when Rory and Jess have been at each other's throats.

Thanks for the reviews on chapter thirty-four: ShaolinQueen, Just A Girl Of The Hollow x3, Maygen Lauren, mizskitles220, Jeremy Shane, kylielink, Music girl2121, Curley-Q, Hpluvr7, Tookie Clothespin, and DiehardJavaJunkie14.

Disclaimer: I still don't own anything.

Stars Hollow was in a bustle with the return of their two romanticized college residents. Jess had gone to the bookstore with Rory and discovered that everything was 30% off, just for them. Later that afternoon at Weston's, they were given free scones and cookies with their coffee. Jess realized that the crazy little town missed both of them in their own special ways. Taylor, of course, had tried to put an end to the town nursing Jess back into a cozy pattern and ensured that everything Jess used to swipe from his market was secure on a very high shelf.

The two sat eating burgers, fries, and onion rings while Luke wiped down the counter. Although they had only been home for three days, Rory and Jess had both settled back into the daily life of Stars Hollow. There was still a month for them to relax and reacquaint themselves with each other.

Jess dragged a French fry through a puddle of ketchup on his plate. He was still getting used to the chilly weather in Connecticut. He had been spoiled by the constant warm weather in California and had yet to adjust to the dropping temperatures back home. Although he had always been one to wear his leather jacket or a sweatshirt, the California heat had broken that habit after one too many ninety-degree days.

Outside, the snow was falling softly. The flakes were few and far between, but the snow was sticking to the ground. It was the perfect snow, and the first time Jess had gotten to see snow since he had left.

Rory took a long drink of Pepsi through her straw and put down her cheeseburger. "You look lost in thought," she said as Jess tore his eyes away from the flakes falling gently from the sky.

"It's just been a long couple of days," Jess said. "I'm tired. And three hours ahead of myself."

"Oh," Rory said plainly, picking up the burger again.

"Yeah. I got up early to help Luke down here and it felt like I was getting up at three in the morning." Jess leaned across the table and wiped the smudge of ketchup off Rory's upper lip with his napkin. "I didn't get to sleep until almost four this morning," he added.

"Oh, wow. That's late," she commented.

"It was almost one in the morning back in California," he continued. "That's a normal time to go to sleep."

"Either of you need a refill?" Luke asked, reaching to take his nephew's empty soda glass.

"It's okay. I'll get it," Jess said, taking his own glass behind the counter to the soda fountain.

"He's readjusting," Rory said as Luke glanced back at the counter. Jess had decided to check on the customer sitting on the last stool. He needed a soda refill as well.

"And being overly helpful," Luke said with a sigh. He shook his head and walked back in the direction of the counter where Jess was cleaning up the soda he had spilled on the counter.

Rory went back to her dinner as Luke and Jess argued over the soda and Luke pushed Jess in her direction so that his own dinner didn't get cold. "You know what's weird?" Jess asked as he sat back down.

"What?" Rory asked, finishing off the last bite of her cheeseburger.

"We missed the first snow," Jess said.

"Well, I didn't miss the first snow," Rory laughed. "The buses were running so late during that first storm. I think it was even heavier in Boston and Cambridge than it was here."

"I missed all the snow," Jess commented. "But what I meant is that we missed sneaking out during the first snow."

Rory lowered her head in the sorrow that she had nearly forgotten their tradition, especially after what had happened on the bridge last year. "That's right," she finally said.

"We're on the fifth snow, I think," Jess said, looking out the window. The snow had stopped falling momentarily, but it would probably pick up throughout the night.

"It's the fourth here. We had some flurries in Massachusetts before I left, but I came home to an empty sky."

"I don't know if I missed the snow," Jess said, turning in his seat to face the window. The snow was starting to blow in the direction of the diner and was sticking to the storefront. "I sure didn't miss the cold," he said.

"I noticed the consistent jacket wearing," Rory said. "I remember that you used to wear just a tattered sweatshirt in the winter half the time."

"I'm not used to it being cold yet."

"I can see that," Rory said.

Jess got up and lifted their plates. "Let's go upstairs before I help Luke close," he suggested.

"Sure. Need help with those?" Rory asked.

Luke swooped in quickly and plucked the Coke glasses off the table. "I've got everything," he said.

"You sure?" Jess asked, sliding the plates on the counter.

"Positive."

"Okay," Jess said. "If you need me, I'll be upstairs." He parted the curtain that blocked the staircase and motioned for Rory to go in front of him.

"You look like you're adjusting to home," Rory commented as she stepped into the apartment. On his bed was an unfolded lump of laundry, which, knowing Jess, could have been either clean or dirty.

He eyed her look knowing. "Yeah, I didn't really have any time to tidy up," he explained sheepishly.

"It looks like a category five storm rampaged through your room when we were downstairs eating."

"That's okay. You're used to it looking like a hurricane took a short cut through my room," he said with a laugh, bring his hand to meet her sweatshirt. Slyly, he pulled down the zipper and tossed the material to the side. "And you should see my dorm room," Jess protested, " there's nothing out of place."

"Right. Because it's all here," Rory shot back, "on your floor."

"Not true," Jess protested again.

"Yes, always true. You're like Pig Pen from the Peanuts comic strip."

"That's not fair," Jess said. "I don't smell nearly as bad." He lowered his voice to a huskier tone and grabbed Rory by the hand.

"All this and now you're trying to seduce me?"

"I was trying to seduce you before you told me I smell. Now I'm trying it again. Take it like a man, Gilmore," he joked, shoving the laundry off his bed before knocking her lightly against the bedspread.

She grinned up at him, a smirk forming on her own lips. "A man?" she laughed.

He slid on the bed close to her. "I missed this," he said, hand resting on her abdomen. It was the first time they had attempted anything physical since their vacation had started. There had been no time and they always seemed to be under a constant watch. Of course, this time was no different. The diner was slated to close within the next twenty minutes and, unless they moved quickly, there was always the risk of Luke rummaging around upstairs.

"I missed this, too," she said, shutting her eyes and leaning her head against his shoulder. His hand settled into the dip by her stomach and she sighed contentedly. There was nothing further and he accepted this fact. Tonight was their first real night alone and the only thing that was stopping it was…

The door to the apartment swung open forcefully as Luke, hands filled with paperwork and the cash drawer, smacked into it. "Everyone's clothes on?" he asked gruffly, back facing the two lovers.

"Buck naked," Jess said, smirking wildly.

"We're fully clothed, Luke," Rory reassured him. "Jess is just kidding."

Rory rubbed her eyes as she heard a snap outside. It took her a minute to realize it was probably something other than the snow and sat up in bed. Quickly, she pulled up her blinds. It was snowing heavily outside, but she could see Jess tossing small rocks at her window through the flakes. Bracing herself for the burst of cold, she opened the window. "What are you doing here?" she asked sleepily.

He was clad in the usual leather jacket, but a pair of black mittens and a matching scarf adorned his small frame. "Get dressed," he ordered, evading her original question.

"What are you doing here?" she asked again, shivering from the cold wind that was whipping through her open window.

"It's snowing," Jess said.

"Brilliant deduction. I can see that, Einstein." Rory folded her arms.

"Our anniversary…thing is tonight. Technically," Jess looked at his watch, "in twenty minutes. Get dressed," he ordered again.

She knew their anniversary "thing" was that day. There was a small wrapped gift under her bed next to the Christmas present box on the left. "I know."

"So, come on. Get dressed." He pulled a thermos of hot chocolate out of the knapsack that was slung over his shoulder. Because of the snow, Rory had failed to notice that it was hanging from his silhouette.

"Oh!" Rory squeaked, the realization finally hitting her. "I'll be right down," she said, shutting the window and closing the blinds.

A few minutes later, Rory scampered down the stairs wearing her winter jacket, a matching sparkly hat with a white pouf on top, and her snow boots.

Jess was not a romantic in any way, shape, or form, which actually wasn't all that surprising considering his demeanor. Rory had never mentioned their anniversary during their time apart or since they had arrived home for the holiday, which had been a week. She figured that if this was something important for Jess, he would remember on his own. Romantic or not, he did remember and a big part of Rory always knew he would.

They hadn't exactly been having "problems," but both Rory and Jess knew things were significantly different than last year or even the summer. Last winter they hadn't even figured out college business or even the end of high school business. They were completely different people than they were now. This year, they were more focused, more driven, and more in love than when they had started. Luke had once mentioned to Lorelai that he didn't recognize "where Jess ended and Rory began." They were still individuals, but so combined that tearing them apart was catastrophic.

Rory stopped in mid-step to rub her cold hands together.

"Cold?" Jess asked, stopping alongside his girlfriend.

Rory cracked a smile. "Every year."

"Well, if you need my jacket…"

"I have a nice, heavy one of my own," Rory said. "You're the one who is going to be cold this year, mister."

After settling down at their special spot on the bridge, Jess pulled the two thermoses of hot chocolate out of his knapsack.

"Even made raspberry hot chocolate," he said before Rory could unscrew the top from her thermos.

"I never thought you to be nostalgic," she mused, unscrewing the stopper from the thermos of hot chocolate.

"Romantic, not nostalgic," Jess corrected her.

"Never thought you to be that either," she said. Rory took a long drink of the raspberry hot chocolate and screwed the cap back on the thermos. "This is nice," she said.

"It looks the same every year," Jess pointed out.

"But it's different this year," Rory said as she watched the snowflakes fall to the frozen water.

"Different how?" Jess asked. He knew their tradition had never been to admire the beauty of Stars Hollow in the snow, even if it did look like a Christmas card in this weather.

Rory shrugged while fidgeting with the cap of her thermos. "I don't know. Just different. Maybe because it isn't the first snow or because this is our anniversary…thing."

"Maybe," Jess replied, pulling Rory closer to him. She leaned against his snow covered leather jacket and murmured a sigh of satisfaction. Smiling, Jess tipped up her chin and planted a kiss on her chilled lips.

They had always held this tradition, but it was different this year. This year, it was just a matter of sneaking out after the entire town had gone to sleep. It was just the two of them, huddled on the bridge during the fifth snowstorm with a thermos of hot chocolate.