A/N: Thanks for the latest reviews, folks. Yes, I know, the Bid-A-Basket didn't go at all how you thought, but don't worry, all will be well. Try this rewrite of second half of the episode on for size! ;)

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 27

"Are you sure there's nothing wrong?"

It had to be at least the fifth time Emily had asked that question and if it wasn't driving Rory insane, it really wasn't doing much for Lorelai.

"Everything's fine, Mom," she told her, one more time. "We're just tired. You know, it's been a long week."

She didn't look like she believed that at all. Never let it be said that Emily Gilmore didn't have an excellent radar for trouble. Lorelai would swear she could smell a secret a mile away, but this was one that she was not getting the full details on, not a damn chance.

"Hey, Mom, I forgot to tell you, Michel was asking after you the other day."

"Really? Michel was asking about me?"

"Yeah, you know, he really liked you that one day you guys met, and then, I think I must've mentioned you, probably something about dinner or whatever, and he was practically in raptures about how wonderful you are and how great it'd be to see you again sometime. You have no idea what a compliment that is, because Michel really doesn't like anybody all that much."

"Well, isn't that flattering?" Emily smiled widely, preened a little, and would probably hit obnoxious levels in about three seconds.

Still, Lorelai figured it was easier than the alternative. Having her mom keep poking at her daughter all night was just awful. The poor kid needed a break.

It really had been a rough week and the truth was that both Lorelai and Rory genuinely were tired because of it. Of course, Emily would presume it was work and school that had the Gilmore girls all tuckered out. In fact, it was the fallout from a day that should've been so great.

Actually, from Lorelai's perspective, the whole Bid-A-Basket event really had been a great day. She made up her basket of goodies, had Luke outbid the competition to the tune of over fifty bucks, and then, it was back to her house. They did eat lunch, but they sure had worked up an appetite first! All in all, Lorelai had a real nice time. Of course, all that came shattering down around her ears a while later when Rory came home in floods of tears.

Honestly, Lorelai just wanted to smack Dean Forester upside his head, except not really because she kind of understood why he did what he did. Possessive and jealous wasn't a good look on most people, but it was especially not cool on Dean. Lorelai used to think he was such a nice kid, even though he did get kind of clingy after a while. When Rory dumped him to date Jess instead, Lorelai really did feel bad for Dean, but his behaviour at the Bid-A-Basket, as told to her by both Rory and Lane, it was simply not okay.

The problem wasn't really him, at least, not anymore. After the blow out in the town square, he had left Rory alone, which was good, but unfortunately, Jess had done much the same. The kid seemed to be forever elsewhere whenever the Gilmore girls dropped by the diner or when Rory called to try and talk to him.

Luke was sheepish about the whole thing, which was understandable. He really did not want to take sides in whatever was going on, and God knows, Lorelai had to explain the situation to him more fully, because Jess hadn't said much.

"He won't talk, he doesn't seem to be eating, and I could've just imagined it, but I swear I caught him drying his eyes from crying this morning," he had told Lorelai worriedly. "I mean, what the hell happened with those two?"

He didn't seem too surprised about the Dean thing, just angry at anyone trying to mess with Rory or Jess at all. The love confession by Rory gave him a shock. Lorelai had to admit, she was a little taken aback by that part too, though she actually felt like she might understand why Jess didn't react so well, in the circumstances.

She and Rory had a lot of long talks on the subject, though of course, the Gilmore girls could resolve nothing by themselves. Only Jess and Rory could fix their relationship, and if he was going to keep on avoiding her, it was never going to happen.

"How you holding up, hon?" Lorelai asked Rory, her arm around her shoulders, as they exited the grandparents' house at last.

"Okay, I guess." Rory sighed. "Thank you for trying to keep Grandma's attention off me."

"I did my best, kid, but it was not easy," she admitted. "Still nothing from Jess?" she asked as Rory checked her messages.

"Nope, nothing at all," she said, closing up her phone and shoving it back in her pocket. "I'm an idiot, aren't I?" she asked, the moment they were sat in the car together.

Lorelai turned wide eyes to her daughter. "Why would you say that? Why would you even think that you're an idiot?"

"I told Jess I loved him," Rory reminded her. "I said it first, and after that horrible mess with Dean. I'm sure Jess thinks that's the only reason I said it, you know, to make my apology sound better or something. That has to be why he's avoiding me, or he just doesn't feel the same way and he feels awkward and embarrassed. He doesn't know how to tell me how stupid he thinks I am for believing our relationship actually meant something!"

The tears came freely from her eyes and Lorelai reached across the centre console to give Rory a hug and comfort her any way she could. This was such an awful mess and she wished she could make it better. She had thought about talking to Jess herself, but the one time she suggested it, Rory practically had a fit. It probably would be wrong for the girlfriend's mom (or the boyfriend's uncle) to wade too deeply into the mire of teen angst, but good grief, if it wasn't tempting sometimes!

"You know, babe, I don't think you were wrong to say 'I love you' first. Not if it's what you feel."

"It is what I feel," Rory admitted, swallowing hard. "It's so weird, because with Dean, I don't know why, but it took me forever to feel like I could say it to him and really mean it. With Jess, it's so different. I was standing there, looking at him, apologising for my part in the whole mess of the basket auction, and the words just came spilling out. I don't think my brain even processed them properly. I do love him, Mom. I don't know exactly how it happened, but I really do."

"Oh, I know you do, sweets," said Lorelai, pushing her hair back from her tear-stained face and kissing her temple. "Jess knows it too, but I think... well, this is probably a very big deal for him. He was so mad at Dean and maybe even a little at you, right or wrong, and then, you tell him you love him and... I'm guessing you took him by surprise. I mean, you remember how shocked you were when Dean first said he loved you, don't you? Took you a while to process, right?"

"Right." Rory nodded her agreement.

"So, what I'm saying is, I don't think Jess is avoiding you because he needs to find a way to tell you you're stupid, and I really don't think that he doesn't feel the same, because hello, I have seen you two together, and that guy is one smitten kitten, let me tell you," she said with an encouraging smile. "I think he just needs a little time, Rory. I know it's tough, but some day, probably very soon, I think he's going to show up, and probably be a little sorry for how long he left you waiting, and then you guys will talk this whole thing out and everything will be cool again."

Rory sighed and hugged Lorelai one more time. "Thanks, Mom. I really hope you're right."

"Come on, aren't I always?" Lorelai grinned at her own joke, before putting herself more comfortably into the driver's seat and getting ready to leave, at last.

The ride home was uneventful and pretty quiet. Rory let her head fall against the window as she watched the world go by, the cool glass easing her head that ached from all the stress and pressure. She really did hope that her mom was right about Jess and their relationship. Rory just wanted things to be good like they were a week ago. There were moments when she felt like they never could be again.

"Wow," said Lorelai as they neared the house. "My psychic powers are getting really strong," she declared with a grin.

"What are you...?" Rory never finished the question as her eyes landed on a figure sat on the front porch of the Crap Shack. "Jess!" she gasped.

"Needless to say, I will be going right inside, barely pausing to even say hi," Lorelai said fast as she pulled the Jeep onto the driveway, "and I will not disturb you two at all, unless I hear screaming or the shattering of glass, okay?"

"Thanks, Mom," Rory said for at least the third time tonight, giving her another brief hug before they both hopped out of the car.

True to her word, Lorelai hurried to the porch steps and headed right up, barely looking at Jess.

"Hi, Jess. Bye, Jess," she said with a tiny wave, and then she was gone, in through the front door before he could hardly blink.

"Presenting Lorelai Gilmore as the amazing blur," he muttered as she flew by him, quickly turning back around and realising Rory was standing there. "Hi."

"Hi," she replied, moving to join him. "You're here."

"I'm here," he agreed, nodding his head.

Silence reigned for a few moments after that, and then, Rory and Jess turned to each other and managed to apologise at the very same moment. It made them both laugh, broke a little of the awful tension that seemed to be between them. Rory considered starting over, but then thought better of it. She had more than had her say on the day of the Bid-A-Basket and Jess had been the one to seek her out tonight. Maybe it was better to let him go first.

"So, I wanted you to know that I'm sorry," he said eventually. "I don't say that a lot, mostly because I don't have a lot of regrets in my life, and partly because... well, I don't exactly have so many people around that I care about enough to be sorry for anything that happens with them."

"That's fair." Rory nodded.

"I think so," Jess agreed, "but the point is, I'm telling you I'm sorry, Rory, because it's true. I won't apologise for anything I threatened to do to Forester at that stupid basket auction, and believe me, if it wasn't for you and Lane, I probably would've knocked him into next Thursday the second he started messing with me."

"Trust me, you were not alone in wanting to throw punches in the direction of my ex," Rory told him without pause. "He behaved badly, I know that. I can't understand what came over him."

"I can."

The smirk on Jess' lips was unexpected when he said that, but Rory was too intrigued to question it. She didn't need to, because it seemed he was more than willing to explain.

"He loves you, Rory. As much as I can't stand the guy, there's no denying how he feels about you. He wants you back, and yes, I know, that's not going to happen. You told me that and I believe you, but that doesn't change how Dean feels," he explained. "I know how hard it is to try and switch off those kinds of feelings, because... because I have them too," he admitted, meeting her eyes then. "Rory, I'm sorry if I hurt you these past few days, with the walking away and avoiding you and everything, but I just... I couldn't deal with it all, you know? With Forester and the drama and then... and then you telling me you loved me."

"It is true, you know?" said Rory softly. "I do love you, Jess, and I understand if you don't feel the same but-"

"I do," he said fast, taking her by surprise. "Rory, I do love you," he said plainly as she stared wide-eyed at him. "God knows how it happened, and I never thought it would, not to me. I never once believed I could find someone I wanted to say that to and really mean it, never mind someone who would want to say it to me too, but it's true. I love you, Rory Gilmore," he said, one more time, seeming more comfortable in the confession with each repetition.

Rory certainly couldn't think she would ever tire of hearing it.

"And I love you, Jess Mariano," she told him once again. "Believe me, it came as a surprise to me too, but it is true. I'm just so sorry that the first time I told you wasn't under better circumstances."

"Don't worry about it," Jess assured her, reaching out to tuck her hair behind her ear. "Look, you're sorry, I'm sorry, we both seem to be in the same place about this whole love thing, so you think maybe we can just forget all the crap that happened last week and just... be us?" he asked awkwardly.

Rory found him a smile so easily then.

"Being us sounds pretty good to me," she agreed, leaning in closer.

Their lips met in a perfect kiss that seemed to seal the deal between them. From here on out, they would be okay, Rory was sure on that. If she could help it, nothing and no-one was going to come between her and Jess ever again.

To Be Continued...