A/N: for Kate. Before she leaves ;) Even though it's not so long...

~*Rory/Jess*~

"You're not coming in?" my mom asks me suspiciously.

"Um... no, you go. I'm not hungry anyway." I lie.

"Ok, and how 'bout coffee?" she asks me.

"I'll... I'll just get some at Al's." I answer.

"What kind of a sick joke is that?" she asks looking disgusted, "you're coming in, and you're coming in now."

And with that, she pulls me into the diner.

"Hey, Rory! Welcome back!" Luke greets me smiling.

"Thanks, Luke." I smile back bashfully.

My mom and I take a seat by the counter, and it's in that moment when I spot Jess. He's taking an order from a nearby table, and when he's done he turns back to the counter. When he sees me, he just gives me a cold stare, showing no expression. I lower my sight as I feel my heart beating.

Why is it, that with every piercing stare of his, I get so weak? What my mom told me yesterday should do everything to make me feel the opposite of this. But it doesn't. if anything, my heart's pounding even stronger now.

"And what can I get you, Rory?" Luke asks.

"Oh, uh..." I start, finally diverting my attention to him, "just a cup of coffee and, um..." I trail off, noticing Jess walking into the storage room, "pineapples! Pancakes with pineapples!"

"Pineapples?" both Luke and my mom call surprised.

"Yeah!" I nod.

"Um... well, I have some at the storage..." Luke continues, surprised with my new order.

"That's ok, I'll got get it!" I volunteer and rise from my chair quickly.

"What did they do to her at Washington?" I hear Luke asks my mom.

"Your guess is as good as mine..." she answers puzzled.

~*Rory/Jess*~

"Hi." I say silently as I walk into the storage.

"What are you doing here?" he asks, not looking enthused or something like that.

"I got back." I state smiling, thinking he needs some softening up.

"No, I mean, what are you doing in the storage?" he asks coldly.

"Oh, um... pineapples. I came to get pineapples." I say, caught off guard.

"Luke coulda got it." He comments.

"He's busy." I reply, reaching for the pineapples, standing close to Jess.

"Huh." He answers and gets back to loading things to the shelf.

"Besides... I kinda wanted to see to you." He doesn't even look at me, "Jess... I was away for 2 months, and for... 60 days, all I thought about was you." I confess.

He doesn't stop for one second, not looking at me or saying something.

"You know," I say with tears in my eyes, "I knew nothing gets you, but..." I trail off looking and sounding offended, "well..." I shrug, meaning to walk away.

"Hey," he says and I look at him, "do me a favor. Don't ever go for 2 months again, ok?" he asks looking at me finally. I smile softly nodding.

He smiles softly and grabs my arm, leaning in and kissing me. I cup his face and slowly move my hands down to his neck wrapping them around it. He grabs my waist in one hand, bringing me closer to him and putting the other hand against my cheek. We pull away a bit and then lean back in and kiss. It's a moment when everything that ever happened is forgotten. The fight we had before I left, the revelation of his... involve-ness, the way he was just behaving... everything is gone with the feel of his lips on mine. It's kind of a blur to me.

"This is crazy..." I mumble between kisses, "we're crazy."

"I know I am." He replies, "but good crazy."

I pull away smiling.

"I have to go back. My mom and Luke would suspect." I say reluctantly.

"Ok." He says looking disappointed.

"But we'll talk later." I promise and kiss him again.

"I'll drop by." He promises back.

I smile and leave the storage.

~*Rory/Jess*~