Title: Just When You Least Expect It.

Chapter One

Rating: PG (precautionary, for language)

Disclaimer: Gilmore Girls does not belong to me. Yada yada yada. Sad isn't it?

Post date: 28th September, 2002

A/N: Hey everyone! Hope you enjoy this fic! This is set after the end of the second series. Rory went to the conference in Washington and got back. School has started and Rory is in her senior year. Blah blah blah, on with the show. If anything is not clear, please ask! Enjoy!

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Rory was lying on the couch, reading, when the phone rung.

After searching endlessly, she finally found the phone on the coffee table and checked caller ID before picking up.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Rory/Lane Phone Conversation ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

R-Hey Lane.



L-Rory! You'll never guess what happened!



R-Taxiride is touring with the Whitlams!?!



L-Henry invited me to the movies!



R-What?! I thought you guys had broken up?



L-No, we're back together!



R-Cool! When?



L-Tomorrow night! In Hartford! And he's taking me out to dinner afterwards!



R-Lane! I'm so excited for you! Your Mom is letting you go, right?



L-Well, that's the thing, see. Mom says I can go IF you come with me.



R-Lane! Tomorrow's Friday! I have dinner with my grandparents. You know that!



L-I know, I know! But couldn't you get out of it Just this once.for me?



R-I'll see what I can do. But Lane, I don't wanna be a third wheel.



L-Oh, that's not gonna happen! Henry's got it all organised!



R-How?



L-He's bringing a friend!



R-A Chiltonite?! Lane, you know how much I despise most of them!



L-No! It's okay! Henry says this guy is really nice and he doesn't go to Chilton! SO can you come?



R-I dunno.



L-Please! Pretty please? I'll be in debt to you for the rest of my life!



R-And you're not already?



L-Is that a yes?!



R-It's a maybe. I'll try to get out of Friday night dinner. Give me an hour to organise it and then I'll call you back, k?



L-Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!



R-Bye!



L-Bye!

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Just then, Lorelei walked in the front door.



"Coffee. Now." Lorelei stated.



"Umm, we're all out." Rory replied.



"Luke's, come." Lorelei looked dead.



"Coming," Rory sighed. Her book would just have to wait.



As they walked into Luke's diner, Rory was surprised to see Jess there, working.



"Hey, you're back?" Jess said softly, wondering how he was gonna do this.



"Yep." Rory replied, wondering how she was gonna approach this subject.



"Look, we need to talk. Can you take a ten minute break?" Rory asked.



"Sure. Luke, I'm taking my break now!" Jess said and he and Rory walked out to the Gazebo.



"So." Rory said.



"How's bag boy?" Jess asked.



"Gone. His family moved to Chicago." Rory said, smiling. After Dean had left, she had almost felt as though a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Dean was just way too possessive.



"Wow." Jess said.



"So..." Rory said again, after they had been sitting in silence for a few minutes.



"Rory, I think..." Jess said at the same time as Rory said "Jess, I think.."



They looked at each other and laughed.



"You go first." Jess said.



"Okay. I think that when we kissed, there was nothing there. We would never work out, and all that would result if we got involved would be heartbreak. I do think, however, that we work well as a team and I would like to be really good friends." Rory stated her thoughts clearly.



"I totally agree. That's exactly what I was gonna say to you." Jess smiled.



"So...friends?" Rory asked hopefully.



"Friends." Jess confirmed.



The two hugged and walked back to the diner.



As they entered, Lorelei suddenly pretended to read the paper.



"Nice try, Mom." Rory said.



"What?" Lorelei looked up in feigned innocence.



"Since when do you read the paper? Plus, it's on current affairs AND it happens to be upside down." Rory said, giving Lorelei a look.



"Fine." Lorelei said, giving up and admitting to have watched the whole incident between Rory and Jess at the gazebo.



"So..." Rory said.



"So..... Are you two... together?" Lorelei asked hesitantly.



"Nope. We both decided that we're better off as friends." Rory replied, smiling.



"Wow." Lorelei said.



"So, have you ordered?" Rory asked.



"Yep. Three coffees and two hamburgers with fries." Lorelei said.



"Cool. So, tomorrow's Friday, huh." Rory asked, easing onto the subject.



"Last time I checked, yeah." Lorelei replied.



"Friday night dinner." Rory stated.



"Yes..." Lorelei said, wondering what was coming next.



"Umm, do you think I might be able to not go to this one? Please, just this once?!" Rory begged, putting on her puppy dog eyes and pouting.



"Rory, that means I'll have to go to hell and back all by myself!" Lorelei complained.



"I know, but Lane and Henry are back together and he's taking her out to dinner and a movie and Lane can't go unless I go with her and I really wanna go. Please!!??" Rory begged.



"All right, all right. I'll tell your grandparents that you have a massive amount of homework to do." Lorelei said.



"Thank you! Thank you! I have to go call Lane." Rory said happily and ran out of the diner.



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Do you like it? Please review, because then I know what you all think of it!