A/N: Hey guys. Thanks for all the amazing reviews. I must warn you though,
this is the LAST chapter of this story. I'm completely tapped on this
story. If anyone wants to pick it up, feel free, but make sure you let me
know 'cause I'd like to read it. Anyway, R/R and enjoy!
**Disclaimer: I own a Discman, a shelf full of books, and this laptop. I don't own anything related to this show. And even if you did sue me, all you're getting is the Discman and the books because there's no way in hell you're getting my laptop.**
Happy Anniversary
By Angel Monroe
Chapter 3: Goodnight Kisses
"Rory?" Jess whispered in her ear, his voice full of concern. When she didn't say anything, her hair covering her face, he got even more worried. Since she was sitting in his lap, he couldn't really see her face that well, but he knew by the way her shoulders were trembling that she was crying.
"Rory, talk to me," he said, almost pleading with her.
"Why can't I just be happy?" she asked finally, her voice shaking.
"What do you mean?"
She turned to face him, now kneeling in front of him. "Why can't I just have one perfect night? Here you are being all wonderful and everything, and now I'm all sad and crying and..."
"Still very beautiful," Jess chimed in trying to lighten her mood.
It worked a little. A small smile of adoration appeared on her lips. "Thank you," she said looking down again.
He lifted her chin, making her meet his eyes. "You are the most amazing person I have ever met, and not even Dean can take that away from you."
She smiled, the tears still sparkling in her eyes. He so wanted to drown in those eyes. Wiping the tears from her cheeks wit his thumb, he kisses her forehead lightly. He had no idea what he would do if Dean ever made her cry like this again, but he mused about a baseball bat or metal chair.
"Do you know how lucky I am?" she asked him.
It was his turn to smile. "Not half as lucky as I am," he replied.
She leaned into his open arms, laying her head against his chest. She could hear his heartbeat in his chest. She ran her hand down his chest next to her face and was pleasantly surprised to hear his heartbeat quicken. He wrapped his arms around her and began to stroke her hair. She loved it when he did that.
Jess breathed in the scent of her hair. 'God I like this girl,' he thought. 'I more than like this girl. Why am I so intoxicated by her? Why isn't this just like every other relationship I've ever had? No pain, no attachment, no real emotions, just pure physical attraction. What's so different about this one girl?'
He smiled, silently answering his own question: everything. She was smart, fun, beautiful beyond words. She could carry on an intelligent conversation. There was nothing ordinary about this relationship, and he liked that.
"So," he said finally breaking the silence, "it's pretty late. Do you want to finish eating, or do you want me to walk you home?"
"Are those the only two choices?" she asked, not really liking either one.
"Do you have any suggestions?" he answered her question with one of his own.
"I don't know," she replied not wanting to leave him so soon. "Can we just walk around for a while? I don't want to go home yet."
"Are you sure?" he asked her. "You've never been one to turn away free food."
"I'm not really hungry anymore," she replied.
"Okay," he said. "But you know what?"
"What?" she said still leaning on his chest.
"That means we have to stand up."
"Oh," she said almost surprised at her current position. She stood up quickly, brushing herself off and trying to cool her flushed cheeks.
Jess smiled at her irrational discomfort. She was so odd sometimes. She seemed embarrassed by the slightest thing, and yet, she was never embarrassed to be with him. Standing up himself, he took her hand. "I'll clean this up later," he said as she bent to pack up the picnic. "Let's go."
As they began to walk away, Rory suddenly stopped. "Oh wait!" she said turning back to the picnic. She looked at the one white rose she had never picked up. She was almost afraid to touch it and risk ruining it. She lifted the rose gently from the checkered blanket and spun it between her fingers. "Okay, I'm ready," she smiled, brushing the soft petals across her cheek as she walked back to her adorable boyfriend.
"Okay," he said intertwining their fingers once again. She looked so angelic right then, with the white flower caressing her cheeks. He just wanted to reach out his hand and touch her, if only to make sure she wasn't a dream.
"Where should we walk?" Rory asked as they stepped down from the steps of the gazebo.
"I dunno, this was your idea," Jess teased her.
"I've never been one for planning things out," she admitted, as if that was a bad thing.
Jess loved that about her. "Let's just see where our feet take us," he suggested.
"Okay," she replied, a small smile creeping across her face as he put his arm around her waist.
They walked along in comfortable silence for a while, both just enjoying each other's company. After a few minutes, they found themselves at a certain familiar bridge. Rory chuckled a little.
"What's so funny?" Jess asked her as they sat down, their legs hanging off the edge.
"Do you remember our first picnic here?" she certainly remembered.
"I bought your basket," he mused. "Dean was mad."
"Yeah," Rory sighed, her smile falling a little. She lowered her head slightly, staring into the dark water as she absently twirled her rose in her right hand.
"Hey," Jess broke through her daze by bringing her left hand up to his mouth and kissing her palm. "Come back to me."
She looked up at him. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "I just...you know."
"I know," he said still holding her hand in his lap. An awkward moment of silence ensued. "So, I bought your basket, and then you tricked me into eating something that could have very easily given me food poisoning."
Rory's smile returned. "You wanted to impress me," she giggled.
"Yeah," he smiled. He loved that giggle.
"You always know how to make me smile," she admitted, leaning her head on his shoulder.
"I try," he said putting his arm around her shoulders. He looked at his watch. "Huh," he said simply.
"What is it?" she asked looking at him.
"I think if I don't get you home pretty soon, your mom's going to barbecue me."
"But it's not a school night," Rory protested.
He smiled touching her cheek, "I know, but I did pull you out of your room at eleven o'clock at night refusing to tell you or her where we were going. This constitutes me getting you home before one."
Rory gave him a disappointed look. "Are you sure?" she asked him.
"Yeah," he replied, a slight chuckle in his voice. "I'm pretty sure." He stood up reluctantly.
"Okay," she sighed taking the hand he offered and standing up next to him.
They took the longest possible route home, walking as slowly as humanly possible. They talked about everything under the sun, from books to movies to the idiotic zoo that was Stars Hollow High. They walked, his arm gently resting around her waist, until they reached the door.
"So," Jess said turning toward her.
"So," she smiled at the familiar game.
"I'll see you tomorrow?" he asked, but he already knew the answer.
"Of course," she replied. "It's not Saturday morning without Luke's coffee," she leaned over and kissed him sweetly, "or a kiss from my boyfriend."
He smiled, relishing the feel of her soft lips on his. "Damn good answer," he whispered, leaning in for another lingering kiss. He slid his hand around the back of her neck, caressing her lips with his own. He wished that this kiss could last forever just so he wouldn't have to leave her.
Finally, she pulled away reluctantly. "I don't want to alarm you but most people need to breathe every few minutes," she pointed out.
"Huh," was his reply, smiling his cute little half-smile. "I guess I'll have to take that into consideration the next time I kiss my girlfriend."
Rory smiled, knowing where this was going. "And when would that be?" she asked playing along.
"About..." he leaned closer to her, "...now."
He kissed her one more time. 'Three goodnight kisses,' Rory thought. 'I could so get used to this.' She ran her fingers through his short brown hair. She loved his kisses. They were light chocolate, like coffee. They were chocolate covered espresso beans. She smiled at the thought, still pressing her lips against his. She love the way he held her close to him, as if she might run. She loved the way he was so careful not to hold too tight, as if his touch might bruise her. She loved so many things about him.
Finally, he pulled away. "I guess it's time to say goodnight," he sighed reluctantly.
"Yeah," she replied. Neither of them moved.
"You have to go, Rory," Jess laughed.
She sighed loudly. "Okay, I'm going," she relented starting to back toward the door.
"Goodnight," he said.
Rory opened the door, turning back toward him. "Goodnight."
She finally closed the door, leaning her back against it and touching the rose to her cheek once more. 'Happy Anniversary to me,' she thought smiling.
**So, what'd you guys think? Don't be shy. I won't know if you don't tell me. I want to bring up that I got a little hate mail on one of my other stories tisk-tisking me for demanding reviews before I repost. I'd just like to say that you guys should never take me seriously when I say that. I just do that because it takes me awhile to update and if I say that, I buy myself a couple days. I'm sorry if you guys felt threatened. I didn't mean it! Anyway, feel free to review. I won't DEMAND it. Thanks. Bye. O:)**
**Disclaimer: I own a Discman, a shelf full of books, and this laptop. I don't own anything related to this show. And even if you did sue me, all you're getting is the Discman and the books because there's no way in hell you're getting my laptop.**
Happy Anniversary
By Angel Monroe
Chapter 3: Goodnight Kisses
"Rory?" Jess whispered in her ear, his voice full of concern. When she didn't say anything, her hair covering her face, he got even more worried. Since she was sitting in his lap, he couldn't really see her face that well, but he knew by the way her shoulders were trembling that she was crying.
"Rory, talk to me," he said, almost pleading with her.
"Why can't I just be happy?" she asked finally, her voice shaking.
"What do you mean?"
She turned to face him, now kneeling in front of him. "Why can't I just have one perfect night? Here you are being all wonderful and everything, and now I'm all sad and crying and..."
"Still very beautiful," Jess chimed in trying to lighten her mood.
It worked a little. A small smile of adoration appeared on her lips. "Thank you," she said looking down again.
He lifted her chin, making her meet his eyes. "You are the most amazing person I have ever met, and not even Dean can take that away from you."
She smiled, the tears still sparkling in her eyes. He so wanted to drown in those eyes. Wiping the tears from her cheeks wit his thumb, he kisses her forehead lightly. He had no idea what he would do if Dean ever made her cry like this again, but he mused about a baseball bat or metal chair.
"Do you know how lucky I am?" she asked him.
It was his turn to smile. "Not half as lucky as I am," he replied.
She leaned into his open arms, laying her head against his chest. She could hear his heartbeat in his chest. She ran her hand down his chest next to her face and was pleasantly surprised to hear his heartbeat quicken. He wrapped his arms around her and began to stroke her hair. She loved it when he did that.
Jess breathed in the scent of her hair. 'God I like this girl,' he thought. 'I more than like this girl. Why am I so intoxicated by her? Why isn't this just like every other relationship I've ever had? No pain, no attachment, no real emotions, just pure physical attraction. What's so different about this one girl?'
He smiled, silently answering his own question: everything. She was smart, fun, beautiful beyond words. She could carry on an intelligent conversation. There was nothing ordinary about this relationship, and he liked that.
"So," he said finally breaking the silence, "it's pretty late. Do you want to finish eating, or do you want me to walk you home?"
"Are those the only two choices?" she asked, not really liking either one.
"Do you have any suggestions?" he answered her question with one of his own.
"I don't know," she replied not wanting to leave him so soon. "Can we just walk around for a while? I don't want to go home yet."
"Are you sure?" he asked her. "You've never been one to turn away free food."
"I'm not really hungry anymore," she replied.
"Okay," he said. "But you know what?"
"What?" she said still leaning on his chest.
"That means we have to stand up."
"Oh," she said almost surprised at her current position. She stood up quickly, brushing herself off and trying to cool her flushed cheeks.
Jess smiled at her irrational discomfort. She was so odd sometimes. She seemed embarrassed by the slightest thing, and yet, she was never embarrassed to be with him. Standing up himself, he took her hand. "I'll clean this up later," he said as she bent to pack up the picnic. "Let's go."
As they began to walk away, Rory suddenly stopped. "Oh wait!" she said turning back to the picnic. She looked at the one white rose she had never picked up. She was almost afraid to touch it and risk ruining it. She lifted the rose gently from the checkered blanket and spun it between her fingers. "Okay, I'm ready," she smiled, brushing the soft petals across her cheek as she walked back to her adorable boyfriend.
"Okay," he said intertwining their fingers once again. She looked so angelic right then, with the white flower caressing her cheeks. He just wanted to reach out his hand and touch her, if only to make sure she wasn't a dream.
"Where should we walk?" Rory asked as they stepped down from the steps of the gazebo.
"I dunno, this was your idea," Jess teased her.
"I've never been one for planning things out," she admitted, as if that was a bad thing.
Jess loved that about her. "Let's just see where our feet take us," he suggested.
"Okay," she replied, a small smile creeping across her face as he put his arm around her waist.
They walked along in comfortable silence for a while, both just enjoying each other's company. After a few minutes, they found themselves at a certain familiar bridge. Rory chuckled a little.
"What's so funny?" Jess asked her as they sat down, their legs hanging off the edge.
"Do you remember our first picnic here?" she certainly remembered.
"I bought your basket," he mused. "Dean was mad."
"Yeah," Rory sighed, her smile falling a little. She lowered her head slightly, staring into the dark water as she absently twirled her rose in her right hand.
"Hey," Jess broke through her daze by bringing her left hand up to his mouth and kissing her palm. "Come back to me."
She looked up at him. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "I just...you know."
"I know," he said still holding her hand in his lap. An awkward moment of silence ensued. "So, I bought your basket, and then you tricked me into eating something that could have very easily given me food poisoning."
Rory's smile returned. "You wanted to impress me," she giggled.
"Yeah," he smiled. He loved that giggle.
"You always know how to make me smile," she admitted, leaning her head on his shoulder.
"I try," he said putting his arm around her shoulders. He looked at his watch. "Huh," he said simply.
"What is it?" she asked looking at him.
"I think if I don't get you home pretty soon, your mom's going to barbecue me."
"But it's not a school night," Rory protested.
He smiled touching her cheek, "I know, but I did pull you out of your room at eleven o'clock at night refusing to tell you or her where we were going. This constitutes me getting you home before one."
Rory gave him a disappointed look. "Are you sure?" she asked him.
"Yeah," he replied, a slight chuckle in his voice. "I'm pretty sure." He stood up reluctantly.
"Okay," she sighed taking the hand he offered and standing up next to him.
They took the longest possible route home, walking as slowly as humanly possible. They talked about everything under the sun, from books to movies to the idiotic zoo that was Stars Hollow High. They walked, his arm gently resting around her waist, until they reached the door.
"So," Jess said turning toward her.
"So," she smiled at the familiar game.
"I'll see you tomorrow?" he asked, but he already knew the answer.
"Of course," she replied. "It's not Saturday morning without Luke's coffee," she leaned over and kissed him sweetly, "or a kiss from my boyfriend."
He smiled, relishing the feel of her soft lips on his. "Damn good answer," he whispered, leaning in for another lingering kiss. He slid his hand around the back of her neck, caressing her lips with his own. He wished that this kiss could last forever just so he wouldn't have to leave her.
Finally, she pulled away reluctantly. "I don't want to alarm you but most people need to breathe every few minutes," she pointed out.
"Huh," was his reply, smiling his cute little half-smile. "I guess I'll have to take that into consideration the next time I kiss my girlfriend."
Rory smiled, knowing where this was going. "And when would that be?" she asked playing along.
"About..." he leaned closer to her, "...now."
He kissed her one more time. 'Three goodnight kisses,' Rory thought. 'I could so get used to this.' She ran her fingers through his short brown hair. She loved his kisses. They were light chocolate, like coffee. They were chocolate covered espresso beans. She smiled at the thought, still pressing her lips against his. She love the way he held her close to him, as if she might run. She loved the way he was so careful not to hold too tight, as if his touch might bruise her. She loved so many things about him.
Finally, he pulled away. "I guess it's time to say goodnight," he sighed reluctantly.
"Yeah," she replied. Neither of them moved.
"You have to go, Rory," Jess laughed.
She sighed loudly. "Okay, I'm going," she relented starting to back toward the door.
"Goodnight," he said.
Rory opened the door, turning back toward him. "Goodnight."
She finally closed the door, leaning her back against it and touching the rose to her cheek once more. 'Happy Anniversary to me,' she thought smiling.
**So, what'd you guys think? Don't be shy. I won't know if you don't tell me. I want to bring up that I got a little hate mail on one of my other stories tisk-tisking me for demanding reviews before I repost. I'd just like to say that you guys should never take me seriously when I say that. I just do that because it takes me awhile to update and if I say that, I buy myself a couple days. I'm sorry if you guys felt threatened. I didn't mean it! Anyway, feel free to review. I won't DEMAND it. Thanks. Bye. O:)**