Chapter 9 – I wanted world to paint

Jess' POV

Disclaimer: As you all know from previous chapters, I own nothing to do with Gilmore Girls and I don't own any book or author references.

A/N: I know I say this in every chapter, but thanks so much to everyone for the great reviews! I NEVER thought I'd get reviews like that, and I'm really glad you're liking this! I never used to write stuff like this, but I really like doing it…this story is going to end up being a lot longer than I thought it would be! I know Rory and Dean's breakup was pretty typical, but I couldn't think of any other way to do it. Enjoy!   ~Arianna

I walked to Luke's with Rory. She sat down at the counter, and I went back to get her some coffee.

"Thanks, Jess," she said. There were still tears in her eyes.

"Are you really okay?" I asked.

"I will be. I never thought it would happen this way…"

"You thought it would happen?" I pressed.

"Jess."

"Was it because of me?" I shouldn't have asked. I really had to know. It was quite possible that Luke had been wrong. That Rory had only ever looked at me like her friend.

"Not entirely," Rory finally answered, looking away. Not entirely? It was, it really was. Luke was right…

"It must have hurt, huh?"

"It hurt a lot," she said shortly. "I have to get home."

"Okay. Want me to come…"

She shook her head. I was kind of disappointed.

"I would," she told me. "But…you probably shouldn't be around my house right now…"

I smiled slightly, and Rory left. She broke up with Dean, she broke up with Dean. It was all I could think about. It wasn't too long before Luke came storming in.

"I bet you've heard," he said.

"What?"

"Well, somebody must have told you!"

"Told me what?"

"Rory and Dean," he stated.

"Oh, that. Yes, I've heard. From Rory."

"That's just great! Luke yelled. "Get involved…leave her alone, she has to get over it, Jess!"

"Rory came to me."

"She what?"

"She came in, she told me. She was crying! What was I supposed to do, tell her to go away? Like I'd ever do that."

"You've done it."

"Not to Rory."

The next night, after working at Luke's for a few hours, I went over to the bridge.  I hadn't seen Rory all day. She was sitting there, silently. I knew she was still upset. And I could understand. Even about Dean. I hated him, but I knew Rory didn't…she never would.

I walked over and sat next to her.

"Hey," she said softly.

"You're taking this really hard, aren't you?" I replied.

"I guess."

"Why are you here?"

"I'm just thinking…" she said.

"I really do know how it feels," I said finally.

"What do you mean?"

"When someone you care about doesn't want to be with you, and you know you hurt them and you wish you hadn't…" I'd said too much.

"Jess," Rory said. "I read Farewell to Arms."

"Did you like it?" I asked, moving closer to her on the bridge.

"Yeah, actually, I loved it," she told me, looking up at me. Suddenly, I leaned over and kissed her. And she kissed me back. It was great, it felt… I had never felt like that. I'd never kissed anyone like Rory.

Rory pulled away.

"Rory…I liked The Fountainhead too," I said. She put her arms around me, and kissed me again, quickly. I held her, and we stayed there for a while.

"I have to go," she explained, getting up.

"Rory…" I stood up too, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry. If—" It broke my heart to say this—"if you want to get back together with Dean…"

"I'm not getting back together with Dean. You were right."

I grinned.

"Read Ayn Rand's other stuff!" she called. I put my hands in my pockets and stared after her as she left. I was really glad I'd left New York. Because Rory was in Stars Hollow.

A couple hours later, the phone rang in the apartment. Luke was nowhere around, so I picked it up.

"Hey Jess," a familiar voice said.

"Hey, Rory." She called me!

"I…I thought we should talk." I carried the phone over to my bed and sat down.

"What about?"

"You know. What happened—on the bridge."

"Oh yeah, that."

"Well, well…so what are we?"

"What are we?" I inquired.

"You kissed me, Jess!" she said.

"You kissed me," I replied softly.

"I know," Rory said, quietly. "And it was great." I was glad she was talking over the phone, because I couldn't stop smiling.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I've never…I've never felt anything like that…Jess? Did you—"

"I loved it," I assured her. I could tell she was grinning too.

"So what are we?" Rory asked me again.

"I don't know," I told her. "More than friends?"

She sounded happy. "More than friends," Rory agreed.