A/N: This is where it stops being based on real life events and starts being purely fictional.

** Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters of Gilmore Girls. If I were that all powerful then Jess would be staying put! So, in summation... Please don't sue me!**

June 2001


It was raining when the cab pulled up at his apartment building. She paid the driver and got out.

She wasn't sure what she was going to say when he opened the door. She was still worried that she had the wrong address. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the crumpled piece of paper.

When she started shivering, she realized it was still raining and she had been standing there looking at the outside of the building for so long that her hair and clothes were soaked.

She walked up the steps and the door to the building opened.

"Hey." Smiled a woman, holding the door open for her on her way out. "In or out?"

"Oh, in. Thank you." Smiled Rory, as she ducked under the woman's arm and into the building.

The door closed behind her. It was quiet except for the sound of loud music coming from somewhere above.
There was a hall way to her right and a staircase to her left.

She remembered him saying something about sneaking out down the fire escape sometimes and decided that meant his apartment wasn't on the ground floor, so she took the stairs.

It was dark. Either the power was out or no one had bothered to turn the lights on.

She flicked a switch at the top of the staircase. Nothing. She'd just have to find his apartment without light.

She walked down the hall in front of her. The numbers got higher the further she went. She stopped at the end of the hall, looking at his apartment door. She couldn't bring herself to knock on it.

She looked at her watch. It was late afternoon, and she had to go back early the next day. Every minute she spent hesitating was a minute wasted.

She knocked and waited. Nothing. She knocked again. Nothing.

Rory sighed. He wasn't there. She felt tears coming to her eyes.
She rested her back against the wall next to the door and slid down, sitting on the floor.

*****


Jess looked at the back of the CD case he was holding and smiled a little, then he put it back in the bag.

He unlocked the door to the building and shut it behind him. He shook his head and ran his hand through his hair. He cringed at how wet it still was. He took his jacket off and beat it against the doorframe. More drops of water hit the floor.

As he approached the apartment he looked up and saw a figure sitting by the door.

He rolled his eyes. Liz had probably lost her keys or given them to her new boyfriend. He hadn't seen her in a few days, so he assumed she was out with the next love of her life.

Rory looked up when she heard footsteps. She wondered if it was him, and stood up.

Jess realized it wasn't Liz. He finally reached the apartment.

"Hey." He frowned, studying her face.

"Hi." She smiled nervously.

He tilted his head to the side and frowned.

"Rory?"

She blushed and looked down at her shoes.

"Yeah." She smiled, looking back up at him. "How did you know?"

He shrugged.

"I don't know… I just…did."

She nodded. He noticed that her clothes were wet.

"Come on in." He said, unlocking the door and letting them both in.

"Thanks."

"Sorry about the mess. I've had the apartment to myself the last few days. I'm not one for housekeeping." He smiled, shutting the door.

"That's ok. It looks like my mom's bedroom." She mused. "I'm used to mess."

"Good." He said. "Can I… take your jacket or something?" He asked.

"Um… ok." She slipped it off, and was amazed to see that her shirt was wet also. She thought it would have stopped at her jacket.

He walked away and came back with a dry shirt.

"Here. I would give you something of my moms, but I got a feeling you don't share the same taste in clothes." He smiled.

She took the shirt.

"Thanks. Is there somewhere I can…?"

"Oh, sure. Sorry." He led her over to the bathroom.

"Thanks." She smiled again, going in and shutting the door.

He pulled his wet shirt off over his head and picked up a dry shirt from the stack of laundry on the couch.

Rory came out of the bathroom just as he finished putting it on. She blushed and looked away.

"Hey." He smiled. His shirt was way too big on her. "Great fit."

"Yeah. And it's black. Everything goes with black." She said.

"True." He nodded.

They stood looking at each other, but neither of them spoke.