A/N Sorry I took so long. I rejected my original chapters 5-7 and was stuck on how to make it less dark. Yes you heard correct, it turned into a right-angsty fic on me.

Chapter 5

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Dear Mom,

I'm writing this more for myself than for you. If you ever actually read this I think I'd have to kill you. I just don't think I'd ever believe it actually happened if I didn't try to remember it.

First, I have a few confessions to make. I know that they'd make you mad if you actually read this. So let's pretend we're in Rory-land. Where the Brady Bunch plays all day long on five different TV channels, and her Mom shouts 'Hooray! Rory went to NY and lost her virginity!'. It's the only way to explain why I ended up here.

I went for a walk with Jess after I left you in the diner yesterday morning. But I didn't go to Lane's like I planned. You see, Jess told me he wanted to get away for a little bit. It just felt like everywhere we went, people were watching us, acting as part of Luke's hired network of spies.

We decided to go spend a day in New York. At first it felt just like that horrible time I was late for your graduation day, but Jess convinced me that we'd be back home by evening before you even noticed.

It was the best day Mom, but not romantic comedy material. Jess showed me all his favorite places and we had an unusually affordable dinner at this bar that reminded me of that stuffy saloon at the Independence Inn.

I was tired, so we decided to have a quick rest at his Mom's place (which was deserted by the way). One thing led to another and Jess and I ended up staying the night.

Don't even say it! I know what you're thinking (Why do I keep making excuses like you really are going to read this?), but this time I can't tell you what you want to hear. All I will tell you is that I love him so much.

And then I think God decided that my first time was a little too perfect for real life.

I woke up to a strangled yelp coming from the bathroom. At first I panicked, thinking Jess's Mom had walked in on us. Then I saw Luke run out of the bathroom. I screamed. Okay, not the most rational thing to do, but there it is. I mean, he's like a father to me and here I was, half naked.

When I had covered myself up satisfactory, he asked me in a strangled voice whether he looked like Luke. Thinking he'd gone mad, I nodded slowly replied that he did. He then asked me who I was.

You know what? I think I'm just going to come out and say it, rather than dragging it out. Somehow, I woke up in your body Mom. It's your hand writing this letter. I wonder if you miss it? Or maybe you're borrowing mine for the day. If you have, you've taken borrowing my stuff to a whole new level and I want it back now!

As for Jess. I finally figured out that he wasn't Luke. You'd think he would have calmed down a little after that. Instead he ran back to the bathroom and locked himself in for the rest of the morning. It took a box of pizza and a long rational debate for him to finally come out. Even then, he made me feel like the whole thing was my fault.

I have not stopped ringing home since then. Why won't you pick up? I don't care if this is your fault, I just want things fixed. Rub that genie lamp and undo the stupid wish, okay?

I would come home, but Jess said that there was no way (he swore by the hot scary place under the earth) he was driving into Stars Hollow looking like Luke.

Love Rory.

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Above all things (apart from gossip, of course), Miss Patty loved teaching couples how to dance. To her, it was like a romance in play as the couples gradually learned to move about the floor as one. It was one of the reasons why she had preferred watching the dance marathon, as opposed to participating in it herself.

So, when young Rory Gilmore and Jess Mariano suddenly graced her noon class with their presence that day, Miss Patty was beside herself with excitement at the potential challenge awaiting her.

"Well, well, well." Her lips slowly curved into what she thought was a seductive smile. "What would two young lovers such as yourselves be up to on a school day?"

"Jess wants dancing lessons."

It may have been exactly what Patty was expecting, but it quickly became apparent that this was news to Luke. His laugh came out unconvincingly as a half-cough, half-wheeze. Jess or no Jess, he was not shuffling his feet around for anybody, especially Lorelai.

Patty shook her head sadly as if standing over a coffin. "Another deprived youth. Let's hope I'm not too late to instil the basics of rhythm into you."

"Believe me when I tell you it's too late." He muttered.

"You just voluntarily told us you can't dance." Lorelai pointed out wickedly.

"Couldn't-wouldn't-shouldn't. Take your pick."

He got stony glares from both women. Luke sighed. "You want to dance? Knock yourself out. I'm going to sit down over THERE where it's safe." He strolled off towards the bench along the wall, leaving Lorelai to apologize to Miss Patty for his behavior.

"He's had a busy morning."

"So I heard." Miss Patty beamed down at her. "And you won't find a better refuge from Taylor either. He'd rather count his oranges than come to one of my lessons. Speaking of which, if you'll excuse me, I'd better get the class started on warm ups."

"Thank you."

Luke gave her a dark scowl as she sat down next to him. "You see those feet?" He pointed down at his shoes.

"There's two of them." She shot back rudely.

"They're not moving."

"Duly noted."

"Not budging an inch from this spot."

"Righty."

"Just so we're clear on that."

"Luke is not moving Jess's feet. Got it."

"Good."

Lorelai stamped down hard on his foot.

"OW!" Luke pulled his foot away from her. "What was that for?"

"You lied."

Busy cradling his right foot on his left knee, Luke pretended to ignore her. For a while, they were both silent as they watched the class finish their warm-ups. Miss Patty put on one of her old tapes and the couples began moving to well-practised steps.

"How come you didn't join the dance marathon?" Lorelai's eyes remained focussed on the waltz in progress.

"And it was full of such good memories too!"

"It was fun!"

"Yeah, when that little bastard broke up with Rory in front of everyone."

"That was at the END of the night."

"The fight between Sookie and Jackson."

"Not my fault!"

"The shoe I had to mend."

"All for a good cause."

"You let Kirk win!"

"Well maybe if you offered to be my partner in the first place…" She huffed and hugged herself around the stomach.

"I don't dance."

"Did your legs tell you that?"

"Yes. They told me they didn't want Lorelai Gilmore's feet giving them shin kicks for twenty-four hours in order to keep me awake."

Lorelai gaped. "You don't mean that!"

"Let's just say I knew the real reason why your daughter was crying at the end of the night."

That was the last straw. "Stand up!"

Judging by the look on her face, Luke decided there was a fifty-fifty chance that she was going to slap him across the jaw.

"I think I'll stay right here thanks. What the-" He was yanked to his feet unceremoniously. Lorelai's hand went up and wrapped itself gently around his shoulder.

"Lorelai. What, are you doing?" Luke gave her a warning look that would have made most women back off at once.

"One dance." She curled her lips in the familiar pout. "To prove you wrong."

He was going to ask how long Lorelai believed 'one dance' to be when he realised that his hand had already reached out and touched her waist. But even now, as a sign of the many secrets he kept hidden, Luke held her at arms length as they awkwardly began rocking from side to side.

For one short blissful moment, the couple forgot where they were. Lorelai kept strangely quiet and let herself be swept up and away. A new song began to play and she allowed herself sink more comfortably into Jess's arms.

"An oldie but a goodie." She murmured against him.

In Jess's arms.

Luke opened his eyes. Rory. He was dancing with Rory.

"Gah!" They both shouted out at the same time, jumping away from each other like they had been stung by a swarm of bees. Miss Patty's twelve noon glass gave them odd looks.

"She er-she stood on my foot again." Luke grumbled to no one in particular.

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"I am sooooo hungry. You're making me dinner right?"

"After what you put me through this afternoon, don't you think you're pushing it just a little?"

"I got you to dance!" And Lorelai pretended that that was all she cared about. Luke had referred to the afternoon's incident a little more lightly than she wanted.

"Exactly. Which is why I deserve a Gilmore-free dinner."

"You're on a roll with those insults today aren't you?" Lorelai snapped. Much to her delight, it made Luke smile.

The problem was, it wasn't Luke smiling at her. It was Jess's face that was making her feel warmer than she should. It was Jess's touch that had made her go all ga-ga and forget that the town's worst gossip had a front row seat.

Suddenly she felt afraid of what it might mean.

"Lorelai. Are you okay?"

As a matter of fact. No she wasn't. He was making her break a rule. A very important rule: Physical attraction first, followed by falling in love with the mushy insides of your lover second. He was screwing the order all up!

"Gnomes!" She turned away from him. "Let's go steal some gnomes to add to Jess's collection."

Luke shook his head at her. "You are a demon in disguise!"

"Me disguised as Rory." She tilted her head thoughtfully. "Yup, for once you're right. I need a patch for my eye don't I? Ooooh look at that one!" She pointed to one in the backyard to her right.

"It's ugly!"

"Are you kidding? It's got a green hat! I bet Jess hasn't got one with a green hat!"

"Stop tempting me with gnomes! I'm not Jess!"

"I'm getting it for his birthday!" Lorelai started to run into the yard, but Luke grabbed her from behind and lifted her by the stomach so that her shoes couldn't touch the ground.

"Ahhh! No fair!"

"Come on, we're going this way!" He started dragging her towards the diner.

"Ah stop! We need to go that way!" With her feet dangling uselessly in the air, she could only point hopefully in the direction of her house.

"What's there?"

"We were going there for dinner, remember?"

"But I thought you wanted me to make you dinner?"

"That's the plan!"

"With what? Left over fried noodles from two weeks ago?"

"You're a creative guy. You'll figure something out."

Luke groaned and suddenly dropped her. "You weigh a ton!"

"Correction: Rory weighs a ton, I'm feather light."

"No more pancakes for you."

"But I'm Rory. You can't say no to Rory. Look I haven't figured out how to make that puppy dog face of hers. Here...does this look like it?"

Luke looked unimpressed.

"But when I do know how to make the face, you'll say yes, right?"

"No."

"Say yes, or I'm running off to a life of crime."

"I don't suppose there's any chance that this doesn't involve gnomes and Jess's rep?"

"Glad to see you've already met my good friend Mr Blackmail."

"No."

"I'm going! Watch me leave!"

"No."

"Green hats, blue scarves, who knows how low I'll go."

"I said no Lorelai!"

"Bye!" Lorelai ran ahead before he could catch her again. She skipped into a yard at the end of the block and hid behind a large tree.

"Lorelai? He calls you Lorelai?" A voice breathed in her ear.

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TBC