A/N: As promised, more R/J action. Hope it's to your satisfaction.
Chapter 8
So why?
~~~
He'd never met anyone quite so inscrutable but what wound him up the most was that he couldn't stop thinking about her.
She'd given him ample reason to push her to the recesses of his mind and yet he found her taking precedence.
Why?
He could just pass if off to her being striking and she was, undeniably so but he couldn't refute that it was more than that.
Something in her eyes had given it away; something had seeped through her self-control to pierce his usual cavalier ness.
And what bothered him just as much, if not more so, was that he was supposed to be thinking of someone else, the person who'd filled his days and nights back in Carolina - Rory.
So why was it that whenever he tried to recall her face he saw Skye instead?
It's just the thrill of the chase, he told himself reassuringly.
Yeah, that was it exactly.
So why didn't he quite believe it?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"How much longer?"
"You really don't grasp the concept of surprises much do you?" he asked mischievously.
"Jess - "
"Come on Ror, just a little while more, I promise."
"Okay." She said grudgingly.
"You have to see it at that certain moment otherwise it defeats the purpose of us being up here." He explained.
"In the middle of the night?"
"It's hardly the middle of the night, besides time doesn't count in the city that never sleeps."
"The city may never sleep but I do, you owe me some serious caffeine Mister!" she said, shaking her finger.
"Ooh stern face." He teased.
She stuck her tongue out at him and he laughed, grabbing hold around her waist.
"Now." He said, turning her to face away from him, pulling her close and resting his chin on her shoulder.
Rory was suddenly very quiet, hardly breathing.
"Jess, it's beautiful." She whispered reverently.
"Yes, there's nothing quite like watching the sunrise from up here." He had brought her to an apartment building near to where he used to live. It had always been a sort of a sanctuary to him and he wanted to share it with her.
"And to think I didn't wanna get out of bed."
"Worth it?" he asked softly in her ear.
"Definitely!" she answered, turning towards him, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"You're missing the view." He murmured amusedly.
"I like this one better." She answered, drawing him closer for a kiss.
Jess could have stayed like that forever.
"Hmm," she said a while later, "If I'm dreaming don't wake me up."
"Oh, you're not dreaming but if you're tired we could head back." He traced her jaw with his index finger, feeling her shiver beneath his touch. He smiled softly.
"No, please. I'm wide awake now." She answered breathlessly.
"Really? Without a second cup of coffee?"
"Yeah, must have something to do with the air." She mused.
"I heard about that actually, its zippy properties are supposed to leave one feeling quite refreshed." He said in mock seriousness.
She reached up to kiss him again.
"I love you Jess Mariano." She whispered solemnly and his heart pounded at the words. He would never tire of them.
"I love you Rory Gilmore."
"So shall we begin the next phase of the tour?" he asked later.
"Lead on."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rory found herself in one of the coffee shops in Greenwich Village, the aroma of cocoa beans permeating the air.
"What will it be?" Jess asked her.
"I don't know, there's so many to choose from."
"They're all good." He reassured her.
"That doesn't help me much." She answered ruefully, "My mom would love it here."
"Yeah and Luke would be going into cardiac arrest."
They shared reminiscent smiles.
"Have you decided yet?" he asked indulgently, somewhat later.
"How's the Caramello?" she asked pointing to the far end of the board.
"Delicious. It's caramel flavoured coffee topped with whipped cream and cinnamon."
"Sold." She said eagerly.
"Thought so, why don't you grab a table and I'll get the order."
"Works for me, mind if we sit outside though? I wanna soak up the atmosphere."
"Anything for you milady."
"You're too kind good sir." She smiled as she made her way to an empty table.
Jess joined her a couple of minutes later, placing a steaming hot mug in from of her and a couple of muffins.
"Your caffeine fix as promised."
"Smells delicious."
"They're addictive." He warned her.
"What did you order?"
"The Peppermento."
"Sounds daring."
"Hey you know I'm just a regular evil knevil with a penchant for peppermint mocha and sweet kisses." He grinned devishly.
"Are you hinting?"
"Hell yeah!"
"Who am I to deny such a plea?" she teased, leaning over the table to appease his appetite for the latter.
Rory took a tentative sip of her coffee; "This is really amazing!"
"Glad you like it."
"So, are we ever gonna talk about it?" she asked, breaking the silence between them when their coffee was almost finished, their fingers still entwined.
"About what?"
"Last night." She quipped.
"Well?" she asked when no answer was forthcoming, "What are you thinking about?"
"About what Skye would have said if she knew we were going to have this conversation."
"Would she be angry?" Rory asked sensitively.
"No, more confused as to why, according to her, we would waste our time."
"Something's bothering her isn't it?"
"Yes Rory," he sighed, " but honestly, I don't know what it is."
"You should go talk to her." she insisted.
Rory knew and accepted that Jess and Skye were close. She didn't have a problem with that. If they could do something to get Skye to feel better then she would be very glad.
"I know, but she's not ready yet."
Rory watched as his eyes lit up in worried amusement after another momentary lapse in the conversation.
"Share." She said softly.
"I was thinking several years back. On top of the building we were on this morning,"
"Yes?" she encouraged.
"We had argued one day in class and I was really mad. This was before we were really friends. I had thought the argument was over but she was thinking the exact opposite, she followed me up there, which only made me even more furious. Firstly how dare she invade my space you know?"
Rory smiled at him indulgently.
"Secondly she was a girl. Girls weren't supposed to be able to climb up ladders to roofs of apartment buildings," he laughed in self-derision,
"Apparently I had walked away when she hadn't finished ranting which had enraged her further. I had the audacity to tell her I didn't have time for a lot of hot air and she kicked me. She was a live wire even then."
He laughed and Rory joined in, picturing the two of them as little kids.
"What happened next?"
"That was actually the real start of our friendship. We were inseparable after that. I know this is probably gonna sound weird but I am so glad we argued that day. Who know what might've happened if we hadn't."
Rory offered her other hand across the table and Jess put his in hers. She lifted them to her lips, gently kissing his knuckles. She saw his eyes darken at the gesture.
"I don't think it sounds weird at all."
"You don't?"
"No," she insisted, "I think it sounds like you appreciate the fact that she's in your life. You care about her and that just makes you who you are."
"Thanks, can I ask you something?"
"Of course you can."
"I just don't want you to take it the wrong way." He explained, making Rory more curious.
"I won't."
"Do you think maybe," still he hesitated.
"Jess - " she warned.
"Do you think maybe, Tristan said something to her?"
"He must have because the tension between the two of them, when we got back, it was glacial." She recalled.
"Yeah but what? Skye's normally very laid back."
"Maybe, it had nothing to do with Tristan at all." She reasoned.
"You're right there, but still I wonder."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She couldn't get the cocky, egotistical son of a gun out of her head no matter how hard she tried.
And she had tried.
When he wasn't filling her mind, he was invading her dreams. For goodness sake was there no reprieve?
Skye was livid.
The main cause being that she doubted her reactions to his questioning. Maybe he had just been trying to be friendly, make the most of what had started out as an awkward situation.
And what had she gone and done? Just added fuel to the fire. He probably never wanted to see her again.
Not that she cared. she didn't, she told herself.
She was just feeling guilty because he was a friend of Rory's and she hadn't made an effort to be more affable.
That was the only reason.
So why didn't she quite believe it?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: So what did you think? Suggestions most welcome.
Chapter 8
So why?
~~~
He'd never met anyone quite so inscrutable but what wound him up the most was that he couldn't stop thinking about her.
She'd given him ample reason to push her to the recesses of his mind and yet he found her taking precedence.
Why?
He could just pass if off to her being striking and she was, undeniably so but he couldn't refute that it was more than that.
Something in her eyes had given it away; something had seeped through her self-control to pierce his usual cavalier ness.
And what bothered him just as much, if not more so, was that he was supposed to be thinking of someone else, the person who'd filled his days and nights back in Carolina - Rory.
So why was it that whenever he tried to recall her face he saw Skye instead?
It's just the thrill of the chase, he told himself reassuringly.
Yeah, that was it exactly.
So why didn't he quite believe it?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"How much longer?"
"You really don't grasp the concept of surprises much do you?" he asked mischievously.
"Jess - "
"Come on Ror, just a little while more, I promise."
"Okay." She said grudgingly.
"You have to see it at that certain moment otherwise it defeats the purpose of us being up here." He explained.
"In the middle of the night?"
"It's hardly the middle of the night, besides time doesn't count in the city that never sleeps."
"The city may never sleep but I do, you owe me some serious caffeine Mister!" she said, shaking her finger.
"Ooh stern face." He teased.
She stuck her tongue out at him and he laughed, grabbing hold around her waist.
"Now." He said, turning her to face away from him, pulling her close and resting his chin on her shoulder.
Rory was suddenly very quiet, hardly breathing.
"Jess, it's beautiful." She whispered reverently.
"Yes, there's nothing quite like watching the sunrise from up here." He had brought her to an apartment building near to where he used to live. It had always been a sort of a sanctuary to him and he wanted to share it with her.
"And to think I didn't wanna get out of bed."
"Worth it?" he asked softly in her ear.
"Definitely!" she answered, turning towards him, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"You're missing the view." He murmured amusedly.
"I like this one better." She answered, drawing him closer for a kiss.
Jess could have stayed like that forever.
"Hmm," she said a while later, "If I'm dreaming don't wake me up."
"Oh, you're not dreaming but if you're tired we could head back." He traced her jaw with his index finger, feeling her shiver beneath his touch. He smiled softly.
"No, please. I'm wide awake now." She answered breathlessly.
"Really? Without a second cup of coffee?"
"Yeah, must have something to do with the air." She mused.
"I heard about that actually, its zippy properties are supposed to leave one feeling quite refreshed." He said in mock seriousness.
She reached up to kiss him again.
"I love you Jess Mariano." She whispered solemnly and his heart pounded at the words. He would never tire of them.
"I love you Rory Gilmore."
"So shall we begin the next phase of the tour?" he asked later.
"Lead on."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rory found herself in one of the coffee shops in Greenwich Village, the aroma of cocoa beans permeating the air.
"What will it be?" Jess asked her.
"I don't know, there's so many to choose from."
"They're all good." He reassured her.
"That doesn't help me much." She answered ruefully, "My mom would love it here."
"Yeah and Luke would be going into cardiac arrest."
They shared reminiscent smiles.
"Have you decided yet?" he asked indulgently, somewhat later.
"How's the Caramello?" she asked pointing to the far end of the board.
"Delicious. It's caramel flavoured coffee topped with whipped cream and cinnamon."
"Sold." She said eagerly.
"Thought so, why don't you grab a table and I'll get the order."
"Works for me, mind if we sit outside though? I wanna soak up the atmosphere."
"Anything for you milady."
"You're too kind good sir." She smiled as she made her way to an empty table.
Jess joined her a couple of minutes later, placing a steaming hot mug in from of her and a couple of muffins.
"Your caffeine fix as promised."
"Smells delicious."
"They're addictive." He warned her.
"What did you order?"
"The Peppermento."
"Sounds daring."
"Hey you know I'm just a regular evil knevil with a penchant for peppermint mocha and sweet kisses." He grinned devishly.
"Are you hinting?"
"Hell yeah!"
"Who am I to deny such a plea?" she teased, leaning over the table to appease his appetite for the latter.
Rory took a tentative sip of her coffee; "This is really amazing!"
"Glad you like it."
"So, are we ever gonna talk about it?" she asked, breaking the silence between them when their coffee was almost finished, their fingers still entwined.
"About what?"
"Last night." She quipped.
"Well?" she asked when no answer was forthcoming, "What are you thinking about?"
"About what Skye would have said if she knew we were going to have this conversation."
"Would she be angry?" Rory asked sensitively.
"No, more confused as to why, according to her, we would waste our time."
"Something's bothering her isn't it?"
"Yes Rory," he sighed, " but honestly, I don't know what it is."
"You should go talk to her." she insisted.
Rory knew and accepted that Jess and Skye were close. She didn't have a problem with that. If they could do something to get Skye to feel better then she would be very glad.
"I know, but she's not ready yet."
Rory watched as his eyes lit up in worried amusement after another momentary lapse in the conversation.
"Share." She said softly.
"I was thinking several years back. On top of the building we were on this morning,"
"Yes?" she encouraged.
"We had argued one day in class and I was really mad. This was before we were really friends. I had thought the argument was over but she was thinking the exact opposite, she followed me up there, which only made me even more furious. Firstly how dare she invade my space you know?"
Rory smiled at him indulgently.
"Secondly she was a girl. Girls weren't supposed to be able to climb up ladders to roofs of apartment buildings," he laughed in self-derision,
"Apparently I had walked away when she hadn't finished ranting which had enraged her further. I had the audacity to tell her I didn't have time for a lot of hot air and she kicked me. She was a live wire even then."
He laughed and Rory joined in, picturing the two of them as little kids.
"What happened next?"
"That was actually the real start of our friendship. We were inseparable after that. I know this is probably gonna sound weird but I am so glad we argued that day. Who know what might've happened if we hadn't."
Rory offered her other hand across the table and Jess put his in hers. She lifted them to her lips, gently kissing his knuckles. She saw his eyes darken at the gesture.
"I don't think it sounds weird at all."
"You don't?"
"No," she insisted, "I think it sounds like you appreciate the fact that she's in your life. You care about her and that just makes you who you are."
"Thanks, can I ask you something?"
"Of course you can."
"I just don't want you to take it the wrong way." He explained, making Rory more curious.
"I won't."
"Do you think maybe," still he hesitated.
"Jess - " she warned.
"Do you think maybe, Tristan said something to her?"
"He must have because the tension between the two of them, when we got back, it was glacial." She recalled.
"Yeah but what? Skye's normally very laid back."
"Maybe, it had nothing to do with Tristan at all." She reasoned.
"You're right there, but still I wonder."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She couldn't get the cocky, egotistical son of a gun out of her head no matter how hard she tried.
And she had tried.
When he wasn't filling her mind, he was invading her dreams. For goodness sake was there no reprieve?
Skye was livid.
The main cause being that she doubted her reactions to his questioning. Maybe he had just been trying to be friendly, make the most of what had started out as an awkward situation.
And what had she gone and done? Just added fuel to the fire. He probably never wanted to see her again.
Not that she cared. she didn't, she told herself.
She was just feeling guilty because he was a friend of Rory's and she hadn't made an effort to be more affable.
That was the only reason.
So why didn't she quite believe it?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: So what did you think? Suggestions most welcome.