Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls, blah blah or anything-associated w/ the show. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

A/N- Just a few chapters to go. I'm already planning 2 more Gilmore Girls stories, one of which I'll ask your opinion on at the end of this chapter.

-Chapter 9-

Rory stood as Shane and Dean approached the bench she and Jess were sitting on. "Hi, Rory." Dean smiled at her and pulled Shane even closer. "Glad to see you and Jess are finally an item. Watching you two look at each with puppy dog eyes was getting a little hard to handle."

Rory ignored the comment. "What are you two doing together?"

"I'm taking you advice. You remember, right? You told me to go after someone besides Jess." She looked up at Dean, before continuing. "It didn't take much convincing to make Dean see that I'd be a much better girlfriend than you did."

"But you two.it doesn't make sense. You're total opposites."

"Like you and Jess?" Dean asked. "Let's get out of here Shane."

"We can go back to my place." Shane said eagerly and began to lead him away.

Rory exclaimed, "That makes me so mad!"

Jess only shrugged. "What?"

"Her. Them. All of it." Her felt exasperated trying to explain it to him.

"Why?"

Crossing her arms, she stumbled to find the right words. "Well, because she's only using him. I mean, please, the only reason she would go after my ex-boyfriend is to hurt me. And Dean's just trying to make me jealous."

Looking up at his girlfriend, Jess frowned. "So?"

"Excuse me?"

"I said so?" Jess repeated. "So what and who cares? Let them use each other. It's not like you're dating Dean anymore. If they want to play their games, let them. Last time I checked we were together. Unless you're rethinking that."

"No."

"Then again, I repeat, so what?"

Sitting down, Rory was speechless for a few minutes. "It's just hard."

"What is, Rory?" He turned to face her.

"Seeing Dean with someone else. Anyone else. It's not because he's with Shane; it's because he's with another girl. I'm not jealous. At least I don't think I am. I chose you and I'm not going to change my mind. I just wasn't prepared and it caught me off guard."

"You've moved on, why shouldn't he?"

"He should. I don't think it should be with Shane." Jess raised his eyebrows at her and she sighed. "But he can date whoever he wants. Right?" Her voice was still a little uncertain.

"Right." Jess got to his feet and held his hand out to Rory. "Shall we continue on our long trek to Luke's?"

"We shall." Rory agreed, taking his hand and pulling herself up off the bench.

~*~*~

"Hey babe!" Lorelei greeted as Rory and Jess walked into the diner.

Jess smirked and couldn't resist. "Hey." He called back.

"I wasn't talking to you." She snatched Rory's hand and pulled her into the chair next to her own. "But you can get us coffee."

"Do I look like a maid to you? I'm not working today."

Lorelei gave him a hard stare. "Do I look like I care? No, now scoot or you can't see Rory."

"You can't do that." Jess argued.

Lorelei shook her head. "Foolish boy. I can do anything I want."

"Rory's a person, she can make up her own mind."

"True," She agreed. "But if she's grounded, for say the next 10 years, you'll be unable to see her for say the next 10 years."

"Even prisoners have the right to have visitors."

"Solitary confinement. Not to mention the torture. It won't be pretty, Jess. I doubt you'll want to see her like that or vice versa for that matter."

Jess opened his mouth to make a comeback, but Rory cut him off. "You're not going to win this one, Jess. It's pointless to argue with a Gilmore when it comes to coffee. And I'm going to have to agree with my mother on this one. Scoot or you can't see me anymore." Jess frowned, but left to get the pot of coffee from behind the counter.

"Take your time!" Lorelei called after him.

"Is there a reason you want him gone so badly?" Rory asked, when he was out of earshot.

"You're never gonna guess who I saw walking down the street with their hands all over each other."

"Dean and Shane?" She replied, trying to sound nonchalant.

Lorelei's mouth opened slightly in shock. "Good guess?" She asked.

"Nope, I saw them with my own two eyes."

"And you're ok with this?"

Rory shrugged. "Is there a reason I shouldn't be?"

"Oh, just the months upon months you two spent together."

"I'll admit, I was a little thrown at first, but I'm fine now. I've got Jess and he's all I need."

Lorelei rolled her eyes. "I think I'm gonna hurl."

"Why's that?" Jess appeared behind her with the pot of coffee.

"You just have that power over my up-chuck reflex. Now, pour." She commanded, pointing to her coffee mug.

Rory shook her head. "Nice, Mom, be nice."

"Can I help it if he makes it so dang easy?"

~*~*~

"I never liked that girl." Lane commented that night as she talked to Rory over the phone.

"You're not the only one." Rory leaned back on the pillows she had propped up behind her on the couch.

"You two like swapped boyfriends. Except she got the better end of the deal."

Rory frowned. "What's that suppose to mean?"

"Well, it's never been a secret that Jess isn't my favorite person."

"Why does everyone in this town hate, Jess?"

"I could answer that for you." Lorelei responded coming down the steps.

"Hush, Mom." She said, before putting the phone back to her ear. "I'll talk to you later, Lane. I think me and my mom are going to argue over Jess again."

"Don't listen to her Lane!" Lorelei called, leaning close to the mouthpiece. "She's making me sound like the bad guy and it's just not true."

"Bye, Lane." Rory said and clicked the phone off. "You look pretty. Going somewhere?"

Lorelei smiled happily. "Yes."

"Where?"

"Out."

"You sound like Jess." Rory teased.

"Ewww!" She placed her hand on her forehead in mock horror. "Oh no! Anything but that!"

"Going out with Mr. Fisherman?" Rory asked.

"He's more than a fisherman. He also gives me lots of coffee." Lorelei said, as if explaining why she would date the guy.

Rory stated. "I know another man who brings you lots of coffee."

"Who?"

Rory answered, looking at her directly at her mother. "Luke."

"He is God sent, isn't he?" After taking in her daughter's expression, she questioned, "What? What are you getting at?"

"Nothing."

"Liar! I thought I raised you better than that."

Rory simply shrugged innocently. "I think you two would be really cute together. That's all."

"He's my friend."

"That's where it all starts. Look at me and Jess."

Lorelei cried out, "Poppy-cock!"

"It's true."

Changing her defense, Lorelei told her daughter. "You and Jess would be related if we got married."

"Step-cousins. No incest there."

"It would still be weird and icky and wrong." Just then the doorbell rang and Lorelei went to answer it. "You're talking crazy, my dear." She said before opening. "I love you more than life itself, but you have truly lost your mind this time." Then she swung the door open and smiled at her date.



A/N- Ok, first off. Not sure where I'm gonna go w/ Luke and Lorelei, maybe nowhere. Anyway, on to my other story idea. This one is a period piece, which is the reason I'm asking your opinion before I write and post it. Would any of you even be interested in reading a story that takes place in the past?