Disclaimer: Plain and simple, I don't own Gilmore Girls
A/N: The last chapter was kind of a filler, but it was kind of necessary. I even dropped a few hints.
-Chapter 11-
"I can do this." Lorelei said, standing in front of Luke's early the next morning. "Nothing to be afraid of."
"Then why aren't you moving?" Rory asked from beside her.
"I'm not hungry?" She tried.
Rory snorted. "Ha! Who in their right mind would believe that?" She looked over at her mother and felt sorry for teasing her. "It'll be ok, I promise."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
"How did you face Jess after you kissed him at Sookie's wedding?"
Rory laughed slightly. "I didn't. I fled the state, remember?"
"Oh yeah." Lorelei nodded. "But what about when you came back?"
"I pretended like it never happened, or at least I tried to. I was with Dean and he had Shane."
"What a tangled web of deceit." She glanced at the diner out of the corner of her eye. "Let's go." She said firmly and stepped towards the door. With a final deep breath, she opened it and walked in with Rory behind her, neither saw Dean standing a short ways down the road.
`````
"Hi." Lorelei's was soft, almost shy, as Luke approached their table.
"Hey." Luke answered, not meeting her eye. "You two ready to order?"
"Coffee." She replied and then smiled. "Unless I'm still banned."
"That depends. You going to call me Lukey again?"
"Not today."
Luke nodded. "Then you may have coffee. Today." He poured them each a cup and walked away with a promise to return later to take their orders. Lorelei smirked as he walked away.
"What?" Rory asked, unsure if she really wanted the answer. "What are you thinking?"
"There are worse nicknames than Lukey." Her smile was truly wicked.
"Mom, be nice."
Lorelei frowned. "But nice is no fun." She sat back in her chair. "Jess needs a nickname too, but I think I'll leave that up to you."
"Jess isn't really a nickname kind of person."
"Then he probably wouldn't like Sugar Lips, Jessie-Pooh, Sweetie Pie, James Dean Wannabe, or Jess Master J."
"Probably.wait, Jess Master J?"
Lorelei shrugged. "It could work."
"No more MTV for you." Rory informed her.
"Yes, mom."
Jess came over then. "Role reversal? Is that something they taught you in therapy?"
"Therapy? Us? Why whatever would give you that idea?" Rory looked at him, her face the picture of total innocence.
"Just a hunch."
"I feel insulted." Lorelei stated.
Rory agreed. "Me too."
"I didn't want to do this."
Jess frowned and knitted his eyebrows together. "Do what?"
Rory gasped. "Not the new nickname?"
Lorelei nodded. "It has to be done. He questioned our sanity."
"If you must." Rory finally consented.
"Should I be worried?" Jess stepped back a little.
Lorelei stood up and faced him, her voice loud. "Hey everybody! Can I have your attention please?" Everyone in the diner looked up. "I just wanted to inform you that he," She pointed to Jess. "Is no longer to be called Jess. He now prefers Jess Master J, and wishes to be referred to as just that. So when you see him or want to talk to him, please remember, it's Jess Master J now. Thank-you." She finished and sat down.
"Jess Master J?" He looked from Rory to Lorelei and then back to Rory. "I hate rap."
"But you'd look so darn cute as a thug." Lorelei pointed out.
"You'd look cute as a cheerleader. Or married to an accountant living in a Hartford mansion with three little ones and a poodle."
"Get him out of here." Lorelei demanded to Rory. "Take him for a walk or lock him the apartment or throw him off that bridge of yours, just get him out of here or being called Jess Master J will be the least of his problems."
"But I didn't get my breakfast?" Rory protested.
"Well, sweets, you have to choose. The breakfast or the boyfriend."
"Well, the breakfast is yummy and filling. And it comes with so many possibilities and options. Bacon or sausage, pancakes or waffles, eggs or french toast."
"You seem to be leaning towards the breakfast."
Rory continued. "But Jess, well, he talks back to me. Sometimes. Kind of easy on the eyes." She smiled at him. "He'll be around for more than just one morning."
"Let's hope."
"And he brings me the breakfast, so without him there'd be no breakfast and I'd be stuck with nothing." She pondered her choices a moment longer. "I guess I'll choose the boyfriend."
"Who says I want to go anywhere with you?" Jess questioned. "I mean, you only date me because I bring you food."
"And coffee."
Jess pretended to look angry. "Fine, we'll go for a walk."
"Smart boy." Lorelei nodded. "I'll see you at home Rory. Peace out, Jess Master J." She added in a low voice."
"I don't think thugs talk like that." Jess told her.
He started to walk towards the door with Rory, but Lorelei called after them. "Hey, Ror, when you were listing the reasons to pick, Jess, you left out good kisser." She thought she saw a slight blush creep onto Jess' face, but she couldn't be sure.
"No I didn't." Rory teases and quickly exited the diner.
Jess followed her and when they were outside, he grabbed her by the waist and turned her around. His lips met hers and her arms immediately went around his neck. Tracing his tongue lightly across her bottom lip, she opened slightly to give him access and he deepened the kiss. Moments later they pulled apart, both breathless. "Still think I'm not a good kisser?"
She didn't answer him. Instead she pulled him to her for another kiss.
`````
Rory sat in the gazebo later that afternoon reading a book. The wind started to blow slightly and she shivered slightly. Quickly she finished the page and book marked it. Slipping it back into her purse, she stood and pulled her coat tightly around her. "Rory?" Dean came up the steps to stand in front of her.
"Hey." She replied.
"Can we talk?"
While she was a little skeptical about what he might want, she agreed. "Sure, about what?"
"You and me."
Rory frowned up at him. "There is no you and me."
"Because of Jess." He looked away from her and shoved his hands in his pocket.
Shaking her head, she sighed, long ago she had grown tired of this argument. "Jess isn't why we broke up."
"No?" Dean asked sharply.
"We were friends but you didn't trust me when it came to him."
Dean glared at her. "With good reason."
"Are you talking about when I went to New Your to see him? Because I explained that. It's not like anything happened."
"Liar!" Dean shouted and Rory stepped back in surprise.
When she spoke again her voice was softer. "In New York."
Cutting her off, he spat out the next words. "I'm not talking about New York, I'm talking about here, in Star's Hollow. Sookie's wedding." He watched her face for her reaction. "Ring any bells?"
"Sookie's.how did you know?"
"That you kissed him? That you went there as my date, as my girlfriend, and then snuck off to have some secret rendezvous with Jess? Jess, of all people."
"There was no secret anything." She defended herself.
Dean rolled his eyes. "You kissed him."
Turning from him, she sat on the bench. "I was talking to my dad and when he left I saw Jess standing there. I didn't even know he was back in town. So, I went over to talk. To say hi and the next thing I knew, I was kissing him. Hurting you was not something I wanted to do."
"And you thought that kissing that jerk was going to make me jump for joy?"
"No, of course not. But it was only suppose to be a one-time thing. After it happened, I decided I wanted to make things work with you and that Jess and I would never be anything but friends."
Dean placed his hand on her shoulder and waited until she turned to face him. "We still could make it work. I'm willing to forgive you for everything. For kissing Jess, for dating him after we broke up, everything."
She stood, causing his hand to fall to his side. "I'm with Jess now."
"He's dating you for one reason and one reason only. Once he gets you to sleep with him, he'll end it. There's no greater conquest than sleeping with the town virgin. We dated for two years, Rory, and I never once tried anything with you, you and Jess have been together for a whole two weeks and he's all over you, not that you seem to mind."
With a shake of her head, Rory answered. "Jess doesn't see me like that. I know you don't believe it, but he really does care about me."
"He doesn't love you."
"Maybe not; probably not." Rory admitted sadly. "But it doesn't change things. I want to be with him, he makes me happy."
"So did I."
"I know and you were always great. The best first boyfriend a girl could ask for, but that's just it. You were my first boyfriend, but I think deep down we both knew it wasn't going to last forever. I did love you and I'll always care about you. Do you think that one day we could be friends again?"
Dean turned away from her, braced his hands on the railing and leaned over slightly. "I'd like to try, but I can't make any promises. I still love you Rory, so much that it hurts to see you with Jess. I honestly don't understand it. What is it about that guy? Why is he every girl's dream?"
Rory didn't know why she felt the need to explain her feelings for Jess; she just wanted him to understand that her being with Jess had nothing to with Dean. "Jess, honestly, he's not the guy I would have picked for myself, he kind of caught me by surprise. We have a lot in common and he definitely makes life more interesting. He's a challenge and I sometimes feel like I'm talking to a brick wall, or myself but I know that I can count on him. Deep down, Jess is a good guy, surprisingly sweet and even a little sensitive, but he'll deny it to the end of time. He makes me laugh, he makes me happy." She reiterated.
"Do you love him?" He finally faced her again and watched her closely as he awaited her response.
"I don't know, but I want to find out."
He nodded a defeated look on his face. "I hope it works out for you. I'm never going to like Jess and I still think he's wrong for you, but I won't try to come between you two anymore. Although," He added with a slight smile, "I can't make any promises when it comes to Shane. That girl is straight out of Fatal Attraction."
"So you and her aren't."
"Dating?"
"Yeah."
"Heck no." He laughed. "I wanted to make you jealous and she wanted Jess back, so she came up with this idea to date to achieve just that. I never should have went along with it. I'm sorry."
"And I'm sorry I hurt you."
Dean shrugged, "It's ok, I forgive you. As long as you're happy."
"I am." She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly.
"Rory?" Jess stood on the bottom step of the gazebo watching them.
"Jess, hey." She greeted removing herself from Dean's embrace.
"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"
Rory looked down at him, confused. "What are you talking about? Dean and I were just."
"Getting back together?" He tried. "I should have guessed I'd never be good enough for the precious, perfect Rory Gilmore." He walked away from her as she called after him.
A/N: The last chapter was kind of a filler, but it was kind of necessary. I even dropped a few hints.
-Chapter 11-
"I can do this." Lorelei said, standing in front of Luke's early the next morning. "Nothing to be afraid of."
"Then why aren't you moving?" Rory asked from beside her.
"I'm not hungry?" She tried.
Rory snorted. "Ha! Who in their right mind would believe that?" She looked over at her mother and felt sorry for teasing her. "It'll be ok, I promise."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
"How did you face Jess after you kissed him at Sookie's wedding?"
Rory laughed slightly. "I didn't. I fled the state, remember?"
"Oh yeah." Lorelei nodded. "But what about when you came back?"
"I pretended like it never happened, or at least I tried to. I was with Dean and he had Shane."
"What a tangled web of deceit." She glanced at the diner out of the corner of her eye. "Let's go." She said firmly and stepped towards the door. With a final deep breath, she opened it and walked in with Rory behind her, neither saw Dean standing a short ways down the road.
`````
"Hi." Lorelei's was soft, almost shy, as Luke approached their table.
"Hey." Luke answered, not meeting her eye. "You two ready to order?"
"Coffee." She replied and then smiled. "Unless I'm still banned."
"That depends. You going to call me Lukey again?"
"Not today."
Luke nodded. "Then you may have coffee. Today." He poured them each a cup and walked away with a promise to return later to take their orders. Lorelei smirked as he walked away.
"What?" Rory asked, unsure if she really wanted the answer. "What are you thinking?"
"There are worse nicknames than Lukey." Her smile was truly wicked.
"Mom, be nice."
Lorelei frowned. "But nice is no fun." She sat back in her chair. "Jess needs a nickname too, but I think I'll leave that up to you."
"Jess isn't really a nickname kind of person."
"Then he probably wouldn't like Sugar Lips, Jessie-Pooh, Sweetie Pie, James Dean Wannabe, or Jess Master J."
"Probably.wait, Jess Master J?"
Lorelei shrugged. "It could work."
"No more MTV for you." Rory informed her.
"Yes, mom."
Jess came over then. "Role reversal? Is that something they taught you in therapy?"
"Therapy? Us? Why whatever would give you that idea?" Rory looked at him, her face the picture of total innocence.
"Just a hunch."
"I feel insulted." Lorelei stated.
Rory agreed. "Me too."
"I didn't want to do this."
Jess frowned and knitted his eyebrows together. "Do what?"
Rory gasped. "Not the new nickname?"
Lorelei nodded. "It has to be done. He questioned our sanity."
"If you must." Rory finally consented.
"Should I be worried?" Jess stepped back a little.
Lorelei stood up and faced him, her voice loud. "Hey everybody! Can I have your attention please?" Everyone in the diner looked up. "I just wanted to inform you that he," She pointed to Jess. "Is no longer to be called Jess. He now prefers Jess Master J, and wishes to be referred to as just that. So when you see him or want to talk to him, please remember, it's Jess Master J now. Thank-you." She finished and sat down.
"Jess Master J?" He looked from Rory to Lorelei and then back to Rory. "I hate rap."
"But you'd look so darn cute as a thug." Lorelei pointed out.
"You'd look cute as a cheerleader. Or married to an accountant living in a Hartford mansion with three little ones and a poodle."
"Get him out of here." Lorelei demanded to Rory. "Take him for a walk or lock him the apartment or throw him off that bridge of yours, just get him out of here or being called Jess Master J will be the least of his problems."
"But I didn't get my breakfast?" Rory protested.
"Well, sweets, you have to choose. The breakfast or the boyfriend."
"Well, the breakfast is yummy and filling. And it comes with so many possibilities and options. Bacon or sausage, pancakes or waffles, eggs or french toast."
"You seem to be leaning towards the breakfast."
Rory continued. "But Jess, well, he talks back to me. Sometimes. Kind of easy on the eyes." She smiled at him. "He'll be around for more than just one morning."
"Let's hope."
"And he brings me the breakfast, so without him there'd be no breakfast and I'd be stuck with nothing." She pondered her choices a moment longer. "I guess I'll choose the boyfriend."
"Who says I want to go anywhere with you?" Jess questioned. "I mean, you only date me because I bring you food."
"And coffee."
Jess pretended to look angry. "Fine, we'll go for a walk."
"Smart boy." Lorelei nodded. "I'll see you at home Rory. Peace out, Jess Master J." She added in a low voice."
"I don't think thugs talk like that." Jess told her.
He started to walk towards the door with Rory, but Lorelei called after them. "Hey, Ror, when you were listing the reasons to pick, Jess, you left out good kisser." She thought she saw a slight blush creep onto Jess' face, but she couldn't be sure.
"No I didn't." Rory teases and quickly exited the diner.
Jess followed her and when they were outside, he grabbed her by the waist and turned her around. His lips met hers and her arms immediately went around his neck. Tracing his tongue lightly across her bottom lip, she opened slightly to give him access and he deepened the kiss. Moments later they pulled apart, both breathless. "Still think I'm not a good kisser?"
She didn't answer him. Instead she pulled him to her for another kiss.
`````
Rory sat in the gazebo later that afternoon reading a book. The wind started to blow slightly and she shivered slightly. Quickly she finished the page and book marked it. Slipping it back into her purse, she stood and pulled her coat tightly around her. "Rory?" Dean came up the steps to stand in front of her.
"Hey." She replied.
"Can we talk?"
While she was a little skeptical about what he might want, she agreed. "Sure, about what?"
"You and me."
Rory frowned up at him. "There is no you and me."
"Because of Jess." He looked away from her and shoved his hands in his pocket.
Shaking her head, she sighed, long ago she had grown tired of this argument. "Jess isn't why we broke up."
"No?" Dean asked sharply.
"We were friends but you didn't trust me when it came to him."
Dean glared at her. "With good reason."
"Are you talking about when I went to New Your to see him? Because I explained that. It's not like anything happened."
"Liar!" Dean shouted and Rory stepped back in surprise.
When she spoke again her voice was softer. "In New York."
Cutting her off, he spat out the next words. "I'm not talking about New York, I'm talking about here, in Star's Hollow. Sookie's wedding." He watched her face for her reaction. "Ring any bells?"
"Sookie's.how did you know?"
"That you kissed him? That you went there as my date, as my girlfriend, and then snuck off to have some secret rendezvous with Jess? Jess, of all people."
"There was no secret anything." She defended herself.
Dean rolled his eyes. "You kissed him."
Turning from him, she sat on the bench. "I was talking to my dad and when he left I saw Jess standing there. I didn't even know he was back in town. So, I went over to talk. To say hi and the next thing I knew, I was kissing him. Hurting you was not something I wanted to do."
"And you thought that kissing that jerk was going to make me jump for joy?"
"No, of course not. But it was only suppose to be a one-time thing. After it happened, I decided I wanted to make things work with you and that Jess and I would never be anything but friends."
Dean placed his hand on her shoulder and waited until she turned to face him. "We still could make it work. I'm willing to forgive you for everything. For kissing Jess, for dating him after we broke up, everything."
She stood, causing his hand to fall to his side. "I'm with Jess now."
"He's dating you for one reason and one reason only. Once he gets you to sleep with him, he'll end it. There's no greater conquest than sleeping with the town virgin. We dated for two years, Rory, and I never once tried anything with you, you and Jess have been together for a whole two weeks and he's all over you, not that you seem to mind."
With a shake of her head, Rory answered. "Jess doesn't see me like that. I know you don't believe it, but he really does care about me."
"He doesn't love you."
"Maybe not; probably not." Rory admitted sadly. "But it doesn't change things. I want to be with him, he makes me happy."
"So did I."
"I know and you were always great. The best first boyfriend a girl could ask for, but that's just it. You were my first boyfriend, but I think deep down we both knew it wasn't going to last forever. I did love you and I'll always care about you. Do you think that one day we could be friends again?"
Dean turned away from her, braced his hands on the railing and leaned over slightly. "I'd like to try, but I can't make any promises. I still love you Rory, so much that it hurts to see you with Jess. I honestly don't understand it. What is it about that guy? Why is he every girl's dream?"
Rory didn't know why she felt the need to explain her feelings for Jess; she just wanted him to understand that her being with Jess had nothing to with Dean. "Jess, honestly, he's not the guy I would have picked for myself, he kind of caught me by surprise. We have a lot in common and he definitely makes life more interesting. He's a challenge and I sometimes feel like I'm talking to a brick wall, or myself but I know that I can count on him. Deep down, Jess is a good guy, surprisingly sweet and even a little sensitive, but he'll deny it to the end of time. He makes me laugh, he makes me happy." She reiterated.
"Do you love him?" He finally faced her again and watched her closely as he awaited her response.
"I don't know, but I want to find out."
He nodded a defeated look on his face. "I hope it works out for you. I'm never going to like Jess and I still think he's wrong for you, but I won't try to come between you two anymore. Although," He added with a slight smile, "I can't make any promises when it comes to Shane. That girl is straight out of Fatal Attraction."
"So you and her aren't."
"Dating?"
"Yeah."
"Heck no." He laughed. "I wanted to make you jealous and she wanted Jess back, so she came up with this idea to date to achieve just that. I never should have went along with it. I'm sorry."
"And I'm sorry I hurt you."
Dean shrugged, "It's ok, I forgive you. As long as you're happy."
"I am." She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly.
"Rory?" Jess stood on the bottom step of the gazebo watching them.
"Jess, hey." She greeted removing herself from Dean's embrace.
"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"
Rory looked down at him, confused. "What are you talking about? Dean and I were just."
"Getting back together?" He tried. "I should have guessed I'd never be good enough for the precious, perfect Rory Gilmore." He walked away from her as she called after him.
