Disclaimer: It belongs to Amy Sherman-Palladino, not me. Song is by Lifehouse.
A/N: Wow, I was stunned by the wonderful reviews. Thank you so much. This is a really different direction for me. I wanted to do a Louise story and it wasn't supposed to be Jess but every time she walked out to that driveway there he was. I'm glad other people can see this ship. This kind of skips around in time, but hopefully everyone can follow it. And on reviewer was worried about Jess whining over Rory. Don't worry he won't be although I do believe that Rory was his first love and getting over her wasn't easy. It's going to be explored but he won't be pining. He realizes that something, ::cough:: someone is better for him. So thanks again, these reviews really did mean a lot to mean. So once again let me know what you think of this!
I guess you're the only one left standing when
everything else goes down
You're still the only one, you're still the only one
It's all shallow and all so appealing
I'm up to
my ankles and I'm drowning
Anyway in a sea of sarcastic faces familiar places where everything looks
quite the same here
It's all
confusingly amusing bitter and tainted
the picture you painted to me
I guess you're the only one that nobody changes
I guess you're the only one left standing when everything else goes down
"What are you thinking about?" Jess asked as stretched out in the bed. He was looking around the dorm room wondering briefly where exactly his clothes went.
"What makes you think I'm thinking of anything particular? Maybe I'm just basking in the aftermath." Louise said as she rested her head on his bare chest.
He chuckled and she shot him a dirty look. "Please, Lou" he said condescendingly. "I know that look. When you're thinking too hard about something."
"Really?" she asked her voice dripping with disdain.
"Yep. Cause you get the cutest little line right here." He said as he traced the line right between her brows. "A little furrow that says that you're pondering something."
She laughed at him then. It was funny how well he knew her sometimes.
"Okay I confess. I was remembering how we met."
Jess grinned wolfishly. "Now that was a great summer."
"It was only last summer."
"I know but I'm rather fond of it."
It had been a good summer. He had found not only a sexual outlet but also a good friend. It might have resembled his "relationship" with Shane in that he was sleeping with a blonde on a regular basis but it was there that similarities ended. Lou was nothing like Shane. She was smart, a lot smarter than most people thought, and witty. Her choice in music was rather lacking but he was dealing with that. They found they had similar tastes in books and though he tried to overlook the romance novels she was so fond of. And psychically, he had never found a better match; in bed they were more than compatible. She was fun and sexy and smart and jaded. He knew she had things in her past that haunted her but so did he. But she didn't offer so he didn't ask. It worked well for them.
"So this is college life?"
"Basically. Sex, booze, other illegal substances, tiny dorm rooms with annoying roommates." She answered drolly.
"Don't forget those things…I think they're called classes. Y'know education."
She laughed. "Oh yeah. I knew I was forgetting something. Classes aren't too bad. And of course if I can't earn an A with work, there are other ways." She said with a leering smirk.
Jess laughed. "You're such a tease."
"Who me?" Louise asked deliberately widening her eyes and going for her best innocent look. "I'm a good little girl."
Jess began tracing small circles around her navel. "Good, no doubt. But in a whole different context."
She tried to control her breathing at his actions and continued to smirk. "Baby, I'm better than good. I'm fan-fucking-tastic."
Feeling his blood heat at her choice of words he murmured. "There's only one way to test that."
And so they did…again.
Hours later they both emerged from her dorm room at Sarah Lawrence fully sated. They were going to grab some dinner before Jess headed back to the city.
"So how long are you here for?" Lou asked as she took her seat at the local diner, not her choice of locale but it would do.
"Don't know. I was only planning on coming here for the wedding but now I'm not sure if I want to go back."
"How was the wedding?"
Jess smiled a genuine smile that lit up his whole face and made Louise's heart do that stupid fluttering thing. "It was great. It was worth the price of the plane ticket to see Luke in a tux. And the Gilmore's' never do anything half-way, it was a Stars-Hollow town event."
Louise picked up the ceramic mug containing her coffee and took a careful sip, debating how and if she could bring up the delicate subject, and with a moment hesitation she decided the hell with it. "So how's Rory?"
"The crowned princess of the Gilmore clan is doing perfectly." He responded.
She watched closely as he spoke looking for any sign he was uncomfortable with the subject of conversation.
"She's excelling at Yale, as expected, was thrilled with her mom and Luke finally tying the knot. And I'm sure you've heard she's dating some old Chiltonite."
She blinked in shock; she didn't think he knew about that, "Yes, Paris told me that Rory and Tristan DuGrey had begun dating."
She was still monitoring him and nothing was showing. Good, she thought, maybe that wound had finally healed. She still remembered the shock when she had found out exactly who she was sleeping with, Rory Gilmore's ex-boyfriend, it's a small world after all.
It had been at Rory's graduation party, taking place almost a month after she and Jess had first met. Rory and Lorelai had first gone on their European jaunt and then returned to host a Stars Hollow extravaganza. She had attended with Madeline and was having a good time when she noticed a familiar face in the crowd.
"What are you looking at?" Madeline asked her as she craned her head trying to see around the flamboyant "dance instructor" Miss Peachy…or something.
Louise shook her head, "Nothing. I just thought I saw someone I knew."
"Who else would you know here? You, Paris, Brad and I are the only ones here from Chilton." Maddy said logically. "Unless it's the ex-boyfriend Dean. Remember the tall one from the dance."
Louise smiled remembering her appraisal of Rory's boyfriend "No it's not him. It's nothing…the heat must be causing me to see things."
Maddy rolled her eyes; Louise had been distant since the beginning of the summer. "Whatever. Let's go over and get some more of that cake. I've never tasted anything so divine. It's…"she paused searching for the right word, "sinful. That's it---it's sinful. I can't believe Lorelai's friend made it. It must be neat having a cook as a friend."
Louise ignored her friend's rambling as they made their way over to where the tables where the food was artfully arranged. It was then that she heard the familiar voice.
"Jesus Jess I'm not asking you to swim the English Channel or find the Holy Grail. Just get some ice from the diner."
"Look it's not my fault you didn't bring enough ice. It's the middle of summer and *gasp* it's hot out. Therefore the ice melts at an accelerated rate."
Luke narrowed his eyes and tried to hold back his temper, but it didn't work. "Listen you little punk. Go to the dinner and get more ice! Or else pictures of you in your Wal-Mart uniform are going in the next town newsletter."
Jess scowled and held up his hands in a mock retreat. "Whatever you say Uncle Luke. I'll let you just stand here and ogle Lorelai in her sundress."
"Why you little—"
But it was too late for him to finish that curse as Jess was already walking away, smirking. He was stalking towards the diner when he heard someone call out to him.
"Hey handsome, where's the fire?"
He whirled around in shock. And there standing in the middle of Main Street was Lou, looking rather luscious and sinful in a skimpy pink sundress.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
"I could ask you the same thing." She replied coming closer to him.
Jess snorted. "I live here. And I know you don't so that leaves me to believe that you're…"then the light bulb went on" one of Rory's friends?"
"Ten points to you Einstein."
"Hey, I knew you went to the same snobby school but I didn't exactly see you in the same social circles."
"Well surprise then. Cause Rory is one of my many friends."
A look of disbelief crossed his features as the irony sunk in. "That just figures."
Louise picking up on his frustration began to get a little angry. "What's your problem?"
"Nothing."
"Try again. What does it matter if I'm friends with Rory? Obviously you are too if you're here."
Jess turned his back on her and continued to the diner. He could hear her heels snapping on the concrete ground as she hurried to catch up with him. In their haste they didn't notice the door to the diner opening until it was too late and it smacked Jess in the face.
"God Damnit!" he yelled in pain.
"Oh my god. I'm so sorry Jess." Said the person who had unwittingly opened the door.
He looked up at the voice and of course it would be her.
"Don't worry about it Rory. Just another reason for me to get more ice."
Rory reached out to see how much damage she had caused and then as he flinched withdrew her hand. It was then that she noticed another person in the background.
"Louise? Hey, how are you doing?" she asked as she went to give the blonde a hug.
Louise forced a smile. "I'm fabulous as always. It's a great party Rory."
"Thanks." She smiled and then asked, "Are you lost or something?"
"No." she said thinking quickly. "I was just feeling a little sick from being out in the sun and was going to sit down for a little in the diner. Wouldn't want to get heatstroke."
"Oh okay. Let me know if you need anything." She said turning to leave but then realizing something turned back. "I can't believe I forgot. Jess this is Louise, a friend from Chilton. And Louise this is Jess my, um, "she paused unsure, she didn't think where they were right now really put them in the friend stage.
"Her ex-boyfriend." Jess cut in finishing off the introduction. "I gotta go get the ice. See ya around Rory."
"Bye Jess." Rory said as she walked back to the party feeling, her heart feeling heavier.
"Hey Rory!" she looked back to where Jess still stood. "Congratulations on everything." And she felt her heart lift as she saw him give that half smile. Maybe one day they could be friends.
Louise perched her sunglasses on the top of her head as she followed Jess back into the diner. Now it all made sense. He was Rory's ex. And it obviously wasn't an amicable break up.
"Well that explains it." She said as she took a seat by the counter.
"Explains what?"
"Your pissy mood."
"I haven't been pissy."
"You've been the definition of pissy since Rory's name came up."
He just glared at her and went into the back to tell Caesar to get the ice.
"Definitely pissy." She said to herself.
He came back out and grabbed her hand pulling her up the stairs.
"What do you think you're doing?" she spat at him as he pulled her into a room and proceeded to lock the door.
His mouth covered hers before she could ask again. And she lost herself and all her questions in the passion that flared. It only took him seconds to open this floodgate in her. No one else had ever been able to do what he did. And she wasn't a fool. She would take whatever she could get.
As they came up for air, she asked again. "What precisely do you think you're doing?"
He gave her this devilish grin that complimented the wicked look in his eyes.
"Being pissy, I guess."
And then her dress hit the floor.
She laughed at the memory as she entered her dorm room. She had saw Jess off to the train station. She tried to ignore the little tugs that her heart gave as she waved goodbye. She pressed the button on her answering machine and heard that her current boyfriend Cliff had called. But she was in no mood to talk to him. She would miss Jess, as hard as she tried to make him just another guy, it never worked. She knew he had other girls, and that she had no ties on his heart, like he shouldn't have any ties on hers. Just a good time. But it was in these moments alone, she wished they were different kinds of people, kinds of people who had real relationships.
She lay down on her bed, which smelled like him, and then groaned as something dug into her back.
Lying there in the middle of her bed was a present. It was wrapped in newspaper. She picked up the package gingerly and began to carefully unwrap it. Inside were three books The Bell Jar, Lolita, and the newest romance by Nora Roberts. She laughed it must have pained him to buy that for her. Also there was a black box and on top of it was a card.
The box contained a beautiful silver and turquoise necklace with matching earrings. It was true that she had sapphires, pearls and diamonds but at this moment none of them held a candle to this. And then there was the small card.
It just had a simple picture of a white lily on the front. And on the inside it was blank except for his scrawl.
Happy Birthday Lou! Hoping you get whatever rich people wish for.
Jess
She felt her breath catch; he had remembered her birthday when nobody else had. He was the only one…
