Title: Letting Go

Feedback: Yes please.

Summary: (a Smallville/Gilmore Girls crossover) When Clark runs away from Smallville, where does he go? In a weird twist of fate, he finds himself in Stars Hollow, where Lorelai and Rory have just returned from Europe. What starts out as a coincidence slowly becomes a summer that they will never forget.

Rating: PG-13/R

Pairings: Clark/Rory, with Lex/Lana and Lorelai/Dean

Spoilers: Everything up to end of season 2 of Smallville and end of season 3 of Gilmore Girls. For those of you who are unfamiliar with either show, here's the breakdown: Clark runs away from Smallville after his alien father calls out to him and everything in his life had turned to a disaster. Despite his love for Lana, he still leaves without any explanation (along with his red kryptonite ring which turns him into bad Clark), breaking her heart. Lex, on the other hand, just got married but his wife supposedly tries to kill him and the season ends as his plane is crashing into the ocean. In Stars Hollow, Rory has just graduated and is about to go on the trip to Europe with Lorelai but she isn't as happy as she should be because Jess inexplicably left her to go to LA, while Dean, her other ex-boyfriend has just announced his engagement to Lindsay.

Disclaimer: I don't own any characters from Gilmore Girls or Smallville.

PART VII CONTINUED

"How did you do it?" Rory asked him as she looked up at him. "How did you catch Kirk like that?"

"I don't know. Just lucky I guess." Clark said with a shrug, trying to make it sound as simple as possible. He didn't want for her to make a big deal out of it. He came here because it seemed like a place where he never had to use his powers. A place where he'd feel normal. And definitely saving Kirk was not what he had in mind when it came to normal things.

"Really lucky." Rory exclaimed. "I can't imagine what would have happened if you weren't there to catch him." But as she looked at his expression, she could see that he was uncomfortable. "I'm sorry, I didn't want to dwell but it's not everyday that something like that happens in Stars Hollow...we don't have to talk about it anymore if you don't want to."

"It's okay, it's just that I don't want everyone to think that it was a really big thing. I just did what anyone would done." Clark said simply.

"Well I definitely couldn't run like that." Rory said as she made a face. "Just terrible. Anyways, I promise. I won't talk about it anymore. " As she held onto his arm as they walked, suddenly she could see Lane and Dave coming up towards them from a distance.

"Lane!" Rory exclaimed as she ran towards her best friend to hug her.

"Hi!" Lane said as she fiercely hugged her back.

"Where were you?" Rory asked as she pulled back.

"We were kind of held up at the house for a bit while mama talked to Dave." Lane explained. "Something about the synoptic gospels or something...I don't remember."

"Hey, it was very educational." Dave replied as he teased Lane. "Anyways, at least I got permission to accompany you to the carnival right? It's still a score in my book."

"I know, I know." Lane replied as she was more interested in who was standing behind Rory. "Well Rory," as she nudged her. "Aren't you going to introduce us?"

"Clark, this is my best friend Lane and her boyfriend Dave." She pointed at them as Dave gave a quick wave and Lane couldn't stop smiling. "And guys, this is Clark."

"Hey man." Dave exclaimed as he shook Clark's hand.

"Hi." Lane managed to say as she tried to mask her excitement over meeting him.

"Hi." Clark replied back. It was kinda nice to meet Rory's friends.

"So is it true that you saved Kirk's life?" Lane asked. "I mean that was all anyone was talking about as we got here."

"It was nothing." Clark replied. "He just kinda fell and I was there to help."

"From what I heard, Kirk fell from the roof." Dave exclaimed. " And you caught him. That's awesome, man! It's almost unbelievable except now that I look at you," remarking his muscular toned body. "maybe it's not so impossible. Do you like lift weights or something? Maybe eat four dozen eggs each morning? Cuz I do a little weight training and nothing." As he pointed to his skinny biceps.

"No, I just eat cereal mostly." Clark replied. "And I don't weigh train at all. Just mostly farm work."

"Yeah, he lives on a farm." Rory explained.

"Farm work, really? Well got to say, it's working wonders on you buddy." Dave exclaimed.

"Anyways, have you guys tried any of the rides, played at the booths at all?" Lane asked.


"No, we've just been walking around." Rory admitted.

"Well, why don't you guys go ahead and wait in line for the mini rollercoaster because I'd really want go on it. Rory?" Lane exclaimed.

"Yeah, that sounds cool." Rory agreed, as Clark and Dave walked ahead of them towards the rollercoaster as she and Lane doddled behind.

"Oh my gosh, Rory!" Lane whispered with glee as she linked her arm with Rory's. "He's gorgeous! I mean, I knew he was going to be good looking but I had no idea! Have you kissed him yet?"

"No! I told you already. We're just friends." Rory explained. "Anyways, he sort of has a girlfriend at home."

"Well from what you told me, they don't seem like they're a couple anymore." Lane replied. "I saw the way he was looking at you. He clearly likes you."

"It's not really that way with us. I don't know how to define but it's nice and I like it this way. It's simple and it's not complicated, which is such a refreshing change. You should know."

"I do, Rory." Lane said, thinking of the hell that Jess had put Rory through in the end. "I just like the way that he makes you happy. You look happy Rory."

"Well I am." Rory replied as she smiled at her as they walked on.

****

"I feel like we're going to real good friends." Lorelai exclaimed with a smile as she looked at the man selling the cotton candy and the candied apple. She was looking admiringly as the blue and pink cotton candy she held in her hand. It was twice the size of her head and the thought of it melting on the tip of her tongue made her mouth water. She must have it. She must have it now. She had already sampled the caramel corn and the candied apple. Now she could check off cotton candy off of her list and still there was a lot more to go.

"So how good a friend am I?" A voice whispered from behind her, startling her. As she looked back, she could see it was Dean, smiling slyly back at her.

"God, Dean!" Lorelai replied as she swatted him. "You startled me! Don't you know it's not good to sneak up on someone, especially if they are holding this in their hands." as she pointed to the fluffy blue and pink puff on a stick.

"It's like gold to you isn't it?" Dean said as he pulled off some from her stick and popped it into his mouth before Lorelai could protest. "I could never understand you and Rory's addiction to candy, amongst other things."

"Well we're very complicated people." Lorelai with a shrug. "We just like to mess with people's heads until they stop trying to figure us out."

"I'm very well aware of your strategies Lorelai." Dean exclaimed as he made a face at her. "Don't think that all that time spent hanging out at your house was for nothing. I've learned a thing or two about you."

"Oh really?" Lorelai said as she stared back at him. "So what do you know?"

"Well, I think you've been avoiding me all day because you still don't have an answer to my question and you're still avoiding me now, as you're probably trying to figure out the best escape route." Dean replied. "Am I right?"

"Maybe." Lorelai said as she bit her lip and scanned quickly at the people around them and there was no one in sight that could get her away from him.

"And maybe you're even more jittery and skittish than usual after our little K-I-S-S last night and you couldn't sleep cause you were thinking about me all night." Dean further explained as he looked cunningly at her, as he grabbed her hand. "I'm right about that too, right?"

"No!" Lorelai whispered furiously at him as she pulled her hand away from him. "And could you possibly talk any louder so that everyone can hear! Let's just say I don't want to be talking about THAT right now. I'm supposed to be having fun at a carnival, " she whispered even softer. "not the future of our relationship."

"Well if we talk about it now, then we can spend the rest of the night having fun, okay?" Dean suggested as he walked closer towards as she started to back away. "You can't avoid me all night."

"Just try me!" Lorelai yelled out as she ran away in the opposite direction.

****

"So what do you guys want to do next?" Lane asked as she walked hand in hand with Dave and Rory and Clark walked beside them. "The Ferris Wheel? Want to knock down bottles?"

"Lane, I don't think that I can compete with Clark in a throwing contest." Dave explained. "I mean, just look at him! His arms are ginormous, no offense man." As he looked at Clark.

"None taken." Clark said with a laugh.

"Well you would probably do better than me." Rory said as she looked over to Dave. "I can't throw anything."

"We all know that Rory." Lane said as Rory pretended to be offended. "Come on! It's fun!"

"But you're not the one trying to get a stuffed animal." Dave exclaimed. "It's just the honourable thing to get a prize for your girlfriend. That's the rules, okay?"

"Well maybe I'll win a prize for you." Lane said as she looked at him adoringly.

"In that case, win me something big baby." Dave said as he kissed her on the cheek.

"Hey guys," Rory exclaimed. "I think I found something better."

"Oh god yes!" Lane agreed as they walked quickly ahead. There sitting on a seat above a water tank was Kirk in a pair of fat goggles and swim trunks.

"Step right up Ladies and Gentlemen." Kirk declared as he sat proudly. "And try to dunk Kirk the Wonder. He has already fallen from a building unscathed but can he keep from plunging into this deep tank of water. Only time will tell."

"Hey Kirk." Rory replied as she tried to stiffle her laughter. "Has anyone dunk you yet?"

"Nope, not yet." Kirk said majestically. "I'm invincible I tell you, all thanks to my man Clark here."

"Well prepare to meet your doom Kirk because all of us are going to send you into the tank." Dave declared.

"Big words my friend." Kirk shrugged off his threats. "Just BRING. IT. ON."

They all just burst into laughter as Kirk remained unfazed. "What? What?"

"So who's going first?" Dave asked as he held the ball.

"I think Rory should go first." Lane suggested.

"Come on Lane! I can't throw!" Rory protested.

"No Rory, it'd be fun." Clark said with encouragement.

"Rory, don't let Kirk psych you out." Dave said further. "You can do this."

She reluctantly took the ball from Dave's hands as she stood at the taped line and got ready to throw.

"Come on Rory, let's see how good you can throw." Kirk suggested.

She took a deep sigh and pulled her arm back and threw as hard as she could, as the ball barely made it to the target wall.

"Is that the best you can do?" Kirk exclaimed with a laugh. "Oh man, it's Christmas time already."

"I told you. I can't throw anything." Rory said with a defeated sigh. There was a reason why God gave her brains and no athletic skill whatsoever. It always seemed like a fair trade

"Hey come on Rory! Don't listen to Kirk." Lane said encouragingly as she gave Kirk a nasty look.

"Rory, try again." Clark said as he smiled at her.

She shook her head as she tried to aim better and at throw even harder this time. Although it finally did hit the wall, it still missed the bullseye.

"See? I suck!" Rory said self-depricatingly.

"You can say that again!" Kirk said mockingly as he sat up high and mighty.

"Shut up Kirk!" Lane and Dave cried out simultatingly.

"This is hopeless! I'll never hit the target!" Rory said with a sigh as she looked at Clark.

"We just have to work on your technique okay?" Clark said as he grabbed the last ball and handed it to her. "Okay, focus on the target okay and aim."

"That's what I've been doing all this time and look! I barely hit it." Rory exclaimed.

Clark thought for a second as he came up with a plan.

"How about I stand by the wall? I'll stand by the target and you just have to aim for the bullseye next to me?" Clark suggested.

"How is that going to help?" Rory asked skeptically. I'm probably going to throw it your head and hurt you."

"I'm not afraid of the ball." Clark said assuringly. "I just thought I would be a better eye for you since the bullseye is so small. Just try it."

He walked over towards the wall as he stretched his arm towards the bullseye, showing Rory where to aim at.

"Hit it right here Rory." Clark gestured.

"Are you sure Clark? Maybe you should step out of the way. I might give you a concussion." Rory exclaimed with worry.

"I trust you." Clark replied as he smiled at her. "Just aim and throw it."

"Go Rory!" Lane and Dave cheered on.

Rory took another deep breath as she stared at the target, closed her eyes for a second and threw it as hard as she could. The ball flew and Clark could see it going in slow motion towards the bullseye. The way he could judge from his eyes, the ball would just barely miss the target, hitting it a little too high. Following his own plan he waited as the ball almost hit the wall as he swiftly stretched his arm out in a deft quick motion, too quick for any human eye to see, hitting the bullseye as the ball hit the wall above his fist. Just as the ball hit, Kirk's seat dropped as he fell instantly into the tank.

"You did it Rory!" Lane cried out happily.

Rory just stood there in shock as Clark ran towards her and held her up in his arms and swung her around as he hugged her.

"I told you that you could it." Clark said proudly as he carefully put her down.

"It was a total fluke, I tell you!" Kirk exclaimed as he spat some water he swallowed and struggled to get onto his seat again.

"Really?" Rory said with a face. She picked up the ball again, aimed and hit the bullseye perfectly sending Kirk down into the tank again. She grinned widely at Clark, who just looked surprisingly at her, but equally proud that she had hit the target on her own, without his help. "Okay, that was a fluke."

"No it wasn't a fluke." Clark assured her. "You're just amazing." he grinned widely back.

****

Lorelai stood from afar between two game booths, watching afar as she watched Clark hug Rory again and couldn't help but smile. Not only at Kirk getting dunked twice but because of how happy Rory looked right now. It's been so long since she'd been able to laugh and smile without Lorelai being by her side. They had so much fun in Europe but then they had always clicked as mother and daughter and despite everything, they always had the power to make each other laugh. However, Lorelai also knew the gloomy cloud that had still loomed over Rory's head ever since Jess had disappeared. Rory could pretend all she wanted but Lorelai knew that Jess leaving hit her so hard. It made her so angry sometimes thinking about it. Just the thought of Rory being this heartbroken by a boy a second time made he want to hunt Jess down and pummel him. However, those thoughts quickly dispelled as she looked at Rory now. Clark seemed to be good for her. And he is a nice boy, despite all of her typical motherly instincts when it came to boys. She just couldn't help but wonder how long it would last.

Her mind started to focus back to the here and now and she reminded herself why she was sneaking around like this instead of running towards Rory right now. She had managed to avoid Dean for a while now, despite his efforts to back her into a corner. There was no way that she was going to be outsmarted by an 18 year old, no matter how cute he was. As she began to walk out from her hiding spot, Lorelai began to smile as she saw the person walking by.

"Luke!" Lorelai exclaimed as she walked next to him. "I didn't think you'd come out. What made you change your mind?"

"Well I had heard all the commotion from Kirk's fall that I came outside to see and since I was already outside, I thought I'd check it out. Look around. NOT participate mind you." Luke clarified as he scowled at her. "Once again, I blame this entirely on you."

"Like that's anything new." Lorelai scoffed. "That threat means nothing now." She looked over at Luke. "So what do you think?"

"Despite the fact that I hate everything associated with this event, it seems to make everyone else happy so who can argue against that." Luke said in defeat and then whispered. "And it wasn't too shabby seeing Kirk get dunked twice by Rory."

"I know." Lorelai replied gleefully as she thought back. "That was good."

"Now if Taylor would only get into the tank, I would get him good." Luke said a little too enthusiastically.

"I would pay to see that!" Lorelai agreed happily. But her expression started to change as she saw Dean walking towards them. "Luke, come on!" She quickly pulled him away.

"What the hell?" Luke demanded as he was being pulled forcefully by Lorelai to God knows where.

Lorelai moved quickly towards the ferris wheel as she quickly bulldozed through the line of people. "Hey, excuse me! Coming through!" Lorelai hollered as she continued to drag Luke along with her.

"What are you doing?" Luke yelled as he began to get grumpier while watching the other people in line get upset as they moved towards the front of the line.

"Didn't I tell you I wanted to go on the ferris wheel with you?" Lorelai explained as she handed the ferris wheel operator her tickets and jerked Luke in one swift motion towards the last empty cab available.

"I told you I didn't do rides!" Luke said clearly. "And what about all those people?"

"They don't mind." Lorelai said as she quickly dismissed the pissed off crowd. "Anyways, you told me you'd think about it."

"I wasn't serious!" Luke said as she pushed him into his seat and she sat down beside him. "I was just trying to get you to leave me alone!"

"Well too bad." Lorelai said with a smile. "Don't worry, you're going to like this." She quickly look down at the crowd as the ferris wheel moved up and she could see Dean standing amongst the crowd, giving her a smirk. She just smirked back.

"I hate you, you know." Luke said moodily as he looked towards her right now.

"You don't mean that." Lorelai exclaimed she playfully nudged him with her shoulder. "Look! this is fun!"

"Yeah, being forced against your will to get into a ferris wheel is real fun." Luke said. "And what is the point of a ferris wheel anyways? All it does is go up and down. It doesn't do anything."

"Haven't you ever been on a ferris wheel in high school?" Lorelai said. "It's the perfect opportunity for a guy to make a move on a girl or vice versa. So what do you say? You want to go at it, lover boy?" she exclaimed as she playfully batted her eyelashes.

Luke just paused for a moment, shaking his head at her, wondering if she was really serious about it. For a split second there, he had considered it but went back to his grumpy self. "No thanks, really."

"Oh come on Luke." Lorelai urged him. "You don't have to be grumpy all the time. This is fun."

Luke let out a sigh and knew there was some truth in what she said. "It's not you. I'm not really mad at you."

"Really? Cause most of the time I think I piss you off." Lorelai said.

"You DO piss me off most of the time but the reason why I am in a bad mood now isn't because of you." Luke said as he paused. "It's just Nicole and this whole breakup thing."

"Nicole huh?" Lorelai said with a sympathetic tone.

"I guess it's because she's been the first woman I've dated since Rachel and given my track record, it might be a long while until someone else can come along that I can be interested in, you know."

"I know." Lorelai said, understanding that feeling. "Sometimes I feel the same way, you know after Max and Christopher."

"So when are we going to get it right?" Luke asked as he looked at her.

"Beats me. I'm still figuring out myself." Lorelai said with a sigh.

"Do you know what I miss most about Nicole? Or being with a woman in general?" Luke said suddenly. "Just being comfortable with a person. Having someone be there and feeling complete ease. You know what I mean?"

"I do." Lorelai said with a smile. "The kisses aren't bad either."

"Yeah." Luke said with a laugh. "Lorelai?"

"Yeah?"

"This isn't bad either."

She smiled as she slowly lowered her head to lean on his shoulder. Luke looked down and smiled slightly as they remained in a comfortable silence for the rest of the ride.

****

"So what did you think?" Lana asked as closed the book.

Lex let out a sigh he wiped both of his eyes with his thumb and index finger. "I guess you can't say that it had the happiest of endings."

"Yeah, Tess being arrested by the police in the end is really happy."

"At least she knew that Angel still loved her and they had time together in the end."

"I know, but it still doesn't seem quite fair you know? Even if it's fiction." Lana said with a sigh. "Tess was ashamed for a rape that she didn't cause and it cost her true love, her life."

"Can't you take comfort in the fact that she found the love of her life, even if their time together was short. Some people aren't quite as lucky as she was." Lex rationalized.

"I guess, but is it really worth it going through all of that for love? Sometimes it just seems better not to feel at all, then you'd never get hurt." Lana said.

"I know. Sometimes I feel like that too." Lex said with a sigh. "But don't be afraid to get hurt because someday all the hurt you feel now will be worth it." He stretched up his arms and yawned. "Anyways, do you think we can call it a night? I think we've had enough angst for today."

"Yeah, I'm tired too." Lana said with a brave smile and laughed. "But I can't move."

"How come?" Lex said with an amused look on his face as he poked her on her side.

"My feet and legs are totally numb!" Lana answered as she looked at him. "Sitting here for so long, I've lost all feeling in my feet."

"Well serves you right for sitting here when we could have been on the couch this whole time." Lex said with a laugh.

"You should have said something." Lana said. "Hey, why aren't your feet numb?"

"Well I was waiting for you to say something." Lex said. "About my feet, they were numb like an hour ago but they are fine now. Try wiggling your toes."

"Ow! I can't!" she whined slightly.

"Okay, okay." Lex said as he moved to face her. "Let me try this."

He moved closer towards her feet as he carefully massaged her feet and her calves. "Are you getting the feel back into your legs now?"

"Kinda, but I hate the prickly feeling you get as you're getting back." Lana as she propped herself up with her hands and arms holding her steady. She tried to make herself look as casual as possible so that she wouldn't have to think about how weird this situation was: Lex Luthor, sitting across from her, holding her feet in his hands.

Lex looked down at her bare feet and admired her toes, all carefully painted with a champagne coloured nail polish. Her feet were so small in his hands and her legs were so smooth and soft against his fingers. "You have really pretty feet."

"Yeah sure." Lana replied. "Ugh, I hate my feet. Actually I hate feet in general. They are so unappealing."

"No really." Lex insisted. "I have seen a lot of feet and yours are quite nice."

"Oh really?" Lana said in smirk.

"It's true." Lex said matter of factly. "Your toes are nice and evenly spaced and you have a nice arch." As he said this, he lightly stroked the back of her left foot in his hand, tracing the arch. Lana jerked back as the sensation tickled.

"Lex!" Lana exclaimed.

"You're ticklish?" Lex said in amusement. "So if I did this." he held the other foot in other hand and stroked it, with even more pressure than the first time. Her leg jerked back as Lana giggled even more loudly this time.

"Come on Lex!" Lana said laughingly.

Lex just smiled as he moved closer towards her and then proceeded to tickle her sides. Lana just pushed his hands away as she laughed. Lex grinned as he heard her laugh. It was so nice to hear her laugh again. She didn't laugh very often and these days, she had no cause to but the sound of it made him feel good inside. After a few minutes, he slowly stopped as she sat up and brushed the hair away from her face. Now he sat quite close to her as their faces were inches away from each other. Lex smiled as he looked up into her face, who was trying to catch her breath. He then carefully brushed a few more strands of hair from her forehead. He closed his eyes as he lowered his head as their foreheads touched.

Lana's eyes were shut too as she listened to the sound of them both breathing. Although her heart rate had gone down and her breathing had steadied, she could feel her heart quicken as she could feel how close they were to each other and she could feel his breathing against her cheeks, his lips almost touching her skin.

Lex felt the temperature in his body rise as he finally realize how close they really were to each other. Their noses were touch for a bit as his hand rested against the back of her neck. Soon her cheek was slightly against his and he could feel her lips move towards him as if she was waiting in anticipation. His heart beated so fast in that moment as part of him wished that they could remain in this dream-like state forever. Just sitting in silence, listening to the sound of each of them breathing in and out. His breathing became more and more laboured and heavy and he knew hers was too. Seconds felt like hours as her head turned and her lips were barely going to touch his. But as her lips moved towards him, he quickly realized the reality of what was about to happen and shifted his head away.

The warm air between them began to fade away as the spell broke. His lips moved away from hers and suddenly she felt cold. Her eyes opened as his head moved away from hers. She didn't know what was happening but all that she longed for was to feel warm again.

Lex didn't want to think about it. He knew how close it came to happening. His lips against hers. Him kissing her and Lana kissing back. No. He couldn't think about that. She was his best friend's girl. She belonged to Clark. Not only that, but he was about to commit a felony. How could he be so weak? He could hardly look at her as he slowly got up to his feet. But he felt guilty as well because he could see that she was as confused as he was. All he could do was put out his hand so that he could help her up onto her feet.

As she got onto her feet, she wanted to say something. Anything. The once beautiful silence between them was now becoming increasingly uncomfortable and weird. One of them must have to say something. It can't just be left like this. All she could see was the back of his head. She silently wished that he would somehow turn his head and look at her again.

"Do you still want have something to eat?" Lex finally uttered. His head was still turned away but he finally turned towards her. "There's still that dinner that we haven't eaten."

"I'm not hungry." Lana replied as she quickly tried to read the expression on his face, but she couldn't read his face at all.

"Me either." Lex said as he tried to lighten up the mood. "I'm just going to go to bed."

"Me too." Lana said as she continued to try to read the signs on his face. Is it going to end like this? Are they just going to go to sleep without even saying anything about it? No. She had to ask. "Lex, about..."

"It's okay." Lex said reassuring as he began to walk down the staircase. "Everything's fine between us."

"But..."

"No buts. Just try to get some rest okay?" Lex said with a small smile as he looked up at her. "Good night."

"Good night." Lana whispered as she looked at him walking away, wondering if maybe she had ruined everything between them.

****

"You really liked that Strawberry ride didn't you?" Clark said as he walked next to Rory.

"Yeah." Rory admitted as she looked at him. "I've always loved that ride the most as a kid. I love going round and round. Whenever my mom and I ever saw a carnival, it was always the first ride I look for. It's kinda like the flying teacups at Disney World but I have yet to go there."

"Me too." Clark said as they walked. "This is probably the farthest I've ever been from home. My folks and I never really did take that many trips. Usually it would only be to Metropolis. That was about the extent of my travelling experience till now."

"Wow. I've never really did much travelling with my mom either except for this trip to Europe. But I love to travel." Rory said with a smile. "Hopefully when I get out of college, I'll be able to travel a lot. Maybe I'll be able to finally see Disney World."

"Maybe we could both go together." Clark suggested. "Since we both have never been."

"That's definitely a possibility." Rory said as she grinned. "So what did you think of Lane and Dave?"

"They're cool." Clark replied. "It's nice to see two people so happy together. They are really in love."

"I know. I'm jealous of them sometimes." Rory admitted.

"Me too. They are one of the lucky ones." Clark said.

"You think that one day we'll ever be that lucky?" Rory asked.

"I hope so." Clark replied.

"Well I don't know about me but maybe you still have a chance with Lana." Rory remarked.

"I wouldn't say that." Clark said with a sigh. "I talked to her this morning."

"Really?" Rory said, clearly interested. "What did you say?"

"That I was sorry for all the hurt I put her through." Clark explained. "That I wish that things were different between us."

"And what did she say?" Rory asked, trying not to pry.

"She was hurt and kept asking me questions that I couldn't answered. She just sounded so upset."

"As she should be."

"But I think she's going to okay. She's staying at my best friend's house for now." Clark said.

"So what is going to happen between you two?" Rory asked.

"I don't know." Clark admitted. "I just know that as much I want have things work out between us, I know that I can't be that guy for her. That guy she needs."

"But you love her." Rory remarked as she turned towards him, walking backwards. "You can't give up on her now."

"I think sometimes love isn't enough." Clark said. "Not for me and Lana anyways. I mean, there always going to be a part of me that knows that she could never love me as much as I love her. And she deserves to have someone who she can love wholeheartedly and who loves her back in the same way. Does that make sense to you?"

"Kinda. I always thought in the back of my mind that I loved Jess more than he loved me. I mean if he really loved me, he wouldn't have done what he did. Now I think I tried to love enough for the both of us but it wasn't enough to save our relationship." Rory said as she paused for a moment. "If you decide to let Lana go, do it the right way, okay? Don't leave her hanging. Tell her the truth. That's the least you can do."

He just nodded as he watched her walked slightly ahead of him. Just the sight of her made him smile.

"So where do you want to go now?"

"I don't know. Let's just keep walking. I really don't feel like going home just yet, do you?" Rory asked. There was just something about him that she couldn't quite pinpoint that made her feel at ease and content at the same time.

"No, but all I have to look forward to is an empty house." Clark remarked. "What about you? Isn't your mom expecting you?"

"Not really...maybe kinda but I still want to keep walking." Rory admitted. "Anyways, I hardly saw her. She's probably not even home yet. So, are you up for it?" She gave him a look as she put her hand out.

"Sure." Clark replied as he took her hand and they walked on.

****

Lorelai sighed in satisfaction as she began to walk towards her house. She had managed to avoid Dean for practically the whole night. It was a feat pretty hard to accomplish but she had succeeded in her goal and part of herself was proud even if no one else would be able to share in the joy of her accomplishment. But before she could really celebrate, a hand came out of nowhere to drag her away from the sidewalk into the darkened alley way beside the Chat Club.

"What the hell?" Lorelai asked she backed into the wall. "Dean!"

"I told you that you couldn't avoid me all night." Dean replied as he looked her with a smirk on his face. "I have to say it was some quick thinking there by the ferris wheel."

"I'm proud of that one myself too." Lorelai said with a smile but then she quickly went back to being annoyed. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get home."

"You haven't answered my question." Dean said as he grabbed onto one of her wrists.

"What question?" Lorelai pretended not to remember.

"Oh you can't play dumb with me." Dean replied as he shook his head, not believing that she would resort to her usual antics. "Come on. I know you've been thinking about it or you wouldn't have tried so hard to hide from me."

"Come on Dean, someone might see us." Lorelai remarked as she tried to break free from his grasp.

"No one is going to see it us." Dean said. "We're in the alley way of the Chat Club. It's not usually known to be a real crowd heavy area."

"Says you." Lorelai said.

"Just give an answer Lorelai. Yes or no." Dean exclaimed as he rolled his eyes at her.

Lorelai bit her lip as she looked at him. Why does he have to look so good in the dark? she asked herself. "I don't know." she blurted suddenly.

He looked at questionably as he tried to grasp what she was trying to say.

"This is just crazy Dean. I mean me and you, it's just...ugh...I can't...spend the rest of the summer sneaking around with you...it makes no sense and then I look at you and God, why did you have to kiss me again?"

"Finally, you admitted it.!" Dean said with a sigh of relief.

"Hey mister, I might have admitted it but you had no right to wake me up in the middle of the night to kiss me!" Lorelai remarked in anger.

"I just wanted to show you what you would be missing." Dean replied as he moved closer to her. "Just like I'm going to show you again, right now..." He moved his body into towards so that there was little space between them and her back was against the wall. His head tilted towards as his lips was right by her ear. "Don't you want to give this a chance?" he whispered seductively to her as she shivered.

His hand softly touched her hips towards her waist while the other rested on the wall.

"Maybe I do." Lorelai said weakly as her hand inexplicably went to reach for his shirt and pulled him closer. She knew it was wrong but it also felt so right. Oh God, she thought to herself. There is no turning back now.

"Tell me that you want me." Dean whispered further, wondering where he was getting the nerve to do this. "I mean, you don't have to do this if you don't want to." He moved his head back so that he could see her eyes, her whole face. He needed for her to really want this. To want this as much as he wanted it.

She stood there for a moment, silent, looking at this beautiful face looking right back at her. He was giving her a way out. A chance to run and pretend that none of this had ever happened. She took a deep breath and whispered back. " I want this. I want you." Although she whispered, she made sure that each syllable resonated clearly. There would be no mistake.

Dean smiled widely as he realized her decision. "You sure?" he whispered as he grazed his hand around the contours of her face.

Lorelai smiled devlishly back as she put her hand on his face and nodded. "I'm sure. Now just shut up and kiss me."

TO BE CONTINUED.