*Disclaimer: I don't own the series Gilmore Girls or the characters. All I own is my imagination and the plot.

*A/N: Hey! I know I haven't updated for a while, but I'm really busy with school. I have to study for 8 tests (!), so that's why I have been slacking off lately. I do hope I won't lose any readers this way though.

*~*~*:-)*~*~*Bye, smile :-)

As Rory walked the familiar road to Luke's once again, she found herself wondering why the usual group of guys hadn't bothered her today, or the day before. Normally they were all lingering outside the school building, as if they were waiting for her to emerge through the doors. But on this standard Wednesday, they had been throwing around a football. Which was definitely a change of scenery for her, since they usually were huddled together in a messy and scattered circle, smoking a cigarette or chewing on a piece of gum. They reminded her of a Mafia group sometimes, standing on street corners, just waiting and watching.......

Her first thought was that Jess had somehow managed to influence them, but he didn't really seem like the kind of person that would care about these sort of things. Things that were bound to seem frivolous and meaningless in his eyes. She wondered why she even cared if Jess had something to do with the fact that she was walking towards Luke's without having the feeling that she should make herself as small as possible, hoping that they miraculously didn't see her anymore and would stop looking at her. She hated when people looked at her. It always seemed as if they were examining her, giving her their approval or just dismissing her all together.

Rory hooked her thumbs into the sides of her jeans, causing them to hang a little lower on her hips than she would normally allow. Unawarely showing off the fair skin of her stomach and upper hips as she did this. She liked the feel of her fingers against her warm skin, it was a comfortable feeling. The strap of her backpack slipped of her shoulder, but she didn't feel the need to adjust it. As long as the other strap was still in the place, it wouldn't bother her.

''Rory !'' came a voice behind her.

She stopped walking and turned her head to look over her shoulder, causing her hair to cover half of her face. She heard a steady pair of footsteps approach her and turned around completely, tucking her hair back behind her ears as she did this. Her eyes fell upon the warm orange in front of her. She brought her eyes up and met a pair of grey/bluish eyes that were gleaming with kindness. His lips were slightly tugged back revealing a small and careful smile.

''Hey,'' Rory said softly, not wanting to break the enchantment that seemed to be holding her against her will, voluntarily.

Dean's smile widened and a pleasant smile took a hold of his features, causing Rory to smile without noticing.

''Hey,'' he finally said.

''Are you on your way to Doose's ?'' Rory automatically asked, remembering that he worked at Doose's Market.

''Actually, I was on my way home. I didn't know being a bag boy could cause such commotion,'' Dean playfully answered, amusement lighting up his eyes even more.

Rory faintly started to blush and lowered her eyes.

''Yeah, you're my pride and joy..........I mean our pride and joy. Of us, Stars Hollow, this town. Not that you're actually ours or anything.............''

Rory stopped mid-sentence and took a deep breath before she continued, hoping that the cool air would cool down her nerves.

''So, you're on your way home huh ?''

Dean softly laughed and nodded.

''Yeah, but I got held up.''

Rory awkwardly took a step back and mumbled a sorry in Dean's direction. Dean, however, just smiled at her behavior.

''It's okay. I wasn't looking forward to going home anyway. All that homework. So you actually did me a favor, small but still a favor.''

''Glad I could help you,'' Rory said, removing her hands from the sides of her jeans and adjusting the strap of her backpack.

''So, were you on your way home..........cause if your house is in the same direction, maybe we could walk home together ?'' Dean hesitantly asked.

Rory quickly glanced at the diner.

''Yeah, I was on my way home.''

Dean nodded and started to head in the direction opposite from the diner. Rory halfheartedly turned around and followed Dean, feeling a little as if she was breaking tradition. And once tradition was broken it could never be mended, cause tradition was a continuous cycle, something that came natural to you, doing it without even thinking about it. And today, for the first time, she had stepped of the road, she knew by heart, and was about to head in to the woods.

*~*~*

His hands were casually resting in his pockets and half a cigarette was lingering between his lips, as he was slowly meandering towards the diner, his narrowed eyes fixed on the 'couple' that was heading in the opposite direction. He lazily removed a hand from his pocket and reached for his cigarette. He took a drag and blew out the smoke in one furious breath. After the taste of smoke had left his mouth, his lips formed a thin line. He threw his cigarette on the ground, glanced in the direction of Rory and Dean once more, before he entered the diner.

As soon as he closed the door behind him, Luke appeared in front of him with a worried scowl on his face.

''Jess, were you smoking ?''

''Nope,'' Jess answered, as his hands returned to their rightful place, in his pockets.

''So smoke just randomly comes out of your mouth ?'' Luke tried again, obviously not believing Jess' former answer.

''That definitely gives a new definition to smoking hot huh ?'' Jess said, as he headed for the stairs.

''Jess, where are you going ?!''

''Unless these stairs lead to heaven, upstairs !'' Jess yelled back.

''You're working tonight, so you better get started on your homework !''

''Homework's out !'' Jess yelled, before disappearing upstairs.

Luke sighed and shook his head as he walked over to another customer, wondering why he got stuck with a teen who wasn't only pretending not to give a damn, but who really didn't give a damn. Not on the surface anyway.....

*~*~*

''Nice house,'' Dean said, as he looked at the small, but cheery house in front of him.

After Dean had informed that Rory's house was closer than his, he had insisted on walking her home.

''Yeah, it's unlike any you have ever seen. I mean, a porch, that's new.''

''We haven't got a porch..................,'' Dean commented.

Rory smiled and looked at him.

''I better get inside.''

''Yeah, I should probably get home, my sister's waiting for me.''

''Your sister ?'' Rory asked.

''Yeah, her name's Clara,'' Dean said automatically. ''She's younger than me, so of course she's a pain.''

''I'm sure it's not that bad. I have always wanted a sister. Besides, they're handy. You can force them to do your chores and stuff like that,'' Rory rambled.

''Well, yeah........if she feels like it, of course, and doesn't tell my parents about it,'' Dean said, as he made a face.

Rory softly laughed at his expression. ''I'm still convinced it's not that bad.''

''Figures,'' Dean said. ''Girls always stick together.''

Rory looked at him.

''I'm strongly convinced that they're all connected somehow. An international secret club or something.''

''Our club color is pink,'' Rory said, amused by Dean's theory.

Dean turned his head and met her eyes. ''I'm sure you look really cute.''

Rory broke their eye contact and started to fidget with her fingers.

''I should be getting home, my sister's...............''

''Waiting,'' Rory finished, looking up again. ''I think you've mentioned that before.''

Dean nodded. ''Yeah, see you tomorrow.'' He turned around and slowly started to make his way towards the drive way.

''Bye !''

Dean glanced over his shoulder and looked at her, with a grin on his face.

''Bye, Rory.''

Rory turned around and went inside, not realizing that she had copied Dean's grin.

*~*~*

Rory was stretched out on the couch in front of the TV, when finally the door opened and Lorelai came in.

''Hey sweets,'' Lorelai said, as she dropped her keys next to the answering machine.

''Hey,'' Rory said, wondering why the cute guys always had to sit on the bench, during a game, instead of showing off on the court.

''Since when do you sit and watch TV on a school night ?''

''I always watch TV on a school night.''

''But not like this,'' Lorelai pointed out, as she rested both of her hands on her hips and observed Rory. ''Your sitting position is different.''

Rory rolled her eyes, as she turned off the TV and looked at her mom.

''Today I felt like sitting like this, it's comfortable.''

''Too comfortable..........,'' Lorelai started.

''Mom, it's our couch.''

''That definitely explains why it's always in our house, just standing there.''

''That's what couches tend to do,'' Rory said.

''I know, but wouldn't it be more exciting if they weren't just standing there ?''

''No, that would just be creepy,'' Rory answered.

''It beats boring.''

''So, even though jumping of a building would kill you..............''

''I would still do it, with my trusty friend the parachute, of course,'' Lorelai said. ''So, are you ready to go to Luke's ?''

''That depends.......what if my sitting position doesn't agree with me ?''

*~*~*

The first thing Rory noticed when she entered the diner was the empty spot at the counter. Normally Jess would be standing there, reading his book and glaring at the customers every now and then, as if he was silently telling them to be quiet so he could read in silence. But today, he was actually walking around the diner, taking orders. Of course, he was still glaring at the customers and being his talkative self, but at least he was scribbling things down on a notepad and bringing customers their food.

While Lorelai and Rory sat at the counter, waiting for Luke to show up, Rory's eyes roamed across the diner seemingly aimlessly, but in reality she was carefully awaiting the right moment to rest her gaze upon Jess. When Luke joined them on the other side of the counter, Rory's gaze flew from Jess to Luke in a panicked manner. Though it could only be seen in her eyes, the rest of her expression remained neutral.

''Hey, I missed you this afternoon,'' Luke said, as he automatically reached for the coffee pot.

''Ah honey, I told you I had to work this afternoon,'' Lorelai answered.

Luke looked at Lorelai. ''I was referring to Rory.''

''She didn't come here after school ? You didn't come here after school ?'' Lorelai asked, facing Rory.

Rory shook her head and took the cup of coffee that Luke handed to her.

''No.''

''How can you say that in such a casual manner, when we're talking about Luke's ? A well-known Gilmore tradition.''

''I knew it ran in the family,'' Luke said, as he handed Lorelai her cup of coffee.

''Mom, it's no big deal.''

''Right, and a nuclear bomb isn't a big deal either. It's just a loud bang.''

Rory sighed, feeling even more guilty about breaking 'tradition.'

''I just went straight home instead of stopping by Luke's first,'' Rory explained once more.

''What were you thinking ? Binky doesn't even properly work.''

''Binky ?'' Luke asked.

Rory buried her head in her hands. ''I didn't go to Luke's, because Dean offered to walk me home,'' she mumbled.

''A bean coughed on its way to Rome ?'' Lorelai asked.

Rory looked up and met her mom's twinkling eyes. ''Dean, mom.''

''So, Dean coughed on his way to Rome ?''

''No, Dean offered to walk me home after school,'' Rory said.

''Ah...........Dean,'' Lorelai said, with a satisfied smile on her face.

Rory glared at her mom. ''Say it.''

''Say what ?''

''The stupid rhyme you've made up for situations like these, even though I have never been in one before.''

''If you insist,'' Lorelai said, putting down her coffee. ''Once upon a time there was a prince named Dean, who swept Rory off her feet and asked her to be his queen.''

Luke looked over at Lorelai. ''Sometimes I wonder how you ran an Inn with the mind of a 5-year-old.''

''With a lot of crayons and imagination, my friend.''

*~*~*

Rory enjoyed the breeze that protectively wrapped around her on her way over to the basketball court. It made her feel safe and aware of the fact that she wasn't the only one had decided to take a late night stroll.

When she reached the basketball court, she was a little surprised at the fact that it was already being occupied by someone else. At first she didn't recognize the figure, but as soon as she took a few more steps towards it, she realized that it was Jess. Partly because she identified his dark hair, that was still even darker than the shadows the night threw upon the earth.

She slowly brought her eyes up to his face and found his dark brown eyes glimmering back at her. Almost instantaneously she lowered her eyes to the ball in her hands, missing the smirk that now accompanied his gleaming eyes.

''Hey,'' she said, bringing her eyes up again.

Jess nodded at her and turned around, so his back was facing her. Rory followed his movements, as he brought his arms up above his head. She even noticed the way he flexed his muscles when he concentrated. When he threw the ball, she wasn't even surprised to see that it flawlessly went into the basket, not even touching the net.

Jess went to get the ball and walked up to her.

''You wanna play some one on one ?''

''Are you sure you're up for it ?'' Rory asked, receiving a look from Jess immediately afterwards.

Jess threw the ball at her, causing her to drop her own in order to catch his.

''So.......Dean ?'' Jess started.

''Other subject please,'' Rory said, as she threw the ball back at Jess.

''So............Binky ?'' Jess asked, raising one eyebrow.

*R*E*V*I*E*W*! Please ? :-) I know, not a chapter to be writing home about, but I am trying here. And I have tests and school (which sucks btw!), so please be patient ? Thanks again for everything! :-)