Bravery & First Steps

Chapter Seven: This Year's Love

Thank you so much to everyone who's read my story and posted reviews. I haven't abandoned the story and I plan on keeping it going with several new chapters that I'll be posting here one at a time. Sorry it took me so long to update, but work sucks.

TITLE: Bravery & First Steps
AUTHOR: medeagddssaol.com

DISTRIBUTION: Please ask permission first.
SPOILER: None yet.

RATING: PG13
PAIRING: Luke/Lorelai, Rory/Dean

SUMMARY: Right after Rory & Lorelai's return from Europe, Luke decides he needs to talk to Lorelai about taking their relationship further. Christopher and Sherry have broken up and he also shows up in Stars Hollow wanting to attempt a reconciliation with Lorelai. Rory, crushed after Jess abandons Stars Hollow becomes close to Dean once again. Dean starts to realize his wedding is a mistake. Stars Hollow erupts.

Lyrics: "This Year's Love" by David Gray

"This Year's Love

This Year's Love:

This years love had better last
Heaven knows it's high time
And I've been waiting on my own too long
But when you hold me like you do
It feels so right
I start to forget
How my heart gets torn
When that hurt gets thrown
Feeling like you can't go on..."

In love with Dean. No, scratch that – still in love with Dean. God, she was such a love moron.

It was a weird emotion. You could learn a lot of things from books, but love had so many unwritten, hidden chapters that she thought she'd never comprehend. Could it really be this simple?

Rory had pretended she was asleep that night. Several weeks had passed already, she had already moved into her dorm at Yale and still she and her mother hadn't properly discussed what happened that night. There was no need to because true to his word, the day after they'd spend the night together Dean broke up with Lindsay. It had not been pretty. The Stars Hollow rumor mill had worked overtime with Kirk and Taylor functioning as the town's 'Rory and Dean: True Stars Hollow Story'. There had been public screaming matches, Mrs. Kim had come over to their house to properly welcome her as the town's fallen woman, but all of that she could handle. What had devastated Rory was the silent acceptance she'd gotten from Lorelai. Emily and Richard had practically turned in the Homeland Security Department with their systematic interrogations of Dean.

Through it all, Lorelai, had been on her side but strangely, never talked about the situation itself. Rory could sense the enormous disappointment her mother felt. The public knowledge that Stars Hollow's idealized Rory Gilmore had taken her man back by breaking up his engagement was embarrassing and humiliating for them both, but not a word was said. All conversations had turned topical and well, fluff.

Suddenly, her phone rang. Paris, her telephone ringer antenna already fine-tuned, would start to yell if the phone wasn't answered within her 'three courtesy rings' rule. Living with Paris was always an adventure into the surreal.

"Hey you."

"Dean," she replied, a smile coming to her lips.

"I missed you last night," he laughed, "What night this week do you want to do midnight pizza?"

Rory had been so overwhelmed with work that she barely had a night free to go out on a real date. Dean, who was trying to save up money to move out of Stars Hollow and consequently out of the line of constant fire, made as many escapes towards Yale as he could. Sundays were becoming a very homey new tradition – Dean and Janet would watch whatever football game was on, while she and Paris dissected page upon page of college texts. However busy or harassed they were during the week, one night they met up for a very late dinner and the majority of times, this turned out to be pizza. Hence, Midnight Pizza night.

"Wednesday?"

"Works for me. Regular time?"

"Only insomniacs need apply."

"That gets funnier every time."

"How's it going working at Gypsy's?"

"It's different, I'll tell you that. Taylor stops by at least once a day now."

"Like a jealous suitor?"

"More like a pissed off father," he laughed. "He still thinks I've brought down the moral values of this town."

"I'm sorry you have to put up with all of this alone-"

"Don't Rory. I told you, it's only for a little while longer. Besides, it's all worth it."

"You have got to stop being cute and romantic and………..well, everything before I've had coffee. At least with some caffeine in my system I can have a witty comeback line."

"Hey, you kill me with your nocturnal, witty comeback lines. Give the morning at least."

"Deal. But only if you pay for dessert."

"A whole dollar's worth of zeppole's? I may never recover."

Women in love – did they ever stop smiling? Rory was dying to find out.

"I think you'll get by."

"Okay, I think you're fully awake now. I'm going to have to start charging you for these wake up calls."

"Oh, honey," she whined, "you know you love to wake your fallen princess from her slumber."

"We moral degenerates have got to watch out for each other. Anyway, come on. Time to get up. Civ class awaits."

"Don't remind me."

"Rory?"

"Yes, Dean."

"Nice trick with the CDs. You switched my White Stripes with that David Gray one again."

"It's a joke that never grows old."

"We already used that line today."

"Ugh," she grunted, tossing her body out from underneath the covers. "That's a definite sign I need to grow up."

"You mean wake up."

"Well, that too."

"Catch you later Sadie, Sadie…."

"Yeah, yeah…..tainted lady. I'll talk to you later."

"And see you tomorrow night."