Through Your Eyes #1: People Change
By: Apolla
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, settings, etc. Oh, but I do own Milo (sucks for you!).
Pairings: Literati and Java Junkie. I'm sorry, I didn't know there were any other options :p
Setting: This story starts about one month after That'll Do, Pig.
Don't Worry: Allow me to put your fears to rest. No matter what happens along the way, in the end, Rory & Jess and Luke & Lorelai will be together.
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"You called him Duke for the first two years you knew him? Why?" Sherry asked, laughing.
"Because it annoyed him. It was funny!" Lorelai said, as though stating the obvious.
They had all sat down to brunch, and Lorelai, due mostly in part to Sherry's urgings, had been telling stories about Luke. Luke had been trying to get her to stop, but Lorelai was being encouraged by Rory, Jess, Maggie, Sherry, and even her mother, who seemed to have taken a liking to Luke. Richard didn't seem to think much of Luke, but he had been polite and smiled occasionally when someone looked his way expectantly.
Chris was the only other one who didn't like Luke. He didn't laugh, and found it getting harder and harder to control his temper with each Luke story that Lorelai told. "Tell us another, Lorelai!" Sherry pleaded.
"No, don't," Luke said.
"Oh, Bubba, you don't get any say in this," Lorelai told him.
"Bubba?" Sherry asked.
"I always wanted to date someone named Bubba, so I call Luke Bubba."
"Oh, Lorelai, honestly," Emily said. "Only you would do something like that."
Lorelai was enjoying being the center of attention, as she always did. And it was always fun to make Luke squirm. "That's right, Mom, only me. That's why Luke loves me!" she exclaimed loudly, giving Luke a kiss on the cheek.
Rory, Jess, and Maggie exchanged a look, Maggie looking triumphant. She knew it, she knew that Luke and Lorelai felt something for each other. Lorelai and Luke were both looking awkward and embarrassed; Chris was glowering; Richard was frowning; Emily had a small, all-knowing smile; and Sherry was positively beaming.
"Oh, that's so sweet!" Sherry said. "Come on, Lorelai, there's got to be another story."
"Well," Lorelai said, trying to recover. "There is the time when Rory and Dean broke up for the first time…………."
"Oh no," Luke said. "Lorelai, no."
"Oh Mom, come on, don't embarrass Luke," Rory said.
Jess looked at Luke curiously. "What happened the first time Rory and Dean broke up?" he asked.
"Yes, what happened?" Maggie prompted Lorelai.
"Well," Lorelai said, enjoying having everyone's attention fixated on her, "After Rory and Dean broke up, we went to Luke's for breakfast. All of the sudden, Luke's gone, and we find him out in the middle of the street with Dean in a headlock."
"What?!" Jess exclaimed.
He had never heard this story before. "You fought Dean?" he asked Luke.
"No, I didn't fight him - I - "
"You were fighting in the middle of the street?" Emily asked.
"No, I - "
"Yeah, and we had to go out there and break them up!" Lorelai piped in enthusiastically.
"You didn't have to break us up, Lorelai," Luke said.
"Then what happened?" Sherry asked.
"Yeah, Luke, then what happened?" Jess repeated, smirking.
"Well, uh - I, uh - see, I saw him outside, and went out to talk to him, and I told him I wasn't going to let him come into my diner, and - "
"And it just snowballed from there!" Lorelai said gleefully.
Luke scowled. "You didn't find it so funny at the time," he reminded her.
"Why wouldn't you let him come in?" Maggie asked curiously.
"He broke up with Rory! Why would I be nice to him?"
"You were protecting Rory? That's so cute!" Sherry exclaimed.
Rory and Luke both looked embarrassed, but Lorelai was grinning. "Aw, honey, it's just the papa bear in you!" Lorelai said.
Maggie burst out laughing, and Rory was giggling. Luke looked like he was ready to kill Lorelai, and Jess' smirk widened. Suddenly, Chris got up from the table and stormed out of the dining room. Everyone looked confused. "What was that about?" Rory asked.
"Maybe I should go talk to him," Sherry said uncertainly.
"Yeah, go," Lorelai said. "He's had a stick up his ass the whole time he's been here."
"Lorelai!" Emily admonished her.
"What? He has!" Lorelai said defensively.
Sherry got up to find Chris and left. Lorelai, Rory, and Emily started talking to each other about what was wrong with Chris. Richard and Jess had quietly started a book discussion.
Maggie and Luke, however, were both pretty sure they knew what was going on. Maggie had noticed Chris' increasing agitation during Lorelai's Luke stories, and Luke was also pretty sure he knew what the matter was. Luke had been in the position himself when Lorelai had been with Max, and he could tell that Chris was jealous because Chris thought that he and Lorelai were really a couple. He knew that, having been in that position before, he should be sympathetic towards Chris. But he wasn't.
Everyone stopped talking as Sherry walked back into the room. "He won't tell me," she said. "He keeps saying everything's fine, but……..I don't know."
She turned to Lorelai. "You talk to him."
"What? No, I couldn't."
"Please, Lorelai? Maybe he'll talk to you."
"No, I can't. I mean, I - "
"Lorelai, please?" Sherry begged her.
Lorelai looked at Rory, who shrugged. "Well…….um, okay, I guess I could."
Lorelai got up. "I'll be right back."
She went and found Chris. "You wanna tell me what's been bugging you?" Lorelai asked.
Chris glanced at her. "Nope."
Lorelai sat down. "Oh, come on, Chris. You've had a stick up your ass the whole time. Who put it there?"
"That's a great way to put it, Lorelai," Chris said.
Lorelai didn't say anything until Chris looked at her. "Well?" she prompted him.
"Fine. You want to know who put it there, Lorelai? You did."
"Me?"
Lorelai stood up. "What did I do?"
"You got together with Luke without telling me!"
Lorelai looked at him. "Well, next time I'll call you before I go out on a date," she said, confused.
She gave a little laugh. "Come on, Chris, what's this all about?"
"That is what it's all about, Lorelai. You and Luke. And then, in there……..you were just rubbing it in my face."
"Rubbing the fact that Luke and I are together in your face?" Lorelai asked, her voice rising. "No, I wasn't! But I would certainly have the right to, after what you did to me with Sherry!"
"Oh, what I did to you?" Chris yelled.
"Yes!" Lorelai yelled back.
"That's not even what I'm talking about! I'm talking about you making me look like a horrible father!" Chris shouted at her.
"What?" Lorelai asked, once again thoroughly confused as to what he was talking about.
"You! Talking about how Luke's always been there for Rory, telling stories about how he's the one who protects her! I'm her father, damn it!"
"I know that, Chris - those stories, they didn't mean - " Lorelai was trying to pacify him, but it didn't work.
"Yeah, right!" he scoffed.
He adopted a high voice. "Luke made Rory a special coffee cake for her birthday……Luke always fixes everything so me and Rory are happy……..oh, Luke, you're just a 'papa bear'."
He started yelling in his regular voice again. "How the hell did you think that was supposed to make me feel, Lorelai? You, telling everyone, and in front of Rory, how Luke's the one who's always there for her, not me?"
"I didn't say that!" Lorelai said, tears in her eyes.
"Yes, you did!" Chris roared.
"No, I didn't, but you know what? I should have!" Lorelai screamed at him. "Because it's true! Why are you even here, Chris? Just go back and be with Sherry, and your new daughter! You know, the one you abandoned us for! Just go!"
"I am!"
"Fine!" Lorelai yelled.
"Fine!" Chris yelled back, stalking out of the room.
Lorelai sank down on the couch and started to cry.
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The table in the dining room was silent. Everyone could hear Chris and Lorelai yelling at each other, but, try as they might, no one could make out what they were actually saying. Luke's and Rory's eyes met and they exchanged a worried look. Whenever Chris and Lorelai had a big fight, there was always a lot of emotional damage.
Suddenly Chris stormed back in. "Sherry, we're going," he said brusquely.
Maggie immediately stood up. "Come on, we'll get your coats," she said, leading them out of the dining room.
Rory got up to follow them and say goodbye, leaving Emily, Richard, Luke, and Jess at the table. "Where's Lorelai?" Emily wondered out loud.
Luke abruptly stood up. "I'll go find her."
He left, and Emily, Richard, and Jess sat in complete silence. A few minutes later, Maggie and Rory came back in. "Maggie, did they say anything? What happened?" Emily asked.
"I don't know. I got their coats, Sherry thanked me, and they left."
Emily sniffed. "Well. That was extremely rude of Christopher. You'd think he would know better."
"He was upset, Grandma," Rory said.
She turned to Jess. "Where's Luke?"
"He went to find your mom," Jess told her quietly.
Rory nodded. "Good."
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Luke found Lorelai sitting on the couch, her face in her hands. Luke went over and sat down next to her. "You okay?" he asked.
Lorelai looked over at him, and Luke saw the tears in her eyes. "Did you guys hear everything?" she asked.
"No. We could hear you were yelling, but we couldn't hear what you were saying."
"Oh."
There was a pause. "What was his problem?" Luke asked.
Lorelai shrugged. "It's not important. Did he and Sherry leave?"
"Yeah," Luke said.
"Okay."
They sat on the couch silently, side by side. Suddenly Lorelai started to cry again. "Lorelai - don't cry," Luke said desperately.
He hated it when women cried, especially Lorelai. He put his arms around her awkwardly, and she put her face against his chest, one hand clenching the front of his shirt, as she cried. Eventually Luke felt more comfortable, and he stroked her hair. "It's okay," he kept saying over and over.
Lorelai finally stopped crying, and she looked up. Luke noticed that she had stopped crying and immediately stopped holding her, but Lorelai liked the feeling of Luke's arms around her. She laid her head against his chest again, and Luke slowly put his arms back around her.
Lorelai cuddled closer to him. Whenever she was upset or crying, Luke was always there for her. He always did anything to make her feel better, and it worked. Lorelai knew that she could break down and cry because Luke would always be there to bring her back up. She didn't know what she would do if he ever wasn't there.
"Oh - " a voice started.
Luke immediately let go of Lorelai, who sat up. "Mom!" she said.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know you were in here," Emily said.
"That's okay," Luke said.
"We were just leaving," Lorelai said at the same time.
They both got up, not looking at each other, and followed Emily out of the room. "Actually, Mom, I have to go to the bathroom. I'll be right back," Lorelai said, disappearing down the hallway.
Emily and Luke continued to the dining room, Emily looking extremely pleased. Maggie, Rory, Jess, and Richard looked up as Emily and Luke entered the dining room. Jess could immediately tell that something had happened between Luke and Lorelai - Luke had that same dazed, embarrassed expression that he'd had when Jess had walked in on him and Lorelai yesterday.
"Where's Mom?" Rory asked.
"She went to the bathroom," Emily replied.
"Oh."
Maggie looked extremely disappointed. She could tell by Emily's pleased expression that she had walked in on Luke and Lorelai doing - well - something. She just wasn't quite sure what. But if Emily hadn't walked in on whatever Luke and Lorelai were doing, Maggie was sure that whatever it was would have progressed further. Maggie decided right then that she would do everything she could to bring Luke and Lorelai together.
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Luke and Jess walked upstairs to the apartment later that day after Lorelai and Rory left. Luke was getting annoyed by Jess, who kept looking at him with an all-knowing expression. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore. "What?" he snapped.
"Oh, nothing."
"Go downstairs and get to work."
"What will you be doing? Sitting up here and thinking about Lorelai?"
"Go!" Luke barked.
Jess left, smirking, and leaving Luke to his own thoughts. That little……but how did he know? How does he always know when something happens between me and Lorelai? Not that anything happened. Not really. I was just comforting her. But how does he always know what I'm thinking? I can never tell what he's thinking, or what he's going to do, but he seems to know me so well. I don't know what to make of that kid.
But he was right……here I am, sitting up here and thinking about Lorelai. I'd like to think something happened, I admit it………but nothing did. At least I don't think anything did.
I'm trying to think about this logically. She goes after Chris, they fight, she cries, I comfort. It's nothing more than what a friend would do. Because that's all Lorelai and I will ever be. Friends. She's my best friend, I don't want to lose that. I can't lose that. That's why I can't ask her out or anything - what if it didn't work? I wouldn't know what to do if our friendship was over.
Besides, she's not over Chris. Why else would she be crying after they argued? Because she still cares for him. She's………in love with him. She loves him. He doesn't deserve it. What has he ever done besides leave her and Rory broken-hearted? I would not - could not - ever do that to them, I don't understand how he could.
I try to make whatever he does better. I try to be there for them, both of them - Lorelai and Rory. It's not the same, though. Of course they don't say that to me, but I'm not Chris.
But it doesn't matter. Because Lorelai and I are just friends, and we'll never be more than that. I'm still just having a little trouble reconciling myself to that.
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"So…..you want to talk about what happened?" Rory asked as she and Lorelai walked into the house.
"What do you mean?"
"You and Dad. I know you were arguing."
"Oh, that. It's nothing," Lorelai said dismissively.
"Nothing?" Rory asked, not believing her.
"That's right. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Did you ever think that maybe it should be 'nilch', not zilch? I mean, nothing and nada both start with 'n'. So why zilch? I mean, it's some crazy made-up word. Why didn't the person say 'nilch' instead of zilch? Wouldn't that make more sense?"
"So, if Dad called, would you talk to him or pretend you're not here?" Rory persisted.
"Um……….the second one. But it's not…….it's not what you're thinking."
"What am I thinking?" Rory asked.
"That I don't want to talk to him because I'm so upset and still in love with him. We argued and both said some mean things, but it's not like it was before."
Lorelai put her arm around Rory and they sat down. "Baby, listen. You know that I'll always love your father. He was my first love, and he's your father. But I'm not…….I'm not in love with him anymore. I'm not putting my life on hold in the off chance that he'll come back and want to be with us."
"You're not hung up on him anymore," Rory supplied.
"Right. He's moved on, and so have I. I'm ready to find someone and give them all of my heart, not keep part of it tucked away for Christopher."
Lorelai looked at Rory. "Do you understand what I mean?"
"Yes," Rory said slowly. "I think I do."
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"Wow," Sookie said after Lorelai was finished.
The next day, Lorelai had gone to work and found Sookie and told her everything that had happened with both Christopher and Luke during brunch at Maggie's. "Yeah. What am I supposed to do?" Lorelai asked.
"What do you mean?"
"About Luke! I told him that I'd tell my mom that we broke up."
"Why don't you try dating for real?"
"Me and Luke?"
"Why not?"
"Because……..Luke's my friend."
"So? You both want to be more than friends."
"Sookie - I don't know………."
"Why? It's so romantic!"
Lorelai gave a little laugh. "What is?"
"You and Luke. Friends for years, with little moments here and there, until it finally grows into something more."
"Has it really been like that?"
"Yes, silly! Honestly, I think I know more about your relationship with Luke than you do!"
"But Sookie, I don't think Luke feels the same way."
"He puts his arms around you, didn't he?"
"Well - yeah, but - that was just to comfort me, it wasn't anything romantic."
"But what about afterwards? You said he put his arms around you again."
"Yeah………but………"
"But what? Lorelai, come on! You're never one not to take action!"
"Sookie, what if we break up?" Lorelai burst out.
"What?" Sookie asked, confused.
"Me and Luke. What if we date, and we drive each other crazy, and we break up, and then we're not friends anymore?"
"Honey, you already drive each other crazy. And you can't shy away from something just because something bad might happen!"
Lorelai smacked her hand to her forehead dejectedly. "Now I know where Rory gets it from! She stayed with Dean longer than she really wanted to because she was afraid of what might happen if she got together with Jess."
"But she did it, and so can you!" Sookie said encouragingly.
"But Luke is one of my best friends. I depend on him so much. What if something went wrong and we couldn't even be friends anymore?"
"You can't think about the what if's all the time. Sometimes you just have to trust in your feelings."
"But I don't know what my feelings are!"
"Yes you do, you just won't admit them to yourself!" Sookie said.
"As fascinating as this conversation about that forgettable flannel man is, you do have work to do," Michel told Lorelai, coming into the kitchen.
"How long were you behind that door?" Lorelai demanded.
Michel smiled. "The whole time."
He turned and left, and Lorelai turned to Sookie. "You know what I'm really looking forward to?" Lorelai asked her.
"What?"
"Starting our own inn and never seeing Michel again."
Sookie sighed dreamily. "I know. I can't wait."
She turned serious. "I don't think you should tell your mom that you and Luke broke up."
"What? Why?" Lorelai asked.
"Just……….trust me. Don't."
"Well…….I'll think about it," Lorelai said, her tone doubtful.
Sookie looked pleased. "Good."
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Jess was uncharacteristically pacing on the bridge that afternoon. He was supposed to meet Rory here, and he had decided to tell her. He was going to tell her that he loved her. It was stupid to make himself so vulnerable to her, he knew it was. But after seeing how much Luke cared for Lorelai, and still didn't tell her, he knew that he had to take action. He was not going to sit back and keep quiet forever like his uncle did.
I don't know why I'm doing this………that's not true. I know why I'm doing this, it's because I don't want to be like Luke. And because I love Rory. But I've loved her for a long time, and never told her. Why should I break my silence now?
Jess sat down on the bridge. This is stupid. I'm not going to tell her. It's not that she'd laugh at me or something………Rory wouldn't do that……but when she doesn't say anything back, I'm going to feel ten times worse. I can't do this. I can't open up this much to her. I can't let myself become this vulnerable………can I?
Jess let out a groan of frustration, then chucked a rock into the water. He watched the water ripple in all directions, then became lost in thought again. No, I have to tell her. I can't just say nothing…………right? I should tell her. She deserves to know. After all the shit I've put her through, she definitely deserves to know. So, that's it. I'll tell her.
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After school that day Rory walked slowly to the bridge, where she was meeting Jess. She had decided to tell him. She was going to tell him that she loved him. She wasn't going to be like her mother and not admit her true feelings to the man she loved.
It's okay if he doesn't feel the same way. Mom seems to think he does, but since when does she know him very well? But I have to tell him, to clear my mind. He deserves to know. I don't just love him, like I did Dean. I'm in love with him.
Rory stopped walking. What if it makes Jess so uncomfortable that he starts avoiding me? He's not the type of person who's used to telling people that he loves them, or hearing other people say that they love him. Even if he feels the same way, he might not say anything just because it feels too awkward to him.
Rory shook her head and continued walking. Then he'll have to deal with it. I am telling him, no matter what his reaction might be. I'm telling him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jess stopped pacing as Rory walked up to him. "Hey," he said, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close against him.
"Hey," she replied.
They kissed, but neither of them put much into it. Their minds were both whirling a mile a minute. They sat on the bridge in silence, both trying to work up the courage to say what they wanted to say.
"I have to tell you something," they said at the same time.
Rory smiled sheepishly and Jess' eyes softened. "You go first," he said, eager to put off what he was going to say.
"No, you go," Rory said, equally as eager to put off what she was planning on telling him.
They were both silent for a moment, until both Rory and Jess decided to just bite the bullet and say it.
"I love you," they said in unison, not paying attention to what the other person was saying.
They continued talking at the same time. "It's okay if you don't feel the same way - " Rory began.
"I just wanted to tell you - " Jess began at the same time.
" - but I just wanted you to know," Rory continued.
" - because you deserve to know," Jess continued at the same time.
They both stopped talking and replayed the conversation back in their heads. Finally realizing what the other had said, they looked at each other. "What did you say?" Rory asked.
"What did you say?" Jess replied.
"I asked you first."
"I asked you last."
"So?" Rory asked.
"So you should tell me first."
"What kind of logic is that?" Rory asked.
"The logical kind," Jess replied.
Neither of them said anything for a moment - and then, at the same time - "I love you."
Rory smiled shyly and Jess, although everything in him was telling him to look away, looked into her eyes. Right now, he was truly vulnerable. He couldn't hide it from Rory. He couldn't hide anything from her anymore.
But Rory's smile widened. She saw the vulnerability in his eyes. He wasn't hiding anything from her anymore, and she had never felt more special. "I love you," she said again.
"I……..love you too," Jess said.
Rory giggled, laying her head on his shoulder "You're definitely not used to saying that."
"You're the only person I've ever said that to," Jess said, his voice so quiet that Rory wasn't completely sure he had even said anything.
Rory stopped giggling and sat up, looking sideways at Jess. She was secretly thrilled by his confession. For him to tell her, then, that he loved her……….that was as big as if she had given him her virginity.
Rory saw that Jess immediately regretted telling her that she was the only one he had ever said 'I love you' to. He was avoiding looking at her. Rory lifted her hand and started tracing circles around his mouth, then his chest. "Don't do that," she said.
"What?" he asked, his voice sounding lower than usual.
"Don't shut me out."
Jess didn't say anything, but laid down on his back. Rory lay down next to him on her side, facing him, propped up on her elbow. She leaned over so that her upper body was on top of him and started kissing him. "I love you," she whispered, showering kisses on his face.
She kissed his forehead, his cheeks, his nose, around his mouth, until Jess let out a small growl and put his hand on the back of her head, guiding her lips towards his. He needed to feel her, and he used his other arm to wrap around her body, pressing it tightly against his. All the while he eagerly devoured her mouth, and Rory responded just as eagerly.
Jess pulled away from Rory's mouth and started in on her neck, causing Rory to let out a small, quiet moan. Jess grinned the victorious grin that all guys have when they can get their girl to make that sound, then continued his assault on her neck. All of the sudden he felt Rory stiffen.
"Jess, stop," she whispered.
Jess stopped kissing her, and Rory quickly got up. He stood up, then turned around to see one of the worst possible people he could think of to find them in this moment. Miss Patty.
"Oh, dears, you don't need to stop on my account," Miss Patty said with a wink.
Rory's face was beet-red, and Jess couldn't believe that Miss Patty, of all people, had found them here. "We were just - uh - we were just - " Rory stammered.
Miss Patty cut off Rory's stuttering. "Do I look like a prude to you? I know what you were doing, honey. I'm not blind."
She looked at Rory. "Don't look so worried! I won't tell anyone!"
With that, Miss Patty hurried off. "Oh my God," Rory said. "Oh my God!"
"She won't tell anyone……yeah, right. That'd be the day," Jess said darkly.
"The whole town is going to know, and you know Miss Patty's going to make it sound worse than it really is!"
Jess knew what Rory was talking about, but he pretended that he didn't. "I didn't think it was that bad," he told her.
"No, of course not. I mean, the kissing and, uh, stuff. That wasn't bad. But it might look bad. I mean, not look bad, but Taylor will probably ban us from coming to the bridge or something, even though we didn't really do anything. I mean, we did - not really - it's not like we didn't do anything, but - "
"You're rambling. I know what you mean."
Rory gave him a small smile. "Right."
They sat down on the bridge again, leaning against each other. "By the time we get back into town, everyone's going to know," Rory said.
"Yeah. At least she didn't hear what we were talking about. That would have been even worse."
"Huh," Rory said.
"Uh-oh. You're stealing my 'huhs' again."
"So you don't care if the whole town knows that you're making out with a girl, but you care if everyone knows that you told that girl that you loved her."
"Yeah, that sounds about right," Jess said.
"Huh."
"What?" Jess asked, sounding slightly annoyed.
"See? Those huhs are annoying."
"Why do you think I use them?" Jess replied with a smirk.
"Mmm-hmm," Rory said absentmindedly.
Jess thought that maybe she had taken what he said the wrong way. "I don't……..you know……..regret what I said," Jess told her.
Rory looked at him, a smile playing on the corners of her mouth. "I know," she said.
She leaned forward and kissed him. "Say it again," Rory said, then kissed him again.
"Say what?" Jess asked, stalling.
Rory began talking in between kisses. "Say that - you - love me."
She gave him a long, deep kiss, then pulled away and waited for him to say it. Jess lay down again, pulling Rory down on top of him. "I love you," Jess said.
Rory beamed at him, then gave him another kiss. He pushed her away a little bit. "Hey, aren't you supposed to say something here?" he demanded.
"My my, we've certainly gotten demanding, haven't we," Rory said.
Jess smirked. "Yeah. It'll be better for you if you just go along with me."
"Is that a threat?" Rory asked, running her hands over his chest.
He grabbed her hands, stopping them. "Maybe."
Rory grinned at him and rubbed her leg against his inner thigh. Instead of pulling her up against him and kissing her as she had expected, he pulled away from her. She rolled off of him, and he got up. Confused, Rory also stood.
"We should probably go home. I'm already late for my shift," he said, not looking at her.
"Is something the matter?" Rory asked him.
"Nope."
He started walking, and Rory hurried to follow him. "Jess, come on. Tell me. Did I do something wrong?"
Jess stopped. "You didn't do anything wrong," he finally said.
"I didn't?"
"No."
He gave a small laugh. "You did everything right."
Rory was confused. "What?"
"I had to stop," Jess said, looking into her eyes.
Rory suddenly realized what he meant. "Oh," she said, turning red.
"You shouldn't be embarrassed," Jess told her softly.
Unable to resist, he stepped closer to her and kissed her. Rory wrapped her arms around his neck, and they ended up kissing for longer than Jess had meant to. They finally broke apart and Rory rested her forehead against Jess', her arms still around his neck.
"I want you," Jess told her.
"I want you too," Rory said.
She didn't realize what she had said until the words left her mouth. She looked up at Jess, but he didn't say anything. He slung his arm around her shoulders and they started walking to the diner, Jess looking around. "Let's hope no one heard what we just said, or I'll be dead tomorrow," Jess muttered to her.
Rory giggled. "I love you," she said quietly.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
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Author's Note: Come on, now. Rory and Jess said I Love You. That's gotta be worth some reviews! Plus, Luke and Lorelai had a total moment. Both couples had great moments! How could you not review? Review! Review!
Coming in Chapter 14………Another fight! I really don't think you've seen this one coming, though……I didn't see it coming until I wrote it twenty minutes ago……but things are changing between Lane and Jess. Things do have to get worse before they get better, right?