Oh boy, if I was the one to cry easily, I would be crying like a baby right now. Thank you so much for your reviews. God you made my day!

LJ ( ): the last line was referring to something Dave had said in their conversation in the kitchen and yes, Jess and Luke are still related, I have the meeting already planned in my head, it may take some chapters though. Thank you so much, you actually inspired me to write on. I cannot say often enough how much the reviews mean to me.

LorLukealways: let's pretend that Lane moved in with Rory some time after having moved out of her mother's place. But Mrs. Kim and Lane have reconciled. Since she is still dating Dave, the whole Zach thing (although I like him) has not happened. By the way, referring to your name, you will like this chapter.

Rory's POV:

Grinning, I made my way back to the apartment, thinking about the afternoon I had spent with Jess. Jess… how easily the name now rolled off my tongue. Jess… Jess…Jess. I have officially turned insane. Here I was running around like a headless chicken thinking about a guy that wasn't even close to being my guy. If anyone would be watching me right now, they'd call 911.

Apartment 5F? Yes, that's right!

Reason of calling? Insane girl on the loose. Apparently dangerous for the people around her, contagious!

I laughed at myself as I tried to find the key in my purse to unlock the door.

Flashback

"Do you work out?" when I realized what I had said, I threw a hand over my mouth, desperately hoping that he hadn't caught my question. According to his surprised expression, he had. Oh shitty shit! I dropped my head and buried myself in the stack of books in front of me. Before I could spontaneously catch fire and disappear, he was standing next to me. What would I have given in that very moment to be one of the Charmed witches. Disappear without a trace, make the world stop, maybe even throw him across the room with nothing but my mental power. Screw this, in this very moment, I lacked all of my mental powers, not to mention the nonexistent ones. Jess cleared his throat.

" I think I may have heard you asking me if I worked out, to be honest I'm a little hurt here. I thought this would be obvious." I could see him smirking although I was still lying with my head on the desk, my hand still firmly clasped over my mouth. What to say, what to say?

Suddenly I felt his hand reaching for mine that was still placed over my mouth, he took it away, slowly, delicately, brushing his thumb over my palm ever so slightly.

" you know, it's easier to talk without something covering your mouth. Makes it less mumbled." Was that even a word? I finally gathered my courage to look up, meeting his gaze. He still hadn't let go off my hand, still drawing lazy circles on my palm; was he doing this on purpose ? Was he trying to drive me insane? I withdrew my hand despite the feeling that was running through my body, settling between my thighs. I sat up straight, there was no way he could affect me so badly, no way was I gonna let him catch me once again embarrassed.

" this was so not a pick up line. It's just, god! " Jess smirked, taking hold of my hand again.

" it was just…?" he trailed off leaving it up to me to finish the sentence. What was I supposed to tell him? You know I didn't know if my ex boyfriend worked out and I just wanted to make sure that I wouldn't make the same mistake twice, and yes, by the way I have already named our kids, we'll be living in the Village! I took a deep breath and finally came up with the answer my mom had taught me. Whenever you're faced with a situation you can't handle, say:

" it's a girl thing!" Jess chuckled and soon I was joining him.

" blame my mother!" I shot him a look that was supposed to state the obvious.

I sighed defeated as he got up again, ready to leave me in my misery.

He turned around once again, whispering with a steady voice.

"Just so you know, you don't need a pick up line, you already picked me up." I got up as well, shouting after him:

" IT WAS NOT A PICK UP LINE!" my words echoed in the hall, mocking me, when I suddenly realized what he had said: You already picked me up! Oh boy!

Flashback end

I entered the apartment and called my Mom.

" Hello this is Lorelai Gilmore, soon to be Danes, how can I help you?"

" NO!" I screamed, I was actually screaming.

" YES!" Mom was on the verge of yelling herself.

" NO!" I was losing it.

" YES! And should I be offended that you don't believe it?" I was shocked, Luke actually popped the question. He did it, way to go Luke!

" Yes, I mean no, I don't know what to think anymore, oh my god, this is huge, this is bigger than huge, this is…" what was bigger that huge?

" when? How, where?" Then Mom proceeded to tell me all the little details, and when I said all, I mean all details, even when I was begging her to spare me. I really didn't need to know how they celebrated their engagement. I didn't need to know that she woke up this morning to the sight of her bra hanging over the lamp-shade. I had started singing when she continued to tell me where she had found Luke's boxers.

" so, anyhow, the rehearsal dinner is next Saturday." My thinking process suddenly stopped.

" what do you mean next Saturday?" Mom sighed.

" has Yale told you nothing? Next Saturday, as in six days from today."

" but, why? I mean, didn't you just tell me that the wedding was gonna be in July?"

"so?"

"Aren't rehearsal dinners normally held a day or so before the wedding?" Mom sighed dramatically.

" yes, normally, but do I have a reputation to be normal, but if it makes you feel any better, we can call it engagement dinner." Now, that made more sense. Long silence, I could hear my mom breathing at the other end, it calmed me, taking me back to my childhood days when I would crawl in bed with her after having had a nightmare.

" I'm happy for you, Mom. You deserve it."

" I do, don't I?" I could hear her smiling. I heard something on the other line, something that sounded like the front door being shut.

" hey, honey, I gotta go, Luke's home and I'm up for round number two, well three actually, see ya Saturday, love you, bring a date!" and with that the line went dead.

" Mom? Mom are you there?" I pushed the end button and sank back on the couch. That's where Lane found me half an hour later.

"Rory?" Lane sat next to me and put an arm around my shoulder.

"you okay?" I looked at her and my eyes started to tear up. I blinked, squeezing the hot liquid out of my eyes down my cheeks. Lane looked scared.

" Luke asked my mom to marry him." I whispered, leaning my head against her shoulder. I loved her for being there for me.

" but that's a good thing, right?" apparently Lane was questioning my state of mind.

" yes, that's a good thing and I have actually no idea why the hell I'm crying!" I laughed through my tears and started sobbing. She embraced me and let me shed unidentified tears.

When I had calmed down, I wiped my eyes still sniffling.

" sorry."

" there's nothing you have to be sorry for, that's what I'm here for." I nodded and got up.

" she wants me to bring a date to her engagement dinner on Saturday, well, she actually called it a rehearsal dinner…" Lane's head shot up.

" she's getting married next weekend?" Lane exclaimed, rubbing her temples.

" no, she's not getting married before July." Lane looked at me funnily.

" but..?" I cut her off.

" it's my mom we're talking about here, don't question it." Lane nodded and let it go.

" so, who are you taking?" I knew that this question was bound to pop up

" no one." Lane snorted.

" no one as in no one, or no one as is I don't know, maybe Jess?"

I let out a deep breath and said determined.

" no one, I mean, hell I don't even know that guy." Lane again snorted; I was getting annoyed.

" well, I beg to differ." I poured myself a cup of coffee and swirled around.

" Lane!" I shot her a glance that told her to leave it alone.

" Rory!" Lane was mocking me.

" I mean, what is it you have to lose? Just ask him. He seems to be a decent guy and he makes you smile." I stared at Lane for a long time and considered to hear her out.

" when was the last time a guy made you smile, a real genuine smile?" I shook my head, trying to get the thoughts out of my mind that were screaming: Yes, Rory. When?

I finally gave in.

" I'll think about it, okay? Now, let's change the subject, please? What am I getting my Mom for her engagement?" As is fate wanted to interfere, the phone started ringing. I sighed and went over to the couch to pick it up when Lane made no sign of moving.

"Hello?" I asked and my voice sounded strange even to me.

"Rory?" involuntarily my heart beat sped up, making it impossible for me to breathe or even to think straight. My thorax suddenly seemed to be too small for my beating heart. Bang bang bang, It sped as if it was trying to escape, as if it was trying to burst the cage I had held it in for a long time.

"Jess?" I finally choked out as Lane started dancing around, eyes wide and cheeks flushed.

"Yeah, I didn't know if it was okay, but I got your number from the operator." I desperately tried to steady my heart beat. I heard the beating sound in my ear and I thought I might faint.

"Sure, okay, no problem at all. Perfect." Lane gesticulated to me to shut up, making weird noises in the back. Jess chuckled on the other line. What was it with people and mocking me today?

"So, I have an idea I wanna run past you and I want you to know that you have every right to decline." Now it was my turn to laugh, apparently he was nervous as well.

"good to know." I answered and a silence settled around us.

"So?" I asked after a while when he wouldn't continue.

"oh, yeah right. See, my Uncle is getting married, you know he finally tied the knots, he popped the question or what it is the kids call it these days and he asked me to come to his engagement dinner." He trailed off.

"umm, okay?" what was he getting at?

"well, since I'm new here and you are like the only person I know, I wanted to ask you if you'd like to come." He let out a deep breath.

"With me." He added. I swallowed, and forced my heart to start beating again, since apparently it had decided to stop altogether. Would it be totally inappropriate of me to faint right now?

" oh, sure, when is it?" I silently congratulated me on my calm appearance.

" next Saturday." Hmm, something about that date sounded familiar. Oh fuck!

" next Saturday?" I asked again to confirm the date.

" yeah, next Saturday." I think, we have established that. Next Saturday it is.

"Shoot. That's the date of my mom's engagement dinner, or rehearsal dinner or whatever. I'm sorry, I can't miss that." I couldn't mask the disappointment in my voice.

"oh." He couldn't either I noticed relieved.

" you mom's getting married?" he asked as he regained his composure.

"Yeah, I hope at least, I mean last time she bailed on her fiancé, but the odds are good this time." I ranted, that's what the Gilmores do when they're nervous. It's an unwritten law. You're nervous, you rant. Period.

"okay, I just wanted to you know .. ask at least." Suddenly an idea formed in my head.

" maybe, I mean, if you are free…" I trailed off, my courage suddenly fading.

"Yeah?" he asked expectantly.

"what I meant to say was, maybe we could go out, grab a bite to eat, go to the movies?" I took in a deep breath.

"Are you asking me out on a date?" I swallowed and due to the breath that was still caught inside my lungs somewhere I choked.

"well, you suggested it in the first place." I somewhat accusingly replied. Jess chuckled.

"No, never have I mentioned the word date when I asked you to come to that dinner with me, I mean it was somewhat implied, but nope, I didn't ask you out per se." I let the breath float through my nose, trying to think of something to say.

"Hey, Rory, I was kidding. Dinner and movie sure sounds good." I decided to be brave.

"Tomorrow, eight okay?" I bit my nail while he thought about it.

"Yeah, sounds good to me. I'll pick you up."

" you don't know where I live." I grinned, but understanding suddenly dawned on me.

"oh yeah, you do, you've been here before." Rory: zero, Jess: one million.

"That I have. See you tomorrow, Rory Gilmore, I'm looking forward to it." With that the line went dead once again, leaving me behind with a goofy grin on my face that I was unable to cover.

When I was finally able to push the button, Lane tackled me to the ground and all I could think about was: What am I gonna wear?

Well, that's it for now, folks, please review and I'll love you forever. Thanks for taking the time to read.