A/N: I like this chapter. It's very sweet and fun, light, with no angst. I pulled Lorelai in, and I tried really hard to make her believable. My thing is trying to make the characters act like they really would. Let me if you have any suggestions. Please tell me what you think! I love reviews, and I love you guys for leaving me them! Read, Enjoy and Review!
Disclaimer: I own none of Gilmore Girls, so please do not sue me. It wouldn't do you any good though, if you did, because I myself own hardly any thing of value.
"…and I just can't believe it. I mean, we haven't seen each other in like four or five years, and suddenly, bam! Here we are together. It's freaky. Of course, we had it out, yelling and screaming. But then he kissed me, and it's like everything was fine, I felt like I've never felt. It's like I feel complete. Not that I need a man to be complete, but I have this other half of me that makes me feel better than I've felt in a long, long time. RG."
Rory stopped typing and closed her laptop. She glanced at the clock and then quickly got up.
"Crap!" She muttered to herself. Jess would be here in an hour to go over the materials they had given at breakfast, which Rory had been late for again. Rory decided to go take a shower, and emerged twenty minutes later to pick up the phone.
"Hello?" Rory answered.
"Oh my God!" she heard on the other end.
"Mom?"
"Yes, it's your mother and I repeat oh my God!" Lorelai said.
"So you got my message?"
"Yes, and oh my God it's the longest message I ever heard. I timed it even, going on five minutes you were."
"Oh, stop it, Yoda! It's what's in the message that matters!"
"I'm kidding hon. I just can't believe it. You and Jess mysteriously end up at the same writing conference after so many years!"
"I know! It's amazing, it's fate!"
"It's a LifeTime Movie!" Lorelai added.
"What?"
"You know, 'Life Time presents this Saturday's original movie, Together Again, At Last. The story of two people who split up and after years of misery reconnect at a conference!'"
"OK, I get it, enough!"
Rory heard a gasp at the other end.
"Mom? Mom? Are you okay? What is it?"
"Rory!"
"What?"
"You and Jess are cousins!"
"What? No we're not!"
"Uh-huh! You're my kid, and Jess is Luke's and now my nephew!"
"Why did you tell me that!"
"It really is a Life Time Movie!"
"Or a soap opera." Rory paused. "It's not like we're related by blood or anything."
"Grandma and Grandpa will be so proud!"
"What?"
"Well you! You're living the Gilmore legacy, marrying your cousin."
"First of all, I am not marrying Jess. Second, we are NOT cousins! Third, that was only Trix and Grandpa Charles so you can hardly call that a legacy! And fourth you are not telling anybody, especially Grandma and Grandpa, yet!"
"Fine!" Lorelai responded, playfully angry.
"Mom? Dropping the cousin and Life Time thing, what do you honestly think?"
"Kid, you're not 18 any more, I can't tell you how to live your life."
"I know, Mom. But as my friend and mom, what do you think?"
"Honestly, Ror. I've never been Jess' biggest fan, and that's not going to change. I mean, I can't forget that he broke your heart and wrist. But you've been unhappy for awhile, and if being with Jess is what you want, then you need to go for it."
"Thanks. I love you, Mom."
"I love you too, Rory."
"See you," Rory hung up the phone.
About a half-hour later there was a knock at the door. Rory was all dressed (casual but hot), and answered to be greeted Jess.
"Hey, teach!"
"Hey, Jess," Rory said ushering him in.
After a little somewhat awkward chit-chat, Rory and Jess settled at the table to work on their lesson for their class. Rory looked up at Jess after awhile. His face was so solemn and intense. He looked exactly the same as he had years ago, but there was something different about him now. He had an air about him that wasn't the same as before. And yet he still maintained that fun, rebellious persona that she so loved about him.
Mid-stare, Jess looked up and almost caught Rory's eye, but she turned her attention back to her work. Jess didn't look back down though, he continued to stare at Rory.
Her long brown hair was the picture of perfect, and her big blue eyes were the most amazing thing he had ever seen. Just being around her made him feel like a different person. He felt changed and like he was complete. He had someone to count on and someone to be with. It was exactly what he needed.
Rory looked up again, but Jess didn't shy away from her stare. They looked at each other for awhile until the silence was broken.
"Being a teacher must suck," Jess announced.
"Yeah," Rory agreed.
"I mean, all this preparation for a bunch of kids who don't care a shit about what you say? Seems a little weird."
"Well," Rory began. "These kids probably do care 'a shit' since they want to be here. But, all this work. It does suck."
Jess laughed a little. It was good to be with her again.
"I'm in the mood for ice cream," Jess stated.
"In cones?" Rory asked him playfully.
"What's ice cream if it's not in a cone?"
"We can do all this stuff tomorrow," Rory said shoving her papers aside.
"Rah-rah for procrastination!"
"Let me grab my stuff and we can go."
Eating ice cream with him was just like old times, but with a new feeling all together. Rory knew she didn't make any sense. But you weren't supposed to make sense when you're in love, were you? Wow, it hit her. She was in love. Rory Gilmore was in love with Jess Mariano. It felt good.
Their conversation covered everything: Their new favorite music and books, they trashed multiple movies, and had a long discussions on Hemingway and Ayn Rand. They stayed out for two hours and three cones each.
"Hey Rory?" Jess asked.
"Yeah?" Rory answered him.
Jess gave her his infamous, shy, silly boy smile. "What are you doing tomorrow?"
"What are you doing?" Rory asked, more as an answer than a question.
"Going out with you."
Anything like this in a book or movie would've made Rory physically ill. This mushy, unbelievable romance. But it was her life. And she loved it. They held hands to the car, and headed back home where they stayed up all night, just to be with each other.