Rory's POV
Ok, so how long have I been standing here, staring?..
Rory groggily put down her grocery bags and checked her watch.
Rory's POV
Wow, 15 minutes and the ice cream's probably melting…maybe I should have taken mom's "Run back offspring! The moon is full tonight and you know what happens to Kirk on these occasions!" a little more seriously…
She stood back to see it in full view.
Rory's POV
It's not even that nice…well, ok it is. Nice. But that's all…it certainly doesn't merit 'stunning' status. Ok yeah, it does…but it doesn't matter. It's not important anymore.
Then why am I still standing here?
It's just a dress…
………………………………………………………………………………………………
It was getting late, nearly time to close up. Even Kirk was yawning. Luke looked up and the sight of his suspiciously thoughtful yet not so helpful nephew caught his eye. What's wrong with him lately? He never actually talks to me, he grunts, nods, shakes his head, scowls, gestures and that's enough for us to get by…but Rory, with whom I assume he must be able to formulate some sort of coherent interaction with…and now he's avoiding her.
Ok, so he's avoiding Rory and…
He's been standing there for the past 15 minutes staring at...a dress.
"Blue? You're having me on. I mean, with your skin tone…"
Jess sprang back defensively and warned, "Leave me alone," at his smirking Uncle. He turned away and made for the diner, self consciously hunching his shoulders.
"No, really…but that same dress in purple…"
"I was JUST looking…it's not a crime…"
"For once," Luke interrupted, to which Jess rolled his eyes, "I'm really impressed to find you substituting your usual juvenile antics about town with dress browsing…"
"Geez, would you give it a rest! Your pathetic satisfaction in winding me up it starting to wear thin!"
Luke ruffled Jess' hair. AAAAAARH, what the hell am I doing?
Jess' POV
That was weird. Stop smiling!
Stop smiling…
Luke drew in his breath, "So, um… why are you avoiding Rory?"
Jess' POV
Ok, stopped smiling now.
No response…no surprise. "Look, Jess. I've…er…noticed you seem to coincidentally slouch downstairs precisely two seconds after Rory's left for school EVERY morning…and frankly, I'm emotionally drained from seeing her heartbroken, disappointed face as daily, you fail to be a man and get your butt down the staircase that she spends her entire breakfast gazing at hopefully!"
Still no response. Sigh. "You know, the longer you leave it, the harder it's going to be."
He nodded. At least, it looked sort of like a nod to Luke. A nod of agreement or a nod of defiance he couldn't tell, but at least it was a response.
Jess' POV
Yeah yeah yeah…he's so totally, annoyingly right.
Jess briefly turned back to glance at the shop window.
Jess' POV
It's just a dress.
"You know it's kinda funny you were looking at that dress…because I've seen Rory standing in exactly the same spot for ages these past few days."
Jess winced. Just a dress…
………………………………………………………………………………………………
Later…….
Rory pounded up the stairs to Luke and Jess' apartment. She got to the door, had her hand in the air ready to knock…but then she shook her head and crept back down. She sat at the counter in the dark and twiddled her thumbs.
Rory's POV
I don't have the guts. Why should I make the first move anyway? How do I say this to him…
Distracted by her thoughts she was already half way up the stairs.
Then she was at the door. And he was behind the door. Probably.
She knocked. Breathed in. Flinched when it almost immediately opened. She opened her eyes.
"Oh, Rory…evening…I…er…I must have forgotten to lock up…what brings you he…sorry, hang on a sec," a red faced Luke bellowed into the apartment whilst Rory shuffled her feet awkwardly, "JESS!"
Luke nodded in his classic, stiff, and dysfunctional way at Rory and then left her…to be instantly replaced with…
"Jess."
"Rory."
She looked away, blushing with embarrassment. "Okay, so now we've been introduced, um…don't you agree we need to talk?"
Jess' POV
I can't.
"Look, right now's not really a good time..."
"Oh." She sounded hurt. Her voice trembled, "Are you busy?"
"Nope."
"Sure…maybe some other time…" she mumbled dazedly her eyes not really focusing as she turned away.
Jess eased the door shut slowly, cursing himself.
She was half way down the stairs when…she clenched her fists and pounded back up.
She banged on the door.
Jess opened it abruptly, causing Rory to stumble forwards, yelping.
He caught her arm gently to prevent her from falling. She snatched it away and their eyes met in a haze of humiliation both reminded of a time…ages ago when the same thing had happened.
Silence.
Rory's POV
Okay, he wouldn't talk…so I came back to make him talk…and I completely wrecked my plan with my nervous clumsiness and now he's looking at me searchingly with his intense hurt amber brown eyes and the only thing popping into my head right now is…
"I would like my bra back please!" She shouted.
Jess stared incredulously, but Rory didn't move or break eye contact.
"Hang on a sec." He mumbled as he went inside to 'look' for it…he knew exactly where it was though.
Rory, pacing up and down, wondered why he was taking so long.
But Jess was intently scribbling something down on a piece of paper. He hesitantly folded the torn paper note up and placed it inside the lining of the bra.
She took it from his hands self consciously and stuffed it in her pocket. For some inappropriate reason this made Jess smile.
"Is that it?" She inquired, her eyebrows raised.
"You tell me," He replied.
Jess' POV
Say the word and I'll get out of your life forever.
She looked thoughtful and reserved….
Rory's POV
I've given you the chance.
It was never about the dress.
"I think this is it."
"Are you sure?" Jess looked at the floor and when Rory didn't answer she stepped back and he closed the door.
"No." She whispered.
A/N – I know, long time, no update! I'm so sorry! Thanks so much for all your ideas and I think I've gone for half way between angst and funny. PLEASE REVIEW! I'm not totally sure about this chapter, I reckon it's a linking one and in the next one, big things are going to happen! PLEASE REVIEW!