Disclaimer: I don't own the series Gilmore Girls or the original characters. All I own is my imagination and the plot.

A/N: Hey :) It's been a little while since I've updated this story, but I needed the time so I hope you understand. I worked long enough on this chapter and I'm happy with it, pretty happy anyway since the writing could have been or the wording actually so apologies for that. Please read the A/N at the bottom before you review, kay? Thanks :)

Born Yesterday

x-x-x

It somewhat hurts to admit that they look good together, although it hurts more to admit that there seems to be an even more important connection between them, one that is painfully clear to me, no matter how hard I try not to see it. It's one that is inevitable because of how right they are for each other. They could be one and other's soulmate while Jess and I have been twisting and turning around each other for as long as I can remember, trying to figure out where exactly the line has been drawn.

I guess he got enough of waiting, although his patience was never the best thing to him.

It's not that I'm not used to seeing him with someone; I still remember a couple of names and even a few faces if I try hard enough, though none of those girls stuck around long enough to get passed the physical attraction stage of the relationship.

Of course, none of them were like her.

Like Leah.

Her name alone makes her sound different in a way, special even, though that is probably what she is, considering that she has managed to keep Jess's interest for so long. His eyes never once wander and his interest hardly ever strays when she is in the same room, except when I'm there. It shows me that he still remembers that before Leah, I used to be the one to keep him in line.

Me instead of her.

I'm scared that one day, he won't need me anymore and that he'll forget to think of me as anything but his friend. And maybe that is all I am to him, but I would rather have him tell me no face to face than let the if only's of jealousy drive me crazy.

My mind wanders often enough and it makes the position I am in even more unbearable, although my thoughts leave me guilty each time. The scenarios...

How do I tell my boyfriend that all I can think about is my best friend? How do I tell him that I have wondered about how I would look next to Jess and how do I tell Jess that I'm jealous of Leah and the edge he has given her, one I envy and she now gets to show off with glimmering eyes.

I want to see stars.

I want to get closer, something I haven't been bold enough to do just yet, though trying would probably be of no use; he would stop me. He's protective of me and tries so hard to keep me from making his mistakes because in the back of his mind, he knows that I have been around him long enough to change.

I think he's afraid of what may happen if he let me into his world completely, even though he has no reason to; I want to shake up his world just like I want him to shake up mine and I want him to know that, whether I have an edge or not, I can take it.

I'm not a little girl anymore.

x-x-x

Rory abruptly stopped writing as misplaced anger rattled up within her, the intensity of the sudden emotion leaving her motionless as realization settled itself heavily at the pit of her stomach. Behind her eyes an unwritten emotion simmered, her thoughts spinning out of control as she gradually worked herself into a frenzy.

While Dean treated her like a fragile flower, one that needed to be handled gently in order not to bruise the delicate petals, Jess treated her like glass, afraid that if he increased his pressure too much, she would break. They might differ in many ways, but they did see eye to eye on that level and she hated it because of how clear all of it now seemed. She now saw why Jess always kept her from getting too close and why Dean put restrictions on his actions when he was around her; they did see her as a little girl instead of the girl she managed to become over these past years. She would scream it off the rooftops if she thought that it would help because she wasn't little anymore and she had thought about going further than kissing and about what it would feel like to have someone trail their fingers across her skin.

In al fairness, her most intimate of thoughts often occurred at night so no one would see her blush, and although not all of them included Dean, she had figured that he would be her first in everything; he was always so sweet to her and knew how to win her over with words when it came down to it. Jess had too much experience and she wouldn't be able to keep up. Also, she had a feeling that Jess's eyes might end up being too harsh on her bare skin; they would leave their marks, though all this time, she thought that that was exactly what she wanted: to be claimed by him. Now, she wasn't so sure. She did know that she couldn't have it both ways, nor could she have it either way.

She was being reckless and was drawing conclusions when she hadn't even managed to make a choice yet. Frustrated, she ran her hands through her hair, knowing that no matter how much she would mess it up, she wouldn't be able to get rid of the nice girl image; she was one.

Rory glanced back down at her journal. Her stomach tied itself into knots while closing it, quickly slipping it underneath a pillow before getting up. Whatever turmoil that was going on within her, it had to be resolved tonight; otherwise her thoughts would keep getting the best of her and she didn't want that, she didn't want the if only's to be the reason behind her sleepless nights. She had to do something about her internal twisting and turning; she had to get a hold on the butterflies before they could get out of control and most importantly, she needed an idea of where she stood, an idea of where he might stand.

Without giving Dean a second thought, Rory headed for the door and disappeared out into the rain, forgetting her jacket in her haste.

x-x-x

The walk back to the diner happened in a complete silence, like Jess preferred it; he wasn't one to speak solely to fill up the momentary hollow time had left them with. He unlocked the door of the diner and held it open for Leah, still choosing to say not a word as she passed him and quietly started on her way up the stairs, leading the way as he soon enough followed.

They found the apartment empty, like Luke had promised Jess early this morning. For a split second, he wondered where his uncle could possibly be, though it didn't really matter; they had the apartment to themselves and that was all that mattered.

Jess paused in the doorframe and just stood there, looking at his current girlfriend as she kicked off her worn sneakers before settling herself onto the couch. He could almost picture himself sitting beside her with his arm lightly draped across her shoulders, his fingers caught up in her hair while she had her knees pulled up to her chest. The fact that he could, scared him; he wasn't used to having someone like her, someone that balanced him off just right by being so alike yet different at the same time.

He smiled as Leah looked up at him, her hazel eyes impatient as they met his. Her doe-eyes were what had made her worthy of a second glance during their first encounter, though he still had a preference for bedroom eyes; the glimmer of innocence in them heightened his excitement. Leah's doe eyes kept him in line though, and were perfect for her china doll face. The criss-cross strands of raven colored hair that always shaded her face accentuated the look and the red lipstick she sometimes dared to wear, completed it.

She was slowly opening up to him and although, his touches still tended to be too gentle every now and then, he wasn't afraid that she would break underneath them because combined with the right words, he knew that she would be able to take it.

He knew better than to judge a book by its cover, something he had learned from Rory.

His smile shortly faded as he tried to picture her sitting on the couch instead of Leah, not really surprised when he realized that it was easier than he had thought it would be.

''Jess,'' Leah started, gingerly drawing him from his thoughts, ''are you planning on moving any time soon or are you just going to stand there all night?''

The playful tone of her voice drove him crazy, though not enough. He shrugged and smirked coyly before replying, ''I'm not sure yet; the view looks pretty good from here.''

Her own smile was just as mischievous. ''I think it'll look even better from up close.''

The comment didn't surprise him; he was used to her becoming more bold with him, though she could close up completely with the push of a wrong button.

He threw the Doose's bag at her, knowing that she would easily be able to catch it as he started to shrug off his jacket, taking her in quietly as he draped it across the back of the couch. The sight looked so familiar to him, yet there seemed to be pieces missing near the edges, pieces he once remembered seeing so clearly.

The memories were there, though he often tried not to rattle them up and think of them; they were in the past, after all. And for a reason because he and Rory didn't have anymore what they used to have. Their friendship had frayed over time, worn and used from all it had been through. They had a tendency to take a step back out of caution while they should be moving forwards. The ride always confused him and sometimes left him lying awake restlessly.

He didn't know what he wanted because she didn't know what she wanted, though last night the answer had been within his reach. Upon their stroll down memory lane, it had become clear that they weren't just friends anymore, nor were they anything more. They were something in between, something he couldn't manage to put his finger on.

''What's on your mind?'' came Leah's sudden question, though he should have expected it; she asked a lot, especially when he looked trapped to her.

Jess shrugged, saying nothing as he walked over to the front of the couch and sat down next to her, reaching for a bag of candy just to busy himself, hoping that she wouldn't push any further. She didn't; instead, she went back to her own bag of candy.

After having let the silence stretch for a while, he got up to put on a movie, just to have some background noise; it made it easier for him to think. Leah once again kept quiet as he sat back down. The couch shifted underneath his weight so she slid a little closer to him, although he didn't reach out to touch her like he usually did.

''So, how long have you known Rory?'' Leah finally asked, no longer able to hold back.

''Pretty random, don't you think?'' he returned while shooting her a sideways glance.

Leah shook her head. ''Not really.'' She fidgeted with her bag of candy. ''You two seem to be friends or something like that,'' she carefully formulated. She felt him tense up beside her and she turned to look at him. ''You don't have to answer if you don't want to. I was just curious.'' She went back to her candy, seeming not to care.

Jess sighed. ''A while. Rory and I have known each other for a while now.''

''Thanks for clearing that up for me Mr. Vague,'' she said, her voice ringing with amusement.

''Take it or leave it,'' he said, his tone harsher than he had intended.

Leah noticed, though chose to ignore it. ''She seems nice enough.''

''She is.''

This time, it was Leah who tensed up, although he didn't notice; he was too caught up. ''I have seen her boyfriend.''

''Dean,'' Jess offered.

''Right, I have seen Dean around at school. I think we have one or two classes together, but I've never seen her around before. Is she just that shy or-''

''She doesn't go to Stars Hollow High, she goes to Chilton.''

Leah looked at him again. ''Isn't that one of those schools rich snobs attend?''

''Rory's grandparents are the ones with money,'' he explained. ''They wanted the best for her.''

''Guess so,'' Leah remarked, covering her bitterness up nicely with a smile. ''So, is the talking part of this night over now?''

Jess nodded, smirking as he circled her waist with an arm. She cuddled up against him, happy about the fact that she was the one to have him.

x-x-x

Somewhere during their second movie, a knock on the door forced Jess to get up from his comfortable position and Leah reluctantly let go of him. Jess took his time while heading to the door, knowing that it worried Luke when he did so; he knew that Luke knocked out of precaution, not wanting to find his nephew and his girlfriend in any state of undress.

The smirk on his face faded as he found Rory on his doorstep. His thought were just on her. Maybe they knew each other better than they thought they did.

''What are you doing here?'' he asked roughly, though his eyes softened instantly as he noticed the state she was in. She was soaked through and through, leaving hardly anything to the imagination as her clothes clung at her figure. He tried to remain indifferent, a task that proved to be more difficult than he had expected, even though she was covering herself as best as she could with both arms.

He hadn't even heard the rain.

''I'm not sure.'' She searched his eyes, looking for an answer to his question, wondering if he did have one.

Jess said nothing as he walked back over to the couch, grabbing his jacket while whispering something to Leah who struggled to give him half a smile; she didn't want him to go. Her eyes found Rory as she awkwardly stood in the doorframe, waiting. When Jess blocked her from Leah's sight, she thought about saying something, but didn't; instead, she once again reached for her bag of candy.

She knew that Jess had more than one side to him and she thought that she had been on her way of discovering them all, although she wasn't sure anymore; Rory always seemed to be a step ahead of her and she didn't like it.

Leah said nothing as she heard the door close behind her.

x-x-x

Jess tightened his hold on Rory's hand as he led her down the stairs, aware of how cold it was. Outside, he offered her his jacket which she took without arguing. Once she had it on, her hands disappeared into the pockets, her fingers digging around aimlessly for something that wasn't there. She was trying to kill some of the time she had to spend with him, even though she knew that she couldn't escape him. He kept a too careful of an eye on her.

Finally, she looked him in the eye, close to shaking underneath his gaze. ''I feel like I should tell you something.''

Jess watched the words slip from her lips in slow motion, wanting to catch them one by one, although he chose to let them slip through his fingers like the rain, choosing to let the moment pass just like they had let a few years of their friendship pass without doing anything but watch. Rory noticed, but didn't show her disappointment; it wasn't the right time.

''I'll walk you home.''

She accepted and they walked the short route to her house, not letting a word pass between them, afraid of what they might end up saying to one and other. The night had always had the tendency to expect too much.

Rory stopped upon reaching the edge of the driveway. She quickly glanced over at the house before turning to face him, wanting to prolong the few minutes they still had. She studied him in silence, awed by his weathered appearance. The walk in the rain had left him dripping wet from head to toe and he was beautiful, like he always had been, though tonight, she had allowed herself to keep her eyes open to the temptation instead of looking the other way and it was so hard to resist.

He was so hard to resist.

She started to move towards him and didn't stop until she was face to face with him. Close enough to touch she now stood. Close enough for him to see the many tiny droplets that covered not only her face, but also dripped down the edge of her nose and hung from her lips. She looked like a dream, one he wanted to last for as long as it could so he did what she had been thinking about and gave in.

Jess was the first to lean in, though she was the one to bridge the final distance between them and graze her lips against his. Unsure of what was expected of her next, Rory's hands found themselves being pulled out of the pockets as they went directly for his shirt. Her fingers settled within the fabric and she did what she had been wanting to do for so long, she pulled him closer and let the kiss just happen, just like it did in fairytales, though this was better; he tasted like the pouring rain and it drove her crazy.

''Rory,'' he breathed. Her eyes closed as he raked his teeth across her bottom lip, sending a shiver down her spine. The intensity was making her head spin and she gripped his shirt tighter to keep from falling even deeper. She knew that she had to stop; she didn't want Dean to catch her like this although it was so hard to let go now that she finally had him.

In a state that was close to panicking, she opened her eyes. The kiss neared its end abruptly as he came across her eyes with his own. Realization had hit her and he could do nothing but respect her wishes as he pulled back.

Both out of breath, they did nothing but stare at each other for a while.

She had bedroom eyes, though he wouldn't get to tell her that tonight because sooner than he had wanted, Rory disappeared inside the house, not giving him so much as a second glance.

It was only when she was already inside that she realized that she was still wearing his jacket. Hearing Dean's footsteps approach, she tugged it off quickly and hid it beneath the other jackets on the coat rack.

She managed to escape that night with a lie and a guilty conscience.

x-x-x

By the time Jess re-entered the apartment, Leah was fast asleep on the couch. He closed the door without making a sound and snuck over to the couch. It would be better if he didn't wake her and if he didn't lie to her for one day. He carefully tugged the bag of candy from between her fingers and sat down in a chair across from her, sighing, knowing that tomorrow would come too soon.

Review please:) Once again, thanks for your patience and reviews of course. It's nice to know that there is still interest for this story and although the updates aren't as frequent as I would prefer them, I do enjoy writing and working on this story, although I did think this chapter was a bit too dramatic. On the other hand, it may just work for it at the same time so let me know and feed my curiosity. :) Also, the plot is somewhat of a slow one, but I need it to be that way because I really want to focus on the characters and try to work out their thoughts as in character as possible, if that makes sense? So please just keep your patience and see where the story might lead you. Okay, done rambling now. Thanks for sparing a few minutes. :)