A/N: This is the last chapter for a while… I have midterms and then reading week… And a ton of work to do over reading week, plus people to see…

Also… I really feel like I need more reviewing… I know its inconvenient, but a simple bit of criticism really helps, or even just a comment, or questions. I'm open to anything just so I know I have readers… Otherwise what's the point of posting right?

Anyways, please review and show me the love… And I'll work on a chapter possibly over reading week and have one out by the end of the month.. It really depends on you guys though.. But this chapter is a bit longer.. ENJOY… PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE review.

Chapter 6: A Little Less Conversation…A Little more Confrontation Please

"Why does Professor Jackson hate me!?" Rory was frustrated. So frustrated she had called up Landon in an attempt to rekindle their friendship and vent about her current professor problems. They sat at a small table in the corner of a under the radar café a few blocks from his apartment.

"What'd he do now?" Landon was amused with Rory's hysterics. She pretty much hated her life at exam time, complaining non-stop about her professors.

"He gave me a C on my term paper and told me that I had over thought the entire concept and had failed to grasp what he was looking for." She took a deep hit of her coffee and mumbled to herself about stupid professors and how they could look up their asses for the answer.

Only years of friendship and experience allowed Landon to hear her mumbles and her burst out in a laugh that caused the patrons of the café to turn and look in their direction. He gave a small wave and turned back to Rory, her face red in embarrassment. This was the first day they had hung out since that one day he had forced out of his band after his better judgment won over. That had been about three weeks, just enough for them both to pretend like it never happened.

"How much time did you spend on that paper?"

"A lot," her eyes widened with expression to emphasize her point. She glared at him when he chuckled again, which just made him turn his expression solemn.

"Well clearly he just doesn't understand your brilliance." He knew at times like these that complimenting the girl was a far better tactic than disagreeing with her.

"Damn straight he did. So, enough about stupid Professor Asshole…tell me about your new girlfriend," she pryed. It had taken her awhile to get over her initial shock that he had slept with her and had a girlfriend at the same time, but she passed it off as a drunken mistake and hadn't let it bother her too much since. Besides that had been almost a month ago, and shouldn't be dwelled on or thought about anymore.

"Well you already know her actually," he said, smiling mostly to himself as he thought of the pretty girl who was most likely at home, curled up in a pair of his boxers and her favourite wife beater watching sappy romance movies. God she was cute.

"I do? Who is she?" Curiosity killed the cat, but Rory Gilmore couldn't help but NEED to know this new girl who had stolen her best friend from her.

"My roommate Delilah," he answered. A silence grew between them, Rory's eyes widening, then realizing this she put a smile on her lips. It wasn't that she didn't like the girl, but they just seemed like such an unlikely pair. It was weird enough that he lived with a girl as his roommate, but now they were dating!

"Delilah? Really? I didn't think she was your type."

He laughed at her statement. "And what is my type Miss Gilmore?" He was intrigued at what she thought.

"Well I just never knew you to be into mouth red-heads is all. I took you for the leggy blonde with big…brains kind of guy."

"Big brains? Delilah is very smart I will have you know…and very good with her hands," he chose to wear a devilish smirk just then.

Rory cringed visibly. "Too much info!"

"She's a masseuse, remember?"

"Oh yeah," she grinned coyly and took another sip of her coffee as an awkward silence filled the air. "So…"

"So what?"

"So…how did you guys get together?"

"I dunno, just kind of happened one night." He shrugged and drummed his fingers on the table, looking around the café. It was twilight and the sky was turning a cheerful pink and blue.

After a few more minutes of silence, Rory decided to pry a little deeper. "So do you really like her then?"

Landon's head snapped towards her, trying to gage her reaction, "I really do. She's the best thing that's happened to me in a long time," he said truthfully.

"Oh," she looked down into her nearly empty cup and drained it for something to focus her attention on. He stared at her, unsure if this made her upset or if she was just disinterested in his love life.

"So do you approve?"

She looked up at him, confusion behind her eyes. "Approve?"

"Yeah. It would be really hard for me to date someone you didn't approve of. I mean, I suppose I could do it, but it would feel like lying to my grandmother…just so wrong."

"You just compared me to your grandmother!" she accused with a laugh.

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not."

"Did too did too did too!" She stuck out her tongue triumphantly as he threw his hands in the air in surrender.

"Well I just mean you mean as much to me as she does."

"Who your grandmother or Delilah?"

"Both."

"Good. I was going to say."

"Say what?"

"Nothing."

"You suck," he added childishly and ran a hand through his thick hair.

He watched her reaction as a grin spread across her pink lips. She was a beautiful girl and he was lucky to have her in his life.

"So I've met someone," she said, trying to act casual but the excitement was too much to contain.

His eyes clouded momentarily, looking almost as black as his coffee at the mention of a new man in her life. His voice was rough as he answered her, "Really?"

She blushed suddenly and rambled on to explain. "Well, he's just a friend, but he is the cutest thing. He's funny and makes me laugh even more than you do and every time I see him I get butterflies. We keep going out exploring coffee shops, actually this is one he suggested and it's as good as he said it would be."

He relaxed after her explanation that he was just a friend, but the tension took hold at her lit up eyes and the excitement running through the currents of her voice. She was happy with another guy already. He couldn't exactly be jealous now that he had Delilah, but he couldn't ignore the feelings that rose sickeningly in his stomach. Why was he having this reaction to her being excited in another guy? He should be happy that she was getting over her lame ex-boyfriend, not feel nauseous.

"What's his name?" he asked, realizing the coolness of his voice.

She winced but shook it off, taking it as him being a protective friend. "His name is Jack and he's a film student at Yale. His work is really brilliant. Maybe you can come by when he's over and I could show you sometime. He wants to be the next Tim Burton," she said as a matter of fact.

"Yeah, sure. I'd love to meet him," he said, his eyes burning holes into the coffee mug in front of him.

"You can bring Delilah," she added, feeling a pang in her chest just at the mention of the girl's name.

"Yeah, okay," he tried to smile for her, but it turned out more like a grimace.

Another awkward silence overtook them and Rory couldn't help but sigh. She never wanted it to be like this. This silence, this tense conversation when it came to talking of new friends and lovers. Why didn't he approve? Did he really have feelings for her after all? She couldn't tell, but she most certainly wanted to find out. The only way to do so, however, was to break out a whole new can of worms.

"Why did you sleep with me if you have a girlfriend?"

He did not expect that from her. He frowned, trying several times to say something to her but in truth he didn't know what to say.

"You kissed me," was all he could reply. There was nothing else for him to say.

"So my kissing you led you to sleeping with me?"

"You are the one who led me to the couch. You left the bathroom and went to the kitchen counter, and bit your lip all seductively. What did you want me to do? Walk out awkwardly? I was drunk, I don't know why I didn't stop, other than the fact that-" he cut himself off so he was unable to say anything he would later come to regret.

"The fact that?"

"Forget it. I'm sorry I slept with you and didn't tell you I had a girlfriend until after. I'm sorry you're irresitable when I'm drunk." He winced realizing what he had said and could practically feel the heat from her as rage boiled over.

"When you're drunk?! Only when you're drunk?! You son of a bitch. I thought we were friends, and then you had to go and sleep with me."

She was raging now and causing a scene. He didn't give a shit of what other people thought though and decided to yell right back.

"Hey Babe, it takes two people to have sex. It's not just my fault. Why did you kiss me in the first place?" He was starting to get pissed off at her blame games.

"I did not kiss you."

"Yes you did."

"No I didn't."

"YES YOU DID!"

"NO I DIDN'T!"

"You know what, it doesn't even matter. Who gives a shit? Are you seriously going to let one mistake get in the way of over fifteen years of friendship?"

She gulped. That was a low blow. Why did he have to keep saying it was a mistake?

"Maybe if you weren't such an asshole and answered my first question truthfully then we wouldn't be in this situation."

"I slept with you because I knew you needed me, and to be honest…I needed you too. I didn't stop it because I didn't want to." There. The honest truth. Now that wasn't so hard, was it?

"Oh," was all she said, barely audible. She was unsure of what to say. He had just admitted that he'd wanted to be with her. Was this what she wanted to hear?

"Yeah. 'oh'. Look. I love you Rory, as my best friend. And sleeping with you was great, but obviously we shouldn't have done it, and I'm sorry I didn't stop it from happening. I don't want to lose you as my best friend because of something we did like a month ago."

She nodded her head along with his words, glad that he was saying them and not her. Did he really mean what he was saying?

He was in panic mode now, unsure of what else to say. He did love her as his best friend, maybe there was something else there, but now was not the time to explore it. Now was the time to just be in each other's lives for support.

"I don't want to lose you either," she said finally, and a wave of relief rippled through his body.

"Thank goodness. So where do we go from here?"

"Home?" she laughed at the simplicity.

"I think Stars Hollow would just make things worse."

She nodded in understanding. That town did have a way of making things just a little more complicated. Plus involving her mother again wouldn't be the brightest of ideas.

"How about a pact?"

"Like a blood brother's pact or the spit on the hand and shake kind of thing?"

"How about a verbal one?"

"Yeah, I don't want your stinking saliva all over my hand anyway," he turned his nose up at her like a five year old and she couldn't help but laugh.

"Right. Let's just make a pact that we will never be tempted to sleep with one another again. And if we find ourselves in that situation again, and God help us we don't, one of us has to stop it from happening."

She bit her lip as she watched him think it all over in his head. "And no mention of this pact or why this pact was created to anyone including Delilah and your 'friend' Jack."

She thought over this and stuck her pinky out to him. "Deal."

The linked pinkies, deciding it was the safest way to make their pact official and smiled at one another as childhood memories flashed to the surface.

Landon looked at his watch. "It's getting late, I better be getting back," he said, grabbing his coat from the back of the chair. They stood up, still feeling slightly awkward but very relieved at the new status of their friendship. Or rather the returned status of their friendship.

"Oh, I got my test scores back from the LSAT's."

Rory looked over at him, trying to remember when he had told her he was applying for law school. She guessed his father had something to do with it. "And?"

"Looks like I will be going to law school after all." He had managed to tie his scarf on in the process while she was still putting on her coat.

"Well congratulations." She stepped forward and gave him a hug. They lingered for a moment, both separating at light speed when they realized it had been just a little too comfortable in that position.

"Thanks."

"Well, I'm off. See you later Landon," she waved and left the coffee shop, and he did the same only walked in a different direction.

It was going to take a while, but things would be better. Or at least he hoped.

--

The sun was setting out smoothly when a familiar song erupted from Rory's purse evoking a smile to form across her lips. It had only been a few hours since she last spoke to him, but she still loved his eagerness to call.

"Pigs or Cows?" a voice rang out.

"What?"

"Pigs or cows? Choose."

"Cows. Obviously." She shook her head at the silly question and waited for him to continue.

"Cows it is. So where are you?" he asked, a bell and weird electronic noises muffled in the background.

"I'm just about to step into my apartment, why?"

"Let me guess. You are carrying a bag full of Thai food and you're wearing that long black coat with the toggles on it. Oh, you also have that cute white berret on that your mother bought you for your birthday last year."

She looked down at her apparel and the bag of Thai food in her head, a sort of chill running down her spine. How was he always able to freak her out so easily. She stopped in her tracks and looked around nervously to be met with the sound of his chuckling in her ear.

"Relax, I'm about a block behind you," he said, waving his arms at her frantically.

"Oh I see you. You really need to stop doing that."

"Doing what?"

"Being a creeper."

"Oh you love it."

"Not really, it makes me feel…icky," she said, brushing her hair back with the hand that held her cell phone.

"Are you waiting for me? Because I'm a slow walker," he said watching her lean comfortably against the wall of her building.

"Yes I am waiting now hurry up." She hung up her cell phone and dropped it into her bag.

It only took him a minute or so to catch up, her back facing him, he couldn't help but to scare her. Tip toeing the last few steps towards her, he reached out a skillful hand and took the Thai food from her grasp. She turned in protest, her fast twisted in a snarl, but it quickly faded when she recognized the playful guy in front of her.

"How old are you? Twelve?" she asked, snatching back the bag of food and huffing off into the apartment building.

"If I'm twelve that makes you…nine? Ugh, I could never kiss a nine year old," his face twisted in disgust as he followed behind her closely.

She turned then, his playful mood being contagious. "Who said anything about kissing?" she smirked as the smile was wiped from his face, and nearly missed getting out of the elevator when she did.

He hurried after her into the open apartment, following her like a little puppy as she walked into the kitchen and opened her take out bag.

"Mmmm curry!" she offered him a box of food and he took it graciously, and thumped down onto the couch.

"So, what adventures did you get up to today?" he asked, taking a piece of chicken into his mouth from his chopsticks.

She missed this. Having a friend to talk to on a regular basis. Where she could just hang out, and not worry about it being awkward. It used to be like this with Steven she thought. She winced, pushing him from her mind and finished the food in her mouth before answering. "I met up with Landon for coffee. We talked, got some things cleared up. It's still awkward."

She had told Jack all about the incident they now titled as the "vodka leads to sex" night. It was strange how easily she had trusted him. Enough to open up and really relate her most intimate moments. She even told him about the nasty break up with Steven. It was surprising what three weeks of friendship could open up in a person. It also helped that he was cute and an amazing listener. He never tried to give her advice, just made her laugh and forget her troubles.

He pulled a face that made her snort the curry up her nose, and choked on her laughter. "Jerk!"

Concerned, he grabbed her a bottle of water from the fridge and watched her carefully as she drank it back. Kneeling in front of her, he grabbed the sides of her face to inspect her nose more carefully.

"What are you doing?" she whispered, locking eyes with him. His face was serious now, eyes piercing into hers. He moved her hair carefully behind her ears and placed a chaste kiss on her lips. He pulled away, her face shell shocked and unmoving.

Awkwardly he stayed where he was, still holding the sides of her face. It took her another moment to register the fact that he had just kissed her. It had been quite some time since someone had kissed her so gently. Steven was always very rough and aggressive, as was Landon.

She watched Jack carefully, his eyes falling into hers, both wondering if this was okay, if this is what they wanted. Thinking was overrated though.

Rory moved her hands to cover his, and traced her fingers down to his elbows, resting her hands in the crooks. She closed her eyes and leaned her face into his hand, relishing in the warmth of it.

He still watched her. She bit her lip, her head was tilted. Her eyes were closed. He was up to the plate and he needed to take a swing. She opened her eyes again, noticing the questioning in his own and smiled softly. He was afraid, afraid of what this would mean for the both of them. But it was he who had kissed her. This time no vodka would cloud her judgment.

The silence was getting to her. She could feel how it grew in intensity and something needed to be done. She just couldn't sit here any longer and watch him watching her. Moving into action, she grabbed his face and pulled him towards her, pressing her lips firmly against his, feeling the cool metal of his lip ring. They stayed like that, lips joined securely, daring each other to make the next move. Rory was the first to give in, curiosity taking a hold of her as she swiped her lip against his lip ring. She could feel him smile against her before he pulled her tighter against him, causing her to fall forward and onto the floor. She gasped and he took this opportunity to slip his tongue into her mouth, silently dueling with her for control. She moaned as his hands swept from her face and down to her hips.

He pulled away and stared up at her, leaning up on his elbows and looked over her shoulder, realizing her position on top of him, her legs straddling his waist. Heavy lidded eyes looked back at him, and he was surprised when she captured his lips with her own, her sucking gently on his lip ring. She tugged it gently with her teeth, bringing him to a better sitting position. His hands planted firmly on her hips, as he resisted the moans threatening to spill from his lips. She smiled when she took the cool metal between her teeth and noticed the way his body pulsed. He'd squeezed her harder, pulled her closer. She pulled away this time, breathing heavily, touching her forehead to his. He looked down at her lips, already swelling and looking delicious. He reached out and unzipped the hoodie she wore, pushing it off her shoulders and onto the ground in front of him. She was left in a revealing purple tank top, her chest heaving, begging to be touched.

He pulled his head away from hers, smirking as she bit her lip anxiously. Smiling, "Let me do that for you." And he reached for her face, pulling her closer, biting on her lip teasingly and earning a hearty moan. He sucked where he'd nipped her and trailed kisses down to the crook of her neck, biting and sucking as he went. She raked her fingers through his hair, tugging it as he sucked and nipped at the exposed skin of her breasts. Her head fell back, allowing her to lean into him as he worked his way down her cleavage.

She felt a vibration against her hip and heard him grown as he pulled away from her.

"What is it?" she asked, dazed a little from his touch.

"Cell phone." He reached into his pocket and cleared his throat before answering. "Hello?" Rory smiled at him mischievously and began to nip at his neck. His voice cracked when she reached a particularly sensitive spot. "No, Mr. Chang I can't come into w-work tonight."

She pulled away and watched his face for a moment, before kissing her way across his jaw. "Sir I have to go right now. Yes sir. Tomorrow. Bye." He hung up the phone giving her the 'you are so going to pay for that' look and attacked her lips and tickled her at the same time. She screamed in delight, falling backwards so that she was disentangled and underneath him.

"Yes sir. Tomorrow sir." She mocked, laughing even harder as he pinched at her sides. Waves of laughter rippled through her body and sent her wriggling backwards. She jerked so much that she even hit her head against the leg of the couch. She frowned, laughing and cursing at the same time. "Ouch."

Jack's smile dropped and his gaze turned concerned as he pulled her to a sitting position to inspect the damage. No bump was found, but it had still caused a pause. One that was filled with an awkward sort of silence as they both sat, staring in different directions. She pulled herself backwards and up onto the couch, leaning on the arm, deciding to stare at him instead of the ceiling. He chose to sit back from his crouch and look at his shoes.

"I should go." He said, pulling himself to a standing position. He looked for his coat and grabbed it from the chair in the corner and pulled it on, watching her carefully.

"Oh, okay then," she stood up as well to walk him to the door. The few steps across the living room felt long, especially with their silence. He looked at her, gave her a meek smile and closed her front door behind him. Both fell against it, neither knowing that the each other were on the opposite end. Both let out a sigh, Rory's followed with confusion, and Jack's followed with a smile.

He had kissed her. And she…she had kissed him back. But why was it so weird? Why did it feel so good, but so weird at the same time. He hadn't meant to kiss her, but he just saw those luscious pink lips and couldn't help himself. He was surprised that she even kissed him back. And oh, oh the way she played with his lip ring was just so … sexy. He pulled himself together and reached for the elevator button, but something inside him told him not to go. And so he knocked on her door, softly.

Rory stared at her door, confused as to who could be there now. Opening it she saw him. Staring at her with those big green eyes, he stepped forward, grabbed her face and pressed his lips to hers one more time. The initial shock wore off pretty quickly and she was kissing him back, smiling against his lips. He pulled away, his breath ragged and uneven.

"Now I have to go." He smiled, and turned to leave, but she grabbed his arm, wrapping the other around his neck and pulled him closer, kissing him fiercely. She pulled away, a small blush spreading across her cheeks.

She smiled shyly at him and he chuckled softly. She was still close to him, her arms wrapped around his body and his planted on her hips. He could have stayed like that forever, but he didn't want to do anything stupid. He didn't want to be just some rebound guy.

"You really don't have to go," she said, pressing herself against him tightly. She knew what he would say though, but she was damned if she would let him leave without a little bit of a fight.

He groaned as her lips met his cheek, then his jaw and he tensed as she nipped at his ear. "You're doing this on purpose," he moaned, gripping her hips and pushing her against the wall in the hallway.

She stopped for a moment to answer him. "Maybe," she breathed against his skin, kissing her way down his neck and spending an extra moment at the curve of his neck and shoulder.

He fought off the urge to let her continue, and pulled her arms away from him. "Really, I have to go. I'll see you tomorrow," he said and backed away to hit the elevator button.

Frowning she leaned back against the wall, twisting her hands together. "Breakfast?"

"You got it babe." The elevator doors swung open and he gave her one final chaste kiss before stepping in. Once they had closed again she sighed and closed her apartment door. Well at least he was a good kisser.

--

--beautymarked