Round of applause for not taking three years to put up this chapter! yay! Thanks so much to all those who have been faithfully reading and reviewing. To the newcomers, welcome and don't forget to review this story! i Really hope every one likes it!
Rory rolled out of bed the next morning as her alarm clock rang irritatingly in her ear. She felt groggy after only a few hours of sleep. She and Jess hadn't gotten home until two in the morning. With blurry eyes, she threw on her Chilton uniform and ran a brush through her hair. She threw it back into a careless pony and slipped on her shoes. She heard her dad from the kitchen.
"Want to stop by Luke's for some breakfast before you catch your bus?"
"Okay," Rory shouted sleepily. She turned back to her mirror, taking a little more care to straighten out her ponytail and adjust her skirt. As a last touch, she smeared on some lip-gloss. She took once last glance in the mirror and a deep breath, and then she headed out.
"You okay there?" her dad asked her on their way over to the diner. Rory was fidgeting nervously with her hands, and she kept glancing around her.
"Yeah I'm fine," Rory assured him. Chris raised his eyebrows skeptically, but wisely said nothing.
They entered the diner, the little bell above the door announcing their arrival. Luke saw them and came over.
"Hey, good morning," he greeted them.
"Morning," Rory said back. She let out a big yawn.
"You sound tired," Chris said, concerned. "How late were you at Lane's last night?"
Luke turned to Rory, giving her an odd look that made her uncomfortable.
"Um, I I don't really remember," she said. "It was pretty late. Should we find a seat?"
"Oh yeah sure," Luke jumped in, but he did not take his eyes off Rory. "Table over there is free."
"Thanks," Chris said, sitting down. He was completely oblivious to the staring contest going on above his head. Luke left to go help more customers, and Rory sat across from her dad, facing the counter.
"So, do you have any tests today?" Christopher asked his daughter. Rory spotted Jess come down the stairs, his hair slightly mussed, as if he had just rolled out of bed. Theirs eyes locked, and they both looked away shyly. Rory saw Jess trying to hide a grin.
"Sorry?' Rory said, turning back to her father. "Oh um, I have a math quiz today, but it's pretty simple. I think I'm going to get a muffin," she said distractedly. "Do you want anything from the counter?"
"I'm fine, thanks," her dad insisted. Rory floated over to the counter.
"Hey," she greeted, leaning across the counter.
"Hello," Jess responded. He reached for her hand but Rory pulled back.
"My Dad is watching," she hissed through her teeth.
"So?" Jess shrugged. "Hasn't he ever seen you hold a guy's hand before?"
"Yeah, in fact, he's seen me hold Dean's hand," she elaborated. "And as far as he knows, that's the guy whose hand I should still be holding."
"Well, you're planning on telling him eventually right?" Jess asked.
"Of course," Rory assured him, then added under her breath, "As soon as I tell Dean." She could've sworn she saw a smile flash across Jess's face but, to his credit, he masked it very well.
"That'll be an interesting conversation," he mused. "Hey Dean, sorry, but I ran away with your worst enemy last night, and now I'm breaking up with you." He shook his head in mock sympathy. "Poor guy."
"Stop gloating!" Rory chided, smacking his arm. "You're making me feel like a terrible person." He quieted down.
"You don't regret last night though, do you?" he checked.
"Of course not," Rory promised. "Do you?" she asked. Jess reached for Rory's favorite muffin. He leaned in towards her ear as he handed it to her.
"Never," he promised. Rory smiled and took the muffin. All of a sudden Luke was on top of them.
"Jess, go take the pancakes off the oven," he commanded. Jess threw up his hands in mock subservience.
"Yes master," he said. Later, he mouthed to Rory. Luke turned to Rory, leaning his hands on the counter.
" So where were you last night?" he asked her.
Rory blinked."What?"
Luke sighed, frustrated.
"Rory, you and I both know Mrs. Kim wouldn't allow anyone over past seven O'Clock on a school night." Rory said nothing. "So where did you go?" he continued. His eyes fllowed Jess out of the kitchen as he dropped a plate of pancakes onto the counter. He turned back to Rory. "You were with Jess, weren't you? He wasn't home all night last night, and he refused to tell me where he was. He was with you, wasn't he? Where did you gys go huh?"
Rory back away from the counter. "Um, my bus is going to be here soon, and my dad's waiting for me," she said, avoiding the question. "But you should give the Russians a call; I hear they're looking for spies." She turned her back on him and went back to her table.
Dean was not holding his usual vigil for her at the bus stop. She took a seat and pulled out her current novel. She felt someone gently stroke her hair and turned to see Jess standing over her. She smiled.
"Hey," she greeted, this time letting her emotions show on her face.
"I really want to kiss you again," Jess said, stroking her face with his finger. Rory pushed away his finger.
"You know we can't do that now," she reminded him. "It would be cruel for Dean to find out that way." She sighed. "Ugh I'm really going to hurt him," she lamented regretfully, closing her eyes. Jess sat down next to her, swinging his backpack onto his lap.
"But you're happy about this, right?"
Rory looked down at her hands. "Of course. I just wish it wouldn't be so complicated. I just wish we could be happy, without making anybody sad."
"And that's what makes you so amazing," Jess said, his eyes sparkling. He was using all the strength he had to keep himself from kissing her all over. Rory blushed, but held his gaze steady.
"There are those that would disagree," she said with a sad grin. Her bus pulled up and Jess helped her onto it.
In all of her classes she was distracted, not to mention tired, and her gaze always seemed to drift to the window, as if pulled there by a magnetic force. The winter was strating to give way to spring, and the tree bore both frost and blossoms. However, Rory didn't see any of this when she looked out the window. Instead she saw the small waves of the lake in the park, the moon reflected in its ripples. She saw her and Jess leaning side by side, the only two people in the world.
"Yo Mary! Space in!" Tristan was grinning three inches from her face. She pulled back.
"What do you want?" she asked, annoyed to be pulled from her bliss. Tristan was giving her a weird look.
"Mr. Medina just assigned us as partners for the next English project," he told her. "Weren't you listening?"
"O great," Rory groaned.
"Don't get too excited Mary," he teased. "I can't believe you were spacing out in class!" he observed.
"I wasn't spacing out," she defended. "I was just… just…" she opened her book frustrated.
"Wow, and you're crabby too."
"I'm just tired," she grumbled.
"Why Mary? Were you out late partying with the rest of your monestary?"
"No I was just… living," she supplied, smiling.
Lorelai buttoned the last button and smoothed out the pleats in her maids' uniform. She gazed into the full-length mirror as she tied her hair back.
"Time to start over," she told her reflection. She went out and crossed the grass to the back of the Inn.
"Good morning sweetie," Sookie greeted her as she walked in. "There are pancakes in the kitchen if you want some breakfast." She smiled brightly at her long-lost friend.
"Thanks," Lorelai said, smiling at the warmth. "I should probably get started though."
"Oh, come on, there's plenty of time after pancakes," she insisted, pulling the helpless Lorelai into the kitchen with her. Lorelai decided not to put up a fight, and so she sat at the counter as Sookie piled blueberry pancakes high on her plate and then topped it off with a big scoop of ice cream. Lorelai took the fork she was supplied with and dug in.
"Whoa! This is amazing!" she exclaimed. Sookie smiled.
"You still love my food. That hasn't changed," she reflected nostalgically. Lorelai smiled. "So anyway," she went on, "you're going to be shadowing Lisa today. She'll show you around and help you learn the routine." Lorelai nodded to indicate she understood. "You ready?"
"I hope so," Lorelai said. She went back to digging through her pancakes.
"What's the matter?" Sookie asked.
"Huh?" Lorelai looked up, confused. Sookie smiled indulgingly.
"Honey, you might not remember, but I can still tell when you're unhappy." Lorelai stopped eating and set down her spoon. She turned to Sookie.
"I'm just afraid I'm not going to find whatever it is I'm looking for. What then?" she speculated, her brow furrowed. Sookie stroked her back.
"You'll find it," she assured her. "You always find of way of getting whatever it is you're seeking." She gave her a quick, tight hug. Lorelai finished the pancakes and went ot join Lisa the maid to be shown around her new life.
Knock, knock. Lorelai opened the door to reveal Christopher.
"Hey," he greeted, stepping into the house.
Lorelai smiled and stepped back to let him in. "Hi! What brings you here?"
"I just though I would check up on you," he said casually. "How was your first day?"
Lorelai sat back down in the chair she had been occupying before the intrusion, and indicated for him to do the same. He made himself comfortable on the bed.
"It's hard work being a maid," she related. "And today I only observed! I don't know if I can do this."
"You can do it," he assured her. "You and I both know that. It'll be hard in the beginning, but then you'll do what you always do. You'll find your groove and keep going. Rory's a lot like that too you know."
"How is she doing?" Lorelai asked about her daughter while they were on the topic.
"She's okay. You know, she's pretty busy with school and her boyfriend. She got home pretty late last night because she was tutoring her friend Lane."
Lorelai smirked. "Tutoring? You actually bought that? that's the oldest excuse in the book," she teased. "What it really means is 'I was out late last night, and it was spontaneous which is why I had no time to think up a bette excuse.'"
Chris shook his head. "Rory's not like that." Lorelai raised her eyes skeptically.
"I'm pretty sure every kid is like that," she argued.
"Not ours," Chris assured her. "Rory isn't like other kids, and I'm not just saying that because I'm her father. She's honest to the bone, and always does the right thing. She's smart and hardworking, and a dedicated friend. Everyone who knows her loves her, and she's sweet and patient with everyone." Lorelai held up her hands.
"K, first of all, would you stop eulogizing my kid? Second of all, there is no way this is my daughter you're talking about."
Chris laughed. "It's is. The one and only."
"Whoa," was all Lorelai could manage. "I guess I got got pretty lucky."
"Yeah, she's pretty amazing," he agreed. "We did good," he observed, reaching over and gripping her shoulder. Lorelai glanced at his hand uncomfortably.
"I better get back to work for the afternoon shift," she announced, standing up. Chris stood up with her and together they walked outside. " It was really sweet of you to stop by. Goodnight," she waved, heading up to the Inn. She felt Chris grab hole of her arm.
"Lorelai?" he said. "I just think you should know that I think you're doing great. I'm really proud of you. You are amazing." He softly kissed her, then gazed at her and softly stroked her hair. He turned and headed across the grass and out of view.
a/n: i know most of you were probably not happy with that kiss. I'm sorry, but without giving too much away, you guys shouldn't be too worried. I am not a big fan of Lorelai and Chris myself. SO read review, and let me know what you think so I can put up the next chapter soon. I kow that alot of you are reading this without giving me your feedback! Please take a second to tell me what you think, positive or negative!