`*~ These Are Days ~*`

Author: Genevah

Rating: R

Pairing: Rory/Jess

Disclaimer: I claim to own nothing.

Summary: Tweaked 'Teach Me Tonight' to my own likings. *Warning. Insane amounts of fluff o'nutters in this story… please read with caution* Oh… and it's definitely a Literati, anything else would be uncivilized!

A/N: A sincere apology goes out to ~*Jess, Briana, Naveed, uh noname, and Kate*~ Sorry… I must have heard it wrong about the Go button, muh bad… those darn rumors! Sheesh, some people… ;) ~*Kate*~ Just want to say demand away… make me write! ~*Anne and Sara V*~ Fear not Rory will soon have a boy toy! I have to acknowledge a fellow author ~*tigress33*~. If you haven't read How the New Girl Changed Everything, you must. Pure brilliance… she sure knows how to make you fall in love with a totally new character. Thanks for reviewing even though I had to trick you into it! Hope this makes up for it… \

I've revised some chapters… just makes me feel better. They're subtle changes, mostly in the writing, not necessarily the storyline

`**~// Gilmore Home – Friday Morning \\~**'

"Morning sweetie."

Rory was dressed and refreshed for yet another day of school. "Morning mom."

"You up for going to Luke's for breakfast today." Rory looked at her in disbelief. "Honey, you have to stop avoiding him, I thought you were over Jess." Rory still stared at her mother. "Don't you miss the coffee? I mean you haven't been in there for Five. Whole. Straight. Days. It's sacrilege. I don't see how you can do it. Aren't you tired of eating at Al's or for that matter eating store bought Chili Beef Soup? Bleech... "

"Hey you're the one who introduced me to Chili Beef Soup. You're just mad you can't enjoy it like I can because you ate it so much you got sick of it."

"Ok. Fine. I'll go… buh Myself… Uhgain… Uhlone." She moped.

"Mom, you go to Luke's everyday on your lunch break… by Yourself… Alone."

Lorelai sighed. "But it's so much more fun with you there. I miss you." Lorelai whined.

"Mom, I have to get to school." She was in such a good mood this morning until her mother ruined it with the first mention of Jess.

She left early again and for the first time she didn't feel like reading at the bus stop. So she took her time and basked in the summerness that only Stars Hallow could bestow. She couldn't wait for summer vacation. Only a month and a half left of school and then she would be free from the stresses of school.

She suddenly stopped in her tracks when she saw Jess at her bench reading a book. What the hell does he think he's doing? She took a deep breath and trudged towards him. She stood in front of him. Without looking up, he knew it was her. He closed his book and stuffed it in his pocket.

"Rory." He smirked.

"Jess." She smirked back and took a seat next to him on the bench.

"So I take it you're talking to me again."

"Hey. I never stopped talking to you." She said a little too heated.

"Ooo did I hit a nerve?"

"Why are you here Jess?"

"Last time I checked… this was a free bench."

God he's infuriating! She decided to ignore him so she pulled out a book from her backpack and started to read- or at least pretend to read it.

Jess couldn't take the silence. He scooted over towards her and put his arm around the bench and pretended to read along with her. Why does he have to do that?! Why? *inhales* …and he has to smell good too. He was so close that she could feel the warmth of his breath on her cheek. She couldn't take it. Why is he torturing me like this?!

"Do you mind?" She asked fully annoyed now.

He backed away a little. "I think the question here is do you mind… 'cause frankly I don't mind at all…," then under his breath but audible enough for Rory to hear, "You never used to mind before." He said seriously. They stared at each other for what seemed like forever but in fact was only a matter of seconds.

"Jess! You coming!" Shane yelled from across the street. He broke their gaze.

"Yeah, I'll be there in a sec!" He said gliding his hand through his hair.

He looked back at Rory who was silently fuming. "Have a good day Rory." He said snidely. And with that he stood up and began to cross the street to Shane.

"Good riddance Jess." She didn't mean for him to hear her but apparently he had. It was Shane's fault anyway that she said it. She just had to interrupt their little moment. He turned around and paused to look at her dismayed. He came to his senses when the two girls screeched his name matching the same screech coming from somewhere else. He was suddenly violently pushed off his feet… by a car.

Rory and Shane ran to him.

"Oh my god!" Rory knelt down beside him and gently shook him. "Jess… Jess, can you hear me?"

The guy driving the car ran over to them, scarred out of his wits. "Oh god, is he alright?"

"I I don't know! He he's not moving! Jess…"

"Shouldn't we get somebody?!" Shane panicked.

"Yes! Go get Luke… Tell him to call an ambulance! Jess… please… Jess answer me." He wasn't moving, she started to panic and tears slowly began to fall.

Jess finally started to come to. He saw a blurry image of Rory. Why is she crying? Then a sharp pain started in coming from his temple. He started to reach for it.

"Jess… oh thank god! I thought you were…" The overall fear subsided slightly as she quickly wiped away any tears that were shed. "Are you okay Jess?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." He started to get up, a little wobbly at first, but he was able to stand.

"Wait, aren't you supposed to stay still?" Rory protested.

He began dusting himself off and straightening his clothes. "I said I'm alright." He couldn't look at her.

Luke and Shane came running and a small crowd started to form around the car.

"Jess!" Luke yelled, worry colored his face but somehow he was ghostly pale.

"Relax, I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm fine… The guy stopped the car in time to just shove me off my feet. I just got the wind knocked out of me that's all… it was nothin'."

The car was just turning the corner when the driver failed to see Jess standing in the middle of the road. Apparently the driver was fiddling with something on the passenger's seat of the car, but thankfully looked up just in time to not do any serious damage.

"You're sure?"

"I said yes! Geeze."

"We should still get you checked out." Luke noticed the crowd that formed around them. He put his arm around Jess and led him to the diner. "There's nothing to see here!" He yelled out.

Jess shrugged himself out of Luke's grasp. "I said I was fine."

Rory just stood there utterly stunned by what just happened. Just a few short minutes ago, she thought Jess was dead and the last thing that she said to him was good riddance. How unbelievable was that? She didn't know whether or not to follow them back to the diner. Shane was already at his side and besides she still couldn't get over what she said to him. She felt horrible. She got her answer when her bus arrived. Rory found her self sobbing on the bus ride to Chilton. She didn't know why she was so emotional. Jess is fine. Get a grip. She figured it was because it was her time of the month. She tends to get overly emotional. Yeah… that must be it…

`**~// Doose's Market – Friday Afternoon \\~**`

Rory didn't go home when she got off the bus from school. All the talk about chili beef soup earlier made her crave for it all day. She promised herself she wouldn't eat the whole bowl so she wouldn't spoil her dinner with her grandparents. She stopped at Doose's Market to grab a few. She knew exactly what aisle she would find them at and sure enough Jess was standing in her aisle. Perfect. Why do these things always happen to me?

"Rory." He caught her just as she tried to turn around and go the opposite direction of him.

She smiled uncomfortably at him. She saw the fresh scrapes near his temple that were not entirely covered with the bandage. She held back her hand that desperately wanted to caress it. He also had a couple of scrapes and gashes along his arms. He was lucky enough to walk away with just a few minor scrapes and bruises. She felt that it was partly her fault… most of it actually… okay all of it. If she didn't say what she said, he wouldn't have stayed in the middle of the road staring at her in disbelief. She felt awful. No words came to mind, so she remained silent.

"Are you following me? 'Cause everywhere I turn, you're always there." He said cruelly. He couldn't control his mouth sometimes. It had a mind of its own. And he was still upset about her running out on him and what she said to him today. .

Wow… that was… really… mean, she thought quietly as she gave him a really nasty look in an attempt to not give him the pleasure of seeing her hurt.

"Ouch." Jess felt her look. "You better be careful, you're face might permanently stay that way. Then what would you do." He couldn't believe these words were coming out of his mouth. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her.

She was completely taken aback at the way he was talking to her and couldn't help but look hurt.

Christ. Now you've done it. Jess silently kicked himself.

She immediately searched for what she came there for, grabbed a couple off the shelf and threw them in her basket. She wanted to get away from him before she started to cry. Right now anything could make her cry and didn't want to take any chances with Jess seeing her cry over something so ridiculously stupid.

In an effort to keep her around a little while longer he took one out and read the label. "Mmm chili beef soup… I must say that sounds terribly disgusting."

Rory grabbed it from him and threw it back in her basket. She started to walk to the cashier. He blocked her path.

"Are you not speaking to me again?"

"No." She wanted to apologize to him about what she said to him earlier, but he just wasn't making it easy.

"Huh."

"Would you please let me pass?"

"Fine." He lingered a bit in the aisle.

"Thank you." She paid for her goods and walked out of the market. He followed. He picked up his pace just enough so that he was walking next to her.

"Ok, who's following who now?"

"I'm not following; I'm just headed in the same direction as you."

"Whatever." She didn't care anymore, then she mumbled, "Just leave me alone." He exhausted her enough today.

He stopped her by gently grabbing her arm.

"What Jess?" She was tired of this. "Don't you have a girlfriend to attend to?"

He sighed. "Do you really want me to leave you alone?"

"Yes… Please…" Why did I just say that? Take it back.

"Ok." Before she could take it back he took off in the opposite direction. Say something. She urged herself. Speak! Now's your chance you idiot. She was speechless.

She wasn't in the mood for Chili Beef Soup anymore. Her stomach already felt like Chili Beef Soup.

`**~// Gilmore Home \\~**'

Rory was sitting at the kitchen table staring at the store bought Chili Beef Soup when Lorelai walked in.

"Contemplating on whether or not Chili Beef Soup is really that good huh?"

"I think I'm with you… Bleech …" She scrunched her yuck face at her mother.

Lorelai plopped herself in the chair next to her. "You look like you're still in a funk."

"Oh yeah… it's nothing really… it's just that I almost killed Jess today."

"Honey, that wasn't your fault."

"Obviously, you haven't heard the story correctly. I should tell you my version." She told Lorelai what she said to Jess that made him stop in the middle of the street.

"Ooo… sweetie, maybe it was your fault." She said trying to make light of the situation.

"Mom." Rory groaned. "Thanks a lot."

"I'm kidding…" She rubbed Rory's back. "Honey it was an accident, very unfortunate accident… just be grateful that Jess wasn't badly hurt."

Lorelai began taking an interest in the store bought Chili Beef Soup. Looking at it like it was a huge yummy piece of chocolate. This made Rory stare at it too. She glanced back at Lorelai making googley eyes at it. Rory started to see what she was seeing. "Shall I?" Lorelai boldly asked.

Rory nodded. Chili Beef Soup regained its popularity to the Gilmore girls once again.

Lorelai quickly nuked it in the microwave while Rory grabbed two bowls and two spoons. She waited patiently for the beep from the microwave signaling that the Chili Beef Soup was done.

Lorelai dibbied it up between them.

"Hey… you have more." Rory whined like a four year old.

"Nu uh."

"Yuh huh… it's only right that I get more… after all, I'm the one who's in a funk here."

Lorelai thought about it. "True." She took her bowl and poured more into her daughter's bowl. Rory's eyes widened as she rubbed her hands together.

"Mmm… how could I have betrayed you like that?" Lorelai asked her Chili Beef Soup.

They devoured their Chili Beef Soup leaving their bowls completely spotless.

`**~// Gilmore Driveway: Back From Dinner with the Grandparents 9:30p.m. \\~**`

"So what are your plans for the rest of the night?" Lorelai had to leave Rory alone tonight because they needed her at the Inn.

"I don't know. I'm pretty tired. I'll probably just study for a little bit and go to bed."

"Ok… try not to have too much fun."

She forced a smile at her mother. She knew exactly what she'd be doing tonight. She was going to be thinking about Jess.

Rory changed out of her dinner wear and into her sleepwear. She made her way into the living room, flipped the television on and plunked herself on the couch. She didn't even want to try to get some studying in.

She had to do something about this Jess situation. She knew deep down inside that he didn't mean to hurt her by saying those awful things. He was apparently in defense mode. Somehow she had hurt him in some way and he was just trying to get back at her. At least she hoped. She truly missed him. Right now, she and Jess would probably be sitting on this very couch watching television or reading, enjoying each others company.

`**~// Flashback \\~**'

Rory was sitting on the couch with Jess' head on her lap, both completely engrossed in their books.

Jess peeked over his book at Rory. He loved to watch her read. Her eyes seem to glaze at the words as if she was on some kind of high.

She caught him. "What? Quit staring at me like that."

"I can't help it… you're just sooo beautiful." He half-teased.

She immediately blushed. He started to laugh to ease her blush, but seemed to make it worse. "Nah, it's just when you read your eyes do this thing… where it makes you look like you're high on something.

"Oh shut up." She pushed him to the floor. He quickly kneeled up.

"You're just askin' for it aren't you? Would you like another repeat of a certain tickling fest we had not too long ago."

"Ok, ok I'm sorry. Please, just nooo tickling." She begged, giving him a pleading innocent smile.

"I'll let you off the hook this time." He smirked and lay back in his original position and started to read again. He glanced at her staring at him and then continued to read.

At that moment, she wanted to kiss him. Kiss him like she's never kissed Dean. Kiss him and feel him and whatever else him. As usual, she wouldn't live up to it so her only other option was to just fantasize about it. She stared at his lips and parted hers as she imagined what it would be like to kiss him.

He noticed she was still starting at him, but something was different. "Ok… Rory… you have to quit staring at me like I'm a piece of meat, it makes me feel very uncomfortable." He joked.

Her eyes widened as she blushed yet again. Crap. She didn't know what to do so she just pushed him to the floor again and instantly huddled into a fetal position on the couch awaiting the punishment.

"Ok, thaat's it." He got on top of her and started to tickle her mercilessly.

`**~// End Flashback \\~**`

Just as Rory was about to doze off, the phone started ringing.

"Hello?"

A/N:  This was actually a longer chapter but I just had to make it a cliffhanger! Bring it on… I can take the hate!!!