`*~ 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: I've revised some chapters… just makes me feel better. They're subtle changes, mostly in the writing, not necessarily the storyline.
Okay, I'm back... not for long though for school still exists. I've attempted to create a new character. Hope you guys like her- and for those in need of a visual, let's just say she resembles Mandy Moore. Again, thanks for the reviews, as always I love reading each an every one of them!
`**~// Stars Hollow Town Square: Stars Hollow Annual Adopt a Puppy Day \\~**`
"Hey Tristan what about this one?" Rory giggled.
"That has to be the biggest puppy I've ever seen." Tristan scoffed.
"Yeah, but he's so cute," she cooed.
"Hate to burst your bubble Mary, but my sister wants something that actually looks like a puppy- ya know, small and cute."
"Ah come on. Are you sure that's what she wants? She'll have so much fun with this one… so what if he's huge, he's still cute… Ooo and it's big enough to ride like a pony." Rory said.
"She has a pony." Tristan said it like it was no big deal and all ten year old girls had ponies.
"But this is a puppy. I don't think she knows about riding puppies," she said, not mindful of her words.
Tristan cocked an eyebrow at her.
"God Tristan, you could be so gross sometimes. The naughty things your pea brain can come up with astound me."
He chuckled, raising his hands in defense. "Hey. Speak for yourself, I didn't say anything."
"Whatever. I'm an expert reader of body language."
"Oh really," he said intriguingly, flirtatiously leaning towards her.
"Nevermind. I take it back," she said backing away from him, pushing a hand against his chest to fend him off.
"If you want that puppy so bad Mary, I'll get it for you."
Rory's eyes widened at the thought, but quickly saddened as she came to her senses. She huffed, "As much as I'd love to have him, I think it's actually illegal for my mom and I to have a puppy… I believe actual laws have been made."
"Alright, but if you change your mind, all you have to do is tell me and he's yours," he said in a silly cocky way.
She sighed. "No," she said solemnly. "I don't want to torture the poor little fella. He couldn't survive one day in the Gilmore household, he'd probably commit suicide."
Tristan chuckled.
"So, you said your sister wants a midget puppy…," she started glancing through the other cages with Tristan behind her.
`**~// Kim Home \\~**`
Chi-ding.
Mrs. Kim was dusting off an antique chair when she heard the bell ding on the door. She made her way to the front door to greet her new customer.
"Welcome. Everything is half off. Good only today," she sold.
The seventeen year old girl smiled at Mrs. Kim waiting for her to remember who she was.
"Hi Mrs. Kim."
"Do I know you?"
"Yes, you do." The girl smiled sweetly at her.
Mrs. Kim took a closer look at the girl. Her face started to look familiar to her, but for the life of her she couldn't bring herself to remember who she was. In an attempt to help Mrs. Kim out, the girl halved her dirty blonde hair and gathered the two parts twisting them into two high little buns on both sides of her head.
Then it finally dawned on Mrs. Kim as to who this young lady was. "Sydney?" She asked taken completely by surprise.
The girl nodded yes.
Mrs. Kim's face lit up. "You got big… but you're still too skinny." She looked the girl up and down not believing how tall she had grown since she last saw her when she was thirteen years old. "You've been doing okay?" Mrs. Kim stuffed her dusting rag in her shirt jacket's pocket and wrapped her arm around Sydney's shoulder, urging her inside the house.
"Yeah, I've been doing okay… I've missed everyone so much." Sydney said as a lump in her throat started to form as the realization that she was back in Stars Hollow set in.
"Mama?" Lane came walking out of the kitchen remembering her way thru the maze of antiques.
"Lane, look who's here." She took the girl by the shoulders as if presenting her to Lane.
"Oh my God!" Lane shrieked and quickly ran to the girl, throwing her arms around her dear friend. "Oh my God. I can't believe you're actually here."
"I know." Tears slowly made their way down Syndey's cheeks, she couldn't remember being this happy, well she could, but she'd have to go back in time when she lived in Stars Hollow.
They pulled out of the hug. "Aw don't cry, you're gonna make me cry." Lane pleaded, now fighting back her own happy tears… but the tears won.
"God it's so good to see you. I've missed you so much." Sydney cried, pulling Lane back in to a hug, never wanting to let go, for fear she was dreaming.
They pulled out of the hug again. "How long are you visiting for? Please tell me for the rest of the summer."
Sydney grinned happily. "Even better, we're moving back."
"Nu-uh!" Lane said disbelieving, hoping she was really telling the truth.
"Yuh-huh!"
"Nu-uh!" Lane couldn't believe her best friend was moving back.
The two girls shrieked and jumped up and down like two pre-teen girls would after they had just met Justin Timberlake. Mrs. Kim stood back and watched the two reunite. She was very pleased to hear that Sydney was moving back to Stars Hollow.
"How are your parents, why didn't they come with you?" Mrs. Kim questioned.
"Oh they're still at the house unloading the movers' truck. They told me they'd be by later, but I just couldn't wait to see you guys, so I left the moving mess to them for a little while."
Mrs. Kim loved Sydney… of course she loved Rory too, but Sydney had two parents that were still married and another plus- they didn't have her when they were young like Lorelai.
"Hey have you seen Rory yet?" Lane asked, wiping away her own tears.
"No, I haven't. I wanted to come by and get you first since you live down the street from us and we could go over to her place together." She looked over to Lane's mom. "Is it alright if she comes along Mrs. Kim?" She asked politely.
"Yes. That will be fine."
The two interlocked arms and walked out the front door.
"Why didn't you tell us you were moving back?" Lane said a little disappointed, after all, they told each other everything.
"Well I wanted to surprise everyone. You wouldn't believe how hard it was not to tell you guys. I've known for a couple of months now."
"I guess I can forgive you, it was a very good surprise. Rory's gonna faint."
The three were inseparable, being childhood best friends since they were in pre-school. Four years ago, Sydney's father received a job promotion and he had to move his family to Florida. He received yet another promotion allowing him to move his family back to their beloved Stars Hollow. Sydney's father felt awful for uprooting his family, especially Sydney, who took the move the hardest. For about a month after the move, she became depressed. Lane and Rory even took a trip there for a couple of weeks during that summer to help cheer her up… which was exactly what she needed.
After the two left, Sydney started the new school year with high spirits and finally adjusted to her new surroundings, but she was more than ecstatic to move back to Stars Hollow, back to her two best friends and the town she grew up in. Over the years, the three remained in constant contact, with e-mails and phone calls, but the trip that Lane and Rory made to Florida was the last time they had actually seen one another.
`**~// Gilmore Home \\~**`
"I'm comin'! I'm comin'!" Lorelai yelled as she hopped down the stairs with one leg while trying to put her pump on the other. "Ooof……….. Don't leave! I'll be right there!" She landed on the bottom stair and slipped on the pair. She had fallen asleep earlier and when she realized that she had to be to work with in the next ten minutes, she rushed to get ready. She took some minutes throwing her clothes on before she could answer the door.
She finally opened the door.
"Hey." The two girls greeted.
"Hi Lane and girl I don't know."
"Lorelai." Sydney said slightly disappointed that she didn't recognize her.
"I'm sorry, but do I know you from somewhere? Because I can obviously tell that you know me and I would feel just terrible to say that I have no idea who you are."
"Lorelai." Sydney scolded, now knowing that she was just playing with her.
"Ah I'm kidding. Eee!! Come give me a hug!" Lorelai embraced Sydney like she was her own daughter. "Oh how I've missed you girly, let me have look at you." Lorelai pulled out of the hug. "My, my, my, someone's been hit with the tall and pretty stick. Geeze you're just as tall as I am."
Sydney had wavy, medium length dirty blond hair and gorgeously innocent grey eyes. Some say that she kind of looked like Mandy Moore.
"Is Rory here?" Sydney couldn't wait to surprise her.
"Aw you just missed her. She went to the Annual Stars Hollow Adopt-A-Puppy at the Town Square. Come on, I'll drop you guys off on my way to work."
`**~// Stars Hollow Town Square \\~**`
"Okay you two have fun and when I'm done playing work we'll all have dinner at Luke's."
The two spotted Rory over by the puppy cages, her back turned to them, and immediately Sydney took off with Lane linked arm and arm with her, running across the grass.
The two stopped right behind Rory and Tristan.
"Hey Gilmore!" Sydney cried scaring the wits out of both of them.
Rory quickly turned around when she heard that all too familiar voice, "Sydney? Oh my God! What are you doing here?!" The two hugged almost falling over. Rory held Sydney back with her hands on her shoulders. "Wait a second, why didn't I know you were coming?"
Sydney laughed. "Surprise, I moving back!"
Rory's eyes widened, happy tears slowly gathered at the edge of her eyes waiting to fall. "You're kidding!"
"Nope!" Her tears mirroring the same position as Rory's.
"Oh my God, I can't believe this!" She turned to Lane. "Lane, she's moving back!" She cried to Lane as if she didn't know.
"I know!" Lane's tears making their appearance again.
Sydney put her arms around her two best friends and they all shrieked happily ever after…
Until…
"Ahem." Tristan cleared his throat at being forgotten yet again.
The three teary eyed girls glanced at the boy who had the nerve to interrupt their joyous moment.
He extended his hand to the new girl. "Hi, I'm Tristan Dugrey." He greeted ever-so charmingly, feeling the need to throw his last name out there.
The three smirked at him.
Sydney just looked at his hand and then into his eyes and was instantly drawn to him.
"Don't worry, I don't bite… unless you're-"
"Tristan." Rory warned.
Tristan smirked at Rory and glanced back at Sydney still waiting for her to shake his hand.
"Sydney." She stated her name and took his offer of a hand shake.
"Such a pretty name for such a beautiful girl," he flirted.
"Oh boy." Both Rory and Lane said in unison.
Neither letting the other's hand go. "So you're Tristan." Sydney said, slightly intrigued. Rory never told her how incredibly hot he was.
"Why you've heard of me." He said cockily and looked over at Rory.
"Yes Tristan, you are worthy." Rory groaned before he had a chance to ask.
Sydney released her hand from his. "I wouldn't get so excited. I don't recall Rory saying good things." She played.
Tristan raised his brows at Rory in amazement. "This one's almost as feisty as you are Rory," he said slyly, thumbing in Sydney's direction. "What did you tell her?"
"Wouldn't you like to know? It's killing you isn't it?" Rory teased.
"I hate it when you do that."
"What?" Rory asked sweetly.
Tristan shook his head at her. "After all I've done for you, this is the thanks I get," he playfully laid on the guilt.
"Tristan…" Rory took the guilt bait.
"No… it's ok, I see how it is," he hassled.
"Tristan-"
"Don't worry Tristan I was just kidding. She told me some very nice things about you." Sydney cajoled. 'Behind the arrogant, cocky exterior, there's a nice guy hidden in there somewhere' was what Rory told her about this Tristan character. He must have been nice enough to help Rory get things going with Jess, when he himself had 'a thing for Rory' as Dean would say. Finally after all these years, hearing about all the guys in Rory's and Lane's lives, she was going to finally be able to put faces to names.
"Ha-ha I knew it," Tristan throwing a satisfied grin at Rory, which in turn earned him some eye-rolling.
"Hey Rory, your mom wants us to meet for dinner at Luke's, but I can't wait till dinner to have Luke's burger and rings……….plus I can't wait to see Luke."
"Yeah, okay. Tristan, do you mind if we take a break to get a bite to eat?" Rory asked.
"I thought you'd never ask."
As they walked to the diner, Tristan fell into step with Sydney.
"So… what 'very nice things' did Rory tell you about me?" Tristan slyly asked.
"Don't give him the satisfaction Syd, his head is big enough as it is."
"Why Rory you-"
"-wound me… yes I know, you really need some new material Tristan. You've killed that line." Rory taunted.
Tristan finally was at a lost for a witty comeback and could only give her his trademark smirk.
"Wow Tristan, I finally got your tongue." Rory said satisfied.
Tristan cocked an eyebrow.
"Ah geeze." She got that from Jess of course. "Nevermind," she said defeated.
He loved how he could get her without even saying anything.
`**~// Luke's Diner \\~**`
The door jingled signaling the four had arrived at the diner.
Rory instantly scanned the room for her boyfriend and finally spotted him trying to fix the toaster behind the counter. Rory headed over to the counter with Sydney while Lane and Tristan sat at a table in the middle of the diner. Sensing Rory's presence, Jess automatically looked up, his face immediately lit up.
"Hey." Jess said, leaving the now forgotten toaster behind and leaned over the counter to give Rory a kiss.
"Jess, I'd like you to meet Sydney," Rory introduced.
"So you're the famous Jess."
Jess raised an eyebrow, confused as to why he was famous.
"Rory's told me so much about you. I knew she'd find someone who shared the same obsession about books as she does."
Tristan over hearing the conversation couldn't help but feel a little bitter that Rory was with Jess, but he quickly dismissed it. Her love for reading turned the crush he had on Rory to honest and sincere liking… had being the operative word he reminded himself over and over. Rory was a bookworm, signifying that she was intelligent and smart, which indeed she was. He'd have to admit that her innocent beauty was what lured him in, but that fact that she had brains made her all the more fascinating. In the beginning, it was hard to restrain himself from trying to turn the whole thing into a competition with Jess, but he realized that Jess was the one she wanted.
Jess started to nod as he remembered her as 'the Sydney', the missing musketeer.
"Ah, you're the famous Sydney. I feel like I know you, Rory talks about you all the time."
"Yeah I can say the same about you too." Jess was definitely how Rory described. He did have the kind of eyes where with one look, you would do anything he asked. And by the way his eyes lit up when he saw her, she could tell that Rory could possibly have the same effect on him. "Oh hey Jess, is Luke here?"
"Uh yeah, he's in the back… Luke!" Jess called.
Luke walked out balancing four plates of food. "Jess could I get some help here." Jess relieved his uncle of two plates. "Those go over to that corner table," he said as he gestured the direction.
"Hey Luke." Rory said, waiting for him to recognize Sydney.
"Rory." He greeted back handing the two remaining plates to the customers sitting at the end of the counter. "Who's you're friend?"
"Hi Luke." Sydney said grinning.
"Do I know you?"
"Man I've been getting that a lot today," she chuckled. "It's me Luke, Sydney."
"Sydney? What are you doing back in Stars Hollow?" He asked as he went around the counter, throwing an arm around her shoulder, his way of giving her a hug.
"We're moving back."
"Really?" Luke said genuinely pleased.
"Uh-huh."
"That's great. So how have you been doing?" He remembered her dad telling him how depressed she had gotten when she moved to Florida. Luke was close with Sydney's father. He was actually the only other male in their town that he could have a normal friendship with.
"I'm really great… now that I'm back here."
"How's your dad, he never mentioned you guys were moving back." Luke and Sydney's father remained close friends after their move to Florida, occasionally talking over the phone.
"Yeah we decided that we wanted to surprise everyone."
"Must've been hard not to tell those two." Luke said, talking about Rory and Lane.
"Oh yeah… extremely hard. I almost broke down when I talked to them last week."
"Hey tell you're parents to come by for dinner, we'll have one of those welcome back dinners."
"Yeah, okay… but Luke… I'm really hungry," Sydney hinted.
"Burger and rings?" Luke asked knowingly as he walked back behind the counter. That was the only thing she would eat when she ate at the dinner, even at breakfast.
"Do I ever eat anything else when I'm here?" She realized at that moment how she truly missed her town and all the lovely characters in it.
Luke smiled. "What about you Rory?"
"Um make that three." Rory signaled to the two at the table.
"I'll have fries instead of the rings." Tristan noted and off went Luke to the back to fix up their orders.
Jess finally realized that Tristan was in the diner. He hadn't forgotten that he was going to the Adopt a Puppy thing with Rory, but he had assumed that he had already left with his newly adopted puppy. The last thing he wanted was to see this guy. He didn't know what to feel. He decided that the jealous Dean route wasn't him and figured he shouldn't let Tristan get to him.
He stood next to Rory.
"Hey man, I didn't see you there. How's it goin'?" Jess attempted the civil thing.
Rory and Tristan along with Lane were completely mystified.
"Uh I'm good?" He replied back both doing the guy hand-slap-shake thing.
Somehow through all the commotion, Rory forgot about Jess and Tristan having to be in the same room. She was glad to see that the testosterone levels were normal for the moment.
"Hey." Rory turned to Jess, lowering her voice. "You wanna have lunch with us?" Jess' sudden act of civility towards Tristan surprised her. She had to admit that that was the last thing she thought would ever happen between the two hotheads. She'd have to reward Jess for that, she mentally noted.
"Can't. Lunch crowd." He said matching her tone of voice.
She pouted. "Jess."
"Huh."
"I want a puppy?"
"I knew it," he laughed.
"I wanna puppy Jess. I just saw the cutest one. He begged me to take him home Jess." Rory whined, trying to look pathetically sad.
"Hey I thought you were supposed to be the reasonable one. You're starting to sound like your mom."
"I can't help it. I want one."
"I told you, Luke said no." He loved the way she looked when she couldn't get what she wanted, her eyes looked so sad and her lips turn into a delicious pout.
"Fine," Rory huffed.
Tristan couldn't help but listen in and a twinge of jealousy took a hit. It came from nowhere. He had no idea it was going to be that hard seeing them together like that. Then a Tristan thought came into his mind…'He could've gotten her.' Regret started to fill his head, but soon brushed them away when Rory and Sydney sat down at the table.
"Hey Tristan, I seriously think you should reconsider getting her that puppy. Your sister would love him." Rory persuaded.
Tristan shook his head at her as a smile crept over his face. "I told you Rory, that's not the kind of puppy she wants," he chuckled at her persistence.
"Come on. One look at him and I assure you she'll fall in love with him," she pushed.
Tristan shook his head no all the while smiling at her persistency.
"Okay, but she'll be missing out on one great puppy."
Jess couldn't help but notice the way Tristan looked at his girlfriend. He decided not to think twice about it though.
A while later…
The four were still at the table finishing their last bites of their lunch when Rory's pager went off.
Come upstairs was what the page read.
"Um I'll be right back," Rory told the group, excusing herself.
She made her way upstairs and just as she was about to knock, Jess opened the door.
"Hi." He said playfully and grabbed Rory by the waist pulling her into the apartment.
"Jeeess…what are you up to?"
"Nothin'." He replied, raining her face with kisses.
"Nothin' huh?" She asked, thoroughly enjoying his kisses. "Mmm."
"That's right." He managed to say through his kisses, backing her up towards his bed.
"Jess…" Rory's inner red light flashed when she realized he was leading her to his bed.
"Hmm."
"I can't stay long, Sydney's here … and Tristan," she said struggling for excuses.
"I know. I won't be long."
"Uh-huh," totally not believing him. They landed on his bed with him on top of her. He rested his elbows on either side of her shoulders, softly stroking her hair and all of a sudden, with one look into his eyes, the red light disappeared.
"You know what?" He asked cutely.
"What?"
"You have pretty hair?" He said playfully.
"Why thank you. Your have pretty hair too." She smiled sweetly, petting him on the head.
"And. . . you have the most incredible eyes," he said kissing both lids.
"Uhh-huh, what do you think you're doing?" She asked suspiciously.
"What, can't a guy tell his girlfriend she has pretty hair and incredible eyes?" He said harmlessly.
"Coming from you… no… you are buttering me up Mr."
"What?" He said feigning innocence.
"Would you like to tell me what's going on here Jess?"
"Nothin'. I just felt the need to adore you. That is all."
"Okay. Well. In that case… continue." She knew there were some hidden intentions in there somewhere. She couldn't wait to find out what they were.
"Hmm, where was I? Ah yes… pretty hair, incredible eyes… let's see here…" His eyes rested on her lips. His voice lowered, "your lips. . . " He suddenly became serious, bringing his lips to hers. "You have no idea what your lips do to me Rory," he muttered against her lips before kissing her. His lips moved slowly against hers, careful not to lose himself in them. She made it difficult though as she became heated by the kiss, increasing his slow pace. And before he thought he might actually maintain some amount control, he felt her hands immediately take their places in his hair and slide through it in the way she always did, making him lose his ability to think straight.
Rory turned to jello at the sound of his voice just then. She heard the sincerity in it when she could only see lust in his eyes. That was good enough for her, he was a guy after all. You could only ask for so much.
He reluctantly pulled away from her lips to continue his adoration of her." He gently touched the small dimple on her chin. "And this little dimple on your chin, drives me nuts when you smile." He replaced his thumb with his lips giving her dimple a light smooch. He started to move down her jaw line, and settled on her neck a minute before journeying further down.
"Jess… " Rory said breathily.
"Hmm."
"I think we need to stop."
"Mm-uh." He groaned a protest.
"Jess… we need to stop," her voice becoming her own again.
"Okay," he agreed but didn't stop devouring her neck. He started downward and stopped short when lips hit the zipper of her hooded shirt. "Hey, if I pulled this zipper down, what would I find?"
She was only wearing a bra. Then she remembered it was just a plain white one with no lace or anything sexy like that. 'Oh God, I am never wearing this bra ever again.'
"Jess. Come on, I have to go back downstairs."
"Fine. You're no fun," he joked.
Rory knew he was just playing, but she couldn't help but take it to heart. She thought of Shane and all the possible 'fun' things they did together and suddenly felt inadequate.
Jess realized he had said something wrong. "I was just kidding Rory."
"I know."
"No seriously. You are a very fun girl," he said honestly. He really should choose his words better.
"Uh-huh," she said looking away.
"Rory…"
"Look I know that I'm no Shane-"
"Ah, Rory. Come on, that's not what I meant."
"I know that Shane must've been-"
"Rory don't…"
"Jess… just know that I'm not a Shane. Okay?"
"You are definitely not a Shane. I don't want a Shane. I want a Rory," he said childishly and this brought a smile to her face. "Rory?"
"Huh?"
"Are you gonna answer my question or do I have to find out for myself," he said playing with her zipper, ready to pull the sucker down.
"Jess!" Rory's eyes widened at his playfulness.
"I'm kidding, geeze, can't you take a joke." He pulled her to her feet, helping her straighten up by smoothing her hair.
"Hey."
"Hmm."
"Thanks for being civil with Tristan earlier."
He nodded his head. "Not a problem."
They stood silently for a moment.
"Didn't you say you had to go back downstairs?"
"Yup."
"Well…"
Rory wrapped her arms around his neck and laid smooth sensual kisses on his lips, backing him towards the bed. Jess chuckled under her lips.
A/N: You know what to do to make me happy!!