Better in cones

Chapter Thirteen

Rory and Jess were sat in the gazebo reading together, an activity that they frequently undertook, though on this particular morning Jess was finding it hard to concentrate, despite having one of his all time favourite books in his hands, the reason for his distraction was none other than Rory Gilmore, who at present was lying on the bench with her head on his lap, holding her own book in front of her face to read it. She looked so beautiful in her white cotton strap top and blue jeans, her hair loose around her shoulders and the sun streaming across her face, that he couldn't focus on his book, but kept stealing glances at her when she wasn't looking. Unknown to him she was doing the same, glancing up every few minutes to look at him. Both of them smiled as they caught each others eyes, holding the contact until a voice broke into their private moment.

'Well don't you two just look like the perfect little couple.' Dean said sarcastically. 'So what you waited an hour before dating him?' He slurred his words, Rory froze thinking back to her last encounter with him, he'd been so angry and scared her. Jess on the other hand was doing all he could to control his anger.

'We aren't dating.' Jess said through gritted teeth. Rory looked up at him sadly, wondering if he was angry that she had kept him waiting for so long, the summer was almost over and still they were just friends. Her thoughts though were cut short by Dean.

'Well you could have fooled me, you don't exactly look like just friends, but then you never were.' Dean's voice grew louder as he spoke, swaying on his feet. Rory sat up to get a better look at him.

'Dean are you drunk?' Rory asked in pure disbelief, he was the last person she'd ever expected to get drunk, he'd always been the model boyfriend.

'So what if I am? Do you think I can stand to see you walk around town with that deadbeat without a little something to ease the pain.' Dean shook his head, 'No Rory don't do those sad little eyes, making me think you're actually concerned, you don't care about anyone but yourself, and him he's just a no good waste of space who's going to hurt you.' He laughed at this, 'The really funny thing is that I never would of, and still you chose him.'

'Please Dean...' Rory begged stopping before she said any more, she didn't know what to say, please what? Go? She couldn't ask him to leave, it was a public place after all. Instead she got to her feet and hoped Jess would get the hint and follow her, he did and they walked down the steps towards the diner.

'You think you can just walk away, forget about me but I know you Rory you'll go home tonight and worry and feel guilty for what you did to me.' Dean followed them out onto the street.

'Maybe you'd better go home.' Jess said trying to keep his cool.

'I strongly suggest you don't talk to me.' Dean said aggressively. 'I'm talking to Rory, so why don't you run along and leave us to it.'

'I don't want to talk Dean, you're drunk.' Rory stepped closer to Jess. Dean ignored her and stared at Jess before laughing, although his tone held no amusement, only bitterness.

'She plays games with people you know, I mean look at her leading you on, there isn't anything stopping the two of you being together now, and still she won't date you, doesn't that tell you something.' Dean sneered.

'Back off Dean.' Rory yelled, grabbing Jess' hand and going into the diner. Everyone who was inside quickly went back to their conversations, trying to hide the fact that they had all been watching intently through the window seconds before. Rory went up to the counter where Luke handed her a cup of coffee. She smiled weakly at him before heading up to the apartment with Jess. Sitting down on the sofa with him. Jess was too quiet and she didn't like it, she started thinking that Dean's words had got to him, did he think she was just stringing him along.

'Are you mad at me?' She asked quietly, looking down at her hands which were clasped tightly around her coffee cup. Silently hoping that he wasn't mad at her and that Dean hadn't messed things up for the two of them. Jess took a deep breath looking over at Rory, her upset and worried expression as she avoided his eyes broke his heart. Before answering he reached out and took her hand in his, though he didn't meet her eyes, both of them looked down.

'I'm not mad at you Rory, I'm mad at Dean for what he said, for upsetting you, but I'm not mad at you.' Jess said quietly, Rory believed he wasn't mad but could still feel there was something wrong, their was tension between them that hadn't been there before, she sighed.

'Do you think I'm stringing you along?' She asked nervously. Once again he shook his head.

'No, I guess I just need to understand. I know you need time before anything happens with us, and I believe you when you say we will be together, but I need to know what's holding you back. If you've changed your mind then I'll understand.' He said holding his breath for her reply, which came instantly.

'Of course I haven't changed my mind!' She said whipping her head round to look at him, he met her eyes and gave her a small half smile. 'But you're right you do deserve an explanation.' She paused looking into his eyes, setting her coffee cup down on the table.

'Right so...explain.' He said, not harshly or over eagerly, just curious as to how this would pan out. He didn't expect what she said next.

'I've never felt as strongly about anyone as I do about you, and I know it might not make much sense that the person I feel so much for is the one I'm taking things so slowly with, but I'm worried that if I jump in now I'll be completely lost, I'll fall so deep that I won't be able to find a way out. I'm scared that I'll loose sight of other things I want because I'll be focusing on you all the time. It's like Juliet, she felt so deeply about Romeo that she died for him, she gave up her life for him and I know it sounds stupid...' She paused looking up at his smirking face.

'You think that if you start dating me we'll run away from our families, get married and end up killing ourselves because we can't bare to be without one another.' He said looking into her beautiful blue eyes, she smiled at him and tried to think of a better way to explain it.

'No.' She shook her head, causing a stand of hair to Un-tuck itself from behind her ear and frame her face. 'I'm scared that if we start dating now I won't be able to stop myself from falling for you even deeper, and the rest of my life will take a back seat. I'll stop studying so hard and I'll stop hanging out with my mum as much...' Rory said quietly.

'Huh.' Jess said looking amused. Rory was curious at what part of that was funny, she narrowed her eyes at him.

'What?' She demanded.

'I just never knew I had such a strong hold on you.' Jess shrugged, smiling at her.

'Jess...' Rory said frustrated, although a smile was creeping onto her face, he just looked at her and reached out tucking the strand of hair back behind her ear, resting his hand on her cheek.

'You won't change who you are just because you're with me, hanging out with your mum and studying that's all a part of who you are, part of why I fell for you, so how about this, you take the week to think things over and if at the end of the week you still want to wait then we'll wait, but just remember, I won't ever try and change you, or expect you to change.' Jess said, it was one of the sweetest most honest things he'd ever said to her. His walls were coming down and he was letting himself be vulnerable around her. Rory smiled softly at him.

'OK a week, and you really don't mind still being the on hold boyfriend.' She laughed at how stupid that explanation of their relationship sounded.

'I don't mind, but I can't say that'll last forever, that deposit you gave is starting to wear off.' Jess joked. She laughed, feeling as if they were back to their normal relaxed selves.

'Is that so?' She asked, he nodded at her. 'Well we'll just have to do something about that.' She smiled leaning forward and kissing him. After a few seconds she pulled back, resting her forehead against his. 'How's that?'

'Huh.' Was all he managed to get out. She smiled and leaned back on the sofa, tucking her legs up under her and went back to her book.

*

'Hey mum.' Rory said walking into the house later that night, going straight to her room to change for Friday night dinner, her mum was already dressed much to Rory's surprise. Trying to be quick because she was running late, she grabbed a blue floral patterned dress pulling it on, grabbed a white cardigan and opened her bedroom door again. To find her mum staring at her.

'What? Is my dress on inside out or something?' Rory asked looking down.

'No you look great.' Lorelai said, still staring not giving away anything as to why.

'Then what's with the staring?' Rory asked moving round the kitchen, Lorelai's gaze following her.

'Nothing, I was just wondering how long it'll take for you to mention the whole, drunk Dean yelling at you in the street thing.' Lorelai shrugged casually. Rory should of guessed it had something to do with that.

'Oh that, you heard huh.' Rory said evasively, not wanting to go into it when they were already running late.

'Hello we live in Stars Hollow, nothing stays a secret for long, Patti called me at work to tell me what happened.' Lorelai said, Rory looked at her in shock, Patti had actually called her mother at work to give her the latest gossip.

'Patti wasn't even there.' Rory said shaking her head.

'No but she got it from Babette, who got it from Gypsy, who got it from Kirk who saw it all happen and took notes.' Lorelai explained in a 'Duh' tone like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Which if Rory thought about it, it was sort of obvious for Stars Hollow.

'Well then what do you want me to tell you if you've already heard the whole story.' Rory asked as they got to the car.

'How did Jess take it, word on the street is he isn't a happy bunny.' Lorelai said turning the key in the ignition, Rory laughed.

'I would never use the words happy bunny to describe Jess, but you're right he wasn't too happy about it all, neither was I. But we talked things through and we're good, really good.' Rory smiled.

'OK you have to give mommy more than that, what's with that dopey smile on your face huh? Are you two together now?' Lorelai asked.

'Not yet, but we both agreed that I would take a week to think over my fears of moving into a relationship quickly.' Rory said then explained the whole conversation, leaving out the kiss, that was between her and Jess.

'Hmm, you know if he keeps this up I may actually start liking him.' Lorelai said after listening to how mature and dare she say it, nice, Jess had been about the whole situation.

'You had better start liking him, because I have a very strong feeling that we'll be dating before the weeks out.' Rory beamed.

'Really? What makes you think that kiddo?' Lorelai asked, glad that Rory had finally made up her mind about things.

'Well my fear is about how deeply I feel for him, but all the time I spend with him I just fall a little deeper, whether we're friends or more that won't change and I know I want to be with him, so why wait any longer.' Rory said suddenly wishing they could turn the car around and she could go and tell Jess, but they had just pulled into the driveway of her grandparents. She sighed heavily, it would have to wait till tomorrow, still she stepped out of the car with a bright smile on her face, nothing could ruin it now. They didn't even get as far as ringing before Emily pulled open the door.

'Lorelai, Rory, thank goodness you're here.' Emily said, looking pale and panicked.

'Mum what is it?' Lorelai asked, true concern lacing her voice.

'It's your father.' Emily said pulling them inside the house.

A/N- I know I'm evil for leaving it here. Please review and let me know what you think, I love getting reviews. I would also like to say sorry that this took so long to upload, but I lost internet connection for about a week. REVIEWS = :)