Disclaimer: Don't own L Wish I did.

A/N- Reviews=J

The strangest things

Chapter Seven

Rory had spent the entire day with Dean, hanging out around the inn playing board games and talking. Or rather listening to him talk about baseball, and other topics which held little interest for her. It was now nine in the evening and she was getting restless, the snow had yet to melt so she couldn't go home, and Dean didn't seem in any mood to stop talking. He sat across from her in the dining room, everyone had finished eating, a few gone up to bed or wandering round the inn, she hadn't seen Jess since this morning and that was bugging her too, she found herself looking for him whenever someone new entered a room. Finally needing to get away she stood up and smiled at Dean.

'I'm just going to see where my mum is.' Rory said cutting off Dean's sentence about his last baseball game. She felt bad, but he'd been talking for over an hour about one subject, a Gilmore couldn't be expected to stay quiet for so long. He didn't seem to mind though, just smiled back and stood up next to her, taking her hand.

'I'll come with you.' He said causing her to sigh silently, pulling her hand away.

'No it's ok, stay here.' She replied now feeling even more guilty when she saw his rejected look, she gave him a quick kiss before going upstairs, finding her mum in their room, thankfully alone.

'He's driving me insane.' Rory complained dropping onto the bed where her mum was sat with the television on.

'Who is babe?' Lorelai asked, her eyes still focused on the screen.

'Dean, all day he's been so clingy. I say I'm going to get something to eat, he follows, I say I need to take a walk and he comes too, I say I want to read and he just sits there staring at me, then starts talking about some sports thing he saw on the television. I can't breath, he's always there.' Rory said turning over so she was laying on her stomach, propped up on her elbows so she could see her mum, who had now switched the sound off on the television so she could hear Rory's outburst.

'Well you need to ease up on that love potion you've been giving him.' Lorelai tried to lighten the mood.

'It's not funny mum, he's suffocating me. I mean he's always there and when he's not he's calling me all the time.' Rory sighed. 'I need some space but he doesn't get that. I practically had to shout at him to stay down in the dining room when I said I was coming to find you, what do I have to do to make him realise that I need some time to myself?' Rory asked exasperated.

'Honey you just need to sit him down and explain that he needs to back off a little. He loves you so he'll understand.' Lorelai replied with the best answer she could think of, worried at the cracks that were showing in their relationship.

'I guess you're right, I mean it's better than my idea.' Rory laughed slightly.

'Which was?' Lorelai prompted.

'To avoid him for a week or two and hope he got the message.' Rory looked at her mother guiltily.

'He might get the wrong message, so are you going to talk to him?' Lorelai asked as Rory got to her feet and headed to the door.

'Tomorrow's fine. I'm just going for a little walk, I need some time alone.' Rory answered. Heading out the door, and down the corridor towards the linen closet, she opened the door and stepped inside.

'Jeez!' Rory shouted, spotting Jess sat on the floor with a book, she jumped back in surprise. 'What are you doing in the linen closet?'

'I could ask you the same thing.' He smirked up at her, as she slid down the door and sat opposite him. Her back against the door and him against a rack of linen.

'True, but I asked first.' Rory replied, moving so her back was against the opposite rack of linen to his. He looked up at her, marking his place in his book with his finger.

'I've been in here all day, just wanted somewhere quiet to read where I wouldn't have people coming in and out.' Jess said looking at her, she looked back guiltily.

'Then I ruined it by coming in, sorry. I'll go if you like.' Rory replied, but Jess shook his head.

'Stay, if you don't mind my company then I don't mind yours.' He smiled back at her, as she smiled at him.

'I'll stay then.' Rory said taking her own book and starting to read as Jess went back to his. Occasionally they would stop reading and talk about books, or movies, or random things that they both enjoyed. They were enjoying each others company, until they heard voices outside.

'Hey Dean.' That was Ally's sugary voice floating through the door. Rory froze at the mention of her boyfriends name, and started hoping he wouldn't find her. She didn't want to explain why she was in a cupboard with Jess, and she didn't want to deal with him being clingy again. She stayed silent, not going unnoticed by Jess who was watching her with intrigue.

'Oh Ally Hey, you haven't seen Rory have you?' He asked for the second time that day.

'Lost her again? You're getting careless.' Ally joked, getting a small laugh from Dean.

'Yeah it would seem so, she went to see her mum a couple of hours ago, but I just stopped by and Lorelai said she'd gone for a walk ages ago, that she needed time alone.' Dean replied a little bitterly.

'Alone? Why would she pick to hang out alone when she could talk to you?' Ally asked.

'That's what Lorelai said, that she didn't want to talk to anyone and just needed space.' Dean replied, leaning against the door to the closet. Rory looked over at Jess who was smirking at her.

'What?' She mouthed at him with a small smile.

'You wanted to be alone and you've spent two hours talking to me.' He smirked.

'I like your company.' She mouthed back, before listening to what Dean and Ally were saying.

'Well maybe it's not such a bad thing that she needs a little space, come on you can hang out with me and we can get to know one another.' Ally said sweetly.

'Sure, I'll see Rory tomorrow anyway.' Dean said after thinking it over for a while, Rory and Jess heard the footsteps walking away, and Rory went back to reading.

'Doesn't that bother you? That he blew off looking for you to hang with my sister?' Jess asked, Rory glanced up from her book.

'No, he's entitled to have friends as much as I am, it doesn't bother me. Besides what I said about needing time alone was true.' Rory shrugged her shoulders.

'But you're in a closet with me? Hardly the average example of alone is it?' Jess said, then smirked at her. 'Unless it was just Dean you wanted time away from.'

Rory looked up at him rolling her eyes, not wanting to go over this subject with Jess.

'I love him, but sometimes he's a little…possessive of me and my time.' Rory explained trying to come up with the right words to put it across. Jess nodded his understanding, smiling over at her before going back to his book.

*

'Hey Rory, Dean came by for you earlier, asked me to let you know that he was looking for you, and then he came back about two hours later with Ally, and asked if you'd shown up yet and said to tell you to meet him for breakfast tomorrow.' Lorelai said the moment Rory slipped through the door at nearly three in the morning. Jess had just dropped her off and smiled at her as she shut the door, his presence going unnoticed by Lorelai and the fast asleep Ally.

'Oh he's telling me what to do now?' Rory asked with a sigh.

'I think you need to give him a break sweets, he's a good guy with a kind heart, he just wants to spend a little time with you.' Lorelai said offering Rory a spot in the bed alongside her. Rory quickly went to the bathroom and changed into some blue monkey pyjamas and joined her mum.

'You think I'm being a little tough on Dean?' Rory asked. Feeling guilty, if her mum was telling her to ease up then it must be true.

'Not too tough, I just think that he really loves you and wants to spend time with you. Is that such a bad thing?' Lorelai asked. Rory rolled onto her side so she was facing away from her mum.

'No it's not such a bad thing, just a little…much sometimes, but you're right I need to take it easier on him and let him know what I'm thinking. I'll talk to him at breakfast.' Rory agreed.

'Good thinking. Anyway it's our fault, I mean us Gilmore Girls make ourselves irresistible.' Lorelai grinned. 'So did you have a good night?'

'Yeah…Really good.' Rory smiled to herself before closing her eyes. 'Goodnight mum'.

*

'Dolls! Wake up, the snows gone.' Babette announced loudly coming into the girls room early the next morning.

'Urh… What time is it?' Lorelai groaned rolling out of the bed and pulling on a dressing gown. Before heading to the window to see that it was true, the snow had melted and guests were able to leave. Lorelai immediately thanked Babette for the warning and went about getting dressed and seeing the guests off. Joined later by Rory as the last few guests left. Dean approaching them.

'Morning.' Rory smiled giving him a quick kiss. 'Sorry I missed you last night when you came by the room.'

'That's ok, so I guess breakfast is off since everyone is eager to get home, but maybe we can meet up for lunch?' Dean asked. Rory felt like turning him down but smiled and said she'd meet him at Luke's at noon. He smiled, kissed her again and then left. The last people to leave were Luke, Jess and Ally. Who all approached together.

'Bet you didn't expect to be here so long huh?' Lorelai laughed as they stopped in front of the two girls.

'It was unexpected, but still I had a good time.' Luke smiled. 'I lost business at the diner, but it was good.'

'Hey Don't you go blaming the loss of business on me? The diner would have been snowed in, nobody would of come in.' Lorelai playfully joined in the fight.

'But if I'd opened and had customers in there, they may have been stuck and had to keep buying food and drinks.' Luke replied.

'I cannot believe you would exploit others misfortune that way.' Lorelai acted mock offended, her hand flying to her mouth.

'I'm glad you guys came.' Rory cut in before they could carry on. Her eyes resting on Jess for a few seconds longer than needed.

'It was good fun. Shame I didn't see more of you though Rory, we could have gotten to know each other a little better.' Ally replied falsely, the sarcasm in her voice only picked up by Rory and Jess.

'Yeah shame.' Rory smiled back before turning to Jess as the others moved outside.

'So thanks for last night, I needed some time to just chill out with someone and not have to think all the time about what to say or…well just thanks, it's good to be bale to just read with someone.' Rory trailed off as Jess' smirk grew bigger.

'Yeah it was good, we should do it again sometime.' Jess smiled then walked off to join Ally and Luke.

'Come on hun, lets head home.' Lorelai said a minute later joining her daughter.

A/N- I made it longer for you. Hope you like it and please review!