Disclaimer: Don't own . Wish I did.

A/N- Thanks for all your reviews. Keep them coming. Reviews= Love

The strangest things

Chapter Ten

Lorelai and Rory moved their things back into the house, after it had been tented and repaired, although it hadn't taken long, both girls were very happy to be back. However much each girl loved Sookie and Lane, staying with they had begun to get annoying, in the case of Lorelai staying with Sookie, she was getting stressed at how many minor injuries Sookie got whilst cooking. In Rory's case it wasn't Lane bugging her, because they'd sorted out the small fight they'd had about the cheerleading, but Mrs Kim made for a very uncomfortable living situation. So on the day when they moved back in, both girls ran round the house delightedly saying hello to furniture, appliances and clothes they'd left behind.

'I never knew how much I could miss this place.' Lorelai said bouncing about on the couch.

'Yes! I have my bed back.' Rory yelled through to the lounge, jumping onto her bed, a few seconds later Lorelai appeared in the doorway. 'And my books!'

'So…now that we're all settled in, do you want to hear some gossip?' Lorelai asked. Rory turned to her mum attentively.

'You're not turning into Miss Patty and Babette are you?' Rory asked mockingly.

'Ha, funny child. No I'm not, I just heard something interesting from Patty today, it seems that Taylor is on the war path.' Lorelai said, Rory laughed and shook her head.

'Well that's hardly news, he's always on the war path for some reason.' Rory said going over to leaf through her books, holding a copy of Howl in her hands, flicking through the pages, her eyes skimmed the notes that Jess had left.

'I know he's always on the war path, but this time he's after Jess. Apparently Jess went into the market last week, and somehow without anyone noticing, managed to glue all the boxes of pop tarts to the shelf.' Lorelai said, Rory froze knowing how much the town already disliked him, and now he'd done this, however part of her was trying not to smile, though this she failed, and had to hide her face in the book.

'Now I am not his biggest fan, to say the least, but even I admit that it was sort of funny, but Luke's gone crazy about it because Taylor keeps yelling at him to sort things out. You know I really wish that little hoodlum would think of other people before doing something stupid like this.' Lorelai was now fuming, thinking back to how stressed Luke had seemed earlier.

'It was just a prank, besides I bet Taylor can still sell them, the box may be a little ripped when he pulls them off, but the goods will be fine.' Rory defended, causing the concern of Lorelai to grow, she'd hoped Rory wouldn't jump to his defence.

'Hun whether he can sell them or not is beside the point, Jess is being disruptive, at least his sister doesn't pull stunts like this, she may be a little self centred, but she's also sweet and is nice to Luke and doesn't cause him so much stress. But hun, Jess is not a good guy, you may think that he is but nobody else in this town can see it, Ally is a little shallow but most of the town like her, not one person besides you and Luke, think Jess is a good guy.' Lorelai replied. 'He pulls stupid pranks, he's sarcastic, he barely speaks to anyone, he drinks, and smokes…'

'Stop it! Just stop it! You don't know him, nobody gave him a chance when he first got here, of course he was going to be moody when he'd just been moved from his home without being asked, but nobody took that into consideration, they judged him immediately, so is it any wonder that he acts up. Don't you think there might be a good reason.' Rory yelled in defence, Lorelai looked slightly taken back. Neither had noticed that Dean had appeared in the kitchen, until he cleared his throat, both of them looked round to see him.

'Um, sorry your door was open and I wanted to see if you'd settled in again, and if Rory wanted to go out somewhere.' Dean said sheepishly.

'Sorry Dean, you've caught us at a bad time.' Lorelai apologised.

'Yeah I figured, I sort of heard and for what it's worth Rory I agree with your mum, I think you need to stay away from Jess, I don't trust him.' Dean said, but it didn't have his desired effect on her, she slammed the book down on her desk, grabbed her car keys and ran from the house. Got into the car and drive to the diner, all the time thinking What are you going to do when you get there? Why are you going to see Jess? You shouldn't be doing this.

Still she pulled up outside, walking in and found Jess and without thinking grabbed him by the arm and pulled him into the car, driving off down the street.

'I can honestly say I have never been kidnapped before, it's interesting.' Jess smirked at her.

'Sorry, I just needed to get away for a while.' Rory said pulling out of Stars hollow.

'And decided to take me with you.' Jess said curiously.

'I had a fight with my mum about you, she mentioned your prank in the market and I defended you, anyway then Dean joined in and was agreeing with my mum that I should stay away from you and…I don't know something snapped and I just lost it and left and came to see you. I guess I want to prove to myself that I was right about you, that you are a good guy.' Rory said pulling onto the road to Hartford.

'And if you decided I'm not?' Jess asked. Rory looked at him holding his gaze for a few seconds, before looking back at the road.

'I've already decided that you are.' Rory smiled, pulling the car over at a little bookstore, both of them got out and went into the dark store, going down the staircase to the bottom floor, where there was a collection of first editions, that were out of both of their price ranges, but Rory liked to come here after school sometimes and sit amongst the classics and think, or read. She slid down the wall at the end of the two tall bookcases, Jess sitting on the floor next to her.

'You ok Ror?' He asked her, her heart skipped a beat as he shortened her name to Ror, turning to him with an almost sad expression she asked him a question that had been playing on her mind for a while.

'Why are you only nice to me?' Rory said quietly, his gaze moved away from hers and he got up to browse through the books. She should have known he would become evasive, it amused her a little to watch him avoid her eyes, which she kept steadily on him.

'How often do you come here?' Jess asked eager to move the conversation on, he was fine hanging out with her, he liked being nice to her and talking to her, he knew he liked her more than anyone else in that town, but he didn't feel comfortable outright admitting how he felt about her, so instead he picked up a copy of on the road by Kerouac, first edition published in 1957. He'd love to own that, but the price tag put him off, and he put it back and settled back on the floor next to a silent Rory.

'You're quiet.' He ventured, knowing it would bring up the same uncomfortable subject as before, but needing her to talk to him, he didn't want her to stay silent, because unlike a lot of the time this silence wasn't a comfortable one.

'I can't figure you out Jess.' Rory said chewing on her bottom lip nervously.

'I am a mystery.' He shrugged, leaning his head back against the wall.

'I want to know you, you know me so well already. Probably better than anyone else, you can read me like I'm one of the novels we both love, but you…tell me something about yourself, something important to you that nobody else knows.' Rory pleaded, Jess figured this was better than talking about his feelings for her so relented, closing his eyes as if to shut out the world, he drew all his courage together and began to speak.

'Before I left to come here my mother told me that I was useless, and that she never wanted to see me again, that I was going to end up wasting my life, and becoming a failure just like my father.' Jess said, Rory could see the pain across his face. 'That's why I cause trouble, smoke and all that, because that's all anyone expects so why disappoint.'

'Jess…I know you can do more than they all think, you're the smartest person I know, if you just put your mind to it then you could do anything you wanted.' Rory said taking his hand in hers, Jess looked down at their joined hands with a small smirk.

'Anything huh.' He smirked, she nodded at him, holding his gaze unable to move, his thumb stroked over her hand causing shiver to run through her. He was the first to break eye contact, getting to his feet and pulling her up with him.

'How about we go get some coffee.' Jess suggested, Rory nodded eagerly and followed him out of the store.

*

'I don't know what her problem is lately, she just stormed out of the house, and then you tell me she pulled Jess out of the diner and drove.' Dean fumed, sitting on the bench in the gazebo with Ally. Who shook her head pretending to be concerned for his relationship, resting her hands on her lap she looked at him.

'Can I tell you my honest opinion?' Ally asked him.

'Go ahead, it'd be nice for someone to talk to me instead of running off.' Dean said bitterly, facing Ally with an apologetic smile. 'Sorry I don't mean to take it out on you, you've been a good friend. Go ahead and tell me what you think.'

'Rory doesn't appreciate you, she doesn't know how good she has it. I mean you're so talented and she just doesn't appreciate you. You deserve better than her, you deserve someone who'll really care about you.' Ally said, he caught her eye and smiled sadly.

'Rory's nice, but sometimes I feel like she doesn't have the time for me anymore.' Dean sighed looking into Ally's eyes. 'Still I've got you to talk to.'

'Yeah you do.' Ally smiled at him, he leaned forward a little.

'She really left with Jess?' Dean asked.

'Uh-huh, half the town saw.' Ally confirmed.

'And…you? How do you feel about me?' He asked, looking at her intently. She replied in all honesty.

'I really like you Dean.' She whispered, taking his hand. He leaned forward and was about to kiss her, when a voice called his name angrily from behind….

A/N- Review please, hope you don't hate me too much for the cliff-hanger.