A/N: Wow, so maybe I do have some readers - thanks for all those lovely reviews, folks. Please do keep them coming! :)

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 5

When he headed for the bridge, it was usually to be alone. Not that Jess was sorry to find Rory sat there. Surprised, but not at all sorry.

"Hey."

"Hey," she replied, squinting some against the sun as she looked up at him. "I was hoping you might show up here."

That statement alone put a warm feeling into Jess' chest that he had only started experiencing since he first met her. Not that he ever told Rory stuff like that. She had a boyfriend. Besides, him and people he cared about, those things never did seem to work out for Jess Mariano.

"You couldn't just come by the diner?" he asked instead, sitting down on the edge with his feet dangling over, just like hers. "You're usually there almost as much as I am, and I live there," he said with a smirk.

The expression started fading when he realised Rory wasn't smiling, and also that her eyes were red, as if maybe she had been crying. Since he had no clue how to ask her what was wrong or try to help, it was a relief when she told him anyway.

"I needed to talk to you alone," she said, sniffing hard. "I, uh... I broke up with Dean today."

Jess wasn't sure he could've been more shocked if Rory just hit him with a stun gun. He really was not expecting that at all and had actually been less surprised when she kissed him last night. It occurred to him then that maybe what happened between them on the way to Forester's house might just have been the reason for the break up. Of course, even then, he didn't dare ask, didn't dare hope.

"You're not going to ask me why we broke up?"

"I don't know." Jess shrugged, eyes fixed on the rippling surface of the lake rather than her. "I'm not sure if it's any of my business. Is it any of my business?"

He made himself look at her when he asked that question, unsure how to feel when she slowly nodded her head.

"After last night, I realised that things hadn't been right with me and Dean for a while. He's always been kind of possessive when it comes to me. I got mad at him about it before, but I always forgave him. I don't really know why but... that's not really important now. He certainly had a major jealousy thing when it came to my being friends with you, which I told him, repeatedly, was stupid," she explained. "The problem was, that was all a lie. It wasn't stupid. He had good reasons to be jealous. Well, didn't he?"

Rory met his eyes and Jess tried in vain to answer her. He should at least nod his head, but honestly, he was struck dumb and completely immobile by what seemed so much like a confession from Rory. If Forester had good reasons to be jealous, that meant Rory liked Jess. She really liked him. Enough that she broke up with her boyfriend, apparently.

"Fine," she huffed then. "He had reasons because of me then, but clearly-"

"It wasn't just you," he cut in fast, the moment he realised she was pissed and about to get up and leave - Jess could not have that. "Rory, come on, you know that I... You know it's not just you," he settled on eventually, too out of his depth to say more.

It was so ridiculous, how he didn't have the words. Jess supposed there was more truth than he ever realised himself in what he said to Rory a few weeks back. 'The verbal thing, it comes and goes.' It had been a kind of a joke when he said it, but maybe it was true what they said, 'Many a true word spoken in jest.'

"So, I was right?" said Rory, looking wary still. "You do like me? Because it seemed like you did, but you never said anything, not really, except for sometimes, but you're always so damn cryptic about it, and I just thought that if-"

She was just getting deep into the full-on Gilmore ramble when Jess couldn't take it anymore. Putting a hand behind her head, he pulled her closer, pressing his lips against her own. She was surprised, but he figured turnabout was fair play. After last night, she couldn't exactly complain, and she certainly didn't do that, sinking into the moment, kissing him back like her life depended on it.

"Well, that confirms what I was already pretty sure about after last night," he said as they parted. "Whatever else happens with us, that part works."

Rory was smiling, and yet, her eyes were fast filling up with fresh tears that soon spilt over her lashes onto her cheeks. Jess hated that.

"It's okay," she told him, clearly seeing how uncomfortable he was, how regretful if it was in any way down to him that she was crying. "It's not your fault," she promised, seemingly happy enough with his arm around her shoulders. "It's just been a really big day, or couple of days, I guess."

There was no arguing with that, Jess supposed, so he didn't try. In twenty-four hours, he and Rory had gone from some strange kind of undefined friendship with added flirting privileges to, well, whatever they were now.

Since she had broken up with Dean and they had both confirmed they liked each other, sealing that with another amazing kiss, it seemed like something serious was forming here. That ought to be scary as hell, and Jess was at least willing to admit, if only to himself, that he felt more than a little out of his depth. Still, it was Rory. She had chosen him. There was no way to not be equal parts amazed and thrilled about that.

"So, what now?" he asked, after silence had reigned for a full five minutes.

Rory audibly sighed. "I don't know. I never did this before. I mean, breaking up with someone to be with someone else. Dean was the only guy I ever really dated. How about you?"

"How about me, what?" asked Jess warily.

"Well, you've obviously dated before. Probably a lot?"

"Not a lot," he told her, shaking his head. "Some. Nothing serious. I mean, not like this."

He wasn't sure if he was saying it right. In fact, Jess was pretty certain that he was getting it all wrong. Didn't he just pretty much tell Rory he was serious about her, just minutes after she told him she broke up with her boyfriend? That was probably a little much, but then, the dumping had occurred primarily because of Jess alone. That seemed pretty serious from her side too.

"We're a little out of our depth, aren't we?" she said, expression as nervous as the feeling inside of Jess' chest, which was weirdly comforting actually.

"Seems that way. Maybe we should just stick to what we know right now, instead of worrying about the stuff we don't."

"Okay, sure. That sounds like a solid plan," Rory agreed. "So, I know that I like you, and apparently, you know that you like me too. We also know that the whole kissing thing really works for us."

Her cheeks turned pink at that last admission, which would have been adorable, if not for the fact Jess was pretty sure he could look the same if he hadn't learned stellar self-control in that direction a long time ago. Showing what he was feeling, talking about that kind of thing, it just wasn't something he ever did. With Rory, he was starting to think he may have to learn. Just maybe not today.

"So..." he said, looking hopefully at her.

"So..." she echoed back, leaning in when he did, eyes closing as their lips met one more time.

Maybe it wasn't the best basis for a relationship, but Jess was very clear on the fact that there would be much more to him and Rory than that in the long run. There had to be. After all, he had never felt like this about any other person in his life before. At some point, he should probably figure out how to tell her that, but just for today, he was going to let actions speak louder than words and not worry about anything else.

"Oh my God!"

"That's about the tenth time you've said that." Rory giggled, finding it impossible not to be amused by Lane's constant surprise by every detail of her story.

"I'm sorry, but I'm having trouble processing. You and Jess? Finally, you and Jess!"

"Finally?" Rory echoed, making a face. "No, you cannot possibly have known that this was going to happen."

"I wouldn't say that I knew, exactly," her friend considered, "but I suspected. As much as you cared about Dean, loved him even, you talked about Jess a lot. A very lot. Let's just say that I'm not exactly surprised things went this way, the shock just comes from the whiplash-inducing about-face. I mean, two days ago, you were telling me how happy you were that Dean was coming home, and now, you guys are broken up and you're dating Jess!"

"I'm not dating Jess," said Rory fast. "Well, I guess I kind of am. We did agree to set something up later this week, you know, a movie or dinner or something."

"That's a date, Rory," said Lane with a pointed look. "People who go on dates are, by definition, dating."

Of course, she knew that was true, but even after everything, Rory felt very strange thinking about Jess in that way. Dean had been her boyfriend for such a long time, her first boyfriend, her only boyfriend. Now, she was going to be with Jess, and though she was pretty sure he wasn't the type to have a label stuck on him, especially this soon, the idea of him being her boyfriend did appeal, a lot.

Yesterday, on the bridge, they seemed to firmly establish that they were both feeling much the same way about each other and the kissing certainly was a success. It was so strange, because Rory really thought she knew what it was to be completely into another person when she started dating Dean. Jess was so different, yet she was feeling so many things for him. It was overwhelming, but in the best way, which was what she had been explaining to Lane.

"Oh, no!" her friend exclaimed then, grabbing at Rory's arm and checking her watch. "I have to go. I have to go right now," she emphasised. "Ugh, it's not fair, I want to hear more!"

"Honestly, there's not really any more to tell right now." Rory shrugged. "Besides, while you're in church today, you should probably say a prayer for me."

"Why?" Lane frowned. "Despite my mother's best efforts, I do not believe that kissing before marriage will get you sent straight to hell on Judgement Day, and neither should you."

"I don't believe that." Rory rolled her eyes. "I just could use a little help with getting through these next few days, you know, with the whole town finding out about me and Dean and me and Jess. It's really the Stars Hollow judgement I'm more concerned with right now."

"Oh, Rory, everybody here loves you, you know that, and they will understand," Lane insisted. "Sure, Dean's a nice guy, and yes, some people have a problem with Jess because... well, he has pulled a few pranks and had an attitude with some people. I'm not making this better, am I?"

"Not really, but I appreciate the effort when you're on a clock."

Tapping her watch, she emphasised to Lane that she had said she needed to leave immediately, at least two minutes ago. Rory couldn't help but laugh then as she watched her friend bolting across the square, back towards Kim's Antiques and her mother's watchful eye. Poor Lane. She had so many more problems than Rory did, especially when it came to dating.

"Not that it's straightforward for anyone," she muttered to herself.

"You know, they say the first sign of madness is talking to yourself."

She smiled at the sound of his voice and immediately turned around to face Jess. "Then I guess it's a good thing you're here. Hi."

"Hey," he replied, smiling back at her. "So, is there really a rule around here about walking arm and arm with someone of the opposite sex on a Sunday?"

"Would it really make a difference to you if there were?"

Jess faked a thoughtful look, then shook his head, making Rory laugh once more.

"Come on, my mom had to go over to the inn for some emergency, then called to say she was caught up and wouldn't be back for a while," she explained, putting her arm through Jess' own. "Wanna walk me home, kind sir?"

"Sure," he told her. "I actually wanted to talk to you about something too. That date we were going to set up..."

"Oh, yes, the date." Rory nodded, not hating the butterflies that drifted up from her stomach into her throat as they talked about it. "You know, it doesn't have to be anything fancy. We could just hang out at the diner or the bookstore or..."

"Or we could get dinner at this restaurant where I booked a table already," he told her, looking as awkward as she had ever seen him, and that included the morning after their impromptu dinner for three with Paris, when he did nothing but squirm for ten minutes straight.

"You booked a restaurant?"

"Hey, we don't have to go," he insisted, waving his free hand in some dismissive gesture. "I just thought that was what you would want. Is it what you want?" he asked then, watching her closely.

"Actually, I think dinner would be great." Rory smiled across at him. "Thank you."

"So, Saturday? Obviously, I don't have a car, but I could come by your house at seven and we could walk together?" he tried, looking uncertain yet. "Please, tell me I'm doing this right, because I feel like a moron."

Rory took pity on him, pulling him to a halt and turning him to her. "You are not a moron," she promised, leaning in and planting a quick kiss on his lips. "I actually love that you want to make so much effort for me. Don't take this the wrong way, but I wasn't really expecting it."

"Yeah, well," he said, clearly more than a little embarrassed at admitting to being out of his depth. "I happen to think you're worth some effort," he told her, reaching out to push her hair back over her shoulder.

"I think you're worth some effort too," she assured him with a smile, leaning in for one more kiss.

To Be Continued...