TITLE: Summer of Love (6/?)

AUTHOR: freelance spice

EMAIL: freelancefics@aol.com

FEEDBACK: Yes, please. Especially since there's only a handful of this stuff out there at the moment.

RATING: Currently PG, but working toward a solid R. =P

SUMMARY: Paris and Rory in DC, between Seasons 2 and 3.

PAIRING: Paris/Rory

DISCLAIMER: Not my characters, just giving them the good times they deserve.

"I don't even know why I care. We're not even friends... well, I guess we are friends. But not best friends. I don't have any best friends. Which, by default, would make her my best friend. I am having a best friend dilemma."

The waitress nodded. "So just the tea for you, then?"

Paris sighed. "Yes. Thank you."

As the waitress meandered back behind the counter, Paris opened her notebook to her carefully mapped out itinerary. Tomorrow was a full day. Hell, it was a full summer. Tours, seminars, Congress... Rory. Rory. Rory who kissed her, apparently by her own free will.

"Hot tea." The waitress set the cup on the table and vanished back behind the counter.

Paris took a sip of her tea, but it was too hot. In a rush to keep from burning herself, she jerked the cup away from her mouth, spilling tea all over her notebook... and all over her itinerary.

"Dammit!" She ripped the soggy pages out of the book and began rewriting her plans for the next day. Then she stopped. Maybe Rory was right. Maybe she didn't need to plan every last detail. Maybe she could relax a little. Maybe... Paris checked her watch. Maybe if she hurried.

-

Rory turned off the tv and tossed the remote on the night stand. It was almost nine o'clock and she couldn't help but wonder where Paris might be. The wondering ceased as the student council president opened the door to the room.

The brunette wondered if she should say something or just stay quiet. "Hey." She figured that was safe.

"Hey." Paris set the room key on her desk. "Listen," she cleared her throat and made her way over to Rory's bed. "I was thinking about earlier- "

"Sorry about that. Again."

"Stop apologizing. Whatever reasons you had... well, they were your reasons. I'm sorry for flipping out. And I came to the realization that you're my best friend. I mean, you're really my only friend. So, you're my best only friend. But I digress, that's not the issue at hand." She sat on the edge of the bed. "Um... I just... I guess..."

Rory had never seen Paris struggle for words. She reached over and grabbed her hand. "It's okay."

The blonde struggled to maintain her focus, but the contact of the other girl's hand on her was making it difficult. "I..." She stopped, unable to think of the right thing to say. Then it dawned on her. She gazed at the brunette for a moment, then pulled her close, kissing her gently on the lips.

Rory wasn't quite sure what to make of the situation. She had been expecting another argument, or to at least hear Paris ramble incoherently. Instead, Paris was kissing her. So she kissed her back.

Paris had never really kissed anyone before. She'd been kissed, but she'd never been the one to initiate anything. Until now. She pulled away from the other girl, looking into her eyes.

She tucked a stray strand of hair behind Rory's ear. "That, uh, wasn't too weird or anything, was it?"

"Shhh..." She placed a series of quick gentle kisses around the other girl's mouth. "Don't talk, just... shhh."

Paris was awash with butterflies. Her hand found the back of Rory's neck. The brunette sighed slightly and laced her arms around the blonde's waist. Kissed moved from lips to cheeks to necks and back to mouths until they broke away, both out of breath. Rory leaned back on the bed, pulling Paris next to her.

"I'm still not spitting on the sidewalks," murmured the blonde.

The Gilmore girl smiled. "But you're warming up to Jello body shots?"

Paris smirked. "We'll see."