Disclaimer: Don't own the characters. Based on a challenge by the "Lit-department" at the .Org ...

Lit Challenge: Awkward Meetings

Getting out of her car, Rory looks around the parking lot. It's deserted. She checks her watch and sighs. She's too early. The stores in Hartford don't open until ten on a Saturday. Biting her lip she gets back in the car and puts on the radio. Her mind wanders and when she realizes she's not paying any attention to the music, she kills the volume and gets out of the car again. Slow walking will have to do. Only five more minutes.

The stores start to open up, signs and flags are being put up and Rory slips into the pharmacist nearest to her car. Why would any town need two pharmacies so close together anyway? Pretending to look at hair-products and bodylotions first, she slowly closes in on the aisle she needs. Birthcontrol and pregnancy-tests. Actually two really different things if you think about it. The first means you're going to be smart, the second means you haven't been. At least for someone her age. She shakes the feeling of and firmly says to herself: "This is just to be sure, remember?"

All of the sudden Rory hears a soft cough behind her. She turns around and immediately she feels her cheeks turn bright red. "Jess! Hi! What ... what are you doing here?" Then it's his turn to feel awkward. He glances at the packets of condoms and shrugs. "So, you and mr. Twinkle Toes did it again? He's married, you know. Or is this still about that one time that everyone in Stars Hollow is still talking about?" Jess watches her reaction and Rory feels like being angry and like laughing at the same time. The whole of Stars Hollow was really still talking about it, that was for sure. She wonders how Jess found out but doesn't ask, nor does she ask why he's back. "It's just to be sure. Dean's gone, it was definitely a one-timer."

They stand next to each other in the aisle. Rory picks up a couple of boxes and starts to read. Jess glances over her shoulder. She looks up. "Do you know about these things or something?" she ask and when he nods she raises her eyebrows. Jess takes over one of the boxes and then opens his mouth. "Would you like the direct pee on a stick, or dip in a cup?" Rory bursts out in laughter. "The cup sounds better. I'm not good at aiming. Not even with my arms."

Rory picks one out and notices that Jess follows her to the counter. Not buying any condoms then? She thinks to herself and hands her money to the woman. Avoiding her eyes, she thanks her and quickly heads for the exit. Jess is still behind her and when they reach the parking lot, she stops. "Would you mind keeping me company when I take the test? I mean, Lorelai's out of town and I'm afraid I'll knock over the cup before even knowing the results." Jess sniggers. "I bet that's related to that whole aiming-disability, right? I always had the feeling that you had no sense of direction."

"Thanks Jess, very smart. Are you coming or what?" He smiles and follows her to her car.

Half an hour later Rory shuts herself in the bathroom. "Don't go away! I might need your help," she yells through the door resulting in Jess yelling back. "How could I possibly help? Aren't you cup-trained yet?" Rory sighs. "Not now, you idiot!"

A few minutes pass and Rory hasn't squeezed any pee in the cup yet. She tries to think of nerve-reducing techniques. Picture everyone in their underwear. Picture everyone naked. Naked. Okay, that means naked Jess. That helps. Although it's not necessarily nerve-reducing, it might actually increase them in this case. Now it's Rory's turn to snigger and she manages to fill the cup when she's laughing.

The waiting begins and when it's finally time, they're both relieved. No need for Dean to be in Rory's life anymore, not even as a parttime-dad. Rory gets up and smiles. "Want to grab a coffee somewhere?"