Nine Years Later

New Normal

Enjoy the third part of Rory and Jess story!

In the middle of the night, Jess heard her going to the bathroom. Minutes later he heard her trying the fridge and drinking something. Probably water. Clearly, she was having problems sleeping. She came back to bed but he could hear her tossing and turning. He fought the urge to ask her if she was ok. Instead he turned his back on her and tried to sleep. Minutes later he heard her get up again. Silently she crossed the room and went to the bookcase, he could hear her picking out a book. Smiling Jess sat up and rubbed his face asking her in a husky tone: "Are you ok?"

She jumped in surprise. "Sorry I... I can't sleep! I'm sorry that I woke you!"

"It's ok! Can I help you with something?" She looked sleepy but still beautiful like she always looked to him.

"No Jess it's ok, I just... Well, I probably will read a bit and then I will end up falling asleep," She said, turning her back and heading to bed.

"Hey! Come here!" He called.

"What?" She asked surprised.

"Come here. I will help you sleep."

"Oh, Jess..." She said casting her head down.

He laughed. "Not like that Rory! Just come here ok!" He opened his arms to her.

She blushed with how dirty her mind was but ended up leaving the book on her bed and walked to his bed and lay down close to him. It was a single bed after all, not much free space. He hugged her around her waist and pulled her even closer to him. They moved and cuddled until they found a comfortable position for both of them. She fell asleep almost immediately.

The morning came quickly and Jess cursed himself because he totally forgot to close the blinds that were now letting the morning sun enter, waking them up. But apparently, Rory was not affected by the sunlight because she was still in a deep sleep. Raising his head to watch her, trying not to feel weird about watching her sleep like that, his night thoughts came to his mind again. He fell for Rory for her head not her looks, but she was indeed beautiful and facing her like this with her messy hair and that angelical face he just breathed in and whispered amazingly beautiful to himself. He had to fight the urge to caress her face, and just in that moment he noticed that they had their hands internewed making him smile to himself and enjoying that little moment for a bit more before he had to wake her up.

This was totally new to them, cuddling like this in the bed, holding hands and sleeping next to each other. They never did that, their relationship didn't get that far. But he had to confess he was a bit nervous to be so close to her. Feeling her body so close to him, it was amazing but scary, they had never been together as adults but here and now he was certain that everything he thought he had put behind him with his feelings for her was not behind him after all. The truth was nine years had passed since the last time they kissed. And it was a kiss that shouldn't count because she was in love with another guy.

He felt her move under his arms and tried to get mentally ready for the awkward moment that would come next.

Rory turned her head quickly to acknowledge where she was but she didn't take her hand out of his, looking at him and with a relaxed smile. "Good Morning!" She greeted him.

He smiled shyly at her. "So... did you had a good nights sleep?"

"Well, apparently you are a good pillow, because I slept like I haven't for a long time." She replied with her smile still dancing in her eyes.

"Glad to hear that!" He said caressing her hair.

His gesture was spontaneous and all this was very different but all very normal too. Surprisingly nothing felt awkward. Even though they were two almost strangers that hadn't seen each other for nine years or more and were in the same small bed with a minimal amount of clothes on. This was the most intimate moment they actually had. Body to body, skin to skin, like they had never been because after all, they were just teens when they were actually boyfriend and girlfriend and although their story seems long they didn't date for a long period.

Jess lay his gaze on her and tried to keep this new comfortable for them going. "So should I go get something to eat? It's almost 9 am."

"That's too early for me!" She said smirking and cuddling on the bed.

"So we hang out here or do you want to go back to sleep?" The smile on his face showed her how happy he was to be there with her and she couldn't feel any better either.

"Well if you don't mind being my pillow for a while longer we could cuddle here a bit yes!" She said trying to read his reaction and wondering to herself what was she doing.

"So... You are using me? Ok than! Good to know." He joked.

"Yes, basically I am!" She said, laying on his chest. "You are cozy and we fit perfectly like this!" She thought again to herself that she was playing with fire but she was enjoying this new normal so much that she wasn't ready to leave the bed for now. It was too good there.

He laughed into her hair. " Ok let's cuddle here a little more than. I know you will be hungry soon so..." He finished his sentence with a kiss on the top of her head and an arm slug around her back.

"This does feel good doesn't it?" She asked caressing his arm.

"Yes, it does!" He muttered softly.

She raised her head and faced him, pausing before she spoke. "What are we doing Jess?" She asked, looking at him straight in the eyes.

"What? This?" He asked before he gently grabbing her chin and kissing her slowly. He deepened the kiss feeling her respond to him. Putting her hands around his neck she managed to push herself closer to him to feel him better.

When they finally fell apart, still with their foreheads resting on each other, Jess thought back to their first kiss. "I believe it's called kissing and surprisingly we still are pretty good at it! That part still works." He said with a smirk.

She smiled against his mouth as she also thought back to their real first kiss too. This time she is the one who kisses him, pulling him closer to her once again.

Thank you so much for reading!