Unlikely Connections

Ry Rain

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Paris asks Rory to meet her in the most unlikely of places.

A/N: I don't own any of the characters. This story is thanks to Erin Griffin, she gave me the prompt and I ran with it.

Connections was a gay bar on the outskirts of Hartford, fI'lled with the younger crowd of women, if you could even call them that. Most of the women barely looked old enough to be there legally, and those were the ones that didn't look like twelve year old boys.

At least two of them women definitely were not old enough to be there, but they were there anyway. Rory shifted in the booth, looking across the table at her frienemy Paris. She would have never expected the blonde to ask her to meet up at a place like this, not to discuss the paper or for any other reason. She looked around the bar, sizing the place up.

"Something wrong?" Paris asked.

Rory stopped her wandering eyes and turned back to companion. "Nope, nothing's wrong. Why you ask?"

The blonde shrugged. "You seem a little freaked out about this place."

"Not at all. It was just, unexpected, that's all." Paris nodded as a waitress came up to their booth.

"What can I get you two lovely ladies?"

"I'll have a Diet Coke for now," Rory said, picking up the menu for the first time.

"I'll have my usual Erin, thanks."

Rory looked at Paris. Her usual? "Um, what's your usual?"

"Hamburger and fries," Paris answered, wincing as she realized her slip up, but knew it was too late to take it back now.

"I'll have the same then, thanks." Erin nodded and winked at Paris as she walked back to the kitchen. "So, you come here often?"

Paris chuckled at Rory's question, but nodded. "It's a quaint little place, away from the world my mother lives in." Rory nodded. "You won't tell anyone, wI'll you?"

"Of course not," Rory said, offended. "I can't even believe you'd think I would do that to you. I've never been mean to you."

Paris looked down at the table, feeling like she had just bee scolded by her mother. "You're right, I'm sorry, it's just that, well, I feel like I fit in here." Rory was glad Paris was looking down at the table at the moment because she couldn't help but have her eyes go wide right at that moment. "Anyway, they don't judge people here."

"Okay, well, then I guess we should get started." Paris smiled at Rory for not asking anymore questions and pulled out her notebook. "What exactly did you want to discuss? I thought we already had this week's issue already worked out."

"Well, we did, but Louise was telling me about this new club some people were trying to get approved, a GSA. I thought it might be a good idea to write an article about it," Paris answered quickly. Rory was having trouble getting use to this version of Paris. She seemed so vulnerable and nervous. "I don't think the administration is going to approve it, but I think an article, letting the entire student body know about it, might sway them a little."

"That's a good idea, but who could we get to write it? Everyone is already busy working on their beats and columns. We don't really have anyone not working on something this week." Paris nodded. "Maybe we could get one of the students trying to get the club approved to be a guest contributor, have them write a feature about it."

Paris smiled. "That's a great idea."

Just the Erin returned with their food and drinks. "Enjoy." This time as she moved on to another table, she left her hand on Paris's shoulder a little too long for Rory's liking, but Rory didn't understand why she felt that. Frowning, she looked down at her burger.

"Wow, this is a huge burger."

"Yea," Paris said as she cut her burger in half. "They're almost as good as the burgers at that diner you like in Stars Hollow."

Rory followed Paris's lead and also cut her burger in half. "Well, that's definitely worth trying."

An hour later, and Rory was sitting across from Paris, just staring at the blonde as she looked over one of Madeline's stories. "So, you never explained how you found this place?"

Paris looked up, shocked at Rory's question. That wasn't something she expected. "Um, my car broke down right outside, and I didn't have a signal. I had to come inside and ask to use the phone." Rory nodded. "Erin, our waitress, she started flirting with me, until I said I was on my way home from Chilton. I've been coming here at least once a week ever since."

"Erin stI'll flirts with you," Rory commented, looking over at the bar, right at their waitress, who quickly turned, trying to hide the fact that she was staring at the pair of high school girls. Paris shrugged and went back to editing the article, already covered in red ink. Rory sighed inwardly. So, Paris was going to play hard to get now, huh? "Well, I can't say I blame her."

Rory thought Paris may have given herself whiplash with the speed she looked back up. "I'm sorry?" Rory shrugged and picked up a cold fry from her plate. "Okay."

"Why'd you ask me to meet you here?" Rory asked, smiling slightly.

Paris stared at the brunette as she continued to play with the cold French fries. The blonde found it odd that Erin hadn't come to clear their plates yet, but that was the least of her worries. Rory seemed to be very interested in playing twenty questions, and Paris wasn't sure she liked that idea, especially since the questions were all being asked to her. "Um, I'm not sure exactly. It's just my usual day to come here for dinner, and we really needed to look over the paper." Rory nodded. "Did you not bring any of the articles you were supposed to edit?"

"Already finished them last night." Rory finally stopped eating the fries and pushed her plate away from her, leaning back into the booth. Just then, a song came on and Rory smirked. Perfect, she thought. "You should take break Paris. Let's dance."

Paris looked up again, eyeing the brunette. "You want to dance?" Rory nodded. "To this song?" Rory nodded again. "Why?"

"I dunno, why not?" Rory slid out of her seat and stood up, holding her hand out to Paris. "Come on, dance with me?" Paris looked pointedly at Rory, but she stood up, taking Rory's hand. She allowed the brunette to lead her to the floor. "You okay Paris?"

The blonde looked up into Rory's eyes, looking for something to hint at the evil plan Rory was bound to be thinking up, but she saw nothing but caring, and maybe just a little lust. "I'm fine."

You and I must make a pact, we must bring salvation back / Where there is love, I'll be there

Rory smiled, pulling Paris close to her, her hands wrapping around the shorter girl's waist. "Don't you just love this song?" she asked. Paris quietly gulped and nodded, not trusting herself to speak at the moment.

I'll reach out my hand to you, I'll have faith in all you do / Just call my name and I'll be there

I'll be there to comfort you, / Build my world of dreams around you, I'm so glad that I found you / I'll be there with a love that's strong / I'll be your strength, I'll keep holding on

Rory leaned her head next to Paris's ear, her breath tickling the small hair's on the back of the girl's neck. "Aren't you glad I talked you into dancing with me?" Rory whispered. Paris looked up at the brunette again. "Paris?"

Let me fill your heart with joy and laughter / Togetherness, well that's all I'm after / Whenever you need me, I'll be there / I'll be there to protect you, with an unselfish love that respects you / Just call my name and I'll be there

Paris smiled. "I am glad you managed to get me out here on the dance floor. You succeeded in what Erin has been trying to do ever since I first showed up here." Paris took one step closer, standing on her toes to bring herself closer to Rory's height. "But now, we should get back to work on the paper," Paris said, pulling herself from Rory and moving back to their table.

Rory stood on the dance floor, by herself, as the song continued. She was fighting back tears as she looked at Paris slide into their booth.

If you should ever find someone new, I know he'd better be good to you / cause if he doesn't, I'll be there / Don't you know, baby, yeah, yeah / I'll be there, I'll be there, just call my name, I'll be there

Rory shook her head and took a deep breathe then walked back to their table as well. Erin came up with a smug look and two Diet Cokes. "I went ahead and got ya'll some refills."

(just look over your shoulders, honey - ooo)

Rory glared at the girl as Paris smiled sweetly. "Thanks Erin, that's sweet of you."

I'll be there, I'll be there, whenever you need me, I'll be there / Don't you know, baby, yeah, yeah

Rory sighed and messed with the straw in her cup. "Is something wrong Rory?" Paris asked.

"Nah, just getting a little tired, that's all," she answered. Paris nodded. She stood up and moved over to Rory's side of the table, sliding in next to the girl. "What are you doing Paris?" Paris just smiled and leaned forward. "Paris?"

"Shut up Rory." Paris finally closed the distance between the two girls and kissed Rory sweetly. "I've been wanting to do that ever since you first walked into Chilton." Rory smiled back and kissed Paris again.

I'll be there, I'll be there, just call my name, I'll be there...