Samantha Gilmore || A Gilmore Girl's Fan fiction

New favorite person

Tension filled the air at the bus stop as Samantha and her father sat on the worn bench, awaiting Jess's arrival. Luke had been on edge since Liz's phone call and the wise words from Lorelai Gilmore certainly didn't help ease his worry.

"Luke," Samantha nudged him gently, snapping him out of his daze.

"What?"

"Just relax," she told him. "If anyone can knock some sense into Jess, it's you."

A hint of a smile danced across the diner owner's leps as he slung an arm around Samantha's shoulders. "You know what I think? I think you'll be a great help, too. I'm so proud of you for stepping up to make your cousin feel at home here."

Samantha blushed bashfully as she looked down, not being able to stop the idiotic grin that formed on her face from her dad's praise. Before she could respond, the bus rounded the corner and she was being pulled to her feet. It slowed to a stop before them, the doors opening to allow a flurry of passengers to file out. The short 12-year-old stood on her tippy toes as she searched the crows for a boy she's never met before. Samantha watched as a brunette with greasy hair and a green duffel bag stepped down from the bus.

"Jess," her father said, a crooked, extremely awkward, smile stretching across his face.

"Luke," Jess slung the duffel bag across his shoulder, the green standing out against the blue of his vest, as his eyes landed on the excited-looking blond holding onto Luke's hand. "Who's the kid?"

"Uh, this is your cousin, Samantha," Luke wrapped an arm around his daughter, the 12-year-old leaning into his side, suddenly shy under the teenager's unreadable expression.

"Hello," Samantha waved.

"Hi," Jess responded, his voice monotone. An uncomfortable silence washed over the trio as Luke searched for something to say.

"Okay... so uh," he gestured toward the diner, beckoning them to follow him. Samantha tuned her dad out, simply observing her cousin as her father gave him the grand tour. He either had a very limited vocabulary or he just didn't talk much. The only words that had come out of his mouth were "huh" and "oh." And if you were lucky you might get a grunt. Samantha watched as Jess denied Luke's help to unpack, instead choosing to flip his bag over and spill the contents on top of the new sheets.

"Okay uh... I have to get back to the diner. Samantha said she'd show you around if you want--" Luke started to suggest before Jess cut him off.

"Doesn't she have school or girl scouts or something?"

"Girl scouts?" Samantha asked incredulously. "Over my dead body."

"She starts school tomorrow," Luke informed, giving his daughter a half-hearted glare.

"So that means I can show you around today," Samantha added, getting a sudden burst of confidence, as she grabbed the sleeve of Jess's shirt and dragged him over to the door. "Come on, it'll be fun!"

~:~

"Alright so this is the book store," Samantha gestured to the Stars Hollow Books building, immediately coming to a stop when she noticed a spark of interest flicker in her cousin's eyes. "Do you like reading, Jess?"

Jess simply shrugged in response, but his cousin wasn't giving up that easily. "Well, I like reading so let's take a look inside, okay?"

Jess hummed, still not using his words, as he allowed the 12-year-old to grab onto his sleeve and tug him inside. Samantha couldn't help but grin slightly as she watched Jess walk around the store, obviously in his element. She was right, he does like reading. Samantha followed him and looked around, settling on a copy of Oliver Twist.

"That's a good book," Jess stated, actually using a full sentence since he first got here.

"Well," Samantha tucked the book under her arm with a giddy smile, obviously happy her cousin was warming up to her. "I guess I'll have to try it out then."

"I guess so," Jess smirked slightly as the blond peeked over him to see what book he was looking at.

"Oh!" Samantha started excitedly as she read the cover. "The Five Wishes of Mr. Murry McBride that's a great book!"

"Huh."

"I'm checking both of these out," Samantha took both of the books to the counter before Jess could protest.

~:~

Samantha scrunched her nose as the smoky scent coming from Jess's cigarette invaded her nostrils. "That smells yucky," the 12-year-old stated, as she reached over and drew another card from the deck.

"Really?" Jess feigned shock. "I thought it smelled like roses."

Samantha snorted as she shook her head in amusment. The pair were brought out of their game momentarily by Luke bursting into the apartment. The blond was slightly taken aback by how concerned her father looked. "Where on earth have you been, Samantha?"

"Uh..." the 12-year-old glanced at Jess who was watching the interaction with amusment. "Here?"

"For the last six hours?"

"No," Samantha shook her head. "Just the last two hours. Jess wanted to play poker."

"You couldn't have told me that?" Luke threw his hands up exasperatedly. "I've been running around town the last hour trying to find you both. I guess I can tell Lorelai and Sookie they can stop looking for you now."

"I'm sorry," Samantha pouted, making the man soften slightly. "I didn't mean to worry you."

"It's okay kiddo," he patted her head as he walked by, causing the girl to grin.

"Alright Jess," Samantah turned toward her cousin as she held her cards in front of her. "Time for the moment of truth."

The Gilmore girl had to hide her smirk as Jess layed down his hand. "Tens and queens, full house."

"Kings and aces," Samantha put down her cards, making Jess groan. "Fuller house."

"Since when do yuo know how to play poker?" Luke asked, confused.

"Archie taught me."

"Of course he did," Luke rolled his eyes.

"Pay up Mariano," Samantha said, holding her hand out expectantly. "I believed I was promised fifteen?"

Jess narrowed his eyes, a crooked half-smile on his face, as he handed the 12-year-old the winnings warning, "Next time you won't be so lucky y'know."

"That is yet to be determined," Samantha smiled sweetly as she plucked the cash out of his hand.

"Well now that you two are done," Luke called from the bathroom. "can we please go to bed?"

"No one's going to bed until I get my money back," Jess stated as he shuffled the cards again, making Luke groan while Samantha laughed.