UPDATE - Thanks Emily, for the clarity! It was nice getting some feedback on my writing. I'm always looking for ways to improve. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls.

"Hey, Jess?" Rory asked one winter evening while they were out on the town.

"Yeah?"

"Why Shane?"

"What?"

"Out of all the girls in town, why did you choose Shane as a substitute for me?"

"A substitute?" he mocked, slowing his pace for moment before picking it back up again. "Because she was perfect,"

Rory crossed her arms and huffed.

"Perfect, huh?"

Jess grinned. He loved it when she was jealous. She looked so cute.

"No, not that kind of perfect. Not your kind of perfect," He assured her, walking over to her and wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Uhuh," She didn't buy that for a second.

"She was the perfect temporary girlfriend," he explained further.

"And how's that?"

"She looked nothing like you,"

Rory groaned, and shook herself free of his grasp, annoyed that he'd taken a dig at her appearance.

"Gee, thanks,"

"Hey, wait!" he called after her as she angrily stalked off. "Hear me out! It was good for me that she looked nothing like you," Rory raised a brow.

"That way no one could compare her to you," he continued, hopefully softening her up as he went on. "And point out that I was still pining after you after all that time,"

She cracked a smile then, though she tried her best to conceal it by bringing her scarf up to her mouth.

"No one could say that she dressed like you, or acted like you. And because she was so different, so un-Rory Gilmore, I hoped that maybe she could keep you off my mind, you know? Help me move on,"

The pair came to a stop then. Both of their heads turned in each others' directions, and eyes beaming at the other.

"But you didn't, right? That's why we're together now, isn't it?" she asked, looking at him for some kind of reassurance.

"Right," he confirmed, taking hold of her gloved hand and giving it a quick peck. "That's why we're together now,"

"You couldn't get me out of your head," she teased, nudging him with her shoulder.

"Hey, don't act so smug! If I remember right, you couldn't keep me outta your head either!"

"Yeah, that's true..."

She relented, and allowed him to snake an arm around her waist. Telling herself it was only for the warmth.