The Franklin staff members begin to trickle in before the meeting started. Louise and Paris were reading a story submitted to them, while Rory finished her story for the upcoming issue when Madeline came running in the room.

"Look what I got for the next issue," Madeline said as she handed some sheets of paper to Louise, Paris, and Rory.

"What's this?" Louise asked as she looked over what was on the paper.

"It's my idea for a story on the next issue."

"It's poetry," Rory said.

"Not just any kind of poetry," Paris said as she put her handout on the desk. "It's some sappy Valentine poetry."

Madeline began to sense that her suggestion wasn't going to be highly received.

"OK, what's wrong with it?"

"We'll talk about that later," Paris said as she closed the door. "Alright, it's time for the meeting to begin."

Everyone immediately gave Paris their undivided attention as she paced around the table, looking at the stories submitted.

"This week's stories look pretty good," Paris said. "But I want to see better effort from you all. Madeline, did you have a suggestion you wanted to tell us about?'

Madeline immediately stood, up and felt nervous about speaking out with everyone staring at her.

"Umm, yes, I do," Madeline murmured.

"Well spit it out," Paris said.

"OK, I was out and about around school and all day just about everyone was giving me these Valentine poems, asking me to put them in the next issue for their boyfriend or girlfriend to see in it. So I said okay and I wanted to know if--"

"The answer is no!" Paris said, immediately shooting down Madeline's request.

"Come on Paris it's just one section."

"Madeline, I'm not devoting a section of the Franklin for some sappy and I must say, bad poems by some lovesick idiots to their significant other."

Madeline immediately looked toward Louise.

"Louise, help me out here."

"I agree with Paris on this one," Louise said. "These poems look pretty cheesy. It reminds me of this one guy I went with that wrote poems to me all the time. At first it was cute, but after a while it got annoying and I had to write him a poem as a way to dump him."

"It's nice to hear you have some creativity in dumping someone Louise," Paris said sarcastically.

"I don't see anything wrong with putting the poems in the next issue," Rory said.

Paris immediately shot her trademark cold glare at Rory.

"Don't tell me you're falling for this crap."

"Come on Paris, if they want to see their poems in the next issue, then I say lets put them in there."

"Rory, the Franklin is a very prestigious paper and shouldn't have any bad poetry devoted to the overly commercialized Hallmark holiday known as Valentine's day ruining it's pages."

"Look, I know that the Franklin is one of the best papers in the world, but it wouldn't be too much to put the poems in the next issue. I know that they're probably cheesy, but it would make the ones wrote them pretty happy and you know that we can't let down potential readers."

Paris pondered her decision for a moment. She firmly stood on her original stance, but slowly begin to change her mind about it.

"Alright the poems can go into the next issue," Paris said reluctantly "But that's the only Valentine's Day sap that will be in it, and it can only occupy one page."

"One page?" Madeline said. "But I have enough poems for two pages!"

"One and a half page, and that's my final decision."

"Fine," Madeline said reluctantly as she rolled her eyes.

"By the way, tell your friends to rewrite their poems if they want them in the issue," Paris said.

"I will."

"That's going to be all for today," Paris said to end the meeting.

As the staff members left off to their separate ways, Rory approached Paris, who was putting the latest stories into a folder.

"What was that about today?" Rory asked.

"What?" Paris replied.

"You being so against putting the Valentine poems in the next issue."

"I just think that Valentine's Day is ploy for Hallmark to make more money off a bunch of lovesick idiots, and isn't worth wasting space in the Franklin . Excuse me, I have to go now."

Rory looked on as Paris walked away. She felt that there was something more to Paris' dislike of Valentine's Day.

* * * * *

The hallways of Chilton were abuzz more than usual with the arrival of Valentine's Day. Most of the students walked around with various Valentine's Day gifts such as candy, flowers and cards. Madeline and Louise were getting their annual load of Valentine's Day cards from their admirers, whom they hardly paid any attention to, except for school related favors.

"God, they keep getting worse every year," Louise said as she threw her cards in her locker. "How come you got a teddy bear and I didn't?"

"I don't know," Madeline said as she held her gift. "I guess it pays to be nice, unlike certain people."

"Fuck you," Louise said as Rory was walking toward them holding a dozen roses. "So Mr. Wonderful went all out for you."

"Oh yeah," Rory said as she put the roses in her locker. "We're going out to dinner later tonight."

"That's so sweet of Dean," Madeline said.

"Well at least you got something worthwhile," Louise said as Rory handed humorous friendship Valentine cards to her and Madeline. "Thanks Rory, these are so funny."

"Oh yeah," Madeline giggled.

"You're both welcome," Rory said. "I wanted to get you two something that's funny. By the way have you seen Paris?"

"Here she comes," Louise said as Paris stormed through the hall with a rather angry frown on her face.

"I'm so sick of Valentine's Day already!" Paris said as she gathered her books for class from her locker. "Well, I see you all have already gotten your presents."

"Don't worry Paris, I have one for you," Rory said as she handed Paris her humorous Valentine's card.

Paris immediately put it inside her book, which greatly disappointed Rory.

"Paris you didn't look at it," Rory said.

"Why should I bother?" Paris said. "It's probably full of sappy, sentimental garbage."

"Come on Paris, just look at it."

Paris got the card from her book, opened it up and briefly looked at it.

"Okay I looked at it, it's very funny. Ha ha. Are you happy?"

Rory frowned at Paris for being less than grateful about getting her gift.

"That was pretty cold of you to do that," Rory said. "I wanted to get you something for today, but apparently that and the other present that I got for you was just a waste of money, considering how ungrateful you are."

"So what's this other present you got me?" Paris asked.

"Just forget about it, alright?"

"No Rory, I want to know." Paris said as she and Rory walked to class. "It is some candy or a big teddy bear?"

"I'm not going to tell you," Rory said. "In fact I'll probably give it to someone more deserving of it."

"Rory I didn't mean--"

"Don't say anything else," Rory said, interrupting Paris. "I'm going to enjoy myself today and not let you ruining it because you're bitter about being all alone once again."

Rory's last comment was like a knife piercing her heart to Paris. She felt terrible about acting ungrateful with Rory. Paris wanted to race down the hall to apologize to Rory, but instead just stood in her place.

"Lets go," Rory said to Madeline and Louise as she left for class with them in tow.

* * * * *

The meeting for the Franklin went on as planned with Paris going over some new story submitted and assigning various stories to the staff.

"So Rory, how do you feel about doing the story?" Paris asked.

"Yeah I'll do it," Rory replied, still bitter about what happened earlier in the day.

"OK, I guess that will be all for today. Be sure to meet the deadlines."

The meeting immediately concluded with those words and everyone begin to head out. Paris went over to Rory to try to smooth things out between them.

"Rory about what happened, I'm very sorry--"

"I don't want to talk about it," Rory said as she rushed past Paris and left the room.

Paris put on a stoic face to hide her feelings about what happened earlier in the day, as she got the folders with the submitted stories. Madeline and Louise, watching what had just transpired, left the room to catch up with Rory.

* * * * *

Rory washed her hands and fixed her hair in the bathroom. She still felt very angry at Paris for acting so ungrateful when she gave her the card. She rarely got so angry about anything as she did with Paris. As she was about to leave, Rory immediately saw Madeline and Louise enter the bathroom.

"What do you two want?" Rory asked with a rather bitter tone.

"Oh nothing really," Madeline said. "You don't have jump down our throats."

"I see there's a little trouble in paradise between you and Paris," Louise said.

"I just don't understand why she had to be such an ungrateful bitch today when I gave her that card," Rory said.

"I think we have a much better understanding about it."

"What are you talking about?"

"It's a long story," Madeline said.

"Could you at least give me the somewhat shorter version of it?" Rory said.

"It happened back when we were in seventh grade. Paris had a big time thing for Steven Williamson."

"Who's that?"

"A friend of Tristan, who was a real hottie."

"Anyway, Paris was kinda stalking him for much of the year until I finally told her that she had to take some action to get his attention," Louise said. "So she became his tutor in English, and got to be good friends with him. Then he asked her out to the Valentine's Day dance and she immediately said yes."

"So something terrible happened to Paris at the dance," Rory said.

"Unfortunately, yes." Madeline said.

"They went to the dance, and everything was going well for a while," Louise said. "But then that's when it happened."

"What happened?" Rory asked. "Did Paris have something poured all over her?"

"No. She found Steven with another girl named Stella Bower, who was this wannabe model."

"That's horrible. How could he do something like that to Paris?"

"He originally planned on taking Stella to the dance, but the thing with Paris came up at the last minute and he decided to squeeze in a little time with Stella."

"You should've seen Paris," Madeline said. "She was so crushed. I had never seen her so excited for anything."

"Of course it got much better when Paris got the bowl of punch and threw on them both." Louise said. "I'll never forget the sight of those two standing there, soaked with punch all over."

Rory briefly laughed at the part about Paris throwing punch on Steven and Stella, but immediately went back to a quiet, somber mood.

"I never knew that it was that bad," Rory said.

"Yeah, well that was commonly the case for Paris," Madeline said.

Rory looked at her watch, and saw that she had less time to prepare for her date with Dean.

"I've got to go now," Rory said.

"Are you still going to take back that present you brought Paris?" Madeline asked.

"No, I'll try to give it to her before the end of the day."

"What's the present?" Louise asked as Rory was about head out of the bathroom.

"It's a book." Rory replied.

"That's it?"

"Well that's the only thing I could think of to get her, since I can't get her some chocolate candy because she's lactose intolerant. Anyway, I'll see ya both tomorrow."

"Bye," Madeline said as Rory left the bathroom.

"Can you believe she got Paris just a book?" Louise said as she and Madeline left the bathroom. "Remind me to reserve Rory as the official book buyer for my birthday."

* * * * *

Paris sat in her room, doing some studying and finishing a report for English class. She still had what happened earlier in the day fresh in her mind. She felt terrible that she took out her frustration about Valentine's Day on Rory.

After finishing her report, Paris went downstairs to the den to watch a movie. She put in Requiem for a Dream in the DVD player. Paris always like to watch movies with dark themes every Valentine's Day to get her mind off anything related to the day. As Paris was watching the movie, her mom came downstairs. She had just finished putting on one of best dresses for a date.

"Well I see you're up to your Valentine's Day tradition," Mrs. Gellar said.

"Hi mom," Paris said. "I didn't know you're going out tonight."

"Oh honey, I don't want to stay cooped up in here. Besides, I have a date with this wonderful man I met at the art gallery named Eric Riegel."

"Do I have to meet him?"

"No," Mrs. Gellar said. "I remember all too well the last time you meet one of my dates."

Paris said nothing and resumed watching the movie. Mrs. Gellar saw how Paris was acting and sat down next to her.

"Paris, is what happened at the Valentine's dance still bothering you?" Mrs. Gellar asked with a concerned look on her face.

"No," Paris replied.

"Don't lie to me."

"Alright, it is. It's not just that. I feel like that Valentine's Day is some sort of conspiracy against me, with just about everyone else having some one special to celebrate with, except me."

"Paris not everyone has someone special to be with on Valentine's Day."

Paris didn't say a word and looked blankly at the television.

"I'm sure you'll find that special someone to be with someday," Mrs. Gellar said.

"You're just saying that to make me feel better," Paris responded.

"Paris, it's the truth."

A car horn was being blown outside, which meant that Mrs. Gellar's date had arrived.

"Well I've got to go now," Mrs. Gellar said as she got her purse. "Are you going to be alright for the rest of the day?"

"I'll be fine," Paris replied.

Mrs. Gellar quickly kissed Paris on the forehead and exit the house to go off on her date. Paris resumed watching the movie and begin to think about what her mom had just said. She knew that her mom meant well, but never took any of her advice seriously.

After a few minutes Paris picked up the phone and contemplated calling Rory, but she decided not to, thinking that Rory was probably on her date with Dean and likely not in the mood to talk to her. Paris put the phone and quickly gave her full undivided attention to the movie to get her mind off everything for now.

* * * * *

Dean slowed her jeep as he approached the Gilmore house and parked in front of it. He quickly turned off the motor and begin kissing Rory. The kiss was slow and sensual, which was how Dean usually kissed Rory.

Rory liked the kiss, but had something else on her mind. She thought about Paris, and the story about the incident that shattered her faith in Valentine's Day. Rory quickly pulled back from the kiss.

"Am I doing something wrong?" Dean asked.

"No," Rory replied. "I was just thinking about how some people don't have that special someone to spend Valentine's Day with."

"Yeah, I guess that makes us very fortunate to spend today with each other."

"Sometimes I just want to reach out to some lonely soul and set them up with another one to give them a happy Valentine's Day."

"That would be mighty sweet of you to do that Rory, but you can't always save every lonely person."

"Yeah I guess you're right now about that," Rory said as she leaned her head on Dean's chest.

"Hearing you wanting to help people out is one of the reasons why I love you so much," Dean said as he kissed Rory on the forehead.

Rory looked at her watch and saw that it was getting late.

"Sorry to break it to you, but I have to go now," Rory said.

"Can you at least stay a few more minutes?" Dean begged.

"No, I promised my mom that I would be in by now."

"Well I'm not going to keep you out past your curfew."

"I really had a great day today," Rory said as she got out of the jeep, holding her dozen roses. "Thanks for everything."

"No, thank you for making this a special Valentine's Day for me," Dean said as he kissed Rory goodnight.

Rory walked back to the house as Dean drove off. She immediately saw her mom sneaking to get away from the window.

"Hi mom." Rory said as she entered the house.

"Hey," Lorelai said as she went to meet Rory. "How was the date?"

"It was great. Dean was a great gentleman as usual."

"That's nice to hear."

"By the way how long were you at the window?"

"I wasn't at the window."

"Mom."

"Just a few minutes," Lorelai said.

"You know how I feel about you doing that," Rory said as she ate a piece of the Valentine cake that Sookie baked.

"I just wanted to see if you two were on your best behavior."

"Don't worry we were."

Lorelai gave Rory a warm smile, feeling very reassured with her.

"Listen mom I have to give a Valentine present to Paris and wonder if I could borrow the car to give it to her."

"Can't it wait until tomorrow?" Lorelai asked as she finished off another piece of the cake.

"No, I have to give it to her right now. I feel very bad that she's spending Valentine's Day alone, and I want to give her this gift to boost her morale."

"What is it?"

"It's a book."

"What kind?"

"It's a book of sonnets."

"Oh, one of those gifts that only the brains of Chilton would enjoy," Lorelai said teasingly. "OK you can go, but you have to be back in at least an hour."

"I will," Rory said as she got the keys. "Thanks mom."

Lorelai looked on with a smile as Rory drove away into the night. She was very happy that Rory was reaching out to Paris, even after everything that Paris had done to Rory during her early days at Chilton. After Rory disappeared in the night, Lorelai went back inside and resumed eating more of the cake and watching old movies.

* * * * *

Paris sat in the den doing some more studying and reading a chapter of Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. She was burnt out watching movies after 6 hours and decided that she needed a change in activity. Paris started feeling sleepy and was ready to call it a night, when she heard a knock on the door.

At first she thought about not answering, but decided to get the door away. Paris took a peek in the peephole, and saw Rory standing outside. Her eyes lit up in surprise upon the sight of Rory and she immediately opened the door.

"Hi there Rory," Paris said.

"Hey Paris," Rory responded. "I've wanted to bring you something before the day was over with."

"Sure, come on in."

Rory immediately entered and sat down on the couch next to Paris.

"Look about what happened today," Paris said. "I'm sorry about the way I acted. It's just--"

"It's alright," Rory said, interrupting Paris. "I know why you were acting that way earlier."

"So Madeline and Louise told you that story."

"Yeah, they did. I'm so sorry about what happened to you, I felt so bad, that I took back the present I originally got for you."

"Rory, you didn't have to do that," Paris said.

"Yes I did," Rory said as she handed Paris her present. "And I exchanged it for something that I knew you would like."

Paris removed the gift wrap paper form the present, and saw that the it was a copy of Elizabeth Barrett Browning's Sonnets from the Portuguese . She immediately got a smile on her face, and was tempted to shed a tear.

"I've always wanted to read this," Paris said as she scanned the pages.

"Why don't you read this page?" Rory said as she pointed out the page, which was bookmarked by a rose.

Paris removed the rose, and began to read the sonnet.

Because thou hast the power and own'st the grace To look through and behind this mask of me Against which years have beat thus blanchingly With their rains, and behold my soul's true face, The dim and weary witness of life's race,-- Because thou hast the faith and love to see, Through that same soul's distracting lethargy, The patient angel waiting for a place In the new Heavens, --because nor sin nor woe, Nor God's infliction, nor death's neighborhood, Nor all which others viewing, turn to go, Nor all which makes me tired of all, self-viewed,-- Nothing repels thee, . . . Dearest, teach me so To pour out gratitude, as thou dost, good!

Paris' eyes begin to water as she finished reading the sonnet.

"This is so beautiful," Paris said. "It is the best Valentine's Day gift anyone has ever given me."

Rory said nothing, letting Paris shine in the glow of her happiness.

"Thank you so much Rory," Paris said as she hugged Rory. "I'm so glad that you did this for me. I wish I had gotten you something."

"Just seeing you happy is enough for me," Rory said.

Paris and Rory quickly broke away from their embrace. Rory got the rose from inside the book and placed it in Paris' long dark blonde hair. She felt very happy to see Paris so happy. Rory briefly rubbed Paris' long hair, and then leaned for a kiss. The kiss was brief, but passionate, the two letting out their feelings and emotions through it. Paris briefly slid her tongue in Rory's mouth and was tempted to touch Rory's breasts, but decided not to do so that it wouldn't ruin the moment. The two broke up the kiss after a minute and a half.

"Do you want to stay and watch a movie?" Paris asked.

"No, I have to get home soon," Rory said as she got up.

"OK--"

"But I'll try to make it some other time."

"That sounds good," Paris said as she and Rory stepped outside. "Thanks so much for making this the best Valentine's Day ever for me."

"You're very welcome," Rory said as she and Paris briefly hugged. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"You too Rory, bye."

Rory got in the car and took one last look at Paris before she left. She saw the glow of Paris' smile and marveled at how beautiful she was when she did it. Rory then waved at Paris as she drove off.

As she made her way back to Stars Hollow, Rory felt very satisfied about how her Valentine's Day went, especially with Paris. She felt very good, knowing that Paris was a lot more happier.

THE END