A/N: I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaack! If you read my profile, you'd know I was on vacation. I'm working of finishing the stories I started while I was gone. I'll post some more stories as soon as I can. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own 'em.

"I made sure she was okay."

"I know you did."

Luke sat down next to Jess and dangled his feet above the water. He looked over at Jess. "Why're you here?"

Jess paused. "It's… quiet."

"By 'quiet' do you mean a good hiding place?" Luke asked, a hint of a smile in his usually monotone voice.

Jess smirked. "Yeah." He took a long drag of his cigarette before speaking again. "So… was she mad?"

"Who?"

"Lorelai. Was she mad?"

Luke sighed deeply. "Yeah," he replied, nodding. "She was."

They sat in silence for a moment, both contemplating a different Lorelai Gilmore. Luke took a deep breath before turning to his nephew. "I gotta send you home, you know."

Jess paused, thinking. Then he responded, "Why?"

"What do you mean, 'why'?" You were in a car accident! Do you understand that?" Luke ranted in his typical fashion. "You could've killed someone. You could've killed Rory. Did you ever think of that, Jess? You could've killed her."

Jess sat silently, having been struck speechless by his uncle's words.

Luke continued more softly. "I can't defend you anymore. Everyone here now sees you as dangerous and I can't prove them wrong this time. I tried to help you, Jess, but you made it impossible. You gotta leave."

"What if I don't want to?" Jess retorted sharply.

"What?" Luke asked, shocked.

"What if I don't want to go?" Jess repeated.

"You can't be serious." Jess' look was the epitome of serious. "You want to stay?" Jess gave a small nod. "I can't believe this."

"Why not? Why is it so surprising that I want to stay here?"

"Is that a trick question? Jess, you've hated this place for the past six months. You've moped around and done everything and anything cause trouble. The second you got here, you wanted to leave. I'm granting your wish; I'm sending you home. Isn't that what you wanted?"

"Wanted being the operative word." Jess mumbled, staring at the water.

"Well, what you want doesn't matter much right now, Jess. I have to send you home. You hurt Rory, and I can't risk that happening again."

"What is that supposed to mean? That I don't care about Rory? That I did this on purpose?" Jess raged. "I didn't mean for this to happen, Luke. Because I do care about her. I care a lot."

Luke stayed calm despite Jess' outburst. "I know you do. So do I. But keeping you here puts Rory in harm's way. I can't have that."

"Don't you have an obligation to your family?" Jess snapped, his last attempt at swaying Luke's opinion.

"Yes. But Rory is as much a part of my family as you are. And it's best for both of you if you go."

Jess tossed his cigarette butt into the water signaling defeat, and they both rose to leave.

As they walked slowly towards the diner, Jess spoke to his uncle. "Since I agreed to leave, do I earn the right to ask a question?"

"Sure."

"Why do you care so much?"

"About what?"

"Rory. Why do you care about her?"

Luke paused for a moment in thought. "I've known her since she was ten. I sorta take on the responsibility of father whenever Chris isn't around. Which is most of the time. "

"And Chris is… her dad?" Jess asked, wondering why he'd never heard about Rory's dad before, let alone seen him.

"Yeah. He's not the greatest guy. Better than your dad, though."

Jess stiffened at the mention of his father. Liz had never really spoken of Jimmy during the seventeen years he'd been there. He shook off the slight shock and nodded. "Yeah."

When they reached the diner, Jess hastily threw his things into his green duffel bag. Luke promised to ship the rest.

And with that, Luke walked Jess down to the bus station and waited with him until the nearly empty bus pulled in with a screech. Jess started to get on the bus when Luke stopped him. "Hey Jess."

Halfway up the bus steps, Jess turned.

"Make sure you visit sometime."

"I will." He continued up the stairs.

"Jess?" Luke called again.

Jess looked over his shoulder. The tired-looking bus driver appeared to be getting annoyed.

"Tell Liz I said hi… And don't hesitate to call."

"I won't."

Luke watched the bus pull away and realized he was slightly sad. He shoved this feeling aside and headed back to the diner.

Jess, who was seated in the very back of the bus, stared out the window, almost wistfully. He couldn't really believe it himself, but he'd come to like Stars Hollow.

He was sure he'd come back though. Stars Hollow was where his family was.

Where Luke was.

And he'd never admit it, but he'd grown fond of his uncle. For once he felt like he had a dad, someone looking out for him. Liz had never really cared, never paid attention.

He thought back to his first night in Stars Hollow. He remembered what Lorelai had said about Luke, about what a good guy he was, about how luck Jess was to have him.

He'd thought it was crap back then, that she'd been making it up.

But now?

He was starting to believe it.

The End

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