"Is it on?"

"I think so. Can you see me?"

"No. Can you see me?"

I sighed and threw my head back in frustration. This was my life. I would try to Skype with Dean and technology would fail me. It had only been a week and I already missed him like crazy. I just decided to just give up.

"Dean, clearly this isn't going to work. Let's just talk, no video."

"Fine. How's it going?"

I stood up and shrugged, even though he clearly couldn't see me. "It's not so bad. Like I've said before, Aunt Lorelai is really cool. She's nothing like my mom. And she has this friend, Luke, who owns this diner and he makes amazing food." I left out the part about his son, Jess. It didn't seem like something Dean would care about.

"Yeah, you mentioned Luke the other night, I think. How's public school, princess?" I could almost hear Dean grinning through the phone. He always made fun of me for going to the elite school in LA, while he stuck to public school.

"Dean, its fine. I have nothing against public school. An elite boarding school looks a lot better on a college application is all."

"I know, Ror. I'm just joking around. Hey, it's time for dinner so I need to run."

"Oh." I said, not even trying to hide the disappointment from my voice.

"Yeah, I'll text you though. I love you, Ror."

I smiled softly. "I love you too. And I miss you, Dean."

"Miss you. Bye, babe."

And with that, he was gone. I sighed and tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. I fell back onto my bed, closing my eyes. Dean was so sweet but sometimes, it felt like he wasn't even really there. Like he wasn't even listening to me.

"Rory?"

Someone called from downstairs. I dragged myself out of bed and down the steps. Lorelai was standing there holding a frying pan in her hand with an apron tied around her waist. She smiled at me and did a little pose.

"Oh, god. What are you doing?' I asked. Even though I had only been living with Aunt Lorelai for a week, I already knew she was a horrible cook.

Loreai smiled at me. "I'm cooking, obviously."

"I see that. But why? That's what Luke's is for, right?"

Loreai frowned and looked down at the pan in her hands. "You've already killed my cooking spirit and I have yet to begin."

I smiled and rolled my eyes. "Aunt Lorelai, I just don't see a need for this. Why do you want to cook?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. I know your mom cooks and I just, wanted to make you feel at home, I guess."

I laughed and walked over so we were standing face to face. I grabbed the pan from her hand gently and set it down on a nearby end table. Instead, I reached for her car keys and pressed them into her palm.

"I don't want you to cook to make me feel at home. That won't work anyways. I'm sure your cooking sucks and then we would just end up eating this gross food when we could be enjoying a delightful meal at Lukes."

Lorelai untied her apron and tossed it on the ground. "You're right! It would suck. Now, let's go get some real food."

"What can I get you?" Jess mumbled as he stood before our table. He didn't seem very happy to be working.

Lorelai beamed at him. "That's no way to greet customers."

"I hardly consider you a customer. Do you know how many donuts you've stolen?"

"Oh, but I pay you and Luke back in love." Lorelai said before putting her arms out and trying to pull Jess into a hug. He dodged it quickly and awkwardly.

"Stop it. That's weird." He said, taking another step back from her when she kept her arms out.

"Can I order now?"" I asked, feeling my stomach growl.

"As long as you don't try to molest me like your aunt over here."

I gave him thumbs up, indicating I was safe to approach. Tentatively, Jess walked over to my side of the table.

"I would like a cheeseburger, a side of fries, a soda, and a piece of apple pie."

Jess eyed me curiously and I glared at him. Didn't Jess know that you should never question a girl about her intake of food? It's rude. Jess just shrugged his shoulders at my glare and turned to Lorelai to write down her order as well. Then he walked back over to the counter to place our orders.

"So, Rory, how are you and the boyfriend handling the long distance thing?" Lorelai asked me.

I shrugged. "It's hard. I miss him like crazy but I don't know. He is acting kind of weird."

"Well, it's hard for him too. To be away from you, ya know?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I know. I guess it just takes some getting used to."

"What are we talking about?" Luke said, walking over and using a mocking girl tone.

Lorelai looked up and said, "Rory's boyfriend."

Just as the words left her lips, I saw Jess turn around and eye me curiously. As if he was trying to figure me out once again. I met his gaze and this time, he didn't drop it. I looked away after a few moments, though. I found his gaze to be fascinating in a way, and it made my stomach stir for some reason I couldn't place.

Jess walked away then and Luke followed behind him. It had taken me a whole week to realize that Jess's mother wasn't around.

"What's their story?" I asked Lorelai, nodding my head at Luke and Jess in the distance.

Lorelai turned and stared at them for a moment before answering. "Luke got his girlfriend pregnant when she was only sixteen. Her parents wanted them to get married but he knew that wasn't what he wanted. They were so against her keeping the baby that they convinced her to give him up for adoption. Luke never wanted that. Not for a second. And then something went wrong and she died giving birth. And the moment that Luke saw that baby boy, he knew he was always meant to keep him. Always. And so, even though he had no idea what he was doing, he raised a son. He had no help from his parents or her parents. He did it all on his own."

"Wow." Was all I could manage to say.

Lorelai smiled at Luke from afar. "Yeah, wow."

As I watched Jess move around the diner, handing out plates of food without as much as a smile, I realized how hard it must've been for him. To grow up without a mother. I had been so easy to think my life was so horrible but at least I had a mom. And my parents were divorced but I still got to see my dad. Jess would never get to see his mother. He never even got the chance to meet her. I had wondered why Jess walked around acting like the entire world was his enemy.

It was because to him, it was.

A few moments later, Jess brought us our food and I tried my best to be overly friendly with him. I think it was working too. Because when he took our plates at the end of the meal, I saw him give me the tiniest smirk.

"Aunt Lorelai?" I asked, pulling out a napkin from the holder and folding it over and over again in my hands.

"Yeah?"

"Do you know what she was like? Jess's mother?"

Lorelai gave me a weak smile. "I only know a little from what Luke told me. But from what I've heard, she was a great girl. She was strong willed, just like Jess. She was a fighter, though. And the doctors were sure that neither she nor the baby would make it. But she screamed at them, told them that her baby was going to be okay. And he was. She held on to the very last second, just for Jess."

I suddenly had such respect for this woman, a woman I had never ever met. And I had such respect for Jess as well. So, when we stood up to leave, I ran over to the counter, laying my hands across it. I stood directly in front of Jess, who was just on the other side of the counter, checking a customer out. He looked up at me, confused.

"Uh… can I help you?" He asked curiously.

"Hang out with me." I blurted out.

"What?"

"Hang out with me. Show me around the town. I don't know. Do something; I don't even care what it is."

Jess cocked his head to the side in confusion. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because… I need a friend. And I'm pretty sure you could use one too."

Jess thought this over for a moment, looking down at his hands. Then, suddenly, he looked up at me and nodded his head ever so slowly.

"Alright."

I smiled. "Alright. Get your jacket."

"What is this place?" I asked Jess, taking a look around. We were on a small, wooden bridge of some sorts. The water glistened below us.

Jess smirked. "Well, Rory, this is what we call a bridge."

I smacked him playfully in the arm. "Oh, thanks for that information."

Jess took a seat down on the bridge, dangling his feet over the side. I sat down next to him, mirroring his actions.

"I have to say, I didn't expect Connecticut to be so pretty." I looked out at the water and the surrounding trees and was taken back by the way it seemed to just automatically bring a level of happiness to me. California was gorgeous yes, but not in the same way Connecticut was. Here, everything seemed so natural. California was such a breeding ground for anything and everything unnatural.

"It's alright." Jess said, sighing.

"You're very interesting." I said, looking up at him.

His eyes found mine. "I could say the same for you."

I gave him a small smile. "I'm sure you could. So, what do you do here for fun?"

Jess laughed. "Oh, because Stars Hollow is just buckets of fun."

"There's gotta be something!"

He shook his head. "Nope."

"Your life sucks." I said teasingly.

"Yup."

"You're sure good with words."

"Yup." But this time, he looked over at me and gave me a genuine smile. To let me know he was teasing me. And I smiled back. He picked at a twig left on the bridge and tossed it into the water.

"What do you think of Ayn?" He asked suddenly.

I was so caught off guard and confused by his words. "Who?"

He smirked. "Keep up, Rory. Ayn Rand. Author of The Fountainhead?"

I shook my head, clearing it. "Oh, right. Well, she has a very distinct writing style, that's for sure."

"She's a political nut." He started simply.

I laughed. "Well, maybe… actually, yes. She is."

And that's where I spent my afternoon, on a bridge in Stars Hollow discussing works of literature and other various topics with Jess Danes. And as we debated over our favorite authors and books, the best music, and somehow our favorite food, I realized I had made my first official friend in Connecticut. And as the sun began to set over the bridge, all my troubles and worries over Dean and my mother and moving faded away, just like the setting sun.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews on the first chapter! I explained this is Gilmore Girls in reverse, in a way. For starters, this means Luke was the one who had to raise a kid when he was still a kid himself. The mother died, however, because this is still my story and I am going to stray from GG storylines. It also means Lorelai is the one to take in her niece. I think one of my reviewers was confused; Luke and Lorelai are not together. They are friends, for now anyways! You'll have to see where the story takes them! Keep reading! And please, keep reviewing!