Rory and her mother stood outside of the Gilmore mansion staring at the door. Rory looked over at her mother and sighed. She didn't want to be there, she didn't want to hear her grandparents ask questions about Logan and London.

"I'll just stay in the car." Rory smiled and turned back towards the car.

"Stop."

Lorelai grabbed her daughter and turned her around. Staring her in the eyes they both took a deep breath and turned towards the door. Lorelai reached for the doorbell and was shocked when the door opened.

"Why are you two just standing outside?" Emily said as the girls entered.

"Just talking Grandma."

"You can talk in here. Unless of course it was about me or your grandfather, then you could be rude and stand outside."

"It wasn't about you mom."

The girls followed Emily into the living room. Emily poured her self a drink and asked the girls what they wanted. As she made their drinks Rory and Lorelai silently sat next to each other waiting.

"You girls are quiet."

"Huh?" Lorelai said as the silence was broken, "Oh we are just taking a break."

"I guess all of that gabbing in the driveway left you speechless." She handed them both drinks and sat down, "Of course you could have come in to gab."

"How is dad?"

"Fine, he should be home soon. He had a business meeting." She smiled at Rory and went on, "How is Logan?"

"Fine." She smiled.

"I bet he loves London." Emily held her hands together and took a minute to think, "I certainly loved London."

"If you loved it he must." Lorelai interjected.

"How is Luke?"

"He is Luke." Lorelai answered.

Silenced filled the room once more and Rory closed her eyes sipping her drink. She had to make it through dinner that was all she needed to do.

"Chris will be here soon." Emily informed them as she sipped her drink.

Lorelai spit her drink out as her mother's words echoed. Rory looked over at her mother in confusion.

"Oh I haven't seen Dad in a few weeks." Rory smiled as she looked at confused at her mother.

"For heaven sakes Lorelai." Emily said jumping up to get a napkin.

"Sorry," Lorelai dabbed her mother and finished, "I just remembered something I forgot to do at the Inn."

She leaped to her feet and started for the door, her mother following close behind. Rory gulped down her drink and headed for the door, trying to figure out what was going on. As Lorelai opened the door Chris dropped his hand off the doorbell.

"Physic." Chris said as he stared at Lorelai.

"I've got to go." She said walking past him.

"Lorelai what are you doing?" Emily screamed out the door, "Get back here at once."

"Mom I have to get to the Inn."

As Lorelai walked to the car she felt her stomach turn. She hadn't seen Chris since the night she thought Luke and her were over. The night she made the foolish mistake of sleeping with him, yet again.

"Lor." Chris yelled as he ran up behind her.

"I didn't think I would see you so soon." She said running her fingers through her hair franticly, "Luke and I are together."

"Okay." He said as his face turned to a frown.

"I shouldn't have slept with you." She whispered.

"Look, I don't want to talk about this here." He motioned at the house where Emily and Rory stood waiting. "Lets go in and have dinner then you never have to see me again."

"It isn't that I don't want to see…"

"Dinner. No talk about us or what happen." He said as he walked back to the house.

Lorelai leaned against the car for a moment and then followed him back in.

"It'll be fun you said." Rory whispered to her mother as she walked in, "It'll take your mind off of things."

"Shut up you." Lorelai said as they walked to the dining room.

Rory and Lorelai left the Gilmore mansion after dinner. Niether one spoke until they were far away from the Gilmores. Rory had observed the distance between her mother and her father. The tense situation did take her mind off of Logan, but now it was on her mom.

"What happen?"

"Huh?" Lorelai jumped.

"Running out, like a lunatic. Avoiding conversations with dad."

"Oh." She frowned and bit her bottom lip, "That night when Luke said no."

"You didn't!" Rory shouted, "Mom does Luke know? This could crush him."

"I know."

"Did you see dad? He looked heartbroken. All the talk about your wedding and Luke, how could you do that to him?" Rory shouted at her mother.

"Rory I was confused, your dad and I we have a long history." Lorelai explained, "He just seemed to be the one I needed."

"Wow."

"Wow? Wow what?" Lorelai asked confused.

"We are so a like." Rory sighed.

Lorelai sighed to herself it was clear what she meant. Jess was Rory's Chris. He had always been the one she ran to when things were confusing, it always made since with him. She felt a whole new connection with her daughter as she sat silent in the car ride home.

"I'm going to bed." Rory sighed as she entered the house.

"You mad?"

"No, I understand. I just hope you and Luke make it through." She smiled as she walked to her room.

Rory entered her room to find a note on the bed and her window cracked. She looked around the room almost expecting someone to leap out and attack. That would add to the wonderful mood of the night.

I keep trying not to love you, but I do.

She smiled as she read the unsigned note. It was clear who had left it. She read it once again and fell into her bed. Flipping the piece of paper over she smiled. It was just like him to leave a quote to explain his actions.

"Never sign a Valentine with your own name."- Charles Dickens

She wanted to run after him once again. She could picture herself knocking loudly on the diner door until finally he came down to see her. It would be more romantic in the rain. Rain made everything feel romantic. He would open the door and hug her tight, kissing her over and over again. That was if she lived in a book or a movie. Maybe even a song. Instead of running to the diner, and hoping for a perfect ending. She fell asleep holding the crumpled piece of paper in her hand.

The next morning Jess stood in the diner reading a book. He leaned against the counter trying to ignore the mumbling noises coming from Kirk. The bell above the door rang and he glanced over his book.

"She doesn't come in till about 9." Kirk informed him.

"Who?"

"Rory." He smiled and nodded his head, "I too have stalked a women before. Not Rory, she is a bit young, but her mother."

"Nice." Jess sarcastically said as he walked to the other end of the counter.

About that time the door swung open and Rory appeared. He quickly picked up his book and placed it in front of his face. Rory sat down in front of him and placed her hand on top of the book, moving it down so his eyes showed.

"Hey."

"Hey." His voiced echoed hers.

Rory sat down at the counter and smiled. Jess fumbled with the coffee mugs as he tried to pour her coffee. Finally he slid the mug across the counter to her and smiled. She sipped it and stared at him with her deep blue eyes. There was a tension in the air, Jess wondered if he was the only one who noticed.

"How is the remodeling?" she asked deciding to break the silence.

"Have you ever watched the Three Stooges?"

"That bad?"

"TJ is a fumbling buffoon. I am dreading another day." He smirked and shook his head, "Can you believe my mother is giving birth to a TJ?"

Rory giggled at the comment. It was hard to believe that Jess was going to have a little brother or sister. It was even harder to believe he was willingly helping his mother prepare for another child. As she stared into his eyes she felt uncomfortable. Those were the same eyes, but with a new story behind them. He was a changed man and if helping TJ didn't prove that. What did?

"The strangest thing happen last night." She said as she sipped her coffee, "I came home to find my window cracked open and a piece of paper on my bed."

"Strange, I didn't think I left the window open." He smirked.

"Only you would explain your actions through a quote."

"Eh Dickens himself could have wrote it to you." He smiled, "I was just the deliverer."

"Right." She laughed.

Jess smirked and leaned on the counter to find his hand on top of Rory's. He swallowed and looked into her eyes for a reason to remove his awkward sweaty hand. Instead he got a twinkle. He slowly removed his hand and ran his fingers through his hair. Luke stepped out of the back and found the two staring intensely into each other's eyes.

"Aren't you supposed to be at Liz's instructing your stepfather not to use power tools."

"Not for another hour." Jess informed him.

"Oh, well make yourself useful and check people's coffee."

"Yes sir." Jess said in a sarcastic tone as he walked out amongst the customers checking their cups.

Rory pulled a book from her purse and a piece of paper fell. Luke looked down to see what it was before he pointed out to her that it fell. As he read the words scrawled across the crumpled paper he sighed. It was clearly Jess's handwriting and as he looked at the book in Rory's hand he knew they were once again playing cat and mouse.

"I haven't got to read it yet." Luke said handing her the paper.

"Oh thanks." She awkwardly said shoving the paper into her purse, "Its good. I've read it a few times."

"Ahh."

"Isn't it odd how much he has changed." Rory said as she watched Jess arguing with Kirk.

"He hasn't changed." Luke smiled as he looked over at his nephew, "He's the same Jess, just now he knows how to handle being Jess."

"Right." She smiled.

"How's Logan?" Luke asked the dazed girl.

"Oh, good, I guess. I haven't heard from him in a few days." She sighed.

"London?" he asked.

"Yeah."

"Bet he misses you." Luke smiled as he looked at a nervous Rory.

"I miss him too."

"As much as you miss him?" Luke smirked as he nodded towards the approaching Jess.

"Why are you guys looking at me like that?"

"She needs a refill." Luke said as he walked to the back.

Jess poured Rory more coffee and looked at the book lying in front of her. He felt his face grow hot as she ran her fingers over his name.

"Again?" he asked grabbing it.

"Yep."

"Don't you get tired of it?"

"Nah."

"I'm going to have to write another just to keep you from wearing this one out." he laughed throwing the book on the table.

Rory watched as he sat the coffee pot on the burner and carefully ran his fingers though his hair. She always liked when he did that. She caught herself staring at him as he picked up his book and began to read. He was once again reading Hemingway. She laughed to herself as she thought of what he had said to her on the bridge when she told him she hated Hemingway. That felt like ages ago. She sipped her coffee as her mind drifted to the day the town hoodlum bought her basket and stole her heart.

"You know, Ernest only has lovely things to say about you." His words echoed through her head.

"Rory?" he said leaning towards her over the counter.

"Huh?"

"I asked you a question." He smirked, "Dreaming of London?"

"No." she awkwardly answered.

"Dreaming of me?"

"A girl has to have her secrets." She playfully said.

"Right."

She looked into his eyes and felt her heart melt. If her heart were made of chocolate it would be gooey and dripping right out of her mouth. The image made her laugh and it broke the eye contact that she had with him. He awkwardly swallowed and moved towards her.

"I miss you." He said closing his eyes. "Every night you're there. Lurking in my head."

She blushed as she watched his lips move. The words that fell out of his mouth were fresh on her ears when her mother burst in screaming.

"COFFEE!" she screamed as she sat next to her daughter.

The two broke away and Jess grabbed a mug pouring coffee for Lorelai. As he sat it down in front of her she looked between him and her daughter and awkwardly sipped her coffee.

"I better get going." Jess announced running his hand through his hair and walking backwards into the counter behind him. "I will see you…umm..later?"

"Yeah." Rory smiled.

"Okay then."

"Okay."

Jess nervously walked backwards around the counter never lifting his eyes from Rory. He finally turned and bolted for the door. Lorelai turned towards Rory and crossed her arms over her chest waiting to know what was going on.

"Anything you want to tell mommy?"

"He still likes Hemingway." She smiled sipping her coffee.