The next day was Wednesday, their last day of freedom. Jess waited for her at their booth, she was late. He shrugged this off hoping it didn't have anything to do with last night and began reading The Ya Ya Sisterhood, he had only started a few minutes ago.

He was well into the second chapter when a sharp flash made him jerk his head up.

Lorelai was standing in front of him with her face hid behind a camera. "Caught ya!"

Rory came out from behind her and laughed, "My mom got a free trial disposable camera in the mail." She explained. "She's kinda picture happy, that's why we're late."

Lorelai grinned, "I got this great shot of Kirk doing his happy dance."

"Kirk has a happy dance?" Jess asked baffled, putting his book on the table.

Rory rolled her eyes and sat down in the booth, "Well, Mom started talking about letting him run another one of his films next year on town movie night. He got over excited."

"So I took the picture and ran." Lorelai said sitting down next to her daughter.

"Ya know, I never did get to see Kirk's epic film." Jess said with a disappointed look on his face.

"Well, you didn't miss much." Lorelai paused, and then said. "Unless you wanted to be scared out of your mind that is."

"Do you like it so far?" Rory asked gesturing to the book on the table.

"Not bad." Jess said, he reached down and grabbed something that was on the seat next to him. He placed another book in front of Rory, it read, The Odyssey, by Homer.

Lorelai laughed, "Homer?" She furrowed her eyebrows, "I believe we read that in school right before I got pregnant."

Rory bit her lip, "I don't know Jess. These books are just too.too old for me."

"As I recall we had a deal. And it's not all that bad." Jess pushed it closer to her, "Just try it."

Rory sighed, "Fine, but only because I promised."

Lorelai tapped her fingers on the table, "Can we get some service around here or what?"

Just as the last word came from her mouth, Luke came over with two steaming cups of coffee, without saying anything he placed them in front of Lorelai and Rory.

"That's not very good service, you're supposed to ask us what we want." Lorelai said stubbornly just as she took a sip of her coffee.

Luke ignored her and said, "The usual?"

"I'll have a cheeseburger." Jess said hopefully.

Luke looked him up and down, "You're off break in two minutes."

Rory laughed, "I'll have my usual, and the addict here will too." Rory pointed to Lorelai who was busy gulping down her coffee. Lorelai raised her eyebrows in agreement. Luke left with their order.

"How can you drink coffee when it's 90 degrees outside?" Jess asked in amazement, "And that fast."

Lorelai finally put down her nearly empty cup. "And I thought you were smart." She shook her head in disappointment, "When it's hot out like it is now one is supposed to drink warm beverages. It cools them down more than a cold one would."

"Where'd you hear that from?" Jess said.

"Yeah, where?" Rory repeated taking a sip from her own cup.

"TV.I think." Lorelai shrugged.

"Oh God." Rory and Jess said in unison.

"Hey! TV can be very educational." Lorelai protested, she added. "I've learned a lot from Buffy."

"Like how to kill a vampire?" Rory suggested.

Again Lorelai shook her head obviously frustrated, "How can I even call you my daughter." She sighed, "Buffy has taught me so much. Never fall in love with a vampire. Never." She said dramatically.

"I'll be sure to remember that the next time I meet one." Jess said sarcastically.

"You never know when your Angel will come around." Lorelai said sending looks at Rory who just looked confused.

"Jess!" Luke called from behind the counter, "Back to work!"

"Ok, ok." Jess sighed and left the table. "Enjoy your lunch ladies."

"Remember Jess! I'm gunna be here tomorrow to help you out!" Rory called to him. "Don't forget."

"I won't." Came a complacent reply from the kitchen.

"Forget what?" Lorelai asked her curiously scooting to the other side of the booth so she could face Rory.

"I'm helping him with any of the homework he gets." Rory had a determined look on her face. "He's going to do well in school this year, I guarantee it."

"Oh, yeah?" Lorelai said. "What does Dean think of all this?"

"He doesn't know." Rory said quietly. "I know that if he did he would just get mad. But I need to do this for Jess."

"I understand. Just don't do anything you'll regret." Lorelai told her daughter.

Too late, Rory thought, but said, "I won't."

************************************************************

Two weeks later on a Saturday, Jess was working at the dinner. It was hectic, every table was full. "Jess! Will you run to Doose's and get me that vanilla sauce stuff that I use in recipes? We need it to make the cookies." Luke called to Jess from behind the kitchen door.

"Yeah, sure!" Jess was relieved, finally a break from all these crazy people. He wiped his hands on his apron and walked to the door. He was about to open it when he realized that it wasn't completely shut, it was letting in a cold breeze from outside. He looked up to see that the latch which connected the door to the wall wasn't bending all the way. "Luke! The door is broken! It won't close all the way!"

"I know." Luke told him appearing behind the counter from the kitchen. "I'll fix it later. You just have to give it a little push."

Jess shrugged and pushed the door hard until it slowly closed again. He walked to Doose's and made his way inside. He sought out the vanilla sauce, when he found it he walked to the register. Just my luck, he thought. Dean was working today.

"Jess." Dean said in a hostile voice as Jess placed the vanilla sauce on the counter.

"How goes it?" Jess asked in his cool, comfortable voice.

Dean gave him a very confused face and swiped the vanilla, he changed the subject. "I want you to stay away from Rory."

"I'm pretty sure Rory chooses her own friends." Jess said jaded.

"I know you hang out together after school." Dean said, "2.75$"

Jess handed him the money, "Yeah? So does everyone else."

"Stay away from her." Dean repeated, he handed Jess his change and the vanilla.

Jess pocketed them both, he smirked "You're great with words, ya know that?"

Dean grabbed the collar of Jess's shirt and snarled, "Don't be a punk Jess. Keep away from Rory or I'll do something about it."

Jess put up his hands in a defensive position, "I didn't come here to start a fight, I just needed some vanilla."

Dean slowly let him go, people were watching, including Taylor who looked incredibly annoyed. "Have a nice day." He said gruffly.

"Yeah, you too. I'll tell Rory you said hi." Jess couldn't help adding. And with that he was out the door.

TBC Review please!!!!