Author's Note: This chapter changes POVs again. But there's line breaks so you'll know. Not much happens plot-wise in this chapter, it's just something a little light-hearted and fun. Kind of a bridge from Chapter 3 to Chapter 5. Again, my reviewers are so lovely! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own "Gilmore Girls", nor am I affiliated with it, the creators, the writers, the actors/actresses, the directors, or the producers in any way. I am just a fan.


Scout's honor.

"I forgot how you Gilmores could really shovel it in!" Jess laughed as he watched Rory – clad in his long sleeved forest green cotton tee and the jeans she'd worn last night – finish off her fifth pancake. She had long ago finished up the three eggs that were left in the fridge, so Jess had brought out the pancake mix.

"Well, that and the fact that I haven't eaten in, like… years," Rory managed between bites.

Jess was busy cleaning up the mess he'd made. He smirked at her. "You sure that's gonna be enough?"

Rory nodded while chewing without looking up from her plate to see the proud gleam in Jess's eyes. He loved when a girl wasn't ashamed or afraid to eat, especially in front of a guy. He couldn't stand those stick thin, upscale, wishing-to-be-models, New York girls. With their fashion magazines, and their rib cages and spines sticking out, and their cracker-nibbling, and their high heels, and their skimpy clothing. Fortunately, Rory possessed none of those qualities.

"For now," Rory said to him with a smile after swallowing her last bite.

She began to stand up from her seat at the island to bring her plate to the sink, but Jess stopped her. "What do you think you're doing?"

Rory looked confused… again. "I'm gonna wash my dishes. And then help you clean up."

Jess shook his head. How could she be so selfless? All of the time? "No, you aren't. You're my guest. You sit down. This is my mess – I'll clean it," he said firmly, taking her plate.

Rory stayed halfway out of her seat. "Well, can I at least get some more coffee?"

"Sure thing." He reached towards the coffee machine on the kitchen counter behind where he stood, grapping the pot by the handle and refilling her mug.

She sat back down in her seat, defeated, graciously accepting the life-giving liquid. "I meant could I get some myself. But this will do." She brought the mug to her lips, closing her eyes and taking a swig. Along with being a healthy eater and being selfless, she was also easy to please. She was perfect.

Jess continued cleaning up as Rory drank her coffee in silence. He decided he liked this picture – him cooking breakfast for Rory and later cleaning up while she looked on, coffee in hand. He could imagine living like this every day and never getting tired of it. Not when it was with her.

"I'm sorry I finished off the last of your eggs."

Jess smirked again. She was apologizing for eating? Of course she was. He turned to look at her while drying off the last of the dishes. "Don't worry. They weren't even mine."

Rory squinted at him. "Don't you live here?"

"Yes, but I share the place with two doofuses, remember?" he quipped back.

"But you don't share the eggs, I'm assuming."

"You've assumed correctly."

"And do you mind telling me why you don't share the eggs?"

Jess was done with the dishes now. He turned and leaned over the opposite side of the island across from Rory, facing her. "Well, you met Matthew, right?" Rory nodded as she took another sip of coffee, prompting Jess to go on. "He's kinda OCD."

"Kind of?"

"Okay, pretty bad," Jess admitted with a chuckle.

Rory's eyebrows lifted. "He can't be as bad as Paris, though!"

"Oh, god, no. I'd be outta here in the blink of an eye." Jess had tried to hang out with Paris once before. While the conversation had been rather stifling, and her views on literature had been surprisingly liberally intellectual, he didn't think he could take her constant judging demeanor and need for constant perfection in the same living quarters as himself.

"Oh, come on! Paris isn't that bad."

Of course she's gonna defend Paris. Paris is her friend, Jess mused. But he knew that she knew better. So, he said nothing, and just looked at her knowingly.

Rory sighed. "Okay, she kinda is that bad. Go on."

He smirked at her predictability. "Well, Matt has this system to keeping our food costs and portions even. Basically, if we want it, we buy it. If we don't eat it, it gets eaten. But the basic necessities – like eggs, bread, milk, cheese, and Corn Pops, of course…"

"Of course," Rory cut him off, announcing her aggreement.

"…Those we each buy one of," Jess finished. "And we label them."

Rory gaped at him, an incredulous look on her face. "You're not serious."

Jess walked the short way to the refrigerator and, opening it up, pulled out two half-filled, identical jugs of milk. But on one, "MARIANO" was written in black Sharpie, and "DUNCAN" was written on the other.

"Oh my god, you are serious."

"Yep." Jess tossed the two jugs back into the fridge and walked back to his spot opposite Rory.

She tilted her head to the side, obviously considering something. "So, whose eggs did I eat?"

Jess just stood there, smirking. Leaning onto the island top, he edged a little farther over to Rory unconsciously. Or maybe he had been conscious of it and just didn't care…

"Please tell me I didn't eat Matt's eggs."

He kept on smirking. "You didn't eat Matt's eggs."

"Okay, now tell me the truth," she said, eyebrows raised once more. But this time, instead of indicating shock, the change in expression indicated that she wasn't playing around.

"I don't remember you being so demanding, Gilmore!" Jess replied playfully. "But it's okay that you ate his eggs. We've got a system for that, too. Chris and I sometimes think it's funny to eat Matt's food. And when Matt runs out, and we don't, and he asks who ate his food, we both blame each other. So Matt puts it on our tabs." He saw Rory's eyebrows go up further, this time in shock again. "He told us to open a savings account, and if we each put in five bones a month, it'll add up to the amount on our tab in about a year. He has the date written down somewhere, I'm sure. But the date keeps getting pushed back, and the monthly deposit amounts keep getting larger, because we keep eating his food."

Rory grinned at him knowingly. "But you haven't even opened an account."

"Bing! Right answer."

"So, what happens when that judgement day comes, and neither you nor Chris has the money?"

"I don't know. We die, probably." Jess shrugged nonchalantly. He took Rory's empty coffee mug to the sink and began to wash it out.

"Don't you feel guilty? That he's spending more money on food for the three of you?"

"Nah, not really," he answered, back turned to Rory. "Me and Chris… we buy all the music, all the books, all the movies. We provide all the means of entertainment here. And Matt knows he uses it all. It's a fair trade."

"Right. You always were one to rationalize." He could literally hear the mocking grin in her voice.

"So, what do you wanna do today?" he asked as he dried off the mug. He tried to sound as casual as possible, even though his heart was suddenly beating in his ears. He rambled on, for fear of what her answer might be. "I know all the best coffee shops around here. The loud ones, the quiet ones. And all the best book stores… Again, the lound ones and the quiet ones. There's even this old music store a couple blocks down that still sells vinyl records, can you imagine that?"

"Jess…" Rory stopped him, and the tone of her voice wracked his nerves once again. He turned slowly to look at her. She wore a serious expression, one that didn't seem like she was planning on wasting any time getting to the point. Another thing he loved about Rory Gilmore – she didn't beat around the bush. "Jess, we need to talk about last night."


After showering, having her coffee, and finally getting some food, Rory was feeling much better. Her headache was all but gone. She tried her best to seem calm and collected as she started off the conversation they both knew had been coming. She had high hopes that Jess's words would spark her memory. In the shower, she'd planned it all out. She would hint at things, questioning the events of the previous evening, and getting him to speak of them. And, then, she'd remember. She had to remember.

Now, Rory was sitting on Jess's bed, and Jess had pulled the chair he'd slept in up next to it, directly across from her. "So," he said.

"So," she repeated.

"About last night…"

"Yeah, about last night…"

Jess hesitated, obviously trying to decide what to say next. "Do you, um…" Pause. Then, "Do you regret it?"

Here we go, she thought. Hook, line, and sinker. "Which part?"

Jess shrugged. "All of it. Coming here… Staying the night… Telling me everything…" He trailed off.

Everything? What all had she told him? She couldn't remember – no surprise there. But, still, she wanted to give him an honest answer. So, she thought about what she did remember. The open house had been quite impressive, and she'd enjoyed it very much – all the way to the strange poet. Then there was the kiss that had started it all… and after that she went blank. It frustrated her so much so that she couldn't stand to think about it, so she moved to the next memory. Waking up in Jess's bed, surrounded by the scent of him, wasn't so bad. Seeing him dripping wet in a towel? Again… not so bad. And that doozey of a kiss…

"No, I don't regret it," she said truthfully. "Not at all."

She could literally see Jess relax at her revelation. "Good. I'm glad."

She tried to get more out of him. "Did you regret anything?"

Jess looked confused. "Why would I?"

"Oh, um… I'm just making sure." Well, she didn't get anything out of him there.

"So, what now?"

How was she supposed to know "what now" when she didn't even know "what then"? She pinched her eyes closed, trying to think of something to say to get Jess to open up a little more. When she opened her eyes, though, Jess was giving her a knowing look. "What are trying to keep from me? I can tell there's something missing."

Rory considered playing dumb, but knew he'd just see right through her façade. "How did you know?" she half-whined.

Jess smirked. "I know you, Rory," he said. And he did. "So, what is it?"

Rory wasn't really sure how to tell him this without it sounding really weird, so she just came right out and said it. "I don't remember."

"Jeez, Rory! What do you mean you don't remember? I just asked, like, two seconds ago!"

Rory shook her head. "No… I mean, I don't remember anything. Last night is all a blur to me."

Jess blinked at her in disbelief. "Really?"

Rory nodded, placing her hand over her heart. "Scout's honor." Jess had a worried look on his face, but it softened a bit when she said it.

"Hmm. I never pegged you as the girl scout type."

"I'm not," Rory grinned, "but Mom always buys cookies from them."

"Shortbread?" Jess guessed.

"Thin mints, actually," Rory asnwered.

Jess cringed. "I never really liked the thought of chocolate and mint together."

Rory giggled. "Me neither! But, you know my mom. She'll eat anything," Rory said, although they both knew that she would eat pretty much anything, too. It was one of the many odd genes she'd acquired from her mother.

A short silence followed. Rory knew that the conversation was about to get uncomfortable again. "So," Jess said after a few moments of staring at Rory and her avoiding eye contact, "nothing?"

Rory sighed. "Nothing."

"Would you like to know what happened?"


A/n: I know I said that you'd find out what happened "last night" in this chapter, but it got to be really long. So, I just divided it up into two chapters. The next one will be up shortly, and I *pinky swear* things will be revealed in the next chapter! Also, They don't say Matthew's or Chris's last names on the show, so I just made up some. So, the milk carton that said "DUNCAN" was Matthew's. Review, and I may post faster. :]