Disclaimer: Yeah, I think we know where this is going...don't own it, don't sue me.
AN: Ok. I owe you guys a thousand apologies. I'm so sorry. I've been under so much stress, but now that my exams are finally over, maybe I can get this story moving again. I may be writing a couple of one parters, I'm trying to find my writing style (check out my Reminiscing, wink wink. lol.) I don't really like this chapter, but I needed it. Bear with me.
Dedication: The .ORG Literatis...I love you guys. I'm doing this because...I kinda put one of our...slogans, lol, in here with out realizing it. Again, love y'all!
The Wrong Kind of Paradox
Ch. 3—Time was Standing Still
"You know what, fine, I really don't care!"
"Yeah, whatever."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Exactly what it says!"
"You are impossible!"
"Whatever."
Fiona huffed into the diner, seating herself at the counter and banging her head down in mock frustration. Ollie had to be the most impossible brother on the face of the Earth.
Luke smiled inwardly at the familiar scene. He glanced at the clock. 4:03. Yep, never fails.
"So, Fi, what's the debate of the day?" Luke asks her.
"Oh, school: the necessary evil. A certain dark haired relative of mine thinks the 'necessary' part should be left out."
"He skips?" Luke seemed concerned.
"Oh no, not yet, but I'm sure he's been contemplating it. Freaking James Dean wannabe." Fi rolled her eyes. Luke just chuckled slightly.
"I'll go get you some coffee."
"Thanks," Fi said, resuming her earlier position.
"FI!"
Fiona heard the shrill cry behind her and whipped her head around, smiling. Sure enough, in came Kate Shapiro, Fi's best friend since...well...forever. She was bubbly, blonde, and basically the complete opposite of Fi herself.
"So, how was hell?"
"Fiery, as usual."
"Still waiting for that ice to come, eh?"
Fiona smiled. "And how was good old Stars Hollow High? Super fantastic, I trust?"
"Old, not so sure about the good...I did catch the most interesting conversation, though."
"Oh, do tell."
"Big Red versus Juicy Fruit."
"I do believe our generation has hit an all time low."
"Right there with ya, sister."
Right then, Luke walked in to hand Fiona her coffee mug. "Anything for you Kate?"
"Umm...just some fries, please. Want any Fi?"
"Nah, I'll just have some of yours."
"Two fries, Luke."
"Hey!"
"Well, I'm hungry, and sharing with you would be just giving it to the wolf pack." Fiona playfully glared at her best friend.
Luke just smirked, surveying the scene around him. Pretty typical. Fiona and Kate sitting at the counter, bantering back and forth, arguing over food. Kirk had moved in to the table next to the window, beside the door. Apparently, it had a good view. Why he would want...no, never mind, Luke didn't want to know. The normal random townies gossiping, Taylor glaring at regular intervals through the window in the Ice Cream Shoppe. Then there was some guy in the corner, staring at the menu, looking at his watch kind of nervously. He had just kind of sat there for...huh, about the last hour. Funny, that was the only thing. Out of place. Come to think of it, nobody had just sat there for...probably about sixteen years. Ever since...
Stop.
No. This was just...a coincidence. That guy in the corner wasn't, couldn't be...no. History was not repeating itself. No.
Yes. Who was he kidding? Luke's vision was perfectly fine, and even if it weren't, he still would have recognized him. Huh. He'd forgotten how much Ollie looked like Jess. Fiona looked like Rory, but not this much. Ollie was the spitting image of his father.
Crap. Jess was back. Ollie and Fiona...they didn't know about him. They couldn't know about him. Jess didn't know about them...why the hell was he back? Did he need money? After sixteen years...sixteen years!...it wasn't very likely.
Dang it. Fate came to bite him in the butt, and chomp down it did. Jess was Jimmy. No other way to put it. Was it really sixteen years ago, Luke was chasing Jimmy out of the diner, looking in his wallet to find it belonged to the idiot who hurt his sister and nephew? Yep. And there Jess was. Same spot as Jimmy. Idiot.
Luke had tried. No one could say anything against that. But alas, sometimes trying doesn't work. All he wanted to do was keep Jess from falling, but off the cliff he went. Well, no one was running to California this time, not if he had any say about it.
He walked over to the table. Man on a mission. "Jess."
Jess looked up, semi-surprised. "Luke," he answered in a calm voice.
Luke remembered the first time they had started a conversation like this. Nope, not getting nostalgic. Not now. "Upstairs. Now."
"Why, Uncle Luke, I'm touched. You do care. I've been fine, you?"
"Now." Luke stomped of, up the stairs.
Jess rolled his eyes. He stood up, pausing before following his uncle. "Huh. Guess time doesn't exist in this world."
Fiona happened to look up. Some how, in the midst of all this, the entire town remained oblivious to the stranger in the corner. But Fiona saw. She saw the guy follow Luke upstairs, saw how Luke acted with him. "Huh."
"Earth to chick-i-poo, what's up? Are back in reality yet?"
Fiona turned to look at Kate. "Chick-i-poo? Please, if you have any concern for my sanity, you will never say that again." Kate just rolled her eyes again and giggled, resuming whatever it was she had been babbling about.
But still...Fiona wondered. Something was up. Luke never had any visitors. Huh. And...Why did...no. He didn't look like Ollie. Not at all.
But he did. And that was really...strange. Just...strange.
TBC
