Incoming

Disclaimer: I don't own any of it. Not even the computer I wrote it on.

Summary: Jess shows up at Richard and Emily's vow renewal. Luke has something to say about it. Rory is less than happy. Lorelai has to deal with Christopher. And the day is definitely not everything Emily hoped it would be.

Feedback: Reviews are fun. Like a barrel of monkeys. Why anyone would put monkeys in a barrel…I don't know, but it's supposedly a lot of fun.

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"Guess what I just heard." Lorelai called as she walked into the diner.

"What's that, honey?" Miss Patty asked, looking up from her lunch.

She hesitated for a second. "Actually, I was talking to Luke."

"Oh, well go ahead."

She nodded as she walked to the counter and sat on her stool. "Guess what?"

"That's my greeting?"

"Sorry." She leaned across the counter and kissed him, then sat back down. "Guess what?"

"You know Patty's still watching."

She waved it off. "Yea, she'll find out anyway. Guess what?"

"You really expect me to guess?"

"Uh, yea."

"No."

"Fine. Rory and Jess are back together."

"What?"

"Yep. Yesterday. They made out all night."

"Oh, Jeez."

"They played tonsil hockey"

"Lorelai!"

"They were tonguing it."

"Please stop."

"Making with the lip action, locking lips, planting a big one, puckering up, smooching, sucking face, swapping spit, tongue wres-"

"Oh my God! How can you talk about Rory like that?"

"Because of our strong, deep rooted mother-daughter love." She grinned at him. "Can I have some coffee?"

"No."

"Please Luke." She begged. "I haven't had any today."

He scoffed. "Please. I made you a pot before I left this morning. And I'm sure you had more when you got to the inn."

"Yes, okay. That's true. But I haven't had Luke's coffee."

"So the coffee I made earlier was…"

"That was crappy Lorelai coffee that you just happened to put in the coffee maker."

"I'm not going to support your addiction."

"I'll be your best friend." She narrowed her eyes when he shook his head. "I'll tell Patty and Babette about our sex life."

He glared but filled a mug and put it in front of her. "You play dirty."

She smiled happily. "You know it, baby." She took a sip of her coffee. "Mmm. Has this always tasted so good?"

"It's been exactly the same for years."

She immediately thought of when he had gotten back together with Rachel, and Rory commented on the coffee tasting different. "Did Rachel leave because of me?"

"What?"

"Well, I remember when you and Rachel got back together, when she came back here, umm, your coffee tasted different. And then I was thinking about you and Rachel and how you said she had her reasons for leaving, and I was just wondering if, you know…it was me."

He looked around the diner, noting that Miss Patty had left money on the table and left, probably after hearing about Rory and Jess, and that the only customers were a couple he didn't recognize, most likely just passing through town, before answering her. "Rachel left because of me. Because she knew that I had feeling for you."

"Oh." She shook her head. "We were stupid for a lot of years."

"Yea." He agreed.

She looked at her watch and stood up. "I gotta get back to the inn. I'll see you tonight?"

"Who will feed you otherwise?"

"That's what I like to hear." She smiled and grabbed her purse off the counter. "I'll call you when I'm leaving so you can head to my house or whatever. You don't have to wait for me."

He nodded and walked over to her. He put his hands on her hips and kissed her softly. "I'll see you tonight."

"I think I like you on this side of the counter better. Well actually I like you even better upstairs because we-"

He kissed her one more time, cutting her off, before pushing her towards the door. "Quit stalling."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes you do. You already told me that Paris and your father were gonna be looking around the inn today."

"Bleh. Stupid insurance guys."

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Rory walked to the bridge after she filled her mother in on the previous day's happenings. Well, she omitted the part about her father, but the Jess part was enough to take up all morning and a couple hours of the afternoon.

"Hey." Jess looked up at her and closed the book he was reading. "What are you doing here?"

She sat next to him and kissed him quickly. "Looking for you."

"I actually meant why are you not with Paris."

"Oh, she's at the inn. Some insurance thing. I don't know."

"Right. So, did you tell Lorelai?"

"Where'd you think I was all morning?"

"Telling Lorelai. And Lane."

"How…"

"I heard the screaming."

He jaw dropped. "From here?"

"I was at the diner, but it was still pretty loud."

"Lane can be…enthusiastic."

He nodded. "The other day at work, Lane was telling me that the band had a gig tonight."

"Yes they do. At eleven. In Hartford."

"Well, I was thinking that we could maybe have dinner then go see them play."

"Are you asking me out, Mr. Mariano?"

He put his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. "Mmm-hmm." He mumbled, kissing the top of her head.

"I suppose so." She said overdramatically.

"I'll pick you up at nine."

"Okay." She looked at the book sitting next him and tried to see what the cover said. "What'cha reading?"

"Hemingway. The book your grandfather gave to me."

"Read to me. I could use a nap." She grinned at him.

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Lorelai headed towards the kitchen at the Dragonfly, looking for Michel, after finding the front desk empty. "Sook?" She called as she pushed the door open. "Hey Jackson." She said when she saw him leaning on the counter.

"Hi Lorelai." He nodded.

She looked behind him and saw Michel as well as the rest of the staff glaring at her. "Wow. Whose puppy did I kill?"

"You." Michel pointed at her. "You brought her here."

"I…what? Who?" She asked, confused.

"I think you can do a little better than that, buddy." They heard Paris say loudly, causing a few of the waiters to cringe.

"Oh. Michel, I thought you liked her."

"I'm sorry, have you met her?"

She raised an eyebrow when she heard Sookie let out a strangled cry. "Sookie?" She looked at Jackson. "Is she okay?"

"Paris sent her food back three times."

"Ooh. Really?" She grimaced. "Sookie." She called. "I'm sorry."

Sookie walked around the corner and glared. "We wouldn't have a problem if he wasn't such a wimp." She pointed at Jackson with a wooden spoon then went back to what she was doing.

Lorelai looked at Jackson. "What?"

"She called me, crying, when Paris sent her food back the second time and asked me to come help her, but I really don't want to go out there."

"She scares me too." She whispered, patting him on the arm.

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"Lucy, I'm home." Lorelai called as she closed the front door behind her.

"Bedroom." Rory yelled back.

She hung up her purse and her coat then made her way to her daughter's room. "Hey." She looked around the room, which was covered in clothes, and smirked. "Spring cleaning?"

Rory stopped searching through the small amount of clothes still in her closet and looked at Lorelai. "No."

"Date?"

"I don't know what to wear." She dropped the skirt she was holding and flopped onto the bed.

She walked over to Rory's desk and picked up a couple shirts. "Where are you going?"

"Dinner and then Hartford to see the band play."

"Okay. Concert. You're probably gonna want to go with pants then. Uh…" She looked around and spotted a pair of dark blue jeans. "These with…" She took a purple David Bowie t-shirt out of the closet and held it up. "This."

Rory sat up and took them from her. "Thank you."

Lorelai sat on the bed and watched her daughter start to put the pile of clothes away. What time is Jess picking you up?"

"Nine. That gives us two hours before the show starts."

"Sounds good kiddo."

"Yep. So, what are you and Luke doing?"

"Hmm." She thought about for a second then looked at Rory. "Probably have sex."

"Mom."

"Well I'm not gonna lie to you."

"I really wish you would."

She laughed then quickly sat up. "Ooh. I didn't tell you."

"Tell me what?"

"Guess where Paris is."

"She's not here?"

"She's at my parents' house. For the night."

"Why?"

"Dad's teaching her about the insurance business."

"She's pre-med."

"I know." She said giddily. "How great is that?"

"Happy to get rid of her?"

"My entire staff is afraid of her. She made Sookie cry. Even Michel was hiding from her."

"Well, not many people can handle the Paris experience."

"Nope. It's like the Marines."

"Of course." She said sarcastically.

"It is. The few. The proud. The people who can be around Paris for extended periods of time without wanting to stab screwdrivers into their ears." She looked thoughtful for a second. "Actually that's kinda like being around my parents. Except with them you want to go straight for the heart."

Rory shook her head and pulled her mother off the bed. "Alright. I need to get ready for my date."

"You're kicking me out? After all of done for you?"

"Yes." She pushed her out of the room and closed the door.

"Fine. See if I ever give birth to you again." Lorelai yelled.

"Bye Mom."