A/N: I'm just gonna post this in case anyone actually wants to see my pics with Milo lol my twitter is seanbennigans and I posted my pics and even a recap (just of the first day convo only tho), just check media bc its easier to find. I don't know if anyone even wants to see but I thought I'd offer ha

"I can't believe I'm doing this," Jess muttered as he got out of his car and walked to the entrance of the last place he expected to meet his future stepfather.

The book in his jacket pocket burned a hole and all he wanted to do was go back the way he came. He couldn't imagine much about what kind of guy this TJ was. He avoided any opportunity Liz had presented for them to meet and now he was stuck.

His fist clenched together as he took a deep breath and opened the door. The club was dark and he had secretly hoped he got the directions wrong. But then Jess saw Luke, who looked very uncomfortable as he stood at a table with a couple of other guys. He wondered which one was TJ.

Luke looked more than relieved when he saw his nephew approach. Jess slumped in a seat near the group and sighed. "What took you so long?"

"Couldn't find the place," he lied. He really didn't want to be there.

His uncle made a face. "Told you we should have all just come together."

"Is this Jess?" TJ peeked over. "Are you Jess?"

"What it says on my driver's license," he said.

"We finally meet," he said. "Maybe I could draw you a picture on my etch-a-sketch."

Jess looked over at his uncle pointedly. Luke just looked back with a 'told you.' "Aren't you gonna sit?"

"He doesn't wanna make a lap," TJ answered for him.

The guy who looked like he was the brother of TJ he heard about added, "A lap is just an illusion."

"What?" Jess turned to both of them.

Luke just shook his head but still didn't sit yet. "Don't get him started."

"I want to talk to you, by the way," TJ turned his attention to Jess.

"I do enjoy a good palaver," Jess commented.

TJ didn't understand. "Huh?"

"We'll talk," he said and pulled out a book.

Luke sighed as he gave in and finally sat. "What are you reading?"

Jess slanted the cover at him to reveal a title his uncle didn't recognize. "You read it before?"

"No," Luke said quickly. "I haven't - no, I don't read...that much, lately."

He gave him a look that said 'what are you rambling about?' but didn't ask it. "Something wrong?"

"No," he shook his head. "Nothing's wrong."

"Okay," Jess wanted it to let it go but he can't remember the last time he'd seen Luke so flustered. In fact, he never thought he'd seen it at all. "Just, I never expected a question about books to make you so nervous."

"I'm not nervous," he shrugged nonchalantly.

That just threw Jess more off. "You sure?"

"I'm fine," Luke told him.

His tone sounded less than fine but he relented and let it go. Jess figured if he wanted to tell him, he would eventually. And its not as if he wasn't holding his own secret.

...

Rory sat in the waiting area of the hospital. Paris had finally been able to go in to see Asher. Before she went in, she told her that she was about to give him 'the talk'. She wasn't sure what state her friend would be in when she walked out of that room.

A girl walked in, pretty, young, brunette. She walked right to the nurses. "I'm looking for Asher Fleming."

"He should be out in a minute," the nurse replied after she checked something Rory couldn't see.

"Thank you," the brunette said and sat down next to her.

Rory closed her magazine and remembered what Doyle said about Asher having a reputation for dating students. "He'll be all yours in a minute, girlfriend."

The girl looked at her strangely. Paris and Asher soon walked out and came right towards them. Asher spoke first as the two of them stood up. "Miss Gilmore."

"Professor Fleming," she smiled at him. No matter what happened with her friend, she always respected him. She turned to Paris. "You ready?"

"I'm actually going to go with Asher," Paris answered. "We're gonna do some planning for England."

"But I thought -" she cut herself off, confused.

The older man used that time to address the brunette who had came in. "Andrea, what are you doing here?"

"Mom called," the girl now called Andrea replied.

He smiled at her softly and introduced her. "Paris, Rory, this is my granddaughter, Andrea."

Paris and Andrea exchanged Hello's and Rory stood there awkwardly. She remembered her usage of the word girlfriend. "Hey, there."

Andrea smiled at her slightly. "Hi."

"I guess I should be going then," Rory shifted awkwardly. "I'll see you at home."

"See you at home," Paris smiled. She really did look happy.

She nodded and said goodbye to Professor Fleming then walked back to the elevator. Rory pulled out her phone and considered texting quickly to Jess. It felt weird and strangely normal to be his friend.

Her fingers hung over the buttons, unsure of what to do. Something in here screamed to call him and tell him what was going on. Another side of her screamed not to do it, that if she called him, it would be hard for her to stop.

Instead, she went to her speed dial and called the first person she usually would. The phone rang a couple of times before it finally picked up. "Hello?"

"Hey, mom," she smiled into the phone.

"What's going on?" Lorelai asked. "You only left a few hours ago so something's not wrong is it?"

"Nothing's wrong," she shook her head then frowned. "Well, actually, I'm at a hospital."

There was silence on the other end and Rory waited patiently for a response. When more seconds ticked by, she wondered if she lost her.

"Mom?" She asked. "You still there?"

"Still here," she confirmed finally. "Just I think my heart stopped when I heard the word hospital. What happened? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she replied. "Its not me who was a patient. I'm visiting."

"Oh, thank god," she could imagine her mother put her hand over her heart. "Start with that next time, please?"

"Sorry," she smiled again at the concern.

"So who's in the hospital?" She asked. "Are they okay?"

"Its Asher Fleming," Rory told her.

"Ah," she said knowingly. "The professor and Paris' boyfriend."

"He's okay," she said. "He's actually released right now and Paris is going with him. I was here as moral support."

"Good," Lorelai said. "I mean, good that he's okay and getting released. But also good because Paris on a regular day is a lot to deal with. I can't imagine Paris in a crisis."

She almost laughed at that as the elevator reached the right floor. "She was pretty calm considering."

"Well, good," Lorelai said. "Just next time you're lending moral support in a hospital, start by telling me its moral support, all right?"

"I will," she said. "Hey, how's everything with grandma and grandpa? Did you ask them about the test run yet?"

"I've called," she sighed. "They conveniently are always out however when I do."

"What do you think is going to happen?" Rory asked, worried.

"I don't know," Lorelai said honestly. "One thing is for sure, though. They're not gonna tell us about it."

The elevator chimed and Rory stepped out. Her and her mother said their goodbyes as she headed for her car. Right as she was about to stuff her phone back into her pocket, that chimed also.

She pulled it back out and looked at the screen. A smile spread across Rory's face as she read the message.

'Remind me to not go to the next guy my mother marries' bachelor party', it said.

'I'm stunned to find someone who doesn't like a bachelor party', she wrote back.

'Be stunned,' Jess simply wrote.

Rory stared at her phone and wondered about the double meaning of the two words. She considered a text back but the rationale that took over her mind in the elevator was back.

Regretfully, she tucked her phone away and hoped that she could somehow get Jess off of her mind as she headed back to Yale.

...

Jess stuffed his phone away and opened his book again. Its not that he expected Rory to constantly reply to him. He wasn't exactly sure what he expected really. Maybe he just wanted to not be at this bachelor party anymore with TJ and his brother.

"I love mud," TJ's brother who Jess couldn't remember the name of said. "I love wrestling. I love girls. This is everything I love."

Jess looked over at where the stranger faced and saw just as he said, two women wrestling in the mud. He wasn't exactly interested in what was going on so he once again went back to his book.

TJ noticed him with his book and leaned over. "Hey, you having a good time?"

"I'm having a gay old time," he answered without looking up from his book.

"You know you read so much, I'm thinking of nicknaming you Reads," he commented.

Jess resisted a scoff and he knew Luke could tell it. "Good one."

TJ didn't notice the sarcasm and instead continued onto a different topic. "You know, your mom really wants you to walk her down the aisle."

Both Luke and Jess looked at him now. "Does she now?"

"Usually a father would do that," he continued. "But he can't. He's worm food so she'd really like you to do it."

"Why not Luke?" Jess suggested which got him a look from the person in question.

"She wants you," TJ said.

Jess shook his head and went back to his book. "I don't think so."

"She'd really like you to do it," he pushed on.

"And I really don't want to do it," he stated. "Again, I say, ask Luke."

"But she wants you," he pointed out again.

Jess shrugged. "Then I guess we're at a stalemate."

"I don't think you're at a stalemate," TJ's brother commented.

"There's girls wallowing around in slimy dirt and you're looking at me?" He asked.

"I don't want to tell your mom no."

"Then I'll tell her."

TJ kept going. "I don't want you telling her no, either."

"Wanna pitch in for a telegram?" He asked sarcasticly.

TJ flipped the book right out of his hand and both stood up, started by Jess shoving his future father-in-law. Luke immediately stepped between them. "Hey, hey! Knock it off!"

A bouncer came up to them and told them to get out. Jess grabbed his book and headed straight for the door with Luke close on his heels. He wasn't sure how far behind TJ and his brother were. He got out as quick as he could and headed for his car.

...

When Rory got back to her dorm, she flicked on the lights and saw the doors were shut to each room. It was late after all that she finally got back and she sighed. She'd hoped she got back earlier to catch some final studying in.

The door creaked slightly as she went into her own room. She made sure any lights she turned on were off before she entered the bedroom and closed the door. The room was dark and she was almost relieved.

First, she considered calling Lane. One look at the time and she figured she might be asleep. Paris was out of the question for tonight and her mother, she had so much to deal with right now. A flicker of thought headed to Jess again and she stole a glance at his earlier text.

Quickly, she typed back, 'I am stunned' and put her phone down. Rory grabbed her pajamas and changed. Just after she had climbed into bed, her phone chimed and there was a simple ':)' written from Jess.

She smiled to herself and closed her eyes. Tomorrow was another final to worry about and maybe a long sleep would help prepare her for it.

...

Luke opened the door to the diner as Jess followed behind him. The younger Danes slumped down into a seat, tired and honestly glad to be away from the man his mother planned to marry.

"Tonight I got in a fight with my nephew at a strip club," Luke remarked as he sat down as well. "I haven't been in a fight since sixth grade."

Jess smirked. "Its not like we threw punches."

"I haven't broken up a fight in years, either," he corrected with his own smirk.

"But I have fought with guys Liz planned to marry," he added.

Luke looked over at him strangely. "You know, Jess, me and you, we have a pretty good relationship right?"

"Yeah," he said hesitantly and wondered what he was getting at.

"But you and your mom..." He shook his head. "I know you don't want to be here for this. I don't know why exactly you came then but if you really do hate her that much, maybe this wasn't a good idea."

"I don't hate my mother," he said. "And I came...because of you."

"Me?" Luke actually sounded surprised. "But its not my wedding."

"You asked me to come," he remarked. "Me and Liz, we'll never get along that great. But you know, it cant be so bad, coming here."

"And this has nothing to do with this friendship you've striken up with a certain Gilmore girl?" He wondered.

Jess sighed and put his hands out in front of him on the table. "Rory has nothing to do with this."

"What's going on there, Jess?" He asked. "Come on. I'm not stupid."

"Nothing's going on there," he told him. And he was right. Nothing was...now.

"Jess," he said in a warning tone. It had been a while since he had used that tone on his nephew.

He let out another sigh. "We met before."

"When?"

"In Florida."

The older man looked more than surprised. "Florida as in when Rory was on spring break?"

"Exactly like when Rory was on spring break," Jess confessed.

"What did you do?" He went into protective mode.

Jess turned to him, suddenly annoyed at this man who was like a father to him. "Why does it have to be me that did anything?"

"Fine, you didn't do anything," he gave up. "But something happened."

Jess turned to him, surprising his uncle again with his tone and words. "We slept together. Is that what you want to hear?"

"What?" Luke wasn't sure what to say.

"That friendship I have with Rory?" He continued. "It's because we had sex in Florida. And then I left, because you got arrested and she doesn't trust me to let me in as any more than a friend so I take what I get."

"You really like her," he commented to which he was met with silence.

He didn't say anything yet. Jess just shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He figured it was easier to just tell him. Luke already knew the big part of the secret. "Yeah."

"You're an idiot," Luke said.

Now it was Jess' turn to be surprised. "What?"

"You're doing this all wrong, Jess," he said. "Open two-way communication is key to a relationship. I had this friend - let's name him Philip, who thought expressing intimacy was a favor to his partner. But expressions of intimacy should be given freely and frequently. Not that he didn't love Judy but he used it as a bargaining tool."

"Who the hell is Judy?" Jess was so far past confused.

"Philip's wife," Luke answered as if it was obvious. "We call her Judy."

That didn't help Jess either. "Where are you getting this?"

"Life," he shrugged. "I've lived."

"Where? In a Bette Midler movie?" He questioned. This was very weird for his uncle to talk like this and he wanted to make sure Luke knew just how weird.

"I'm trying to help you out," he replied.

"Thanks but I don't need it," Jess said. "I can't make her trust me and I can't change her mind that quickly anyway if I could."

"I know Rory," Luke said. "There was something to make her not trust you."

"I left," he sighed and sat half an inch lower in his chair. "I didn't tell her I was leaving and I wrote this note and I stupidly told my friend to give her it but he couldn't find it until after he came home."

"And how soon after...that you two -" Luke looked uncomfortable as he tried to speak about his nephew sleeping with Rory.

"Did I leave?" He assisted and got a nod in response. "The morning after."

"Jess!" He exclaimed.

"That was when you called!" He said back. "A little bit after she left."

Luke shook his head, covered his face with hands then removed them. "No wonder she doesn't trust you."

"I know," he sighed and rubbed his own hands over his face. "I fucked up."

"Did you explain this to her?" He asked. "Why you left?"

"That's probably the only reason she's talking to me," Jess told him with a half smirk.

Luke couldn't help but return the expression and stood up. "Talk to her again, Jess."

"I'll try," he sighed. "Not sure what good it could do."

"It can do plenty good," he said then turned back to his nephew. "So. You and Rory - you two really...?"

The smirk wanted to grow bigger at the way his uncle's voice trailed off. His face stayed the same as he just stared at his real guardian. Neither said anything and Luke just went upstairs.

Jess sat downstairs in the diner a little bit longer as he considered all the things he learned tonight and was asked of tonight. Maybe he would have something to look forward to tomorrow after all.

A/N: Thank you for the review about the stepfather correction! I don't know what I was thinking typing that but hopefully it should be fixed now.

And I really wanted to keep that Philip and Judy speech in there of Luke's. I'm sure when I get to raincoats and recipes, I'll use less show dialogue and mix it together but I couldn't resist in this chapter lol