A/N: This chapter's a bit more JJ, a bit less Lit. Review? Go on, you know you want to. Really, you do. I'll give you a cookie.

Denial's not just a river

"Hey." Rory grinned, sitting next to Jess on the couch in the diner apartment the following afternoon. Putting his book down, he cupped her face in his hand instead, moving in for a kiss. "I brought your books." She whispered when he pulled back, catching her breath.

"Huh." He mumbled, kissing her again.

"Stop doing that."

"Why?" Jess smirked.

"Because I need coffee and that's distracting."

"But not distracting enough to make you forget about coffee?"

"You're good, not magic."

"I'll take that as a challenge." He replied, trying to kiss her again but she backed away, laughing.

"One cup. Please?" Rory batted her eyelashes, smiling and Jess sighed loudly, trying not to smirk.

"I feel used."

"That's because you are." She giggled, standing up and taking his hands, pretending to pull him up. "No coffee, no books."

"I have plenty of books."

"One can never have enough books."

"I said plenty, not enough."

"Know what? I'm just going to go ask Luke. He's nicer." She laughed before letting go of him, starting to head towards the door but he caught up to her quickly, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind, stopping her.

"Wait."

"Why?"

"I'll get you coffee."

Turning around in his arms, Rory smiled, placing a small kiss on his lips. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He answered, kissing her again, one hand rested on the back of her neck. Hearing footsteps outside the door, the two teenagers quickly jumped apart, with Rory looking out the window, hoping Luke wouldn't notice her red cheeks.

"I just wanted to know if Rory was hungry." Luke mumbled as from the doorway and she shook her head, glancing at the man quickly.

"No. I'm good."

"Oh. Ok." He nodded quickly as he shut the door again and the two teenagers burst out laughing.

"Isn't it too early for his check-ups? I haven't been here for ten minutes."

"Maybe Kirk's downstairs." Jess shrugged, taking her hands in his, running his thumbs over her skin. "Should we just go to the bridge before he wears down the stairs from going up and down?"

"Yes." She nodded, placing a small kiss on his cheek. "I'll grab your books, you…"

"Get your coffee."

"Should I take the one you were reading as well?" Rory asked from the couch, picking up the book and looking at Jess, who was standing in front of the door, getting ready to walk outside.

"Nope."

"Too Russian to be read outdoors?"

"You're the one that justifies things in crazy ways. I've just reached my limit on Tolstoy for the day."

"Like there is such a thing." She mumbled before picking up the books she had brought for him, before following him down the stairs. Reaching the diner, she took a small step back when she saw her mother sitting at the counter, flipping through a magazine.

"I thought I'd left you at home." Rory laughed, sitting next to her.

"I got bored." Lorelai shrugged. "Sookie and Jackson are doing newlywed things…" She laughed when Rory grimaced. "…And there was nothing on TV. So I came here."

"You could have read your magazine at home."

"Ah, but here is the magic pot that holds Luke's coffee. I don't have that at home."

"You have coffee at home."

"If you're telling me I have to explain to you the difference between coffee and Luke's coffee, I will have to disown you."

"I don't know!" Jess raised his voice as he walked out of the kitchen, a sour look on his face. "Tell him to back off, will you?" He grumbled, looking at Lorelai as he picked up a couple of paper cups, filling them with coffee.

"I don't take sides."

"By that you do mean you don't take my side, right?"

"Maybe." Lorelai smiled at the teenager while Rory shot him a sympathetic look.

"Let's go." She stood up again, kissing her mother's cheek quickly. "I'll be home later."

"How much later?"

"Later." She rolled her eyes, waiting for Jess to join her. "Bye."

"Have fun." Lorelai waved at the teenagers as they headed for the door, Jess holding the coffee cups.

"Now do you believe me when I tell you there's something going on between them?" He smirked as soon as they were outside.

"There's nothing going on between them." She insisted stubbornly.

"Right. And your mother really couldn't have made it for a few more hours without Luke's coffee?"

"She once tried to write a sonnet for that coffee."

"Rory, come on."

"No. She hasn't told me anything so, until she does, I will stick to my conviction that they're just friends."

"Did you just admit that you're in denial?" Jess chuckled, sipping from one of the coffee cups.

"I…shut up." She shook her head, laughing as well. "Mom would have told me if they were dating. Or thinking of dating. Or anything that is more than them just being friends."

"Have you tried asking her?" He suggested, still smirking.

"No." She whispered, looking down at her feet. "If she's not thinking about it and I ask her, then she'll start thinking about it and then they'll start dating and break up. If she's already thinking about it then asking her won't do any good anyway."

"Aren't you the starry-eyed optimist?" He chuckled as they reached the bridge. Sitting down, Rory put the books next to her and grabbed her coffee cup from him.

"I don't want to see either of them get hurt."

"They're adults, they can deal with their own stuff." Jess shrugged, smirking.

"Yeah, I suppose." Placing a quick kiss on his lips, she smiled.

"Of course, them dating wouldn't be all bad."

"How's that?"

"They go out, we get to spend time alone without Luke checking up on us every five seconds." Jess pointed out.

"That sounds good." She admitted, biting her lip. "And they'd probably be more distracted…"

"And ease up on the surveillance."

"Ok, I'll give you that. But I'm still not convinced it's worth taking the risk." She grinned, kissing him. "You want your books now?"

Sitting on the couch next to her mother later that night, Rory picked up a couple of marshmallows from the table.

"What are we watching?"

"Nothing. I was waiting for you to get home and pick the movie." Looking at Rory, she smiled. "How was Jess?"

"Good. Read at the bridge for a while."

"In between making out sessions?"

Blushing, Rory looked away.

"I'll take that as a yes."

"So, how was the diner?"

"Not bad. I drove Luke crazy for a bit, had some pie, a lot of coffee. Usual." Lorelai laughed. "Gonna go call for food, you pick something to watch."

"Can you make some coffee as well?"

"Do you even have to ask?" She smiled, standing up. Following her mother in the kitchen a few minutes later, Rory leaned in the doorway, watching Lorelai pace around the room.

"Half an hour's fine, Pete. See you then." Putting the phone down, she smiled at Rory. "Pizza's on its way."

"I guessed."

"Is everything alright, kid?"

"Yeah." Rory nodded, biting her lip. "Actually…" Taking a deep breath, she tried to muster up the courage to ask what she wanted to know. "Mom, is there anything going on between you and Luke?" She asked quickly, the words mashing together.

"What?"

"You know, Luke? Works at the diner, wears flannel, a backwards…"

"I know who Luke is. What I didn't know was that you started seeing things. Has this been going on for long? Do I need to get you in a padded room?" She joked, filling a cup with coffee.

"Mom, I'm serious."

"No, you're on crack. Luke's…Luke. Why would you think there's something between us?"

"You're flirting with him, you're at the diner way more often than you used to be and I don't know…it just seem like there's something going on between you."

"I'm not flirting with him."

"You're always flirting with him. You're just way more Jessica Rabbit about it recently."

"Does that mean you think I should dye my hair red?"

"Don't change the subject."

"There is no subject. You've gone crazy. There's nothing going on."

"Would you tell me if there was?"

"Yes." Lorelai nodded. "Now promise me you'll say no next time they offer you the pipe. Knew I shouldn't have let you go to Washington."

Rolling her eyes, Rory shook her head, picking up two mugs from the cupboard.

Walking in the Independence kitchen Monday morning, Lorelai waved at Sookie, grabbing a mug. "Coffee?"

"Fresh pot."

"You are the greatest person ever." She grinned, filling her mug. "Good weekend?"

"Yeah. Did you and Rory have fun?"

"A lot of movies, junk food…the usual. It's so good to have her back." Lorelai sipped from the coffee, rolling her eyes, amused. "Oh, Rory thinks there's something going on between me and Luke."

"Is there?"

"What? You too?"

"Sweetie, you two have always been dancing around each other. Now you're single, he's single, you've both been like that for a while…" Seeing Lorelai's glare, Sookie lifted her arms in the air. "I'm just saying."

"God, I think the only other person who would find this ridiculous is Luke."

"Would he?" The other woman pointed out, picking up a couple of peaches. "What about peach cobbler for dessert? I think it would go really well with the rest of the menu."

"Sure." Lorelai answered absentmindedly. "You don't think he would?"

"Lorelai, he likes you. Everyone in town can tell you that. I've told you that before but you just won't listen."

"Luke doesn't like me. He tolerates me. Sort of." She looked down at her coffee mug.

"You're happy that he likes you." Sookie pointed out.

"I think my mother said that to me once. She was wrong as well."

"Fine, I'm wrong, your mother's wrong, Rory's wrong…" She smiled knowingly and Lorelai sighed.

"You are."

"Everyone is wrong but you?"

"Yes." She huffed, heading for the door.

"Would it really be so bad if you were dating Luke?" Sookie's voice stopped her and she turned around again to look at her best friend.

"What?"

"He's a really good guy that you already know you get along with. Not to mention he has a terrific butt. Why would it be such a horrible idea?"

"Because if we break up, I'd never be able to go to the diner and I'd starve to death."

Clasping her hands together, Sookie squealed.

"What now?"

"You said 'if'."

"Oh my God, suddenly I'm back in high school. I'm not even dating him and you're already thinking we're going to spend our lives together."

"Would that be so bad?" Sookie pointed out again, still grinning. "Because there aren't many men that are better than Luke."

"You've officially gone insane. I'm done with this conversation." Lorelai shook her head, heading for the door again.

"Just…think about it."

"Bye." She waved, not turning around before heading to the reception desk. "What?" She snapped, glaring at Michel.

"Nothing." The man sneered.

"Keep it that way."

Pulling back from Jess as she heard Luke's steps outside the door, Rory tried to catch her breath.

"I just…" Luke hesitated as he walked in the room, trying to find a good reason for his presence.

"Came to check up on us but you're going to make some ridiculous excuse?"

"We're out of milk." The man grumbled quickly before grabbing the carton out of the fridge. "How are you doing?"

"Just fine, uncle Luke." Jess cocked his eyebrows, smirking.

"Oh, ok. Good. That's good." He mumbled again before leaving the two alone again.

"Poor Luke." Rory giggled, resting her head on Jess' shoulder. "He's going to worry himself into a heart attack soon."

"Hey, if that's what it take for him to stop interrupting us…" Jess trailed off, kissing the top of her head as he draped his arm over her shoulder.

"By the way, I asked mom."

"What?"

"If she's dating him."

"And?"

"She said she's not, nor does she wants to be."

"You do know Santa Claus is not real, right?" He smirked, kissing her quickly as she glared at him.

"Until I get evidence to the contrary, I will believe her."

"If anyone offers you a bridge to buy…"

"Shut up and kiss me before Luke comes up here again."

"If you insist." Jess laughed before dipping in for another kiss.