That Dreaded Phone Call

"Coffee?" Finn asks Rory.

"Sure," Rory answers skeptically. "Finn?"

"Yes," Finn replies.

"How long are you going to work here for?" Rory asks Finn.

"Don't know," Finn replies. "Why?"

"It's weird," Rory explains. "You don't have enough… Luke in you."

"Yes!" LJ yells excitedly as he runs out of the diner.

"What?" Rory asks confused as she turns and looks after her son. "Yes!" Rory shouts as she runs out of the diner. "Tristan," Rory says hugging him. "What are you doing here?"

"Holden," Tristan mutters.

"Holden?" Rory questions confused.

"Yeah," Tristan answers. "Because I didn't pass her uniform motion she forced me to come here."

"Yeah," LJ says happily. "Sounds like something that she would do."

"So?" Rory questions. "What was the extent of Holden's demands?"

"Just to come to Stars Hollow," Tristan replies. "But she did say that it had to be today… no exceptions."

"I wonder why?" LJ muses out loud.

"Who knows," Rory says as she leads them into the diner. "Holden would have a good reason for this, I just know it."

"Finn, man," Tristan says surprised as he shakes Finn's hand. "What are you doing here?"

"Working," Finn replies. "You?"

"Holden forced me for reasons still unknown," Tristan explains. "Wait a minute, did you just tell me that you were working?"

"Yeah," Finn answers. "Why is it so hard for everyone to believe?"

"Because you've never worked a day in your life," Tristan replies. "And that's why we loved you."

"I have to," Finn argues. "Why does everyone seem to forget that I am a successful actor?"

"Because acting isn't a job," LJ answers.

"I'm with the boy," Tristan agrees.

"If no one's going to order anything," Finn huffs. "Then I'm getting back to work."

"He's so serious," Tristan says amused as Finn leaves.

"Yeah," Rory agrees. "He loves this job."

"It's weird right?" Tristan asks Rory.

"Definitely weird," Rory answers. "How do you know Finn anyway?"

"Society parties mainly," Tristan replies. "He and his friends always had their sub parties."

"And they let you join?" Rory asks confused.

"I was younger than them, true," Tristan explains. "But I had a craft for swiping the booze, so they let me in."

"Wow!" LJ says excitedly. "Can we go to one of these society parties mom?"

"No Lucas," Rory answers.

"Trust me," Tristan tells LJ. "You don't want to go."

"Hey," Jess says coming into the diner and kissing Rory. "LJ you should be outside."

"But you guys are inside," LJ whines.

"The sun is shining," Jess tells LJ. "Now go play with you aunt Em."

"What are they doing anyway?" Rory asks looking out the window at the town square.

"Chase," Jess replies as he sits down. "I just spent a good 15 minutes explaining to them why it wasn't a good idea to play kiss chasey… the day they all realize that they are blood related, we're going to have hell."

"They don't know?" Tristan asks confused.

"They've just never thought about it," Jess answers. "LJ," Jess warns.

"I'm going," LJ says as he reluctantly stands up. "I don't see-"

"Vitamin D," Jess cuts him off. "You're looking a little pale."

"Fine," LJ huffs as he leaves the diner.

"Why'd you kick him out?" Rory asks confused.

"He's moping," Jess answers.

"He just misses Holden," Rory replies.

"Well so do I," Jess says like a five year old.

"Where is Holden anyway?" Tristan asks. "I need to know how long I am to stay in the Hollow."

"Hartford," Jess answers sadly.

"Relax," Rory says to Jess. "She's just shopping."

"Alone," Jess mumbles.

"Anyway Tristan," Rory says leaving Jess to mope alone. "This is Jess my fiancé, Jess this is Tristan LJ's godfather."

"Nice to meet you," Tristan says shaking Jess' hand. "Fine daughter you have too."

"Thanks," Jess mutters.

"Don't mind him," Rory tells Tristan. "He just suffers from separation anxiety."

"Its fine," Tristan says looking out the window. "Hey who's the girl that just tackled LJ to the ground… is that Laura Anderson?"

"Yeah," Rory replies. "And get this, Laura is Finn's daughter."

"Whoa!" Tristan says. "I did not see that one coming… Finn has a daughter?"

"Weird right," Rory replies. "But not as bad as-"

"You've got to be kidding me," Jess says as he gets up and rushes out of the diner.

"What?" Tristan asks confused as he turns to look out the window. "Is that-"

"Dean," Rory answers as she rushes after Jess followed closely. "Jess calm down," Rory tells him as she grabs his hand.

"No let him go," Dean says. "He told my son that he should change his name to Jess."

"We were just mucking around Dean," Rory explains.

"Hey bagboy," Tristan says happily.

"Stay out of this Dristan," Dean retorts.

"Wow!" Tristan mocks. "A good twenty or so years and you still can't think of a proper nickname for me?"

"Shut up!" Dean retorts.

"Tristan go inside," Rory pleads him.

"Why?" Tristan asks. "I don't want to miss all the fun."

"I'll call you if I need you," Rory tells Tristan and he leaves.

"Why did you name your son Rory?" Rory asks Dean.

"I like the name," Dean answers.

"But you named your son after your ex-girlfriend," Jess explains angrily. "That's just not right."

"Oh, I see," Dean replies sarcastically. "And what is Rory's son's name?"

"LJ," Rory answers.

"And how much money do you want to bet that the J part of LJ stands for Jess," Dean says.

"Yeah," Jess replies. "But Rory and I are together."

"You weren't when she named her son," Dean explains.

"This is a totally different situation," Jess replies.

"Jess," Rory says. "He has a point."

"What?" Jess asks Rory confused.

"Well I did name my son after you even know we weren't going out," Rory explains. "Dean just did the same thing. Albeit that he named his son after me and not his daughter… you must see the similarities between what we both did."

"This is… I… you know what fine," Jess says angrily as he heads back into the diner.

"Don't mind him," Rory tells Dean. "He's not himself at the moment."

"Its fine," Dean replies. "So you don't have a problem with what I named my son… that's good."

"Oh no," Rory says. "I have a problem, I have a very big problem with it, but unlike Jess I know that I cannot do anything to change it."

"Oh," Dean replies sadly.

"You're so stupid Dean, Rory really, what there were no other baby names?" Rory says to Dean and then heads towards the diner. "Stay out of the diner."

"Come here," Jess says as he pulls her into a hug. "He's… He's just deranged."

"Sure," Rory says as she lets out a small laugh.

"Do you want me to get Finn to get you some coffee," Jess asks Rory as she sits down.

"No," Rory replies and Jess looks at her confused. "Can you make it… you make it better."

"Sure," Jess answers.

"How are you doing?" Tristan asks Rory as he sits down next to her.

"Fine," Rory replies. "Does he just have to sit out there?" Rory asks Tristan motioning to Dean who is now sitting on a bench across from the diner.

"Maybe he wants forgiveness," Tristan answers. "Maybe he was drunk when he named his child."

"Well I don't really care to find out," Rory replies.

"What are you doing?" Finn asks Jess.

"Making coffee," Jess answers confused.

"You don't work here," Finn says. "Now get out from behind the counter."

"No," Jess says defiantly. "I have as much right as you to be behind this counter, maybe even more."

"If a sack of potatoes falls-" Finn starts but Jess interrupts him.

"Relax," Jess tells him as he pours Rory's cup of coffee. "I'm aware of the random sacks of potatoes. Oh look at that all finished."

Jess grabs Rory's coffee and heads back to the table.

"Don't do it again," Finn warns.

"Jeez," Jess says sitting down and handing Rory her coffee. "Stupid Finn… why's he working here anyway it's not like he needs the money."

"Who knows," Rory replies.

"Why's Dean still here?" Jess asks angrily.

"No one knows," Rory answers. "Let's just ignore him," Rory suggests just as the kids come into the dinner.

"Fine," Jess replies.

"Hey," Lorelai says also coming into the diner. "Where's Holden, Jess?"

"Hartford," Jess answers. "Why?"

"She was supposed to do my reading today at four," Lorelai explains.

"Reading?" Jess asks confused.

"Yeah," Lorelai replies excitedly. "Like that suicidal guy in Philadelphia... it's going to be so much fun."

"Okay," Jess says. "I'm following you now… what time is it anyway?"

"4:30," Lorelai answers impatiently.

"She shouldn't be far," Rory replies. "There was probably some suicidal guy in Hartford that she just had to help."

"Hello?" Jess answers his phone. His face falls and he drops his phone.

"Or maybe she got enlisted into the CIA or FBI," Lorelai says excitedly. "She would be so useful to them."

"Jess, what is it?" Rory asks concerned, but he doesn't move. "Hello?" Rory says picking up Jess' phone, by now all eyes in the diner were on her. "Yes… What?... Are you sure?... What hospital?..."