Lorelai and Lauren are standing together at the check out line in Doose's Market. It's a long line so Lorelai is looking through magazine and crossword puzzles while Lauren stand there looking really bored as she hold their basket.
"I hate crossword puzzles." Lorelai tells her. "They make me feel stupid."
"Then don't do them."
"If you don't, you're not only stupid you're also a coward."
Lauren rolls her eyes. "Or you have better things to do."
"You think people will buy that?" Lorelai wonders.
"The people who line up on a daily basis and ask if you do crossword puzzles and then when you say no, challenge you as to why?" Lauren laughs. "Yes, I think they will buy it."
Lorelai smiles. "Look, new bag boy." Lorelai notices another guy that isn't Dean.
"Yeah. That's Marty. Rory said he's subbing for Dean while he's out of town." Lauren tells her as she starts unloading their basket.
Marty is tossing the jars up in the air, doing fancy tricks before he bags them. "Wow. Marty does the jar twirl before putting the salsa in the bag. Impressive. Very cocktail."
"He looks like a nice guy."
"Marty's an ambitious snake in the grass."
Lauren looks confused. "What?"
"The jar twirl. The double bagging. The 'Have a nice day, ma'am,' after every customer. That guy has got an agenda." Lorelai explains.
"Which is?"
"He's out to take Dean's job."
Lauren laughs. "I doubt it."
"Yes, he is. I'm telling you. He wants that positio. Dean better hurry from his grandmother's or he can kiss his job goodbye."
"As funny as that would be, I doubt they will fire Dean."
"Why not?" Lorelai asks.
"Because last week someone stole Taylor's ladder, and Dean's the only one who can reach the top shelves." Lauren tells her.
Lorelai smirks. "Huh. Interesting."
"What is?"
"Just as Marty, a.k.a. Eve Harrington, shows up trying to take Dean's job, Taylor's ladder mysteriously disappears suddenly making Dean invaluable no matter what fancy tricks Lon Chaney Jr. over there pulls. Good thinking, Dean. Smart thinking, my friend." Lauren glares up at her mom. "What?"
"I think you need to start napping in the afternoons."
"Hey, Taylor." Lorelai says when they reach the front. "Pulling a double duty today?"
"I like to fill behind the register every now and then." Taylor tells her. "It keeps me in contact with the clientele. Also, it allows me to keep an eye on the 'Take a Penny' pot here, make sure people aren't pocketing the pennies for their personal gain-" Lorelai and Lauren glance at each other. "-but are legitamately using them to make exact change."
Lauren looks at a flyer. "Oh, cool. Mom, lool." Lauren shows her.
"Oh, yeah." Lorelai says. "Movie in the Square night again. Great."
"We'll be there." Lauren assures Taylor.
"Oh, excellent." Taylor hands Lorelai her receipt. "There you are."
"What's the movie this year?" Lorelai asks, curiously.
"Something really great." Taylor says with a nervous smile.
"Really? What?"
"A real winner."
"What's it called?"
"Well, show up and be surprised."
"Why don't you tell me what it is?" Lorelai grins.
"No."
Lorelai frowns. "Why not?"
"Because."
"Because why? What is the-" Lorelai stops when she figures out what it is. "Oh, no." She says, glaring at the man.
"There is a line behind you." Taylor tells her.
"You chose The Yearling again?"
"It is a fine, wholesome motion picture. Moving story. Lovely scenes of nature." Taylor explains.
"You've shown The Yearling the last three years in a row." Lorelai complains.
"You know something, I'm getting a little tired of hearing you complain about this every single year."
"I'm tired, too. Pick another movie."
"A lot of hard work and careful planning go into those nights. You never help plan." Taylor reminds her. "You never volunteer. You have never once been a ticket ripper, as long as I have been involved in that function." Lauren looks at her mom, knowing it's true, while Lorelai looks embarrassed. "Personally, missy, if you can't participate with a smile and a hug then you shouldn't participate at all."
"I shouldn't, but I am. Pick another movie."
"No."
"Taylor, there's millions of great movies out there. Any one would be better than The Yearling for the fourth time."
"Fine! You do it!" Taylor yells, giving up.
"What?"
"You pick the movie!"
"Seriously?"
"I've had it. You have such strong opinions about everything, you go out and try to find a movie that everybody will enjoy. It's all yours. I relinquish my movie picking crown to you!" Taylor walks away leaving Lauren and Lorelai stunned.
"He relinquished his crown." Lorelai says.
"I heard." Lauren smiles.
"I got his crown!"
"And it looks great on you."
Lorelai grabs their bag. "Cool! This is gonna be fun. Let's go home and make popcorn and pick which move we want."
"I get to help?" Lauren asks.
"Of course."
"And can I borrow the crown?"
"I don't know, honey. We'll have to see." She says as they walk out of the market.
Lorelai is sitting on Rory's bed going through a list of movie choices to show for movie night in the square while Rory gets ready for school.
"Wizard of Oz." Lorelai says.
"The Sting."
"Rocky."
"Crimes and Misdemeanors."
"The Singing Detective."
"That's a miniseries." Rory tells her.
"So?"
"It's like six hours long."
"Good point. I got it. Arthur!"
"Yes." Rory agrees.
"Or Sophie's Choice."
"Very similar."
"Man, I can't choose." Lorelai sighs. "There's too many great movies. The burden is overwhelming. I'm sinking under the pressure. My grasps on reality is slipping. I can't do it, I just can't- How about Cabin Boy?"
The phone rings. "Will you get that?" Rory asks as she does her hair.
"No."
"Why not?"
"Time."
Rory looks at her clock. "6:45."
"On?"
"Wednesday."
"Oh!" Rory runs to the phone, but Lauren has already beat her to it.
"Hello?" She answers, out of breath from running down the stairs.
"Hey, kiddo!" Christopher says.
Lauren freezes, realizing what she just did. She looks at Rory. "Hi." She says, again.
Lorelai watches from Rory's doorway at her daughters. Rory is forcing the phone onto Lauren's ear. "What's going on?" Christopher asks.
"Just getting ready for school and trying to think of movie." Lauren tells him. "What's going on with you?" She still wasn't happy with her dad from his last visit with his girlfriend and Christopher could sense that talking to him was very weird for her right now because of it.
"Well, I am just getting ready for work. Movies for what?"
Lauren tries to get out of Rory's death grip. "Our town does this big movie festival outdoors and this year Mom gets to pick the movie."
"Oh, yeah? How'd she get that gig?"
"She ticked off the guy who usually does it and he quit."
Christopher laughs. "Sounds about right."
"Hey. Uh. Rory's right here and she's begging to talk to you, so here you go." Lauren says, quickly, and hands Rory the phone.
Rory sighs and rolls her eyes, grabbing the phone. "Hey, Dad." Rory says.
"Hey. Lauren pretty much told me what's happening there, but how are things with you?" Christopher asks.
"Things are good. How are thing there? How's Sherry?" Rory asks.
"Oh, nothing much is going on here. Same old, same old." Rory walks back into her room where Lorelai and Lauren are looking through Lorelai's lists of movies. Rory mouths to her mom to talk, but she shakes her head. "Listen, I've got to cut this talk short, but I sent you an e-mail, so read it. And add an extra forty minutes onto my tab for next week's call. Deal?"
"Deal."
"Okay. Tell Lauren I love her. I'll talk to you guys on Wednesday. Bye, sweetie."
"Bye, Dad." Rory hangs up. "Dad says he loves you."
Lauren rolls her eyes, playfully. "Who doesn't?
Rory picks the phone up and walks back into her room. "So, are you going to tell me what you two are fighting about?" Rory asks her mom.
"We're not fighting." Lorelai shrugs.
"What you're not fighting about that keeps you from talking to each other ever again?"
Lorelai looks back at her list. "How about Desperately Seeking Susan?"
"How about My Mother is Two?" Rory says, sarcastically.
"Hey. I never saw that one. Angie Dickinson?" Lauren asks, completely serious.
Lorelai laughs, lightly, wrapping her oblivious daughter under her arm. "You're impossible." Rory complains.
"You're right. You're Impossible was the one with Angie Dickinson." Lorelai tells her.
"Fine." Rory sighs. "Forget it. I give. Stay in a fight. I don't care. I'm late for school. We'll finish this later." Rory grabs her bag and walks out.
"After school, Luke's?" Lorelai calls out.
"I'll be there!"
"Bye, hon."
"Bye."
At Stars Hollow High, Lane's call is taking a test.
"Fifteen minutes left." The teacher announces.
She turns to face the board, and Jess sneaks into the room, very quietly, and sits behind Lane. "Lane." He whispers. "Lane."
"Sh!" Lane hushes him.
"I need a pencil."
"I don't have one."
"Then I need a pen."
"You only have fifteen minutes left."
"Then I need the answers." Jess jokes.
"There's a pen in my bag."
"I can't go through your bag."
"Yes, you can."
"My mother told me never to go through a lady's bag, at least not until you're a couple blocks away. Just kidding. She never said that. Though, it sounds like good advice, doesn't it?"
Lane exhales out. She grabs a pen from her bag and hands it to Jess. "Take it and shut up."
"Boy, I tell you, it's true, small towns sure are friendly." He sits back in his desk and takes out a book from his back pocket. The teacher notices Jess and shakes her head, knowing he just sneaked in.
Luke knocks on the principal's office later that day.
"Come in." The principal calls out.
Luke walks in and closes the door behind him. "I got a call you wanted to see me." He tells the principal. "I'm Luke Danes. Jess Mariano's uncle."
"Jess Mariano? Yes. Come in."
"So, is everything okay?" Luke asks as he takes a seat. "I didn't see any cop cars or fire trucks out front so-what's he done?"
"Why do you think he's done something?"
"Oh, I don't know. You're staring at a folder that's looking a little thick there." Luke tells him. "I get a call to come over and talk to you. So, why don't you just tell me what he's done?"
"Nothing." The principal says, simply.
Luke looks confused. "Nothing?"
"No homework. No class participation. His attendance record is erratic at best." Luke sighs as he continues listening. "His attitude to his teachers ranges from indifferent to hostile. He shows no interest in activities or other students and there is the isse of the disappearing baseballs."
"The what?"
"Every baseball on campus seems to have disappeared."
"You don't think Jess seriously-" The principal gives Luke a serious look. "I'll check when I get home." Luke says, knowing it was possible that Jess took them.
"I appreciate that. Now, I don't suspect we'll solve every problem in one meeting so let's focus on the most important one: his grades."
"Not good?" Luke asks.
"Not good."
"Well, I'll have a talk with him about that."
"You have to do more than talk. You're gonna have to help him."
"Me?" Luke questions. "Oh, no. I'm not the one you want helping him. I went to this school. I'm sure there's a note stuffed in there about me with the words 'Trade School' stamped in big letters."
"If you can't help him, you have to find someone who can."
"Like who?"
"A relative?" The principal suggests.
"I don't think so. Believe me, I'm the Einstein of the clan."
"Then maybe you need to hire a tutor."
"A tutor?" Luke groans. "Oh, geez."
"Mr. Danes, Jess is flunking out. He's not going to make it." The principal say, sternly. "Now, if something is not done about that right now, he's going to repeat this year. I'm sorry, but that's where we are."
"Okay. If that's where were are then I'll just have to figure something out."
"Good. And let's not forget about those baseballs."
"Right." Luke says, as he walks to the door.
"Been using tennis balls for a couple of weeks."
"Wow."
"Very different results."
"I'm sure it is." Luke walks out.
Lorelai and her girls are eating pie, at Luke's, and still trying to find a movie for movie night.
"If we take off Fletch and Urban Cowboy we still have 75 possibilities." Lorelai tells them.
"How are we gonna pick just one?" Rory asks.
"I don't know. Maybe we should do a movie marathon weekend. You know, just show one movie after the other for three days and charge a fortune, gouge them on bottled water, have really disgusting bathrooms. It'll be like our own Woodstock."
Rory and Lauren laugh. Taylor walks into the diner and goes over to them, holding a binder. "Oh! Good!" He says, happily. "There you are. I have something for you."
"What?"
"This." Taylor drops the binder in front of Lauren.
"Geez." Lauren jumps.
"Now, when you get through this and make your decision the number of the man you need to contact is on the first page." Taylor explains to Lorelai.
"What man?" Lorelai asks. "What is this?"
"That is the list of titles that are available for you to pick from for the movie night."
Lorelai looks confused. "The list of titles? I'm sorry, can't we pick our own movie?"
"You're not serious?" Taylor grimaces.
"Not often, but just there, I had some serious going."
"My dear girl, movies are expensive and we get fabulous deals with this particular place. They have a wide selection and they're very friendly and since it all goes to charity they agree to give us anything on that list for free." Taylor explains.
"So, we have to pick a movie off this list?"
"It's fun." Taylor opens the binder. "They put the moie title over here and a brief description of the story line over here. And believe me, there are some excellent movies on that list. Really."
"Arctic Flight." She reads. "Man with plane flies charter to Alaska, hired by bear hunter who turns out to be a Russian spy. Love story develops with pilot and schoolteachers. Eskimos do tribal dance. You made this up." Lorelai smiles at Taylor.
"Don't I wish! Okay. I can't wait to see what you come up with. Bye, girls." Taylor walks out.
"Killer shark." Lauren reads. "Shark fisherman on ocean. Mexican cantine with tequila and mariachi music. Has good scene of catching and cleaning shark."
"Where Are Your Children?" Rory reads. "Hip music and singing about kids getting in trouble, sneaking booze into clubs, sneaking cars, fight between girls. Romance starts, then guy goes in the navy."
"Taylor cannot be serious." Lauren says.
Rory is just getting home from school and walks into the kitchen where Lorelai is still reading through the binder of movies.
"Marshmallow?" Lorelai offers, holding up the bag of marshmallows to Rory.
Rory gladly takes one. "Thank you." She walks over to the stove and turns the fire on to roast it.
"Okay! I have no finished going through every single one of these movies. I've read them, reviewed their merits, and I'm proud to announce that I have chosen our movie." Lorelai slams the binder shut. "How does The Yearling sound to you?"
"Perfect."
"And bye-bye." Lorelai tosses the binder on the floor. There's a knock at the door. "That must be Pauline Kael rising from the dead." Lorelai says as she goes to answer it.
"Tell her, hey." Rory walks into her room.
Lorelai opens the door where Luke is standing holding a box. "Pauline!"
Luke looks confused. "What?"
"Never mind. What are you doing here?"
Luke follows Lorelai inside. "I made some brownies. I thought you might like some."
"Oh, thanks. Since I just ate a half bag of marshmallows, six pop tarts, four bagel dogs, and really stale cheese nip, yep, it's brownie time. Thanks." Lorelai happily takes the box from Luke and they walk to the kitchen. "Hey. Here's a question for you."
"Yeah?"
"Well, you probably have a diner full of people who'd love these brownies. Plus, I bet they'd pay you for them."
"Well, I accidentally dropped triple the amount of cocoa powder in the batter, so I either had to dump the batch or find someone with some sort of superhuman chocolate tolerance. Only one name came to mind." Luke explains.
Lorelai smiles, gratefully. "I love being special." Luke looks around. "What?"
"Nothing. I just-hey, is Rory here, by any chance?" Luke asks.
"Yeah. She's in her room."
"Can I talk to her for a sec?"
"Sure. Go right ahead."
"Thanks." Luke knocks on Rory's door. "Rory, it's Luke. Can I come in for a minute?" He asks, turning around and smiling at Lorelai, who gives him an awkward smile back.
Rory opens her door. "What's up?"
"Not much. Can I-" Luke gestures to her room.
"Uh. Yeah. Come on in." Luke walks in. Rory looks at Lorelai who just shrugs.
"So, I see you're studying. That's good. Studying is very, very good. What you're doing right there with the books, very good." Luke tels her.
"Thank you."
"Okay." Luke exhales, loudly. "I wanted to ask you a favor. I was wondering if you could tutor Jess."
"What?"
"He's not doing well in school. The principal says he's not gonna move on unless something changes. I was wondering if you could help."
"That doesn't make any sense. He's smart enough to pass any subject." Rory says.
"I don't think it's his lack of smarts. More like his lack of proximity to the actual classes that's the problem."
Rory nods, understanding. "Okay." She agrees. "What subject does he need help in?"
"I'd say all of them, probably."
"Huh."
"Look, I don't expect you to work miracles and it doesn't have to be a full-time everyday thing. If you could get him through a couple of his next tests, maybe make the school see that he can do it, that would probably help out a lot."
"Sure."
"Great. Tonight?" Luke asks.
"Tonight."
"I really appreciate this. Okay. You should get back to your studying. Otherwise, you're completely useless to me." Luke walks out of Rory's room. "Okay. I'll see you guys at dinner, probably."
Lorelai follows him to the front door. "Wait. Hold on. What was that all about?"
"Oh, Rory's gonna tutor Jess." Luke tells her.
"She is?"
"Yeah. Just for a little while. Help him get on the right track."
"Wow."
"Okay. I should be getting back. Enjoy the brownies. I'll see if I can screw up a cake for you later on." Luke jokes as he walks out.
Lorelai laughs, still confused, so she follows him outside. "Hey, Luke, hang on a sec." Luke turns back around. "Listen, about Rory doing this tutoring thing."
"I really appreciate it, by the way." Luke says, sincerely.
"I know you do. I just- Rory's so sweet and she would never say no cause she loves to help, but I'm not sure if it's the best idea."
"Why?"
"Well, she's got her own studies to worry about. And she will actually be helping Lauren catch up on her math, so I'm not sure if she'll have the time." Lorelai explains.
"I know. I promise this won't take up all her time. It's for a little while. She could do a double tutoring thing. Have Lauren and Jess together."
"Okay, but-"
"Rory's pretty serious about school." Luke continues. "I don't think she wouldn't say she had the time if she didn't."
"I know. Rory is a great student, but she's just a kid." Lorelai reminds him. "Don't you need a professional tutor to help Jess? You know, somebody with a degree, a pipe, and one of those coats with elbow patches on it?"
"I need someone Jess is gonna listen to. Someone he's gonna, I don't know, look up to. You want Lauren to look up to Rory, don't you?"
Lorelai shrugs. "Of course I do."
"Well, Jess sure won't look up to me, and it sure isn't some tutor. He likes Rory, and Rory's on the path I'd like to see Jess on: school and college. He needs to see somebody he respects doing what he should be doing." Luke explains. "And Rory's the only one I can think of who fits that description."
"Yeah, but you don't know that he'll listen to Rory."
"But I gotta do something, don't I?"
"Okay. Just make sure it's not too much time, okay?"
"I will." Luke promises.
"Okay."
Lauren runs up. "Hey." She says, smiling at them both.
"Hey, kid." Lorelai kisses her daughter on her head.
"Hey, Lauren. Enjoy the brownies." Luke smiles as he walks away.
"Oh!" Lauren grabs part of the brownie from Lorelai and put it in her mouth. She closes her eyes, tasting all the sugar. "Oh, my gosh. That's good!" She grabs the rest of the brownie and runs into the house.
Lorelai, Rory, and Lauren are eating dinner, at Luke's, when Kirk walks up to them, holding a tape in his hands.
"Oh, Lorelai, good. I need one minute of your time." Kirk tells her.
"I'll give you two because you scare me."
"I hear through the grapevine that you are in charge of selecting the movie for the movie night."
Lorelai grins, proudly. "Yes, yes, I am."
"Okay. Well, I don't know if you know this about me, but I have great creative ambitions."
"I did not know that about you, Kirk."
"It's true. Don't get me wrong. I love the blue-collar work. I enjoy the plight of every man." Lorelai nods, pretending to understand whatever he is saying. "But as much as the mailed letter delivered and the D.S.L. line installed, and the latest flick rented fills me with deep sense of pride in my soul, I am Akira Kurosawa."
"Seven Samurai. Great movie."
"Excuse me?"
"Seven Samurai." Lorelai repeats.
"I'm sorry, I don't-"
"Akira Kurosawa directed Seven Samurai. It's a great Japanese movie."
"Japanese movie? No, I'm sorry, I have the wrong person. Who's the guy who directed The Facts of Life?"
"I don't-"
"Asaad Kelada. Sorry. In my soul, I know I am Asaad Kelada." Kirk tells her as the girls glance at each other.
"What do you need?" Lorelai asks.
"I've made a short film that I've been working on for five years. If I rush, I can have it done by Thursday. I'm very proud of it. And I was wondering if you would screen it before the movie tomorrow. It would mean a great deal to my career."
"Well, uh, what kind of movie is it?"
"You mean, is it 'blue?' No. Perfectly PG. It's not exactly Babe. But Lauren here can definitely watch it. It's more like Babe 2."
"Yeah, I don't think I want to." Lauren whispers.
"Got it." Lorelai tells Kirk. "I want to help you, but let me think about it, and I'll get back to you."
Kirk hands her the tape. "Here's a copy of the flim. Take a look and call me. And remember, I can edit out two of the hells, but I need to keep all the damns. It's a street-cred thing."
"Bye, Kirk." Kirk walks out. "At least now I have something to do tonight." Lorelai smiles.
"You're not watching that without us." Rory tells her.
"Okay. I'll wait. So, Lauren, you have your books?"
Lauren nods. "I have everything."
"Do you both want some more pie before the big studying?"
"No. I'm full." Rory tells her.
"How about some more coffee?"
"I'm good."
"Hot chocolate?" Lorelai asks Lauren.
"No, thanks." Lauren says, giving her mom a weird look.
"Egg cream? Now, I never had an egg cream, but it sounds just disgusting enough to be fabulous."
"Lauren and I are just going to study and I'm going to help Jess." Rory promises.
Lorelai sighs. "I know."
"And we'll be right here doing it."
"I know."
"So, all this stalling is completely unnecessary."
"I know."
"So, go." Lauren tells her.
"I will." Lorelai slowly picks up her coffee. "Just finishing up the coffee that I paid for." Rory looks annoyed. "Alright, that's enough. I'm going." Lorelai kisses Lauren and Rory on their heads. "Bye."
"Oh, Mom?" Rory asks.
"Yeah?"
"Listen, just in case, and I don't think he will, but if Dean calls, will you tell him I'm with Lane?"
"I thought you said this was nothing."
"It is."
"That you guys were just studying."
"We are."
"Then how come I have to lie to Dean?"
"Well, you know that it's not gonna be okay with Dean if I'm studying with Jess." Rory tells her.
"Then maybe you shouldn't, if you feel weird enough that I have to lie. You and Lauren just come back home with me and you can help Lauren there." Lorelai suggests.
"I'm not asking you to lie."
"You told me to say that you're with Lane." Lorelai tells her. "I don't see Lane here. Sounds like a lie."
"Fine. Forget it. Just don't answer the phone."
"Hello, I get calls, too. I'm not whatever happened to Baby Jane."
Lauren rolls her eyes. "Mom, just tell him that Rory is studying with me, which is what we are doing. I want to get this over with."
Jess walks out and smiles over at them. "Hey, teach." He says to Rory.
"Hey." Rory says.
"You guys done yet?"
"Just not yet." Lorelai tells him with an attitude.
"Okay. Well, I'll be right over there when you are." Jess points behind him. "Just can't wait for that learning to begin. Hey, are we gonna do some of those Schoolhouse Rock songs?"
"I'll be right there." Rory tells him.
"They say if you make learning fun-"
"Give us a minute, okay?" Lorelai asks, getting annoyed.
"Hurry. A mind is a terrble thing to waste. Right, Lauren?" Jess smiles as he walks behind the counter.
"We'll be home early." Rory promises Lorelai.
"Fine. Bye, Jess." Lorelai frowns.
"Ma'am." He nods.
Lorelai glares at him and walks out. "Get your assignments out. I'll be right back." Rory tells Lauren before she walks over to Jess. "So, are you ready to start?"
"Yes, I am."
"Where are your books?"
"I don't know."
"How are we going to study?"
"I guess we can't. Too bad. So, what now? Movie?"
"Get your books." Rory says, sternly.
"The cat ate them."
"Get your books or we're going home." Rory walks back to her table as Jess runs upstairs.
An hour into their studying, Jess was already bored.
"Rory, can we just forget about this? I'm never going to understand it. The teacher hates me anyway." Lauren complains.
Rory rolls her eyes at her sister's stubbornness. "Yeah, with that attitude, of course you're never going to understand it. Just try to do this last problem while I help Jess." Lauren sighs and does as she's told while Rory turns to Jess. "Explain to me the political ramifications of the Marshall Plan."
Jess picks up a deck of cards and spreads them out in his hand. "Pick a card." Rory grabs the cards and throws them on the floor. "Huh. That just make the trick a little big harder."
"Jess, focus."
"Where's Dean tonight?" Jess asks, curiously.
"We just went over this." Rory says, talking about the question she had just asked him. "There's no way you forgot."
"Work?" Jess continues.
"I will make you write it out fifty times on the specials board." Rory tells him, still ignoring his question about Dean.
"If he's not at work, he must be free. He doesn't care that you're here?"
"He's visiting his grandmother." Lauren interrupts. She was getting annoyed that she had to do work while they just talked. "I'm tired of doing this, Rory. I don't understand it."
Jess ignores Lauren's and continues on about Dean. "Where?" He asks Rory.
"Chicago." Rory tells him.
"He doesn't know?"
"It wouldn't matter."
"You'll tell him?" Jess asks.
"We're studying."
"You're studying, I'm prying."
"Jess, why won't you at least try to remember the Marshall Plan?"
"Have you ever read Please Kill Me? Oral history of the punk movement. You'd like it. You can borrow it, if you want."
"I'm here to help you study. If you want me to go, I'll go."
Lauren slams her book closed. "Please." She begs.
"But-" Rory glares at her sister. "-if you want to me stay then you have to stop distracting me and start paying attention, understand?" She asks Jess. "I'm not just here to help you. I have to help Lauren, too, and you're not making that easy on either of us."
"I understand." Jess says.
"Good. And yes, I would like to borrow it. Thank you very much." Jess grins. "Now, open your book."
Jess watches as Rory turns back to the books while he pretends to read. Lauren watches them both with a small smile. How long were they going to act like nothing was going on between them, she wondered.
Another hour passes and they were all still studying. Jess is writing something in a notebook.
"Done." He says, showing Rory.
Rory grabs it and, scowls as she reads it. "This isn't Shakespeare."
"It's not?" Jess questions.
"It's the word to a Clash song."
"Yeah, but which Clash song?"
Lauren looks over at the notebook. "I'm not the one being tested." Rory reminds him.
Jess looks at his watch. "Ten seconds."
"Jess."
"Hurry, Rory." Lauren says, quickly, playing along.
"Nine, eight, seven-" Jess counts down.
"Stop it." Rory scolds.
"Six, Five, Four-"
"You're really starting to-"
"Three-"
"Oh! Guns of Brixton!" Rory answers, happily.
"A plus." Jess smirks.
"That was intense." Lauren says, as she sits back in her chair.
Rory laughs. "Why would you even agree to this studying thing in the first place?"
"Cause Luke said I had to." Jess tells her.
"You've never done anything because someone said so."
"I moved here because someone said I had to."
"Very different." Rory turns to Lauren. "Did you get that answer yet?"
Lauren shakes her head. "I quit."
"Eight." Jess answers for her.
Rory gasps. "Jess, don't tell her the answer. That's not going to help her."
"What? She's having a hard time. Let's get the kid out of here."
"What?" Both girls say.
"I'm sick of studying. I know Lauren is sick of studying."
"Very." Lauren agrees.
"How can you be sick of studying?" Rory asks Jess. "You haven't done any studying. You've done card tricks, you've made coffee, you've tried to explain to me how on earth Coldplay could be considered an alternative band, but as of yet, no studying." During Rory's rant Jess had already walked to the door.
"That's your car" He asks.
"Yes, it is."
"Okay. I'll tell you what, let's go get some ice cream, when we get back I'll study."
"This is a diner. There's ice cream here."
"Yes, but we don't have cones."
"Cones."
"I need cones."
"Okay, so if we go get ice cream-"
"In cones."
"Then you'll be a perfect student for the rest of the night?" Rory asks.
"That's right."
"Please, Rory?" Lauren begs as she packs up her things.
"I could not believe you less." Rory smiles at Jess. "Here." She gives Jess her car keys. "You drive. I'll read you Othello. Won't that be fun?"
"You have no idea how much." Jess says, sarcastically as he and Lauren hurry out of the diner.
Rory, Jess, and Lauren are heading back to the diner while they are licking their ice cream cones.
"Admit it. It's always better in cones." Jess tells them.
"It is always better in cones." Lauren agrees from the backseat.
"Putting ice cream in a dish? Eating it with a spoon?"
"What is wrong with people?" Rory smiles.
"Hold the wheel." Jess tells her as he bites the bottom of his cone.
"What?"
"I'm dripping. Hold the wheel."
I can't. You're driving." Rory tells her, slightly panicked. "The person who drives hold the wheel. That's what they teach you in driver's ed.
"Huh! I got to take that class one of these days. Take the wheel."
"Jess." Rory scolds.
"I'm letting go." Jess takes his hand off the wheel and Rory quickly grabs it.
"Stop. Take it back." Rory orders. "Okay. You are taking this wheel back, and when you do, I'm going to kill you. I'm just letting you know that."
"I appreciate the warning."
"This is so much fun." Lauren laughs.
"Right, Lauren? Who needs studying?" Jess asks, earning a glare from Rory. "What?" He laughs.
"Don't tell her that." Rory scolds. Jess grabs the wheel back. "Serious question?"
"Okay."
"You know, you're smarter than almost everybody at your school. It takes you like five minutes to finish a book. You read and remember everything. You could ace those classes easily." Rory tells him. "Why don't you? You don't need a tutor. It's crazy that they're talking about leaving you back."
"Whatever." Jess shrugs.
"You could do anything. You could be anything you wanted."
"Rory."
"Is it, like, a cool thing?"
"I could care less about being cool."
"Inform me, please."
"I'm never going to college. Why waste time in high school?"
"Why aren't you going to college?" Lauren asks.
"Please." He rolls his eyes.
"What? Why is that so crazy?" Rory asks.
"Ask my mother. She could give you a couple reasons. Oh, and I'm sure Principal Merton can chime in with a few good ones. In fact, ask your mother. She doesn't know me all that well, but I'm sure she could improvise a few things."
"Do not give me that whole 'I'm so misunderstood,' Kurt Cobain-y thing. You are way stronger than that, and I don't want to hear it. You have to go to college."
"No, you have to go to college. And you." He says, pointing to Lauren. "Math will get easier. Trust me."
Lauren shrugs. "My teachers don't like me."
Jess puts his hang out for Lauren to high-five. "Join the club."
Lauren laughs and high-fives him. "Don't you have any plans?" Rory asks, curiously.
"Yes. I plan to get out of Stars Hollow."
"And go where?"
"Wherever."
"Whenever. Wherever." Rory mocks.
"I'll live where I live, I'll work when I need money, and I'll see where I end up."
"You could do more."
Jess laughs, lightly. "Oh! Here comes the pompoms."
"No pompoms. Just me saying, 'you could do more.'"
There's an awkward silence for a little while before Jess looks at Rory. "So, Courtney, what about you?"
"What about me?" Rory laughs.
"What are your big ambitions?"
"Harvard."
"And after Harvard?"
"I'm gonna be a journalist."
"Paula Zahn?"
"Christinane Amanpour." Rory corrects him, proudly.
"An oversees correspondent?" Jess asks.
"Yes."
"You're gonna crawl around in trenches and stand on top of buildings and have bombs going off in the background and civil wars raging all around you?"
"What? You don't think I can do it?"
"No, I do. It just sounds a little too-"
"A little what?"
"Just sounds too rough for you."
"Well, it's not a little too rough for me. I hope it's not a little too rough for me." Rory says, thinking about it. "I've been talking about this forever. I mean, I don't even know what I would do if-"
"Hey." Jess interrupts. "I didn't mean to freak you out. I'm sorry. I'm sure you'll do it." He sees how nervous Rory suddenly became. "You will." He assures her. "I promise. I'll help you practice. Tomorrow, you'll stand in the middle of the street, and I'll drive right at you.-" Rory laughs. "-screaming in a foreign language."
"Well, you're gonna have to learn a foreign language first."
"Well, it's lucky I've got me a tutor, isn't it?"
Rory smiles and looks in the backseat. "We better get back. Lauren is sleeping." Jess turns around, to look at Lauren. Rory turns back to the front just in time to see an animal jump in front of the car. "Jess, watch out!" She yells.
Lorelai is rummaging through her kitchen drawers, trying to attempt to organize, when the phone rings.
"Hello." She answers.
"Mom." Rory says, calmly on the other end.
"Oh, great! Was it the China Ball, the China Doll, or the China Wall that had the really good shrimp balls?" Lauren asks, as she looks through their menus.
"I think it was the China Doll."
"Okay, these can go." She tosses the other two out. "So, you'll be so proud of me. I'm organizing the take-out drawer. I'm weeding out the dogs, and I'm putting happy face stickers on the dishes that have been successes to make our ordering more efficient. Where are you?"
Rory is sitting on a hospital bed. "I need you to be calm."
"Calm about what?"
"Calm about what I have to tell you."
Lorelai stops what she is doing, already in a slight panic. "Where are you?"
"I'm alright." Rory tells her, firstly.
"Well, of course you're alright. Why wouldn't you be alright." Lorelai tells her.
"Because we got in an accident."
"What!? What accident!? What do you mean?"
"Jess, and Lauren and I went for ice cream, and we were just driving and it was dark, and this dog or cat or possum, I don't know, it was very small and furry, it ran out in the middle of the road and Jess swerved-"
"Jess swerved!?" Lorelai interrupts. "Jess was driving?"
"Yes."
"Jess was driving, and you got in an accident?"
"But I'm fine, he's fine, Lauren I think is fine, they won't tell me anything yet. She was sleeping, and-"
That's all it took for Lorelai, to hear that her girls were in an accident and her daughters were in the hospital. "Where are you?"
"In the hospital."
Lorelai runs into the hospital and to the nurses station. "Hi, excuse me. My daughters are here. They were in a car accident." Lorelai says, trying desperately to hold her tears in. "Their names are Rory and Lauren Gilmore."
"Okay. Just take a seat." The nurse receptionist tells her.
"I don't want to take a seat."
"It'll be one minute."
"Hey. Do you remember in Terms of Endearment where Shirley MacLaine's in the hospital and freaks out when her daughter doesn't get a shot? She got that from me and she toned it down. So, once again, I'm looking for my daughters, Rory and Lauren Gilmore."
The nurse looks at the charts in front of her. "First door on your left."
"Thank you." Lorelai runs into the next hallway and into the room where Rory is sitting. The doctor is currently looking at her arm. "Rory!" She says, out of breath. "Good. Are you okay?" She asks.
"I'm fine. Please tell her I'm fine." Rory tells her doctor.
Lorelai kisses Rory numerous times on her forehead. "She's fine." The doctor smiles.
"What's with the wrapping?" Lorelai asks, seeing the doctor wrapping up Rory's arm. "There's no wrapping if she's fine."
"Her arm hit the dashboard. She sustained a minor hairline fracture to her wrist."
"So, she broke her wrist?"
"No, it's just a fracture." Rory tells her.
"Honey, let's George Clooney talk here."
"It's a tiny fracture. Nothing serious. I'll put a cast on it. She'll wear it for a couple weeks."
"A cast?"
"It barely hurts, I swear." Rory tells her.
"And that's it? Just the wrist? Everything else is fine?" Lorelai asks.
"She seems perfectly healthy." The doctor says.
"She 'seems healthy?' Did you check everything?"
"Almost all that could have been affected."
"Almost everything?"
"I assure you, we were very thorough."
"I'm sure you were, but I would like some extra thorough. Anything that could have, in any scenario, affected this body I want it checked out." Lorelai demands.
"I'll run more x-rays, if it makes you feel better."
"It will. Thanks. Now, one daughter down. Where's my other one? The nurse told me they were both in here." Lorelai says, looking more worried than ever before.
"She's actually in the next room." Rory tells her. "I pulled an Emily Gilmore, when I got off the phone with you."
Lorelai sighs. "Thank you." She kisses Rory again.
"The nurse will just take you down to x-rays." The doctor tells Rory.
"I'll just be with Lauren, okay?"
"Okay." Rory says, as she follows the nurse.
Lorelai hesitantly walks to the other room. She was afraid of what she was going to be walking into. But when she walks into the room, Lauren is awake, laying in the hospital bed. Lorelai had to hold back her tears, not wanting to scare her little girl, who looked smaller than she ever did before. Lauren looks up at the door and immediately begins to cry. "Hey, sweets." Lorelai says, softly, as she hurries to her distressed daughter. Lauren sits up and grabs Lorelai around her neck, tightly. "Hey. You're okay. I got you now. Let me see you." Lauren sits back a little, still holding onto Lorelai, though. "Does anything hurt?" Lauren shakes her head and brings herself back into Lorelai's arms.
"Miss. Gilmore?" The doctor walks in.
"Yep. That's me." Lorelai says, as she holds onto Lauren. "How is she?"
"She's lucky." He starts, as he looks at Lauren's chart. "No broken bones. But she will have a few bruises that will show up in the next few days, and she'll be sore from her seat belt. Lauren was unconscious when the paramedics got to the scene, though. She was sleeping prior to the accident which caused her to be a little shaken up when she finally woke up, and see us."
"Did you take any x-rays? Is her head okay?" Lorelai asks.
The doctor nods. "Her head is perfectly fine. We will just need you to watch her carefully over night."
Lorelai rubs her fingers through her daughter's long hair, as she holds her close. "That will not be a problem, but for me can you please take a full body x-ray? I want to make sure everything is really fine, and that you're not missing anything."
The doctor smiles, kindly, knowing Lorelai was just a worried mother. "Of course. It may take about an hour."
"That's fine. I'll wait." Lorelai looks back at Lauren. "The nice doctor is going to take a few more x-rays on you just to double check everything, okay?" Lauren looks panicked and holds Lorelai, tighter. "Hey. I will be right outside waiting for you when you get out. I promise, babe. And as soon as you get out, we'll go home, okay?" Lorelai could feel Lauren's grip loosen, and she gives her a gentle kiss on her cheek before she stands up. "I love you." She whispers before she walks out. She was relieved that nothing major happened to her girls. She starts walking to the waiting room, but she thinks again and walks out of the hospital.
Lorelai runs into Luke's diner. "Luke!"
Luke turns around, looking confused at the sudden outburst. "Hey."
"Where is he?" Lorelai asks as she looks around the diner with anger.
"Who?"
"Jess. Where's Jess, Luke?"
"I don't know. I just got back." Luke follows Lorelai up to his apartment. "What's going on?" He yells.
"Jess!" Lorelai yells.
"Hey, talk to me." Luke tells her.
"Jess, answer me right now!" Lorelai looks around the apartment, but it appears to be empty.
"What's wrong?" Luke asks, looking very confused. "What happened?"
"There was an accident." Lorelai tells him.
"What accident?"
"Jess was driving Rory's car, and he crashed it!"
"What?" Luke now panics. "When?"
"He crashed it tonight!" Lorelai yells as she walks out of the apartment. "Jess!"
"What happened?" Luke follows Lorelai. "Is anyone hurt? Hey. I'm talking to you!"
Lorelai looks around the diner again. "Where would he go?"
"I asked you if anyone was hurt."
"Uh. Was anyone hurt?" Lorelai asks. "Let's see, Rory and Lauren are in the emergency room. One with a fractured wrist, and the one covered in bruises won't speak to me because she is still freaking out! Yes, someone was hurt!"
"What about Jess? Is he hurt?" Luke asks.
"No. Jess did the hurting. That little punk nephew of yours almost killed my kids tonight."
"Look, I'm sure it was an accident. Accidents happen."
"Not with my kids in the car." Lorelai glares at Luke.
"Calm down."
"Why did you do this?" Lorelai yells.
"Why did I do what?"
"Why did you bring him here?"
"What?"
"If you hadn't brought him here, this wouldn't have happened."
"This is my fault?" Luke yells.
"Yes, it is your fault! You told him to come and let him stay. Everybody hated him, everybody knew he was trouble, but you wouldn't listen or send him home. And now my daughters are in the hospital." Luke walks out of his diner, and Lorelai follows. "You kept pushing them together! You asked her to help him study. You knew she'd never say no. I told you it made me nervous." Lorelai continues ranting as they walk down the street. "I told you I didn't like it, and I should have stopped it. But you thought Rory'd be good for Jess, never mind what he'd be to her. That wasn't important at all."
"Of course it was!"
"Why didn't you put a stop to it at the first sign of trouble? Why did you make him leave?"
"He's my nephew!" Luke reminds her. "I had an obligation. I had an obligation to care for him."
"You had an obligation to this town and to me and to Rory and Lauren. Where are you going!?"
"I have to find out where Jess is."
"Well, I'll tell you where he's not: he's not in the emergency room, having his arm plastered and getting x-rays."
Luke finally has enough and turns around, stopping Lorelai. "Hey! I am sorry about Rory and Lauren! You know I care about those girls than I do myself! But at least you know where Rory and Lauren are, and that they're okay. Now, I have to find Jess, and make sure that he's okay! And if that cuts into your screaming time, then that's too damn bad!"
"Go to hell!"
"Right back at you!" Luke walks away and Lorelai huffs and goes the other way, back to the hospital. She walks passed the tow truck, carrying Rory's car on the back of it. She couldn't hold her tears any longer. She held them in, for her daughters, but seeing the damage, that could have been much worse, was all it took for Lorelai to finally break down. Lorelai takes out her cell phone and dials a very familiar number. "Chris?"
Luke had been searching all over for Jess, in town, and then he goes to the last place he knows Jess would be. Jess is sitting on the bridge, his feet dangling over the water, while Luke approaches. "I made sure they were okay." Jess tells him.
"I know you did." Luke says as he sits down next to Jess.
Rory is laying in bed while Lorelai sets up everything that she may need on her bedside.
"Okay. You got your t.v., your books, magazines, refreshments, C.D. player, assorted . Stan Freberg. You have your Sinead O' Conner because when life really gets you down Sinead's the one to teach you some perspective. There's a pad and paper if you decide to write the great American novel and over here, you have a tiny-but-annoying bell in case there's something that you need and you want to summon the common, but lovely house wench, who will leave her talking mice and come to fetch the Contessa whatever she need."
Rory smiles, gratefully. "I think what Contessa requires right now is sleep."
"Is your arm hurting you?"
"No. But the stuff they gave me made me a little dopey."
"My little Marianne Faithfull. Scooch down now and go to sleep."
Lorelai walks over to the empty chair, across the room, and scoots it closer to Rory's bed. "What are you doing?" Rory asks.
"Just a little feng shui. Go to sleep." Lorelai walks out of the room then comes back in carrying a blanket and a pillow.
"Mom, you don't have to sleep in here tonight."
"I know. I think the chair looks nice here."
"What's the blanket for?"
"In case the chair gets cold."
"The pillow?"
"To keep the blanket company. Okay. Everything's in its place. Chair seems warm, blanket seems happy. Just one thing missing. Oh, yeah." Lorelai sits in the chair. "Goodnight." She smiles at her daughter.
Rory rolls her eyes. "Freak of sideshow proportions."
"I love you, too."
Rory reaches over and turns the light off. Rory looks up when she sees Lauren walk in with a blanket by her side. "What?"
Lauren glares at her sister and walks towards Lorelai. "Hey, honey, can't sleep?" Lauren shakes her head. Lorelai looks at Rory, who sighs, because Lauren still hadn't said a word since before the accident. Lorelai was just glad Lauren was small enough to still fit on her lap because she pulls Lauren to her and throws a blanket over them both. Lorelai kisses Lauren, gently on the head, as they both get comfortable in the chair together. Rory scoots down and closes her eyes and they all quickly fall asleep.
Late that night, Rory and Lauren were fast asleep due to the pain meds that were given to them at the hospital. Lorelai, however, was having trouble sleeping, considering she has an 80-pound human laying on top of her. She opens her eyes to re-position herself, and jumps slightly when she sees Christopher sitting in a chair beside her, sleeping. She reaches over and taps him, lightly, on his hand. Christopher opens his eyes, looking around. "Lor?" He says, tiredly.
"Shh." Lorelai points to the kitchen for them to go in there and talk. She slowly picks Lauren up and lays her back on the chair, when she stands up, placing the blanket around her. She kisses her on the cheek before leading Christopher out into the kitchen. "Hey. What are you doing here?" Lorelai asks him.
"I have a really crappy mattress at home." Christopher jokes.
"Chris."
"I drove here as fast as I could, and I went to the hospital but you had left. So, I tried your phone, but all I got was the voicemail. So, I came here, but the place looked dark, so I got the key out of the turtle and came in, but you guys were already asleep, so I just grabbed a chair and-" Lorelai hugs Christopher. "And apparently my evil plan worked exactly as I anticipated.
"I'm so glad you're here."
"Me too." Lorelai pulls away and looks at Christopher with tears still lingering in her eyes. "How are they doing?" Christopher asks.
"Rory's in a cast."
"I know."
"The doctor said she'll be fine."
"And the munchkin?" Christopher asks about Lauren.
"She won't talk. She hasn't talked at all since before the hospital. I don't know if she's scared or if she's hurting and won't tell me. I don't know." Lorelai sighs, heavily. "But we'll be able to take Rory's cast off in a couple weeks. The car is totally gone. I have to call the insurance guy tomorrow, and I don't know." Lorelai and Christopher both sit down, exhausted.
"Did you find that kid?"
"Jess?"
"Jess. Dead meat. Whatever his name is."
"No. Little ferret's hiding out somewhere, I'm sure."
"Okay. I'm gonna deal with the car tomorrow, and I'll talk to the doctor, if that's okay." Lorelai nods, gratefully. "And I'll need a picture of Jess so I don't rip off the head of the wrong kid cause that would be bad."
"Look at you, all springing into action." Lorelai smiles.
"About time, isn't it?" Christopher questions.
"I like the superhero you."
"Just trying to keep up."
"So, are you staying here tonight or do you have to rush back?" Lorelai asks.
"No. I want to spend time with Rory and Lauren tomorrow."
"Sherry's cool with you staying here?" Lorelai asks, looking unsure.
"The girls come first."
"Okay. Do you want some coffee?"
"I'll get it." Christopher walks to the coffee pot.
"Do you know how to make coffee?"
"Yes, I do."
"My coffee?"
"One bag of coffee per cup of water, right?"
"Perfect." Lorelai sighs. "You know, when Rory called me tonight and said the word 'hospital' I just legitimately thought I was having a heartattack. And let me tell you, it was not fun. I'm joining a gym tomorrow. That's how not fun it was."
"Can you get a two for one membership?"
"Anything could've happened. It could have been so much worse."
"It wasn't."
"No, it wasn't, but it could have been."
"It wasn't. It's okay. Everything's gonna be okay."
"Hey, about the fight we had the last time you were here." Lorelai says, shyly.
"Yes, that was doozy, wasn't it?"
"I just-I didn't mean to-"
"No, I shouldn't have-" Christopher interrupts.
"No, but if I implied that-" Lorelai continues.
"You didn't. I just snapped." Christopher tells her.
"I understand."
"I'm sorry." He says, sincerely.
"Me too." Christopher smiles and turns back to the coffee pot. "Hey. Did I mention I'm really glad you're here?" Lorelai asks.
"I believe you did."
"Good for me then."
Lorelai, Rory, Lauren, Christopher, and Sookie are walking to the square for movie night.
"The Yearling?" Christopher questions with a slight smirk.
"Great movie." Rory says, sarcastically.
"You'd think they'd have gotten the genius in charge of this to come up with something other than that." Christopher teases.
"You know, picking a movie that will appeal to a large group of people is hard." Lorelai complains.
"Rory!" Lane yells, running up to them.
"We'll get seats." Christopher tells her as they continue walking to their seats.
"Hey. Why isn't Jackson here?" Lorelai asks Sookie.
"He's singing to his persimmons tonight." Sookie tells her as they sit down in the middle row. "They've been a little sour lately."
"Oh, right."
Christopher looks at them, strangely. "Right? You just accept that explanation?"
"Why shouldn't I?"
"Because she just told you the man is not here because he's singing to fruit."
Lorelai laughs. "That better than dancing with it. Remember last year's watermelon crop?" She asks Sookie.
"Oh, yeah." Sookie laughs. "Threw his back out."
"Okay. I'm facing the screen now." Christopher looks forward as Lorelai nudges him playfully.
The lights go dim. "The movie's starting? I thought it started at eight." Sookie says, looking confused.
"Nope. This is a little pre-movie treat." Lorelai smiles. She wraps her arm around her quiet daughter while they watch the clip.
A film by Kirk appears on the screen. It plays in black and white and had horrible acting, which was amusing by everyone. Kirk begins dancing in the middle of the 'movie.' "Wow." Christopher says.
"He raps later." Lorelai tells him.
"Jackson needs to see this." Sookie says, stunned. "Hey. If I can get him here quick enough-"
"Oh, we're playing this again after the movie." Lorelai assures her.
"I'll be back." Sookie walks away, quickly.
"This town is like one big outpatient mental institution." Christopher says. Lauren glares at her dad making them laugh.
"Glad you could join us." Lorelai tells him.
"Yeah. Me too."
"It's so nice you decided to stay for the movie. I mean, it's really fun being able to say: 'Hey, look, I know that person. I talk to him everyday and so far, he's never bitten me.'" She jokes.
"I'm definitely coming around more often. You need protection."
"Coming around more often sounds good. Right, Lauren?"
Lauren nods, slowly, as she continues watching Kirk's movie. "I wish I could stay longer." Christopher says, sadly.
"Oh, well, you gotta get back to Sherry. Don't worry. We understand."
"Yeah. I wish I could stay."
Rory walks up and sits down next to Christopher. "Hey. Where did Sookie go?" She asks, looking at the screen. "Oh, my. He's taking his shirt off."
"Quick! Cover Lauren's eyes. She's just a child. She shouldn't have to see this." Christopher jokes. "I should have to see this either. I'm going for popcorn."
"Me please." Lorelai says.
"Me too." Rory also says. Christopher walks away and Rory jumps over into his spot. Lorelai wraps her other arm around Rory. "I like it when he's here." Rory smiles.
"Yeah. Me too." Lorelai agrees.
Kirk's movie ends and everyone applause as the credits run. "I did the choreography." Patty says from behind them.
"Patty, doll, come here." Babbette calls her over.
"I'll see you later." Patty walks over and sits down next to Babbette.
"So, how are you feeling?" Lorelai asks her oldest.
"Haunted by the sight of Kirk's bare chest." Rory grimaces.
"No!" Patty gasps from him them. Rory glances over.
"I swear!" Babbette tells her.
"When?"
"Last night. Not long after the accident happened, Luke walked him straight to the bus station, stuck the kid on the bus, and sent him home to his mom's."
Lorelai and her girls sit quietly as they listen. "I can't believe Luke would send him off like that." Patty says.
"Well, I heard the kid wanted to go." Babbette tells her. "I don't know. All I know is that Jess is gone."
"Well, well, well, what will we do for entertainment around here?"
"Beats the hell out of me."
The lights dim, once again, and Lauren rests her head onto Lorelai's shoulder, all unable to pay attention to the movie, with Jess and the accident still in their memory.