'Uh-Uh. No way, Jose`.' Lorelai waved her arms around fervently, walking from the living room to the kitchen.

'He needs our help.' Rory pleaded, following her mom and leaning her arms on the kitchen counter.

'No way am I letting that hoodlum sleep ten feet away from my teenage daughter.' Lorelai wrinkled her nose at the word hoodlum, as she grabbed a pile of receipts and started sorting through them.

'Just for tonight. He doesn't have a place to sleep.'

'The hoodlum can go back to Luke and beg for forgiveness.'

'Stop saying hoodlum. And it's not an option, I think things got really bad this time.'

'I'm almost completely sure that's his fault. And what happened to your finals, Miss Nightingale? You suddenly have time to skip school and sulk with Jess?'

'He wasn't sulking… Well, not much anyway. One night. He'll be on his best behavior, I promise.' Rory said, sitting down in front of her mom and touching her arm.

'Rory, no. Just no.' She looked up from the receipts and gave Rory a stern look.

'Because you don't trust him?'

'Because I don't trust his hormones. His teenage, bad-boy hormones. I know them too well. And did you already forget about the thing in Kyle's bedroom? Because if you have, well, then I haven't. The getting mad at you, yelling, fighting, then sulking, I haven't forgotten that.'

'Nothing happened in Kyle's bedroom!'

'I know he has a pretty face, but that's a red flag, and right now, you're following him around like … like a dumb blonde in a chick-flick.'

'He apologized for that. It was a misunderstanding and he really was going through a lot.'

'Besides, think of Luke. Us getting in the middle of things like that, what if it upsets him? I don't wanna be meddling between him and his nephew.'

'Luke doesn't have to find out.'

'Rory, these things always get out.'

'It's one night. We'll help Jess make a plan and then he'll go, but at least he won't be so hurt and overwhelmed by everything.'

'Rory… Honey, I don't think this is a good idea.' Lorelai said, in her best reasonable-mother voice, 'look, I'm always up for community service and helping people and all that Mother Teresa stuff, but Jess is just trouble … and he's not our problem.'

Rory sighed, looking up at her mother and chewing on the inside of her cheek. 'He has a good side to him, you have to see it…'

'You keep saying that, but he just keeps proving otherwise.'

'—And he's so desperate this time. He has no idea what to do. So him running away, that's the only way he knows how to cope. In fact, you do that too.'

'Excuse me?'

'You ran away from getting married to Max...'

'Rory! That is not the same thing!' Her mom exclaimed forcefully.

'And you ran away from your parents in high school too.'

'Yeah, from Richard and Emily and their crazy micro-managing, stuck-up lives. Jess had a good thing going here and he blew it!'

'Mom, please! Yes, he messed up… but he just needs someone to believe in him,' Rory added, 'the way Mia believed in you.'

Lorelai gave Rory a warning look at that and shook her head, saying, 'Don't use the Mia card on me.'

Rory was sure she was finally starting to get through to her mom, as she continued, 'I mean, you showed up as a scared teenager with a tiny baby, and Mia still gave you a chance. If she hadn't, then neither of us would be here right now. She didn't turn you away because you were 'trouble' or a 'mess-up' or 'hormonal'. So, please, just give Jess a chance.'

'This is a whole other situation, Rory…' Lorelai sighed.

'Jess is a good guy.'

'He's seriously messed up.'

'You have to give him a chance.'

'Rory!'

'Mom!'

Lorelai paused and then said, 'He's already outside, isn't he?'

Rory pursed her lips, 'If I say no, will that help?'

Lorelai shut her eyes and put her face between her hands for a moment, before she relented, 'One night. You stay in your room and he sleeps in the garage.'

'But the garage'll be freezing!'

'Garage.' Lorelai went on firmly, raising her voice in finality, 'And I have to talk to him to set up some ground rules.' The phone rang and she hurried to pick it up, before adding, 'And hey, not a word to your grandmother.'

Rory smiled and skipped back outside to tell Jess.

That evening, Jess started setting up his sleeping bag in Rory's garage. The place wasn't as bad as Rory had said, a bit dusty, but he saw none of the spiders Lorelai had warned about. He picked a corner and unfolded the sleeping bag she'd given him. Then, he stopped to admire Lane's drum set in the corner, recalling the last time he'd seen the band practicing in that garage. It seemed like a lifetime ago, back when he still had a home and the prospect of a high school education… and Rory. It was a warm evening, but the air was somewhat stuffy and it had been raining intermittently over the past few hours. Jess stepped outside, lit a cigarette, his first in a while, and let his thoughts wander.

He tried not to think about Rory. Instead, he needed to sort out his messy situation. Jess sucked on his cigarette and exhaled deeply. Going back to Liz was out of the question. The last time he'd run back to her was a nightmare. It started with passive aggressiveness and then graduated to constant yelling that made it clear she wouldn't tolerate his existence under her roof. He closed his eyes and blew smoke over his head again. There aren't many options left for him at this point and he was too curious to let it go. He knew he needed to work through his thoughts about Jimmy. His estranged father, who'd abandoned him as a baby, had had very little to say when he came here. However, he'd still showed up, which had to mean something. Either he had something to say or wanted something to do with him. Or was he just passing by and ended up in Stars Hollow by some freak accident? Maybe he was diagnosed with some terminal illness and had decided to make amends. Jess shook his head through the cloud of smoke around him, as he realized he knew very little about his father, nothing but the fact that he lived in Venice, California. He knew nothing about where exactly he lived, what he did for a living, whether he was still single. Even if he could track him down, how would he react when his son shows up unannounced? Did he even want to go all the way there? It would be a pretty long trip to make for nothing and would drain a lot of his cash. And… what would that mean for him and Rory? He tried again to bury away thoughts of Rory.

Liz had always referred to Jimmy as the runaway or the loser, and since Liz dated a lot of losers over the years, he'd somehow come to think of Jimmy as a mixture of all the men she'd dated, maybe even the biggest jerk of them all. He was pretty sure she mentioned a trailer once though, did he still have it? The thought of sharing a trailer with Jimmy made him uneasy, and a bit queasy. The losers Liz dated had always smelled.

He could just go back to New York, at least it's a familiar place, and it's big enough that there are very low chances of running into his mom. He would try his luck with different jobs, the places he'd already worked at might help, if they had an opening that is. His time at Walmart and the diner would definitely count for something, but the fact that he has no address would require some explaining. Finding a place to stay would be tricky, a cheap place that is. He also had to consider the possibility he wouldn't find a job in New York right away, how long would his savings last him then? What happens when his cash runs out? He flicked the ashes off his cigarette, watching the smoke rise and dissipate. He could also travel around, a risky option but not entirely unappealing, wandering around in different cities until he found a job that stuck.

He was startled out of his thoughts when Rory came up to him, asking, 'hey, gloomy. Found any spiders inside?'

'Not yet,' He started, throwing away his half-smoked cigarette and burying his hands in his pockets.

He followed her with his eyes as she inspected the garage. Her hair was tied in a high messy bun, with bit of hair flying out in all directions, and she was wearing a deep pink V-neck sweater that clung to her thin waist and gave her skin a flushed look. It made her neck look very kissable, and her lips too for that matter. He stepped inside, leaned against the wall, and continued to watch her as she wandered around the garage.

'I should get you a blanket.' She said slowly, twisting her hands together awkwardly, 'but I kind of just came to see how you were doing.'

By the dimly lit garage, the world seemed hazy as it started to rain again. It drowned away all other noises and made him feel like they were completely alone in their own bubble. He sighed, 'I don't know.'

'What are you thinking?' she said, stepping closer and leaning against the wall next to him.

'Is Lorelai watching us from here?'

'No, she's upstairs going through some papers… for the new inn.'

He nodded slowly, stepping in front of Rory and leaning in to kiss her. She melted into him right away, closing her eyes. It was a slow kiss, with his hands cupping her face and her arms wrapping around his waist. Rory's hands slid up and down along his back, as she sighed contently. Jess wanted to deepen the kiss, but Rory pulled away slightly.

'Jess, I need to know what you're thinking.' She pulled at her sweater nervously, making the neckline dip lower. She was looking at him, really looking at him, and it reminded him of the first time they met. Don't I look trustworthy?

Jess took a breath and started talking.

….

'I might go see my dad.' He said shakily, and then sighed, as he told her about his dad's visit to Luke's and how he'd abruptly made a run for it. He told her what he knew from Liz and Luke, how he would have to travel all the way to California to see him. As he spoke, Rory pulled him down so that they both sat down against the garage wall and started slowly playing with his hair, making him nuzzle his head against her palms. It wasn't easy to talk, but Rory was a good listener and the fact that she kept touching him was distracting him, making the words tumble from his mouth thoughtlessly. He didn't really have to filter his words around her, which felt surprisingly relaxing. When he was done, he couldn't believe he, him of all people, had poured out that much to her. He braced himself for her reaction. Her mocking, laughing… Leaving. Of course she would, she had every right to.

She was silent for a while after he finished, then spoke carefully, 'you really didn't know what he looked like?'

'I yelled at him to order some food or get out.' He snorted, remembering his dad's first visit.

'But Luke recognized him?'

'I guess, yeah, he must've.'

'Well, your dad seems to have amazing communication skills.'

'Finally met someone worse than me at confrontations.' Jess shrugged, with a small eyeroll.

Rory was silent, as she continued to muss his hair, 'I met my dad for the first time when I was eight. He asked mom if he could come visit, and she let me decide. Whether to see him or not, I mean. It took him about 6 months to finally come, but when he did, it just…' She broke off and shook her head. Jess noticed how hard it was for her to talk, her voice coming out strained and rushed. She, like him, also never mentioned her father. The frown on her face made him want to stop her from going on, but he was too absorbed in her words.

She paused, then went on, 'he's flaky and unreliable, he barely calls and sometimes when he does, he just says nothing. He never shows up when he says he will, never comes over for holidays and I've learned not to give too much weight to it when he promises something…' She took a breath, 'But, when I first met him, it just felt… Like I suddenly knew myself a bit better. Like, I knew where I got some parts of myself from, and I didn't have to wonder about him so much… I mean, I was disappointed in so many ways, but still, at least I knew…' She sighed, 'I know that's not the same thing and I don't wanna preach. Please don't think I'm preaching – '

'You think I should go see him then.' Jess mused.

'You'll regret it if you don't go.'

'Or he'll kick me out too.'

'At least you'll know.'

'I don't know if I can take that.' He admitted quietly.

Rory rubbed his arm gently, feeling his tense muscles through his thin shirt, and after a moment of silence, said, 'You know, when I was a kid, I was convinced Luke was my dad.'

The thought of a miniature Rory jumping up and down in circles around a grumpy Luke made him chuckle. 'That's cute.'

'Yeah, he was sweet about it.' She remembered fondly, as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer, 'He built me my bookcase and even showed up to father's day at school for me once. He made me a special soup when I had chicken pox. He was grumbling the whole time, but still, he showed up.'

'Yeah, that sounds like Luke.' He smiled slowly, 'he helped out when I was a kid, too. Not for father's day, but he bailed my mum out of jail, paid off her debt, that kind of thing.' He sighed, 'I really blew things there, didn't I?'

'You know mom once spread a rumor that his peach pies have weed in them. It somehow spread to the whole town and then someone called the FDA and they were threatening to shut down the diner. Of course, mom chatted up the FDA guy, convinced him she was just a crazy woman who had a phobia of diners, but still, Luke was furious. He said he'd never talk to her again.'

'Weed pies, really?'

'Mom can be weird sometimes.'

'Sometimes?'

'My point is… Luke's not very good at holding grudges. You probably already know that.'

He didn't respond to that, instead, he said, 'So California, huh?'

She nodded slowly, and said, 'It's sunny, ' but then leaned her head on his shoulder and voiced what was on both of their minds, 'God, Jess, it's so far. From here, from Yale…'

'I know.'

'Maybe you can just go visit him and then come back? I'm sure Luke will have calmed down.'

'You'll be moving to Yale anyway.'

'Only 22.8 miles away.'

Jess was silent.

'Think about it. You'll get to travel around and see your dad. Then you can come back, start fresh and get your GED.'

'I don't know, Rory. Maybe…'

'Jess?' She looked at him with wide blue eyes, angling her face closer to his.

'Yeah?'

'Whatever happens, get a cellphone, please. And call. A lot.'

He smiled weakly and nodded, as he planted a kiss on her lips.

Rory was suddenly very aware that this was his last night at Stars Hollow, possibly for a long time. Her arms slid around his waist, as Jess pulled her closer, his hands steadying her neck. She felt all coherent thoughts leave her and her world starting to spin. She closed her eyes and drew in a breath, parting her lips slightly. Jess's tongue traced her lips as he deepened the kiss and drew her closer. She felt his hands slip down to caress her collarbone and trace along the outline of her sweater, which had stooped down further. Then, Jess surprised her by pulling back slightly, while Rory leaned forward to find his lips again. His hands moved up to rub her shoulders in feather light circles. Rory craved his touch, as she grabbed one of his wrists and led his hand to the side of her waist. He was letting her lead this, lead him.

She kissed him so forcefully, her hands cupping his jaw, making his head hit the wall with a soft thud. She opened her eyes to check if he was okay, but his eyes were still closed, the most dreamy and wanting look on his face. She was lost again when he flicked his tongue against hers, making her suck his lips harder. Rory wanted more of him, as much as she could get, and all his slow touching was driving her mad. She wanted her hands everywhere at once, they roamed against his chest, slid towards the edge of his shirt, slipped under his shirt to rub his bare back. All this kissing, just the kissing, was making her furiously warm everywhere, including deep inside of her. The fact that his hands were moving so slowly, so unlike his usual restless self, was driving her insane. One of her hands came up to pull at his hair, crushing his lips harder into hers, as he hummed in approval.

She heard voices in the distance and Rory pulled back slightly.

Jess pleaded with his eyes, 'Rory, don't…'

Rory could hear Babette and Morey laughing loudly, gossiping about something unintelligible. They sounded to her like they were right on the other side of the wall, which she logically knew wasn't the case, but still. She was suddenly very aware of her messy hair, swollen lips and low neckline.

'Rory…'

'I have to go.' Rory said suddenly, her heart hammering and her hands clammy all of a sudden.

'Come on, please, ignore them...'

'I… I just can't.' She untangled herself from his arms.

Jess could only stare helplessly as she stepped back and ran out towards the house.