AN: A huge thank you to all the people that were patiently waiting for me to write this next chapter. I love all the feedback and emails I got. Thank you and without further words of praise I give you Chapter 5.

Be My Someone

Chapter 5: Telling

Written By: V Lynne

echoinghearts@yahoo.com

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

The mood she was in wasn't any better by the time she got to the blue and white post labeled 'Stars Hollow'. It was bad enough that in her fit of temper she remembered that Nathan had driven her home last night, so her car was still at his house. That made it complicated and so she had 'borrowed' Adam's car, taking his car keys by the front door. She'd call and apologize to him later.

Jess pulled the car right next to the sidewalk and cut the engine, getting out her sandals pounded on the concrete and the look on her face told the couple people she passed as she opened the diner door not to mess with her.

Inside the diner, Jess stocked across the tiled flooring and ungraciously sat on one of the vacant bar stools, agitation in her every movement. Slamming the keys on the counter, she rubbed her temples with her fingers as if to wish away the morning.

"I take it that something happened?" Luke Danes inquired of the distraught brunette.

Jess opened her closed eyes and took in her Uncle's concern, she let out an impatient breath of air and nodded. Reaching behind him into the small frig he pulled out a Pepsi and set in front of her.

"Thanks."

"Rough morning?"

"The roughest. Can I just stay here a while? Help out if you need it? I really don't want to show up at the house two hours early," Jess let out a small smile, "who knows what Grandma will do to me."

Luke offered her an uplift of his lips.

"Sure, though I don't need any help. Upstairs is empty if you want to hang out."

"Okay," Jess turned on the bar stool, sipping from the blue, red and white can, "I'll be upstairs."

Luke nodded to her as she walked off, the violet clad girl not noticing that her Uncle was already picking up the phone and dialing a number.

~

The echoing sound of ringing got Nathan's attention from the girl in front of him he was talking to. Remembering that he was alone, big surprise, he walked over to the cordless phone and hit send.

"Hello?"

"Jess's here, she doesn't look like herself."

"Uncle Luke?"

"Who else? I suggest that you get over here and find out what's going on."

"Right."

Nathan set the phone back in its holder and turned to the blond over his shoulder.

"Interesting conversations you have, Nathan, two word answers at the most."

"We have to go."

The white-blond lifted a delicately arched eyebrow at this, her mahogany eyes searching for an answer in his face.

"And just where are we going?"

"Stars Hollow."

~

Paige Whitaker was not a girl known for being the warm and fuzzy type. Direct, stubborn, and opinionated suited her much better than being the kind of girl that thought of nothing but boys, clothes, and the latest gossip. Which always made her seem like the girl who would never consciously like a guy knowing full well that he didn't like her back.

You are pathetic, Whitaker, Paige berated herself as they sat in Nathan's car that had definitely seen better days, you come over to his house today to go over the World Lit project and you get caught up in his life.

Not that she overly minded. Paige's life was so organized that the clock could set it, it ran smoothly and she never really deferred from it. The moment she came up onto the porch of the Davenport house she felt her calm demeanor leave her without a backwards glance. Nathan had always had that effect on her since she had met him, met him when he was talking to Gilmore of all people.

Honestly she couldn't really hate Gilmore. She respected the girl's outward look on things, how creative she was, and barely had a flaw for her to nit-pick at. It disturbed her how very likable Gilmore was and then to find out that Nathan had a not so casual liking towards her, well the idea of being a friend with Gilmore went right out the window. Paige was an only child and not used to sharing and she was dead certain she wanted not to have to share the amazing, funny, and protective Nathan with the soulful eyed girl.

"So why exactly are we heading towards Stars Hollow?" Paige wondered, not knowing much about Nathan's personal life.

"A small family problem."

Paige nodded, but couldn't keep her reporter mind out of it.

"You have family in Stars Hollow?"

Nathan's grip on the steering wheel of the 1970s Ford Pickup that had seen better days tightened.

"Kind of."

"Kind of? How can you kind of have family?"

Paige saw him glance at her with those brilliant eyes of his and she felt her heart beat speed up.

"You never quit do you, Paige?"

"Quit?"

"Looking for dirt, clues, insight to the uninsightful. You know, being a reporter."

"I am a reporter."

"Exactly."

Paige huffed not seeing where he was going with this. Glancing out the window she saw the gathering of trees on the long stretch of road, the serenity of the scenery like taking her back to the 1600s when the U.S was nothing but trees on this coast.

"I was just hoping I'd find out where you intend to take this very unsafe vehicle in case I need to call for a cab later."

Nathan chuckled, a deep sound that came from his chest and made Paige stare at him.

"Did I say something funny?"

"You sound just like Jess."

Again, Gilmore, Paige thought bitterly, why was it that all the males at that school that did and didn't admit they liked the younger girl always bring her up when not everyone got along with Miss Has-Everyone-Wrapped- Around-Her-Pinkie.

"Really? Well, at least the two of us can agree that you driving this seriously need of an retirement truck is very unsafe."

"It's safe enough."

The spaces of trees opened to the sight of the quaint town that Paige had on occasion passed by in her own car. The small town had that homey, 1950s feel to it when everyone knew everyone and it was picture perfect. She felt a gag rising to the back of her throat.

In her intake of the town she didn't realize that Nathan had parked behind a very recognizable car that Paige knew belonged to Adam St. Clare, until he cleared his throat.

"Are you coming?"

He climbed out, shutting the door, as Paige gingerly stepped out of the car and slammed the door shut as if it was just about to bite her. Dusting off her hands together, as she wasn't about to dust them off on her white slacks, she saw him going into a greenish colored building with the words 'Hardware' on them.

"What do you need…." Paige stopped, as he was not able to hear her from being inside and reluctantly followed.

Opening the glass door, she was stunned to put it mildly that inside was very nice and not a Hardware store but a diner. Little town quirks, Paige mused.

Nathan was leaning over the counter, where a man that looked in his late forties, early fifties with a backwards blue cap on, wearing flannel, was talking to him in low tones. Her eyes traveled over the space to the small tables, red and white checkered clothes, and again it amazed her how this place seemed unchanged by the rapid changing times.

Deciding that she was thirsty by seeing so many people drinking out of glasses, she headed to the counter with the rigid spine and all the dignity of a high society princess.

"Excuse me," Paige called making the man in the cap look at her, "I would like an ice tea, with a twist of lemon."

"I take it this is a friend of yours, Nate?"

"Um…" Nathan looked at a loss for the very Chiltonite Paige, "Paige Whitaker this is Luke Danes."

"Danes?" Paige pondered over the last name and then had to immediately hide her scowl as she made the connection, "You are Jessica Gilmore's Uncle?"

"That would be me."

Paige then realized that whatever Nathan was taking care of it had to do with that little bundle of trouble. Both men were ignoring her once again and then Paige saw the most dramatic acting woman enter the diner. It wasn't so much the way she was dressed but by the way she entered as if she was a woman starving, all her reason for existing almost gone and she was in desperate need of something. Other than that she was a very pretty woman, around the same age as Luke, with a sophisticated outfit on that would fit right at home at any of her mother's many social gathering parties.

"Luke," the woman called out, sliding her body onto the black cushioned stool, "must have coffee."

"Lorelai, no."

"You evil man," the woman named Lorelai decided, "I come in here for years and yet you still put up that old argument. I will get my coffee, I always get my coffee."

"I have destroyed the coffee machine."

"You what? Blasphemy! How dare you destroy a holy relic! I will not hear of such things," Lorelai said in her most sincere outraged voice, "I will have you tarred and feathered and you know in small towns they still do it."

Completely drawn in by the woman's outrageous manner, Paige watched as if she was watching a program on the television.

"Lorelai," Luke continued calmly, obviously used to the woman's antics, "how many times must I say no for you to get the picture? Coffee is bad for you."

"No it isn't. It is a life giving substance that I must have in order to complete my daily routine or I shall perish."

"I highly doubt it."

"Please……Luke, Lukey…..You are my supplier! I am a paying customer and I demand to be given the coffee I have ordered."

Nathan was openly grinning from ear to ear at this.

"Hello, Nate, please tell his Unholiness that I must be served coffee." Lorelai turned her eyes onto the handsome young male next to her.

"I don't know, Lorelai, Luke does have a point."

"Taking his side? Wait until Jess hears of this, she will straighten you out. Fine, be that way…" Lorelai pouted, "I will just have to sit here and whine."

"Go ahead."

"Oh, Luke….coffee fiend….I need my coffee…..Lukey is a very, very bad man…"

Paige couldn't keep her laughter in and burst out into giggles.

"And who are you?" Lorelai went from pouty, as Luke had gone to service other customers, to the Spanish Inquisition in two seconds.

"Paige Whitaker."

The dark haired, blue-eyed woman raised a speculative eyebrow.

"Whitaker….wait a sec…you are the girl that is denying Jess being on the paper."

"Uh.."

"Listen here, little missy, my granddaughter might be one of the biggest pains next to myself of course, but she is talented at writing just like her mother. You are denying the readers one of the best columnists at that preppy school of yours. Besides," Lorelai hopped off the stool with a watchful eye on Luke going around the counter, "you aren't gonna be at old Hell next year and you'll need someone on that paper who actually knows how to complete full sentences."

Nathan was shaking his head, as Paige saw Lorelai slip into the back and come out with a triumph cup of steaming hot coffee.

"Lorelai!" Luke's voice raised across the room.

"What?" Lorelai asked innocently, coming from around the counter, "desperate times call for desperate measures, Luke."

"That's it! I am throwing that thing out!"

"No! Not the coffee maker!"

"Yes!"

Nathan reached to take Paige by the wrist.

"This is the time I suggest we leave, they can go on like this for hours."

Paige followed him past the counter and up narrow stairs that led to a door that Nathan opened, leading into a wood flooring, very last century touches. Finding herself closing the half-frosted glass, half-wood door behind them she saw just why Nathan had decided to take a long break on their project.

Sitting in a violet shirt, with a violet and white patterned skirt, her hair in a ponytail was Jessica Gilmore, who looked like the world was against her. Something Paige knew would never happen to the always landing on her feet Gilmore. Sitting next to the open window that the view was of the wide grassy and autumn colored trees and gazebo across the street.

"End of the world, Jess?"

Paige saw Jess look away from the window to the brown eyed, brown haired hottie that was Nathan with the saddest expression on her face.

"Might as well be for all the good it'll do me." Jess stated.

"Alright," Nathan pulled up a chair, as Paige leaned against the nearest wall as if to fade in, "tell me what's up?"

"Like you'd care it's just about DuGrey."

"Whoa, wait a second, what did I do?" Nathan defended at Jess's snap.

"What don't you do? Just go away."

"Jess, listen, if DuGrey said something….."

"You aren't really a person I should talk to about this, Nate, it'll only piss you off and knowing you you'll go all caveman."

"Let me be the judge on what I would or wouldn't do."

Jess pulled back from the window, using the wheeled footed chair to glide across the floor directly in front of the broad chest of Nathan.

"You want to know? Since Uncle Luke can't seem to keep it a secret, I showed up a little bit ago," Jess informed, "since Grandma and I are supposed to be shopping today and I was two hours early."

"I gathered that much."

"When you took me back last night," Jess glared at him, "which I am pissed at you cause I had to take Adam's racer here," Nathan grinned, "and left me at the mercy of DuGrey I was having one of my nightmares that he happened to go all nice on me for."

"He what?"

"He became the listener, something you are famous for, and well I spilled my guts to him. About most of it. He was all sympathetic and kind, a big change from the jerk he normally is and then this morning…." Jess shuttered in disgust, "his mom showed up."

"Claudia is here?"

"The one and only. Only she brought with her two photographers and a younger version of herself, who seemed to be on quite intimate terms with DuGrey if you get my meaning. Then," Jess was so angered she stood, kicking the chair and paced, "she talks about he has described me. Like I was some ugly duckling and he had put up with me. I wanted to scream. So I had to leave. Left him with the woman that gave him life and the devil in the red dress."

"So tell me why you are upset again?"

"Don't you get it," Paige concluded, "Gilmore's jealous."

That was when Jess fully took in that she wasn't the only female in the upstairs apartment. Instantly on guard, Jess glared at Nathan.

"Oh, great, as if my life couldn't possibly get any worse I become the petulant child right in front of the girl that hates me," Jess shot daggers from her eyes at Nathan, "thank you so much for coming to play the white knight but I think you've done enough damage."

"Don't take your anger out on him," Paige stepped in, "he didn't do anything but worry over you."

"And why exactly are you here? Last time I checked I wasn't high on your priority list."

"I came with Nathan, we were working on a project when your Uncle called him, though why he did escapes me. A family matter, Nathan?"

Jess almost laughed at how uncomfortable her normally calm and collected brother was.

"Oh, you didn't here? Nathan here is the father of my baby," Jess boasted causing Nathan to rise to his feet, "so he's very much part of the Gilmore clan."

Paige knew that Jess was teasing, knowing how much Paige liked Nathan, but Nathan looked ready to strangle the brunette.

"Are you going to clear this up for me, Nathan, cause I'm confused."

"And lord knows we don't want a confused Paige on our hands, whatever will the readers say." Jess taunted, sitting back in her chair.

"What is your problem, Gilmore?" Paige demanded walking across to the girl, "can't you be civil?"

"To you? Who hates my guts cause you think something sordid is going on between Nate and me? If anyone in this room has a problem being civil, Paige, it's you."

"Okay, ladies, time out."

"Besides," Jess sweetly locked eyes with Nathan, "I think I'll let Nate here tell you just what our relationship is. Wouldn't want you to get your facts wrong when you right your article on the low times of Jess Gilmore, ruined life and all."

"Jess, that's not fair…"

"No," Jess stood at her brother's defense of Paige, "what isn't fair is that both of you like each other and yet you use me as a excuse to keep your relationship strictly platonic," seeing shock in Paige's eyes, "that's right, Paige, Nathan likes you. For crying out loud you've both liked each other since day one and since Paige jumped all over conclusions that Nate was taken you two have been circling each other and I'm sick of it. I have enough problems without being the monkey in the middle. So go ahead, Nate, tell her who you are. Cause if you don't I will."

Nathan had the look of utter and complete defeat on his face. Jess knew him too well. He did like Paige, a lot actually. She was one of those people whose determination was amazing to him, he had seen her take the paper and turn it into one of the best in the country that could even outdo some of the professional papers written by seasoned veterans. He knew she liked him but couldn't bring himself to say anything. His blood wasn't blue and he was no angel.

"Sometimes I think all the men in my life would do well to meet their heads with a piece of brick." Jess muttered.

"You aren't perfect either, Jess."

"Who said I was? But Nate making yourself miserable doesn't help and it sure doesn't help to have her mad at me for something I'm innocent of. All pettiness aside," Jess smiled at Paige, "I think you are a great writer Paige and would be a great friend if we could get past this whole thing with Nate."

"What exactly is going on with you two?"

"Jess is my half-sister, there you happy, I said it."

"Never been happier, brother dear. Now for that shocker, I think I'll go downstairs and help Grandma annoy Uncle Luke."

"Feel better?"

"Kinda. Nothing like putting the spotlight of anger on someone else to put me in a good mood. Bye, Paige. Try not to spray blood on the bedspread. It's a bitch to get out."

Having done that Jess inhaled and left the room as she knew at least if she wasn't able to fix her own problems that she could fix Nathan's. He had a serious need to have girlfriend to keep him in line and he needed to get over that he didn't have to hide their relationship from everyone especially when it was making him and the girl he likes miserable.

Now only if she could cope with her own troubles.

Skipping down the stairs feeling a little better but not much she almost fell on the floor when she saw her mom standing in the doorway of Luke's.

"Mom? What are you doing here?"

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Thought I'd do a little into other people's lives before I continued with the whole angst thing and guess what…Rory's back! The world might never be the same again…

February 6, 2002