Title: Too good

Rating: PG

Pairing: Hah! Like I'd actually tell you.

Spoilers: Mostly season two, so if you don't know who Jess is don't read this.

Summary: Far away from Stars Hollow, down a dusty road two friends are on a road trip on there way home and they pick up an old friend whose just been released from military school and ready to take control of his life again.

In the world of elite socialites he was a maverick. He didn't fit in, the money, only a comfort, something he knew he could live without. Most of them couldn't say that and he knew that's what made him different. His real passion was music. Music created the slight illusion for him, that life was ok even when he knew it wasn't. At military school, well, things weren't pretty, life at military school consisted of the never ending cycle of eating, sleeping, being yelled at and running. Way too much running, the only place he found solace was in the music room and in his heart. In his heart where he could visit with her, see her face and envision many situations during which he would've acted differently. Maybe things would've turned out differently if he hadn't been the idiot. Idiot. He could visit her with his guitar, it had helped him to survive. He loved to perform and he was going home, to a summer of emptiness and a few gigs, before he set off to University, yes, he didn't want to know how much money his parents had given Harvard to let him in, the thought made triumph taste so bitter in his mouth, he spat. The gates closed behind him, his guitar strapped on his back, the sun bright in his eyes. He began to walk down the street gazing at the ugly gray building that had held him for the past year. Unfortunately, he was too proud to call his parents for a pick up and was left to walk the extra mile to the bus station. He saw a car on the road and faintly saw the out lines of two people sitting in the car, he stuck out his thumb in the traditional hitchhiking position. The car drove past him and he groaned dropping his hound, continuing to trudge in the direction of the bus station, but the car screeched to a stop and backed up stopping next to him, the passenger window opened, a dark hared guy sitting in the front. He peered into the car and in the drivers seat sat, "Mary?" She looked different, her hair was down and her blue eyes peered at him out at him from behind aquamarine colored glasses. She smiled.

"I thought it was you. Get in." He opened the door to the backseat and noticed about thirty books in a pile on the ground. Tossing his stuff behind the seat he slid into the car glancing at the dark-eyed guy sitting in the front.

"I see we struck gold," he said glancing at all of the books on the ground.

"Yeah, in this town about a half-hour from here, a quarter each." She replied glancing at him in the review mirror. "I forgot," She commented gesturing to the guy sitting next to her. "This is my friend Jess." He turned around and stuck up three fingers in a wave, he nodded.

"It's always good to meet a fellow, how should I put it, thief?" He asked glancing at Rory who smiled in reply explaining.

"Jess got nabbed stealing from a convenience store, although he probably didn't get as much money from the store as you got from the vault. He got sentenced to a lifetime in Pleasantville."

"Ouch," Tristan replied "although I would've preferred that to a years worth of cold showers and cement buildings."

"So true." Tristan decided that this guy might be worth knowing.

"What's with the guitar?" She asked curiously.

"It's what I did all year."

"Can you play anything?" She asked.

"Can you play anything good?" Jess reiterated in a sarcastic tone, yes, definitely worth getting to know.

"Sure, what do you want to here?"

"No, Not in my car," Rory commanded, "if you really suck, you'll break the windows. Let's just listen to the radio and maybe when we get back to Connecticut I'll let you play, if you're lucky."

"And lucky you will be."

"I see that all that time in military school did wonders for your ego."

"Hey, a guys gotta have some pride." Jess commented punching the air.

"Amen," Tristan replied. "Amen."

After two hours Rory pulled into a gas station. "Do you want me to drive for a while?" Tristan offered and Jess pointedly looked at him and rolled his eyes as if to signal the beginning of the schpeil.

"No one drives my car, Dean built me this car and believe me, presently it can't be replaced." Jess groaned.

"Don't tell me you're still with bag boy."

"Bag boy?" Jess cackled, "that's a good one. I went with narcolepsy boy, but that's even better,"

"No, Dean and I broke up, and unfortunately I don't have a boyfriend, less one that could fix this car, apparently it handles like crap." She looked pointedly at Jess who pretended to glance around the area, not noticing the comment. She giggled. "So this hunk of junk stays under my protection. At all times. I may not love Dean but I do love my car." She pulled the hose out of her gas tank and hurried through the dusty air to pay leaving Jess and Tristan waiting for her.

"Are you with her?" Tristan asked Jess pointedly. Jess shook his head wistfully.

"We were together for a while, we're better friends. And I will personally do you in if you hurt her."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Let's just say that the reason we broke up wasn't me."

******Like that little bit of foreshadowing there, don'tcha!****** What next?…I know…..some doughnuts, music, The Old man and the Sea and Lane****You really want to write that review now don'cha***********